Chapter 7: Metal Rocks!

Airelina Frembell

Slash. Hack. Sidestep. Thrust.

It has been precisely seven days since we arrived and settled into the opulent chambers of the illustrious Duchess' Manor. Despite the grandeur of our surroundings, the passage of time has been marked by an uneventful and placid routine. Each day has passed without incident, with no out of the ordinary occurrences to disturb the tranquility of our stay. Furthermore, the enigmatic and elusive Black Phantom, who once caused such a stir, has remained elusive, never again revealing his shadowy figure in our midst.

Thrust. Block. Slash. Thrust.

Ever since I informed Amphy about the upcoming Dragon Knight Tournament, he has been devoting himself tirelessly to his training. In the expansive wooden training hall, he can be found at the crack of dawn every day, fully immersed in his regimen. With each passing day, he has honed his skills to a razor's edge, and his progress is evident in his fluid movements and precise strikes.

As I watch him train, I am struck by the intensity of his focus. Every morning, he starts with a brisk jog around the lush garden surrounding the training hall. After his warm-up, he begins a rigorous shadow swordfight, swinging a cranky wooden sword with all his might. Despite the grueling nature of his training, he never wavers, always pushing himself to the limit.

Over time, I have witnessed his hard work pay off, and I am convinced that he has made tremendous progress. But even as he trains, I can see the fatigue and exhaustion etched on his face. One morning, after becoming bored with his swordplay, he slumped onto the polished floor, sweat pouring down his face.

Sensing his exhaustion, I approached him with a bottle of mineral water. Without a word, he accepted it gratefully and drank half of it in one go. Then, in a gesture that spoke volumes about his determination, he splashed the remaining water on his face, wiping away the sweat and reinvigorating himself for the rest of his training session.

I couldn't help but shout at him in concern, "Hey, that's not good for your body. Totally!"

Despite my worry, I couldn't deny the impressive sight before me. His body was glistening with sweat and water, and the way his muscles rippled beneath his skin was nothing short of awe-inspiring. As I watched him train, I couldn't help but marvel at his physical prowess. His movements were fluid and graceful, each strike precise and powerful.

As he made an innocent smile at me, a sudden heat rose to my cheeks, suffusing my face with an embarrassing redness. I could feel my heart rate quicken, and I knew that my emotions were betraying me. Though I was slightly irritated by his smile, I couldn't help but feel a fluttering in my chest.

Without thinking, I reached out and pinched his right cheek, pulling it playfully. His skin was soft and warm to the touch, and I couldn't help but be drawn in by his charm. Despite my initial annoyance, I couldn't deny the affection that I felt for him.

"Owowowow-Ouch!" He screamed.

"Yeah, like that! At least you're not that dully silent anymore! Totally!"

"Ouch! What's the deal with you?" He removed my hand and then covered his swelling cheeks.

"Nothing!"

With my heart racing and my palms sweating, I leaned in towards him, hoping to hide the tell-tale signs of my infatuation with a blameless smile. However, I knew that it was obvious that my cheeks were flushed, and I couldn't keep the heat from suffusing my face.

Despite my desire to be honest, I also didn't want to make the first move. I was afraid of the possibility of rejection and didn't want to risk damaging our friendship. It was a delicate balance, and I was struggling to find the right words to express my feelings without being too forward.

Fortunately, as I gazed into his eyes, I saw a familiar glimmer of infatuation staring back at me. It was a thrilling sensation, and it gave me hope that my own feelings might be reciprocated.

As he looked back at me, I could see that his own cheeks were becoming flushed and his breath was coming in short, quick gasps. I knew that my intuition had been correct - he was infatuated with me too!

The feeling was electric, and I couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of confidence. Maybe, just maybe, this could be the start of something special.

"Say…I wanted to test your sword skills. I wanted to see how well you improved, totally!"

A warm smile spread across Amphy's face as he nodded in agreement. We stood facing each other, about five meters apart, both of us holding wooden swords with a centered stance. I couldn't help but admire the way he looked - the sweat glistening on his forehead, his muscles tensed in anticipation, and his eyes locked onto mine with a fierce determination.

As I looked at him, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. For the past two years, I had been his sword instructor, teaching him the intricacies of sword fighting and honing his skills to perfection. It was clear that our styles were identical - every move he made was like looking in a mirror.

But this time was different. This time, I wasn't just an instructor. I was a challenger. We were going to spar, and I knew that this time, I couldn't hold back. I had to give it my all, or risk being defeated by my own student.

As we stood there, ready to begin, I could feel the tension building between us. The wooden swords felt heavy in my hands, and I could see the same apprehension reflected in Amphy's eyes. But I knew that this was what we both wanted - to test our skills against each other and see who would come out on top.

"Here I come!" I shouted. I surged forward, readying a lunge targeting his left shoulder.

With a swift movement, Amphy swayed his wooden blade, expertly parrying my first attack. But I was determined not to let him get the upper hand so easily. Twirling around on my right foot, I made a slanting slash at him. He managed to block it using the hilt of his sword, and I knew then that this was going to be a tough match.

As Amphy pushed his sword forward and dashed backwards, he performed a side hack. I quickly made a back step, completely evading the attack, and then countered with a double thrust. Amphy moved left and right, deftly evading my weapon, and then released simultaneous curve slashes at me. I quickly avoided his bout and countered with a continuous blinding sweep, our swords clashing over and over again.

Our movements were precise, and every move seemed to be carefully calculated. It looked like a dance, a waltz between two swordsmen trying to outdo each other. We were both giving it our all, and if this went on, it could result in a stalemate.

It was clear that Amphy's sword skills were the same as mine, if not better. But I wasn't going to let that discourage me. I knew that I had to be even more vigilant and find a way to gain the upper hand in this intense sword fight.

As our swords collided again, Amphy took a sudden risk and used his right arm to deliver a strong blow to my hands, causing me to lose my grip on my wooden sword. I stumbled back, quickly realizing that I was vulnerable to his next attack. Amphy wasted no time and launched a series of swift and powerful strikes in my direction. I dodged and weaved, narrowly avoiding each one. His moves were quick and unpredictable, and I knew I had to act fast to regain control of the fight.

That's totally cheating!" I held my hips as I sermon him.

"Nothing has been happening in this swordfight because we're evenly matched." He said with a pokerface.

I was seething with anger at Amphy's dishonorable move. How could he cheat in a friendly sparring match? As I glared at him, my determination to win only grew stronger. With a fierce expression on my face, I activated the small jetpack on my back, which emitted a bright flame and propelled me forward at an incredible speed.

In response to my sudden burst of speed, Amphy raised his wooden sword and prepared to strike me with a powerful overhead swing aimed at my left shoulder. I could see the determination in his eyes, and I knew that he wasn't going to go easy on me. As his sword came crashing down towards me, I braced myself and prepared to defend against his attack.

As Amphy swung his sword towards my left shoulder, I felt a surge of panic and adrenaline rush through my body. In a split second, my robotic tail emerged from behind me, snatching the blade of his wooden weapon and hurling it away. Amphy was caught off guard, his eyes widening in surprise and confusion.

Taking advantage of his momentary disorientation, I launched a roundhouse kick towards his left jaw, my foot whistling through the air with deadly accuracy. I could feel the rush of air as my foot came perilously close to connecting with his face. Amphy's eyes were fixed on my incoming foot, and for a moment, it seemed as though he was resigned to his fate.

But just as quickly as I had launched my attack, I pulled back, holding my kick at the last second. I didn't want to hurt Amphy - he was my friend and companion, after all. The two of us were just sparring, and while I was angry at him for trying to cheat, I wasn't about to seriously injure him over it.

As I lowered my leg and stepped back, I couldn't help but notice the look of terror on Amphy's face. His eyes were wide, and his jaw was slack, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. I took a step closer to him, and as our faces drew near, I saw that his cheeks had turned a deep shade of red. Despite the fear in his eyes, I could tell that he was still attracted to me, and that thought made me feel a warm sensation in my chest.

With a coy smile, I leaned in closer and whispered, "You know, Amphy, you really shouldn't cheat. It's not very knightly of you." His blush deepened, and I could feel his breath on my face as he stammered out an apology. But even as he apologized, I could see the admiration in his eyes, and I knew that he was still infatuated with me.

"Y-Yes ma'am…" He was sweating non-stop. Maybe he's scared of me now.

As I turned my back to the scene before me, I raised my arms high above my head and let out a deep, satisfying yawn. The exhaustion from the intense sword fight with Amphy was beginning to catch up to me, but the gnawing hunger in my stomach was even more pressing. The acidic churn of my empty stomach made me realize that I needed to satiate my appetite as soon as possible. The sound of my stomach growling echoed through the empty training grounds, making me feel embarrassed that anyone might have heard it.

"Man, I'm totally hungry! I think its breakfast time already. I'll go ask Sebastian to brew us some tea."

I started taking small steps away from the sparring arena, my eyes locked on the still form of Amphere. His face was still flushed with embarrassment, but his expression was blank, almost frozen. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern. Was he okay? Had my last attack caused some kind of permanent damage?

As I turned back to face him, I noticed that his eyes were wide with surprise and shock. His body seemed to be trembling slightly, as if he had been hit by a bolt of lightning. I felt a pang of guilt in my chest. Maybe I had gone too far. Maybe my attack had been too much for him to handle.

"Um…Airi…" He spoke.

"What is it?"

"…I think you should refrain using a high kick in battles…especially if you're wearing a skirt…"

D-Darn! Panic struck me like lightning as I realized my mistake. I had forgotten that I was wearing a really short skirt, which could expose my most intimate parts to the public eye. In an instant, my face turned as red as a tomato as I hastily brought my hands down to cover myself.

"EEEEEEK!!!" I screamed. "Amphy, you pervert!"

I knew he liked it.

Before heading to the kitchen, Amphy and I decided to change our clothes. I opted for a white tank top that fits snugly on my torso, and a pair of blue shorts that reveal my toned thighs and shapely legs. I figured it was a better choice than wearing a mini skirt that might reveal too much to my knight. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the thought of it.

After changing, I made my way to the kitchen and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I have to admit, the outfit looked pretty good on me. It accentuated my curves in all the right places, and made me feel confident. I gave myself a nod of approval and made my way to the kitchen

As I walked down the corridor, I caught a glimpse of Amphy, who was dressed quite differently from his usual attire. He was wearing a black t-shirt that seemed to be covered in various graphics and prints. The most prominent of these was a screaming emoji, emblazoned across the front of the shirt. Above the emoji was a huge block of text that read "mEtAL rOCkZ tHe wOrld!!!". I couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed for him, as I had never seen him wear something so flashy before. Normally, he would just wear a plain white shirt and some jeans, but I guess he was feeling adventurous today.

"Do I look good in this shirt?" Amphere scratched his head. "I think this will add uniqueness in me."

Is he still bothered what the duchess said?

"I never thought that an uninspiring boring bland teenager like you is a skilled Dragon Knight."

As I saw Amphy's new shirt, I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. I had teased him before for being dull and uninteresting, and now he was trying to change that with his new shirt. It was a stark contrast to his usual plain white shirts that he wore all the time. I realized that my words may have affected his self-esteem and confidence.

I felt remorse for my past behavior and resolved to make it up to him. Our relationship as a knight and dragon is important, and I didn't want it to be affected by my actions. Even though the shirt wouldn't change who he is as a person, I should support him in everything he wants to do, especially when it comes to his self-expression.

"It looks good on you, totally!" I gave two thumbs up.

"Really!?" He smiled brighter than before. "Then I'll wear this T-shirt from now on!"

As we entered the dining room, the scent of honey pancakes and steak wafted through the air, making my stomach growl with hunger. The dining table was long, stretching from one end of the room to the other, and it was decorated with elaborate floral arrangements and sparkling crystal goblets. The centerpiece was a towering vase filled with fresh flowers.

The food looked sumptuous and mouth-watering, with golden brown pancakes dripping with honey and juicy steaks cooked to perfection. A bowl of macaroni cheese salad was also placed on the table, adding a touch of green to the otherwise meat-heavy dishes. It was clear that no expense had been spared in preparing this meal.

At the end of the table sat the duchess, looking regal and elegant as always. She was wearing a flowing gown made of expensive silk and her hair was styled in an intricate updo. Beside her stood the butler Sebastian, dressed in his usual impeccable attire, ready to attend to our every need.

"Good morning, Miss Frembell and Sir Harrison." Then the duchess glared at Amphy without impressiveness. "What's with that disgusting T-shirt?"

What an unmerciful runt!