Chapter 2:

When I came to, I found myself on standing in the middle of the training field, sword in hand. It seemed my sister had dragged me away after she knocked me out earlier. It’s truly unfair, her talent compared to mine. It was as if she stole my talents while we were in our mother’s womb.

I shook my head. The training field was actually a well-kept part of the school, with weapons racks at the sides of the grass-covered field.

With the constant training and self-defense classes taught here, one would’ve expected that the grass was worn out by now. But with us children of nobility being situated in the center of the capital, in a school sponsored by the royal family itself, the grass was well maintained, to keep the image of rich nobility.

In any case, I have to deal with my current situation. With me standing here, drenched head to toe in water thanks to my friends with a empty water bucket behind me, guess who was in front of me?

My sister, the devil in disguise. Or was it the demon in disguise? It doesn’t matter, it's all the same.

Here I am, standing here with a wooden sword face to face with my sister, who also happens to be wielding a sword. It doesn’t take a genius to realize what is coming next.

She turns to her minions(my “friends”). I hate those guys. They instantly betray me when she appears. This wasn’t the first time.

“Can you guys please leave and keep out any people that might wander in here?

I want to enjoy my time here with my brother. ”

She winks at me, while my ‘friends’ give glares at me, as if saying “let me switch spots with you.”

They're as blind as a bat. I would give almost anything to get out of this right now.

As the 4 minions begin shuffling into action, each leaving to block one of the four entrances to the training field, she adds this as an afterthought. “Oh, also, can one of you also find me my water bottle and fill it up? Thank you~” she adds with a light giggle at the end.

Oh how she infuriates me with that fake attitude. Like how do the minions not know that she’s just using them, enjoying the attention they pay her? It just makes me want to smash their face in.

But I know my own capabilities. Though people may call me hot-blooded or reckless, I’m not. After all, what idiot would keep fighting against impossible odds? Especially when those impossible odds happen to be your demon sister whom the entire school is probably head over heels for.

It’s simply impossible.

After my friends, the minions leave, one dashing off with a goofy grin on his face in the direction of our classroom, my sister Evelyn dashes toward me.

I could barely see her flicker as her sword smashes into my left shoulder, effectively weakening my shield arm. Luckily, I’m right handed, meaning I wield the sword with my right hand anyways, so I retaliate with my own sudden stab.

Her eyes flicker as she brings her sword back to block. As she does so, I retreat, knowing full well that pressing the attack would be the dumbest thing to do when fighting her.

In the academy, other than her title as one of the “Goddesses” of the academy, she had another nickname, which was the “Counter Swordswoman.”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Even at the age of 12, she had defeated numerous bronze-rank instructors and even a silver rank knight by exploiting even the tiniest gap in their swordplay.

Compared to her, I can’t even hold a candle against her swordplay. Attacking is the thing she sucks the most at, which is why I fight defensively against her, contrary to my habits as a swordsman.

Basically, when I fight defensively, my chances of winning the fight improve by a large percentage. But if I actively attack… I’d have no chance at all.

So what I do next is settle into what I call, the tortoise stance. A self-created stance, based off the defensive swordplay of the rushing water sword scroll, and the stonewall scroll.

I had gotten an instructor to help me make it. In this stance, I would scrunch up my body, and circulate my pitiful amount of ki to defend myself and fix my feet to the ground, drawing strength from the earth while leaving my sword waving in front.

In essence, I became a human meat shield, waving a sword in front of me to deflect any incoming blows.

In the next moment, the fight continues, with her charging at me, and my sword up to defend. With blades flashing, we dance in the midst of the wind and leaves, evenly matched in battle.

Well, that’s what I hope it looked like.

By the time minion #1 came back from fetching Evelyn's water bottle, I was flat on my back for the nth time already.

“Ugh… Evelyn can we please stop. This is abuse.”

“Nope, not until you manage to actually hit me.”

“What the heck, that’s impossible!”

Each times she rushed at me, I would deflect and defend for around two breaths of time, until she would knock me down.

I had no chance at all to attack.

As I slowly got up, I finally had a plan in mind.

As Evelyn was resting, sitting on the nearby bench, I began my stuffing the pockets of my training outfit with grass.

She wouldn’t notice due to the numerous grass stains and bruises completely covering me.

After finishing the break, with minion #1 practically wagging his imaginary tail in joy as he went to refill the water bottle, Evelyn got up and walked toward me.

“Again.” She commanded.

I reluctantly got up, with my sword in hand, with both hands on my sword.

When she came at me again, this time swinging in an overhead strike, I dodged to the side, and suddenly threw out my left hand.

“FAIRY DUST!” I shouted, as pieces of dirt and grass flew everywhere from my hand, momentarily blinding her.

In the next moment, I manage to swing my sword in an upward arc, hitting her sword arm and knocking her sword away.

“YES!!” I shouted, leaping for joy. It was my first hit of the day. I finally managed to land a hit on her!

“Mwahahahaha” as I began to dance with joy, my body flowing with a newfound vigor, a terrifying aura began to grow beside me. I suddenly stopped, frozen.

When I turned my head to look at the source of the aura, I realized it came from Evelyn. Her previous pure white dress that she was wearing, was now covered in my “fairy dust,” a mixture of grass and dirt. All I could do was say “Sorry”, and that was when hell truly began.

……………

When the night came along, my battered body was dragged to the front gate, where I was unceremoniously dropped onto the carriage that would take us home. Compared to Evelyn, who was spotless in her spare white dress(she has over 10 in her personal closet at the school), I was muddy, battered, bruised, and bleeding, with cuts all over and bruises all over my face.

“Coachman, take us home” she said with a smile. Her smile looked even scarier than ever.

“Remember to keep quiet about this.”

Inside the carriage, is the young 2nd Prince of Ixuria. How she managed to charm even the Prince, I don’t know. What I do know, is that she uses her influence over the Prince to bring me over to his personal manor to play, while I am cleaned, and healed in a medicinal bath like an abused dog.

Somehow, with me beaten up, and dragged with one hand by my sister, the Prince does not realize the being that acts as an “angel” is actually a demoness latching onto him. Only the coachman understands my plight, as he was also threatened by my sister. Between the two of us, we know that Evelyn only acts as an angel around the Prince and other people, but never when either of us are alone with her. I mourn for her future spouse.

I lay on my side, in the back of the carriage. As I neared falling into sleep, my ears picked up a few words, although they were drowned by the loud clacking of hooves.

“Evelyn…. guards….. manor…. ”

“... will … stay .... ”

“....plot...”

“.... beware…. Sword”.