*POV of Erwin*

Without wasting any more time, I left the professor's office, immediately rushing to find Elaine.

Professor Martha and Professor Valentin had given me a unique opportunity, and I was more determined than ever not to let it slip away.

Sure, I knew things wouldn’t be easy, but I was convinced that, with the book Ron had given me, I might find a way to develop something unique, something that would take me to the next level.

And if I had to make a pact with the devil—and by devil, I mean Elaine—then I would do it.

I didn’t know where to look for her, so I decided to head first to the square she had mentioned as a meeting point; true, we hadn’t made any specific arrangements, but perhaps the reason she had mentioned the square was that she often passed through there.

And indeed, when I got there, I saw Elaine crossing the square with her usual frown.

[Perfect!] I thought, relieved to have found her quickly.

I moved to approach her, but then I saw something “unusual,” something that made me stop in my tracks: Elaine wasn’t alone but was accompanied by a girl—a curly-haired elf.

That wasn’t the strangest thing. What surprised me was that this girl seemed happy to be with Elaine. It was odd because, to me, no one would want to be around someone as grumpy and often unpleasant as Elaine.

What was even stranger was the way people looked at the two girls, similar to how people looked at Triton with admiration.

I didn’t dwell on it too much when Elaine, out of the corner of her eye, saw me from a distance; she turned towards me, and for a few seconds, we just stared at each other. One look at her face was enough to see she wasn’t happy to see me there.

Her look made me momentarily doubt whether this was a good idea, but I had made a promise to myself when I left Professor Valentin’s office, and I had no intention of backing down.

Breathing in and out, I gathered my courage and quickly walked towards Elaine, who hadn’t moved, staring right into my eyes.

I didn’t know how to break the ice with her, especially after what had happened yesterday. So, I decided to break the ice in the most direct and straightforward way possible.

“El… Lucy, we need to talk—”

“What the hell are you doing here?” she immediately interrupted me. I should have expected a reaction like this, but I was still taken aback, staying silent for a few seconds.

As I searched for the right words to confront the demon, the girl next to her stepped between us, looking at me with a curious expression.

“Who are you, handsome? Are you Lucy’s boyfriend?”

T-The boyfriend of...

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Elaine and I exclaimed simultaneously, surprising the mysterious girl, who gave a small jump.

“Miriel, can you be quiet for a second without saying absurd things?” Elaine said, looking at the girl intimidatingly, causing her to fall silent, lowering her head slightly.

Then, Elaine refocused on me. She grabbed my arm forcefully, pulling me a few meters away from the girl named Miriel. After dragging me like I was her child, she looked at me even more annoyed than before. “I asked you… what the hell are you doing here, Erwin!”

“...As I said before,” I resumed, trying not to be intimidated by her icy glare, “I need your help.”

Elaine looked me up and down with a mix of expressions, unsure whether she was surprised by my request or simply furious.

“Tsk!” Elaine clicked her tongue in annoyance. “Now you need my help, huh? But when I needed—”

“I’ll do whatever you want, I swear!” I exclaimed, to the general surprise of everyone, including Miriel, who widened her eyes at my words. Only afterward did I realize my words might have been slightly misinterpreted, blushing a bit. [D-Damn it… I need to be careful with what I say!]

“…”

The elf princess remained silent for a few moments. During those moments, she behaved strangely, alternating glances between her supposed friend and me, becoming increasingly nervous with each passing second.

“You told me, didn’t you? No one does anything for free,” I added, trying to convince her with my words. “If you expect a favor, then you should return the gesture, right?”

Elaine put a hand on her face, muttering something incomprehensible.

After a few moments, she removed her hand from her face, looking at me again; her expression wasn’t happy, but she seemed less tense than before.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

“Damn it… Fine. What the hell do you want me to do?”

[Yes! I did it!] I cheered in my mind, making a small victory sign with my fist. “Nothing special, you just have to help me understand this book better!”

I showed the book to Elaine, who looked at it for a few seconds before recognizing it.

“Again with this book… Ok, fine. But first, you’ll have to help me with my favor, don’t you think?” Elaine replied, pointing out that she had been the first to ask for my help.

At that moment, I had no intention of arguing, as I didn’t want to risk losing her help.

“Yes, no problem…” I replied, wondering what kind of help a brilliant girl like her could need.

Elaine then looked towards Miriel, gesturing for her to come closer. The girl didn’t waste time and approached us with a smile on her face.

“Hey, Elaine, who is this handsome guy?” she asked in a quirky tone, starting to nudge Elaine gently with her elbow, who now seemed on the verge of exploding.

“...Your promise, remember?” Elaine began. “He’s one of the two guys who will go out with us. His name is Erwin. Erwin, this is Miriel…”

[…Uh?]

I thought she needed help with something more serious, something extremely important to her; but I never expected she would ask for my help… for an outing?

[What kind of crap is this—]

“Elaine! So you keep your promises!” Miriel exclaimed, jumping for joy. “I can’t wait to go out! Elaine, let’s go! Erwin, see you in an hour! Make sure to bring your friend, okay?!”

“Hey, wait a second—…”

Before I could say anything, the two girls disappeared in the blink of an eye, with Elaine at the mercy of the young elf… I must say, it was quite bizarre and funny to see that scene, given the princess’s character and irascibility…

But now I had another problem… How was I going to convince Brenin to come with me?

*End of Erwin's POV*

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Brenin sat on his bed, staring at an undefined spot on the floor. The weeks spent at the Academy of a Thousand Magical Arts had turned him into a pensive and gloomy figure. For months, he had dreamed of surpassing all other aspiring magical knights, aiming to become the "King" of Swords. But reality had been different: the moment he crossed paths with Gygas and Triton, his world began to crumble like a sandcastle.

Gygas, a freshman like him, had defeated Triton, the academy’s strongest knight prospect, in a decisive and brutal manner. Brenin still remembered the shock that had washed over him that morning. It wasn't just Triton's defeat that tormented him - since in his mind, he was the only one able to defeat him - but the realization that there were opponents he couldn't compete with at that moment. He accepted that Triton was better than him, being close to finishing his studies, but Gygas? No, he couldn't accept that, not after seeing him fight so unconventionally.

"I can’t understand what I’m doing wrong… Why am I not getting stronger?" he murmured to himself, clenching his fists. His training seemed useless, and frustration grew day by day. He had ended up injuring his sparring partners more than once, to the point where Professor Dwiell had forbidden him from training until he calmed down.

With a heavy sigh, Brenin pulled a vial from his pocket. It contained blue fluorescent spheres, a gift from a mysterious boy who had said they would help him become stronger. He had searched for that boy among his classmates and throughout the academy but had never seen him again. He hesitated to use the pills, as he couldn't trust that boy at all, but the temptation grew stronger.

As his trembling hand reached for the vial’s cap, the door to his room suddenly opened. Erwin, his roommate, entered with his usual overwhelming energy.

"Hey, Brenin! Want to come out with me, Elaine, and her friend Miriel?" Erwin asked straightforwardly with a smile. He had thought about what to say and opted for a direct, no-nonsense request.

Brenin, almost caught in the act, quickly hid the vial, trying to maintain an impassive expression.

"I don't have time for such nonsense," Brenin replied flatly. "I need to train to get stronger."

Erwin raised an eyebrow, noticing Brenin’s nervousness. He had decided not to say anything before, but now he realized Brenin was pushing himself too far.

"If you keep training like this, you’ll end up destroying yourself," Erwin insisted. "You should take a break."

Brenin gritted his teeth, gripping his sword. How could he take a break, he thought, when he was still light years behind Gygas? "I won't listen to your useless advice," he countered nervously, heading for the door.

Erwin, now irritated, stepped in his way, blocking his path. "Why are you avoiding me, Brenin? You don’t hate me or anything, do you?"

Brenin stopped, coldly. "I don’t hate you, Erwin. You just don’t understand. Now let me pass."

"If you don’t hate me, why are you pushing me away? We’ve never argued, yet you seem more distant," Erwin responded seriously.

Brenin deliberately ignored Erwin’s accusations, keeping his composure. "You’re wrong," he said simply, opening the door. But before he could leave, Elaine appeared in the doorway, having heard everything from outside.

Elaine looked at him coldly. "Brenin, YOU are coming with us, whether you like it or not," Elaine stated bluntly. "Miriel wanted to go out with two guys, and I promised her."

Brenin felt his heart race. Elaine had always had a difficult personality, but he was in love with her. He struggled to stay calm. "I don’t think it’s a good idea," he replied, trying to keep his usual neutral tone.

Elaine sighed, stepping closer to him. She didn’t know what to say, not knowing which words to use to convince him. She wanted her plans to succeed without being too distracted by Miriel, so she really needed Brenin, even though every time she saw him, she felt uneasy for some strange reason.

"You know, Brenin, sometimes taking a break helps you improve. If you keep going like this, you’ll burn out… I know something about that. And besides, you’ve never visited Veras, right? This would be a great opportunity to get to know the place..."

Brenin reflected for a moment. Those exact words reminded him of something said in the past by someone very special to him.

[Training is very useful, but you shouldn’t overdo it. Even the body needs rest. Remember that, my son...] Brenin recalled, thinking of his father's words when he was just a kid.

In that moment, it was almost as if those words had somehow calmed Brenin, awakening him from the obsessive limbo he had fallen into. He realized Elaine was right. He realized taht his obsessive training was getting him nowhere, and maybe a break would help him see things more clearly. Moreover, he couldn't ignore the desire to be near her, even just for a brief moment.

"Alright," he said finally, trying to mask the slight emotion in his voice. "I’ll come with you."

Erwin smiled, happy to have convinced him, while Elaine nodded, satisfied that she had succeeded in persuading him. "Perfect. Let’s go, then," she said, leading them out of the room.

As they walked together towards their destination, Brenin felt a strange sense of relief. Perhaps, he thought, this outing might give him the perspective he needed to find a new path to the strength he so desperately desired.

END OF THE CHAPTER 50 - TRUCE