"What's wrong? Is it not all true? Too blunt for a lady's delicate ears?"
He scoffed. As he said it, Echi caught the hem of her skirt and lifted it just slightly. The pale line of her ankle, wrapped in stockings, became visible. His gaze dropped to it automatically.
She felt that, and smiled. Then, still smiling, she raised her foot and brought the heel of her shoe down on his shin.
"Ugh!"
Brad grabbed his shin, caught completely off guard. It wouldn't have mattered if he'd been paying attention - there was no issue with Echi kicking him. She followed it immediately with a kick to his back, sending him tumbling off the bench and onto the ground.
"What the hell are you...!"
"I'm upset," she said, without changing her tone.
"What?"
"Your words made me feel dirty. I lack patience, if something bothers me, I can't hold it in. I hope you understand."
"You ..."
Brad's teeth came together. He tried to rise and staggered, the shin hidden under his trousers was in considerably bad shape. Echi straightened her dress and continued.
"By the way, I'm uncertain how I was chosen for the squire position, but I know quite well how I scored as I did in the second round. You asked what I did, didn't you? It's difficult to put into words. I'll demonstrate."
"What — hck!"
She swung the scabbard into his solar plexus. He hadn't managed to brace, and it was too fast. He doubled over.
The impact landed cleanly. Echi spoke in the gentle tone he had seemed to prefer.
"Like that."
She pressed the scabbard against his hunched shoulders and pushed. He stumbled, and she kicked the inside of his ankle.
"You have too many openings."
Off-balance, he crashed to the ground. She stepped lightly onto his back.
"It was apparent, even to the junior knight."
"Ugh - ah - I showed you leniency because you're pretty, and now you think you can do this to a Senior? You think I'll just let this go? I'll - hck!"
The scabbard swung past his ear and embedded itself in the ground beside his head. He went silent immediately.
Echi looked down at him.
"I believe it will be fine. I studied the enrollment guidelines before I arrived. There are five reasons a cadet can be expelled - was it five? - and none of them cover this situation. I didn't even draw my sword. It's a small dispute between cadets. What a shame, Senior."
Brad writhed, unable to get out from under the stiletto heel pressing him down. Echi positioned herself carefully, keeping his muscles from engaging.
Brad was also a cadet - talented enough to be called a genius outside of Azenka. But in his complete helplessness, the gap between them was obvious. He was too stunned by pain and humiliation to recognize it.
His face twisted.
"Get off me right now! You think you can walk away from this? Your squire appointment could be revoked! I'll report you to the Commander!"
"Report away. I don't particularly mind losing the squire appointment. But then I'd have to explain why I became upset, wouldn't I? Should I tell the Commander about the things you said to me? About the night shifts?"
"Y-You! Do you have proof? No witnesses! But you attacked first - you won't get away with this!"
"I'll be the witness."
A man with black hair stepped through the entrance of the fourth training ground. Broad frame, dense muscle, skin with a golden cast — he moved like something between a lion and a leopard, heavy and unhurried. Amber eyes, half-lidded with lazy ease.
Echi had been aware of his presence near the training ground from the beginning. That awareness was part of why she had been as direct as she had.
Most people who'd overheard Brad would have found it hard to speak up against him. Someone like Brad himself would have been deterred by the witness alone. Either outcome was fine.
Still standing on Brad's back, she turned to face the approaching man.
"Who are you?"
"Baraha Islaf, third-year. You're Echinacea Roaz?"
"Yes, Senior Baraha."
He settled onto a bench and produced a sandwich stuffed with bacon. He waved a hand casually.
"Go ahead, keep doing what you were doing. I heard everything the idiot was saying."
"...Thank you."
"Damn it..."
The moment Brad saw Baraha, something shifted in him. He pressed his face toward the ground and muttered curses under his breath.
Echi looked down at him, let a beat pass, and then raised the scabbard.
"Senior Brad. Just to be sure - have you had any kind of realization? The sort where you think, 'I've made a mistake, I shouldn't have said that'?"
"What kind of nonsense..."
"I thought not. Then get out of here. And be more careful with your words."
She removed her foot and stepped back. Brad jerked upright, twisting with pain, and glared between her and Baraha. Whatever he was trying to say seemed to lodge in his throat.
He spat something that was almost a curse and limped quickly out of the training ground - faster than his leg should have allowed.
Baraha watched him go and said, conversationally: "You could have hit him more."
"Wasting time on someone like that isn't worth it. This should be enough of a warning."
"Doesn't look like he took it to heart."
"If he keeps this up, I'll repeat the lesson. Getting his shin kicked by stiletto heels every time he opens his mouth should teach him eventually."
He let out a bark of genuine laughter - not mocking, actually amused. Echi looked at him with mild surprise. He was an unusual man. Someone like Alice would have reacted with outrage.
When the laughter settled, Baraha crumpled his empty bag into his pocket and looked at her with easy interest.
"From what I caught, you're here for preliminary squire training?"
"Yes."
"Why did that idiot end up in charge of it?"
"Is he well-known?"
"Somewhat. He belongs to a club full of people who treat the academy like their personal estate."
Echi frowned. A club full of people like him. She had assumed the academy would be full of people like Alice.
"Ah - right. There's also someone like Ian Pelletro. So the academy isn't entirely different from anywhere else after all."
Baraha grinned, showing teeth. "That guy's never even had a temporary appointment. Who put the idiot in charge of your training?"
"...The cadet representative. He said he didn't have time today."
"Hmm."
He rested his chin on his hand and scanned her with his amber eyes - a calm, neutral look that moved between the cheap longsword she was holding and the abundant ruffles of her dress.
"Echinacea Roaz."
"Yes, Senior."
"Why are you wearing a dress?"
"Aren't cadets permitted to wear their own clothing?"
"I'm not criticizing - just curious."
A question she would be answering repeatedly. Echi answered without hesitation.
"It's my preference. I enjoy dressing well."
He raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued. He tilted his head toward her shoes.
"Aren't those uncomfortable? They seemed to come in useful just now, though."
"I'm used to them. And leather shoes don't look right under a dress."
"...Then what about the gloves? They're not even leather - silk. That seems slippery for holding a sword."
"I don't want my hands to get damaged. Silk gloves are also prettier than leather, don't you think?"
Baraha's lips twitched. He was clearly fighting back a smile.
"You like pretty things - so why carry such an ugly, cheap sword?"
"I can't be bothered to maintain it. When the blade dulls, I just replace it."
He lost the fight and laughed. Open, genuine laughter. Echi regarded him with mild bewilderment. He was an unusual man - Alice would have been aghast.
When the laughter subsided, he grinned at her.
"The more I see of you, the more interesting you are. I like it."
"...Thank you."
"All right. I'll take over the squire training. Don't worry about the representative — I'll handle that."
There was no reason to refuse. She did need proper squire instruction, and he wasn't the type to pull what Brad had. It seemed straightforward. Echi bowed.
"Thank you. I look forward to today."
"Not just today."
"Pardon?"
"I'll be training you until you officially become a squire."
Baraha stood. His thighs were broader than Echi's waist. Standing in front of him, she was barely a handful. He was handsome, but the height and build created an imposing presence when he looked down at her.
Echi wasn't intimidated. Her eyes showed no tension. Baraha seemed to like that. He smiled and performed a formal salute.
"Ar Sebatiem."
He raised his elbows to shoulder height, clasped his hands in front of his chest in the prayer posture of the Apostles, then separated them as he spoke the verse.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly. Baraha Islaf, third-year, squire to Vice-Commander Baron Tillius - Giosa owner and second-in-command of the Celestial Knights. I look forward to working with you, junior squire."