I Became a Crazy Swordsmanship Instructor in the Game - Chapter 34:

Thirty minutes passed, and Cheryl finally emerged. She opened the door with a sigh of relief.

“Ugh…”

She massaged her temples as if a headache bothered her.

“… That was the most challenging experience of my life. I managed to solve the first two problems, but from the third one onwards, I was completely stumped.”

Wisdom’s test was a gateway to assess creativity and logical thinking.

Philip had warned her that it would be similar in difficulty to creativity quizzes found on the internet or in educational magazines.

Familiar problems like rearranging matchsticks to form shapes or safely transferring several wolves and sheep across a river – those were the types of questions she encountered.

“Getting the first two questions right is quite an achievement. Not many people can do that,” Philip praised Cheryl.

In a society that heavily leaned towards rote learning, most individuals struggled to approach such problems in a creative manner.

“I’ve known from the beginning that you have exceptional imagination. It was evident when I first met you.”

“Hehe, thank you,” Cheryl beamed, pleased with Philip’s compliment. However, her joy was momentarily replaced by thoughts of their first meeting, where she had indulged in mimicking famous lines from novels.

“Having a sensitive sensibility and a rich imagination can be advantageous in any field. You don’t need to feel ashamed about it. If you keep letting others dictate your actions, you might lose yourself in the process.”

Philip comforted Cheryl while gently caressing her hair.

‘He’s an intriguing person.’

Cheryl thought to herself, feeling an odd sense of fulfillment and ease from Philip’s touch. Surprisingly, she didn’t feel burdened despite spending only a short time with him.

“Is it because of what happened in the underground dungeon?” she wondered, as Philip posed a question.

“If you solved the first two problems, there must be a reward. May I ask what you received?”

“Oh, the gentleman inside… the Monkey… he recommended this to me.”

Cheryl extended her hand, offering the black Sleep Mask she had been holding. Philip recognized the item and nodded in approval.

“You got something good. It seems the recommendation worked out well.”

“It’s a ‘Sleep Mask,’ designed to enhance sleep efficiency. Even a short nap becomes more effective… Oh, did you already know about it?”

Philip was familiar with the concept of a sleep mask, an artifact that improved the quality of sleep, whether it was a quick power nap or a deep, restorative slumber. While it didn’t grant immediate significant powers, it was an item that could prove immensely helpful in the long run.

“Alright then, give it your best until you manage to solve all five challenges. By the way, could you wake up Janice Morrela for me?”

“Sure, I’ll do that.”

Cheryl gently shook Janice, who had fallen unconscious. As soon as she opened her eyes, she seemed frightened and quickly clung to Philip as soon as she spotted him.

“There, inside, there’s a vampire….”

“It was all just a dream, an illusion. What you saw wasn’t real.”

Philip reassured her, and after a few hesitant coughs, Janice distanced herself from him.

“Well, uh, I already knew that!”

“Alright, good to hear. Now, let’s head back. It’s getting late.”

As the sun was setting, Philip led the two girls out of the Hall of Accomplishment.

On their way back to the mansion, while Philip walked ahead, Janice whispered to Cheryl.

“Let’s not go to the dormitory tonight. Can we sleep together?”

“Why?”

“I have a feeling I might have nightmares.”

Unaware of Philip’s exceptional hearing, the girls’ conversation didn’t escape him. He smirked and quickened his pace.

There was still much to do.

* * *

Back at the mansion, Philip sought out Lua first.

“Meow.”

Lua was lying on the bed, playfully interacting with Tania. Instead of using a cat toy, she was amusing Tania with her own fingers.

“That’s the same fierce cat?”

Amazed by Lua’s unusual friendliness, Philip called her.

“Lua.”

“Oh, Instructor.”

“… Never mind that you allowed Tania on the bed, but did you both take a bath?”

Philip observed their lively and somewhat disheveled appearance and concluded they hadn’t taken a bath. At this hour, Lua’s face should have been clean and fluffy after a bath, but it appeared a bit unkempt.

“We forgot….”

Lua’s expression turned downcast. Philip didn’t intend to scold her for such a small thing, so he smiled and gestured for her to sit.

“It’s alright, just sit down. There are a few things I’d like to ask you.”

“Yes, sir.”

Lua perched on the edge of the bed, and Philip took a seat beside her, asking, “How’s life at the academy these days?”

Pausing for a moment, Lua brought her finger to her lips before responding, “Hmm, it’s actually quite enjoyable! I love learning new things, and just a few days ago, I made friends with Olivia and Anise.”

“And what about the swordsmanship classes?”

Lua hesitated before answering, “Well, they’re interesting, but also a bit challenging. Olivia and Anise find them difficult, but surprisingly, I don’t. I worry they might not like me if I say that, though.”

“You did well not to boast. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses.”

In truth, Lua’s learning speed was extraordinary. In less than two months, a young girl who had never even held a sword before could now assume a proper stance.

But it wasn’t just her skills; her physical abilities were remarkable too. Philip had never seen her look tired.

Her strength, flexibility, and agility were unmatched among girls her age.

Philip realized it was time to discuss something important.

Seeing Lua’s expression and the relaxed atmosphere, he felt her mental state had improved.

“Lua, if you’re interested, I’d be delighted to personally teach you.”

“What do you mean?”

Lua looked surprised by the sudden proposal.

“I mean exactly that. I’d like to teach you various things, including swordsmanship. But don’t worry, you don’t have to if you’re not interested. I’m already content with you excelling at the academy.”

Philip’s sincerity was genuine.

Lua had the potential to reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship, but he also understood the importance of her making friends, enjoying her time at the academy, and experiencing the joys of childhood.

At least for the next couple of years, there was no need to rush things.

“Um, I’m not entirely sure, but if it means spending more time with you, then I’d like to give it a try.”

After a brief moment of contemplation, Lua replied.

“Oh?”

Philip’s eyes widened slightly at her response, finding her reason a bit peculiar.

Blushing, Lua fidgeted a little and spoke in a soft voice, “You’re always so busy these days. The maid sisters and the butlers are kind to me, but I still prefer being around you, Instructor.”

Feeling her gaze on him, Lua couldn’t quite put into words what she felt. Whenever she smiled, he smiled too, and when she felt down, he tried to lift her spirits. For young Lua, that was more than enough.

“Well, then let’s give it a shot. Starting tomorrow, come find me after your classes. There are older kids, but they’re nice, and I’m sure you’ll get along just fine.”

“Yes, that sounds wonderful!”

Lua replied with excitement and then clung onto Philip’s arm.

“So there are two older sisters and one older brother?”

“Yes, two girls and one boy.”

“I am a commoner, will they like me? Can I please ask the instructor not to force us to get close?”

“If you wish, I’ll gladly do it, but I don’t think it’s necessary. After all, Cheryl is also from a commoner background. You can get to know each other when you visit the library.”

And so, until midnight, Philip was stuck with Lua.

He forgot that the fourteen-year-old girl possessed the ability to talk endlessly without getting tired, and now he was paying the price.

* * *

“I thought I just had to put my name on the club list.”

Stephen Bray found himself being dragged to a warehouse near the hillside, held tightly by Cheryl’s hand. He couldn’t refuse her request, having grown up with Cheryl like a sibling.

“… So, you’re unhappy about it?”

Janice gave him a slight glare. Stephen flinched and lowered his head.

“No, miss.”

These third-year students had decided to help Philip clean the warehouse. Although Philip said he didn’t mind doing it alone, leaving the responsible instructor to clean alone didn’t seem like the right thing to do.

“Don’t call me miss; call me by my name. Cheryl and I have decided to be friends, and if you act so formal, she might feel uncomfortable.”

Janice reprimanded him abruptly.

Stephen was taken aback, and kept glancing between Cheryl and Janice.

“What? You and Cheryl?”

Caught off guard by the sudden shift in their relationship, he was startled when Cheryl poked his side.

“Just do as she says. My lord.”

“Cheryl, stop calling him that silly title. From now on, the three of us will be friends at the academy… Ah! Instructor! You scared me!”

Embarrassed by the situation, Janice tried to sort out their relationship when she saw Philip approaching, and she screamed in surprise.

“Sorry about that. It looked good, so carry on.”

Philip said with a smile, extending his hand.

“It’s fine.”

Janice turned her head with a snort.

The three students who had joined the Travel Club held hands and spotted a girl together.

She had brown hair and cheeks so plump that one couldn’t help but smile just by looking at her. She was an adorable girl.

“She’s the freshman who will join our Travel Club in a month. She’s a student I’m personally sponsoring, and we’ll be meeting soon anyway, so I thought it would be good to get to know her in advance.”

The students had heard rumors about the freshman receiving support from the Oswald family, and she briefly became a hot topic at the academy.

“Hello there, Lua,” Philip urged.

“…Yes,” Lua hesitantly stepped forward, and bowed her waist.

“Hi, I’m Lua. I’m a first-year student majoring in martial arts. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

Cheryl and Stephen responded with casual greetings and introduced themselves in turn.

“Hey, I’m Cheryl, and I work at the library. Do you happen to enjoy reading?”

“I’m Stephen Bray, a third-year student majoring in magic. Nice to make your acquaintance.”

Janice, however, remained silent, observing Lua before finally speaking up.

“I am Janice Morrela, the fourth in line of the Morrela family.”

Philip arched an eyebrow, intrigued by Janice’s manner. She seemed somewhat tense.

“Nice to meet you,” Lua replied, her noble demeanor causing her to feel a bit anxious.

‘I didn’t mean for it to be this way,’ Janice thought, unsure of how to interact with a girl two years her junior.

She had only three older brothers, and her youngest brother was eight years older than her.

Looking at the students exchanging greetings, Philip interjected with a suggestion.

“Well, now that things have turned out this way, how about all of you pitch in to clean and decorate this place together? If you take part in setting it up yourselves, you’ll likely develop an attachment to the space. If you need any furniture or items, just let me know, and I’ll provide whatever you require for your stay here.”

“I wish he had just called us by our names.”

“Are we really going to clean?”

“I’ve never done anything like this before. It’s like what maids or servants do.”

The three students exchanged glances, uncertain about the task at hand. However, they reluctantly donned gloves, picked up brooms, and covered their mouths and noses with cloth to enter the dusty warehouse.

————

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