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Chapter 28: This Demon Race General Is Far Too Innocent

“Sword talent is fixed, but… Nanali works so hard that she might still make up for the gap.”

Watching Nanali in the practice yard, Ryan said, “If Nanali is willing to learn, I will teach her to the best of my ability.”

Rowan looked at Ryan’s profile and smiled faintly.

“By the way, if there is an exam every quarter, doesn’t that mean the autumn test is coming up soon?”

“Mm.”

Rowan nodded and said, “The autumn exam is in 2 weeks.”

Only 2 weeks…

Ryan rubbed his chin and thought.

With 2 weeks, getting Nanali to place 1st in the magic exam should be no problem.

But the swordsmanship exam… that was going to be tough.

“Who took 1st place in the swordsmanship exam during the summer test?”

Even as he asked, Ryan’s gaze had already settled on Lady Yvette of House Odysseus, the petite knight.

Among all these students, Ryan could clearly see that Yvette’s swordsmanship far surpassed her peers.

“Hmph!”

Before Rowan could answer, Octavia, who stood beside Ryan, snorted and lifted her chin as she declared, “The top of the sword exam was my milady, Dorothy!”

“Huh?”

Ryan froze for a moment at that answer.

Setting aside Dorothy’s demon race lineage, Ryan had just watched her performance in the practice yard.

Although Dorothy had kept swinging lazily without ever getting serious, Ryan could tell her skill was decent, yet still clearly below Yvette’s.

“Er… because the sword exam consists of 2 rounds: one judging showmanship and one actual dueling. Odysseus did take 1st in the duel, but her showmanship rank was low, so she lost the overall crown to Dorothy…”

Seeing Ryan’s bewildered face, Rowan whispered an explanation.

Ryan: “…”

A sword competition that grades on showmanship too? What a joke.

Yet on second thought, Ryan understood.

This was swordplay for noble ladies, meant to display status, not to train knights who would charge into the front lines.

Even so, deep down Ryan still found such an exam rather distasteful.

“Ryan…”

Rowan glanced at the proud-looking Octavia and could not help asking Ryan in a low voice, “Do you know this female demon race? Why does she try to hack you the moment she sees you, and why does she keep picking fights?”

“Her? She is just someone I beat before; she lost to me once and has held a grudge ever since.”

Rowan had deliberately lowered his voice, yet Ryan made no effort to do the same.

Of course Octavia heard him and growled in anger, “You’re nothing but a sword rack… without your blade you are no match for me!”

Ryan folded his arms and shot back without flinching, “I’m a knight; what’s wrong with using a sword? By your logic we might as well strip naked and brawl to see who’s really stronger.”

“You… you…”

As soon as Ryan said that, Octavia’s face flushed crimson, almost steaming, and she pointed at him, stammering for a long time without uttering a word.

Watching her, Ryan even wondered if he had accidentally discovered how to invent the steam engine in this world.

Listening to their bickering, Rowan could not help looking stunned.

Was that kind of lecherous line really something that ever-courteous Mr. Ryan could say?

For a moment Rowan even thought he had misheard.

But when he saw Octavia’s bright-red ears and cheeks, he realized he had heard right.

So the refined Mr. Ryan could be a scoundrel after all?

On Ryan’s side, Octavia, her face still red, finally crouched down and covered it with both hands.

Ryan: “???”

Seriously? She broke down?

You’re a demon! Aren’t demons supposed to be even more open about this than beastkin? What’s with this pure maiden act?!

Ryan squatted beside her, poked the gauntlet covering her face, and asked, “That was all it took to break you?”

“Don’t… touch me! You’re awful…”

Ryan: “…”

And what was with this lovers’ quarrel vibe?

“Mr. Ryan, c-could you stop bullying her, please?”

Even Rowan, standing to the side, could no longer watch and tried to persuade him cautiously.

Me, bullying her? You’ve never seen how savagely she hacks people on the battlefield!

Ryan’s face twitched, but in the end he decided not to tease this innocent general anymore; he straightened up and went back to watching Nanali clumsily hack at the wooden dummy.

At the same time he pondered what training plan he should devise for Nanali.

Before he knew it, the first half of the afternoon sword class had ended, and the students started their break.

Octavia also recovered from her earlier state, stood up, and her face returned to its usual chill.

“All recovered?”

Ryan asked with a smile.

Octavia answered coldly, “Pervert.”

With that, she moved a few steps away from Ryan to widen the distance.

…

Was that… fear?

Ryan was dumbfounded.

You’ll fight me to the death without flinching, yet a little flirting scares you?

Ryan suddenly felt there was something very wrong with this world.

Rowan, a magic teacher, didn’t seem like a teacher, and Octavia, a demon general, didn’t seem like a general either.

Come to think of it, the dean of Alcot Academy didn’t seem much like a dean.

Of course Ryan failed to realize that he, the captain of the Darkbite Knight Order, didn’t seem like a captain either.

As soon as the break began, Nanali returned her wooden sword to the rack and walked straight toward Ryan.

Ryan had already prepared a cup of water; when Nanali reached him, he crouched down and handed it to her.

Nanali held the cup in both small hands, took a few sips, gave it back to Ryan, and then looked up at him intently.

Although Nanali said nothing, Ryan understood what she meant and said, “When we get back, I will coach you in swordsmanship.”

Upon hearing that, a lovely smile finally blossomed on Nanali’s small face.

Nanali was proud by nature and would never voice a request outright, always waiting for others to figure it out.

Yet Ryan seemed to share a sixth sense with her and could always grasp her thoughts at once.

Perhaps because of this, Nanali subconsciously preferred to stay close to Ryan.

This was something even Old Lamb could not achieve.

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