She stood there like a celestial goddess dipped in sunlight.
Long golden hair tied up into a high ponytail, eyes like melted amber, and skin so pale and smooth it looked like it had never known a bruise.
She had a sharp, confident jawline, bountiful curves wrapped in the tight-fit student uniform — and perched delicately on her head was a red hairpin in the shape of a blooming flame.
Reed's stomach dropped.
He knew exactly who this was.
Elira Vel Adreth.
A side heroine.
No, more accurately — a forgotten side heroine.
One of the earliest introduced students in the novel, with a strong noble lineage, powerful sword affinity, and an S-rank potential in martial weaponry.
The problem? The author introduced her in Chapter 15, gave her a minor arc about "proving herself despite being a woman in a noble family of mages," and then… forgot about her.
For like, three hundred chapters.
No harem. No development. No romantic subplot. Just... gone.
Reed internally winced.
'Damn it, author. Justice for Elira.'
The girl bowed slightly.
"You're Reed Arkwright, correct?"
He froze. "Uh… y-yeah. That's me."
Her voice was smooth, crisp.
"I noticed you were practicing with focus. Would you care to spar with me?"
Reed blinked. "Wait, what?"
"To test the form." She motioned with her wooden sword. "Serpent Coil. Theoretical knowledge is hollow without practical experience."
Reed's brain short-circuited.
On one hand, he was flattered — this goddess of a warrior wanted to spar with him.
On the other, this was also the girl who canonically one-shot a wyvern using an unfinished sword technique.
In the future though… in the arcs nearing the final arc.
"U-Uhm, sure. Let's spar," he stammered.
Elira smiled politely and stepped onto the sparring circle nearby.
Other students were quick to notice.
Spars weren't uncommon during this class, but Elira was well-known — her technique was precise, her form impeccable, and her noble lineage made her the quiet envy of every wannabe swordmaster.
And now she was sparring with… Reed Arkwright?
There was a ripple of whispers.
"Why is our goddess sparring with such a commoner?"
"What the hell is she thinking?"
"Bet she's just going to humiliate him."
The two faced each other, swords raised in basic guard.
Professor Thalvorr walked by, eyeing them both. "Good. Spars are encouraged. Remember: pull your swings and prioritize control. Injury here means expulsion."
Elira nodded. "Understood, Professor."
Reed gulped. "Got it."
'WAIT EXPULSION?'
[System Notification: [New Event – First Duel with a Love Interest!]
[Succeeding in this spar will increase Affection and possibly unlock a special title!]
'...Focus, damn it! No system distractions right now!'
Thalvorr raised his hand, then dropped it.
"Begin."
Reed moved in first, taking the Serpent Coil stance.
Elira mirrored him.
The first exchange was slow.
Their wooden swords touched, then parted.
Reed tried to maneuver into a sweep but Elira blocked it effortlessly and countered with a precise jab to his side.
"Oof!"
He took a step back. She hadn't hit hard, but it still stung.
"Apologies," she said. "Too much?"
"No, no. Just enough humiliation to keep me humble."
She smirked. "You joke, but your footwork isn't bad."
"Thanks," he said, stepping back into the stance. "I grew up dodging responsibilities."
This time, she lunged first.
Her movement was elegant — graceful, but with a core of raw power. Reed deflected the strike, then twisted into a defensive sweep.
She parried, spun behind him, and tapped his shoulder with the hilt of her blade.
"Dead."
He groaned.
"Your pivot is strong," she said, brushing back her hair. "But your stance breaks when you counter."
[Name: Elira Vel Adreth]
[Class: Swordsman]
[Affection: 10 → 25]
[Lust: 10]
[Heart Meter: 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍]
'Wait, why is her affection increasing so quickly? Does she get it off by torturing me?'
They reset positions.
This time Reed focused hard on his breathing.
He didn't forget his main goal for this spar… Serpent Coil.
She came in fast, slashing upward. Reed ducked and countered — but she twisted mid-air, deflecting the blow, then landed with cat-like grace.
He saw the flicker in her eyes.
Her guard was open for just a second.
He struck with an angled thrust toward her hip.
She blocked but not in time. His sword tapped her side.
There was a pause.
Then she stepped back and nodded. "Point to you."
Reed blinked. "Wait, really?"
"Don't doubt yourself." She gave him the faintest smile. "That was a clean counter."
The System beeped again but he ignored it for now.
Other students had stopped practicing. They watched now, completely captivated.
Professor Thalvorr was watching too, arms crossed. He said nothing, but his brow was slightly raised.
The two continued for several more rounds — exchanging light strikes, feints, and counter-movements.
Reed took more hits than he landed, but the gap between them felt bridgeable now.
His body remembered movement. His eyes were sharp. The sword, simple as it was, felt like an extension of himself.
By the time they stopped, Reed was covered in sweat. Elira, of course, barely looked winded.
"Thank you," she said, bowing slightly. "You're much better than I expected."
"You say that like you didn't think I'd last ten seconds."
"I didn't."
Reed grinned. "Appreciate the honesty."
Elira gave him one final glance. "I'll spar with you again. If you'd like."
"Absolutely."
She turned and walked off, her ponytail swaying behind her like a banner of victory.
Reed sighed, dragging a sleeve across his face. He had managed to execute the first form of the Dragon style multiple times during their fight, now he could focus on the System.
...
[Event Complete – First Duel with a Love Interest!]
[You have gained the Title: Dragon Duelist (LV.1)]
[Special Effect: +2 Dexterity when using Dragon Style Forms]
[Reward: 10 D.P]
...
[Name: Elira Vel Adreth]
[Class: Swordsman]
[Affection: 35]
[Lust: 10]
[Heart Meter: ❤️ 🤍🤍🤍🤍]
...
'Wait why did I already get a heart? Is the System glitched or something?' Reed wondered, Elira was a heroine for a reason… they weren't supposed to be easy to conquer.
Especially somebody like Elira who was known to be cold to people until she warmed up to them… was he missing something?
"Tch. Commoner luck."
Reed turned his head slowly.
Three boys with matching emblems on their uniforms approached, smug and arrogant.
One cracked his knuckles.
"Enjoying your little moment, Arkwright?" the lead one sneered. "How about a real spar?"
Reed sighed.