Chapter 273


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At Eris’s suggestion, a week-long rest period is decided.
Getting to this point hasn’t been straightforward.
Orphelia, stubborn by nature, refuses to nod in agreement, insisting she can still keep going.

Usually, it’s Orphelia who tends to get her way, with Eris reluctantly giving in. However, this time, no matter how much Orphelia protests, Eris doesn’t budge an inch, firmly refusing to accept Orphelia’s objections.

There’s a reason why Eris is being so adamant.
It’s simple. She proposes this rest period out of consideration for her rival, Orphelia.

Having spent enough time together, Orphelia understands this much. That understanding is why she eventually accepts Eris’s suggestion.

Though typically competitive, Orphelia decides to yield to Eris this time, recognizing her friend’s unwavering determination.



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Rest—come to think of it, she can’t remember taking any real breaks since she first picked up a sword.

The two enter a nearby tavern.
Barely touching her food, Orphelia asks Eris,

「I won’t object to taking a break, but what are we supposed to do during it?」

「Well…」

Though Eris, when asked, is slightly better off than Orphelia in this regard, she’s still in a similar boat. And so, that evening, the two of them bounce ideas back and forth over drinks, trying to figure out exactly what this whole ‘taking a break’ thing means.



The next morning, Orphelia wakes up early.
It’s her usual habit—waking up early to practice with her sword.

Of course, they hadn’t drunk excessively, so there’s no hangover.
However, instead of getting out of bed, she burrows back under the covers. Going back to sleep—this is one of the ways to spend a day off that came up during their discussion with Eris. Though Orphelia feels conflicted as she forces herself to try this second sleep, it turns out to be surprisingly pleasant, and when she next opens her eyes, it’s already past noon.

When she emerges from her room, yawning, the day is already in full swing.
She closes her eyes briefly. Yes, she can’t sense Eris’s presence in the inn.

The night before, Eris had mentioned having something she wanted to try.
She must have already gone to do it.
Orphelia finds herself smiling as she imagines Eris sneaking out of the inn, all excited and fidgety.


After finishing her meal, she leaves the inn.
Of course, she has no plans for what to do.
Eris had mentioned wanting to try knitting.
She’s going to learn from a woman she befriended while staying here in Boldaf.

For Orphelia, who knows Eris’s past, this is hard to believe.

Well, that girl has become much more approachable compared to before.
No wonder people have taken a liking to her.

In the past, she was more intense, more high-strung, with a delicate quality that made it seem like she might break if touched… but now she’s become more resilient… I wonder if that’s thanks to a certain someone’s influence?

Orphelia pictures that 「certain someone’s」 face and nods to herself in renewed understanding.




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Afterward, Orphelia continues to wander the streets aimlessly, but finds nothing of note during that time, ultimately letting the hours slip by without accomplishing anything.

She meets up with Eris for dinner, and they happen to run into Anon as well, so they all head to the tavern together.

There, while eating, the conversation flows rapidly from catching up on recent events to discussing their recent Hidden Mountain attack, Anon’s recent work, Eris’s knitting, and Orphelia’s lazy day.

Of course, they also bring up stories about Shifu (Yamada) and Big Sis (Sena). It’s particularly memorable how Anon becomes notably animated when these topics come up.

The drinking party with just close friends, stripped of clan and party member dynamics, turns out to be surprisingly enjoyable, and the three of them end up drinking quite a lot that day.



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Orphelia, blessed with both physical and mental acuity, is naturally talented and skilled in various aspects. Since childhood, whether it was martial arts or sports, she could somewhat imitate any technique just by watching instructors, and she could spot their weaknesses and flaws.

Moreover, she isn’t lacking in intellectual capacity either, maintaining honor student-level performance even without studying.

With just a bit of training, she could surpass her teachers’ abilities, and with minimal studying, she could achieve decent test scores. Orphelia herself is aware of her own dexterity.
However, despite her technical prowess, she remains unaware of her own nature.

No matter how skilled her hands might be, and regardless of her martial arts sense, when it comes to the way she lives her life, she is remarkably clumsy.


This is the story of how an impatient Orphelia comes to recognize and confront her own awkwardness.



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