Thankfully they were still within sight when I got out.

I hurried up and chased after them.

Ru and Hiyori was in the middle of an argument, so I decided to stay out of the conversation and just listened in.

“What are you even thinking!? Honestly, stop and think for a sec.”

“Frillia gave me the chance, all I need to do is to fulfill it.”

“You stupid, I’m saying you should stop and think before you act! The school tuition is indeed high but its nowhere near as high as written! Even if you were to add living and food expense, the amount written there is almost three times as much as what you actually need. And on top of that you’ll need to get twice of that amount, if you were to actually ask me about it, we could’ve asked her to lower the amount of money you need to collect!”

I did think it was a ridiculous amount but I wasn’t sure since I hadn’t fully grasped the value of money in this world.

To be exact, nobles generally don’t even think about how much they spent unless its a really big one.

Something like tuition, food, even clothes and jewelries are basically pocket money for them.

“.....Frillia did that purposely.”

“What?”

“She definitely set up an impossible goal for me to complete under the guise of giving me a chance. Even that much is obvious for me.”

“If you knew that then why.....”

“The fact still stands. The goal is still there so all I need to do is break through the wall she created to stop me!”

Hiyori let out a long sigh from Ru’s reply.

“How are you always so confident?”

“Confident, huh? Rather than confident, I simply don’t want to give up without trying. Not again.....”

Ru showed a complicated expression but immediately went back to the usual cheery Ru.

“Anyway, are you coming with us too Misa?”

“Yes, though where are we going?”

“Wait, Misa is here!”

Seemed like Ru didn’t notice me at all.

“Sorry Misa, I was a bit too heated up back there and ended up leaving you behind.”

“No, its fine. So what are your plans? You know that there’s no way you can face Cure right?”

“Yeah, since I’ve been training with Cure-sensei even before this exchange program, I knew the best about how ridiculously strong Cure-sensei is. There’s only one thing I can rely on to get me out of this situation.”

She took out a piece of paper from her pocket.

“I was hoping you forgot about that, though We don’t really have any other choice in this situation.”

“Lets go!”

With Ru leading the way, we headed towards the adventurer’s guild.

It was in the direction of the school so it shouldn’t take as long getting back to school after.

Contrary to my expectations, we didn’t garner much attention after entering.

Ru boldly went to the receptionist and gave her the paper.

After taking a look at the paper, the receptionist gave us a look of surprise before leading us to the back room.

Inside, the 4 people from Union of the Crest were waiting.

“Yo, I was starting to worry whether you would actually come or not.”

Roja greeted us as we entered.

“See, told ya she would come.”

“So, what business do you have with us?”

Gio wasn’t interested in small talk and went straight to the point.

“Please, if you would be so kind, spar with me!”

Ru lowered her head in a ninety degrees angle.

“Humu, it seems like I have won the bet.”

The samurai-looking girl Kanade gave a smug look.

“Seriously?”

Roja could only exclaimed in surprise.

“It is only natural. Even in my fading consciousness yesterday, her expression as she asked about our schedule was clear enough.”

“Tch, I thought she would want my autograph.”

“Your autograph? Fufu, if its Gio’s then I can see but I can’t even begin to imagine anyone who would want your autograph.”

“Aren’t you harsh Tulip. I’m quite popular with the ladies back in Saiperi you know?”

“Ara, should I heal you? It seems that you’ve lost your mind.”

The two starter bickering as if we weren’t here.

Thankfully, Gio stopped them.

“May I ask for what reason would you want to spar with us?”

I wonder what she’s going to say.

Would she come clean that she’s a crosser?

No, in the first place, was crosser commonly known throughout this world or only this kingdom?

“I cannot go into detail but I made a bet with someone. If I lose the bet, I would have to be separated from piyopiyo. I need to get stronger in order to win the bet.”

“Hmmm, is the person you’re going up againts strong?”

“Yes, ridiculously so. Honestly, even now the thought of facing Cure honestly sends shivers down my spine.”

“Wait, Cure!? You mean the captain of the 2nd knight order in this kingdom?”

Roja interjected as he heard Cure’s name.

“Y-Yes, do you guys know her?”

“Her name is one that most people would recognize.”

Kanade also seemed to know her.

“This kingdom has solely been relying on the captain of the 1st knight order for everything, until 1 year ago when a single girl stopped a stampede of around 20.000 monsters on her own. It is said that her body was covered in blood from head to toe as she walked back to town leisurely without a single injury on her. She became the 2nd pillar of protection to this kingdom, and with her kind yet strict personality she’s quite popular with the masses too.”

Gio elaborated further on Cure.

So Cure is really that famous?

“Piyopiyo, I’ve never heard of something like that?”

“I don’t either.”

“Its a story most adventurer who started before a year ago would know about. The guild set up an emergency quest and called upon adventurers from all over. As those adventurers went to help with the stampede, all they found when they got there was the corpses of the monsters and Cure leisurely walking back to town. Our party was unfortunately not in this kingdom back then so we couldn’t witness it with our own eyes.”

“Even the more recent story of her beating a dragon attacking this kingdom on her own would already bring her to fame.”

“She’s also often seen going to other kingdoms allied with Swordia to help out with monster subjugation.”

To think Cure was that famous, honestly it made perfect sense but its still quite a surprise nonetheless.

“So, you’re trying to beat this Cure?”

Gio reaffirmed Ru’s intention.

“Not fully, the bet stated that I have to endure fighting againts her using 5% of her power for 5 minutes.”

“.....5% and 5-minute duration huh? With a few months of training, if you have the talent then maybe.”

“I don’t have that kind of time, I have to beat her in 1 week!”

I guess Ru’s saving the other week to actually go outside to hunt for the money.

“Then its impossible.”

Gio immediately shut her down.

“Is there really no way?”

Hiyori also showed a pleading face.

“What’s impossible is impossible.”

“Well now Gio, you shouldn’t be so harsh.”

“Its better to tell the truth straight than trying to lie about it.”

“Can we not see how capable she is at the moment? From what I see, she’s not a complete amateur when it comes to fighting.”

“I agree with Kanade, we shouldn’t shut her out before we see what she’s capable of at least.”

Roja, Kanade, and Tulip tried to support Ru.

Gio then let out a sigh.

“Haaaahhhhh, fine. Lets borrow the training ground and see what we’re working with first.”

“...! Thank you so much!”

“There’s nothing to thank us for yet. Lets go.”

With the 4 of them leading the way, we headed to the training ground at the back of the guild.

“What weapon do you use?”

Gio said as he picked up a wooden sword.

“No, so far I’ve been fighting with only my fist. Cure was the one who taught me so I ended up matching her style.”

“Honestly, that kind of fighting style is only viable for monsters of her caliber. Well, lets see how you fight first. Roja, coin.”

Gio got into his stance and so was Ru.

Roja threw a coin and once it hit the ground, Gio dissapeared from sight.

Before I knew it, Gio was already in front of Ru, though Ru was able to block his swing by crossing her arms.

It was pretty clear that she took a lot of damage from that though as her face was filled with pain.

She tried to trip Gio but Gio easily lifted his feet to dodge it.

One of Gio’s hands let go of the sword and delivered a punch towards Ru’s stomach but Ru was able to block it with her feet.

She didn’t lose balance but she got pushed about a meter back.

Not giving her any time to rest, Gio’s sword blurred and Ru was suddenly knocked back even further with her balance broken.

Gio didn’t let the opportunity slip and did an overhead swing, smashing Ru to the ground.

Ru tried to get up but it didn’t seem like she had the power in her to do so.

Gio turned his back on her and declared the match over.

“Geez Gio, what are you doing to this girl? You should hold back a little.”

“There’s no point in holding back if she intended to do something suicidal in the first place.”

Tulip went over to Ru to heal her, but Ru finally got up and pushed her aside.

“Not yet.....!”

Gio let out a sigh and turned back to Ru.

“I admire your perseverence but if the rumors about her are true then with your current strength there’s no way you can win this bet.”

Hiyori stepped in in the middle of the conversation.

“Frillia didn’t mention about you having to do it alone right? Then I’ll also....!”

“No piyopiyo! I have to do this on my own or else there’s no meaning.”

“You stupid, you’re claiming you’re doing this to stay with me and yet you’re setting me aside like I don’t exist? What are you, a foolish prince from a fairytale?”

Ru seemed quite taken aback by Hiyori’s rebuttal.

“If that’s the case then show me your power too.”

Hiyori picked up a wooden dagger and a buckler.

“Roja.”

“Yes yes.”

With another coin toss, the match started similar to before.

Like Ru, Hiyori was able to block Gio’s first attack with her buckler.

From then on, it was a series of clash as she blocked each swing with her buckler, though it was clear enough that she was being pushed back.

After a couple more swings, Hiyori also fell to the ground, never actually getting the chance to swing the dagger she was holding.

“Not too bad, but still not enough.”

Hiyori was breathing heavily on the ground.

Gio didn’t actually get a solid hit onto Hiyori, though the fatigue caught up to her as the battle dragged on.

Ru looked frustrated that Hiyori was able to survive longer than her.

I knew I should say something, but I didn’t know what to say.

“The fault does not lie within you, but your teacher.”

Kanade who was also next to Ru reassured her.

Ru looked towards Kanade, confused.

“Fighting bare-handed without any protection is suicidal and only fit for a monster of her calliber, as Gio said. Imagine Gio’s first attack with him using a real sword, would you be able to block it the same way you did?”

“N-No.....”

“Most likely you have been taught how to fight againts those slower and weaker than you with bare-hand combat, or those who also use bare-hand. Its a useless knowledge when fighting someone stronger than you, especially if they hold a weapon, even againts a wooden weapon you would still feel the impact greatly if you don’t have anything protecting your arm.”

Kanade went into details about what she meant.

True enough, fighting bare-handed would normally not work againts someone with a weapon.

Maybe if you’re faster than the opponent then you can dodge but if you’re forced to block then you’ll only end up with your arms cut.

Its a fact that people would forget when seeing Cure’s fighting style.

“Then what am I supposed to do? Learning how to use a weapon from scratch....”

“There’s no particular need to do so. Simply put, all you need is something to protect your arms.”

Kanade took out a pair of vambrace from her bag.

“With this, you should have no problem keeping your current fighting style. Gio!”

“Haaahhhh, unnecessary meddling as always, Kanade.”

“I simply don’t like seeing someone being held back from unleashing their true power.”

“Fine, though I won’t hold back as much this time.”

“Me too....!”

Hiyori who promptly got healed by Tulip got up and stood next to Ru.

“Both of you can come to me at once, not that it’ll change anything.”

Brandishing his sword, he signaled Roja again.

“Are you not going to join them?”

Tulip who just finished healing Hiyori came to me this time.

“No, this is not something I could step into. I am also nowhere near as proficient in fighting as both of them so I will only drag both of them down if I were to join.”

This is something Ru and Hiyori had to resolve themselves, even if I’m Ru’s friend there’s simply no place for me to step in.

Besides, there’s no way I can fight like them, my plant magic is also something I can’t really show unless its an emergency so its simply impossible for me to join in even if I want to.

“I see. Do you have somewhere you need to be today?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I doubt they’ll finish anytime soon so if you have somewhere you need to be, its best to leave them on their own and go by yourself.”

“I see, you have a fair point.”

Ru has always been the type to lost sight of things around her when she focused on something after all, she probably already forgot that I’m even here.

Hmmm, if that’s the case then it might be best for me to return first.

I rather not worry Firana-oneesama any longer than necessary anyway.

“I will take up on your suggestion and head back first then.”

Before I got to leave, Tulip stopped me.

“You shouldn’t go out without an escort. Kanade!”

Kanade came closer as her name was called.

“Can you escort her back to wherever she live?”

“I see, it would indeed be dangerous for her to go home by herself. Why don’t you do it yourself then?”

“Please, as a mage I’m not really good at escorting another person. If I were suddenly ambushed while I was unaware, I’m as helpless as any other girl. And I can’t really trust Roja to escort a young lady like her.”

“Understood. Shall we go, Misa?”

“No, I shouldn’t trouble you....”

Before I got the chance to refute, Kanade was already heading out.

“Fufu, you shouldn’t worry about troubling us. Besides, this’ll also be beneficial for us in the future.”

“Beneficial?”

“You are a noble aren’t you? Its quite easy to distinguish you from how you act.”

“That.....”

Tulip then handed me a card.

“This is our guild card. If you have any request, you can hand this to the guild receptionist and assign the quest to us. Lets call it even with this.”

She gave a wink then went back to Ru and Hiyori who were already sprawled on the ground once more.

“Are you coming?”

Kanade called me out next to the exit.

If she went that far, then I guess I’ll take upon her kindness.

I put the card in my pocket and caught up with Kanade who’s waiting for me.

“Am I correct to assume that I’ll be escorting you back to school?”

“Y-Yes, how did you know?”

“Simple observation. You are not exactly hiding it when you are wearing the school’s uniform after all.”

Ohhh yea, I completely forgot that I went out with Ru and Hiyori in my uniform.

There’s only one school in this town so there’s no confusion in which school I attend.

With Kanade leading the way, I followed her from behind.

Not a single spark of conversation was made all the way from the guild to school.

It was quite awkward for me but Kanade didn’t seem bothered by it.

“Here we are.”

“Yes, thank you for going out your way to escort me.”

“It is no problem. Then, I shall return.”

Without any further word, Kanade went back to the guild.

I guess she’s not much of a talker?

The other 3 on her party were all quite talkative though, I guess she’s the exception.

As I turned back and faced the school, I could see a demon crossing her arm with an eerie smile on her face.

“Misa.”

With just a single word of her, my body shivered in fear.

I timidly walked closer to the said demon.

“I do believe I had told you not to talk about Rosa-sama to anyone.”

“Y-Yes. Wait, how.....”

I couldn’t continue my sentence as I felt her pressure intensifying.

“Come.”

I couldn’t disobey her commanding voice.

In the first place, there’s nowhere for me to run.

And thus I could only resign to my fate as we headed back to our room.