Don't Blame Me

Starry Country, Jialesi, Sword and Rose Sorcerer University. "...When facing a turbid heart monster, unless a sword sorcerer can pierce its brainstem right away—decapitation is useless, as it can still attack as long as its brain remains intact—they will inevitably fall under the influence of its sorcery spirit, 'Frenzy.' The moment a sword sorcerer notices impatience setting in, they must stab their own thigh to stay clearheaded through pain, allowing the ranged sorcerers in their squad to eliminate the turbid heart monster..." The lecture hall was filled only with the professor's steady, conversational voice. Sitting by the window, Sonia gazed up at the three radiant stars in the sky. Warm sunlight blanketed the lawns, sidewalks, and benches, making everything in the world glitter with life. "Sonia!" Ingrid whispered in an undertone. "Stop daydreaming in class." Sonia, who was resonating with the real-world light, offered a faint smile. "It's not that important of a class, and my bracelet is recording notes anyway. Even if I get distracted..." "This is Introduction to Swordsmanship, our most critical course!" Ingrid said, her face solemn. "Don't you plan to enter the Abyss in the future? Aren't you afraid of encountering danger? So what if your bracelet takes notes? This is the most crucial class on combat knowledge against real enemies. You can never be too careful when it comes to survival!" *Ahem, ahem!* The instructor at the podium coughed twice, prompting both of them to quickly sit up straight and pay attention. *Introduction to Swordsmanship* did not deal in hollow theory; it taught how sword sorcerers had to respond when facing different enemies under various environments. The course existed precisely because it was tied directly to a sword sorcerer's future career path. Sword sorcerers were undoubtedly pure combat sorcerers, unlike water sorcerers who could pivot to healing sorcerers, or mechanical sorcerers who could become creation sorcerers. In an age of total peace and prosperity, sword sorcerers would inevitably dwindle, and their lineage might even die out entirely. Swordsmanship flourished in the Starry Country precisely because the world was anything but safe, living under the perpetual threat of the Abyss. The Abyss was not a fixed location, but a randomly appearing monster nest. Though termed random, it followed a discernible pattern: it only manifested in densely populated cities, or more accurately, the more sorcerers gathered in a place, the higher the likelihood of an Abyss emerging. As the heart of the Starry Country, Jialesi naturally contained the largest Abyss. To this day, no scholar could explain the origin of the Abyss, yet the threat it posed demanded resolution. The Abyss could not be eradicated. The deeper one went, the more formidable the monsters became, with deep-layer horrors reaching the level of Three-Winged Sanctuary or Four-Winged Legend, though surface-level beasts were hardly pushovers either. Because the terrain within the Abyss underwent drastic shifts periodically, sorcerers could not establish permanent camps inside. Furthermore, periodic abyssal riots would send legendary monsters rampaging toward the surface, forcing sorcerers to evacuate entirely during those times. Due to these various constraints, "regular Abyss culls" had become an essential division of labor in society. Aside from the few who secured positions as "riot consultants" for nobility or corporations, the majority of sword sorcerers formed squads with other sorcerers, periodically venturing into the Abyss to cleanse monsters. This was by no means dirty work; in fact, it was considered an excellent livelihood. Beyond the "extermination bounties" paid by the state, the various spoils dropped by abyssal monsters were extraordinarily valuable, and one could occasionally stumble upon rare resource nodes deep inside. Countless noble houses traced their origins to Abyss expedition squads, and the sorcerers who encountered miraculous opportunities in the Abyss were too numerous to count. Yet risk and reward scaled in equal measure. Nearly all abyssal monsters possessed sorcery spirits, making their combat prowess on par with sorcerers. Every single day, countless sorcerers perished in the Abyss—entire squads wiped out, reduced to fertilizer for the deep. That was precisely why Ingrid took issue with Sonia's attitude: every extra second spent listening in Introduction to Swordsmanship meant an extra ounce of vigilance when facing peril in the Abyss! Yet Sonia had only just absorbed an Experience Orb; she was as giddy as a child with a shiny new toy, her thoughts entirely wrapped up in validating her newly acquired light faction knowledge. Besides, she had no intention of going on Abyss expeditions. Perhaps that had once been an option, but with her talent, backed by a heavyweight like the Watcher, she could steadily advance all the way to Three-Winged Sanctuary just by following the standard path. Why wallow in the mud and risk her life in the Abyss with the rest? When *Introduction to Swordsmanship* concluded, the next class was *Practical Swordsmanship*, a sparring session between students of the Swordsmanship Department. On the way to the combat hall, students along the path stole glances at Sonia, whispering incessantly. Sonia was hardly surprised. The moment Professor Trozan bypassed all standard procedures to transfer her into the Swordsmanship Department, she had become the center of attention and a daily topic of gossip. Today was slightly different, however—because aside from Sonia, the students were also watching Felix on the other side. "Look, she's the one who made Celia..." "Sonia will probably get dumped soon too..." "I could tell just by looking at her that she's that kind of person..." Though she caught only fragmented snippets, Sonia pieced together what had happened: word had spread that Felix had dumped Celia, and as the woman most recently seen in Felix's orbit, Sonia had inevitably become the focus of scrutiny. *Don't drag me into trouble...* All Sonia wanted was to quietly build up her strength in low profile, unwilling to waste energy on such trivial nonsense. Yet women possess a sharp prophetic instinct, especially when it comes to anticipating trouble. Upon entering the combat hall, Sonia noticed many unfamiliar faces in the crowd, and the only person she recognized among them was Senior Celia. Celia was currently wiping away tears, her eyes rimmed with red. Combined with her simple, elegant attire, she appeared utterly delicate and pitiful, enough to soften the hardest heart. Though Sonia took pride in her own exceptional looks, Celia had the combined advantage of temperament, atmosphere, and tear-streaked sorrow—at this very moment, Sonia couldn't possibly outmatch her in sympathy. "Ingrid, I'm ditching class." "Understood," Ingrid replied empathetically. Yet just as Sonia was about to slip out of the combat hall, a thunderous roar shook dust from the ceiling rafters. "Felix, get over here!" A tall, black-haired sword sorcerer bellowed, "You dared to play with my sister's feelings—surely you're not too cowardly to show your face?!" At those words, everyone's gaze instantly snapped to Felix and Sonia. Felix remained calm, clearly no stranger to such scenes, and stepped into the combat hall with an indifferent stride. Sonia, after an internal struggle, abandoned the thought of fleeing—she couldn't slink away without a word. Leaving meant weakness; fleeing meant retreat. In the countryside, weakness and retreat only invited worse bullying. It was the same in the big city. Country mice and city mice shared the exact same shortsightedness at their core. "Loren, Celia, good morning," Felix nodded to them. "Would you like to have lunch together later?" "Spare me. Just looking at your face makes me sick." Facing the young master of the Voslodar clan, the black-haired sword sorcerer did not yield an inch of face. "Draw your sword. Let me see what kind of backbone a Voslodar has." At this, the surrounding students burst into whispers, and Ingrid could not help letting out a muted gasp: "It's actually Senior Loren!" Through Ingrid's quick explanation, Sonia learned that Senior Loren was also a prominent figure—a third-year swordsmanship prodigy. Though Professor Trozan had not chosen him, he had become a research apprentice under a Gold sword sorcerer. He had advanced to a One-Winged Silver sword sorcerer a year ago and was a member of Sword Flower University's competition team! Though he came from a middling noble family, Loren was on track to achieve Two-Winged Gold at the very least. With such a bright future, he naturally had no need to bow before an ordinary young master of the Voslodar clan; someone who relied on their own ability could afford to be unyielding. Loren and Celia were not full siblings; their fathers were brothers. Being in the same year at the same university, they were on close terms, so Loren sticking up for Celia was only natural. Felix did not accept immediately, however. Instead, he looked at Celia. "Senior, is this what you want?" Bystanders might have assumed Felix was softening, but Sonia knew he was genuinely puzzled. As someone who changed girlfriends four times a month, Felix naturally harbored no real feelings for any of them. He assumed the women approached him with full awareness of the arrangement, which was why his playboy lifestyle had never caused serious trouble before. Yet when Sonia caught the look in Celia's eyes as she watched Felix, everything became crystal clear. It was supposed to be a casual fling, but Celia had fallen for real. Only true feelings could explain why Celia was acting so irrationally, severing her very last shred of possibility with Felix while engaging in a futile display. Emotions were the most unpredictable of things; even a hunter could stumble into their own snare. Women always assumed they would be a man's last, while men always assumed they would be a woman's first. The losers who fell into the trap were doomed to cling to unrealistic fantasies. Receiving no answer from Celia, Felix turned back to Loren. "Senior Loren, are you saying... you want to beat me up?" "This is the combat hall. Let's have a practical training match," Loren sneered. "The infirmary is right next door, and I'll hold back as much as possible so the Voslodar clan doesn't lose a prized scion. Surely you aren't too scared?" "Fine, wonderful! How could I possibly be scared? It's merely a first-year sparring with a third-year—a sword sorcerer who only awakened a few days ago fighting a senior who's been a sorcerer for over a year. Why on earth would I be afraid?" Felix bared his white teeth, every word dripping with condemnation of Loren picking on someone younger and weaker. He was an aristocrat, not an idiot; how could he fall for such a crude provocation? The surrounding students clearly disapproved of a duel with such a disparity in strength; it was no different from outright bullying. Yet Loren's expression remained undisturbed as his gaze shifted from Felix to Sonia. Sonia instantly felt a bad premonition. "Felix, I hear you've recently picked up a pretty 'good junior.' The two of you even summoned a sorcery spirit mid-combat. You must get along 'splendidly,' with such 'deep' personal ties." Loren placed deliberate emphasis on his words, adding with a scoff, "As a senior, I naturally wouldn't bully the younger, and I'll even give you a chance to outnumber me. Since I'm here to vent Celia's anger, confronting you alone isn't enough. Bring that junior of yours over too!" "I'll fight both of you myself!" Though Loren did not state it outright, practically every syllable dripped with the same underlying message: *Today, I'm beating the two of you scoundrels to a pulp!* Sonia wanted nothing more than to bash the Watcher's head in—how had a blameless bystander like her gotten dragged into this pile of shit? Everyone's eyes turned toward her now, Felix included. Sonia's eyes flickered. She did not step forward, remaining beside Ingrid with an expression of puzzled innocence. "I'm sorry, Senior Loren, but I don't understand what you mean. While Felix and I both study under Professor Trozan, we have very little contact in private. This is a personal grievance between the two of you, and I have no reason to get involved." Rush out and fight shoulder-to-shoulder with Felix just because Loren had a foul mouth? Sonia was no longer a child; petty likes and dislikes were not the sole guiding principle of her actions. All she wanted was to grow stronger in quiet anonymity. She had zero interest in Felix's friendship, and this was her prime opportunity to clear her name. If she actually joined Felix to face Loren, it would practically cement everyone's suspicions that they were illicit lovers. No matter how she looked at it, extracting herself from this whirlpool was the wisest choice. Loren paid Sonia no further attention, letting out a sneer. "Looks like your charm isn't all that impressive after all, Felix." "You misunderstand," Felix said flatly. He unbuckled his sword bag and drew a wooden sword, the tension instantly primed to ignite. Just as Sonia thought she could skip class, a hand suddenly dropped onto her shoulder. "This isn't fair. How is a duel with such a vast difference in strength any different from bullying? As a member of the Disciplinary Committee, I can hardly permit such a one-sided slaughter." A valiant, orange-haired female swordsman pressed down on Sonia's shoulder, steering her forward. Sonia turned her head and saw the badge pinned to the woman's chest: *Sword Flower Disciplinary Committee: Leonie Victor*. "It's Senior Leonie!" "Why is she at school?" "It's the Orange Dancer herself!" The orange-haired swordsman guided Sonia all the way to the center of the arena. Her grip was like a vise; Sonia couldn't shake it off at all. "Junior Felix, Junior Sonia, you two really should interact more. If Professor Trozan found out that the two of you couldn't even manage basic mutual support and care, she would be terribly disappointed." The orange-haired swordsman beamed at Sonia with a full smile. "Loren may indeed be leaning on his seniority, but both of you are Professor Trozan's research apprentices. Him picking on you is equivalent to insulting the Hidden Hand Sword Saint! How could you stomach such an indignity? You must realize that Felix doesn't just represent himself right now; he represents one of Professor Trozan's only two apprentices. Junior Sonia, surely you understand this?" Sonia gave a strained nod, then shook her head. "But this is their personal grievance..." "The moment Loren issued a challenge to both of you, you were obligated to accept, if only to uphold the Hidden Hand Sword Saint's honor. What's more, two against one gives you substantial odds of winning; refusing would make you look far too cowardly." "As sword sorcerers, you ought to possess the courage to march forward relentlessly, and the conviction to reason through your blades! Once you beat your opponent into submission, your reason becomes absolute!" "Don't you agree, Junior Sonia?" The moment the orange-haired swordsman invoked Professor Trozan, Sonia knew she couldn't escape this duel. Regardless of whether Trozan actually cared, Sonia didn't dare gamble on it. Trozan was currently her greatest patron; she couldn't risk anything that might damage the professor's perception of her. Not to mention, with hundreds of spectators watching, news that she had cowered without regard for Professor Trozan's dignity would blanket Sword Flower within ten minutes. Yet she despised this feeling: being manipulated, coerced, and schemed against, forced into a battle she had no desire to fight! A suffocating surge of frustration and indignity fermented within her, causing her shoulders to quiver faintly. Still, she was a girl who had come alone to Jialesi all the way from the countryside; rationality swiftly regained control. Yet just as she suppressed her discontent, a familiar voice murmured in her ear: "Need my help? I guarantee I can wash away your frustration." *Yes!* "You agreed of your own free will. I'll take my leave now—don't. Blame. Me." The Watcher brushed past Sonia's back and vanished into thin air the moment the words left his lips. The next second, Sonia looked at the orange-haired swordsman. "Junior Sonia, what is your decision now...?" "I refuse!" Sonia shook her head decisively. "I will never meddle in their personal grievance, I will never fight alongside Felix, and I will never duel Senior Loren!" The orange-haired swordsman raised an eyebrow slightly. "If that's the case, then—" "However!" Sonia glared at the orange-haired swordsman, enunciating every word with ringing clarity. "As Professor Trozan's apprentice, I cannot tolerate you repeatedly provoking me using Professor Trozan's honor! I cannot tolerate you inciting the students to question the caliber of Professor Trozan's teaching! And most of all, I cannot tolerate you using the outcome of our duel to slander Professor Trozan's character!" "I didn't—" "No need to explain! As you said yourself, once you beat your opponent into submission, your reason becomes absolute! Therefore—" Sonia unbuckled her sword bag, drew her wooden sword, and pointed it straight at the orange-haired swordsman. "Leonie Victor, I challenge you!"