This Novel is not my Novel

"I knew he was a coward..., but this is truly a spectacle."

It was such an unsightly sight that I couldn't bear to watch with my eyes open, so I turned my head away and lamented.

Perhaps the reason Ríolíkin was able to act as a tanker after graduation in the original work was because Tryggdrik spent years yelling at him and training him. That might have been the result.

Unless there was a reason like that, this level is inexplicable.

'To think even sparring would be impossible...'

Since he was going to be like this, I don't know why he applied for a martial arts lecture that includes sparring in the curriculum.

Did he think sparring would be easy, only to get scared when someone actually clenched a fist and rushed at him?

'I thought it was because he knew his weakness all too well and wanted to overcome it, so he trained his body hard and enrolled in the martial arts lecture where sparring was scheduled, but...'

Maybe I expected too much from Ríolíkin.

I also know that fear is not an emotion that can be easily overcome. Isn't that why I provided an opportunity?

I told him that if he went to the tournament and defeated just three people, I would allow him to follow me in the future.

But it seems even that wasn't enough.

'I should stop caring about someone like Ríolíkin and focus on my own training.'

Just as I resolved to do so and shook off my thoughts, Reisir spoke up.

"Being like that, even if he enters the tournament, he won't win a single match and will only become a laughingstock...?"

Reisir examined my expression, looking quite concerned.

He probably wanted to ask if I was really going to send Ríolíkin to the tournament. Although the application period had closed, withdrawal was possible at any time.

"It appears so to me as well. Since he has absolutely no intention of striving to improve himself, I wonder if he's throwing a tantrum and asking me to take care of his utterly pathetic self."

"He probably isn't doing it intentionally, but..."

It sounded like a rebuttal to my words, but after adding "but" at the end, he couldn't continue.

That alone proved that Reisir's thoughts were not much different from mine.

"Whether it's intentional or not, I have no intention of changing the conditions now."

"Then do you really intend to keep Ríolíkin away from you after the tournament ends?"

"Did you grow fond of him in the meantime? Since I won't care if you spend time with Ríolíkin, hold gatherings among yourselves and leave me out of them. You can even use a separate table from mine when eating."

"No, no! I didn't mean it like that."

I tried to subtly distance myself from the original protagonist, but it was futile.

Reisir quickly and firmly denied my words.

"Karvaldr, you... You know, if you look closely, you're actually very soft-hearted?"

"...What does that mean?"

"Your tone is the coldest in the world, but your words and actions show you're nothing like that."

The original protagonist once again pegged the pitiful author, possessed and thrown into someone else's novel, as a tsundere.

Accordingly, my brow furrowed.

"That is your delusion..."

"Anyway! The point is, I don't think you'll be able to shake off Ríolíkin."

Reisir cut me off sharply and offered an absurd conjecture.

Knowing full well that a crisis was destined to strike this world, would I be crazy enough to take care of a giant burden that couldn't even be used as a shield?

I was so dumbfounded that a hollow laugh escaped me.

"Ha, how absurd. Do you really think I won't be able to do that?"

"Yeah..."

"Mya..."

"......?"

The one who answered "Yeah" must have been Reisir.

But the sound that came after that?

The only being here capable of making such a sound was Yor.

Bewildered, I turned my gaze toward my baby dragon.

"Nyan nyan nya, meow meow, myaaang, nyat!"

Yor chattered in cat-like meows that I couldn't understand today either and aggressively pointed somewhere.

The dragon's sharp claw pointed at none other than Reisir.

Target number one to avoid if aiming for survival.

The original protagonist who remained close to me even now, despite my attempts to distance myself.

Since he pointed at such a person, what the baby dragon wanted to say was obvious.

He probably meant to point out that I couldn't even shake off Reisir, yet I was claiming I could shake off Ríolíkin.

The point he was making was so obvious that I couldn't find any words to refute it.

"......"

"Hyaa..."

Yor put a paw to his forehead, let out a deep sigh, and shook his head from side to side before suddenly flying off somewhere.

Fluttering through the air, Yor arrived right in front of Ríolíkin.

The moment I wondered why on earth he had gone there—

"Kryaaaong—!!"

Out of nowhere, Yor let out a sharp cry and threatened Ríolíkin.

"Hiiiek...!!"

Puzzled by Yor's approach, Ríolíkin lowered his guard slightly, only to freak out and curl up again.

The baby dragon made his displeasure even more obvious.

Floating upward, he looked down at Ríolíkin and poured out what sounded like a scolding.

"Myaa, nya nya nyat-, nyaa aa at!"

Judging from the circumstances, he had probably stepped in to make that coward useful himself, since it seemed I wouldn't be able to shake off Ríolíkin.

As his master, I felt somewhat bitter, wondering if I was really that unreliable.

But aside from that, if Yor succeeded in fixing Ríolíkin's mindset, it would be a gain for me, so I decided to let it be.

However—

"Student Ríolíkin. It's been bothering me since last week, but if you have no intention of engaging in sparring, stop ruining the atmosphere and leave."

It seemed the Martial Arts Professor had no intention of letting the situation slide.

It was inevitable.

Even before Yor started meowing, the bizarre standoff between Ríolíkin and Vigdís had already drawn the students' attention.

"Th-that is..., I, I am..."

"Did you not hear me tell you to leave?"

"B-but..."

"It seems you won't be able to take the final exams anyway, so if you haven't made up your mind, don't come back starting next week."

Because of his behavior during the first week of lectures, I had considered him a hopeless professor, but I thought that resolute attitude alone was worth emulating.

That doesn't mean I've developed any respect for him, though.

Anyway, Ríolíkin was chased out of the lecture hall without being able to offer a single word of excuse, and Yor chased after him.

"Yor went out too. Is that okay?"

"Of course it's okay. He must have done it because he has a plan. He's a wise child, so he'll handle it well on his own."

"Well..., he certainly did look sharp."

Why is it?

It felt as though the phrase "unlike someone" had been omitted from Reisir's words, and the thought occurred to me that this "someone" referred to me.

Am I just feeling guilty for no reason?

For reference, Vigdís ended up sparring with some nameless student instead of Ríolíkin.

The number of students taking this lecture was even, so normally there wouldn't be a student left without a partner.

Fortunately, one student had reported an absence and wasn't present today. Thanks to that, Vigdís was able to proceed with sparring without any issues.

"Then shall we start sparring as well?"

"Let's do so."

"Ah! I'm saying this in advance, but this time I won't stop at just pushing like last time. I'm actually going to hit you."

"...Do as you please."

"You, didn't you flinch just now?"

"I did not."

To tell the truth, I didn't not do it. Even I felt myself flinch.

Reisir probably meant that since it would hurt if I were hit squarely, I should focus on blocking and dodging properly.

However, the consideration embedded in those words failed to reach me.

Instead, it only had the side effect of bringing back memories from a time when I was frequently hit.

Trying hard to keep my expression neutral, I felt sweat seep into my palms as I took a ready stance.

A bare-fisted Reisir felt more threatening than Reisir holding a spear.

It had been fine when I sparred with Vigdís last week.

Is it because the people who inflicted direct harm on me in the past were male students who didn't carry weapons?

"Hey..., I said I'd hit you, but I'll pull my punches and hit gently...? So you don't have to be too tense."

"...Why don't you close that mouth now? Sparring isn't something done with words, is it?"

After retorting like that, I gritted my teeth, rushed at Reisir, and threw a punch.

However, I couldn't land a hit because my opponent lightly dodged it.

With that attempt alone, I felt as though I had escaped from the memories of the helpless past.

The fear weighing heavily on my body was cut in half, and I could breathe more easily.

"You don't know anything, do you? Eloquence is also an excellent combat technique. You can use it to provoke an opponent into losing their reason or to disrupt their concentration."

"Then keep blabbering on by yourself."

Instead of counterattacking immediately, Reisir stepped back and spoke in a light, joking tone.

Thanks to that, I was able to completely shake off the remaining half of my fear.

I was grateful for that, but since that was also an emotion I couldn't show, I moved forward again and threw another punch.

"Seeing that your movements are slightly sluggish compared to last time, it seems you didn't activate the buff today. Is it because it's lecture time?"

Reisir raised his left arm and lightly blocked the punch I threw at him, speaking leisurely.

Instead of answering, I sharpened my senses and tried to predict my opponent's next move.

'The fact that he bothered to block my attack means it's safe to assume he intends to counterattack this time.'

Since he used his left arm for defense, would he attack with his right hand?

If so, where would he aim?

No, is that too simplistic?

I cannot rule out the possibility that he might use his left arm to grab my extended arm and twist the joint to subdue me.

He might even attack with his foot...

'Wait a minute, would there really be time for such a long train of thought during a spar?'

That doubt surfaced in my mind.

As if time had suddenly started flowing again, Reisir, who had been still until now, moved with lightning speed.

He grabbed my wrist with his left hand and pulled.

Just as I stumbled, he swept my leg, completely destroying my balance before letting go of my wrist.

It happened so quickly that I found myself face down on the floor before I knew it.

If I stay still, it's the perfect position for him to step on my back.

It's not real combat, just sparring, so Reisir wouldn't do something like that.

Still, you never know.

I quickly rolled to the side to widen the distance and hurriedly got back to my feet.

If the genre of this novel were wuxia, the movement just now would have been called Lazy Donkey Roll (懶驢打滾) and treated as a shameful evasive technique that sacrificed all dignity.

Fortunately, however, the novel I'm in is a fantasy novel.

Even if I execute that technique in the body of the proud Karvaldr, it can't be considered out of character.

'More than that... Just a moment ago, what on earth was that? I felt like time stopped for a brief moment...'

Regrettably, there was no time to dwell on that doubt right now.

Because this time Reisir was already throwing a punch at me.

I hurriedly crossed both arms to block the attack.

Whether because he was holding back or not, the pain wasn't severe, but my arms were quite numb.

At this level, it might not be a serious injury, but it's definitely going to bruise.

First, I should prioritize dodging, and if that's not possible, it would be better to block.

With that plan in mind, I focused on my opponent's movements.