"I have other things to train as well, so I can't devote that much time to swordsmanship. Once a week is enough."
"Ah...! I see. Since you use another main weapon, when would be a good time for you?"
"Any time except Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays."
"Since today is Saturday, how about Sunday morning?"
It was practically the same as saying we should start training tomorrow.
It didn't really matter, since I had no plans tomorrow besides training alone anyway.
So with Saturdays reserved for training with Professor Radvisin and Sundays for Vigdís, my entire weekend was now booked.
'Still, if I need to go out somewhere, I can do it on Monday or Friday afternoons, when I only have lectures in the morning, or after morning training with Vigdís...'
I checked my schedule mentally, confirmed there were no issues, and nodded.
"Then let's meet tomorrow at 8 AM at the public training grounds. We may move to a private training ground later, but for now, we need people to know that we're meeting regularly."
"When you say it like that, it sounds like we're meeting just for appearances."
"What are you talking about? Wasn't the original purpose to publicly show that we're on good terms so we don't raise suspicion about breaking off the engagement?"
"Ah...!"
Why did she gasp like that?
As I looked at Vigdís with that thought in mind, she hunched her shoulders awkwardly and avoided my gaze.
It seemed Vigdís hadn't even considered such a basic calculation.
She must have simply offered to teach me swordsmanship because she wanted to help as a friend.
I take back my admiration for her cleverness. She only used half her brain.
"More importantly, there's something we need to add to the contract, so hand it over."
"Are you going to write that I have to teach Kar swordsmanship once a week?"
"I can't write that. You won't be able to make time during exam periods or vacations, will you?"
Hearing my answer, Vigdís looked puzzled, but she still slid the contract and pen across the table toward me.
Then she noticed the donut in front of her and began glancing at me furtively.
She must have forgotten it existed while we were talking, and now that the conversation had gone smoothly and she had relaxed, her appetite must have returned.
"Go ahead and eat."
I repeated the same words I had said before we sat down across from each other.
Vigdís, who hadn't even glanced at the donut earlier, now picked up her fork without hesitation.
After confirming that, I lowered my gaze to the contract and added a new clause with the following content.
Breaking Engagement Contract
- "B" shall not throw away or sacrifice her own life for the sake of others.
I couldn't exactly write, "Do not die taking a hit for someone else."
That would have been far too specific and would naturally raise suspicion.
Of course, even this wording was suspicious, but I wrote it because I was confident I could come up with an excuse for something at this level.
"Um..., uh, uhng...?!"
As she read what I had written, Vigdís made a strange sound with a donut still in her mouth.
Her eyes widened in obvious shock.
Judging from the way she hurriedly chewed, she must have been desperate to ask why I had written such a thing.
So although she hadn't asked yet, I decided to explain first, partly so she could finish chewing slowly.
"I wrote it because you seem to have a tendency to let people take advantage of you. If you keep helping everyone while putting your own matters aside, when are you ever going to become independent?"
Of course, that was merely an excuse I had improvised on the spot.
Vigdís's talent for swordsmanship wasn't so mediocre that helping other people a little would hinder her growth.
To begin with, she wasn't even the sort of pushover who neglected herself while helping others.
So it was only natural that her face filled with bewilderment.
"Why would you even have such a ridiculous misunderstanding...?"
"Did I misunderstand? In that case, adding a clause like this shouldn't inconvenience you at all, so you should be able to sign it without hesitation."
I casually brushed aside Vigdís's question and handed the contract and pen back to her.
Had her wariness disappeared?
Even though a new clause had been added, Vigdís signed it immediately instead of rereading it over and over again.
'Is she the type who refuses to let even the smallest thing slide when she doesn't trust someone, but once she does trust them, stops doubting them completely...?'
She might not be the kind of pushover who helps people recklessly, but it seemed she could still be another kind of pushover.
Still, with Clause 6 in place...
...she would probably only be a pushover within manageable limits.
"I need my own copy of the contract, so write the same contents out in your handwriting, sign it, and give it to me. If each of us holds a contract written in the other's handwriting, neither side will be able to add clauses or tamper with it freely."
"You're very thorough."
"It's a contract."
It wasn't exactly something I should be saying while imitating Karvaldr's handwriting, but there was no way Vigdís could know that.
I wonder if anyone reading this would suspect me of planning to tamper with the contract.
To clarify, I had no such intention.
Because it would be troublesome if Vigdís suddenly said, "Don't you think we don't really need to break off the engagement?" and tore up the contract I gave her.
I was merely keeping a separate /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ copy in advance to prevent that situation.
"But about Clause 4... is it really necessary? The part saying you can't talk to me first or summon me anywhere... wouldn't that be inconvenient?"
"What do you think will happen if I remove that clause and start obsessing over you again? Even with Clause 3 preventing me from interfering in your friendships, I could still visit you at all hours, pry into your private life, and drag you around wherever I pleased. Would you really be fine with that?"
"Ah..."
Had she judged that Karvaldr was truly capable of doing such things?
Vigdís hurriedly began copying out the entire contract again, including Clause 4.
As I watched her, I remembered something I needed to tell her, something I wouldn't be able to say if not now.
"For someone who supposedly hates the idea so much, you were quick to suggest regular meetings and swordsmanship lessons. What will you do if I grow overly attached and start wanting to possess you?"
"......!!"
"It seems you never even considered that possibility. That's why I keep calling you a pushover. How about reciting Clause 6 to yourself in the mirror every morning until it's carved into your mind? That way, even after the contract expires, you won't forget it and keep acting like a pushover."
"Are you... teasing me right now?"
"No, I'm warning you. It seems you've forgotten what kind of person I am."
I began like that and looked directly at Vigdís's dazed expression.
Then I spoke clearly, one word at a time.
"Even while teaching me swordsmanship, you should avoid becoming friends with me. Unless you want to suffer from my obsession again."
By adding Clause 6, I had at least created a minimum safeguard, but it would still be better if I could avoid growing attached to Vigdís altogether.
I said it because I wanted her to keep her distance from me, but—
'This is unbelievably embarrassing...!'
The way this possessed body spoke was already cringeworthy enough, but saying things like this made it truly unbearable.
To what extent, you ask?
I felt as though my shame could reach even the people reading from beyond the fourth wall.
It might genuinely have been the most embarrassing line of dialogue in history.
"Myauaaah..."
As though Yor had caught my embarrassment, she twisted her long body like a pretzel in agony.
I wanted to twist around together with my familiar, but with superhuman patience, I somehow endured and maintained a serious expression.
"Isn't the contract finished yet?"
"J-just a moment...! I only need to sign it!"
Vigdís, who had stiffened from tension, hurriedly finished her second signature and handed me the copy she had written out in her own handwriting.
I signed it using this body's signature and then tossed it to Yor.
Only then did Yor uncoil herself and tuck the contract into her Yeouiju.
"Now that the contract has been concluded, I shall give you a commemorative gift."
"There's even a present...?"
Vigdís, who had been staring at the Yeouiju in wonder, turned to me and asked.
But for some reason, I sensed a trace of disbelief in her eyes as she looked at me.
There was no need to ask why. She explained it herself.
"You called me a pushover, and yet you prepared compensation and even a separate gift..."
"It's the key to a private training ground. Train hard, become a great swordsman as quickly as possible, and free yourself from your family. Only then will we be able to break off the engagement, won't we? I prepared it because it seemed beneficial to me, so don't mistake it for kindness."
I threw those words at Vigdís, who was trying to turn the whole pushover thing back on me, and tossed her the key as well.
For the record, this wasn't a key to my own training ground.
It was one I had prepared separately, exclusively for Vigdís.
'And I've prepared another one for Reisir as well. I thought that if he improved even a little before dropping out, he might lose one less comrade later... When should I give it to him?'
Anyway, the reason I threw the key at Vigdís was because I naturally assumed she'd be able to catch it with her reflexes.
And as expected, she snatched the flying key out of the air with ease and muttered,
"If he just fixed the way he talks, a lot more people would probably like him..."
I wanted to change this damned way of speaking just as much, but I had no choice if I wanted to maintain Karvaldr's original personality.
It was also the optimal way of speaking for driving away people who approached me trying to get close and become a nuisance.
Although it clearly wasn't working on Reisir and Vigdís.
"Now that our business is concluded, hurry up and leave."
I let out a deep sigh while waving my hand dismissively, trying to shoo Vigdís away.
But this time as well, she didn't move according to my wishes.
"There's something I want to ask before that."
"Then ask quickly."
"Actually, I've been curious ever since I first received the contract. Why does Kar assume that 'I will establish a foundation to become independent from my family'? Not that I'll marry into another household, but that I'll become capable of standing on my own with only my own strength... or at least, that's what I thought."
Then did that mean Vigdís signed the contract while believing it would be impossible?
I wanted to accuse her of fraudulent contracting, but unfortunately, I was the one who wrote the clauses.
Vigdís simply didn't understand her own potential. Since it was in fact possible, it wasn't truly fraud from a consequentialist perspective either.
"Now I understand. Kar... you believed I could become a great swordsman, didn't you?"
"That's right."
"But... as you know, I started learning the sword late, so I'm far behind everyone else my age, aren't I...? I heard that many of the students taking advanced swordsmanship classes started learning before they even turned ten. But me... is it really possible?"
"What does it matter if you started later than everyone else? Your learning speed is much faster than theirs, so eventually you'll surpass all of them."
I could only say something like that because I already knew the outcome, but since Vigdís had only just begun walking the path of swordsmanship, it was understandable that she felt anxious.
However, speaking kindly to comfort her did not suit Karvaldr's personality.
So I deliberately clicked my tongue and snapped irritably,
"If you have time to worry about such pointless things, go swing your sword a few more times at the training grounds. Isn't wasting time on useless worries itself a waste of time?"
"If you hadn't added that last part, I would've been genuinely moved."
That remark was precisely why I added it.
Since I had achieved exactly the effect I wanted, her response was completely satisfying rather than disappointing.
