Devouring the Hero's Family
Chapter 25: Swordplay Sparring With The Elder Sister And The Younger Sister’s Jealousy

-Clang! Clang!

The sound of swords clashing echoed in the forest.

Lorein boasted sharp swordplay, aiming for an opening in my defense.

I was dedicated to defending and blocking her attacks.

‘She’s quite skilled. Solid fundamentals, and overall very flexible.’

Especially noteworthy was her remarkable concentration.

Even though it was just sparring, her sharpened demeanor melded into her swordsmanship.

This level of skill wasn’t achieved by mere diligent practice.

It was evidence of her serious dedication to swordsmanship since long ago.

Thanks to that, I was also earnestly focused on blocking her attacks.

“Are you really a magician? Your swordplay is too proficient.”

“As I said, even as a magician, I can’t just rely on being protected, so I’ve also trained in physical combat.”

Well, the truth was, I was ‘struggling’ for a different reason.

‘Really amazing breasts.’

Every time she swung her sword, two huge masses of flesh bounced before my eyes.

Could Lorein be unaware of how arousing her figure was?

Or was it a sophisticated strategy to distract her enemy?

If that was the case, it’s a perfect tactic.

‘It’s like walking pornography, to put it bluntly.’

Lorein was wearing ridiculously short dolphin shorts and a white sports bra, showing almost all of her thighs.

While it looked convenient for movement, the exposure was on the level of a swimsuit.

On a woman like Lorein, with great style and enormous breasts, it was hard to take my eyes off her.

The combination of those breasts and her attire was insane.

‘And I hadn’t noticed before, but her body is really firm from using the sword so much.’

The line of her abdomen without a single bit of flab was extremely attractive.

Every time she took a stance, the lines formed by her extended thighs and calves were among the best I had seen in a woman.

Add to that the sight of her sweaty underarms peeking out as she swung her sword.

Lorein was just an overall arousing woman.

-Clang!!

Lorein quickly lunged at my chest.

I deflected it by swinging my sword to the side.

At that, Lorein looked slightly impressed.

“Hmm, really impressive. Not many at the academy could block that attack.”

“Definitely a sharp thrust. If your shoulder movement had been slightly smaller, I might have had trouble reacting.”

“Alright, I’ll get serious too.”

Perhaps the fact that her trump card was blocked and my comment touched her pride.

Lorein swung her sword more aggressively.

-Clash! Clang! Bang!

The sound of our swords clashing continued to resonate.

Seemingly frustrated by my continuous blocking, she varied her attacks.

“Haah…! Haah…!”

Although out of breath, Lorein’s face was filled with joy.

It seemed she was quite enjoying this rare sparring session.

It was my first time seeing Lorein smile since coming to this house, and she was incredibly beautiful.

Such a beautiful woman with a top-tier body and talent in swordsmanship.

Not that I was one to talk, but the world really was unfair.

“How long are you going to just block? We’ll never finish at this rate!”

“This isn’t a battle, it’s sparring, and I wish you’d remember that.”

“That’s the same thing!”

Despite her cold demeanor, it seemed Lorein had a high competitive spirit.

Was this why she’s known for her ‘obsession with strength’?

‘Well, I prefer appreciating Lorein’s figure over her swordplay.’

It was not often you got a front-row seat to observe such an arousing figure.

And her white skin was glistening with sweat, making it look as if she was oiled up.

I now understood the mindset of those who had peculiar tastes for armpits and belly buttons in my past life.

Even I felt the urge to lick Lorein’s sweaty underarms right then.

“Hup!”

At that moment, Lorein swiftly swung her sword and spun around.

Her suddenly accelerated sword knocked mine away.

She then launched a kick aimed at my solar plexus.

‘Hmm, what should I do?’

This move seemed too aggressive for a sparring session.

It was almost like an actual battle.

It seemed her strong competitive spirit, coupled with the rarity of such a spar, made her go a bit overboard without realizing it.

‘Well, blocking it isn’t too hard.’

Lorein’s swordsmanship was certainly excellent, but my skills honed from battling the Demon King were superior.

In fact, I had set up a magical shield just in case.

Such a kick wouldn’t even leave a scratch.

‘But I can’t miss this perfect opportunity.’

I purposely turned off the magical shield.

With a thud, Lorein’s kick landed on my solar plexus.

“Cough!!”

“Ah…!”

I deliberately kicked the ground and flew backward.

My body hit a tree behind me with a loud crash.

“So, sorry! Are you okay?”

Even the usually aloof Lorein couldn’t help but panic in such a situation.

Her attack in the sparring was clearly a mistake.

Moreover, it was common knowledge that magicians were weak in close combat.

Well, I was not bothered by such a hit.

“Sorry, I just lost control…! I’ll call a doctor right away…!”

“No, I’m fine.”

I stopped Lorein, not wanting her to replace out I was faking.

“More importantly, Lorein.”

“Yes?”

“If you adjust your angle when you leap, it could make for an even more impressive kick.”

Lorein seemed momentarily confused by my comment.

But when I smiled at her, she visibly relaxed and let out a sigh of relief.

“What, you’re okay?”

“A little more impact, and it could have been dangerous, right? This level might work against demons.”

“You’re weird. You get kicked by a woman, and that’s what you say? Aren’t you angry?”

“Why would I be angry? I was the one who initiated the sparring and asked for a serious fight. Besides, being kicked by a beauty like Lorein is an honor.”

Lorein should know that I had been considerate towards her.

It was clearly a mistake on her part.

I was trying to let it slide with a bit of humor and compliments.

The Lorein I had observed, though she may act cold, was fundamentally kind-hearted and never crossed the line.

Eventually, Lorein chuckled.

“You were impressive too. I apologize for questioning your ability to use swordplay as a magician.”

Lorein extended her hand to help me up as I lay fallen.

I took her hand and stood up.

“Thank you. Now, let’s continue our sparring.”

“What? Wouldn’t it be better to rest a bit more?”

“It’s because of me that the good rhythm of our match got interrupted. You’re not tired just from this, are you, Lorein?”

“……Your words really make me want to continue, even if I am tired.”

Lorein picked up her sword again with a refreshing laugh.

Soon, our swords clashed once more.

Well, she reverted back to the cold Lorein immediately after our sword training.

But I felt our distance had significantly closed.

‘…….Next is Ryuz.’

Dinner time at the Armeina family.

Naturally, the topic of conversation was about my sparring with Lorein.

“So, I got hit squarely by Lorein’s kick, and I must say, it was quite powerful. Even a current knight would struggle against it.”

“Hey, don’t dig up someone’s embarrassing mistake like that.”

“Embarrassed? I’m complimenting you.”

I continued, nodding my head.

“It was excellent swordsmanship, clearly the result of long and dedicated practice. You’ve been immersed in it since you were young, haven’t you?”

“…Actually, Lorein was at the top of her swordsmanship class at the academy.”

“Top of the class? Wow, considering the academy gathers talents from all over the country. That’s really impressive.”

Lorein slightly blushed and cut her meat as she was showered with continuous compliments.

Her reaction was still cheeky, but she seemed slightly pleased by the third-party compliments in front of her family.

Of course, her own pride in her swordsmanship also played a part.

Priscilla, sensing the atmosphere, spoke up with a smile.

“I’m glad you think so highly of her. I’ve always felt sorry that she had no one to practice swordsmanship with. Hyun-woo, could you continue to be her sparring partner?”

“I’m fine with it, but what about Lorein?”

“…Well, let’s do it. I indeed felt it was helpful.”

This was quite a positive response from Lorein.

With this, I now had a legitimate reason to appreciate that stunning outfit and her figure daily.

‘Well, that’s just a bonus. My real goal is different.’

My gaze subtly shifted to the side.

There sat Ryuz, usually vibrant but now seemingly detached from the conversation.

I softly called out to her.

“Ryuz?”

“Yes, yes!”

Ryuz, who had been serious, suddenly perked up.

She gave me an awkward smile.

“Oh, come on~ Don’t tease me.”

“Sorry if I startled you. You seemed lost in thought.”

Her expression stiffened slightly at my words but then brightened up as if nothing had happened.

“There’s nothing wrong with me! I’m just happy because my sister is getting recognition today!”

“That’s good to hear.”

Despite her efforts to appear cheerful, she couldn’t hide it anymore.

She was uncomfortable with the situation of her sister receiving praise.

‘I was planning to invest more time, but with that expression, it seems enough.’

I considered this sufficient effort on my part.

I whispered to Ryuz.

“Ryuz, would you like to talk for a bit after dinner?”

“Later? Hmm~ Sounds suspicious. Is it something difficult to say now?”

“Well, it’s more of a serious conversation.”

I smiled warmly, like a friendly teacher.

“From what I see, Ryuz, you seem to have a talent for magic. Would you be interested… how about it?”

[Item Window]

Name: Charm of Affection (Single Use)

Description: You can engrave a charm on a designated target. The more physical contact with the charmed target, the more their affection for the user increases. Once the affection reaches a certain level, they become aroused and enter a state of estrus. Once the affection is maximized, the location of the charm can be changed to above the womb, allowing the user to increase the target’s arousal at will.