IPSC 24

Chapter 24

I hurriedly apologized to Jerome, who had nearly lost his head—literally.

“I-I-I’m sorry!”

The thought that I had almost triggered a game over made my head spin.

“I didn’t mean to… I think I failed to control my strength.”

Jerome walked toward me and scolded me in a cold voice.

“Why would you use a weapon you don’t even know how to handle? That’s not even a proper weapon to begin with.”

Because I can’t use magic.

If I said that, Jerome would probably look at me with the same exasperated eyes.

“Well… there might be times when I can’t use magic. I thought it would be good to learn something I could use in emergencies…”

Jerome stared at me in silence for a moment, then let out a deep sigh.

“A tenderizing mallet is not a suitable weapon for a beginner like you, Miss Ambervier. Using a weapon that doesn’t suit you can harm not only yourself but also those around you.”

As the person who had almost sent Jerome to an early grave, I had nothing to say. At least I had enough shame to lower my head deeply in remorse.

Then Jerome brought over a nearby wooden sword.

“This should be appropriate for a beginner like you.”

I took the wooden sword he offered. It was definitely lighter and easier to hold than the mallet.

Jerome looked at my hand gripping the sword.

“Your grip is incorrect.”

He demonstrated as he continued speaking.

“Hold it with both hands—one hand on top, the supporting hand below. Relax your fingers and wrap them around the hilt.”

At some point, only Jerome and I remained in the open space.

I gripped the wooden sword exactly as he instructed. Jerome stepped one pace closer.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Jerome placed his hand over mine on the sword.

Each time his long fingers, with their pronounced knuckles, adjusted mine into position, a subtle warmth spread from my fingertips. The gentle touch felt unfamiliar.

“You should wrap it like this here.”

His low, calm voice settled into my ear. It was strangely tense, making me swallow hard.

“Feet shoulder-width apart. Front foot half a step forward. Look straight ahead, not diagonally.”

I adjusted my posture as he instructed, and then our eyes met.

He was closer than I expected.

Is it even fair for a man to have skin this nice?

Deep-set eyes, a high-bridged nose, a sharp, angular jaw.

He had always been handsome, but seeing him this close made him look twice as good.

If he were a real person, I’d be too embarrassed to stare properly—but this was a virtual world. When else would I get to admire a man like this?

As I stared at his face, Jerome cleared his throat and stepped back a few paces.

“…Now, let’s practice by attacking the training dummy.”

Jerome brought over a practice dummy.

“You don’t swing the sword—you cut. Watch closely.”

He lifted the wooden sword. Without hesitation, he slashed diagonally toward the dummy. It was as if a massive monster had attacked with sharp claws—a deep gash tore into the dummy’s body.

You can do that with a wooden sword? That’s insane.

Jerome stepped back.

“Your turn, Miss Ambervier.”

The training felt more serious than I’d expected, and I tensed up.

Standing before the dummy, I brought the wooden sword down just as Jerome had shown me. A crisp sound rang out, and the impact traveled to my fingertips.

“For a beginner, that’s quite stable. Let’s do that a few more times.”

Encouraged by his reaction, I continued striking the dummy in the same posture. As I kept going until he told me to stop, a system notification chimed.

[Stamina has increased by 1.]
[Stamina LV. 3]

[Strength has increased by 1.]
[Strength LV. 3]

Maybe I chose the wrong class.

Perhaps I should’ve been a warrior instead of a mage.

Still, stamina and strength seemed useful in many ways. And hitting the dummy was surprisingly good for relieving stress.

Just as I started putting more strength into my movements and getting into it, I misstepped.

“Ah…!”

“!”

My body wobbled and pitched forward.

Just before the dummy slammed into my face, strong arms caught me.

Startled, I blinked and looked up at Jerome.

Jerome froze as he held me, as if his body had stiffened. His expression didn’t differ much from usual, but his tightly pressed lips and rigid shoulders made it clear he was flustered too.

Come to think of it, didn’t he dislike physical contact?

Worried that his affection might drop, I tried to pull away from his arms.

“Th-thank you for catching me—”

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot up from my ankle.

As I nearly lost my balance again, Jerome grabbed my waist. Leaning against his arm, I let out a groan as the pain finally hit me.

“Ugh…”

“It seems you’ve twisted your ankle.”

Why do my ankles get injured so often? Do I need ankle-strengthening training when I get back?

“Can you walk?”

“…I’ll try.”

With Jerome supporting me, I took a step. When the pain flared again and I staggered, he caught me once more.

“Excuse me.”

Jerome’s arm slipped beneath my knees. As my body lifted off the ground, I instinctively clutched his collar.

“I’ll help you get to the tent.”

“……”

Jerome’s arms were warmer than I’d expected, and heat rushed to my face.

Realizing I couldn’t possibly make it back like this, I nodded and complied.

Carrying me in his arms, Jerome headed toward the camp.

Was the path to the tents always this quiet?

The silence felt awkward, like I should say something—but being so aware of our bodies pressed together left me speechless.

I glanced up at him.

His face was as impassive as ever, giving no hint of what he was thinking.

In romance stories, isn’t this usually the moment when faces flush and hearts race?

Judging by how quiet the system window was, Jerome’s affection didn’t seem interested in rising anytime soon.

What if I can never raise his affection like this?

Should I look into Caliton instead?

If I changed my target to Caliton, would I even succeed?

As my thoughts spiraled, Jerome spoke.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

When I looked up, I saw Jerome gazing at me with cautious eyes.

“…I’m fine. It’s bearable.”

Jerome studied me quietly, then narrowed his eyes.

“Are you the type to endure pain?”

“I don’t know… I’ve never really thought about it.”

“Endurance is a necessary trait in combat, but too much of it can leave irreversible aftereffects on the body.”

He continued in a serious voice.

“You have no basic physical conditioning, Miss Ambervier. You shouldn’t try to match the training intensity of regular recruits. It’s important to understand your own limits and train accordingly.”

I looked at Jerome with newfound curiosity.

So he can talk this much.

It wasn’t particularly exciting, but it was the longest conversation we’d had in a while.

By the time he finished speaking, we had arrived at the camp. Still carrying me, Jerome entered the healer’s tent.

After checking around the empty tent, he set me down on a simple bed.

“It seems the healer is absent. Please sit for a moment.”

I nodded. Jerome brought over a basin filled with water, then sat across from me and removed my shoes. When he pulled off my socks, my bare feet were exposed.

This is a little embarrassing.

As I awkwardly averted my thoughts, Jerome carefully placed my foot into the basin. Scooping up water with his hand, he slowly poured it over the top of my foot.

It tickles…

I wiggled my toes. The sensation of water droplets sliding down my skin felt unfamiliar and strange.

I desperately wanted to escape this awkward atmosphere, but Jerome remained focused, not saying a word.

When he soaked some soap in the water, a gentle fragrance filled the tent.

That smells nice. Is it herbal?

It reminded me of a scent from a high-end cosmetics shop—maybe rosemary.

Jerome rubbed the soap between his palms to create foam, then gently cupped my foot. As if handling something fragile, he carefully washed it.

Each time his hands touched me, a tingling sensation traveled up from my toes. I knew it wasn’t intentional, yet I couldn’t shake the awkward, unfamiliar feeling.

He slowly and delicately ran his fingers between my toes.

This feels strange.

Without realizing it, I gripped the bedsheet. It didn’t tickle, and it didn’t hurt, yet a peculiar sensation welled up from deep inside.

Then, against my will, a short breath slipped from my lips.

“Ah…”

Our eyes met.

In Jerome’s blue eyes was something different from usual—quiet, deep, and unreadable.

Under his piercing gaze, it felt as though the very air had stopped flowing.