‘Exchange (1)’
Chapter 15
‘I thought I could hide it.’
The failure to recover the demon’s corpse was a mistake.
Realistically, the hypothesis that a nine-year-old child had reached the Expert level seemed far less plausible than an assumption that a child who had just awakened to mana managed to kill a Wildboar by sheer luck.
If there were no evidence, Count Philip would have likely accepted ‘Ray was just lucky’ and moved on.
However, judging from the letter, it was clear that Jimy had reported in detail to the count how exactly the Wildboar had been slain.
‘Jimy wouldn’t fail to recognize the traces of Sword Aura if he saw any.’
Ray pressed his temples.
Count Philip was undoubtedly generous, rational, and a noble with whom communication flowed smoothly.
Upon learning of Ray’s achievements, he might very well have extended unwavering support through appropriate compensation.
Still, Ray concealed the information from the count due to the inherent risks.
Though young children may eventually catch up as they grow older, at this point, Ray’s accomplishments were excessively ahead.
Even the highly rational Count Philip couldn’t be guaranteed not to lose composure and act impulsively upon seeing Ray as an unparalleled genius.
‘Ah, since I’ve been found out, there’s nothing else I can do.’
It wasn’t possible to maintain secrecy by knocking out the count.
After Alesya kindly excused herself after advising him to rest peacefully, Ray lay in bed for about an hour before groaning as he rose.
“My whole body aches. I’ll probably suffer for a few more days. But where is Alesya…?”
Creak!
The door opened forcefully, revealing a bright golden-haired figure.
Alesya skipped over happily upon confirming Ray was awake.
“Ray! You’re up!”
“Why are you so full of energy?”
Despite being struck by the Wildboar once, she appeared exceptionally lively.
‘Ah, she must have slept all the way while riding on my back.’
While Ray struggled to descend the mountain alive, Alesya rested soundly, snoring softly on his back.
After arriving at the orphanage, she even received treatment from Adel using divine power, which explained her overflowing vitality.
As Ray stood with a disgruntled expression, Alesya asked worriedly,
“What happened to your face?”
Ray touched his face.
Across half of it, a bandage-like cloth covered a wound.
Touching it brought back memories of the battle.
“I think I got caught on a tree branch while hanging onto the Wildboar. Lucky my eyes didn’t get gouged out. If I hadn’t kept my head down, I might have spent the rest of my life with a cane.”
“Ugh…”
Seeing Alesya fidgeting anxiously in place, Ray propped his chin up.
“What’s bothering you?”
“It feels awkward to thank a commoner who used a noble as bait…”
“You’re still hung up on that, huh?”
“Ouch!”
Alesya rubbed the back of her head after being hit.
“Take care of it properly so it doesn’t scar. You don’t want defects on a face that isn’t great to begin with.”
“Why do you care?”
“Ray, I like handsome people. But your fierce eyes are far from my ideal type.”
“Are you picking a fight now?”
“In other words, strive harder.”
Alesya cleared her throat and adjusted her voice before suddenly raising it again.
“But anyway, listen carefully, Ray. Don’t be shocked when I say this—I saw something extraordinary today!”
“Hmm, what extraordinary thing did our young miss see here in this humble orphanage?”
“I saw a commoner who could read and write! I never imagined there’d be another commoner besides Ray who could do that!”
Ray hit the back of Alesya’s head again.
*
For almost two days, Ray was tasked with protecting Alesya at the orphanage.
Since the news of a noblewoman being at the orphanage would only bring trouble, under the agreement of the count’s servants, Alesya temporarily assumed a fake commoner identity.
The problem was that Alesya ignored this arrangement and continued proclaiming herself a noble wherever she went.
Ray decided to simply observe how things unfolded since trying to stop her chatter was futile.
Despite constantly shouting “commoner!” and strutting around with excessive force, Alesya surprisingly got along well with the orphanage children.
To be precise, the orphanage children eagerly followed Alesya, fascinated by her claim of being a noble.
To these children who had never encountered nobility in their lives, Alesya seemed incredibly mysterious and elegant.
“Nobles do not walk so rudely. Can you hear the thud when your heels hit the floor?”
“T, then, is this how I should walk?”
“Your back is too bent. Put more strength into your hips and keep your gaze forward.”
An unexpected wave of etiquette swept through the orphanage.
The girls pestered Alesya with questions about noble manners, while the boys clung to the railings, peeking into Alesya’s room to admire her pale skin.
Of course, not everyone reacted this way.
Karen, for instance, neither believed Alesya’s claims of nobility nor liked how Alesya acted overly familiar with Ray, especially given that Ray had returned injured after bringing her back.
Feeling betrayed, Karen seethed silently, unable to confront Ray directly.
Unaware of Karen’s feelings, Ray sighed while observing the noisy orphanage.
“You really made quite a stir saying you’re the daughter of the Philips family.”
With a bang on the wall, Ray drew the children’s attention and shouted,
“Everyone, prepare for class!”
Though his physical condition was far from ideal, skipping lessons was not an option.
Some of the children, checking the schedule, rushed into the classroom.
Watching them go, Alesya’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Eventually, Alesya claimed a seat next to the podium and listened attentively until she suddenly grabbed Ray’s arm, trembling.
“R, Ray…”
“What is it now?”
“The commoners know their multiplication tables…”
Alesya, who had assumed commoners could only count to ten, was overwhelmed by the shock and couldn’t regain her composure.
As Ray pondered how many more times he’d need to hit the back of Alesya’s head for her to snap out of it, Karen, sitting at the back of the classroom, slammed her desk and stood up.
“Hey! Liar! Are you going to keep pretending to be a noble?”
“Liar? Is that directed at me?”
“Yes, you liar. Pretending to be a noble when you’re not one. What does walking properly or being a noble even have to do with each other?”
“You ignorant commoner acting high and mighty because you know the multiplication tables.”
“Do you even know the multiplication tables properly, calling yourself a noble?”
“I mastered the multiplication tables when I was still learning to walk.”
“Lie! If you’re so confident, why don’t we duel?”
“Ho, are you challenging me to a math battle? I accept. Teaching a poorly educated commoner why nobles are called nobles is also a form of tolerance.”
Thus began the math battle.
Standing between the two, Ray casually threw out various problems, letting things play out however they would.
Karen and Alesya’s skills were evenly matched.
Karen seemed better at calculations, but Alesya, being a year older, had a better sense of finding answers.
As the match dragged on, Karen’s face turned red with excitement.
At this rate, it would be hard for her to beat Alesya, and even if she did, she could only show a slight edge.
Karen wanted to crush Alesya’s arrogance, even if it meant sacrificing her own pride.
After much deliberation, Karen clenched her teeth and stood up.
Seeing Karen rush out of the classroom, Alesya smirked victoriously.
“Hmph, running away with her tail between her legs.”
But soon, Karen returned to the classroom with a familiar face.
Ray was astonished.
“Isn’t that a bit unfair? Using that overwhelming advantage here?”
“…?”
Luna, who was unexpectedly dragged in by Karen, blinked in confusion, unsure of the situation.
Seeing Luna’s seemingly innocent expression, Alesya confidently declared,
“Is this my next opponent? Bring whoever you want. I will teach these dull commoners the greatness of nobility!”
*
“Waaah… Waaaah…”
Defeated utterly by Luna, Alesya hugged her knees and sobbed in a corner of the classroom.
“There’s no way. There’s no way I, a noble, could lose to a commoner…”
Ignoring Alesya’s crying, Ray pointed towards the playground.
“I’m done here. I have a Taekwondo lesson.”
“Waaah…”
Continuing to cry, Alesya flailed her arms in anger as Ray truly left the classroom.
“I can’t back down! I must uphold the dignity of the nobility!”
But how?
It was clear that she couldn’t possibly match wits against that monstrous girl just now.
Could that really be the commoner I know? Does Ray just want to mock me by bringing in a noble from another territory?
Groaning in pain as she mulled over her bitter defeat, Alesya glanced down at her chest.
Alesya already possessed the most perfect and decisive means to assert the dignity of nobility over commoners.
“But father said I shouldn’t recklessly show magic to others…”
Magic is truly the last resort.
If she revealed it to commoners carelessly, she’d definitely get a severe scolding from her father.
Lost in thought, Alesya looked out at the playground.
All the children at the orphanage were gathered there performing the same movements, and seeing this scene, Alesya clenched her fists.
“So be it! If I can’t use magic, I’ll demonstrate swordsmanship instead!”
Finding an opportunity to restore her pride, Alesya dusted off her knees and headed to the playground.
Seeing Alesya sneak out, Karen sneered.
“What’s this? Another liar?”
“I am not a liar! Watch your tongue, uneducated commoner!”
“You call yourself a noble yet lost to a commoner.”
“G, that was because I let my guard down! My body hasn’t fully recovered yet! So consider yourself lucky today!”
Alesya, standing tall, tilted her head as she watched the kids practicing kicks.
“What strange things you’re teaching. Why are they learning this?”
“Are you mocking the Taekwondo Ray taught us? Can you perform such cool kicks?”
“Preposterous question. What use is there in mastering kicks? Commoners don’t drop their swords on the battlefield to fight with their legs, do they?”
“T, that’s…!”
Karen was inevitably at a loss for words this time.
Initially, Ray had taught the children Taekwondo merely to enhance their bodily awareness and as something to practice beforehand; he didn’t expect it to hold much martial value.
Alesya mocked Karen with a smirk.
“A true noble does not kick. Do you know how to wield a sword?”
“Certainly!”
“How intriguing. Would you care to cross swords with me?”
Alesya’s challenge captured the interest of the children, especially the boys.
Children who usually played knights with sticks swarmed around Alesya.
“Does Lady Alesya know swordsmanship?”
“Have you ever handled a real sword?”
“Could you spar with me?”
“Is Lady Alesya strong?”
“Can you emit Sword Aura?”
Excited by the reactions, Alesya nodded proudly, emphasizing her neck.
“Wait and see. If you wish, I shall impart my teachings one by one. Consider it an honor.”
Watching the situation unfold, Ray muttered,
“That’s going to be one-sided, for sure.”
Alesya had been trained in advanced swordsmanship from a young age, albeit as part of her etiquette education.
On the other hand, the orphanage children had never been exposed to proper swordsmanship in their lives.
The gap was bound to be glaringly obvious.
Under Ray’s watchful eye, wooden sword spars led by Alesya commenced.
Puff!
“Yikes!”
Whirl – Crack!!
“Whoa!!”
Snap!
“Aaah!!”
To prevent any accidents, Ray stayed close, but Alesya quickly dispatched most of the children who challenged her within two moves.
The results were overwhelmingly one-sided.
Surprisingly, even some older boys fell to her.
As the children’s eyes gleamed with admiration anew, Karen snapped her fingers.
Johanna, who had been watching the swordplay from behind, approached cheerfully.
“Karen, did you call me?”
“Johanna, can you beat that liar?”
“Hmm? Hmm…”
After a brief moment of thought, Johanna smiled.
“I’ll try my best!”
