I Became a Swordsmanship Instructor in a Romance Novel

“Hey, Cliff. Are you really going to act like this?”

“Me? Act like what?”

Selena pulled Iriel aside, who was grumbling next to her during their training session.

Selena glared at Iriel, who was twirling her bright red hair with her fingers right in front of her.

“Why are you picking a fight?”

“Picking a fight?”

“Yes! Why are you being sarcastic and interfering with our training? It’s not that hard to just go our separate ways, is it?”

Iriel lifted her head and met Selena’s gaze.

She scoffed, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Ha. Get your words straight, Flowerbed.

I wasn’t being sarcastic.

We’re also students in this class, aren’t we?

But you guys are using the entire training ground, so I had to say something.

If you think that’s being sarcastic… well, maybe I should question your standards.”

“That’s why we decided to take turns using the training grounds on a first-come, first-served basis.”

“Oh yeah~. You call it first-come, first-served, but you’re telling us to wait even though it’s been over an hour since your allotted time? Why should we follow the rules you set? You’re not the instructor, Flowerbed.”

“Even so, it’s just 10 more minutes…!”

“You seem to be mistaken about something. 10 minutes or 1 hour, it’s all the same.”

Selena and Iriel glared at each other, biting their lips.

If they were true to their original personalities, Selena would have let it go because she didn’t want to make a fuss,

And for Iriel, this would have been a trivial matter she wouldn’t have bothered with.

However, now that they each had their own followers,

Even a small incident like this turned into a battle for pride between Yohaiden and Eustia.

Sparks flew between their eyes.

“…If you keep acting like this, I have an idea.”

“Oh? What is it? Tell me. I’m really curious about what you’re thinking.”

“Get out of our house.”

“!”

In the end, the weapon Selena pulled out was, sadly, her right as the owner of the house.

If Zeke was here, she wouldn’t have dared, but with Zeke gone and Selena acting like this, Iriel was at a loss for words.

Ugh.

What an effective move.

“Hmm, it doesn’t seem like either of you actually want to fight… Why are you fighting like this?”

Just then, a voice nonchalantly interjected between them.

“You don’t really hate each other that much.”

“Who doesn’t hate who!”

“Who doesn’t hate who!”

How dare someone speak so carelessly about the long-standing rivalry between Yohaiden and Eustia!

They couldn’t just let that slide.

Selena and Iriel turned their heads to see who the voice belonged to.

Their eyes widened when they saw her face.

““…Soi Spoon…?””

She hasn’t fully returned to her original form yet.

Translucent brown hair.

Yellow and pink eyes blinking as if expressing joy.

Soi smiled at the two.

“See? You two are saying the same thing. You say you hate each other, but you like each other more than anyone else…?”

Ugh!

“H-Hold on… Who would like a cliff… No, more importantly, what’s with your current appearance… Does this mean…!”

Selena was about to retort but then realized something.

Soi nodded slightly at her words.

“Yes, that’s right. He’s here.”

“I’m here, Selena!”

“Huh…?”

Selena turned around.

There she saw a middle-aged man with his arms wide open and a broad smile on his face.

It was her father, Duke Yohaiden.

And next to him was her second older brother, Sedan Yohaiden.

He, too, was spreading his arms with the same expression as their father.

“Selena!! Come here!!!”

The two had their arms wide open, expecting Selena to jump into their embrace.

However, Selena only tilted her head with a complicated expression.

“F-Father? Brother…? But where’s Instructor Zeke…?”

The sudden appearance of her father and brother was surprising, but more importantly, she was curious about Zeke’s whereabouts.

They were father and son who had overcome a life-or-death situation and were reunited with their daughter and younger sister, and Selena who was just going about her academy life as usual.

Yes, she knew their perspectives were different…!

“…They say there’s no point in raising a daughter…”

“…I resent Zeke Clayman, Father…”

They looked at her with eyes full of betrayal, but Selena, seemingly oblivious to their expressions, asked again.

“The Instructor came with you, right!? Where is he?”

“……”

“……”

Selena continued to look for Zeke.

Duke Yohaiden and Sedan hardened like stones.

Tears, which hadn’t fallen even when their lives were in danger, welled up in their eyes.

Meanwhile, Iriel watched the heartwarming reunion of the Yohaiden family with a twinge of envy.

Unlike her own family, Selena’s parents had even attended the last midterm evaluation spar as spectators.

However, the only one who came to see her compete was Hades.

‘No, even if they had come, it would have only made me uncomfortable.’

Iriel imagined her family coming to see her, then shook her head.

“Envious?”

Soi, who was watching the Yohaiden family with her, asked.

“…Huh?”

Iriel thought for a second that she might have let her guard down and quickly schooled her expression before replying.

“No. My father and aunt… they’re busy with work. It’s fine.”

Honestly, having her father and aunt visit her would only burden her.

They weren’t the touchy-feely type.

“Liar.”

“What…?”

“Hmm… To be honest, I did wonder if I’d messed things up… but I guess I did well after all…”

Soi smiled sweetly as she spoke.

Iriel frowned.

“What are you trying to say…?”

Just then.

“Iriel Eustia.”

A deep, low voice boomed from behind her.

Her hair stood on end.

Slowly, Iriel turned her gaze.

“…F-Father, A-Aunt…?”

Her heart pounded in her chest at the unexpected encounter.

Her heart started to race and her breath quickened.

Rather than being happy to see them, she was more worried about what they would criticize her for this time.

‘What if they scold me for eating and sleeping at Selena’s house…? What should I say if they bring up Zeke…?’

Various assumptions were jumbled up in her head.

However.

“I missed you.”

Those words, words she never thought she’d hear from her father, turned her mind blank.

It felt like she and her father were the only two people in the world.

“…Yes?”

Thump.

Thump.

Duke Eustia approached her with wide strides.

Iriel unconsciously stepped back, then stopped.

Those red hairs, that strong jawline, that sturdy physique—it was definitely her father.

But… why was he looking at her with an expression she’d never seen before?

That awkward dissonance rooted Iriel to the spot.

Duke Eustia was now right in front of her.

Under his intense gaze, Iriel instinctively lowered her eyes.

“Look at me.”

“Y-Yes… S-Sorry…”

Iriel responded in a meek voice.

“What are you apologizing for…?”

“…Huh?”

“Let me say it again, Iriel. My daughter. I missed you.”

He pulled her into a tight embrace.

“…W-What…?”

It was the first time she had ever felt her father’s embrace.

Iriel couldn’t get used to her father’s sudden change.

***

Selena and Iriel had informed Zeke that their families would be visiting them, so he decided to visit Yuri Gilbert first.

“Oh, my…”

As soon as Yuri Gilbert saw Zeke, she tried to hug him, but Rosnante was faster.

“Instructor Zeke Clayman!!!”

Zeke reflexively dodged Rosnante’s sudden charge and rubbed the back of his head.

Whoosh—

‘Huh. He dodged?’

However, Rosnante succeeded in dodging by quickly ducking his head.

Zeke looked at Rosnante with a slightly surprised expression, but as if his goal from the beginning was to grab his feet, Rosnante clung to Zeke’s legs and stretched out his body.

“P-Please, help me!!!”

“Yes…?”

“Please, I beg you. To use that mana… Could you lend me some manastones!? I’ll definitely pay you back!!”

To Rosnante, Zeke’s appearance was like the arrival of a savior.

His lies were already snowballing, and he wouldn’t be able to avoid a spar for long.

However, Rosnante was certain that he would lose miserably to anyone he faced.

Then, naturally, the followers he had painstakingly gathered would leave him again.

At that moment, Zeke’s appearance was like a ray of light.

So, as soon as Rosnante saw Zeke, he clung to him and pleaded for help.

“P-Please, save me! Instructor Zeke Clayman!”

“Let go of me first, and then we can talk.”

“I won’t let go until you hear me out!!!”

“Let go. Seriously.”