L.E. Miranda
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SSR - Chapter 65: The Insurmountable Gap
🕑 Added 2025-01-25 21:37:51 +0000 UTCJasmine entered her carriage alongside Liam, throwing glances at him.
Why is he so angry?
Liam had tried to hide it so far, but it was impossible not to notice his anger. Everything had started when she introduced Rylan to him. What kinds of things did her brother know about Rylan? They sat down, opposite to each other.
“Jas,” Liam immediately said as he stared deep into her eyes, myriad emotions in his. “I won’t stop this spar but promise me that you’ll never even talk to him again after this. Don’t let him latch on to you.”
“…Is he that bad?”
Liam scoffed, shaking his head.
“Whatever you’re thinking of, it’s worse. I don’t know Rylan, but Regis has told me enough already over the time we’ve known each other. Rylan Flameheart is the worst kind of scum. There are criminals with better hearts.”
Jasmine blinked, a bit surprised.
“…You’re usually so calm. I didn’t think you would talk about him like that.”
“He deserves all of it and more. Beat his ass, make him understand the difference between someone who’s trained for years and complete fucking trash, then cut him off completely.”
She furrowed her brow.
“What did he even do?”
Liam sighed.
“It’s easier to say what he didn’t do. He came up with nearly every way under the sun to lie to and deceive his family, only in pursuit of hedonism. He lived an empty life. Rylan Flameheart is worthless. No, he’s worse than that – he’s poison.”
His voice was completely firm, as were his eyes. He leaned forward and grabbed Jasmine’s shoulder.
“Believe me on this. It’s an insult to your efforts in swordsmanship to compete against him,” he continued.
She lowered her head.
“He didn’t seem all that bad.”
“He’s just tricking you like he did everyone else. Don’t buy it.”
Her heart wavered. She was no longer sure about this spar. Her memories went back to Rylan. He was a handsome, tall young man who stood straight with sharp eyes and spoke his mind honestly. It didn’t match the image of him that her brother was talking about, but couldn’t appearances deceive?
Liam sighed.
“Still, the one next to him… that was Aelfric, Rylan’s greatest victim.” As Jasmine threw him a puzzled look, he continued. “Aelfric was the one Rylan sunk his claws into. He drew his brother deep into the muck, manipulating him and turning him into an accomplice. Every time Regis spoke of Aelfric, he always looked… devastated and helpless.”
He looked through the window with a conflicted expression.
“…Would defeating Rylan in front of him help?” she asked.
“I have no idea.”
The carriage went silent. Determination slowly filled Jasmine.
I’m going to beat you.
Part of her was angry at Rylan for having deceived her, while the rest was worried about Aelfric and outraged. She abruptly raised her gaze, staring at Liam with sharp eyes.
“Tell me everything you know about him.”
Liam turned to face her, stared into her eyes, then started to speak. He told stories of how Rylan had stolen Lillia’s savings and placed the blame on someone else. How none of the attendants wanted to work with Rylan, even if their refusal meant losing their jobs; how Rylan had manipulated Aelfric and exploited his father’s kindness to ensure his shit never caught up to him.
The more she listened, the more intense her feelings became. By the time the carriage reached the Lamollet estate, all that remained was disgust and disappointment – directed both at herself and at Rylan.
I should have never talked to him.
She had been blinded by his looks and the fact that he carried around a sword. She now understood that the weapon was just part of a front, just like him going through the entrance exams. Inwardly cursing, she opened the carriage door and stepped out, looking to the left, watching Aelfric, Luna, and Rylan step out, alongside their attendants. She eyed the beautiful woman with shoulder-length blond hair and green eyes with pity. Rylan’s personal attendant; who knew what hells she had been subjected to.
She felt the same when she looked at Aelfric. The way Rylan looked at him, who was talking with Luna, with a smile felt like a butcher looking at meat. With brisk steps, Jasmine got closer to them and pointed at the estate’s gate.
“We’ve arrived,” she said in a curt tone, staring at Rylan. He met her eyes with calmness and a grin.
“It’s beautiful,” he stated.
She didn’t need to turn around to know that it was true. In fact, she often had the same thought. The manor was one of the finest-looking masterpieces in Caer Rhelon, even if one took into account all the noble families. Dozens of workers tended to the garden and grounds alone, while dozens more worked on the manor itself. All were Mages of respectable skill. Decorations were carefully chosen and placed, never to detract from the estate’s atmosphere. She glanced back.
The beige mansion stood proudly in the heart of the estate and consisted of four wings and a center, being both expansive and incredibly intricate. Every single wall was a work of art, with engravings and carvings that told the history of the Lamollet family’s proudest moments. The halls were always in a perfect state, decorated with red carpet and crystal chandeliers. Even the cheapest of the manor’s decorations was valuable enough to startle other noble houses in the capital. There was a reason why even the king sometimes dropped by.
Every training ground was carefully cared for and remained in pristine shape. This included, naturally, the personal spots of both Jasmine and Liam. She looked back at Rylan.
“Follow me,” she replied, furrowing her brow.
The gates opened, allowing them in. Completely black, the gates’ bodies formed the shape of various animals. The estate’s garden beyond them was even more breathtaking. White petals fluttered in the breeze, carrying the scent of flowers to every corner of the garden. The wind gently blew, moving the grass and flowers, which were arranged in a way that was both harmonious and natural. Jasmine couldn’t be bothered to turn around to watch the others’ reactions; every visitor reacted to the Lamollet estate the same way the first time around.
With hard steps, she waded ever deeper, going around the mansion – which took some time because of its size – and reaching the open area behind it.
This will do.
There was no need to take Rylan to her personal training room. It didn’t matter where she would beat him. She turned around, looking at her soon-to-be opponent, who was surveying his surroundings. Jasmine scoffed as she undid her outer robe, revealing the clothing underneath. She was dressed in skin-tight pants and a white, simple shirt. Liam grabbed the robe on the ground and stepped back, glancing at Rylan.
She frowned as Rylan openly looked at her up and down.
“You trained your muscles well,” he suddenly said just when she was about to complain and tell him to stop leering at her.
“…What?”
His eyes met hers. They were honest and clear, without any hint of falsehood or even lust.
“You’ve got a developed lower body and a decent upper body. It’s clear that you trained them from a young age. Good work.”
“I don’t need compliments from a wastrel,” she said curtly, a bit dumbfounded. Every word he said felt as if he were mocking her efforts. She drew her sword out of her scabbard, pointing it at him. “Let’s start.”
“I don’t think you should do this with real swords…” Liam intervened, looking at her with a heavy expression.
She understood his meaning. She was meant to beat him, not maim him, no matter how much of a piece of shit Rylan was. The Lamollet house wouldn’t have a way of brushing off the Flameheart family’s formal complaint about injuring one of their children, especially because Regis and Liam were friends. At best, the peaceful relationship between the two families would change.
Wait.
Was that even true? Would the Flamehearts really go so far for their worst child, who caused nothing but problems? Rylan’s voice ripped her out of her thoughts.
“No, it’s fine. I won’t hurt her,” Rylan replied with the same honest expression. Jasmine gritted her teeth, willingly forgetting about the possible consequences of injuring him. A good-for-nothing thought he was the one who needed to take care not to hurt the opponent? Once again, she felt like she was being mocked.
Just like her, Rylan undid his robe and gave it to Aelfric. It was then that the first hints of confusion appeared in Jasmine’s mind.
What?
Just like Rylan had done to her, she also observed the body that was partially uncovered. Even through his plain clothes, she could tell that Rylan’s body was well-built. Wide shoulders complemented his muscular chest and there wasn’t a hint of fat on his belly. Strong arms led to big hands, while his waist was followed by thick thighs. No matter how she looked at it, this wasn’t the body of a wastrel; instead, it was as if he had also trained for a long time, just like her.
Jasmine frowned and threw a glance at Liam. Her brother’s brow was furrowed. It seemed like she wasn’t the only one with questions going through their mind.
“Isn’t this the first time I see you fight?” Aelfric excitedly asked, dragging her out of her thoughts.
Rylan smiled and ruffled his hair with affection.
“Then make sure to watch it properly,” he said with a chuckle.
She watched this exchange as it happened, but that only made her more confused. They seemed like a normal pair of brothers who loved each other. Rylan turned back to her and unsheathed his sword, then started walking closer to the middle of the open field, beckoning her. Jasmine blinked before following him with a frown.
Once they stood opposite to each other, around five meters apart, she got into her usual stance. Meanwhile, Rylan simply stood straight, blade over the shoulder, without even moving his feet to better stabilize his lower body. It was a nonsensical stance without even a hint of skill.
So why can I not find any gaps?
Seconds ticked by as she stared at him, unable to shake off this feeling. It was ridiculous. Why was she feeling like this when he was just standing like a complete novice? Still, she had learned to trust her instincts when it came to fighting. Right now, they were screaming at her.
“Whenever you’re ready,” Rylan said with a kind smile.
Jasmine gritted her teeth and lunged forward, rapidly closing the distance between them. Stepping strongly with her lead foot, she thrust the blade toward his chest. It was a flawless move fueled by her determination to win this battle. Her posture and flow were perfect. Rylan’s sword flashed. The sound of steel hitting steel echoed.
Huh?
Her balance collapsed as she stumbled to the left. With shaking eyes, she stared at Rylan. He hadn’t taken a single step back; instead, he had only slightly swung his blade, tilting it.
He parried me? From that position?
It was impossible. None of the other noble children who enjoyed swordsmanship would have been able to do this so easily, much less a wastrel. It had been a trick. Jasmine quickly found her balance and swung the blade in a horizontal arc, making Rylan place his sword vertically to the side of his body. The loud impact shook her frame. Again, he didn’t even move.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Calm down.
She took two steps back and executed a diagonal slash, planning to cut Rylan from shoulder to waist. He merely swung his sword again, shifting his feet. The collision resounded, shaking her again and forcing her to step back not to lose her balance. Jasmine swung her sword once more as she recovered her footing, but the result was the same. She leaned forward with gritted teeth, pressing her blade against Rylan’s in a contest of strength. The strain only gave rise to rough breathing, her hands trembling.
He’s physically stronger.
It was a realization that forcefully dawned upon her as she stared at his unchanging expression. If she tried to beat him with brute force, she would lose instead. Immediately, she dashed to the side, trying to go around him and catch him off-guard. Moving for the first time, Rylan easily kept up with her movement with a single step. She slashed at him, but this time, the blade missed him entirely as he tilted his upper body.
Gritting her teeth even harder, she ran around, attacking Rylan from different angles at different speeds, but all of her moves were neutralized in a heartbeat. Rylan met every slash and thrust at the exact right moment to throw her off balance, his actions clearly calculated to the smallest detail, from the speed to where their swords collided with each other. Jasmine knew that she had completely lost the battle’s tempo. No, had she ever had it in the first place?
Despair rose within her. Rylan never attacked, but every parry and block shook her confidence. It was as if this battle was denying all the effort she had put into swordsmanship throughout her life.
With a choked-up throat, she continued to swing her sword, each time with a different approach. She tried every move she knew, every technique she’d developed, everything she’d learned from sparring with other swordsmen. Her blade divided the air as her feet crushed the grass. Jasmine fought bitterly, spinning, slashing, and constantly moving.
She didn’t manage to even graze Rylan’s clothes.
The minutes passed by.
Heaving and struggling to even maintain her posture, she stared at Rylan from a few meters away. Even though she was soaked in sweat, he didn’t have a single hair out of place. She lowered her head and looked at the ground, trying desperately to keep the tears from falling as she lowered her sword.
Was this all she amounted to? Was this the result of her efforts for years? Everyone else had always told her that she was talented at swordsmanship, even if it was only an unusual, fun hobby. She had defeated most of the children of the other noble houses both in magic and swordsmanship. So why couldn’t she even touch a man who had lived his entire life as a waste of space?
Jasmine raised her head as she heard Rylan’s footsteps approaching her. Instead of a mocking sneer, she saw a kind smile and a warm expression. He nodded at her.
“You’re good. You understand rhythm and flow pretty well, and your body is up to par. It’s clear you have experience. Did you come up with your sword style yourself?”
She wiped the tears away, angry at herself for crying in front of strangers for such a stupid reason.
“…Yeah.”
“It’s impressive that you made it this far without a teacher. Great work. I’d suggest focusing on the basics for now. Once you improve in them, you will naturally be able to adapt your sword style into a better version. Remember to always keep a steady lower body and sense of balance. Use your entire body to support your attacks instead of relying on your upper body alone. The most important thing is not to lose your composure if things don’t go as you expect.”
Jasmine stared at Rylan as he continued to give her pointers with a smile. The sense of loss she felt diminished slightly. Wastrel? No. Rylan Flameheart was a swordsman, maybe the best she’d ever seen. However, it didn’t make sense for Regis to spread false stories about his own family. What was the truth?
She glanced at Liam, who was staring at Rylan as if he were a mythical beast. The confusion her brother was obviously feeling seemed to be even greater than hers.
“—And that’s it. As long as you do more basic drills and focus on improving your body like you always have, you’ll definitely go far,” Rylan finished with a smile and a nod.
For a few seconds, she stared deep into his blue eyes.
“…I’ve never been beaten like this.”
So teach me.
Her words caught in her throat as she hesitated. She couldn’t say something like that before talking to her brother first. At that moment, Aelfric approached them, practically jumping up and down in excitement.
“Rylan! You… you!” he exclaimed, clearly struggling to find the words.
Rylan raised his hand, stopping Aelfric, and turned to Jasmine with a grin.
“Now, I don’t want to abuse your hospitality. We should get going. You’re a good swordsman, Jasmine. Keep at it,” he said, then looked at Liam. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten our deal. There’s still a lot of stuff I need to ask you, but for now, I believe it’s best if I leave you two alone.”
He nodded at his attendant, making her bow slightly and look at Aelfric, who was still smiling like a fool. Meanwhile, Luna and Karune looked shocked out of their minds but hurriedly started following Rylan as he decisively strode toward the estate’s gates while talking in hushed tones.
“Rylan!” Jasmine shouted before she could stop herself.
He turned around to look at her. For some reason, he looked much taller than before.
“Yes?”
I’ll beat you at the tournament.
“…No, nothing. Never mind,” she said in a low tone.
However, he smiled as if he could read her mind and nodded at her before turning around and continuing on his way.
He didn’t look back.
Comments
musashi
Well now you've done it...
Freya
Tyftc
focus2x
We all know what's going to happen here. Don't even pretend it's not
thaughton2
Liam has to be absolutely reeling. It's going to be even funnier when he starts piling on the jibes and all Rylan says is "Yeah, fair. I was a shit stain."
Detrox
Nice chapter!
Joanie
Thanks for the chapter :)
