After that, Luo Zhen and Ikki did not continue fighting. Instead, they announced that the match was over.
However, neither of them took their leave. They sat on a bench beside the empty lot and began chatting.
To call it chatting was actually a bit of a stretch. Ikki had simply been thanking Luo Zhen the entire time.
According to Ikki, before this, no one in the academy had been willing to fight him. He had not even been allowed to participate in practical combat classes. During his year since enrolling, Luo Zhen was the only person who did not mind his status as an F-Rank Knight, was willing to fight him, and would talk with him.
Therefore, Ikki was deeply grateful to Luo Zhen.
But Luo Zhen only said this.
"I only did it because I was curious. You don't need to thank me."
He had noticed Ikki because Ikki's swordsmanship had caught his attention.
He had wanted to fight Ikki because he had felt inexplicably drawn to something about him.
Now that the mystery had been solved, and he knew Ikki had reached the realm of the Mind's Eye through the sword, Luo Zhen had gained a new respect for him.
So...
"I won't look down on you just because your magic power is weak. You can rest assured of that."
Luo Zhen said this indifferently.
"Thank you."
Ikki kept thanking him, seemingly relieved.
However, Ikki did not believe that Luo Zhen would treat him as an equal merely because he was an F-Rank Knight.
"Even after learning that I'm a member of the Kurogane Family, you still treat me like this. I'm truly grateful."
Ikki sighed emotionally.
Luo Zhen understood to some extent.
"You've had it tough too."
Luo Zhen sincerely believed this.
It was obvious that