The Strongest Villain Sets Out: Reincarnated into a Merit-Based Clan, I Become the World's Strongest Swordsman - Chapter 77.5: Interlude: My Feelings for Luka Won't Lose

“…………”

One evening.

Three women gathered in a corner of a restaurant, staring at each other with somewhat menacing gazes.

Seated were Cornelia, Sheila, and Lucia.

The three acquaintances conversed while eating the food that had been brought.

“Luka’s performance was amazing.”

The first to bring up the topic was Cornelia Zehabaruto, who had spent the longest time with Luka among them.

Though she was royalty, she lived surprisingly freely. When called by them, she’d come out even late at night—that’s how much she did as she pleased.

“Yes. I’m glad I could fight Luka-sama. I realized so much more about magic’s possibilities.”

The one who agreed with Cornelia’s words was Sheila Calera, sitting to her right.

She was actually older than Cornelia and Lucia, having attended the academy before them—a magical genius.

Both her parents were ordinary. Being a genius born from such parents, she drew curious looks from those around her.

However, unlike Lucia, she was simply interested in magic itself and didn’t think much about becoming stronger personally.

A so-called scholarly type.

Luka highly valued her intelligence. Also, Sheila was one of the heroines appearing in the original story. Though she should have originally acted alongside the protagonist Aiden, she’d fallen for Luka’s talent and recently stuck to him constantly.

“Hmph. I’ll win next time. I can’t allow Luka’s dominance to continue forever.”

Lucia, sitting further to Sheila’s right and to Cornelia’s left, puffed out her cheeks before vigorously biting into meat.

She was a veteran second only to Cornelia. Though the time they’d spent together was shorter than Sheila’s, their history of conflict was longer than anyone’s.

She’d once held a bad impression of Luka, but changed her thinking after being saved by him.

Her competitive personality remained unchanged, but she now directed respect and affection toward Luka. Anyone could tell from watching her tsundere behavior.

“Hehe. Before Lucia beats Luka, I’ll beat Luka first. You have to surpass me first.”

“Shut up! You laugh so improper for a princess!”

“If you’re going to say that, Lucia’s speech is rough too.”

“That’s fine for me. I can’t afford to be looked down on.”

“I wonder about that. Studying only magic makes you lose refinement~”

“How irritating. I don’t want to hear that from you.”

Lucia and Cornelia sparred as usual.

They got along so poorly that even Luka had trouble with them.

Because they both revered Luka as their teacher and held affection for him, they couldn’t get comfortable with each other.

Each believed herself to be the most important person to Luka.

“I’m lovey-dovey with Luka though. Even in the colosseum, I was the one who faced him in the finals.”

“Gnnngh…! That’s just because you luckily didn’t clash with Luka!”

“Luck is part of ability too~”

Cornelia sneered, while Lucia glared at her with a demonic expression.

Watching these two while sighing was Sheila, who couldn’t easily join the conversation.

Sheila didn’t have as much jealousy toward the two as they had.

Understanding that she was the lowest ranked among them, she thought it was fine to be second or third place.

Being able to stay by Luka’s side was enough. Sheila’s feelings were already decided.

“My magic firepower is higher! Absolutely, absolutely next time I’ll blow away both you and Luka!”

“Impossible impossible. Both Luka and I are aura specialists, you know? I’ll definitely slice you up.”

“—Watching chicks fight is quite amusing.”

“””!?”””

At the sudden intrusion of a woman’s voice, Cornelia, Lucia, and Sheila all trembled.

Simultaneously, three gazes turned sideways.

Standing there was… the unforgettable real sister of Luka Salvatore, Norn Salvatore.

The highest-class aura user said to be the strongest in the Salvatore Ducal House excluding the head.

Her strength was such that in the tournament, she’d won every match with bare-handed one-punch KOs.

She’d participated in the adult division where various ability users competed. There she’d instantly defeated everyone. With one punch each. Without using weapons or barely using aura.

In other words, she surpassed Cornelia and the others in everything. She could be called a completed human.

When the victorious her was asked on stage “Why didn’t you use weapons?” her answer was very simple.

[Because I would have killed my opponents if I used weapons.]

Even wooden swords didn’t matter. To show her cool side to her beloved little brother, she chose the option that wouldn’t cancel the tournament while still displaying overwhelming power.

An existence beyond all standards. Such a person mocked Cornelia and the others.

“I happened to see you all and called out… but you’re all failures. Do you think you can match Luka with that level of strength? Don’t make me laugh.”

After chuckling softly, she delivered the finishing blow.

“The only ones worthy of being Luka’s partner would be someone strong enough to defeat me, or someone like me. Fufu.”

“…………”

All three fell silent.

As if such a person could exist.

They were quite young to begin with. The fact that she threw such merciless words at these youngsters… they understood that this woman definitely had no intention of letting anyone have Luka.

Watching Norn’s departing back, the three simultaneously sighed.