I Was Reborn as the Female Antagonist's Servant-Chapter 43 – Sword Training (1)

The red carpet stretched across the long corridor.

My pace was swift, heading toward the training hall.

Initially, the door to the training hall was not yet visible. As I continued to step forward, a small dot began to appear at the far end. From that small dot, people gathered in front of the door began to come into focus—about ten of them. I narrowed my eyes to get a better look at them.

"Why are they gathering there...?" I muttered.

My steps quickened. And when the door was clearly visible, the people in front of it looked toward me. Their gazes sharpened.

I furrowed my brow, becoming increasingly confused. I kept walking until I was standing within the group of people.

Their eyes followed me as I slowly came to a halt. I tilted my head.

"What is the matter with you all? Why is everyone gathered here?"

They all fell silent. Not a single person answered.

I gave a slow nod, resting my fingers beneath my chin.

"Very well..." I said softly.

I scanned among them. My gaze locked when I found one particular person.

"...Risshun!" I called out.

Everyone’s gaze simultaneously shifted to the person I had named. The person I called looked around quickly before pointing at himself.

I nodded, beckoning him to come closer.

The reason I chose him was clear. He was the only one who had been friendly with me so far. I could have called his younger brother, but the potential for him to refuse was quite high. I chose the safe option.

He let out a long sigh before stepping through the crowd.

He stood before me. I brought my mouth close to his ear.

"What is wrong with you all? You seem strange today," I whispered.

He nodded, interlacing his fingers beneath his chin. "Ah... about that, we were actually very worried about you. We gathered out front just to make sure you were alright. Also, we feared that when you tried to open the door, you might get caught in the gap because your hand is still injured," he explained.

He looked at the back of my left hand. His eyes instantly widened and his mouth hung open. "Hey, New Little Brother." He grabbed my arm. "How can your wound have healed so quickly?! What kind of monster are you?!"

I pulled my arm away forcefully. Then, I rubbed the back of my neck. "Well, perhaps my body’s regeneration is just fast. Hehe..." I countered.

’Damn it... I knew this would happen. I have to redirect this conversation. If not, they might report it to the royal family, which would turn me into an experimental subject!’

My body trembled slightly. Just imagining becoming an experimental subject filled me with dread. If you ended up as something like that, it would surely lead to death.

I swallowed hard. I clenched my fists tight before returning to normal.

I took a long breath. "We-well, more importantly, how about we head inside? Big Brother Fukuro might be waiting for us in there..." I deflected.

Risshun, standing before me, started. His gaze fell downward. "...You are right."

His gaze shifted back to me. This time, it seemed to hold a sense of hope. It felt heavy.

I tilted my head. "...What is with that look?" I asked.

He remained silent. He did not immediately answer me. His gaze grew deeper.

I became increasingly uncomfortable with that feeling. I looked at the people behind him. Their expressions were nearly the same as Risshun’s. Their expressions shifted from one of hope to something that had to be done.

"...Oi, I am serious. What is it you all actually want from me?" I asked.

The person in front of me flinched. He cleared his throat softly. "...A-actually, aside from wanting to see how you were... we wanted to ask for something. A-and it does not mean I was the one who wanted it first, alright! They are the ones who wanted it!" he confessed.

’...Who even said you were the one asking first? Strange.’

I took a long breath. "Fine. I will do it..."

I began to move again, toward the large doors ahead. The people stepped aside to make a path for me. Upon arriving there, I stretched my body—preparing myself to open them.

When I was ready, I stepped closer. Both of my hands began to touch the cold, large iron handles. A long exhale escaped my mouth. My gaze stared seriously toward the door.

I gritted my teeth. My hands pushed the door. Veins appeared and pulsed from my arms to the backs of my hands. My steps continued forward as each door was gradually pushed back.

Step by step, I moved past. A heavy sound continued to resonate until the two large door leaves were perfectly open this time. Sweat poured down my face. I wiped it away. My hands immediately gripped my knees to support my body.

I glanced back. They all seemed to have fallen silent. Their mouths were open. Their gazes were fixed in disbelief. Afterward, it was met with applause. From one person, it spread to everyone. They seemed to be showing me their appreciation.

"Crazy...! That was so cool!"

"I didn’t think he would actually push that door open by himself..."

"Even this time, it seems he could push it more perfectly than yesterday..."

"Incredible...!"

One person stepped forward from the crowd. Of course, it was none other than Risshun. He was the one clapping the loudest. In contrast, his brother only stood with arms crossed, watching me from behind the crowd.

"THAT WAS AMAZING, NEW LITTLE BROTHER! I DID NOT THINK YOU COULD DO IT ALONE! IN FACT, THIS TIME MIGHT BE BETTER THAN BEFORE!" he praised.

I looked at both of my palms after hearing his praise. I clenched them tight. My mind wandered everywhere. Until this reminded me of something.

’...Is this what that strange voice meant by "another path" back then...?’

When I first realized it, I had denied it. But this time, I could confidently believe that this was indeed the power granted by it. It had only been a few days, but my strength had increased significantly. Clearly, this was a power beyond that of an ordinary human.

I looked back at the person in front of me. He wore a wide grin. His happiness for me was so great it nearly closed his eyes.

I smiled thinly at the sight. "Thank you, Risshun. And also, do not call me New Little Brother. It sounds strange. Just call me by my name. Touji," I suggested.

His expression froze slightly. His hand immediately touched my shoulder as he smiled again.

"Alright, New Little Brother Touji!" he added.

My brow furrowed, slightly annoyed. ’Why did my name get even longer?’

A long sigh escaped my mouth. I wiped my face with my hand. ’It seems there is a second version of Big Brother Fukuro.’

I looked behind me. They were still clapping their hands. My brow furrowed even deeper. ’For some reason, I feel like a circus animal being constantly praised.’

I turned my gaze forward. ’But whatever. No need to mind them. Let’s focus on the main goal. For sword training!’

I began to cross the threshold. They stopped clapping and followed behind me afterward.

Once all of us had entered fully, the person at the very back closed the large doors again. I happened to glance at them. And it was true; it took nearly more than one person to do it.

The door echoed through the room when it was perfectly closed. The person standing far in front of me gradually began to come into focus. He was pacing aimlessly across the arena. He bit his thumb nail hard. The only light fell diagonally and stretched from above onto his white hair, making his figure even clearer.

’So, Big Brother Fukuro has already arrived. But why does he look so restless?’