The Villainess Just Wants to Study

Chapter 29 ~ Blood Ties

It was like a beautiful portrait, painted in bright colours with the most delicate brushstrokes. The young men gathered on the training field to spar stared at the sight of the girl in awe. They all blushed nervously in her direction and shied away from her gaze. 

She had soft features: a round face, small, curved nose, and round eyes. Dylan's curly, golden hair was gathered into a ponytail down her back. It glistened in the afternoon heat, reflecting the sun's rays.

Her long pants clung to her thighs and were tucked into training boots. She wore a long-sleeve cotton shirt, snug enough to show her physique without clinging to it. Although she was skinny, she had soft curves in all the right places.

It was an odd sight—a woman with a sword. It was considered improper and unladylike for a noble woman to wield a weapon. It would surely affect Dylan's reputation, but she didn't care. She was already widely known as the illegitimate child of the Duke.

"Lady Dylan."

She turned around to see the voice that was speaking to her. And when she turned she saw strawberry blonde hair. 

"Lord Lucas," she said awkwardly, not knowing how to greet him after their last encounter. 

He paused, then looked at her. "Would you like the spar with me?" he asked.

Dylan hesitated, glancing around in search of him. She spotted Axil walking towards her from across the field and instantly paled. 

She turned around quickly, like a nervous animal, and said, "Let's go."

When they got to a free spot on the field, she unsheathed her sword. Its light and well-balanced design made it easy to handle. As much as she despised the meaning behind the sword, she couldn't deny its splendour. 

"I didn't know milady was interested in swordsmanship," Lucas said, drawing his blade with a skillful gesture.

"I'm more interested in swordsmanship tactics rather than swordsmanship itself."

The boys on the training field gathered round them to watch the match. They whispered excitedly, wondering how long Dylan could last against Lucas.

"Well," Lucas said with a slight chuckle, "feel free to use any tactics you want on me."

"Really?" she asked, smirking. 

"Really."

Dylan took a few steps back and flinched at the first contact of his sword with her own. She parried, deflecting her opponent's blade out of the way. 

"Not bad," Lucas said, backing up again. "You managed to block pretty well."

"I think you're underestimating me," she said coldly, "brother."

She took a few steps, moving sideways. Lucas adjusted his stance to line up with the direction she was in, but the sun blinded his eyes. In the brief second he was dazed by the bright light, Dylan slashed her sword downward at him. 

Lucas nearly missed the block, staggering backwards to regain his balance. He stared at her, too shocked to speak. 

The first thing Dylan did before their match was assess the environment around her. She figured out how to use the sun's direction to her advantage.

"Like I said," she told him, gripping her sword will a firm hold. "I like tactics."

Lucas blinked at her. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Instead of answering, she charged forward, lifting her arms and sword above her head. By doing this, she created an open opportunity for her opponent to attack her unprotected body.