I Became a Swordsmanship Instructor in a Romance Novel

Several days had passed since they began their march into the Lyos Mountains.

They were now close to their destination.

They stopped for a moment to reorganize their camp.

“Julie, how long until you reach the meeting point with your allies?”

“…From here, it will take about another day…”

“I see. Water.”

“…Here.”

Julie bit her lower lip as she handed Zeke a water pouch.

Her back was currently laden with an enormous amount of luggage.

Zeke looked down at the water pouch Julie handed him without accepting it.

“…I have some.”

Zeke nodded.

He took the water, quenched his thirst, and then ordered Julie again.

“It’s time to check if our preparations are lacking… Check if the magic stones are properly applied to the knights’ swords. If not, apply them thoroughly.”

“…B-But, we did that yesterday too…!”

“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”

Zeke shrugged as if it didn’t matter to him.

“…N-No, I’ll do it! I’ll do it, okay?!”

“If there’s anything that’s not done properly, you won’t get anything from me.”

Gulp. Julie, who swallowed her saliva, approached the Yohaiden Knights with hollow eyes, trembling.

“S-Sir Zeke Clayman… asked me to… ch-check your swords.”

Julie stammered.

“…Hmm, here it is.”

The knights glanced at Zeke with a look of displeasure and handed over their swords.

Among them, a sword that didn’t have the magic stone properly applied caught Julie’s eye.

She took out a magic stone from her waist and crushed it.

Originally, the process of grinding and applying magic stones was very delicate and required considerable effort.

Therefore, Julie’s presence, which made such a tedious task easier, saved the Yohaiden Knights a significant amount of time.

Swish, swish—

Julie skillfully applied the magic stone along with oil.

She was no longer restricted in her power, nor was she bound by ropes.

In fact, she was wielding her power more strongly than before.

However, no one showed any sign of wariness towards her.

Because they had seen Julie discard all her pride and carry out Zeke’s orders devotedly, as if she would lick his toes if he asked.

After checking all the swords, Julie returned to Zeke.

She looked at him as if asking if there was anything else he wanted her to do.

“I will review yesterday’s Lost Hope journal and give you bread.”

“…H-Here it is!”

She hurriedly took out the journal from her bosom and handed it to Zeke.

Julie had now reached the point where she voluntarily surrendered even the secretly written Lost Hope journal.

Snicker.

Zeke let out a sneer as he looked at the piece of cloth Julie handed him.

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《 Lost Hope Secret Journal 》

Author: I want to eat bread.

Date: Full Moon Bread.

◆ I want to eat bread.

Zeke Clayman gave me bread yesterday too.

When I take a bite of bread, I feel energized and overwhelmed with happiness.

I’m happy. But I don’t have any more information to give him, what should I do?

What if he says he won’t give me bread from tomorrow?

Hmm, would he give it to me if I told him that my master has a big mole on his butt…?

No, I don’t think so. Then, if I write this diligently and give it to him, wouldn’t he give me bread as a reward?

After all, it’s the secret journal of Lost Hope.

Lost Hope?

Hmm. I don’t know anymore.

Ah, it’s hard to wait until mealtime.

I need bread.

More bread.

Bigger and tastier bread.

I want to be buried in bread and die.

Lost Hope.

Hmm.

Yes, it’s important. It is important, but…

Is it more important than bread…?

Ah, that’s not it. Please forgive me. Anyway, that’s not it.

Anyway, bread is god and truth.

Without it, I have no reason to live anymore.

I want to eat bread.

Please.

Oh, right. I thought of something to write.

Lost Hope, please remember this.

Yesterday, I begged him and got some flour to try making it myself.

But I couldn’t even swallow a single bite of what I made.

It was really, really, really awful.

So, bread is not something you make, it’s something you receive.

Lost Hope. Keep that in mind?

So I’m going to receive it from Zeke Clayman.

Because I can’t take it by force.

Why is he so strong? He won’t even let me steal bread.

Then I’ll just…

Do what he tells me to do…

And somehow get it…?

I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread too. I want to eat a lot. I want to stuff it all in my mouth and eat it. I really want to eat it. When will he give me bread? I want to eat cream bread. I want to eat cheese bread. I want to eat baguette. I want to eat croissant. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread. I want to eat bread.

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“Good work.”

‘This should be enough.’

Zeke nodded.

“Come with me.”

“Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes!”

Zeke moved to a place where there were no people.

She followed closely behind Zeke like a well-trained dog.

‘I don’t think it’s a good idea to show her this.’

Julie stared at him with an expectant look.

Zeke tossed the bread he was holding.

Thud.

Julie caught the bread in mid-air with both hands.

“Th-Thank you! Ah, no! Thank you! Thank you so much!!!”

Julie expressed her gratitude quickly and then prayed towards the bread she received.

“…For Lost… no, for bread.”

Julie’s wide-open eyes were fixed on the bread.

All her nerves were focused on the bread, so she didn’t notice how she looked or what Zeke thought of her.

She only felt the warm and light weight in her hands,

and the rising anticipation.

“Hehehe. Hic. Hehehehe. Eek!”

She burst out laughing like a sneeze and smiled broadly.

Julie closed her eyes and carefully tore off a small piece of the bread and put it in her mouth.

She raised her head to the sky.

Then she opened her eyes slightly and had a dreamy expression.

“Hoooo—”

A coquettish moan escaped her lips, and her eyelids fluttered.

“Haaa… This is it. This…”

“Whew. Haa. I want to devour it all at once, but no. I have to savor it. There’s a lot, but not a lot. So let’s cherish it. Let’s eat it little by little. Yeah. Right, let’s do that.”

She kept repeating that she had to savor it.

She ate a piece and enjoyed the aftertaste,

ate another piece and enjoyed the aftertaste,

She repeated the slow actions, but soon, as if she had never done so,

she couldn’t hold back and started stuffing the whole loaf of bread into her mouth.

Her throat choked, but that didn’t matter at all.

Just the bread in front of her.

She had to put it in her mouth.

The bread in her hand disappeared in an instant.

Her hand was now empty.

She blinked, as if something was wrong, and examined her hand.

She turned it over, held it upright, and laid it horizontally.

But the missing bread did not return.

It was nowhere to be found.

What in the world had happened?

She had only taken a bite.

Where had that huge loaf of bread gone?

“Huh… it’s gone?”

She hurriedly stuck out her tongue and licked the crumbs of bread on her hand.

Lick.

Lick.

Lick, lick, lick, lick, lick, lick, lick, lick.

Not satisfied with licking, she put her fingers in her mouth and rolled her tongue around, sucking them.

Suck.

Suck.

Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck, suck,

Until there was no trace of bread left on her fingertips.

She sucked and sucked again.

Her fingertips turned purple with blood.

But even that was over in an instant.

Now she began to deny reality.

“Ah, no. My bread. Where did it go? D-Did I eat it all…? H-How dare… my bread? Who ate it? Who is it…?”

“Who is it!! Who ate my bread!!”

“Come out now!!!! You thief!!!!”

“Stop messing around and give me back my bread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Julie, shouting with bloodshot eyes, frantically searched the ground with her eyes, wondering if there were any crumbs that had fallen.

“I-It should be here somewhere. It definitely should be here. Wh-Where did it go? Where is it really?”

“You.”

Zeke interrupted Julie’s muttering.

She stopped.

Julie’s hand, which was groping the ground, stopped.

“…Me?”

“Yes. Didn’t you just eat it all?”

“Th-That’s impossible… I only put a p-piece in my mouth…”

“It must have been that delicious.”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I-It was really delicious. It was so delicious that I’ve n-never tasted anything like it.”

Julie said to Zeke in a pleading voice.

“S-So, j-just one more, no, tw-two more. Just two more. Please, c-can you give me more?”

She twisted her body, using a voice she never thought she would use in her life, a voice laced with aegyo.

However, Zeke’s following words ruthlessly betrayed her expectations.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can give you any more bread.”

“…?”

Julie tilted her head slightly with a puzzled expression.

Slowly, Zeke’s words took shape in her mind.

The light in her eyes gradually began to fade.

“Th-Then, even the one in your hand…”

“This isn’t the bread you were eating. It’s just an ordinary baguette.”

“Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Julie lost her mind and lunged at Zeke.

“G-Give it to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Whack!

Whack!

Whack!

Her head was shaken, and she collapsed to the ground.

Unable to react in time, she felt a deep sense of frustration.

“Ah, no.”

“This can’t be happening. My bread. No more bread…”

“This can’t be happening. I can’t believe it. No. Absolutely not.”

Her face turned pale.

Her fingertips trembled.

She grabbed her gray hair and clenched it tightly.

She glared at the bread in Zeke’s hand again, and then,

perhaps realizing that she couldn’t win, she prostrated herself and clung to his pants.

“…Why, why, why. Ah, no! No. Please, give me bread.”

“I’m out of ingredients. I only have a few left for myself.”

“…Then give me those. No, please. Please. Please, Hero, please.”

Julie begged Zeke with tears in her eyes.

“Hmm… What should I do…”

As Zeke seemed to be contemplating, Julie opened her eyes wide and said,

“I-I’ll do anything you ask. I’ll do it! If you want me to bow down and apologize to each of the Yohaiden Knights, I’ll do it! If you need anything, just tell me! I’ll get it for you! I’ll get it!! So please. So… j-just give me bread. Bread. Bread. Bread. Bread…”

Nothing remained in Julie’s mind.

Only the fear of not being able to get any more bread filled her.

“Can you really do anything?”

“Y-Yes!!!! I-I’ll really do anything! Just tell me what to do!”

She was desperate.

Had she ever been so blind towards something?

She had to get her hands on even a single crumb of bread that was left.

If she could, she would really do anything.

Zeke met her gaze with his deep-set eyes.

Then Julie slowly released her grip on Zeke’s leg.

“…Even if it means betraying Lost Hope?”

“…!”

Her green pupils dilated at his words.

“Th-That…”

Julie couldn’t answer right away.

“Hmm, seeing as you can’t answer immediately, it seems you’re not that desperate. I was going to make you enough bread to eat and then some if you just finished this task well…”

Zeke shook his head as if there was nothing he could do.

The temptation was truly intense.

However, the last piece of faith ultimately sealed Julie’s lips.

“…Alright. I understand your intentions. That’s how all those who serve the Demon King are.”

Zeke turned around and left, as if he had nothing more to see.

Julie reached out her hand behind him but couldn’t bring herself to grab him.

Julie was left alone.

“Me… betray Lost Hope…?”

There was no one to answer her question.