I Will Be Unrivaled With The Skill [Sewing]! They Said It Was A Bad Skill, But With Effort, I will Make It A Hit~ - Chapter 14
Episode 14: The Clingy Bug
After Maior’s mock battle, there were several more matches.
The members of Oak Branch were all strong, displaying stable and impressive performances.
One of the female members, Julia, a healer, fought with dignity. She wielded a rugged mace, effectively repelling the attacks of Verdant Prayer. Incidentally, Julia was also the one who punched a teammate who got overly infatuated with Annia.
There was one more person who caught Maior’s attention.
It was Matella, a bronze-ranked adventurer from Verdant Prayer. Her skill, Shield Arts, showed a remarkable level of control and balance. Her movements suggested she had a bird’s-eye view of the battlefield, which intrigued Maior greatly.
Seneca, on the other hand, was intently focused on the mock battles, especially during Naeus’s matches, where she watched with unyielding concentration, not wanting to miss a single moment.
Maior found Seneca’s behavior unusual.
The joint mock battles came to an end.
After disbanding temporarily, it was decided that they would gather for dinner later. The women planned to freshen up before joining.
Seneca and Maior also decided to return to their dorms and head to the baths.
While walking through the city together, they were approached by a girl.
“Seneca-chan?”
“Kito!”
It was Kito.
Maior had heard a lot about Kito from Seneca, but this was their first meeting.
After a brief moment of excitement between the two girls, Kito turned to Maior and introduced herself.
“I’m Kito, Seneca-chan’s childhood friend. I’ve heard a lot about you from her.”
“Oh, how kind of you. I’m Maior. I’ve heard plenty about you as well. I look forward to getting to know you.”
Maior observed Kito.
She had slightly droopy eyes and a gentle demeanor. Her features were refined, not something one would typically associate with a village commoner.
She also seemed very intelligent, a stark contrast to the often scatterbrained Seneca.
As Kito and Maior chatted, Seneca watched them silently.
Noticing Seneca’s expression, Kito tilted her head in curiosity.
“Seneca-chan, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”
As soon as Kito asked, Seneca hugged her tightly.
“I lost.”
That was all Seneca said as she buried her face into Kito’s chest.
“You really hate losing, don’t you, Seneca-chan?”
Without saying much more, Kito began stroking Seneca’s head.
Kito was surprised that Seneca was showing this vulnerable side in front of Maior. Usually, Seneca only let her guard down around close friends. This made Kito think that Seneca and Maior must have built a strong relationship.
Feeling this, Kito hugged Seneca tighter.
Her eyes met Maior’s over Seneca’s shoulder.
Maior explained, “We had a mock battle with a party we’re about to take a quest with. Seneca lost to Baetica’s strongest bronze-ranked adventurer.”
Seneca began rubbing her head against Kito again.
“I didn’t think I’d win, but it’s frustrating.”
“I see…”
Kito hugged her even more firmly.
Maior was surprised. From Seneca’s carefree attitude, she hadn’t expected her to take the loss so personally.
“I feel a bit better now.”
Seneca said, but she still clung to Kito.
“What do you think of Seneca, Maior-san?” Kito asked.
Maior thought for a moment before replying.
“She was amazing. I knew Seneca was skilled with a sword, but I didn’t expect her to perform so well. She even made the bronze adventurer use their sub-skills! At one point, I thought she’d landed a hit and almost jumped out of my seat!”
“See, Seneca-chan? Maior-san thinks so highly of you!”
“Hmm… but I was still pathetic…”
“That’s not true! Even Naeus-san said you were strong.”
Seneca groaned a little, pouting.
Kito, however, seemed to find the situation amusing.
“Alright, next time, I’ll do better,” Seneca declared before rubbing her head against Kito’s chest one last time and stepping back.
“Seneca-chan, tell me more about it later, okay?”
“Okay. Thanks, Kito.”
Seneca gave a small, soft smile.
“I’ll be going now, but Maior-san, it’s okay if Seneca-chan clings to you like this, you know?”
Hearing this, Seneca glanced at Maior with wide eyes as if considering the suggestion.
Then she turned to Kito and said, “You’re right.”
She promptly hugged Maior.
Caught off guard by the sudden affection, Maior awkwardly but firmly hugged Seneca back, now burdened with the “clingy bug.”
“Next time, I’ll do better.”
Seeing Seneca say this, Kito smiled radiantly. She exchanged a knowing glance with Maior, who also smiled warmly, and then gently walked away.
After the “clingy bug” calmed down, the two returned to the dormitory.
Seneca seemed fully recovered, laughing brightly and carefreely once again.
“She’s both delicate and resilient,” Maior thought.
Seneca’s life and combat style had a rhythm—sometimes intense, other times gentle. This dynamic quality, so vibrant and compelling, was a source of fascination to Maior.
Afterward, they headed to the bath together, meeting members of “Verdant Prayers” and bonding through shared moments in the baths. Later, they visited a café before joining everyone for a dinner gathering.
During the dinner, everyone wanted to talk with Seneca and Maior, leading to a lively atmosphere. However, thanks to Naeus subtly shielding them, the two managed to navigate the chaos without getting overwhelmed.
Julia, from “Oak Branch,” initially sensed some tension in the air. However, realizing that Naeus simply wanted to support the duo, she joined in on the cheering squad herself.
In the end, the day’s mock battles resulted in gaining eight new fans for Seneca and Maior—a significant achievement.
With their first expeditionary request looming, Seneca and Maior now had solid support behind them.
Later, at the orphanage, Seneca created and told a fairy tale titled The Clingy Bug, earning rapturous approval from the children. This became another meaningful accomplishment.
While preparing for the expedition, Maior trained under Metella, the shield-bearer.
Metella was approachable and generous with her teachings. Although she knew that Maior rarely used shields, she earnestly helped her practice for self-defense, displaying genuine kindness.
Metella’s equipment included a robust medium-sized heater shield, integral to her defensive strategies. She explained that upon reaching level 2 in 【Shield Arts】 , most users acquire the sub-skill 【Mana Shield】 , a powerful ability for protecting allies.
Metella emphasized the importance of maintaining clear visibility as a shield-bearer. Even if one can block attacks, leaving blind spots can lead to devastating follow-ups or being flanked. This necessity naturally honed her awareness and her ability to perceive the battlefield from a bird’s-eye view.
While the lessons didn’t directly apply to Maior’s skill set, they proved valuable for future collaborations with shield-bearers and for refining her fighting style. Maior expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Metella.
Meanwhile, Seneca sparred with various members of the group. Unlike her match with Naeus, these were casual exchanges of techniques without clear winners or losers. This allowed everyone to experience Seneca’s skill firsthand, which boosted Naeus’s reputation.
Though Seneca refrained from using her 【Mana Needle】 for attacks, her tactical use of it for feints led Oak Branch members to conclude that she had likely reached level 2 in her skills.
Among Oak Branch was a man named Menon.
Menon was an exceptional scout and a possessor of 【Detection】 .
Hearing about Maior, a young girl with 【Detection】 , he eagerly anticipated the chance to mentor her. However, Maior was unaware that Menon shared her skill and thus did not approach him for guidance.
This slight misunderstanding left Menon waiting in vain while Maior trained in shield techniques instead. Although tempted to approach her, he hesitated, fearing that his sudden intervention might startle her.
That evening, during Oak Branch usual dinner, Naeus declared.
“I’ve decided to cheer for Seneca-chan.”
It was the most earnest expression he had shown in a while.
“How about you, Menon?”
With an equally determined face, Menon replied, “I’m rooting for Maior-chan.”
The two laughed and clasped hands in solidarity.
“Let’s both do our best!”
Observing this, another man leaned forward—Acarus, the mage.
“I’m an eternal Annia fan!”
As the men began to joke around, Julia sighed deeply.
She understood that their support was devoid of romantic intent, driven purely by admiration. However, she couldn’t help but worry about appearances.
“What about you, Julia?” Naeus asked, his expression overly eager.
His intensity was suffocating, making Julia want to punch him.
“I don’t have one,” she replied curtly.
“Oh, come on! If you had to pick someone as a little sister, who would it be?”
Menon’s persistence was slightly off-putting, prompting Julia to answer quickly just to end the conversation.
“…Maior-chan, I suppose.”
“Knew it!”
Menon energetically extended his hand for a high-five, and Julia instinctively reciprocated with a firm handshake.
Naeus and Acarus clapped their hands in delight, cheering.
Though unintentional, Julia now felt like she had joined their odd circle, filling her with a slight sense of self-loathing.