Chương 176: Chapter : 176

Ken's dodging routine became an absolute masterpiece of slapstick comedy. He casually leaned backward to scratch an itch on his neck, perfectly evading a burst of fire. He did a highly dramatic, goofy little spin to fix his collar, causing a lightning bolt to strike the dirt where he just stood. He moved like a completely uncoordinated cartoon character casually strolling through a deadly minefield. He didn't use a single magical shield, and he didn't even try to block.

He just bumbled around, screaming and complaining about the bright lights, while every single lethal attack missed him completely. Elma stared at him, her mouth slightly open in pure disbelief. Her blue eyes tracked his movements, completely bewildered.

"This makes absolutely zero logical sense," Elma whispered to herself.

"His footwork is terrible. His balance is a complete disaster. He is practically throwing himself onto the ground. How is he not getting hit?!"

"He is a magnet for good luck," Naomi smiled warmly, watching her goofy friend jump over a stray spark.

"I stopped trying to understand it days ago. You just have to accept that Ken operates on a totally different wavelength than the rest of us." Laxmi finally stopped throwing fireballs. She was laughing so hard she had to bend over and rest her hands on her knees. She wiped a tear of amusement from her eye.

"Okay, okay! I yield!" Laxmi chuckled loudly, putting her hands up in surrender.

"You win, Ken! Your new technique is completely unbeatable!" Ken stopped his frantic, zigzagging run. He slouched his shoulders, took a deep breath, and proudly pointed a finger at the fire user.

"See? I told you! The art of dodging is all about keeping your enemies completely confused! If I don't know where I am going, you definitely don't know where I am going!"

"You are an absolute idiot," Laxmi laughed, walking over to high-five him.

"But I have to admit, your absolute best weapon in this entire war is your ridiculous, unnatural ability to avoid taking damage. Nobody can catch you."

"It is a gift," Ken agreed happily, popping his collar again.

"Now, since I just did three minutes of intense cardio, I require a very large glass of iced tea. Does anyone want to go to the kitchen?" Before anyone could answer, a very soft, quiet voice spoke up from the edge of the courtyard.

"He isn't fighting." Everyone turned their heads. Risa was sitting safely on a wooden bench under the shade of a large tree. She was wearing her simple white dress, clutching her stuffed teddy bear tightly against her chest. Her bright green eyes were wide, and she was watching Ken with an expression of pure, innocent awe.

"He isn't fighting at all," Risa muttered quietly, tilting her head to the side.

"He is just executing a highly advanced technique of running away." The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

The courtyard went totally silent for exactly two seconds before Ken threw his hands into the air and let out a massive, joyful cheer.

"Yes!" Ken shouted, pointing both of his index fingers directly at the sweet, pink-haired healer.

"Finally! Someone in this house actually understands my true genius!" Ken practically sprinted over to the wooden bench. He stopped right in front of Risa, bowing deeply with a massive, dramatic flourish. He popped back up and looked at her as if she were the smartest person in the entire Belmontia Empire.

"Risa, you have the eyes of a true master," Ken praised her, his voice booming with fake, anime-style drama.

"Everyone else looks at me and sees a clumsy guy tripping over his shoes! But you? You see the truth! You recognize that my absolute, total cowardice is actually a brilliant, highly calculated martial art! Running away is the ultimate victory! If you are not there to get hit, you cannot lose!" Risa giggled, a bright, musical sound that filled the courtyard. She hugged her teddy bear a little tighter and looked up at him with wide, completely innocent eyes.

"It looks very fun," Risa smiled softly. She swung her bare feet back and forth under the bench. She looked a little bit shy, but her curiosity was undeniable.

"I don't like fighting either. It is too loud and it makes me nervous. Ken... would you teach me how to run away too?" Naomi's jaw dropped. She quickly stepped forward, waving her hands.

"No! Absolutely not! We are not teaching our primary healer how to trip over her own feet! Ken, do not encourage her!"

"I am taking her on as my first official student!" Ken announced proudly, completely ignoring Naomi. He sat down on the bench right next to Risa and crossed his legs.

"Alright, Risa, the first lesson of the running-away arts is simple. You have to locate the most comfortable hiding spot in the room. I highly recommend looking for large, soft couches. If there are no couches, a good pile of laundry works too." Risa nodded incredibly seriously, looking at her teddy bear.

"Find a soft couch. I can do that."

"Perfect," Ken beamed.

"Lesson two involves learning how to scream for help very loudly so the boss lady over there comes to rescue you." While Ken and Risa engaged in their totally absurd, ridiculous conversation on the bench, Elma stood on the sidelines, quietly observing them. Elma had always spent her life surrounded by the absolute elite class of the Empire. The noblemen she usually dealt with were arrogant, overly formal, and constantly trying to prove how powerful they were.

They always looked at her like she was a prize to be won, evaluating her status, her pristine white uniform, and her flawless combat skills. They were suffocating, and they never let their guard down. But watching Ken was an entirely different experience. He was a commoner. He was messy, his tie was totally crooked, and he completely lacked any formal etiquette. He didn't care about looking cool or acting strong. But as she watched him make Risa laugh, Elma noticed something that completely caught her off guard.

A warm, confusing feeling fluttered in Elma's chest. She felt her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. She quickly looked away, trying to focus on the stone pavement. She crossed her arms tightly, trying to rationalize the weird feeling.

"I am just observing a new teammate," she told herself silently.

"I am just analyzing his behavior for tactical purposes. That is all." But she couldn't stop looking back at him. She walked slowly over to where Naomi was standing. Sayma and Laxmi were chatting a few feet away, leaving Elma and Naomi alone to watch the lesson on the bench.

"He is very strange," Elma murmured quietly, keeping her voice low so Ken wouldn't hear her. Naomi chuckled softly, crossing her arms.

"That is the understatement of the year, Elma. He is an absolute disaster."

"No, that is not what I mean," Elma clarified, her blue eyes tracking Ken as he made a funny face to make Risa giggle again. Elma hesitated, feeling entirely awkward saying something nice about the boy she had insulted so many times. She took a quiet breath to steady herself.