She turned to look at him, only to see that he had taken his upper garment off, treated his wound, and wrapped the cloak around him.

“Let’s go. We need to report this to the family head as soon as possible,” said him, standing up. “We need to find a new training place. I originally thought that no enemies would take this route because it is by the mountains… Maybe they wanted to invade from the back.”

“You said that I did well,” She interjected suddenly.

“Did I say that?” He froze for a moment before continuing, “Okay, I guess I did.”

“So I can do it. I can be a good impersonator,” she said with conviction this time.

“You seem to have misunderstood what I meant,” his face wrinkled as he said somberly. “That was not praise. I was trying to comfort you because of the panicked look on your face.”

“You …” She was dumbfounded. “I just killed a lizard demihuman!”

“Yes, you did. That was your first kill, so I can understand your panic.”

“I did not panic!”

“Oh, great, then we can leave this place sooner,” he spread his hands and walked away.

“—Wait up!” She clasped her hands over her head, almost enraged by his comment. Next, to his surprise, she rushed towards him and then swept hard at his calf, using her tail. He fell to the ground and she snarled and jumped on top of him, pointing the tip of her tail—which was covered with rough scales—at his throat. If she swung her tail, she would surely be able to cut through his unprotected skin.

“What are you doing!?"

“I beat you!”

“What?” He paused.

“You said that I would be right if I could beat you! So now, you have to listen to me!” she said, her face turning red.

He was shocked by the pair of agitated eyes. He was quiet for a few seconds before he realized what the girl’s behavior meant. “Damn…”

“I can do it—so you—” He squeezed her tail hard. “Ah!” Her body was stiff from the pain spreading all over her body. “It hurts! It hurts!” She collapsed and tried to climb down his body, but he continued to grab her tail tightly in his hand. She struggled on the ground and her tears streamed down her face. If any lizard demihuman saw this in person, she may have died from the shame.

“Never, ever present your own tail to your enemy,” his voice was colder and more ruthless than she had ever seen. He grabbed her tail and lifted her whole body up. “Understood?”

“That was a cheap shot—It hurts! It hurts!”

“Understood?”

“Understood!”

He snorted and threw her onto the sand before striding away in anger.

Being scolded like this completely killed her sense of excitement from the battle. She reverted back to her cowardly looks and walked behind him, grabbing her tail and sobbing, “…sob… sob…”

“Damn it, do not cry! What the hell are you trying to prove?” he turned his head and yelled.

“I do not want the family head to think that I am useless!”

“That is not for you to decide!”

The girl spoke no more and sobbed.