Academy’s Genius Swordmaster - Chapter 15

15. Practical test (3)

#15

Naviroze opened his mouth without retracting his sword.

“Yes, three times. Just like the tricks you showed me.”

After hearing the word three times, Ronan swallowed. Nabi Rose’s eyes were accurate. He used the same trick he had broken Marja’s sword before.

“After two cuts at an imperceptible speed, the last cut was deliberately slowed down. Did you think that no one could read your cheeky sword path?”

Ronan kept his mouth shut. The reason for slowing down the last sword attack was simply fearing that the blade would be damaged, but that didn’t matter too much. The sound of my heart pounding seemed to reach my head.

did you read it? my sword?

After staring into his eyes for a few seconds, Nabi Rose quietly led the way.

“I will remember. Ronan.”

Kratyr spoke only after she returned to her place. He also noticed that he had figured out Ronan’s secret, but he didn’t bother to ask further questions.

Kratyr saw him off with the same kind smile he had when he first met Ronan.

“Good work, Ronan-kun. But there is one thing this old man is curious about.”

“yes?”

“Why do you want to enter Phileon?”

Ronan blinked and looked at Kratyr. An indescribable, strange color flowed from between the eyelids curved like half moons.

“To learn.”

“Learn…what do you mean?”

“Um…”

What? Ronan dragged his horse by the tail. The judges tilted their heads at the sudden silence.

Ronan looked at Kratyr, but his gaze stayed on the landscape beyond his eyes.

Giants descending and heavy rain pouring over the corpses. The last request of the general who handed over the future.

Finally, Ronan’s mouth opened.

“…how not to regret it?”

“Hmm?”

Kratyr raised his eyebrows. Ronan did not elaborate much.

After thinking about something for a while, Kratir smiled.

“…That’s right, be careful and go home.”

Ronan bowed his head. thud. As soon as he left the test room, the door closed.

****

“You have no regrets.”

Cratir muttered as he sat down on the chair. It was a word that I couldn’t understand even if I thought about it.

Her eyes, which were extremely deep for her age, also caught my heart.

“I don’t even know.”

How can a young boy say that he has something to regret?

Kratyr eventually gave up on giving an answer. That wasn’t what mattered now.

“Whoa…it’s a relief that this is Phileon.”

“Why?”

“Because there is no better place for him to go than for him to leave here.”

Kratyr seemed three years older in that short amount of time. Nabi Rose shook her head as if agreeing.

Kidokan, unable to hold back his curiosity, asked a question.

“What happened to me right now? Same with Nabi Rose…Did that boy use some kind of trick?”

The previous Sword Master, the Sword Master, aimed his sword at the candidate. Even though the principal, a 8th-circle magician, was in the same place, he did not stop her.

It was an unprecedented situation that is difficult to explain. Most of the judges, including Gidokan, were still unable to grasp the full story of the case.

“It’s a trick…well, you could see it that way.”

“What is that…”

-Terrible!

At that moment, Lord Madoros’ head fell to the floor. The light in his eyes that flickered between the helmets faded.

The shocked judges exclaimed in exclamation.

“Heh uh uh…!”

Even though the head and body were separated, no new sword marks were visible. The knight who had been testing test takers for over a hundred years entered eternal rest.

Kratyr murmured softly.

“That talent… if not trickery, what else is it?

****

“Oh, dazzling.”

As soon as I got out of the exam hall, the intense spring sun poured down. Ronan raised his hand and covered his eyes.

The enchanted exit was connected to the plaza of Phileon Academy.

“Ronan! Here!”

Then a familiar voice called Ronan. It was not difficult to find Marja among the crowd.

In each hand, she held a cup of raspberry juice mixed with ice. Marja approached with gunfire and handed over the juice.

“Did it take that long? Wasn’t it my next order?”

“I had some work.”

“Day? what was it?”

Ronan nodded. He remembered what had happened in the exam hall.

The woman called Nabi Rose was stronger than expected. Even if it was in perfect condition, I wondered if I would have been able to get her sword.

‘I couldn’t even cut the armor in the end.’

Besides, he couldn’t even cut Lord Madoros’ armor. It was for this reason that he swung three times.

It was fortunate that the thin seam connecting the head and body was made of mana.

‘Schlieffen was even wounded. There is still a long way to go.’

forgot for a while The General did not give up his last chance just because Ronan was strong.

Only Mujae, who was able to cut down a giant by himself, was the only advantage he could put forward.

Ronan finally realized his weakness. But I wasn’t upset.

Ronan took a deep breath and gulped down the juice.

“Hey Chehala. Drink slowly.”

“Puha…me.”

“huh?”

The liquid that went down his throat cooled the heat in his body a little. Ronan opened his mouth only after he had eaten all the ice.

An exasperated voice came out.

“I think I can become stronger.”

I saw a place to go up. Even the starlight to use as a compass.

It was fun, so Ronan laughed.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“It is literally. Anyway, turn your head.”

“uh? uh huh?”

Suddenly, Ronan reached out and lightly gripped Marya’s chin. It was to check the spot where Darian hit.

At the gap between their faces that got closer, Marya sighed.

“Hib.”

“Hmm…that’s good.”

Ronan slowly turned the angle and examined Marja’s cheek. There was redness running along the handprints, but fortunately there seemed to be no scars.

Marya, who came to her senses belatedly, shook her head as if shaking off.

“What are you doing! suddenly!”

Ronan shrugged his shoulders in amazement.

A merchant who had to face countless customers was one of the jobs where appearance was really important. I was just looking at the wounds because I was worried about the future, but that kind of reaction.

“What are you saying even though I’ll take care of your wounds?”

“Who wants to see you?”

Marja took a step back. Previously, only the left cheek was red, but now the right cheek was also red.

“It’s useless…!”

“Hey, how far are you going?”

For every step Ronan took, Marya took one step away. The crowd’s attention was drawn to the bizarre behavior that could only be seen in a play.

At that moment, an angry cry resounded in the plaza.

“Stop right now! Commoner girl!”

It was a familiar voice that made me sick. The two stopped at the same time and turned their heads.

Darian, a skinny, slickly dressed boy, was standing there.

“Did you change your clothes? You are good at it.”

Ronan whistled. Darian, who met Ronan’s eyes for a moment, flinched. He strode towards Marya, trying to ignore Ronan.

Returning to being a daughter of a noble family, Marya politely bowed her head.

“What is it, Lord Darrian?”

“What is going on…?!”

Passersby, attracted by the commotion, stopped in place. Ronan was watching Darrian with his arms crossed.

Darian didn’t raise his hand right away, as if he was paying attention.

“Are you saying that now? What four years have done to me! I have never suffered such disgrace in my entire life!”

“Looks like you didn’t get offended by slapping the girl.”

“Of course not! If you think you’ve paid the price for something like that…!”

“But what on earth did the girl do wrong?”

Darrian froze for a moment. Marja continued.

“What?”

“The girl doesn’t know that your sword was suddenly cut in half or that your bottoms were blown away like dandelion spore. How is it that Prince Darrian, as a descendant of a prestigious family who has made contributions to the empire, takes out his anger on the poor people?”

“What the…!”

“If there is anything wrong with the girl, it must be that she comforted the overly nervous nobleman.”

Marja’s demeanor was polite, but quite different from before.

If in the waiting room he was really concentrating on keeping the respect for the nobility, now it felt like he was just saying something softer. Ronan stuck out his tongue.

‘Now there’s nothing to hold back, so I’m just leaving. Anyway…’

Sen was a pseudonym anyway. It was a foregone conclusion that Darrian had failed the exam.

He blew his last chance this year, so he never had to face Marja in the future. She was truly a mercantile girl to the core.

“It was really unfortunate that I entered the exam room in my underwear. It is just deplorable that the three sons of the baron family would commit indecent acts that even a drunken beggar would not attempt.”

It sounded like he was talking softly, but his voice was very loud. Like a relayer of a chariot race, Marja narrated each of Darrian’s misfortunes.

Cheeky laughter broke out among the onlookers.

“Nevertheless, do not give up hope. Isn’t that a bold move that might have been accepted as its own charm? The girl sincerely hopes to see the ball on the day of the entrance ceremony.”

“this…! this…! Yii profit…!”

“Well then, you have to wear pants.”

“Wahhahahaha!”

A wedge is driven. Ronan brushed his bangs and laughed.

Darian, whose face was about to explode, raised his hand. He pointed at Marja and shouted.

“shit! It’s a holy duel! I, Darrian Marshall de Mirrodin, the third son of Baron Mirrodin, urge you to a duel!”

The crowd murmured. The fact that it was not a normal duel but a ‘sacred’ duel surprised them even more.

That long-standing tradition, even specified in the imperial law, was something that should never be spoken carelessly.

A dispute over power, risking not only oneself but also the honor of the family. Regardless of status, the loser had to unconditionally fulfill one of the demands of the winner.

This crossed the line. Ronan raised his arm and asked a question.

“Wait a minute, I have a question. Why do you challenge that girl to a duel when I put the handkerchief in your panties?”

“You, you will pay for it separately later!”

Darrian winced and shouted. Ronan, who grasped the situation, laughed.

Is this noble? It was amazing that a baby who hadn’t even had hair yet could be so ugly.

“Are you afraid of me? Is that girl just messing around?”

“That couldn’t be! Because the cost of daring to deceive me is far greater!”

“Right. If I’m dizzy, I’ll put up with it, but you really can’t. Let’s duel with me.”

“Huh! Don’t come any closer!”

Ronan approached, spitting on his palm. Darrian freaked out and backed away.

Marja, who had been watching them all along, stood in the way between them.

“Both of you, please stop.”

Ronan conveyed the meaning of moving quickly with a wink. Marja shook her head and turned her back.

She bowed lightly towards Darrian.

“Girl Sen will accept the sacred duel.”

****

The three of them moved to an empty lot outside the Phileon site. An old man who appeared to be Darrian’s attendant was a witness to the duel.

“Bocchan, what kind of ugliness is this? It’s not enough to have a fight with commoners, so you even apply for a sacred duel. If the family head knows…”

“Inspiration shut up! Do you know what humiliation I went through?!”

“Seeing that he returned in his underwear, I can guess to some extent…”

He snatched the longsword from the old man’s hand as if stealing it. It seemed like a pretty good sword this time as it was shiny. The old man let out a deep sigh and spoke dryly.

“Yes, then I will explain the rules of the sacred duel. You have to accept the results unconditionally…”

A boring explanation continued. Marja put her hands on the hilt of her sword and closed her eyes. Darian laughed sinisterly at the onlookers surrounding the clearing.

‘I won’t let that damn girl ever lift a sword again.’

He intended to solve the bitterness of the practical exam with Marja.

If it was the swordsmanship of the Mirrodin family, which boasted a long tradition, it could cripple a delicate girl in an instant. I won’t do any power adjustments.

“…That is all. Do both sides swear to respect the highest traditions?”

“I swear.”

“I swear.”

Soon the explanation was over. The old man held up a handkerchief. The moment the handkerchief fell, the duel began.

The two people who were facing each other took a stance. With a soft metal sound, two blades were pulled out of Marya’s scabbard.

She smiled.

“Lord Darrian. I would like to thank you in advance.”

“…Are you saying thank you?”

“For giving me the legal right to beat you up.”

“what?”

Then the handkerchief left the old man’s fingers.

It was an instant. Marya, who narrowed the distance as if leaping, swung her sword while rotating her body.

– Wedge juice!

“What!”

It was a blow reminiscent of a fierce whirlwind. Raising his sword in a hurry, Darrian managed to defend himself, but it was not very meaningful.

Quick! The back of the longsword, helplessly pushed back, hit Darrian’s shoulder.

“Huh!”

“Don’t ever get in front of us again.”

Marja whispered. Darrian’s eyes widened as if they would pop out.

The onlookers who heard the sound of bones breaking let out exclamations.

“This is my requirement.”

A scream like a newborn erupted from Darian’s mouth as he sat down on the floor.

“Quaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

“Do young master!”

It was a sound that only a person with a finely crushed collarbone could make. The center of Darrian’s trousers, lying on his back and struggling, was heavily stained. The fluttering handkerchief landed on the floor.

“That greeting was a bit late…”

“Hmm?”

The lead Marja turned around with her hands behind her back. Ronan, who had clapped with a satisfied expression, tilted his head.

She scratched her cheek and hesitated before opening her mouth.

“thank you.”

“Nothing, miss.”

Darrian’s scream lingered in my ears for a long time. The two of them moved to the 4th tower of Phileon, where the magic test was held. Marya burst into laughter at Ronan’s joke and did not cover her mouth any more.

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