episode_0059

I wonder when it started.

Aria never thought she would meet the rumored Fourth Princess so frequently.

It all began when she was training alone behind the academy.

The swordsmanship training grounds were too crowded and chaotic, so she sought solace in the quiet back mountains, mastering her forms while wielding her sword.

It was during one of these sessions that the Fourth Princess suddenly appeared.

Given that the area was rugged with dense trees and uneven terrain, the last thing she expected was to encounter a person—no, a princess—there.

Out of the blue, the princess asked if she could watch Aria practice, and Aria agreed.

Naturally, she couldn’t focus well. How could anyone concentrate on their swordplay with a royal member of a kingdom observing from behind?

Aria ended up making mistakes that day.

But it didn’t end there.

The Fourth Princess visited occasionally to observe her training.

She even suggested having tea together and engaging in conversation during tea time.

Aria couldn’t discern her motives.

However, as the princess seemed more intent on making Aria comfortable rather than imposing any burden, Aria, though conflicted, complied with all her requests.

And she still does.

“I’m looking forward to the test. I’ll be watching from the stands.”

She had come to cheer Aria on for the test.

*

“The Fourth Princess coming to watch the test in person…! Aria truly is amazing!”

Cain exclaimed, his eyes sparkling as he spoke to Aria.

“….”

Aria remained silent, lost in thought.

She had never properly participated in external activities before.

Not even in class events like the annual grade tournaments.

Until a proper test like today’s approached, she had always dedicated herself to training alone.

What prompted the Fourth Princess to take notice of her and show interest…

Of course, she harbored no negative feelings. It was an unparalleled stroke of luck to have a royal family member show interest in her.

“But it’s inevitable to keep wondering…”

Aria glanced at one of the four system rooms.

A space enclosed by transparent magic walls.

Each room seemed spacious enough for combat without significant hindrance. In each of the four system rooms, elemental magic instructors were summoning intermediate fire elementals, Ignis.

“…My head is spinning. Maybe I should think about the rest after finishing the test.”

Thinking about the mysterious man who saved her during the griffin incident was already headache-inducing; she had no room in her mind to think about the Fourth Princess as well.

Aria firmly gripped the long-abandoned iron sword passed down in her Silvesta lineage.

Suddenly, a man approached her, whose arrival time was uncertain, and said, “The test will start soon! Aria, great expectations are placed upon you. Show us the noble spirit of your sword!”

He spoke enthusiastically, clenching both fists tightly.

It was Professor Bridgette. He was a Swordmaster who had reached the beginning of the 6th rank and was in charge of Aria’s swordsmanship class.

“I will do my best.”

Afterward, Professor Bridgette glanced briefly at Cain, who was standing beside him.

Their eyes met as he gazed silently at Cain.

“…Tsk.”

Unlike when he looked at Aria, Professor Bridgette’s expression soured.

Moreover, his gaze almost felt like it was looking down at something beneath him.

It was discrimination. Being a viscount, the lowest-ranking noble, who had even fallen from grace, Professor Bridgette, with his strong sense of nobility, equated Cain with commoners.

Professor Bridgette said, “…Well, you’re still technically a noble. Work hard so as not to appear inferior to the common folk.”

Soon after, Professor Bridgette abruptly left, leaving silence between Aria and Cain.

Cain’s arm trembled ever so slightly.

Naturally, being blatantly discriminated against in front of his closest friend did not sit well with him. He was far from feeling good about it.

Aria couldn’t say anything to him. She thought it was best to just pretend not to know.

How much time had passed?

“The system room has opened! Four swordsmanship department students, please line up from the front and take the exam in order!”

The words of the assistant student, who seemed a few grades above, echoed, and the students began to move busily.

As the exam began,

Aria and Cain squeezed in between the lines of students, watching the students taking the exam inside the transparent magic barrier of the system room and waited.

-Clang! Thud! Boom!

The ground struck by Ignis vibrated all the way to the outside of the system room.

Most students were busy dodging Ignis’s attacks.

“Heh, heeek!”

“Krooooww-!”

-Clang!

“Tolson Bregea! Failure! 3 minutes 14 seconds!”

As the medical team dragged the student who had collapsed in the system room outside, the student’s injuries miraculously healed, and they revived as if nothing had happened.

3 minutes and 14 seconds. It was quite a long time.

With little practical experience and thinking they couldn’t defeat Ignis, the students chose to evade attacks and stall for time.

Even if they couldn’t defeat him, additional points were awarded the longer they lasted.

It was their own survival strategy.

The next turns were similar.

They attempted to attack and even allowed themselves to be hit by Ignis, but they resorted to stalling tactics just like the previous turn, unable to widen the gap enough to avoid being eliminated around the 3-minute mark due to the nuclear presence in Ignis’s fiery fist attack.

“Ugh! What are you all doing! At this rate, our performance will be similar to that of other classrooms! If even one of you fails the exam, be prepared to stay for remedial classes until dawn!”

Professor Bridget scolded the students who returned from the exam with fiery anger.

The atmosphere among the students worsened.

Rather than comforting the failed students, they were being made to feel worse. Aria once again realized that Professor Bridget was not someone to emulate in terms of character.

“Next! Cain Varbo!”

Soon it was Cain’s turn.

Aria Silvesta! Successful defeat! 6 minutes 10 seconds!”

“Cain Varbo! Successful defeat! 6 minutes 17 seconds!”

After the exam, everyone’s attention was drawn to the two successful combatants.

Even students from other classrooms turned their gaze towards them, sighing in admiration.

However, Aria’s focus was on Cain.

‘To become this strong in such a short period… He’s a monster.’

Aria couldn’t help but admire Cain as she watched him return from the exam, panting heavily.

Once reaching the level where she could summon Ora, she wasn’t worried about defeating an intermediate fire elemental.

But Cain…

Until recently, he had been fluctuating between the levels of a 2-star practitioner.

However, what he displayed in the exam was undoubtedly Ora.

It was a technique that couldn’t be used without reaching the level of a 3-star practitioner.

“Wow! Lord Cain! I knew you could do it!”

“Cain! You’re amazing!”

Cain waved to Lucy and Ellis cheering from the stands.

Despite this, Aria was solely focused on Cain due to his astonishing rate of growth.

‘If I don’t pull myself together soon, he’ll surpass me.’

Perhaps Cain’s talent matched hers or even exceeded it.

Aria, who took great pride in her sword, felt a sense of urgency in the face of Cain’s achievements.

‘Should I intensify my training?’

At that moment, Cain approached Aria and said,

“Aria! How did you defeat Ignis so quickly? I can’t keep up.”

“You’re too humble. The difference in our times is only seven seconds.”

“Still! You seemed relaxed when facing him. I put all my strength into defeating him…”

Cain chuckles softly and scratches the back of his head.

Then he asks, “What are we going to do now?”

“What do you mean?”

“The exam is over. We don’t have to stay here anymore. Let’s go see the kids.”

Cain points to Lucy and Ellis in the stands.

“….”

Aria hesitated.

She hadn’t seen that man yet.

The mysterious man who had saved her life from Gryphon and whom she had encountered on the second semester’s opening day at the training ground.

He seemed to be around her age…

Aria glanced towards the system room of another classroom.

– Kugwang! Ku-gwang!

“Ahh!”

Like any other student, Ignis falls out in defeat.

He was unremarkable.

Perhaps that mysterious man also failed the exam as quickly as Ignis did.

Maybe she just didn’t see him. He might have already passed by.

Being one of the last in line, the chances of him passing by were significantly high.

‘…If he failed this test so easily.’

Aria turned her head almost immediately.

Her interest waned.

She was not only indebted to him for saving her but also intrigued by the possibility of him being a sparring partner other than Cain.

When facing Gryphon, his movements displayed agility without relying on magic to enhance his body.

He might be a hidden master concealing his true identity.

‘If it’s all in my head… Well, even if he avoids meeting me, could there be a reason for me to search more eagerly from my end?’

As Cain continued to move, urging her on from the side, Aria reluctantly nodded her head and was about to give up.

– The entire facility fell silent.

The bustling facility, filled with cheers, encouragement, gossip, suddenly plunged into silence as if someone had cast a spell.

“…?”

Aria and Cain looked around bewildered by the strange atmosphere.

The students who were previously making noise were now collectively staring at something.

The professors were doing the same. Their gazes were fixed on one spot.

Everyone seemed dazed. What on earth could have happened to make them react like this?

Aria slowly turned her head in the direction where their gazes were focused.

And at that moment.

“….!”

Aria’s eyes widened.

‘That, that person is…!’

Wild black hair. And shining golden eyes.

Well-defined muscles that suggested rigorous training and undeniably handsome features.

Though he had lost some weight since then… Aria could recognize him.

The mysterious man who had saved her during Gryphon’s attack. He was standing solemnly next to the fallen Ignis in the system room.

As soon as Aria spotted him, a student’s voice echoed through the silence.

“S-Sian! Successful knockout! 29 seconds!!”