episode_0034

I couldn’t help but be a little surprised by the unexpected appearance of this person.

Because I had thought that the person I had trained with in the same space, whether I knew it or not, was someone from the Knight Department, even if I didn’t know who they were. Even if they were just nobodies, if they took the same classes, I would at least remember their faces.

But in my memory, I had never met this man named Ropel Teufel in the Knight Department.

In the first place, the first time I came to know him was when I saw him together with Lilith Tistina earlier today.

Then, is he not someone from the Knight Department, and he has been training alone here until now?

“I am Ropel Teufel, unlike you, I am from the Magic Department, so you probably don’t know me.”

Magic Department… I couldn’t help but be even more puzzled.

Not only is he not a student from the Knight Department, but he’s a student from the Magic Department?

In the first place, it’s only the Knight Department and the Magic Department, two departments, that take the dueling test, but I couldn’t believe the fact that a student from the Magic Department had been training alone in the dueling hall until now.

Students from the Magic Department do take the dueling test, but they don’t train in the dueling hall.

Mages fundamentally do not allow the opponent to approach, and unless they are quite skilled, they fight assuming they are protected by others.

Therefore, given the nature of duels, which are conducted 1v1 and in a limited space, the winning rate for students from the Knight Department is overwhelmingly higher than that for students from the Magic Department.

Therefore, from the moment they participate in the dueling test, the students from the Magic Department aim not for victory, but to appeal to the observers by showcasing how large and powerful their magic is, and furthermore, whether they can use high-difficulty magic.

In other words, it means that instead of researching magic in a separately prepared magic workshop using scarecrow golems as targets, they don’t bother to dangerously seek out opponents in the dueling hall.

“That’s right, I am Seraphina Serion, the lady of the Serion family and a student from the Knight Department. So, what business do you have with me?”

“Hmm? Oh, that’s right, isn’t it? Uh… well… that is to say… so… um…”

He crossed his arms and moved his head this way and that, as if lost in thought for a moment.

As if he had initiated the conversation himself but hadn’t actually thought about what he needed to say.

“Well… how about… a duel..? Wouldn’t you want to try that? “A duel…?” “…Perhaps I suddenly said something a little strange?”

“Don’t you think it’s bound to be strange? In a way, an opponent you’re meeting for the first time suddenly approaches you and requests a duel. Moreover, while remaining in the dueling hall until this late hour. I think anyone would be on guard in such a situation. Besides, didn’t I say I am a student from the Knight Department and you are a student from the Magic Department? It’s even less likely for a student from the Magic Department to initiate a duel.”

“Ah, I see… Sorry, what should I say… Somehow, it felt like I had to say something to you right now.”

“…Do you know that even you yourself think that’s a strange answer?”

“Right, it is… Haa… Strangely, I sometimes end up acting like this…”

As if it weren’t a lie, he himself scratched his head.

“…Well, it’s fine. I was just about to swing my sword anyway. I will accept that request.”

“Ah! Yes, thank you.”

My mind was just cluttered with miscellaneous thoughts anyway.

Regardless of their skill, having an opponent is definitely more helpful for clearing one’s head, as well as for training, than just endlessly swinging a sword alone.

…That is, as long as the opponent’s skill isn’t insufficient.

“However, as I don’t know your skill. I will yield the first move. Feel free to use any attack you wish.”

I took my stance and focused my attention on the condition of the man before me.

First, the well-built body, which was evident even through his clothes, was impressive.

It was hard to believe he was a student from the Magic Department; it was clear just by looking that these were the signs of long-term, consistent training.

What was held in his right hand was a mace, perhaps a natural weapon.

This is because it is a weapon that is overwhelmingly easier to use than a sword, where all you do is simply swing it.

It could be said to be a weapon suitable for him, who is not from the Knight Department.

Ropel ran towards me, preparing to swing the mace widely with one hand.

This was unexpected, as most mages focus on creating distance and unleashing a barrage of magic.

He then ran right up to me and swung the solid iron weapon.

Perhaps due to the influence of his trained body, it was quite a heavy blow, even though the attack was merely swinging the mace in a large arc.

But because the trajectory was that simple and obvious, I could easily deflect it using the crossguard of my greatsword.

Keeping my sword straight in front of me, I prepared for a rapid thrust.

I wouldn’t inflict injury, as it’s possible for me to stop the sword just before it touches his body.

Most ordinary opponents would be finished at this point.

However, at that moment, I saw something flying up from the side of my vision and moved my body sideways to avoid it.

Soon, three or four small fireballs flew towards the spot where I had just been.

Judging by the trajectory, it was an attack that sharply curved from the side.

I see, he cast magic outside my line of sight to perform a time-delayed attack.

Was swinging the mace widely on purpose also a feint?

Unexpectedly, the man before me might be quite skilled.

Thus, several exchanges occurred between Ropel and me.

Although I was controlling my strength, I didn’t expect him to last this long.

He swung the mace widely once again and cast fireballs, and in response, I again leaned my body sideways and stepped back.

While I was dodging like that, he had already approached right in front of me and swung his mace.

Unlike before, he delivered rapid consecutive strikes with moderate power in a narrow range.

Those attacks were simple, but they were mixed with quite a bit of veteran skill.

In response, I also blocked these using a half-swording technique, holding the greatsword’s hilt with one hand and the front of the blade with the other.

I strongly parried his attack in time, and soon he stumbled, showing a large opening.

Although I haven’t properly assessed his skill yet, at this point, I might be able to stop controlling my strength.

I grabbed the hilt with one hand. With the other hand, I pressed down on the opposite edge of the sword, in a posture like bringing down a greatsword as a guillotine, and strongly brought the greatsword down on him without controlling my strength.

In response, he repeatedly fired fireballs at my greatsword with his other hand, lowering the impact, and at the same time, swung his mace to parry my sword.

I was impressed by his reaction to my monstrous strength, which I hadn’t held back.

Next, he closed the distance and approached me, preparing to cast magic with one hand while holding the mace in the other.

To counter this, I dodged by sharply bending my waist backwards, and taking advantage of that momentum, I swung my greatsword powerfully in a horizontal direction.

This was also an attack where I didn’t hold back my strength.

However, he grasped the mace in his other hand in a reverse grip and received my greatsword flying from the side, dispersing the force together with his thick arm.

And against the impact of that approaching attack, instead of bracing himself, he moved his body in the same direction.

To be precise, using the force of my attack coming from the side, he rotated his body once, redirecting my attack into the air, and furthermore, delivered a kick.

It wasn’t just any kick either. Most mages use magic through their hands.

But at that moment, I could tell that he had cast magic with his foot at extremely close range, simultaneously as his foot touched my body.

Since it was a completely unexpected attack, I couldn’t defend myself, and his kick, which even used my own strength against me, hit my side cleanly.

For a moment, I felt intense pain, but I quickly regained my stance and then deflected the magic that flew towards me with my greatsword.

As expected, he continued his consecutive attacks, mixing magic and mace, without creating distance.

I underestimated him for a moment, but now I could gauge his skill to some extent.

Certainly, he can be said to be a skilled individual in his own right, not just a novice.

Therefore, I too must now give him my all.

I prepared for a single blow that would decide the outcome.

The sword technique of the Serion family.

Upon finding an opening within the continuing consecutive strikes, I swung my sword strongly from top to bottom.

It was a powerful blow containing the talent of the Serion family, and at the same time, her sincere effort.

The line of the greatsword’s trajectory, visible to the eye, was also clean and thick.

The man before me quickly raised his guard, holding the mace with both hands.

A struggle of strength ensued for a brief moment, to the extent that his feet were dragged backward, but soon he could not withstand my strength.

Thus, he was hit by my blow and flew far away, and the duel ended.

Although the result could be called a victory for my side, honestly, I feel like I was caught off guard several times.

As he didn’t look very strong, I hadn’t expected much at all, yet we exchanged blows for so long, and he even drew out my true skill, and I never thought I would allow him to land a blow.

I became ashamed of myself for having initially underestimated his skill.

Ah! This is no time for such thoughts!

Without realizing it, I ended up using a full-powered strike, and one of the powerful techniques of the Serion family at that, on him.

It would have been an attack capable of inflicting at least serious injury, so I hurried towards the direction he flew.

“Wait! Are you okay?”

“Huh? Oh… that attack just now, it was incredible.”

As the dust in the dueling hall settled, his figure came into view.

Unexpectedly, he was lying down in a relaxed posture, holding a water bottle in one hand.

It seemed he had drunk a healing potion.

“I have a close friend who’s good at alchemy, you see. Thanks to him, I always carry around some pretty effective healing potions.”