Ch.105105. The Successor of Summer Window

Brianna, uncharacteristically, found herself lost in memories.

About a decade ago, a man suddenly appeared, declaring he had come to settle a match.

He stood proudly with a spear in hand, dressed in shabby clothes.

Despite his appearance, the man had impressively refined energy about him.

This one is like me.

Upon seeing him, Brianna instinctively realized he was of the same kind as herself.

Those who live obsessed with martial arts, fixated on seeing its ultimate end.

That’s why their conversation wasn’t long.

She simply picked up her sword in silence and accepted his request.

Though their duel was brief, she learned much about him.

His personality and values,

His sincerity toward the spear and the direction of his path.

She came to know everything as if they had known each other for decades.

And so she felt regret.

She wanted to have more conversation, but the match ended too quickly.

The man seemed relieved, as if he had gained some realization during their fight, but Brianna felt differently.

The flame that had begun to burn in her heart quickly cooled.

Her joy at finding a companion on the lonely path of martial arts was crushed.

But Brianna kept all that regret inside.

It wouldn’t have been respectful to an opponent who had given his all, nor proper courtesy to a fellow traveler on a difficult path.

She simply hid her regret and bid him farewell, promising to meet again.

Hoping that someday in the distant future, she would meet a changed version of him.

After more than a decade passed, when even the memory of their battle began to fade…

Brianna found a companion to walk with her on this long path of the sword.

Her disciple, called a ruffian, but showing innate talent for the sword beyond even her own.

Only after meeting Gilbert did Brianna become certain.

If she were ever to see the end of the sword’s path, it would surely be with him.

Recalling her first meeting with Gilbert, Brianna sincerely believed this.

As she traced her memories, Brianna returned to reality.

Before her stood Diara, with whom she had shared that regrettable match over a decade ago, wearing a bright smile.

“You haven’t changed. Have you been well?”

“I’ve been fine. But you’re the one who hasn’t changed. Still with that monstrous aura.”

Diara swallowed hard at Brianna’s presence, which had grown even sharper than before.

How much stronger had Brianna become since then, when she was already powerful before becoming the Sword Saint?

Diara’s hand twitched with the desire to challenge her right away.

If age hadn’t taught him patience, he might have leapt up and swung his spear without hesitation, just like before.

In that sense, Diara thought that the passage of time wasn’t entirely a bad thing.

At least he didn’t want to show such an unsightly side of himself to Brianna.

“I’ve heard the news. They say you’ve become the Sword Saint?”

“It’s just an empty title. Such things aren’t particularly important.”

“True enough.”

Still unchanged, I see.

Diara felt an inexplicable sense of relief seeing that Brianna remained uninterested in anything besides the sword.

Even he didn’t know why he felt this way.

Despite knowing that everyone changes, did he wish that Brianna alone would remain as she was in his memories?

To Diara, Brianna was an object of admiration.

She was both a benefactor who showed his younger, impetuous self that there were stronger fighters than him, and a rival who became his goal.

Having Brianna remain unchanged was a great comfort to Diara.

She was his assurance that he hadn’t lost his way.

“By the way, I heard you’ve taken on two disciples.”

“Yes. Though it wasn’t my intention.”

The corner of Brianna’s mouth turned up slightly.

It was so faint that it would be difficult to notice without looking closely, but Diara, who had stepped into the realm of the superhuman, could perceive it.

It seemed she was similar to Diara in this regard.

He too would soften when thinking about Edel.

In this respect, he felt the passage of time acutely. The Brianna he had met long ago seemed to have worn-down emotions, but surprisingly, she seemed to have developed a soft spot for her disciples.

“Your expression changes when you talk about your disciples.”

“That’s unnecessary talk.”

Diara laughed inwardly as he watched Brianna quickly harden her expression.

Even the great Sword Saint has her cute side.

“Would you like some tea?”

“I wouldn’t refuse if you’re offering. Tea served by the Sword Saint… what an honor.”

“That sounds sarcastic.”

“Not at all. I’m just excited about our reunion after so long.”

Watching Diara grin, Brianna took out a tea set placed in one corner of her office and began brewing tea.

It was something she kept for her routine tea drinking after morning training with Gilbert.

With the tension eased as he sat face to face with Brianna, Diara quietly observed her making tea.

He never would have thought she could brew tea.

Moreover, her skill suggested this wasn’t her first time. Her movements flowed naturally, and the aroma of the tea was quite pleasant.

Though not particularly fond of tea himself, Diara could at least discern that much.

Learning this unexpected side of her, he happily waited for the tea she was preparing.

“I hear you’ve taken on a disciple as well?”

“Isn’t it a bit late to ask that now?”

“It just occurred to me.”

“I see. Well, to answer your question, yes. A child who will someday surpass me. A child born to wield the spear. Edel.”

Pride seeped through Diara’s words. It was no exaggeration that when it came to talent for the spear, Edel surpassed anyone Diara had ever seen.

His only shortcoming was that his physical condition for learning martial arts was somewhat inferior to others, but was this age still one where cold weapons relied solely on physical confrontation?

When it came to controlling Gigantic Armor, one of the important virtues of a knight, he had an aptitude that far surpassed Diara’s.

If he were to succeed Diara as the inheritor of the Summer Spear someday, it was clear that Edel would be the most outstanding among the inheritors of the Four Seasons’ weapon arts of his generation.

This was a judgment made from a strictly objective perspective, not because Edel was his own disciple.

“How coincidental. My disciple is the same.”

“I doubt it’s Princess Seraphina. Is it that notorious ruffian?”

Diara stroked his chin.

Though he lived a life distanced from the secular world, he had kept an eye on news about the inheritors of the Four Seasons’ weapon arts.

Among them, the most surprising news was about Brianna’s second disciple.

The boy had been infamous even before becoming her disciple, and Diara had wondered what had possessed the strict Brianna to take such a person as her student. Now he had the chance to ask her directly.

“Gil is not a ruffian.”

“…That’s just what I’ve heard.”

Diara flinched at Brianna’s sharp glare in response to the word “ruffian.”

Perhaps it had been too much to speak ill of her disciple right in front of her.

At the same time, he felt something strange.

To think that the great Sword Saint would glare so fiercely just because someone spoke ill of her disciple.

For Diara, who knew the Brianna of old, it was somewhat moving.

“You must cherish this disciple greatly?”

“Gil is a companion who will walk the eternal path of the sword with me. I cannot imagine anyone else.”

A declaration?

Diara felt a strange sensation.

He too cherished Edel, but there was a peculiar yearning in Brianna’s eyes when she spoke of her disciple.

Moreover, there was something odd about her description of her disciple.

A companion to walk the eternal path of the sword?

Superhuman beings of Diara’s caliber knew.

The eternal path of martial arts they spoke of was an unreachable transcendent realm.

There could be no companions in pursuing it.

It was a path of solitary endurance and loneliness, yet Brianna had chosen the word “companion.”

Though such expressions were uncommon, if one had to be precise, it wasn’t so much a companion as a part—

-Knock knock

The sound of knocking awakened Diara from his deepening thoughts. He had been so lost in contemplation that he only now realized someone was approaching.

That can’t be.

Diara’s expression hardened.

His energy sense wasn’t so dull. His sense, honed through repeated training, wouldn’t slacken just because he was lost in thought.

True, he had relaxed somewhat due to his reunion with Brianna, but not enough to allow someone to approach so close.

In other words, whoever was knocking now had the skill to deceive Diara’s energy sense and approach.

He tightened his guard.

Though they were inside Demeia Academy, he couldn’t forgive himself for such lax awareness.

“Come in.”

With Brianna’s permission, a golden-haired man entered through the open door.

Ruby-like eyes visible through flowing golden hair.

Golden piercings jingling at his ears and a muscular physique visible beyond the academy uniform.

He was taller than Diara, who prided himself on his solid build.

The man, who embodied a robust masculine image with his overall bold features, briefly glanced at Diara before approaching Brianna and bowing his head.

“I didn’t know you had a guest. I’ll come back later.”

“No, it’s fine. Since you’re here, greet him. This is the current inheritor of the Summer Spear.”

“I am Gilbert Lion Heart.”

“Diara Revaice.”

Diara stood up and offered a handshake.

Gilbert Lion Heart… so this is Brianna’s exclusive disciple.

The grip strength of the hand he shook and the refined energy contained in the man’s body indirectly revealed what level he was at.

Diara reproached himself for his arrogance in believing that Edel was the best among the next generation of inheritors.

Though he hadn’t seen him control Gigantic Armor yet, if Gilbert had even half the talent shown in his current state, the best among the next inheritors might not be Edel.

Gilbert was that much of an irregular.

So much so that Diara felt embarrassed to even recall what he himself had been like at that age.

“Is this your disciple?”

“Yes, he is.”

Watching Brianna smile faintly again, Diara could understand the true meaning behind her words.

The true meaning of what she meant by a companion on the eternal path of the sword.

And at the same time.

-Grind

For some reason, Diara didn’t realize he was grinding his teeth.

***

Gilbert, who had come to ask Brianna about the exchange meeting schedule, encountered a welcome face.

Diara Revaice, the current inheritor of the Summer Spear among the Four Seasons’ weapon arts inheritors and Edel’s master, was in Brianna’s office.

As Gilbert recalled, Diara Revaice had challenged Brianna to a duel in his youth and been defeated.

Nevertheless, as the current inheritor of the Summer Spear, he was a superhuman with skills comparable to Brianna’s.

The Summer Spear he wielded had a magnificent flair, opposite to the Winter Sword, but peculiarly, he was a character who couldn’t be recruited as a companion.

The reason could only be known when pursuing Edel’s romance route—after Brianna’s death in the scenario, Diara cut ties with the secular world and secluded himself in the mountains.

This led to much debate among Tactical Combat users, with the prevailing theory being that he had been in love with Brianna.

As such, Brianna’s death caused him great loss, leading him to cease all external activities.

Supporting this hypothesis was the fact that if one met Diara just before Brianna’s death in the non-academy route, his demeanor was completely different from when met afterward.

Until then, he had seemed like the embodiment of magnanimity, but after Brianna’s death, he appeared utterly devastated, lending credence to the users’ theory.

Moreover, when progressing through Edel’s romance route, the occasional wistful remarks he made seemed to suggest he missed Brianna, so Gilbert too thought he might have secretly loved her.

But seeing him visit Demeia Academy for the exchange meeting and immediately seek out Brianna, it seemed the users’ hypothesis was indeed true.

For Gilbert, seeing a non-devastated Diara at this point was quite strange, as it was his first time.

Though not among his favorite characters, Gilbert respected Diara’s skills, so it was quite encouraging to see him in good health.

Considering the upcoming main scenario, having even one more capable ally was good news for him.

“What brings you here so suddenly without notice?”

“Nothing special. I wanted to discuss the upcoming exchange meeting schedule, but… it seems I’ve come at a bad time.”

“Not at all. An old acquaintance just visited. There wasn’t much to talk about anyway.”

“Is that so?”

This might be hurtful if he hears it.

Gilbert slightly rolled his eyes to observe Diara.

His expression seemed unchanged at first glance, but there was a subtle shift.

Others might not have noticed, but having spent a long time with Brianna, who showed little emotional change, Gilbert had developed the unnecessary skill of reading others’ expressions.

With this skill, Gilbert judged that these words would be hurtful. Normally, one might brush it off, but assuming Diara loved Brianna…

“Well, that’s quite a unique way to dismiss a guest. I understand. I’ll take my leave now.”

To others, he might appear to be smiling cheerfully, but to Gilbert, it seemed somewhat pitiful.

Come to think of it, how could he not be affected when the person he cared for was essentially saying, “You’re in the way, please leave,” albeit indirectly?

Even if Gilbert was her disciple, it must look like she had business with another man.

Gilbert cast a sympathetic glance at Diara, though he couldn’t express it outwardly.

“I still have things to say, but this won’t be the only opportunity, so this unwelcome guest will withdraw.”

“As you wish.”

“As merciless as ever.”

Diara chuckled and turned his gaze to Gilbert.

“I’ll see you at the sparring match next time. Gilbert, was it?”

“Yes.”

“I won’t lose.”

“That’s my line. I don’t know about your disciple, but mine doesn’t lose.”

“You’ve become quite the doting master while we were apart. I’ll be going now.”

Diara raised both hands in surrender at Brianna’s retort and left the office.

It was unlike the inheritor of the Summer Spear, known for his hot temper.

Meanwhile, Gilbert felt that the declaration “I won’t lose” didn’t seem to be about a fight between Edel and himself.

He even suspected that Diara might see him as a romantic rival.

No, judging by the glaring look at the end, it was definitely that.

Diara was someone who hadn’t realized his own feelings for Brianna until the moment of her death, but it seemed Gilbert’s appearance had made him aware of his feelings for her.

Of course, Gilbert felt wronged.

His relationship with Brianna was strictly that of master and disciple.

“Must be my fate…”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”

Gilbert decided to simply accept it as his fate.

After all, it seemed that being the disciple of such an outstanding master wasn’t always comfortable.

As he drank the tea Brianna served, he decided to put that thought aside for now.