Ch.135135. Richard Henry Infractus

Prince Richard’s inspection date was confirmed shortly thereafter. No one except the Emperor had the right to prevent an Imperial Prince from personally visiting the Academy for an inspection.

Even though he was second in the line of succession, one never knew what might happen in the world.

Besides, wasn’t he the famous Prince Richard of Shinsan?

Even Marquis Lucas, the headmaster of Demeia Academy, had neither the authority nor reason to prevent his visit.

Rather, considering the Academy had recently experienced an unprecedented attack, the Prince’s inspection was only natural.

His sister, Princess Seraphina, was currently enrolled here to prove her Blue Blood. As an older brother, his purpose of inspecting the Academy’s safety was perfectly reasonable.

However, from the Academy’s perspective, the Prince’s inspection wasn’t entirely welcome. The fact that a Prince who had already completed his Blue Blood proof was coming to inspect the Academy under the pretext of safety could be seen as the Imperial family doubting the Academy’s stability.

Because of this, not only the student council but also the professors of Demeia Academy were keeping a close eye on the Prince’s inspection.

This was also why they were reorganizing the Academy’s defense facilities. A security system that had already been breached once would naturally lose credibility no matter how much it was reinforced.

The professors in charge of security repaired the defensive magic circles and more than doubled the security personnel compared to normal times.

Though it was somewhat like covering one’s eyes and pretending not to see, it was also an effort to avoid being held accountable by the Imperial family.

“Why hasn’t this section been repaired yet?”

“What about over there? The inspection team will point that out!”

The bustling activity continued like a chaotic marketplace. When one issue was addressed, another would emerge, and when those two were fixed, yet another problem would appear.

That was the nature of security systems. No matter how much one prepared, there always seemed to be shortcomings in security.

While the security personnel were rushing about, Briana, revered as the Sword Saint, was also preparing for the Prince’s inspection.

Though Briana was typically indifferent to such matters, she couldn’t remain nonchalant about a Prince’s inspection.

Headmaster Lucas had personally asked her to pay attention to it, and as his former adjutant, she couldn’t refuse.

Even without his request, Briana, who always gave her best in her duties, would have done so anyway. Neglecting one’s duty was unbecoming of both a soldier and a knight.

As Briana prepared for her class, she found herself reflecting on the past.

Several years had passed since she left the battlefield with the purpose of nurturing future generations.

Having spent her life on battlefields, she had made it her life’s goal to focus on the tip of the sword rather than witnessing bloodshed. A few years ago, she was invited by Headmaster Lucas to become a professor of swordsmanship, and she had been teaching cadets ever since.

The role of an Academy professor suited her temperament quite well. It was a joy to guide talented cadets on the path of the sword.

Although she hadn’t encountered a cadet with talent that met her standards in the past few years, it hadn’t been a significant issue.

But this year was different. There were many talented cadets who met her stringent criteria. Among them, the one she regarded most highly was Gilbert, whom she had taken as her exclusive disciple.

Physically, he was already nearly perfect, and he was the embodiment of the sword aesthetics she pursued.

Of course, she hadn’t liked him at first.

Gilbert was known as a notorious scoundrel in the Empire, and to Briana, who loved the Empire, Gilbert was like a parasite eating away at it.

But the Gilbert she actually met was different. Regardless of the truth behind the rumors, his character and talent for the sword captivated her heart.

A man of honor who doesn’t bend to external pressure and doesn’t hesitate to draw his sword to protect the citizens.

A man of courage who would face dozens of giant soldiers alone.

All these were recent descriptions of Gilbert.

Even Briana, who initially didn’t think highly of him, had chosen him as a companion to walk the endless path of the sword.

That’s how much Gilbert’s talent and character appealed to her.

Of course, Gilbert wasn’t the only cadet from this batch that she liked. Despite her high standards, there were other promising talents besides Gilbert.

If she had to name one, Ian Tigris Rainbarrel couldn’t be left out.

Though he hadn’t stood out much at the beginning of the semester, his potential began to explode as time went on. Recently, he had shown such rapid growth that even Briana gave him a passing grade.

She vaguely thought that if she hadn’t seen Gilbert, a once-in-a-generation genius, she might have offered Ian the position of her exclusive disciple.

But all of that was hypothetical. While Ian was showing explosive growth, if compared to Gilbert, he still fell somewhat short.

Briana entered the training ground, recalling Gilbert’s sword trace from his perfect execution of the sword technique not long ago.

Today, her class would involve duels based on the Imperial swordsmanship they had learned so far.

“I’ll take attendance.”

Glancing at the cadets lined up in formation, she mechanically checked the attendance. There wasn’t a single foolish cadet who would miss the Sword Saint’s class.

Considering that there were many who would bring a fortune just to learn a single stance from her, receiving her swordsmanship lectures as a privilege of being an Academy cadet was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“The professor seems to be in a good mood today.”

“How do you know that?”

“When you admire the Sword Saint, you can tell these things.”

“You’re crazy. That’s what we call being a pervert.”

Briana noticed the whispering cadets but chose not to point it out.

In reality, her mood was good today. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say that her mood had been consistently good lately.

After all, no mentor wouldn’t be pleased to see their exclusive disciple growing day by day.

Meanwhile, Ian, watching Briana from a distance, was in awe of her. One thing he had realized after receiving formal training from Fresia was that Briana’s level was immeasurable.

Every gesture and movement she made was without waste. Everything was restrained, and she showed no unnecessary movements.

He couldn’t imagine how many years of endurance Briana had gone through to reach a point where even her daily life was like that.

Even now, with Fresia constantly nagging him not to disrupt his breathing, Ian could only say that Briana was remarkable.

And she’s beautiful too.

Ian wasn’t obsessed with women, but he was still a man. Like other men his age, he had a moderate interest in women and was attracted to beautiful ones.

Though Briana’s fame as the Sword Saint overshadowed it, her unique cold demeanor and gaze made her popular among the male cadets of the same age. While none were bold enough to openly flirt with an Academy professor, many cadets secretly harbored feelings for her.

Ian, too, occasionally felt his heart race when he saw her. Having developed a discerning eye through Fresia’s rigorous training, he appreciated Briana’s appearance, which befitted her title as the Sword Saint.

It was a different charm from Seraphina’s.

The crystallization of human training, martial arts, and swordsmanship.

That was the beauty of Briana as defined by Ian.

“Today, as previously announced, we will conduct duels based on Imperial swordsmanship. Remember, a sword is not perfected by training alone. As I’ve repeatedly said, don’t forget the essence of the sword. Now, I’ll announce the duel opponents.”

Ian, who had been absentmindedly staring at Briana, suddenly came to his senses. It seemed the duel that had been announced in the previous lecture was proceeding as planned. Since the purpose was to gauge each other’s skills, the duel opponents had to be paired with cadets of similar abilities.

Ian’s gaze naturally turned to one man. To a figure standing with his arms crossed, looking taciturn.

Gilbert.

He, who had caught the Sword Saint’s eye and become her exclusive disciple, was widely regarded as having surpassed the level of Academy cadets in terms of swordsmanship. Especially after the recent exchange event where he conducted consecutive duels with as many as 100 opponents using just one sword, he was writing his own legend.

Even Fresia, with her discerning eye, while not refraining from calling Gilbert a scoundrel, acknowledged his skills. She also added that the effort he had put in to reach that level should not be ridiculed.

As a result, he began to be called by a different title within the Academy rather than “scoundrel.”

Sword Master (劍豪)

One who has mastered swordsmanship.

“Lastly, Gilbert and Ian will conduct a duel.”

So it’s come to this, as expected.

Ian’s eyes now held seriousness.

This was something he had anticipated. The reason Fresia had been training him more rigorously than usual after the last swordsmanship lecture was because she had this duel in mind.

He was already recognized as the best swordsman among his peers. In the midst of this, the only one who could match his skills was the one closely following him.

After all, a duel should be between people of similar abilities.

[Don’t be nervous. It’s still unrealistic for you to beat that scoundrel.]

‘I understand.’

Ian responded internally, conscious of the gazes around him.

Until he had Fresia, he might have been turning a blind eye, but Gilbert was stronger than him.

It was hard to admit at first, but surprisingly, once he did, the jealousy that had been clinging to him every day subsided.

While he acknowledged Gilbert’s strength, he didn’t think it would always be that way. He had talent, and he had Fresia as a guide to draw out that talent.

In the end, it all came down to determination.

He might lose this time, as Fresia had analyzed, but if there was something to learn from this defeat, it would be enough.

He quietly composed himself and engraved Fresia’s advice in his mind.

The duels proceeded without pause. Cadets who wanted to achieve good results tried their best to defeat their opponents.

Seraphina accurately pointed out mistakes and areas for improvement to the cadets after they finished their duels. The cadets listened to her invaluable advice with sparkling eyes.

As the number of remaining cadets dwindled from ten to four, and finally to two.

The only cadets who hadn’t dueled yet.

It was Gilbert and Ian’s turn.

“Cadet Gilbert.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll limit the amount of mana you use to half.”

“Understood.”

Ian’s eyebrows twitched. Briana, who hadn’t said anything before the start of the duels until now, had placed a restriction on Gilbert.

While Gilbert might be more skilled, such treatment was not something Ian could tolerate. As someone who considered himself the protagonist of the world, he had high self-esteem.

Even if he had accepted defeat as a foregone conclusion, having a duel with such a restriction was a slight to Ian.

“Professor.”

“Speak, Cadet Ian.”

“Please allow Cadet Gilbert to use his full strength.”

“I highly value Cadet Ian’s competitive spirit and desire for improvement. However, this is for the sake of fairness.”

While Briana tended to favor Gilbert, she excluded such biases in education. Favoritism breeds comfort, and comfort leads to obsolescence.

Desiring Gilbert to reach even higher levels, Briana did not show favoritism towards him on the path of the sword. For this reason, she did not favor any cadet.

Limiting Gilbert’s mana use in this duel was not out of favoritism towards Ian but for the sake of fairness.

A duel between him, who could split an old-model giant soldier in half, and the cadets would not benefit either party.

This was true even for Ian, who was recognized as exceptionally skilled.

A duel between the two didn’t seem fitting.

After all, one wouldn’t say they’re dueling when a grown adult faces a child.

“Professor, I beg you. Even if I lose to Cadet Gilbert, there will be something to learn from it.”

Briana pondered for a moment.

The principle of learning from the strong was commendable.

But that was for instructional duels. If the difference in level was too extreme, all one would gain from such a defeat would be a sense of self-deprecation in the face of an insurmountable wall of talent.

Briana had seen this too many times. Those who faced her when she first picked up a sword were like that.

Would it be any different for Ian?

She didn’t think so.

“Cadet Ian. This is a decision I’ve made to evaluate cadets fairly.”

“I understand. But I need to see. Where my peer, Cadet Gilbert, is looking.”

At this point, Briana couldn’t help but sigh. It didn’t seem like she could break Ian’s firm resolve.

Conversely, if she forced the issue, he would likely suffer a significant blow to his pride. Having seen many of his kind, Briana couldn’t easily make a decision.

“I beg you, Professor.”

As Ian bowed his head, Briana looked at Gilbert. Her exclusive disciple maintained his usual demeanor, his thoughts unreadable.

Briana made her decision. It was impossible to stop at this point. She simply nodded, hoping her disciple would go easy.

“Very well. I commend Cadet Ian’s unwavering fighting spirit. Let’s proceed with the duel.”

Ian stood before Gilbert with gleaming eyes.

Gilbert still hadn’t uncrossed his arms and was looking at Ian indifferently.

Seeing this, Ian’s competitive spirit flared up, and he drew his sword. Only then did Gilbert uncross his arms, lightly gripping the sword hilt with his right hand and taking a stance.

Iaido?

Ian’s eyes twitched.

To showcase iaido in such a duel was to deceive him.

While it might excel in concentrating power in a single strike, iaido was actually disadvantageous when facing an opponent at such close range.

After all, the reaction speed of someone who has drawn their sword and someone who hasn’t can’t be the same, right?

Ian gritted his teeth and waited for Briana’s signal.

“Begin!”

As soon as Briana’s signal for the duel dropped, Ian quickly delved into Gilbert’s inner space. Fresia had also advised him to exploit any moment of carelessness from Gilbert.

Until Ian reached his proximity, Gilbert’s sword remained sheathed.

“Haaah!”

He swung his sword with a shout. He calculated that even if Gilbert was fast, he couldn’t block without taking any damage at such close range.

Ian didn’t think he would end the duel with this move, but he firmly believed he would gain an advantageous position.

However.

Winter Sword – Concentration

Splitting the Winter Sky

Ian’s eyes flashed, and he saw the sky being split.

Of course, it was an illusion created by Gilbert’s mental image, but for a moment, that’s how it appeared.

– Clang

[This scoundrel?!]

At Fresia’s astonished cry, Ian came to his senses.

Looking around, everyone was watching their duel with mouths agape. With eyes that barely moved, he looked at the hand holding his sword and saw a longsword cut in half.

Why is this?

Ian couldn’t think clearly.

In front of him, Gilbert was already sheathing his sword.

A single strike.

With that one iaido move, Gilbert had concluded the duel.

***

As soon as the lecture ended, Ian headed straight to the Academy lakeside, leaving even Fresia behind in the dormitory. Though his senses had returned, he made this decision out of a desire to be alone.

While Ian’s dazed state had cleared, he still felt a sense of unreality. The duel with Gilbert had been that shocking to him.

From what he felt, Gilbert hadn’t drawn out his mana to its fullest. He had simply imbued his sword with just enough and executed the iaido, which completely split Ian’s sword in two.

Is that even possible?

Fresia said she had misjudged after seeing that display. Since she hadn’t been observing him continuously, she lacked accurate data and might have made a misjudgment.

While Fresia was certainly versatile, she couldn’t foresee or prophesy things she hadn’t seen.

In reality, something similar might be possible, but that’s only when there’s sufficient data to make predictions akin to future sight. In a situation where such data is completely absent, it’s impossible.

This was why she had made an incorrect judgment about Gilbert this time. Gilbert’s growth rate had simply exceeded her prediction range.

So that’s why.

Ian’s pride was wounded once again by this duel.

After making such a bold request to Professor Briana, he had lost without even getting to cross swords.

He knew it. He had even received confirmation from Fresia.

In his current state, he couldn’t defeat Gilbert.

He was well aware of this.

But he hadn’t expected the difference to be this stark.

He had thought he could at least put up a decent fight.

However, the result was an overwhelming defeat. It was the first time in his life he had experienced such a significant loss.

It felt like facing a natural disaster.

Something utterly beyond human control.

Ian found himself being overshadowed by Gilbert and shook his head. With such a sense of defeat, he couldn’t hope to defeat him.

Hadn’t he proudly declared himself the protagonist of the world?

For the sake of upholding those words, he couldn’t afford to crumble.

That was a fact, and it was the right thing.

Damn it.

Yet, he couldn’t completely shake it off. Jealousy, which had been dormant, and other sticky emotions gripped his heart.

Defeat, self-deprecation, jealousy, envy.

Various emotions churned in Ian’s heart and mind.

“Excuse me, are you Cadet Ian?”

Writhing in agony, Ian reflexively turned his head at the sudden voice calling him.

There stood a middle-aged man with a well-groomed beard, looking at him.

“Who are you?”

In his worst mood, his eyes narrowed sharply, and his voice was harsh. Despite this, the man smiled as if he had finally found what he was looking for.

“There’s someone who wishes to see you. Would you kindly spare a moment of your time?”

“Me? Who is it?”

“You’ll find out when you go. I’m not permitted to casually mention that person’s name.”

Someone whose name shouldn’t be casually mentioned.

Ian’s interest was piqued by those words.

His mood was already a mess anyway.

Since he would likely just wallow in self-deprecation if left alone, he decided to follow the man.

With a very casual thought, Ian followed behind the man.