Ch.45045. Competitive Match

The competition at Demeia Academy was one of the most important academic events. While comprehensive evaluations objectively assessed a cadet’s overall abilities, the competition determined the hierarchy of skill among cadets.

The competition, held as a tournament by year, was both a festival and a championship where cadets piloted Divine War Machines. Famous nobles, scholars, knights, and other prominent figures from across the Empire attended in large numbers, and the imperial family’s presence was mandatory.

They gathered for a single purpose:

To scout commoner cadets or those from fallen noble families, thereby strengthening their houses or factions.

At Demeia Academy, where all the Empire’s talents gathered, the competition was where the truly exceptional could be identified. It made perfect sense that the Empire’s prominent figures wouldn’t miss this opportunity to spot such talents in advance.

Of course, some nobles came to display their family’s prestige, but that was secondary.

The current continental situation was in tremendous turmoil. The emergence of Divine War Machines had completely transformed warfare. While the need for better knights and larger forces remained unchanged, knights who could expertly pilot Divine War Machines were now especially valued.

In conventional warfare, if an exceptional knight could match 100 soldiers, a superior Divine War Machine pilot could face 1,000 or even 10,000 opponents.

Divine War Machines had become indispensable weapons in continental warfare, creating an era that favored knights who could operate these weapons with greater skill.

In this context, the competition—where future Divine War Machine knights gathered to compete—was an event that anyone who considered themselves important on the continent had to attend. Complacency invited obsolescence, and obsolescence meant downfall.

When the competition schedule was announced, cadets became more motivated in their lectures and personal training. It was natural to want to showcase oneself when the Empire’s eyes were focused in one place.

Commoner cadets and those from fallen noble families were particularly passionate, seeing this as a golden opportunity to increase their value.

With sponsorship from a prestigious noble house or powerful faction, a future incomparable to their current lives might await them.

But to achieve this, they would have to step over classmates they had been friendly with until now. Everyone was a potential enemy, someone to be wary of.

Even excellent comprehensive evaluation results didn’t guarantee success in the competition.

Competition strategy, opponent analysis, practical skills, and even daily condition—countless variables had to be considered, causing the cadets’ tension to rise with each passing day.

Among them, Gilbert was the most watched.

At the beginning of the school year, many had dismissed him as a worthless good-for-nothing based on rumors, but that was no longer the case.

It made no sense to view someone who had already been awarded knighthood as merely incompetent. Whatever his character might be, his abilities were genuinely recognized by the Empire.

Naturally, he faced constant scrutiny. His personal training and even private time were under surveillance. The cadets’ persistence in finding his weaknesses was extreme, as if his every move was subject to analysis.

Fortunately, Gilbert was indifferent to such attention and simply focused on what he needed to do, ignoring the other cadets. He felt that achieving a decent result in the competition would be sufficient.

Having unexpectedly received knighthood, he had already fulfilled the “proof of opportunity” that Count Lithuania had mentioned.

Being awarded knighthood—the continent’s highest honor—as a freshman cadet was something even the Iron Margrave couldn’t ignore.

Rather, he was thinking of yielding this main story—the competition—to Ian. Considering the main story that would follow the competition, holding back now seemed like a good choice.

However, he wasn’t sure how effective this would be, given the attention he’d already attracted by receiving knighthood, but he had to try.

“Gilbert. Your mind wanders too much. It seems you find our training boring.”

At Professor Briana’s icy words, Gilbert snapped back to attention. His posture had slackened while thinking about the next main story.

Professor Briana before him showed almost no change in expression, but the slight upward tilt of her eyes revealed her displeasure.

“I apologize. It seems my concentration has wavered due to the difficult circumstances lately.”

“Hmm. Be mindful. While I acknowledge your Winter Sword is impressive for your training period, you still have a long way to go.”

“Understood, Master.”

“Then, focus again.”

First, do what needs to be done.

Seeing Gilbert clear away all distractions, Briana inwardly smiled with satisfaction.

Though she appeared unappreciative on the surface, the reality was different. The reason this battlefield veteran had joined the academy was to nurture the next generation.

Having spent long years on battlefields, she had seen many young people perish in their prime. Some had their growth stunted by missed opportunities, while others never even had the chance to bloom due to lack of proper education.

Briana came to Demeia Academy, leaving the battlefield behind, hoping to reduce such unfortunate cases.

Her life changed from the moment she arrived at Demeia Academy. Unlike facing enemies on the battlefield, she felt a fulfillment in her life. She enjoyed seeing talented individuals develop their abilities and found satisfaction in watching cadets overcome their lack of talent through effort and determination.

Once known as the Blue Reaper to her enemies, she was now Professor Briana of the academy.

During her teaching career, she took on a second exclusive disciple.

As talented as her first disciple Seraphina, he became a new source of inspiration for Briana.

Although rumors about him were unfavorable, her second disciple was nothing like the gossip suggested. He always approached her lessons with sincerity and never stopped his personal training even after classes ended.

Whenever she visited the training hall to observe the cadets, Gilbert was always the last one remaining.

Even after receiving knighthood, he didn’t stop training. Despite possessing talent that surprised Briana, Gilbert never became arrogant, which made her proud.

Though she was awkward at expressing her feelings, Gilbert had become her proud second disciple.

Their training ended around sunrise.

Gilbert, whose clothes were soaked with sweat from the intense movement, collapsed in place as soon as he heard the class was over. While such behavior might seem undignified for a noble, it was understandable when his sparring partner was Briana.

She was always mentioned when discussing the greatest swordspeople. No matter how monstrous his physical abilities were, defeating her was currently impossible.

Even piloting a Divine War Machine, his chances were only fifty-fifty. In a game, he might manage with his trait skill’s buff, but currently, that skill had some flaws.

Taking someone else’s formally contracted Divine War Machine was not only questionable in feasibility but also tacitly taboo—a matter of etiquette that shouldn’t be violated unless in wartime.

However, if the conditions were right to use his trait skill, he might clear the next main story more easily than before. His trait skill “Your Mech Is Sick” might have a silly name, but its high risk came with high returns.

The exhilaration he felt when piloting Ian’s formally contracted Divine War Machine during the comprehensive evaluation was indescribable. Perhaps by utilizing this skill well, he could complete the next main quest that was only theoretically possible.

Could he do it?

Gilbert watched Briana stretching to finish her training with sunken eyes.

Perhaps because of the morning sunlight filtering in, her long red hair seemed particularly striking.

Like blood.

Briana Tepeo Malkirav, an unromanceable character.

She was destined to meet her end protecting the cadets during the Academy Raid arc—the scenario following the competition.