Chapter 4: I Am a Fool 4

My realm is equivalent to that of academy professors.

An Aura Master, the highest realm achievable with aura.

A level most knights can’t even dream of reaching, let alone grasp.

However, being at the same level doesn’t mean my abilities are equal to those of a professor.

The disparity among Aura Masters is the greatest of all levels.

If that was all, it would be fine, but I focused only on honing my aura sensitivity, considering the opportunities in WFS.

As a result, I’ve become someone with high potential but lacking in substance.

In WFS, there’s swordsmanship taught by the Forgotten Ghost, where the less you know about swordsmanship, the quicker you can learn it.

‘If I hadn’t enrolled in the academy, I would have trained my body and learned swordsmanship from the Ghost first.’

My growth is incomplete; as of now, my skills are only half-formed.

I have strength, but I don’t know how to use it.

In terms of martial arts novels, I am like a master who has reached the level of Huagyeong but cannot guarantee victory against a top-level master, which shows how abnormal my current state is.

However, in a duel with rules, it’s different.

In a non-lethal duel, I could win against someone stronger than me.

And winning by rules could silence any doubts about my actual abilities.

It’s an opportunity I can’t afford to miss.

“Ultimately, it’s difficult to make a decision because there’s no precedent. So, why don’t you duel with me?”

As Professor Rachel spoke again, the referee next to me was thrown into panic.

A duel between a professor and a cadet could happen right in front of him.

No problem with that, you say?

If something goes wrong, the cadet’s parents could make a fuss.

And my father is a duke.

Given my father’s temperament, he wouldn’t make a fuss unless I was seriously hurt.

He cares for me, but he also thinks I deserve what’s coming because of my past actions.

Of course, the referee, unaware of these details, had every reason to be fearful.

The referee, probably a year or two older than me, looked at me with pleading eyes, begging me to stop.

But.

“This time, it’s a real duel, right?”

I had no intention of heeding his wish.

I had lost in a single exchange last time, but now I had a way to win.

“No, junior!? Didn’t you lose in a single move last time? Wouldn’t it be better to just give up?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

The flustered referee tried to persuade me, but it was pointless.

There was no harm coming to the referee, so there was no need for guilt.

“So, the rules are the same, right? The duel lasts for a total of 5 minutes. The winner is the one who inflicts more damage.”

“Exactly. Let’s do it.”

I’m not sure why she challenged me to a duel.

However, knowing how to turn a crisis into an opportunity will make the path ahead smoother, especially when it comes to acquiring equipment.

“So, the duel will last 5 minutes. The winner is the one who inflicts more damage within that time, and if the damage is judged to be similar, it will be a draw. Do you agree?”

“Yes.”

“Of course.”

When the duel between Professor Rachel and me was confirmed, the audience became even more excited.

“Didn’t he get completely beaten after attacking the professor first?”

“But what kind of courage does he have?”

“He probably thinks the professor will go easy on him. She wouldn’t treat a cadet the same as she did last time.”

“But why did the professor suggest a duel?”

“Maybe she still holds a grudge from the last incident?”

“Does the professor know him? Is she challenging a cadet to a duel just to boost her own ego?”

Despite the various opinions swirling around, we both were focused solely on the upcoming duel.

As the duel began, Professor Rachel and I went to our designated spots.

Standing there and turning around, I saw Professor Rachel still wearing her indifferent expression, just like when I first saw her.

Professor Rachel, in her pointy hat and cloak that reached below her knees, held the staff that had effortlessly subdued me before.

In my hand was just an ordinary wooden sword.

If there were bets, everyone would surely back Professor Rachel.

But this time, her staff wouldn’t subdue me like before.

This time, I was focused on winning.

As we waited for the referee’s signal to start, Professor Rachel spoke.

“I’ll take it easy on you. Don’t worry, I won’t knock you unconscious.”

When Professor Rachel essentially said she would hold back, I asked her:

“Are you serious? Can you really keep that promise, no matter what happens?”

“Yes. I’ll definitely keep it.”

After getting her firm confirmation, we both looked at the referee.

Confirming that we were ready, the referee started the duel.

“Then, let’s begin the duel. 3… 2… 1… Start!”

As soon as the duel started, Professor Rachel began channeling her mana to create a magic circle.

“Don’t move! If you move even a bit, I will cut my arm off!”

I bluffed.

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Raei  Translations
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“Huh…?”

Professor Rachel watched, puzzled by my actions.

However, I had figured out a simple way to counter her and immediately put my plan into action.

“If you, Professor, decide to attack or move, I’ll cut off one of my limbs, either an arm or a leg. Naturally, the duel will be canceled if I sustain a serious injury.”

“So, that means I’d win, right?”

“What damage have you inflicted on me, Professor Rachel? If that happens, wouldn’t the damage I’ve caused to myself be greater?”

According to the academy’s rules, the outcome of a duel is determined by the damage inflicted, not the damage received.

This includes damage inflicted on summoned creatures, which is why the rule was established, although it presents a loophole.

The academy’s rules consider defense, making it easier to judge the winner based on the inflicted damage.

There are no provisions for self-harm, as such a scenario has never been considered.

Conclusion: If I self-harm, I would have inflicted more damage on myself, therefore, I would win.

However, this explanation wasn’t enough for Professor Rachel, prompting her to ask me further.

“Why can’t I attack?”

“Because if you attack me, you would naturally inflict more damage, which might eventually lead to me fainting. But you said you wouldn’t knock me out, right?

Breaking that promise wouldn’t count as a win, would it? Oh, and if fainting due to self-harm isn’t recognized, I’ll just stand still until I pass out from excessive bleeding.”

I confidently explained my strategy to Rachel.

Bluffing works only when the opponent is aware of what’s at stake.

But Professor Rachel, still not satisfied, posed an additional question.

“What if I hadn’t promised not to knock you out?”

“I would have threatened my own life. I’d put the sword to my throat.”

If a cadet dies or is seriously injured because of a professor, it would be difficult for them to avoid responsibility.

This place would be no exception.

Even with strong backing, the smallest consequence would be losing their professorship.

“What are you…”

Seemingly incredulous at my bluff, Professor Rachel moved slightly.

I didn’t miss her movement and quickly shouted.

“I told you not to move!”

With that, my aura-wrapped wooden sword pierced my left arm.

Whoosh—

The wooden sword made contact with my left arm, and blood began to flow from the tip.

Like water dripping from an icicle melting slightly in warm weather, hot blood ran down the blade, falling to the ground from the sword’s tip.

As the sword penetrated my left arm, blood spurted out, briefly jetting over my head.

This blood, having momentarily taken flight, then fell past my face to the ground.

To an observer, it might look as though I was shedding tears due to the blood’s trajectory near my eyes.

Ah, damn it.

I shouldn’t have stabbed myself.

It hurts like hell.

Feels like I’m actually crying blood.

However, regardless of my feelings, the shocking sight stunned Rachel.

“You…”

I didn’t miss her moment of panic.

“Let’s just dissolve the magic and wait for the 5 minutes to end, shall we? It seems like the best option for us both. If you were thinking of knocking me out, then…”

I then changed my grip on the wooden sword.

Instead of pointing it at her, I aimed it at my own throat, wrapped in aura.

Blood from the arm I had stabbed was soaking the wooden sword.

My right arm trembled with pain, but my resolve was unmistakably conveyed to the professor.

“If you use magic to knock me out, the shockwave will slit my throat. And since it will be caused by your attack, it will surely cause controversy.”

The reason why Joseon’s troublemakers were avoided, and why they always lived drunk; the reason why the electric chair was developed, with random guards executing the sentence.

Taking a life is never an easy decision.

Even people from the medieval ages, who didn’t feel guilty for taking an enemy’s life, couldn’t do the same to a disciple they might end up teaching.

So, my tactic would work.

It had to.

And true to my thoughts, Professor Rachel seemed unable to make a choice.

A cadet like me was unprecedented.

Only someone who doesn’t care about public opinion could pull off such a feat.

I wondered what choice Rachel would make.

Would she attack me, let the time pass, or find another way to overpower me?

Fortunately, the magic circles prepared around Rachel started to dissipate, indicating her virtual surrender.

“You win.”

Four words that summed up the situation.

But they were enough to explain everything.

I had won against her.

Fair and square.

Even though one of my arms was not functioning (due to self-harm) and my body was trembling from the intense pain (self-inflicted), it didn’t matter.

I had won the duel against a Jeolip Academy professor.

“Ha ha ha.”

With the pain of my wound fueling my laughter, I laughed.

As I looked around with a smile, the crowd showed their astonishment.

Most were shocked not by my victory over the professor, but by my resorting to self-harm as a bluff.

“Did that madman just bet his own life?”

“Isn’t he the second son of the Mentuhotep family? Doesn’t he value his life?”

“Even if he had lost to the professor in one hit, no one would’ve blamed him. Why degrade himself like this?”

“But still, winning is impressive, right?”

“Yes, but it’s kind of like the risky move he made earlier.”

“That’s true.”

“Apart from his formal speech, he doesn’t exhibit any noble dignity. He doesn’t seem to have any at all.”

“Even commoners wouldn’t abuse their bodies like that.”

Amidst these varied reactions, I just laughed.

After all, I had won.

And with this insane scene, I had put the chancellor in a difficult position.

The fact that I used self-harm as a bluff could lead to political backlash against the chancellor.

It’s a far-fetched excuse, but in noble society, even such pretexts are significant.

While indulging in these blissful fantasies, Professor Rachel approached me.

“So, is there anything you’d like to request? I’ll grant it if I can.”

And then she offered to grant me one favor.

“Since I won the duel, perhaps I could ask to be moved to the top class.”

This suggestion made me realize something I hadn’t considered before.

It occurred to me that winning the duel meant I could ask for something.

I had entered the duel just to make things difficult for the chancellor and hadn’t thought about what I could gain from winning.

But now, it seemed right to seize any benefit that came my way.

I quickly asked another question.

“Could I make another request, if you’re willing?”

“Yes.”

Professor Rachel indicated she would grant any request within her capability.

There had been one thing I had desired since I enrolled in this academy.

There was only one thing I wanted from this academy.

So, I boldly announced it to everyone in the duel arena.

“Then!! Expel me!!!! Please!!!!”

I shouted loudly, asking to be expelled.

The people around doubted their ears at my declaration.

A few, quick to grasp the situation, doubted my sincerity.

And thinking of the chancellor, who might be watching this scene from somewhere, I smirked.

Now, what will you do, chancellor?

I don’t know why you haven’t expelled me yet, but can you really ignore this and prevent my expulsion?

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