episode_0034

If there was something I thought was different between the nobles in this other world and the nobles from Earth’s history…

It was their obsession with swords.

In this world, all nobles learn swordsmanship.

When you think about it, it’s quite peculiar.

It’s not like we’re in the middle of a war, and there are no major enemies, yet even the young ladies learn swordsmanship as an essential skill, not just the men.

Even though they can enhance their bodies, this is a world with magic, so I was curious why they valued swords so much.

No, even if there was no magic, why is mastering the art of killing people so important that they are so eager to learn it…?

“The Empire was built with swords.”

“Pardon?”

My father answered my question like that.

“Birdem, it would be a big mistake to think of swordsmanship simply as a way to handle a sword. There was once an Iron Age when all nobles went to war relying solely on their own martial strength. Secret swordsmanship is the most certain way to prove how rooted and historically deep your family is. You must not think of it only as a tool for cutting cloth.”

“Ah… yes, I see.”

For this reason, of course, the most popular lecture at the academy was swordsmanship.

And again, of course, there were more than enough students who wanted to challenge the advanced swordsmanship class.

I can’t stop this.

The word ‘advanced’ attached to the lectures at the academy means, so to speak… that mediocre guys shouldn’t even try.

It’s not like other lectures have words like ‘basic’ or ‘low-level’ attached to them.

It’s divided like magical studies lectures and advanced magical studies lectures, hieroglyphic decryption lectures and advanced hieroglyphic decryption lectures.

It’s an unspoken rule.

If you haven’t learned hieroglyphic decryption with your family’s secret technique…

Know your place and don’t come to the advanced hieroglyphic decryption lecture.

You came without a secret technique? You will be ostracized.

But advanced swordsmanship lectures are different.

Even the nobles who have been merchants for generations.

Even the nobles who have been mining for hundreds of years.

All of them have secret swordsmanship for the reason mentioned earlier.

Even if the academy tries to filter them out beforehand…

They can’t say anything when they hear a protest like, ‘Are you saying my family’s secret swordsmanship isn’t good enough to listen to the advanced lecture?’

So-

“Are there this many again, aaaagh!!!”

“…”

The professor screamed, looking at the classroom that was packed without even room to stick a foot in.

…Due to the special nature of swordsmanship lectures, the professor suffers more than in any other lecture.

This is because they have to accurately understand, remember, and develop the swordsmanship of over a hundred families every year, while proceeding with the lecture without distorting each family’s secret swordsmanship.

“Go easy, go easy!! If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have slain that dragon…”

The seemingly foolish professor, almost sobbing, looks at the students with a haggard face, but they were chosen because they had that ability.

They were definitely not ordinary people.

“…They really killed a dragon, Magranian Sharle…”

“To be able to learn swordsmanship from such a person…”

Pink long hair with a lively color unlike a professor.

The female side of the only two dragon slayers remaining.

A monster knight whose cross-verified story is that she swung her sword in the fire for a week without rest, killing a dragon the size of a castle.

The students listened to Sharle’s wailing with one ear and let it out with the other, becoming encouraged.

If they can learn swordsmanship from Sharle, that alone is enough reason to come to the academy, that’s what they seemed to be thinking.

Sharle, who had been screaming for a long time, declared in a crawling voice, whether she had calmed down or given up.

“Haa… anyway, you guys heard the exam content from the seniors, right? I can’t teach over a hundred people. I’ll only teach exactly thirty people.”

“I have a question.”

A student raised their hand to Sharle’s gloomy declaration.

“What is it?”

“By any chance, would it be okay to give up the condition of a three-person team and enter alone?”

A clear but firm voice.

It was Senfensia Olbesia.

Of course, they chose the advanced swordsmanship lecture.

But Sharle shook their head.

“No.”

“Can I hear the reason?”

“Then 30 people will be picked too easily.”

“…?”

“Senfensia, Faltis, Serilatus… you’ll be picked in order of who’s really strong. Are you crazy? To only teach them?? Let me rest a bit! I’ll have 10 guys to teach hard, and 20 guys I can teach moderately. Any complaints? Then speak up now!”

No one opened their mouth.

Those who belonged to the 10 thought there was no way they wouldn’t be able to meet any conditions.

The rest closed their mouths because they knew it was nearly impossible to get into the top 30 with their skills anyway. If they were carried by luck, then there was nothing better.

As the classroom became quiet, Sharle carefully asked.

“…Um, hey, can’t you guys raise any objections? Could someone quickly stand up and say they don’t want to learn from a professor who doesn’t even know the subject, and tell their parents to cut me off right away…?”

No answer came back.

Sharle took out a steel box that couldn’t be seen inside with teary eyes.

“Damn it!!! All the families called out, come forward! Senfensia, Faltis, Serilatus…”

Of course, the Pirnea family was among the families Sharle called out.

Pirnea grumbled and went out.

“I didn’t even learn our family’s secret swordsmanship, why do I have to go out?”

“It seems they’re picking based on family name rather than strength.”

It’s a similar saying. A high family possesses a high level of swordsmanship.

Pirnea… certainly didn’t learn secret swordsmanship, but.

Does it matter?

Even if they fought sword to sword, the opponent would accidentally lose their footing and fall down in a disgraceful manner.

Probably, unless they are a top-class swordsman, they will realize it was their own mistake.

Even if they are a top-class swordsman, they will only notice after they lose.

“The eldest daughter of the Faltis family, it’s the first time I’ve seen them since last year.”

“Ah, Olbesia, hello.”

The 30 nobles who were called out didn’t even talk to each other and only looked straight ahead.

Even if they are close to each other, they are fighting for the right to take that advanced swordsmanship lecture.

And 20 of them will definitely be eliminated.

You could feel the burning desire to win, as if they absolutely couldn’t lose.

Except for Faltis and Senfensia, the two families seemed to know each other.

Sharle stood in front of the nobles with the box.

“Here, it’s a ball with the names of all the students who applied for the course written on it, so pick one each.”

“I can pick first, right?”

Pirnea naturally took a step forward.

-Clang.

At the same time, there was someone who took a step forward.

Olbesia looked down at Pirnea with cold eyes. Because they were so tall, the pressure was no joke.

But Pirnea stepped on their steel boots without being intimidated at all.

“Get your foot out of the way.”

“Don’t decide the order as you please.”

“Hmm, haven’t you been educated enough? Do you think it matters whether you decide the order or not?”

“No. But isn’t it the etiquette of a noble to give meaning to meaningless things?”

Another noble stood in front of Olbesia, who had made a radical statement.

“You’d better get that dirty foot out of the way right now. Who do you think you are…!”

It was Lariel, with a frown on their face.

…?

No, why are they there?

…Ah, right. Prezium.

I had forgotten that they were a tremendous family because they were a bit ditzy.

Olbesia cast a cold gaze at Lariel as well.

“You’ve trained a cute puppy in that short amount of time. As expected of Serilatus. I’m looking forward to it.”

“P, puppy?? Are you crazy???”

As Lariel, who was irritated, took a step forward, Pirnea sighed.

“Okay, well, you pick first.”

The order doesn’t matter to Pirnea anyway.

They must already be able to distinguish what color the beads are inside the box.

Pirnea’s magic is telekinesis in name, but it has already reached the realm beyond that long ago.

No matter who picks first, they can manipulate the results enough by moving the beads-

“Eek! I’ll just hand them out, don’t fight over something like this!”

“Huh?”

Sharle suddenly grabbed the beads in the box and threw them, two at a time.

The movements were so sudden and quick that they couldn’t react.

…This isn’t good.

Pirnea received the beads with a flustered expression and checked them, but it seemed my name wasn’t there as their expression crumpled.

Things have become troublesome.

Now it was important who picked my beads.

“Then from the right, say your team members! The guys who are called out come out and make some plans or something.”

At least if it’s Lariel-

“Rapel, Bakelina… is what’s written here.”

Not there.

Pirnea sighed and muttered.

“Leia, Psyche.”

“…”

Everyone in the hall buzzed.

“L, Leia, the younger sister of the hero…”

“Even Psyche is from the Gale Sword family.”

“Isn’t their luck too good…?”

Leia, who was inevitably left behind because the eldest daughter of the Faltis family was called.

Of course, they are top-class goods, but they happen to be with the Serilatus family.

With the Gale Sword family as well.

Is Pirnea’s luck overwhelming, completing a certain strongest combination.

I stood awkwardly in front of Pirnea and looked at Leia, and the student standing next to them with a haughty face.

“U, um, h, hello, hello?”

“…”

“…”

Leia tried to say hello, but Pirnea and Psyche both ignored them.

Pirnea was lost in thought, and Psyche just did.

“Waaa…”

Leia almost cried, then found me and gave me a look asking for help.

It was beyond my ability.

I was also impatient and waited for my name to be called.

At least, if it’s Olbesia-

“Kain, Rafenia.”

This is bad.

The remaining families are weak.

Of course, their swordsmanship skills won’t be very high either.

…I’m going to have a hard time.

I sighed and waited, but my name wasn’t called until the end.

“?”

“Okay, so everyone’s made their teams?”

“No, my butler is still there.”

“What? Who’s not called?”

Sharle tilted their head as Pirnea hurriedly spoke.

Then-

From the corner, a voice as small as an ant mosquito was heard.

“B, Birdem.”

It was a familiar voice.

I gritted my teeth and looked at that place.

A young lady was trembling.

“…Arin.”

…

It’s truly a tenacious bad relationship. There’s no other way to explain it.

I sighed briefly, walked forward, and first reached out my hand.

“Please take good care of me.”

“…Hic.”

“Lady Emily.”

Their eyes were filled with despair.