episode_0039

[Preliminary information]

[Cadet Berrador’s opponent is Julia von Mercato.]

[The match starts at 11:50. Until then, please come to the training center.]

As soon as I woke up this morning, I clicked on the letter I saw and the above content came out.

By the way, Julia von Mercato…

It’s a name I heard somewhere.

I looked around to see that Bea and Agnes were still watching me.

Even though he said he was fine in the morning, he continued to look nervous.

I left the two alone and called Solar out of the classroom.

“What’s going on?”

“Julia von Mercato. Do you know who it is?”

“.. The person I mentioned last time, who I have been with for a long time… is my friend.”

“Ah! That’s right.”

I was wondering where I heard it, and Solar told me about it.

“Is your opponent Julia?”

“Uh. Just teach me what weapon to use.”

It’s not fun to play a match with too much information, but you should have the minimum amount of information.

So that we can at least prepare.

“Julia’s main weapon is a sword. And, unusually, he has a special talent for water magic.”

“Magic?”

I know that there are wizards among women.

However, there are very few people who use magic and also use a sword.

“Yes. You can think of it as a magic swordsman, a title used among adventurers.”

“Oh.. this is a coincidence.”

Magic swordsmen are truly rare.

It is rare for a woman to have a talent for magic, but if she also has a talent for swordsmanship, she is almost an all-rounder.

However, due to the extreme odds, one person emerged.

But the man had no chance of that.

All men with the talent for physical enhancement died in infancy.

Except in my case.

“Sounds fun.”

Even with that talent, she might be weaker than Bea, the senior, but this is her first time fighting between magic.

I’m starting to get a little excited.

It’s not that there aren’t wizards around me, but the only ones are either very good wizards or wizards I’ve met for a long time, so I’ve never sparred with them.

“Tell Julia von Mercato too. I also use the same sword and magic.”

“.. Are you okay? Julia is stronger than me.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

I’ll probably win, but it doesn’t matter even if I lose.

What’s important is that you fought with all your might?

‘what. If you’re having a hard time, you can just take off your earrings.’

So don’t worry.

Because I’m going to win anyway.

“I understand. Well then, I’ll just leave.”

“Oh wait a minute. Who are you playing against?”

“… I am… the princess.”

Agnes and Sola.

They both have experience in fighting, so they know how strong they are.

This must be pretty fun too.

“It’s okay to cheer for someone, but…don’t just play games you’ll regret.”

“I understand. Okay then. ”

He looked at Solar for a moment as she returned to her seat, then returned to her seat.

As they sat down on the chairs, they both flinched and smiled awkwardly.

“It’s okay. Do as usual.. It’s more uncomfortable to do this now..”

“G.. Really?”

“Okay.”

“Really?”

“Yes!”

He usually acts so boldly, but at times like this, he always turns timid.

Still, I feel a little better and I’m not as nervous as before.

“Agnes said she is having a fight with Solar.”

“Ah.. uh..”

“I may not be able to cheer for anyone, but I will do my best. Got it?”

“Okay..”

I patted Agnes’ slightly sullen head and this time looked at Bea.

“Bea, who are you playing against?”

“Uh… Aria von Pekonia Yes. I’m going to cheer, right?”

“Okay.”

Of course, I should support a match against someone who has nothing to do with me.

Grumble!

Shortly after 9 o’clock, the classroom door opened and Professor Jan came in.

“Ah.. Hello everyone.. Oh.. Because the preliminary round starts today.. A.. The lecture.. ends at 10:30..”

After that, Professor Zan wrote the order of competition on the blackboard.

In Class 1, the battle begins with Agnes and Solar.

The second to last ones are Bea and Aria von Pekonia.

And the last one is me and Julia von Mercato.

“Then, let me explain the rules of the match.”

The professor’s voice lost its tremor as if the explanation was part of the lesson.

okay.

How good would it be if you said it without shaking?

“In Daejeon, a cadet surrenders. This continues until you become incapable of combat.”

“Nothing is prohibited and all wounds during the fight will be healed once you leave the sparring area.”

“Only weapons issued at the sparring hall can be used. If you possess any other artifacts or weapons, you will be disqualified, so please be careful.”

“In order to leave the sparring area, you must surrender or be incapable of combat. In other words, there is no need to fly out of the sparring arena and get hit.”

“Can continue even if weapon is destroyed.”

“It is possible to bring extra weapons.”

“Besides that…”

Afterwards, Professor Jan’s explanation continued until it was class 1’s turn to compete.

***

“Ugh.. why are there so many rules..”

“I thought I just had to memorize a few big rules.”

The cadets of Class 1 headed to the training center with a loud buzz.

Among them, Julia von Pekonia was only looking at her old friend Sola.

Solar, looking around as if looking for someone, eventually began walking with her shoulders slumped.

When Solar started acting like this, it was after her duel with that man.

‘.. I shouldn’t have said that..’

I bit my lip and tried to regret it, but it already happened.

I can’t even guess what happened.

How did that man beat Solar and what strange tricks did he use to make Solar, who was only interested in swordsmanship, change like this?

But the good news is that the person I am competing against in the preliminaries is that man.

He’s worried that something similar will happen to him, but he’ll find out what he did to Solar.

‘… I’ll save you, Solar..’

Julia pledged and glared at where the man would be in front of her.

Meanwhile, the man.

“Haaam… I’m falling asleep…”

“So who wants to go to the training center at dawn?”

“.. I couldn’t sleep at that time..”

He was walking calmly.

‘..Why does the back of my head hurt so much…’

I scratched the back of my head, which was tingling for no reason.

When we arrived at the training center, Agnes went in first and spoke.

“I’ll go get ready.”

“Okay, cheer up! I’ll be watching.”

After sending Agnes away, Bea and I headed to the audience.

The cadets from other classes still stayed in the audience, so there weren’t that many seats, but there was still enough room for everyone to sit.

When I looked again, there were not only first year cadets but also other year cadets.

For some reason, the training center, which didn’t seem like it could be filled with a population of only a hundred or sixty, was full.

“From now on, the sparring for the first grade class will begin. My name is Lauren, the swordsmanship professor in charge of commentary.”

“Uh..”

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

When Bea hears the word Lauren, she starts shaking.

I hugged Bea and asked her what was going on, and she said that the professor was photographed properly during the entrance ceremony.

After that, he was forcibly called to special training once in a while and trained to the point of exhaustion.

“Well.. Come to think of it.. Lately I haven’t gone even when I called..”

“.. Cheer up..”

After hugging Bea once more, whose expression was getting darker, Agnes and Solar were in the sparring room.

“Are all cadets on both sides ready?”

Two people standing in a circle on either side nodded.

“The battle begins!”

At the same time as the sound announcing the start.

Kwaaa!!!

The two women clashed.

‘.. I didn’t know that not being able to hear the conversation really meant that I couldn’t hear the conversation…’

I was caught off guard and was a bit surprised.

Quang! Kagagagagang!!

A series of attacks so strong that the lights flash.

No one is pushed aside.

No one can push it.

The battle, which Agnes thought might be one-sided, continued in an even manner.

There was no longer the disheveled Solar who suffered a crushing defeat.

Kaang!

At that time, the swords collide strongly.

Agnes was slightly pushed away.

After checking his sword once, he threw it on the floor.

Then he took out the spear he was wearing on his back and took a stance.

Huh! Huh!

A spear that swings in the shape of a cross.

Due to the difference in reach between the spear and the sword, Solar took a slight step back.

At that time, the outcome of this match was decided.

Huh! Kaang! Huh!

Solar dodges and blocks repeatedly, and Agnes keeps pushing without giving them any distance.

When Solar’s fifth sword was broken.

Surrender came.

Agnes raised the spear in her hand high into the sky.

“Winner Cadet Agnes.”

“““Wow!!!”””

Cheers rang out from the audience.

Agnes approached and held out her hand, and Sola stood up while holding her hand.

I was a little worried that someone might get offended.

Fortunately, both were smiling.

***

“The next match is Beatyrus and Aria. Come up to the sparring hall.”

After that, the other matches ended one-sidedly and Bea’s turn came.

Bea and Aria came up to the sparring hall and stood on top.

however.

“.. Why is Bea like that?”

“.. That’s right. Are you nervous?”

Bea’s expression wasn’t very good.

As if I had seen something terrible.

“Both sides are ready… Beatirus, why are you doing this?”

Professor Lauren also suddenly stopped the battle before it started.

Bea’s expression continued to worsen, as if she had no intention of returning.

‘.. if..’

I looked at the sparring hall with concentration, just in case.

just as expected.

“Ha..?”

The black mana flowing from Aria’s body was heading towards Bea.

I tried to protest immediately.

“.. Beatirus is disqualified as commentator and referee.”

“Wait..!”

Professor Lauren’s words came first.

flutter

As soon as the black mana ran out, Bea fell.

“.. Damn..”

I immediately jumped to the sparring area to check the condition and found that it was not life-threatening.

When I looked to the other side, Aria had already left.

Enough time to erase the evidence.

Moreover, since I was the only one who saw the mana, it was impossible to go against the professor’s judgment.

Crackling

Biting your teeth hard makes a bad sound.

Professor Loren is unaware of such a situation.

“Next Daejeon. Cadet Berador and Cadet Julia.”

The next battle began.

Julia standing opposite.

He was wary of me and said something.

“–.. —- — –..”

“Julia.”

But I couldn’t hear what it meant.

And I apologized in advance.

“- — —..”

“Sorry in advance. It’s not your fault, but I can’t control it.”

I closed my mouth after those words.

Even if I open my mouth anymore, nothing good will come out.

“Are the two cadets ready?”

When I nodded, Julia also nodded.

“—..– –..”

“The battle begins!”

As soon as the battle began with Julia’s mumbling.

With water droplets rising around me.

Julia running towards me.

Looking at her like that.

“I clearly apologized.”

I whispered quietly and chanted.

“Gelátĭo”

That moment.

Damn it! Damn it!

The entire sparring hall was frozen.

“–! –!”

“–! —–!”

Although the audience is shouting something.

It didn’t matter.

“….”

With one gesture.

Sharp ice pieces appear.

I turned to Julia.

“Go.”

Shhh!!

A piece of ice flying in the wind with a crackling sound.

Julia is looking at the ice sculpture with vain eyes.

Kwakagak! Chijijijin!

Pieces of ice were cut by the sword.

It wasn’t Julia who stopped it.

“… Cadet Berador. Didn’t I tell you to stop?”

Professor Lauren suddenly approached.

She blocked a piece of ice in front of Julia.

Clap

Putting the sword back again.

“.. Winner Berrador.”

It announced the end of Daejeon.

Until I leave the sparring hall.

There was only silence in the sparring hall.