episode_0042

In the training hall where everyone held their breath, only the sound of swords echoed loudly.

The tense sparring ended without even the spectators being able to take their eyes off for a moment. The winner, breathing heavily, roughly placed the wooden sword held in both hands on the ground.

The onlookers couldn’t even let out a short cheer or exclamation. It was such an intense confrontation. Every gaze in the training hall was fixed on the lone sword standing at the end of the duel.

– Don’t use the Holy Sword. Confiscating the Holy Sword!

– You need to learn how to handle weapons first.

– You’re quite skilled for a novice? Dual swords suit you better than the greatsword. Use dual swords for the time being. I’ll have them brought from the Information Bureau’s armory.

Karl tended to ignore Louis’s careless words, but he had absolute trust in his swordsmanship.

It had been some time since he had used the power of the Holy Sword after training with Louis. And even now, he was using two wooden swords. They were all methods suggested by Louis.

Swoosh-

He reached out to Chloe, who was lying on the ground.

She still couldn’t grasp her defeat.

As she blinked her eyes, trying to understand the situation, she was taken aback when Karl reached out to her.

“……”

After hesitating, Chloe gently took Karl’s hand.

He exerted force to help her stand up.

Even after getting up, Chloe staggered for a moment until she could stand straight with Karl’s support.

Chloe’s face turned slightly red. Only she would know whether it was embarrassing to lose and fall in front of everyone, or if there was another reason.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, uh-huh.”

Karl was about to apologize to Chloe for pushing her too hard, but Professor Smith’s applause interrupted him.

The sound of clapping made by the prosthetic hand and the intact hand coming together was unfamiliar, so he had no choice but to focus immediately.

“It was a splendid match.”

Chloe smiled wryly.

Karl lightly nodded towards Smith.

“Kal Mayner, make sure Jim is accommodated in the first-class dormitory. I’ll inform the administration.”

“Yes.”

“I think everyone had a good time watching. Show respect to the two who displayed a high-level competition.”

The professor looked around at the students in the training ground, encouraging their response. Soon, there was a burst of enthusiastic cheers. Amidst applause and cheers, Kal and Cloe looked at each other and chuckled.

Cloe now had a somewhat relieved expression. It seemed as if she had finally set down a heavy burden she had been carrying for a long time.

Observing her, Kal became lost in thought. He compared the current Cloe with the one he had seen in the original work, contemplating how he should approach her in the future.

Although the course of the novel had changed, people do not change. Cloe remained just like the Cloe in the novel. She was exactly as expected, both in appearance and reaction.

Kal smiled softly, feeling the omnipotence of being a reader after a long time.

However, he would not cling to the privilege of the reader absolutely. It was merely one of the tools to reference for capturing the heroine.

“The class isn’t over yet, but let Kal go first. There are procedures left for changing majors… I brought you here today just to greet lightly, but you made a splendid match.”

“…”

Instead of answering, Kal nodded his head and left the training ground.

Cloe was gazing at his retreating figure endlessly.

The man who embraced his first defeat at the academy.

A man who reminded her of the teacher who taught her swordsmanship when she was young.

The teacher who had taken root in Cloe’s heart like a massive wall.

Cracks began to appear in that wall.

In its place, an even larger and sturdier wall was beginning to form.

A wall that seemed impassable, although she wanted to overcome it.

Cloe’s heart began to beat faster.

She had found a goal.

A goal to surpass.

“Did you see?”

“No way, I didn’t see anything at all.”

“To subdue that Cloe… the grand lady…”

“The successor to Mayner, a prodigy admitted to the Imperial College, the knight who defeated Cloe, and on top of that… he has it all, including looks…?”

It’s noisy.

Although Karl has already left the training ground, the noise about him is still noisy.

Professor Smith seemed to have no intention of quieting the students. He seemed to want to stimulate them by talking back and forth about the strong. He just looked around at the students with his arms folded without saying a word.

“But don’t they look good together?”

“Yeah! The princess of Gongguo and the son of the highest family in the empire.”

“No, more than that, when I saw them exchanging swords… it was like a painting.”

“That’s right, that’s right!”

…

“That mouth.”

It’s annoying because it’s noisy.

There were always people who were interested in others and easily gossiped about others.

Before possession, you could easily find them at school or here at the academy.

Even though they are not the parties involved, they get excited and chatter among themselves.

The irritation rose, and I couldn’t stay still.

“…Shut your mouth a bit.”

I muttered quietly.

They heard my small but clear voice.

Their expressions stiffened, or rather froze, and the laughter that had been cackling suddenly quieted down.

They turned their heads away from me. It was a wise choice.

The image of me as a bad-tempered villainess was still effective.

Maybe it wasn’t just an image; the thought of becoming a real villainess crossed my mind.

My head is getting hot.

How can I cool down my overheated head…

Tap, tap-

“?”

“Hey, aren’t you Beatrice?”

Someone tapped my shoulder, and I turned around.

There was a male student taking the same class behind me.

Who was he…?

Right, he’s the son of a viscount on the outskirts of the empire.

I forgot his name. I didn’t bother to remember him because he’s an insignificant guy.

I had all the students taking the same class under control through the student council. I quickly forgot about those who didn’t seem helpful.

He’s one of those guys. There’s no need to make an effort to get close to him.

“Do you happen to need a sparring partner?”

“….”

Crackle.

My teeth grind.

That brat, that’s it.

He was stimulated by seeing the sword.

A confident expression and exaggerated posture, relaxed shoulders prove it. His face was filled with the desire to seize an opportunity.

Whether it’s a challenge to someone known for their strength or a ploy to get closer by leaving a deep impression, you can tell just by looking at his expression.

The sight of Clove, who was at a loss, seemed to inspire him. That’s why he dared to pat my shoulder. Underestimating me.

To me, he looked more like a man coming to get a coffee and a number in a manners class than a man applying for a duel. So I feel… annoyed.

“Not you dare?”

No…

I felt a physical revulsion when challenged by a man.

Even though my body is female, I’m still…

“Oh, sure, if you want.”

“Hmph.”

Seeing him scratch his nose and smile makes me feel nauseous.

Thinking that he must be considering himself cool infuriates me.

My head grew even hotter, and I grasped the hilt.

*

Bang!

“Scream!!”

The son of a viscount flew back and collapsed.

The sword he held fell apart.

I made it so.

It was something I often experienced when sparring with Blair for the first time. Now, I’m in a position to break the sword, but…

“Oh my, oh my. Beatrice… He fainted, didn’t he?”

“Really? I’m sorry. I didn’t know he was such a weak man who couldn’t handle this level of swordplay.”

“Tsk tsk… He must have learned a hard lesson. That guy…”

Professor Smith responded curtly to the taunt.

He seemed rather indifferent.

Despite the dismal outcome, he seemed to appreciate the active willingness to spar.

He instructed the students to take the unconscious man to the infirmary next to the sparring ground. He’ll be fine after a nap. A potion will fix him up in no time.

“Phew….”

My head is still burning.

The confrontation with that guy didn’t even serve as a warm-up. I think I need a cold drink.

Unknowingly, I was escaping from the suffocating confrontation room.

I heard the professor calling me from behind, but I ignored it. After all, class time is almost over, isn’t it?

When I stepped out of the confrontation room, there was an unexpected visitor.

It was Yulia, with her pretty silver short hair tied up neatly.

Seeing her, the uneasy feeling I had when I saw her in her uniform seemed to slightly calm down. My stiff expression softened a bit.

“Yulia? What brings you here?”

“Beatrice, aren’t classes still going on…?”

“It’s okay. Professor Smith is lenient towards students who have confronted in front of other students.”

“I see.”

As my doubts were resolved, her violet eyes blinked.

Every time I look into her eyes, I wonder why Yulia isn’t the heroine. She’s so pretty and beautiful…

Maybe there are too many heroines to handle…?

Or maybe, she becomes the heroine in the latter part that I haven’t read yet. She’s just too precious of a character to be left unused.

Her gentle nature, consideration, well-balanced body proportions, and compact facial features gathered closely together. It’s amazing every time I see her. The palace maids must be different.

I shouldn’t show Yulia to Karl after all…

“Beatrice.”

“Yeah?”

Yulia woke me from my reverie with her pleasant voice, like a news announcer.

“A letter has arrived from the Dalia Estate.”

“From the Count?”

“Yes.”

The Count wouldn’t send me a greeting letter… If it’s not directly from him, but instead delivered through Yulia…

I soon understood its meaning.

“I should move.”

In response to my statement, Yulia nodded and curtsied. She picked up her skirt with her fingertips, as she always did.

The recipient of the letter is probably not Beatrice.

It’s likely a letter sent to Princess Tricia Green, not Beatrice de Dalia.

A letter that needs to be read in secret.

Perhaps a letter from the rebel army.