Chapter 45
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Elma handed me a drink as I was enjoying the breeze.
“Oh, thanks for this.”
“Really… It was hard to tell who was the senior in today’s spar. You did so well. I’m becoming prouder of my decision to choose Lan as my partner.”
“No, it’s thanks to you for quickly coming up with a strategy.”
While I kept Jane occupied, Elma took Lienna’s cloth.
It was a strategy that effectively exploited the gaps in the dynamics between seniors and juniors.
“Senior Jane didn’t expect me to handle her while you went after Lienna.”
“Most first-years wouldn’t last even three minutes against Jane. With the blessing, they wouldn’t last three seconds.”
The power of the Four-Syllable Blessing was indeed incredible.
‘It was a blessing that layered the strength of a Holy Knight.’
The sword and armour formed by divine power were particularly specialized in defense.
Divine power is inherently such a force.
‘Protection and healing.’
A defensive and gentle strength.
If it were a game, it would be in the supporter role.
‘If not for Killing Intent, I wouldn’t have been able to pierce through it.’
Killing Intent contains “reduced healing,” making it the extreme counter to divine power.
If Jane had been directly wielding divine power, my still-weak Killing Intent would have been overpowered.
‘But it was only a buff.’
I concentrated my Killing Intent to create a gap in Jane’s blessing.
Using that opening, I hammered in Steel Qi to break the blessing’s structure.
It was a crude method that focused on punching through the defense with brute force.
“I didn’t expect her sword to break….”
I didn’t expect it to shatter into pieces like that either.
-‘Noooo, my sword!!!’
Jane’s lament, clutching the sword handle, was quite a pitiful sight.
Later, I heard it was a very expensive sword.
“Even when I offered to compensate, she flatly refused.”
“A senior can’t take money from a junior. And Jane does tend to exaggerate.”
Well, that’s typical for a Rune.
It’s a prestigious family that’s never lost its standing through all the cycles.
As a promising scion of such a house, she can easily afford to buy a few more swords like that.
-‘Ahhhh! Open your eyes!! Wake up, my sword!’
…That’s probably how it is.
“I don’t have anything specific to teach Lan personally. So, for the rest of the time, let’s focus on training our coordination.”
Elma nodded as if planning out the next steps with her eyes closed.
‘A sword, huh.’
Now that I think about it, it’s time to get a new piece of equipment.
What I have now isn’t bad, but it lacks versatility.
Since I use multiple sword styles simultaneously, being restricted to just one type of sword is quite limiting.
Sword styles can only reach their full potential when used with the right kind of sword.
‘The festival is coming up soon.’
I should start looking in preparation for that.
The first hidden piece of Polaris.
***
“…You chose me as your partner.”
Angela looked at Fernia with cold eyes.
“That’s unexpected. I thought you’d definitely participate in the festival with someone else since you dislike me.”
“Angela. Haven’t I always told you? There is a reason behind everything.”
Fernia leaned forward from her chair.
The sisters, each wearing a hostile expression, looked eerily alike.
“I am a princess. And I am also the student council president of Polaris. Every action of mine carries intent. Even if it’s not my own will.”
If Fernia were to partner with a member of another house, it would inevitably stir up gossip.
An ant is always crushed underfoot when a person steps forward.
Those in high positions must act carefully to leave no room for misinterpretation.
“Rather than tarnishing the royal family’s dignity by partnering with another, I judged that it would be better to enter with you and demonstrate the royal family’s strength.”
“……”
“After all, we are blood relatives.”
Polaris is filled with the offspring of high-ranking families.
Partnering with any of them could be seen as aligning with the royal family’s will.
Even though Polaris upholds equality as a virtue, the moment classes were introduced, that ideal became nothing more than a facade.
“Do not think you have any choice in this. You have no options.”
“Do you… have a choice, Sister?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You, who are being forced to partner with me for the royal family’s sake… don’t you also have no choice?”
Angela gazed at Fernia with the same dry eyes.
She could no longer see her sister any other way.
It wasn’t always like this.
Once, she had admired her more than anyone else.
Because Fernia was that kind of person.
“There’s no sense of self left in you now, Sister.”
“You’re speaking nonsense.”
She had changed.
From the kind sister to the First Princess.
“An individual’s ego is not important for someone aiming to accomplish great things. Besides… didn’t you abandon your own self first?”
“……!”
“Laughable. All because of a single man.”
Fernia’s lips curled into a smirk.
“That’s why you need to erase your tracks when going underground.”
“That is….”
“No one but me knows. And I don’t plan on revealing it. That’s how a sister should be, don’t you think?”
She whispered in a low, secretive voice.
“Your secret, then and now, is ours alone.”
“…I’ll be going now.”
“I’ll be looking forward to the festival.”
Angela left the student council office and headed straight to her private training room.
Crack!
When the lights came on, the chaotic interior of the training room came into view.
Deep sword marks covered every wall, and the scarecrow had been chopped into pieces multiple times.
“Not enough….”
Angela drew her sword.
“With just this… I can’t protect anything…!”
A golden current swirled around her.
A fierce light gleamed in her sharp eyes.
***
“Permission to go out?”
“Yes, is it possible?”
“…It’s not impossible.”
Reina tilted her head, seemingly surprised.
“First-years only get one day off. You know that, right?”
“One day is enough.”
“As long as you know.”
She pulled out a piece of paper from the drawer and quickly signed it.
“Here, take it. It’s a one-day outing permit.”
“Aren’t you going to ask where I’m going?”
“I don’t bother with personal plans or matters. Cadets have their own lives, after all. Besides, you don’t seem like the type to get into trouble out there.”
“It feels good to be trusted.”
“…Don’t get too cocky.”
Reina turned her head sharply.
Her slightly flushed ears were quite noticeable.
“Should I bring you something on the way back? Last time, I noticed you liked cake.”
“It’s not like I…”
“Last time, it was chocolate, so maybe cheesecake this time? Or a crepe would be nice too.”
“Wow~ I like cake too!”
……
“…Professor Karen?”
“Pro-Professor Karen?!”
Karen had slipped in at some point, looking back and forth between us with a bright smile.
“You two seem so~ close. I couldn’t help but join in!”
“Th-That’s a misunderstanding, Professor Karen….”
“Hmm~? What kind of misunderstanding? Hahaha! It’s great when students and professors are close~.”
Karen patted Reina on the shoulder.
Sssss…
Was that dark red aura on her hand… Killing Intent?
Does patting someone’s shoulder really require Killing Intent?
“Lan, are you going out?”
“Yes. I have something to take care of outside.”
“Mm-hmm~ Be careful out there~. If you’re bringing back a cake, make sure to get me one too.”
Crrrack!
Karen tightened her grip on Reina’s shoulder.
“As long as it’s not an ‘ice cream’ cake, anything is fine.”
“Ah… Understood.”
“Reina, how about we have a little chat? I’ll be waiting at the usual terrace~.”
Karen left the room leisurely.
‘I’m not sure, but… she seems angry, right?’
I cast a sympathetic glance toward Reina.
It felt like my fault for dragging on the conversation.
“Um… Professor Reina, I’m sorry.”
“…Huh? Sorry for what?”
“About Professor Karen and… that…”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She suddenly stood up from her seat.
‘Huh.’
To my surprise, there wasn’t a trace of concern or worry on her face.
Instead, it was filled with excitement and anticipation.
“Well, I’d better hurry. Professor Karen is waiting!”
“……”
“Hehe… I’m glad that there have been more opportunities like this lately.”
Reina vanished like the wind in the direction Karen had left.
“…Ha.”
Seriously, there isn’t a single normal person around.
I shook my head as I submitted my outing permit and stepped out of Polaris.
Being the weekend, the train platform was bustling with people.
“Hopefully, I won’t run into another pervert….”
As a guy, it’s pretty embarrassing to think that way.
But being groped here and there isn’t exactly a pleasant experience.
‘This hidden piece won’t take more than a day.’
Unlike the Manchaek Bookstore, the hidden piece I’m about to unlock now doesn’t require much time.
Instead, it requires quite a few other things.
‘Let’s go.’
Time to earn some money.
—
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