Chapter 11
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: A Sudden Prophecy
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“Looks like we're first, after all.”
“Yes, I never thought I'd be able to take first place with you.”
Within the destination was a small haven wrapped in magic. On one side stood a huge tent, and on the other, eliminated students sat collapsed on the ground.
Pernyan's eyes met Carlo's, who was staring at him, and he gave a faint smile.
“All arriving students, please enter the tent to rest.”
“Yes.”
“Are you injured?”
“No.”
He had been, but the potions had healed everything.
“…Pernyan and Ruina?”
“They were the first ones here? Does that mean they're first place?”
“What about Prince Ludger and Almon?”
“Is this right…?”
Leaving the astonished dropouts behind, the two entered the tent.
There was nothing particularly special inside. Just chairs, various snacks, and a professor's map showing the locations of the other students.
It was a considerate gesture, allowing them to get a rough idea of the other students' situations through the map.
Pernyan, however, wasn't particularly interested.
“…I really didn't expect to take first place.”
“Neither did I.”
Honestly, he had been half in doubt. The competition was fierce, and besides, Pernyan had never felt any particular drive to be number one.
His only goal was to build a rapport with Ruina by respecting her intentions as much as possible.
He had only put in the effort because it was obvious Ruina would notice and get angry if he slacked off.
“Still, it's not a bad outcome, is it?”
“How could it be? This is my first time taking first place, so I'm overjoyed.”
That was a relief. He had unintentionally stood out, but at least his relationship with Ruina had progressed.
“However, this is merely the first step. I won't be satisfied with this. Since it has come to this, I look forward to working with you in the future.”
“Likewise, I look forward to working with you.”
Just then, the tent flap was pushed aside, and new figures entered.
“Pernyan.”
Phhht. The prince, Ludger, burst out laughing.
“Well, you certainly got one over on me. Have you been hiding your skills?”
“I haven't been hiding anything.”
“For someone who wasn't hiding anything, you've never created a rock wall like that before, have you?”
“Because I never needed to.”
“And now you do?”
“You could say that.”
“Is that so.”
Ludger's gaze briefly flickered over Ruina.
“I understand perfectly.”
“…I don't know what you think you understand, but I feel compelled to say you're wrong.”
“Don't worry. I won't tell a soul.”
“That's not…”
Without responding to Pernyan, Ludger went and sat down a short distance away. Almon, who followed him in, shot Pernyan a glare before sitting beside him.
Subsequently, the students who followed Ludger filled the surrounding area with a clamor.
“…Don't tell me that was really your intention?”
“Don't be ridiculous.”
Ruina pulled back slightly with a wary expression. Pernyan could only let out a hollow laugh at the sight, utterly dumbfounded.
A moment later, Ruina relaxed her narrowed eyes and changed the subject.
“Ah, speaking of which, I ran into Aint Armian the other day.”
“Aint Armian?”
“Yes. I was lightly swinging my sword at the outdoor training ground at night when he came in, seemingly to train as well. The situation was quite amusing. It was rather similar to when you were spying on my practice…”
It was in that moment.
───!
A roar like thunder echoed.
It was lightning, striking down inside his head, a sound only Pernyan could hear.
For an instant, his mind went completely white. A shock similar to the first time he was struck by lightning tore through his thoughts.
“Kghh…!”
A groan escaped through his clenched lips.
Simultaneously.
[- It is clear. That person's talent is great enough to become a Royal Knight.]
[I wanted to free her from the shackles that bound her—the Fallenberg Family.]
Prophecies that had been slumbering in the depths of his consciousness began to spring up one after another.
[“Sunbaenim. No, Ruina of House Bercefe.”
Aint Armian extended his hand.
“Please, become my knight.”]
This was completely different from the prophecies he had seen before. A vividness, as if he were personally at the scene, was etched into Pernyan's senses.
Having defeated Ruina in a duel, Aint offered her his hand. But Ruina did not take it.
The world turned upside down.
The scenery changed.
A blood-red sky, a foul demonic energy. As if the end was nigh, a great evil was targeting Aint Armian.
At that moment, the back of a steadfast knight blocked its path.
[“Sunbaenim! What are you—!”
“Aint Armian. You said it yourself.”
You asked me to be your knight.
And I refused.
“It was because of my pride, but not anymore. I have come to know you, and I have come to know your cause.”
Therefore, this is my destiny.
“A knight is the sword that vanquishes their lord's enemies and the shield that protects their lord.”
A knight.
“Does not flee, leaving their lord behind.”
A knight.
“Does not die after their lord.”
That.
“Is my chivalry.”]
[Ruina charged toward the demon, Andromalius. A blue aura shone brilliantly.]
The world turned upside down once more.
It was a hospital room. When Ruina opened her eyes, Aint was clutching her hand, tears streaming down his face.
[“Thank goodness, I'm so glad.”
“Where… am I?”
“You're in the hospital.”]
The scene cut out for a moment.
[“Sunbaenim. Don't misunderstand me, and listen carefully. Since you said you're my knight, I'll just ask you this straight.”
Aint's eyes, fixed on Ruina, glinted sharply.
“The ones trying to bring down you and House Bercefe. It's the Fallenbergs, isn't it? Those upstarts.”]
The fragments were disjointed, and it took some time to grasp the situation, but if there was one common thread, it was that they were all related to Ruina.
‘Why now?’
Is it because Ruina brought up Aint?
‘So this is when he started trying to use Ruina to turn me into a beggar.’
He already knew that, so it wasn't exactly new information. Besides, a specific timeline wasn't given.
‘…Andromalius.’
He remembered it. It was the name of a demon he'd read about in a book from the library. A creature like that is going to descend?
‘When?’
No, that wasn't the most important thing either.
‘Aint Armian. How dare he call me an upstart…!’
“…alright?”
A rough hand shook his shoulder. Pernyan finally stopped his train of thought and opened his eyes.
Ruina was looking at him with a worried expression.
“…I'm fine.”
“You suddenly cried out, it startled me. You're also pale.”
“It's noth—”
“It doesn't look like nothing.”
It was Ludger's voice.
Only then did Pernyan have the presence of mind to check his surroundings. He realized that everyone in the tent was staring at him.
“…It's nothing, so don't worry about it.”
“For 'nothing,' you look like you're in a lot of pain.”
“I just overexerted myself for the first time in a while. Some of my mana, not yet fully refined, flowed backward.”
“That's not like you. Are you okay now? No need to tell a professor?”
“Yes. Thanks for your concern.”
Pernyan roughly wiped his face. At the gesture, the gazes fixed on him began to disperse one by one.
“…Are you really alright?”
“Yes. It's just as I said.”
“But you were clutching your head.”
…Unnecessarily sharp.
“No, it was my chest.”
“Perhaps we should speak to a professor…”
“I said I'm fine, Ruina Bercefe.”
“Then at least drink a potion. You have plenty, don't you?”
“It's a waste.”
Money is for spending when necessary, not for collecting to be wasted meaninglessly.
“What kind of…”
“You're noisy. Be quiet.”
“Your mouth seems to be working just fine. Understood.”
Ruina nodded curtly.
* * *
‘…What in the world was that?’
The future. A future written in the Prophecy Book, a future further along than anything he had been able to recall no matter how hard he tried.
‘Was it because Ruina mentioned Aint?’
The visions had appeared right after, and only parts related to Ruina had come to mind, so that was highly likely.
‘I'll have to look into this more later.’
Perhaps he could gain knowledge of the future every time he encountered one of Aint's companions.
‘Anyway, Andromalius...’
Is one of the 72 demons really going to descend upon this world? And near the academy, no less?
‘This is insane.’
Demons were nothing short of legendary beings. He was at a loss as to how one would even face them.
‘No, there's no need to worry about that yet. Aint is destined to stop it in the end, and what I just saw happens much later. I need to focus on other things for now.’
The immediate future was more important than the relatively distant threat of Andromalius.
Exactly one month from today, an incident will occur in the first-year Knight Department's ‘War and Practical Dueling’ class.
Aint Armian's second major move, after causing an upset by defeating the 10th-ranked Anto Dnern in the first lecture.
In ‘War and Practical Dueling,’ Aint Armian will face the first-year salutatorian, Verian Calburden.
And the result will be a narrow victory.
It was a major event: Aint Armian, who had already started to make a name for himself by defeating the 10th-ranked Anto Dnern, had now defeated the salutatorian in just one month.
It was the moment he proved his previous victory wasn't a fluke and began to earn true recognition.
‘But the problem didn't end there.’
Just as light has its shadow, where there is a victor, there must also be a loser.
Unlike Aint, who gained victory and fame, Verian would lose a great deal.
His reputation, his honor, and even his powerful backing.
[“I trusted you because of your reputation as the Knight Department's salutatorian, the Knight of Calburden, but it seems I misjudged you.”
“…My apologies. Next time, I will definitely…”
“What is there to be sorry for? It's just that my expectations were a bit too high. For now, focus on recovering your body and mind. We'll speak again when the opportunity arises.”
At the virtual dismissal, Verian lowered his head and bit his lip.
‘Aint Armian…!’
Rage against Aint Armian began to simmer within him.]
Unlike the sudden episode from before, these were prophecies Pernyan had intentionally recalled.
This was the part where, after being defeated by Aint in a public setting, Verian was treated like a disposable card by Ludger.
Of course, it seemed Ludger had left him a slight opening.
However, for the one on the receiving end, the one who had been at the very top, it would have been perceived differently.
‘He must have felt like his world had ended.’
Defeated by a member of the Armian family he had always sought to surpass, and scorned by the backer he had trusted, Verian Calburden would fall to a demon's temptation because of this incident.
Yes, a demon.
It was the moment a demon would finally appear, albeit indirectly, for the first time.
‘The problem is, it doesn't say exactly where or how they make contact.’
Was the Prophecy Book incomplete, or was the demon just that thorough?
Pernyan leaned more toward the former.
It was a book of prophecy that foretold the future, after all. It made no sense that a demon's thoroughness would prevent it from being recorded.
“Ruina.”
“Yes.”
“Do you believe that demons exist?”
“…That's a very sudden question.”
“Just answer.”
At his urging, Ruina nodded.
“I do. Isn't this empire the very nation that was founded after defeating demons?”
“What if I said they still exist on this land today?”
“…Honestly, I would find that hard to believe.”
“As would I.”
Yes, that was the typical reaction. The demons, vanquished by the first emperor, hadn't shown themselves in the last thousand years.
People often dismiss things as false if they haven't been seen for a mere hundred years, let alone a thousand. To modern humanity, demons were nothing more than distant legends or fairy tales.
That was why this upcoming event was all the more important.
‘If I can just get a trace of a demon, it will be much easier to convince others and get their help.’
There's a clear difference between a simple delusion and tangible proof. With the latter, he could expand the board.
‘I can also verify the Prophecy Book once more.’
Even if ninety-nine other things were correct, if this one thing about demons was wrong, it would mean a fundamental part of the Prophecy Book was flawed. This was, therefore, a matter of utmost importance.
“But why the sudden talk of demons? Is your head still hurting…?”
“I believe I said I was fine.”
Just then, the tent flap opened, and Grad entered.
“Everyone, come out.”
The practical exercise was over.