The Spear Slayer

The sword and spear rang out as they clashed. If those two weapons fought, who would win? Most people would bet on the spear. Its long reach granted it an absolute advantage in any contest of distance against a sword. In practice, when sword and spear met, the spear emerged victorious nine times out of ten. The matter of compatibility between weapons was like a wall that could not be easily overcome. To what degree? It was like saying that no matter how large or fierce a cat became, it could never defeat a tiger. In any case, to beat a spear with a sword required an overwhelmingly superior difference in skill.

And fortunately, I possessed a technique capable of crushing Lucy.

Clang!! The sharp ring of metal scraping metal echoed across the training ground with every collision. I steadied my breathing and widened my eyes, sweat stinging them. In my cold, focused vision, only the sharp sword strikes slicing through the air registered.

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Shiiiing! The brilliantly unfolding forms converged into a single point. It became a lightning-fast thrust, hurtling toward my right shoulder. I deflected it powerfully with the flat of my blade.

Kaaang! The loudest noise yet tore into my eardrums. My grip nearly faltered for a moment, but I immediately reset my stance and slashed horizontally across the space before me. At the same time as I launched the checking strike, I stepped back quickly to create distance.

“Huff… huff…”

Rough gasps kept escaping my lips. Damn it. How much had I even moved to end up like this? I had moved while thinking with my past-life body, and my stamina had bottomed out in an instant. The reproduction of my techniques seemed a little off, too.

Not that I think I’ll lose.

Still, it felt somewhat strange. In my previous life, I could have subdued an opponent of this level within three exchanges. Of course, that had been the abnormal one. The present wasn’t weak. After all, I was overwhelming Lucy, who possessed far superior stamina and strength compared to me through technique alone.

The noisy clamor from the surroundings had died down at some point. Everyone was simply watching my spar with Lucy in utter shock. Why were they all so surprised…? I was holding the upper hand, but it wasn’t anything particularly impressive. Failed stamina management, frail muscle strength, misaligned steps. It was a spar that left me dissatisfied in every way. If my father had seen this match, he probably would have beaten me senseless under the pretext of instruction.

“Hngh… haa… Just how… are you…?”

Lucy muttered, her voice trembling. How? She was telegraphing every single attack with her eyes before she even moved. If I couldn’t block something this obvious, those ten years of training might as well have been thrown away. I adjusted my grip on the sword and glanced at the clock.

It’s been quite a while.

More than ten minutes had already passed. Considering my stamina, I needed to settle this in the next exchange. I had spoken as if I had plenty of leeway, but I was reaching my limit as well. I stepped forward again and charged toward the golden-haired girl.

Lucy swung her spear as if to block my approach. I lightly twisted my body to evade it or deflected it slightly with my sword, steadily closing the distance.

Shiiiing!Scratch…!

Every time I turned my head or shifted my body, the wind from her spear strikes that barely missed brushed past my ears. I had abandoned all defense and was focused solely on the attack. If my footwork faltered ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠even slightly, I would eat a counter immediately.

“Ugh…!!”

The precarious situation excited my brain. The pounding of my heart numbed my nerves. It felt like the senses from my previous life were slowly coming back to life. They were etched into my soul like indelible pencil marks.

Clang!!Scratch!Thud!!!

I could see it. More and more clearly. Every single movement the girl before me made. Her gaze, breathing, preparatory motions, footwork, expression. Everything. I had already seized complete control over her.

She’s pouring everything into defense.

Had she noticed that my body was nearing its limit? It seemed she was trying to drag out the fight. I could force my way through, but the fundamental gap in our stats was severe, and my stamina was hanging by a thread. So how could I create a crack in that defense?

In that fleeting moment of thought, I twisted the corner of my mouth slightly and spoke.

“My lord.”

As expected. That kind of line was always a direct hit with kids.

“Didn’t you swear? That you would protect me.”

“……!!”

The heavy psychological blow shook her mind in an instant. Agitation flashed across the girl’s face. At the same time, her once-solid defense loosened for a brief moment, creating an opening. I drove into it.

“This…!!”

Lucy, who had come to her senses too late, swung her spear, but it only grazed my forehead lightly and failed to land a proper blow. A burning pain bloomed from where the spear tip had brushed past, but I paid it no mind. After all, even this had been part of the plan from the beginning.

Claaaang!!!

My sword, swung with full power, struck the spear away. The girl’s grip, loosened by panic, released the weapon entirely.

“Kh…?!”

Not yet. The moment I confirmed her armament was gone, I hooked my leg around hers and tripped the girl. Then I drove my sword into the ground so it would pass right by her face.

Thud!!!

The sword embedded itself with a hair’s breadth to spare. I stood half-covering the fallen girl, breathing harshly. Before my eyes was the sight of the beautiful golden-haired girl, her body frozen stiff.

“Haa… haa…”

“……”

Drip. Drip.

Blood droplets falling from my forehead landed on Lucy’s cheek. It was the wound she had inflicted on me moments ago. I had deliberately adjusted the angle so they would touch her face.

The spectators were frozen as well. They must have been overwhelmed by the excessively fierce atmosphere. This was exactly what I had intended. Eyes filled with shock, faces steeped in confusion, a cold silence.

Success.

I let out a long breath, satisfied that everything had gone according to plan. Like it or not, I was going to attend this academy for the next two years. Being treated like the same old delinquent Raiden even during that time would be troublesome. My mentality wasn’t strong enough to endure that.

That was why I needed a clear reversal. A stimulating reversal intense enough to be burned into everyone’s minds. This spar had been the performance to announce the beginning of that. At the same time, it was a warning thrown at those who looked at me with displeased eyes.

I’m crazy, so don’t even think about messing with me.

Of course, I hadn’t planned on Lucy being chosen as my sparring partner…

No matter that it was a spar, turning the Empire’s princess into a bloody mess would cause problems. I had made an effort to subdue her without inflicting any real wounds. Thanks to that, it had been quite difficult.

“……Haha, hahahaha!!”

A refreshing laugh burst out from the sense of satisfaction and exhilaration. It had been rather fun. There had been no father glaring at me, no masters rushing in to beat me senseless. Nor had my opponent been an overwhelmingly powerful person like those at the world finals whom I could never hope to defeat.

“Ahaha… haha!!”

This was the first time in my life I had swung a sword with such a light heart. Perhaps because the tension had completely melted away, I was laughing like a madman. Without realizing what kind of reaction those around me would show at the sight.

“……Hic.”

It started right beside me. At the strange noise reaching my ears, I lowered my head and looked forward. There, I saw blue eyes glistening with tears.

“Hic… hiccup…”

Trembling eyebrows and a face drained of all color told me the girl was terrified. Only then did I realize how bizarre my appearance must look. I hurriedly got up and tried to calm Lucy, but…

“Hic… ugh, waaaaah!!!”

The golden-haired girl finally burst into tears.

Ah. I’m fucked.

The idol of all people, a star born from the sun. The Emperor’s beloved treasure. A girl revered for her benevolent personality and dazzling beauty. The First Princess of the Empire, Lucy von Lietro. The girl who never lost her dignity as a member of the imperial family was currently…

“Hic… hic…”

Sobbing and trembling. Above her ocean-blue eyes, fear and tears coexisted. When humans faced a bizarre situation, they felt fear before understanding or empathy. Lucy was no exception.

“Ahaha… hahaha!!”

The boy straddling her body, laughing with madness in his voice. Every time the blood droplets from his forehead fell onto her cheek with a plop, Lucy flinched. The pitiful girl held her breath as much as possible and bit her lip hard.

W-what is this…

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It was scary. Too scary. At first, she had only meant to scold ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the wicked Raiden a little. But the situation had flowed in a strange direction. The moment she first realized something was wrong was when she heard the boy’s mockery.

Pfft… Your Highness, are you all right?

That face that had mocked her with a feigned look of concern. The abdomen that throbbed and ached from how hard he had struck it. Lucy had to suppress the groans leaking out as she forced herself to stand.

It was strange. It was definitely Raiden. The same Raiden who had shown no talent for martial arts since childhood and had always relied on her and Neria. So why did it feel like she was facing an entirely different person?

Today, no matter what…! I will make you kneel…!!

She had shouted bravely, but throughout the spar, Lucy had been the one dragged along. The boy’s attacks were simple yet sharp, and his defense refused to let any of the girl’s strikes reach him. It felt like facing a massive wall. No matter how desperately she swung her spear, all that returned was the sound of wind slicing through empty air. Lucy grew more and more anxious.

What is this… what the hell…!! You weren’t like this before, Raiden…!

What pressured the girl wasn’t just his outstanding martial prowess. Those coldly shining black eyes. The gaze filled with unidentifiable emotions sent chills down her spine. Especially that moment.

My lord.

Didn’t you swear? That you would protect me.

The smile he had shown while twisting the corner of his mouth strangely. That alien smile had been enough to make the girl’s heart sink. Shocked by both the words and the expression, Lucy had been completely defeated by the boy’s psychological warfare. And now she was sobbing beneath him, half-covered by his body.

No, in truth, the reason she was shedding tears wasn’t because of the frustration of defeat.

……Haha, hahahaha!!

The boy, who had been frozen while catching his breath, suddenly began laughing like a madman. As if he found this situation truly enjoyable. He let out a pure, clear laugh. That smile mixed with the ferocious atmosphere he had shown until now, creating a bizarre scene. Lucy felt an instinctive terror.

Right beside her, the boy’s sword was embedded after barely missing her face. Blood droplets from his forehead kept tapping her cheek. On top of that, the boy before her was showing an incomprehensible reaction. Her eyes grew hot on their own.

I can’t cry… I can’t cry…

In order to preserve her dignity as a princess, Lucy desperately held back her sobs, but…

The moment her gaze met those madness-filled black eyes—

“Hic… ugh, waaaaah!!!”

She finally broke down crying.

The spar ended like that. Lucy, who had been weeping bitterly, left the training ground supported by her followers. They all glared at me as they passed. I had nothing to say, so I simply kept my head bowed.

“……”

Fuck. Why did I do that? How the hell do you make a princess cry, you idiot… She already had a huge grudge against me. While I was wallowing in self-reproach, someone called out to me in a gentle voice.

“Raiden student.”

It was Professor Lucas.

……I’m going to get scolded, aren’t I?

My father used to hit me thirty times for every mistake. I wondered how many times I would get hit here.

“……Yes.”

“You’ve injured your forehead.”

“Eh?”

I had been bracing myself for the slap that was surely coming, but what returned was an unexpected question about my wound. Startled, I looked up to see Lucas gazing at me with a worried expression.

“The wound isn’t severe… but it could get infected if you’re not careful.”

“……”

“You know the infirmary next to the training ground, right? Go there and get it treated.”

Once again, Lucas lightly patted my shoulder. Only then did I realize something from his kind gesture.

Ah. Come to think of it, there was no way I would get beaten. I was the eldest son of a ducal house, after all. There couldn’t be a professor who would dare lay hands on someone like that. Korn, who was close with Schtner, might say something like “What does your father do?” but not all professors were like him.

Is this… paradise?

Not having to endure beatings even after training ended was an incredibly refreshing educational policy. That meant I wouldn’t have to apply ointment to my body before sleeping anymore.

“Raiden student?”

“……Ah, yes. I understand.”

I had been lost in idle thoughts. Snapping back to reality at Lucas’s call, I nodded. I really must be tired if I was thinking such useless things.

“Then I’ll be going.”

“After you receive treatment, you may leave freely. The class is almost over anyway.”

“Yes.”

I trudged out of the training ground. Gazing at the clear blue sky, I let out a long sigh. The plan had succeeded, and the spar itself had been somewhat enjoyable. So why did I feel so miserable?

Hic… ugh, waaaaah!!!

“Fuck.”

Those tear-filled blue eyes kept flickering in my mind. Over that image overlapped the remnants of the past I had seen in Raiden’s memories. I irritably swept my bangs back.

“Haa……”

……I should have held back a little. It’s always like this. The moment I loosen up even slightly, I lose my mind. You stupid bastard. Because of that personality, I had ruined the people around me countless times.

“Should I apologize later?”

She probably wouldn’t accept it. Not after all the things Raiden had done until now. This time I had even made her cry in front of everyone. She might not even want to see my face.

Well… Raiden had made Lucy cry many times before. But never as hard as this. And certainly not in front of so many people.

“Should I just kill myself?”

A strangely reasonable option suddenly floated through my head, but I forcefully erased it. As I was writing a mental letter of apology with a bitter taste in my mouth, a familiar mechanical sound rang in my ear.

“……?”

What the hell? A hidden quest all of a sudden? What had I even done today to trigger something like this? I tilted my head and opened the status window.

“Status window.”

“……”

I was in the middle of reflecting, and now it was going to immortalize it like this? Wasn’t this a bit much? I stared at the status window with resentful eyes, but it remained silent. So even you aren’t on my side, huh.

I pouted and clicked the reward acquisition button.

“Oh…”

What was this? The effect was pretty good. And it was a synergy-type title. That meant it had room to grow. I had picked up something nice in an unexpected place. It felt like thinking you had two hours of training left only to realize there was only one hour remaining.

“Status window……”

On top of that, the status window was even offering words of comfort. The slight surge of emotion made me furrow my brow. Yeah, there was no way you would tease me. You were trying to cheer me up.

“……Thank you. As always.”

I murmured softly. Without this guy, I wouldn’t have been able to endure this place. It was also this guy who had protected my heart from collapsing with the skill Iron Mind. It was this guy who had pulled me out of despair and led me to a second chance.

It was a suspicious, ambiguous existence. Of course, I still sometimes wondered if I could truly trust it. Still, the feeling of gratitude was unavoidable.

“Yeah, yeah. I got it.”

The status window answered stiffly. I let out a small chuckle at the response and nodded. Right. I should do well. Just hold on a little longer.

I wiped away the blood flowing from my forehead and walked lightly.

……But is this okay? It feels like I’m bleeding quite a lot…?