Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Enrollment (1)
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Aurora alone knew.
There had been no such thing as the barrier error everyone kept mentioning.
In that hair-trigger moment, she had clearly seen it.
'Building a Heart Image was impressive, but he's still so green.'
She had been certain of her victory.
Considering the exchanges so far and his failed attempt to mimic her Sword Aura.
Further probing was pointless, so she had charged in to shatter his sword and end it.
'...Suddenly reaching into his pocket?'
But in that slowed time, his demeanor turned icy, and he did something bizarre.
Whatever trick he had up his sleeve, it wouldn't matter.
'Too late!'
Her sword would be faster.
That's what she thought.
Until their eyes met.
Kugugu...!
An overwhelming pressure crushed her entire body.
For the first time, she felt a killing intent so immense... It was unlike anything she'd ever sensed—every nerve in her body screamed in alarm.
'W-What is this!'
Her body was warning her.
Get any closer, and she'd die.
His Heart Image, which had seemed so pathetic moments ago, suddenly loomed like a colossal giant.
It was too late to back down.
Her sword, cloaked in multicolored Sword Aura, was already surging toward him.
Aurora made her decision.
Fine then—she'd strike first...
"......Huh?"
Aurora let out a dazed sigh without realizing it.
The outcome happened in an instant.
[Test Ended]
There was no pain from having her throat slit. It was a strike of awe-inspiring precision—one she'd never seen so clean in her life.
But her body remembered the sensation of being beheaded once.
"Hah, haa...!"
Cold sweat poured down like mad, and she had to grope her neck several times to confirm it was still there.
Druruk.
Then, a familiar sound reached her ears.
Aurora flinched and stared at him.
He was quietly tucking something back into his pocket.
Ignoring the commotion around me for now,
I slumped down and walked over to her, extending a hand to the girl who looked flustered.
"Sorry."
It was an apology loaded with meaning.
Pulling out a cutter knife in a sacred duel between swordsmen—what a joke.
It wasn't respectful to an opponent who had shown such flashy, impressive Sword Aura.
...Twitch.
She trembled like she was scared.
'What's this about?'
Did dying once give her PTSD?
I didn't chase her reaction but crouched down right there and said,
"Hey, your Sword Aura was cool."
"......"
"Multicolored like a rainbow. First time I've seen anything that pretty. I... I'm sorry for ending the duel like this."
"...Was it fun?"
"Huh?"
"Hiding your skills and deceiving me. Was that fun?"
Aurora trembled, shooting me a glare full of hostility.
The mood chilled in an instant.
Looks like I'd caused a misunderstanding.
"I wasn't deceiving you."
"Hah! Right to the end— you're the worst."
"You know that too. Did my sloppy swordplay look like acting?"
"Then what was that final strike!"
Aurora shot to her feet, clenching her fists, her face on the verge of tears.
Her eyes staring at me made her seem deeply wronged.
From experience, blurting out anything in a hurry would only make it worse.
I met her gaze steadily, waiting until her emotions subsided.
Once she seemed somewhat calmed, I spoke again.
"...I can't control it."
"What?"
"Everyone has an ace up their sleeve. Yours was Sword Aura... Mine has heavy restrictions. Honestly, it's hard for me to even stand here unscathed right now."
It was true.
Power had surged through me like a lie before, but now my Heart Power was drained—I wanted to collapse into bed immediately.
Thankfully, unlike back then, I had a Heart Image now, and pulling it out briefly only took me this far.
At my honest attitude, Aurora softened a bit, averting her eyes downward.
Still, she didn't seem to fully believe me.
She muttered softly, questioning me—her voice much gentler than before.
"...You expect me to believe that? You can unleash a strike like that, but you're saying you weren't acting all this time."
"If you put it that way, I got nothing else to say. Still, for some reason, I'd appreciate it if you believed me. Everything I just told you is true."
"......"
She clamped her mouth shut, her gaze slowly dropping to the floor again.
She seemed so starved for affirmation.
Elite families are always tough, no matter the world.
I recalled her sharp expression and tone from our first meeting. Had she grown up without much praise?
"Saying it again, but your Sword Aura was cool."
"...Quit saying weird stuff! What's cool about Sword Aura that's so inconsistent—"
"It's cool because it's inconsistent."
"What?"
"A rainbow in the sky is pretty because each of its seven colors stands out on its own."
"......"
Aurora's eyes shook uncertainly at my words.
So I added a bit more to ease the tension.
"It's pretty. Your Sword Aura."
"Y-You're an idiot? Swordsmanship is about efficiency! We don't swing for prettiness!"
Her mouth denied it with grumbles, but her reaction was honest.
Her face flushed red in real time.
The moment I saw it,
'She's embarrassed.'
I was certain.
One hundred percent.
Girls with rough speech usually have good hearts deep down. Well, not all of them, but.
For some reason, I felt satisfied and let out a smirk.
"Test ended! Both students pass, so come down from the training grounds now!"
The situation around us seemed sorted out.
Now it was really time to head back to Adel.
"See you at the academy later."
As I turned to leave the training grounds, a small voice came from behind.
"......Wait."
"Yeah?"
"Aurora."
Turning back, she was still mumbling while staring at the ground.
"My name. You must've heard it from the instructor... since you asked earlier."
Her prim addition made me burst out laughing again.
"Got it, Aurora. I'll remember."
I gave a light wave and descended from the training grounds.
For some reason, the Sword Saint old man was nowhere to be seen.
'Suits me fine.'
I slipped away quickly and headed straight for the main gate where Adel was waiting.
After everything wrapped up, I met Adel again at the main gate.
She'd waited too long and stood there with arms crossed, looking sulky.
It took over half a day just to explain and soothe her. Not sure why I had to, since I wasn't even her boyfriend, but...
[Admission Notice]
Somehow, things worked out.
A week later, the enrollment confirmation arrived.
I'd just given my address and bolted like a fugitive, so I was honestly anxious, but it seemed handled fine.
Probably the Sword Saint old man pulled some strings behind the scenes.
Thinking about it, I'd basically skipped the test process and gotten special treatment.
'Feels kinda iffy...'
But why no follow-up contact?
That test moment was the last I'd seen of him.
"Still, passing is a relief."
"......"
"What's wrong, sir?"
Seeing Adel beaming while folding laundry beside me, I couldn't casually bring it up.
'Sigh, just accept it.'
From the moment I got the Cutter Knife Blessing, I was far from the lone swordsman fantasy path.
Afterward, we sold the old palace and moved to the student dorms inside the academy.
"Looks like that's all wrapped up."
"You worked hard."
Our new place was a two-story mansion blending red brick and white marble.
"Moving's done—should we order jjajangmyeon?"
"...Jjajangmyeon?"
"They deliver here, by the way. Delivery guys on iron bikes zooming around on magic carpets is everyday life in this neighborhood."
"......"
I wasn't even surprised anymore.
Magic engineering was advanced, but I didn't expect delivery culture to be this civilized.
"I'll have geonjjajang."
"Understood. Heading out?"
"Just scouting around. Back in 30 minutes."
I stepped out with a resigned shrug.
The moment I opened the door, an endless row of mansions stretched before me.
Hands on hips, I took in the view.
It hit me again—this felt like one massive planned city.
'Doesn't the academy basically own the whole district?'
Pristine sidewalks, uniform streetlamps lining the way, and far off, the academy's massive main tower spire.
'...Yeah, it's a million light-years from the noble lone swordsman romance I dreamed of.'
But honing my own sword in this bizarre, modern fantasy world didn't sound so bad.
Of course, no cutter knife for me.
As I reaffirmed my resolve while admiring the academy vista,
"Hey, you a prospective student by any chance?"
A playful female voice came from behind.
Turning around, violet eyes met mine.
"Yeah, that's me. Who're you?"
"Ah, I'm a Kronbel Academy student here."
Long black hair, height about eye-level with me.
Her dark double eyelids curved into a feline vibe.
And.
"Second-year Swordsmanship Club, Sein von Aditora. You?"
"......"
It was huge.
The chest peeking through her women's uniform shirt buttons asserted its presence, as if ready to burst them open at any second.