Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Maha Empire Academy (2)
Karen noticed Rudian's expression and gave a bitter smile.
"...Judging by your expression, I think I know what you're thinking. But don't worry. We know our place too. There's no reason to hurt feelings by establishing a hierarchy when we should be helping each other aim higher."
"I see."
"But even so, it would be good to see what the newcomer is capable of, right?"
Karen had somehow produced two wooden swords and threw one to Rudian.
When Rudian made a slightly troubled expression, Karen smiled gently.
"It goes without saying, but I won't go all out against a freshman. I just want to see your skills. Come at me with everything you've got."
"...Your expression doesn't look like that at all."
She seemed to be burning fiercely, as if ready to devour someone.
In this situation, the most troubled person was Adel, who had brought Rudian here.
"Senior Karen, we agreed not to do this."
"When did I say I was going to beat him up? I'm just saying I want to see his skill level."
"...That's the same thing, isn't it?"
Adel had heard about Rudian's general background from Luciella.
The offspring of Calline, the young lord of Iskar, who had received some training but, being of common birth, hadn't received professional and systematic education!
How he received the selection of the revered Sword Master Kaitel was a mystery, but Adel had no way of knowing that Luciella's information manipulation had been involved.
"Honestly, I'm curious. I've heard that until now, the only person he's personally chosen was Lord Crux."
Besides Karen, others present in the hall were curious about the abilities of the person who had received Sword Master Kaitel's favoritism.
Kaitel was their patron, their goal, and the object of their admiration.
Karen, in particular, felt this more strongly as she was one of the candidates to be Kaitel's successor.
'Haah, I guess it can't be helped.'
Rudian gripped the wooden sword with both hands and took a peculiar stance.
Seeing Rudian's stance that was close to an upper-stance, Karen's eyes gleamed as she asked.
"That's an unusual stance. Could you tell me the name of your swordsmanship?"
"It's the Adora-style swordsmanship."
"Adora? That's a name I haven't heard before. Come at me."
"With pleasure."
If his skills were going to be exposed anyway, it was better to shatter expectations from the beginning.
He had diligently trained in the sword style, and he had never been lazy in his practice.
At least for a brief exchange, he could fight at a somewhat satisfactory level.
SWISH!
Rudian pressed Karen hard from the beginning.
Using only physical strength without using magic, it was a strike that couldn't even pose a threat to Karen, who was at the level of a formal knight.
CLANG!
Karen calmly deflected Rudian's sword and then counter-attacked, striking his shoulder.
'Hmph!'
As the counter-attack flowed in as naturally as water, Rudian grimaced and twisted his upper body.
But Karen's attack didn't end there.
"Hmm, how should I put it..."
"More disappointing than expected."
"It's too light."
The professors of the Academy's Knight Faculty all placed importance on the center of gravity, which was like the roots of a large tree.
In actual basic martial principles, the center of gravity in the lower body was basic and essential, and the students never neglected the training of their lower bodies.
To their eyes, Rudian's center of gravity was a complete mess.
CLANG!
On the surface, Rudian and Karen were clashing swords quite fiercely.
Rudian, who was thrusting at Karen's openings like a beast, and Karen, who was receiving Rudian's offensive without any change in expression.
"His sword style is a complete mess."
"You don't need to hide your skills."
Rudian's abilities were receiving the worst evaluation.
'...These guys?'
In fact, Rudian wasn't just swinging his sword carelessly.
He was swinging his sword purely along the designated sword path without any so-called variations, but it seemed that the sword style itself looked substandard to their eyes.
-These ignorant fools who can't even see properly!
Adi's anger pounded in Rudian's eardrums.
-This swordsmanship was created with such care and consideration by the Creators! How dare they say such things about this great swordsmanship that can kill gods!
'Be quiet. The match isn't over yet, Adi.'
If Adi had an attack function, he seemed ready to fire in bursts despite his master's words.
"......"
While Rudian was trying to calm Adi down, Karen, who was facing Rudian, showed no change in her expression from the beginning.
No, rather, her facial muscles had stiffened considerably compared to the beginning.
'Impossible!'
Usually, Imperial swordsmanship mainly involves transitioning from middle stance to upper stance and targeting vital points or the opponent's openings.
But the swordsmanship Rudian was displaying now actively used the body to freely target the upper, middle, and lower parts.
'You wouldn't know unless you face it!'
On the surface, it looked as if he was swinging his sword without a center of gravity, but.
In reality, each movement organically induced a reaction, effectively blocking the opponent's counter-attack.
This was swordsmanship thoroughly designed to kill the opponent.
Fortunately, though the opponent's movements were irregular, the swordsmanship itself was formulaic and formed a cycle.
'It's an impressive sword style, but... The lack of proficiency is too obvious.'
Originally, swordsmanship that moves the entire body like this is prone to becoming prey to counters if proficiency doesn't keep up.
A genius like Karen could easily exploit those gaps to neutralize Rudian.
'Though it's impressive, it doesn't seem to be the kind of thing that would attract His Excellency's attention... Is there something I'm missing?'
Karen tightened her grip, intending to finish the match.
Having tasted it to some extent and finding that it fell short of expectations, it was time to end it.
'I'll finish it with this.'
Karen deliberately infused her wooden sword with magic to decisively neutralize Rudian.
Originally, she hadn't intended to go this far, but as her expectations turned to disappointment, she planned to express her feelings by breaking Rudian's wooden sword.
WHOOSH!
And so, Karen's downward strike advanced toward Rudian's wooden sword.
CLAAANG!
A thunderous sound like clashing steel echoed through the training ground.
"...Huh?"
"...Huh?"
The seniors in the hall were quite surprised to see Karen and Rudian suddenly exchange such a heavy blow.
But among them, the most surprised was none other than Karen, who had deliberately swung her sword.
'H-how?'
Karen widened her eyes and stared directly at Rudian as she saw her sword blocked.
While not quite a magic sword, the symbol of expert level, this strike enhanced with magic could shatter even an iron sword if it hit properly.
'Unless it's a sword made of rare metal or at a level where one can infuse magic into a sword, it's impossible! Which means...!'
Since the opponent was also holding a wooden sword, the conclusion naturally had to be the latter.
"...This seems like cheating, senior."
Rudian shot at Karen with subtle anger.
At that moment, Karen became aware that she was striking at Rudian's sword with all her might without realizing it.
"Ha!"
Karen hastily withdrew her sword.
But her startled eyes were still fixed on Rudian.
"...What's going on?"
Oliver and Claudia noticed something strange about Karen and showed puzzled expressions, but they couldn't understand why she was in such a state.
'My arm feels a bit sore from defending in a hurry.'
Rudian frowned at the slight pain he felt in his wrist.
Only those who handle magic could know that Karen's final strike contained magic.
'Putting magic into a wooden sword, were you planning to humiliate me in front of everyone?'
Rudian inwardly frowned and lowered his evaluation of Karen by a notch.
But conversely, Karen's evaluation of Rudian was rising by several notches.
'This can't be...!'
For Karen, a graduating student of the Academy, being able to infuse magic into a sword wasn't particularly surprising.
But for a student who had just entered to be able to handle magic already was no ordinary surprise.
And a commoner at that!
"......"
After keeping her mouth shut for a while, Karen met Rudian's glaring gaze and slowly sheathed her sword.
"I see. Now I understand how you became a transfer student with His Excellency's recommendation."
"...Senior Karen?"
"I'm sorry for testing you unnecessarily. I apologize for forgetting my duty as a senior and infusing my sword with magic."
She bowed slightly.
"...!"
The others watching were surprised that the proud Karen had apologized, and even more surprised at her words about infusing her sword with magic.
But the expression of Rudian, who was receiving the apology, wasn't very good.
"I hope there won't be such incidents in the future."
Regardless of Karen's true intentions, Rudian couldn't help but be reminded of past trauma.
"That last strike wasn't meant to be blocked by you. I was truly surprised."
"...So it seemed."
Karen's purple eyes shook slightly at Rudian's curt response.
"You don't look happy. I completely understand. As an apology, I'll grant you one request, anything. Won't you forgive me with that?"
"W-wait, senior!"
Claudia and Oliver were startled and tried to stop Karen.
Despite her glamorous appearance, Karen had a somewhat rigid personality.
The range of 'anything' she mentioned would truly include anything she could do.
But Rudian waved his hand dismissively.
"It's fine. Just don't get involved with me from now on."
These people seemed to be those whom Luciella had assigned to him out of consideration, but.
He thought that perhaps her judgment had been slightly off this time.
"......"
For a moment, Karen's expression noticeably darkened.
Regardless of it being to finish the match, attacking a freshman with magic was an indecent act and a mistake that couldn't be excused.
There was no room for excuses.
Others also began to look awkwardly between Karen and Rudian, not knowing what to do.
"What's this commotion, Karen?"
As a strange silence lingered for a while, a young man who was clearly a senior appeared from afar.
"Elvin..."
"I came to see the freshman's face on Princess Luciella's orders, but what's going on here?"
"Well, Senior Kepler, this is, um..."
Oliver, who had managed to keep his composure, began to make some excuse to the young man called Elvin.
Despite being upperclassmen in the Knight Faculty, those around Karen all showed signs of nervousness before the young man named Elvin.
But that wasn't the important thing.
Rudian fixed his gaze on the figure of Elvin who had suddenly appeared.
'Elvin... Kepler?'
He had heard the name Elvin Kepler before.
He was a supporting character who had appeared in main story, specifically in Chapter 2.
But more than the name Elvin, what Rudian was more focused on was.
The surname 'Kepler'.
The Kepler family appeared in Chapter 2 as the main antagonist of protagonist Abel's party, that is, they were the main players in the 'Superhuman War'.