Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Observation Class (2)
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[ ‘Skill: Fatal Charm’ activates! ]
[ Villain favorability greatly increases! ]
[ Reward added to the Gift tab! ]
Hm.
Right.
I chuckle softly and glance toward the audience seats.
There are all sorts of people blocking the view, so I can't see where Gideon is, but if a message like this is popping up for me right now, the target can only be that guy.
‘...This is basically cheating, honestly.’
Let me recap the setup a bit. The foundation of the swordsmanship wielded by the founding Tristan Grand Duke is ‘flawless fundamentals at their peak.’
Predict everything your opponent will do and move one step ahead every time.
Keep at it until you can toy with them using nothing but defense.
“...”
Of course, you might think that if you could pull that off, there wouldn't be any opponent you couldn't beat in the first place.
This is swordsmanship from a man who could slice through space-time and twist the axis of time itself. If you can't handle something like this, you don't even get to start.
And if you actually can pull it off, well, that changes everything.
‘...I’ll use Elnor’s later, maybe.’
In the game, it was called the ‘Infinite Veil.’
An absolute defense that blocks and repels any attack. All you need is a single sword to use it conveniently.
Compared to that insane technique, what I'm doing right now is basically just a parlor trick.
But it can mimic the effect pretty well all the same.
Sword, magic, miracles, blessings—whatever.
One ‘deflection’ from Tristan-style swordsmanship handles it all. As long as you time it right.
“What, what is this?”
“How are you deflecting magic with a sword...!”
I tap away at the flustered guys shouting that, subduing them one by one.
Desperate Situation is at least C-rank now. That's more than enough for your average freshman.
With my back to the corner, I don't have to worry about attacks from behind, and blocking student-level strikes with my eyes closed is a breeze.
In the end.
Three of us remained standing unscathed on the stage.
One of them was...
“I forfeit.”
“...”
“Can't beat big bro anyway. Second and third place get the same prize money, right?”
Talion raised his hand cheerfully as he said that.
It was such a clean forfeiture that even the judges looked flustered.
“...What are you even doing here?”
“Huh? Came out for the prize money.”
“...”
How is a viscount's son this broke?
Get an allowance or something.
“Got an extra fine for getting tangled up with the Riverback Marquis.”
“...I see.”
“Yeah. Well, anyway.”
As Talion walked off lightly, he passed by my side and subtly bowed his head.
“Watch out for that one, big bro.”
Talion's fingertip was pointing at a guy wearing light gloves. The last one left on the stage.
He was cracking his knuckles.
Purple hair peeking out from under the hood. Judging by the build...
‘...A girl?’
As I furrowed my brow, Talion continued.
“I'm just here for the prize, but that one looks kinda dangerous.”
“Dangerous how?”
“She seems to enjoy beating people up. Torments her opponents till the end.”
Sure enough, around her lay several students beaten half to pulp.
As Talion said that and stepped off the stage, I scanned the opponent from head to toe.
Top to bottom.
“...”
Yeah. I totally agree with Talion.
She definitely looks like someone who enjoys beating people.
Not the type to casually show up in a place like this.
“What? Not coming?”
As I eyed her warily, a response came from across the stage.
“Then should I come to you?”
At that, a chilling sensation slithered down my spine.
A familiar feeling.
The gap I'd felt before, facing Eliya without any buffs.
[ Crisis detected. ]
[ Judged as a direct threat to life. ]
[ Skill: Desperate Situation applied at EX-rank. ]
“...!”
The moment her figure ‘vanished,’ I instinctively activated the skill.
[ ‘Skill: Swordsman’s Focus’ activates! ]
[ Reaction speed and precision increase! ]
The entire world slows around me.
To the point where it feels like everything except me is playing at ultra-slow motion on a high-speed camera. Meaning my reflexes have dramatically sharpened.
Stacking skills on top of Desperate Situation EX makes this kind of thing actually possible.
‘...It really is broken.’
Thinking that, I looked ahead—and my expression froze.
Even in this drastically slowed world, one thing was moving at an outrageous speed.
Walking speed, technically, but factoring in how much everything else had slowed, this was insane.
“...!”
I gritted my teeth, trying to get into a defensive stance somehow, but my body was rising into position agonizingly slow.
‘...Ah, right.’
Faster reactions don't make my body move faster.
I waited until my body was roughly in position, then gave a wry smile and released the skill.
And at that exact moment, a fist slammed into the upper part of my sword.
-!
...Did sparks just fly?
From a sword and fist colliding?
“...”
The impact sent me stumbling back a few steps, and the girl who'd thrown the punch fidgeted with her hand in surprise.
She looked like she couldn't comprehend that her strike had been blocked.
But.
“What's this? Thought you were a nobody.”
Her demeanor quickly turned ferocious.
Her eyes were hidden under the hood pulled low like a mask, but a savage grin spread across her visible mouth.
The face of a predator that had found worthy prey.
“You holding back too?”
And then, multicolored energies settled into her arms and legs.
Completely different from the mana magicians use or the divine power priests wield.
The moment I saw it, another chill ran down my spine.
“I forfeit.”
I raised my hand quick as I could and declared it.
“...Forfeit?”
“Yes.”
I answered the stunned judge.
He looked even more baffled since I wasn't hurt at all, forfeiting faster than even Talion.
“...”
No. Duh.
Beating someone charging at me full-tilt with my current specs? That's a pipe dream even in my dreams.
“...Hey.”
Thinking that, I tried to exit the arena swiftly, but she called out to stop me right away.
“What's this? We're just getting to the fun part?”
“...”
No.
I said I'm forfeiting, why?
Backing off quietly here feels like she'll chase me down and beat me.
“No, this is bad.”
“...What?”
“You can't just use sorcery like that here.”
It's true.
Shamanic power, unique to the tribal alliance, is especially efficient for physical enhancement. Even I, with Desperate Situation at EX, couldn't guarantee a win.
No. Facing her head-on is impossible from the start.
‘The great chieftain's daughter, please...!’
Liru Garda, key character in Chapter 5.
Second daughter of the tribal alliance's great chieftain. A sadist who enjoys beating people.
And above all.
‘...Right now, she's probably stronger than Elnor?’
Especially since neither Elnor nor Eliya have grown properly yet.
If I faced her now, I'd be a corpse in under three seconds, no doubt.
No idea why she's in an event like this, but right now, running is the smart play...!
“...Hmph.”
As I turned my back on her scoff and hurried down from the arena, Liru's gaze kept stabbing into me.
Continuously.
Until my figure completely vanished from her sight.
So that's why.
“...Sorcery, huh. From an imperial.”
I couldn't hear Liru muttering that.
●
[ Skill: Fatal Charm conditionally activates! ]
[ Perfect timing! Planted a flag for explosive favorability later! ]
[ Next successful activation will have double the effect! ]
“...”
Beats me at this point.
I've long since given up analyzing why these things pop up.
I get attracting Gideon's interest, but who the hell is this one for?
“...”
“...”
If anything's even more baffling, it's the current situation.
Right after the match ended and I bolted from the stage like a coward post-forfeit, I'd been kidnapped by someone.
I take the teacup the maid sets down in front of me.
Not that I have time to care.
Just facing the person staring at me from across the way has cold sweat pouring down.
“...It's an honor to meet you, Grand Duke Tristan.”
The man nods with his eyes closed.
He's been like that the whole time.
If I just sit here quietly, he'll stay silent forever, which is burning me up inside.
When he keeps his mouth shut, he gives off this ice sculpture vibe that tenses up everyone around him. That commanding charisma.
And this guy's one of the empire's top powerhouses, capable of wiping out my territory—including me—with a single word.
Reasons to be nervous? Plenty.
‘...Expected to pique his interest, but...’
This man has some reason for being intensely curious about the founding Tristan Grand Duke's swordsmanship.
The fact he summoned me one-on-one right after I showed a hint proves it.
Probably tied to his daughter somehow.
“Dawood Campbell.”
I jump in my seat. Talking out of nowhere like that.
“What's your relationship with my daughter.”
“...”
Sounds like a dad grilling his daughter's boyfriend, but I know that's not it.
He's got his eye on Elnor.
Deliberately. Ruthlessly so.
“...The Duchess has always been a great help. She's made my academy life much easier—”
“Did you learn the sword from her.”
No.
Use your blinker.
I force a smile in front of Gideon radiating cold.
“...Just taught me a simple downward strike.”
Gideon's closed eyes slowly lifted.
His gaze was so sharp, just meeting it felt like being sliced. My palms grew slick.
“Then where did you learn our family's swordsmanship.”
“...”
I take a deep breath, meeting that stare.
Yeah. No way he wouldn't notice.
This is where it gets important.
You could say the opening gambit for conquering the Boy King in Chapter 2 starts right here.
First things first.
Also my strong suit, sort of.
“You'd know, Your Grace.”
Scamming people.
“...What?”
“The Sword Saint of the era is always popping up out of nowhere, right? Even scouting ‘talented kids’ from rural baronies like ours.”
“...”
“He had so many talents himself. Enough to teach the notoriously difficult Tristan-style swordsmanship.”
Gideon's eyes narrowed.
The chill pouring out intensified. My blood ran dry.
Of course, it's a lie.
The Sword Saint—mentor to the current Elpante Knight Faculty Dean and the Tristan Grand Duke—travels the continent scouting geniuses and personally teaching them swordsmanship.
In the original story, hardly anyone even knows he exists, so just knowing about him lends credibility to my scam.
“...You want to say you and I share a master.”
“Yes.”
I swallow dryly inside as I watch Gideon say that.
Next up is the real crux.
Honestly, this lie will unravel fast. A guy like Gideon has endless ways to verify the truth.
“...”
So, I need to cover it up.
“And he asked me to pass on a message. Something to tell you if I ever met you.”
From my experience so far.
The best way to hide a tree is to make a forest.
Cover a small lie with a bigger one.
“...A message?”
So, my job here is.
“Grand Duke Tristan.”
To keep scamming.
“By any chance, are you interested in learning the sword from me?”
And make it as big as possible.
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