Chapter 137
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 137
Union Main Building. Training Hall.
“Ugh.”
“Haaah!”
Burly students were honing their physiques with various equipment. Among them was Ciel, dressed in workout gear, having come to the training hall for her own session.
Tap, tap—.
Her fists wrapped in bandages, Ciel struck a leather sandbag with light, rhythmic blows. With every flash of her dazzling footwork and every sharp jab, the sandbag swayed rhythmically.
Then, in an instant...
Flash—.
Ciel’s eyes ignited. She channeled rotational force and explosive power into her fist.
CRUNCH—.
A vortex of pressure rippled across the leather surface. The heavy chain anchoring the bag to the ceiling snapped instantly.
WHOOSH—.
The sandbag went airborne, skidding across the polished wooden floor.
“Hoo.”
Ciel took a deep breath. She retrieved a fresh sandbag from the corner and hung it up.
CLANK—.
Beside her lay a pile of several ruptured sandbags, their chains twisted and broken.
“……”
The other students in the hall, while awestruck by her prowess, began to instinctively edge away. They didn’t know the reason, but their survival instincts warned them that approaching Ciel right now would be a very bad idea.
Ciel calmly ignored their fearful gazes and resumed her strikes. Training was, after all, a battle against oneself. There was no need to concern herself with how others perceived her.
Right now, her mind was consumed by a single goal: to become stronger.
THWACK—.
Yet, despite her resolve, countless questions pierced through her focus. With every punch that landed, those questions grew louder, shaking her heart.
Ciel relentlessly pounded the sandbag, her thoughts racing.
‘Why?’
Why had Roen changed so drastically that day, seven years ago?
And why...
Why had he willingly committed those atrocities and embraced such infamy?
And why...
Why had his heart changed once more after he rose from his sickbed?
THWACK—.
‘Why?’
When she saw him mingling so freely with others, why did a corner of her heart ache so much?
CRUNCH—.
Ciel’s fist, now fully charged with power, slammed home.
BURST—.
The sandbag exploded, its contents spraying across the floor. Sand poured out from the jagged rupture.
“Hoo, hoo.”
Ciel steadied her ragged breathing, staring silently at the sand spilling onto the floor.
“……”
The training hall fell into a heavy silence.
As she watched the sand settle and caught her breath, Ciel absently touched the black necklace around her neck.
Swoosh—.
The necklace emitted a soft glow. Resonating with Ciel’s mana, the scattered sand on the floor began to gather into a single pile of its own accord.
Whoosh—.
The sand flew straight into a trash can in the corner.
After cleaning up, she let out a quiet sigh, shaking off her tangled thoughts.
‘...The reasons don't matter.’
Why Roen had changed in the past, and why he was changing again now—it didn't matter. The reasons behind his current actions, and even her own confusing feelings, were irrelevant.
Her role was simple: to stand by his side, to silently watch over him, and to accompany him from beginning to end. She only needed to remain by his side with the same expressionless face she had always worn.
And to do that...
‘I must become... stronger.’
Squeeze—.
Ciel clenched her fist tightly.
Roen had been growing stronger by the day since his recovery. At this rate of growth, her protection might one day become unnecessary. She would no longer have a reason to serve by his side.
That was the one thing she could not allow.
Ciel Eurafia.
She lived to protect Roen.
*
A few days later. Near the Union Main Building.
We stood in a small dueling ground for my ranking match with Ciel. Unlike my duel with Meyer, there was no massive crowd, nor the brilliant lights of the Grand Auditorium. It was a weathered arena, roughly the size of a tennis court, paved with drab, grayish-white tiles.
Naturally, there weren't many spectators. However, the few who had shown up were an extraordinary bunch. Because of them, Ciel’s friends who had come to cheer her on were completely intimidated, huddled together in a corner.
I scanned the small crowd and sighed.
“...Why are there so many people here?”
I had hoped for a quiet match, but with these heavy hitters watching...
Elena, who had volunteered to be the announcer, answered my complaint.
“Why else? They came to watch. Though I’m sure everyone has their own reasons.”
“Why are you here?”
“Adler wanted to watch. This is your first time fighting a proper martial artist, isn't it?”
“That’s true.”
Most of the opponents I’d faced in ranking matches so far were mages like Meyer. Ciel was the first true martial artist I would be fighting.
“Since I was coming to watch anyway, I figured I’d announce, too. It reminds me of the territorial war. It’s nice.”
“Hmm.”
I could more or less understand Elena’s presence. I turned my gaze, and this time Beatrice spoke up.
“Yuliana suggested we come watch. I didn't have anything better to do, so I tagged along.”
“……”
I shifted my gaze to Yuliana, who was sitting next to Beatrice. Judging by her excited expression, she was clearly dying to see me lose.
I looked over at Freya, who sat beside her. Freya didn't say a word to me. She simply exchanged a look with Ciel and gave a slight nod.
So she didn't come to cheer for me, but for Ciel, whom she’d befriended during the sports festival.
Next to her was Kiriel. She was clutching her bag tightly, looking like she was just waiting for the match to end. It seemed her priority was the private lesson afterward rather than the fight itself.
In the end, the only ones who genuinely wanted me to win were probably Elena, Philip, and Josephine.
I let out a deep sigh and looked at Ciel, who stood opposite me.
“Ciel, must you humiliate me in front of such a distinguished audience?”
Ciel, who had been watching me silently, finally spoke.
“I am merely carrying out my duties.”
“I don't recall giving you an order to defeat me in a ranking match.”
Ciel didn't react to the joke. She silently produced her student ID. It was her way of telling me to stop talking and get on with it. How cold.
As I prepared myself, Elena intervened.
“Alright! This match will proceed under standard ranking match rules. It will end upon surrender or incapacitation. If there is no clear winner, the victor will be decided by the remaining shield on the student IDs. Now, please touch your IDs together.”
Elena, standing in the center of the arena, prompted us. I took mine out and tapped it against Ciel’s.
Vwoom—.
As the IDs made contact, a mana barrier unfolded over the dueling ground. Under the observation of the magic device, my ranking match with Ciel began.
Just as I was adjusting my gloves and steadying my breath, Ciel suddenly spoke.
“Lord Roen.”
“What is it?”
Ciel made a proposal in a calm, level voice.
“Would it be possible for you to forfeit this match?”
“...I’m not sure I follow.”
I tilted my head. Asking me to forfeit out of the blue? Ciel wasn't the type to make such a request just to maintain her rank. If she had cared about her standing, she wouldn't have stayed at 100th place for so long.
After a moment of thought, I asked, “Who is that proposal for?”
“...For me. No, for you, Lord Roen,” Ciel replied, her face an unreadable mask.
I slowly nodded. I didn't know exactly what was going through her head, but she was likely suggesting a forfeit out of concern for my well-being.
But I couldn't accept.
“I see. Honestly, it wouldn't be a problem to forfeit as you ask. Even if I lose to you, I can just beat other students and climb back up. However...”
Shing—.
I ran my hand over the Azoth Sword at my waist.
“Defeating you and moving up means more than just a simple rise in rank. I won't hide behind you anymore, Ciel.”
Hearing my answer, Ciel bit her lip slightly.
“...If you insist.”
Fwoosh—.
“Then I will break you head-on!”
With a sharp shout, Ciel vanished from my sight. Even with the enhancements from Fierabras' Blessing and an Enhancement Stone, I couldn't track her movements.
At that same moment...
Zap—.
Ciel materialized directly in front of me, as if she had teleported. Her fist, charged with overwhelming power, was inches from my face.
I barely managed to react, crossing my arms to block.
CRACK—.
The Physical Resistance Magic Engraving and my suit’s built-in defenses were obliterated in a single blow. Simultaneously, the thin Aegis Shield I had deployed inside my suit shattered like glass.
It was monstrous strength, far surpassing Meyer’s magic armor.
CRUNCH—.
My arms buckled under the sheer force, and I was sent tumbling backward.
“Cough!”
I gasped for air and rolled across the floor, forced to move again instantly without a second to recover.
SLAM—!
Ciel closed the distance in a heartbeat, slamming her fist into the spot where I had just been. I rolled aside again, and each time, Ciel smashed the ground, relentlessly closing the gap.
BOOM— BOOM— BOOM—.
Ciel tore toward me like a juggernaut, crushing the tiles of the dueling ground as she advanced.
‘...This is no joke.’
Until now, I had managed to subdue my opponents through superior items and buffs, but Ciel’s physical abilities were superior to mine in every conceivable way.
In that case, I had to rely on magic.
Biting my lip, I scrambled to my feet and kicked off the ground, springing backward. I triggered the mana chains stored in my gloves, aiming to bind her limbs.
Ch-r-r-r-.
The mana chains shot out, wrapping around Ciel’s wrists and ankles in an instant.
‘Got her.’
If I could just bind her for a moment, I could create an opening.
Just as a smile began to form, Ciel’s eyes gleamed. She muttered, “...You think you can bind me with this?”
GRIND—.
Ciel simply flexed, pulling on the mana chains wrapped around her wrists.
“...!”
I felt my body lurch forward. I planted my foot to steady myself, eyes wide.
‘No way.’
C-c-creak—.
I stared at the taut mana chains and swallowed hard. This magic was powerful enough to restrain even a half-demon. No matter how strong Ciel was, I never expected her to be able to overpower the chains and pull me toward her.
Her raw physical strength surpassed my mana output.
‘At this rate, she’ll just reel me in.’
I made a split-second decision and released the chains.
Sh-sh-sh-shk—.
With a blur of motion, Ciel caught the slack chains and threw them to the ground.
Fssshh—.
The mana chains disintegrated into particles and vanished. Ciel looked at me, her composure entirely unshaken.
“Is this all you have to show me?”
“……”
I looked at her. Ciel was a pure martial artist who didn't use mana. I didn't know the source of her monstrous strength, but even if I touched her with Millia's mana gloves, I likely wouldn't be able to absorb much.
And even if I did manage to fire off a spell, I wasn't sure I could hit her. Her speed was on another level. With my current skills, I had no way to fight her.
“Hoo.”
I let out a deep breath and gripped the hilt of the Azoth Sword.
Grip—.
The sword fit perfectly in my hand, feeling like a natural extension of my body. I couldn't fight her with my own abilities, but with this sword, I still had a chance.
I stared at the five-colored light emanating from the letters engraved on the blade.
“No. Not yet, Ciel.”