Chapter 200
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 200
Out of all the students gathered here, Freya just had to pick me as her sparring partner.
I tried to figure out her angle.
Is she still sulking about yesterday?
I remembered firmly turning down her request to come see my house. But Freya wasn’t the type to be petty enough to hold a grudge over something like that.
Regardless, I shook my head with a troubled expression.
“Freya, that’s a poor choice.”
I had zero desire to be beaten to a pulp under the guise of a "spar," and honestly, doing this would tarnish both our reputations. She might feel a bit better after venting her frustration, but she had nothing to gain from using me as a punching bag.
Freya, however, remained unyielding.
“That is for me to judge, Roen. Get up here.”
“……”
As I hesitated, Gaurel gave me a shove from behind.
“Go on. It’s not like she’s actually going to kill you, right?”
True. She wouldn’t kill me.
“Haaah.”
With a heavy sigh, I finally stepped onto the platform. I shot a discreet, reproachful glance at Zimmer, who was sitting nearby.
This is what I get for you choosing Freya for the demonstration.
Zimmer just shrugged his shoulders, looking as if he had no idea things would spiral this way. Perhaps feeling a flicker of guilt, he added a comment before the match began.
“This is just a demonstration, so keep it light. There’s no need to go all out.”
“I will try,” Freya replied.
Her cold eyes were fixed on me. Zimmer’s warning didn't seem to have made much of an impression.
I don't think "trying" is enough when it comes to holding back, Freya.
I stood face-to-face with her. Her snow-white hair was tied up in a high ponytail for mobility, and she wore leather armor and tights that were as practical as her hairstyle. Unlike my casual gym clothes, she was dressed for a real fight.
We had fought on the same side before, but this was the first time we’d faced off in a spar, glaring at one another like this.
“……”
As the students watched with bated breath, Zimmer spoke.
“This demonstration will be conducted using only martial arts.”
Zimmer likely figured I wouldn’t last a single second if swords were involved, so he restricted the match to hand-to-hand combat. Not that it changed my odds much.
I clenched my fists and spoke to Freya playfully.
“I’d rather not hit a lady.”
It was a bit rich coming from me, considering I’d previously smashed Carmilla’s head in, but swinging my fists at Freya felt different.
Of course, it didn't work.
“You should worry about yourself.”
She wasn't fazed in the slightest. With Freya’s skill level, she wouldn't even allow me to land a clean hit.
Zimmer signaled the start.
“Then, begin.”
The moment the match started, I pulled up my status window to assess the damage.
[Vitality: 33(-16)]
[Agility: 32(-16)]
[Strength: 34(-27)]
These were my stats without any artifacts. My base abilities weren’t low, but there was no way I could face Freya with them halved by this damn Severed Meridians curse. With no way to use potions or enhancement stones to dope myself, I had to face the human weapon known as Freya with nothing but my bare body.
I felt like I’d been thrown naked before a wild beast.
“I will give you the first move.”
Freya yielded the initiative, standing in a disciplined, perfect stance. I didn’t argue and charged forward.
[Devalis-style Martial Arts]
Seven Star Step.
My feet moved in the pattern of the seven stars. It was a technique I’d learned by sparring relentlessly with the knights over summer break.
Tap, tap—.
I didn’t fully grasp the profound meaning behind it yet, but the technique I had practiced hundreds of times was already ingrained in my muscle memory. With a small injection of mana, the skill activated on its own.
I slid forward and threw a kick at Freya.
Thwack—.
Naturally, Freya casually deflected my full-power kick with the back of her hand and lunged forward.
“……!”
In an instant, her face was inches from mine. Closing the distance, she gently grabbed me by the collar and whispered in my ear.
“I’ve heard… a rumor.”
“What kind of rumor?”
“That you are living with Lady Ciel in your workshop.”
“……”
A chill ran down my spine. I’d tried to be careful, but it seemed the news had reached her ears anyway. Freya’s blue eyes gleamed with a cold light.
“That isn’t true, is it?”
“I think there’s been a slight misunderstanding,” I answered diplomatically.
Freya’s expression hardened as she pressed further. “So. Is it true, or is it not?”
“It’s… a complicated matter.”
"Complicated" was an understatement. As I continued to evade the question, Freya let go of my clothes with a sigh.
“……I suppose that’s an answer. I will be serious now.”
Whoooosh—.
An intense fighting spirit suddenly radiated from her. My skin tingled where the aura touched it, and an invisible pressure weighed down on my entire body. Even without drawing on her mana, her sheer determination to beat me up was loud and clear.
Gulp—.
I swallowed hard, watching her silently. Freya had five different martial arts styles at her disposal, including the Gunhild style. It was impossible to guess which one she would use.
Flick—.
Catching the slight shift in her eyes, I immediately squeezed the Cognitive Acceleration Stone hidden in my fist. Strictly speaking, this wasn’t an artifact.
[Accelerate]
Thump—.
The sound of my own heartbeat filled my ears. The world slowed to a crawl, and my vision bled into black and white. Freya’s movements were now much slower. They were still incredibly fast, but I could finally identify the martial art she was about to unleash.
[Freya-style Unique Martial Arts]
[Blizzard]
Whoosh—.
Her hands cut through the air like a biting wind, rushing toward me in a flurry. She was holding back since her fists weren’t imbued with mana, but their trajectory was aimed squarely at my head.
If that hits, I’m out cold.
And getting knocked out would be the lucky outcome. A bad hit could land me in the infirmary for days. Having anticipated the path, I managed to lean back just in time.
Whiff—.
Freya’s fist struck empty air. She instantly adjusted her path to follow me, but…
Papapang—.
I evaded the subsequent attacks without much difficulty. Considering the massive gap in our stats, this should have been impossible, but this was the true power of the Cognitive Acceleration Stone.
I retreated to create some distance and let out a ragged breath.
“Phuha.”
The [Accelerate] effect ended. I was so out of breath I couldn’t maintain it any longer; moving that intensely while holding your breath is a nightmare.
I looked at Freya while catching my breath. Duration aside, the fact that I had dodged all of her attacks was a monumental achievement. Zimmer and the other students were staring at me, faces blank with disbelief.
“……”
Meanwhile, Freya’s eyebrows twitched. Her pretty face scrunched into a frown as her attacks missed time and again.
“Tch.”
Gritting her teeth, she readjusted her stance and charged again.
Pabang—.
Like a tiger hunting a rabbit with everything it had, Freya unleashed a storm of attacks with a ferocity far beyond her previous attempts. This time, she was enhancing her muscle movements with mana. She was even faster.
I activated [Accelerate] once more.
However.
Pak—.
Thwack—.
Unlike before, Freya’s fists began to hammer against my arms and shoulders. Even if I could practically see the future with the stone, I couldn’t dodge everything when she went all out. The best I could do was defend or deflect.
Thud—.
Thwack—.
Each time her fist landed, bruises began to form. But I wasn't just taking a one-sided beating. Through the barrage, I stared straight at Freya past my guard, waiting for the one opening I needed.
And then.
Now!
The moment I saw a gap in her assault, I pushed through, momentarily increasing the magnification of [Accelerate].
Swoosh—.
As a massive amount of mana drained from my body, I moved faster, transcending the limits of my physical form. My fist moved independently at high speed in a world of frozen black and white.
“……!”
Freya was taken aback. Her eyes widened, noticing the impossibly bizarre burst of acceleration. I shot my fist straight toward her.
And then.
Fwoom—.
I stopped my fist an inch from her nose. The wind pressure sent strands of her white hair fluttering. With my fist held in place, I smiled at her.
“I couldn’t bring myself to hit such a pretty face.”
“……How very thoughtful of you.”
In response, Freya let out a small sigh and swung her fist.
Thwack—.
A dull impact rattled my skull, and the world went dark.
*
After school. In the Student Council President’s Office.
Ciel had a first-aid kit out and was disinfecting my wounds with a cotton swab.
“……Where on earth did you get so beaten up?”
“Freya was kind enough to handle it personally.”
I winced as the medicine stung. The spar had left me a miserable mess. With Roen’s natural healing, they would mend soon, but for now, I was a walking bruise.
When I told her it was Freya, Ciel tilted her head.
“Lady Freya? She’s not one to raise her hand so carelessly. What happened?”
“It was a legal beating. During a spar in swordsmanship class.”
“Ah, I see. But why did you get hit so much?”
“……You don’t need to know.”
“……?”
This whole incident started because Ciel was living in my workshop. Technically, this was her fault. But I was in no position to complain when I was eating the delicious meals she prepared for me every day.
“It’s nothing.”
I swallowed my words and pressed an ice pack to my face. Just as I was tending to my injuries…
Knock, knock—.
Someone knocked on the door. I had a meeting scheduled with Gustav Klimt today to discuss the construction of the new academy, so I assumed it was him.
“Come in.”
Creeak—.
The door opened. But contrary to my expectations, my visitor wasn't a burly, bald young man, but a pointy-eared elf. And she had brought her two aides with her.
She was an unexpected guest, but I’d figured she would show up eventually. I welcomed them warmly.
“You’re here. Have a seat.”
Kiriel, who had been glancing around nervously, jumped when she saw my bruised face.
“Wh-what? What happened to your face? The only thing you had going for you was your pretty-boy looks!”
“Can’t you tell? I got into a bit of a scrap. And what do you mean, ‘the only thing’? That’s no way to talk to the person who’s about to become your benefactor.”
Kiriel, Silphy, and Rina sat down meekly on the sofa.
“……”
The three of them fidgeted, sipping the tea Ciel had prepared. I guess it was hard for them to be the first to admit they were here to borrow money. I leaned back comfortably and broke the ice for them.
“How much do you need?”
It was a line I’d always wanted to say.
At that, Silphiette held out the documents she had prepared.
“Regarding the loan for this year’s academy festival, Lady Ariel will repay it at a later date…”
“Forget the formalities. Just tell me the number.”
Silphiette stopped her explanation and got straight to the point.
“Sixty billion krone. For now.”
“For now? Don’t lowball it. Give me the full amount you actually need.”
“To meet the deadline, and considering the entertainment for VIPs, future operating costs, and interest, we might need up to a hundred billion…”
“A hundred billion, huh.”
I tapped my fingers on the table. In the past, even I couldn't have produced such a sum easily. Even if I liquidated all my stocks, artifacts, and gold, I’d only have around twenty billion.
But to me now—with a thirty percent stake in the criminal underworld—that amount wasn't a dealbreaker.
“……”
The elves waited, their expressions tense. I broke into a grin and replied coolly.
“Alright. I’ll arrange it for you.”
After all, the Alchemy Club’s new carbonated water brand would only turn a massive profit if the festival was a success. This was an investment. However, producing that much cash at once was difficult, so I’d provide it in installments.
“By any chance, do you also need construction materials?”
This time, Rinarun chimed in. “We need a ton! Even if we use spirit magic, we still need the raw materials.”
“I see. In that case, I know a merchant guild. I’ll have them supply you at the lowest possible price.”
Sheika from the Lombard Merchant Guild, who was indebted to me, would be able to procure everything quickly. I needed materials to build the new academy anyway, so I’d already established the distribution channel. The stadium construction would just be a small addition to my existing supply chain.
“Thank you!”
On top of the funds, I was even offering to help with materials. They couldn't have asked for a better deal.
“However, I have a condition.”
As I raised a finger, Silphy and Rina nodded as if it were only natural.
“Tell us anything.”
“You can even have Lady Kiriel!”
“I don’t need her.”
Just as I was thinking, What use would I have for an elf who does nothing but nag? a thought flashed through my mind.
I looked at the blank-faced Kiriel and smirked.
“Actually, wait. Kiriel, I do need you.”