The Academy Genius's Rival Showdown
“Lucian! I heard the news. You applied for a duel with Senior Forbes, right?”
“So what?”
“Are you out of your mind? No, a Literary Division student applying to duel a Martial Division student?!”
Raul, my close friend, was the first to come over the moment he spotted me, and as expected, the topic was the duel.
He was a noble’s son too, after all, so he had to know exactly who Forbes was.
He wasn’t exactly some prodigy, nor the kind of senior worth taking seriously.
But a duel between the Literary and Martial Divisions? That was different.
Even the Literary Division students took swordsmanship classes, of course. Those were nothing more than basic swordsmanship lectures.
The Martial Division students, however, learned swordsmanship several steps beyond that.
Needless to say, there was bound to be a huge gap between the two tracks.
That was exactly why Martial Division students looked down on Literary Division ones, and why it also served as proof that Martial Division was superior.
Since everyone understood this, the implicit rule at the academy had always been simple: Literary Division students dueled other Literary Division students, and Martial Division students dueled other Martial Division students.
“I could still cancel the application… but my pride as a noble says I can’t.”
“If you say so.”
“I can’t figure out what you’re thinking at all. I know you’ve been grinding your swordsmanship lately, but you can’t possibly know how far you’ve come yourself! Senior Forbes is ranked pretty low among second-year Martial Division students, sure, but he’s still a Martial Division student. He’s got way more experience than you!”
“Are you worried about me, or are you trying to call me an idiot?”
“Obviously I’m worried! You know how weird Forbes’s personality is, right? Do you really think he’ll just suppress me with a simple beatdown? I have a feeling he’s going to pull some nasty trick.”
Even the first-years already knew about the rumor. As expected, our madman Forbes was truly something else.
I clapped inwardly as I closed the book with a loud snap.
Raul flinched for a second, but soon started teasing me again with that carefree “Isn’t this too chill?”
It wasn’t that I wasn’t worried. It was just that worrying about it wouldn’t change anything.
At this point, I couldn’t cancel the application even if I wanted to. What was there to overthink?
I left the academy’s inner courtyard where I’d been reading and headed toward the lecture hall for the next class.
Raul trailed after me, still chattering nonstop.
“Literary Division students are already betting on it. Most of them are going with Senior Forbes.”
“Even if the opponent is that Forbes, I must really be that bad.”
“What do you mean by that? At least I’ve managed a single win, while you’re still at zero.”
“…”
“It’s not like I don’t like you, but saying something like that to your friend… I must have really failed at making friends.”
I couldn’t even cheer him on properly; I could only dish out facts with brutal honesty.
One day I would definitely make him eat his words in front of Rie.
“Objectively speaking, your application is completely reckless.”
“So. Objectively speaking, sure. But subjectively?”
“…”
When I pressed the question, Raul glanced around warily.
He noticed the other students heading to the lecture hall, but it didn’t seem like anyone was paying special attention to us.
Once he was sure, he pretended we were heading to the lecture hall together and spoke up.
“You must have some trump card hidden up your sleeve, right?”
“Do you have any evidence for that, Philosopher Raul?”
“How long have we been friends? When you decided to do something big, you always had contingency plans in place. Even when you sneaked out to drink with our sister before…”
Shut your mouth, you idiot. Where did you dig up that forever-forgotten scandal from?
I lightly slapped Raul’s cheek, and the guy immediately went “Oof… sorry, my bad.” and admitted his slip.
“Anyway, you’re not the kind of gullible idiot who’d jump at a lame provocation like this. If anything, I’d call you extremely cunning.”
“I said that earlier too. Am I complimenting you or insulting you? We only need to do it once, right?”
“That’s not the kind of compliment I’d accept, so let’s drop it.”
Even after we entered the lecture hall, our conversation didn’t stop.
The other students were chatting among themselves until the topic of duels came up, and they shot us curious glances.
Soon, though, they lost interest and went back to their own talks.
Why were the students so casual about it? Because duels were incredibly common at Minerva Academy.
They served both to test each other’s skills and to give and receive instruction.
Occasionally they were just noble students flexing their pride and settling scores—practice for the duels that happened between nobles from time to time.
That was why duels happened no matter who the participants were: fresh first-years or graduating seniors, friends or strangers, nobles or commoners, seniors or juniors.
And the academy never interfered with student duels.
What they did require was that both parties inform the professors and get their approval in advance. One professor had to be present to observe the fight.
They didn’t ban duels outright, but they made it clear they wouldn’t allow dirty tricks or take responsibility if someone got hurt.
Since duels were so routine, the students had no reason to get worked up about them.
The only reason anyone was curious at all was because the one who suggested the duel was me—Lucian Theodore von Deodore.
“The lecture is about to begin, everyone. Today we’re continuing from last time and discussing the proverb ‘Know thyself’ in a serious manner.”
Professor Dédic began the lecture with that familiar saying: Know thyself.
It was a line famous even in my previous life, and here it was treated with the same reverence.
Anyone who lived through real life eventually had to face a moment when they didn’t know themselves and paid a heavy price for it.
That was either a black mark on their record or an irreplaceable lesson.
Or, worse, it could become the worst possible catalyst for breaking them.
“There’s no point in hesitating about something you’ve already decided. All right, Lucian. It’s the weekend in two days, and luckily we have no classes then. What if we duel then?”
If I were in my old life, I would have jumped at the chance right away.
But I knew Forbes was a senior and would probably use the time to prepare something nasty.
Maybe he was deliberately giving me room because he wanted to show respect to a junior and prove that no matter what I did, I couldn’t beat him.
As a madman, he still cared about his image, apparently.
Know thyself. Today’s philosophy lecture hit different.
“Lucian, I heard you’re dueling Senior Forbes.”
“You think that’s okay? I’m not trying to look down on you, but he’s still a Martial Division senior.”
“I’m worried. Last time there was even a rumor that Senior Forbes tried to attack despite the professor trying to stop him.”
After class, a few friends I was close with secretly came over.
They must have heard the rumor about my duel with Forbes too.
Since they already knew how skilled I was, they were just voicing their concerns for the right reasons.
I felt touched at first, but then sighed when I realized how bad my situation really was—even my own classmates felt sorry for me.
“Don’t worry. I’ve been preparing seriously too.”
“I trust you because you’re you.”
“Oh, right. I heard Lady Rie is watching your swordsmanship classes.”
“Is there something Rie helped you with? Why would Lady Rie suddenly help you?”
“It’s not help—it’s more like a trade. I helped Lady Rie with some administrative stuff that was giving her trouble.”
This line had become our official, fixed comment.
It was the explanation we gave to Rie and everyone else about our current situation.
I had helped Rie first, and she was repaying the debt in swordsmanship and administrative skills.
“Wait… Lady Rie has something she’s struggling with, and she asked you for help?”
“That’s strange. Even the professors admit Lady Rie is amazing, so it’s weird she doesn’t know about this. And not even the professors or seniors, but you? That’s odd.”
“They’re sharp on the eyes, aren’t they?”
“Yeah… that makes sense.”
“Wait, is he the rival Lady Rie mentioned last time?”
“What rival?”
“The one she said was better than her. If she’s asking for help, doesn’t that mean she’s admitting that rival is superior in some way?”
“Huh…?”
“Wait a second… that actually fits. For a while she was all hyped up about finding him, but then it fizzled out. So finally she went to you for help?”
“Guys, the story is going in a weird direction…”
I was about to say that before I caught myself.
At this point, which relationship was more practical—couple or rival?
Obviously the latter. If word spread that Rie’s boyfriend was dueling her rival, it would be a nightmare.
She had even said she was pretending to be a rival to think about me, hadn’t she?
“…”
I forced a dramatic change of subject with suspicious movements, voice, and expression.
The students immediately gave me a “gotcha” look.
No way… he is the rival that Lady Rie mentioned?!
I’d rather this than the other option.
I respected that Rie was extraordinary and a true genius.
But excluding the practical application of swordsmanship and magic, I didn’t fall behind her.
That alone was enough for the rival dynamic to work.
In public we could pretend to compete and occasionally help each other.
Behind closed doors, we could slowly grow closer the way we were doing now.
That didn’t sound so bad.
“Students? Are you leaving?”
“Yes! Professor! We’re leaving right now!”
Since today was the last philosophy lecture, Professor Dédic began to wrap up, and my friends and I rose from our seats and filed out of the hall together.
Even as we walked, the discussion about whether I was the rival raged on.
“It seems the real question isn’t whether you’re dueling, but whether you’re Rie’s rival or not. Your concerns are unnecessary.”
“I thought you’d be most excited about the duel itself. You get all worked up the second Rie’s name comes up.”
“If you’re her rival, then you’re her rival. In my opinion, you’re both incredible.”
“Ooh, you finally acknowledge my true value.”
“Please stop with the sudden compliments, Lucian?”
I shot him a look that said he was too dumb to recognize a joke when it hit him.
I turned toward my room, but suddenly I heard footsteps rushing toward me.
Before I could react, a heavy, massive weight slammed down onto my shoulder.
“Oof!”
“Lucian! I heard you’re dueling Senior Forbes?! Wait, why is a Literary Division student challenging a Martial Division student?!”
Locke, with his ridiculously muscular arms wrapped around my shoulders, was squeezing the life out of me.
I was going to end up in the infirmary before the duel even happened.
“Get your arms off me. You’re going to break my neck.”
Raul’s quick warning saved the day.
Otherwise I would have scolded him for turning on his turn signals.
Raul warned him, Locke immediately backed off, but not before muttering “So! Duel!”
“Why did you even apply to duel Senior Forbes, Lucian?! You can’t win!”
“…”
That was one day where my friends’ fact-based violence hurt my heart more than my body.