I Became the Number Three (2)
"Anyway, that being the case, today we'll just watch a simple spar between two people and call it a day."
"Yes!!"
Fortunately, unlike the Magic Department, the Knight Department had some flexibility and promised to wrap things up quickly. I was thinking about watching the spar and then heading straight back to the dormitory to do some equipment maintenance when—
"As the saying goes, to gain enlightenment one must watch the fights of those stronger than oneself. Therefore, come forth, Leona Blade the second-place student, and Ashen Serdis the third-place student."
"Huh?"
My name had come out of the professor's mouth. If they were going to pit the strongest against each other, why the second and third places instead of first and second? Just like how I had somehow ended up third in the Magic Department, I was also third in the Knight Department. So why specifically match up second and third?
"The top student, Estelle, has been absent since the first day. She's not here, is she?"
"What... no, this is..."
Why was she actually gone? Even after scanning the entire classroom, the Knight Department's proud number one, Estelle, was nowhere to be seen.
In the end, the entire Knight Department gathered their belongings and headed for the sparring arena, with me and the Knight Department's second-place student standing at the center of it all.
"Well met! It is an honor to be able to spar with you this time!"
With overflowing energy, the Knight Department's second-place student, Leona Blade, waved both arms. Unlike me—with my ashen hair and relatively gloomy impression—she had brilliant golden long hair that looked like it had been spun from threads of gold, and light purple eyes reminiscent of lavender that screamed I'm full of energy! at first glance.
"As you may know, my name is Leona Blade! I have truly wanted to cross blades with you, Ashen!"
"Uh... yeah, sure."
"So I pray you give it your all! Would that not make it far more enjoyable?"
"That..."
What exactly did this person think a spar was? Telling me to fight with full power—did she really say that because she thought it would be fun, or was it arrogance in thinking my full strength wouldn't pose any danger to her?
The professor will stop it if things get bad, right?
Believing that the professor would intervene if anything happened—since they were, after all, a professor—I stepped back without taking my eyes off Leona. She did the same.
When the distance between us exceeded five meters, the professor raised his right arm. With the corners of his mouth lifted in clear amusement, his hand came down sharply.
"Spar, begin!"
-KWAANG!
-KWAANG!
At the professor's shout, Leona kicked off the ground with full force and charged at me. Though I was momentarily flustered, I immediately ran toward her as well. Our practice iron swords collided, sending sparks flying.
This crazy bitch!
The moment our swords met, my eyes locked with Leona's. She wore an endlessly pure, childlike expression, reacting as if she was having the time of her life. But that wasn't the joy of a child—it was pure evil, the look of someone intending to genuinely kill her opponent.
Just by locking swords with her, I could tell.
"Haha! You possess tremendous strength!"
"You crazy person! Can't you take it easy?!"
"A spar must be like real combat! Only then can you fully draw out your true ability, no?"
"This fuck..."
I'd tried to be polite since it was our first meeting, but this woman was completely insane. Did she have no heart at all...!
"Then let us end this contest of strength here!"
"?!"
What the hell did that mean? The moment the thought crossed my mind, Leona's sword moved with graceful precision and shoved mine aside. The combination of raw power and overwhelming technique left me no room to respond—my sword was pushed away in an instant.
But I was still third place, after all.
"Hup...!"
I steadied my center so my posture wouldn't collapse, then poured strength into my arms and legs while twisting at the waist.
"Excellent stance, Ashen!"
"Stop talking to me...!"
She casually blocked my next swing, still wearing that bright smile. It was incredibly irritating. While I already felt like I'd collapse from exhaustion after just a couple of exchanges, the gap between second and third place really was as massive as the gap between first and second.
In both power and technique, I'm completely outmatched.
It was obvious, but the difference was far worse than I'd expected. Even I had learned swordsmanship under the guidance of Reinhardt, who stood on the threshold of becoming a Sword Master. This crazy bitch had already reached the Sword Master realm.
Saying it out loud might make Sword Masters sound common, but there were only four recognized Sword Masters in the entire empire. Knowing that two of them were the Imperial Knight Commander and the now-retired Sword Saint, it was easy to see just how monstrous the two people above me truly were.
"Distracting thoughts during battle are forbidden!"
"!! You—"
-Clang!
"Ugh...!"
I had nearly died. I managed to raise my sword in time to block the blade flying toward my neck, but that was all. While I avoided a direct hit, the impact sent my entire body flying backward.
I tried to minimize the damage using the falling technique I'd learned from Reinhardt, but the pain radiating from my right arm suggested it was at least fractured.
"Fuck..."
"Haha! So you have quite a foul mouth after all?"
"I didn't before, you bastard..."
How could anyone not curse while getting beaten like this? Enduring the pain, I refocused and got back into stance.
"Sigh... Professor, how long do we have to keep doing this?"
"Do not worry. I will intervene if it becomes truly dangerous."
"I think my arm is already fractured, though."
"That much can be fixed in the infirmary in no time, so do not worry."
"That's not the problem..."
As expected of the Knight Department, where a strong body meant you didn't need a brain. They casually spat out such ignorant remarks. The Magic Department was rigid and inflexible, while the Knight Department had no thoughts whatsoever. As someone taking a double major, it was genuinely depressing.
What can I do? It's the double major I chose myself.
I had no choice but to endure with sheer grit.
"Hoo..."
When I narrowed my eyes and stared at Leona, her light purple gaze—still holding that smile—met my black one.
"Hmm! What splendid eyes!"
"That's a rather annoying way to look at someone."
Exchanging those words, we moved our feet at the same time and clashed in an instant.
-Clang!!
"No, you crazy—"
-Thud!
My sword, unable to withstand the power struggle any longer, snapped. I lost consciousness from the incoming impact.
-Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.
"Mmm..."
A sound like someone peeling fruit reached my ears. On top of that, I could smell something medicinal. Wondering what was going on, I cracked my eyes open and saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
"You're awake?"
Then Louis's face entered my view, and I immediately realized this was the infirmary.
"Here, I peeled an apple for you."
"Thanks..."
I sat up, took the apple from Louis, and looked down at my right arm. The arm that Leona had fractured was completely healed. It really was the Imperial Academy's infirmary. Before I passed out, I was pretty sure she'd hit me in the head and knocked me unconscious, but since my head didn't hurt either, that seemed to have been fixed as well.
"...What time is it?"
"It's been about two and a half hours since you collapsed. There's still around ten minutes until Magic Engineering class starts."
"I see."
After Louis checked his pocket watch and spoke, I let out a sigh of relief. I had almost become the guy who was late on the very first day. Personally, I found every subject except Economics interesting, so I didn't want to miss class on the first day unless absolutely necessary.
"Let's go. I'm all better."
"Are you really okay?"
"The infirmary teacher here must have magic hands. It's completely healed."
"...Yeah, you're talking nonsense again, so I guess you're fully recovered. Let's go."
Nonsense? I was being completely serious. It really didn't hurt at all. If that wasn't magic hands, what was? I tried to get up from the bed feeling refreshed when Louis, as if he'd just remembered, handed me a note.
"Hmm?"
"Leona asked me to give this to you when you woke up."
"That crazy bitch?"
"Crazy bitch... She's still a noble lady, you know."
"If someone who aims for the neck and head right from the start of a spar isn't a crazy bitch, then what is?"
"..."
Leaving behind Louis, who couldn't come up with a rebuttal, I unfolded the crazy bitch's note. The content written inside was...
It was enjoyable! I hope we may spar together often in the future as well!
— Leona Blade
"..."
It was truly a horrifying message. If the first-place student shows up, tell them to fight her instead.
"...There's nothing much written here! I need to get to the Magic Engineering lecture."
"Huh? Knowing Leona's personality, I doubt she'd write nothing much...?"
"It's really nothing."
Pushing the doubtful Louis from behind, I managed to arrive at the Magic Engineering class without being late. For reference, Louis had unfortunately failed the Magic Engineering exam, so the only classes we shared were in the Magic and Knight Departments. As for Economics... I'd studied hard but barely missed the cutoff, so it ended up that way. That meant I had to go in alone, but at least there was one silver lining...
"So that's the famous..."
"I never thought I'd actually get to see him in person."
"Me neither! I'm so glad I enrolled this year...!"
This time, there was someone drawing even more attention from the students than I was.
So that's the famous... Grand Meister.
It was a 752-year-old academy student.