Chapter 39
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Being Secret Friends is Enough (1)
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Someday, my father had told me that not everyone who swings a sword is a knight.
A true knight, since time immemorial, needed not just exceptional stamina and swordsmanship, but the ability to wield aura as well.
One knight freshly awakened to aura could match ten soldiers, and with continued training, their strength grew exponentially. There was no need to spell out its importance.
I myself had felt the power of aura firsthand before. During the fight with that wolf-type beast, I'd been able to sever its forepaw only thanks to aura.
The sensation coursing through my body now was exactly the same. Heat overflowed throughout me, as if my blood itself were boiling.
Aura is will and sensation, they'd said. I felt like I was starting to grasp the meaning of those abstract words.
'I can do this.'
Strength surged into the foot I planted on the ground. My heart pounded wildly, pumping blood through my entire body.
My boiling body was like an unquenchable flame, forging a will that wouldn't waver even in the fiercest winds.
The fierce flow of power connected smoothly, ultimately unfolding into the world as a single, perfect slash.
From the orb at the golem's core to its head encased in tough exoskeleton. A thin line traced the path my sword had taken.
Craaack— Boom—!
The line split its body apart, its blue glow fading away. Its massive frame lost balance and collapsed.
I'd cleaved through something as sturdy as rock with nothing but a single sword.
Huu—.
I let out a long breath and gazed at the sword in my hand.
'Fortunately, it's still intact...'
The blade was chipped in places, but unlike before, it hadn't shattered to pieces.
My body was holding up decently too. There was a faint lingering heat and considerable fatigue, but nothing that would make me collapse or give out.
I could say I'd grown a little accustomed to using aura.
My skills, which had seemed forever stagnant, had finally progressed a bit.
That was when Shabel's voice rang out, as if she'd been waiting.
"Luke Nineheart, good work. There's a healer waiting behind the training grounds. Get treated and join the other students."
Shabel wore her usual utterly serious expression, but for some reason, the corner of her mouth was twitching.
'Maybe my performance was so lacking it was laughable...?'
If so, that would be ideal for me. It meant the other students had done far better on their exams. No chance of my name on the friendly match roster.
But that was unlikely. Shabel wasn't the type to mock anyone—especially not over grades.
'Eh, probably just something good on her mind.'
I brushed it off and gave a light bow. Then I headed toward the back of the training grounds.
The spots where I'd been hit were starting to throb. It seemed my brain had stopped pumping out endorphins.
Soon after, I reached the rear of the training grounds and met the healer there.
Spotting me, her eyes went wide in surprise.
"Student...?"
"Yes...?"
"Have you checked your left arm at all?"
Was there something wrong with my left arm...?
I tried lifting it to look, but ironically, it refused to move.
No visible wounds, so probably not serious...
As I stood there flustered, the healer approached and grabbed my arm—practically yanked it.
Such physical contact between men and women called for caution...
The thought flashed through my mind, but naturally, it was a delusion.
Of course nothing like that would happen to me. I wasn't handsome like Yubel.
"Your arm's dislocated. Doesn't it hurt?"
"It throbs a bit, but..."
"Hold on. I'll pop it back in quick."
"Please do."
One— two—.
She counted slowly, then pulled my arm downward.
Pop—. My uncomfortable shoulder felt perfectly fine now. It was so startling and amazing that an exclamation slipped out.
"Anywhere else hurting besides the arm?"
"Overall pain on my left side."
It was from the first clash with the golem.
If I'd played it safe with probing from the start, I wouldn't have taken those hits. Underestimating it had come back to bite me hard.
"Sit there, then."
She immediately began healing me with magic. A soft green light flowed from her hands into my body. It felt strangely warm, like it was soothing my mind too.
Maybe from the fatigue, but if I closed my eyes like this, I'd fall asleep in an instant.
Regrettably, the sensation didn't last long.
The healer spoke up.
"Did you forfeit midway, by any chance?"
"I didn't forfeit, but..."
"Then you might get a top score. You're the fastest so far among the students who've taken the exam."
Was this a curse...?
She meant it positively, but I couldn't take it that way. A good score for me meant higher odds of competing in the friendly match.
Of course, it was just her personal opinion, so no need to worry much. Scores weren't solely based on exam time anyway.
But why did it feel so ominous...?
The treatment soon ended.
I thanked her with a light bow and reentered the training grounds.
"Hya—!"
Exams were in full swing on the field. Students swung their swords, golems counterattacked.
The dirt covering the student showed he'd taken quite a beating already.
I cheered him on inwardly and headed to where the finished students waited.
"Luke, how's your body holding up?"
Ebi greeted me. Sitting on the ground, she hugged her knees with both hands.
Her sitting posture struck me as so feminine, and upon reflection, she was a girl. The realization was so ridiculous I let out a hollow chuckle.
"Got treated, so it's decent now."
"Your arm looked dislocated earlier. That's fixed too?"
"Yeah, all good."
I answered and sat beside her.
If anyone grumbled about a noble sitting on the filthy ground, I'd tell them this was knight life.
When you're half-dead from exhaustion, who has time for titles?
"I was shocked earlier. You suddenly dove right into the golem's embrace."
"Felt like I couldn't win otherwise."
"Huh? Don't golems slow down if you just stall?"
"Mine didn't...?"
"If you'd held out a bit longer, it would've. Everyone else fought that way. Most don't even think to rush in and target weak points."
In short, bosses have patterns that lower difficulty if endured, but I judged it too risky and smashed it anyway.
Who knew the Korean impulse to hurry would cause trouble here...
"You'll take first in this exam, Luke. Congrats."
"Exams aren't over yet. Others might do better."
Please, please let them. No future in a timeline where I top the charts again.
Speaking of, where the hell was Yubel...?
He'd usually come over quick and act all buddy-buddy, so his absence was odd.
I turned and spotted red hair swinging a sword in the corner of the grounds.
He must be exhausted from his golem fight, so why...?
"He's been like that since watching you fight the golem. Probably sparked his competitive spirit."
Ebi's explanation cleared it up. Seeing unexpected prowess from his "rival," Yubel got fired up.
He'd claim first eventually without this, but if it sped things up, that was great for me.
Not that I'd meant to inspire him—or score high, for that matter.
As I looked away from him, Ebi spoke.
"Honestly, I'm feeling something similar. I thought I'd finally caught up to you a little, but I'm still way behind."
"Not that far."
"Always so humble. I'll train harder starting tomorrow. Help me out."
Ebi poked my side with her elbow.
Good thing I'd been healed, or I'd be rolling on the ground.
Time passed, and by late afternoon—well after exams ended—I found myself alone with Elena in the gardening club room, which was rare for me.
The other members had all returned to the dorms, no doubt wiped from the exams. I couldn't blame them.
I wanted to head back too, but...
I couldn't ignore Elena's request to stay, not as her exclusive attendant.
"Luke, how did your exam go?"
"I gave it my all."
"I hope we both get good results."
Elena sipped her tea with a faint smile, as if she already knew what was coming.
I tried desperately to deny it, but regrettably, it didn't last long.