The Champion's Roar
We promised to meet again at the academy's central fountain after our respective afternoon classes and parted ways for the morning lessons. My morning class today was 'Theory of Dealing with Monsters According to Type.' Since it was Professor Kahilo's specialty course, it was mandatory for every student in the Swordsmanship Department. The class usually alternated between practical training and theory, and today was a theory session, so it felt light and relaxed.
As soon as I stepped out of the student cafeteria, I was heading toward the assigned classroom when—
"Let's go together, Leon."
Elaine quickly caught up and fell into step beside me. Ah... she was also in the Swordsmanship Department, which meant her morning class was the same as mine.
We walked side by side, both facing straight ahead as we spoke.
"...I'll believe what you told me earlier."
During breakfast, I had explained Alhazard's dungeon to Elaine. When she first heard the story, she kept repeating "That can't be possible" and looked utterly bewildered. It was understandable—discovering a dungeon that had remained hidden for hundreds of years was hard to accept at face value. Especially when the one who found it wasn't some renowned professor or archmage, but an ordinary Swordsmanship student. Even I would have doubted it at first.
Yet in the end, she chose to believe me. Leon, you fool. Why had he ever felt jealousy toward someone as kind and beautiful as Elaine?
"Thank you. Honestly, I thought you wouldn't believe me. Even to my own ears, it sounds absurd."
"No. About that dungeon... did your father tell you about it?"
Why was Count Yuri Magnus suddenly being brought up? Wait—now that I thought about it, claiming he had given hints about the dungeon would actually sound plausible. Yuri Magnus was well-known in social circles for his hobby of collecting antiques and magical tomes. He openly declared that anyone who found old or mysterious artifacts should bring them to him. Of course, that was merely a smokescreen to conceal his research into black magic, but outwardly, it served as the perfect cover for his suspicious activities.
"You're right. I pieced it together from the stories my father used to tell."
"...I thought so."
When we reached the Swordsmanship Hall, we naturally drifted apart and walked as though we were strangers. This had been an agreement Leon and Elaine made long ago. Though they trained together every morning and were close, they could never show it publicly. After all, Elaine was the crown prince's fiancée. The cafeteria had been empty except for the three of us earlier, but in a crowded place like this, keeping their distance was safer for both of them.
Inside the classroom, far more students than usual had already claimed the front seats. What was going on? What could today's lecture be that everyone was fighting so fiercely for good seats?
Digging through Leon's memories, I understood. Today's topic was the theory of 'How to Deal with Large Monsters,' and it seemed they planned to use a magic projector to show actual footage.
The magic projector was exactly what the name suggested—a device similar to watching a film on a beam projector back on modern Earth. It stored recordings of real past events on mana stones and projected them into the air. I found an empty seat and sat down, then glanced around to see where Elaine had gone. She was in the very back row, already chatting quietly with several female classmates.
Anyone beside me? Of course not. As I'd mentioned before, Leon was an outcast. The realization suddenly made me feel rather pitiful.
"Everyone, quiet."
Professor Kahilo entered the room and silenced the students. True to his origins in the northern Uragon Duchy, he was a towering knight nearly two meters tall. Though he had retired from active duty due to his age and now focused on teaching at the academy, his physique remained as solid as any frontline knight. The bear-claw scar across his face was striking—it was said to have come from a fight against a mana stone bear, one of the north's most notorious monsters.
"As announced last time, today I will lecture on how to face large monsters while wielding a single sword. Assistant Hilde, prepare the projector."
"Yes... just a moment, please..."
No matter the era or world, the fate of teaching assistants never changed. Assistant Hilde, whose dark circles were even deeper than Leisa's, fumbled to retrieve the mana stone containing the recording and slot it into the projector. Even that simple motion revealed how exhausted she was.
Once the projector was ready, Professor Kahilo began explaining the footage we were about to see.
"What you will watch today is a battle from roughly one hundred years ago between 'Galph,' the champion of the Empire's Monster Colosseum, and the Empire's knights."
A chorus of excited cheers erupted from the students.
Galph was the strongest champion in the Colosseum's history, a figure whose overwhelming power was still spoken of even a century later. His fame had endured until the very end of the Lu Empire. As a hybrid of ogre and troll, he embodied only the finest traits of both species. His muscles possessed a presence so formidable that even the steroid-enhanced physiques of modern Earth humans would seem insignificant by comparison. According to the setting, a troll's regenerative ability would activate whenever his muscles tore, allowing them to regrow even stronger. Galph's body existed in a realm no human could ever hope to reach through effort alone, and even during his active years, he had been beloved by the imperial citizens.
The event that cemented his legendary status—ironically—was the moment of his death. One day, numerous nobles gathered at the Colosseum to watch his match. Without warning, Galph went berserk, shattered the magic barrier, and charged into the stands, tearing countless nobles apart. The Empire's knights immediately engaged him, resulting in a fierce battle. Galph killed over a dozen knights with his bare hands before finally being brought down by the combined magic of the mages who had been waiting for the spectators to evacuate.
Some whispered conspiracy theories that black magic had been used to drive Galph into a frenzy and massacre the nobles, though it was never proven. But anyone who had actually played King's Crown would know the truth—that the theory was correct, and the one who had cast the black magic was none other than the emperor of the Lu Empire at the time. In a world where magic existed, of course an assassination plot would be carried out through magical means. The emperor from a hundred years ago had simply acted in the most pragmatic way possible for a ruler.
"The reason I am showing you this footage is so you can observe closely how the knights of that era dealt with Galph. Keep that in mind as you watch."
At Professor Kahilo's nod, Assistant Hilde activated the projector. A holographic image, reminiscent of something from a science fiction film, materialized in the air at the front of the classroom.
KROOOOOAR!!!
Within the projection, the massive monster presumed to be Galph let out a thunderous roar. As I had described earlier, enormous muscles rippled and surged across his body, centered around his two outstretched arms. A dozen or so figures—knights of the Lu Empire from a century ago—had surrounded him with swords drawn. Clad in the antique armor of their era, they still looked impressive even now. It reminded me of the feeling I'd had when seeing the armor of Joseon-era generals before my possession.
Even as someone who wasn't Leon, the footage was fascinating enough that I straightened my posture to focus—
"Excuse me..."
Assistant Hilde had quietly approached and whispered to me. I looked at her in confusion, and she pointed toward the classroom door.
"Professor Kahilo wishes to speak with you briefly."
Being called out during class? Even for a full professor, this seemed excessive, but given Professor Kahilo's considerable influence within the academy, I had no choice but to comply without protest.
Professor Kahilo was, in essence, a scout sent by Archduke Uragon to recruit promising talents for the academy. He likely wanted to meet me for that very reason.
Archduke Baltan Uragon—the northern archduke position frequently featured in romance fantasies—was an ambitious and capable man who supported the Second Prince, born to his sister and the Emperor, as the next ruler. In other words, he was politically opposed to the crown prince.