Hand Blade Sword
Hand Blade Sword
Lunchtime at the Academy.
It was the time of day when student movement was at its peak.
Among them, a vast number of students were heading toward a single location, pushing against the flow of the crowd.
"Where are you going? Aren't you going to eat?"
"Lunch isn't what's important right now. Edelheid and Cromwell are having a Command Refusal Right."
"What? Where did that come from out of the blue?"
"A fight broke out in the cafeteria, and the guardian knights of both families are going to have a proxy duel. One side is Gerard from Count Rubelius's family, and the other is a slave knight."
"A slave knight? The one who supposedly beat Calben-gyeong?"
"That's the one!"
Leon, the slave knight who had emerged victorious in a duel against Edelheid's Magic Knight, Calben-gyeong.
That rumor had spread far and wide, not just within noble social circles, but even among the commoner students of the Academy.
"Whoa, damn. How much of a loss would it be to miss this?"
"Better start preparing for your next life if you do."
"I'm going right now."
It wasn't just the energetic freshmen looking for a spectacle.
Even the second and third-year seniors began to spring up from their seats.
"Hey, did you hear? A duel trial broke out between the freshmen. And it's Edelheid versus Cromwell."
"Ugh, those noble brats have plenty of energy from the very first day of school. I knew it would turn out like this. All they think about is playing around in the sacred Academy."
"Then why are you getting up?"
"I have to see what's worth seeing."
The news even reached the ears of the Academy's staff and professors, who had been holding a dignified meeting.
"I say, where are you going instead of finishing the meeting?"
"A duel trial between students? Shouldn't we go at once? As a professor, I must observe to prepare for any emergencies."
"You're not just going to watch, are you?"
"Ahem."
The rumor of a duel trial between two prestigious families passed through many lips.
A powerful surge formed within the flow of the crowd.
Countless people willingly gave themselves over to that current so as not to miss a spectacle that might only happen a few times in a lifetime.
Thus, the training grounds were filled with hundreds of spectators. It had truly become a massive arena reminiscent of the Colosseum.
'Is this deja vu?'
Leon felt a terrible sense of familiarity with this situation. Only the location and the number of people were different; it was a scene he had faced several times already.
By now, he should have been sick of it, but every time he went somewhere, the repertoire was exactly the same, down to the last syllable.
What? A slave knight?
A thing like you is a knight?
That Sir Calben this and that.
He suddenly thought that the ultimate victim might be Calben-gyeong, who was summoned every single time as a combat power measuring stick.
Poor Calben-gyeong, dying again.
"Slave. I still haven't been able to forget that day."
And then there was Gerard.
This guy was on his third time.
"Even when I sleep, the moment of my defeat to you haunts me like a nightmare, making me toss and turn every night. Since that day, I haven't been able to sleep properly even once."
"Uh, yeah..."
"But to think the day of revenge would come so soon. This is surely a divine revelation telling me to overcome the failure of that day."
"Wow. God is the best."
"Draw your sword. And come at me. I, Gerard Rubelius, will crush you and rise to even greater heights."
"No, I'm not going to draw my sword."
"What?"
"Huh?"
Gerard blinked blankly.
The solemnity he had managed to gather vanished without a trace.
"What did you just say?"
"I said I'm not drawing my sword, so let's just do it like this. Agassi told me to win overwhelmingly, and I thought this would be the best way. Ah, and I don't want you saying it was a trick or whatever later, so..."
Leon made a "heave-ho" sound and tossed his sword far away.
Then, he held up his index and middle fingers.
"Come."
Gerard stood rooted to the spot, staring at Leon's bare hand as if he were seeing things.
It was only after staring blankly for a long time that he understood the current situation.
The sound of his reason snapping could be heard inside his head.
"You damn slave...! I'll tear you to pieces and kill you!"
Gerard charged forward, kicking off the ground violently. The sharp sword energy gathered on his blade aimed for the crown of Leon's head in an instant.
It was certainly a faster and fiercer trajectory than when they had fought at the Edelheid estate in the past.
He claimed to have lost sleep over his desire for revenge, and it seemed he had sharpened his blade quite ruthlessly.
However, in the end, a duel was a relative thing. It wasn't as if Leon's achievements lagged behind his.
'This is a sword.'
Leon concentrated his nerves into the two fingers he extended forward.
The [Top-tier Swordsmanship] he had mastered was limited only to swordsmanship.
He couldn't handle a bow or a spear.
Without a sword, Leon would fall to the level of an ordinary person.
The trick Leon had devised to cover that fatal weakness was this 'Hand Blade Sword.'
He coated his hand in sword energy and swung it while perceiving it as a sword himself.
By doing so, the status window would judge it as swordsmanship. He could utilize [Top-tier Swordsmanship] even with his bare hands.
Leon's skill had defeated the Knight Commander of Edelheid, Calben-gyeong, with a single sword.
No matter how much Gerard struggled and exerted himself, he could not catch up to that level.
—Tak!
The blade that Gerard had swung down with all his weight stopped atop Leon's two fingers.
"What?"
A flustered Gerard tried to push his arm down with all his might, but he couldn't even leave a small scratch.
Even when he unleashed a flurry of consecutive strikes, the result was the same. His attacks were repeatedly deflected by the fingers Leon swung.
"You're not letting your guard down again just because I'm a slave, right? You can't use the same excuse after you lose. Honestly, if you've lost three times, have some conscience."
"Where do you get off talking such bullsh—!"
Before Gerard could even scream, Leon's figure twisted smoothly.
Leon's kick, having rotated half a turn, slammed mercilessly into Gerard's abdomen.
"Keugh—!"
Without even being able to let out a proper scream, Gerard was sent flying in a straight line.
He crashed into the wall of the training grounds as if he were being pinned there and fainted.
The jaws of the spectators watching that overwhelming sight dropped open. Victoria was no different.
Beside her, who was colored with shock, Renoa spoke mockingly in a plain yet elegant manner.
"I wonder why someone would go and pick up something someone else threw away just to be humiliated like this."
The result was Leon's crushing victory.
In truth, it was a duel not worth doing. If only Victoria hadn't dismissed the rumors as mere exaggeration.
If she hadn't, she wouldn't have been humiliated in front of everyone.
Fortunately, thanks to her noble sacrifice, no more idiots would likely appear to pick a fight with Leon and Renoa for the time being.
Since they had won the duel trial, it would have been a clean finish if the two people who had insulted and ignored Elody just apologized.
"Where did those people go?"
"They ran away."
Unable to bear the shame of being disgraced in front of a massive crowd, Victoria fled the Academy as if escaping.
Gerard, who had been stuck in the wall, had also vanished without a trace while everyone was momentarily distracted.
"They probably won't set foot in the Academy again."
Dropping out at lunch on the first day of school.
It was the shortest record in the history of the Academy.
"Leon-nim, you're amazing! Blocking a sword with your fingers... I was completely shocked!"
"It was nothing."
The praise from one's favorite character possessed destructive power beyond imagination.
As Elody praised him with sparkling eyes, Leon replied bashfully.
Following her, Aether also chimed in with interest.
"Haha, I was surprised too. The Rubelius bloodline doesn't fall behind anyone when it comes to swordsmanship, yet to see such an overwhelming difference... The rumors in the world weren't lies."
Soon, Aether's elegantly curved gaze landed on Renoa.
"To show such a performance from the first day of school. You'll be receiving quite a bit of attention from now on, Gongnyeonim."
Despite Aether's subtle probing, Renoa remained quiet without answering.
Though she met him with silence, Aether had already seen through Renoa's intentions.
She had intentionally set the stage for her person to shine by intervening in someone else's conflict.
Since she knew Leon's skills better than anyone, she must have been certain of victory.
Thanks to that, she had instantly etched the existence of the two of them into the minds of everyone at the Academy.
"The more I see him, the more he seems like a talent I covet. What do you think? Won't you hand over his ownership to me? I'll pay a price that will satisfy you—no, a price that is more than generous."
First Prince Aether made the proposal with a sincere look in his eyes.
A slave who possessed martial prowess exceeding that of a Knight Commander, yet obeyed his master's commands unconditionally.
He was truly the perfect talent and an all-purpose tool that any person in power would covet.
Furthermore, it was also because a vague sense of wariness—that Leon might one day stand in his way—had flickered through Aether's mind.
If he could separate that dangerous variable from Renoa's side, his operations would be much easier if his suspicions turned out to be true in the future.
However, Renoa cut him off sharply without a single second of hesitation.
"I am sorry, but the Edelheid family does not engage in human trafficking. I must politely decline."
"Hmm, that's a shame."
Aether, having been rejected flatly, licked his lips as if he were truly disappointed.
Since today was the first day of school, there were no further schedules.
Leon and Renoa left the Academy and returned to the mansion.
Bibi greeted the two as they entered the mansion.
"You've returned, Agassi."
"Yes."
"How was it? Did you find the Academy interesting?"
"It was alright. What did you do all day? Surely you weren't just idling around the mansion because I wasn't here?"
"What do you take me for? I bought delicious snacks for you, Agassi, yet you doubt me... I'm so hurt that tears are pouring out. Sniff."
"...What kind of snacks?"
"Please wait a moment. I will prepare them immediately."
Bibi stopped pretending to cry at once and began preparing for tea time.
"Would you like a cup as well, Sir Leon?"
"No, I'm fine. My palate is seasoned with stimulation, so eating something high-class like that would just be a waste."
"Just what have you been eating all your life?"
Watching Leon reply with an awkward smile, Renoa pondered seriously for a moment.
If he just picked up and ate anything and suddenly fell ill, it would be a disaster.
Renoa thought to herself that she should force some expensive elixirs that were good for the body down his throat.
"Everything is ready."
"Hmm..."
Clearing her thoughts, Renoa lifted her cup and smelled the aroma of the tea.
"The scent seems a bit different from what I usually drink."
"It's brewed from tea leaves that an acquaintance of mine strongly recommended. It will surely suit even your picky palate, Agassi."
"The scent isn't bad."
Renoa slowly tilted the teacup.
The moment the warm tea entered her mouth, her eyes widened.
She looked at the cup with a look of surprise.
"...I'm impressed. To think tea leaves could produce this much flavor."
Renoa drained the rest of the tea in one go.
"Would you like another cup?"
"Shall I?"
It was merely water brewed from leaves, yet it had more umami than the dishes of most first-class chefs.
It even had a strange addictiveness to it, making her hand reach for the cup as if she were possessed.
Bibi quietly watched Renoa as she drank the tea.
"I'm glad it suits your palate perfectly, Agassi."