Sparring with the Monster - 3
'They sent a monster from the Carl Kingdom.'
Angelica. That guy was a monster beyond genius. His swordsmanship was near perfection, transcending mere completion. He could have been invited as a professor, not a student, and no one would bat an eye. In all my life, combining my past and present, I'd never seen a child with such talent. Among his peers, there probably wasn't a single swordsman who could match him.
That bizarre tale of him defeating a swordmaster with swordsmanship alone wasn't exaggeration. So I'd predicted it would end in five exchanges. But to think he'd hold his own against Angelica of all people.
Ian de Logres. When Angelica chose him—not the Second Prince, not the First Prince of Carl Kingdom—I had no idea what she saw in him. But in that fleeting moment, life sparked in the indifferent eyes of that child. Life in the eyes of a monster. That meant Angelica had expectations for Ian.
Even if he'd entered the academy without taking the exam, he had that feat of slaying the heretic. He couldn't be weak. As the only student with real combat experience, he had to be strong. Maybe that's why she judged him the strongest among the students. That's what I thought, right up until he got thoroughly thrashed by Angelica.
"I am Ian de Logres. I challenge you to a duel, Angelica de Olivier."
Ian charged in, boldly playing the knight. But he couldn't counter; he just took hits. No matter how he swung his wooden sword, it never reached Angelica. Because Ian's swordsmanship was ordinary.
Any technique became mortal before Angelica, but even accounting for that, Ian's was plain. The level where a skilled swordsman could reach if they tried. But Angelica was at a distance no amount of skill could bridge. All he could do was take hits. Even with Logres's unique Dragon Power letting him endure somehow, that had limits too.
But at some point, he started following her sword. From a certain turning point, he began using Angelica's swordsmanship. Suddenly matching her exchanges. And little by little, eating away at her sword path.
Ian, wielding with mortal talent, was soon wielding with monstrous talent. As if he knew exactly how it flowed. His swordsmanship seemed to copy Angelica's swings themselves. Identical stance, breathing, path. He blocked her attacks with the exact same posture. He struck exchange after exchange.
Ian, who had been getting pummeled, reached the point of trading blows. The students who mocked him, those who watched bored as if they'd predicted the outcome—all now watched their duel intently. I did too.
No words reached me. Only the clack of wooden swords. Pushed back early on. Trading blows mid-fight. Countering late. Like a scripted play. Ian's figure, silently advancing in this unfair matchup, was the very image of a knight.
Sweat shouldn't form, yet it felt like it beaded on my joints. Two swordsmen giving their all in the story's script. With each clash, the tale wrote itself. Ian rushed to reach her, copying her. Angelica pushed him back while waiting for him to reach her.
Ah, this is fun. So much fun.
"If anyone can reach me, it's you."
Ian declared arrogantly.
"You're not alone."
Angelica accepted it as a given. A person striving to reach the genius by copying everything for her sake. And the genius waiting in her high place for that person to arrive someday. They prepared their final techniques.
Everyone held their breath, watching. The frenzied storm devouring all in passion. The swift strikes cleaving everything. Their clash ended absurdly with both weapons shattering. No victor. No loser. From start to finish, like a scripted play, their bout ended in a draw.
It felt like watching a script unfold, yet not childish at all. No—precisely because it was childish and predictable, it was entertaining.
'Just as you said. Some interesting students have arrived this time, Ash.'
Frenzy of Orlando
You have upheld the Oath of Chivalry against a strong opponent.
Reward for the Oath of Chivalry will be granted.
You have succeeded in matching an impossible foe!
Logres Swordsmanship Level → 5
Orlando-style Muscle Training Level → 2
Your efforts have rewritten the protagonist Angelica's fate.
The current worldline slightly deviates from the DLC route where destruction was fated.
A barrage of notifications filled my vision. My first time seeing this many. I didn't even beat Angelica—I barely drew after getting pummeled endlessly. And this much reward? I couldn't even gauge how strong she really was.
The Dragon Power and armor that let me endure her attacks. The Insight Eye that copied her swordsmanship. Even the Eye of One Who Has Seen the End. Missing any one, and a draw would've been impossible.
The cuts from Angelica had mostly healed thanks to regeneration. But after all those hits, any intense movement was out of the question now.
Alright, time for the notifications...
Clack clack clack clack.
The sound of something hard striking together. Looking toward the source, Professor Luke was applauding us with his bony hands, watching intently.
Starting with him...
Clap clap clap clap clap.
The entire classroom erupted in applause in response. As if captivated by the duel itself. No one hesitated to join in. And at the center of that applause was me. It felt strangely good.
Class continued. Unlike Angelica and me, who were singled out, the rest dueled via random draw. Naturally, we were exempt. Thanks to that...
Holy Kingdom Swordsmanship...
Carl Kingdom Swordsmanship...
...I thriftily copied everyone else's swordsmanship without missing a beat. Shame they didn't use ultimate techniques or secret moves like Angelica, but hey, beggars can't be choosers. Score.
Class wasn't over yet, so while enjoying the WWE between Iris and Haede, I knocked out my backlog. First, status window.
Level 20 now. Just 10 away from sword aura. I dumped all SP into Mana again. Mana hit 110, Body 210. Pure stats alone were now meaningless.
Next, the title. My first since dropping into this world.
Sword Ghost's Rival
Obtained upon becoming rivals with the sword-mad ghost.
◈ EXP gain massively increased until matching Angelica's level.
◈ Title revoked if Angelica deems you unqualified.
I never imagined I'd get this. Earned by drawing or beating Angelica. Sword Ghost's Rival. It wasn't for players—it was for the male lead. And the key to preventing Angelica's bad end.
That's probably why the notification said her fate was rewritten—because I got this title. Her bad end hinges on whether any male lead gets it. Who'd guess the heroine's bad end wasn't death, but her becoming the final boss? Fitting for Angelica's munchkin genre—her bad end was extraordinary.
If no male lead has Sword Ghost's Rival by the ending, Angelica becomes the final boss who destroys the world herself. Slaughtering the people she once protected with her sword, becoming the true Sword Ghost. That's Angelica's bad end.
I'd planned to give it to some male lead, but to think I'd get it myself. Now I had one more reason to get stronger. The moment Angelica gets disillusioned, it's a straight train to bad end. Once earned, it's non-transferable and irrecoverable if lost. In the game, players chose revocation, but now Angelica wasn't my puppet.
This is seriously fucked. I barely drew using cheat on cheat... How am I supposed to be her rival?
I clutched my throbbing forehead. Beside me, Angelica gazed with a soft, serene smile for some reason.
#
After first period ended, what had clearly changed was how others looked at me. Not vice-top, with my only feat being stopping the train terrorist—and even that lacked credibility without genius Donnesia beside me. But matching top student Angelica proved it.
Sure, I ate hits until I copied her and shattered both wooden swords for a forced draw. But overnight, I became famous. I was already famous—as the immature young master obsessed with chivalry. Call it normalization.
Not used to these gazes, but whatever. The student cafeteria felt burdensome, so I sated my hunger with bread from the vending machine.
'Club, huh...'
What I was looking at now: clubs. Clubs! Essential to the social system. Groups for shared hobbies to hone them or just socialize. At Dawn Star Academia, clubs played a crucial role...
Poke poke.
Someone prodded my back. Turning, it was Angelica, finger wiggling like she wanted to say something.
"What is it, my lady?"
"Well... um."
Angelica suddenly thrust her face close. So near that a twitch would bump noses; I felt her faint breath on my skin.
What do you want...?
"Uh, Ian..."
Yes, speak.
"Will you do it with me?"
......? Pardon?