Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: I Am Happy (3)
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Leonard Percival Blackmere.
The second son of the Blackmere Family.
Which means there's one more above me.
'Edwin Percival Blackmere.'
The proper eldest son who will inherit everything from the Blackmere Earl family, and at the same time, my blood brother who's a full ten years older than Leonard.
He takes after our father, Lionel Hugh Blackmere, like a spitting image—a cold-blooded man who seems like he could make frost fall even in the height of summer.
From childhood, he's been a relentless hard worker who quietly poured sweat into his training, and now he's a young elite who's risen to the position of Chief of Security in the capital's Eastford.
And he's someone who hates Leonard so much it borders on loathing—our relationship is nothing short of mortal enemies.
I don't even know why Edwin hates Leonard.
In the original work Academy Hero's Infinite Regression Method, he doesn't appear much at all, and even when he does by chance, it's only after Leonard has already dropped out and vanished for a while.
I just know that 'Edwin loathes Leonard,' but not the reason why.
Even looking back through Leonard's memories, it's the same.
Our relationship during childhood didn't seem all that bad, but from some point on, it started turning icy cold.
Yet nothing particular comes to mind as the reason.
'What do I do?'
I paced around my dorm room, deep in thought.
I thought just recovering my reputation moderately at the academy would let me live on, but that wasn't the case.
Probably, in the original story, the one who pressured Leonard to commit seppuku wasn't so much the family head's order as Edwin's influence working more strongly.
The family head, Lionel, does think Leonard is pathetic, but not to the point of hating him enough to kill him without mercy.
Just indifference. He doesn't care if I live or die, but he won't go out of his way to kill me either.
But Edwin is different.
If that guy sees me acting pathetic, he'll really try to kill me.
Whether the reason stems from the Blackmere Family's honor or some personal grudge of Edwin's.
In the end, he's just as much a grim reaper position as Amelia.
"Haa..."
I flopped onto the bed and let out a deep sigh.
Having to face a brother who wants to kill his pathetic little sibling.
If only I could use my knowledge of the original story to my advantage in times like this.
But in the original, at this point, Leonard is holed up in Wisteria Dormitory, and he doesn't even get mentioned by name, let alone appear.
"What now."
A massive obstacle suddenly popping up in my academy survival plan.
The Observation Class next Wednesday felt utterly daunting.
Aside from having to face a psycho maniac who commits familicide without hesitation.
I was in a situation where I had to keep up with academy classes.
No matter what happens next Wednesday—whether I end up in a funeral portrait or whatever—sticking to my daily routine for now would put my mind at ease in various ways.
At the very least, if I work hard and show something at the Observation Class, maybe I can avoid becoming a departed soul.
Conveniently, the Wednesday morning class was Professor William's Basic Swordsmanship, so all I had to do was diligently train my swordsmanship.
"Next! Switch partners!"
At Professor William's shout, I and a few students around me grabbed our swords and stood up.
Swords of all shapes and varieties.
Among them, the most eye-catching by far was the massive greatsword being dragged along by Charlotte.
I stood in front of Charlotte with my usual ornate decorative sword, just like always.
"Charlotte."
"...Yeah."
Charlotte effortlessly lifted the huge greatsword and faced me.
Unlike the early days of enrollment when we'd just beat on a stationary scarecrow, now it was time to gradually build up real combat sense.
With the Observation Class coming up next week, Professor William had made pair sparring the core of the lesson.
Fighting a scarecrow versus fighting a person.
The gap between those two is indescribably vast.
"Here I go."
"Yeah."
I slowly adjusted my grip on the sword and took my stance.
One foot slightly forward, the tip of my sword aimed steadily at Charlotte from shoulder height without a waver.
Charlotte responded in kind, raising her heavy greatsword, which let out a deep woong— as the metal hummed.
We stared at each other motionless for a while like that.
The surrounding noises drifting in on the wind faded into distant echoes.
Charlotte's breathing stood out especially clearly, and within that steady rhythm, I caught a faint tremble for an instant.
Whoosh!
The massive greatsword came sweeping in heavily, slicing through the air.
As Charlotte spun her body to follow up, I had already pressed my sword against the greatsword and accelerated.
Dirt kicked up, the distance closed in an instant.
Clang!
And steel met steel, sparks flying as they etched fierce marks into each other.
"Hoo..."
I slowly exhaled, locking eyes with Charlotte's calm gaze sparkling beyond the broad blade.
My best strike, thrust out like lightning in a flash, had been blocked so simply.
'As expected, it's different from a scarecrow.'
There are no fools standing still and taking hits anywhere.
If you're clashing swords in real combat, it's undoubtedly a fight of life and death.
Polishing basic stances is good, but no matter how much you beat on a scarecrow for a hundred days, you can't grasp its true essence.
As I slowly lowered my sword and stepped back, Charlotte dragged her massive greatsword down and rested it on the ground with a thud.
We gazed at each other quietly, slowly circling.
Whenever I shifted stances to probe for an opening, Charlotte held her greatsword at an angle like a shield, her eyes glinting coldly from behind it.
It looked evenly matched at a glance, but glancing at the ground, I could tell.
'I'm being pushed back.'
Charlotte wasn't just standing there blocking.
She attacked heavily once, then blocked incoming strikes.
And at the same time, she stepped forward. Slowly pushing into my space, advancing.
Whoosh—!
And if she spotted even a momentary gap, she swung the greatsword to punish immediately.
"Tch!"
Then all my planned attacks up to that point went to waste.
I had to start over from scratch, hunting for another opening.
Meanwhile, Charlotte steadily encroached on my territory, pressuring me.
Top ranks in Swordsmanship Department Class A.
Like me, a dunce in written exams scraping the bottom, but in practicals, an undeniable genius talent who crushes most students with sheer skill.
And, objectively, stronger than me.
Skreeek!
Clashing against the greatsword swung heavily once more, the sound of metal grinding rang out again as the distance closed instantly.
I dove in without giving Charlotte time to recover her sword.
The blunt tip gleamed, and as I slipped into her guard, pressing the sword into her small frame—
Thud!
"Guh!"
Charlotte had raised her greatsword with a whoosh— and smashed her pommel into my stomach.
I'd stopped my charge just in time, so I wasn't flung back far, but my movements were paralyzed for an instant all the same.
Seeing Charlotte halt her swing, I obediently lowered my sword and extended my hand.
"I lose."
"Yeah."
Charlotte casually took my hand and shook it up and down.
I have no idea how such strength to wield that sword comes from this tiny body.
But at least, she definitely has skills befitting the top of Class A.
"Lost again this time."
"You're getting better bit by bit."
It's only natural I lose for now, but even so, this is tremendous progress for me.
I hadn't slacked off during sword training in class all this time.
Pearls are treasures only when strung together, even if you have a thousand bushels.
No matter how straightforwardly your talent improves with honest effort, if you don't put in the work, it's all for naught.
"Was I too hasty this time?"
"More like your footwork was sloppy."
"Sloppy?"
"Yeah. It was too obvious. Like you were announcing, 'I'm attacking now.'"
"...I see."
I haven't won even once so far, but after every spar, Charlotte always points out my shortcomings one by one.
"Instead of constantly changing stances to confuse, it might be better to judge when it's needed and switch then."
"Not to do it indiscriminately, you mean."
"Yeah."
Thanks to that, I'm learning a lot too.
Charlotte had shown interest, saying it was her first time facing Blackmere swordsmanship.
In a way, it's good for both sides. No reason to turn down a win-win relationship.
"What's for lunch today?"
"Oven-roasted chicken legs..."
After a few more clashes, we returned to our seats at Professor William's call.
"...?"
For some reason, I came face-to-face with Amelia Hill, arms crossed and glaring at me silently.
Glaring discontentedly, yet her gaze held some complex emotion somewhere.
'What is it.'
A signal that she's going to kill me today?
My hackles rose instinctively, but I passed by her side as casually as possible.
The stinging gaze boring into my back the whole way to my seat.
"Leonard."
"Why are you calling me."
"Did you fight her?"
"I'd die if I fought her."
"You picked a fight with her at the start of the semester."
"That's why she's glaring like that."
"Ah, got it."
Charlotte, convinced easily, sat down.
I sat beside her too, wiping the dirt from my sword with a dry cloth, trying my best not to be conscious of the gaze.
Glance.
Sting.
'Lunch is oven-roasted chicken legs, lunch is oven-roasted chicken legs...'
I'm invisible. Invisible.
I gritted my teeth and pretended to be calm, but...
The prickling gaze that didn't let up throughout class was pure torture.
A week isn't all that long.
Not quite short enough to call it brief either, but time is relative anyway.
To this body that had been lounging idly, oblivious to the axe handle rotting away during fairy playtime, it was woefully insufficient to elevate my swordsmanship to a level that would satisfy Edwin.
But at least since I possessed this body, I hadn't just played around aimlessly.
I'd done what needed doing, diligently sweating it out.
After classes, I'd asked Charlotte for sparring guidance and kept at it tirelessly for days.
Finally, the day arrived.
"Today, huh."
I woke early, bathed, dressed neatly in my uniform, and stood before the mirror.
Making sure no nose hairs were sticking out, my tie wasn't crooked.
I even styled my hair for once—though no one asked—and left the room.
Creeak—
At the same time, Charlotte emerged from the next room.
We met eyes wordlessly, then nodded to each other.
"All prepped."
"Charlotte. Pray I survive."
"You dying today, Leonard?"
"That's why I'm saying it. Might happen."
"Crispy fried chicken..."
This isn't a joke.
I might really die.
Heading out of the dorm with Charlotte, the endless stairs loomed unchanging as ever.
"They're already here..."
"Damn it all."
In the distance, visible at a glance near the academy gates, clusters of carriages had gathered.
I took a deep breath and slowly stepped toward the stairs.
"Let's go."
"Yeah."
I had no confidence I could satisfy the ever-demanding Edwin, but what choice was there.
I could only hope that sincerity would prevail in a pinch.