Chapter 236
Chapter 236
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 236
Chapter Title: Beyond Salvation (4)
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Demian stared silently at the man who had appeared out of nowhere. Dulong Mueller did the same.
The students swallowed dryly as they watched the two men. Both were master-class. No one knew what might happen if they clashed right here.
Then, all of a sudden, Demian gestured toward the direction where the students stood.
“Oliver, come over here.”
Oliver approached with a puzzled look on his face. Demian whispered into his ear.
“Who the hell is he?”
It was a quiet voice, but they were so close that everyone could hear Demian’s question.
Not just Oliver, but the other students and even Dulong Mueller all wore baffled expressions.
“You really don’t know who that guy is...?”
Demian marveled at Oliver’s lack of manners for calling a teacher “that guy” right in front of him, then asked again.
“Not here to make friends. So, who is he?”
“He’s Dulong Mueller. He oversees the academy’s first-year swordsmanship classes... no, all first-year classes as the chief instructor.”
That alone wasn’t enough to fully explain who Dulong Mueller was. So Oliver quickly added more.
“Before joining the academy as a teacher, he was called the empire’s hero.”
“A hero?”
“He didn’t rack up any grand war achievements or anything... but he was an incredibly famous consultant.”
Demian paid closer attention to Oliver’s words.
“I’ve heard he traveled between knight families, spotting flaws in their secret techniques and helping refine them. They say his skills were exceptional. There was even a family that produced a master-class thanks to his advice on their swordsmanship.”
“Yeah?”
“That’s why he was invited to become an academy teacher.”
Demian looked at Dulong Mueller with an intrigued expression.
Even reaching the master-class realm didn’t make it easy to critique and improve other families’ techniques.
But despite his impressive history, Dulong Mueller’s own realm wasn’t all that remarkable.
He was master-class, but he hadn’t overcome a single wall.
*Sometimes you get people like that.*
People whose own abilities weren’t exceptional, but who had a talent for precisely identifying and analyzing others’ flaws.
Those with such talent were innately gifted at teaching.
“An academy teacher who doesn’t know me! Unbelievable!”
Dulong Mueller’s face flushed red with anger as he spoke. Demian turned to him and asked.
“So what brings you here?”
“What brings me? Excellent question! I’ve come to call you out on your misconduct!”
“Misconduct?”
“You’re not going to pretend you don’t know about what happened just yesterday? Storming through the academy and causing a commotion!”
“Oh, that.”
Demian responded nonchalantly. Dulong Mueller grew even angrier.
“That’s all you have to say after pulling something like that? I’ve never seen such a disgraceful person! This is exactly why they don’t hire non-empire knights as teachers!”
Demian looked at Dulong Mueller with a somewhat bored expression. Ever since entering the academy, everyone had made an issue of his origins.
“And that’s not all! A master-class bullying students! Lucky I witnessed it myself! Otherwise, it could’ve been a real disaster!”
“I was simply disciplining them as their teacher because those two acted improperly.”
“Discipline? What did these two even do to deserve that!”
“If you knew how harshly they spoke to Class 13, you’d understand my actions.”
He had arrived late and hadn’t heard everything the two said to Class 13.
But even catching the latter part made it clear how openly they had mocked and belittled Class 13.
“What a ridiculous accusation.”
But Dulong Mueller didn’t buy Demian’s words.
“Emilio and Gelliver are outstanding enough to represent the first-years! And not just that—they come from prestigious families that represent the empire! You expect me to believe kids like that would frame Class 13?”
“Well...”
Demian opened his mouth to defend Class 13, then closed it again.
Truth be told, it was only natural that Dulong Mueller wouldn’t believe him. Class 13 was such a hopeless bunch, after all.
If their positions were reversed, even Demian wouldn’t have believed it.
“And even if what you say is true, what’s the problem?”
But Demian couldn’t help frowning at what came next.
“What did you just say?”
“Seeing trash littering the street is unpleasant, and if it offends you, harsh words come naturally, don’t they? And you bully those two over that!”
Demian didn’t particularly like Class 13 either. He was only in charge of them because of the dean’s conditions.
But regardless, Class 13 was under his responsibility now. He had a duty to look after them.
And no matter how awful Class 13’s students were, they bore no blame in this incident.
“Not only from outside the empire, but you can’t even judge right from wrong as a teacher! We can’t keep an unqualified person like you in the academy any longer! I’ll convene a meeting tomorrow and raise the issue—mark my words!”
Demian stared at Dulong Mueller wordlessly.
*What an annoying prick.*
From popping up out of nowhere to pick a fight, to his words and actions—nothing about him wasn’t irritating.
Of course, Dulong Mueller didn’t have the pull to get Demian fired. Demian had been hired by imperial decree.
But it would definitely become a hassle. He didn’t have time to waste on that when he needed to train the students.
“Why bother convening a meeting?”
He needed to settle this somehow.
And while he was at it, he wanted to smash that obnoxious face.
“Why not verify my qualifications right here?”
“Verify them? How?”
“I was hired as a swordsmanship instructor for the academy. There’s only one way to prove my qualifications, isn’t there?”
“...You want to duel?”
A flicker of hesitation crossed Dulong Mueller’s face.
He had exceptional talent for teaching others, but his personal combat prowess wasn’t anything special.
Moreover, Demian was the winner of the Helian Tournament. The gap between them was obvious.
“But does beating you really prove my qualifications?”
Beating Dulong Mueller would be easy. But winning a fight with a predictable outcome wouldn’t properly humiliate him.
“How about we spar using only Imperial Standard Swordsmanship?”
Dulong Mueller’s eyes lit up at that.
“...Only the standard forms?”
“From what I hear, all the academy’s swordsmanship classes are based on Imperial Standard Swordsmanship. If I can prove I understand it well, doesn’t that mean I’m qualified?”
Dulong Mueller’s expression shifted oddly at Demian’s proposal.
“If I win, will you promise to leave the academy without complaint?”
“I promise. In exchange, Sir Mueller, you must acknowledge my role as instructor if I win.”
Dulong Mueller pondered for a moment before speaking with a confident face.
“Fine. Let’s start right away.”
* * *
And so, the duel between Demian and Dulong Mueller was set.
The two stood facing each other, preparing for the duel. Demian began flipping through the book on Imperial Standard Swordsmanship he had brought with him.
“Teacher, maybe we should change the rules even now...?”
Oliver spoke cautiously from beside Demian.
“Oliver’s right. Dueling Dulong Mueller using Imperial Standard Swordsmanship? It’s too reckless.”
Penelope was stuck right by Demian’s side as well.
“Teacher, that guy’s a genius smart enough to refine other families’ secret techniques.”
“And that’s not all. He’s been a teacher here for so long—his understanding of Imperial Standard Swordsmanship is beyond imagination.”
Oliver and Penelope kept talking nonstop.
Demian looked at them with an exasperated face.
“Why are you suddenly pretending to worry about me?”
At that, both turned away with embarrassed looks.
“W-Well, even if you’re amazing, Teacher, beating that guy with Imperial Standard Swordsmanship...”
“It’ll be tough. This isn’t meant to belittle you.”
“Yeah, he probably knows it better than me, who only learned it yesterday.”
Their expressions went blank at his words.
“What did you just say?”
“I only picked up Imperial Standard Swordsmanship yesterday.”
“And you challenged that guy to a duel?”
“Are you in your right mind?”
Oliver and Penelope shouted before they knew it. But when Demian glared silently, they immediately slammed their heads to the ground.
“S-Sorry! I spoke out of turn!”
“I’ll let it slide once.”
“Th-Thank you!”
The two rose with sighs of relief.
“Watch closely from behind. This is part of the lesson too.”
At that moment, as Dulong Mueller walked to the center of the training ground, Demian moved forward as well.
“Sir Demian, are you really that confident?”
Dulong Mueller spoke with a smug face. Demian let out a scoff.
“I think I know what you’re thinking. You’re looking down on Imperial Standard Swordsmanship because it’s just the basics.”
As Dulong Mueller said, Imperial Standard Swordsmanship was treated as basic swordsmanship in the empire.
Countless imperial knights saw it as a stepping stone.
“But that’s a huge mistake. Imperial Standard Swordsmanship was personally created by His Imperial Majesty the first emperor. The more you practice it, the deeper it gets.”
Dulong Mueller drew his training iron sword. With a flick of his wrist, the blade sliced elegantly through the air.
“Now, I’ll show you that... What the hell are you holding?”
Dulong Mueller pointed at Demian’s hand. What Demian held was none other than a hexagonal club.
“It’s not a real fight, so the weapon doesn’t matter, right?”
“Well... that’s true, but...”
Dulong Mueller gave Demian a dubious look.
“Let’s see how well a knight from the Apple Kingdom can handle the empire’s swordsmanship!”
With those words, Dulong Mueller closed the distance in one breath.
* * *
Imperial Standard Swordsmanship.
Contrary to its simple name, it was a swordsmanship with a fearsome history, personally devised by the empire’s first emperor.
These days, it was treated as the empire’s basic swordsmanship, but in truth, it held considerable depth.
The Imperial Standard Swordsmanship consisted of five forms.
The movements themselves were simple, but each one was linked together.
That was why the possible attack variations were endless. The danger of the techniques varied depending on how they were combined.
*Daring to challenge me with Imperial Standard Swordsmanship!*
Whenever he taught knights, Dulong Mueller had always emphasized Imperial Standard Swordsmanship. It contained every fundamental skill a knight needed.
For someone like him to be challenged to a duel using Imperial Standard Swordsmanship? And by some knight from another country, no less?
“Let’s see how well a knight from the Apple Kingdom can handle the empire’s swordsmanship!”
Dulong Mueller swung his iron sword wide in a burst of anger.
Imperial Standard Swordsmanship, First Form.
A one-strike-kill fast sword, designed assuming an initial clash, tore through the air as it charged.
In that instant, Demian Haksen swung his club downward. Seeing it, Dulong Mueller sneered.
*A trajectory like drawing a circle... Planning to counter with the Fourth Form? Trying to face me with such a textbook method!*
The moment Demian Haksen blocked the attack, Dulong Mueller planned to transition into the Third Form.
The Third Form was a technique that flowed the enemy’s attack aside and thrust at the solar plexus. If he tried to evade that, then the Fifth Form...
At that moment, the club and iron sword collided. In that instant, Dulong Mueller flowed Demian Haksen’s attack past him.
At the same time, he twisted his waist. Spinning his body, he thrust the sword tip toward Demian Haksen’s solar plexus...
In that instant, Dulong Mueller saw it. Demian Haksen staring at him with emotionless eyes.
“Shallow trick.”
Demian Haksen smashed the thrusting iron sword downward with the handle of his club. The sword bounced away below.
“What?”
Shock appeared on Dulong Mueller’s face. He hadn’t accounted for the Third Form being blocked like this.
“Th-The Second Form... used like that...!”
As Dulong Mueller reeled in astonishment, Demian Haksen brought his club down on his head.
Intense pain washed over him, and Dulong Mueller’s vision went dark.
* * *
“Nothing special.”
Demian looked down at the fainted Dulong Mueller and said.
“You two.”
Demian spoke toward Emilio and Gelliver. The two looked at him in surprise.
“Take good care of him. Got it?”
But the two stared at Demian Haksen with trembling eyes. Then Emilio demanded.
“This... this is invalid!”
“Invalid?”
“U-Using the handle to strike isn’t one of the Imperial Standard Swordsmanship forms! You broke the duel’s promise!”
Demian clicked his tongue at Emilio’s protest.
“Ask that guy when he wakes up whether what I used was Imperial Standard Swordsmanship or not.”
“Obviously not...”
“Obsessed with forms like that? You’re doomed to never reach a higher realm.”
Demian tsked his tongue. Then his expression suddenly twisted.
“But did you just talk back to me?”
Emilio and Gelliver’s faces went deathly pale. The two hurriedly picked up Dulong Mueller and fled.
As the three disappeared, silence enveloped the training ground.
“Good lord...”
“Taking down a master-class this easily...”
Class 13 muttered in shock. Demian turned to them and said.
“Now that the nuisances are gone, shall we resume training?”
Every face in Class 13 twisted in dismay. Some looked like they were about to die.
But not everyone.
Oliver and Penelope.
The two gazed at Demian Haksen with resolute expressions.
* * *
That night, Demian received some unexpected guests.
“What are you two doing here?”
Demian asked Oliver and Penelope, who stood in front of the staff dormitory.
The two shouted at Demian with faces full of firm resolve.
“In this year’s exam, I want to beat my brother Gelliver no matter what!”
“I want revenge on that damn Emilio too!”
The two dropped to their knees on the ground at the same time. With desperate faces, they cried out.
“We’ll endure any training! Just make us able to win!”
Demian bent down to his knees. He matched their eye level.
“So in other words... you want to drop the stamina and swordsmanship events and focus only on sparring?”
“Yes!”
“That’s right!”
“I see, I get it. I fully understand your intentions.”
Demian patted their shoulders as he spoke.
Oliver and Penelope beamed and looked at each other’s faces.
“No.”
But at his next words, the smiles vanished from their faces.
“Have you two lost your minds? The exam’s right around the corner, and now you want to switch events? And for the reason of beating the top two spots?”
Demian pulled a club out of his subspace as he spoke.
“No can do. Time for some long-overdue ‘persuasion.’”