Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: I Came, I Saw, I Conquered (3)
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# 87
#4 Their Circumstances: Some Participant's Circumstances.
"L-Liar."
The scoreboards right in front of them displayed utterly unrealistic results.
But no matter how much they rubbed their eyes, the scores didn't change.
[Arsia Academy: 0 points]
[Marsis Academy: 0 points]
[Yuglasia Academy: 5 points]
[Merkiria Academy: 0 points]
The Imperial Tournament, spanning a full week, featured a total of thirty events across the Empire's Four Great Prestigious Academies.
Some events took an entire day due to their nature, while others wrapped up in just an hour.
The first day's events were typically the quick ones, and their point values weren't particularly high.
Today's events, in particular, were all individual matches—the ones with the stingiest scoring—so the winner of each got just 1 point.
The final event on the last day was worth 5 points, sometimes even 10, making for a thrilling competition right up to the wire. No one could relax until the very end. It was too early to give up.
But even so.
On the flip side, a dominant win on the first day could seal the deal—even if someone swept the finale for 10 points, it wouldn't matter if you already had 11.
And to repeat: there were five events today, all low-point individual matches.
"Is it an illusion spell?"
But blinking again didn't change [Yuglasia Academy: 5 points].
Yes. They had to accept it.
Today, in all five events.
Yuglasia Academy—the perennial underdogs—had taken the wins.
Overwhelmingly!
"President... it's still fine! 5 points on day one? That's nothing!"
I couldn't muster a word as the student council executives tried to cheer up my dazed expression.
"We're Arsia Academy, aren't we?"
"Yeah! Arsia! The strongest of the Empire's Four Great Prestigious Academies!"
The female executives spoke with bright faces.
"But... even Rail, our top contender, got crushed like that?"
"That's..."
Silence fell over everyone around.
If it had been a team event where numbers disadvantaged Arsia, it might not sting so bad.
If they'd drawn the worst bracket with back-to-back powerhouses, there'd be excuses.
But none of that applied here.
No, if anything, they'd been handed pure luck.
A 1v1 duel in a tight arena—Arsia's specialty.
And aside from one match, their bracket had no real threats all the way to the finals.
Under those dream conditions, when our surefire winner Rail drew his slot, we'd been certain of victory.
But.
"Rail dropped in round one, and the rest didn't even make it past round three."
"And three of the final four..."
Each academy sent ten participants.
Merkiria had fielded some solid fighters, and the overall level was higher than last year, from what they'd heard.
But look at the final four bracket.
"Three from Yuglasia, one from Marsis."
And that lone Marsis fighter lost in the semis. The final was two Yuglasia students duking it out.
"It's a clean sweep. Admit it—total defeat."
Even our strongest event had ended like this.
The others?
Completely outclassed by Yuglasia—utterly crushed.
"H-Hey, but Lady Aris didn't use summons! She just used a spear!"
"Yeah, Lady Aris, with her natural genius, just happened to go to Yuglasia."
"If Lady Aris had come to Arsia!"
Did these kids even realize what they were saying?
No, most were second-years fresh into the council—they wouldn't get it.
"Are you idiots? No brains?"
Just as I was about to spell out reality, Vice President Arieta beat me to it.
"Losing to a summoner with a spear is something to brag about? We didn't even crack past round three. But Yuglasia put three in the final four and made their own final match."
"That's..."
"Ordinary students can think that way. You could've last year. But you're Arsia student council execs now. We analyze our losses and pave the way for our students to win."
"Arieta..."
No one wanted to beat Yuglasia more than Arieta right now.
Did that Nerkia jerk even know what she was going through for the tournament?
They bickered plenty normally, but knowing her situation made Nerkia even more infuriating.
"You okay?"
"Yeah... for now."
Her words had the new second-year execs staring at the floor, while the veteran fourth-years comforted them like always during initiation.
"Still the bad cop, huh."
"What can I say? It's the job. Handed down from the seniors."
"Why not just tell Nerkia? It wouldn't hurt him. He'd benefit most."
"No... the promise with Father wasn't like that."
Stubborn as ever.
That's why she was the idol—and terror—of so many Arsia girls.
"Besides... Nerkia worked hard to win this tournament too. Can't make him quit."
Damn. Seeing her all vulnerable like this—total opposite of her usual poise—was way too cute.
Seriously, how was she dating a tool like Nerkia?!
"Nerkia's amazing. He could've gone to Marsis at enrollment but chose Yuglasia for his own growth when it was on the decline—and look at the results!"
Puppy love, huh?
Her ranting at me with uncharacteristic fire was something I'd never seen in our two years on council together.
Too bad the trigger was Yuglasia's president, Nerkia.
"Sigh... you two really make life complicated."
"No, it's our choice. So it's fine."
Her happy smile reminded me of another girl who smiled like that.
A prime candidate for next president or VP.
The polar opposite of Arieta—unrespected but beloved.
"Yeah... then tomorrow, we turn it around for sure."
Monopolizing girls like that felt unfair, but as Arsia president, it was my duty to lead us to Imperial Tournament victory.
"Yeah, we believe in you, President!"
And the next day.
[Arsia Academy: 0 points]
[Marsis Academy: 0 points]
[Yuglasia Academy: 12 points]
[Merkiria Academy: 0 points]
The gap only widened.
#5 Their Circumstances: Aris Lil Retia's Circumstances.
[Aaaah! Unbelievable! These two facing off in the first match!]
[Lady Aris finds herself in dire straits!]
"Shut up."
Imperial Tournament day one. One of the five events: a 1v1 duel arena.
Just 1 point for the win on opening day, but no giving up.
Our goal: flawless victory, zero losses.
[The illustrious Lady Aris of the Retia Marquis Family—renowned swordswoman among the Empire's elites!]
[Indeed. Lady Retia was hailed as a swordswoman prodigy to succeed Sir Rea since childhood.]
[But her opponent is no joke. This could be the finals and no one would bat an eye!]
So the president slotted me—the sure win—here.
[Her foe: Arsia Academy's top dog, pride of the Empire's sword school!]
[A talent deemed closest to Swordmaster among all students on the continent!]
[Yes! Facing Lady Aris is none other than Mereldra Rel Rail!]
[How will Lady Aris tackle this powerhouse? That's the watchpoint!]
The tournament offered spectacles beyond us, so the commentators hyped for their paychecks.
Like that.
[Incredible! High-level action from the jump!]
[Rail could top the Imperial Swordsmanship Tournament, open to all Empire swordsmen—not just here.]
[But his foe is Retia's Black She-Wolf! Underestimate her claws, and even Rail's in trouble!]
The droning, repetitive commentary dragged on.
Black She-Wolf? What the hell?
Already coining nicknames?
If so, hard pass. Black She-Wolf? Seriously?
I just wanted the match to start and shut them up, but time remained.
Swinging my legs impatiently, the goddess's voice chimed in.
-Aris. That guy over there—the so-called top of the Empire's premier academy, Arsia?
-Yes, that's what they say.
His distant aura was leagues beyond normal students by any standard.
-Guys like that are a dime a dozen at our school? That's really their best?
She was dead serious.
Yeah, figures. Arsia's "top dog" was just average at our academy!
-We... we're... fighting an academy that calls trash like that their best... sob... just for... that loser... waaah...
The goddess finally burst into aggrieved tears.
-Goddess... Professor Niserwin even accounted for other academies teaming up.
-Sob... still! Waaah... no reason for that much suffering!
-That's... true.
That level as "top"?
Even if all Arsia students were like that, our first-years could handle them with effort.
"Closest to Swordmaster" meant nothing without the title.
Proximity didn't guarantee attainment—only the overseeing gods knew who'd get there.
[Thank you for waiting!]
[The highlight match is about to begin!]
[It might go long—venture a guess!]
[Yes—hit the restroom now if you need to!]
"Lady Retia, an honor to cross swords."
"Yes."
I nodded curtly to my approaching foe through the yapping commentary.
"Lady Aris. You know the Imperial Sword Tournament has more variables than this?"
"Yes. Unlike that, with rest days over the period—this crams everything into one day."
"Exactly. Recovery's possible, but not perfect. So you ration strength accounting for every bracket variable."
Right—Professor Niserwin had said before this match.
'No need to worry about injuries, Lady Aris.'
Followed by the silver devil at his side.
'Damn straight! I'll heal ya right up—no worries!'
Injury meant death.
"But against you, Lady Aris, I'll give my all as a swordsman!"
"Imperial Tournament 1v1 Duel Event 1: Aris Lil Retia vs. Mereldra Rel Rail—begin!"
The match started with those words.
"My goal is Swordmaster through battling the strong—give me your best for mine!"
Blue sword aura bloomed on his drawn blade.
Seeing it, I summoned the goddess's spear.
"A spear?"
He eyed it quizzically.
"Yes—Lady Athena's weapon, bound to me."
"A divine artifact?"
"No, just a spear."
The goddess's was a shield; the spear was sturdy but no divine tool.
"Isn't your weapon a sword, Lady Aris?"
"Since Yuglasia, I've favored the spear."
Half a year using a summonable spear to fight at range from the silver devil.
Less skilled than my main sword, but better for avoiding that pain.
"Are you mocking me?"
He seemed pissed.
"No."
"I heard Lady Aris is a swordswoman—a dual-wield master!"
That was true.
"Given up already? Joining perennial third-place Yuglasia—has the Retia heir quit too?"
What nonsense.
"Then, you're truly a disapp—"
More bullshit incoming.
I'd endured plenty of crap at school for half a year—night self-study, plans, whatever—but not here.
Time to shut him up.
"Spear Aura?"
Fiery spear aura gleamed on my blade.
I spun the glowing red spear, posed, and smiled sweetly at him.
"You'll get snowball'd. Want Swordmaster?"
"Huh?"
To the baffled foe, I kindly offered option two.
"Or enroll at Yuglasia."
Five exchanges.
That's all it took for Arsia's top dog to fall to my spear.