Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Cho Clan's Ban (2)
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When he first participated in the exam, Ban's goal was one thing. To win this exam and make his name known. And thus take one step closer toward his dream.
But after actually going through the exam, Ban's thoughts changed a little.
It was thanks to an instinctive realization. Considering how long the path he wished to walk was, this current point wasn't even worthy of being called a turning point.
"Urk...!"
'Weak.'
Watching his opponent, arm severed, plummeting beneath the arena, Ban thought to himself.
His own standards might be too high. In the Cho Clan, he had crossed swords multiple times with Cho Yeoryeong and the other clan members. But given that they were one of the Nine Great Clans, the highest nobility in the world, and symbolized "strength" among them... those gathered here could only seem too weak.
'How does it look in their eyes? This fight.'
The cheers from the crowds that rang out every time he won planted sweet illusions in him. Even the king and those of lofty status, weren't they shouting cheers toward him from behind those splendid golden pillars right now?
It was an absurdly optimistic fantasy.
'Not enough. This level isn't.'
He himself knew it well enough already. What the battles of true "knights" were like. Even setting aside the sparring he'd witnessed in the Cho Clan, the figure of Urong fighting the rebels in the forest back then... was not on this level at all.
Overwhelming strength that made one question if they were even the same species.
Power that rendered strategy and tactics meaningless.
He didn't know precisely what the abilities of the other great clans entailed, but their battles would be no less impressive than this—perhaps even more so.
That was why Ban couldn't show a purely elated face. The road ahead was far. He couldn't prance about like some grand swordsman after putting on mere entertainment-level fights.
With today, the round of 32 had concluded. Of the seven Cho Clan warriors who advanced to the main draw, only four remained in the top sixteen: Ban, Hazelrek, Ikyeong, and the token woman, Yuseul.
And Ban's next opponent was inevitably Hazelrek, from the same bracket.
"......What rotten luck."
That night, inside the tavern where all the Cho Clan warriors had gathered, Hazelrek let out a sigh. Out of all those opponents, why did it have to be Ban in the round of sixteen? If it weren't him, he was confident he could have lasted at least to the semifinals.
"Cheer up, senior."
Yuseul patted Hazelrek on the shoulder. It was laughable to receive comfort from the baby of the group, but Hazelrek didn't even feel like griping about it. What could he do? The one who fell short was himself.
He couldn't pin it all on talent either. No one among them was unaware. That Ban had devoted the most time to swordsmanship out of all of them.
Ban deserved the strength he now possessed.
'But I can't just lose easily.'
Hazelrek narrowed his eyes. In spars, Hazelrek had rarely gotten the better of Ban. But real combat was different from practice. If one charged in with killing intent... even Ban...
"Hey, you lot. You're those Cho Clan warriors from the tournament, right?"
"That's us, yeah."
"Wow, I watched your matches. You guys were flying all over the place, huh? Especially... who's that Ban fellow? Haven't seen his face around the colosseum much..."
"He was here till just a bit ago... must've stepped out for a moment."
"Oh? Well, eat up—meat, booze, whatever you want today. You guys made it fun for me!"
Patting his coin pouch as he said it, he must have placed some bets. The moment Hazelrek opened his mouth to politely decline.
"Sure thing. Then we'll dig in."
A playful yet somehow impassive voice drifted in. The instant he heard it, Hazelrek shot to his feet in alarm. It was Yeoryeong.
"Y-Yeoryeong! What brings you he—"
"Had some free time, so I dropped by to hang out. Figured you'd all be hunkered down here. Where's Ban?"
"......No idea."
It wasn't all that surprising for her to ask after Ban right away. She rather liked him, after all. No, truthfully, pretty much everyone in the Cho Clan liked Ban. To a clan that worshipped strength, a guy with nothing but swords on his mind was bound to click.
'They feel like people from another world sometimes.'
It wasn't just the Cho Clan—Ban felt that way too. Even standing in the same spot, they seemed to be gazing somewhere else entirely. It wasn't about strength. It was like, from the moment they were born, the places they belonged were predetermined to be different...
"Hazelrek. Wanna head out?"
"Y-Yes?"
"Let's go find Ban. Can't leave without seeing his face now that I'm here."
Truth be told, finding Ban wasn't hard. Whenever he vanished without a word, you just had to check spots good for swinging a sword.
This time was no different. The backyard. Ban gripped his longsword, practicing Cho Swordsmanship.
So absorbed he hadn't even noticed their arrival. Arms crossed, Yeoryeong murmured with an odd expression.
"At least his swordwork is perfect."
There were barely enough people stronger than Ban in the Cho Clan to count on one hand, but even fewer who wielded swordsmanship as flawless as his.
"Ban. Think you can win?"
Yeoryeong asked. For a swordsman—or a man—showing confidence would be the right answer here, but...
Hazelrek couldn't reply easily. Yeoryeong understood him.
"He feels flawless, right?"
"..Frankly, yes."
"No helping it. Even I have a hard time finding openings against Ban. Want a tip?"
"A tip?"
"Don't bother hunting for openings."
Yeoryeong smiled faintly.
"Then they'll show up."
"......That's cryptic."
"You'll get it during the match."
"But why give me advice? You're rooting for Ban over me, aren't yo—"
"What? Why would I? I'm just on the side of our clan's warriors, that's all! Not picking favorites!"
Ah, right, of course. Hazelrek swallowed his unsaid retort and gazed at Ban. Still, that sword stance looked utterly perfect. Give up on openings, and they'll appear?
'Can I... actually win?'
§
She was pure white. Her hair, eyebrows, eyes, skin—even the clothes she wore were white. Unless one hailed from some backwater village, anyone would immediately think of one of the Nine Great Clans: the Nahar Clan.
Nahar Anya. That was her name.
Do I really have to watch this?
And right now, she was thoroughly peeved.
It was a fine, sunny day. Perfect weather to head to the park and munch on grapes, yet here she was, stuck in the sweaty colosseum watching blood fly.
But Yeoryeong just giggled and pinched Anya's cheek.
"Aw, don't be like that. Kids from our clan are up!"
"Not our clan—your clan."
"Why you gotta act like such an outsider?"
"By default, anyone who's not me is an outsider. And outsiders always hassle me. Like you're doing right now."
"Hehe, Anya's so cute."
"......I don't think you're cute."
Anya slumped over like she couldn't be bothered, peering down at the arena. Before enrolling in the academy, her older siblings had all swarmed her with warnings: "Don't hang out just with Cho Clan kids. They're like a pack of puppies." She'd wondered what was so bad about that... but to think the puppies were like this.
"Ah, there they are! Those guys!"
It was then. Yeoryeong sprang up, raising her voice. The other academy students nearby glanced over curiously, then nodded knowingly upon spotting the Cho Clan garb she wore.
Precisely the type of person Anya least wanted beside her. But Yeoryeong ignored it and grabbed Anya's shoulders, shaking her.
"See that guy? That's Hazelrek, and the other one's Ban!"
"..Got it."
"Hazelrek's, um... a nice guy, and Ban's crazy strong. I can hardly beat him in spars, you know?"
"You can't beat him?"
Even Anya's half-lidded eyes snapped open at that. No matter how airheaded the girl next to her seemed, she was still a daughter of the Cho Clan. A direct descendant of the family head, no less.
And some nobody from outside the great clans was holding his own against her?
"Genius, then."
"Yep, total genius."
Yeoryeong nodded along with Anya's casual remark. Truth be told, she wondered if she'd win against him without the Cho Clan blood. Were it not for her overwhelming physical gifts, Ban's blade would have cut her down before she could even react.
"So, who're you rooting for? The genius? Or the not-genius?"
Blatant she couldn't remember their names already. Yeoryeong didn't mind.
"The weaker one?"
"......Huh. Really?"
Anya rested her chin in her hand, looking bored. Only then did she notice how many more academy students had gathered than expected. These were seats for current students, so it made sense, but even accounting for that, there were hardly any empty spots. This festival wasn't supposed to be that big a deal for them...
Even the royal box was the same. Far from a token few for show, it brimmed with people. She could even spot elites from the Royal Knight Order on one side. Considering who those elites were guarding...
'......Is this match drawing that much attention?'
Why?
The question didn't linger long.
The trumpets blared, the match began, and as the crowd's cheers exploded outward, Anya forgot all about her missed outing.
"......Insane."
Ban had figured only the plebeian crowds were cheering for him.
That those who truly knew power wouldn't spare him a glance.
He was wrong.
The great clans. The Royal Knight Order. The academy elites. The royals.
They were watching him.