Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: A Slightly Strong Rookie (1)
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Sword God Ban said.
"Senior. Step back here."
"How could I? My homeland and country are trembling in the wake of my footsteps. One last request. Stop. Ban."
"......To keep them from trembling. If you leave the pus be without lancing it, even the flesh will die."
"Heh heh...... That pus is my world. How could I let you lance it?"
The swordsman and the martial artist knew there was no point in exchanging more words. Their hearts might have been aligned, but their thoughts were not. It was time to clash sword against fist. Time to bury their affection and pursue only dry ideals.
Sword God Ban raised his sword. Even after earning the title of the world's strongest swordsman, there was no joy in his eyes. Ban charged. He leaped.
And then he opened his eyes.
His first thoughts were, 'I was definitely holding Yuri when I fell asleep, right?' and 'Am I still having dreams like this?'
He must have thrashed around in his sleep, because the broadsword had fallen under the bed. Ban picked up the broadsword. Yuri snapped at him as if she'd been waiting.
— Hey! Do you treat your senior like this, you punk?
"......Sorry. I must've been tossing and turning."
— Ugh...... What a life I have.
Yuri muttered glumly. It was bad enough being trapped in a sword as a goblin spirit, but to roll around under some guy's bed all night? It felt like just yesterday she was strutting proudly through the academy, turning down confessions from all the guys.
Ban closed his eyes for a moment, still gripping Yuri. Beyond the lingering drowsiness, a wave of bewilderment washed over him. It wasn't strange that Cho Urong had appeared in his dream since they'd just fought recently, but he couldn't understand why Urong had faced him as a rebel.
'Am I anxious?'
Worried that the kingdom might really be as rotten as those rebels claimed. That it might not be worth staking his sword on.
'No need to worry, Ban.'
Ban gripped the broadsword tightly. It was the country where he'd been born and raised. As he'd said in the dream, he'd lance the pus if need be, but he wouldn't abandon it. That's what he thought.
Ban quietly recalled his duel with Cho Urong. A fight that could have ended with him bursting like a firecracker in one hit if he'd slipped up.
§
"I can't even remember the last time. A student from outside the Nine Great Clans has drawn this much attention."
The Dean smiled softly at Ban. This was the final interview before beginning their missions. Was it because of his fame? Or did he simply like Ban? The Dean always showed an affectionate smile whenever he saw him.
"The blessing of the Nine Great Clans...... is normally something you can't surpass."
"True. But you surpassed it, didn't you?"
"......Thank you."
"Many people will approach you from here on out."
Dean Jayden of House Ballgot smiled as if he knew everything. He continued quietly.
"When the time comes to make a decision, just follow your heart."
"......Does that mean I can go anywhere I want?"
"I don't know if it'll be good or bad. But if you follow where your heart leads, at least any regrets will be cleaner, won't they?"
Jayden sighed.
"The kingdom is teetering. Seeds of the Night swarm in the north, and rebels wearing the mask of revolution are rising within. It's endless worry. I hope you'll be the salve for this kingdom's wounds."
"......Sometimes poison herbs are used as medicine, Dean."
At Ban's words, Jayden looked at him silently. In Ban's eyes was a gaze he'd seen many times before. Eyes without conviction. Childish eyes. Ironically, in Ban's wavering, Jayden found the unchanging law of youth that had persisted through long years.
"Perhaps their rebellion is, in some ways, for the kingdom......"
"Do you remember the training camp two years ago?"
"......I'll never forget it."
"I won't say the rebels are entirely wrong."
It wasn't something for a member of the royal family or the Dean of Citadel Academy to say. Ban looked at Jayden. The wisdom in Jayden's eyes wasn't just from white brows and deep wrinkles. They clearly held the patience and wisdom accumulated over a lifetime.
"But no matter how plausible their ideals, you can't call those who do anything for ideals righteous. Those who don't grasp the beauty of the process can't achieve anything. As a swordsman, you'll understand what I mean. Right?"
"......Yes. I understand."
"I won't tell you to believe in and follow the kingdom. Faith isn't born from coercion."
It was still a radical statement. But Ban wasn't surprised. He'd heard things like this every time he met Jayden.
"Since the kingdom was founded, the night hasn't invaded our lands for a thousand years. Until the north fell."
"........."
"I hope this thousand years becomes ten thousand, a hundred thousand. That's all."
It was a conversation without answers. But when it ended, Ban felt oddly comforted, as if soothed. Maybe it wasn't that the Dean had given answers, but had pondered the questions alongside him.
"How was it? The interview?"
"Same as always."
After leaving the Dean's office, Ban chatted with his team members. They were the ones he'd carry out missions with throughout his fourth year. Four in total: him, Anya, Yeoryeong, and Jeo. Excluding Ban, they were arguably the strongest in the fourth year. And excluding Ban, they were all from the Nine Great Clans.
It was fairly typical. To tackle slightly harder missions, teams often formed among those of similar skill. Hazelrek and Ikyeong had grumbled things like 'Should've trained more' with gloomy faces, but what couldn't be helped was unavoidable.
'If anything, it's weird that I'm the one stuck among these nobles.
And the strongest among them, no less. Ban's lips quirked up just then. Yeoryeong slammed the desk and said.
"We're going east?"
"Ah, why? I hate the east. It's humid and rains a lot."
"The south's the same!"
"......It's a different kind of humidity and a different kind of rain."
Jeo and Yeoryeong bickered. They were pretending to have reasons, but it was just that they wanted their first mission near their hometowns. Ban swallowed a sigh and turned to Anya.
"Where do you want to go?"
"Anywhere...... with good food......"
"......Did I team up with these guys for no reason?"
Ban sighed as he looked at Anya, slumped over the table in response. Ever since the rampage incident, Anya recharged her laziness energy whenever she could. So she could work harder normally, or whatever.
"Why not take it easy from the start? Like a break?"
"......A break?"
Ban smiled.
"Yeah. Think of it as a picnic."
§
"This is, what, a picnic?!"
Yeoryeong panted, grumbling furiously. The desert sun blazed fiercely enough to melt sand. Good grief, weather where you might get sunburned without long clothes? Ridiculous.
"Heh heh...... Even the Cho Clan can't handle the weather, huh."
"......You're sweating buckets too?"
Yeoryeong snapped at Jeo. For all his tough act, Jeo's pupils were on the verge of dilating completely.
It was murderous heat. Even if they could handle qi, they couldn't keep it active all the time...... Against this prolonged swelter, they were helpless.
Even Ban was the same. He'd aced classes in walking, running, enduring with the professor's praise, but this heat was on another level.
'Am I out of practice?'
Ironically, the one handling this heat best was Anya. It would've been funny if the fire handler suffered in the heat, but sadly, not a drop of sweat marred her pale face. And unlike the others, she even wore the Nahar Clan's signature flowing garments.
"......Anya, you're so annoying."
"Karma. It's karma."
Anya grinned in response to Yeoryeong's complaints. She seemed delighted watching Yeoryeong—who always teased her—huff and puff.
If they'd been able to rent even one camel, it might've been different, but the academy was stingy about such conveniences as always. Ban exhaled hot breath and spoke.
"......After this mission, let's head north."
"North......? That's bad in its own way."
"Not the North. Just north-ish. Cool enough. Northwest has lots of snow-capped mountains and great views, they say."
"You need a decent mission for that."
"In that sense, this mission seems pretty fun."
Jeo grinned savagely as he spoke. The mission was simple.
"Please help us. Those thieves have us on the brink of starvation......"
It was a small village. The guards were just enough for local thugs, and it'd been plenty peaceful before. Asking the academy for help already meant they lacked manpower, so it was expected.
"How long has this been going on?"
"Almost since last year...... We asked not just the academy but the southern lords too, but you're the first knights to come."
"W-We aren't knights yet...... Well, sorta."
Jeo scratched his nose sheepishly. But being called a knight didn't seem bad; joy lit his flushed face, unhidden. The village chief glanced slyly. Small village or not, having spent his youth at Citadel, he had some insight.
"But now I can finally relax....... With such highborn clan members here in person, those thugs won't stand a chance."
Spotting Anya as Nahar Clan was easier than telling dog from cat, and Jeo's protruding thumbnail was an Eustaine Clan trait. And Yeoryeong and Ban......
'At least Cho Clan warriors.'
If they insisted on eastern-style training robes even after enrolling at the academy, it was obvious.
Ban spoke.
"Where do they appear, how many are there, any peculiarities. Tell us everything."
"Y-Yes, yes. Well......"
The chief kept glancing at Ban as he spoke. From the vibe, Ban seemed to be the leader. To lead a team of Nine Great Clans members...... He had to be a Cho Clan heir, no question.
After sharing all the info, the chief wore an odd expression. So young, yet skilled enough to handle the bandits plaguing their village...... Citadel Academy pre-grads went without saying.
'The nobles' blessing...... Nothing else to say but envy.'
That's why, as they rose, he blurted it out unwittingly.
"Thank you. Young master and lady of the Cho Clan, and the bloodkin of Nahar and Eustaine......"
That was when it happened. The four exchanged glances with strange looks. Ban grinned and left, Yeoryeong and Jeo giggling as they followed. As a bewildered look settled on the chief's face, Anya tossed out casually.
"Wrong guess. That guy's not Cho Clan young master."
"......P-Pardon? Oh no, I've been rude. S-Sorry. Then what clan is he from......"
"Not from any clan."
"Pardon......?"
The chief looked dumbfounded. Not from any clan. That meant not noble, right? Even if long removed from Citadel, it was still unbelievable. How could a non-noble lead a group with these great clan heirs?
Anya didn't answer his question. No need. That night, before the moon had even set, Ban returned with the bandit leader's head.
"You're safe now."
Only then did he understand. It wasn't about Ban's status he should wonder at, but the swordsman himself.
There are men who speak for themselves, without a clan's name.
Ban.
His first mission ended in a single day.