The Start of the Second Year (1)
The Start of the Second Year (1)
If you get to relive your life, you can usually do better the next time.
Perhaps, if I redid the events of this past break, I could find a better way.
I could have reached the barony first and dealt with the bandits and mercenaries before anyone died. Maybe I could have handled the Viscount and the fortress more cleanly, too.
I could also have dealt with the assassins before the wedding and ensured the ceremony went peacefully.
But all of that was mere speculation. A single misstep could lead to a worse outcome or arouse people's suspicion.
No, to be honest, it wasn't for any of those reasons.
Reliving my life was an incredibly painful ordeal.
Living in a different time from everyone else was exhausting, and watching the time I'd spent with them vanish was terrifying.
The pain was part of why I gave it my all every single time, but mostly, I simply didn't want to repeat time again.
And rewinding to a time when I hadn't yet reached adulthood and my growth was incomplete was even more frustrating, because I could clearly see my skills regress.
This time, more than anything else, the hardest part had been meeting the Duke again and babbling the exact same words.
I had done quite well during this break, and I had absolutely no intention of repeating it.
So I answered 'Yes' to the message's prompt.
I suddenly came to a halt, and people's eyes turned toward me.
I dismissed the message window and headed toward the second-year Knight Faculty students.
The auditorium, which had seemed so spacious when I was a freshman last year, was now packed to the brim.
That made sense, considering both the second- and third-year students were gathered here.
After briefly chatting with classmates I hadn't seen in a while, I gave a slight nod to the Grand Archduchess, who was standing far from the Princess.
Everyone seemed to be doing well.
The ceremony began.
Just as during my freshman year, the academy president took the stage and launched into a long, sleep-inducing speech.
When he used his abilities, he looked professional and cool. Right now, though, he looked like the same old nepotistic bureaucrat from the entrance ceremony.
Still, unlike during the entrance ceremony, his speech this time included a bit of useful information.
The president went through the graduates' career paths one by one, focusing on those who had done exceptionally well.
It felt like watching a high school principal brag about successful alumni in my past life, but thanks to that, I learned that Senior Havier had joined the Royal Knights after graduating.
Other graduates seemed to have gone on to work in government offices or join the Royal Knights, or become administrators and knights in large domains.
Needless to say, the noble heirs had returned to their respective territories.
Since this was the Royal Academy, that was only natural.
There was also some talk about the incoming freshmen.
They didn't have a Princess or a Grand Archduchess like our year, but it seemed quite a few children from high-ranking noble families had enrolled.
The heir of a Marquis, the daughter of a Duke... Names I recognized drifted into my ears.
But it got boring again, and I couldn't remember them.
Once the president's speech concluded, Senior Benjamin, now a third-year, came forward as the representative to deliver something akin to an oath, and the opening ceremony came to an end.
The Royal Academy's curriculum spanned three years.
The first year was spent adjusting to the academy and taking part in various practical training sessions for the first time, while the third year was a time to prepare for life after graduation.
In practice, it was safe to say that the vast majority of the academy's core classes took place during the second year.
Though I—having caused an absolute ruckus during my first year—would be an exception.
On top of that, the common liberal arts classes, which had made up half the curriculum in the first year, were drastically reduced.
This meant there would be less time to interact with students from other faculties.
Still, since the Royal Academy valued student interaction just as much as academic classes, it had prepared an alternative.
Students from all three faculties were mixed into groups and assigned projects throughout the year that would heavily affect their final grades.
That's right. This was, in essence, just like the group projects I had experienced in my past life.
On top of that, power and background mattered far more in this world than they had in my past life, and it was a group project where you had no idea who your teammates would be or what assignment you would get.
In the end, the only ones I could rely on were the Princess and the Grand Archduchess.
But before that, there was something I had to do.
It was time to challenge the Twenty-Year-Old Hero.
My chances of winning were slim. When I had first challenged the Twenty-Year-Old Hero out of sheer ignorance, the match had ended before I could even gauge his skill level.
Back then, I couldn't even defeat the fifteen-year-old Hero, but I could clearly feel the massive gap between myself and the twenty-year-old version.
The difference was bound to be substantial even now.
Still, the time had come to try.
Conveniently, since my Save Point was set to the opening ceremony, I wouldn't have to repeat a long stretch of time if I failed.
The evening of the opening ceremony.
While other students roamed the academy grounds and the streets with friends they hadn't seen in ages, I sat in my dormitory room, equipping my gear piece by piece.
I slung the greatsword onto my back, strapped the dagger to my waist, and checked my ring and necklace.
Inside the relic pouch tucked against my chest were my single-use trump cards: the relic crossbow and the black arrow.
Though they had already broken several times in the Mental World, in reality they remained perfectly intact after being repaired by the Grand Archduchess.
'Ah, right. I also need to hand over the broken relics I brought from the Viscount's territory to the Grand Archduchess.'
Pushing that thought aside for now, I gripped the hilt of the black sword resting on my desk.
[Temporary User Alex verified. Would you like to adjust the settings? Or enter immediately?]
The voice felt familiar by now.
I pushed my tension to the absolute limit and replied to the voice.
"Enter."
Flash!
Once again, the world plunged into darkness.
A moment later, as my vision cleared, an empty arena came into view.
The iron gate grated open, and the fifteen-year-old Carlos, who looked nothing like a fifteen-year-old, emerged.
I smirked.
He was an opponent I could now defeat with a single sword strike. There was no way I would lose when I was fully armed.
Circulating my Mana Cultivation Technique, I dashed toward the Hero.
Bang!
As expected, the battle ended without much difficulty.
He was an opponent whose habits and swordsmanship I had thoroughly observed and experienced through countless battles.
Though my swordsmanship wasn't identical to his, I could reproduce a roughly similar style, and my strength no longer lagged behind his. On top of that, once I unleashed a barrage of Invisible Sword Aura, the fifteen-year-old Hero could no longer hold out.
After about ten minutes of fierce combat, the duel ended with me sending the Hero's sword flying.
It was a satisfying victory, but this was merely the warm-up.
The real show began now.
[Congratulations. You have defeated the first opponent. The second opponent will now appear. The second opponent is the twenty-year-old Carlos.]
The corpse vanished, and the twenty-year-old Hero, with his massive frame towering over two meters tall, stepped forward.
I took a deep breath and channeled mana into my mana necklace.
Then I charged at the Twenty-Year-Old Hero.
Thud!
How many times had we clashed?
Suddenly, my vision blurred, and I found myself back at the opening ceremony.
The auditorium was packed with students.
I was standing right at its entrance.
Perhaps because I had been standing there too long, people had begun turning their eyes toward me.
I gritted my teeth to endure the pain. Then I walked toward the seat I had occupied before.
It seemed a blade I hadn't even perceived had severed my head. The nerves around my neck were screaming in agony.
Unlike an ordinary death, dying from nerve damage left behind a bizarre sensation that made me feel even worse.
Suppressing the pain, I barely managed to sit down.
I couldn't even greet my classmates, whom I hadn't seen in a while, let alone find the mental capacity to exchange nods with the Princess and the Grand Archduchess.
Sensing my grim expression, everyone walked on eggshells around me and refrained from speaking.
'The gap in skill is wider than I thought.'
It was almost embarrassing to call it a mere "gap."
I hadn't even had time to fire the black arrow.
From the moment the fight began, I was pushed back relentlessly.
And I could clearly feel that he was holding back significantly.
The moment he decided he had seen enough, he undoubtedly took my head off.
Who would have thought a mere phantom created by a relic sword could toy with someone like this?
Facing the Twenty-Year-Old Hero, I felt a wall I hadn't even sensed when fighting the Duke.
Well, I suppose that was exactly why he was able to seal the Demon King.
In any case, the Kingdom and society of this world, hundreds of years later, had been built on the divided abilities of the heroes, passed down to their descendants.
Because those powers were so overwhelmingly strong, the nobles could rule the world with just a fraction of them and felt no need to develop them further.
'How closely they can replicate those powers is the nobles' ultimate goal, and I'm in the same boat right now.'
Still, it wasn't as if I had gained nothing.
I now knew what it would take to defeat the Twenty-Year-Old Hero.
A style of swordsmanship roughly cobbled together using a different Mana Cultivation Technique could never defeat the genuine article.
I had realized this when I first fought the fifteen-year-old Hero, but because it was difficult to obtain other Mana Cultivation Techniques, I had resorted to a shortcut.
I had managed to defeat the fifteen-year-old Hero with that shortcut. Brimming with confidence, I had lunged at the Twenty-Year-Old Hero, but...
As expected, it was impossible.
I needed a proper Mana Cultivation Technique. I had to learn the various offshoots of the Hero Carlos's Mana Cultivation Technique. And the Mana Cultivation Technique of the Royal Knights, too.
It seemed I would have to reevaluate my plans for the second year.
I had intended to build my strength through ordinary training, but that didn't seem like enough to defeat the Twenty-Year-Old Hero.
As I was deep in thought, a female voice reached my ears from beside me.
"Are you alright?"
When I raised my head, the opening ceremony was already over.
Many students had already left the auditorium, while those who remained were chatting in small groups.
Before I knew it, a crowd had gathered around me, too.
The Princess, the Grand Archduchess, Balea, and even Bria.
To others, it might have looked like a flower garden, but to me, they were a reassuring web of support.
"Ah, I have something to give you, Your Grace."
"Pardon?"
There was no reason to put it off. I decided to hand over the broken relics I had brought from the Viscount's territory to the Grand Archduchess right away.
"And I have a favor to ask of you, Your Highness."
"Yes? Of me?"
The Princess wore a bewildered expression, too.
She had come over because she was concerned that I looked so unwell, so it was only natural for her to be taken aback by my sudden request.
"What about me! No presents or favors for me?"
Balea raised her hand from the side, but I had neither gifts nor favors for her.
Unless, of course, I was the one receiving a gift instead.
"Actually, I think I'm the one who should be receiving some thanks. Come to think of it, didn't you say we were going to rewrite the contract?"
"Ah! I-I need to go pick some flowers for a moment..."
Balea blurted out a euphemism for going to the restroom and quickly scurried away.
Still, since she was the type to keep her promises, I wasn't worried about Balea.
I just hoped her expression of gratitude wouldn't be anything too bizarre.
Bria, who had come along with them, seemed somewhat envious.
It was as if she wanted me to say something to her as well.
I offered her a standard greeting, and that alone was enough to make Bria's face light up as she returned it.
After promising to meet with each of them individually later, I stepped out of the auditorium.