69. Swordsmanship Exchange
69. Swordsmanship Exchange
It was the second day since the people from Clover Academy had arrived in the Empire. Before heading out, Amy was packing her anti-demon equipment.
'Why is she telling me to arm myself again today...?'
-Don't let your guard down. In my experience, the bigger an event like this is, the higher the chance something will happen.
It was because Companion had suddenly given her a strong piece of advice.
Since she couldn't exactly walk around wearing all of this unless something actually kicked off, she had no choice but to stash it in her subspace pocket until that happened.
She stifled a laugh at the sight of herself slipping a mithril sword—whose value was almost impossible to calculate—into an expensive subspace pocket worth enough to feed the people of her territory for over five years if she sold it.
-Given the timing, the Clover Kingdom is likely still in collusion with the Demon Church.
And at a time like this, right after the academy had been attacked by the Demon Church, that same Clover Kingdom had infiltrated about 120 students along with a Master into the Empire... even if she wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, it was a stretch.
'You mean they've got some other angle?'
-Nothing happening would be the best outcome, but there's no harm in being prepared. If the day ends and nothing happened, you can just be thankful for that.
What Companion said was extremely plausible.
He'd made mistakes based on conjecture before, but his advice from that unknown identity was still worth listening to.
'And... what did you mean by what you said yesterday?'
-Which part are you referring to?
'I mean about Riber being a descendant of werewolves. When Atlas was going on about the werewolf essence and the Wolf Stance yesterday. Do you know how surprised I was?'
-It's the literal truth. As far as I know, Riber Simoa... no, the successors of the Simore family all possess the traits of werewolves, becoming strongest under the full moon, though they are not werewolves themselves.
She'd never heard of someone having werewolf traits without being a werewolf before.
-Long ago, the Simoa were called the White Wolves, just like their family crest... though at some point, the color that represented them became gold instead of white.
It wasn't that big a deal. Plenty of families besides the Simore had adopted the wolf as their symbol and attempted all sorts of things to claim the wolf's power. The Simore just happened to be a case that succeeded...
So Riber had werewolf traits... was that why she had such a belligerent personality?
She decided to keep it a secret from Atlas.
He'd once said that one of the clues for growing taller involved a werewolf essence.
Even if he found out, he wasn't the type to harm Riber... but Atlas did lose all reason when it came to his height, so it was better to be cautious.
"Alright. All packed!"
She'd taken a bit long because she was being meticulous.
She hurried out of her room.
By this time, Riber should have been waiting outside the dormitory.
"She's not here...? That's strange..."
The dormitory lobby, their usual meeting spot before heading out, was empty.
Had she left first?
But there was no way Riber would do that without a word.
'Is she feeling unwell...?'
Maybe she hadn't been able to get up.
But even when she knocked on Riber's door, there was no answer.
She sharpened her senses from outside the door, but she couldn't feel a single sign of life inside.
It seemed she really had left first.
"Hmm, that's weird..?"
Maybe something really urgent had come up and she'd gone ahead... She decided to head to the clearing first.
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"Amy, you're here?"
Fortunately, Riber was already warming up in the clearing.
Amy had worried something might have happened, but she was relieved to see there didn't seem to be any problem.
Nearby, Atlas was hanging upside down from a tree, and Lucia was stretching while watching him dangle back and forth.
He claimed it stimulated his growth plates or something, and seeing him do it consistently every single day without fail was impressive.
"Leaving without a word... did something happen?"
"Sorry, I woke up a bit early today so I came ahead."
"I woke up early too..."
"I didn't want to wake you if you were sleeping."
Amy's gaze suddenly fell on the nape of Riber's neck.
On Riber's nape, as white as jade, there was a bright red mark.
"Uh... Riber, did a mosquito bite you?"
"What??"
"...?!"
When she pointed out the vivid red swollen mark, Riber flinched in surprise and brought her hand up to her nape.
Amy wasn't sure why, but Atlas, who was hanging from the tree, also took a rare tumble from it.
"Whoa?!"
-Kudangtang
"Ah... Atlas, are you okay??"
"Ugh... I'm fine..."
Atlas, who had face-planted into the dirt, got up with Lucia's help and dusted the soil off his clothes.
She'd seen Atlas hanging from the tree countless times as his height-increasing exercise, but this was the first time she'd seen him fall.
"Be careful."
"Ah..."
When their hands touched, they both flinched, and a strange atmosphere flowed between them.
What on earth was going on??
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Something was suspicious.
A subtle current was flowing between those two.
"You said you're going out for the exchange tournament today, right? No, never mind... you'll handle it well on your own, what am I even saying... haha."
"What were you going to say?"
"Just... you know, do your best..."
"Thanks for cheering me on."
"Yeah..."
They were acting as naturally as ever, but there was a ticklish, soft, strange current in the air.
Had something happened between those two?
-Come to think of it, today is the full moon....
Companion made an enigmatic remark.
"...Suspicious."
And Lucia was glaring at the two of them with extremely bloodshot eyes.
"Definitely... they weren't like this until yesterday...."
———————————————-
After morning training ended and we all ate breakfast together, I broke off from the group and headed toward the Sword Art Research Club.
When Amy had pointed out the kiss mark, I thought my heart was going to stop.
It was mostly covered by clothing, but I'd forgotten that the one I'd left on her nape was visible.
I'd hurriedly brushed it off to Amy as a bug bite, but maybe she'd sensed the strange atmosphere between Riber and me—Lucia's gaze had been terrifying.
Personally, I felt I was acting no different than before, but since both of them had sharp intuition, maybe they'd picked up on something.
When I entered the Sword Art Research Club room, a host of wary stares greeted me.
The exchange tournament with another academy was a matter of pride for the Sword Art Research Club.
Only five members, including the club president, had been carefully selected to participate. A guy who wasn't even in the club suddenly swooping in with a few words and snatching the most glorious position—the vanguard—clearly didn't sit well with them.
I was used to looks like these.
But that was all they could do.
In the past, I would have asked what they were staring at and thrown a punch immediately, but this was Hera-nunim's Sword Art Research Club.
I decided to refrain from any actions that might cause trouble for Hera.
As soon as someone notified the president's office that I'd arrived, the door burst open.
"Little brother, you're here?"
Hera dashed up to me in an instant, ruffling my hair in welcome.
She was a person who closed distances incredibly fast.
Whether it was physical distance or emotional distance.
After greeting me enthusiastically, Hera swept her gaze around the room once and spoke in a completely different tone than before.
"What's with this atmosphere? Do you guys have a complaint or something?"
Instead of beating around the bush, she threw a straight fastball. As if they'd been waiting for it, someone rushed out in front of Hera and dropped to his knees.
"President!! I know it's rude to oppose your decision, but please allow me one word..!!!"
Judging by the brooch on his chest, the kneeling man was a senior one year above me.
Enduring Hera's icy gaze bearing down on him, he pressed his head to the floor and cried out.
"Even so, please reconsider having a freshman serve as the vanguard!!!"
"Why? Because if my little brother doesn't go in, you think you'll get the spot as first reserve?"
"That's not the petty reason! This is the Sword Art Research Club, yet someone who isn't even a member... a freshman at that!! Is to go out as the vanguard!!
The vanguard is an immensely important position that sets the tone for the entire exchange..!! You can't entrust it to an unverified outsider!!"
Since this exchange tournament had a rule where competitors went out one by one and the winner kept facing the next in line, it was crucial for the opening vanguard to seize the momentum.
But what that senior didn't know was that it was precisely because of that reason that I had been made the first to go.
"...Not verified? Then who do you think is suited for the vanguard?"
"Naturally, I believe it is only right that the head club member, Heinz-sunbae, who possesses the most outstanding offensive skills, should stand as the vanguard!!"
Near the president's office, the shoulders of a figure in a different colored cloak—one of the head club members—twitched.
"Hey, Heinz. Our plucky junior here has an opinion. What do you think?"
"......."
The singled-out Heinz hung his head low and kept his mouth firmly shut.
He really was quite a good swordsman for his age.
Judging by the solid physique visible even through his clothes and the aura felt from his body, he'd clearly reached the level of a top-tier Expert.
A head club member was a rank just below the president and captain who led the club—a talent akin to an instructor qualified to teach new members.
Being roughly number three in line right under the president and captain, his skill was guaranteed. To some extent, what that senior said to Hera was right.
"I... am not qualified."
That is, if you overlooked the fact that this same Heinz was the one who'd collapsed in the Newspaper Club without even managing a single proper exchange against me.
Among the five who'd already been selected, there was someone I'd beaten to a pulp.
One of the five strongest in the club was someone who'd been smashed by me and then returned. It was ridiculous to argue about skill.
"The exchange tournament has never been solely the 'Sword Art Research Club's' exchange.
It's simply an inter-academy swordsmanship exchange, and we've taken charge of it because we are the most accomplished in swordsmanship among the students. There's no rule that says you can't participate just because you're not in the Sword Art Research Club.
Got it? No matter what anyone says, Atlas Nemea is the perfect fit for this exchange's vanguard!"
Once Hera declared it, no one dared to so much as open their mouths; they just stared at me.
Their gazes held a variety of emotions.
Some looked ready to kill, some jealous, some admiring, some completely blank-faced.
After that, she announced the order for today's exchange—vanguard, second vanguard, middle guard, captain, and leader—and then we were dismissed.
"Hey, little brother!"
"Yes, what is it?"
After the announcements, Hera called me over.
"You're going out as the vanguard all cool, but if you get knocked out right away, you're joining the Sword Art Research Club!"
"Gak... that's the first I'm hearing of this, nunim."
"Of course it is, I just made it up now."
I knew her giving up the spot had been too easy.
"How about it? Suddenly feeling a surge of energy you never had?"
"Just sit back and relax in the rear, nunim."
"Cheeky little... well then, shall we see the swordsmanship skills of this year's top freshman?"
"Top freshman? You flatter me. I'm barely keeping my rank in the middle of the pack."
"Getting good grades doesn't make you the top. Show me what you've got."
—————————————-
As soon as the Swordsmanship Exchange Tournament began, the spectator stands stirred.
"You... son of a bitch, are you mocking me...!!!"
My first opponent—the vanguard from Clover Academy—spat curses at me.
Throwing insults at your opponent out of nowhere—was that the average character of people from the Clover Kingdom?
At my feet lay the sword that had been at my waist until just moments ago, still in its scabbard.
I hadn't dropped it or anything; I'd simply untied it from my belt and set it down.
"Pick up your sword right now..!!!"
"Hmm, we seem to be speaking the same language but you're not understanding. I'll say it one more time."
Taking the act of throwing one's sword on the ground as an insult in a setting meant to display swordsmanship, the Clover student snarled. I raised my index finger toward him.
"A single finger is more than enough to deal with you lot."
The arena erupted.