I Won't Give Up
"So that's how you ended up taking the exam?"
Over the roughly two-day journey to the academy, we shared a lot of conversations.
Talks about our hometowns, reasons for applying to the academy, idle chit-chat—it was nothing deep, but it kept the boredom at bay along the way.
"Yes. If I show excellent grades at the academy, I'll get a sponsor."
In this world, the fastest path for a commoner to succeed is to become a special talent, enter the academy, and seize top grades.
Aside from a tiny fraction of commoners, the students at the academy were all nobles—the next generation of this world's rulers.
Building connections with them from their heir days and proving one's abilities to earn sponsorship.
That was why Hori had entered the academy.
I'd suspected it when she mentioned enrolling, but Hori seems like an exceptional alchemist.
I had no plans to rely on drugs, but befriending Hori couldn't hurt.
Considering this a stroke of luck, I spurred Silence harder.
"It's coming into view."
On the distant horizon, a massive wall dwarfed the one we'd seen two days ago, faintly shimmering into sight.
If that earlier wall had stripped away anything non-essential to focus purely on function, the academy's wall was a dazzling display of royal grandeur—ornate and imposing.
A flag bearing the royal crest fluttered atop the reverent white stone, with elite guards armed with the latest magic weapons patrolling below.
In this world, it was the sturdiest wall outside the capital and royal road, but honestly, it felt anything but secure.
In the original novel, it gets breached constantly...
From assassins to demon worshippers, witches, and demonkin—the damn thing was looser than a whore's hole, failing to stop any intruder.
Those who could smash through it head-on did so, while those who couldn't hid their power and slipped in disguised as merchants through the front gate.
No wonder it made you question the wall's very purpose.
A short while later, as we neared the wall, I called back to Hori riding behind me.
"We're almost there."
"Is that so? Thank you so much for everything these past two days, Viscount."
"You're still using formal speech? You can drop it, you know."
"...I'm a commoner, so I can't."
"Is it because of my title? I plan to talk casually even to princes."
Hearing that, Hori stammered as if she'd misheard.
"Y-Yes? Y-You really plan to do that?"
"What's wrong with it? You think he'll go crying to his dad just 'cause I drop the formalities?"
In truth, judging by the prince's personality, he wasn't the type to hold a grudge over something so petty.
To begin with, I planned to take down the prince, his guard knight, and even the Sword Saint.
A little casual speech was nothing at this point.
"Heehee... Viscount, you're truly an odd one."
"Odd? Not as odd as an alchemist who smashes bandit heads with rocks on sight."
"Please... forget that ever happened..."
"Fine, then forget I'm a viscount too. There's more than one in the world, after all."
"...Okay."
As we reached the wall, we saw lines of carriages and crowds heading through the gate, so we joined the end of the queue.
A brief wait later, it was our turn. We showed our documents to the wall guards.
After a simple inspection at the checkpoint, we finally entered the academy grounds.
Impressive.
I'd read descriptions in the novel countless times, but seeing it with my own eyes was something else.
Compared to modern buildings from my old life, it fell a bit short, but the forest of towering structures stretched impressively.
The novel claimed the academy had everything—and it did.
From general stores for daily sundries to specialized alchemy ingredients requiring expert knowledge.
And though not detailed in the story, brothels, taverns, and patisseries run by top artisans were everywhere too.
Hori and I glanced at the buildings as we headed first to get our dorm assignments and unpack.
We wandered a bit after entering the main building but soon reached reception without issue.
Showing our admission papers, I was assigned to the Knight Department, Hori to Alchemy.
"Viscount... no, Mr. Ian, you're in Knights."
"Yeah... that's right..."
Hearing "Knights Department" from Hori's mouth reminded me once more of why I'd come here.
My purpose at the academy: to defeat the future powerhouses studying here and prove Battōjutsu supreme!
To do that, I first needed to figure out how to challenge the royal family or ducal heirs without dragging my house down.
"Alright, Hori... I'll head out. See you at the entrance ceremony."
"Okay. Me too, then..."
To calmly plan that out, I parted with Hori and headed to my assigned dorm.
As expected, with men and women, nobles and commoners separated, our dorms were on opposite sides.
Entering mine, I was surprised to find it nicer than my room back home, and slowly unpacked.
Once done, I sat at the desk to think things over.
Knock knock.
Someone knocked without reading the mood, so I stood again.
"Who is it?"
Opening the door revealed a blond man already in crisp uniform, despite the ceremony not even starting.
"You're Ian Bar Tow, viscount?"
"Yeah. And you?"
"First time meeting. I'm Victor de Bow. Your mother asked me to look after you."
"Victor?"
Hearing the name jogged my memory of Mother's parting words.
She'd told me to greet Victor and... that Je... whatever lady together.
"Oh, right, Mother mentioned you. Said to go say hi to that... Je-whatsit lady together."
"Je-whatsit? You mean Lady Jessica von Grind?"
"Yeah, her. Jessica von Grind. Pay our respects together."
Who names a noble lady something as plain as Jessica, anyway?
I inwardly mocked the author's lame naming sense, and Victor chuckled along.
"Haha...! Calling a countess's daughter that. You're probably the only viscount who'd do it."
"Eh... bet plenty call her worse behind her back."
There had to be others annoyed at bowing to a lady who couldn't even draw a sword properly.
"Maybe, but watch it in front of her. Wouldn't want family trouble."
Jessica wasn't notoriously nasty, but she wasn't a saint either—better safe.
"Got it... So you're here for that greeting today?"
"Nah, heard unpacking next door, checked the nameplate—yours."
Victor's room was apparently beside mine.
"Sorry if I was loud. Had some stuff on my mind, hands got rough."
"Stuff? Like the gift for Jessica?"
"That too... By the way, where'd you plan to shop?"
"Patisserie she likes. If you're cool with it, I'll grab yours while I'm there."
"Sweet, thanks. Here’s some gold..."
I pulled about 30 gold coins from my bag, pocketed them, and handed it over.
Victor peeked inside and gawked.
"Whoa! That's way too much...!"
"What was your budget?"
"I figured three coins..."
Hm... A whole katana's worth on dessert. Fitting for a countess's daughter.
"Then go big since you're buying. Make it for both of us."
"Appreciate it, but you sure?"
Truth be told, I didn't care about impressing her—just finishing Mother's errand.
I even felt bad dumping this chore on Victor.
"Whatever. Consider it payment for the errand."
"Thanks... I'll gladly take it. So what's the worry?"
"Oh, that? Nothing big. Know how to pick fights with princes or ducal heirs without hurting my family?"
"What? Some joke?"
"Dead serious."
Thinking I meant something else, Victor closed his eyes, pondered, then spoke.
"I don't think there's a way..."
"Figures... Guess I'll have to risk it."
...Fuck, why doesn't anyone have it?
With the dessert for Je-whatsit lady sorted, I stepped out lighthearted with my gold.
Aim: snag a new katana for academy use.
My current one was fine, but to avoid accidents from poor control, I needed a safer blade.
They'll have some provided, but...
Best to get a custom one usable outside too.
Great plan—until...
"Sorry, we can't do that..."
"Try another shop..."
"How about this place?"
No weapon shop or smithy had the katana I wanted.
Why?
Was there katana hate at the academy?
After trudging like a bureaucrat through countless forges and arms dealers, I reached a dingy smithy last.
This has to be it!
Praying for a win, I pushed open the door.