Chapter 52
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Why Is Tail Here?
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“Hah.”
“Is this even possible?”
The professors seated in the arena stands let out hollow laughs.
Half of them were flustered.
The other half were stunned.
But they all shared one thing in common: they couldn't believe what they'd just witnessed.
It was enough to make them doubt their own eyes.
And who could blame them? The Barker family was renowned even among noble houses.
For a commoner to perfectly defeat their second son like that?
It defied all common sense.
As the professors fell into panic, Jade—who had watched the duel from start to finish—let out a soft chuckle.
His narrow eyes were curved even more than usual.
And Jade turned to Vincent, who sat beside him.
“Just as you said, Tail dominated completely.”
Vincent replied with his usual impassive expression.
“Didn't I tell you?”
Jade grinned at Vincent's demeanor.
“Why not quit teaching and become a fortune teller?”
Vincent's eyes lit up as he replied lightly.
“Prometa's gone, and high society is looking for a new seer to take his place...”
Vincent clicked his tongue at Jade's words.
“Talking nonsense again.”
With that, Vincent stood and left immediately.
Jade could tell.
Vincent had probably anticipated things getting busy.
Since the commoner won, the Cromhel student would withdraw. And his family might formally protest.
They'd both be swamped from here on out.
Of course, him too.
“Haa. I really don't like the sound of that.”
Jade sighed as he stared intently at Tail heading back to the waiting room.
That swordsmanship, though.
And the unusual mana woven into it.
Truly impressive.
Enough to tempt even him.
“If it hadn't been swordsmanship, I might have asked him to be my disciple.”
Jade clicked his tongue regretfully.
Clink!
Five glasses clinked together in midair.
“To Tail, victor of the duel!”
At Yujin's gravelly shout, the others chimed in.
“To Tail!”
And they all downed the juice in their glasses.
“Ahh.”
The sweet taste of the juice brought a smile to Tail's lips.
After the duel ended.
Tail had come to a restaurant with Alice, Ethan, Yujin, and Ricky.
To modestly celebrate his victory.
As they sipped their juice, food arrived to match.
A massive roast turkey and five veal steaks.
“Whoa, that looks delicious.”
“Ugh! Look at that sear!”
Ricky and Yujin stomped their feet in excitement, dying to dig in.
“Alright. Let's eat.”
At the word of Tail, the group's leader, they all started eating.
“Wow. I've never seen such a perfect sword aura in my life.”
Ricky, mouth stuffed with steak, spoke up first in excitement.
At that, Yujin looked at Tail curiously.
“Come to think of it, didn't you say you didn't have a mana hole?”
“Yeah, well... I got one.”
He couldn't exactly say a window popped up and gave it to him, so he glossed over it.
Thankfully, Yujin nodded in understanding.
“Hopefully this brings the noble students a bit closer to mingling with us commoners.”
Tail shook his head at Ricky's words.
“This is just the start, but there are probably still plenty of upperclassmen who aren't thrilled.”
Ethan sighed at that.
“I'm a noble too, but it's embarrassing.”
Ricky nodded vigorously in agreement.
Then Alice, elegantly slicing her beef, spoke up.
“The class system. It makes less and less sense as time goes on.”
Her blue eyes darkened deeply.
“Wasn't one of the academy rules that all students are equal within these walls?”
“Hmm.”
Tail let out a short hum at Alice's words.
“You're right that the rules state all students are equal here.”
Tail continued as he tore off some turkey meat.
“But that won't protect us. In a world where the class system is rooted deep, it just creates an opportunity.”
The group fell silent at Tail's words.
“In the end, equality is something we have to make with our own hands.”
Ricky's mouth fell open at Tail's declaration.
“Man, you sound like some reactionary from a place unbound by class.”
Reactionary.
Troublemakers in the imperial court who preached democracy and equality.
Ricky grinned.
“Not that you are, of course!”
But hearing that, Tail inwardly flinched.
Right as Tail and Cromhel's duel ended, in a lavish room at Parahon Academy, young noble ladies were playing darts.
Whoosh!
The dart wobbled through the air before plummeting to the floor.
“Oh dear. My skills are still lacking.”
As the lady who'd thrown it spoke in disappointment, another girl approached.
She had dazzling golden hair like honeyed amber and blue eyes beautiful as gems.
“Student Council President! Show us a demonstration!”
The ladies begged Chloe, the student council president, who smiled faintly and slowly picked up a dart.
She took a light stance, then hurled it with speed.
Swoosh!
The dart tore through the air.
And...
Thuk!
It struck dead center of the dartboard.
“Wooow! Perfect hit!”
“As expected of Chloe!”
The ladies applauded Chloe's dart skills in awe.
Chloe just offered a faint smile amid them.
That was when.
Bang!
The student council room door flew open as a girl rushed in.
A member of the council, she spoke urgently.
“Chloe! You need to see this!”
“Lady Kevlin. What is it?”
As the ladies looked puzzled, Lady Kevlin immediately pulled out a crystal the size of a person's head.
It was a glowing image stone.
Activating it, light poured from the orb.
Simultaneously, a scene appeared within.
The arena interior.
Endless students and professors seated.
“Hey, it's finally starting.”
“Think the commoner will win? Or Cromhel?”
“Idiot. Be serious. Cromhel, obviously.”
The recorded voices of chattering students flowed out.
One lady watching the image stone spoke up.
“Is this... that duel between the top-admitted commoner and a noble?”
They knew about it.
But.
“The noble won, right?”
They hadn't bothered watching, assuming the noble would win.
But Lady Kevlin replied curtly.
“Just watch.”
Up to then, Chloe had been glancing at it indifferently.
What did some famous top-admitted commoner have to do with her?
At that moment, Titina's voice rang from the image stone.
“Tail and Cromhel, please come out of the waiting room and head to the arena~”
Chloe doubted her ears.
‘...Tail?’
Her face stiffened.
No way.
It couldn't be.
Just a coincidence in names.
The Tail waiting for her at the monastery couldn't be here.
As she thought that, a man appeared in the image stone.
Sharp features.
Solid build.
Vibrant eyes.
It felt like a hammer to the head.
“...Tail?”
Chloe murmured softly.
Thankfully, everyone was focused on the stone and didn't hear.
Her eyes trembled.
Anyone could see it was Tail.
The one she alone trusted.
The driving force behind everything she did.
Her one and only sanctuary.
It was him. Tail.
‘Why is Tail here?’
In this dangerously perilous academy?
And as the top admittee everyone scorned?
Chloe felt the world spin.
Meanwhile, the duel progressed.
Chloe bit her nail.
She wanted Tail to win.
She didn't want him to lose.
But if he won?
‘He'd draw everyone's attention again.’
She didn't want him hurt.
Or injured at all.
In her dizzy mind, the image stone played on.
Slash!
Tail cleaved Cromhel's sword clean through.
As a swordswoman, she could tell.
It was a perfect victory. Perfect form.
Her heart pounded wildly.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
Her cheeks flushed, breath quickened.
Seeing Tail after so long made her mind hazy.
He was no longer a young boy.
He was a man.
‘No. Get a grip, Chloe.’
She desperately schooled her expression.
It hadn't been long since they'd parted, but she was withering away.
She missed Tail.
Desperately.
If dying let her see him, she would have.
She wanted him that badly.
But death meant never seeing him again, so she lived.
Then someone cloaked in face-obscuring garb delivered Tail's letter.
But Chloe couldn't accept it.
That day.
How much she cried.
That one release was enough.
‘Not yet.’
Not yet.
Her gaze fixed on Tail smiling brightly in the image stone, she bit her lip.