Chapter 10
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Eccentric Trainee (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In the next training session as well, Roin managed to survive until the end all by himself without a scratch.
Thus, the first day of training came to a safe end.
Everyone, change out of your uniforms, shower, and assemble for dinner.
Yes, sir!
While the other trainees showered.
Roin alone was granted a break that wasnt quite a break.
Because he didnt need to shower at all.
He hadnt even broken a single drop of sweat.
Lepid clicked his tongue as he watched Roin walk away.
What the hell is that guy?
Throughout the training, Lepid had tried every trick in the book to get Roin soaked.
In fact, he could have just openly ordered Roin to get in the water.
But doing so would feel like admitting defeat.
So he wanted to drench Roin by ramping up the training intensity somehow.
But in the end, it ended in a crushing defeat for Lepid and the assistants.
Edna, the female assistant instructor assigned alongside Lepid to the 159th practical training course, approached him and said,
That trainee named Roin doesnt seem ordinary.
Exactly. It couldnt be helped.
He was the direct disciple of Gillion, Lepids senior.
Gillion, the legendary knight who had shattered every record at Swordran.
For his prized pupil, displaying this level of talent might actually be par for the course.
However.
Roins other brothers didnt show anything close to this.
In the past, Lepid had personally trained the second son, Helton Leyden, and the third, Weiji Leyden, right here.
Their performances had been utterly dismal.
Barely scraping by without failing.
That was exactly why he had reacted with a sneer when he first learned Roin was from the Leyden family.
Yet Roin had displayed tremendous talent, unlike his two older brothers.
But for now, it was only the end of the first day of training.
There were still plenty of opportunities left.
Roin. Ill get you soaked somehow! No matter what!
Unintentionally, Roin had ignited Lepids competitive spirit.
While Lepid burned with rivalry toward Roin.
Roin himself was calmly eating dinner in the cafeteria.
As he ate with Drake, a woman naturally took a seat across from them.
Mind if I join?
Remina Whisli.
At her question, Drake gave a wry smile and said,
Youre already sitting.
I wasnt asking you. I was asking Roin.
.
He had stuck his neck out only to end up sidelined.
Roin responded indifferently, as if it didnt matter.
Sure.
Thanks.
Roin paid no particular attention to Reminas presence.
His sole goal was to take the shortest path to graduation.
However, to achieve that, he needed something.
Namely...
I was hoping to form a squad with you this time. Is that okay?
The swordsmanship academy had a system called comrade squads.
Five people formed one squad.
To take the junior knight exam, you needed this squad.
Missions often involved moving as a team rather than solo.
To foster teamwork, the academy had deliberately created the comrade squad system.
There were no special criteria for forming squads.
During training, if you found members you clicked with, you just formed a squad with them, submitted the roster to the academy, and that was it.
Then you could operate as that squad until the junior knight exam.
Come to think of it, there was a system like this back then too.
Having graduated from the academy so long ago, Roin had forgotten.
He needed one anyway.
Roin nodded.
Fine by me.
Then you and me. Ill put us down on the roster for now.
At that moment, Drake, who was sitting right next to him, said with a baffled look,
What about me? Youre including me too, right?
But Remina reacted as if his words were absurd.
You? Why?
We took the entrance test together. Isnt it unfair to exclude me now?
Isnt that separate from this?
.
It was so true he had nothing to say.
To pass the junior knight exam, you had to recruit teammates who could boost your strength.
Look at Jerka. He was already gathering the people he had his eye on one by one.
Yet Jerka hadnt included Roin in his squad.
There was only one reason.
To defeat Roin.
Being on the same team would make defeating him impossible.
So Jerka deliberately hadnt invited Roin to join.
In this way, Roin was a prize everyone coveted.
Before he went to another team, Remina wanted to secure him early.
But Drake wasnt quite as desirable.
At that point.
Roin spoke up for Drake.
Take this guy too.
What if I refuse?
Then I wont join your team either.
To recruit Roin, she had to accept recruiting Drake as well.
Remina let out a deep sigh, then gave her answer right away.
Fine. Ill add Drake to the roster too.
At her words, Drakes face lit up.
As expected of Roin! Thanks!
No problem.
Truth be told, Roin had no real need to look out for Drake like this.
The reason he attached that condition was simple.
If I dont take him and he starts whining, itll just be a hassle.
On top of that, Roin shared a room with Drake.
Until he passed the junior knight exam, Roin wanted to live comfortably at the academy.
The second day of practical training.
Lepid looked toward Roin and cut straight to the chase.
Are you refusing to wear the training uniform again today?
Roin nodded emphatically.
Yes.
Sighs rose again from his peers.
Where on earth did this guy get his guts?
No matter how skilled Roin was, openly defying an instructor like this wouldnt end well in the long run.
But Roin didnt care about that at all.
He had only one thing on his mind.
Lepid asked it.
Why are you refusing the training uniform?
It seems bad for my skin.
That was it.
The assistants stared at Roin with baffled expressions.
His peers did the same.
Except for one person.
Lepid alone kept a stern face.
Roin had brought a parasol to the entrance test, worried about sun damage to his skin.
Considering that, this might actually be a perfectly reasonable excuse.
But this applied only to Roin.
No one else could possibly accept it.
Lepid thought the same.
Today, Ill force him into it no matter what!
Lepid and the assistants quickly exchanged glances.
Today, they had come prepared with sharpened resolve.
The training they had readied was this.
Today, were doing Log Bridge Combat.
The moment he heard that, Roins expression hardened slightly.
Log Bridge Combat.
Exactly as it sounded: simulated combat on a log bridge.
The goal was to train balance by treating obstacles as virtual enemies.
This was considered one of the most difficult exercises in the junior knight practical training.
It was typically introduced only after at least six months of training.
Pulling it out on the second day meant...
Theyre trying to land a hit on me somehow.
Just one person.
Solely to give Roin a taste of mud, they had brought out the most powerful tool available in the junior knight course.
Roin swallowed a smirk.
Interesting.
He was actually taking the situation positively.
Meanwhile, the trainees were stunned by the sudden advanced training.
They wondered if they could even handle proper training.
No one raise your hand. Well go one by one. First volunteer, step up.
No one raised a hand.
It turned into a game of chicken.
As Roin started to raise his hand,
Ill do it.
Jerka jumped in first.
Roin clicked his tongue briefly.
He had planned to finish first and relax in the shade.
Because of that little punk, Ill be stuck in the sun longer.
Jerka, who had boldly thrown down the gauntlet.
He slowly stepped onto the log bridge.
The moment the start signal sounded, the obstacles around him began to move.
A long pole targeted Jerkas head.
But Jerka leaned back, effortlessly dodging the threat.
After that, poles kept flying at him.
He couldnt dodge them all.
Jerka drew his practice sword and deflected the unavoidable ones.
The trainees eyes went wide at Jerkas flawless performance.
Lepid and the assistants reacted the same.
As expected of a scion of a swordsmanship noble house.
Indeed.
Jerka had lived up to the reputation of the Tayla family.
Having survived to the end on the log bridge within the time limit, he returned to his spot amid applause.
Next volunteer...
Before Lepid could finish, Roins hand was up.
This time, his determination not to let any peers steal his turn was clear.
Lepid said, as if hed expected it,
Roin Leyden. Give it a try.
Yes.
Seeing Roin in his pristine uniform alone, the trainees gave wry smiles.
They felt it every time, but Roins odd appearance was hard to get used to.
At Roins signal that preparations were complete, the training machine activated immediately.
Poles attacked from all directions.
Roin dodged them, and dodged again.
From start to finish, he never touched a single pole.
Pure evasion only.
Jerka swallowed dryly at the sight.
No way!
Given the pole patterns, some had to be deflected with a weapon.
Yet Roin dodged even those.
He didnt want to lift a finger.
To begin with, Roin hated gripping a sword barehanded.
Just as hed told Gillion, he was afraid of getting calluses.
One minute left.
.
Lepid subtly glanced at the assistant operating the machine.
The assistant nodded.
His hand moved to another button.
Then,
Whoosh!
Whooosh!
Suddenly, the poles movements sped up.
Because Lepid had instructed the assistant to raise the difficulty another level.
After pulling out Log Bridge Combat, I cant half-ass this!
Would Lepid win?
Or would Roin win?
The match, which would end only when one prevailed, had begun.