Chapter 4
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Swordsmanship Academy (1)
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Lord Roin. Where did you learn to handle aura?
Out of sheer curiosity, I asked Roin directly.
It wasnt the typical flow of aura that Gillion knew.
It felt heavier, somehow.
Not something a beginner would produce.
Strengthening the body with aura makes movements much smoother.
That was why Roin had temporarily used aura to reinforce his young body.
Roin decided to brush off what had just happened with a vague excuse.
Ive just been practicing it a little on my own for a while. Ive never shown it off in front of you, though.
Gillion had once heard from Emilia that Roin had started frequenting the library a lot lately.
Maybe that was because he wanted to self-study how to handle aura.
The Leyden family didnt have any strict rules about focusing solely on swordsmanship or magic.
These days, even mages learned basic hand-to-hand combat. Being good at magic alone didnt make one a top-tier mage.
Knights, too, needed to know how to handle mana at a basic level.
Because learning to wield aura started with mastering mana.
Aura allowed for a wider variety of attacks.
But that was easier said than donehandling mana was incredibly difficult.
For Roin, who was only nine years old, to have accomplished it on his own was astonishing.
Gillion let out a deep sigh.
I made a promise, so Ill go along with your wishes this time. But please dont neglect your sword training.
I dont need swordsmanship.
Roin casually clenched his fist.
Fists alone are enough.
As I said earlier, that doesnt fit the Leyden familys standards. At least think of the Loud Swordsmanship Academys entrance requirements and fight with a sword. If Baron Lucas had seen the way you just fought, he would have been furious.
Use a sword.
It was an irritating rule for Roin.
But what could he do? Born as a Leyden, he had no choice but to follow the familys traditions.
Ill try.
Its not about tryingits something you must do.
Fine, I got it!
Everything from one to ten was annoying.
As the apprentice knight exam drew closer, Gillion grew more anxious.
Could Roin really pass the Loud Swordsmanship Academy entrance exam unscathed?
That was his worry.
But he couldnt break his promise to Roin first.
Whether Roin had used a trick or not, Gillions loss was clear.
In real combat, the process didnt matter.
Results came first, always.
Just as history remembered only the victors, only the winners of a fight had the right to debate the how.
If you felt wronged, get stronger.
And winning was all that mattered.
To escape the fate of a fallen noble house, he had to produce eye-catching results somehow.
But Gillion had lost.
He quietly knocked on Roins door.
Lord Roin.
What now? I won the bet, remember? Im not doing sword practice.
Im not here to push sword training on you. I have something to deliver.
After some hesitation, Roin finally said, Come in.
Gillion opened the door and clicked his tongue at the sight.
Roin had a face pack on.
It was the middle of summer, sweltering hot.
Roin hadnt stepped outside at all, worried that the sun would damage his skin.
He pulled out a brown envelope and handed it to Roin.
Please fill this out.
What is it?
Its the consent form for the Loud Swordsmanship Academy entrance test. It states that the organizers arent responsible for any injuries or death resulting from the applicants clear mistakes during the test. The second page is a pledge to faithfully follow the academys rules. Just sign at the bottom.
Looking at the consent form, Roin inwardly marveled.
He thought to himself.
The worlds gotten a lot better.
Back when Roin took the academys test, there was no such thing.
If something went wrong, it was your problem.
Theyd just dump it all on you.
Well, its been decades since then.
Things could change.
He unexpectedly felt the passage of time here.
All I remember from back then is getting endlessly mocked for that damn face of mine.
The bullying at the academy was why Rodri started wearing a black helmet everywhere.
It was a place full of bad memories for Roin.
Whod have thought Id end up going back there.
Swallowing a bitter smile, Roin picked up a pen and signed the form right away.
I sincerely hope for a good outcome.
Just trust me.
For the current Roin, it was easier than lying down for rice cakes.
The Loud Swordsmanship Academy, located in the capital of the Delont Kingdom.
Established 250 years ago in honor of the hero Loud, who defended the kingdom from a dragon invasion.
It was a place that professionally taught every swordsmanship style in existence, with hundreds at minimum and thousands at peak enrolling each yeara renowned academy.
There was only one qualification to enter.
Be a noble.
Even if from a fallen noble house.
Roin finished preparing to head to the capital with the maid Emilia for the academy test.
Before leaving home.
Lucas, Elien, and Gillion saw off Roin and his group.
Elien stroked Roins head and said.
May Lord Senevs blessings be with you.
Senev, the distant ancestor of the elves.
Anyone with even a drop of elven blood was called Senevs child.
Elien invoked the name of an ancestor shed never met for her beloved youngest son.
Come back safe and sound.
Lucas added his piece next.
My sonll do great. Hahaha! Go crush the earls kids, the dukes kidswreck em all!
A father showing un-noble-like boisterousness.
He had a great personality, though.
I wonder when that face of his will change. Worrying.
Ill be back. Father, Mother. Take care.
After a brief farewell.
Roin mounted a horse with Emilia and set off.
Lucas and Elien watched their youngest sons figure recede into the distance.
Gillion, standing right beside them, comforted them.
The young master will surely do well.
He already knew Roins skills.
That was why he could say it with such confidence.
The only issue was.
Hes too focused on skincare.
It took a full three days to reach Endla, the city where the Loud Swordsmanship Academy was located.
They stayed at a small rural inn one night.
The other night, they had no choice but outdoor camping.
Come to think of it, Young Master, you seemed awfully skilled at setting up camp.
Picked it up from books in the library.
Of course, it was a lie.
The two arrived in Endla without incident.
They headed straight for the Loud Swordsmanship Academy.
Loud Swordsmanship Academy.
A crowd of applicants was already waiting at the entrance.
Most were a bit older than Roin.
Passing the test granted apprentice knight status.
Continued training here led to junior knight and mid knight exams.
Passing the mid knight exam awarded the academy diploma.
That was Roins goal.
Apprentice, junior, and mid knight exams happened once a year.
Challenges for apprentice knight started as early as nine or as late as fifteen.
But that was just for Loud Swordsmanship Academy students.
Noble offspring entering already had above-basic skillssword elites.
For an average person, passing mid knight was incredibly tough.
But.
For Roin, it was all just a hassle.
Enroll this year. Junior knight next year, mid knight the year after. Thatll do it.
That thought filled his mind.
If it went as planned, itd go down in academy history.
Someone held the current shortest record.
Rodri.
Enrolled at ninethe same age as nowand obtained mid knight in a mere three years. A once-in-a-generation genius.
Knight ranks divided into junior, mid, and senior, based on comprehensive evaluations like combat prowess and tactical command on the battlefield.
Rodri topped every category.
Moreover.
In pure strength, he outclassed any senior knight from continents nations or temples.
A boy of just twelve, compressing a ten-year course into three.
That was Rodris record at the academy.
If I graduate in two years, Ill break my own record.
Of course, no one knew the current Roin was that Rodri.
At the entrance to the test site, Roin received a nameplate.
It read Applicant 17, Leyden Family, Roin Leyden.
With families listed, lesser nobles buzzed around famous houses heirs to network.
Is this a test or a social gathering?
It was confusing.
Roin had little interest in the politics.
His focus was singular.
Roin looked up briefly at the statue of Hero Loud, the academys symbol. Hot sunlight shone down on him just then.
Emilia. Give me that.
The practice sword?
No.
The handkerchief?
Something else.
What then?
Roin grinned and said.
Sunscreen.
Lepid, a man whod wandered the world before recently returning as an instructor at the Loud Swordsmanship Academy.
His face was twisted in displeasure.
Stuck dealing with these kids.
The female instructor beside him, Yenni, shushed him immediately.
These are noble heirs, even if they look like brats. What if someone hears?
Were not sworn to serve nobles. Why kowtow to their families?
Theyre our funding, for one.
Every noble house sent kids here, but the Loud Swordsmanship Academy was especially popular.
Even compared to other noble academies, its tuition was steep.
Yet nobles scrambled to enroll their children for good reason.
Networking among nobles.
The prestige of being a Loud Swordsmanship Academy graduate.
Its symbol was Hero Loud, and above all, everyone knew the eras supreme powerhouse Rodri had attended.
That explained it all.
Even the so-called fallen Leyden family scraped together every coin to send Roin here.
A childs success could reverse their fortunes.
But Lepid didnt see it that way.
Fallings easy. Climbing back up? Never.
His gaze settled on one applicant.
Roin Leyden.
Looking at the fallen Leyden family, Lepid shook his head.