Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Final Exam (1)
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Before I knew it, I had turned fourteen.
Our Team 2 passed the remaining exams without any trouble.
Edwin's skills improved day by day, and Lieselotte always lived up to my trust in her.
Team 3 had been short one member after Hades's death, but they merged with another team that had a similar vacancy, bringing them back to three. They fell far behind our Team 2 in the process, but Cain and Robel showed their endurance and quickly caught up.
Helmut trained us rigorously. The training grew harsher by the day, but to me, who had adapted to the Dialogue Church's methods, it was just right.
Occasionally, I would spar with Helmut. His swordsmanship was a personal refinement of standard knight techniques, offering plenty of points worth studying.
"You... are you really only fourteen?"
"Your information is outdated, sir. I'm already fourteen."
"That's not what I mean. Sometimes you use techniques like some grizzled veteran who's seen it all."
"Must be your imagination."
Occasionally, Helmut showed sharp insight, so I had to brush it off awkwardly.
"But sir, why are you teaching candidates here? With your skills, you'd be better off on the front lines."
"Godwin asked me to help out. Once I find a suitable successor, I'll transfer to another unit."
"I see."
"I want to get back to the field soon, too. My body's itching to cut down those Dialogue Church bastards."
"......"
"By the time you take the final exam, I'll probably be leaving this place."
And so time passed... In late spring, we faced the final exam.
* * *
"You're the first trio to take the final exam at this stage."
The chief examiner, Godwin Devansky himself, appeared for the last test.
"Normally, you start as apprentice knights upon joining the Holy Knight Order. But candidates who excel in the entrance exams can become Grade 2 knights right away."
As he spoke, Godwin turned his gaze toward me.
"In cases of exceptional performance, you might even receive Grade 1 knight status outright."
"......"
"It's a tremendous honor."
It wasn't codified, but the top candidate was often granted Grade 1 status.
That was why I had to claim first place.
[With the scores you've racked up so far, you could easily take top spot, I think.]
['I can't say for sure without knowing the grading criteria.']
That was why I planned to ace the final exam perfectly.
Whatever it might entail, since I hadn't heard yet.
"Then I'll explain the final exam."
Godwin looked each of us—me, Edwin, and Lieselotte—in the face.
"The final exam... will be duels between team members."
"......!"
We exchanged surprised glances at the unexpected announcement.
At the very end... we'd have to fight our own teammates seriously.
* * *
First match: Me versus Lieselotte.
Second match: Me versus Edwin.
Third match: Edwin versus Lieselotte.
That was the lineup.
"Of all people, I have to face Sion in the first match. Talk about bad luck."
"Does that mean facing Edwin is good luck?"
"Edwin falls for tricks if I mix in some feints."
"True, deception is your specialty, Lieselotte."
I walked with Lieselotte to the center of the training grounds, chatting.
"So, Sion, how should we fight? There's no specific rules on that."
"You're the grappling expert, right? Let's go bare-handed."
"Won't that put you at a disadvantage? Swordsmanship is your thing."
"Is it, though?"
"......Fine."
Lieselotte and I faced each other unarmed.
Godwin, Helmut, and the examiners we'd relied on watched us.
"Sion, I'll yield the first move."
"To Lieselotte, the counter specialist?"
"Not confident?"
"As if."
I stepped forward and thrust out my hand.
I aimed a palm strike, but Lieselotte's precise motion deflected it.
'Slick!'
Her grappling was better than I'd gauged.
She immediately counterattacked, and I was soon on the defensive.
[This girl's been hiding her skills too!]
['Yeah, this confirms it.']
Chatting with Igzard, I verified my suspicions were correct.
['In that case, as expected...']
Lieselotte's lightning-fast hand grabbed at my collar.
She planned to clinch and throw me for the win.
[If you were an adult, maybe, but your current body can't handle it.]
['No choice.']
A child's body had limits.
In the end... I had to use mana.
"......!"
Just before Lieselotte seized my collar.
I shoved her arm outward with my forearm and slipped inside.
Grabbing her lapel as she faltered, I shouldered her off-balance.
A slight leg hook...
"Ah......"
Thud.
Lieselotte fell backward.
It wasn't a hard impact, but she was flat on her back.
Anyone could see I'd won.
"Winner: Sion Aleyas!"
Helmut, judging from the sidelines, declared my victory, and Godwin and the onlookers gasped in admiration.
The defeated Lieselotte lay there with a wry smile.
"You're stronger than I thought. When did you get this good?"
"A while now."
"Truly... impressive."
Then Lieselotte tilted her head.
"Huh, but why the sudden informal speech?"
"Don't you think it's time we dropped the pretense?"
"......"
"I've suspected you for a while. Even wondered if you were an assassin targeting me."
I'd been wary of Lieselotte all along.
She claimed to be the daughter of Archbishop Philp Hydra and theologian Elizabeth Hydra, but I couldn't take that at face value.
I'd considered she might be an assassin sent by Serxes, Helena, or Est.
"That's harsh. Why would I target you?"
"You've been hiding your strength."
"So have you, Sion."
"Enough word games. It's a waste of time."
I extended my hand to her.
"My father sent you, right?"
Lieselotte went silent for a long moment after my question.
"You're the one he assigned to me."
"......"
"For any contingencies."
I'd sensed something off before.
Kurt, who overprotected me, sent me here without any escorts. Only Hazel, acting as my butler, brought me.
But Kurt had dispatched a guard in secret, without my knowledge.
[Come to think of it, it was weird for a father that worried so much to send you alone.]
['Yeah, he added a secret guard because he knew I'd hate it.']
But Lieselotte had never needed to fulfill her guard duties.
She must have realized quickly, living with me, that I didn't need protecting.
"You've seen through it all."
Lieselotte finally admitted with a wry smile.
"Yes, that's right. Lord Kurt sent me here."
"Then the profile you mentioned before was fake too? Daughter of Archbishop Philp Hydra and theologian Elizabeth Hydra?"
"Yes, the real Lieselotte Hydra is on a classified mission for the Holy Spirit Church's Papal Office. I borrowed her name on Lord Kurt's orders to infiltrate here."
"Everything was a lie."
Someone of Kurt's stature would have spies or agents separate from the knights.
Lieselotte was one of them.
"What will you do now?"
"My mission ends once the entrance exam is over. I'll pose as a normal Holy Knight on standby until the next assignment."
"Good timing, then."
"Pardon?"
"After the exam, follow me."
"......"
Lieselotte looked caught off guard.
"I could use a capable subordinate."
"Ah......"
I'd observed the other candidates during the various exams.
I wanted to recruit any worthwhile ones as my own.
"Grade 1 knights get to designate knights as subordinates. Not anyone, of course... but fresh new knights? Nearly a hundred percent success rate."
"Ah......"
"Of course, only if they want it too."
Lieselotte's abilities were outstanding.
Expert in bare-hand combat, with 2-star mana.
Calm temperament, quick situational judgment.
Considering her youth, she was talent worth securing early.
"You're serious?"
"Would I lie?"
"......"
Lieselotte hesitated briefly.
"To be honest, I hold you in very high regard, Lord Sion."
"Thanks."
"I've definitely thought working under someone like you would be great. But... I've been deceiving you all this time. Is that okay?"
"Does it bother you?"
I scoffed.
"It doesn't matter at all, so forget it."
"......Understood."
Lieselotte nodded, raising her hand.
She grabbed mine with a bright smile.
"Lord Sion, I'll follow you."
I pulled her up, and applause erupted around us.
"By the way, what's your real name?"
"Pardon?"
"Lieselotte Hydra is fake. I want to know your true one."
"......"
She hesitated before answering.
"My real name is... Lieselotte Eldrai."
"So Lieselotte is real."
A relief.
I could keep calling her that.
"Take care of me from now on, Lieselotte."
"Yes, as one knight serving another, I'll support you, Lord Sion."
Fourteen years after reincarnating as Sion Aleyas... I'd gained my first subordinate.
* * *
The Sion-Lieselotte match ended in a flash.
Edwin, who watched part of it, swallowed hard.
'Sion... what an incredible guy.'
Four years younger than him.
Yet from their first meeting, Sion could manifest sword aura. His swordsmanship surpassed Edwin's.
For Edwin, who aimed to master sword beams like his father and become an ironclad knight... Sion was enviably superior.
'But...'
That didn't make him hate or envy Sion.
Edwin admired and respected him. Seeing Sion's back spurred him onward.
'Yeah, my growth... it's all because of Sion.'
Having a much younger comrade far ahead fueled his passion for training.
He honed himself relentlessly, desperate to catch up even a little.
'So I want to show Sion how much I've grown.'
The entrance exam would scatter them after. Before that, he'd planned one last spar, but now he had an official chance.
'No regrets... give it everything.'
With that resolve, Edwin stepped into the training grounds.