Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: The Basic Choice
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When Professor Hoth posed his question, the crowd fell silent.
Soon, the students began to murmur, whispering amongst themselves.
They were baffled by what had just happened.
'First, my name wasn't called for the advanced class. Second, they're giving me an unprecedented choice.'
The professors and assistants at Venderford didn't acknowledge students' prior statuses.
Of course, they couldn't ignore them completely, but the atmosphere was certainly quite authoritarian.
In a situation like this, for me to receive special treatment...
It was a bit embarrassing, but I didn't feel bad about it.
Because I could feel the princes' gazes changing in a peculiar way.
"Ahem!"
Sensing the strange atmosphere, Erich Hoth cleared his throat to draw everyone's attention.
"Ray Carter certainly demonstrated remarkable skill. However, that seems to stem from his innate talent, which makes it difficult to assess properly."
What kind of sophistry was that?
'Is he chalking up my skills to a stroke of luck? Wow! This professor is something else.'
To summarize Professor Hoth's long-winded explanation, I was just a lucky guy.
But since he couldn't ignore the result, he was arrogantly offering to put me in the advanced class if I wanted.
And at the same time, he was saving a bit of face for the assistant who almost lost to me.
"I heard you haven't learned any energy arts."
Even a professor like him couldn't detect the existence of the Demonic Soul.
The Demonic Soul had absorbed the secrecy of Rantzverger's secret arts and the Konntraeger Energy Arts.
'Officially, Ray Carter, the merchant's son, has never learned to use aura.'
I readily nodded and answered Erich Hoth's question.
"That is correct."
"That's why you weren't placed in the advanced class. It would be difficult to keep up with the lessons without aura."
"And if I can?"
"You intend to climb up with talent alone?"
"It's not impossible."
"Haha!"
Professor Hoth smiled with a satisfied expression at my challenging response.
'Was he deliberately speaking in a dismissive tone to test me?'
The more he spoke, the wider his smile grew. I'd be a fool not to notice.
Man, you're a terrible liar.
"I'll ask one last time. Look at the students. These are the individuals in the advanced class you'll have to compete against."
As Erich Hoth said, I casually turned my head.
And I was met with fiery, burning gazes.
Every single one of them had been called for the advanced class.
Their auras were fierce, as if to prove they had been learning aura since childhood.
Of course, to me, they just looked like puppies trying to be brave.
'Wait, why are they all guys?'
It couldn't be a coincidence.
The gender ratio at Venderford leaned more towards males, and the gap was particularly noticeable in the class assignments.
After all, it was true that men had an advantage in physical activities.
As a result, there were only two girls in the advanced class.
In that very moment, two beams of light shot out from my eyes.
*Flash—!*
Ah, of course, I didn't shoot destructive laser beams from my eyeballs like a cyclops.
I just squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them.
With a look of sudden enlightenment, I looked at Erich Hoth and said.
"I... will go to the basic class."
The surrounding noise instantly amplified.
"The basic class? Why?"
"I heard that once your class is set, it's almost impossible to change it."
"That's right. They said it's incredibly difficult."
"Is he crazy? Why make things harder for himself?"
The assistants remained silent, but the students' reactions were quite intense.
The voices of those who wanted to be in the advanced class but lacked the ability were particularly loud and displeased.
They wore frustrated expressions, wondering why I would make such a stupid decision.
'Right. What would you guys know?'
Completely ignoring the students' whispers, I met Professor Hoth's gaze.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes."
"I'd like to hear a more detailed reason."
At Erich Hoth's question, I took a short breath to compose myself and began to explain in a serious tone.
"As you said, Professor, I haven't learned to use aura. I also believe my swordsmanship fundamentals are lacking. Instead of getting ahead of myself and joining the advanced class based on talent alone, I feel it's better to build a solid foundation by training from the very beginning."
"Oh..."
After I finished speaking, a low sound of admiration came from the assistant standing nearby.
With his lips pressed firmly together, he nodded readily.
He seemed to think this was the proper mindset for one who trains in the sword.
Glancing to the side, I saw Professor Hoth's face with a similar expression.
Judging by his sparkling eyes, he seemed even more moved than the assistant.
*Clap! Clap! Clap!*
Erich Hoth shook his head from side to side and began to applaud.
"Absolutely brilliant! This is the kind of talent we've been looking for. A student overflowing with talent, yet not arrogant! You are destined to shine here at Venderford."
"You're too kind, Professor."
"I'll place you in the basic class as you wish. However, our assistants will pay special attention to you."
"I don't want any special treatment."
"Haha! Did you all hear that?"
When Professor Hoth turned and spoke, the assistants all nodded in unison.
And so, I was able to join the basic class.
This was a stepping stone to thoroughly learn a new style of swordsmanship and aura.
'It's not because I didn't want to go to the advanced class full of men. No, really, it's not.'
As I walked toward the group of basic class students, a faint smile crept onto my face.
From today on...
I'll be taking classes in a field of flowers, not wedged between a bunch of burly men.
This is how it should be!
* * *
After the groups were divided, the basic class moved to the second training ground.
It was only about a two-hundred-meter walk, but the discrimination had already begun.
From now on, the basic class would do everything after the advanced class, and their treatment would also be a step down.
But I didn't have a single complaint.
'When I'm surrounded by beauties, what is there to be unhappy about?'
It was a sight you would never see in the advanced class.
"Welcome, everyone. I am Godard, the head assistant in charge of swordsmanship for the basic class."
While I was memorizing the students' faces out of the corner of my eye, Assistant Godard's booming voice came from the front.
It seemed the swordsmanship class was about to begin in earnest.
"During your time at Venderford, you will learn a sword style called the Imperial Sound Lock Sword. It is a complete form, consisting of basic, intermediate, and advanced stages."
The Imperial Sound Lock Sword was the rhythmic style the assistants had demonstrated in yesterday's sparring match.
According to the assistant's explanation, it was a secret art of the imperial family, once stored in the imperial palace's archives.
That must be why so many prominent talents from various nations had flocked here, enough to fill the dormitories to capacity.
"The essence of the Imperial Sound Lock Sword lies in the rhythmic movement of the wrist. It is both incredibly delicate and dynamic, allowing anyone, male or female, to unleash its full power. Now, watch the assistants' movements carefully."
As soon as Godard finished speaking, the assistants stood facing different directions.
This was done so everyone could see the front, back, left, and right sides of the sword form at once.
"Begin."
*Fwoosh—!*
At the command, the assistants moved in perfect unison, as if they were a single body.
As expected of talents from the Imperial Knight Order, their movements were exceptionally clean.
Even for a basic form, synchronizing their breathing couldn't have been easy; they must have practiced a great deal.
'It's definitely a sword style with a solid foundation.'
I found myself nodding slightly.
It was indeed a remarkable sword style, worthy of being called a secret art of the imperial family.
Just from seeing the first, most basic form, I could clearly feel its depth.
After a few more demonstrations, Head Assistant Godard added an explanation.
"The first form of the Imperial Sound Lock Sword is the Shadowed Straight Strike. On the surface, it appears to be a straight downward strike."
Since they were basic class students, he explained it step by step to make it easy to understand.
But even for the most basic of basics, the essence of the Imperial Sound Lock Sword was clearly infused within it.
Just at the moment of impact with an imaginary target, the assistants would lightly flick their wrists, adding a subtle variation.
The basic class students didn't notice at all, but I could see right through to the core of the technique.
'So, it's like this?'
*Swish.*
I mimicked the assistants' movements in the air.
The Imperial Sound Lock Sword looked simple, but it was a style that concealed profound subtleties.
'It's no less impressive than the Single Star Flowing Fire Sword or the Silent Assassination Arts. In fact, since it's a completely different style, it seems even superior.'
I had trained for decades, but I had only mastered the secret arts of the Riverune and Rantzverger families.
I had picked up a few miscellaneous skills, but this was the first time I'd encountered a sword style from outside my families.
Because of that, I was beginning to clearly feel what I was lacking.
'The Riverune swordsmanship had been stagnant for a long time. It was so complete that there was no reason for it to develop further. But swordsmanship is like a living thing. It never stands still.'
As times change, so do people.
Swordsmanship was something that could always evolve and transform.
Naturally, even the legendary secret arts I had mastered had the potential for growth.
Just like how I created the Demonic Soul by merging energy arts.
'What if I can use the Imperial Sound Lock Sword to correct flaws I wasn't even aware of?'
A heart-pounding thought echoed in my mind.
It felt like I had found a shortcut to the second tier.
'A small epiphany, perhaps.'
Smiling faintly, I casually glanced up at the Knight Academy building.
But then, I noticed Erich Hoth standing right where my gaze landed.
Wait, what is that guy doing up on the platform...
'Huh? Is he looking at me?'
Professor Hoth was watching me from the very back of the basic class.
He must have just seen me practicing the first form of the Imperial Sound Lock Sword, the Shadowed Straight Strike.
He seemed curious to see the extent of my talent.
'I can't just show him something like that for free. A rare spectacle like this requires an admission fee.'
I let my practice sword hang loosely and practiced the Shadowed Straight Strike only in my mind.