Chapter 85
Chapter 85
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: The Special Lecture
-----------------------------------------------------------------
85
Immediately following the joint training, in the President's office.
Marie Mellies was receiving a report from Hol Shivas.
On her desk lay reports neatly compiled and analyzed by the professors.
"The opinions are varied."
"Still, they all agree that Team 2 fought a superior battle to Team 1."
"The evaluations will differ based on the professors' inclinations. They'll all want to curry favor with the princes, after all."
"..."
Vice President Shivas fell silent at President Mellies's blunt assessment.
It was an uncomfortable truth.
No matter how hard one tried, as long as one was human, a degree of subjectivity was inevitable.
Marie Mellies casually pushed the reports aside and looked directly at Hol Shivas.
"What are your thoughts? I want your honest evaluation."
"...You mean on the whole?"
"You can just mention the individuals who stood out."
"Very well, I will mention a few."
Vice President Shivas began with a rather harsh critique.
Frantz and Solberg of Team 1 had not performed as well as expected.
This was because their strategy relied too heavily on the martial prowess of those two.
In fact, there was hardly anything that could be called a tactic.
All they did was swarm and bludgeon their opponent.
"On the other hand, Team 2 proceeded with a clear plan. The main gist was that each position organically drew attention while the magic attacks were successfully landed."
"It seemed quite systematic to me as well."
"It's highly likely the work of Adel Richter, known as the comet of the ducal house. Moreover, the Third Prince's magnanimity in accepting it was also excellent."
"Then what about that one?"
"Hmm..."
Hol Shivas, who had been rattling off evaluations without hesitation, could only let out a low hum.
Even for him, one of the most skilled individuals in the Empire, it was difficult to gauge Ray Carter's level.
And what on earth he had done in that cloud of dust was a mystery.
"Though it took a heavy blow, the Crown Arachne was still quite intact. I question whether the Student Council President possessed the ability to finish off a 4th-rank druid in that state."
"I heard he focused his attacks on the exoskeleton that was damaged during the fall."
"I heard the same."
"So, your assessment?"
"...I'm not sure. The only thing that is certain is that he possesses an incredible talent."
"Will having the Student Council President by the princes' side be a boon? What do you think is best?"
"For now, it would be best to watch him for a while."
"I see."
Marie Mellies, who had been staring at the reports, slowly rose from her seat and walked to the window.
Her gaze fell upon the penthouse of the new building.
Her eyes held a look of anticipation, wondering what influence the one who had claimed that place would have on the grand scheme of things.
Finally, she turned back to Hol Shivas and spoke.
"Anselm, was it?"
"Yes, you mean the guide from the Blue Tower?"
"Correct. Make sure he keeps his mouth shut."
"Of course."
Vice President Shivas bared his teeth in a chilling smile.
* * *
The weekend after the joint training.
While everyone else was enjoying a peaceful rest, I could not afford such a luxury.
Jerome Klebitz had come knocking on my door first thing in the morning.
The reason for his visit was the special lecture he had mentioned before.
"We're starting this on a weekend?"
"Of course. We can't have it overlapping with other classes, can we? I was planning to hold it after school on weekdays."
"Oh! For..."
I swallowed the string of curses that followed and picked up a practice sword.
'I do want to rest, but it wouldn't hurt to learn more of the Imperial Sound Lock Sword.'
Lately, I had been investing all my personal training time into strengthening my Demonic Soul.
I needed to raise my level to complete the Heaven-Severing Myriad Spirits.
"Not shying away from weekend training, I see. As expected of the Student Council President."
Dean Klebitz let out a hearty laugh and led the way.
It seemed he was already seeing me through rose-tinted glasses, so everything I did looked good to him.
Soon, we were standing idly in the first training hall, facing each other.
Perhaps because it was empty, the atmosphere in the hall felt particularly desolate today.
Training is always more enjoyable with beautiful female students around...
But a one-on-one session with this guy!
Whether he knew my thoughts or not, Jerome Klebitz began his special lecture.
"The first form of the middle part of the Imperial Sound Lock Sword is the Forbidden Ascent Sword. Watch carefully."
*Shiik—! Vwooom!*
Dean Klebitz's sword cut through the air, thrusting forward.
A thrust that moved as fluidly as a fish, breaking through defenses.
It was close to a counter-attack, but it could also be initiated before the opponent.
The tip of the sword trembled wildly, making it difficult to predict its path.
The sound, like the buzzing of a bee's wings, was also due to the vibrations running through the blade.
"Everyone misunderstands this, but the key is not the vibration. It's the irregular motion of the sword's tip."
"I see."
I nodded deeply at Jerome Klebitz's explanation.
Most of what I had thought while watching the advanced class students perform it turned out to be correct.
Besides, I had even used what I'd picked up by watching them in a real fight.
When I took down the 3rd-rank druid.
Of course, since I'd performed it without knowing the true essence and techniques, no one could tell it was the same form.
'This much is easy.'
I immediately performed the Forbidden Ascent Sword.
*Shiik—! Vwooom!*
The sound of the vibration was even more distinct than when Dean Klebitz had demonstrated it.
Now that he had told me the key, it was certainly much easier than before.
However, the reaction I expected did not come.
'Shouldn't he be offering some corrections? It wasn't perfectly identical.'
I had deliberately adopted a slightly different stance, just in case I raised any suspicions.
It was my own reinterpretation of the form.
Just then, Jerome Klebitz spoke, his expression frozen.
"Don't start with variations. Do it the standard way."
It seemed the Dean thought I was just showing off.
But I hadn't changed the form because I couldn't do the proper stance or because I wanted to look cool.
I was simply presenting a new path for a variation.
"Well, if you say so."
If that's what he wanted, I might as well do it.
I immediately executed the Forbidden Ascent Sword with perfect precision.
*Vwooom!*
As the sword path became more concise, the vibrational sound grew even louder.
The unpredictable movement of the sword's tip was also maximized, and I finally struck a point in the air.
*Spit!*
It was, in every sense, a perfect Forbidden Ascent Sword.
"Have you, by any chance, learned the middle part of the Imperial Sound Lock Sword separately before?"
Jerome Klebitz asked, his eyes wide.
"No."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Really, really?"
"Excuse me, Dean? Why do you keep asking that?"
"It's just hard to believe. How could you do something that even I, who was called a once-in-a-generation genius, could not..."
Was that petty reason all he was suspicious about?
'Huh? Now I'm getting annoyed.'
Dean Klebitz shook his head vigorously, then immediately adopted a different stance.
"Then how about this? The second form of the middle part of the Imperial Sound Lock Sword, Nether Cloud Chase."
*Shwish—!*
With an illusion that made the sword's tip seem to split into two or three, a bright light flashed.
In an instant, Jerome Klebitz's sword shredded the air.
*Sp-pa-pa-bak!*
It was a textbook example of a phantom sword technique.
'Oh, this is on a completely different level than what the kids do.'
Frankly, the Nether Cloud Chase performed by the advanced class students was barely worthy of being called a phantom sword technique.
It was more like a series of movements with an excessive amount of aura, performed without any understanding of the sword art's core principles.
But Dean Klebitz's strike was so perfect that it could have fooled even me.
Of course, that's not to say my eyes couldn't actually follow it.
"Can you do this one as well? The trick is to keep your wrist fixed. It's the complete opposite of the Imperial Sound Lock Sword so far."
"Is there a reason for the sudden change in style?"
"Any technique loses its edge once its pattern is read."
It was a fundamental principle of swordsmanship.
I already knew all this, but I asked out of courtesy.
If I copied this one perfectly too, it would be more than a little strange, wouldn't it?
But I was past the stage of pretending.
'I've already shown my abilities in the Student Council President election and the joint training.'
If I couldn't even do this, it would seem even more suspicious.
I aimed the practice sword at a point in the air, then took two steps, circling to the side.
Nether Cloud Chase was a different kind of form, but that didn't mean the core principles of the Imperial Sound Lock Sword were absent.
Instead of the wrist, the footwork created the twisting sword path.
What Jerome Klebitz had just shown was a strike that omitted the footwork.
But I demonstrated the entirety of Nether Cloud Chase perfectly.
After all, this man had been emphasizing the standard form from the beginning.
*Shwish—! Sp-pa-pa-bak!*
"Ah..."
A gasp escaped Dean Klebitz's lips at the sight of the brilliant streaks of light embroidering the air.
'Did I put too much power into it?'
I had just roughly copied the footwork I'd seen the advanced class students use.
But it seemed to have appeared a little different in Jerome Klebitz's eyes.
"P-Perfect!"
"Pardon?"
No, it wasn't that amazing.
The Dean's eyes lit up, and with a thrilled expression, he raised his sword again.
He then began to teach me with even more sincerity and dedication.
It seemed he had decided we could just move on from the second form of the middle part.
"Here, try it like this. Drive in more from the side... That's it! That's it right there!"
The special lecture quickly progressed to Demon-Cleaving Rend.
The third form of the middle part of the Imperial Sound Lock Sword embodied the principles of a powerful heavy sword.
As a sword form that pursued both speed and power, it was surprisingly tricky to execute.
But I succeeded without much difficulty.
"Hmm..."
After my demonstration, Dean Klebitz only let out a low hum, saying nothing.
He just stood there, staring into empty space.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable, I was about to subtly back away when Jerome Klebitz suddenly moved.
"Watch closely."
Wondering what this guy was up to now, I looked up and witnessed an astonishing sight unfold before my eyes.
*Flash—!*
'Huh? This is...?'