Swordsmanship Class (1)
Back alley behind the Academy Research Lecture Hall
Arthuria and Sophia stood facing each other as if in confrontation.
“So… you and Bisarus were angels serving Deus. And you were lovers?”
“That’s right!”
Arthuria vigorously nodded her head up and down.
“Do you expect me to believe such absurd nonsense? You’re telling lies even a little child in the neighborhood wouldn’t believe. Did I appear so ridiculous to you?”
Sophia’s momentum shot out like an inspector crossing a wall, but the face of the saint who received it directly remained calm.
“It’s not a lie. His Highness and I were truly angels in our past lives. I can swear on the name of Deus regarding the truth of this.”
I swear in the name of Deus.
If a priest breaks the oath to the god they serve, they will receive the worst punishment. The same goes for a saint.
So, is this the truth?
Sophia was confused.
Was it not just a lie to get closer to the secretary?
“So, could you please stay away from our lord? It’s a bit uncomfortable for me, as his wife, to hear rumors that you were with him yesterday, Sophia!”
Our lord.
His wife.
…Who decided that?
In the previous chapter, the one who whispered love to Versus was me.
The one who sacrificed himself to protect me was also me.
I am his rightful lover, and no one can take Versus away from me.
“Actually, I have something to say. In my past life, Versus was a warrior who defeated the demon king alongside me. He was also my lover. He loved me enough to give his life to protect me.”
“…What?”
“If you are a saint, you should be able to grasp the truth of my words, right?”
“Wait… Why?”
Artoria, who had enhanced her strength with divine power, could only be astonished.
Huh? This is the truth?
“Your Highness, were you involved with another woman in your past life?”
“That’s why you should stay away. Our secretary lost her position as an angel because of you.”
Arthoria, confused, regained her composure.
“Ha! Weren’t you the one who caused the prince’s death in our past life?”
The two women locked eyes fiercely.
“If that’s the case, let’s make a bet. Let’s leave Secretary’s choice up to him.”
“That’s what I wanted! Don’t come crying later when you lose!”
And so, a bet was made without the knowledge of the parties involved.
***
Secretary packed his belongings and left his inn room for class.
Today’s class was a practical swordsmanship lesson.
It was a common training session in the academy, focused on sparring.
The events within this lesson had garnered a lot of attention in the past.
When I first devised a plan to steal the protagonist’s events, I thought it would draw attention by winning against the strong, but I gave up on it.
Because the attention of others, aside from the three heroines, would only be harmful rather than helpful, especially since my skill level was weak in the early stages.
I can’t defeat the strong when I haven’t even properly obtained a contract.
Secretary clenched and unclenched her fist.
If only I could have the power from that dream.
After waking up from the dream, she thought it was just because of her mood that she broke the doorknob in the bathroom.
“Secretary!”
“Jenice, huh?”
As they reached the vicinity of the training grounds, a student approached Secretarys with raised hand from a short distance away.
“Long time no see. Are you here to attend the practical swordsmanship class too?”
“Yes.”
“Surprising. Weren’t you averse to moving your body? Did you suddenly develop a desire to learn swordsmanship?”
Due to his lowly position as a viscount and mediocre skills, Secretarys found it difficult to establish friendships within the noble circles.
However, despite that, there were a few individuals he had made an effort to befriend, and one of them was the feminine male student standing before him, Jenice.
Although the fact that this guy was the protagonist of [Eclipse] played a significant role.
“I still don’t want to learn, though.”
I have learned swordsmanship in the past.
Secretarys’ body was so weak that he couldn’t properly learn or even failed miserably.
“But I found a reason to learn.”
Gaining power through connections doesn’t make you instantly stronger. You have to learn how to wield that power and gain practical experience.
That was the reason Secretarys applied for the swordsmanship class.
“Ah! I see.”
Jenice replied as if he understood.
“That reason?”
“Because of the Republic’s princess! It’s because of Princess Sophia, right?”
“What?”
Secretarys was taken aback.
Sophia?
Did the story of us sitting together in class yesterday spread?
“You were walking around the hallway arm in arm with the princess of that republic?”
“Huh?”
“And then there was a fight between the imperial princess and that princess in the principal’s office over you?”
“What?”
“I can’t believe my friend has become such a mesmerizing man who captivates those high-ranking people at the academy from the first day. It was shocking.”
Wait a minute.
Why does he know about that?
If even this guy, who doesn’t really enjoy gossip or socializing, knows about it….
It means that the news has already spread throughout the entire academy, right?
Secretarys finally noticed that all the students around them were looking at them.
“Is it him?”
“He has a face that’s worth looking at… Is he really that handsome?”
“Maybe he has exceptional abilities? If those high-ranking people want to take him away, he must have exceptional skills.”
“He looks kind of dangerous, though. Chulup.”
Why didn’t I notice it while walking all the way here?
Ah.
I didn’t realize because I was lost in thought.
This is awkward.
He became a strange person who seduced the daughter of the Republic’s President and the Princess.
By doing so, he might attract their attention.
If he becomes their target while still weak, he won’t survive…!
Viceus and Genesis arrived at the training ground.
“Viceus!”
And Sofia, who was waiting for him inside the training ground, ran towards him.
“As expected.”
“Is he really that charming?”
“Such a style might be popular in the Republic.”
“Good morning, Viceus.”
Sofia greeted him with a bright smile.
“Yeah. Good morning…”
On the other hand, Viceus couldn’t greet her with the same brightness.
“Hello, Sofia-nim.”
“Who are you?”
Sofia, who was on guard while Viceus greeted her, relaxed when she saw that Genesis was wearing a boys’ school uniform.
“I’m Genesis Skylar, a friend of Viceus.”
“I am Sofia de Loubellion.”
Murmur murmur
As they greeted each other, the entrance to the training ground became noisy.
And the protagonist, who had gathered the students’ attention, approached Bierce.
“Good morning, Bierce-nim!”
“S-Saintess?”
It was indeed Saintess Artoria.
“Why are you here in the training ground?”
From Noble mtl dot com
“I also enrolled in this class! Please take care of me.”
Huh?
In the novel, the Saintess never attended swordsmanship classes.
Bierce was confused by the many discrepancies from the original novel.
“This can’t be true. Even the Saintess?”
“What kind of charm does she have?”
“I envy you, Bierce! How did you even get the Saintess?”
Bierce felt the gazes around her intensify.
Ah. This can’t go on. Please.
“…This is the reason why you all should take practical swordsmanship classes.”
As the class began, the swordsmanship professor, Baldrake, started teaching the students who had gathered in the training ground.
Being a veteran professor at the Academy, who couldn’t be easily touched by the Empire or the Republic, his gaze couldn’t help but focus on the two female students sitting on either side of a male student.
Why is the Saintess here?
I knew Sophia de Loubellion was attending my class, but the Saintess is a completely different story.
And her name is in the attendance book again?
I don’t know.
“Therefore, the purpose of this class is to improve skills through sparring. Since today is the first class, I would like to start with a simple example of sparring. Any volunteers?”
A sturdy male student raised his hand in response to the professor’s question.
“Good. It’s great to have a volunteer right away in this session. Come forward.”
Observing the male student, Biceus touched his chin.
Navarre Schreig.
The eldest son of Duke Schreig.
He was an early antagonist in the novel [Eclipse], where he lost in a sparring match with the protagonist, which sparked Sofia’s interest in the protagonist.
“Since there don’t seem to be any other volunteers, please choose your opponent.”
Perhaps the protagonist was called out here. If there are no special circumstances, it will probably be the protagonist again…
“I will spar with student Biceus Grandguignol.”
Not choosing him as the opponent… what?
“Biceus Grandguignol, come forward.”
What? Me?
Why?
Biceus noticed Navarre staring at him.
I didn’t do anything, did I?
Ah.
Right.
This guy liked the saint.
This is f*cked up.
“Both students, grab practice swords and take your positions.”
Bisus walked forward like a pig being led to the slaughter, his body slumped and limp.
And then, weakly, he grasped the sword in front of him.
“Huh?”
In that moment,
Bisus’s body became light, and a sense of omnipotence filled him.
This sensation…
It was the same as in his dream!