160 – 32. Exchange meeting
An exchange meeting was held.
The entire floating city was filled with fireworks and shouts.
“Jinwoo! Look at that, that’s the third-year seniors’ club!”
“…That’s right, Kaede.”
The place where the exchange meeting is held in earnest is the Romance Academy in the center of the floating city, but as it is a festival where everyone from first to fourth graders get together, the city map of the floating city is also used for the exchange meeting.
Merchants take advantage of this time to open all kinds of stalls, stores, and commemorative events.
Many famous entertainers and singers perform.
There are so many things to see, it’s different and fun wherever you go.
There are endless people from all over the world who want to visit during the week that the exchange event is held.
Among them, exchange meetings are something that only a very small number of people who are chosen by luck, power, or collusion can participate in.
“Look, I’m an academy student.”
“…You’re a freshman. It doesn’t look like you’re financially well-off, so how about adding a sponsor?”
“It’s not too late to make a decision after watching the competition.”
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“That’s true too. By the way, you’re a student at Romance Academy… I’m jealous, I’m jealous.”
As expected, the main characters of the exchange meeting are the students of Romance Academy.
It’s hard to feel it normally, but the students at Romance Academy are some of the world’s greatest geniuses.
Therefore, at this time when numerous outsiders are visiting, competition has arisen between scouts and sponsors.
Students who graduate from Romance Academy are likely to become very successful or famous.
This is to build a bond with those people, or to use them as close associates after graduation.
Hwang Jin-woo and Sasaki Kaede, who are not particularly outstanding at the Academy right now, were also the targets.
“Jinwoo, you have to walk straight. If you get noticed, you can escape even from the semi-basement!”
“…Okay.”
“Why are you still living in a semi-basement when you even received a scholarship in the first place? Even though sponsors mainly focus on third- and fourth-year students, first-year students can also receive quite a bit of sponsorship. You can’t just work hard forever, right?”
“……Yes.”
“…Ugh.”
Kaede Sasaki needs a sponsor. Because it was her brother Ito Sasaki who reconciled, not the Sasaki family.
‘I don’t want to spend money with those guys in the first place.’
However, that does not mean that it is absolutely necessary. Since I live with my brother, there is no problem with my location, and I receive pocket money, so to be honest, I am not that desperate.
Above all, if you receive the wrong support, it is difficult to end the relationship, so you must be careful. It is not for nothing that many students graduate without receiving any support.
But Hwang Jin-woo is different.
You may be able to go out to school with a scholarship, but high-intensity manual labor and part-time work are essential to maintain your daily life.
So she tried to mediate and find a good sponsor for her.
Hwang Jin-woo, the person involved, looked sullen.
“……Jinwoo, is it because of Kite?”
“……Uh.”
“I told you. Kite…Is no more.”
I told all the truth I heard from Namgoong Min. I felt guilty about hiding the letter.
I also received a promise to keep the secret. Jinwoo is nice and smart, so of course he will remain silent.
What remains for Hwang Jin-woo is the weight of truth.
My best friend committed a crime……
…… It was the weight of being dead now.
Is it sorry, guilt, or sadness?
Hwang Jin-woo did not come out of the semi-basement. He still lived in that small place.
Where I played with Kite.
It was Kaede’s job to soothe the depressed Hwang Jin-woo.
“Jinwoo, Jinwoo! Look over there, it’s martial arts competition soon!”
“…That’s right.”
Martial arts club. It is the flower of an exchange meeting and the largest competition held all week.
There were countless competitions and exams prepared during the exchange meeting, but the highlight was the martial arts competition.
A total of 512 students, including 128 students with excellent grades from each grade, will participate in the preliminary round, and only 64 students will participate in the final round.
Even if you were eliminated in the preliminaries, the rewards were great, so it was a competition that anyone with excellent grades must participate.
Also, Kaede Sasaki and Jinwoo Hwang also have excellent grades.
“…Our match is tomorrow.”
“What do you think? Let’s go see it!”
Kaede led Hwang Jin-woo, who was drooping, by his arm and picked up a nearby pamphlet.
If you open it, you can see the stadiums located throughout the Romance Academy at a glance.
“The finals will be held in the main auditorium… Ah, here!”
“Here…?”
“Look at the roster here.”
“…Oh my god.”
Group C roster.
Namgoong Min.
Even in the first semester, there was the name of a brave fortune teller who was indebted to me from time to time.
“I heard that you were the first to be eliminated during the Great Lakes.”
“Other than that, all other practical skills are excellent, and the written skills are also top-notch. Only those with excellent grades will receive an easy award.”
“But this…Isn’t it a martial arts festival?”
You only fight 1-on-1, and only the winner goes up.
Of course, this is a competition favored by combat professions. Even though there was controversy over discrimination against non-combat professions, it was inevitable because visitors liked the combat professions that fight flashily.
The rewards are significant even in the preliminaries, where most non-combat occupations are eliminated.
So, even in such non-combat occupations, it would be obvious that the fortune teller, who is the weakest, would win or lose.
“…Let’s go see it.”
“Yes!”
Hwang Jin-woo took a step forward.
It was simple interest, but also curiosity.
How do fortune tellers fight?
If you fail in vain, that’s fine. It would be good to show off an unexpected performance.
If only I could blow away this gloomy feeling.
He walked towards the stadium with only that in mind.
And.
“……What is this?”
“Could it be…All these people…Are visitors?”
You could easily see hundreds of students surrounding the stadium.
*
“Lucas, you don’t seem to be in a good mood.”
“…Isn’t that obvious? It’s match-fixing…”
A viewing area exclusively for the royal family in the Group C stadium.
Lucas Arthur sighed in a place where only members of the royal family could sit.
Originally, it was a place where even the owner of the Arthur family could not enter, but thanks to the male student next to him with a wry smile, he was given a free pass.
Kim Seong-il smiled after hearing Lucas sigh.
“Honestly, I feel bad too. Isn’t this a complete disregard for Namgoong Min? It’s not even the finals, it’s match-fixing in the preliminaries.”
“…I’m Namgoong Min’s friend, but to be honest, he’s not the type to fight.”
Namgoong Min’s true value comes from his 100% hit rate, charisma, and speaking skills, not his fighting skills.
Although he has a record of winning a duel against his father, Hector…… This was possible because Hector received numerous penalties and Namgoong Min was surrounded by numerous artifacts.
What can Namgoong Min do in a martial arts club where the use of artifacts is prohibited?
Trash talk level?
“Isn’t there ? He fights in a tricky way.”
“I heard that it also has a cooldown time. What’s more… If you use it carelessly in front of this many people, the consequences will be huge.”
They are sitting comfortably in a space reserved for the royal family.
The seats below were a complete mess.
Even though the number of spectators that the stadium can accommodate far exceeds the number of spectators, some people still stand and watch, while others are even hanging from the ceiling or floating in the air.
It is encouraging that most of them are not outsiders but academy students, especially first year students.
In fact, it seemed like half of the first year students were gathered in this stadium.
‘ Is Namgoong Min’s hidden skill.’
The skill to summon subspace is extremely rare, so it is not something that cannot be understood.
If there is no one watching, it would be impossible to use it in front of such an audience.
In the end, you have to step forward with pure fighting skills.
“It would be better to ride it myself and hand it to Namgoong Min…”
“There were many people who leaked the Academy’s compensation in that way in the past, so they should be managed.”
“…That’s the problem.”
As people in power frequently intimidate or persuade academy students to directly hand over artifacts at martial arts clubs, the academy banned the transfer of ownership of artifacts received at exchange conferences.
If you are going to sell it, choose the money from the beginning, and only those who will use it directly should choose the artifact.
The problem is that the ‘Job Skill Name Change Ticket’ is also a type of artifact.
‘In principle, the Academy will continue to investigate ownership until the right to change is used…….’
Of course, it is possible to transfer ownership if you gather the power of a special occupation class.
With Namgoong Min’s personality, it is understandable that he tries to ride it out on his own in order to avoid causing unnecessary trouble.
‘I’ll try it myself first, and maybe if I fail, I’ll ask for it.’
Around the time when Lucas was thinking that way.
A loudspeaker rang out in the stadium.
“It’s finally starting!”
“Rotinelle! Rotinelle! Rotinelle!”
“What, didn’t you come to support Namgoong Min?”
“Still, I placed my bet on Rotinel. Honestly, I’m curious to see how the only fortune teller fights.”
“I want to support Namgoong Min.”
“Why?”
“I bet on Namgoong Min.”
“Such a disgusting bastard.”
The cheers of students filling the stadium echoed.
Two male students walk out.
“That student is Geass Rotinel.”
“Do you know the student?”
“I’ve heard of your name. He’s a , But his bow skills are quite good…”
A rather ordinary-looking male student wearing a bow and arrow.
Despite being a non-combat occupation called , He is famous for taking the same classes as
A student who is recognized by archers for his pure bow skills without any physical abilities or job skills.
…… It wasn’t good from the first time.
“On the other hand, Namgoong Min……huh?”
“Oh?”
Nam Goong Min, walking out against Geass Rotinel, was the same as always.
A black suit, red shirt, and white gloves.
This is the outfit he always wears, along with his trademark outfit.
He was wearing two swords.
“I heard you were learning from Ito Sasaki.”
“……At least it’s not even a week, and it’s not even a double sword.”
It is impossible to defeat Geass Rotinel with such swordsmanship skills.
Yes.
It would be like that if it were an ‘ordinary Geass Rotinel’.
With Lucas’ concern and Kim Seong-il’s admiration.
I heard the start of the game.
“……Hmph!”
With the sound of starting, Rotinel put an arrow on his bow and fired a shot.
At first glance, it seemed like a quick attack.
‘Did you at least buy it? … ?’
To Lucas, it looked like he was playing with his hands for a long time.
He only fired one shot, and although he pulled the trigger, he didn’t put much force into it.
If you get hit at that level, it won’t cause much of a shock and it’s easy to avoid.
He probably intended to estimate Nam Goong Min’s skills with that first move and then intentionally defeat him.
“…Liu.”
I understand the idea that it is for Namgoong Min.
This is match-fixing without informing the parties involved. You must not have thought that Namgoong Min would accept this and say he likes it, right?
The Namgoong Min that Lucas Arthur knew was not like that.
Even if you win, it’s the same as losing.
No matter what the promise was, Lucas decided to visit Namgoong Min after this match.
“……Huh?”
Ting!
I stared blankly at Namgoong Min, who immediately swung his sword and deflected the arrow.
‘The flying arrow…… ‘You threw it away with your sword?’
It is on a different level from simply avoiding or blocking.
Lucas was not the only one taken aback by the incident.
At that time, Kim Seong-il, the students who were screaming, and even Rotinel, who shot the arrow, were embarrassed.
“Huh.”
Namgoong Min makes the first move.
He grabbed the piercing sword and ran straight towards Rotinel.
Only then did Rotinel come to his senses and fired his three shots.
Kakakang!
“Oh my…!”
Nam Goong Min, who was looking straight at the flying arrow, knocked it away with a few slashes.
To be honest, it wasn’t a great look.
The running speed was slow, and the arrow I bounced got stuck in the floor and I almost fell, and the sword slightly grazed the arrow, so it skimmed across my cheek.
Although he looks clumsy, funny, and immature.
Namgoong Min did not stop her running.
“This is beyond calculation…!?”
Geas Rotinel is moving.
As Namgoong Min ran towards her, she quickly backed away in a large circle and fired several more arrows.
Although it is called , It is faster than .
Namgoong Min started first, but the distance from her was gradually increasing.
The moment Namgoong Min, who had somehow avoided or deflected the arrow, faced Geass Rotinel.
“Going…!”
“……!?”
Whoop──!!
Namgoong Min, who was running non-stop and took a certain stance── threw the knife.
Although shocked by the action of throwing away the weapon, Rotinel, who was dodging a knife flying at a precise trajectory, suddenly rolled on the floor.
“Ugh!?”
What is it? Why did I suddenly fall?
Rotinel, who had not been able to see the ground properly because he was paying attention to Namgoong Min running towards him, finally looked around.
One of the arrows that Namgoong Min had bounced was rolling under his feet.
“…What?”
You guided me?
Since the playing field wasn’t very wide, the problem was that she turned in a large circle as she backed away.
Rotinel, who had come near where Namgoong Min was standing for the first time, let out a devastated voice.
…… No, no.
You can’t give up here.
Because you have to make it to the finals!
‘This is…’ … !’
Rather, it is an opportunity!
I lost all the arrows in my quiver while falling, but one of them is right in front of my eyes.
The opponent has thrown his only weapon, so if you quickly take a stance and shoot──
“───Ah.”
That’s right.
That guy had dual swords, right?
“Hmm…!!!”
Was it brought for this purpose from the beginning?
Namgoong Min took out the one remaining sword and charged with all his might.
Rotinel also hurriedly made a move and fired his shot even in that urgent situation.
“…Damn.”
What I saw right after shooting the arrow.
This is a fortune teller who was shedding bloody tears from her enlarged right eye.
The right pupil looks straight at the arrow until the end and finally hits it.
It stopped right in front of Rotinel’s neck.
“Ha, I thought you were just a brave fortune teller…”
“I thought so?”
“He was quite a guy.”
Rotinel raised both hands as a sign of surrender, and the fortune teller, who had been shedding tears of blood little by little, returned his eyes to their original state.
It was an unexpected victory.