174 – A Teacher’s Duty -2-
Unpaid debts are heavy laws.
Even if it was just 1 gold, the difference between not receiving and not being able to receive was big.
It’s not a matter of feeling good or bad, but it’s absurd to do work for free.
Considering the fact that I’m working for the young lady for free, I’m not in a position to criticize, but since the young lady is pretty, I can forgive her.
After arriving in the capital, I handed the young lady over to Dalvab and headed to the academy.
-You’re here. Olivia.
-Abby, give me some money.
-You like money more than me.
-Yes.
-You’re honest.
Leaving behind the young lady’s allowance negotiation, I headed to the academy with an awkward smile at the unpleasant memories of the academy.
-Get lost. Trash of the academy!
-Never come back here again!
-I never liked you in the first place.
The memories of the academy made me smile bitterly. It was a memory that started with anticipation but ended with overwhelming criticism, so it wasn’t a very pleasant story.
I don’t think it was unfair. I could easily get over it because I could understand it, but I was the one who smiled bitterly at the unpleasant memories.
“I should have gotten rid of all those bad memories.”
It’s a bit of a regret, but it’s true.
I walked for a long time, lost in my memories, forgetting my original purpose. The dark night came to me as I walked around the academy.
Because I hid from familiar faces I met here and there.
-Isn’t that Ricardo?
-Why did he come here? No… I wish he did come here so that I could curse him properly.
-What? Oh, but did you hear the rumor? I heard that Ricardo fought with a pagan in the banquet hall.
-That was Princess Shartia and Mikhail. The student council has already made an official announcement about it.
-Is that so?
As I dodged people and walked, a lot of time has passed. Since I was already late, I decided to take my time and walk around the training hall. Then, I started to hear a familiar voice.
-Until when… until when are you going to act like this?
Hanna’s voice could be heard.
-I do not acknowledge your talent.
The voice of an old man could be heard. I do not know why that man was there, but I could tell that the atmosphere around them was not normal.
I held my breath and approached the training hall. Then, I saw the rare sight of three people standing there.
Mikhail.
Hanna.
Rowan.
I thought that I would never see this combination again, especially Hanna and Rowan.
I thought that Rowan’s heart was broken because of what happened last time, but I sighed and shook my head as I saw him acting like an old, stubborn adult.
The conversation was not going well.
-Malick said that he will not accept the position of the head of the family.
There was also talk about the patriarch going crazy.
-I still have not acknowledged your sword.
I realized that the old man’s stubbornness has not changed. And Hanna’s clumsy prayers.
-Let’s do this once. Let my father’s disciple and I spar once.
I found out unintentionally.
*
The empire’s sword was not hiding his unpleasant feelings.
I looked at Rowan with a small smile as I saw the wrinkles on his forehead that were forming due to envy, because it had been a long time since I had seen the face of a handsome man.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
I said as I placed a bet that I was sure I would lose.
Hanna could defeat Mikhail, but there was a big gap between me and Rowan. However, I did not back down because I had to uphold my dignity as a teacher in front of my disciple.
That way, Hanna could hide in my shadow. I said with a smile.
“Is it because I am a swordsman who is overflowing with talent in the eyes of the empire’s sword?”
“That’s a crude provocation.”
“I learned a lot of crude things.”
A cold current flowed.
The current that was flowing from the man who was the best in the field of swordsmanship and the ice wizard who knew about that man’s weakness was flowing bloodthirstily.
I am certain of it.
That this man will not respond to my provocation.
It was a battle that he had nothing to gain from, and there was more to lose if he were to lose to me, so I know that there is no reason for him to respond.
My intuition as a swordsman is certain of victory, but my thoughts as the head of the family are not simple.
I looked at Rowan with a small smile as I extended my provocation, and Rowan looked at me without saying anything.
Hanna looked at me with surprised eyes. She was looking at me like she was looking at Hanna’s savior, someone she never thought would be here.
“Butler…?”
“Yes. I understand.”
With a small smile, I spoke to Hannah while organizing the words I had overheard earlier in my head.
“You seem to be having fun?”
“I’m sorry… I was so angry.”
“It’s alright.”
Rowan and Hannah’s feud.
The new disciple, Mikhail.
And the duel aimed at Mikhail and Hannah.
It wasn’t even a funny story.
Especially the last bet was even more so.
In the novel, Mikhail became Rowan’s disciple. It wasn’t Malik’s replacement, but the story flowed as if Yuriah filled the void of a father who had lost his daughter and naturally raised Mikhail in the process.
In some ways, it was a good story, but when I looked into its contents, I couldn’t help but laugh.
It was because he was talking about taking a disciple for the reason of making his child feel deprived.
Mikhail definitely needed a teacher, but it shouldn’t have gone in this direction.
Because there was no guarantee that it would last until the end. It would be better for me, who wears a mask of doubt, to teach him.
For this reason, I thought it was無理to make Mikhail a teacher.
I glared at Mikhail once and looked at Rowan.
“Surely, I told you last time not to bother my lovely disciple, didn’t I?”
“I don’t remember answering.”
“How petty.”
Rowan frowned at the black scabbard on my waist.
It seemed like he didn’t like the fact that I had his collection.
I was startled by the original owner’s gaze and hid the sword behind my back. I’ve grown too attached to this thing to give it back.
Thinking about it, it was a sword I obtained through legitimate means, so I calmed my startled heart and moved Tyrfing, which I had hidden behind my back, to my waist again.
Rowan let out a hollow laugh as he watched me.
“How strange. You’re not going crazy holding that sword… Or are you already crazy?”
Rowan spoke with an eerie magical energy.
“How odd.”
The weight of the surging magical energy felt different. It was a thicker and purer magical energy than the one the Archbishop exudes.
Rowan’s momentum began to weigh down on my shoulders.
I lightly brushed off Rowan’s momentum and spoke. I asked him if he wasn’t ashamed as an adult.
“Don’t release killing intent. Won’t your disciple be surprised?”
A crimson aura began to seep out of the sword ominously.
The heavily descending aura gently enveloped the sword and began to erase Rowan’s pressure.
‘Aura’, the biggest turning point that can tighten the 검사’s breath. The aura, the foundation of the 검사 and a symbol of nothingness, spread out like a cool shade.
The answer I could give, the answer I could prove as a 검사.
And with the aura that I speak of as my greatest strength, Rowan’s sword began to tremble slightly.
“I think I’m qualified enough to teach.”
“…”
“I also believe that the eye that sees the buds of talent is sharper than the Empire’s sword.”
Rowan gritted his teeth and glared at me.
“You don’t miss a beat.”
“That’s because the family I belong to is the Desmond family.”
“…”
Rowan spat out a sigh and held back his words.
The answer to the question I had asked had been given, and it was approaching as an undeniable reality.
Rowan took the lead in removing his hand from the sword’s handle. Mikhail and Hannah floated their shoulders in the cold, smoky air.
Of them, Mikhail looked at me with unbelievable eyes. ‘Is there still such a difference…?’ Mikhail, who screamed silently, exhaled roughly and sank to the floor.
I smiled faintly and took my hand off the sword, and at the same time, Rowan said to me.
“My eyes were not wrong.”
To assert his pride.
“I have raised and unearthed many knights by seeing the buds of talent and kicking them out.”
“…”
“This time is no different. There is no change, as it has always been.”
As soon as Rowan finished speaking, I looked at Hannah.
“Is it possible?”
“What is?”
“Mikhail. Do you think he can win?”
“I…”
Hannah stopped answering and looked at me. As if asking for an answer.
“What about the butler?”
I smiled faintly and answered Hannah.
“My eyes are special.”
I smiled and looked at Hannah, and Hannah drew her sword without hesitation and drew a long line in the air.
“If the butler says so, then that’s it…!”
Mikhail also drew his sword and began to emit an aura.
A bright aura wrapped around Mikhail’s hand and rang the bell of battle, and Mikhail exhaled calmly and said.
“I give up. As I am now, I cannot defeat Hannah.”
I looked at Rowan and smiled.
“Did you win?”