Chapter 75

Early in the morning, Fernan savored his coffee while reading the newspaper.

【Academy Daily 10/6】

【Surprise in the magic tournament. The first-year vice leader defeats the second-year vice leader! Carlo Deneb’s lightning eclipsed by Aria Fridian’s gale.】

【Gismond Ert, the surprise of the jousting tournament, falls in the round of 32 against Luina Bercheff.】

【Another surprise: Aint Armian secures his place in the round of 16.】

【Jousting tournament and magic tournament reach the round of 16. Who will be the final 32?】

The rest were articles about results, other qualifiers, and festival events.

“…What is this?”

None of it was really important.

Who won, who fell.

He had already assumed that the future would keep twisting because of a single variable.

Although the book of prophecies wasn’t exact, Fernan still made plenty of money because he knew the Academy’s talents well.

The problem was something else.

“Aria beat Carlo?”

According to the prophecy, those two did face each other. And Carlo defeated Aria.

It made sense.

In the original story, Carlo was still the strongest of second year.

Not by luck or tricks, but by pure skill. No matter how talented Aria was, she shouldn’t have been able to catch up so suddenly.

Even now, Carlo hadn’t lost his strength. Even though Fernan had pushed him into the vice leader’s position, his level hadn’t changed.

“Then why… did the result change?”

Fernan was stunned.

All the money he had bet on Carlo, even using his employees and contacts, had gone up in smoke.

***

Meanwhile, the jousting tournament had already reached the round of 16.

Fernan checked the bracket.

【Round of 16 – Jousting Tournament】
• Valoshi Bienderk (1st-year leader) vs. Bella Hoenne (2nd-year, ranked 19)
• Verian Kalburdern (1st-year, ranked 3) vs. Barog Hernim (3rd-year leader)
• Alcan Domirn (3rd-year vice leader) vs. Rob Kaelin (4th-year leader)
• Gillet Piens (3rd-year, ranked 5) vs. Luina Bercheff (2nd-year vice leader)
• Aint Armian (1st-year vice leader) vs. Almon Donertz (2nd-year vice leader)…

Because of the wildcard named Gismond Ert, the bracket was completely twisted.

“A disaster.”

The magic tournament, aside from Aria’s surprise, was progressing fine.

But the joust was chaos.

Bella Hoenne, who should have fallen in the round of 32, had reached the round of 16 purely through lucky matchups. And worse—Aint and Luina would now face each other in the quarterfinals instead of the semifinals.

“…The rest I more or less have figured out.”

With Aint and Luina, he couldn’t be sure.

But he didn’t dwell too much. That duel would be tomorrow. Today it was time to bet on the round of 16.

“Hyde.”

“Are you going to bet again, sir?”

“What kind of question is that?”

Fernan handed him his betting sheet.

“Do you know how much money I’ve lost with Gismond and Aria? I need to get it back. More than that, I need to win it multiplied.”

“…Understood.”

And so, Fernan’s employees and even his contacts placed their bets the same as he did.

Within an hour, the tournament would begin.

***

In the waiting room, Bella Hoenne trembled, pale.

“…He’s just a first-year rookie. Even if he’s the leader, he’s still first year. I should still have a chance, right? Yes, Bienderk or not Bienderk, he’s still first year…”

“Bella.”

Luina placed a hand on her shoulder. The trembling stopped.

“Just do your best. With no regrets. That’s enough.”

“…That sounds like you’re saying I don’t stand a chance.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“So I can win?”

“…Do your best, Bella.”

“Some friend you are…”

Luina averted her gaze. Bella sighed. But thanks to those words, her tension eased.

In fact, reaching the round of 16 was already a miracle. And though luck played a role, it wasn’t the only reason.

Fighting against the Sea Serpents and training with Luina had raised her level considerably.

“I’m the senior. I’ll show my pride as a veteran.”

“Bella Hoenne!”

“Here I go!”

With her mind steady after an hour of self-encouragement, she stepped onto the field.

Twenty minutes later…

“What humiliation! That monster’s not normal! How can he be first year?”

Bella returned crushed, her armor dented everywhere.

She had managed to endure three lance clashes, but in swordsmanship, she was overwhelmed. The only thing she gained was a bit more resistance thanks to her training with Luina.

“Good job.”

“Good job? I barely held out. The difference was absurd…”

She collapsed in a corner, depressed.

Fifteen minutes later, another defeated student entered in the same condition.

“…The wall of third-year seniors is too high.”

It was Verian Kalburdern, who had just lost to third-year leader Barog Hernim.

Though he held out in the joust, he was annihilated in swordplay.

“How was it?”

“Don’t ask me, it just hurts more.”

“I’ll handle the rematch.”

“If you win, it’ll hurt me even more.”

Verian ground his teeth at Aint’s innocence.

In any other case, he would have protested. But since it was Aint, maybe he could. After all, he was the one who had fought against a demon and defeated it.

‘The gap between us just keeps growing. Damn it…’

What kind of monstrous talent did that boy have? Was this what all the Armian were like?

‘…Is there no way?’

He didn’t want to be left behind. He wanted, at least, to be one step behind him.

‘If anyone has the answer, it’s Fernan.’

That man always found a way.

“I’m in second year and yet I’m nervous.”

“Shut your mouth.”

Between conversations, the tournament went on.

Second-year Gert Grots pulled off an upset against third-year senior Yuria Sandra.

Then came the duel between third-year vice leader Alcan Domirn and fourth-year leader Rob Kaelin.

Experience prevailed: Rob, last year’s champion, showed his strength.

“Gillet Piens! Luina Bercheff!”

Luina stood.

‘She’ll win, right?’

— The third-years’ level is quite high.

— The fourth-years seem weaker, but the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years are solid.

— On average, third year is the best.

— But I don’t think Luina will lose.

— True. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone face a demon head-on like her.

— In willpower, she surpasses anyone here.

“Senior, I wish you luck. Please, win.”

Luina paused for a moment and nodded at Aint’s whisper.

— Do you realize that if she wins, you’ll have to face her?

‘Uh… well…’

— Are you sure you can?

‘I’ll manage somehow.’

— How optimistic. You said you had to win the tournament.

‘To be champion, I’ll have to face her sooner or later.’

— Do you think Luina Bercheff will make it to the final?

‘Of course. If not her, then who else?’

— I don’t know whether to say you have good eyes… or that you’re blinded by her.

Gardner sighed. Though he couldn’t truly sigh, his voice carried it.

— Focus on your opponent first. If you fall earlier, you’ll just make a fool of yourself.

‘Yes.’

Luina returned victorious.

“Impressive. She was already good last year, but now she’s even stronger.”

“As expected, she’s a Bercheff.”

“Her sword style is beautiful. Her opponent wasn’t weak, yet he didn’t stand a chance.”

The roar of the crowd confirmed it.

Now it was Aint’s turn.

“I’ll win too, senior.”

“…Alright.”

Luina nodded while wiping sweat, though with a strange expression. Aint didn’t understand why… until he faced Almon Donertz.

— That guy is very strong!

The protective artifact activated when he failed to block a slash to the chest. The confidence he had built after defeating Andromalius collapsed.

“The winner, Almon Donertz!”

“…Impossible.”

Aint remained on the ground, stunned.

But in the stands, someone was even more shocked.

“…Ah.”

Fernan’s mouth fell open.

“Right, I’d forgotten about him!”

He had been so focused on the duel between Aint and Luina that he overlooked it. But Almon wasn’t just anyone.

He was the wall that had blocked Luina for an entire year. A future royal knight, recognized by Gardner.

His strength was no less than Luina Bercheff’s.

‘What a stupid mistake!’

He had been blinded by the prophecy.

He had let himself be carried away by the fact that Aint had defeated a demon, elevating him too quickly to the status of hero.

But he wasn’t one yet.

Fernan admitted it—he had been naïve.

“…My money.”

And the price of that mistake was painful.

He had lost again.

Once more.

***

The battle was fierce.

Three lance clashes weren’t enough to decide the winner.

The swordplay that followed stretched past three hundred exchanges.

Their auras devoured one another, and the crowd shouted their names with fervor.

“As expected of an Armian! He’s only first year and already incredible!”

“Aint Armian, Aint Armian!”

“Come on, Almon Donertz! Defend second-year pride!”

“Almon, this year you have to win!”

The difference was minimal.

Experience and endurance.

Aint’s aura, reinforced by the heart of the Saintbird, was superior to Almon’s.

But the gap wasn’t that large, and Almon compensated with skill. On top of that, his body, trained for years, allowed him to endure longer before fatigue set in.

And that was decisive.

Claang—!

Aint’s sword flew out of his hand. Almon’s blade was at his neck.

“The winner, Almon Donertz!”

The referee declared it officially.

“He lost, but what an incredible fight!”

“Maybe next year he’ll be champion.”

“So this is an Armian… impressive.”

“Aint Armian!”

“Almon Donertz!”

The crowd cheered both for the magnificent battle.

“This won’t please Schwaben.”

“Almon Donertz? From the viscount Donertz family?”

“I’d love to have him as a knight.”

Some were already showing interest in recruiting him.

Meanwhile, Aint fell to his knees, unable to accept the defeat.

“How… how could I lose…?”

Since defeating Andromalius, he had believed he wouldn’t lose to anyone except Luina or Fernan.

Then why?

— Were you really thinking something so stupid?

— Be thankful you lost now.

‘How can you say that?! Whose side are you on, Gardner?!’

Aint rebelled at his sword’s harsh words.

— The world is vast and full of strong people. And you’re just a first-year student.

— Yes, you’re powerful for your age, but that’s all.

‘But I defeated a demon!’

— The Armian light is the natural enemy of demons. Against humans, it’s just a great sword and superior technique.

— Even so, that style has incalculable value. But you must understand the difference: fighting demons isn’t the same as fighting people.

— Besides, Andromalius didn’t descend with his full power. If he had been as he was a thousand years ago, he would have killed you in one strike.

— And if it weren’t for Fernan and his golem, you never would have defeated him.

— The true credit goes to that rich man, not to you.

‘…No way…’

Aint lowered his head before Gardner’s bluntness.

Almon, meanwhile, didn’t approach to console him.

‘A monster…’

He remembered that in the entrance exam, Aint had ranked 38th. And in less than a year he had come this far?

‘Is it because he’s an Armian?’

Was that the difference in talent? The world was unfair, Almon thought, the same way many thought of him.

He sheathed his sword and returned to the waiting room. There was Luina, resting.

“Luina.”

“Almon.”

“You know who my next opponent is, right?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

Because of Gismond, the two would face off in the quarterfinals, when originally they wouldn’t have.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.”

“Can I ask why?”

“Because you became vice leader.”

“That sounds like you don’t accept it.”

“Exactly. We’ve never had a fair duel, you and I. It was always because of Fernan’s schemes.”

“Fernan’s credit is mine as well.”

“I don’t deny that.”

It was Academy rules. Luina had won fairly.

And while Fernan had shone, Almon’s partner, Ludger, was no inferior.

Even so, Almon couldn’t accept it. Since second year, they hadn’t truly crossed swords.

“A knight must speak with his sword. Don’t you think?”

Luina looked at him silently.

Then she nodded.

“That’s true. I regret it as well. Becoming vice leader like that leaves a bad taste.”

“Tomorrow we’ll settle everything.”

“Yes.”

Almon smiled fiercely.

“But remember, you’ve never beaten me.”

“I’m the vice leader.”

“A vice leader with doubts.”

“Tomorrow we’ll see.”

“Perfect.”

And he left the room.

But that long-awaited duel never came.

“…What irony. I waited so long, and now I’m exhausted because of him…”

“It’s a pity, but I won’t hold back.”

After giving it his all against Aint, Almon had no strength left.

“The winner, Luina Bercheff!”

The victory was clear.

Luina advanced to the semifinals.