Chapter 343: End of the Inter-Academy Tournament (1)
H6XI never agreed with that saying, “defeat is the mother of victory.” Like I said, I’ve barely ever lost to anyone in my life.0JirHI
i64It’s not like I only got involved in things where I had an advantage—everything I wanted to do just happened to turn out the way I intended.9AlS
ByCIn short, I almost never had the chance to use a loss as a stepping stone toward some future triumph.GzVD3
34UbJAnd to be honest, while I’m not quite on Abel’s level, I’m pretty competitive too.8ZLHhHM
mDYIf I’d ever settled, cooled down, or made excuses for myself, the honorable title of the country’s best swordsman would’ve already been taken from me.i2qWoUU
WeDYBut still—Exsu
yLZ“Uuaaaaahhhhhh—!”KfCW
CbylsItThe thrill of the tournament was still alive. You’d think it would’ve settled down over time, but instead, the fervor only seemed to grow.o4K14
1soZ0kwI could understand it on the day of the event itself. It would’ve been a bit sad if the excitement had died out in just one day.jLcOel
GbRVbP2But people showed no signs of fatigue, continuing to praise Victoria and me for the fight we’d put on, over and over again.U4TyX
dlCzcVictoria, for her part, had to keep signing autographs for every single person who approached her. A pleasant kind of torment, so to speak.zo7rpTd
0IZDuring the week remaining before the tournament finals, the two of us had to survive full-on “celebrity mode in the middle of the crowd.”wbkdIxo
1xU7People looked at us with eyes full of almost sacred reverence.hcJ2tXe
nLyJgAEven Victoria, who at first seemed to enjoy the attention with a hint of shyness, eventually became completely overwhelmed.jeiRNnx
igrShe started avoiding crowded places and, from the third day on, shut herself in her room.7Vibc
XbWrWhen Ji Changhyuk, the second-year representative, would leave a tray of food outside her door, only the empty dishes would remain soon after.1kTy5n
gkaAs an added note, all that food had been lovingly prepared by yours truly. Anyway.8h99N
OCuiDespite the loss, the world acknowledged us. In fact, if we had won, I’m not even sure the reaction would’ve been this intense. Probably not.1uzDF
ETItCBX‘People are celebrating precisely because we lost.’Wwr8MI
NtuaOlWhy?N4V3OlU
MAcn1Even if they enjoyed the content of the match, from the perspective of someone who lived through it, the level of euphoria felt way too intense.bv88
5lQe“…We lost, and they’re this happy?”VLe
sfMJHad people been secretly longing for a story where the Heavenly Sword was defeated?TsWn
2UPHCKRMaybe I’ve got too much of a rebellious streak, but even when I try to think positively, I end up getting defensive.HYH8N
N0gIt’s a bad habit. Keeping your guard up all the time just causes the human soul to wither.eFj
P7soljTI’ll have to either correct it or find another habit to replace it. Though doing either immediately is next to impossible.pcPn7
8fuUThe ones who had always served as anchors for this kind of unstable thinking were my family.Drxey92
0OdWf3***mppA1
4nzkG0tIt was the fifth day. I watched the sunset as the weariness slowly faded. The entire room was wrapped in light from a huge window.cvpm
FRlWSwiss nature stretched beyond like a canvas painted with perfect precision.Y21r
XQPIn the distance, Castle Sigurd stood in solemn, imposing solitude.ZeOTW
6cNHIThe contrast between the green pastures and the white velvet that had protected that place for millennia was a work of art that never ceased to awe.9BzG
NPwEven the winding path skirting the castle walls had a kind of aesthetic charm.yk55n
u7qBOvI was trying to get into a contemplative mood when Ryozo snorted playfully.glEVR
rerC3hH“Lucky Heavenly Sword. Win or lose, people go crazy for you. Me, on the other hand—as the director—I can do nine things right, but make one mistake and suddenly I’ve sold out the country.”H4HtLd
wdJH9UlShe was clearly teasing me, and yes, she meant it. But that was her way of consoling—biting, sure, but a thousand times more effective than any cheap sympathy.aAPb
VFK“And what if they’re teasing me too, Director? Or maybe… this is all a hidden camera prank everyone planned while I was stuck in the Demon Realm.”q7z
5FLS“…”RKD
3lgr“…”pNrk
KrQsKJX“…You…”17zp
0fIUBWfRyozo tilted her head at a strange angle.kfG
4nkN“W-wait, how did you know…?”S5CZFk
y1z2“Sorry, Ryozo. This is the seventh time you’ve pulled this stunt.”MNyk
xIod“Tsk. Boring.”ifyu
4F6dPShe looked genuinely disappointed. Said she missed the wild, rough kid I used to be in my teenage years.1DpcqGu
LFniqIt was then, during our lighthearted exchange, that Ryozo rested her head on my shoulder and gently rubbed my back as twilight deepened around us.L02Iuh
Fo0G7wQ“People aren’t cheering because you lost. It’s because through the two of you, they saw something beyond the outcome.”JGgSnf
pPQ67“That’s odd. I thought most people only cared about the results—that they didn’t give a damn about the process.”Zmz
siR“That might be true for adults like us. But tell me, what’s the event we’re celebrating right now?”IvHLlu
XZ1eoDt“The inter-academy tournament.”OJrTCUd
Qa6f04eRyozo smiled softly.114ap
Mzo“People get it twisted, but academies aren’t about results—they’re about building the process. Midterms and finals are just checkpoints to confirm progress. They’re still part of the journey.”GaU
gQ2cX“…So the tournament is part of that too.”4AYY7t
oio“Exactly. No one says it aloud, but deep down, everyone understands. Giving your all, finding a solution when everyone thought you’d lose… once they saw that, the result stopped mattering.”UBn6sx
3T37oLBA chill ran down my spine. Ryozo lightly poked the small of my back as she went on.csP22vw
lHE2“The crown princess of the Kingdom of Victoria and the world’s mightiest Heavenly Sword—fighting like that, who wouldn’t be moved? Losing only made your journey shine even more.”DefJ7N6
7r5M“Ah…”k2F
gLs7eqT“If you’d won, people would’ve mentioned the outcome a few times and that’d be it. Human interest is limited; it only fixates on one thing.”nQR
QLNFFVListening to her cleared my mind.IGkUj7A
hiPp“The reason I was so surprised people were moved despite the loss… maybe it’s because I’ve never really lost to anyone before, Ryozo.”fQLe8K
r94CXc8“Don’t look at it as a loss, Geom-Ma. Just see it as part of the journey. After all, it’s only a tournament trial. And you didn’t really lose completely, right?”pP08mH5
g4Z“Right. There’s still one event left.”2W6Nacf
gkgeE“Ugh, my whole body aches.”2aNe
ZwfLYRyozo feigned a groan and glanced sideways at me.uP5
yJSw“Must be because we held class on a rare day off. I’m really feeling it.”K5dJ0z
s4v5fL“And how does one pay for such a class, Director?”v3l8ga
7f1S“Hmm… if I charge too much, I might get sued. But my shoulders are tense. How about a massage?”TDMUpYn
629jv“Haha…”fRQWUK
mozNZPhew, seriously what am I going to do with this woman? She was so adorable, I almost wanted to bite her cheeks.lOMlxM
V5AdgBCrunch!o7N
fA4XRyozo and I looked down at the same time. Two distinct snouts were poking out from under the sofa—biting my ankles.qevqT7
cG1p1fI lifted both legs in one swift motion. Tiny versions of Sköll and Hati, barely the size of a forearm, were hanging off my ankles, swinging slightly.t9YtHA
nIn“Kkeng?”DnFxM
pOswSköll and Hati tilted their heads, gums exposed. It was a different kind of cuteness. Like emotional support wolves.vyjBT
XwS7a“…Hey, you—white dog. And you—black dog.”MDvFF
xE2JgSköll was the white one, Hati the black. Under Ryozo’s disapproving glare, the two let go and dropped to the floor.W8wu
lUqRf“What are you doing here, instead of staying in your room, wrecking things?”eerpaW1
jhDn2VThey covered their heads with their front paws and began to tremble. Ryozo put her hands on her hips and raised her voice.tBivE
cWOnKpH“Kkeng…”GQu
3mt7d“Why are you crying now? Think crying solves everything? Fixes the world? Tsk! And you two—shut it already!”4Ox
ripp7The once-mighty Sköll and Hati had no defense against her scolding. They bawled openly, leaving wet patches on the carpet.Jt1XOTp
USWC8GVAfter the tournament, the twin wolves had shrunk down. Their massive, imposing bodies were no more.YG4mJ8s
E61sAccording to Speedweapon, who had brought them from the Demon Realm, it was due to extreme exertion. They had used every fiber of their being, so their bodies contracted. They’re magical beasts that shrink when their energy’s depleted, but who would’ve thought they’d become this tiny?lSRGMKu
WlBEdtfI was largely to blame for their pitiful state, so I decided to take care of them until they returned to normal. Even beasts understood gratitude. And according to experts, they’d be back to adult size in three days.tWZs9
BsTSABut for now, they were still chihuahua-sized. Though they ate plenty—their cheeks puffed out and their bellies nearly touched the floor.vt7tdfb
1vEJust then, at Ryozo’s scolding, Sköll and Hati bolted with their tails between their legs and flung themselves into the arms of Abel, who had just exited her room. They rubbed up against her.FPpKK8C
o8XDF9e“Kkeng! Kkeng!”9AE
HGa“Hmm…? Are you hungry?”6zrI9Z
y66F34Even half-asleep, Abel responded to their antics like she understood them. Ryozo, now leaning over the sofa, gave a dry laugh.hf1
BldbZnd“Those two… I’m not sure they’re even animals. Did you see how sharp they are? If only our teachers were half as smart…”s325aZG
E6XhoRyozo, looking a bit worn out, dusted herself off and walked off elsewhere. As if to take her place, Abel sat down beside me with the two fluffballs in her arms.Zrh
oeeF“Did Sköll and Hati do something to Ryozo? Pee on her leg or something?”Nn27Qw
mo4XFr“It wasn’t pee… it was poop… Never mind.”8gC
lO93WAs I gave the furballs a warning glance, Abel hesitated a moment. Then, after thinking it over, she spoke with some difficulty.lsF6
yv6yvUF“Hey… could you come with me to the catacombs for a bit?”VkX
R3Pm“Catacombs? The undead dungeon? At this hour of the night?”CrOY
xbwp“…Yeah.”WMpAKO
vtBaAbel lowered her voice.jqYjn
Djx4JH“The final event of the inter-academy tournament is the day after tomorrow, right? I figured once I leave Switzerland, I’ll be so busy I won’t be able to come back for a while. I woke up thinking maybe… I should go visit my father while I still can…”03xr
KKYQUG“And why are you saying that like you did something wrong? Of course you can go.”V3Lm
DS5ep5“You sure? Today’s an odd-numbered day.”LSIxpBD
w9ByOdd days were Ryozo’s responsibility.TaeR
j1pWF“And why do you think Ryozo suddenly cleared out of here? Abel, I’m pretty sure she left because she knew you’d ask me this.”zVpjlH
d0W4FAt my words, Abel turned to the door Ryozo had exited through.PrQ
StH8id“You know how sharp she is. And how observant. Like you said, she knows you’ll be busy soon. So she’s telling you to go see your father.”LLGKzFc
GrmMaybe that wasn’t her original intention. But at this point, I had learned how to survive between two wives. Make each one look good in the eyes of the other.Ex5
qMF7qMS“…Ryozo.”yJhFwTq
LZsLmErAbel’s eyes grew wistful, then she nodded firmly. She set Sköll and Hati down. Then she came back wearing my black coat, draped it over my shoulders, and got herself ready to head out.V9upWw
HPCtjAs I watched her prepare with energy, I warned her.mL9f1z
L4D“We’re not using my magic today. You know the rule. No using magic on a day that doesn’t belong to you.”Pvfrb
TAz“And how are we supposed to go? At this hour, there are no mountain buses. Should we call Shail?”ix6
PYHhxdI’d rather face Ryozo’s sharp glares than ride in that motorized maid’s car. Just the thought made me shiver, and I shook my head.WYDXSHz
CFY4“We’ve got a perfectly good, eco-friendly form of transport.”KWp
TdXMy eyes locked onto Abel’s feet. Under that gaze, Sköll and Hati trembled.Pes0kJ
aSp“Whitey, Blackie.”CCb
4ohiZThey tried hiding behind Abel, but I quickly bound their paws with a spell.X4M
uB6“Shouldn’t you two be earning your meals?”IFSj4
eBDI’d spent ten years with Ramzy Thunder. I had more than enough experience with beasts.U1Aiyk
jXXpWr‘Speaking of which.’h0kZI
7gDI wonder if Lycan at least eats acorns or something.uBLKGF
zks***7Ec
l0eWAt the same time.Sx05PFN
8O37In the main building of Parsy Academy, the waves of celebration had continued uninterrupted for five consecutive days.sOgI5l
SjA5REven if the victory was somewhat tainted, they had still beaten that Joaquin.2oL
OqyaThAThe shareholders toasted with champagne glasses to celebrate the win.f58
Q2uN“Let’s drink! Let’s drink! For the glory of Parsy, for its bright future!”M1j
ZnhwF5T“Hahaha, madam, aren’t you celebrating a bit early? There’s still one event left.”Mo7u1N
zfYmThough they had partied for five days and nights, there wasn’t a hint of fatigue.8sAth4
6nqEven if the whole world praised Heavenly Sword and Victoria, they didn’t care.19en
fAkrThe shareholders pretended to sincerely desire the glory of Parsy, but—r2lv
PAcC4G“The students will do their part. We adults only need to toast as we watch our Parsy shares rise. Cheers!”cTq8q
WKebvdyThey were far more intoxicated by the profits gained.u8K
zoCYbk“Heh.”KvY
GdfThe headmistress of Parsy watched the scene from a corner of the hall. Her brow was furrowed, clearly displeased.uvUFa
F15g“The ones who do the work are the bears, but those bastards reap the rewards.”aZLmeS
TxownFrom the moment they started talking about the students, her blood had begun to boil.eHAUk
dOcoDespite her petty appearance, there wasn’t a hint of disdain toward her students. That much, she could swear.fMupK
HXycPrecisely because of that, she endured the harassment from this greed-soaked nobility. If an academy soaked up this ideology like a sponge without a lid, the future of heroic society would be grim.nNh
7DdGwR‘If it were up to Heavenly Sword, he’d have cut all their throats already.’JC4d6k
uhF1The headmistress’s wish was to see an aristocratic society that functioned properly.RNww
We57“The nobility system, in its origin, was something healthy. As long as the concept of hereditary blessings exists, this order is like a second skin. The problem is, part of that skin has turned into infected tissue.”11nGOm
bSEgzECouldn’t she ally with Heavenly Sword and cut these bastards out from the root? The idea started drumming behind her teeth.vwp2QYZ
7HY2Jd‘Stop fantasizing about the impossible,’ she told herself, taking a sip of iced water to cool her burning throat.rqujuPM
RrU4hJ“Are you the headmistress?”68q1W
xjbV6A woman with a hat pulled low over her eyes approached and asked. She even wore sunglasses. Clearly, she was going out of her way to appear suspicious.4d0S
vQmvd1The headmistress narrowed her eyes as well, matching the exaggerated disguise.KHhLpP
OMq7vXk“Who are you?”3xauYf9
kkibbd“A shareholder who goes by the pseudonym ‘Kitty.’”hjRS4K
dqc9Pfv“Kitty… Kitty… That name sounds familiar…”aZB9kD
XUe“It’s normal you don’t remember. I invested right before the tournament.”1SO
WPYSACv“Ah!”eRxg
4BAs38The headmistress clapped.emNZq7
Bo9JcBu“You were the one who bought a huge amount of our academy’s shares all at once! We finally meet. I wanted to thank you personally, but since you used a pseudonym, I couldn’t. My apologies.”ouAC
zEwCye“There’s no need. I didn’t do it for recognition.”7JsE
cnn“Even so, thank you. Unlike those other shareholders, your investment felt genuine, like a gesture of goodwill toward education. If there’s anything you want, just say it. I’ll do whatever I can.”HJV0cI
xrroWV“…Then.”1UA
vQKWhen she shook her head, a lock of hair slipped from beneath the hat.yXZ
ENG53It was red. She tucked it behind her ear, as if that alone could betray her identity.cdzeNG
DrpA second red strand?1SWhQ
5ToZBefore the headmistress could react to the chill that ran down her spine, the woman took the lead.Utj
xHi7J“This is the list of all the shareholders present.”QYP
9SlHjvAt that moment, a small firework burst, causing the air to tremble. Her sunglasses slipped slightly.WsLx
YrkmF“Please.”Fs8
rCLZThe eyes behind the lenses gleamed with a crimson hue.DvvWZ
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