Chapter 23

The longsword and axe, filled with each other’s strength, finally reached their limits and let out a final scream.

Crushed steel left a flash behind, and dust rose like a wave.

Fragments settled like fog, gently hiding the figures of the two.

Because of that, the audience couldn’t quite tell who the winner was.

The audience, silent, waited with bated breath for the obstructing dust to settle.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to pierce through the dust.

Gradually, their figures came into view beyond the hazy yellow veil.

The two were standing close, as if embracing each other.

Damien, panting, held a broken longsword to Knut’s neck, while Knut’s axe rested near Damien’s waist.

Damien’s quilted armor was tattered, with wood and metal fragments stuck in it, but neither seemed to have any major visible injuries.

Damien frowned slightly, looking a bit frustrated, while Knut remained stoic, as if he had expected this outcome.

As if he had anticipated this result all along.

“It’s a mutual destruction, truly. Should we call it splendid…?”

“So, who won?”

Calix tilted his head, resting his fist on his chin.

“Hmm… Normally, the one whose weapon breaks is considered the loser. However, that young man’s broken longsword is still the length of a regular sword, so in a real fight, it would have severed the neck. It’s quite ambiguous.”

Indeed, in a real fight, Damien’s waist would have been cut, but Knut would have lost his head.

The supervising judges seemed to think the same, as they took a while to discuss before making a decision.

Eventually, one judge handed both of them a blue cloth, signifying victory.

A draw, then.

Certainly, both were too valuable to be hastily dismissed as losers.

I let out a sigh of relief. For me, it was the best possible outcome.

Technically, Damien should have lost since his weapon broke.

But it’s not like Damien would fail the entrance exam just because of one loss, right? Especially with Knut being such a wildcard.

The two exchanged nods, handed their broken weapons to the judge, and returned to the waiting area.

The audience cheered, praising the spectacular battle they had just witnessed.

“A draw, huh? That’s rare. But they’ve already proven their worth, so the academy must have been eager to keep them.”

Calix chuckled lightly.

“So, they both passed, right?”

Asha, who had been watching the battle, seemed to have a fresh idea, already looking excited.

“Most likely, Lady Asha. It’s hard to imagine them losing to any other participants.”

“I’d like to take that Damien to the north later. He’d do well against the beastmen. Maybe I’ll mention it to my father.”

Freide nodded repeatedly, looking satisfied.

Once she sets her eyes on someone, she uses the Duke’s power to send them to the frontlines. Truly a ruthless woman.

Everyone seemed pleased with their admission.

But I was deeply troubled.

Damien’s skills were better than expected.

I may not have a keen eye for combat, but according to Calix, his skills are top-tier even among knights.

With academy training, he could reach master level within two years.

Though, considering what’s to come, master level is just a stepping stone.

The problem is that he’s only this skilled with a longsword.

That means he’s been solely focused on mastering longsword combat.

Originally, Damien’s greatest strength was his versatility in tactics.

Depending on how he’s trained, he could become anything from a pure melee fighter to a magic swordsman, spirit swordsman, or even a paladin or assassin.

Unlike other NPC characters who are specialized in one field, he’s designed to have talent in all areas, giving him the freedom typical of a player character.

That’s why early planning for an efficient build usually determines the difficulty later on…

But a pure longsword warrior has too little versatility to handle various situations, so it’s not a recommended path.

Maybe I should try to befriend him and suggest, “The longsword is great, but have you considered learning magic? It might suit you.”

Though, if this is the combat style Damien chose for himself, I’m not sure if a few words from me would change his mind.

They’re living real lives, after all, not just following player commands like in a game.

—

The rest of the entrance exams proceeded without any major incidents.

The four-day exams were divided by department, but somehow, it seemed like only close combat roles were present.

There were no powerhouses like Damien or Knut, but a few characters from the original story appeared, so I made a mental note.

After the exams, I tried to find the two, but they had already left for their lodgings, disappearing without a trace.

At night, I returned to the mansion and trained swordsmanship with Nigel.

With wooden swords, of course.

Gradually, I could consciously respond to Nigel’s strikes without relying on instinct.

Maybe it’s just my mood, but I seemed to be getting familiar with Imperial swordsmanship at a surprisingly fast pace.

As if recalling a forgotten memory.

So, did Hersela already know Imperial swordsmanship?

If so, when, and from whom?

Unable to solve the mystery, I drew the longsword I usually carried.

If there’s any clue, it would be this sword.

The silver Imperial longsword I had since the possession.

Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I last drew this sword.

I used a longsword from the training hall during my first spar with Nigel, and since then, I’ve only used wooden swords.

The last time I drew it was probably when I met Shane at the barrier.

—

The longsword in my left hand…

I placed it on my hand and examined it carefully.

At the end of the long hilt, designed to be wielded with both hands, was a sharp, diamond-shaped metal ornament.

In the middle of the blade, about a handspan and a half long, a small sapphire sparkled.

The blade, roughly 90 cm, had a faint blue hue, and inside the blade, a long inscription in the Empire’s language was engraved.

‘L’une des douze épées qui défendent l’humanité. Médiane’

‘One of the twelve swords that protect humanity. Median’

Median.

I vaguely remember Shane mentioning something like that when discussing my mother with the Marquis in secret…

If so, could this be the surname of Hersela’s mother, Ai-mel-ra?

Ai-mel-ra Median.

Indeed, it was a name I hadn’t heard before.

If it’s one of the twelve swords, could it refer to the 12 knights of Emperor Carolus?

The Berengeiria Barrier was briefly mentioned as being named after one of them, but it wasn’t a significant detail in the setting.

Still, if Ai-mel-ra Median is a descendant of one of the 12 knights, then her lineage must be quite important to the Empire.

I should keep this fact a secret for now.

I can’t predict whether others will react positively or negatively.

Ai-mel-ra of the Median family. I’ll remember that and look into it later.

When the time comes, I’ll understand why Marquis Ludwig tried to hide the truth about Ai-mel-ra from me.

—

The next day’s magic test wasn’t a sparring match but a test to measure mana capacity and casting speed by destroying targets created by illusion magic.

Only one person stood out.

The red-haired female mage who passed the entrance exam in 4th place.

She was a tall beauty wearing a luxurious purple dress with gold embroidery at the hem, a black shawl draped over her shoulders, and a finely crafted dagger at her waist. Her silk gloves extended to her elegant fingers.

One of the main characters.

The second daughter of the Sigmilus Count family, Ophelia van Sigmilus.

Without even properly looking at the targets, she casually waved her hand, and eight targets shattered simultaneously.

Her lush red hair swayed softly around her collarbone.

An attack spell that showed no special prelude or unusual phenomena, only the result—a typical characteristic of wind-attribute magic.

After being declared passed, Ophelia took out a long mana cigar, exhaled smoke, and left the examination hall.

“Skilled but seems quite lazy,” Calix muttered briefly.

—

The third day’s combat theology exam was conducted privately, so I couldn’t watch.

As expected of a religious cartel.

I was quite curious about how they evaluated the abilities of aspiring priests and paladins, but honestly, it’s a bit disappointing.

In the end, Nigel and I spent the day riding around the capital, buying necessary items.

I only bought a few sets of clothes and ten boxes of mana cigars, but half of the living expenses provided by the Marquis were gone.

Nigel gave me a pointed look, as if telling me to cut back on the smoking.

He didn’t say anything, but his dark, unwavering gaze made me avoid eye contact and pretend to be busy.

…Maybe I should visit an adventurer’s guild later. Though I doubt I’ll have the time.

—

The final day’s tactics exam was a written test, so I spent the whole day practicing swordsmanship at the mansion.

The Empire’s swordsmanship was finally starting to feel natural.

I still couldn’t match Nigel’s fluid movements, but I could at least replicate the core techniques.

“Excellent. I’ve taught you all I can. From now on, you should refine your skills through actual combat,” Nigel said, nodding approvingly as he set down his sword.

My cheeks tingled with pride.

That night, I slept soundly for the first time in a while.

—

Morning broke.

—

“Princess Hasalleur, are you ready?”

Finally, the day before the entrance ceremony arrived. It was time to move into the academy’s dormitory.

The special dormitory, they called it.

Among the academy’s four dormitories—special, general, theology, and annex—the special dormitory was the smallest but offered the best living conditions, reserved for special admission students.

I had grown somewhat accustomed to this mansion, so it was a bit disappointing to leave.

“Yes, I’m ready. Nigel, did you pack everything?”

“Yes. Seven sets of clothes, nine boxes of mana cigars, weapons, supplies, and identification documents—all prepared.”

He seemed to emphasize the word “mana cigars.” Must be my imagination.

With the mansion servants seeing us off, we boarded the carriage and headed back to the academy.

From now on, the carriage could be stored in the special dormitory’s parking area.

It was essentially a semi-permanent loan to me.

—

Thanks to our early start, the academy’s main gate was fortunately quiet.

The knights guarding the gate leaned against the wall, chatting idly.

As Nigel drove the carriage closer and showed our identification documents, the knights opened the gate and let us through.

I glanced at the decorations above the gate and then closed my eyes.

—

The cradle that protects the nation.

I had always said I’d gladly re-enlist if they could restore my leg, but I never imagined it would happen like this.

—

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