The shocking result that crushed Japan’s best was causing a stir throughout the entire nation.
However, the very person involved, Olivia, knew that Shinozaki Rin was not an easy opponent, contrary to what everyone was saying.
“I only won that time due to a difference in compatibility. Nothing more, nothing less.”
For Olivia, who possessed the Gift of Flame and the White Flame Swordsmanship, facing Shinozaki Rin, who had the Gift of Ice, meant she was already at a disadvantage from the start.
The fact that Shinozaki Rin managed to endure against such a disadvantage proved that her skills were by no means inferior to Olivia’s.
But then, Kim Deok-Sung set up a duel with Shinozaki?
Why on earth? Olivia’s heart began to grow confused.
“I can’t accept the skills of my master’s master, who defeated you. Prove that strength to me… Shinozaki was the reason for this. My master’s master fell for the proposal.”
Bella calmly recounted the reasons.
“It’s because of you.”
Olivia’s blue eyes shook.
“Me…?”
“Since the duel on the first day of school, malicious rumors have been spreading around the academy. They say the Knight Princess’s skills are inflated. Wasn’t Shinozaki Rin actually stronger? And other lowly rumors that I can’t even mention…”
Olivia’s blue eyes sank heavily.
She was aware that rumors were circulating. Just the other day, hadn’t she gotten into a confrontation with Nishizawa Eri in class because of it?
“It seems your master couldn’t stand such baseless slander aimed at you.”
“So, to dispel those ridiculous rumors about me, he accepted Shinozaki’s challenge… That’s the story?”
“Exactly.”
Olivia bowed her head at Bella’s words.
“So that’s how it is.”
She murmured in a low voice.
Now, all the puzzle pieces were falling into place.
The indifference he showed that she couldn’t comprehend and his sudden insistence on practicing White Flame Swordsmanship made sense.
“If I want to increase my chances of winning against Shinozaki Rin with the Gift of Ice, I’ll need White Flame Swordsmanship.”
On the surface, he seemed lacking in manners and etiquette, but Olivia knew.
Excluding herself, he was the only cadet in the academy who understood and carried the responsibility of a hero.
That’s why he hadn’t said a word about this to her.
He believed the responsibility for this whole mess lay squarely on her shoulders.
If Kim Deok-Sung heard this, he’d likely think she was talking nonsense, but Olivia sincerely believed it.
And that’s what made her even angrier.
“Now that I understand, it’s even more ridiculous! Why did that idiot cause such a huge incident on his own?! What does he think of me, the French princess, that he didn’t even mention a word about it to his own maid?!”
Olivia fumed, and Bella lightly chuckled.
“Fool, idiot, the most useless man in the universe…”
As Olivia unleashed her tirade against Kim Deok-Sung, her lips pouted.
Anyway, this duel was due to the chaos caused because of her.
Anyway, this duel happened because of me, the source of the rumors.
As the successor of the Black Prince, she has to take responsibility somehow.
“Seriously… I guess I have no choice but to pass it on.”
Olivia mumbles in a small voice.
The imperial vision cannot be passed on to outsiders, but…
This is really unavoidable.
Rationalizing herself, Olivia picked up her phone.
“Still, it’s not free.”
At that moment, Bella whispered quietly in her ear.
“They say there’s a cherry blossom festival at Inokashira Park two days after the duel.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Why don’t you take Master’s master for an outing? Japan’s cherry blossom festival is world-renowned, you know.”
“Why on earth should I go on an outing with that fool?!”
Olivia grumbled while holding her phone.
The words “Inokashira Park” and “cherry blossom festival” kept swirling in her ears.
Cherry viewing.
It wouldn’t be so bad to take a look once.
Just like Bella said, this might be a real opportunity for an outing.
It’s not free, but if that’s the price to pay…
“…Well, it’s not bad.”
Olivia mumbled like that and tapped her phone screen to send a message to Kim Deok-Sung.
*
After finishing the conversation with Nishizawa Eri and getting some fresh night air on her way back to the dormitory, her phone buzzed in her pocket.
What is it?
She took out her phone and checked the notification.
[I’ve decided]
A message from Olivia.
Looks like the tsundere slave No. 1 has finally made up her mind.
The content is bound to be predictable, but just out of courtesy, she decides to match her rhythm.
[About what?]
[Are you really asking because you don’t know? It’s about the White Flame Sword technique! I’ve made a big decision to pass it on to you!]
[It’s the first time in the Bonaparte imperial history that an outsider is being taught a vision skill. Consider it an honor!]
The read receipt disappeared at light speed, and a reply quickly followed.
She added a lot of unnecessary fluff, but as expected, the reply came.
It’s a natural result, but it’s satisfying nonetheless.
[Good job.]
[Receiving praise from you doesn’t make me happy at all?!]
[And even though I’ve made up my mind, I have no intention of passing it on for free!]
[What are you expecting?]
[That’s…]
[I’ll let you know after the mock interdimensional battle training tomorrow.]
Well, I’m not particularly curious.
If this were a web novel, it would lead to some frustrating point, and I’d be out. Author-nim, you can take it or leave it. But this is the world of light novels.
It’s probably just a level of “Let’s go on that outing we missed last time.”
Not a big deal.
As long as I can get the White Flame Sword technique, I can play along with that kind of childish game.
[Do whatever you want. I’m going to sleep.]
[Huh?]
[Hey!]
[Wait a minute!]
Olivia’s messages kept coming in.
There’s no need to read them.
I turned off the messenger chat room notifications and put my phone on silent.
Tomorrow is the day of the mock interdimensional battle training.
I should get some sleep early to recover my stamina for the class.
I slipped my silent phone into my pocket as I walked into the entrance of the dormitory.
This is going to give me a headache again.
The curriculum at Shuo Hero Academy can be broadly categorized into two types.
Theory classes that make your head spin just by hearing them, like ‘Interdimensional Species Ecology,’ ‘Gate Analysis,’ and ‘Introduction to Supernatural Weapons’—all kinds of nonsense subjects.
And practical classes where you roll around physically.
I must say it faithfully implements the clichés of academy stories.
The mock interdimensional battle training, which already makes you sigh just by hearing its name, of course, is a practical class.
In the second training ground, equipped with summoning devices, all the students from 1st Year A-Class gathered.
The pink-haired instructor, Mayuzumi Mayu, announces to the cadets.
“Today is the day of the mock interdimensional battle training!”
At her words, the cadets murmur among themselves.
The students standing in an orderly fashion, observing the scenery of the training ground from the back row.
The students are lined up neatly, scanning the training grounds from the back row.
In the middle of the coliseum-like training area, there’s a strange-looking mechanical device.
It’s the ‘Interdimensional Phantom Summoning Device’ that appeared in the anime.
“The phantoms summoned by the interdimensional phantom device have the same impact and mass as the actual interdimensional beings. Don’t let your guard down just because they are phantoms!”
Mayuzumi Mayu’s explanation continues.
The rest is information everyone already knows.
Only one student can practice at a time, the device summons interdimensional beings according to the student’s level, and if it looks tough, push the emergency escape button on the student’s Hunter Watch, and every battle process is subject to grading—blah, blah, blah.
It’s boring, but I pretend to listen earnestly.
No matter how much I review, I have absolutely no confidence in the theory.
Getting my attitude score docked is dangerous.
“Now, we’ll start the practical training. Ishihara Daiki, step forward. The rest of the students, please take your seats in the audience.”
At Mayuzumi-sensei’s call, a male student steps forward.
He looks like a spoiled blonde punk straight out of an NTR manga.
Ishihara Daiki flashes a triumphant smile.
‘Just like the vibe I saw in the anime.’
The misshapen heir of the Ishihara Group, a massive conglomerate in Japan.
A B-rank powerhouse.
His weapon of choice is the firearm-exclusive ‘Magnum Revolver.’
The original setting pops into my head reflexively.
This guy first appears in the original volume two.
Originally, Ishihara was a one-time villain who couldn’t recognize Kim Deok-Sung’s skills and harbored feelings of inferiority, only to get thoroughly wrecked.
The difference from Kim Deok-Sung is that Ishihara Daiki, right after losing, openly acknowledges the protagonist’s skills and shifts to the position of a friend and ally.
You could say he’s a rehabilitated ally, once an enemy now a comrade.
‘They’re both punks, but one’s a loser while the other’s a hero’s friend. How unfair is that?’
What a world we live in.
‘Anyway, I hear laundry machines are really popular.’
It’s a longstanding tradition in light novels to do laundry.
Just like every singer in an audition has a backstory, you can’t have a villain in light novels without one.
Especially when a female character is the villain? Nine times out of ten, she’s like Hoshino Kasumi, using the laundry machine to become a heroine.
In web novels, these one-off, flavorless punk characters would typically be discarded as mere cider fodder, but turning them into recycled material with careful laundering is something to admire.
‘Of course, our proud Kim Deok-Sung is the exception here.’
In the original story, he ends up jealously flailing around and dies pathetically.
My mood suddenly turns sour.
Why is it that other characters, even the final boss crazy guy Messiah, get their laundry done, but Kim Deok-Sung doesn’t?
‘At least in web novels, a bastard remains a bastard forever.’
There’s an old saying—when adults speak, bread falls from the sky.
Had I thought about it earlier? I should have stayed away from the light novels that just tease me with frustration and enjoyed the good stuff from domestic web novels flowing with honey and cider.
If I hadn’t indulged in this nerdy stuff from the start.
Then I wouldn’t have fallen into this crazy world.
Realizing the disgust and emptiness of being a nerd only after getting backstabbed by the author in a world of nerdiness—what kind of ridiculous contradiction is this?
[Ishihara-kun, I will summon the phantom.]
I sit in the audience.
With Mayuzumi-sensei’s words, a flash erupts from the phantom summoning device.
[Swish, swish, swish.]
A bronze snake appears, flicking its tongue.
“A Zeta rank interdimensional being, the Bronze Snake. It’s a tough opponent for a gunner due to its tough scales… I’m curious how you’ll handle this,” she remarks.
I hear a familiar voice in my ear.
I turn my head.
Sitting there is Olivia, the platinum-blonde beauty.
“Oh, you startled me! Why are you here?”
I’m genuinely surprised.
I was so deep in thought that I didn’t notice, but when did she sit beside me?
“Th-th-that’s what I wanted to say?! Why are you sitting next to me?!”
Olivia stammers, huffing and turning her head away.
Talk about tsundere—it’s obvious she’s sulking because I ignored her messages yesterday.
Ugh.
Her reaction makes me sigh involuntarily.
I feel like giving her a light head slap, seriously.
“Since I didn’t pay rent, sit or not, it’s up to you.”
I lean back against the luxurious seat in the audience.
As expected from the prestigious Hero Academy, the audience seats are made of high-quality material.
But seriously, what kind of academy has a large shared bathhouse for boys and girls at set times?
Aren’t these guys total weirdos?
Olivia grumbles next to me.
“Not that again…! I humbly graced you by talking to you first, and yet! You’re just a hopeless idiot!”
So, she really is angry about the message thing.
No need to engage with her.
That would just give me a headache.
Well, at least she’s better than Nishizawa Eri.
I ignore Olivia’s complaints and watch Ishihara’s practice.
[Shh, shshshshshsh!]
The Bronze Snake lumbers forward, aiming to overpower Ishihara.
Like most monsters of its kind, the Bronze Snake’s weak points are its eyes and its tender mouth.
Ishihara, who’s a gunner instead of a swordsman, doesn’t have anywhere else to aim.
Holding a pistol, a Magnum revolver, Ishihara grins.
[Oh dear, what a troublesome opponent!]
Damn it.
Can you hear that smug tone? Really.
I feel like the soba I had for breakfast is about to resurface.
Does that guy really think he looks cool?
Just as I’m thinking that…
“Ishihara-senpai! Awesome!”
“You look great today! Ishihara-senpai!”
Cheering erupts from the audience.
The girls blush and wave their hands.
What the hell.
‘They even meticulously implemented the fan club setting.’
In the original story, Ishihara, unlike my scummy self, is portrayed as a handsome guy surrounded by female fans.
Seeing it in reality is downright bizarre.
It just goes to show that the light novel world always exceeds imagination.
[But I can’t stand watching this pathetic snake show off in front of Ishihara.]
Just hearing those cringe-inducing lines makes my stomach churn.
Clink.
He loads a bullet into the Magnum revolver.
Bang!
With the gunshot, the golden bullet strikes the Bronze Snake’s eyes and gaping mouth.
[Kiieeeek!]
The Bronze Snake, hit by the bullet, lets out an ear-piercing scream.
After that, there’s nothing more to see.
He’ll probably spray bullets into its mouth and finish it off.
Tatatatat!
Ishihara’s mock combat against the monster flows exactly as I expected.
It’s so boring I could yawn.
“What a vulgar guy. I don’t like him.”
I hear Olivia’s brief critique.
“What’s with the sharp assessment?”
“It’s sooooo noisy!! Fool, idiot!”
Again, Olivia looks away and puffs her cheeks up.
Ugh, I’m getting really irritated.
Maybe I should just stay quiet.
I turn my gaze back to the training ground.
Boom!
With a deafening sound, the Bronze Snake collapses.
As a mere illusion rather than a real monster, it fades away, turning blue.
Ishihara switches off his combat mode and cheerfully waves his finger.
“Kyaaaaaaa!!”
The now-familiar reaction from the audience is just a bonus.
‘Well, guns definitely have their appeal.’
Honestly, I’m a little jealous.
It’s way cleaner and more modern to shoot from a distance rather than struggle with a sword like some primitive fighters.
Besides, guns are the protagonist’s traditional weapon in academy stories.
‘How much better would it be if I was a character suited for guns instead of swords?’
Sadly, Kim Deok-Sung’s talent lies in the sword, not the gun.
