Chapter 240


    [Trantor – Kie]


    [Proofreader – Kawaii]


    —————–


    Chapter 240: The Exam (2)


    ***


    The onlookers were utterly shocked by the unexpected performance of ss 13.


    “Can this really be ss 13?”


    “No way! Those weirdos are capable of anything.”


    “Well, there are still many more exams to go.”


    However, contrary to the students’ expectations, ss 13’s impressive performance continued.


    In the subsequent long-distance running test, all the students of ss 13 crossed the finish line in the top ranks.


    “Ugh, no! I don’t want to die!”


    “I can’t die without seeing my mother’s face!”


    These were apanied by rather strange and inexplicable cries.


    Moreover, they excelled in all the following exams, including the long jump and push-up test.


    “Damn it, our ss is ranked lower than ss 13?”


    “This can’t be happening. Something’s wrong.”


    The other students were in denial, but the records didn’t lie.


    “Okay, they may be physically strong, but they won’t do well in the next exam.”


    “Those idiots couldn’t have possibly mastered Imperial Swordsmanship.”


    Nevertheless, ss 13’s dominance continued in the Imperial Swordsmanship exam.


    The Imperial Swordsmanship exam was divided into three parts: form, cutting and questioning.


    The assessment was based on how urately the students could execute Imperial Swordsmanship techniques, how cleanly they could cut through a wooden pir, and their overall understanding of Imperial Swordsmanship.


    ss 13 students scored high in all three areas.


    “Cut, cut it! I’ll have my neck cut off if I don’t cut the wood!”


    “I can’t meet myte mother this soon!”


    They were muttering strange things, just like in the physical exams.


    “Didn’t ss 13 finishst in everythingst year?”


    “No, they didn’t even participate, so they got zero points.”


    “Something’s definitely not right.”


    The entire academy was in shock over the exam results.


    The most shocked of all was the Chancellor. He couldn’t evenprehend the results unfolding before his eyes.


    “Oh, no… no, this can’t be… what is this…”


    Despite numerous instructors having taught ss 13 in the past, none had ever been able to control them.


    Therefore, he was confident that Damien, the homeroom instructor of ss 13, would surely be ousted.


    However, the oue was the exact opposite. Somehow, Damien had managed topletely control ss 13.


    “This is… unbelievable…”


    As Chancellor was in a state of confusion, Damien entered his view.


    Damien was looking at Chancellor from a distance. When their eyes met, he curled the corners of his lips into a sneer.


    “Ugh, ugh…”


    Chancellor couldn’t help but clench his fist in frustration at the tant mockery.


    “Chancellor! Are you alright?”


    “Come to your senses!”


    The surrounding instructors rushed to Chancellor’s aid, but his condition showed no signs of improvement.


    “I can’t believe we have to watch helplessly when the knight of the Apple Kingdom…… will run amok in our academy.”


    Chancellor muttered in despair.


    “It’s not over yet.”


    Just then, someone spoke up. Delong Muller was looking at Chancellor with a determined expression.


    “What do you mean it’s not over? The results have already been determined!”


    “There are still two students who haven’t taken the exam.”


    Delong Muller was in charge of the entire first grade. Therefore, he couldn’t help but know the situation in ss 13 well.


    “Oliver Fortina and Penelope Borja. These two students chose dueling as their exam subject.”


    “What? Is that really true?”


    “They even nominated Gelliver and Emilio as their dueling opponents.”


    Chancellor’s expression changed strangely at those words.


    He knew the names of Gelliver Fortina and Emilio Borja, as they were the first-grade top students.


    “The oue is obvious, of course. ss 13 can’t possibly beat the first-grade top student and second-ce student.”


    “So what do we do?”


    “We’ll use this to question Damien Haksen’s qualifications.”


    Chancellor’s eyes lit up at those words.


    The two students mentioned by Delong Muller had chosen different subjects from the other ss 13 students. And yet, they were going to fail the exam?


    They could nitpick that Damien had abandoned these two students.


    “That’s an excellent idea!”


    Chancellor was instantly back in a good mood. The other instructors’ faces also brightened.


    However, Chancellor and other instructors were unaware.


    Damien was listening in on their conversation from a distance.


    ‘They’re still nagging until the end, huh.’


    Damien clicked his tongue at the instructors’ scheming.


    In other words, they were so desperate to get rid of him that they were blinded by their desire.


    ‘To keep things quiet, I need to make sure those two win.’


    He needed to focus on searching for  as soon as possible, and he didn’t want to create any more trouble.


    “Sir Damien. Are you here?”


    Just then, nca approached Damien.


    “Lady nca? I thought you went to see about the Knight Order’s business?”


    “I did, but I couldn’t help but stop by when I saw ss 13.”


    nca said with an embarrassed expression.


    “I’ve also trained those kids in my own way, so I want to see them through to the end.”


    Damien headed to the dueling exam hall with nca.


    ***


    The duel test was held at the outdoor training ground right next to the central athletic field.


    All the students who were taking the duel test had already gathered at the training ground.


    Among them were Oliver and Penelope.


    “Hu, huaaaah….”


    Oliver was making a strange noise with his shoulders hunched up, his face pale with tension.


    “Oliver, don’t just stand there and rx your body. The duel is about to start soon.”


    Penelope couldn’t stand to watch, so she said to Oliver. Oliver replied with a tearful face.


    “How can you be so calm? We’re about to fight those, those people.”


    “Don’t you feel the same way?”


    “Yes, but…”


    But as they were about to fight, the fear that had overwhelmed them since childhood.


    “And, and… we haven’t even learned anything properly… every day, we just get beaten up by the instructor.”


    “Mm.”


    Penelope couldn’t help but nod in agreement with Oliver’s words.


    All they had received from Damien Schenk was training that was actually just beating.


    “But Oliver, didn’t he say that we can win?”


    “How can you believe that?”


    “These kids are about to have a duel and they’re still talking nonsense.”


    Just then, Damien’s voice was heard. Oliver and Penelope turned to look at Damien.


    “Sir, you’ve arrived. And you’ve brought Mam nca with you.”


    Penelope bowed her head in greeting. Oliver hastily followed suit.


    “Oliver, you’re quite brave. You’re questioning my words.”


    Oliver’s eyes widened in surprise at Damien’s gaze.


    “Don’t have any strange thoughts and just rx. You two will definitely be able to win.”


    Damien said confidently, but the two of them didn’t look very convinced.


    “Emilio Borja, Penelope Borja,e on up.”


    Just then, the referee called out Penelope.


    “I’ll be right back.”


    Penelope grasped her training sword and headed up to the training ground.


    “These two kids are the ones who were directly trained by you, so I’ve never seen them before.”


    nca looked at Penelope’s back and said.


    “I wonder how Sir Damien trained those kids.”


    nca gazed at the training ground with a face full of anticipation.


    ***


    Emilio was already standing on the training ground.


    “You’re crazy. How dare you challenge me to a duel?”


    Emilio said in a displeased tone. It seemed that he was not happy with the situation at all.


    At the academy, high-ranking students could not refuse a challenge from a lower-ranking student.


    There was no specific rule for this. It was a tradition of the academy that had been passed down since ancient times.


    It was a tradition that arose from the belief that a true swordsman should not refuse a challenge.


    On the contrary, if a high-ranking student challenged a lower-ranking student to a duel, they would be ridiculed as a coward.


    “Didn’t I warn youst time? I told you to just go quietly to etiquette ss.”


    Emilio’s killing intent could be felt clearly.


    Penelope couldn’t help but swallow her saliva.


    Amidst the rising fear, Penelope recalled Damien’s advice.


    – Your opponent is a junior knight. If things were normal, you wouldn’t have a chance of winning.


    It was true.


    Junior knights could manifest auras, and they also had the physical strength to defeat even beasts barehanded.


    If they had met on the battlefield, she would have lost her life without even being able to put up a proper fight.


    – But this is a duel. Emilio can’t use his aura. So, he’s just a knight with slightly better physical abilities.


    Penelope had also learned the Mana Cultivation technique. She couldn’t strengthen her body as much as Emilio, but she could still use mana to enhance her physical abilities.


    – And besides, he’s underestimating you. Comcency is your worst enemy. You need to make the most of that.


    The Damien that Penelope had seen was a violent and seemingly crazy man, but his knowledge of swordsmanship was remarkable.


    – First, provoke him. Get him angry. Narrow his thinking and his field of vision.


    Penelope took a deep breath. And then she said to Emilio.


    “It’s disappointing. Is that what your father taught you? To talk before fighting? I’ve never received my father’s teachings, but I don’t need such teachings.”


    In that moment, veins bulged on Emilio’s face.


    “You dare talk back, you daughter of a ve!”


    Emilio swung his wooden sword down at Penelope. The wooden sword plummeted in a straight line, targeting Penelope’s forearm.


    It was a speed that far surpassed that of a mere trainee. It was an attack that she would not have been able to dodge normally.


    However, Penelope reflexively blocked Emilio’s sword. With a dull thud, Emilio’s sword was deflected.


    “You blocked it…?”


    Emilio said in disbelief.


    Penelope was also surprised. But the reason for Penelope’s surprise was a little different.


    It was the same.


    Before the exam started, Penelope had been subjected to beatings disguised as training by Damien.


    At that time, the movements that Damien had taken and Emilio’s attack were exactly the same.


    “You were lucky. But how many times will you be able to block it!”


    Emilio’s attacks continued. The swordsmanship of the House of Borja was unleashed one after another.


    Before her head could evenprehend, her body moved first. Penelope blocked all of Emilio’s attacks.


    “Huh? What am I seeing?”


    “She blocked them all?”


    The students in the training ground all doubted their eyes.


    Emilio was a formidable swordsman who had earned the top spot in the first grade.


    Even average students would not be able to block even one of Emilio’s attacks and would be defeated.


    “He’s being blocked by Penelope, a student from ss 13?”


    “Idiot. Since they’re from the same house, they probably learned the same swordsmanship. That’s why she can block him.”


    “Even so… isn’t she blocking a little too well?”


    The sh of swords continued relentlessly, yet Emilio’s sword couldn’t touch Penelope at all.


    “Unbelievable.”


    Throughout the entire defense, Penelope was utterly astonished. Emilio’s movements right now were exactly like Damien’s.


    Not only the swordsmanship itself but even the habits before swinging the sword, the movement of his eyes…


    The moment she realized that Penelope felt goosebumps erupt all over her body.


    “This is… this is ridiculous!”


    Emilio’s face flushed red. Due to his bewilderment, his movements became riddled with openings.


    Even his frown was exactly like Damien’s. In that instant, Penelope’s movements changed.


    She bent her waist to dodge the wooden sword. Simultaneously, she burrowed into Emilio’s chest and held the wooden sword to his throat.


    At that moment, a heavy silence descended upon the training ground.


    “…”


    Even the teacher in charge of the match couldn’t readily believe what unfolded before his eyes.


    “…Pe, Penelope Borja! Victory!”


    ***


    Penelope retrieved the wooden sword and turned her body.


    Even while she did that, Emilio remained stiff as a board, not even twitching a muscle. That signified just how great the shock of defeat was.


    Imprinting Emilio’s bbergasted expression into her memory, Penelope returned to where Damien stood.


    “S-Sir, I’ve won.”


    Penelope spoke with a face full ofplex emotions. Damien responded with a disgruntled expression.


    “What did I say? I told you you could win.”


    “I apologize for doubting you.”


    “I understand. You did well too.”


    Although it was a shortpliment, Penelope felt immense satisfaction.


    “Penelope! You were amazing! Truly incredible!”


    nca, who was standing next to them, also praised Penelope. Penelope smiled.


    “Ugh, ugh… ughhh…”


    Suddenly, an odd sound came from right beside them. Oliver was trembling violently.


    Penelope, with a look of pity, asked Damien,


    “Is that kid still like that?”


    “Yeah, he’ll probably calm down a bit soon.”


    Just as the two were whispering,


    “Oliver Fortina, prepare for duel.”


    The referee’s voice boomed. Upon hearing that, Oliver’s face turned even paler.


    “S-Sir…! I, if I forfeit now…”


    “What? Do you want to die by my hand right now? Stop talking nonsense and get out there quickly.”


    Damien kicked Oliver and sent him flying onto the training ground. Oliver screamed and was flung onto the training ground.


    “Hey, wasn’t that a little too harsh?”


    nca spoke with a worried face.


    “How can he fight when he’s that nervous? On top of that, his opponent is the first-year top student.”


    “Oh, you don’t have to worry about that.”


    Damien spoke nonchntly. nca tilted her head in confusion.


    “How can you not worry when he’s that nervous?”


    “I didn’t know this, but that kid… he’s a genius.”


    “Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden…”


    Just then, a booming sound echoed, like a drum exploding.


    nca turned around in shock. There, she saw an unbelievable sight. Gelliver was lying unconscious at Oliver’s feet.


    ***


    [Trantor – Kie]


    [Proofreader – Kawaii]