Chapter 9: Krono's Failing Student (1)

Krono's Swordsmanship training will last for a year.

Four days have passed since the year started.

There were no more hellish runs until the last day, just like the first day, it would test the human limitations.

However, the general schedule was also arduous.

For the first four months, holding a sword was forbidden, and the four months will be dedicated to physical training only.

'Holding a sword without basics, will only cause problems. Swordsmanship training starts after the midterm evaluations.'

Hearing the instructor's words, all the trainees sighed deeply. However, there was nothing they could do.

After the remarks, the children had to spend each day like soldiers.

"All! Get up!"

"Ugh..."

"Already?"

"Sigh..."

Waking up at 5 am.

Training for 2 hours after the 6 o'clock meeting.

By 9:30, students will have their given meals and personal time, and then training commences again.

Then, the afternoon training follows along with mental training and liberal arts class at the end of the day.

That was the daily routine of the Krono Swordsmanship school.

'Phew, when will this day end?'

'I am tired, tired. I need to do this for an entire year...'

'Exhausted. Shall I close my eyes for a second?'

More than a few children, especially those in the back seats, would fall asleep.

It was unavoidable. They were being forced to listen to a boring lecture after the training. Even an adult would have a hard time sitting through the class.

Especially for children who had no other thoughts than, 'I want to be strong'.

Of course, the instructors who knew that didn't overlook them.

"Oi, there! Don't seep!"

"Do you think this is a break time? Krono Swordsmanship school isn't a place where fools are given the right to handle weapons!"

"In order to acquire the virtue of a swordsman, it is necessary to train the head and not the body! If you neglect the liberal arts class, you won't be in a good shape.!"

The instructors yelled out words such as modesty, honor, and protection of the weak.

It wasn't a warning.

The Krono Swordsmanship school, ever since the beginning, taught the right attitude that a knight should have along with the right amount of power.

In fact, the graduates need to accomplish feats for the welfare and peace of the continent, which is also a reason for the prestige of the swordsman to be elevated.

Most of the prospective trainees are also aware of that fact, and even those who didn't know knew what the instructor was trying to say.

In the end, the children had no choice but to keep their minds and bodies tense until dinner time.

"Huh, the rice is so delicious."

"Right. Rice was never this good..."

"Sigh. I can rest for a while now."

7 pm.

Everything was really over.

From this point on, neither the tiger-like instructor nor the assistants would intervene.

It meant that they didn't care about the students after the school timings.

Of course, there were no children who got into serious trouble.

It was probably because they wanted to lay down and rest.

It was the time for most children to go back to their dormitories.

A familiar voice filled the dining room.

"Ah! There is something I forgot to say, so I will say it now."

"Yes!"

"All the gyms, indoor fitness rooms and the other training areas are always open, so the trainees who want to practice and use them at any time."

"..."

Karaka left the dining room after saying that.

The children sat for a moment with blank expressions on their faces and then started swearing.

Some of them were so harsh that one wouldn't believe that a child could say that.

Of course, some trainees didn't say anything.

They were the children who got good grades in the running evaluation, and they thought of continuing their training even if Karaka hadn't informed them.

It was the same with Irene.

After finishing his meal, he waited for his stomach to feel empty and then moved to the fitness room.

His expression was so calm that one couldn't associate it with either like or dislike.

An unfamiliar instrument used to train the lower body, which had never been seen in his estate.

Standing in front of it was Irene Pareira, who remembered his rank in the test.

'Lowest rank.'

It was true.

He tried it with all his might, he even pushed his body till its end, but the result didn't change.

All he did was last a little longer in the race.

In a way, it was good that he was able to move ahead.

However, he didn't seem disappointed. Not the least bit upset.

It wasn't because he had been comforted by the instructor's words, 'The current ranking isn't the future results.'

It was because he knew that such a result was natural for him to get.

'I didn't come here to win the competition with others.'

Irene Pareira didn't dream of being a knight.

Nor did he want to become a great person. He had no intention of breaking down kids who tried to walk the path of the sword.

He reflected on his past, where he never even moved, and how he was able to move forward a little.

That was the only reason he was here.

'Let's go.'

After thinking that, Irene took the pose.

It was awkward as it was his first time using it, but he knew how to use it as he saw the other kids do it.

He took a deep breath as he tightened his legs. The body which got tired from the entire day's training was barely standing, yet his mind was as hard as a metal.

However, the others didn't know how strong Irene's mind was.

One of the trainees in the room spoke with a grin.

"Yo, that deadbeat noble, who is lazy as hell, is self-training?"

"..."

Sarcasm.

That wasn't the end.

The other children who heard the words opened their mouths. Then, as they looked into each other's eyes, they burst out laughing.

"Uh-huh, right. What will change just because he is working hard from now on?"

"I don't understand him at all. If that is the case, then why didn't try to do anything since he was 15?"

"When I saw him during the physical test, he was a spectacle. He drools and runs as if he is crossing the kingdom by himself."

"How the hell did you come into Krono Swordsmanship?"

It wasn't a subtle mockery. It was outright criticism. It was too severe to simply see that Irene had been the last one to pass the test.

But nothing could be done.

The person who finished at the bottom of the test had a body that didn't look like it had been trained.

He was the oldest among the trainees.

And even in the kingdom, he had the title of 'Deadbeat Noble'.

Which was why the children spoke out.

"Phew!"

Irene wasn't the least bit shocked.

It was something he had gone through in the estate.

Of course, it wasn't like he was unhurt. The wounds on the body slowly heal. However, the wounds on the heart would only become more profound and never recover.

However, Irene took the first step to changing his lifestyle. And he planned to keep moving.

Irene, holding onto the necklace, concentrated his mind for a moment.

The surrounding sound ceased to have any effect on him.

Having found peace within himself, he pushed the heavy equipment with his two legs and started to train his lower body.

Like the man in the dream wielding his sword.

Just as Irene had been wielding his sword for the past month.

"Sheesh. Pretending to not hear us."

"Just stop it. He's going to fall away from us."

When there was no reaction from Irene, the children immediately looked away from Irene.

Not knowing what to do, they decided to concentrate on their training.

Although challenging, it wasn't as hellish as the first day's running test, so all the trainees had more energy.

They were only mentally exhausted.

In that way, the training room regained calmness in the scorching heat.

But after a while.

The silence was broken by a trainee who started training earnestly.

"Woah..."

"..."

The silver-haired girl was performing the most extreme movements.

The back muscles were the basis of swordsmanship. And the barbell weight training had to be done. However, it looked nothing special when she did it.

But the weight was significant.

The weight was double or maybe tripled. It was so heavy that even veteran mercenaries would sweat.

'How is that possible?'

'She is supposed to be one year younger than me...'

'No matter how much of a genius she is in Lindsay's family, does this make sense?'

'How the hell is her body taking it? Is she even human?'

Groans.

And many more eyes were on her.

The emotions the eyes held was nothing that kids their age would have.

Astonishment, anger, and awe.

But, not a single person felt inferior.

Compared to the top geniuses on the continent, their existences were rather humble.

So they didn't see Ilya Lindsay as a competition. They accepted her as someone on a higher level than themselves.

Precisely the opposite of what they felt with Irene.

Of course, some didn't care.

"Tch."

"... damn it."

Red-haired girl Judith who came 2nd in the test.

And the high-ranking noble, Bratt Lloyd, was third.

They were different from the other trainees.

Anger, jealousy, inferiority, fighting spirit, and other ferocious emotions.

Their bodies were hot and raging.

The two opened their eyes as if they wanted to swallow the existence of the silver-haired girl.

However, Ilya's gaze didn't even turn towards them.

It was as if she had no interest in them and went back to training her body.

The trainees, too, gaining motivation from that, went back to their training.

Judith and Bratt frowned. Ilya had not once spoken to them, nor did they approach her.

Rather.

"You."

"...?"

"If it is okay with you, can I talk to you?"

"... yes?"

The silver-haired girl who finished her routine opened her mouth.

She talked to Irene Pareira, a boy who didn't care what was happening around him.

"..."

"...!"

The first and the last.

The meeting of these two people attracted the attention of all the trainees, even the top-ranked ones, and left everyone dumbfounded.