Chapter 91
Final Exam (5)
Kleio looked over the test center and scoring table with Perception on.
'It's difficult if Pierce and Arthur fight. Isn't it possible to stop it?'
Of course, Arthur had stopped hiding his power to some extent, and now, not only his enemies, but those who could end up as his supporters, had seen a certain level of ability from him. However, with Aslan's intentions unknown, an encounter with Pierce was very dangerous.
'I don't think they'd try to kill him in a place with so many eyes.'
There were too many possibilities. There would be no one to blame the head of the Defense Force if he accidentally injured the youngest prince. What if he were injured, and an assassin came to him when he was weakened? Kleio's mouth felt dry.
'In the last manuscript, Pierce lost to Arthur... After Arthur reached level 8. But a three-level gap can't be overcome even by genius.'
His [Fever] magic formula turned off. Kleio stood up close to the window. He felt tired, and the back of his hand flashed white.
'If things seem to go wrong, I'll immediately use Editor's Authority.'
Was it possible to face the end of the world while taking the final exam? Dione, noticing the abnormality, approached Kleio. She gently swept his hand, trying to relieve his stiffness.
"What's happening?"
"It looks like Sir Pierce and Arthur are going to fight. It seems like Prince Aslan's plan."
"Oh, it's a big deal. I don't think he has the capability to teach Arthur."
"I will try to intervene if there seems to be a problem."
"It must be that way. It's too late to do so now."
Dione sighed as she put up her opera-glass. Suddenly, Pierce was stepping into the middle of the test site. Arthur, who had stepped back after his testing, returned with an awkward smile. It was fortunate that now he held Beg's sword, and not a practice one. Dione quickly recognized it.
"Hey, when did the prince change his sword?"
Looking around, he noticed a breathless Isiel standing in the direction of the dorms. She, too, was wearing a real sword instead of a practice one, and Cel next to her had a practice sword prepared.
"I think Isiel offered a hand when she saw things happening."
"Young Kision is really brilliant. A practice sword would break after a few blows from a swordmaster."
"I see..."
Usually, if a sword broke during a practice battle, it counted as a defeat, and that was that, but it was questionable whether Pierce would obey such rules. The knight commander, grasping his sword the moment he entered the middle of the test site, seemed ready from the start. An enormous amount of ether began to grow around him, showing off that he was, indeed, one of only four 8th-level swordmasters in Albion. The knight commander was displaying excessive power against a young student, so there was only shallow excitement among the visitors. Of course, it remained at murmuring, never developing past that into open criticism or intervention. No one could openly show displeasure to the alliance between the knight commander and the second prince.
"With that level of ability and status, a person could also pursue honor, but Sir Pierce consistently pursues only the spirit of this world."
"Skill and personality aren't necessarily connected."
"That's true, but it's surprising how much so. Because they're single, they have no children to pass that power onto, and they won't live forever. Tsk."
"Because of that personality, he was able to cut the head off a king he had [Covenanted] and stabbed the former knight commander."
"And it looks like he's completely turned to Prince Aslan this time. I think he's quite the winner."
In Pierce's eye, Arthur was certainly not an option, and Melchior wasn't free from the problem of legitimacy in his standards, which valued authority. Assistant Calvin held up his magic loudspeaker after wiping the sweat dripping down his forehead despite the cold weather.
"Pierce Klagen, commander of the Capital Defense Force Knights, is going to give a demonstration with the finalist, Arthur Riognan."
A golden string of letters floated over Pierce's head, surprising Kleio.
[8th level swordsman
Title: □□□□ □□□ Knight
*The title has been forgotten due to the breaking of the covenant.]
It was the first message of its kind that he saw.
'It's not that my narrative involvement is lacking, or there's some error... It's completely forgotten?'
It was clearly a matter of [Covenant].
'Pierce's title was forgotten because he violated that covenant.'
Like the level, he had heard that the title of an advanced knight or wizard was viewable only by the owner themselves. However, titles weren't a complete secret, as it was said that high-level wizards and knights could learn the title of foes who used large amounts of ether. Pierce's title wasn't even included in the directory of Capital Defense Force knights, which Kleio had read.
'I thought it didn't announce such things, or the title was bad, but...'
In the midst of that urgent situation, Kleio thought it was a good thing he hadn't agreed to do anything like a [Covenant].
"Then, I appreciate your precious teachings."
Pierce responded to Arthur with ridicule.
"It'll be a good experience for you."
Although his tone was rude, it was all the more insulting because it masqueraded as respect. He had fully announced his alliance with the second prince who was sitting upright in the front row. Arthur was used to insults and hardships, however, so such a thing didn't faze him. The boy's serene gaze passed right through Pierce and reached Aslan, arousing the second prince's wrath.
The armrest of the prince's chair broke as he unconsciously used [Reinforcement]. He felt that the day from six years ago was repeating. It was in the King's forest, at the testing grounds of the youth swordsmanship content. The third prince had been announced to the world for the first time, and there were voices uttering the name of Leonid the First. The image of a boy who had achieved much already, stealing the attention and admiration away from Aslan, and his vivid turquoise eyes, were engraved in Aslan's mind.
There were two such indignations in Aslan Riognan's life. The first was by Melchior, and the second was by Arthur. For him, his brothers weren't friends, but punishment for his fate. They were thieves attempting to steal his glory, obstacles masquerading in human form.
Shaaaa-
Pierce, noticing Aslan's discomfort, let the immense power flow through his sword unconsciously. For a level 8, [Attack Circle] was a skill as easy to operate as breathing. As three successive attacks fired out, Arthur could only urgently evade.
Klang!
Shaaaa-
Klang!
The floor of the parade grounds was dug up as deafening explosions rang out. An 8th-level swordmaster's maximum range reached up to 1 km, and Pierce was an 8th-level knight with a uniquely-colored sword. His attacks were scaled down and fired off, but it was still enough to frighten people.
"Ahhhhhh!"
"Ah!"
The teaching assistants urgently performed [Defense] magic to protect the observers while the faculty evacuated those that remained. Kleio looked out in disbelief, doubting his own eyes. It was the first time he had actually seen [Attack Circle]. The longsword in Pierce's hand moved lightly as if it had no weight. It was Limni's sword, a blade with a dark mana stone onyx stuck in the pommel. It was a tribute to King Phillippe, and the sword's master stood firm with it in hand. Before the dust settled, Pierce fired off more attacks against Arthur.
Shaaaa-
Ka-Klang!
The entire scene was surreal, as the sword cut a path of destruction around the parade field.
'How is that possible?!'
He had no time to be surprised. Kleio sharpened his Perception to pursue Arthur. Despite the chaos caused by Pierce's attacks, Arthur was poised for a counterattack. He was an unbreakable protagonist.
'Nothing's happened yet; Arthur is safe.'
Editing passages that included Arthur sped up the manuscript's deterioration, so intervention was impossible. That upright prince couldn't be brought down from this confrontation right away, but if he remained patient, he would have a chance.
'I'll take out Pierce's wagon wheel and make it so that this showdown never happens! Better for the world to be twisted than ruined, damn it!'
Snow fluttered down from the gray-clouded sky. Unlike the snow Kleio created, it was pitiful and cold sleet. Pierce's mouth tugged upward under his mustache.
"Your courage not to give up is admirable."
"Isn't it a true honor, as you said, to lose to Sir Pierce?"
"I'm glad you know."
Since Pierce wasn't a teacher, Arthur didn't bother treating him like one. Soiled with dirt, Arthur fiercely pulled up his ether, holding Beg's sword tightly. Although he hadn't reached level 8, Arthur was also a swordsman. Golden ether moved brightly around him, his face calm.
'That... Ah...'
His body loaded with tremendous power with [Strengthening] kicked off the ground, kicking away the snow and digging up the dirt. Immediately after the two crossed the middle of the grounds, Arthur skillfully evaded his foe's sword, turning his weapon and extending his own sword.
Shaaaa!
Pierce was a master of fighting other swordsmen. Arthur's sword skill far exceeded the power of a 5th level swordsman he knew well, so his calculation of retreat was slightly off. The sleeve of the knight commander's uniform was sliced through, drawing a thin line of blood under it. It was only a drop of blood, but Pierce couldn't tolerate that he had shown a gap to a young student.
"Ha!"
Pierce's face, which had been relaxed, began to tremble. Grayish-brown ether began to surround Pierce as Arthur spat blood on the ground. To get that one cut in, the boy had to pull up so much ether that the inside of his body twisted. It was then that Pierce's form split into two, appearing simultaneously in front of and behind Arthur. Promise flashed and shone brightly.
[Common Skill: Dimorphization
―You can create an alter ego with the same abilities as the main body.]
The sound of Pierce's sword followed a step later as two attacks were launched as one from both in front and behind him.
Ka-Klang!
Klang!
Arthur lowered his body and swung his sword heavily, but it wasn't enough. There were two alter egos, but six blades appeared to flood toward Arthur. Despite being [Strengthened] with ether, the boy's back and chest were stained with blood as he was trapped in a blade prison. The moment Kleio tried to activate his skill, the letters of Promise appeared once more.
[Common Skill: The Truth of the Light
―Even in the darkest isolation, you find a sword path to the light.]
Kiiiii-
The two swords, illusion and reality, were woven together, letting out a cry that seemed to freeze the soul. Amid Pierce Klagen's intricate attacks, the boy took one more step forward. Beg's sword shone a dazzlingly gold, bright like judgment. At the moment, everyone's vision faded white, Arthur's ordinary skill activated. It was an attack only Arthur was capable of, torn and wounded.
Swoosh!
One of the swordmaster's alter ego vanished under the blade.
"How...!"
It was a common skill that was given only to knights who were truly not afraid, and in this era, only Duke Tristein had acquired it. Pierce lost control and created three more alter egos. The boy, still holding his sword as he vomited blood, didn't close his eyes until the four swords wrapped in gray ether pierced his heart.