Chapter 121: Connected (6)

"I was watching the match closely. Both of you used swords, so it was impossible not to notice. Especially Irene. You were incredible. How you took down the opponents before Theo needed to act is still fresh in my mind.”

Seria spoke with a polite tone.

Usually, students at the academy use casual language with their peers, but Seria is an exception.

And for a good reason: her full name is Seria Rune Hestia.

The middle name 'Rune' indicates her high and noble status.

In this world, a middle name is a privilege only granted to those of the highest class.

Seria, like Theo and Piel, is a direct descendant of a prestigious family.

At a glance, her formal speech might seem similar to Aisha’s, but there's a subtle difference.

While Aisha speaks politely to make a good impression on others, Seria does so to hide her true nature, which would shock many.

'Whew...'

In any case, the sense of unease has become real.

The only thing Seria knows about me is my voice.

Naturally, she must remember the voice from that night.

She will eventually find out who I am but now is not the right time.

Instead of replying, I looked at Seria nonchalantly.

She tilted her head slightly, as if puzzled, and said,

"Ah, Theo, you're pretty quiet. Perhaps it's because you're the heir to the Waldeurk family, you always seem so dignified. Anyway, I look forward to our next match, Swordsmen."

With that, Seria reached out her hand to me.

"...”

Silently, I shook hands with her.

Irene, looking a bit confused, also shook hands with Seria.

"I look forward to our match, Seria Rune Hestia. I've heard you're the top student in the Magic Department, particularly skilled with debuff magic."

"Oh, I'm honored, Irene Aslan. You even remembered my full name. I've heard that you're also the top student in the Knight Department. Seems we have an unintended face-off between the top students. Let's have a wonderful match~"

Afterward, Irene and I also shook hands with Jamie, who was on the same team as Seria.

Jamie reached out to Irene.

"I’m looking forward to it, Irene. I may have lost during our previous spar, but I plan to redeem myself this time."

"Yes, I'll do my best, Jamie."

With a slight smile, Jamie reached out to me.

"Nice to meet you, Theo. You're Irene's fiancé, right? I saw you a few times from a distance when you visited the Knight Department. Your recent duel with Julia is still a hot topic in our department."

"..."

Just like with Seria, I silently shook hands with Jamie.

Jamie.

Though she's not exactly a named character in the main story, she's still a notable figure.

She maintained top grades during her academy days and, after graduating, joined one of the empire's elite knight orders.

She's a typical elite character, steadily following the traditional path.

Her hand didn't feel delicate like a girl's; it felt strong and solid.

A feeling quite different from the soft palm of Seria.

Jamie eyed my silence with a hint of annoyance.

"I remember you weren't much of a talker before, but at least you'd open your mouth... You seem especially quiet today. In any case, I look forward to our match today."

Next, I scanned the audience.

There were many familiar faces.

I spotted Jang Woohee and Siena.

Amy, holding Little Fist, and Noctar with his orc friends from our year, as well as many other orcs from different departments.

Noctar, towering above even the orcs, was staring sternly at me.

There were also numerous reporters, guild, and government officials.

I even noticed some named characters from the main storyline.

'Ah, that woman is Hailey, the Chief Administrator of the Ataraxia Guild.'

The 'Ataraxia' Guild had many interactions with Neike throughout the main story.

Irene and I made our way onto the arena floor.

Seria was still giving me that ambiguous look, and Jamie looked ready to draw her sword and charge at any moment.

[Let the round of 32 of the Knight Department's 2v2 Tourname-]

Mari's commentary was abruptly interrupted.

Because Noctar, who was sitting solemnly in the stands, stood up, and as he raised his right arm, the Orcs, led by Tarcan, all rose in unison.

"Warrior! Unleash the War God's wrath upon that mage!"

"Fight on, true warrior, Theo!"

"Fight! Win! Tear apart that mage wench's limbs!"

The shouts of what seemed like at least fifty tall orcs filled the arena.

Orcs have powerful voices, so even just a few can resonate throughout an entire arena.

And now, there were more than fifty of them.

The other spectators looked back and forth between me and the orcs with wide eyes.

Reporters were busy capturing the scene, and guild & government officials began feverishly jotting down notes.

Even Mari in the commentary box seemed shocked, as she audibly gasped.

"..."

Of course, I'm grateful... but it's embarrassing.

I can feel my face turning red.

In a hurry, I strengthened my [Twisted Noble's Dignity] and tried to act composed.

Seria looked at me with curiosity and said,

"You're quite popular, Theo. I've never seen a human so adored by orcs. It reminds me of stories about our founding headmaster, Ryuk... How mysterious. It's also amazing how you show no reaction to such fervor."

Then, Seria chuckled with a playful 'hehe.'

'Heh'...

I had to hold back a smirk.

That was Seria's genuine laughter.

Still, I didn't utter a word.

Mari, having composed herself, resumed her commentary.

[Ahem, ahem! Theo's popularity is truly impressive. There were rumors of his close relations with the orc students, but I never imagined such passionate support! Anyway, let's finally begin the match!]

And so, the match began.

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Uh sorry sorry for the wrong chappy. Uploaded the wrong one. I usually check on the website right after I post just to make sure I got the right one but the one time I don't, I post the wrong one. 。 ゚(`Д ́) ゚。

*LOL no idea what baseball team they're talking about, might be from a league in Korea.