Chapter 57: Tomorrow (1)

Tomorrow (1)

The Endex on a Thursday afternoon is peaceful.

The incident that occurred last night at Recordark is plastered all over the news, but Endex seems unaffected.

After all, there are no College Board scores assigned to the special experience, and the deceased are from other magic high schools.

The current Endex admission is much more important than the already deceased seniors from other schools.

“Nice to see you. It’s already the third week of Swordsmanship.”

Perhaps for that reason.

Instructor Jeoly started the class as if nothing had happened.

“Today we have a bit more people, they are all your seniors. They are college students from Endex.”

There were many cadets in the swordsmanship training room. They were all dressed in the uniform of the prestigious magic university’s knight department.

“They are the kind seniors who took the time to help with your assignments, so let’s welcome them with applause.”

Clap, clap- The seniors also clapped. The cadets had a smug expression.

“You will pair up to check the assignments.”

Upon hearing that we would pair up, I inadvertently looked around. Then, I made eye contact with Elise. Her expression froze instantly. Her sincere killing intent whirled like a blade.

I quickly turned my head.

She must have gone crazy all of a sudden.

“It’s alphabetical. You can go into one training room per pair. First, training room 1 is Gail and Gitten, training room 2 is Gerkhen Kal Doon and Baran......”

A name caught my ear as I was half-listening.

“Training room 13, Shion and Soliette.”

“......”

I looked back at Soliette. She was only looking straight ahead.

The two of us stood in training room 13.

A male cadet was waiting at the door.

“Haha. Who is this? Long time no see, Soliette?”

He spoke to Soliette first. His smiling face was quite mixed.

“Yes. Long time no see, Mr. Stegen.”

Stegen?

I know the name. I saw him once in the Knight Council before, no, before the regression.

He’s probably not a bad guy. I remember him being quite a funny person.

“Hey. You’ll be a junior next year, shouldn’t you call me senior?”

Stegen laughed out loud, but there was no change in Soliette’s expression.

“Haha......”

He looked a bit awkward and looked at me next to Soliette.

“What’s your name?”

“Shion.”

“Oh, right.”

I thought that was the end of it.

“Let’s go in.”

Stegen opened the door to the training room.

“......?”

Suddenly, my head spun. My legs stumbled over each other. The side wound from Recordark throbbed heavily.

I almost fell, but managed to keep my balance.

“......”

Soliette glanced at me and went into the training room.

“Oh, are you anemic?”

I shook off the feeling and followed her.

......Edsilla National Magic University, Knight Department, first-year cadet.

A former 4-star high school student who was admitted to the best university on the continent this year, and a promising 3-star knight who is honing his sword.

‘Stegen Ren Joel’ feels nervous after a long time.

It’s almost the same as the trembling of the heart when taking the final entrance exam.

Perhaps, it was because of Soliette.

He had been watching her from afar since his days at Endex, but back then, he could barely exchange a few words with her. Soliette was always on a high pedestal. They were both nobles, but their statuses were different. She was as distant as a flower on a cliff.

But now, things were different.

He had become a first-year knight student at Edsilla National Magic University, with a guaranteed future.

Moreover, she was now deeply wounded. She was going through a very difficult time.

If only he could fill her sorrow and loss. If only he could create such a movie-like story...

“......Shall we start right away?”

“I don’t mind.”

“Yes.”

Soliette and... was it Shion? Anyway, the man responded.

Stegen glanced at the score sheet.

[Shion Ascal]

It was Shion.

“Let’s start with you.”

Stegen pointed at Shion with his finger.

Since Soliette was bound to be perfect, he could show his prestige and skill as a first-year knight student at Edsilla National Magic University by using Shion as a teaching aid.

“Draw your wooden sword.”

“Yes.”

Shion Ascal drew his wooden sword.

“Hmm. Your stance is good.”

His posture was straight, and his body was surprisingly not bad. He looked a bit small compared to other swordsmen, but his reach seemed oddly long.

“Well. You know the Five Basic Forms, right?”

It’s a very important ability as it’s directly connected to the right to attack first.......

——!

Shion’s body sprung forward like a spring. In just one step, he closed a distance of five paces.

The first stroke of the Triangular Slash, swung by the man who had approached him in an instant.

A vertical slash from the upper right to the lower left.

Thud——!

Stegen blocked as usual, but a sound like a cannon echoed from the collision of the wooden swords.

Kwaa——!

His eardrums vibrated. The rotation at the end of the sword had caused the air to explode.

“Kuk!”

The shock was insane. Saliva flew from his mouth. His shoulder and arm twisted involuntarily, and his standing foot was pushed back.

“......Ugh.”

The moment he unknowingly gritted his teeth, the second stroke rushed in.

A horizontal slash pushing up from the lower left to the right. The spin of the blade looked too dangerous to receive with a bare body.

Should I turn on the Magic Body?

As he hesitated, the second strike approached.

Kwoong——!

This time it was like a bomb. His grip actually burst slightly. The surface of the wooden sword was scorched.

It’s not over yet.

Now, the last of the Triangular Slash.

The third upward strike.

“.......”

Stegen, a ‘Knight School freshman’, watched the wooden sword coming at him. The saw-like blade, which was spinning with a whirlwind, somehow felt slow to his eyes. Like slow motion...... Wait.

Isn’t this a strobe light?

Standstill-!

The wooden sword stopped when he felt the threat to his life. The whirlwind also dispersed in an instant.

“.......”

Stegen unknowingly swallowed his saliva.

“Checking the feel.”

Shion, who muttered so, suddenly dropped his wooden sword. He walked to the corner of the training room and lay down on the floor.

“.......”

“.......”

Stegen and Soliette blinked their eyes and watched him.

Soliette asked first.

“What are you doing?”

Shion looked back at them. His complexion had turned blue.

“I overdid it a bit yesterday.......”

He fell asleep without finishing his sentence.

No, did he faint?

No, is he dead?

“......Soliette. Is he a friend you know well?”

Instead of answering, Soliette pointed at Stegen’s hand.

“Blood.”

“......Blood?”

“Your hand is bleeding.”

Stegen also looked at his hand. Blood was flowing from his palm.

“Oh, it’s okay. That junior friend suddenly used Magic Body... Haha.”

‘Knight School freshman’ Stegen thought so.

It must be Magic Body.

Of course, it’s Magic Body.

Because if it’s not Magic Body, such power wouldn’t have been produced. It shouldn’t have been.

Who swings a bomb with their bare body?

“He’s quite... a hitter. He seems talented. Is he aspiring to be a knight who uses a sword?”

‘Freshman’ Stegen tried to sound cool as he looked at Soliette.

“......”

Soliette didn’t say anything.

“......”

‘Freshman’ Stegen also silently gave full marks to Shion Ascal on the score sheet.

“Now, it’s Soliette junior’s turn. Let’s test the Five Basic Forms.”

Even though the love that took care of Soliette’s wounds seems to have gone down the drain, ‘Stegen’ doesn’t care.

With his conditions, he can meet someone better than Soliette.

After all, the flower on the cliff is beautiful when viewed from afar, what kind of crazy madman would climb up the cliff to pick the flower?

“......You’re bleeding quite a lot.”

Soliette slightly furrowed her eyebrows. Stegen also looked at his palm.

Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip——

It’s flowing like a turned-on faucet.

Stegen laughed and said,

“Oh, this is okay. Just, ah~ I should have turned on Magic Body~”

Trying to act casual, he unknowingly raised his hand and brushed his hair. His entire head was smeared with blood.

“Ah, my mistake. But you know, Soliette junior? The combat power of a knight, you see. Depending on whether Magic Body is on or off, the difference can be at least double, up to five times. I’m the type who has a big difference whether Magic Body is on or off... If I had just turned on Magic Body, haha. Ah~ this Shion guy is quite sneaky. Turning on Magic Body without saying?”

“......”

Soliette was at a loss for words.