Chapter 47: You’re a Kaplan.

Chapter 47: You’re a Kaplan.

Chapter 47 – You’re a Kaplan.

On a night lit only by the moonlight, a sword cuts through the air.

Whoosh!

Its speed is so fast that even sound can’t catch up, rather, a sonic boom is a beat late.

Once again, and again. A sword cuts through the air.

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The path of the falling sword is flawless, without a trace of error.

And the process is as if nonexistent, only the result of the sword striking down at some moment remains.

Perfect.

It was a movement worthy of the word perfect.

“Huff...”

The knight gasped for breath.

The sword is immutable, but the human body is not.

Her whole body was covered in sweat. Every time she swung the sword, droplets of sweat scattered in all directions.

‘Nine hundred and ninety-eight.’

She swung the sword once more.

Whoosh!

‘Nine hundred and ninety-nine.’

Once, and again, without hesitation, once more...

The act of repeating the same motion without any error was torture in itself.

But this knight, she did not fear the torture-like training at all.

Now, only one more time was left.

‘Finish!’

Crack!

She stomped on the ground with all her strength, and the rocks on the surface flew into the air. There were more than ten of them at a glance.

At the moment when the rising rocks stopped ascending, she activated her unique ability.

Flash.

...In an instant, she would cut them all.

But then, it happened.

“Ivan!”

At the sudden call of her name, the girl couldn’t swing her sword.

“...”

Hoo, she exhaled. The girl looked at her sword with a complicated expression.

“Failure... I guess.”

She had succeeded brilliantly nine hundred and ninety-nine times, but failing once was also an undeniable fact.

She accepted it silently.

Ivan Rose. The person who called her name apologized quickly at her serious look.

“I’m sorry, Ivan. I interrupted you at a crucial moment.”

Ivan shook her head quietly. She took off her gloves and wiped the sweat on her forehead.

“Rudville. There’s no need to apologize.”

“Isn’t it because of me that you couldn’t swing your sword?”

“Absolutely not. It was me who stopped the sword just because my name was called. It’s because of my lack of practice.”

“...”

The faces of the knight trainees who came to see Ivan with Rudville were momentarily stunned.

Ivan was still Ivan.

They all thought that at the same time.

“But... what’s going on here?”

“Oh, right. Guys.”

Rudville nodded his head as if he just remembered.

Then the other trainees proudly lifted up the baskets they held in both hands. The food inside smelled delicious.

“Ivan, tomorrow is the tournament, right? We have to celebrate in advance.”

“In advance?”

“Yeah, dude. It’s obvious that you’ll win anyway.”

Since the knight department had an overwhelming win rate in the combat events, they didn’t feel any tension at all.

Ivan shook his head vigorously.

“I appreciate your kindness, but I’ll eat after the match is over.”

Then laughter erupted around him. Ivan’s head tilted sideways.

“...Why do you all laugh whenever I say something? Always.”

“It’s because of your way of speaking, dude.”

“Is it that funny? My way of speaking.”

“Yeah. It’s hilarious. I can’t get used to it no matter how many times I hear it. So don’t just swing your sword all day and have some fun, too. Our Ivan.”

Ivan scratched his cheek with a slightly embarrassed look.

“That’s strange, I always spoke like this in my hometown...”

“That’s why it’s funny! You’re from Rapel, aren’t you?”

More laughter burst out. Ivan’s hometown, Rapel, was known as the most rural of the rural areas.

While she was checking her way of speaking a few times, the other knight trainees started to offer her food again.

“Don’t be like that and have a bite. Anyway, you’ll win even with your eyes closed against the magicians, right?”

“Rudville. Don’t say that.”

Ivan cut off Rudville’s words. The female knight’s expression became serious.

“Whoever the opponent is, I have to do my best without being complacent. That’s the courtesy to myself, and also to the other party.”

So if.

By any chance.

If my opponent is a villain...

I will never forgive him either.

◈

-Kaplan.

His voice is clear and transparent, without a trace of falsehood.

His thin tone torments my reason. It almost makes me act on impulse.

-This time too... you can’t tell me anything, can you?

I feel a chill. I know what’s going on.

-It’s okay. I trust you.

The words she said to me once, when I had to bear everything alone.

-You’ll prove it eventually, like always.

Now that I think about it, it was a brave advice that I squeezed out.

-You’re Kaplan. The grand mage of Merhen’s rank, Kaplan.

Or a clingy.

A clumsy feeling that I wanted to share both joy and sorrow with her.

Love.

She stands by the window, her white hair fluttering in the wind. Her face is hidden by the glittering silk strands. I can’t see her front at all.

If she turns around, I know I’ll face her golden eyes, like stars pouring down like rain.

I get up from my seat and approach her.

One step, two steps.

The woman’s figure, which seemed to be within my reach, disappeared like smoke.

“...”

At the same time, I open my eyes.

That woman doesn’t exist in this world. The purple sunlight that seeped through the curtains told me that a new day had dawned.

In other words, I had a dream.

A dream.

“I guess I need more training.”

A dream is nothing but a mental prank that edits reality to suit one’s taste and plays a plausible delusion.

It’s because my body wasn’t tired enough that I remembered the dream so well.

Anyway, the day of the duel has come.

It was quiet outside. I woke up earlier than usual.

I didn’t want to sleep again or sit idly. I quickly washed myself and went out of the dormitory.

The sun was just rising, and a faint aura filled the campus. The academy was covered by the calm before the storm.

‘...A dream.’

The memory of the previous moment crashes into my clear mind and sight, acting as a nuisance.

I forcibly clean up the mess in my head. A mage needs to be numb to both internal and external stimuli.

It was just a momentary illusion.

It was just an unusual day, defeated by the sleepiness.

I calm my breath. I send mana to my whole body, from the thick blood vessels to the fine ones in my fingertips and toes, awakening my sharp senses.

I exhale lightly. Perfect. I won’t be swayed by external stimuli anymore.

“I wonder if my mind has become as young as my body.”

I muttered to myself, trying to shake off the awkward feeling that had been bothering me.

I adjusted my body and mind as a complete mage and applied the final correction. Before the tournament began, I planned to meditate and check my mana in the training ground.

“Oh, Sir Flan!”

It was then that a voice as white as a cloud grabbed my ankle.

“Good morning!”

I heard the sound of running footsteps.

“Sir Flan! Have you had breakfast?”

I turned my head and saw her.

She was as white as light... and her hair was as shiny as silk. Her golden eyes glittered so brightly that I felt like I would go blind if I kept looking at them.

“I came to greet you on the day of the tournament!”

She smiled proudly, thumping her chest, and stood in front of me. She was Yushia.

“Have you had breakfast?”

“Not yet.”

“Oh, no, you must eat breakfast. That’s what my mother always says!”

I averted my eyes from Yushia and moved on.

I had to meditate. No, I felt like I had to.

“Oh, where are you going?”

She followed me closely and grinned.

“I’m going to the training ground.”

“I see, I’ll go with you! Did you have any trouble last night?”

Trouble.

Yushia clenched her fists and looked at me expectantly. I looked away from her sparkling golden eyes.

“I did.”

If it had been normal, I would have snapped at her and showed my displeasure.

But, for some reason.

“Uh... really? What was it? How dare they bother Sir Flan!”

A faint smile appeared on my lips.