A Failed Knight Who Went to the Academy To Get Married

006 A Fight for Love

Sunday morning.

The butler entered Yuril’s room.

“Miss, your meal is prepared.”

However, Yuril responded indifferently without taking her eyes off the book.

“Okay.”

Seeing no particular reaction from Yuril, the butler quietly set the meal on the table.

Just as he was about to leave the room,

“Why didn’t you bring the newspaper today?”

“There wasn’t anything particularly interesting in today’s paper.”

It was then that Yuril turned her head and glared at the butler.

“What is it, what are you hiding?”

“I’m not particularly hiding anything—”

“Hand it over, quickly.”

Reluctantly, the butler extended the newspaper.

“Here it is.”

Yuril, looking somewhat bleary-eyed from possibly another night without sleep, snatched the newspaper.

After reading the article briefly, her face turned beet red.

“What on earth is this person saying out there!”

Her reaction was all too expected.

After all, the article had twisted the words Traein had spat out right after the duel.

‘Liking someone means wishing for their happiness, doesn’t it?’

‘I’ve only become strong for the sake of that child’s happiness.’

Eventually, Yuril, as if breaking out in goosebumps, fidgeted uncontrollably until—

“Ugh!”

Suddenly, Yuril’s eyes turned a fierce red.

The butler quickly grasped Yuril’s shoulder and said,

“Miss, please take your medicine quickly.”

At those words, Yuril promptly pulled a small medicine bottle from her pocket and shoved a handful of pills into her mouth.

As Yuril calmed down a bit, the butler sighed in relief and said,

“Be careful. Your curse reacts to the emotion of love.”

“…I know.”

Yuril glared at the medicine bottle in her palm with resentment.

The medicine was an emotional suppressant.

If Yuril’s curse were to be triggered…

She would surely be consumed by the curse and attempt to kill Trine with her own hands.

“That’s why I didn’t want to show you the newspaper.”

“No, it’s okay. Think of it as practice for controlling emotions.”

Yuril muttered as she put the medicine bottle back in her pocket.

“Don’t worry anyway. The day I truly fall for Trine will never come.”

***

At that moment, there was another girl with a flushed face.

“Oh my… This person is quite remarkable too.”

At that, Prince Shiran snickered beside her.

“Right? A real big shot.”

For reference, what the two were looking at side by side wasn’t a newspaper article but a video recorded on a camcorder.

The girl couldn’t take her eyes off the video and asked Shiran,

“So, does this mean you want to entrust my curse to that person?”

“He’s more than capable and devoted to you.”

At that, the girl tilted her head slightly and asked back,

“Is it really me that person likes?”

“Who else could be the cursed girl if not you?”

The girl seemed about to object, her mouth opening slightly.

Then, as if resigning herself, she smiled broadly.

“Well, that must be it.”

“Not exactly thrilled, are you? Is it because he’s a commoner?”

“No. That doesn’t matter to me anymore.”

“If you dislike it, say it now.”

After pondering for a moment at those words, the girl spoke.

“I’ll trust that person. If they can truly lift my curse, then of course, I’ll agree to marry.”

“Then expect an introduction soon, Shia.”

“Yes, Sirian brother.”

Prince Sirian stepped out of the room.

Then the girl murmured as she played the video again.

“I’m really looking forward to it.”

***

The next day, early morning.

Lizbeth arrived at school earlier than anyone else, only to find

something resembling a rolled-up blanket, like a cocoon, already there.

Lizbeth approached and asked.

“Train? What are you doing?”

“Leave me be. From now on, I’m determined to live quietly in hiding.”

Traein had a hunch why this was happening.

Ever since the duel with Megryu last week made the headlines, Traein’s popularity had skyrocketed.

Lisbeth smiled a bit bitterly and said,

“Still, it’s not bad to be popular.”

“Not bad?”

Traein pulled out a thick bundle of letters.

Most were invitations to tea parties or love letters.

Some were challenges to duels or even threatening letters.

Lisbeth frowned as she took the letters and examined them one by one.

“It seems they think they don’t need to show you any respect because you’re a commoner.”

“You think it would be different if I were a noble?”

Suddenly, Lisbeth conjured a small flame in her palm and burned all the letters she was holding.

Traein’s eyes widened in shock.

“What, what are you doing all of a sudden!”

“If this happens again, just say you have a prior engagement with Duke Lisbeth and it’s difficult to accommodate.”

“You’d be annoyed with me too, wouldn’t you?”

“We’re friends, aren’t we.”

“I appreciate that, but…”

“In return, this is mine now.”

Lisbeth snatched the blanket and draped it over her shoulders.

Train glared at her for a moment before collapsing onto the desk.

Some time later, during the assembly period.

Instructor Eloi entered with a stranger.

“Today, I’ve brought a special guest for you all!”

Shiny armor and a red, flamboyant cape.

He must be a member of the National Knights.

The knight addressed the students with a solemn expression.

“I am Alberts of the National Knights. Let’s see if you have what it takes to join our ranks.”

Knight Alberts led the students to the indoor gymnasium.

“The mock test will be conducted for those who wish to participate.”

At that, the majority of the students eagerly raised their hands.

Becoming a national knight was the ultimate goal for the students in the knight course.

For them, it was the perfect opportunity to make a good impression on a national knight.

Train stealthily stepped back, hiding himself among the students.

‘What’s Eloi Instructor up to this time?’

But when he locked eyes with Instructor Eloi, she flashed a sly smile and said to Knight Albertz,

“How about we start by testing our proud class president?”

Damn, just as I thought!

Though he hated the idea terribly, he couldn’t dare act rudely in front of a national knight.

So, Train reluctantly stood before Knight Albertz.

“What should I do? Do I spar with you, Sir Knight?”

If it were a direct duel, he could just pretend to be weak.

That way, they would give up on Train willingly.

However, Albertz pulled out a large bead-like object from his bosom.

“No. There’s no need to test the basic abilities of the academy’s top student.”

“Me? But I should check properly at least once…”

“The most important thing for a knight is mental strength.”

Albertz stepped back as he set the orb on the ground.

“This orb will summon the illusion of the opponent you fear the most.”

At those words, Train gasped and said,

“Wait, just a minute-“

“Then let’s begin. Show us your best!”

The orb flashed.

Everyone was anticipating what Train feared the most, but…

What appeared before him was a frail-looking girl of his age.

“Wow. She’s incredibly pretty.”

“She seems like a noble, but it’s a face I’ve never seen before.”

“He’s scared of a girl like that?”

Meanwhile, Train’s complexion turned deathly pale.

Her long, black hair…

A small, fragile figure.

A sullen expression.

…It was Yuril.

Train recoiled in shock, stepping back.

“No way, you don’t mean to fight like this-“

Suddenly, Yuril’s figure vanished from sight.

By the time Train realized what had happened, he was already soaring through the air.

“Ugh!”

Train tried to get up immediately after falling.

But the illusion didn’t give him a chance, kicking Train away.

Once again, Train’s body flew backward.

He gasped and exclaimed.

“It’s not an illusion!”

Instructor Eloi shouted.

“Focus! There will be almost no physical damage!”

There was no sign of external injury, despite the impact that felt like it could have sent the body flying.

Perhaps that bead was deceiving Train’s five senses, along with his body.

But Train’s ears did not catch the shouts of Instructor Eloi.

A kick came flying without giving him a moment to think.

Before he could even try to dodge, a fist was already hurtling towards him.

No matter what he did, he couldn’t shake it off.

To the other students, the illusion seemed brutally overwhelming.

“Wow, it’s so fast that all I see are afterimages.”

“Is that kid strong enough to give Train a hard time?”

“What in the world is their true identity?”

Fortunately, no one had realized that this girl was the very one Train was trying to save.

After all, no one fears the person they cherish the most.

…No, to be honest, it wasn’t fortunate.

Thanks to that, Prince Sirian’s misunderstanding continued unabated.

‘Well, it must be someone who has nothing to do with Shia anyway.’

While Shiran watched the fight with the others, unimpressed,

Knight Alberz muttered as he watched Train being one-sidedly beaten.

“He’s not much to look at.”

The strength of a phantom is not the strength of the actual person.

It’s merely power based on Train’s belief.

Meaning, Train is currently overwhelmed by fear.

“Let’s stop here.”

As Knight Alberz spoke, Instructor Eloi, flustered, interrupted him.

“Wait! He may not look it, but he’s a guy who gets things done when needed. Let’s just watch a little longer.”

“If he’s that faint-hearted, it’s better to give up on being a knight.”

“Well, it’s not like that-“

Boom.

A sudden small shockwave made Alberz’s heart lurch.

Train had finally blocked the phantom’s punch with his own hand.

“I will never lose to you.”

Train’s expression underwent a sudden transformation.

The other students bore a look of determination they had never shown before.

An inexplicable sense of oppression made everyone tense up without realizing it.

Knight Alberz finally chuckled and muttered,

“Now it’s getting interesting.”