chapter 12
012. Exam, afterward
The dormitory I was assigned to boasts of a state of facility that is difficult to say even empty words.
“If your skills are as good as your brother’s, you should be able to earn the top spot in the S class… ….”
“Oh, you really talk a lot.”
After the interview, Veris couldn’t stand Gunter’s murmuring, which followed him to the scene where he was moving his luggage to the dormitory.
The big, distracted fellow was so talkative that it was hard to listen now. No, to be precise, the expression that I have reached the limit of my patience would be more appropriate.
“That must mean that my sincerity has reached you. Isn’t that right, Lord Arwen?”
“Yes indeed.”
Eolssigu.
Unexpectedly, Veris could only shake her head at the reaction of the two, who matched well.
For some reason, Gunther. Even so, Arwen was still showing a negative attitude towards Berris’ B class admission. The fact that someone I’ve been with for half my life is now in a different class is uncomfortable inside, but even though we live in the same academy west district.
“And brother, you must not forget your promise. I’ll do it right after you’re done packing.”
“…… Got it.”
“Let’s go!”
Gunter seemed excited about Veris’ answer.
It was Gunther’s whining that started from the moment he left the dean’s office in the faculty building. Veris was trying hard to appease Gunther because he didn’t want to hear it so much, but what Gunther asked him to do was fight, and Berris readily accepted it.
Of course, contrary to Veris’ intention, Gunther’s crying continued.
“Lord Arwen will be watching, right?”
“…… I have a prior arrangement.”
“What? Arwen…… Promise?”
Surprised by Arwen’s plain reply, Veris looked at her.
It seems that this elf, who always boasts a proud and expressionless expression, has already made friends since it has been a few days since he came to this academy. Does the slope have a slope like this?
“…… I am a steady ‘girl student’.”
For some reason, Arwen emphasizes that her promise partner is a woman. But that’s what she is. Wasn’t she not curious about Berry’s?
“What kind of affair did Arwen, who is infinitely lacking in sociability, have? How open-minded did she meet?”
“That’s a truly unbiased evaluation to say in front of the person concerned.”
“Is that so?”
Verys tidies up her luggage with such a silly sound. The room in the dormitory she was assigned to was very small, and thanks to the simple luggage brought from her home, she was able to finish organizing her luggage quickly. The only consolation thing is that the dormitory is a single room?
“Brother, let’s go to the training ground right now.”
“I will clean it up for you.”
“Thank you, Lord Arwen!”
And thanks to Gunther’s urging, Veris had no choice but to leave the room right away. She still only unpacked her luggage and she roughly finished tidying up, but seeing Gunter humming her snort as if she was impatient, she seemed genuinely happy.
* * *
─ Serureung.
“…… I will go with all my heart.”
Holding an old iron sword lying in her arena, Gunter looked at Veris, who was standing in front of him with a serious expression, her usual light words and actions disappearing.
Have you heard the story of the boy who wanted to touch the sun floating far away?
Gunther knew that the boy in the fairy tale was very similar to himself.
The man who pulls out a sparring sword in front of him with a calm face is like the sun in the sky to Gunther.
Why do you regard him as the sun and admire him? There is nothing. It may just be that he realized it himself because Gunter had a different sense from a young age.
─Taat!
“Haap!”
With the last horse, Gunther concentrated all his strength on his lower body. And the rapid rush that follows. It is a leap with such strong energy that Gunther is proud that there are probably few freshmen at the academy who can stop this sudden rush.
─Wheeik!
However, Veris avoided Gunther’s attack with just a slight twist of his upper body, and Gunther continued his attack through subsequent movements.
‘I’m not the kind of person who would allow an attack in the first place!’
Without even retrieving the stabbed sword, a continuous horizontal slash.
Because it is a sword full of mana energy, a slash with unusual speed unfolded from the tip of his sword, but once again Veris easily evaded the attack by moving one step back.
“Keuugh!”
In the aftermath of two failed attacks instinctively, Gunther did not hesitate. Now that his enemy has easily let go of his attack, it’s time for his opponent’s attack to fly.
Retrieving the sword that was moving forward and swinging it again, Gunther spurred his foot back. As if his prediction was not wrong, Berith’s bell slash fell where Gunther was.
Gunther felt like he was breaking out in a cold sweat.
A difference in skill? Of course it was expected. No matter how much he is called the swordsman genius of the empire, the man in front of him is a real monster that has surpassed that level a long time ago.
There was no evidence. Even with the unknown feeling of ‘feeling’, Gunther was realizing that Veris was not his opponent.
But while there are clear differences, there are lines. How on earth should I express this bizarre situation in which Gunther’s whole-hearted attack was offset with just one step, twisting his body?
“I will go again!”
Gunter, who had kept his distance in anticipation of Veris’ counterattack, soon started running towards Veris again with a cry.
I didn’t even expect victory. However, I want to see at least a fragment of the tip that older brother has. That was Gunter’s idea.
─Hung!
Gunter’s cross cut without a moment’s hesitation.
The stab with the added speed of the rushing swordsman is easily predictable no matter who the opponent is. That’s why Gunther changed his attack.
‘A little bit!’
Reach it.
─Whoosh!
Two consecutive slashes that cut through the air, making Gunther’s wind colorless.
Even though the slash cut through the air, Gunther didn’t back down this time, instead choosing a dizzying attack.
In the first place, unlike stabbing, slashing is useful for combo attacks that apply motion. Gunther did not forget that fact, which he knew because he had been training since he was young.
─Shuk, shushuk!
If you were an ordinary student, the attack was so dazzling and brutal that it would make you lose your mind. However, his opponent, Berris, was avoiding the wave of attacks without difficulty, so could there be such a cruel gap?
‘Falling.’
As Veris’ sword, which was dodging an attack, was raised above his head, Gunther gritted his teeth.
The moment that sword drops, will you be able to block the attack?
There is an absolute difference in power. Then it might be right to choose evasion rather than defense.
─Chack!
Gunter, with a brief moment of concern flashed through his mind, did not hesitate to act. When Gunther backstabs again, the old iron sword falls right where he was.
He felt goosebumps all over his body.
It’s just an ordinary straight cut that doesn’t contain any mana or energy. However, the kind of intimidation that the attack had is absolutely not normal.
Gulp.
A shudder ran through my body, and the cold sweat on my back was already soaking through my clothes.
If it weren’t for the pommel on the handle of the training sword, it wouldn’t be strange to lose the sword several times.
But even in that tension, Gunther could intuitively know. That Veris, who was fighting with him now, was not showing her full strength.
“Brother, I have a request for you.”
“What kind of favor?”
“…… Please with all your might.”
“Power, power.”
Veris stroked Gunther’s chin as if pondering for a moment at Gunther’s request.
But that thought didn’t last long, and soon after, Berrys nodded and answered quietly.
“Good.”
─Whoa!
The atmosphere in the arena suddenly changed.
Gunther could see that this was not an illusion. This is the spirit of a dreamer.
Mother nature’s mana responds just by holding the sword. Just taking one step makes the earth scream in surprise.
One step.
─ Fuhuaak!
‘Huh?’
Gunther saw that Veris was only one step closer to him.
It is as if one’s whole body is hacked to pieces, and his blood is spattered and he collapses.
Sir.
Gunther couldn’t help but smile at this creepy phenomenon.
Look. His own senses were not wrong. His arms trembled madly with fear, and his legs trembled, making it difficult to stand still, but Gunther did not give up and rushed in front of him.
In the blink of an eye, Gunther reached Veris and was about to throw his sword…… Did.
‘What.’
It is literally a fleeting moment. However, since Veris, who was standing in front of him, disappeared from Gunther’s sight, what would be the right way to describe it?
─Shhh!
That fleeting moment that doesn’t even last a second. Soon after, he heard the sound of a sword cutting through the wind, and Gunther had no choice but to turn around.
Gunther couldn’t help but stiffen at the iron sword for sparring that approached like a huge mountain next to him.
──── [ Death ]
It is said that if you are at the crossroads of life and death, you will see a kaleidoscope. The feeling of childhood memories running through his head gripped Gunther’s frozen body.
But the fortunate thing is that the place where Gunter is standing now is a sparring ground inside the academy, and his opponent is a swordsman who is so strong that he cannot be compared to him. Thanks to that iron sword that stopped moving right in front of his eyes, Gunther was able to save his life.
“Ha ha ha.”
It happened so quickly that it broke the atmosphere. But Gunther, feeling better about her, couldn’t help but laugh.
Of course, I didn’t laugh because this situation was funny.
Just.
“Wanting to see the fragments of my brother’s power seems to be over-enthusiasm.”
“Not bad.”
Puffed up.
As Veris’s sword returned to its scabbard in the same tone as usual, Gunther’s legs gave out and he collapsed into his seat.
He has worked tirelessly to not become a shameful person.
But when he came face to face with its power, he had to admit that he was arrogant.