Chapter 80: Open Classes (3)
The battle of Aizel Ludwig sent the entire Colosseum into a frenzy and the excitement was palpable, even among those in the audience.
Even Chris commented, “That’s pretty good,” so it’s easy to see how everyone else felt about Aizel.
Most importantly, she was a new face and there were a lot of people who came to see if there were any good talents.
They had never heard of the Ludwig family name before, but they recognized it. If it was a small family from the periphery, she might be the first to be recruited.
Although she was a first-year student, people figured it wouldn’t hurt to get a head start.
A variety of characters had their own opinions about her and they were adamant that whoever favored Aizel would be able to laugh at the end of this public lesson.
Soon after Aizel’s battle, the public class is interrupted for a break.
The officials scurry out of the room, keeping an eye on each other.
At this time of day, it was customary for the cadets to eat with family members they hadn’t seen in a while, but they took this opportunity to try and speak to Aizel.
Then the heads of the four elemental families rose to their feet but Chris was unable to get up from his seat.
‘…The life force is gone.’
The liveliness that had been felt throughout the open class had disappeared as if on cue as soon as it was time for a break, and he was wondering about what he saw earlier in the air.
Chris thought about it, but he couldn’t come up with an answer, as there were plenty of people who could hold a grudge against him.
As he leaned back in his chair, Juliut stood up and spoke to him.
“Chris, would you like to join us for a meal?”
“I have someone to see first but I’ll try to find some time this evening.”
Chris was going to see his apprentice, Kaen.
“I see, I see…It’s been a while since you’ve seen each other, so I hope you have a good time.”
Juliut knew who Chris was talking about and left the room.
Chris sat a little longer, but his troubles were not resolved.
Eventually, he stood up and hummed to himself as he thought about going to see Kaen.
***
It was time to share a meal with family members who had traveled from far away but I had no family so I filled my stomach by myself.
The only person who was similar to me was Aizel, but I didn’t see her because she was being harassed by the nobles and organizations, just like in the game.
She even managed to kill a wyvern in one hit, so it’s clear that she’s much more powerful than in the game.
On my way back to the Colosseum after the meal, I ducked into an off-the-beaten-path alley to talk to Sierra.
“…You think Sword Saint saw you?”
[Yeah, I glared at him a bit, and he was staring in my direction, probably sensing my life force.]
“I don’t think that’s good news…”
[Don’t worry too much, I won’t reveal myself under his nose.]
“Are you sure…?”
[So you don’t trust me?]
As she said that, Sierra’s eyes were still filled with vitality.
She had tried to surpass the Sword Saint until she was about to die, and now she was a ghost who wouldn’t even get the chance.
She lost over seventy times…Every time she thought of the Sword Saint, she would be reminded of her shameful past.
Facing the Sword Saint after decades Sierra said.
[Show him the Reverse Heaven.]
Sierra’s commanding voice echoed in my head as she crossed her arms.
[Show him the swordsmanship that will defeat him, that will be his only threat.]
I wondered what the point of showing a sword technique to the Sword Saint would be but…Perhaps Sierra wanted to reveal something.
‘I have a sword technique here that was created to defeat you.’
My answer was predetermined: I would use Reverse Heaven to defeat the Sword Saint on her behalf.
“I understand, but in exchange for…”
[What?]
“Promise me that you won’t reveal your life force as long as he’s around? I don’t want to be decapitated in an instant.”
[Hmph, my disciple is a worrier.]
Sierra snorts and tugs on my cheek.
‘She’s not answering.’
While Sierra and I are having this conversation, two women suddenly enter the alley.
[Hmmm…?]
It was pitch black in the alley, and they hadn’t realized I was there.
“Sis, is that really it?”
“Mmm…”
Someone said, and it was Lucia and her sister, Rikua.
Rikua grabbed Lucia’s shoulders and asked her, and Lucia shrank back.
“Where the hell did you lose it?”
“I don’t know…”
Rikua pursed her lips in thought, and Lucia sulked.
Rikua had a cute face that resembled Lucia’s, but there was a calmness in her expression and tone of voice that Lucia didn’t have.
As they talked, I realized what had happened as I remembered seeing this scene in the game.
Thieves…No, it seems that a ‘thief’ is slowly roaming the academy and Lucia was one of his victims.
“How is it possible to lose a pendant around your neck in a day? Tell me who took it from you, because I’m going to beat them half to death.”
Rikua’s words were a little more murderous.
“That’s not it…! I actually had it around my neck…! And then it just disappeared… I’m not being bullied or anything…! The cadets in my class are so nice!”
A frustrated Lucia stammered, retorting.
Rikua could be calm, but when it came to her sister, her emotions took over.
She was a big sister that liked and cared for her little sister very much, but she didn’t show it in front of others.
There was even a backstory to this.
To others, it would look like the capable and ambitious Rikua had taken the position of heir apparent into her own hands but there is no such thing as ambition for Rikua.
Even for her, the position was daunting. However, she became the heir because she found Lucia crying and depressed, saying she couldn’t be the heir, and she offered to take over.
Rikua and Lucia kept this a secret between them and began to pretend that they didn’t get along.
‘It’s just that Rikua unilaterally kept Lucia away from her.’
As a result, Lucia began to be compared to Rikua, and her place in the family grew smaller and smaller, allowing Rikua to become the heir.
‘She’s a good girl.’
Of course, it was when they were young, so it was imperfect and clumsy.
That was information that could be gleaned from speaking with their mother, the patriarch of House Windless, Cicely Windless.
For now, Lucia seemed a bit resentful, so I slowly approached them.
“…Who is it?”
A gust of wind whips around Rikua’s hand as she realizes I’m here and Lucia, who spotted me soon after, shouted.
“Zetto…!”
“…Ms. Lucia, we’re meeting here by chance.”
Rikua, who was looking back and forth between me and Lucia, asked Lucia in a low voice if she knew me.
“Yes, we’re in the same class! Zetto was in the same group in the mock battle… I got second place thanks to him…! He’s so powerful… Don’t you remember I told you about him in a letter the other day?”
“Ah, that… You said that he could cut a Wind Cutter with his sword…”
Rikua looked at me, followed by Lucia, who shouted aloud despite whispering.
Lucia must have explained to Rikua that I’m a blind swordsman.
“My name is Zetto.”
“…I’m Rikua Windless.”
I smiled and offered my hand to Rikua, who shook it with a somewhat reserved expression.
“But why is Zetto coming out of there…?”
Lucia asked shortly afterward.
“It’s crowded outside, so I was just taking a break here, I get a little tired when there’s too much noise.”
I said, tapping my own ears.
“Aha…”
An exclamation of understanding escaped Lucia’s lips.
Rikua, who was looking at me from the corner of her eye, seemed to understand so I immediately continued.
“It seems that I’ve unintentionally eavesdropped on your conversation… As I was listening, a rumor came to mind.”
“What, what rumor…?”
“During this open class… Gödö sent a notice to the Academy.”
” Gödö, Gödö?! If it’s Gödö, could it be…Gödö Yorfang!”
Lucia waved her arms in the air.
“Yes, I was wondering if it might be Gödö who stole Miss Lucia’s things… Well, it’s just a thought, but…”
Lucia’s eyes narrowed as if she had realized something.
“Well, then, I’ll leave you to it.”
I bowed to them, hoping that was enough, and headed out of the alley but as I slowly walked away, I listened to their conversation.
“Uh… I bumped into someone earlier, but…! Could it have been…?”
“Sis… He’s not an ordinary thief, I’ve heard that whenever he steals something, he sends a notice, no exceptions.”
“Isn’t that right…? But there could have been a notice…!”
Gödö Yorfang always sends a notice before he steals, that’s why he’s called a thief instead of a bandit by the people who play the game…
“Huh? What is this…?”
Lucia can be heard in the alleyway, retrieving the letter from her bosom and reading it aloud.
“I really like your pendant, so in exactly 30 seconds from now… I will take it from you… Gödö Yorfang…?!”
I’d have to catch him, but there was still plenty of time.
For now, I was overwhelmed with thoughts of my battle.
***
Even though the sun had completely set and the sky was darkening, the first day of public classes was not yet over.
Bright lights illuminated the Colosseum and the festive atmosphere of the Colosseum was still there, but it was only the beginning.
Despite Yuri’s fireworks display against the resilient ‘Trolls,’ and Lucia’s Calling Tornado, which sent the monster flying……my turn hadn’t come.
Even Kaen was done and she performed with the average skill of a C-class cadet.
It wasn’t that I was impatient to fight, but rather that I had an uncomfortable feeling of unfinished business…
When I started to wonder when my turn would come Mr. Kaliman, who was walking among the cadets sitting in the audience, called out to me.
“…Cadet Zetto, Class A, Year 1, you’re next, so get ready.”
“Just follow me.”
Following Kaliman’s call, an academy staff member approaches me and leads me to the hall.
I follow the staff to the hall, where I find Edward, who is presiding.
With his back to me, I can see the passageway leading to the coliseum.
He spots me immediately and opens his mouth.
“There you are, Cadet Zetto. I’ve been waiting for you, and now you can choose which monster to face…”
Edward’s smile, which had been fading at the end of his sentence, now seemed even more suspicious than usual.