Chapter 84: Open Classes (7)
I’m walking back to the Colosseum after meeting Sword Saint.
There wasn’t a soul on the street, as if everyone had gone to the Colosseum.
I suddenly remember Sword Saint patting me on the shoulder and laughing heartily before leaving the room.
I remember that he was still alive at the end of the game, so he must have had a lot of time left before he died of old age.
The question is…
“…Master, I have one question.”
[Hmm, what?]
Sierra, who was leading the way, turned her head to look at me. She was looking cheerful, as if she had just returned from a declaration of war against Sword Saint.
“I was wondering if I should be the one to slit Sword Saint’s throat? Surely, Master’s duel with Sword Saint was not a life-and-death decision.”
Sierra laughs at my question.
[Phew, that’s what’s bothering you. Yes, it wasn’t a life and death struggle between us. We’re both excellent swordsmen, and the country needs us. They couldn’t afford to lose such an important resource over a title….I’ve heard that there was a time, once upon a time, when it was simply a matter of who lived and who died.]
“So why?”
I asked as I listened to Sierra.
[Even if it wasn’t life or death…I don’t know what it was like for the others, but at least we fought like we meant it. Maybe it’s just a habit.]
After dueling dozens of times like that, it’s no wonder they were so serious when they met. Even if it was always Sierra who lost.
Sierra’s expression darkens as she continues.
[But only once…despite the dozens of times we’ve battled, I’ve never been able to defeat him…I’ve been sick since I was a child and I realized that I didn’t have much time left, so I went into seclusion to create a sword technique to defeat him…]
Sierra swallowed the rest of her words since I knew the rest of the story well.
Sierra was obsessed with the sword, and lived a life that knew nothing but the sword but the fact that she didn’t manage to obtain the title of Sword Saint was enough to kill her, so I could see how it would be.
[A thought that comes to mind whenever I recall the old days, how fortunate I am to have been able to meet my student…]
Sierra lunges at me and wraps her arms around me. Her face was radiant as she hugged me…but for some reason, I could feel a small tremor in her body as her cautionary voice echoes in my head.
[So don’t leave, no matter what happens…don’t leave my side]
“You’re worrying about the wrong thing, and it’s not my fault…”
I started to speak, patting her on the back, but Sierra interrupted me.
[…don’t die.]
“……”
I smiled bitterly at her words since I didn’t have a response.
Recent events must have worried Sierra.
‘I’ve been doing a lot of…dangerous things.’
I couldn’t stop myself since everything was for a happy ending but I wonder if that’s possible, even if it means sacrificing my own life.
“…We should go now or we’ll be late.”
I turned and began to walk away slowly, still holding her in my arms and Sierra clung to me, unwilling to part for a moment.
***
The public class was in session at the Colosseum as one cadet stepped forward and called out an opponent to face him.
One of the cadets’ protective spells was broken.
– Aaaaaaah!!!!!!
The cheers of the crowd fill the Colosseum as the dignitaries in the audience are waiting for the cadets who impressed them on the first day to appear.
Normally, at Academy events that are open to the public, such as open classes and examinations, attention is focused on the graduating seniors, but at this year’s open class, all eyes were on the first-year cadets.
In a way, it’s not surprising since this year, the first year class was unusually strong.
From the continental four elemental families to the fresh-faced cadets who showed off their talents.
The phrase “golden generation” was on everyone’s lips and among them were two rising stars, Aizel and Zetto. However, their names were rarely heard.
There was no need for the cadets to challenge them when it was so obvious that they would be destroyed.
Time passed, the sun was high in the sky, and the cadets had been talking about Zetto and Aizel for some time, and whether they were fighting or not.
A woman enters the room, her snow-white hair flowing and her dress spotlessly white.
She is followed by a female knight in silver armor.
Someone in the audience, sensing their presence and being the first to catch sight of them, exclaims.
“Saint?!”
His exclamation draws the attention of everyone in the room to her.
Saint Bernice has arrived at the Academy.
Her pink eyes sweep across the room but her gaze lingers a bit longer on Sword Saint, who sits across from her.
‘That must be Sword Saint, he’s interested in Zetto.’
She stops staring at him and places a hand on her chest, bowing her head slightly in respect, then Bernice then looks up and speaks.
“I’m sorry for the delay, I’m Bernice, the Saint of Innocence.”
Juliut, who had already been informed of the saint’s visit by Ecline, the deputy leader of the Silver Winged Knights, speaks up.
“No, saint, I am only grateful that you have come, and perhaps you would not mind if I informed the Colosseum of your presence.”
Bernice sits down and answers him.
“Yes, you are welcome to do so, but would you mind not disturbing the cadets? They are the ones who should be in the spotlight here, not me. I’m sorry I’m late, but I don’t want to take away their chance at the spotlight.”
“Haha, of course, and even if you don’t, we’ll be taking a break soon, so I’ll let them know you’re here as soon as the break is over.”
“Thank you.”
Bernice smiles faintly and a moment later, Ecline, who had been standing behind Bernice with Ines, leans in close to her ear.
“It looks like Sword Saint has made contact with Cadet Zetto.”
“…Has it already come to that?”
“Sword Saint’s expression does not look good… I wonder if it’s already too late… Rumors are circulating that he has become Sword Saint disciple. I apologize. I should have contacted you sooner…”
Ecline’s eyes narrowed as she said that.
The rumor that he had become a disciple of Sword Saint had dissuaded the officials from making a good offer to Zetto.
Sword Saint didn’t want to be part of any organization, let alone the Knights of the Round Table, so why should his apprentice be any different?
He had even fought quietly in the war a decade ago.
Chris, of course, had dutifully followed Allied orders during the war, and had done a remarkable job of holding off an entire plain in the north.
“No, it’s enough to talk to him, for now.”
Bernice whispered to Ecline.
There was still no confirmation that he was the acupuncturist called the Blind Saint, or that he had anything to do with the demon corpse that had been found in the theater.
“It’s not too late to think about what happens after that.”
Bernice turns her attention back to the Colosseum as a male cadet stood in the center of the coliseum.
Inés, who was standing behind Bernice, was staring at the Sword Saint.
‘You haven’t replied to the dozens of letters I sent…I didn’t expect you to come to the Academy.’
Despite her repeated invitations to join the ‘Round,’ he hadn’t replied to any of them.
Entrusting the letter to the Information Guild, the Black Hand, was not cheap; she was spending money to write to Sword Saint.
Chris felt Ines’s burdened gaze on him and he remembered her or rather, he was remembering her.
She was one of the people on his list of people who annoyed the hell out of him.
‘A Knight of the Round Table.’
For him, the title of Sword Saint was enough to indicate his status, and he didn’t really care about the…annoyance of maintaining order on the continent.
As the Saint appeared, and a strange air flowed through the audience, a cadet in the center of the coliseum announced his opponent in a loud voice.
“I will be facing Cadet Zetto, Class A, First Year!”
At the mention of his name, which everyone had been waiting for, the colosseum began to roar.
Jeras, who was seated next to the Saint, addressed her in a friendly manner.
“Saint, it is an honor to meet you. I’m Geras Clementine.”
It was the first time Bernice and Geras Clementine had spoken, but they knew who each other was and Bernice smiled.
“…You must be Lord Clementine. It is a pleasure to meet one of the patriarchs of the Four Elemental Houses.”
“Haha, no, I’m nothing compared to the Saint, more like…You seem to be a lucky lady, to be able to see Cadet Zetto as soon as you arrive…”
“If it’s Cadet Zetto, I’ve heard of him from our vice-captain. She says he’s very skilled with the sword despite being blind. Who is this cadet who called him out?”
The question was who called him out, had the Colosseum buzzing and it just so happened that Jeras knew him, as he was from the same Kingdom of Teracia.
His presence had been overshadowed by the excellence of this year’s first years, but a year ago he would have been considered a promising cadet.
“This is the son of someone you know, Your Grace. His name is Keefe Okentia, and he’s a third year cadet.”
“Oh, was he Sir Terlos’ son?”
“Yes, although I have to say he’s quite accomplished in his own right……”
‘He is arrogant, like his father,’ Geras said.
Geras did not like Terlos because as far as he was concerned, Terlos Okentia was not only incompetent, but he had a nasty reputation.
Not only that, but the entire Okentia family was up to no good.
Even he wondered how Terlos Okentia was able to become the leader of the Order of the Golden Lion, and why the king had chosen him…
Jeras could only guess that it had something to do with the First Prince.
Bernice was familiar enough with ‘Terlos Okentia’ that she understood what he meant by his slurred words and nodded in response.
“…I suppose that isn’t too much to ask, then. Thank you for your kind explanation, Lord Clementine.”
“No, it’s always more enjoyable to know the characters.”
Jeras smiled and gave a small nod.
The crowd erupted in cheers as Zetto entered the Colosseum and hearing them, Bernice asked a question.
“…I wonder if Cadet Zetto is popular with the ladies.”
Among the cheers, young women’s oohs and aahs of admiration are particularly loud.
“I’ve heard from my daughter, who’s close to him, that he has the power to make people feel at ease… but even if that’s not the case, I wonder if it’s because of his extraordinary bravery that can’t be covered by bandages.”
“Mmm…”
Bernice thought, swallowing hard.
‘I wonder why Jeras is heaping praise on him with such a beaming smile, as if he were his own son-in-law.’
She knew Jeras Clementine as a man of more gravitas but perhaps he, too, coveted Zetto.
Anyway…Bernice could finally see ‘Zetto’ with her eyes.
‘He’s got a great face that even bandages can’t hide…’
Appearances were not important to her, but it was certainly a visual that made her think of the word handsome or handsome young man, even from a distance.
Soon, Zetto slowly approached the center of the coliseum but as he approached, Bernice noticed something strange in her eyes.
A woman dressed like someone from the East was approaching the dignitaries but the problem was that she was floating.
That’s right. Bernice had spotted Sierra.
Sierra had merely wondered what the swordswoman’s reaction would be to seeing her apprentice so she approached the VIP area but she hadn’t noticed the Saint’s presence yet.
Sierra did not show her life force to the Sword Saint since there was no need to.
He coveted Zetto but he was already her disciple so it could be said that Sierra had defeated Sword Saint for the first time.
Of course, that was Sierra’s personal opinion. Thus, she had come to see Sword Saint’s face.
[Hmph…]
Sierra recounted what Zetto had told her, and a laugh escaped from her mouth.
[I’m Zetto one and only master.]
As Sierra thought that, she moved closer to the guest of honor and looked at his face, and his face was as dark as she expected. However, he had maintained a smile until Zetto entered the Coliseum…
‘I see now that our Kaen’s beauty means nothing to him…’
…It was because he was thinking about other things.
Meanwhile, Bernice, who had been watching Sierra closely, realized what she was.
‘Why are the spirits of the dead here?’
Bernice could see the souls and spirits, and her near-infinite divine power allowed her to cross the boundaries between life and death.
She could not only see them, but also hear them and they were often seen in places that had a story to tell.
Bernice would honor, purify, and “sanctify” the spirits she could see. But this was the first time she had ever seen a spirit so clearly tangible.
‘This is something I had only heard about…’
Ghosts are not normal spirits, they’re bound by a bond that gives them an evil aura. She could feel it in the woman she was seeing now.
And now Bernice and Sierra, who had turned away from the Sword Saint with a satisfied smile, made eye contact.
Bernice stared at Sierra in silence.
‘Should I purify it because it might cause trouble…?’
Sierra looked at Bernice with a puzzled expression.
‘Who is that pure white woman who seems to be staring at me…?’
Soon, Inés, who was standing behind Bernice, spoke to the saint.
“Saint, is something wrong?”
Zetto, whom Bernice had been looking forward to seeing, had finally appeared, and her behavior of staring off into thin air had been suspicious.
Sierra hears the word ‘Saint’ and quickly mumbles.
[A saint…did Deidros say she could see spirits…?]
Her mutterings were meant to be heard only over Zetto’s head, but they were heard by Bernice, who was also a saint.
Bernice, who had been staring at her, responded with a faint nod.
Suddenly realizing what was happening, Sierra clapped her hands over her mouth and ducked under the wall of the guest room, hastily concealing herself.
If she went back to Zetto’s side now, the Saint would realize he was involved.
Sierra could not allow her apprentice to be subjected to an inquisition by a Saint.
Then, in the center of the Colosseum…Zetto, preparing for battle with Keefe Okentia, hears Sierra’s voice and questions.
‘The Saint?’