Chapter 520
As we approached the end of the class rivalry, I found myself pondering.
“Hmm…”
I glanced at the scoreboard stationed in the grand sports field, stroking my chin.
Ainter’s faction was still in first place, while my faction and Lather’s were tied for a close second. Since the horse racing event that kicked off this rivalry, this dull yet intense three-way battle had remained unchanged.
‘If we win just two times in a row, things might turn around.’
I ruminated while watching Ainter’s group inch ahead by the slimmest of margins. If we could just snag one victory, we could take first place; and if we manage to win again, we’d seal the deal.
But in theory, anyone can be a winner. Alas, reality differed from the theory. While I had managed to outpace Lather for solo second, I still hadn’t reached the first position. Every time I won, someone else would take the lead, making two wins in a row nothing more than wishful thinking.
‘These pesky kids.’
A glance over my shoulder revealed the imperial students standing in solidarity, chanting support as if they were at a concert.
It was bad enough that they were numerous, but they were also skilled, making any gap impossible to exploit. Perhaps the few Armein students holding their ground could be seen as a minor victory in itself.
That’s what made it even more frustrating. Just a little bit more, and we’d be at the finish line. I felt that if we didn’t give up, the opportunity would come.
And then, my first and last chance finally arrived.
‘Erich has dropped out.’
The mastermind behind this hellish three-way battle, the puppet master encouraging Ainter, was none other than Erich, the front-line captain from the Empire. And now, he had completely withdrawn from the class rivalry.
The reason? Nothing elaborate. Apparently, he got into a scuffle with foreign students and was caught by the supervising teacher. Rumor had it that he was choked out in a fit of rage. Too bad I didn’t witness it personally.
As it stood, with Erich sidelined by the teacher’s stern intervention, the raucous cheer from the imperial students had significantly softened. No student in their right mind would want to receive a beating from the teacher.
‘Now the odds of winning the 4-man match have increased.’
I shifted my gaze back to the scoreboard, organizing my thoughts.
With Erich, the captain gone, and Ainter’s skill still beneath mine, the psychological pressure from the imperial students had eased a bit too. In the final match of the class rivalry, the chances of Armein winning had significantly improved.
Sure, that was good enough. If maintaining first place was difficult through two consecutive victories, we could simply secure the win at the end. Once the rivalry was over, maintaining the lead wouldn’t matter anymore.
‘A final victory for ultimate glory.’
A smile crept across my lips. There was no better picture than that.
Brave knights from Armein holding steadfast against the Empire’s oppression. After enduring such hardship, we now had the opportunity to claim an honorable and noble victory. Those who don’t give up truly are blessed.
“Rutis.”
“Yeah?”
As I contemplated a training session with my comrades for the 4-man match, Lather’s voice suddenly broke my train of thought.
“Oh, Lather. When did you arrive?”
“I’ve been here for a while.”
His curt response made me slightly embarrassed. How had I not sensed him approaching? Had I been too preoccupied with the idea of winning?
A small chuckle escaped me. Who would’ve thought I’d get so worked up over an academy event? Although I had tried hard for victory in the past couple of years, I had never committed as sincerely as this. It was all thanks to Erich giving us this incredible graduation gift.
“Let’s get to the point since our next match is coming up. Have you heard about Erich?”
“Haha, hard to miss the buzz! I hear he’s lying in the infirmary, huh?”
It was amusing to think that the very person who caused the ruckus was now just chilling out somewhere far away.
Still, given that he was in good hands with Sara’s attentive nursing, I doubt he felt too bad about it. Honestly, Erich brought that outcome upon himself when he antagonized the teacher.
‘Little brother sticking it to big brother.’
I couldn’t help but chuckle again. If the Krasius family were royalty, people might start saying Erich was gunning for the crown prince title. His impulsive actions had struck a serious blow to the teacher’s pride.
Of course, we found it all entertaining. It was a shame for the teacher, but as students of the academy, enjoying academy events wasn’t a crime.
“Objectively speaking, Ainter’s current level can’t hold a candle to us. With Erich out, it’ll just be a duel between you and me.”
“Well, that’s true.”
I nodded casually, agreeing with Lather’s insight. In a year or two, maybe Ainter might pose a threat, but having just started sword training, they were no match for us.
I didn’t mean to belittle Ainter; it’s simply a matter of time.
“And remember, the points for the 4-man match are worth more than those of any other event. It’s best not to burn out in the preliminary matches and save your strength for the finale.”
“Oh.”
That was an unexpected piece of advice that took me by surprise.
It wasn’t that I was astonished by Lather participating in the 4-man match; that was a foregone conclusion. I would have been shocked if he had declared his absence instead.
Yet, I found myself impressed for another reason.
“What are you gonna do if you shout your challenge and then end up losing?”
Lather approached and formally declared a challenge. This was stepping far beyond the friendly games we played in the club room. He was announcing to the audience, “Let’s settle this in the 4-man match.”
It was an uncharacteristic move for someone like Lather, usually so composed and graceful.
‘But I like it.’
As a knight, nothing stirs me more than a public challenge from a rival. Nothing ignites the blood quite like the declaration of a longstanding nemesis.
“Is there a general who steps onto the battlefield expecting to lose?”
“Haha!”
Now he was really speaking my language.
“Alright then. Let’s have the winner of the 4-man match claim all the glory, honor, and cheers.”
And just like that, I had an exhilarating departure with Lather; it felt like it had just happened moments ago.
‘Was that all a dream?’
As I stepped onto the field, I couldn’t help but smirk.
More specifically, I lost my grin after spotting one of Ainter’s participants coming up.
‘Why is the teacher here?’
There he stood, a frustrated frown on his face, as he made his way onto the arena.
The victor of the 4-man match two years ago was now stepping in to meddle in our student squabble again.
‘…Damn Erich.’
Could it be that this was all part of your cunning plan? Sacrificing yourself to bring your big brother, the teacher, back into the fray?
If that truly was the case, then Erich must be quite the lunatic. Or perhaps the teacher grabbed him too hard, rattling his brain.
*
Rumors spread quickly that the academy’s class rivalry had become an issue of national pride.
After all, the students actively participating, both players and spectators, were children of nobles, and once they began discussing the academy with their families, the news would spread like wildfire.
And as the rivalry gained attention throughout the Empire and even among foreign countries, the disaster began.
– “I heard the academy is in chaos these days.”
“When has it ever been quiet?”
This all started with the Judicial Minister. Somehow, he got wind of how badly Erich had been choked out by the supervising teacher that night, and he sent me a message filled with smugness.
– “What can I do when everyone I meet only talks about the academy? The future leaders of the Empire are building friendships with students from other countries while showcasing the Empire’s skills. It’s bound to become a beautiful precedent.”
The subsequent remarks from the Minister made my blood run cold. The people he met with were likely other ministers or at least counts and high-ranking nobles. The class rivalry was on the lips of the Empire’s upper echelons, and they were anticipating this “beautiful precedent.”
Naturally, there was no doubt about what that beautiful precedent implied. Victory for the Empire, of course.
This was incredibly troublesome. What started as a simple childish quarrel was now gaining the interest of adults who would have likely shrugged it off.
“The students will handle their own matters. We just need to cheer them on.”
– “That’s certainly the ideal, but reason and emotion rarely align, are they?”
The Minister wrapped up with that line, tossing me a few more casual niceties before cutting off the contact. It felt like a nudge to let me know that the Empire’s public sentiment was directed at the academy.
Since that day, a headache plagued me. If the Empire’s higher-ups were watching the academy, this was no longer a simple ‘securing the safety of foreign dignitaries’ issue. This was a BIG EVENT designed for the sake of the Empire’s pride, and we needed to secure a victory.
‘What do I care?’
Still, I gritted my teeth and bore it, trying to flip a blind eye to the people’s underlying expectations.
Did they really think I was some lowly bureaucrat? The only royal brat above me in this hierarchy was the Emperor himself, yet I too held my own power and authority elsewhere. There was no way I would grant the public’s wish at the cost of my dignity.
If winning the class rivalry tied into the national interests or prestige of others, sure, I would take that into consideration. But that wasn’t the case. Winning merely served to save face; losing wouldn’t cost anyone anything, just a slight disappointment.
– “Minister.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
– “The situation has garnered the Emperor’s attention. He’s quite pleased watching the young folk striving to uphold the Empire’s honor.”
“….”
But even while I enjoyed a peaceful online game, to hear that the Emperor’s interest had been piqued made me resign myself to misery.
If the Emperor wished for something, it had to be done. Though I had stepped back to hold no official power, my authority and honor did not simply vanish. No one could disregard the man who had rekindled the Empire.
‘Damn it.’
The problem was that I had forced Erich, a key figure for the Empire, to drop out.
Based on previous experience, it seemed that the winner of the final 4-man match would likely be crowned overall victor. But without Erich, the Empire’s chances in facing Rutis and Lather would be near impossible. I had just torn our chances for victory asunder.
The Emperor’s vassals were trying to achieve victory, yet that information would crush any hope for glory? I couldn’t even bear to imagine that dreadful future. If I could prevent that future, then stepping in as an adult in this kids’ brawl would be no hardship at all.
“Supervising Teacher… what on earth…”
“I had my own matters.”
And this was the result. Just like the last time, the supervising teacher had ended up in the 4-man match.
I’m sorry, Rutis.
‘This is what it means to be a civil servant.’
You’ll never understand this cold reality, not being a royal or noble.
Damn it.
*
In the end, the final showdown, staked with everything, became a victory for the Empire thanks to the monster that was the supervising teacher.
There could’ve been an uproar or objections to the unexpected intrusion of an outsider, but the imperial students formed the majority and celebrated their victory with loud applause and cheers.
Even the foreign students who ought to have protested were too busy cheering for the supervising teacher’s splendid swordsmanship, likely realizing he had taken on the role of entertainer to quell any dissent.
‘It’s unfortunate, but what can you do?’
I brushed off the dust from my clothes and stepped down from the arena. Even though I had failed to finish with a victory, having learned from the astounding master that is the supervising teacher was a success for someone like me, walking the path of the sword.
But Lather, not being a knight like me, might find it hard to accept—
“Third place. Where are you going?”
I halted mid-step as Lather’s voice rang out from behind me.
“…What did you just say?”
“I said third place.”
As I turned to glance at him, I found Lather grinning while pointing at the scoreboard.
True to his claim, my faction had snagged the third spot, while Lather’s had landed firmly in second.
“You fell first, and somehow I ended up with a higher score. Looks like I take the win this time.”
His rationale was ludicrous, rendering me speechless. After all, we both faced defeat to the supervising teacher, so what’s the difference in victory?
“This match was a bit murky. Let’s have a proper rematch next time—”
“Sorry, but I don’t wish to rematch a loser.”
…
‘Damn that blue-haired punk.’
In that instant, I learned what true hatred felt like.
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