Chapter 217
‘…Thinking back, my years with Vargan weren’t so short after all.’
The Golden Knight Arterion walked down the hallway.
The cheers of those waiting for the two individuals to face off in the finals were already ringing out.
Thud—.
With each step, memories of the past flickered by.
Schugenharz Troa Vargan.
A noble of the Troa Empire, which maintained a long-standing rivalry with the Ocel Kingdom.
He was the third son of the prestigious Schugenhartz family and had shown remarkable talent at a young age.
He and I had crossed paths once in our childhood.
Though it wasn’t a private meeting, but a solemn occasion filled with diplomacy and politics, I remember it clearly.
A genius born of the Schugenhartz family.
In truth, Vargan had accomplished feats at that age that were hard to believe.
At that time, I was also referred to by names like the Reincarnation of the Sword Master, but in comparison to his achievements, I felt like I was just splashing in a puddle.
Being young, I wouldn’t call it a sense of defeat, but it was the moment I truly realized the world was vast.
After that.
I realized my surroundings were filled with sycophants and people who spoke sweet nothings, prompting me to train to gain enough power to satisfy myself, not just to rely on others’ evaluations.
Thanks to that, I was able to grow rapidly.
With a combination of my existing talents and efforts, I was progressing at a terrifying speed.
Time passed until it was time to enter the Academia.
I was quite confident in my strength.
Having faced off against the strongest from the Ocel Kingdom and the surrounding Troa Empire, I knew my standing.
Of course, there were formidable individuals like Clemens, the daughter of the number one in the Hero Ranking, and Rheincarven, the president of the student council in Academia.
But at least among my peers, there was no one stronger than me.
Despite searching thoroughly, I never saw anyone like that.
The genius of the Schugenhartz family, Vargan, had disappeared like a ghost at some point, while Arterion stood on the brink of a red aura.
Even at the moment of submitting my application to Academia, I felt little interest in it and had no particular expectations for the talented individuals gathering there.
…At least, that’s how I felt.
—I am Schugenharz Troa Vargan, the valedictorian of this year’s new students.
Before I knew it, I had lost my top position.
Well, I don’t even know if it was truly taken from me.
It might not have been mine to begin with.
Expecting to take the top spot for granted, I had to concede that name to Vargan and was shocked once again.
I had heard rumors that he had been laying low and living as a fool for a while.
However, it seemed those rumors were merely that—just rumors.
Is he living a life of debauchery without any effort? If so, how can we explain the current situation?
—I don’t have time for long-winded explanations. Let’s cut to the chase and get to the most important point.
Vargan was sitting there as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Arterion was just one of over a hundred new students, merely listening to his speech.
—You are maggots.
Vargan’s words struck like a dagger.
He had been deceiving the world while secretly sharpening his blade.
How embarrassing it is to have been so complacent without even realizing such a fact.
What a truly humiliating experience.
Thud—.
Arterion took another step forward.
He got a step closer to the audience’s noise.
Flashbacks moved forward in sync with this.
In the Class Battle, he had his every move read and faced a disgraceful defeat as things went according to Vargan’s plans.
Even with the ability to use the red aura, he faced an indisputable loss.
At that moment, he felt neither embarrassment nor humiliation.
He simply realized how greatly he lagged not only in strength but also in tactics and psychology; it wasn’t the time to be choked by those emotions.
After that, Vargan continued to grow rapidly.
Arterion chased after him relentlessly, but the gap remained unbridgeable.
Even after Summer Vacation ended, the distance only widened, leading him to doubt his own talents.
The return of the Sword Saint, huh?
Where on earth is such a pathetic Sword Saint?
On the surface, he pretended nothing was wrong, but inside, he was rotting away.
…And as they reached the Academia’s festival, Vargan had somehow become strong enough to match Blurans, who had ascended to Archbishop by that time.
At that moment, Arterion witnessed the severe damage that Vargan had sustained.
Even though it was clear he could hardly walk, Vargan didn’t make a single weak sound and moved on towards the next battle.
Does he not feel pain?
Does he not know what it means to be exhausted?
Arterion, who was doubting his talent, was increasingly driven to effort.
Seeing Vargan silently walking away while dripping blood made him question his own efforts this time.
‘What have I been doing all this time? Was I that desperate? …Could it really be so?’
Talent and effort.
As his belief in these two pillars wavered, an overwhelming void rushed in.
No matter how much others looked up to him and praised him, it all fell on deaf ears.
Whenever he stood in front of Vargan, he felt infinitely smaller and scorned himself for being so pathetic.
He didn’t think of having been betrayed by talent and effort.
From the very beginning, he began to doubt whether he ever truly had ‘talent’ or whether he had really put in ‘effort.’
Of course, that wouldn’t make him give up on the way of the sword.
However, for a time, he seemed to dull his senses and enter a period of stagnation.
The same was true in his relationships.
There was Fallon, always devoted to Arterion, and Lauga, the woman unwaveringly offering her shield with solid swordsmanship.
The encouragement and faith they provided felt fake, like a lie.
From that moment, he began to distance himself from the two.
What Arterion needed wasn’t sweet, pleasant encouragement.
He needed someone to stimulate continuous growth.
The bitter criticism that coldly pointed out reality and relentlessly set standards.
The presence of Fallon and Lauga felt like it was softening him, so he withdrew.
Looking back now, it was a weak excuse. What wrongs could they have committed? It was his own fault for not being able to control his feelings.
……
He felt like he was gradually sinking into the abyss.
Though he swung his sword, it was as if he had lost his purpose.
The loss of direction shattered all senses and relationships, draining his spirit.
It shattered my sanity.
These past few weeks might have been the toughest of my life.
During that agonizing period, she came to visit.
—Lord Arterion, I’m embarrassed to say, but I came to seek your guidance.
“Guidance…? For me?”
Alicia’s request was unexpected.
I barely remembered what I even said back then, lost in the mechanical rhythm of swinging my sword without knowing how to live day by day.
But as I thought about it, I recalled promising to help her.
“Right, I said I’d help her master the red aura.”
Arterion accepted her request, albeit a bit dazed.
Since I was already in a slump, I figured teaching Alicia would also be a way to revisit my past swordsmanship.
Arterion faced off against Alicia with swords drawn.
After numerous clashes and shared techniques, he provided practical lessons.
Though he was experiencing a slump, he didn’t take shortcuts.
“That just couldn’t be. Alicia’s eyes were always sincere.”
Despite Alicia’s stormy growth and Arterion’s temporary standstill, their differences were clear.
Alicia stumbled and fell, getting hurt repeatedly.
Just the healing magic he cast on her must have consumed a week’s worth of his total mana.
He didn’t just lift her spirits; he helped her establish fundamental posture, habits, and the flow of consciousness properly.
Though he spoke kindly, he struck with a fierce sword.
They competed in techniques, managed energy, and controlled their breathing…
Boring actions he had done countless times before.
Yet, strangely enough, as he spent time with Alicia, those thoughts began to fade away.
Day by day, she grew.
Watching this woman, with her indomitable spirit, he even began to feel joy.
—I’m so glad to see you’ve found your power again, Lord Arterion.
One day, Alicia said.
Her incredibly beautiful smile seemed to see through his inner turmoil, which he had never revealed.
—You looked so troubled just a few weeks ago, but now you seem so at ease. It must be that your worries have resolved themselves?
Arterion realized, at some point, that he had pulled himself out of the slump.
Practicing swordsmanship felt joyful.
He felt a sense of accomplishment from his sharpening aura.
Training with Alicia was not just beneficial for her; it was an opportunity and lifeline for Arterion.
The precise cause?
He had no idea.
By the time he noticed, he was already out of that abyss.
Even feelings of inferiority towards Vargan and doubts about his own talent and efforts still lingered.
Still, he enjoyed wielding the sword.
It felt almost blissful.
Then, just days before heading to Rikeion.
—Thank you so much for everything. Thanks to you, Lord Arterion, I was able to improve my swordsmanship.
Alicia expressed her gratitude.
—Before receiving your teachings, I felt like something was stuck, but now it feels like a refreshing release.
Alicia said.
She’d heard development isn’t always an upward climb; sometimes, there are plateaus or descents.
No matter how hard one tries, there are points where one can suddenly soar to new heights, and she felt that was truly the case.
—You have allowed me to experience my second surge, Lord Arterion. No matter how much I thank you, it wouldn’t be enough. Once again, I deeply appreciate it.
As he watched Alicia bow her head deeply, Arterion reflected.
Looking at this, Arterion thought.
‘Ah, I see. Just as I was a catalyst for her ascension, she has become a catalyst for me as well.’
Arterion didn’t bother to ask who the one was that enabled his first ascent.
There was no need to ask; it was all too clear.
The man she serves with all her heart.
How could he be unaware of the existence of Schugenharz Troa Vargan?
At this point, Arterion recognized the figure of Vargan.
His talent, effort, leadership…
He was more suited to be a leader than a king, and deserved respect.
‘This applies not only to Vargan but to all phenomena.’
Arterion accepted all the causal relationships happening around him, including his own feelings.
The inferiority complex towards Vargan, the sense of defeat.
The petty happiness, his true feelings about the sword.
Though his heart still wavered back and forth, he accepted it for what it was.
Had he attained enlightenment…?
Well, he wasn’t sure if this was a breakthrough.
However, ever since that day, Arterion showed a steep growth as if he had jumped after being hunched over for a long time.
Level 1. It was certain that he had taken his first step toward transcendence beyond the rank of the red aura.
—Waaaah!
—Prince Arterion!!
The sunlight beating down and the cheers resonating from all around.
The buzzing mechanical voice of the announcer was noisy, but he couldn’t hear it.
He was focused on one person.
The man standing right before him.
“……”
Gaba, who had fought in the semifinals, had described this tournament as a competition for Alicia.
Alicia… It was true he had feelings for her. Just thinking of her made him smile; he held affection for her.
Yet, standing on the stage now.
Arterion was not motivated by Alicia.
What propelled him forward were the memories of the days he lost to that man.
What tightened his grip on the sword’s hilt was a desperate desire to surpass such a man.
That was the pride of a swordsman.
Sometimes dull, sometimes soaring high, it was his self-esteem.
“Vargan. You are stronger than me.”
Arterion spoke up.
Given the surrounding chaos, it might not even reach him, but it seemed he did hear.
“Surprisingly candid. Are you perhaps declaring defeat before we even begin?”
His tone held a mocking laugh.
“……”
Arterion calmly closed his eyes and denied it.
His low voice flowed toward Vargan.
“You are undoubtedly a strong one, and I cannot measure up to you right now.”
“It seems you have something else to say… Please, go on.”
Arterion slowly opened his eyes.
The golden eyes glimmering brightly did not remove their gaze from Vargan.
Beeeeep—!
Even as the high-pitched sound signaling the start erupted, the two remained unmoved.
Arterion quietly continued the latter part of his unfinished statement.
“However, this time, the victory will be mine.”
Put out your full strength from the start, Vargan.
As soon as his words finished.
Arterion’s red mana expanded in an instant, enough to envelop the arena.
The form of mana was so vast that the spectators could barely see the two fighters, each one resembling a small autumn leaf.
It was a spectacle that made the bare branches of a tree feel colorless, with all the leaves fallen.
As Arterion welcomed his season, he blossomed.
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