As soon as Gawain dropped his glove, Richard charged in.
He approached in a flash and swung his sword.
Argon raised his shield to block it.
Bang! It sounded like a club hitting something.
It wasn’t the sound of a blade striking.
Richard was holding his sword upside down.
He was gripping the blade and swinging the cross guard like a mace to hit the shield.
‘Murder Stroke?’
It’s one of the auxiliary traits of swordsmanship.
It’s used to deal with solid armor by holding the sword upside down and using the handle like a club.
When I read about it in the game description, I thought whatever, since I never actually swung a sword.
But seeing it in action felt completely different.
‘Now I understand why he uses it like that.’
Trying to strike a shield with a sword won’t do any damage at all.
On the other hand, concentrating the impact point on the cross guard gives you a chance to damage the shield or armor.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Richard continued to swing his sword one after another.
As if he were hitting with a pickaxe.
Argon didn’t even dare to counterattack.
It looked like blocking was a struggle for him; he frowned every time he defended.
Richard didn’t say a word.
He just persistently swung his sword.
A faint smile hinted at a quiet madness.
‘The Lion’s Knight… so it’s been like this since then.’
“Ugh-!”
Argon barely dodged Richard’s full-power strike.
He immediately swung his sword.
But Richard deflected it by striking the side of the sword with one hand.
‘…Is he insane?’
No matter how dull the training sword is, to deflect a weapon with bare hands is crazy.
Even later, when Richard was called the Lion’s Knight, he did the same thing.
I just thought it was impressive, but now that I’m holding a weapon myself, I understand.
Blocking a swinging weapon with bare hands? That’s madness.
Richard thrust the two-handed sword with just one hand.
How did he readjust his grip in that moment?
Argon stumbled back after being hit in the shoulder.
The moment he raised his shield again, Richard grasped that shield with his hand and shoved it down.
“What the…!”
Startled, Argon hurriedly swung his sword.
‘It’s over.’
His center of gravity collapsed.
An unreasonable counterattack that didn’t consider the opponent’s reaction.
There was no more point in watching.
As expected, the conclusion came in an instant.
Richard had already regained his stance.
He held the sword by its hilt and blade.
‘Half-swording.’
He deflected Argon’s clumsy attack like that.
Then, he struck Argon’s face with the pommel at the end of the handle, knocking him down, before stabbing his neck with the sword.
“Enough.”
Gawain declared the end of the match.
The falling sword stopped right in front of Argon’s Adam’s apple.
“The duel is over. The winner is Richard.”
The audience’s reaction was tepid.
There were cheers, but the outcome was so obvious from the start.
Of course.
It was such a reaction.
“Argon. As the loser, fulfill the winner’s request.”
“……”
Argon stood up weakly.
He glanced between Richard and me.
Hesitating, he slowly bent at the waist.
He lowered his head so much that the crown of his head was visible.
“…I’m sorry.”
Argon said in a small voice.
“Boo-! This is boring!”
He didn’t care about the audience’s jeers.
He stayed bent for a while.
“…Tsk.”
Richard clicked his tongue and stood with the tip of his sword on the ground.
“It’s just a bow. Hey, Judas.”
“Yes.”
Richard rubbed the back of his head and said.
“Sorry. I feel like I’ve done something unnecessary.”
Now that I see it, I also have considerable nosiness.
‘I made this match for your sake, but I’m sorry for forcing an apology, is that it?’
There’s a lot to apologize for, I see.
“I’m fine.”
“Right….”
Even after Richard stepped back, Argon didn’t straighten his back.
What could he be thinking?
Meanwhile, Gawain organized the situation.
“You’ve seen several trial duels so far, but it’s the first time you’ve witnessed beginners like Judah and Lindell fight earnestly. You need to remember their duel.”
The lively atmosphere gradually calmed down.
Before I knew it, it was training time again.
It seemed to be an enjoyable duel lesson just to watch, so everyone focused quite well.
“In Lindell’s case, he got overly excited. He was swept away by the surroundings. In contrast, Judah maintained composure from start to finish. He drew the opponent into his flow and, in the end, won. Some of you may have laughed at these two’s duel.”
A few people flinched as if they had been hit.
“But remember this. Your next real battle may not turn out this way. A knight is not a soldier who stands on the battlefield ceremoniously. You must be a tool ready to sacrifice your life for your master, anytime and anywhere. You must not be swayed by the environment or circumstances. Understood?”
“Yes!”
Then Gawain mentioned Judah and Lindell a few more times.
I mostly received praise, while Lindell was pointed out for his shortcomings.
Next was Richard and Argon’s turn, but there wasn’t much to say.
It was too overwhelming of a match.
Argon had a stiff expression the entire time he listened.
He didn’t seem displeased.
He looked like he had made some kind of resolution.
Lindell was the same.
“Then let’s continue with the afternoon training. And you four.”
Gawain pointed at me, Richard, Lindell, and Argon.
“You four will receive treatment and then take a short break before having a separate advice session.”
“Understood.”
As Richard approached me with a grin, he asked,
“Are you alright?”
“I can manage.”
“Dude, you’re a man, right?”
“How about you, sir?”
“Me? I didn’t get hit at all.”
“…Ah.”
He really is impressive.
He’s not called the bearer of the Fifth Test for nothing.
I don’t know what the Fifth Test is, though.
Thud thud.
The sound of footsteps slightly faltered.
Richard glanced back.
I also took a quick look in that direction.
Lindell and Argon, who were following, stopped in their tracks.
“Got something to say?”
“…No.”
“Not particularly….”
We walked on in an awkward silence.
After receiving simple treatment in the infirmary, we returned.
Training proceeded smoothly.
There were no special incidents afterward.
During breaks, a few people greeted me.
They were friendly greetings.
I wondered if they were impressed by my duel.
Since all the faces were unfamiliar, they must be from different rooms.
I returned the greetings moderately while scanning the surroundings.
‘When allies arise, enemies also appear.’
Sure enough, the number of hostile glares directed at me increased.
It’s the price of being too noticeable.
I accepted it since it can’t be helped.
I chose this.
What worried me more than that, though, was the candidates in Room 13.
The factions centered around Richard and Argon had become more distinct than before.
‘This is a bit troublesome.’
They were the people I’d spend time with moving forward.
It’s not like they crossed the line with me, so it’d be better to get along if possible.
[‘Yesterday’s enemies are today’s allies’ updated. In progress….]
Time passed with only questions lingering in my mind.
The afternoon training ended without incident.
*
Dinner time.
I sat between Richard and Dillon, eating in the restaurant.
As usual, the bland soup and hard bread were the staples.
Dinner was more filling, accompanied by salted meat.
Tough and grossly salty.
‘If this keeps up, I wonder if my growth will be alright.’
Is it that the food budget allocated to candidates is low?
Or is there corruption here too?
Anyway, this can’t go on.
I’m in a growth phase; I need to be eating dirt too….
“Don’t you get it? Why is the best defense called an attack? How are you supposed to counter if you swing indiscriminately?”
Richard was arguing.
“That’s only true when there’s an overwhelming difference in skill. What if the opponent is adept at reading moves? If they predict you’ll block with your arm and swing with all their might?”
Dillon countered.
The two were discussing the match Richard had with Argon earlier.
“That’s how I lost last time….”
“Hey, watch your mouth! Who asked you to bring that up?”
“But actually….”
“Shut your mouth and eat your bread.”
“How can I eat when you tell me to shut my mouth?”
“I’ll help you out. Hand me that bread and open wide.”
Richard was trying to smack Dillon’s mouth with the hard bread while Dillon was struggling not to lose it.
In the midst of their squabble, I quietly chewed on the tough meat.
While I was worrying about the diet, someone sat down in front of me.
The two bickering looked up in that direction.
Lindell, Argon.
And a few others who had been eying me with disdain.
“What do you want?”
Richard asked bluntly.
Lindell’s eyes darted about awkwardly.
“What is it? Can’t you hear me?”
Argon stepped forward.
He had a resolute expression as if he had made a decision.
As he bent at the waist, Lindell followed suit.
The rest of the group did the same.
“…I’m sorry, Judah.”
It was Lindell’s voice.
“Honestly, I did hit you hard during the morning training on purpose, so….”
His voice trembled slightly.
Richard and Dillon, who had been arguing, looked at him with surprise.
I didn’t rush him; I just waited.
“I know I came in earlier than you. I know I’ve only been here for three months. But still, I’m technically a senior to you. Yet I don’t have anything special… nothing to be acknowledged for… so I just, uh… took my anger out on you.”
In the end, Lindell started crying.
It was a heartfelt confession.
I almost laughed without meaning to.
‘They’re just kids after all.’
The one thing I wanted from the trial duel was this.
Recognizing reality.
It won’t happen just by forcing it, and I didn’t force it after I won.
But in the end, Lindell recognized reality.
To confront oneself is a very difficult thing.
Many people can’t manage that, even when they know.
How many people are there who still wrestle with self-justification even as they grow older?
Seeing a kid speak so frankly is really something to appreciate.
“Hey, what’s wrong with these kids?”
Richard seemed unable to bear the situation and waved his arms.
As if he had goosebumps.
On the other hand, Dillon looked touched, nodding his head with satisfaction.
He has a slightly old-fashioned side to him.
After that, Argon also admitted his fault and expressed regret.
So did the others who came with them.
They spoke honestly that they were irritated because I had arrived and hadn’t been here for even a few days.
‘It seems Lindell and Argon took the initiative to persuade the others.’
“…This is the reality I’ve acknowledged. I’m sorry, Judah.”
At that moment, a notification arrived.
[‘Yesterday’s enemies are today’s allies’ has been completed.]
[Result exceeding expectations. Reward calculation will take some time.]
I lost my words momentarily and then chuckled.
Boys naturally become friends while fighting.
“Did you have your meal?”
My unexpected question made Lindell flustered, and he stuttered.
“Uh? Oh, no? Not yet….”
“Then let’s bring some and eat together.”
This was essentially the same as saying I’d accept their apology.
Lindell, Argon, and the rest realized it a beat late.
They hurriedly left to get bread and soup.
Watching them, Richard shook his head.
“Who’s the senior and who’s the junior here?”
“I’ll just be the mature junior.”
“Kids should act like kids.”
…He sometimes acts like an old man.
Soon, Lindell and Argon’s group returned with bread and soup, looking sheepish.
Richard clicked his tongue and said,
“If you keep acting so stiff, what does that make Judah, who just forgave you?”
They just awkwardly smiled at that.
Until this morning they’d been bickering and now they felt embarrassed to be so friendly.
“Let’s try to get along from now on. It’s a good day, so let’s share the rest of the cookies too.”
Dillon objected.
“That’s not something we can decide like that. More importantly, what about Judah’s opinion on this…?”
“Just give Judah three times more than everyone else.”
“I’m fine with that.”
Richard teased Dillon, who was getting frustrated, and a rather amiable meal time unfolded.
It was awkward at first, but soon the conversations flowed.
“By the way, Judah. That wasn’t your first time fighting, was it?”
Richard asked while chewing on his bread.
Lindell looked at me with bright eyes.
Not just him, many had curious looks.
I defensively replied.
“Just. I’ve fought a few times before coming here.”
“…Sorry for asking something unnecessary.”
The atmosphere suddenly turned quiet.
‘What is this?’
Oh. It seems they imagined I had a tragic past, being a slave.
Though it’s not that dramatic, denying it feels weird in this atmosphere, so I just laughed awkwardly.
“Judah.”
Dillon casually called me while scraping up the last of his soup.
“Thanks to you, we all got to see a proper bonding moment. I appreciate it. It’s something I should be doing….”
He was right.
At the large rectangular table in the dining hall.
All twenty of Room 13 sat and talked while eating.
It wasn’t a bad atmosphere at all.
“No need to mention it.”
*
The way back was mostly together.
Dillon, Richard, Lindell, Argon, and more.
I, who got caught in between.
Lindell, who had been walking next to me, cautiously asked.
“By the way, is the injured spot okay?”
“I’m managing. But what about you, senior?”
I’d only gotten a few jabs.
But he… got hit in the face with a shield.
“Oh, well. If I think of it as the cost of what I learned today, it’s okay. Haha.”
Now that I see, he’s quite good-natured.
While various conversations flowed, I had a separate thought.
‘Hidden quest.’
This game’s quests are split into two types.
The main quest known as ‘fate’ assigned to each playable character.
And the rest of the stories are treated as hidden quests.
You only find out about them once you discover or complete them.
So, a question arose.
‘Is there a main quest for a character like Judah?’
Since I’m not a playable character, I might not have one.
I’m not sure.
Lindell, who had been laughing and chatting, suddenly stopped.
His stiff expression stared past my shoulder somewhere.
Others were also tensing up one by one.
‘…Wait.’
There’s only one reason they’d be acting this way.
I turned my head in the same direction.
Nervously glancing back.
In the distance, there stood Eliya.
Dressed in the same sky-blue dress as in the morning.
She stared at us, blinking as if seeing something strange.
“Lady Eliya, it’s a pleasure to see you.”
I quickly bowed and greeted.
The candidates from Room 13 followed suit and bent at their waists.
Thud, thud.
Eliya approached.
I could see her cute black shoes.
They were shiny leather shoes.
Something grabbed my chin.
Soft, warm, and small hands.
It was Eliya’s hand.
My chin was lifted.
I calmly met her gaze.
Eliya tilted her head slightly and smiled at me.
“Seriously, how can you always show such interesting sides? Are you doing it on purpose?”
Why this again…
What did I do?
While Eliya held my chin, she looked around.
Every time her gaze landed, the candidates flinched and bowed deeper.
Eliya lingered her gaze unusually long on one person.
From the direction I could tell it was Lindell.
“…Interesting.”
Once again, she glanced back at me and smiled brightly.
“Follow me.”
With her chin released, she walked somewhere.
I had no choice but to follow and glanced back.
I could still see my room’s candidates bending at their waists.
Richard raised his fist.
Is he cheering me on?
I looked forward again and followed the gently swaying black hair of Eliya.
*
I found myself in the usual reception room.
“Sit down.”
Eliya ordered, sitting down in a chair first.
‘…Should I sit on the floor?’
Seeing me hesitate, Eliya shook her head with a smirk.
“You can sit in the chair.”
“Thank you.”
I quickly took a seat.
Today, like last time, tea and refreshments were prepared.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
I have some sense.
I wouldn’t thoughtlessly munch on things every time I come.
“Don’t be coy, just eat.”
But if she permits it, it’s a different story.
I happily reached for the tea and the snacks.
Eliya was still watching me with great curiosity.
“Eat while I ask you. I have one question.”
She must know more than I do.
Why would she even want to ask me something?
“Is it possible to have the concepts of enemy and ally coexist?”
“…Pardon?”
Is this a riddle?
What kind of answer does she want?
“Sorry, but my lacking brain can’t discern your intention, my lady.”
“Really? That’s peculiar. Usually, if someone’s lacking in intelligence, they wouldn’t even think to discern their opponent’s intentions.”
“…….”
“Should I change the question?”
Eliya propped her chin and smiled.
A warm smile that seemed to have been drawn.
Yet, I could sense the cold thorns sprouting within it.
“What would you do if I became your enemy?”
“Uh…?”
“Or if you became my enemy, what would I do then?”
It was a familiar way of speaking.
Not stating what she wants directly, but rather reverse-questioning me to draw out a topic.
I had experienced it excessively already.
Therefore, I understood what Eliya was trying to get at.
‘Could it be about today’s incident? Unintentionally, I’ve sparked her curiosity again….’
This question is an extension of interest and a test.
What should I respond with?
After calmly sorting my thoughts, I opened my mouth.
Eliya lightly smiled as she listened to my words.
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