I Became the Second-in-Command in a Romance Fantasy Novel - Chapter 29

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Mordor

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◈ I Became the Second-in-Command in a Romance Fantasy Novel ◈

Chapter 29: The Academy Is Shutting Down (7)

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At last, final exams had arrived.

Unlike the last midterms, when an incident had been foretold, this time I could count on peace.

As I headed to the exam with a light heart, Prince Ellen asked me,

“Did you study this time?”

“I did the same as last time.”

“So you didn't study…”

Obviously.

There were only three kinds of exchange students who studied diligently at the Imperial Academy.

Either they had something wrong with their heads and genuinely liked studying.

Or something was seriously wrong with their heads, and they wanted to pursue graduate school.

Or they planned to betray their homeland and defect to the Empire.

There was nothing wrong with my head, and I was a talented individual overflowing with loyalty to my country.

So, just like last time, I only needed to avoid a failing grade.

That was enough.

Besides...

“I was too busy to have time to study.”

“Liar…”

Prince Ellen looked unconvinced, but surprisingly, it wasn't a lie.

I just hadn't studied theory. The head professor had personally taught me practical skills.

Of course, that was useless because my practical exam score was never going to be a problem in the first place.

And that wasn't all. I'd unintentionally studied for the Magic Department exams too.

The two villainous young ladies tied to the romance-fantasy male lead I was helping were Magic Department students, so I'd gradually picked up some knowledge about magic while helping them.

Naturally, it was completely irrelevant to the Swordsmanship Department exams, so it was useless!

Still, I really had been busy!

“Don't worry. I won't get a failing grade.”

“Really?”

“Yes. If I fail, I won't even be able to return home for vacation.”

“Ah, um…”

Prince Ellen's eyes wavered for a moment.

It was as though he'd just realized, Ah, so that's a way!

“If you're thinking of deliberately failing so you can stay at the academy, you'd better prepare yourself.”

It might sound unlikely, but romance-fantasy male leads seduced by that bewitching golden capybara were never in their right minds.

Having personally witnessed Prince Essid, the prime example, I couldn't be sure what kind of lunatic Ellen, who already had the air of an innocent fool, might become.

“Her Majesty told me to tell you that you'd better be prepared if you don't return this time.”

“She did…”

Everything happening here was reported to the kingdom.

After all, I reported directly to His Majesty.

“You know what Her Majesty is like, right? If you don't return, she might actually come here.”

“No way…”

A member of another country's royal family visiting was no small matter.

Even Prince Ellen's study abroad process hadn't been simple, despite having a legitimate reason.

For a queen of one country to visit another was even more extraordinary.

“But it's Her Majesty.”

“……”

“Do you really think she won't come?”

She was our country's queen, Princess Hestia's mother.

She maintained the dignity expected of a queen now, but apparently, her past had been rather colorful.

No matter how wildly Princess Hestia acted, people would say things like, “She's the queen's daughter,” or, “Considering Her Majesty, she's actually quite well-behaved.”

Neither Prince Ellen nor I had seen the queen in her younger days, but both of us had suffered at Princess Hestia's hands.

“…I studied hard.”

In the end, Prince Ellen had no choice but to surrender.

* * *

Unlike the Magic Department, where theory was important, many Swordsmanship Department students valued practical skills more than theory.

What did that mean?

It meant that even someone like me, who had only attended class diligently, could land somewhere in the middle if I got lucky.

“See? Nothing to worry about.”

The morning after all the theory exams ended, Prince Ellen checked his theory grades with a freshly aggrieved expression.

“…Wait, the score gap is this big, but the ranking gap is only this much?”

The rankings were not final because there was a period for grade corrections.

Still, given the nature of the Swordsmanship Department, nobody except commoners desperate for scholarships would apply for corrections.

Even if the rankings changed, there wouldn't be much difference.

“I told you several times. The Swordsmanship Department values practical skills more than theory.”

Of course, Prince Ellen had practically secured first place in practical skills too.

And unless something unexpected happened, I would be second, so I was full of confidence.

Then...

“This year, I am the final exam.”

In the center of the practical examination grounds stood the Sword Emperor, whose mere presence sent chills through my entire body.

Had that crazy old man finally gone senile?

“You will come forward one at a time and spar with me.”

It sounded simple, but it was anything but.

The strongest swordsman alive was tormenting young sprouts still growing.

What were the other professors and teaching assistants doing? Shouldn't they stop him before all the sprouts got trampled to death?

“……”

I looked around with that thought in mind, only to find the professors and teaching assistants holding score sheets and smacking their lips enviously.

“Who will step forward first!”

“Ah.”

The moment the Sword Emperor shouted, I saw the students raising their hands and realized.

I was the one who had misunderstood.

Every Swordsmanship Department student admitted this year had come solely because of the Sword Emperor.

There were plenty who had traveled from distant countries just for the chance to meet the world's strongest swordsman and cross blades with him even once.

“I'll do it!”

“I'm first!”

“No, me first!”

These sword-crazy bastards.

Instead of being intimidated, they were making a fuss about being the first to get killed.

“No, I should go first. I ranked first in the midterms!”

Prince Ellen was apparently no different, making a scene while bringing up his midterm ranking.

“Fine, you there.”

The Sword Emperor pointed with a satisfied expression.

“Adam Smith.”

…Not Ellen.

“Me?”

No, fuck.

“Yes, you.”

I didn't even raise my hand...

“You will go first.”

I wore an expression like the world was ending, but the professors simply dragged me onto the platform.

* * *

“How long do you think he'll last?”

On the prepared platform, the students watched the two swordsmen draw their swords and exchanged opinions.

“It’s Adam. Excluding theory, he's second in our department. He should last two minutes, right?”

“How many vouchers?”

“Three.”

Meal vouchers were added to the pot alongside their predictions.

“Three vouchers for under a minute. He's the first contestant, after all. The Sword Emperor will probably take him down quickly to establish dominance.”

“Five vouchers for under a minute. It's tradition to give bonus points to the first person up, isn't it?”

Most students were betting on whether Adam could last even one minute.

It wasn't because Adam Smith was weak.

The students here knew his skill well.

It was simply because his opponent was the Sword Emperor.

There was only one person here who could likely last more than three minutes against the Sword Emperor.

“Ellen, what do you think?”

The sword of Leon, the kingdom of knights. They were certain only Ellen Leon could do it.

“Ten vouchers on over three minutes.”

Ellen seriously wagered ten meal vouchers.

“What?”

“Ten vouchers?”

Meal vouchers were nothing to noble students.

They could be a decent source of income for commoner students, but the academy cafeteria kept its prices low for students who lacked money.

Still, in a small bet like this, the number of meal vouchers represented pride.

It showed how much value someone believed their judgment had.

Since this was just a wager rather than gambling, the maximum number of vouchers anyone could bet was limited to ten.

Betting all ten was only possible when someone was certain they were right!

“That much?”

Even Asran looked surprised.

He had crossed swords with Adam more than anyone recently, yet even he had only bet five vouchers on three minutes.

“He can do that much.”

At Ellen's confident words, Asran frowned.

“I sparred with him at the training grounds the other day.”

He meant Adam hadn't been that strong when they sparred.

“I've known Adam longer than anyone.”

“Are you two competing over something?”

Another student sounded incredulous, but Ellen explained his reasoning without changing expression.

“Adam's core is defense.”

“So?”

Asran, who had always been beaten senseless by Adam's devastating offense, looked like he was wondering what nonsense Ellen was talking about. Ellen nodded seriously.

“No one starts out strong.”

“He didn't?”

“Really?”

Not you, though.

Even under his friends' suspicious gazes, Ellen smiled as he recalled the past.

“There was a monster among us too.”

Hestia.

He thought of his sister, who he could beat now but who had once been like a monster.

When they were young, she would often take Adam away from Ellen whenever she was bored.

One day, it felt so unfair that Ellen tearfully asked his sister why.

Why did she take Adam every time, not Lucia or Ellen himself?

What had Hestia said then?

“Because he's more fun.”

“What does that mean?”

Even after hearing the whole story, Asran did not understand Ellen's words.

“Back then, and even now, my sister barely had any rivals her age.”

Maybe that was why Ellen himself had come to be called a monster.

He gave a small laugh and explained to his friends.

“Back then, Adam and I were both weaker than my sister. She said that if everyone was weaker than her anyway, she'd rather fight someone who was at least a little more fun.”

“What does that mean?”

It made sense that they did not understand.

Ellen had not understood those words back then either.

But as his skills grew, and the day came when he had no rivals among his peers...

Ellen finally understood why his sister had dragged Adam away.

“Adam is stronger against strong opponents.”

“……?”

Everyone wore nearly the same expression.

It was the look of people wondering what kind of bullshit that was.

“I know what you're thinking.”

He had once felt the same way, so he knew exactly how they felt.

And he also knew when that thought would change.