Reformation of the Deadbeat Noble - Chapter 227

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Dionysus

Chapter 227: You've Lost Your Mind (3)

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“……”

Lance Patterson stepped away from the center of the training ground so his classmates could spar and watched the two intently.

His expression was calm, but his eyes were filled with frustration and regret he could not hide.

He had never even dreamed of winning.

Who was his opponent?

Airen was a swordsman who had reached the realm of a Master in his early twenties.

Lance had only just begun his graduation exam. There was no comparing him to someone who had risen so far.

Even knowing that, Lance could not help feeling conflicted.

There had certainly been a time when he had been ahead of Airen.

‘I thought I could at least hold out a little longer…’

Airen had not gone all out.

He had not drawn an Aura Sword or used his full strength.

Yet Lance had still felt the helplessness of facing an iron wall.

No matter how hard he struggled, it felt as though he would never break through.

On the other hand, Airen seemed capable of knocking his sword from his hand whenever he wanted.

That was why Lance had given up halfway through the spar.

‘The difference in our skill… is too great.’

While he sank into unpleasant thoughts, Airen and Brett finished preparing.

There was an easy warmth in the way they looked at each other. Their atmosphere seemed entirely different from Lance’s, making his expression stiffen further.

Of course, he did not remain that way for long.

With a playful tone, he said to Brett,

“Hey, Brett! Looks like you’re in for your first beating in a while.”

“Be quiet. I’m already nervous to death standing in front of a monster.”

The eldest son of House Lloyd laughed as he exaggerated his fear. Airen also let out a quiet chuckle at the sight.

That was the end of the pleasant atmosphere.

A moment later, the spar began as Brett rushed forward.

Clang!

A thrust flew straight for Airen’s throat.

It was an extremely dangerous move for a spar, but Airen did not mind. Maintaining his middle guard, he swung his sword without taking even one step back.

Brett’s sword was knocked away with little force, then swept low in a circular arc. Airen blocked that strike too.

Block, block, defend.

Brett’s sword rained down at terrifying speed, yet the young Sword Master never panicked.

He looked as relaxed as someone who knew exactly where every attack would come from.

And that was exactly the case. Once he read the flow and prepared in advance, his balance never faltered and he did not waste any stamina.

He unleashed the strength he had built up after blocking Brett’s seventh sword strike.

Claaang!

“!”

Brett frowned at the heavy sensation running through his hand.

It was sometimes like this when he fought that guy.

Rather than striking a sword held by a person, it felt as though he had struck an iron statue cast from molten metal. His hand went numb.

It was probably a technique that combined Hardening from Aura control with the power of spirits. Even though they had learned the Five Elements Divine Technique together, Brett could not even imitate it.

That did not make him sad.

Airen had always been like that. If Brett envied every single thing that guy was good at, there would be no end to it.

Watching Airen step forward, Brett thought to himself.

‘What I’m good at… I’ll focus only on that.’

With a soft exhale, Brett’s sword began to move with an even smoother flow.

Thump!

Thuuump!

Thump!

Airen’s sword as he charged forward was truly terrifying.

The individual strikes were not especially fast. Yet each one carried such tremendous strength and discipline that it was impossible to meet head-on.

As if he had encountered a fierce general on the battlefield, Brett retreated backward and sideways without pause. Airen’s territory gradually expanded.

Still, Airen could not simply overpower Brett.

A strange light appeared in the blond swordsman’s eyes as he brought his sword down again.

Thuuump!

He disrupted the angle.

He disrupted the timing.

He disrupted the point of impact.

The gently drawn circles made it possible.

Like a mighty river flowing onward, Brett continuously followed circular sword paths and redirected Airen’s enormous power.

Even more remarkable was that not only his sword, but his footwork served the same purpose.

Thump!

The impact Brett could not fully redirect with his sword was absorbed through the Aura within his body.

Before it could build up, he released it through his footwork, as though letting water flow away.

After dozens of exchanges, it felt as if the entire training ground had filled with moisture.

No, it was not just a feeling.

The ground beneath them was already rippling with the Aura Brett had scattered.

‘It feels like I’m striking water.’

More precisely, it felt like fighting someone walking on water.

Someone who let every bit of impact flow beneath the surface while maintaining perfect balance through exquisite control.

Brett was an exceptionally troublesome opponent.

But Airen did not think for a moment that he would be pushed back.

Thump!

Thuuump!

Bang!

Craaaash!

“Urgh!”

Airen’s sword extended smoothly.

Yet Brett’s expression darkened as he blocked the next strike. His arms and legs, which had seemed relatively at ease, began to lose their rhythm.

It was not because Airen’s sword contained greater strength.

It was not because Airen swung faster.

Airen had pinpointed the key points of Brett’s flow.

The moment Airen’s sword pierced the points that would sever Brett’s flow piece by piece, the magic of Brett’s technique unraveled.

Brett could no longer walk on water. He had no choice but to take the full impact into his body.

“Damn, I lost. Whew.”

“Whew, good work.”

“You really are a monster. Still, I thought I could hold out a little longer.”

Brett shook his head.

Since returning to the territory, he had trained desperately and absorbed about half of the realizations he had gained during their journey.

He had no idea when the other half would become his own, but he had thought that even this much would allow him to put up a good fight against Airen without an Aura Sword.

It had been a miscalculation.

As much as Brett had grown stronger, that guy had grown stronger too.

No, perhaps much more than that.

The realization left Brett with a faint bitterness, but he soon cast it aside.

‘It’s fine. I’m…’

In a relationship now.

And that guy was still single. Dense idiot.

Having preserved his mental state with that brief, solid self-consolation, Brett asked Airen,

“So what’s the problem?”

“Hm?”

“You said there was something you wanted to gain from sparring with me. You wouldn’t have said that if something wasn’t bothering you.”

“Um…”

Airen thought for a moment.

Brett was right.

There was no huge problem, but it was true that he was dissatisfied with his current self.

Scattered and unorganized. That seemed like the right way to put it.

Of course, he could not explain that briefly and clearly. His expression grew troubled.

Seeing that, Brett shook his head.

He dropped to the ground, then gestured for Airen to come closer.

“Come sit down.”

“Hm?”

“Let’s have a sword debate for the first time in a while. Don’t worry about it alone. Maybe we’ll get something out of talking it over together. I have plenty I want to ask too.”

“…Okay.”

As if he had never looked troubled at all, Airen approached Brett with a bright smile.

The two soon began discussing swords. Lulu yawned before saying,

“They’re doing that again.”

“Did they do that often?”

“Yeah. Whenever Airen makes a face like he needs to take a dump, Brett tells him they should do it together.”

“Really? I see…”

“Why?”

“When I first saw him, I thought he was just an airhead, but still…”

Kiril paused before continuing.

“I think he has some pretty good qualities too.”

She meant it.

No matter how close two friends were, if the one who had been behind overtook the other, jealousy and inferiority were bound to arise.

Yet when Sorcerer Kiril looked into Brett’s heart, she could not feel such things.

They were not completely absent, but his sincere concern for a friend was far greater.

“He has a big heart.”

“Brett does have a big heart.”

“Is that why Judith fell for him? He’s a strange person, anyway. Maybe he’s better than I thought.”

“Right! Brett’s a good friend too! Don’t hate him so much!”

“I’ve never hated him.”

As usual, Kiril and Lulu bickered over something trivial.

Lance Patterson, who had been looking their way, lowered his head to hide his expression.

He remembered what he had felt when Brett’s defeat was certain.

‘I was happy, even if only a little.’

The reason was obvious.

Airen had already gone so far that Lance could no longer reach him. He had not wanted Brett to rise to a place far higher than his as well.

It was an ugly, pathetic feeling.

Perhaps that was why Brett’s composed attitude despite losing, and the two Sorcerers’ praise for him, hurt as though they were stabbing Lance.

‘Come to think of it, I’ve never beaten Brett even once, from childhood until now.’

Lance’s thoughts were about to sink deeper and lower.

“Lance, what are you doing?”

“Hm?”

“I mean, why are you standing over there like an idiot? Aren’t you joining us? This is when you should benefit from having a successful friend.”

“What are you talking about…?”

“A Sword Master’s special lecture is free. Come listen with us. This guy has gotten much better at talking than he used to, so he’s worth listening to now.”

“No, we’re having a sword debate. Calling it that is…”

“Really? Lance, the esteemed Sword Master himself needs your help.”

Brett Lloyd urged him again.

And Airen Farreira looked at Lance with serious eyes, as if he truly needed Lance’s help.

Receiving his classmates’ gazes, Lance Patterson fell silent for a moment…

“Okay.”

Then he smiled and joined their conversation.

But he was not the only one who joined.

“Hm?”

“Kiril? Why are you…”

The swordsmen of Krono wore puzzled expressions as Kiril Farreira quietly sat beside Lance.

But she remained completely confident.