WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Oblivious
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◈ The Weakest Knight Became a Swordmaster, But Only in Dungeons ◈
Chapter 27: personal squire (2)
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Ten minutes earlier.
Elise Lorendia’s lovely hair gleamed magenta beneath the sunlight streaming through the window.
She was led into a reception room.
Cain, the Magic Knight and Campbell branch leader of the White Wing Knight Order, greeted her there.
He was a man with a deep scar near his eye.
“The commander said that her teachings might instead hinder your unique power. I suppose she meant that her strength and yours don’t mesh well. Still, she said you could ask whatever you wished.”
“Is that so?”
“And for the next three days, she hopes you’ll learn about the White Wing Knight Order.”
Elise did not mind.
She had always been interested in the White Wing Knight Order, so simply looking around the place pleased her.
“Is that all right with you?”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
“Good.”
“Then, Senior, may I ask you a few questions?”
“Ask anything.”
“I would like to know where Ron Hazely, who came here with me, went and why we were separated.”
“Ron Hazely... Are you that concerned about him?”
“Yes.”
Elise answered with a smile.
“I see... Ron Hazely probably went off to train separately.”
“May I watch?”
“Well, it isn’t a secret. Follow me.”
The branch leader led Elise and the solemn female knight toward the training ground.
“This is a personal question, but what is the relationship between you two?”
“We are simply classmates.”
“From what I heard, I thought you were lovers. Or perhaps you have unrequited feelings for him...”
“I don’t have that sort of affection for Ron.”
Elise smiled as she clearly drew the line.
“I see... Then how do you feel about Ron Hazely?”
“...”
This person... Despite appearances, he was very interested in relationships between men and women.
Elise could not bring herself to say that aloud. He was a senior far above her, after all.
“Um...”
But why was that?
The branch leader’s question left Elise’s heart in turmoil.
After all, she did have feelings toward Ron that she had not sorted out.
Ron was fun and interesting. She had learned swordsmanship from him and even gained enlightenment. She had been able to use Wing Unfurling of the Lightwing Sword during the Sparring Test because of Ron.
Though Ron was called the weakest student at Griffin Knight School, the swordsmanship he displayed was of a high level. She had felt that clearly through their countless exchanges of blows.
‘An oddball.’
That was how she could describe Ron.
Then what did she feel about him? How had she come to regard him?
When she actually tried to answer, the words would not come out.
‘I don’t think I’ve ever been like this before.’
Had she ever thought so deeply and complicatedly about a relationship with someone?
Only then did Elise realize that what she felt for Ron was an emotion she had never experienced before.
That did not mean it was romantic love. She had never felt such emotions herself, but she knew the signs well enough.
Elise wore a polite smile.
“May I hold off on answering?”
“Hmm... Is it difficult for you to sort out your thoughts?”
“I think so.”
“Then do as you wish. Still, I hope you’ll tell me before you leave.”
The branch leader swallowed his disappointment.
Soon, they entered the training ground.
“We’re here.”
“Huh?”
Elise was startled.
For some reason, Ron Hazely, a light-brown-haired man, stood some distance away from a White Wing knight, facing him. Both held mock swords.
The other White Wing knights stood in formation at ease, while the White Wing commander sat in the seat of honor.
“Senior, what is this...?”
“So he accepted the commander’s offer after all. Ron Hazely is about to go through a terrible time. It is the growing pain he needs to improve.”
The branch leader, the solemn female knight, and Elise stopped beside the other knights and took an at-ease stance.
“It seems the commander expects great things from that boy. I cannot quite understand why, but since it is the commander’s will, there must be a reason.”
“...”
“I’m looking forward to it as well. I want to see for myself what is so extraordinary about someone called the weakest student at the knight school.”
The branch leader’s eager eyes showed that he was not merely saying it.
Elise looked toward the middle of the training ground again. She noticed the aura of Ron’s opponent, Simon, a knight with navy hair slicked back.
‘It’s weaker than my aura.’
It was not that Simon was among the weaker members of the knight order. Elise herself was simply absurdly strong.
In any case, it was obvious that Ron could not defeat him.
Shing.
The knight serving as referee drew his sword and pointed it forward.
“Ready.”
Ron and Simon each took their fighting stances.
“Sparring, begin!”
The referee lowered his sword, shouted, and stepped back.
The moment the sparring began, Ron and Simon leaped toward each other and swung their swords.
The strength and aura of a Magic Knight from the Imperial Five Wings clashed against the mana of a knight school cadet whose mana had not yet become aura.
The outcome was obvious.
Clang!
“Urgh!”
Ron’s sword was knocked aside, and pain surged through his hands and muscles.
But Ron merely smirked.
‘It’s weaker than Elise’s aura.’
Until recently, Ron had endured Elise’s aura so often that it had become hellish.
He could withstand this much by gritting his teeth once.
Ron pressed on without hesitation, continuously unfolding the forms of the Imperial knight swordsmanship, the Lightwing Sword.
Whoosh!
Shing!
Clang!
Ron and Simon repeatedly clashed swords or evaded each other’s strikes. Mana scattered like sparks.
Only the clash of metal and the explosions of mana filled the training ground.
Even so, Simon was impressed.
‘He’s far more skilled than I expected. No, it feels even deeper than that...’
Every one of Ron’s movements was unexpected.
They were movements built through thorough training, but beneath them lay a depth so vast that even Simon found it difficult to measure.
‘Still, he is only a Sword User.’
No matter how diligently Ron had trained his swordsmanship or tried to uncover its principles, his basic abilities were lacking.
As the Lightwing Sword’s chain of techniques continued, Ron’s sword lowered. Seizing the opening, Simon swung his sword.
At that moment, Ron’s sword shot upward.
He was aiming for Wing Unfurling of the Lightwing Sword.
Simon narrowed his eyes.
‘So he wasn’t bluffing.’
Simon had already heard that Ron had used Wing Unfurling despite being a first-year cadet in his first semester.
It had been hard to believe, but it was apparently true.
‘But unfortunately for you...’
Crackle!!
Simon filled his aura with its unique trait.
Screech, clang!
“!!”
The moment Ron knocked Simon’s sword aside with Wing Unfurling, another impact struck him after the first had already ended.
That unnatural second impact slammed Ron’s blade downward.
‘Two impacts from one clash...’
Ron realized that the peculiar trait of Simon’s aura had neutralized Wing Unfurling.
Simon’s sword was also knocked back by the recoil. The two quickly retreated and widened the distance between them.
Simon stared at Ron with wide eyes.
“You can really use Wing Unfurling...”
“What was that just now?”
Ron shook out his numbed hand as he asked.
“It is my aura’s signature color. I call it Echo.”
Echo. A phenomenon where sound strikes an obstacle and is heard again.
Ron easily understood why Simon called it Echo. He had just experienced it himself.
“Putting my aura aside... I believe your swordsmanship is worthy of respect. I pay my respects, Ron Hazely.”
“I don’t need words like that.”
Whoosh!
Ron rushed in and swung his sword.
The forms of the Lightwing Sword and Flower Dance Sword, which he had practiced endlessly, flowed through Ron’s blade and pressed into Simon’s guard.
However, Simon merely parried them with ease.
Clang, boom!
With every exchange, the second impact broke Ron’s balance.
Though it was weaker than the first impact, that alone was dangerous enough for Ron.
Ron’s sword was repeatedly forced aside, opening gaps that Simon targeted.
‘This is seriously damn annoying...!’
Every sensation ingrained in his body was being thrown off. Ron struggled to adapt to Simon’s aura.
Eventually.
Boom!!
Crash!!
“Urgh!”
Ron was struck by an aura-infused blow and sent flying, rolling across the training ground several times.
“Haa... Urgh...!”
Ron braced himself against the ground and let out a pained groan. He could barely breathe.
Even one impact from Simon’s aura was difficult for Ron to withstand.
But because of its special trait, he had taken two impacts in a single strike, making it hard for Ron to regain his balance.
“That was excellent.”
Fizzle.
Simon calmly withdrew his aura.
“I apologize for underestimating you. As I said, your swordsmanship exceeded my expectations.”
With every clash of their swords, Simon had felt the time Ron had spent desperately training. A knight’s sword naturally revealed the life behind it.
What knight could casually dismiss years of effort stained with blood and sweat?
Simon had walked the same path. He could not bring himself to do such a thing.
All he could offer was respect.
“An apology in this situation... Forget it...”
“What?”
Ron staggered to his feet and steadied his breathing.
He was covered in wounds from his clash with Simon. Yet a bold smile rested on his lips.
“I would prefer you say that after the sparring is over. More importantly, I’m about to awaken my aura... Would you like to see it?”
“What nonsense are you talking about...?”
Simon frowned.
He was suddenly going to awaken aura in this situation? And he was announcing his own awakening beforehand?
Aura was something one awakened unknowingly at some point after constant training.
‘I went out of my way to show respect...’
What a ridiculous thing to say. Simon let out an empty laugh.
Crackle!!
Aura surged fiercely around Simon’s blade again.
“You know well that aura is the symbol of a knight, don’t you? It is not something you can casually speak of awakening.”
Simon’s cold eyes glared at Ron.
“If this is bluster, you will pay the price, Ron Hazely.”
“...”
Ron smirked and walked forward calmly despite the pain.
Bluster? No chance.
[Realm “Lower Sword Expert” Growth Completion Rate: 100%]
[Your realm has increased.]
[“Sword User” → “Lower Sword Expert”]
A new sensation was etched into Ron’s instincts.
Ron entrusted his body to that sensation.
Then.
Crackle.
Crackle...!
Blue lightning began to rise from Ron’s blade.
“Aura...?”
Simon could not close his mouth.
“...!!”
The White Wing knights widened their eyes. Even the face of the White Wing commander, who always wore a gentle expression, stiffened.
The branch leader, the solemn female knight, and Elise all stood with their mouths open as they watched the signs of awakening rising from Ron’s blade.
The sensation aura conveyed was the same to everyone. No one doubted that the mana Ron was beginning to kindle was aura.
“All members of the White Wing Knight Order.”
The White Wing commander rose and spoke. An even more solemn atmosphere descended over the training ground.
“Render honors.”
Thud!
The instant the commander gave the order, the White Wing knights stamped their right feet in unison and stood at attention.
Then, following the commander, they saluted.
“Knight of Griffin! We shall march forward with you!”
The White Wing knights shouted in one voice a line from a Swordmaster’s martial ode.
Aura was proof of a Sword Expert.
The moment aura awakened marked the birth of a true knight.
Calling someone a Knight of Griffin and rendering honors was both the duty and honor of Imperial knights.
Crackle!
Blue plasma gradually coiled around Ron’s sword and burned fiercely.
Simon absentmindedly thought that it was an aura both wild and fierce, yet beautiful.
‘This is absurd...’
Simon blinked slowly and let out a quiet laugh. A thrill ran down his spine.
He had been granted the honor of receiving the first sword strike of a newly born Imperial knight.
Taking his stance, Simon spoke solemnly to Ron.
“Knight of Griffin, Simon Hasfield of the White Wing Knight Order. I pay my respects to a Knight of Griffin.”
Whoosh!
Simon kicked off the ground and leaped toward Ron at high speed.
‘Echo... Its rhythm... The rhythm, the rhythm...’
In the midst of it all, Ron could hear nothing else.
He had no interest whatsoever in the honor or respect of being a knight.
His eyes, lost in a trance, obsessively followed only Simon and Simon’s aura.
How could he defeat the man before him? And how could he wield his own strength?
The life he had lived until now flashed before him. Not a single moment had been meaningless.
Along that path, Ron suddenly gained enlightenment.
The perspective of one who had experienced the Swordmaster’s Realm several times looked toward a new horizon.
A new principle of swordsmanship pierced Ron’s mind.
“Ah.”
Ron’s sword held that enlightenment.
Whoosh!
The instant Ron became certain, he opened his eyes wide and charged at Simon.
‘He got faster.’
His movements had quickened through using aura to strengthen his body.
Simon smiled.
Soon, the two swords clashed with the full force of their strength behind them.
Crash!
Boom!
A thunderous roar erupted, as if lightning had struck. Simon felt pressure.
Still, even if Ron had awakened, he had only just entered the lower ranks of Sword Expert. The gap in strength was clear.
Just as Simon’s aura was about to release its second impact.
Matching that rhythm, Ron’s sword flashed brightly in an instant.
Crackle!
Boom!!
Aura exploded behind Ron’s sword, adding tremendous propulsion.
For a moment, the speed and power unleashed made his lacking physical abilities meaningless.
Simon’s sword was violently knocked away by the unexpected technique.
As Simon froze in confusion for a moment, Ron stepped forward and swung his sword horizontally.
Simon thought he could block it. He could evade it too. His physical abilities were still superior to Ron’s.
But.
Boom!
Another blue flash exploded, filling Ron’s blade with immense propulsion.
Terrible pain flared as Ron’s muscles ruptured, but he did not care.
‘What...?!’
Simon could not contend with that speed.
A technique newly derived from the principles of the Flower Dance Sword. The sensation of the strike he had unleashed against Theodore Garniel during the Sparring Test.
An unyielding will. A sword born from the obsession to struggle onward and survive, no matter the price.
The trail of a meteor that held Ron’s life followed his lightning-covered blade.
A sword of raging thunder.
It was called the Raging Thunder Sword.
Crackle!!
Boom!!!
“Guhk!!”
A powerful aura-infused strike landed squarely in Simon’s abdomen.
With a thunderous explosion, lightning stretched out like chains and embroidered the air.
Simon’s body flew helplessly away, skipping across the ground several times before slamming violently into the wall.
“...”
Elise could not tear her eyes away from Ron as he stood upright despite his battered body, struggling to catch his breath.
Only then did Elise realize what the unfamiliar emotion she felt toward Ron truly was.
On the lonely path of growth she had walked as the contractor of Vermea, the Crimson Flower Fairy, while everyone spoke of her unparalleled talent, Elise realized what Ron’s existence had come to mean to her.
“Senior, did you ask how I feel about Ron Hazely?”
“...I did.”
Elise smiled with satisfaction as she spoke to the branch leader.
“I think... I see Ron as my rival.”
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