WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Oblivious
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Weakest Knight Became a Swordmaster, But Only in Dungeons ◈
Chapter 58: Demon-Breaking Aura - Interlude
──────
Signature color.
It referred to the special property a mental image manifested in one’s aura.
Perhaps because it originated from one’s mental image, it was an aspect that could not receive even the slightest temporary buff effect in the original work.
As I had thought during the first semester, even if I became a Swordmaster through my unique ability, I could not strengthen my signature color.
‘Only my normal growth matters.’
Apparently, as one grew, their mental image was reflected more deeply, strengthening their signature color.
It was too abstract for me to fully understand. All I knew was that I had to become stronger.
Crackle!
Fizzle!
I struck the cursed bracer with aura several times in succession, but I could no longer destroy the curse.
This seemed to be my current limit.
“You may stop now. You have worked hard, my squire.”
“Yes!”
“Your growth rate is remarkable. I am impressed.”
“Thank you.”
The White Wing commander closed the case with a gentle smile.
“As I said last time, please keep this matter secret as well.”
“Yes, of course.”
‘Won’t she show me the other equipment?’
The fact that the White Wing commander had been cursed was top secret.
Even when she showed me the cursed bracer, she had not explained the circumstances.
‘Well, strictly speaking, we are not close enough to share a secret like that yet.’
I understood.
“My squire.”
“Cadet Ron Hazely!”
“I have decided to remain at Griffin Knight Academy for the time being, but that does not mean I can stay here all the time.”
Naturally. She had to be busy.
She had not come here just to leisurely train her personal squire.
“So, while I am here...”
The White Wing commander looked at me with a smile.
“If possible, I would like you to spend time with me for training. Would that be all right?”
“I would be grateful for it!”
I could not turn that down.
I immediately bowed my head and eagerly accepted.
“Hehe.”
The White Wing commander held a lightly clenched fist before her lips and let out a soft, tickled laugh.
* * *
The two greatest benefits of being a personal squire were individual instruction from a highly skilled knight and knight order missions.
I could receive the White Wing commander’s guidance on various training methods and newly learned techniques.
‘When vacation comes, I can participate in White Wing Knight Order missions too, so interfering with the scenario will not be a problem.’
There had also been an unexpected benefit.
“Elise Lorendia excels in every field, and as a fairy’s contractor, the power she wields is especially unusual. There is a high chance that teaching her my way would do more harm than good. So I believe all I can do for that student is receive her attacks at full strength.”
That was the White Wing commander’s answer when asked how she would teach Elise.
‘This follows the original work. No, the timing has actually been moved up.’
In the original work, Elise fighting the White Wing commander at full strength again and again was an important growth event.
Elise had almost never been given an opportunity to unleash her full power at knight academy.
Now she would be able to go through that growth event earlier and more often.
However, in the third playthrough’s story, the White Wing commander had suffered from the curse, so she could barely do even that...
‘But I am here, right?’
Ta-da. That curse was getting wrecked by my signature color.
In other words, Elise’s growth event being moved up was one of the best possible outcomes for me.
Time passed, and the period for appointing personal squires came to an end.
The cadets completed their appointment ceremonies at their respective knight orders and returned to knight academy.
Since it only established a master and squire relationship, the ceremonies themselves were nothing grand.
“Elise Lorendia. Ron Hazely. The Oath of the Sword.”
Elise and I also held our appointment ceremony with the White Wing commander at knight academy and officially became personal squires.
And so, the opening of Chapter 2, Act 5 came to an end.
* * *
“I have an announcement regarding the second-semester sparring test.”
Morning, in the large lecture hall.
Before the gathered first-year cadets, Rachel, the red-haired female instructor wearing a pointed hat, delivered the notice.
‘My experience point event is finally here.’
It had been a while since an achievement was on the line.
“The second-semester sparring test will proceed the same way as the first semester. What will change is the standard for forming sparring pairs. Last time, we considered only mana, but this time, the skills you have displayed so far will also be taken into account.”
Instructor Rachel continued.
“After comprehensively judging each cadet’s level, sparring pairs will be randomly formed within a certain range. Mirva, the Wisdom Beast, will make the final decision on the pairings.”
Mirva, the Wisdom Beast.
Mirva was a sentient being that helped Griffin Knight Academy resolve various problems and assess the cadets’ abilities.
Starting in the second semester, Mirva would be responsible for tasks such as forming sparring pairs.
Which meant...
‘There really will not be any bullshit matchups this time.’
Unlike when I was the last-place cadet in the first semester and got matched against Theodore, who was mid-ranked, something like that probably would not happen again.
Rather than judging only Mana Capacity, the academy would use all the data accumulated so far and decide, ‘These two are a suitable match,’ before forming the pairs.
“You will not be matched against anyone you fought during the first semester either, so keep that in mind.”
Theodore Garniel, the reddish-brown-haired male cadet, sucked in a breath.
Was it because he could no longer be matched against me?
Well, no need to care about that.
‘Who will I fight?’
Please let them have C- mana.
If our mana is equal, I am confident I can win, so please. Let me have an easy match.
...Wait, wasn’t this the same routine as the first semester?
It would be fine. What other problem could possibly come up?
* * *
[Sparring Pairings]
.
.
.
Group 13: Damian Dunbringer - Ron Hazely
‘Why is this worse than the first semester...?’
What kind of bullshit is this?
I clicked my tongue as I looked over the second-semester sparring pairings on the academy square’s bulletin board.
‘Damian Dunbringer...’
A promising member of the Solaus Church, the Saint’s older brother, and a holy knight.
He was among the top-ranked first-year cadets and one of the main characters of For Elise.
I had fought him at the abandoned church during the first-semester final exam.
Back then, the gap in strength had been too great for me to even think about winning, so I had run away.
Still.
‘Does this mean my overall capabilities have been judged sufficient to fight that holy knight now?’
She had clearly said sparring pairs would be randomly formed within a certain range...
‘At the very least, it means I am now at a mid-ranked level.’
With my physical ability and mana at C-, being top-ranked was out of the question.
“Hm?”
I suddenly felt someone watching me. When I turned my head, I saw a handsome man with light blond hair.
‘Damian?’
Damian Dunbringer smiled kindly when our eyes met.
Just looking at him, he seemed like the male lead of a romance fantasy. As expected of a main character. Even his name was cool.
The surrounding female cadets stared at Damian in a daze, their faces flushing bright red.
As though it were a perfectly natural phenomenon, he ignored their gazes and approached me.
“Nice to see you, Ron Hazely. It has been a while since we spoke like this, since the final exam last semester.”
“Uh, I guess so...”
“I just saw that we are in the same group.”
“Yeah, apparently.”
“How impressive. You have already grown strong enough to face me. I respect you, Ron Hazely.”
“Uh, well... Thanks for the compliment.”
His tone was kind, but the compliment carried the assumption that he was superior to me.
For some reason, Damian looked delighted as he flashed a broad smile and held out his right hand.
“This must be another bond the Lord has brought together. I look forward to working with you. Let us both do our best!”
“...”
Ah... He was shining. He really was.
That appearance of his, like a righteous male lead.
“Look at him encouraging Ron Hazely.”
“His character is wonderful too.”
“Ah, he’s so handsome...”
Along with the love-struck gazes of the female cadets around us, it was a perfect scene.
Except...
‘This bastard has been looking forward to it.’
You never usually talk to me like this.
It was obvious that you were thrilled at the thought of crushing me, you bastard.
“Sure, whatever... I look forward to it.”
At least he was not openly hostile like Theodore.
I shook Damian’s hand with a weary expression.
Anyway.
‘All I need is one win. Just one, somehow.’
No matter how much stronger he was than me.
I was not who I had been during the first semester, and the Wisdom Beast Mirva must have judged that I had a chance if Mirva had placed us in the same sparring group.
Yeah, I would beat him.
I would settle the match that had ended when I ran away during the final exam, you obnoxious pretty boy.
* * *
“You...”
Training Ground Seven.
I stood facing Lara Twisloff from a distance.
Elise, the magenta-haired female cadet, sat on a bench by the wall with her chin propped on both hands, watching us.
Lara narrowed her eyes and glared at me.
“Why did you assume I would help you as if it were a given?”
“I didn’t assume that.”
I answered while tapping my shoulder with my mock sword.
I had asked Lara for help.
When I thought about the point where Damian’s combat in the original work began in earnest, there was no better training partner around me than Lara.
“I was actually surprised you agreed so quickly.”
“What...?”
“To think Lara is this kind-hearted too. How can she be so perfect...? It’s an honor to have such a fellow cadet...!”
I spoke in my usual teasingly theatrical tone.
I had even prepared coupons for a pastry shop called Mabil Bakery to ask Lara for help.
But Lara had stepped forward to help me before I could even take them out.
“D-Don’t misunderstand, Hazely! I’m only doing this because I’m bored! It’s not like I came forward because I wanted to help you...!”
Lara blushed and pointed at me with a tiny finger as she snapped back.
Elise smiled and chimed in.
“Wow. Lara is embarrassed.”
“What do you mean!?”
“Hehe.”
Elise gave an adorable smile.
I turned toward Elise.
“But Elise, you must be pretty exhausted too. Usually, you wouldn’t be resting this much already.”
“Mm-hm, I’m completely exhausted~ I’ve been relying on Master a looot.”
Unlike her usual self, Elise was wrapped in bandages.
During the personal squire appointment period and on her days off, she had conducted training spars with the White Wing commander far from knight academy.
She must have been badly injured from fighting at full strength again and again. At the same time, she must have been growing noticeably stronger.
Suddenly, Elise narrowed her eyes slyly.
“Whyy? Ron, are you worried about me?”
“What is there to worry about...? You’re training under Master.”
“Even if you don’t mean it, I wanted to hear you say you were worried about me~ I’m hurt.”
Elise narrowed her eyes, puffed out her cheeks, and pretended to sulk.
“Seriously...”
There she went again.
I could not even imagine how much she would have teased me if I had said I was worried, or how Lara would have reacted.
“Anyway, I’m counting on you, Lara.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Attack me with your Fish Swords. I’ll break through them and reach you.”
Lara let out a hollow laugh.
“You make that sound really easy.”
“I’m serious.”
“...”
When I answered seriously, Lara’s expression turned serious too.
She blinked slowly and shrugged.
“I just need to control the Fish Swords? And you only have to reach me?”
“Yeah. I don’t intend to swing my sword at you or anything.”
“Fine. I’ll take you on, Hazely. Well... I have wanted to cross swords with you for a while too.”
“Hm...? Really? You should have told me sooner. I would have welcomed it anytime. To think Lara cares about me that much, it’s an honor to my family...!”
“N-No, you really...! Stop teasing me with that honor stuff...!”
The serious atmosphere did not even last a few seconds.
“Ugh...! Fish Sword!”
Lara huffed and raised the hand with her index and middle fingers extended.
Fwoosh!
Blue aura gathered around her, and seven Fish Swords formed in an instant. Their tips and blades were blunt.
An oppressive amount of mana radiated from them. Tensing up, I tightly gripped my mock sword.
“This should be enough for now... Come at me if you dare, you cocky Ron Hazely. I’ll stay right here!”
Lara wore a mocking smile.
“Good. I like that you’re motivated.”
I calculated a spell formula in my head, gathered ice mana, and released it from the tips of my feet.
Shrrrk!
The ground around me became a thin sheet of ice.
Crackle!
I ignited aura around my mock sword and began racing across the ice toward Lara.
“Hm...?”
Perhaps because I had suddenly made an ice rink, Lara watched me with a puzzled expression before extending her index and middle fingers.
“Deploy.”
Whoosh!
Swoosh!
Four Fish Swords launched first.
They rushed at me from several directions as though surrounding me, then came for my chest one at a time.
Whoosh!
I dodged the first Fish Sword and raised my mock sword at an angle to deflect the second.
Clang!
Aura scattered, and my sword and the Fish Sword were violently knocked apart. My hand went numb.
‘Her aura really is absurdly powerful.’
It was far stronger than mine.
I could not dodge or deflect the third and fourth Fish Swords as they charged simultaneously with my physical abilities.
The Fish Swords were precisely driving me into a corner.
Then, without caring, I exploded my aura.
‘Raging Thunder Sword.’
Boom!
Whoosh!
The propulsion created by the aura explosion shoved my body forward.
My body swiftly slid across the ice, dodging the two Fish Swords.
“!”
Lara was startled, while Elise watched me with interest.
‘Hey, I’m from a country that produced the Figure Queen in my past life.’
It was a movement and evasion technique I had completed under the White Wing commander’s guidance.
Even after reducing the power of the aura explosion, my body could rapidly slide across ice, allowing me to avoid dangerous attacks.
The risk had been greatly reduced compared to when I had thrown myself aside to avoid Demonkin Nadia’s strike during Search Tactics Training.
Swoosh!
Lara deployed the remaining three Fish Swords as well.
All seven Fish Swords cut through the air toward me at once.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
I repeatedly exploded aura across the ice, adjusting my direction and dodging the Fish Swords. I knocked aside a few of them with Raging Thunder Sword along the way.
‘Good, this works!’
An exhilarating thrill ran up my spine. This was fun!
I heard Elise laugh.
“Pfft...! You came up with another unique idea, Ron?”
Meanwhile, Lara looked bewildered.
Lara looked at me as though she were watching a mosquito evade an electric swatter with dazzling movements.
“This is somehow irritating...!”
Lara frowned.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
After zigzagging across the ice to avoid the Fish Swords, I finally came close to Lara.
Ha, I could break through seven Fish Swords now. I’ve grown a lot, Ron Hazely...!
‘Now I just need to slow down and touch Lara’s shoulder...!’
Rather than dodging, Lara pointed at me and fired a new Fish Sword.
“Ah...!”
No, she had hidden another one behind her?
I had not expected that. I reflexively leaned my upper body to the side and dodged.
‘Ah, I can’t control my speed...!’
Fsssh!
I hurriedly poured wind mana in front of my feet to slow down, but... it was too late.
Thud!
“Ah!”
I ended up crashing into Lara, and we both fell.
Lara’s small body was completely covered by mine. I had pinned her beneath my weight.
“Lara, are you okay!?”
I hastily braced my hands on the ground beside Lara’s shoulders, pushed myself up, and looked down at her as I asked.
Lara looked up at me from beneath the shadow of my body, her face as red as a tomato.
“H-H-Hazely...”
Lara looked startled and could not properly continue. Even her voice shook badly.
Fortunately, she did not seem injured. Then again, Lara’s physical ability was probably much greater than mine.
Still.
‘This is bad.’
I could not imagine how upset Lara would be.
...But why?
“I’m... okay...”
Lara turned her head aside to avoid my eyes and replied in a fading voice.
“?”
I was only confused.
Naturally, I had expected her to scream, “Aah, get away from me!”
“Hazely, are you okay?”
“Uh, I’m okay too...”
“...I lost.”
“Lara...?”
“Um, Hazely. Please get off me...”
“Uh, yeah...!”
The atmosphere felt strange. I quickly backed away.
Lara raised her upper body with her head lowered, then quietly caught her breath.
‘What is wrong with her...?’
Her silence only made me more anxious.
“Hazely. Sorry, but let’s continue tomorrow...”
“Uh, yeah...! Get back safely!”
“Elise, I’ll head in first.”
Soon, Lara began to leave at an unhurried pace.
Elise came over beside me. We stood side by side, silently watching Lara’s retreating back.
Only after Lara left through the door could I speak.
“Elise... I’m really anxious right now. That’s normal, right?”
“Mm-hm, who knows?”
“...”
“Don’t worry too much, Ron. Still, judging by the atmosphere, things might be a little awkward for a while.”
“Hm, is that all...?”
“I wonder...”
Elise looked meaningfully at the doorway Lara had left through.
“I guess it meant that much to Lara.”
* * *
“Ha. What is it this time...”
Principal Olivia read the letter from the Holy Nation, let out a deep sigh, and leaned back in their chair.
“Reynald.”
“Yes, Principal.”
“It seems you will have to prepare another good room...”
The Saint had expressed the intention to observe this first-year second-semester Sparring Test.
Footnotes:
“Figure Queen” refers to South Korean figure skater Kim Yuna.
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