Real Education (2)
‘Alright… I’ll just close my eyes… and take one hit.’
Yuri reassured herself as she stepped into the arena.
Her opponent was Young Master Joseph of the Holeif Marquis.
He was known as the strongest student in Instructor Dios’ class.
He narrowed his eyes and faced Yuri.
His gaze was sharp, as if sizing her up.
He seemed tense after witnessing Iriel's performance just now.
‘Iriel was truly amazing…’
He had olive-colored hair and serious eyes of the same color.
Just by looking at him, one could tell how dedicated he was to the sword.
However, Yuri felt apologetic because she couldn't reciprocate his seriousness.
His tightly closed lips parted.
“I look forward to our match.”
“Yes.”
Without further ado, Joseph raised his wooden sword.
But Yuri didn't raise hers.
Clang—
The bell signaling the start of the spar rang.
Joseph slowly approached, one step at a time, gradually closing the distance.
The way he cautiously approached, even though Yuri hadn't adopted any stance, seemed to speak to his prudent nature.
Thump
Thump
The sound of her own heartbeat echoed in her ears.
Finally, they were within sword's reach.
Yuri's downcast eyes saw Joseph's feet.
Joseph raised his wooden sword above his head and initiated his first attack with a standard downward strike.
Whoosh!!!
The sword approached, fiercely cutting through the air.
With this, she had done her part.
‘Yes… this is right… I can just say I was too nervous for the real match, I can just make that excuse…’
Guilt gnawed at her heart, but Yuri tried to ignore it.
Finally, the swung wooden sword reached above her head,
and just as Joseph, who had swung the sword, felt a sense of bewilderment,
Yuri's head suddenly jerked back as if someone was pulling it from behind.
‘Huh?’
She involuntarily looked back, but there was no one there.
She opened her mouth in a daze.
‘Why…?’
She had clearly intended to get hit by the sword, but her body had dodged it on its own.
She wondered if someone else had intervened,
but Yuri's senses told her that this was her own doing.
Joseph's eyes blazed.
And a horizontal slash followed immediately.
Yuri lowered her head again and dodged the sword.
‘This won’t do! I have to lose! I have to lose!’
As her body continued to move on its own accord,
Yuri closed her eyes tightly.
Joseph gritted his teeth and growled.
“...Are you… mocking me…?”
“No!”
She immediately denied it, but her true intentions couldn't possibly reach him.
“Then open your eyes. And raise your sword!”
“I… I can’t…”
Yuri kept her eyes closed and didn't raise her sword.
“... …”
Grit
The sound of teeth grinding. Thick veins bulged on Joseph's forehead.
He tightened his grip on the sword.
Whoosh—!
The sword came at Yuri again.
If the previous attacks had been somewhat restrained for the sake of sparring, now there was a killing intent behind them.
Yuri tried to force her body to stay put,
but against her will, the sword missed again by a hair's breadth.
Swish
Swish
Whizz
A series of attacks were launched.
But her movements didn't allow even a single graze.
It was like watching a dance at close range.
She grimaced and said,
“What are you trying to do…?”
“What…?”
“Swing properly.”
Joseph was dumbfounded and asked back, but Yuri was serious.
“Please…”
“Why are you swinging like that…? I can’t get hit even if I want to.”
“You’re putting too much power into it.”
“My grandmother could swing a sword better than that!”
Yuri's voice grew louder with frustration.
Irritation welled up.
Her opponent's clumsy swordsmanship was completely exposed to her sixth sense.
‘You should sharpen the blade there. What are you doing!’
‘Ha, no! That’s not it!’
‘You’re really terrible!’
She was even closing her eyes and practically begging him to hit her, yet if he couldn't even do this, what was she supposed to do?
‘If you swung like the Instructor, I wouldn’t be able to dodge no matter how hard I tried!’
No matter how desperately Yuri tried to avoid Zeke's "bread," it would accurately pierce her body. Compared to that, this was truly pathetic swordsmanship.
If he were even half as good as the Instructor, no, even a quarter, or a sixteenth, he could easily defeat her.
This was too much.
“Just a little more! You can do it!”
“You can do it!”
“Ha… Really, just!!”
Yuri's cries were desperate, but…
How would this look to others?
Iriel and Soi were watching from the back of the arena.
Iriel rested her chin on Soi's shoulder.
It was refreshing to see the usually composed girl shouting like this.
“Wow… She has such a calm face, but her personality is truly amazing…”
Iriel said, sounding exasperated.
“Huh?”
“Look at Joseph’s face. He looks like he’s about to kill someone.”
Soi looked at the boy facing Yuri.
A murderous look.
Uncontrollable rage twisted his features, muscles bulging.
Anger, resentment, inferiority – Soi felt a wave of negative emotions emanating from him.
“That’s just mockery. Even I have a temper… Wow, if I had heard those words myself, I would have cried.”
Iriel shuddered as if the thought alone gave her goosebumps.
However, Soi could also sense Yuri’s emotions, so she could only tilt her head in confusion.
‘Hmm… She seems really desperate…?’
To Soi, Yuri seemed to genuinely want her opponent to attack with a force she couldn’t possibly defend against.
‘Why…?’
But Soi’s question would remain unanswered.
Because her opponent finally threw his sword to the ground.
After a long exchange of attacks and dodges,
a sound echoed in the silence as the wooden sword rolled across the floor.
Thud. Thud.
Clatter.
He raised his head and looked directly at the principal.
“I… I’m not doing this… anymore!!!!”
“Why!!!!! Why not!!!”
Yuri opened her eyes wide and asked back with a bewildered expression.
"Why… not doing it anymore?"
Joseph clenched his teeth and glared down at her menacingly.
“How much… How much more do you intend to humiliate me before you’re satisfied!!!!”
“Wh-What are you talking about…?”
Joseph shouted with veins bulging in his neck.
“What!? Why not anymore!? Fine! If you want me to say it, I will! My sword can’t touch you!!! Our family’s secret swordsmanship, all my efforts from practicing since dawn, none of it could touch you!!!! You dodged with your eyes closed and how much more do you want to mock me!!! Fine! I lost! Are you happy now!!! Are you satisfied!!!”
“No, no… That’s not it…”
Joseph sneered and spat out his words.
His eyes were filled with resentment.
“...Damn it…”
His head hung low, overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness before an unattainable genius.
He wiped away his tears with his thick forearm.
“Count Gilbert’s, Yuri Gilbert, wins!”
The declaration of victory echoed, but only silence filled the arena.
* * *
“...Count Gilbert… What in the world is the meaning of this…?”
A chilling, low voice threatened Count Gilbert.
“Y-Your Highness, Ilios…!”
Count Gilbert broke out in a cold sweat, his face stiff.
“You better have a good explanation…”
However, Count Gilbert himself couldn't explain what had happened.
Why did his daughter, who had always obeyed him without question and trembled before him, defy him now?
How did she acquire such swordsmanship skills?
Everything was baffling.
“I-I apologize!!!”
Bowing his head to the First Prince, he thought to himself.
‘I won’t let her get away with this… Does she think she’s become arrogant because she can wield a sword now? Should I send her to the North to hunt monsters…?’
No, perhaps it would be better to sell her off in marriage to a nobleman who showed interest, for a hefty price.
How could he ensure the future Yuri would hate the most?
Despite being his own flesh and blood, Count Gilbert had no qualms about such thoughts.
He glanced to the side and saw Yuri standing in the middle of the arena, lost in thought.
Their eyes met, and Count Gilbert mouthed the words:
[You… We’ll talk when we get back…]
Yuri flinched and her eyes filled with fear.
He couldn't leave in the middle of this, not while the First Prince was enraged.
The priority was to somehow salvage the situation.
“I apologize!!!”
***
“Wow… That was amazing… You kept talking about Zeke Clayman, and now I see why. I thought our Selena would show us something just as spectacular… But now the matches are all over? So, Selena won’t be appearing after all?”
Selena’s mother, Iluna Yohaiden, tapped her cheek and pouted.
Duke Yohaiden, who was smiling awkwardly, was equally frustrated.
‘Zeke Clayman! This isn’t what we agreed on!!’
He had brought his wife and son all the way to Ramielli Academy for Selena’s match.
But Selena, the most important person, was absent.
At first, when he couldn’t find Selena among the waiting participants, he assumed there was some reason.
But when the girl with black hair appeared in the final match, the Duke’s patience ran out.
He wouldn’t let this slide after the midterm evaluation was over…
‘Zeke Clayman… Did that bastard use me?’
Just then, Zeke Clayman stepped forward.
“Distinguished guests, did you enjoy the sparring matches?”
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