Emperor (5)
Ramielli's swordsmanship instructor's downfall.
His opponent wasn't even a fellow instructor, but a mere first-year female student.
Of course, the girl's status was extraordinary and her birth noble,
but that wouldn't guarantee her talent in swordsmanship.
A silence so profound that even the smallest breath seemed to echo settled over the audience.
They were the pro-Yohaiden nobles summoned by Duke Yohaiden.
Naturally, they had anticipated Selena's victory.
However, no one had envisioned this scene in their wildest dreams.
"Th-that's..."
The first to break the silence with a gasp was none other than the Emperor.
The Emperor hadn't seen the previous matches.
He had only arrived when Zeke Clayman was passing judgment on Ilios, so he hadn't expected much from a mere first-year duel, no matter how impressive it might be.
He had merely shown respect because she was the daughter of Duke Yohaiden.
But could the scene unfolding before his eyes be real?
"Captain of the Knights... What is the meaning of this? Is that instructor acting?"
In the end, he couldn't help but throw an absurd question at the Captain of the Knights beside him.
"..."
The Captain of the Knights was equally speechless.
This was an entirely different matter from the previous matches between students.
She wasn't even wielding a real sword, but a loaf of bread.
However, the countless drops of blood that adorned the training ground floor like red flowers,
the small girl holding the long loaf of bread,
and the sight of the burly man kneeling before her with dead eyes were so surreal
that it resembled a romantic scene from a fairy tale.
The Captain couldn't remain silent when the Emperor had posed a question.
He forced his mouth open.
"Acting... No. He... that is, Dios Redwood, though not exceptional, displayed a decent level of swordsmanship."
"Then how is this possible! Are you telling me that this little girl has driven a competent knight to such despair? Does that even make sense?!"
The Emperor was serious.
This wasn't something he could simply overlook.
He knew that Zeke Clayman was a person of interest,
but the fact that he could transform such a delicate woman into someone strong enough to rival a skilled knight in such a short period was a serious matter that could threaten his authority.
The Captain of the Knights swallowed his groan.
"Actually, Lady Selena Yohaiden doesn't possess such exceptional swordsmanship skills."
"Then it makes even less sense! Did Zeke Clayman perhaps resort to some suspicious trickery like Lost Hope?"
The Emperor's suspicion was justified.
"That's unlikely. The incomprehensible part is... how she could inflict such wounds with bread... The most plausible explanation is that Zeke Clayman hid a blade inside the bread to catch her opponent off guard."
"However!"
"Yes, simply hiding a blade inside the bread doesn't explain how Lady Selena Yohaiden defeated the instructor."
The Captain of the Knights cautiously spoke as he recalled their recent duel.
"Hmm... I'm not sure whether to call it natural talent or what, but... Lady Selena Yohaiden has good eyes."
"Eyes?"
"Yes, instead of using any particular swordsmanship technique, she simply observed the gaps in his swordsmanship and struck. This is a talent that every swordsman desires."
In truth, Selena's eyes weren't particularly good. She momentarily heightened her concentration to perceive the external flow and grasp her opponent's weaknesses.
However, since he couldn't imagine her manipulating mana, the Captain of the Knights voiced his misunderstanding.
"Huh... So you're saying that all swordsmanship is useless against this girl!"
"No. If her opponent had been more skilled, or if Lady Selena Yohaiden had been the one to attack first, the outcome might have been different."
"...Even so, this isn't something I can ignore. Did you say that all the children he taught displayed exceptional skills?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Then that means Zeke Clayman has a special training method that can cultivate such unique talents... I'll have to summon him to the Imperial Palace soon. Captain of the Knights, dispatch men to investigate Zeke Clayman more thoroughly."
"Yes."
Honestly, he wanted to summon Zeke right away and speak with him privately, but the location wasn't suitable.
With Duke Yohaiden present and the lack of security, confronting him here wouldn't be a wise choice.
"Then let's get up."
The Emperor, about to leave his seat, glanced at Zeke Clayman.
Zeke, catching his eye, bowed his head in greeting.
* * *
Duke Yohaiden couldn't hold back his tears of joy.
"Se-Se-Se-Se-Selena, my Selena... Sob! So-so magnificent!"
Duke Yohaiden stammered, his speech failing him.
He didn't even wipe away his flowing tears, afraid to miss even a moment of Selena's appearance, his tears streaming down his face without a care for decorum.
"Oh... The blood, how gruesome..."
The Duchess of Yohaiden frowned.
Then, Yohaiden's eldest son spoke.
"Mother, Selena was allowed to use a real sword in this duel. So, whether she hid a blade in the bread or not, as long as she didn't take his life, such injuries are not a problem in a duel."
"Sigh, that's not what I meant, son."
"And Instructor Dios isn't seriously injured. It's just that he suffered many attacks, making it look worse than it is. They're all just scrapes."
"Truly, whose child are you..."
The Duchess let out a deep sigh, her face stiff as her eldest son coldly explained the situation.
"So, is Selena really that amazing?"
"...Honestly, I might even lose to her now. Selena isn't at her best right now..."
As the young duke who would inherit the Dukedom, he had to hone his swordsmanship to a high level.
Being skilled in swordsmanship himself, the eldest son could grasp the magnitude of Selena's achievement.
'To think Selena had such talent...'
Selena was originally a frail girl, unsuited for knighthood.
However, she had overcome all her disadvantages with her hidden talent – her eyes.
"...We should thank Zeke Clayman, that man, for this."
"Indeed! This isn't something we can simply overlook! To have raised Selena so magnificently...! Selena, sob!"
Duke Yohaiden added, but once again, his eyes welled up with tears as he gazed upon his daughter.
After Selena's match, Headmaster Lotto briefly wrapped things up and held a banquet.
The banquet hall buzzed with excitement, the topic of conversation revolving around the duels they had witnessed.
"Today's matches were truly unforgettable."
"Indeed. Sigh... I never imagined those delicate girls could display such prowess."
"By the way, a lot has happened this time."
Duke Yohaiden had attended at the last minute due to an urgent request, unaware of the details, but more had transpired during this tournament than he had anticipated.
Enough to keep them talking for days, even weeks!
First, the downfall of First Prince Ilios.
The most promising candidate for the crown prince had not only resorted to cowardly tactics like using paralyzing drugs in the duel, but he had also manipulated the daughter of a Count from behind the scenes.
The nobles felt betrayed and shocked.
"To think we were supporting such a person. We must withdraw our support immediately."
Such remarks weren't surprising.
Ilios had shown a tendency to readily shift blame onto his followers and cut them loose when faced with exposure, focusing solely on self-preservation.
Such a personality wouldn't improve if he became Emperor; it would only worsen.
The nobles, seasoned in the world of politics, knew that following such a person would never lead to a good outcome.
And second.
Duke Yohaiden's fury towards Count Gilbert.
Count Gilbert had quickly left as soon as the Emperor departed.
A noble who had already incurred Duke Yohaiden's wrath wouldn't be able to withstand the pressure in this place, which was practically a pro-Yohaiden den.
"What will happen to Yuri Gilbert? Her family will be ruined, will she be swept away as well...?"
"Hmm, I heard that Duke Yohaiden has decided to become her patron."
"Oh, as expected...! Hate the sin, not the sinner. Truly like the Duke! And honestly, the girl isn't particularly at fault in this incident..."
Nodding heads filled the room.
Thanks to Zeke Clayman's intervention and subsequent protection from Duke Yohaiden,
Yuri Gilbert had garnered sympathy from the nobles despite her family's downfall.
Lastly, Zeke Clayman, the instructor in charge of Ramielli Academy's swordsmanship classes, and his students.
"Dios Redwood is completely finished."
"Indeed, what student would want to learn from an instructor who lost to a student?"
"Sigh, my son applied for Zeke Clayman's class but couldn't endure the trial lesson and ended up in Dios's class... What a shame. I must find a way to get him into Zeke's class, even now."
The nobles chattered endlessly.
The banquet, originally planned to last for an hour or two,
stretched on until dawn as the nobles, with countless words spoken and yet more to say, continued their discussions.
They talked about the girls' impressive performances and Zeke Clayman, the man who had nurtured them into such exceptional swordswomen.
* * *
As the banquet reached its peak, Zeke and the Yohaiden family gathered in the academy's lounge where Selena was asleep.
"Hmm... Selena shows no signs of waking up. Is she perhaps ill from overexertion...!?"
Duke Yohaiden whispered, his voice barely above a murmur, worried about waking Selena.
"The Imperial physician who visited Rosnante has already examined her, so you needn't worry."
"...But it's been hours!"
"She's been training day and night for several days, eager to show her family her progress."
Zeke said with a composed expression.
'Selena is smart, she'll know how to play along when she wakes up.'
Sob!
The Duke's tear ducts, which had barely recovered, malfunctioned once again.
"There was no need to push herself so hard!!! How foolish of her!!"
The Duke, behaving as if Selena was suffering from a grave illness when she was simply exhausted from fatigue.
Zeke watched him with a jaded look and added,
"Actually, I heard that Selena's enrollment in the academy was also done in secret."
"...That's right."
"So she wanted to prove herself. To show her family how serious she was."
Lies flowed effortlessly from Zeke's lips without a change in his expression.
Duke Yohaiden fell silent for a moment, gazing at Selena.
Then, he clasped Zeke's hand tightly.
"Zeke Clayman, if you need anything, just say the word. Remember that Yohaiden stands behind you."
Faced with the earnest expression of the doting Duke, Zeke let out a chuckle.
"Yes, I understand. Then, Your Grace, are you returning to the Dukedom now?"
"Actually, I wanted to have a few words with Selena... But it seems I have no choice... According to the information you provided, their gathering is imminent, isn't it? I'm pressed for time as it is, preparing to strike them from behind."
"Then, Your Grace, why don't you carry Selena and escort her back to the mansion?"
"!"
The Duke's eyes widened.
"Would that be alright...?"
"What could be wrong with her father carrying her back to the mansion? The official events are over... Spend some quality time with your family before you leave."
Zeke said and stepped outside.
He slowly made his way out of the banquet hall and walked through the academy grounds.
The red sunset gently rippled across the horizon.
The long, arduous day had finally come to an end.
'Hmm, I should give the Yohaidens some time alone, so going straight back to the mansion wouldn't be appropriate. I'll kill some time at the training grounds.'
As he headed towards the training grounds, he spotted a figure.
A girl, wielding a wooden sword in both hands, smoothly slashing downwards.
Even in Zeke's eyes, her swordsmanship was flawlessly clean.
Black bobbed hair and black eyes.
It was Yuri.
"Instructor."
Yuri looked up as Zeke approached, pausing her sword practice.
Her clear, black eyes stared intently at Zeke.
"Thank you."
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