Chapter 35: The Capable Fool Hides His Claws Unknowingly
After reuniting with Rouge and Lecty, we headed towards the Second Ground, where most of our classmates had already gathered. Among them were Idiot and his entourage, and upon spotting us, Idiot made his way over.
“You were late, Backwater Poor Noble. I was worried you might have fled in fear of our duel.”
His words drew snickers from his followers, which visibly irritated Rouge and Lecty.
“We didn’t run away! Hugh just went to the bathroom!”
Hey, you really didn’t have to say that.
“Y-Yes! Hugh is just feeling a bit under the weather!”
Lecty’s attempt at support was completely unhelpful. I never said anything about having diarrhea, you know?
“What!? …Is that so, Hugh Pnosis? Are you feeling better now…? Be careful not to catch a chill in your stomach, alright…?”
And why are you suddenly being so nice, Idiot…?
“Uh, thanks, Idiot. I’m fine now. More importantly, the duel will be a sword fight, right?”
“Of course. When it comes to a duel between nobles, there’s no other way. I shall prove who is more worthy of Lady Lecty with my swordsmanship!”
It seemed he was quite confident in his skills, as he made a gesture of drawing his sword from the sheath at his waist.
Since drawing swords on campus is prohibited, it was merely for show, yet cheers erupted from his entourage. “Wow!” they exclaimed, praising him as “the great Idiot!” He puffed out his chest, clearly pleased with himself.
Lily watched this scene with a bitter expression. She must have seen Idiot grow up in such an environment since childhood. Perhaps she had her own thoughts about it.
“Ah, everyone’s gathered! I’m so glad to have such serious students! Truly impressive, impressive!”
About five minutes after the bell for class rang, Alissa Swift finally arrived, carrying two wooden swords.
“You’re late, Alissa.”
“You’re harsh, Lady Lily. It can’t be helped! The food in the cafeteria was just too delicious, and I ended up eating too much!”
“That’s hardly an excuse…”
I had no idea how that could be considered an excuse. Lily seemed ready to scold her but sighed in resignation instead.
“Such is the Royal Academy. It can’t compare to the Knights’ cafeteria. If there are any students here who wish to join the Knights, be prepared! The portions are just unnecessarily large, and the taste is nearly nonexistent!”
“Um, Miss Alissa, could we start the class soon?”
“Hugh, you’re quite the serious one! I was going to start anyway, so here we go!”
Alissa tossed the wooden swords to me and Idiot.
The moment I caught it, it felt as if the sword naturally fit in my hand. I instinctively understood how to swing it, my posture, and even how to move my feet.
“Wow.”
As I lightly swung the sword to test it, Alissa narrowed her eyes. Oh no, did she catch on right away…? Even though I was prepared for it, my heart raced.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment! Watch closely, Lady Lecty! I will prove that I am the one worthy of protecting you!”
“Go, do your best, Hugh!”
“Please, don’t push yourself too hard…?”
“Thanks, you two. I’ll be off now.”
With Rouge and Lecty seeing me off, I approached Idiot. Lily silently watched me, her gaze unwavering. Defeating Idiot was the bare minimum. On top of that, I had to win in a way that would satisfy Lily.
We stood about ten meters apart, each of us readying our wooden swords.
“Let’s settle this, Hugh Pnosis!”
“Come at me, Idiot Hautness.”
“Are you ready? Then this duel will be overseen by Alissa Swift of the Royal Knights Order. Both parties, fight fair—begin!”
At Alissa’s declaration,
“Hah—!”
It was Idiot who moved first. Utilizing his enhanced physical abilities from his Skill, he closed the ten-meter gap in just two steps.
He’s fast… but not so fast that I can’t respond.
I angled my sword diagonally and stepped to deflect his downward strike. Following up with a quick upward swing and thrust, I stepped back while lightly tapping my wooden sword to redirect his attacks. Seizing the moment, I swung my sword lightly, causing Idiot to leap back, creating distance between us.
“Idiot’s flurry of attacks is…!”
“What was that exchange!?”
“Incredible, I can’t even see the sword!”
“Who’s going to win…!?”
The spectators began to murmur excitedly. They seemed astonished by the unexpectedly high level of skill on display.
…Honestly, I was surprised too.
“Not bad, Hugh Pnosis!”
“You’re not so bad yourself…!”
Now that I had acquired the Swordsmanship Skill, I understood. Idiot wasn’t just a spoiled brat riding on the praise of those around him.
His swordsmanship was not a mere façade gained through Skills like mine; it was built on genuine effort and training—real skill.