Chapter 21: The Fool's Sword

Honestly.

The Demon King had expected that within that hellish—yet not quite hellish—place, the boy would be driven to a mental breaking point or suffer dozens of repeated frustrations.

He figured that while the boy would eventually stand back up, the process would not be easy.

But to his surprise?

‘He hasn’t collapsed once.’

He simply didn’t express it outwardly, but surely he must have felt countless frustrations within.

He must have shuddered every moment, seized by a barrage of loneliness and self-doubt.

The Demon King had intended to push him moderately and then send him back to reality if he seemed to be struggling.

It would have been fine if he had voluntarily complained or expressed his hardships.

But without ever harboring resentment or declaring surrender.

The boy remained utterly immersed until the end.

‘In this regard, he is exactly like the Hero.’

As for the resemblance, it was most evident in those amber eyes, which looked as if they were carved from gold.

Judging solely by appearance, Ermina’s traits were more prominent.

From the silky fine black hair to the overall soft lines of her features, he was quite pretty.

But his temperament? His personality?

More accurately, his grit? His willpower?

In a way, it was the most core aptitude and nature for heroes and Heroes.

Kariel resembled Lueld in that regard.

…Though he was worn down now, his innate nature was naive, and he possessed a trait where he could not easily resent or curse others.

The way he kept everything inside, letting it pile up until he fell into self-loathing and depression.

No matter how you looked at it, that part was more like Ermina.

‘But.’

It was too soon.

Too soon to draw a conclusion based on this alone.

The Demon King still didn’t know much about Kariel.

Some might say he had figured out at least ninety percent, that he knew everything by now.

Yet, unsolved mysteries remained scattered.

‘Is this the final amusement? Since it is a pastime, I wish to uncover it leisurely.’

The true flavor of cheese and wine is found when they are aged to perfection and brought out at the most delicious moment!

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Common sense dictates.

If the level of the teacher and the student are the same or only marginally different.

The concept of truly “teaching” is difficult to establish.

Furthermore, the Imperial Academy, situated at the heart of the Empire, is one of the most prestigious institutions on the continent.

The position of a guiding instructor there means they are, in another sense, among the top educators and experts on the continent.

However.

They are still human.

They have their own circumstances; they are swayed by power, or they worry about their reputation and performance records.

Some are seized by a Need for Approval, while others pursue an even greater desire for fame.

Among them, some are dedicated to their profession as educators and teachers, possessing a sense of responsibility or pride.

Others were pushed into the position unintentionally or had it thrust upon them.

Or perhaps they hoped to use the process as a stepping stone to reach a higher position.

Lembert, who was nearly thirty this year, was often described as mediocre and clumsy in every sense.

If there was one thing he was recognized for, it was his skill with a sword? Or perhaps his excellent physical condition?

It wasn’t that he hadn’t tried.

But the wall of talent and the barrier of effort were even thicker.

While he struggled for eight hours, those “gifted” ones would immerse themselves for several hours more than he did.

Forgetting rest and even sacrificing time for leisure, they honed their skills.

‘Why do they live like that?’

What on earth is left after suffering so much?

The Demon King is dead, isn’t he? Then what is there to regret that makes them train so hard?

He did not regret his choices.

However, as one year became several, and five years became ten.

The positions they stood in had completely diverged.

Perhaps.

Was it because he never had a chance to shine, or because he couldn’t achieve any feats?

If only he were given a chance.

The Holy Sword, or a Holy Relic.

If only he could be chosen by such things.

He would suddenly resent his family, then resent his past self for not trying harder.

But as he realized that reality didn’t change and it was only exhausting.

Thus, he became an adult just like the adults around him.

That is to say.

Despite being born as the child of a Hero, and despite the rampant rumors of how great he was as a child.

To see that he is actually so incompetent.

Moreover, that he doesn’t even put in the effort.

If that’s the case, he should just stick to a pen; why even hold a sword?

…Does he think I’m a pushover?

What on earth did he learn from Sir Lueld?

If I had a father like Lueld.

…I could have become a hero too.

“Stop! Sto-op—!”

Lembert was forcibly snapped out of his reverie.

A student was screaming in appeal, his face pressed into the ground.

For his age, he was a student whose skills weren’t bad.

His basics were solid, and his innate talent was decent.

It was as if he were looking at his own younger self.

However, since becoming a swordsmanship instructor, Lembert had seen countless people with talent similar to his own.

He, who had thought himself special or slightly different, had ultimately only managed to set one foot into the realm of the extraordinary.

Stepping into the Imperial Academy was equivalent to having that recognized.

Therefore.

…One should not be helplessly crushed into the ground like that.

Even for a mock duel, such a gap in skill was problematic.

Moreover, the one who put that student in such a state.

The Hero’s Shame.

The Lizard Tail Born of a Dragon.

The one called Incompetence’s Shamelessness.

…Kariel Brandiar.

This was simply… impossible, and should not have happened.

Indeed, everyone watching seemed visibly flustered, not knowing how to process the current situation.

“Next.”

With a wooden sword resting on his shoulder and a face devoid of emotion, he declared.

“…….”

With dry eyes, he calmly scanned the crowd who had looked down on and ridiculed him.

Lembert felt cold sweat trickling down.

Why was he nervous?

At most, he was at a student’s level.

There was nothing great or special about him.

His mana manipulation was still a mess, and the aura and momentum he emitted were as frail as a candle flame about to be extinguished by a gentle breeze.

Even his physical movements were more disastrous than those of a wooden training dummy.

Then why.

…Did he win?

Strictly speaking, Kariel had not subdued his opponent with swordsmanship.

As soon as he dodged an attack, he struck the opponent’s chin with the back of his hand.

Simultaneously, after calmly deflecting the desperate attacks of his opponent.

The moment he tripped him to break his balance, he snatched the opponent’s left arm and twisted it behind his back.

“…….”

Then what did he do with the wooden sword he was holding?

Nothing.

He just held it.

He didn’t use it to block the opponent’s attacks, nor did he lightly swing it or thrust it as a threat.

He just, held it.

‘Was that rumor… actually true?’

The unbelievable news that Patina, the youngest female member to join the Golden Dragon Knights, had been hit once by him.

If she were a close younger sibling and had a special relationship since childhood, she could have simply let him win.

But was it something that would spark rumors?

In other words, if his expectations were so abysmal that such a small thing would cause a rumor… then perhaps.

But wouldn’t that be no different from offering another insult to Kariel?

“Just because you got lucky once, you’re acting arrogant. Fine! I’ll face you myself!”

Another student stepped forward with a confident expression, as if he had made a great decision.

A student whose practical swordsmanship rank was twenty places higher than the previous one.

The boy, an heir to a Viscount family, was confident, as if the very assumption of his own defeat never entered his mind.

…However.

“??”

Kariel struck with the sword held in a reverse grip.

The end of the wooden handle.

As the wooden pommel drove straight into the opponent’s Adam’s apple, the student collapsed, clutching his throat and making a pathetic choking sound.

“…….”

Kariel’s gaze as he looked down at him did not waver for a second.

No, even that was wrong.

‘Is he on guard?’

No, it wasn’t guarding.

That was….

The gaze of a predator, contemplating whether or not to snap the throat.

Since the prey was still alive.

It meant the situation had not yet ended.

“Next.”

His foot twitched slightly, but it didn’t lead to a further action.

‘Just now….’

He could have easily used his foot to kick the head or stomp on the neck and face.

But he didn’t go that far.

…In other words.

Not with emotion, but with reason, he was thoroughly controlling and tuning himself.

All the results shown so far clearly proved this.

“…….”

Before he knew it, Kariel’s gaze was following Lembert.

Those pupils that seemed to have lost their light.

Those eyes that had sunk into a murky depth.

Lembert felt a chill, as if his inner thoughts were being ransacked.

“Shall we continue?”

What?

“Next.”

He had only taken down two people.

Why was no one volunteering to be next?

Was he not the Kariel they had viewed so easily?

The one they had looked down upon so much?

Even now, he looked precarious just standing there.

Then why… were those who stepped forward so confidently subdued like children’s play?

“Wh-why are you using your bare hands in a swordsmanship duel….”

Even the student who tried to point this out loudly.

Could not be unaware of how cheap and wretched an excuse that was.

Perhaps because no one agreed with him.

His voice trailed off naturally.

“Then you can come out and prove it.”

To be precise.

The moment Kariel looked directly at him, he was crushed.

“If you wish, I will use a sword as well. Instead… be prepared for your body to be broken. Because the period was short and I lack knack, I haven’t learned how to control my strength yet.”

Without expressing hostility.

It was a warning, as if calmly stating a fact.

That calm demeanor, combined with the silent stillness, pushed the situation to be even more alien.

If.

If I had possessed power.

If I had been ignored, looked down upon, ridiculed, and unfairly bullied all along because I lacked power.

If I had been innocently tormented.

Would I have been able to.

…Be that calm.

Neither cold nor hot, without even a hint of lukewarmness.

Could I have shown an attitude bordering on indifference?

Even if the arrows of resentment were aimed at me.

There were plenty of people in this place who had no room for excuses right now.

And that point.

Was evoking an ominous feeling in everyone’s heart.

“…….”

Which target is the arrow of retribution aiming for? Which one is it pointing at?

When will the bowstring be released?

When will the arrow be fired?

And above all.

…What is he thinking?

What is his purpose?

The more they observed and watched him.

The more his inner thoughts and intentions remained utterly unknowable.

The seed of anxiety planted in everyone’s mind finally sprouted.

As fear.

As the unknown.

As if an invisible fang was about to settle on the nape of the neck.

The chilling sensation of hard teeth, of sharp edges, sliding across the skin and fine hairs.

All of it felt too real, too vivid.

“Gasp!”

A female student gasped.

As Kariel’s gaze turned toward her, she collapsed without realizing it.

“What will you do?”

Kariel asked, looking directly at Lembert.

A teacher can engage in a guiding duel with a student.

But that is the limit.

He must not go beyond that.

To be equal with a student he is supposed to teach?

There is no dishonor greater than that.

Even if not equal, to allow a few moves even while dominating?

Even that is a dishonor.

Therefore.

Unless he was in a situation where he could be confident of overwhelming victory.

There was absolutely nothing to gain from facing him.

“…….”

No, that’s not it.

Had he ever worried about such things… until recently?

Against that Kariel?

Against such a shame?

Against Incompetence’s Shamelessness?

“I can’t go around cutting every single throat and driving a blade into every heart, can I?”

Suddenly.

With the same blunt expression, Kariel abruptly let a bloodthirsty phrase slip from his lips.

“It’s time you noticed.”

This is.

“A development that can no longer be avoided.”

As long as you are a swordsman and a knight.

“This is my final warning. Make your choice.”

Will you engage by risking your life?

Or.

“Will you keep this as a simple duel?”

“Ka-Kariel. You… there’s nothing you won’t say to a teacher….”

“Stop playing word games. Isn’t that what you always prattled on to me? Talking with your mouth ends here. If you talk any more.”

I will kill you.

…….

He didn’t make a sound.

His lips only moved, but to Lembert, who was watching him, the content was delivered very clearly.

“You, you arrogant….”

“…….”

Why.

Why does a guy who says he’ll kill someone.

Still show no emotion?

He could show even the smallest reaction, couldn’t he?

Yet, there was weight in his words.

He couldn’t understand it at all.

Regardless.

As if giving him enough time to prepare, Kariel calmly walked forward and leveled his wooden sword.

“Then, I ask for a move.”

Kariel felt a shred of pity.

Because I was naive and foolish.

Because I was weak and incompetent.

Because I allowed your claws and fangs too easily.

This misfortune was triggered.

If this too is my fault, then it is.

Therefore.

‘I may not have started it, but if it was ultimately triggered and started because of me.’

Then cutting that rotten chain.

Is entirely my duty and responsibility.