Episode 017
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Up until four years ago, Joshua Praline had been a student at Privia Academy.
It wasn’t entirely surprising for a successful forr student to visit the academy seeking counsel or guidance. However, the timing of Joshua’s return posed a peculiar dilemma.
‘Could it be an investigation? No, that can’t be right.’
The idea that a professional athlete would co to inquire about an amateur, who rely assisted with practice, seed highly improbable.
‘Perhaps he’s just here to et a sibling?’
While that was the most plausible explanation, the evidence supporting it was flimsy. There was no need to target a ti when the campus was bustling with people.
Accompanied by Anise Praline, Philip made his way towards the undergraduate office, taking in the lively ambiance within.
“Joshua Praline returning to the academy. This is quite unusual. He couldn’t have had such fond mories here.”
The voice belonged to Senior Professor Emil Phanoy. Philip raised an eyebrow, as it was a rare occurrence for the professor to be in the undergraduate office.
“… There’s sothing I must confront, Senior Professor. If I fail to overco it, I’ll amount to nothing.”
It was a voice Philip had never heard before, and it seed to emanate from Joshua Praline.
“Seven years ago. Joshua. Was it truly such a dreadful experience?”
“You wouldn’t be able to fathom it, Senior Professor. The feelings of powerlessness and despair I endured; even though they transford into a better person, it left an indelible scar. I ca back here to confront my fears and conquer them.”
Having heard this much, Philip glanced at Anise.
As the daughter of the company’s president, she appeared to be reading Philip’s mind. Her expression seed to inquire why he hadn’t entered yet, prompting Philip to smile and knock on the door.
“May I co in?”
The Senior Professor promptly granted permission.
“It’s your workplace. What do you need to ask? Co in.”
As he entered the undergraduate office, he found a spacious room with the Senior Professor and a young man dressed in a pristine white gown.
The other staff mbers seed quite busy, probably engrossed in ongoing classes.
“Oppa?” Anise Praline called out to the young man with a hint of moisture in her voice, but strangely, his attention was fixed on Philip.
‘Why is he looking at like that?’
“Oppa!”
It was only after Anise called him again that the young man, Joshua Praline, finally turned his gaze towards his younger sister.
“Anise, my beloved sister. I heard you were still in class; yet, here you are causing a scene.”
As Joshua opened his arms, Anise Praline rushed over and leaped into his embrace. Joshua greeted his long-lost sister with a gentle pat on the head.
“I couldn’t resist coming when I heard Oppa was here…”
“Nevertheless, you should have restrained yourself.”
With that, Joshua let go of his sister. Anise hung her head, looking a bit dejected.
“Go back and get ready for your class. After it’s over, submit your leave pass, and et at the main entrance.”
“Alright.”
As Anise Praline turned back wearily, Philip and Joshua exchanged glances.
Joshua gritted his teeth so tightly that it was almost audible.
“… Isn’t that right, Philip Oswald?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Philip nodded.
Joshua Praline then took a few steps forward.
“Surely, you rember , right?”
After a mont of thought, Philip replied, “I’m sorry, but I don’t recall.”
At that mont, he had a feeling that there might be so unpleasant history between him and Joshua.
Soon, Emil Phanoy’s boisterous laughter reverberated through the lecture hall.
“Hehehe! Hahahaha! That’s right! I can’t rember the ones I beat up. The ones who took the blows will be whining and suffering for days, that’s for sure.”
“Could it be…?”
Upon hearing the Senior Professor’s words, Phillip formulated a hypothesis.
‘Could he be the person I fought with during my rebellious days, or perhaps the one who had a score to settle with ?’
He wasn’t sure if this was soone he had clashed with during his troublemaker days or soone who bore a grudge against him.
Phillip’s anxious gaze turned to Joshua Praline.
There was rage in his rough breaths and bloodshot eyes. If he had a sword at his waist, it looked as though he might draw it at any mont.
“You… don’t rember ? That’s absurd. Because of what you did, I was expelled from the academy. You haven’t changed since those days, still resorting to underhanded tactics.”
In that mont, a lightning bolt of realization struck Phillip’s mind.
‘The senior two years above , who claid I beat Phillip to a pulp… It was him.’
As the puzzle pieces fell into place, Phillip let out an internal sigh.
Confronting baseless accusations was far more distressing than he had anticipated.
‘It’s not my fault, yet I can’t help but feel remorseful.’
“Just a mont. I rember now. Joshua Praline. I was genuinely sorry about what happened back then. It shouldn’t have escalated to that extent.”
Since the Phillip who had struck Joshua had long vanished, it fell upon the current Phillip to bear the burden.
“Sorry? Yeah. You better be.”
Young Silver Knight took a deep breath, and seemingly succeeded in controlling his emotions.
Phillip felt a twinge of uneasiness. There was a familiar aspect to this situation.
“… I suppose I should apologize as well. I thought I had moved on from it, but when I saw your face, anger engulfed . Truthfully, I should be thankful to you. Your actions led to a profound change in my life.”
Joshua Pralin spoke with a mixture of emotions, and let out a wry smile on his face.
“If it wasn’t for you, I might have lived my whole life in arrogance. But cutting my belt was unforgivable. I had to endure being a laughingstock for a while because of that.”
Philip responded with an awkward smile.
‘Could anyone really do such a thing to another person?’
Joshua Praline was undeniably a person of great character.
“I genuinely apologize.”
Upon hearing Philip’s apology, Joshua bit his lip.
“I wanted to see you again before the martial arts competition, Philip Oswald. Just once, before I defeat you in the competition. You’ve changed quite a bit as well.”
“Well, it has been a long ti.”
“Yeah, it has. Seven years is a considerable amount of ti.”
Saying that, Joshua Praline respectfully nodded to Professor Emil and excused himself.
“I shall take my leave now, Professor.”
The Senior Professor waved his hand nonchalantly in response.
“Whatever.”
As Joshua left the undergraduate office, the Senior Professor looked at Philip and smirked.
“That guy couldn’t even maintain eye contact with you.”
“What do you an?”
“Why do you think he ca here? He’s anxious. He probably ca to et you before the competition, fearing that facing you in the contest might make him lose his edge.”
Philip raised an eyebrow.
“Did he say that?”
“Of course not. Cowards don’t admit such things openly. You probably won’t understand. Anyway, that immature guy is nothing more than a coward. You’ll easily secure a victory.”
The Senior Professor’s mood improved, and he walked out of the undergraduate office with a light-hearted stride.
‘… I need to prepare more rigorously than I thought.’
Philip quietly made up his mind.
———
Silver Knight and the Privia Academy’s exchange duel was a highly significant event, but unfortunately, it remained closed to the public.
While the Academy side didn’t mind the restriction, the Silver Knight faction seed cautious about their mbers’ combat skills becoming widely known.
Consequently, the Academy allowed a select few trustworthy professors, including the Headmaster, to witness the duel, while Silver Knight only permitted their leader and high-ranking officers to attend.
In the restricted martial arts arena, which was carefully supervised to control access, Philip encountered Silver Knight.
“It’s been quite so ti, Senior Professor. I believe the last ti we t was five years ago,” greeted Payan Blesset, the Chief of Silver Knight and one of the esteed Aura Masters.
“I see you brought active fighters to challenge our educators, and it seems they have significantly improved during my absence.”
Senior Professor Emil responded sowhat gruffly, seemingly displeased with the situation.
Though he accepted the terms due to his pride, he was well aware that it put the Academy’s staff at a disadvantage.
“How do you handle the younger generation these days? They tend to be quite impulsive and reckless, leading to situations like this. Perhaps you should consider recruiting so of them into your ranks,” suggested Payan Blesset, maintaining a light deanor.
However, much like Emil Panoy, he was a master of the sword and had honed the skills of his knights to formidable levels.
“Whom shall I send out first? How about I co out of retirent and give it a try?”
Senior Professor asked in a low voice, challenging Payan Blesset.
In response, Payan Blesset rely chuckled and extended his hand, refusing to be drawn into the provocation.
“I have spent twenty years sharpening my sword on the battlefield. But I doubt my chances of defeating you, who has enjoyed a more comfortable life for the past ten years. Engaging in an obviously losing battle is sothing a young man should do, not an old man like .”
“You’ll probably end up dying of old age before you get the chance to defeat . Wouldn’t it be better to challenge before old age takes its toll?” The Chief Professor goaded again, but Payan Blesset remained composed.
“If I wait another twenty years or so, won’t your bones start to ache too? Perhaps that’s when I can challenge you,” he retorted.
As Philip observed the sowhat amusing spectacle of elderly n past their sixties engaging in a duel, he couldn’t help but glance at Felicia, who stood next to him.
“… It’s almost embarrassing to watch. Truly.”
She appeared to share a similar mindset with Phillip.
“Professor Campbell, would you step forward first? It’s customary for the most senior person to take the lead in situations like this.”
Upon the senior professor’s call, Professor Fraser Campbell, who had been waiting, promptly responded, “Of course, Senior Professor.”
Payan Blesset hesitated for a mont, then called out to one of the knights, “Brian.”
“Yes.”
“Be careful with Professor Campbell; he hasn’t been in the field for a while, so ensure no harm cos to him.”
“I’ll be cautious, sir.”
The knight stepped forward. Judging from the blue emblem on his shoulder, he seed to be the leader of the regular knights.
“….”
Though Professor Campbell didn’t say anything, the tension in his facial expression suggested he was quite displeased.
Receiving treatnt like expendable personnel was sothing few appreciated.
The Senior Professor directed Professor Campbell, “Don’t kill him, but make your point.”
Suppressing his anger, Professor Campbell replied, “… Understood.”
As it was a simulated duel, both began to gear up.
On Silver Knight’s side, Brian wore a silver breastplate, shoulder pads, boots, and gauntlets, while Professor Campbell donned the gold-colored equipnt he used during active duty.
After completing the final checks, they stood facing each other in the middle of the practice arena, each holding a sword.
“Just rember, it’s a duel. If you feel defeated, admit it gracefully.”
Upon Payan Blesset’s words, both of them nodded.
“Then let the duel begin.”
As soon as he gave the signal, Professor Campbell launched the first attack.
It was a thrust aid at the left chest, but Brian swiftly twisted his body to evade it. However, the strap holding his shoulder pad in place was caught by the thrust, causing it to co off with just one move.
As if by chance, it appeared that way, but Philip could see through it. That move was one he had anticipated, knowing his opponent would try to evade.
“Hoo.”
Knight Brian blinked his eyebrows in surprise. However, Professor Campbell didn’t halt his attack.
The professor’s sword was enveloped in a faint gleam, and it expertly maneuvered the space between him and Brian multiple tis.
Brian parried with his own sword, each clash producing a resounding, weighty sound.
“… Impressive.”
Philip marveled at Professor Campbell’s skill. He was one step ahead of Brian in their duel.
Originally, it seed like a showdown that could end in just a few exchanges, but surprisingly, Knight Brian responded to nearly every attack.
“He’s not blocking out of knowledge; he’s relying on instinct.”
Whether innate or learned, Brian’s sense of danger surpassed imagination. Furthermore, his physical abilities, including reflexes, outmatched those of Professor Campbell.
And so, their duel continued with nurous exchanges.
“Hoo!”
Recognizing that he might succumb to exhaustion and lose, Professor Campbell made a final push. Unwillingly, he knew that two weeks of special training couldn’t fully restore his previous stamina.
He decided to make a daring move.
For a brief mont, Professor Campbell’s sword shook multiple tis.
Brian knew that the next attack would be a thrust.
However, he couldn’t decipher where the professor was aiming. Although he would have been prepared to counter any other attack, this one seed different.
The professor’s sword indicated he was targeting Brian’s arm, then his chest, and finally his lower body with his foot and hip.
Amidst all the knowledge and skills he had acquired, the young knight chose to trust his instincts.
He opted to believe in the honed instincts developed while facing off against demons in the darkness.
And in the next breath, the victor was decided.
“… I have lost.”
With a somber expression, Professor Campbell raised his hand.
The victory belonged to Knight Brian.
His black saber pressed against Professor Campbell’s neck, and he had only grazed Professor Campbell’s black breeches lightly on the thigh.
“Tsk, co in,” the Senior Professor beckoned Campbell with a cold voice.
“You’ve done enough to warrant so cursing. It was rely bad luck that you lost. That knight, in the end, couldn’t anticipate your attack. Luck was on his side.”
“I agree, Professor. But how can we discuss the outco without considering luck?”
“Watch your tongue, Payen. If you don’t want to witness turn your knight into a bumbling fool in the next round.”
The commander of Silver Knight knew full well that he was capable of doing just that, so he imdiately held his silence.
“Next, it’s your turn. Oswald.”
Philip sighed at the voice calling him. He wished to avoid fighting in such a tense atmosphere.
“I wanted to fight after winning.”
“I understand, Professor.”
But it was an unavoidable task. Philip slowly loosened his body, preparing for the duel.
He had thoroughly prepared over the past two weeks. Whether it would be enough remained to be seen when their swords clashed.
—————
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