83. Darkness and Sword King Festival [14]
As soon as we t, I was called『inhuman』and『monster』. So I decided to introduce myself for the ti being.
It’s not too late to clear up the strange misunderstandings.
「Uh… Sebas Chandler-san, right? Nice to et you, I’m a first-year student.」
When I called out to him,
「Thousand Blade Academy vs. White Lily Academy – It was Thousand Blade Academy that won the fierce match between the two『Five Academy』! Is this finally the year, where the Old King resurrects!!!?」
The comntator declared the victory of Thousand Blade Academy loudly.
Right after that.
「I never thought they’d beat White Lily Academy. This year’s Thousand Blade Academy is different!」
「Allen Rodore, Sie Arcstria, and Sebas Chandler! Their nas are worth rembering!」
「That『First-Year of Darkness』was especially terrific! Who would’ve imagined that『Prodigy』would lose!?」
The audience’s cheers and encouragent showered on us.
「Fufufu! We’re amazing, right!」
「No, Lilim… both of us lost though…」
As Lilim-senpai puffed her chest with pride, Ferris-senpai retorted.
Looking at such a normal scene, I chuckled involuntarily.
「-We found you, Sebas Chandler!」
A deep, rough voice echoed, and more than 30 Senior Holy Knights pushed into the venue all at once.
「Don’t move!」
「Sebas Chandler, you are charged with a great number of assaults. We’d like you to co to the Holy Knights Association.」
「If you resist, we’ll have to take you by force!」
All of them have already brought out their soul dress, and they assud an attack stance so they could rush him imdiately if he resisted.
As the venue beca noisy by the sudden situation,
「Haa… You guys are really persistent.」
Sebas-san sighed, shrugging his shoulders.
Apparently, he knew why they were here.
And then,
「Mou… Sebas, what the hell did you do this ti?」
The president did not look particularly surprised, and asked so exasperatedly.
「No, for so reason, border security was unusually tight, so I broke through in a slightly rough manner. And I couldn’t really explain my situation either…」
The Holy Ronelia Empire is a country that is prohibited from travel.
There is no way the Holy Knights would let him get away easily with a flimsy reason as『To go pick a blood diamond due to a punishnt ga』.
(Even so… He really isn’t lucky.)
It was only recently that border security had beco stricter.
Arcstria House have just recently revised and strengthened their security network due to the invasion of the Black Organization – Zack Bomber and Thor Sammons.
「Haa… Sebas, go to the Holy Knights Association before the problem gets bigger. I’ll pick you up later. Be quiet until then, okay?」
「Understood! Oi, you guys better be thankful to the president. Because of her rcy, you were able to escape from getting hurt.」
Even with this number of Senior Holy Knights, Sebas-san spoke with confidence.
(Wow, he has so nerve…)
Perhaps he has the confidence that he can win against all of them.
However, the president lifted an eyebrow towards Sebas-san’s haughty attitude.
「……Sebas? I said, be quiet, right?」
「Y-Yes!」
Sebas-san, in accordance with the president’s order, was taken away by the Senior Holy Knights.
(Fuu, what kind of relationship do they have?)
I was a little interested, but… let’s ask that another ti.
In any case, we won the fierce battle with the excellent White Lily Academy, and returned to the special viewing seat of Thousand Blade Academy.
When I sat down in my seat and finally cald down,
「…Nee, Allen-kun. Will you be alright in the next fight?」
The president asked hesitantly.
「Well… If my opponent is not at Idol-san’s level, there’s no big problem.」
In the fight with her, I should have consud all my spiritual power, but…
For so reason, my condition was in a perfect form like never before.
The wound in my chest was completely healed now. Unusual vitality filled my body to the brim from head to toe.
(I wonder what on earth is this?)
It was a strange feeling. Like sothing other than spiritual power was coursing through my body.
But this is not the first ti.
I’ve experienced this feeling once before.
(If I rember correctly, it was around the ti when I was fighting against the president in the Club Budget War…)
When I was vacantly thinking back on those old days,
「I-I see… You can still fight even after all that.」
The president smiled bitterly.
「-What about Lilim and Ferris?」
「Ah… I’m sorry. It’ll be a little tough.」
「I’m sorry, but it’s the sa for . My spiritual power is completely empty though…」
The two of them had sad looks and shook their heads quietly.
「I see, it’s the sa for . I overdid it in the Vice General battle a while ago, so I can’t even afford to bring out my soul dress anymore.」
The president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai – were totally exhausted.
Sebas-san was taken away by the Senior Holy Knights in the previous incident. So he was absent.
-To be honest, there was no other way out of this situation.
「Fuu… I am afraid we will have to withdraw this ti.」
The president heaved a large sigh and made the decision.
「I… see…」
It’s a little unfortunate, but it can no longer be helped.
The match between swordsn is a serious battle.
If they forcibly fought in a wounded state as they are now, the president and senpais might suffer serious injuries.
In tis like this, you should not overdo it, rest the body, and aim for the next opportunity.
「I am sorry, Allen-kun. We senpais are holding you back…」
「I’m sorry, Allen-kun. Today, I was fully made realise that I lack training.」
「……I’m a little sorry too, though.」
The president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai apologised.
I bowed my head to the three senpais.
「P-Please don’t worry. Now that I think about it, I’m feeling a little tired, too. So it was just the right decision.」
I told a small lie so as not to hurt the president and senpais’ feelings.
■
After withdrawing from the semi-finals, our final placent was fourth place.
We can’t participate in the finals tomorrow, but…
The audience applauded us for our achievent of defeating White Lily Academy.
(Let’s do our best to advance to the finals next year.)
From tomorrow, classes will start again as usual.
Training of soul dress, improvent of physical strength, manipulation of darkness, and, of course, I can’t miss the daily sword swinging.
(Fufu… There are still a lot of things to be done!)
A lot of things – which ans I can beco much stronger.
When I thought about it, a smile naturally ca to my face.
After that, the long closing ceremony ended – bringing an end to the Sword King Festival of Thousand Blade Academy.
At the sa ti, the seniors, who were cheering on in the audience, crowded around all at once.
「I was watching you, Allen! You played such an active part! If I’m not mistaken, you won all the battles. You never lost, right!?」
「Hey, hey, I’d like to join your Practice-Swing Club too! Actually, please teach swordsmanship already!」
「Or rather, why are you the only one who is so lively!?」
While being jostled by the seniors, I was asked questions in rapid succession.
I left the National Holy Battlefield, surrounded by a lot of friends
But right after that, my eyes widened in shock.
(W-What… is this!?)
『Extra』was distributed at the exit of the National Holy Battlefield.
Of course, it does not matter that extra is being distributed.
The problem is『my face』which decorated the front page.
『That Prodigy Hydra is defeated!? The naless swordsman, Allen Rodore!』
『The Real Strongest First-Year, Allen Rodore! The secret behind his strength is!?』
『The Supernova Clad In Jet-Black Darkness – Allen Rodore!!!』
The headlines written in large font could be read from a distance.
(W-What’s going on…?)
When I was petrified like a stone statue before the unexpected situation,
「Wow… Allen-kun, you have beco famous…」
「Kuh, I envy you…! Next ti, I’ll play an active part instead and make the na of『Lilim Tsuorine』known to the whole country!」
「No, I think this would normally be embarrassing though…」
The president and senpais took an extra each and said so as though it was soone else’s problem.
(T-This is…)
Everywhere I looked – the extras with my face decorating the entire page were being distributed.
The general audience who received it, saw my face on the extra, and repeatedly shot glances at .
I felt very embarrassed, not knowing what to say.
「Let’s go ho early…」
The senpais followed behind as I quickly walked towards the dorm.
Then I navigated through the streets of Orest, finally returning to my and Ria’s dorm.
「Fuu… I’m tired.」
「Ahaha. It was hard, huh… Allen.」
「Aa, I was astonished by the extra at the end.」
Then I placed my sword at the usual spot, and slouched onto the sofa, exhaling loudly.
「Fuu…」
Strangely, my body was so energetic, but…
ntally, I was pretty tired.
I’m not sure if that was a good thing or not.
(…In such cases, there’s nothing better than going to bed early.)
Then I ate dinner, took a bath, and went to bed with Ria.
「Good night, Ria.」
「Yes. Good night, Allen.」
When the lights were turned off, I slowly closed my eyes.
And then ten, twenty, thirty minutes passed, but
(Strange, isn’t it? …Yes, there’s sothing strange after all.)
There’s a thing that has been bothering for a while, and I couldn’t sleep.
「…Naa, Ria… Are you awake?」
「…Un, what’s wrong?」
「It’s alright if I’m mistaken, but you seem to be a little down, Ria.」
Yes.
Ever since I won against Idol-san, Ria seed a little down.
She smiles as usual, but I could feel a lack of shine on her face from ti to ti.
And then,
「…Yeah, a little.」
She nodded.
「If you have any problems, why don’t you talk to ?『Just talking to soone makes you feel better』, you know?」
This line was from the『Hermit of Ti』who happened to be a good listener.
「……It’s just that, Allen beat Idol, an amazing swordsman, today. You got a lot of applause from the audience and were praised by the seniors.That in itself, makes very happy, but… I feel like you’ve gone sowhere far away. When I think about that, my heart aches. I wonder what this feeling is… I don’t understand it.」
Ria whispered so, and fell silent.
「I see.」
「Un.」
「……」
「……」
An indescribable silence lood upon our bedroom.
(Heart aches, huh… This is quite difficult.)
Unfortunately, I don’t have any knowledge of psychiatry.
It’s hard to identify why Ria is having pains in her chest.
But… this alone I can declare firmly.
「As for , I don’t really understand what Ria is feeling. However, there’s one thing I can say for certain.」
「……What?」
「I will always be by Ria’s side. I won’t go anywhere. When I go sowhere, we’ll go together.」
「……Really?」
As Ria asked with a downcast look,
「Aa, it’s a promise.」
I strongly affird.
「……T-Thank you.」
She said, burying her face in the bed cover, and we fell silent again.
「H-How do you feel? Do you feel a little calm?」
「Un… I feel very happy.」
「Well, that’s good.」
Then, Ria and I held hands, and went to sleep.
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