Chapter 100. And Who Are You? (1)

“That’s what happened.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. This is why they say too many cooks spoil the broth.”

Patrick clicked his tongue as he heard about what had transpired in the professors’ meeting.

“I’m sorry. I wanted to send you as the representative somehow, but at this rate, it might be difficult.”

“Well, if that’s the case, nothing can be done about it.”

As Patrick responded so breezily, Professor Leyte spoke with a surprised tone.

“Are you saying you’ll give up?”

“Give up? I heard that’s a word used only when counting cabbages in that far, distant eastern country.”

“Isn’t our country the one at the very eastern end of the continent?”

“Ah, right, it is, isn’t it? Just forget I said anything.”

“……”

“Anyway, don’t worry. I’ll take care of it myself.”

“Take care of it yourself? What are you going to do?”

“Ahem, why are you so nosy about every little thing? I told you I’ll take care of it ‘myself’ and ‘well,’ didn’t I?”

“……”

Professor Leyte had a very ominous feeling.

He now knew Patrick as well as anyone could.

Was it really okay to let this bastard handle things ‘well’?

* * *

A crowd of several dozen people, clad in armor, armed with shields and swords, and all mounted on horses, arrived before the outer walls of White Town.

“Aaaah… We’re finally here.”

“It’s been a year.”

“It was long. Hard and long.”

“You can say that again.”

Their attire was slightly worn, but their equipment was high-quality, and above all, the crest engraved on one side of their chests made the soldiers guarding the main gate snap to attention.

“Welcome, futures of the kingdom. Welcome to White Town.”

At the soldier’s disciplined greeting, the man at the front dismounted and spoke.

“Thank you for the welcome. May we pass?”

“Of course.”

Normally, a heavily armed group of over dozens would require a strict inspection to pass through the capital's outer walls, but this case was an exception.

The crest of two swords crossing before a shield.

That meant they were students of the Academy.

And the fact that they were returning to the capital from the outside meant they were 4th and 5th-year students who had been away on knightly training.

They didn’t have official status yet, but it was certain they would be commissioned as knights even if they dropped out right now, let alone graduated.

No soldier was brazen enough to conduct an inspection on such individuals.

Thus, the crowd of dozens entered through the castle gate, and even after entering, the gazes of the citizens watching them were filled with envy.

“Ooooh… They’re Academy students.”

“Judging by the color of their crests, they seem to be 4th and 5th-year students.”

“So they’ve just returned from their knightly training.”

“Amazing. They look strong just at a glance.”

Academy students.

Among them, those in their 4th or 5th year were already recognized and treated almost like knights.

The students’ lips curled up naturally, and their backs straightened at the admiring gazes of the citizens. However…

“Their returning now must mean they intend to go as the Arcana representatives, right?”

“Aah… right. The Arcana representatives.”

“Damn it, I wanted to forget.”

When the word Arcana came up among some citizens, the expressions of the 4th and 5th-year students turned uncomfortable.

And the citizens, unaware that they were being overheard, continued their conversation among themselves.

“Can’t they just not go, since they’re going to lose again anyway?”

“My friend. Does that make any sense?”

“Well, isn’t he right though?”

“Even so…”

At the citizens’ words, a few students flared up and turned their heads toward them.

“Stop.”

The handsome young man with dark brown hair, who was leading the group on his horse, stopped them.

“Senior. But…”

“Isn’t it unfair?”

At the words of his juniors who were about to argue, he spoke with a stern expression.

“We can wash away past humiliations with our skills. That is all.”

“……”

“Above all, for us, who must protect and serve the people of our nation, to intimidate them would be utterly unacceptable.”

“We’re sorry, senior.”

“We were rash.”

As his juniors apologized, the handsome brown-haired man smiled and said.

“I appreciate your sentiment in trying to step forward out of concern for me. Baison, Moldiva.”

“Thank you, senior.”

“We will follow you for life.”

How should I put it?

Righteous. Just plain righteous.

A bit too righteous.

He was a model youth, so righteous that someone with a twisted personality, tangled like two dragons ascending to heaven, would define him as ‘annoying.’

This young man’s name was Alex Rowensky.

He was a 5th-year student in the Knight Faculty of the Academy and the top prodigy who had recently pioneered the realm of 4-star.

Having just finished his knightly training, he returned to the Academy.

“Oh, welcome, Rowensky.”

“I heard the news. They say you’ve made great progress recently.”

Upon his return, professors were waiting at the entrance of the Academy to greet him.

Alex politely greeted the professors in the manner of a knight and said.

“Alex Rowensky and 33 others. We have now returned to the Academy.”

“Hahaha. Excellent.”

“As always, you’ve grown up so upright. Don’t you think so?”

“Indeed.”

The elderly professors looked on with pleased expressions at Alex, who practiced the etiquette befitting a model knight.

The ideal young talent they envisioned was right before their eyes.

“You’ve worked hard. For now, rest easy, and we’ll talk in detail tomorrow.”

“Yes. Thank you, professor.”

With the professor’s permission, the 4th and 5th-year students went straight to their dormitories, washed off the grime of a long time, and changed into clean uniforms.

“It feels good to take off this heavy armor for the first time in a while.”

“You can say that again.”

“Should we go to the dining hall and get something to eat?”

“Better yet, I heard we’re free to go out today. I want to go out and eat and drink comfortably.”

“That sounds great.”

Having returned to their haven after completing their knightly training, the 4th and 5th-year students completely loosened up.

One of the 5th-year students spoke to Alex.

“The juniors are suggesting we go out for a drink. What about you, Alex?”

“I’m fine. Just make sure the juniors don’t get too loose and cause trouble.”

“They’re not kids; they’ll manage. But are you really okay?”

“Ah, more importantly, since it’s been a while, I’d like to report to that person.”

“Ah… well, if that’s the case, I won’t disturb you. Good luck.”

Having thus refused his peers’ temptation, Alex changed into clean clothes and headed to the training ground where the 3rd-year students would be practicing.

When he arrived there…

“You’ve arrived, senior.”

“Congratulations on your return.”

“We’re glad to see you back safely.”

Many juniors welcomed Alex.

Receiving their greetings, Alex smiled gently and said.

“It’s been a while, everyone. Have you all been training hard?”

“Yes, we’ve been doing our best.”

“Senior. Please grant me a duel sometime.”

“If it’s alright with you, I would like to request a match right now.”

At the juniors’ fervent requests, Alex, still smiling good-naturedly, said.

“Alright. I’ll watch over you when I have time. More importantly…”

He slowly looked around the training ground once more.

Strangely, the person who should have been there was nowhere to be seen.

If she were in this training ground, there was no way she could hide her presence.

Eventually, he spoke to the juniors in front of him.

“Where is Princess Isabella?”

“Ah… Are you asking about the princess?”

“She is, well…”

“She hasn’t been here lately.”

Hearing the juniors’ hesitant words, Alex asked again.

“She’s not here? Don’t tell me she went back to the royal palace?”

“No. Lately, she’s been spending most of her time at the 1st-year training ground, not the 3rd-year one.”

“At the 1st-years’ training ground?”

“Yes. Unless it’s a necessary regular class, she spends most of her time there.”

“Is she teaching the 1st-year juniors? I don’t think that’s in her character.”

“Ah, that is…”

“It’s become a bit ambiguous…”

Seeing the 3rd-year students hesitating to speak, Alex sensed something unusual. He then spoke to them with a stern expression.

“Speak frankly and tell me exactly what happened. What has been going on?”

At Alex’s question, the 3rd-year students finally confessed the truth.

“The princess is being instructed instead?”

“Yes. That is correct.”

“…By a 1st-year?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Ha… Instructed by a 1st-year? Princess Isabella?”

Alex, who knew Isabella’s skills and talent well, wore an expression of disbelief.

He then said to the 3rd-year students.

“What is that 1st-year student’s name?”

“He is called Patrick Schneider.”

“Patrick Schneider… I see. I understand.”

And his steps headed without hesitation towards hell, no, towards the training ground where the 1st-year students were sweating and training.

“The weather is niiiiice. Isn’t it?”

“Uwaaaaaah!?”

“Ugh… Uuuuuugh…”

“Ahem, why are you already groaning after doing so little? Anyone would think I’m making you do something incredibly hard.”

“You… bastard.”

“Woooow. Our Matthew has grown some grit. You even know how to curse now. I’m so proud.”

Patrick said so, then applied the Thousand Pound Drop technique to his own body, gently increasing his weight.

“Here, this is a gift.”

“Kaaargh…”

Creeeak.

Matthew groaned under the crushing weight that felt like his joints were about to collapse.

He then shouted as if in a scream.

“How on earth do you do this?”

“If you’re curious, that’ll be five gold.”

“You son of a biiiitch!”

Matthew’s resentful cry echoed widely.

Right now, Patrick was comfortably lying on a wide stone slab, shelling and eating peanuts.

And the two people strengthening their lower bodies by repeatedly sitting down and standing up while holding this wide stone slab above their heads were none other than Matthew and Isabella.

The other 1st-year students, who were unintentionally witnessing this grave violation of human rights, now clicked their tongues and said.

“It’s amazing how they don’t quit despite suffering like that…”

“They’ve actually shown results, haven’t they?”

“Matthew is one thing, but why is the princess doing it?”

“Well… I’m not sure about that either.”

“Anyway, no matter how much stronger I could get, I don’t want to become strong like that.”

“Same here. I have my dignity.”

While they were having this conversation…

“Senior, I told you not to use aura, didn’t I?”

“…I didn’t.”

“Hoh, so I was seeing things?”

“…I used it a little. Just a little.”

“Good job. As a penalty, the number of reps increases. Start over from the beginning!”

“Uuuugh…”

Isabella looked distressed, but it had no effect on Patrick.

She was about to start the lower body workout from the beginning again, matching her breath with Matthew, when suddenly.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

A voice filled with anger was heard from somewhere.

“Huh?”

Patrick, still lying on his side on the stone slab, looked towards where the voice came from.

There, a handsome young man with dark brown hair was approaching, glaring at him as if he wanted to kill him.

“Stop at once, do you not hear me? That is an order!”

It was a loud voice that echoed throughout the training ground.

Patrick frowned, covered his ears, and said.

“Before we talk about stopping or not… and who are you?”

The moment he faced the natural, ingrained swagger, Alex flinched.

What is this? Isn’t this the Knight Faculty of the Academy?

Isn’t this a place where the kingdom’s talents gather to learn and train diligently to become great knights?

In such a place, why…

“Is there a thug?”

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