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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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As the classroom filled with chatter, the door opened, and someone entered. Andy Robinson, our assigned instructor, though his attire was… unusual. The students, initially indifferent, began to murmur at the sight of his flamboyant uniform. I, however, could only clutch my forehead in disbelief.
Is he brave or just stupid…?
He wore the ornate ceremonial uniform of the Royal Knights, adorned with medals and decorations, worn only a handful of times a year. A retired Knight showing up in full regalia on the first day… a clear violation of protocol. He’d be dead if the Captain found out. He probably assumed no one from the Royal Knights would be here.
“I’m Andy Robinson, your instructor for this year. I was with the Royal Knights before coming here.”
Oblivious to my internal struggle, Andy introduced himself with an air of authority. Mentioning his affiliation with the Empire’s strongest military force immediately captured the students’ attention.
“Oooooh…”
“The Royal Knights…!”
“I’ve seen that uniform! He’s a real Royal Knight!”
Their awe was understandable. It was rare for a Royal Knight to retire and take up a different profession.
Look at him, so smug…
“Those pursuing the path of the sword are in luck. I’ll be teaching you the Royal Knights’ curriculum. Follow my instructions, and you’ll see significant improvement this year.”
The traditional Knight training… the one that left half of the trainees incapacitated… He couldn’t possibly implement that here. How many could withstand it? Five, at most. Would he actually do it, or would he just use the name while conducting standard training? If he did, I’d applaud his courage.
“Follow me, and you won’t regret it!”
Amy stared at Andy with wide, admiring eyes, oblivious to his empty promises. She turned, and our eyes met.
She flinched, quickly averting her gaze. The awkward distance remained.
Amy continued to avoid me. She deliberately kept her distance, avoiding eye contact. Had I done something wrong? I thought we’d become closer yesterday. I didn’t push it. It felt like forcing the issue would only push her further away.
Then, the incident happened.
“I… I’m sorry…”
“Sorry doesn’t cut it! Do you know how much this cost?!”
Amy was in trouble. She had collided with another student in the hallway, and in the ensuing fall, the expensive fountain pen in her pocket had broken. It was expensive for commoners, but a trivial amount for the nobles who received Academy recommendations.
He knows she’s not a recommended student…
The Academy was cruel. Student brooches, used for identification, came in three colors—red, blue, yellow—rotating each year. Recommended students’ brooches had small wings, while exam entrants’ brooches didn’t. This small detail was used to discriminate. Recommended students had the Headmaster’s approval, implying a certain level of background. Exam entrants had nothing. Their skills might be superior, but it didn’t matter. Ultimately, most exam entrants would end up serving those who entered through recommendations.
If it were Hayden, not Amy, that noble’s head would be rolling on the floor. And he’d be inwardly celebrating. Exam entrants were often financially vulnerable. He was trying to exploit Amy, turning her into his servant.
Amy’s gaze flickered nervously. She looked at me, then back at the floor. We were surrounded by onlookers. Confronting him now would cause a scene. I had resolved to keep a low profile, yet I stepped forward.
“Leave her alone.”
But before I could reach them, someone else intervened.
“And who are you?”
“Even if you look the part, a noble who will carry the future of the Empire should have appropriate dignity. Aren’t you ashamed of trying to deceive others with such nonsense?”
River Seymour stood protectively in front of Amy, confronting the boy. Having been preempted, I awkwardly stopped, observing the situation.
“Nonsense? She broke my precious fountain pen! Asking for compensation is wrong?”
“I have plenty of those cheap pens. I’ll give you one, so be quiet.”
It wasn’t exactly “cheap.” It was a popular brand among nobles, a luxury item, though not exorbitantly priced.
“No…! My… My pen was a gift from my father…!”
“Did your father teach you to use your family name as a threat? I’d love to meet him sometime.”
Wow, that was harsh.
River’s words, bordering on insulting, made the boy’s face flush crimson.
“Y-you…!! How dare you insult my father…!!”
He ripped off his glove and threw it at River’s feet.
“Step outside! Duel!”
“Resorting to violence after losing a verbal argument? Just what I wanted.”
River picked up the glove, a confident smirk on her face. This felt familiar. The first-day duel was a classic trope, a chance for the protagonist to shine, to display their hidden strength.
This was supposed to be Hayden Parker’s moment. But it was happening to River?
Could it be…
A protagonist swap?
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“Get lost.”
“Eek…!!”
The duel ended swiftly. River’s sword rested against the boy’s neck. She was among the top ten freshmen, excluding me. He was just an average student with some training. He could put up a fight, but he couldn’t even manifest aura. He was no match for River, who was at the beginning stages of Expert level.
“Th… thank you.”
“I simply did what a noble should.”
Even her words were perfect. I wanted to share them with every noble present. As I approached, Amy, having thanked River, quickly scurried away.
“Seymour.”
“…You’re talking to me?”
River’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You said you wanted to spar? Keep your evening free.”
“What? What brought this on?”
“I’ll do it, on one condition.”
“What condition?”
This was important. If she was indeed the new protagonist, this was crucial.
“If I win, you become my disciple.”
“That’s… quite arrogant…”
River smirked, likely taking it as a joke. But I was serious. If she was the protagonist, she needed my training. A low-level Sword Expert wouldn’t survive the first demonic invasion. I had to push her to at least high-Expert level.
Oblivious to my intentions, River simply laughed.
“You saw the duel, right? I’m quite strong. Are you sure?”
“It was nothing. Rest up and save your strength. Don’t complain after you lose.”
“If that’s your condition for winning, I should have one too. It’s not fair otherwise.”
“…Fine.”
She wasn’t letting me off easy.
“If I win, train with me.”
“What?!”
Isn’t that the same thing either way?
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