Chapter 409

Book 1 Chapter 409

409.

Clang!

A resonant metallic ring echoed through the air as their blades forcefully collided.

Swish!

Celia pivoted her torso gracefully, deflecting Martina’s heavy blade that had been pressing down on her defense.

The exact instant Martina stumbled off balance—

Whoosh!

Aina vaulted forward from behind her companion’s position.

Aina drove her weapon straight toward Celia in a piercing strike. It was a thrust as swift as a flash of lightning.

Yet Celia evaded the oncoming point with effortless ease, behaving as though she had completely foreseen the trajectory.

She immediately clamped her hand around Aina’s wrist and hurled her backward through the air.

Suspended mid-flight, Aina gazed back down at Celia with an entirely blank, emotionless expression.

In the meantime, Celia leveled the tip of her own blade directly at Martina.

“The practice match is officially over.”

Celia lowered her weapon, speaking in a thoroughly detached manner.

Swoosh!

Celia carved a few fluid arcs through the air with her sword before sliding it back into its scabbard with a sharp click, adding,

“You were the ones who requested a training bout, so I accommodated you.”

Celia narrowed her eyes slightly, shifting her focus onto Aina.

“However, what was your actual goal in arranging this? For individuals who sought out this duel, your coordination was profoundly lacking, wouldn’t you agree?”

Aina locked eyes with Celia and opened her mouth to speak.

“I have not been brought down yet.”

“The moment Martina was neutralized, the simulation reached its logical conclusion. There is absolutely no purpose in carrying on.”

Celia ran her fingers through her hair as she spoke.

“Aina, you are well aware that you stand no chance of overcoming me in a solo confrontation, correct?”

The exercise the three students were presently engaged in was a pure contest of swordsmanship, completely restricted from utilizing any aura.

While Aina, the great-granddaughter of the legendary Sword Saint, had been heralded as a prodigy of the blade from her earliest years, Celia, a direct descendant of the prestigious Zerdinger family, was similarly lauded as a generational sword genius.

Furthermore, the gap in experience between a first-year student and a second-year student was as vast as the distance between heaven and earth.

Consequently, it was fundamentally impossible for Aina to best Celia in a duel of raw, unaugmented blade skills.

Even so, Aina showed no indication of conceding.

Celia looked at the stubborn girl and remarked,

“To begin with, your priority should have been coming to Martina’s rescue just now, rather than launching an offensive against me.”

“My desire was to test my skills against Senior Celia in a one-on-one duel.”

“And what is the motivation behind that?”

“To rapidly refine my capabilities and secure the validation of Senior Leo.”

Leo, yet again.

Celia let out a quiet sigh.

She was already thoroughly acquainted with Aina’s peculiarly intense obsession regarding Leo.

That particular fixation became glaringly obvious whenever Aina pushed herself past her reasonable limits.

“I have no intention of probing into why you are so desperate to win Leo’s respect. That remains your private business.”

“…”

“However, if you persist in conducting your affairs this way, you will never obtain Leo’s validation.”

“What… do you mean by that?”

“Take the sequence of events that just transpired, for instance.”

Celia cast a glance toward Martina, who was standing a short distance behind them with an anxious look on her face.

“When Martina found herself compromised, your duty was to shield your partner, not press an attack against me. You were taught that fundamental principle during your regular coursework, were you not?”

“…”

Aina squeezed her fingers into tight fists.

“Look at it this way: if Leo’s primary benchmark for respect was raw ‘power’, you would have already secured his acknowledgement a long time ago.”

Aina had never once relinquished her standing at the absolute apex of the first-year class.

From Harvey in the Knight Department, to Juen within the Magic Department, and even Lady Shasha representing the Summoning Department—she held onto the number one rank with an iron grip, leaving every formidable rival trailing in her wake.

Despite this undeniable track record, Leo had still not granted Aina his respect.

Conversely, Leo had unwaveringly acknowledged Kyle’s worth ever since their very first year.

This appreciation went far beyond the boundaries of mere friendship. Leo genuinely respected Kyle’s unique talents and viewed him as a trusted comrade destined to walk the exact same path, holding him in even higher esteem than a standard best friend.

Initially, Celia had failed to comprehend this dynamic, but recently she had begun to perceive it clearly herself.

From the ordeal of the mid-term examinations to the recent crisis surrounding the Elehem incident.

Kyle’s competence as a support asset and his brilliance as a strategist capable of reading the shifting tides of an entire battlefield were nothing short of extraordinary.

“I actually questioned Leo once regarding why he didn’t select you to be his personal mentee.”

“…It is because I failed to land a single hit on Senior Leo during our initial encounter. Luke Elda was the one who succeeded.”

“Luke was no match for you back then, nor is he a match for you now. So why do you think that specific outcome occurred?”

“That is…”

Aina’s voice drifted off into silence.

To this day, she could not fathom the true nature of what had transpired during that event.

“Did you even truly look at Leo back then?”

Aina’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What sort of individual do you think my cousin, Leo Plov, actually is?”

Aina’s gaze flickered with uncertainty.

“He is…”

“For that matter, are you even truly looking at who I am?”

Aina fell entirely silent under the weight of Celia’s questioning.

“How can you possibly hope to earn Leo’s respect when you remain completely blind to the reality of your immediate surroundings?”

Aina bowed her head, withered by Celia’s cold appraisal.

Celia inhaled deeply, staring down at the quiet girl.

“What kind of future do you envision for yourself? What sort of champion do you aspire to become?”

“…”

Aina offered no response whatsoever.

She merely continued to stare fixedly at the ground beneath her feet in absolute silence.

Celia ran a hand over her own head in sheer exasperation as she looked at her junior.

Celia had poured her absolute best efforts into guiding Aina.

Aina, for her part, had also exerted herself to the utmost to follow every bit of instruction Celia provided.

Yet, not once had Aina truly looked at Celia for who she was.

Her entire mind was consumed solely by the desperate pursuit of Leo’s approval.

Even for someone possessing Celia’s naturally patient temperament and broad-minded nature, there was a definite limit to her tolerance.

“I give up. My presence doesn’t actually matter to you, does it? I understand. You possess enough raw talent to grow stronger even without my guidance. You will undoubtedly maintain your path through the second semester here at Lumerne and advance to the next academic year.”

“S-Senior Celia?”

Martina looked visibly panicked as she watched Celia turn to depart.

Step. Step.

Celia, who was walking away with a measured stride, suddenly came to a halt.

She turned back around to face them.

“However, you might find yourself unable to retain your title as the class representative for much longer.”

“…”

Aina snapped her head up, locking her gaze onto Celia.

“Leo just made a public declaration in front of the other students, stating that Luke Elda’s objective for the upcoming period is a completely undefeated record.”

“An undefeated record?”

Aina’s facial features hardened instantly.

“Indeed. Knowing my cousin as I do, he is hardly the type of person to make empty, boastful claims… which means Luke Elda must have already progressed to a point where he can surpass you, wouldn’t you agree?”

Celia offered a sweet, pleasant smile.

“I wish you the absolute best of luck, Aina.”

With those parting words, Celia turned and truly walked away.

“Aina! The very next time you cross paths with the young lady, make sure to offer a proper apology, understand? I’ll do my best to talk to her and smooth things over!”

Martina shouted back hastily to Aina before turning to chase frantically after Celia’s retreating figure.

Left entirely alone in the training area, Aina kept her eyes pinned to the dirt.

Luke Elda—the notorious underachieving student of the first-year class, widely regarded as the absolute weakest link.

Someone like Luke Elda was targeting a flawless, undefeated record?

Aina’s mind suddenly flashed back to the final image of Luke during the chaos of the Elehem incident.

I will absolutely never permit myself to lose.

Aina ground her teeth together fiercely.

“S-Senior Celia. Are you genuinely planning to sever your mentor-mentee relationship with Aina?”

“There isn’t really anything to formally sever or maintain. The arrangement between a mentor and a mentee naturally dissolves the moment the first semester draws to a close anyway.”

Celia replied in a nonchalant tone to Martina, who was pressing the issue with palpable urgency.

“…Does this mean you no longer intend to view Aina as your junior underclassman?”

Celia let out a weary sigh at the follow-up question.

“As long as she remains an enrolled student at Lumerne, she is fundamentally my junior. Furthermore, the reality that I acted as her mentor doesn’t simply vanish. She dedicated herself fully to the training, and I am perfectly content with that outcome. I am also genuinely appreciative of the fact that Aina gave her absolute best, even though adapting to my style must have been quite challenging for her.”

“If that is how you feel, then why did you say such harsh things to her just now? Do you actually want to see Aina get defeated?”

“…I am not entirely certain about that myself. However, it is glaringly obvious that Aina has become acutely conscious of Luke’s existence.”

“Is that because he was personally selected by Young Master Leo?”

“That is certainly a contributing factor. But beyond that, it appeared as though she has developed a bizarre, underlying sense of rivalry toward him.”

Martina looked completely bewildered by that assessment.

It was an open secret that individuals like Harvey, Juen, and Shasha were the ones constantly scheming to usurp Aina’s position as the class representative.

The rest of the first-year student body, even if they kept their thoughts hidden, were universally assumed to be highly focused on those top-tier contenders.

Yet, Celia was strangely asserting that Aina perceived Luke as her genuine competitor.

“She seems entirely oblivious to her own subconscious feelings, and even if she did realize it, her pride would prevent her from ever admitting it openly.”

Celia shook her head in amusement.

“How are you able to decipher the inner workings of Aina’s heart with such precision?”

“Because up until last year, my own mindset was incredibly similar to hers.”

“You were similar to Aina?”

“Back when I first encountered Leo, he was completely incapable of even channeling aura. I entered into a wager with him, suffered a total defeat, and had to endure the sheer humiliation of acting as his personal maidservant for an entire week.”

“…A maidservant? You, Senior Celia?”

Martina’s jaw dropped, a look of pure disbelief plastered across her face.

“Make sure that piece of information does not become public gossip.”

She narrowed her eyes warningly as she glared at Martina.

That historical event was a secret guarded with extreme care, known only to a precious few individuals within the Zerdinger family who happened to be present at the time.

“Following that incident, Leo mastered the use of aura at an incredible speed. He rapidly proved that he possessed a legendary, all-class aptitude. To be perfectly candid with you, right up until the start of this academic term, I still looked down on Leo as someone below my level simply because he was a novice to aura. I didn’t view him as a rival at all; I deliberately chose to disregard him.”

The rest of the student population had operated under the exact same delusion.

“And then, he surged past me in a single, terrifying instant.”

Celia’s gaze grew visibly darker.

“It felt as though my very spirit was shattering into pieces. Before I could even fully comprehend what was happening, Leo had advanced so incredibly far ahead of me that merely keeping him in sight required everything I had. That reality remains unchanged to this very day.”

“I see…”

Martina, who had only ever witnessed Celia’s unflinchingly composed and confident demeanor, could never have guessed that her senior harbored such deep-seated anxieties.

“I have no way of knowing if Luke will truly manage to overcome Aina. However, if she were to suffer a sudden defeat at Luke’s hands without preparation, Aina’s resolve might break entirely. This is particularly dangerous because she currently fails to perceive the reality of her surroundings. That is precisely why I wanted to force her to become consciously aware of Luke.”

Celia spoke softly, casting a final glance back toward the area where Aina was no longer visible.

“If nothing else, by becoming acutely aware of Luke Elda and properly analyzing the grueling path he has traveled, she will possess the strength to pick herself back up and keep running even if she suffers a devastating fall. Consider this the final piece of assistance I can offer her in my capacity as her mentor.”

“My Lady…”

Martina looked profoundly touched by her senior’s deeper intentions.

However, a sudden look of skepticism quickly overtook her features.

“But is it genuinely possible for Luke to triumph over someone as strong as Aina?”

“Well, I can’t say for certain. Nonetheless, it is far from an impossibility.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“…It feels incredibly awkward for me to vocalize this regarding my own relative, but… my cousin is essentially… how should I best describe him?”

Celia, who had been filtering through various descriptors in her mind, finally delivered her verdict.

“He is an absolute lunatic.”

“…”

“Without possessing a thoroughly unhinged mind, it would be impossible to devise such ingeniously agonizing methods to torment people under the pretense of ‘training’.”

Celia physically shuddered at the thought.

She was, after all, one of the primary victims who had suffered the most under Leo’s regime.

“…There is certainly no denying that Young Master Leo’s core philosophy is utterly bone-chilling.”

‘Can’t manage it? Are you unfamiliar with the time-honored adage, “If it is impossible, you must force it to happen anyway”?’

Martina trembled slightly as she recalled the calm, terrifyingly matter-of-fact expression Leo always wore whenever he uttered those words as if they were a fundamental law of nature.

“He has already drawn up a specialized training curriculum for this upcoming summer vacation.”

“Dear heavens, that sounds absolutely nightmarish.”

The two girls endured a wave of mutual psychological dread as they recalled the utterly tyrannical nature of Leo.

Waaaaaaah!

The opening round of the tournament had officially commenced.

The thunderous roars of students engaged in fierce combat echoed continuously from the specialized dueling platforms that had been constructed across the central parade ground of Lumerne.

In the midst of this chaotic atmosphere, Leo was standing quietly inside the holding area reserved for the participants of the upcoming match.

“Do I truly have what it takes to succeed?”

“There is no way to predict the future with absolute certainty.”

Leo replied in a completely nonchalant manner, meeting the gaze of Luke, who had posed the question with a noticeably tremulous voice.

“However, if you refuse to place faith in your own capabilities, who else is going to believe in you? Place your trust entirely into the immense effort you have invested up to this very moment.”

Luke offered a firm, resolute nod in response to Leo’s counsel.

“Oh, and regarding those power-suppression cuffs—you are permitted to unfasten them now.”

Upon hearing Leo’s instruction, Luke looked down at the sealing mechanisms wrapped around his wrists and ankles.

A soft smile formed on his lips.

“Understood, but I believe I will opt to give this upcoming bout everything I have while keeping them attached.”

Leo let out a quiet chuckle at his response.

The ongoing developments out on the battlefield were perfectly visible via the magical communication arrays integrated into the structure of the waiting room.

The active match reached its conclusion, indicating that the subsequent slot was up next.

“Well then, it’s time for me to head out.”

“Luke.”

“Yes, Senior?”

Leo called out, halting Luke just as he was preparing to step out of the holding area.

Leo looked directly at Luke, who had turned back with a slightly puzzled expression, and delivered his final instruction.

“Go out there and make a formal announcement. Show the entire academy exactly who you are.”

“Understood!”