Chapter 39 – Understanding (3)

“I have no choice but to admit it now. You were right.”

“Henry is a genius.”

“If Henry is a genius, Lauren can no longer be called a genius. Although he is still an outstanding fellow.”

Chief instructor Alex.

He replied with a disheartened face at the result he had faced just now.

The sparring between Henry Camilton and Lauren.

Even though Alex had given Lauren a good scare, he had thought that Lauren would win in the end.

But the result was a draw.

The sparring ended without either of them being able to land a decisive blow.

But Alex knew it.

“…It was practically a sparring match that Henry won.”

After the beginning.

Throughout the sparring, the initiative of the attack lay with Henry.

But instead of attacking, Henry focused only on defense and received Lauren’s attacks.

As if he were trying to practice on his own.

Henry received all the attacks rushing in with new patterns every time, without a single mistake.

“It was too cruel. That fellow Lauren, he must be very disheartened.”

“I think a bit differently from you.”

“Different?”

“Alex, you coddle Lauren too much. Haven’t I told you time and again? Excessive protection does not help a disciple.”

“Excessive protection? If someone who didn’t know heard that, they’d think I carried him on my back and raised him.”

“It looked similar in my eyes. Probably everyone else besides you thinks so. Otherwise, how could you not even read your disciple’s feelings properly?”

“…Is that so?”

“No matter how I looked at it, he seemed to be happy.”

When the sparring ended.

Lauren, who came into Rousseau’s view, clearly had a happy expression.

Rather, to the extent that he seemed to feel joy from being too happy.

“Don’t they say so? That a genius is lonely. For now he can learn from us, but someday, his skills will become something even we cannot catch up to. If it’s Lauren’s talent.”

“Of course. Not as much as Henry, but Lauren will surely become like that.”

“Fighting spirit is also an emotion that can only be ignited when there is an opponent. Of course, if he leaves this narrow academy, he will meet countless competitors, but meeting someone more outstanding than himself will not be common. In the realm of talent.”

A knight simply more outstanding than Lauren could be seen anywhere.

Because they had invested that much time and effort.

But their role was only a momentary goal.

Targets that could be caught up to someday, or rather, targets that were fully possible to surpass.

But if it was a difference in talent, the story was different.

“Lauren welcomed Henry’s existence. If my eyes were not mistaken, it is a certainty. If you go back and talk to him, you will probably be able to feel it too.”

“…Was that so?”

“He is a fellow who is excellent not only in skill but also mentally. Your disciple. Not to mention his talent.”

It was just that Henry’s talent was out of the ordinary.

Swallowing the remaining words, Rousseau tapped Alex’s shoulder.

“Go on. In times like this, he will need someone to share the emotions he felt just now. He is your disciple, after all.”

He nodded.

Alex showed a grateful look and then headed to where Lauren was waiting.

Rousseau was left alone.

Because the conversation just now was shared by only the two instructors who came out first.

At that moment.

‘Of course he wouldn’t be able to match Henry.’

Rousseau ended up wearing a smile that was incomparably pleased.

How hard had it been to hold it in?

It was not a laugh that should be shown in front of a troubled friend.

However, just as Alex cherished Lauren, Rousseau was also in a position to cherish Henry.

The overwhelming appearance shown just now gifted Rousseau with a feeling that made him practically crazy with joy.

‘Henry is the real genius. A genius to the point that no one who passed through the academy before can compare.’

“Ehehehe.”

A laugh that would make anyone who knew Rousseau flinch leaked out.

But what could he do?

He was dying of joy.

The reason he was waiting instead of entering right now was also because he felt he wouldn’t be able to control his emotions.

Because if he laughed like this in front of Henry, it would be no different from shattering the image he had built up all this time entirely.

After a moment.

The figures of Alex and Lauren coming out of the training ground were visible.

‘Still, he is outstanding. A personality that ignites fighting spirit rather than being disheartened by defeat. Alex also has a good disciple.’

He gave a nod of greeting to Alex, who glanced toward Rousseau. At the backs of the two who soon grew distant, Rousseau ended up having the same thought again.

‘Still, not as much as Henry, though.’

***

Rousseau’s training ground.

Naturally leaving aside Austin, who was making a fuss continuously, Henry was conducting his broadcast as soon as he obtained a brief moment of leisure.

“Thank you. Thanks to you setting a mission, I was able to learn that there are still many areas I have not experienced. Lauren’s style was new, and if I had not experienced it this time, I would have faced a big setback someday.”

A whopping one million won.

The mission Oop Oop set with such a large sum of money was simple.

Not to counter Lauren even once, and only block until the sparring ended.

The reason the current situation unfolded was exactly that mission.

‘Still, I was able to experience quite a lot. It’s not an empty word.’

That Henry said thank you was not a lie.

‘To think the trait would be this useful.’

The newly obtained trait [Understanding] exerted an effect beyond Henry’s expectations.

Thanks to that, he obtained the confidence that he could face anyone if they were of Lauren’s level of skill.

‘They said Lauren belongs to the outstanding side even in Class B. I won’t be pushed back there either.’

“I am glad I obtained confidence. Now I really just have to prepare for the exam. Another fortunate thing is that I know its contents, at least roughly.”

Henry changed the subject again.

The confrontation with Lauren was not content good for dragging out for a long time.

Since it only gave a brief pleasure, and if the story got long, the conclusion would ultimately be that it was thanks to the trait.

[What are the contents?]

[Did Rousseau tell you this time too? Or is it the Archmage again?]

[It’s certain you will pass anyway, right? Honestly, with your current skill, you could even go to Class A.]

“Instructor Rousseau did not tell me. I must have told you mages some time ago. That I became able to purchase information.”

[Proven to be the Archmage again lol]

[No, isn’t information too much of a cheat code? lolol]

[How much is the information? lolol]

The information category of the donation shop.

Among them, in [Information: General], daily updated information could be purchased.

The price range also changed according to the value of the information.

“The information purchased this time was 220,000 won. Since the function was opened, I have steadily bought information within a price range I could afford, and this is the first time I have obtained truly useful information.”

[Then let’s assume it’s the Archmage lol what are the contents?]

“As much as they are in the position of challenging Class B in name, the verification of the applicants’ basic skills has already been completed. Immediately after proving the minimum qualifications, the full-scale exam will be taken…”

Henry delivered the concrete information to the mages.

The exam to be taken this time had a different track from before.

The early verification was truly just the basic of basics.

“Immediately after that, they will face monsters. Unfortunately, I could not find out the type of monster to face, but in the end, the core evaluation of this exam seems to be the ability to cope with unexpected situations.”

Ultimately, it meant that to enter Class B, one must be able to apply their abilities sufficiently.

Going just with solid basics was only up to Class C.

Beyond that, they had to possess the ability to perform in actual combat at any time.

“Of course, there won’t be any very tricky monsters. Also, it won’t be clashing with a real living monster, either. The exam is conducted in an isolated place, and the monster I face is merely an illusion created by magic.”

This was the advanced technology adopted by the academy.

The level of Class C trainees was too low to blindly throw them in front of monsters.

Yet they could not just promote them first, either.

The King ordered the court mages to create such a device.

It was a measure to resolve the supply problem of monsters to face, and also not to threaten the safety of precious talents.

“Austin.”

“You finally look at me! What on earth were you thinking about so deeply? As expected, the sparring with Lauren gave you enlightenment, didn’t it? I also wanted to spar…”

“Have you by any chance ever fought a monster too?”

“Suddenly? A monster?”

“The type doesn’t matter. Have you?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Then never mind… No, you know the information, right? Like having seen one. The Ducal House would have taught you such things, wouldn’t they?”

“I know the types. The habits and such… just as you said, they were things I was forced to learn. Why are you suddenly asking that?”

“Because it’s what I felt while sparring with Lauren. That combat style earlier was not something shown when facing humans.”

“Ah, you are worrying about after promoting?”

“Since there’s no harm in preparing. Let’s study a bit today. If we ask the instructor, he will get us the things we need.”

Physical experience was sufficient.

Because if it was the current Henry, he was at a level to easily overcome whatever came out.

Now it was time to fill his head with what was needed.

***

The examiners of the Vallaran Royal Knight Academy were always composed of those dispatched from the Royal Family.

The official reason was to ensure fairness in the exam.

Therefore, the exams of lower-tier trainees were also presided over by Royal examiners without exception.

But if one thought about it even a little, the real reason was obvious.

The Vallaran Kingdom was a country of knights.

To the extent that the King also referred to himself as a knight.

Also, among all the knight orders in this land, the Vallaran Royal Knights were composed of only the most outstanding people in the kingdom.

It seemed natural at a glance, but to achieve that, there was a process that must be preceded.

Naturally, it was possible because they snatched away ‘truly outstanding’ talents early on.

What the noble families could do was only to snatch away those who showed promise among the trainees already assigned to Class B or Class A.

But in the Royal Family?

From the very moment they promoted, they could lay claim to the trainee.

Since dispatching examiners steadily in the first place was for that purpose.

The same went for this exam.

The dispatched knights were four in total.

One knight in charge of promotion to Class A, one knight in charge of promotion to Class B. And another knight in charge of the rest.

What about the remaining one?

The remaining one took charge of the applicants for the Royal Knights among the trainees belonging to Class A.

“I am Melissa, belonging to the Royal Knights. I have come to take charge of the Class B promotion.”

Melissa, who belonged to the Royal Knights and was a 7-Star Knight counted among the best of them.

She was the very knight who came to preside over Henry Camilton’s exam this time.

“There are twelve applicants.”

Melissa spoke while setting down the applicant list.

Cool, blue eyes.

And because of her pale blue bobbed hair, she had a cold impression.

But the man opposite was looking at Melissa as if pleased.

“The future of the kingdom is indeed bright. They are all talents raised in our academy.”

“You mean like me. I also wouldn’t have reached this position if it weren’t for the Chancellor’s support.”

“It was because you were outstanding, Dame Melissa. More opportunities for capable children. Isn’t that our academy’s principle?”

“These trainees must have also obtained the opportunities you bestowed, Chancellor?”

Melissa spoke with a smile that was unlike her.

At least within the Knight Order, seeing her like this was not an easy thing.

“One of them isn’t.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s a trainee named Henry Camilton, he is here. This trainee did not receive my help. In fact, until recently, he was receiving special treatment in a bad way.”

“Special treatment…”

The Chancellor’s special treatment.

Melissa knew its meaning.

“What you are thinking is correct, Dame Melissa.”

“Did you say ‘until recently’?”

Melissa’s eyes turned serious.

Recently.

The important thing was that period.

If that period was within a year…

“It was like that until the last exam of last year. Has it been about two months now?”

“…Thank you, Chancellor.”

Melissa spoke sincerely.

Thinking that perhaps she might get an outstanding junior in the near future.

BJ Swordmaster