Chapter 57 - They Say It Takes Two of a Kind to Fight

"... What?"

Laward whipped around to face Veronica.

"Well, come on. Do you all even know what kind of person that man is..."

"That man?"

Laward took a step closer.

"Huh...?"

Noticing the ominous look on his face, Veronica stopped talking.

"Did I hear you wrong? Veronica, would you like to say that again?"

Laward spoke calmly, but it was only an act. One look at his eyes made it obvious that something was about to explode.

"... It's nothing."

"I thought so."

Laward nodded and handed her a drink.

"Here."

"Is that for me?"

"Who else? My esteemed mentor told me to give it to you."

Esteemed mentor.

There it was again. Esteemed mentor.

Looking dubious, Veronica took the bottle and had a sip.

"Laward."

"What?"

"How did you end up at the academy?"

"Come to think of it, did I never tell you?"

Laward plopped down beside her.

Veronica wanted to say, 'Because you walked off so coldly earlier,' but managed to hold her tongue.

"Because the Goddess gave me a revelation."

"The Goddess...? You never believed in that stuff."

"That stuff?"

"..."

After ten years apart, Laward had become difficult to talk to. They used to be perfectly in sync no matter what they said—even when they said nothing at all.

"I keep putting my foot in my mouth around you."

Uncomfortable. Awkward.

Now that the joy of their reunion had faded, those thoughts kept circling in her mind. Had ten years been too long, even for childhood friends?

Ten years.

Even mountains and rivers changed in that time. So did childhood friends.

"My esteemed mentor guided me to the Goddess."

At that, Veronica gazed at Daywin, thinking, 'So he has that side to him, too. Maybe I misjudged him a little...'

"But didn't you have someone like that, too?"

"Huh?"

"Well, you suddenly left home. It's not somewhere you can get out of on your own... without someone helping you. That place."

"Mm, well... true."

Most people in the Seventh District—almost all of them, really—became trapped in the slums the day they were born there. No walls or ceilings kept them from going elsewhere, but they were all stuck in the pit of poverty, living out their lives repeating the same wrongs and harmful practices.

It was a vicious cycle.

"You left without even saying goodbye."

"I'm... sorry about that. The professor who sponsored me said he didn't want to spend even another minute in the slums, so I left without packing. Not that I had much to pack."

The only baggage she had was the weight on her heart: the guilt of abandoning the friends who had grown up in the same place, under the same circumstances, and being the only one saved.

"Who sponsored you? Past tense?"

"He doesn't anymore. He said nurturing my talent cost too much... and gave up on me."

"Then... you've been on your own ever since you enrolled at the academy."

"Huh? No. He gave up on me the year after I left the slums. Let's see... it lasted about a year."

"Then you've been alone ever since..."

"Ahaha, it's a long story."

Veronica tried to force the conversation to a close, clearly unwilling to say more.

"That's just giving someone false hope."

But Laward, oblivious, exposed the truth she had worked so hard to hide.

"Why didn't you just come back?"

"How could I? You all must have thought I was a traitor."

"Not really. I did envy your talent, though. Seriously, what's that about? If you were going to leave, you should at least have had a good life."

"I'm doing pretty well now. I was lucky enough to meet my boss, and this year I found another... patron, too."

"Another patron?"

Laward glanced at Daywin, but failed to connect him to the other patron Veronica meant.

He had never been that perceptive to begin with.

"I don't think I could trust someone again."

"Huh?"

"Well, you said it yourself. That professor fellow abandoned you in less than a year."

"That's cruel... I was trying so hard not to use that word..."

"But you still trust people? Even after ten years, I don't think you could forget something like that."

"... You're right."

Veronica nodded slowly.

"I'm an idiot."

Then she smiled bitterly.

"Here I am, trusting someone again like an idiot."

"Well, it's not as if you can just refuse to trust them. Oh, if you found another patron this year, it'll be a year soon."

"Yes, a year. Will it be different this time? Hearing you say that has suddenly made me unsure."

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No, it's not that. It's just, if he doesn't cast me aside even after a year... then it'll definitely be different from last time."

"Or he'll just have more money."

"It doesn't matter what kind of person he is. Then I'll finally have someone to follow for the rest of my life. Yes, no matter what anyone says."

Veronica gazed at Laward and repeated the thought silently to herself.

'Just like you follow a thug like him, calling him your esteemed mentor.'

"No matter what anyone says, he'll be someone precious to me."

057

The academy sports meet was over.

Just as Daywin had planned, not only Laward but the heroines had all performed admirably, proudly securing their places on the roster for the Peach Garden Festival.

"What an incredible upset."

Akikira, the school nurse, looked down at Rebecca, who was sitting on the edge of a bed.

"Pardon?"

"Isn't it? Laward's already proven his ability, and first-years can participate without any restrictions anyway. But that wasn't the case for you, was it?"

"Oh... did you think I'd get knocked out at the academy sports meet, too?"

"I'm sure everyone thought that."

"So you weren't expecting anything from me either! That's so mean, seriously!"

"Hmm. I suppose that is what it amounts to."

Akikira averted her eyes and fiddled with her lab coat's collar.

"My grades are only rock-bottom because I'm in the magic department and don't use magic! If I'd enrolled in the swordsmanship department, I wouldn't have grades like that!"

"Wrong. First, it's not that you don't use magic. You must never use it. Second, your skills weren't good enough to get into the swordsmanship department. It would've been impossible if the chairman hadn't considered your circumstances and opened a special admissions route. Have you forgotten how hard I worked to get you admitted?"

"I haven't forgotten... that much. I am grateful."

"We should add a line to the department field on your school record: 'Magic Department (Cannot Use Magic).'"

"Grr... that's going too far!"

"Anyway, your swordsmanship was terrible before you enrolled. You've improved a great deal now, of course. If anything, you've improved so fast it's strange..."

"Hehe, doesn't that just show how hard I've worked?"

"Most people don't improve that quickly through effort alone. Perhaps you're unconsciously drawing on bits of the swordsmanship the mage tower implanted in you... Rebecca, you understand, don't you? You mustn't push yourself at the Peach Garden Festival either."

"I told you, I understand."

Rebecca let out a small sigh.

"Rebecca. What's my name?"

"Miss Esther, of course."

"I'm not your cute junior. You can't just use any name with four syllables."

Akikira chuckled, pulled a chair over in front of her, and sat down.

"Yes, you're talking nonsense again, so you must be fine. Good. Let's keep things this way. If your condition improves, you might remember... what you've forgotten, too."

"About that."

Rebecca swung her feet and looked down at them.

"I'm starting to think I wouldn't mind not remembering. I have you now, and Master, don't I? So maybe... it's all right now if I can't remember the person who saved me from the mage tower."

"Do you mean that?"

"I remember wandering all over the place while we were on the run. I was so young then, I didn't even realize we were running away. I still remember how happy I felt, so that's enough."

"Well, all right. I don't know why you enjoyed it, but..."

Akikira gently rested a hand on Rebecca's head.

"If you're happy with that, that's what matters."

And yet.

["Are you certain?"]

Something Daywin had said not long ago suddenly came back to her. His face filled her mind: he had asked whether Rebecca would truly be all right as long as she refrained from using the swordsmanship and magic the mage tower had forcibly implanted in her.

'... I'll have to hope she doesn't forget those feelings, too.'

Back then, Akikira hadn't been able to give him a definite answer. Maintaining her current condition was the best option, she had said—a helpless thing for a medical professional to say.

"I'm sorry."

"Are you finally confessing to the crime of leaving Infirmary 1 unattended?"

"I didn't leave it unattended. I simply let passionate young people enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime period to their hearts' content. You're all passing through an age and relationships you'll regret no matter what you do. They might as well leave a memorable impression, don't you think?"

"I don't understand that at all!"

"If it weren't for me, those kids would be rubbing against each other in the street in the middle of the night."

"Neither option is appropriate, miss."

"Oh, be quiet. I'm not even a teacher to begin with."

* * *

The Peach Garden Festival.

With the hunting, three-part race, ball games, and other events over, it was time for the duels.

Just as soccer and relay races were the main attractions at a sports meet, dueling was the main attraction at the Peach Garden Festival.

"What? You've been sponsoring the academy, Lord Daywin?"

"That's right."

Principal Ximena nodded at my answer.

"Every student I sponsor has made it to the round of sixteen."

I'd been itching to say it, and finally couldn't resist.

"Oh... this year really is different. You've earned quite a few points in the other events, too. If you win the dueling competition, you could even aim for the overall championship, couldn't you?"

"Yes, that's right."

"If you win the dueling competition, that is."

The corners of Ximena's eyes crinkled with amusement.

"I'm sorry, since you seem so hopeful, but last year's winner attends the military academy. He's improved even further this year, so the outcome is obvious."

"You mean Hakan."

"I see you've heard of him."

I only knew him because the bastard had suddenly approached me, acting familiar, but Ximena seemed to assume I'd researched him as the favorite to win.

Vehemently denying it would only make me look bad, so I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.

"The academy still has a first-year in the running?"

She examined the tournament bracket.

"That's quite rare."

Then she looked away from the bracket and took her seat. As it happened, we ended up sitting beside each other.

"Is he one of the students you sponsor, Lord Daywin?"

"Yes, he's my pupil."

"You've been teaching him personally, too? You must have high hopes for him. But when I looked earlier, his opponent was Chris from the seminary."

"You know him?"

"He's the prodigy who joined the paladin order before even graduating, isn't he? Of course I do. I don't know why he's still in school."

That was probably Blash's intention.

Chris, the youngest paladin.

If he were allowed to graduate on top of that, there was no telling how much worse his teenage delusions of grandeur would get. Blash knew he was talented, but keeping him a student despite that served as at least a small restraint.

"I also know him because he's said to be the only student competing this year who can rival our Hakan."

"The only one, you say."

"Even then, he won't stand a chance against Hakan, who served directly under the royal family! Being a mere member of the paladin order is quite different from guarding a prince, wouldn't you agree?"

Ximena gave me another sympathetic look.

"What a shame for you, Lord Daywin. Of all people, your pupil has to face the seminary's prodigy in his very first match in the main tournament."

"Indeed. Of all people."

"Still, I'll be rooting for your student! Who knows what upset the divine might bring about? Ah, though if the divine does take sides, it would probably favor Chris, as a paladin..."

"Of all people, Chris has drawn the opponent who's had it in for him for a while now."

"Pardon? What do you... Oh, it looks like they're starting!"

The moment she finished speaking, the bell announcing the start rang out loudly.

"We meet again. You're that... Daywin Hasgard's pupil, aren't you?"

"..."

"I heard you got all excited thinking the commander had come to see you. But unfortunately... you're still wearing an academy uniform. Did you think getting into the paladin order would be that easy?"

Chris started running his mouth.

That brat still hadn't learned his lesson.

Commander Blash, children really don't grow up the way we hope, do they?

"Why so quiet? You're no fun. Do you think this match is a joke?"

SHING!

Chris drew his sword and took his stance.

Laward, meanwhile, adjusted the sword on his back until it sat horizontally, then crouched down and assumed a sprinter's starting position.

"What are you doing?"

"..."

Maintaining his concentration, Laward quietly opened his eyes. Two halos appeared at his back.

Spinning rings of metal.

Laward's unique magic.

"Hey..."

Chris tightened his grip on his sword.

"Why do you... have something like that...?"

He possessed unique magic himself. Chris knew better than anyone how special that was. He also knew all the privileges and attention it had brought him.

Which was why...

"You... insolent little thing."

It all had to belong to him alone.

The moment Chris charged, the two halos propelled Laward forward with a deafening roar.

BOOOOM!

Tearing through the air in an instant, Laward seized Chris by the throat.

"Gah!"

He hurled him straight down, and Chris shattered the arena floor on impact.

"..."

The crowd's passionate cheering fell silent in an instant.

The match had barely begun, yet Chris had already been overpowered by an academy first-year and sent tumbling across the floor amid the shattered debris.

Laward had quite literally turned the whole arena upside down.

"What in the world... That seminary prodigy, in a single move..."

Stunned by the unexpected sight, Ximena covered her mouth.

"How could he be so violent..."

"Ha...!"

Seeing her face, I finally burst out laughing.

"But... Lord Daywin, did you see that? Has he misunderstood the rules?"

Watching Laward, Ximena and I probably realized it at the same time.

"Why did he just throw his opponent..."

Given Laward's [Intelligence], it was possible he'd failed to understand the rules, but that probably wasn't it.

He wasn't that bad.

It was deliberate.

In truth, the match had been as good as over the moment he easily slipped past Chris's opening attack and caught him by the throat.

He could have thrown the opponent in his grasp out of bounds, but deliberately slammed him into the floor instead.

He knew a ring-out would end the match, and did it anyway.

"You dared to take on my esteemed mentor."

He'd decided to keep the duel going.

He'd decided to toy with him.

The things adults said really were usually right.

What was it? It takes two of a kind to fight?

"Do I think this match is a joke? You think I give a damn about winning or losing against a fucker like you?"

Laward had been so unusually quiet that I'd thought he'd grown more mature than Chris and his teenage delusions.

"Get up. I'm not ending this until one of us fucking dies."

Turns out they're both exactly the same...