"…Are you serious?"
The brief flash of surprise had long since vanished.
The Student Council President's face bloomed a crimson the exact shade of her own hair.
Pure, unmistakable anger. The aura that accompanied it rose even to the fingertips that held the glove.
"Such bold underclassmen. But do you understand what you've taken on?"
A sword in one hand, a shield in the other.
In the blink of an eye Reisia had armed herself and readied the ring—then spoke, cold.
"No matter how strong you are, you will never reach me."
Even among experts, there were ranks.
A raging crimson aura that seemed to lick the ceiling. Luciana might match in quantity, but the purity of Reisia's light was on another level entirely.
'Like molten lava poured straight from a volcano,' I thought.
Indeed—her skill, honed under seasoned instructors and endless support until she seized the Student Council seat, was no empty boast. It made me wonder why such a figure hadn't played a proper part in the original story. Even Luciana shuddered at the primal gap in power.
"Lady Luciana… still—"
"Hoho. As expected of the Student Council President."
No—my perception had been mistaken. Luciana's trembling wasn't just fear. The feeling she wore on her face was the exhilaration of finding a rare equal among her peers.
'So very Luciana.'
I smiled wryly at that and stepped forward to block her path.
Hans?It's convenient that the comms work. Lady Luciana, please observe. This will be a reenactment of our first class with Professor Marks.
I'd go first, expose her swordwork and weaknesses, then Luciana would spar afterward and exploit them—a simple plan.
"Grant me the first chance, as the vice-top. If our lady wins her bout first, I may never get my turn."
"…The first-year vice-top certainly has a way with words."
Crack— a vein popped at the President's temple at my provocation.
"But fine. I'll play along."
"Oh—then I'll go first—"
"No. That's not what I mean."
Cutting me off, Reisia tied the ribbon of her horsehair tightly, preparing herself.
"Both juniors, step up to the ring together."
"Pardon? You mean—"
"I don't want to face you one by one. I'll show you how wide the gap is. I'll take you on at once."
She meant to crush those who challenged her authority, thoroughly. Luciana's brow tightened at the suggestion.
"…She's insulting us."
"Insult? Call it consideration."
The Student Council President smiled sweetly and turned to arm herself—a full formal summons.
Luciana bristled at the tone, but…
'…a wise move. Truly Student Council material.'
She refused to be dragged by rudeness, kept the initiative, offered us a hope to dream on, while uplifting the pride of the second- and third-years. Ingenious. By simply proposing to face both of us at once, Reisia seized every advantage she could hope to gain.
'Well, that counts only if she wins.'
If she lost—despite offering the challenge herself—the Student Council's prestige would collapse, and Reisia's seat could be threatened. A smart risk.
"What, are you going to chicken out now?"
It was a strategy that assumed risk. Still, there was no trace of worry on Reisia's face…
'Hah. She must believe she can't lose. Arrogant.'
It irked me. Even fine. But to treat genius Luciana with such contempt—how insulting.
Yet arrogance must be earned. Reisia possessed the ability to back it.
"If you want intel on the Student Council President—"
"Tsk. Will this be enough?"
"You really are a valued client. I already have profiles for all major Academy figures. Here."
The costly data from Woldthing was filthy expensive, but it was worth the credit.
[Reisia Parnell]
[One of the Academy's all-time top tier; low-noble origin]
[Became Student Council President as a rare case, defeating third-years at the start of her second year]
Behind that glittering resume, a few words were impossible to ignore:
[Sword and shield user]
[Suspected direct disciple of the previous Student Council President]
The previous Student Council President—of course she'd be linked.
'So a minor duke's name would come up here too.'
True to House Speda's prestige, she had won the eye of a strong warrior and shrewd politician. Naturally my guard rose at both the aura and the pedigree.
"You'll regret picking a fight with the President."
Luciana responded boldly to the challenge. Her eyes, full of fighting spirit, met Reisia's gaze. The President's own stare, raised in kind, sharpened into a fierce glare.
"Hans Byron, I'll respect your choice. If you withdraw now—"
"You already offered me a courtesy once. It would be rude to refuse it twice."
I returned her earlier cut with my own, and she gritted her teeth at that.
"Both of you will be thoroughly 'educated.'"
Educated—what that would mean, our old professor probably knew best. I smirked and took out my crow-claw dagger.
We'd see which of us would truly receive the lesson. Long and short would be proven in practice.
After all, our opponent was a high-year Student Council member—the Academy's top combatant. Winning would be sweet, but losing wasn't catastrophic.
…Hans, don't underestimate her.
The tension on my side came not from me but from Luciana as she drew her family sword.
Her previous agitation seemed erased; in its place, unending resolve.
Of course. She didn't win the Student Council by playing games.…Playing games?Ah, it's an old eastern children's pastime.Now's no time for jokes.
Luciana chuckled, easing the weight from her shoulders. That eased me as well.
"Are you ready?"
A sharp voice came from across.
Left hand: shield. Right hand: long sword. The Student Council President, clad in full plate, stood ready.
"That stance…"
"It will be familiar to Lady Speda."
"Of course. Northern swordsmanship."
She lowered her posture as much as possible, hiding her body with a tower shield—no opening to be seen.
But such defense also sealed her options. A large shield is excellent at blocking, but in a duel among few, it can become more hindrance than help.
"Heh. That's a sharp critique. Yet it's unnecessary concern."
Unusually, Reisia's voice lacked anger; something else sat there—confidence, respect.
"This is a shield-and-sword art honed to correct its flaws for one-on-one combat."
Respect and faith—not the dull metallic glint of her armor, but a bright emotion. Luciana's lips twitched upward.
"…No wonder. It felt familiar."
Luciana's eyes reflected the shield technique—she must be recalling it. Indeed—
"Haha. Pray tell, have you come to lend a hand in House Speda's succession contest?"
Darius Speda. As the old Student Council President's disciple, her style closely matched his integrated sword-and-armory method.
My teasing drew a gentle but firm reply.
"Nonsense. The house passes to the firstborn as standard. Sir Speda has no disqualifying fault."
"I agree. Elder brother is fit to inherit the dukedom."
Thwack— a light punch hit my back.
Less talk. You said you would respect my will then.Hahaha, of course I prioritize Lady Luciana's wishes. The rest was a trick to rattle the opponent.
Half of that was honest, though.
After calming Luciana, I put on a show of smiling at the President and then took my stance. Strategy.
A shield-bearer who simply plants themselves and blocks would be difficult for my meager strikes to punch through. I needed to provoke, lure her out of that shell so her claws would appear.
Already, Reisia's easy smile was stiffening.
'Let's see what phrase will—'
"From what I hear, you gave up on the succession. We even received a letter saying you rejoiced."
"A misunderstanding. I respect my elder brother."
"Yes. Lady Speda may—and yet."
Flash— a blue light shone from inside the President's helm, fixed on me. Her voice, colder now, struck like an arrow.
"It seems your right arm has harbored other loyalties."
"…Ahaha. A retainer's duty is to pursue his lord's glory."
Is this what you wanted?I didn't expect the bait to land so quickly.
I feigned lament toward Luciana and adjusted my dagger. A vicious chill crept over me.
"…How dare you."
'Still young, then,' I thought. My prepared taunts fell short before that frigid glance. The President was a product of polished upbringing, not the raw keyboard-warrior sort. My usual tricks tasted too mild.
"…Guiding new students is also a senior's duty. I'll make sure to 'educate' those improper thoughts out of you."
Reisia shifted her weight and advanced—shield leading. The metallic clank of armor filled the air. The shield, forward, left no gap.
-Clank.
She closed the distance in a blink.
"Get away from Hans!"
Luciana didn't stay still. She changed her sword into a greatsword, pulling in all her aura to stop the charge. Yet—
-Rrrrrk…!
"No?!"
"A shield's art isn't only defensive."
Despite the raw collision of aura, Luciana's greatsword slid off the tower shield's bevel and smashed the ground—an ineffectual blow. She shifted her blade back into a rapier and stepped back; her posture faltered, exposing her to possible counterattack.
"Hans Byron, prepare yourself!"
But Luciana's strike had not been aimed at me—her target was not Reisia but me.
At point-blank distance, the malice pouring from the helm scraped across my body.
"You're riled, aren't you. Steam seems to be escaping your helm."
"Shut up. Repent for daring to seek that position with your body!"
A shield is not merely defensive. Like to keep my word, Reisia's shield—laden with aura—swept toward me as a bludgeon.
The tower shield passed the place my head had been with a savage gust.
"…If that had hit directly, my head might have been cleaved. Isn't sparring supposed to be nonlethal?"
"Hmph. Your slow attacks won't reach me anyway."
The President watched me with haughty disdain. Indeed her strikes were threatening—but only that. Heavy armor and a full block of iron would inevitably slow movement. Yet her quick rushes and lithe motions were still top-level; they could fell many warriors.
Still—this was a familiar style I'd encountered.
Rexton had been a massive warrior with thick hide and nimble physique—still, there was a crucial difference. Where Rexton had bared teeth and swung wildly, leaving openings, Reisia offered perfect defense: she closed space, thrust when a gap appeared, steadily narrowing my evasion. It felt like a well-engineered fortress.
'Damn it. It suffocates me.'
We had the matchup advantage, but she methodically exploited sheer mass and discipline. If this continued, we'd be cornered. A glimmer of panic rose—then—
"Reisia Parnell! How dare you belittle me!"
A white aura pierced Reisia's crimson zone. Luciana's rapier struck true, piercing the President. Even the watchers gasped.
My bait had worked. But—
"…Ugh! As expected of that lady's sister—you pierced my armor and drew blood."
"Hmph. Don't get cocky just because you slipped through once."
Luciana launched in for a follow-up, but—
Whooosh.
"Ugh. To think a shield can output such power—"
The crimson aura-laden shield forced Luciana to recoil. Reisia retreated a step, reorganizing her stance, as Luciana had done moments before.
Not like you. When I drew attention earlier, a strike to the rear would have been a successful ambush.…Guh. I wanted to, but…
When I readied to move, I saw a cold light in the helm fixed on me. She'd prepared for my maneuvers as well as kept an eye on Luciana; if I'd attempted that rear strike, I'd likely have been the one caught. She seemed to have taken the hit to Luciana deliberately to minimize overall damage.
'Not boss-level, yet a pain in the ass.'
Truly the pupil of a minor duke—an ironclad knight in every sense.
"Phew. Catching my breath, now continue."
She carried on, pushing forward to shrink our movement zone.
Hans, if this keeps up, we will tire first!
Dodging Reisia's rapier and parrying her thrusts, Luciana signaled urgently over comms.
She knew well: in sheer endurance, prolonged combat would swing against us. Reisia was a fortress of stamina, worthy of the title diamond rather than steel.
Any clever trick?…Wait. I'm devising something.
I dodged and considered. We had an overwhelmingly favorable matchup in theory—her slower speed, the rare openings within her armor—but we were still being pressured because she poured attention and calculation into us. That meant a path through must exist.
…A breakthrough appeared.
Lady Luciana, what about this?
Luciana's mouth curled savagely at my plan.
Reckless to no end. But in war, one must take risks to win.You approve?Of course. Do as you please. I'll handle the aftermath.
If my lord so commanded, I would act faithfully.
I grinned thinly at the armored knight and moved. It was time to crush the President's authority.
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