Chapter 131
[Children in Danger, Who is the Savior? ‘Again’ it is Daphne!]
Articles about Daphne are appearing one after another in the newspapers.
[Forget the Brat! Call Her a Heroine!]
The content was, well, obvious.
Daphne had once again defeated black magicians and protected the children, and not only that, but all the children of the training center had joined forces to save the villagers.
In the process, Daphne fainted once again, and the story was that everyone should emulate Daphne’s chivalry, as she saved people despite her aching body.
The Milan Newspaper praised Daphne especially more, thanks to the influence of Rache Milan, who had witnessed Daphne’s chivalry firsthand.
Anyway, the story about Daphne spread throughout the entire Empire and eventually reached the ears of the training center children, who had now somewhat recovered.
“Oh…… a Heroine.”
Rache, seeing the article, let out a hollow laugh. Well, before, she would have scoffed, asking what kind of Heroine she was, but she couldn’t do that now after being protected by Daphne. In fact, wasn’t her life one that would have surely been lost if it weren’t for Daphne?
“I’ve become indebted to her twice now.”
Muttering so, Rache gestured to Maurice standing beside her. Maurice, having read the article, nodded.
“The family will provide compensation at their level, but that doesn’t mean we can just sit idly by.”
“Yes. That’s right. Well…… Teppy doesn’t seem to have much of a thought, though.”
Rache and Maurice simultaneously looked at Teppy, who was some distance away.
“I tried roasting this bread over a fire last time? It’s really, really delicious. So Daphne, start a fire for me. Hmm?”
“…….”
Rache and Maurice withdrew their gazes and looked at each other.
“He shouldn’t have entered this place.”
“I agree.”
The one regretting this the most right now is probably Teppy’s father, Count Imperial. They mourned for the Count in their hearts and changed the subject.
“By the way, did you hear what the instructors said earlier?”
“Yeah.”
They recalled Kenrick Dried.’s words.
-Due to the series of events, unfortunately, the training center will conclude this week. All of you prepare for dismissal, but do not neglect your training!
They wanted to ask what happens to the top students, but in fact, everyone knew. The fact that the only one who could receive an award here was none other than Daphne.
In the first place, everyone would have died if it weren’t for Daphne.
Access to the Imperial Report and the right to form a private military organization, given only to top performers, were truly sweet rewards, but they didn’t dare covet them. They judged that they should concede to Daphne first. Because that was the only way to preserve even a bit of their pride.
“Who do you think Daphne will take with her? Bunny? Cilia?”
“I hope she leaves Joshua behind.”
“Fat chance.”
Rache shook her head.
“And he’ll probably enter the Guardians? He hates nobles to begin with.”
“Hmm.”
Maurice crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.
“For someone like that……”
He recalled the person he had seen the day before yesterday at lunch, last night, and even this morning.
“He seemed to get along well with that red-haired one.”
“Red-haired?”
“Yeah. The name was……”
Maurice, searching through his memory, let out an ‘ah’ and said.
“Was it Arius?”
***
Clang!
Claaang!
The sound of sword clashing against sword filled the training ground. It wasn’t a wooden sword. It was a real sword with a sharp edge.
In addition, the blade was enveloped in sword energy. Thanks to that, it was no longer just a level of clashing metal pieces.
“Huff, huff……”
“Hngh!”
Arius and Joshua, who had stepped back for a moment, rushed at each other without either being first. Arius’s sword narrowly grazed Joshua’s shoulder, and Joshua’s sword narrowly grazed Arius’s side.
“Whoa, almost got stabbed?”
“Urgh.”
Distancing themselves again, they glared at each other while breathing heavily.
“Hey. Let’s, huff, rest for a bit. It’s already, huff, been two hours.”
“Huff, huff…… I’m still fine, though? Isn’t your stamina too weak?”
“You look like you’re about to pass out right now?”
Arius threw down his sword and flopped down on the sandy floor of the training ground. Joshua, after hesitating for a moment, also took a seat and sat down.
“Wow. How can we fight all week and not have a single decisive victory?”
That was what Joshua wanted to ask.
Joshua was the child with the most outstanding swordsmanship skills in the training center. Joshua was stronger than Maurice, who was older than him, Teppy, who had received excellent education, and even Mark, who was physically larger.
But.
Arius in front of him was…….
He seemed to be stronger than himself. That was why they could maintain such a close draw.
‘Was I a frog in a well?’
Joshua bit his lip and let out a groan.
“Hey, what’s wrong? Are you doing that because you can’t beat me? Wow, this guy’s greed is no joke.”
“…….”
Of course, it is ridiculous for Joshua, who has received no proper education other than at the training center, to burn with competitiveness against Arius.
But Joshua did not want to view the world under such common sense. He wanted to beat Arius, he wanted to beat other nobles, and eventually, he wanted to climb to the highest place.
“I……”
Was it because he drew such a future?
Joshua, whose heart had softened a bit, muttered unconsciously.
“I must become stronger.”
“Why?”
Arius tilted his head, then made an understanding expression and said.
“Ah. To become a Guardian?”
He knew that the opportunity to enter the Guardians was given only to those who graduated from the training center with excellent grades. From Joshua’s perspective as a commoner who hates nobles, he would naturally try to enter the Guardians.
“Well, become a Guardian. What for? To rise up to Chief Guardian? And receive a title along the way?”
“…….”
“Do you think that’s like taking revenge on nobles?”
At the mocking voice, Joshua’s face crumpled.
“What does a Young Master know……!”
“I’m not a Young Master, though?”
“……Pardon?”
“Hey. I’m a commoner too. To be precise, a lowborn. Because I was abandoned by my biological parents and was living in an orphanage just waiting for the day I would die.”
Joshua’s eyes widened. It was because he knew nothing of such internal circumstances.
“Well, I thought you wouldn’t know, but you really didn’t. Then again, if you had known, you wouldn’t have rushed at me like that.”
“…….”
Joshua, who had been biting and tearing at Arius internally because he was a noble, felt slightly embarrassed. He let out a dry cough and turned his head, but Arius didn’t seem to mind much.
“Who exactly is the noble that bullied you? Should I help you?”
Joshua shook his head firmly.
“No. I will do it myself.”
Arius burst out into a laugh.
“Look at this, you haven’t been able to throw away your pride. Hey. Guys like us who rose from the bottom shouldn’t be like that. You have to throw away pride or whatever.”
“How can you say such a thing……!”
“Think about it. Revenge on a noble? How long do you think it’ll take? To enter the Guardians, build up skills, rise to the first rank, then become Chief and receive a title, hmm. Let’s say 30 years to be generous?”
“…….”
“Can you hold out until then?”
Arius, who had wiped all the laughter from his face, spoke.
“Just join the Duke’s house.”
“That is.”
“I’ll give you a knighthood.”
Joshua’s expression became peculiar. He repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists, then tousled his bangs and snapped his head up.
“Are you pitying me?”
“Eh.”
Arius’s brow furrowed.
“Why would I pity you? I told you. I was a lowborn too?”
“Then why.”
“What do you mean why. It’s because fighting you is fun.”
“…….”
Joshua remained silent.
Arius’s words are somewhat correct. No, his words were no different from the answer.
A mere commoner taking revenge on a noble? After rising to the top through those knights where family background is prioritized over skill? It was unknown whether it would take 30 years, 40 years, or never happen in a lifetime.
Rather than staking everything on such an uncertain future, it felt like it would be more efficient to accept Arius’s favor and entrust himself to that household.
But…….
Isn’t such a choice an act of disregarding myself?
Because the future is uncertain, because I have no confidence in my skills, choosing an easy but dishonorable path…… is that really okay?
Joshua tousled his hair once more and stood up abruptly.
“Oh. Fighting again?”
“No. I’m going to go see Daphne. I feel like…… Daphne might say something to me.”
He thought of Daphne.
The one who doesn’t seem like a noble.
No, in a way, the one who is the most noble-like.
Always standing at the front, protecting people without considering her own body being harmed at all…….
If it was Daphne, who shows the aspect of a noble only seen in books, he felt she would give him some kind of answer.
When Joshua, thinking so, found Daphne.
Daphne spoke with a heavily crumpled face.
“Judge for yourself. Don’t be swayed by others’ words. I want you to live with a backbone.”
“……Pardon?”
“Backbone. I’m telling you to keep your backbone.”
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