Chapter 256 : Chapter 256
Chapter 256. Overloading (11)
Enoch watched the two women quietly. The word "Magical Beasts" that had suddenly appeared was something anyone would struggle to comprehend.
The girl with water-colored hair, who had been listening carefully to the instructor's words, also tilted her head.
"Magical Beasts created by Mages...... I've heard that twisted creatures have been appearing across the Empire for some unknown reason, but what exactly does the 0th Unit's warriors have to do with that?"
"The core of the rumor is that the 0th Unit's warriors have become so strong they can no longer be considered human."
"That doesn't sound like a simple matter of reinforcing their fighting strength."
The instructor shrugged as if the words themselves were a waste.
"Right, the records alone are alarming. In just one week, the 0th Unit cut down the king of an entire nation with their corps alone."
The girl's eyes widened.
"One week, you said?"
The 0th Unit of Suleiman had always been powerful, but for a single corps to annihilate an entire kingdom in just one week was abnormally strong.
It was easy to see why rumors of them being Magical Beasts and such were circulating.
The girl with water-colored hair adjusted her posture and murmured, deep in thought.
"The 0th Unit that invaded a year ago were not Magical Beasts."
The instructor nodded slowly, chin propped in one hand, lifting a chess piece from the board.
"That's true. But the situation has changed since then."
"Changed how, exactly?"
"Don't be alarmed. There's intelligence that a 1st Rank Mage has recently emerged within Suleiman."
At those words, the girl slammed her hand on the chess table in shock and leaned forward.
"1st Rank — that's!"
"Yes, it means they've become a nation with overwhelming military power overnight. Does that help you understand why such rumors have sprung up about the 0th Unit?"
The girl soon turned her head to the side and sat back down with a grave expression.
"I've heard rumors about how much more powerful magic becomes the closer one gets to 1st Rank. If that's really true, then the mission of the Guardian Knights of Rhodes, who are geographically close to Suleiman......"
"Will only get harder from here on. Mages are still extremely few in number and have only recently appeared, so Rhodes hasn't even produced any Mages, let alone figured out how to fight them."
"......"
"That said, based on the scraps of rumors about Mages from other nations, I can roughly guess what sort of foes they are."
The instructor spun the chess piece between her slender fingers and let out a small sigh.
"They say a Mage who has reached the 1st Rank's realm is a demigod who can split mountains and boil seas. If that's really the case, the Guardian Knights of Rhodes wouldn't stand a chance."
"Even if every knight attacked at once?"
"That's right. Unless someone truly transcends their limits and reaches the Sword Saint's realm."
As if crushed by the overwhelming despair those words carried, the girl's expression darkened and she lowered her head slightly.
"Is a 1st Rank Mage really that powerful?"
"Honestly, you wouldn't even need one that strong. Even far weaker Mages, if the rumors are right, could casually hurl balls of fire around, and armor like this would be useless against that."
"Hearing that, magic sounds remarkably efficient."
"It's rational in the sense that one can grow stronger more easily than by honing the sword, and even practical. But my lady, there is also a beauty that comes from the inefficiency of casting all of that aside."
The instructor gazed at the girl and smiled.
"Like you, right now."
At those words, the girl with water-colored hair blinked her eyes wide, then delicately swept her hair aside, her face flushing. She averted her gaze to the side.
"Ah. Th-that's a problem, Instructor."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"I don't look at other women that way...... It's not my preference, so please find someone else."
"What?"
The instructor stared blankly as the girl's eyes took on a wry tint, then threw her head back and let out a booming laugh.
"As it happens, the feeling's mutual. But when I watch someone push themselves that hard chasing a dream, I can't help but find it beautiful, you know? Even while thinking you're a fool and pig-headed — one look at your hands and the thought just comes out."
"......Th-that's."
The girl blushed at those words and averted her gaze. She had noticed the instructor looking at her hands.
The girl's white palms, resting on the table, were covered in bruises and wounds — the result of swinging a sword without rest.
She quietly clenched her fists and moved them onto her lap, hiding the injuries on her hands.
Just then, the clinking of armored joints rang out from beside the balcony.
Another knight appeared. He walked straight to the red-haired female knight and saluted.
"Instructor, a message for you."
"What is it? It's rest time. Go ahead."
"An outsider has requested a public sparring match."
Enoch opened his eyes wide at his words. He hadn't expected talk of sparring to suddenly emerge from the flow of conversation just now.
The instructor also looked somewhat surprised as she asked back.
"What? A public sparring match?"
"Yes. One of the young ladies from Rhodes noble houses who came to observe the order today wishes to watch a sparring session between her retainer knight and one of the Guardian Knights' training knights."
"Ah, come to think of it, the public observation event was today, wasn't it?"
The instructor tilted her head, puzzled.
"But for a public sparring match, they'd normally spar with a pre-designated Guardian Knight. Why suddenly single out a training knight?"
"It seems the young ladies of the noble houses that fund the defense budget wish to personally evaluate this year's class of training knights."
"I can roughly guess who they've come to see."
The instructor turned her gaze toward the girl with water-colored hair, who had been slightly averting her eyes.
"If a young lady of a distinguished house would go so far as to single out a training knight who hasn't even become a Guardian Knight yet, it's pretty obvious. Don't you think?"
"Exactly as you say, ma'am. They've requested a public sparring match against the training knight you've personally designated. Please grant permission."
The instructor shook her head as if this had just become a headache, then glanced at the girl.
"So they say, my lady. Noble ladies out of the blue. Are they childhood friends of yours, by any chance?"
The girl nodded.
"I think so. I'll head over shortly."
***
The public sparring arena of the Rhodes Knight Order.
Looking up at the vast indoor facility lined with enormous skylights that let the summer sun stream in, its floor paved in white marble, the girl let out a small sigh.
Long blue banners emblazoned with the white crest of Rhodes hung along the walls in rows, and the spectator stands — large enough to hold thousands of observers — were packed with citizens of all ages.
The arena, which appeared to span hundreds of meters, stretched before her. The girl in silver armor slapped both cheeks with her palms, then walked out to its center with her sword at her hip.
The murmuring from the spectator stands grew louder with each step she took toward the center.
"Is that the one from the rumors......"
"Ahh, her beauty was said to be legendary, and yet the path of a Guardian Knight......"
"But someone so delicate?"
Each voice from the crowd pierced her ears distinctly, and the girl lowered her head for a moment. She had heard such things often on patrol duty, but hearing others evaluate her in a place with this many people gathered at once was an entirely different feeling.
"How do you do?"
Just then, a familiar high voice cut through the surrounding murmur and reached her ears. The girl raised her head and looked to the front of the arena.
"You're...... Penny."
Before her stood what appeared to be a girl of roughly the same age, dressed in a beautiful gown.
Her hair was done up in twin buns on either side, adorned with black accessories, and she wore an outfit with a deep side slit that fully showed her legs, one hand resting on her hip.
Young as she was, it was a sight befitting a noble house's lady — elegant, beautiful, and poised.
Penny nodded.
"That's right, that is the name of your childhood friend. You haven't forgotten, surprisingly? Given that you threw everything away to join the knight order."
Right beside her, a massive retainer knight stood motionless, his sword braced against the ground.
The girl watched as the water-haired girl approached, then shook her head gently from side to side.
"After the last invasion by Suleiman, I heard you suddenly abandoned everything and entered the knight order. This is the first time we've had a proper visit. Have you been well?"
The girl did not answer that, instead walking up to Penny, stopping squarely before her, and opening her mouth.
"Penny, I hear you nominated me for the public sparring match. I assume there is a reason."
"Of course there is. However, before I explain my purpose in coming here, I'd like to hear your answer first."
"My answer?"
"Why did you suddenly decide to pick up a sword? You had absolutely no connection to such things."
The girl with water-colored hair lowered her head slightly.
"It's simple. To protect Rhodes, in the way I wish to."
"Among the powerful nobles of Victoria, many were expecting you to enter noble society. If you had chosen that path, you could have devoted yourself to Rhodes far more effectively."
Penny placed one hand on her chest and shook her head as if in sympathy.
"I myself thought that had you been active in noble society, you would have become someone who shone brilliantly. But it seems you chose the wrong path."
Penny cracked open her eyes and fixed the girl before her with a gaze full of contempt.
"After all, the rumors are rampant that you still haven't even developed the grip strength to receive an opponent's sword."
At Penny's sharp tone, the atmosphere in the spectator stands froze for an instant. But the noble lady with her twin buns paid it no mind and continued.
"And yet, despite having so little talent, I've heard you persist in training with the sword, aiming for the Sword Saint's realm no less. Is that true?"
"It is. Do you perhaps have something to say to me?"
Penny lowered her head and murmured softly.
"......How annoying. Pretending to chase a dream all by yourself, as if reality doesn't even exist......!"
"Pardon?"
"Hmph, it's nothing. You're the same as always — a childhood friend whose true thoughts I can never read."
Penny swept her twin buns back and raised her head to glare at the water-haired girl.
"I've come here because of you. Bearing the wishes of other noble houses as well. I came to tell you to face reality."
"Reality?"
The noble lady lifted her chin slightly and looked down at the girl with cold eyes.
"Yes. The Sword Saint is nothing but an unreachable delusion. Of course, if Rhodes were to gain a Sword Saint, nothing could be better, but surely you don't think it's possible for you to become the once-in-a-generation Sword Saint?"
Penny extended a slender white finger and pointed straight at the girl with water-colored hair.
"I've come today for your test."
"A test?"
"Yes. The defense fund that goes into the Guardian Knight Order of Rhodes is sourced from our house, as well as from public funds provided externally to the young men and women who must enter Victoria's political sphere through noble society."
She folded her arms and spoke bluntly.
"Don't you think such money being spent on a girl playing at being a knight is nothing more than a waste of tax money?"
The moment Penny's declaration fell, a knight in heavy armor stepped forward before her, drawing his longsword as he walked.
The massive shadow of the heavy knight, clad in silver armor from head to toe and armed with a longsword, fell over the girl with water-colored hair.
From behind that knight, the noble lady swept her hair back and let her eyes gleam sharply.
"We may not wield swords ourselves, but we don't walk the path of noble society and diplomacy as mere play. It is the most realistic method available to us for protecting Rhodes."
"......That's."
"So, I shall make you face reality before everyone. I will show you just how futile a dream you are chasing. Perhaps then you'll feel like returning to noble society?"
Penny spun around to face the spectator stands.
Then she spread both arms toward the heavy knight stepping forward, placed one hand on her chest, and cried out in a high, introductory voice.
"Everyone! The knight here is my retainer! He once served in the Guardian Knight Order and has always led the vanguard across dozens of real battles. A color-bearer — the elite among the elite!"
Before Penny even finished speaking, gasps of admiration erupted from the spectators in unison.
A color-bearer was, by tradition, the knight who bore the flag and stood at the vanguard of the Rhodes Knight Order.
Among the Guardian Knights, they were the most courageous, known as battle-hardened warriors — the very embodiment of a fighting machine.
Penny, buoyed by the crowd's reaction, glanced back over her shoulder. Then she gave the girl with water-colored hair a sidelong look and let slip a thin, mocking smile.
"But surely, someone who aims for no less than the Sword Saint's realm cannot afford to lose to even a knight of this caliber. Wouldn't you agree?"
"How could you—!"
The instant the girl with water-colored hair's eyes met Penny's icy gaze, the heavy-armored knight kicked off the ground from a standing start with zero warning.
WHOOOOOM—!
The ground where he had stood shattering and the girl seeing the heavy knight who had already closed to point-blank range happened almost simultaneously.
The girl's water-colored eyes flew wide.
"Ah......!!"
The opposing knight, having covered the distance in a single breath at tremendous speed as if pulverizing the earth, rotated his drawn-back shoulder wide and thrust his sword forward.
The enemy's blade thrust straight at her face, scattering a flash of light.
The instant the girl instinctively drew her own sword and tilted it at an angle, a tremendous explosion of metal colliding tore through her ears.
CLAAANG—!
She barely managed to block, but unable to withstand the violent impact, she was sent flying backward — sword and all — still in her guard position.
The concentrated heavy impact slammed through the arm holding the sword and pierced through her entire body. The blood flow to her brain was instantly cut off, and her consciousness blurred.
The girl's vision blacked out in an instant.
At the same time, Enoch opened his eyes wide.
The acrid smell of smoke and the stench of blood assaulted his nose. That sensation made him realize he had returned to reality.
Looking around, the past Rhodes sparring arena he had been seeing just moments ago had already transformed into the underground shelter's panorama, awash in red flames and drifting ash.
"Kh......"
Enoch staggered, pressing one hand to his eye from the abrupt change in environment.
Not all his senses had fully returned, but at a level that was almost pure instinct, he quickly detected the incoming attack aimed at him.
The instant he jammed the axe in his hand sideways into the ground and desperately assumed a defensive stance, a shockwave from something massive colliding with the shaft erupted, and the screech of clashing metal tore at his eardrums.
CRAAASH—!
Simultaneously, Enoch's field of view accelerated violently backward, and he was sent flying all the way to the front of the underground shelter's entrance.
It was the very next moment that he realized — just like the Sword Saint's memory — he had been blasted away by the enemy's strike while still in his guard stance.