Fault To Bear

Day 111, year 3000.

In preparation for the competition, the training grounds were closed off to create a proper arena for spectators to enjoy. Passing by the place now and then, Gawain had no choice but to look in awe at the speed at which the workers were completing the project. In only three days, they had managed to turn a third of the field into a small-scale circular arena.

Hundreds of people will be watching. Out of all the seeded competitors, he was the only one that wasn't noble. And out of all the participants, only five in total were commoners. No one was expecting much from them except for their masters, which reduced the pressure somewhat.

"One hundred percent."

The last 3 days have been spent in recuperation with light exercises and basic stance training. His body was up to the mark.

He was staring at the center of the empty arena.

"Tomorrow, I get to fight."

He closed his fist and smiled.

"You shouldn't be out here."

Celia walked out of a faraway corner. After his provocation to William, Joan had given her the responsibility of making sure that he didn't leave the house chambers on his own.

"She will be mad at both of us."

She grabbed his hand and said,

"Move."

Unlike the sisters, Gawain didn't care much for the overprotection against William's schemes. The red knight had already reached his limit by making him the most hated implied target in the history of the academy. Wherever he went in the morning or the afternoon, there would be at least two Ares house delinquents that would talk about him, and Celia in the third person to make it look like a casual conversation while spewing vile profanities to enrage his ego. It was as if they were trying to act like his shadow, waiting for the moment that he broke and did something that they could use to destroy him.

This plan, however, was failing to do anything to his mind. Gawain had been raised by a single mother who worked as a maid in a noble's house.

When he was a kid, she always used to say,

"The world and its people are all leeches, waiting for you to expose your vulnerable side to them. As soon as you decide that their opinion outweighs your consciousness, they will latch onto you and suck you dry without any mercy."

Instead of expending your efforts on changing countless strangers, be confident in your innocence. Don't give them a story to exploit, and see how quickly their interest dies.

'It was probably fated that Godwin chose to be a priest. If he had been in my place, he would have probably killed a few people by now.'

All this came to his mind while he was being dragged back to the house chambers. Celia turned around, only to find him smiling like a dumb person.

"What's up with the grin?"

Once again, he missed his family.

He stopped smiling and said,

"Thinking about family."

"W-what about them?"

Celia was taken by surprise. In a panic, she stuttered.

"What happened?"

'Deep breath.'

She calmed herself down.

"Nothing."

He could not know. Joan said that she would kill her if the surprise got exposed.

Gawain was weirded out by this. He narrowed his eyes and asked,

"Are you sure?"

Back to her normal self, Celia said,

"Positive."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"You have only one objective, Tomoe."

In front of the small shrine, William was facing his best chance in the competition. Not many knew of her exploits, even inside the Ares house.

"Your words are my command, Master."

She brought her right fist close to her heart.

"I have decided that you will fight for our team in Group A."

Thanatos, Perseus, and Ulysses. All in one sweep.

"You have to defeat them at all costs."

She closed her eyes and bowed her head.

"I will not disappoint your expectations."

His smile had a menace written all over it.

"And for that special person?"

She opened her eyes.

"His wrongdoings will not go unpunished."

William placed her palm on her head.

"My faith. My respect It all lies on your shoulders. Don't let me down."

The crown jewel of the Yoshinaka family was a loyal puppet of immense potential. With her carrying the Ares family banner forward, he was confident that his revenge would be executed without any problems.

"I understand, master."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Arnis."

Arthur was at his desk, playing with a pen that was on the table.

"Last year, it was Hephaestus."

The winners of Poseidon's trials.

"My second year will be in contention to win the senior's competition."

His lineup for the senior event was far superior to his lineup for the fresher's event.

"It looks like a third-place finish is on the horizon."

To balance the prestige, his house had to win the senior competition.

"But Hephaestus..."

His trump card was Galeas. His most likely finals opponent would be,

"Thomas."

The Ace of Hephaestus was tipped to become the housemaster after Henry.

Frustrated beyond belief, he still contained his anger and softly whispered,

"I hate this."

Arthur Pendragon. The winner of multiple Poseidon's trials and a third-tiered red knight who was the most probable to become the Black Knight among his peers had not led his house to a single victory at the trials as a master for 2 years. And he was not one to blame his students. This was his fault to bear.

He rested his head in silence and looked at the ceiling.

'Winning has no alternative, no easy routes.'

Right now, he could do nothing but keep his faith in his students.

"They will give their best. As their master, I can't let myself be swept away by my selfishness."

'This is a cop-out.'

A voice popped into his mind. Fed up with this chain of thought, he chose to ignore it.