Chapter 84 - 84. Open Lessons (Complete)

On the way back to the Colosseum after meeting the swordsman.

Everyone had gone to the Colosseum, and not a single person could be seen on the street.

'I'll be waiting. I hope you can come to me before I die of old age.'

Right before I left the room, I suddenly remembered that the Sword Saint said that to me, tapped him on the shoulder, and laughed heartily.

Do you remember that even when the game ended, the swordsman was still alive and maintained his position as the swordsman, so there must have been a lot of time left for him to die of aging.

What makes me question is...

"...Master, I have a question for you."

[Hmm, what is it? ]

Sierra, who was walking ahead, turns her head to look at me.

She was elated, probably because she had declared war on the Sword Saint.

"Why did Master hint at 'living' to the Sword Saint?

Sierra laughs at my question.

[Puuuuu, did that bother you? Yeah, it wasn't life or death. As you said, the swordsman and the challenger do not fight for life. Both of them must be excellent swordsmen, so they are desperate talents for the country and humanity... You can't lose an important resource with just one title. It is probably prohibited by law. Of course... I heard that there was a time in the old days when it was simply decided who would die and who would live. ]

"Then why do you live?"

After listening to Sierra's words, I asked again.

[Even if it wasn't a life-or-death decision... Both he and the original woman fought to the death with sincerity. I don't know how others were, but at least we were. Maybe I just got used to it. ]

Considering that they had fought dozens of duels in that way, it is understandable that the killing spewed out as soon as they met.

Even the losing side would always have been the Sierra side.

Sierra's expression darkened as she continued her words.

She said [She does, but she only gets it once... Even though she's bumped into it dozens of times, she can't win it even once... She's been suffering from a chronic illness since she was a child. She was realizing That she doesn't have much time left. So, in order to create a swordsmanship to defeat him, she entered lung training...]

Soon, Sierra swallowed her words behind her back.

It was something I knew well after that.

What was crazy about her sword. Sierra had lived a life that only knew her sword.

She didn't get the title of Sword Saint.

He felt resentment for not being the best in the sword and became a dead man, so it was expected how much it would be.

[It's a thought that comes to mind whenever I think of old memories, but you don't know how fortunate I was to be able to meet my student... ]

Soon Sierra runs up to me and takes her prisoner.

The girl who was being held by me had a bright expression on her face... But for some reason, I could feel a slight trembling in her body.

Then her cautious voice echoes in her head.

[So don't leave. No matter what happens... Don't leave her side. ]

"You're worried about everything. I won't..."

While she was patting her like that, Sierra interrupted her and came in.

[ ...Which means not to die. ]

"..."

At her words, I smiled bitterly.

I couldn't give a specific answer.

It seems that the recent events have bought into Sierra's worries.

'Did I do a lot of dangerous things...?'

So I couldn't even stop.

Happy ending.

Would that be possible even at the cost of my own life?

As for Sierra... It may not be possible.

"...Let's go now. We'll be late like this."

Soon after, I turned away from her and started walking away slowly while holding her in my arms.

Sierra hugged me, and she didn't think about leaving for a while.

***

Public classes were in full swing at the Colosseum.

A sparring was conducted in which one cadet came out and called out the name of the opponent to face.

Before long, the protection magic of a cadet who was fighting was terribly broken.

ㅡWow!!!!!!

The cheers of the crowd fill the Colosseum.

The key figures in the VIP seats were waiting for the cadets who had left a deep impression on them on the first day, wondering when they would come out.

Normally, public classes and events at the academy where outsiders can attend, such as exams, tend to focus on the third-year students who are about to graduate, but in this year's open class, all of their attention was focused on the first-year cadets.

In a way, it was natural.

There were unusually many strong players in the first grade this year.

From the families of the 4 elements of the continent to the new face cadets who showed off their extraordinary talents.

In the mouths of the officials, the word 'golden generation' was going up and down.

Among them, the emerging powerhouses, Eisel and Zeto, stood out by far.

However, their names were rarely called out.

Even from the point of view of the cadets, it was clearly pictured that they would be destroyed, but there was no need to call their names.

Time passed, and the sun was already floating in the sky, and regardless of whether the cadets were fighting or not, it was around the time when the VIP seats talked about Jeto and Eisel for a long time.

A woman with flowing white hair and a flawless white dress enters the VIP seat.

Then a female knight in her silver armor follows her.

Someone in the VIP seat, who sensed their presence and saw them first, exclaimed.

"Saintess?!"

Following his exclamation, the attention of everyone in her VIP room is focused on her.

Saint Bernice arrived at her academy.

Her pink eyes lightly scan those in the VIP table.

In particular, a little more attention went to the Sword Saint who was sitting on the other side and staring blankly at him.

'That must be a swordsman. That means he's interested in Jeto.'

Soon after, she stopped glancing at her sword nature and put her hand on her chest and politely bowed her head slightly.

Then Bernice raised her head and opened her mouth.

"I'm late to attend because of work. My name is Bernice, the 'Saint of Innocence'."

Julie Ut, who had already heard from Ecclin, the vice-captain of the Silver Wing Knights, that the saintess was coming, opened her mouth.

"No, saintess. I just want to thank you for coming. Perhaps it would be okay to let the colosseum know that the saintess attended."

Soon Bernice sits down and answers him.

"Yes, as much as you like. But can you make sure the cadets don't get in the way? It's them, not me, who should get the attention here. I'm sorry for being late, but I don't want to deprive them of their chance to be noticed."

"Haha, of course. Even if it's not, it's break time soon, so I'll let you know that the saintess has come as soon as the break ends."

"Thank you."

Bernice smiled lightly.

Soon after, Ecline, who was standing behind Bernice with Innes, puts his face in her ear.

"It seems that the swordsman made contact with Cadet Zeto."

"...Has this already happened?"

"The Sword Saint's expression looks so good... Maybe it's already too late... Rumors are circulating that he became the Sword Saint's apprentice. I'm sorry. I should have contacted you sooner..."

Ecclin said that and closed her eyes tightly.

Rumors that he had become a disciple of the Sword Saint, the officials who tried to make a good offer to Zeto gave up their minds early on.

The swordsman didn't want to belong to any country, let alone the Knights of Roundney.

So, would he be different from being his disciple?

He even quietly participated in the war when it broke out 10 years ago.

Of course, as much as during the Christian War, he obediently followed the Allied forces' instructions and made a wonderful achievement by blocking a plain in the north alone.

"No. It's enough to talk to him. For now."

Bernice whispered to Ecclin.

Nothing has yet been confirmed as to whether he was an acupuncturist who was called a blind saint, or whether he was related to the corpse of a demon with horns left in the theater.

"It won't be too late to think about what happens after that."

Bernice immediately turns her attention to the Colosseum.

In the center of the Colosseum stood a male cadet.

It seemed that they were going to have a sparring match, as Inez had told them.

Innes, who was standing behind Bernice, was staring at the Sword Master.

'There was no reply for dozens of times... I didn't expect you to come to the academy.'

Even though her proposal to join the 'round' continued, Sword Saint did not reply.

Entrusting the letter to the information guild 'Black Hand' was costly. She was spending money writing letters to the swordsmen who were receiving their salaries.

Chris felt Inez's burdensome gaze.

He remembered Inez.

No, I should correct you that he couldn't help but be memorable.

She was one of the people on Chris's 'extremely annoying list'.

'Was it a knight of the round table?'

For him, the title of Sword Saint was enough to represent his status, and he was not very interested in such troublesome things as keeping order on the continent.

When the saintess appeared and a strange air flow flowed in the VIP seat, a cadet in the center of the Colosseum called out his opponent in a loud voice.

"I'm going to deal with the cadets of Class 1 A!"

Finally, when his name that everyone has been waiting for is mentioned, the Colosseum starts to stir.

Her saintess, Xerath, who was sitting next to her, spoke to her in a friendly way.

"Saintess, it is an honor to meet you. My name is Geras Clementine."

It was the first time Bernice and Geras Clementine had spoken, but they knew who each other was.

At this, Bernice smiles.

"...It's Prince Clementine. Nice to meet you. It's like meeting the heads of families of the 4 elements."

"Haha, no. Can I compare it to the saintess? More than that... The saintess seems to be lucky. As soon as she comes, she sees the cadets of Jetto..."

"I heard from our vice-captain about Cadet Zeto. He said that even though he is blind, he handles the sword very well. But who is that cadet who called him?"

Yes.

Even if Zeto said so, the Colosseum was also agitated because of who called him.

Coincidentally, Xerath, who was also from the Kingdom of Terrasia, knew him.

Now, this year's freshman was so outstanding that his presence was overshadowed, but until last year, he had to be seen as a promising cadet.

"He's the son of someone the saintess knows. His name is Keef Okentia. He's a third-year student this year."

"Ah, was he the son of Lord Terlos?"

"Yes, he must be said to have excellent skills, but..."

Xerath said, 'He resembles his father and overflows with arrogance.' Swallowed the expression.

Xerath did not like Terlos.

In his eyes, Terlos Okentia was not only incompetent, but also very stupid.

Not only that, but the Okentia family itself did dirty and ugly things.

He wondered why Terlos Okentia was able to become the leader of the 'Knights of the Golden Lion' and why the king chose him...

Xerath was only guessing that this was connected to the first prince.

Bernice was also on the side of knowing 'Terlos Okentia' well, so he roughly understood this just because Xerath was speechless.

Soon, Bernice nodded and replied.

"...You think that's not too much. Thank you for your kind explanation, Prince Clementine."

"No. Knowing the characters makes for a more enjoyable viewing experience."

Xerath smiled and nodded his head slightly.

Eventually, Jeto enters the Colosseum and the crowd roars loudly.

Hearing this, Bernice has a question.

"...Cadet Zeto is popular with women, isn't it?"

This is because among the shouts, the exclamations of young women's 'kyaak' were particularly loud.

"She heard that my daughter, who is close to him, has the power to make her people feel comfortable... But I wonder if it's because of her outstanding appearance that even bandages can't cover her. ."

"Hmm..."

Bernice thought with a drool.

'Why is Xerath giving him such a bright smile and praising him as if he were his son-in-law?'

She knew Gerath Clementine as a character with a bit more weight.

Could it be that he is also coveting his own land?

Anyway... Bernice was finally able to see that 'Zeto'.

'She has an outstanding appearance that cannot be covered even with a bandage...'

Things like her looks didn't matter to her, but it was definitely a visual that reminded me of the word pretty or pretty young even from a distance.

Soon, Jeto slowly approaches the center of the Colosseum.

Bernice, who was looking at him like that, caught something strange in his eyes.

A woman dressed like one would only see in the East was approaching the VIP table.

If there was a problem, she was floating in the air.

She was literally floating through the air.

Yes.

Bernice had discovered Sierra.

Sierra was just curious about the reaction of her swordsman when she came to her VIP seat and watched her pupil, since her distance was getting closer, but she still didn't notice the existence of her saintess.

Sierra did not intend to kill the Sword Saint.

She didn't need my reflection.

The Sword Saint coveted her.

However, she was unable to make Jeto a disciple.

The Zeto he coveted was his disciple.

This could be seen as Sierra's first victory over the Sword Saint.

Of course, this was Sierra's personal opinion.

So, she came to see the face of the Sword Saint, which must have been dark.

[ Hehe... ]

When Sierra recalled Jeto's story to the Sword Saint, a smile leaked out of her mouth.

'Guy Zeto... The one and only teacher...'

As Sierra thought about that, she moved closer to the VIP seat and confirmed the face of the Sword Master.

The Sword Saint's face was as dark as she expected.

However, the swordsman who had been smiling until Jeto entered the Colosseum...

'Looking at it now, Kaen's beauty doesn't mean anything to him...'

...It was because I was having complicated thoughts for other reasons.

Meanwhile, Bernice, who was watching Sierra closely, figured out what kind of existence she was.

'Why are the souls of the dead here?'

Bernice could see the soul, the spiritual body.

Bernice was a saint.

Her near-infinite divine power as a saint made her cross the boundaries of life and death.

It was also possible not only to see, but also to hear their voices.

They were often seen in places where there seemed to be a story from time to time.

Bernice used to honor them, purify them, and 'achieve' them as they were visible.

However, it was the first time for her to see her spirit body retaining her shape so distinctly.

'This is what I've only heard...'

...It must be a ghost, Bernice thought.

Unlike ordinary souls, they harbor evil auras because of their resentment.

I could feel the same energy from the eastern woman I saw now.

Yet.

Sierra and Bernice turned their heads away from the Sword Saint with a satisfied smile, and their eyes met.

Bernice stared at Sierra quietly.

'Should I purify it because it could cause problems...?'

Sierra stared at Bernice with her puzzled expression.

'Who is that pure white woman that makes it seem like she's staring at her original daughter...?'

Soon after, Ines, who was standing behind Bernice, spoke to the saintess.

"Saintess, is something wrong?"

Zeto, who Bernice had been waiting for to meet, finally appeared, but it was because her behavior was questionable as she stared into empty space.

Saintess.

Sierra hears the word and finally mumbles.

[If it's a saint... Didn't Deidros say he could see her soul...? ]

Originally, her low muttering should have resonated only in Zeto's head, but Bernice, her saintess, could hear it as well.

In response, Bernice, who had been staring at her intently, replied with a slight nod of her head.

Only then did Sierra, realizing her situation, put her hands over her mouth and burrowed beneath the walls of her VIP seat, where she hastily hid herself.

If he went back to Zeto's side right away, he would realize that Zeto was related to him.

Sierra could not allow her disciple to subject her saintess to heresy.

Then, in the center of the Colosseum...

...While preparing for a battle with Keef Okentia, Jeto hears Sierra's voice and has doubts.

'A saint?'