Chapter 292: Imperial Capital (1) (1/2)

All my excitement for Inazuma disappeared when the update on my side went wrong. Everything lagged and loaded so slow. So it took me several days of uninstalling and reinstalling just to make it work properly now. I even had to uninstall programs and move files just to create memory space. I seriously don’t want to go through that ever again.

On another note, here’s a facepalm moment of mine. I previously corrected ‘institutional’ as ‘island’ in the last chapter, right? Turns out the word used there is actually an archaic word for ‘imperial capital.’ So it was actually “Imperial Capital Academy” since it was located in the ‘imperial capital.’ Ahahaha… ????

Terms used in this episode:

Folding screen – a Korean slang used to describe people who has no presence among a popular group of people, e.g. idol groups. Other similar terms are ‘air’, ‘invisible’, etc.

The helmeted Sarah blinked with a stunned expression.

She couldn’t believe the sight in front of her.

‘Leon…lost?!’

Who is Leon?

Isn’t he a genius and one of the best prospects among the Royal Knights who are composed of talented people from all over the empire?

But Leon had lost.

It was just a spar and not a life-threatening battle, but he was still completely defeated.

Leon was obviously not invincible just because he was a genius.

There was no need to compare Leon to Knight Commander Galahad, the head of the Royal Knights and the pride of the empire, or the senior knights including the Vice Commander as he was still no match for them.

Because they were older and more experienced than Leon.

They were the best veterans among the Royal Knights.

So even if Leon lost to them, it was understandable.

His defeat would not be surprising.

But it was different now.

Leon, that unrivaled Leon, was defeated by a knight from the kingdom. And by a young man – no, a boy, who was six years younger than him!

“I-I lost.”

Leon said, having dropped his sword and fallen to the ground as he breathed heavily.

His expression was more of embarrassment than anger or resentment, perhaps because he was very shocked by the current situation.

And in front of Leon.

The boy was tense as his sword was still pointed at Leon, and he let out a long breath when Leon said that he lost. He slowly withdrew his sword and said with a slightly awkward smile.

“It was a good match.”

The boy.

Lucas Hræsvelgr.

Leon gritted his teeth at the words of the boy who had just turned 17 recently.

Because he painfully remembered again the fact that he had lost to this boy.

‘I was conceited.’

I thought that I had no rivals my age except for Maximilian.

No, can I really consider this boy, Lucas Hræsvelgr, as someone my age? Isn’t this boy six years younger than me?

“Ugh.”

Leon involuntarily groaned.

He didn’t have any injuries from the fight, but he felt like he had been mentally beaten.

He lost to an opponent younger than him.

Moreover, his opponent was a knight from the kingdom and not the empire.

He was a Royal Knight who protected the Imperial family, but lost to a knight who was not yet a proper member of any knight order.

Though he still had an excuse.

Lucas Hræsvelgr was the only son of Count Hræsvelgr, a Sword Master – no, one of the Ten Great Swordmasters in the kingdom, and had inherited his father’s swordsmanship.

“Ugh.”

No. That wasn’t an excuse. Leon himself didn’t have the blood of a Sword Master, but he was taught by Sir Galahad, the Absolute Knight and a Sword Master.

‘Don’t be disgraceful, Leon.’

He lost.

A defeat was a defeat.

So he had to accept it.

Moreover, these people would soon be helping them in their rescue operation to save the Imperial Family.

The stronger they were than himself, the better it would be.

“Fwooo…”

He tried to control his thoughts, but it wasn’t easy. Therefore, Leon’s expression stiffened.

His face turned red from shame and frustration, his breathing grew rough, and he felt dizzy from his uncontrollable thoughts.

Sarah’s surprise deepened when she saw such a Leon for the first time.

And having faced the knight from the empire, Lucas did his best to manage his facial expressions.

‘Don’t smile, don’t smile.’

It’s not polite.

It’s not nice.

Biltwein doesn’t jump from happiness when he won sparring matches.

But the corners of his lips kept trying to rise.

He tried to keep a solemn expression, but it was too hard to suppress his smile.

‘I won.’

I won.

I won.

I defeated the knight from the empire, the Royal Knight, the genius that First Sword had praised!

Lucas clenched his fists and firmed his legs to prevent himself from jumping in place.

Therefore, his body slightly trembled, but he couldn’t help it.

‘I’m strong.’

No, I’ve always been strong.

He was once called the north’s best prospect.

In fact, among his peers in the north, there was no one stronger than Lucas, or rather, he couldn’t find anyone on the same level as him.

Until Jude showed up.

‘My rival.’

Now it was embarrassing to say it out of his mouth.

Because Jude had become too strong.

Because Jude might be even stronger than Lucas’ father now.

He honestly found it to be hard.

It was very difficult for him.

He wasn’t referring to the fact that he kicked his blanket in the bed whenever he recalled saying that Jude was his long-aspired rival to Jude himself.

It was something much more essential than that.

Something so natural that was hard to suppress.

He was envious of Jude.

He had tried his best to not be envious of Jude.

Furthermore, Jude wasn’t just strong.

He was the disciple of Landius, a person Lucas admired.

Landius did not accept Lucas as a disciple no matter how much Lucas pleaded, but said that he would make Jude his disciple the moment he saw Jude.

That wasn’t just it.

Jude had Cordelia.

A pretty, kind, and talented fiancée!

‘They’re always flirting these days…’

Lucas was a man too.

He was now 17 years old, his teenage period when his curiosity about the opposite sex was at its peak.

And in front of such a guy, they were always flirting!

They tried to do it in secret, but frankly, it was too noticeable.

‘Me too, I want to do it too!’

I want to have a pretty fiancée too!

To do this and that! Ah!

‘N-no. Calm down. Calm down, Lucas.’

What’s important now isn’t that.

No, of course that’s something very important, but not now.

“Ahem, ahem.”

Lucas coughed and looked at Leon again.

Leon struggled to contain his frustration.

Lucas was not a quick-witted person, but he could tell at a glance that Leon wanted to win.

And that fact pleased Lucas again.

The genius of the empire was looking at Lucas and feeling vexed.

Lucas felt proud.

‘Haa…’

How long has it been since I felt this way?

I feel like I’m the protagonist of this world.

I’ve forgotten this very sweet feeling for a while. This very nice feeling.

I am strong.

I am strong too.

I am a genius too.

I’ve always worked hard.

“Haa…”

But that was it.

After all, Lucas was born with a good and kind personality.

Instead of rejoicing in the defeat of others, he began to be grateful.

‘Lord Jude, thank you.’

Lucas himself had worked hard to be this strong, but Jude had also helped him.

If it weren’t for Jude, would he have worked hard like this now?

Perhaps he might have neglected his training under the pretext that he was already the best prospect in the north.

In addition, there was his recent experience.