Chapter 35. 17. Exceeding Expectations (2)
He couldn't believe it. No, he didn't want to believe it.
He didn't want to admit that his judgment had been wrong.
But the results spoke for themselves.
The one he thought was beneath even himself, Teoro, and Boomer had shown astonishing movement. His footwork, which evaded all of Boomer's explosive attacks, was even more excellent than Teoro's.
Was that all?
The single sword strike he had just shown, that attack fast enough to draw gasps, was so impressive that even Cal Krone couldn't dismiss it.
'Surely... was he hiding his true ability?'
Cal Krone's expression twisted.
With that level of skill, there was no way he wouldn't have sensed it when he scattered his threatening aura. Rather, he might have been gauging his full strength without revealing his expression.
He, who had always evaluated others from a high position, was now being evaluated in return!
It felt filthy. He felt like he had been toyed with.
"Your expression is different from earlier?"
To him, Teoro spoke with a smirk.
Cal Krone turned his head sharply. Teoro needled him once more.
"Who was it that had terrible eyes? Want to say it again?"
Cal Krone didn't open his mouth.
He just chewed his lower lip with a stiffly frozen face.
And at the same time.
Sir Buckle, who had been watching the match from a high seat, asked the Knight Academy Department Head with a questioning expression.
"Didn't you tell me to keep an eye on a child named Boomer Simpson?"
"...."
"The winner's name... seems to be Lumian Calad, not Boomer Simpson."
"Th-that's... hmm."
The Department Head was at a loss for words.
In truth, he had been absent for much of this semester, so he hadn't accurately grasped the students' abilities. Today was also his first time watching the Swordsmanship Tournament.
That was why he had said such things, assuming Boomer Simpson, who had shown excellent skills until last year, would naturally win, but he suddenly became a person without judgment.
Sir Buckle spoke with a serious expression.
"Well... I'm not saying Boomer Simpson isn't outstanding. He seems to understand his strengths well. Pressuring the opponent with powerful yet precise attacks—it was excellent."
"R-right! He's a talent our Tarajan Academy is proud of."
"However... Lumian Calad. My honest assessment is that the movement and swordsmanship that child showed were more impressive."
"Hahaha... it seems he must have had a great realization while I wasn't watching... th-that is... I've been focusing mainly on the graduating students lately... so for the lower grades, a bit..."
The Department Head's excuses continued, but Sir Buckle let them go in one ear and out the other.
He had no interest whatsoever in what kind of judgment he had, or how much interest he had in the students.
What was more important was the fact that so many talented individuals were gathered in this small academy.
'Four children with talents that would rank among the very top even in the home country... moreover, two of them, I can't even guess how much potential they have.'
It was because both had overwhelmingly defeated their opponents.
To properly confirm their skills, which still seemed to have plenty of room, it seemed he would have to watch tomorrow's finals.
Having thought this far, Sir Buckle burst into laughter.
He, who had found even coming out for a day troublesome, found it funny that he was already looking forward to tomorrow.
But there was someone who looked even more ridiculous, and that was Boomer Simpson.
He looked at Lumian Calad with an empty expression.
Blood was dripping from his hand.
"You... this bastard..."
"Uh, um, sorry."
"If you didn't want to go easy, you should have just said so... hitting the back of my head like this..."
"No, that's... ha, I'm really sorry. I'll explain later."
Lumian repeatedly apologized to Boomer as he disappeared with the medical team.
He had received a lot of help, knowingly and unknowingly, so today's events felt even more sorry. He thought he should repay the debt someday.
But the guilt toward Boomer wasn't enough to cover the anxiety about tomorrow's finals.
Lumian looked at the audience seats with a stiffly frozen face, and then at Cal Krone in turn.
At that moment, Cal Krone also gazed at Lumian.
"....!"
"....!"
The two, who had been looking at each other without a word for a while, turned their heads simultaneously.
Thus, the second match of the Swordsmanship Tournament semifinals came to a close.
***
'Why did he call me? Is he feeling pressured about tomorrow's finals?'
Curiosity rose on Teoro's face as he headed to the promised location.
It seemed likely that he was right. Lumian had been conscious of Cal Krone all day today.
'If that's the case, I should definitely help. I don't know if I can be of much help, but...'
Teoro made a bitter expression.
In fact, there wasn't much he could do to help Lumian.
He had faced Cal Krone directly, but he had only been thoroughly toyed with. Honestly, even now, after quite some time had passed, he still had no sense of how to deal with that guy's sword.
With someone like him, could he be of any help to Lumian, who was far stronger than himself?
"...Let's just go."
Teoro decided not to think anymore.
Anyway, he had nothing else to do. The originally scheduled third-place match had been cancelled due to Boomer's forfeiture. It was because of his hand injury. Thanks to that, he automatically rose to third place in this tournament.
To repay that debt, it was right to come out when called.
However, the content Lumian consulted about at the promised location was completely different from what Teoro had thought.
"So, right now... you're worried about becoming the villain in the finals... and that because of that, you'll lose popularity with women... is that right?"
"Um... well, roughly."
Lumian said with an embarrassed expression.
It might seem incredibly trivial for the concerns of a Swordsmanship Tournament finalist, but it couldn't be helped. To him, there was nothing more serious than this.
Lumian lacked faith in himself.
Because he had lived his entire life with low self-esteem due to being a eunuch, and he still hadn't escaped from that state.
For someone like him, external recognition, reputation, and popularity were extremely important parts. He thought that by building up even these external aspects, dating would become easier.
And separately from such thoughts, Lumian liked hearing women's cheers.
Their voices warmly soothed Lumian's heart. The ladies' applause healed wounds that had festered for decades.
The support he had received from women during the Swordsmanship Tournament wasn't simple support. It was like a spirit medicine that restored the self-esteem that had been crumbling for a long time.
'That's why it's even scarier!'
In such a situation, Lumian was even more afraid of tomorrow's finals.
Thinking that the women's support that had lifted him up would turn into curses and slander piercing his heart, an unbearable fear rushed in already.
That was the reason. That was why he had asked advice from Teoro, who was much younger than himself.
But this was only Lumian's thinking.
From Teoro's position, it was absurd.
No, beyond that, he was angry enough to feel the illusion of something hot rising from his chest.
'Does this guy think the Swordsmanship Tournament is a joke?'
The Swordsmanship Tournament is a stage where numerous key figures, including the Knight Academy Department Head and high-ranking royal knights, observe.
It means it's the most excellent opportunity to join the Tarajan Royal Knight Order, which is the dream of all knight cadets.
For a guy who advanced to the finals in such a Swordsmanship Tournament.
With an enemy named Cal Krone whom he could never let his guard down against.
To think about winning as secondary because he's concerned about the reactions of girls who have nothing to do with him?
'Not worth associating with.'
Teoro exhaled a breath.
It was filled with hot anger. Anger at himself was also contained.
He felt too ugly for hoping Lumian would do what he couldn't do, for hoping someone else would defeat the opponent he couldn't defeat, while being angry.
So he turned away without a word. Without responding to Lumian's words.
Lumian, who had been blankly watching him, suddenly came to his senses.
And he strongly reproached his foolish self.
'Damn it, I was thinking too much about myself and didn't consider Teoro!'
Honestly speaking, to him, winning the Swordsmanship Tournament had no value whatsoever. Anyway, he had accomplished most of what could be achieved with the sword in his previous life. To him, what was important was dating women.
But that was only his thinking.
It wasn't the most important value for ordinary knight cadets. Especially for Teoro, it would be even more severe.
He hadn't spent a long time close with him, but Lumian had a grasp of Teoro.
How strong his competitive spirit was despite his quiet and impassive appearance, how deep his enthusiasm for the sword was, and how intense his longing for knighthood was.
Knowing that, he shouldn't have spoken like this.
Considering the age of his previous life, it was a mistake he absolutely shouldn't have made.
'I have to apologize right now!'
But he didn't intend to just apologize.
The point of not considering how important the Swordsmanship Tournament was to Teoro. That was clearly his fault.
But Teoro had also made the same mistake. It meant he hadn't considered at all how important women, dating, and sex were in his life.
Even though he had clung to it so much, and talked about it so much.
'Of course, I know I'm not normal.'
Still, he hoped that at least one person, Teoro, who had become his first friend in this life, would understand him.
With such a heart as well, Lumian quickly ran ahead of Teoro.
And he said.
"I like women!"
"...What kind of bullshit is that?"
"It's not bullshit. I like women. I like women's attention, I like their gazes, anyway those things are much more important than winning the Swordsmanship Tournament. Unlike you."
"...."
"Of course, I'm sorry for not considering your feelings and talking about winning as if it were nothing. Even though I knew how importantly you think of the Swordsmanship Tournament... that was my big mistake. I'm really sorry."
Lumian bowed his head deeply.
Teoro made a dumbfounded expression looking at him.
Suddenly running up to say he likes women, then apologizing.
There was no rambling like this rambling.
But strangely enough, he roughly understood the intention of what the guy was saying.
And once again, he was surprised by Lumian.
'This guy's life... women are the top priority!'
He had thought his obsession was severe, but to that extent!
Teoro, who now grasped Lumian's priorities, shook his head.
And finally, Lumian's behavior started to make sense.
He wasn't trying to deceive him. It was just that the situation was truly serious for him, so he had only asked for help.
Of course, that serious situation wasn't serious at all from his own standards.
'That's just my thinking.'
Thinking it's not serious for himself so it won't be serious for this guy either would be exactly the same mistake Lumian had made to him just before.
Teoro wasn't that discourteous of a person.
Rather, he reflected a little on the fact that he had been judging Lumian only by his own standards until now.
"Uh, so... the order got a bit strange, but what I want to say is... just as the sword occupies a large proportion in your life, women are the most important in my life. It's my fault for not considering you and talking about the Swordsmanship Tournament as if it were nothing, but I hope you'd also recognize my own values..."
Lumian continued to pour out his thoughts.
It was relatively more organized than before, but still scattered.
But it wasn't so messy that he couldn't understand it.
Recognizing each other's differences, and respecting each other's values.
It was content about understanding and considering each other so that a human named Teoro and a human named Lumian could get along together.
'Is that enough?'
Teoro let out a hollow laugh.
Until just a while ago, his anger toward Lumian was so strong he didn't even want to look at him, but now it wasn't like that at all. Rather, it felt like their relationship had become even stronger, like the ground hardening after rain.
Lumian also felt that.
He stopped talking quietly and thought.
'There are also convenient aspects to becoming younger.'
He wouldn't have been able to do this in his previous life.
He wouldn't have been able to sincerely apologize because of face, and he wouldn't have been able to confide his true feelings because of position. That was why Philip III didn't know his concerns until just before his death.
'It's a bit embarrassing, but I feel relieved inside.'
Lumian made a refreshed expression.
It felt like going to a monastery and making a confession.
He asked Teoro, who was letting out a hollow laugh while looking at him.
"So, um... will you help me?"
"But how am I supposed to help? Honestly speaking, even if you overwhelmingly beat Cal Krone, it'll be hard to get a good reaction from women? What's important to them isn't who's stronger. What's important is Cal Krone winning in a cool way."
"So that's what I want to somehow... I don't care if I win or lose, so I don't want my image to be ruined by getting swept up in Cal Krone's atmosphere... I just want that to be resolved. Right now the atmosphere is completely... like I'm being treated as a villain just by standing on the opposite side of Cal Krone."
"...."
"Should I just forfeit? Then I could maintain only the good image I've built up until now..."
"Wait."
Teoro cut off Lumian's words.
He had an extremely serious face. Lumian asked.
"Why?"
"There's one thing I've been curious about since earlier. You're speaking... um..."
"What."
"As if... if you just set your mind to it... beating Cal Krone wouldn't be a problem..."
"...."
"Tell me honestly."
Teoro gazed steadily into Lumian's eyes.
"Just how strong are you?"