Chapter 38. 18. The Great Challenge of the Perpetual Underachiever (2)
Honestly, I didn't notice at first.
I was simply marveling at Cal Crone, who was displaying skills far greater than in the semifinals.
But as my gaze shifted to Lumin, who was holding on and resisting with desperate tenacity, Sir Burcal began to feel a slight sense of dissonance.
'If not for that last attack, I would have gone through to the end without knowing. Left with only an unsettled feeling.'
Perhaps it was for dramatic effect. Lumin's final attack was far more obvious than before.
Watching a sight where a sword was swung with the exact same speed, the exact same angle, and the exact same power as Cal Crone's blade, Sir Burcal became certain that Lumin was hiding his true ability.
And he was appalled.
To manipulate a match against Cal Crone, a talent who would rank among the very best even in Zenas!
Was this truly the ability of a 15-year-old knight cadet!
'A talent greater than even the first Black Panther Knight Commander!'
The eunuch knight Ryan Fromhart, considered second only to Philip III, the Knight King with the greatest talent in history.
Even his talent seemed to pale in comparison to that boy, Lumin Kallad.
Sir Burcal had to struggle constantly to keep his facial muscles from twitching.
'For now, I'll keep this to myself.'
He didn't know why that boy was hiding his ability, or why he chose a draw instead of victory.
But that was fortunate. His talent shouldn't be known to many.
The value of a true jewel should be known only to himself and the Zenas Kingdom.
He quickly looked around.
Fortunately, the knights of Tarajan Kingdom, including the professors, didn't seem to have noticed.
Good. I won't let it show either and just stay quiet.
Thinking thus, Sir Burcal smiled broadly and clapped his hands.
He appeared deeply moved by the fierce match between the two cadets.
***
"We will now proceed with the awards ceremony. Please, award recipients, step forward."
At the Knight Department Head's words, Cal Crone, Lumin Kallad, and Teoro Stugarne stepped forward.
Two joint winners and the third-place finisher. As many had expected, Cal Crone and Lumin were awarded the honor of joint championship.
The third-place finisher received a plaque and prize money, while the joint champions received a plaque, prize money, and a modest additional prize.
"Cal Crone! Cal Crone! You were amazing!"
"Lumin Kallad! Well done!"
"Teoro Stugarne! Good work!"
Each time Sir Burcal, a high-ranking knight of Zenas specially invited for the occasion, presented a plaque, enthusiastic cheers followed.
At this moment, everyone was united in spirit. The audience watched the three participants with warm eyes, applauding and blessing their futures.
Lumin Kallad, Cal Crone, and Teoro Stugarne were all future pillars who would bring glory to Tarajan. With the results now decided, there was no reason to take sides and fight.
"Waaaaah! You're the best! Everyone is the best!"
"Seniors, thank you for your hard work!"
All audience members, regardless of age or gender, sent enthusiastic cheers toward the three. Their voices mingled to create a tremendous resonance.
Lumin quietly closed his eyes and savored their voices.
Of course, men's voices were filtered out. His sensitive hearing selectively accepted only the women's voices.
"Kyaaah! Lumin! Great job!"
"Oh my, I think I'm going to become a fan starting today!"
"Knight Department, 2nd year, Class E? Should I go visit sometime?"
"Hey! You can't just go and disturb him for no reason!"
'No, please do come visit!'
He couldn't see their faces, but that was fine. Since their voices were pretty, their appearances must surely be excellent as well.
Lumin, wearing a bright smile, slowly opened his eyes.
Looking at the people still cheering for him, he recalled the hardships during the swordsmanship festival.
'It was extremely difficult and rough... but I did it.'
Yes, he had done it.
He had succeeded in holding his ground without falling behind that owner of insane talent who attracted people's attention and interest by mere existence.
This was a victory of staging, and a victory of effort. If he hadn't polished his aura image by cutting back on sleep, and if he hadn't practiced intensely last night following Teoro's instructions... today's glory would never have existed.
'Teoro, thank you!'
His gratitude toward Teoro and satisfaction with the result made Lumin's smile even deeper.
Seeing this, Professor Karen, standing beside the Knight Department Head, smiled with satisfaction.
'This guy. Talent is one thing, but he really has been training himself to the bone in secret!'
After all, even if he realized his talent late, there was no way he could reach such a level without blood-spitting effort.
He must have been undergoing fierce training in places unseen by him since late last year. Then he must have gained enlightenment in a moment and made rapid progress.
'It's not just Lumin.'
Cal Crone, and Teoro Stugarne as well, were equally impressive.
They too had improved their skills far beyond what he had known. They must have put in effort no less than Lumin's.
Professor Karen wore a gentle smile.
With reddened eyes, he offered a blessing for the future of his three disciples, full of both talent and passion.
And at that moment.
"...Fuck. They're really having fun, having fun."
Boomer Simpson, lying in the treatment room some distance from the arena where the swordsmanship festival was held, wore an expression full of dissatisfaction.
Having completely faded from people's memories, he muttered to himself again.
"Fuck."
***
Having completed all the scheduled events, Lumin Kallad returned to the dormitory.
Suppressing the urge to collapse and sleep immediately, he opened the wooden box he had received as an additional prize.
Inside, a dark-colored pill revealed itself.
Lumin picked it up with his hand and brought it to his nose. A sharp medicinal scent wafted up.
'It's been a while since I've seen one.'
This was a Power Ball.
A spirit medicine created in the Knight Kingdom of Zenas, it commanded quite a high price.
Since tolerance to its effects built up easily, taking it more than twice yielded little effect, but for the first time at least, its efficacy was guaranteed.
'Cal Crone must have already taken one, but this is my first time.'
Lumin grinned as he tossed the Power Ball up and caught it.
As the son of a rural lord, he couldn't have encountered such spirit medicines before. Delighted by this unexpected gain, he threw the Power Ball into the air once more.
And timing it with its fall, he opened his mouth wide.
Whoosh—the pill that entered his mouth instantly melted and flowed down his throat.
Srrrk-
He could feel the medicine's effects circulating before much time had passed since taking the Power Ball.
Lumin focused his mind and began aura cultivation. Spirit medicines were not things to be casually consumed and wasted.
It was important to convert the mana contained in the spirit medicine into aura as completely as possible, and to minimize the loss of energy in that process.
However, many aura users found this process difficult.
'For aura users, it's hard to properly absorb even a quarter, and even those who've reached Expert level struggle to claim more than half.'
Of course, for Swordmasters, the story was different.
As masters of aura control, they could make over 80 percent of the medicine's effects their own.
And Lumin, possessing Ryan Fromhart's memories, was aiming for 85 percent during his aura cultivation.
'In my past life's level, I could absorb nearly 100 percent... but right now, I'm merely at Expert at best.'
Of course, even as an Expert, he was incomparable to other typical Experts.
His current level being low was due to his low aura reserves, not because his manipulation of aura was immature.
Certainly, lacking the perfection of his body and the durability of his aura channels meant he couldn't achieve the same exquisite control as his past life, but he judged that 85 percent was sufficiently possible.
But as it turned out, his judgment was wrong.
Of course, it wasn't wrong in a bad direction. Rather, he showed an absorption rate exceeding his expectations.
"Hmm... about 90 percent, I suppose."
Not bad, Lumin muttered to himself as he checked his interior.
The considerably increased aura compared to before satisfied him. It seemed the quality had been improved from what he had consumed in his past life.
'With this much, I can maintain my aura image much more smoothly.'
Lumin nodded.
The swordsmanship festival had ended, but people's attention toward him had not.
To operate his aura image for at least 10 hours a day while maintaining comfort, his current level wasn't enough. He needed to push further.
With shining eyes, he dedicated himself once more to aura cultivation.
His thirst for women's attention was as deep as a wanderer lost in a desert for three days and nights.
Though the night grew deep, filled with enthusiasm, he didn't seem ready to sleep yet.
And there were a few others who couldn't sleep, just like Lumin.
Cal Crone, having stepped into the scholarship student-exclusive training ground, quietly muttered.
"Lumin Kallad..."
Then he let out a bitter laugh.
Until the semifinals, that guy wasn't even in his thoughts. No, even this morning, it was the same.
He had certainly been quite surprised, but he thought it would be the same in the end. Like other challengers who had struggled to catch up to him, he assumed that guy too would crumble without surpassing his full power.
It was a delusion.
And it was arrogance.
'My skill is still superior.'
But looking at the mental aspect, he couldn't deny that he had been completely defeated.
It was also an undeniable fact that he had been living lazily compared to Lumin, who had been working hard.
Using the excuse of having no competitor to stimulate him, he had gradually been accumulating rust.
'Now I have no more excuses!'
Cal Crone picked up his sword.
And he swung it powerfully. Diagonally, horizontally, vertically.
Having returned to his basics, a tremendous fighting spirit emanated from his body.
'No longer...'
Sweeek!
'Will I let anyone catch up!'
Sweeeeek!
Cal Crone repeatedly practiced basic movements in the empty training ground.
His expression held a vitality that had been absent for some time.
***
At that hour when Lumin Kallad and Cal Crone were diligently devoted to their training, Tania Eloyce also couldn't sleep.
Sitting in a chair before a table with her chin propped on her right hand, she recalled the final match.
Presently, a name flowed from Tania's lips.
"Lumin Kallad..."
The protagonist of this swordsmanship festival was undoubtedly him, no matter what anyone said.
Cal Crone, Teoro Stugarne, and Boomer Simpson had all performed well, but at least for her, Lumin Kallad was the best.
That fighting spirit he had shown, that desperation.
The valuable joint victory he had blossomed from within that!
She couldn't help but be moved. Lumin Kallad's image, still smiling brightly, wouldn't leave her head.
'...Of course, he's a huge pervert, but.'
Even that seemed fine now that she thought about it.
Anyway, all men are perverts. The only difference is whether they show it to others or not.
The brown envelope incident was just an accident. Rather, she was the one who had unintentionally intruded on his private life.
Of course, even with this self-brainwashing, the shock from that time still didn't fade easily.
She had kept trying to forget, but the cover of the book Boomer had dropped remained vivid in her memory. And that kept disrupting her favorable feelings toward Lumin.
'...If I can't forget, then I just need to get used to it.'
So the conclusion Tania reached was to become familiar with lewd books.
Sighing, she brought out two booklets onto the table.
Lewd books she had secretly obtained through dark channels.
Tania's plan tonight was to eliminate her aversion to Lumin by reading these lewd books.
'Right, looking at lewd things isn't strange, and if you're a man, you might want something more intense. By reading this, I can better understand a man's perspective, Lumin's perspective...'
Tania's thoughts went no further.
The moment she turned the cover and looked at the contents inside, she couldn't think of anything else. Even Lumin, whom she had been thinking about all day, was pushed from her mind.
Gulp
She swallowed and slowly turned to the next page.
She turned, and turned. And turned again.
That night, Lumin Kallad, Cal Crone, and Tania Eloyce couldn't sleep.
And so, the swordsmanship festival for 1st and 2nd year students came to a safe conclusion.