Eleanor thought back to the Knox von Reinhafer she remembered.
Arrogance, conceit, vanity.
Those were the words that characterized him.
Radically incompatible with hard work.
Nox the Scoundrel.
That's what the world calls him.
Eleanor furrowed her brow and watched Nox battle Paracelsus with his sword.
She couldn't believe her eyes.
Parrying the sword of Paracelsus, the 'Ashen Eagle' of the East?
That lowly bastard?
'...I don't believe it.'
But she didn't have long to dwell on it.
Aside from the team led by Eleanor, the team was dominated by the commoners of Paracelsus. And the teams of the Princesses Penelope and Echidna had all gathered at the top of the mountain.
Perhaps they, too, had realized that in order to get a good gem in this test, they would have to go deep and face the demons.
As a result, four of the top teams had their sights set on the black gem held by one man.
Nox, I don't know how the hell he got his hands on the gem, but…
'It's pointless, with such a large number, it will be taken away quickly anyway.'
An hour is a very long time.
Obviously, there's no way he'd be able to outrun dozens of people.
Furthermore, Vernon had insisted on fighting among the cadets from the beginning.
So the current situation is entirely the fault of Nox's arrogance.
What if he had gotten over himself and teamed up to attack?
He would have been able to bury his head in the sand.
He wouldn't have been in this situation.
But Nox didn't.
He didn't assume the worst, and that's how he made enemies.
'That's the way of the wretched, I suppose.'
Eleanor shook her head. He can't run away from this place.
And he will be deprived of the black jewel.
To that ashen-haired youth, Paracelsus.
Eleanor nodded and turned to her team.
"We'll stay out of this. It's too risky to go after the black jewel, and it would be foolish to get involved in the fight at a time when 'Ashen Eagle' has entered the fray."
Traditionally what is a Merchant?
You don't drink from the poisoned chalice or touch anything that will harm you.
To do otherwise would create enemies and be a quick downfall.
As such, she sees no reason to engage in such a bloody battle. She already has the purple gem in her possession.
Besides, she's not like them.
She doesn't have to be number one.
She planned to graduate from Eldain in the top half of her class and return to her family to raise the top of the family.
Even if you're a merchant, it helps to be fluent in magic and graduate from a prestigious academy like this one. She was just here to learn.
Naturally, she had a different starting point than them.
Chaing!
(Chaeaeng)
Immediately after Eleanor gave her instructions, the two clashed again.
Sparks fly once more, and the swords of Paracelsus and Nox intertwine.
Faintly, I can hear their conversation. It's not clear, but it's enough to get a sense of the mood.
"I'm not sure how you're so good at this… but it's kind of fun, isn't it?"
"I thought I told you to shut up."
Still, Nox was high-pressure, and Paracelsus was relaxed.
In truth, it was a fight whose outcome was already known.
And not just in name only.
You could tell by the way the tips of their swords were twitching.
'That sword can't touch Paracelsus.'
Nox's sword is cutting and sharpening, but he's just one step short of Paracelsus.
Both Paracelsus and Nox know this better than anyone.
Knights who share a sword are said to be able to tell the difference between their enemies and themselves within a few strokes.
If Nox were a knight himself, he would recognize this immediately. It's only his pride that's causing him to struggle so much.
'That was a foolish thing to do.'
Eleanor thought to herself as she calmly watched the two fight.
Wishing for the downfall of the man who discredited her. {1}
Nox von Reinhafer.
* * *
[Active skill 'Supreme Ruler's Awe' is activating].
People will ask.
Paracelsus, what are my chances of victory against him?
I can answer this with certainty.
Zero.
Without the use of [Genius Hour], I have no chance against him.
For those who have followed my journey thus far, one question arises.
Why?
My total stats are technically higher, so why am I losing to Paracelsus?
You might be thinking, "Why not?"
'Because stats aren't the problem.'
The real problem was Paracelsus' swordplay.
His sword, which has yet to be fully realized, is called the Bowman's Sword. It was the sword of his long-deceased mentor… Celsus, one of the Three Swordsmen.
In other words, Paracelsus had already mastered a swordsmanship comparable to Theo's Supreme Black Sword.
So it can't be a competition.
'Even if it's a beginner's technique.'
You might think that you could copy his sword, but that's also impossible.
At least in the game, each of the three swordsmen's sword techniques has its own requirements and requires different elements.
My primary element is darkness. Paracelsus' is steel.
So the idea of copying his sword is out the window.
'In retrospect, I'm saying that the guy who got to the beginner level at this point is a monster.'
There are many more units that don't have any skills at the start of the game. Moreover, advanced sword skills are naturally harder to learn.
Whereas.
He was able to train with the best swordsman, Celsus, to a beginner level.
Even if I've mastered the [Dark Family Intermediate Swordsmanship] and [Southern Swordsmanship], they're only low to mid-level swordsmanship. They're no match.
F*ck.
In many ways, it's f*cking me.
"Are you mixing too many thoughts with your sword?"
'Argh!'
(oops)
Chaing!
(Chaeaeng!)
Paracelsus swings his sword, aiming for an opening.
I spin my foot half a turn and narrowly avoid it.
Paracelsus's sword spins as it hits the ground and rises into the air again.
Its destination, of course, is my throat.
Damn. This is what you obtain for being from the harsh East.
He's going to kill me without even looking back?
'I must remain calm. I can't lose to Paracelsus here.'
I finally took a deep breath and looked ahead again.
Paracelsus is also an essential unit to beat the demons down the road.
Without him, I can't reach the final scenario.
At least in my experience of nearly 27 playthroughs, there is no end to Inner Lunatic without him.
If I were to use [Genius Hour] here, I'd be drawing unnecessary attention to myself, and I might end up killing him.
No matter what.
It's dangerous to mix things up.
For now, I just need to buy as much time as I can.
Right up until the moment of the attack on Eleanor.
So... how?
'The old-fashioned way.'
Parrying a rushing sword and looking straight ahead. Clearing my throat, I said.
"Ha. Did I say, Paracelsus… That's not your real name, is it?"
Pause.
Paracelsus' thrusting sword stops dead in its tracks.
I continue, trusting in my [acting talent].
"Your sword. Do you think I don't know that it is the sword of Celsus, the swordmaster of the former three?"
"…What are you trying to say, my Lord?"
Paracelsus calmly answered.
But he'd be wrong to think that was the end of it.
"Your master… I know he is already dead."
"…Whether that damned inspiration is dead or alive, I don't know what the hell that has to do with me...."
On one of Paracelsus's rare occasions of stammering, I cut him off with a clear throat.
"You don't really think that a swordsman of the caliber of a third-level swordsman was 'accidentally' killed by someone, do you?"
Whoosh.
(Huung.)
A short gust of wind whips past me, sending my collar flying.
The moment I spit out the words, Paracelsus's mood changed.
It was a natural reaction.
Paracelsus, his mentor, one of the Three Swordsmen, Celsus, was like a father to him.
Even if he called him a 'damned inspiration,' it wasn't the truth.
'Paracelsus is a man who can rise to the top on his own if left alone. Moreover, you're just learning to wield the Sword of Celsus. He has nothing to learn at the academy.
The real reason for Paracelsus' enrollment in this academy.
It was the death of Celsus and the Eldian Academy. Moreover, it was because the Arkheim Empire was deeply involved.
'The person who actually killed Celsus is within the academy.'
It's still just a theory…
As the evidence piles up, Paracelsus develops a deep-seated anger and hatred for the Arkheim Empire.
And he avenges his master's death.
In the only way he can.
Nevertheless.
I stirred him up by revealing information that would be revealed later, information that Paracelsus could not presently know.
'... It's okay to reveal this much information, he's probably already guessed it anyway.'
Right now, I had to take him down and save Eleanor.
Just as I finished that thought.
Paracelsus' pupils narrowed but then returned to their normal size.
Chiiig…!
Magic blazed and materialized, making a noise. It then transferred to the sword, sparking it to life.
An icy cold emotion leaked from him, raising goosebumps all over my body.
That bastard. Even from ten meters away, he looks angry.
Paracelsus spoke in a blunt voice.
"…I am done honoring you."
"You don't want to know the story of your master's death, do you?"
"That's because a limb could be cut off, and you'd still have your tongue."
Crazy f*cker. What a murderous way to talk.
Boom!
(chaeng!)
Paracelsus leaps up and thrusts his sword at me.
At the same time, his sword slowly begins to change color.
Gradually, the essence of his sword deepens, and what I assume to be the fundamentals of the
[Bow and Sword] that he learned from his master pours out of him.
[Sword and Martial Arts Genius].
If it weren't for this trait, I'd probably be slashed by his sword without even recognizing it.
Cha-ang! Cha-ang! Cha-ang!
'… I must concentrate. If I don't, I'll be dead in an instant.'
I hold on as long as I can, waiting for an opening.
Paracelsus's only flaw was that he would become agitated when his master's story came up.
I can see it in his eyes now.
His pupils glowing with life, ready to kill, his sword turning white in response.
All of it was a clear reflection of his rage.
'Later, Paracelsus would learn to control this rage and become stronger. But.'
The current Paracelsus, though strong, is a starting unit.
What does that mean?
It means he's not used to dealing with his emotions yet.
When faced with such a situation, he will inevitably be vulnerable.
'Okay, his sword is… starting to waver.'
It's true that Paracelsus's sword has gotten a bit sharper.
But he is overly enraged. His sword becomes simpler and simpler as he loses his temper, unable to defend properly and focusing all his attention on attacking.
I continue with obvious mockery.
"What the hell is wrong with you? I didn't kill your master."
"I must return your words."
Paracelsus glares and swings his sword.
"Shut up."
"You're young."
I continued my savage taunt, driving him on.
Paracelsus's sword gradually grows impatient, its white glow losing its power.
This was a welcome sign for me.
'There are two ways to fight a strong enemy in the Inner Lunatic.'
The first is to become stronger.
This is not so easy to do. It's a world where it can take months to gain a single stat.
Also, it's not something you can do in a hurry, so disregard it for now.
Then there's number two.
Make your opponent weaker.
It doesn't matter if it's a potion, a debuff, or something else.
Another way to do that is to create an agitation like we have now.
If you can knock them down, you can somehow fight them.
I fought Paracelsus with as little [Genius Time] as possible.
Phew!
(Chwaas!)
But even after all this effort, is a genius any different?
Paracelsus gradually regained his breath and began to raise his sword.
His gaping maw, which had been so angry and threatening to crash down on me like a wave, calmed down. He waits for an opening, and then he swallows his foe whole.
His traits. [Genius with the sword and martial arts].
Proof that it's working.
I know this trait because I have it too.
No. I would say I know it better than anyone.
Even now, at this moment, he is growing.
'Cause that's what they call genius in the Inner Lunatic.'
A genius is someone who grows at the lowest point when they are pushed to the limit.
But.
'It's too late.'
Boom!
(chwaaas)
I slashed down, leaving a black sword mark on Paracelsus' shoulder.
It wasn't a sideways slash or a [Ebony Dawn] using a black sword.
Just a simple stabbing motion.
Paracelsus's panicked pupils scanned me.
All the while, he's turning to react to my attack as best he can.
His reflexes are nothing short of phenomenal.
"Get lost."
I say in a low voice, my aim precisely on
His shoulder and I mean it.
"Now is not the time for you."
With that, with a faint flicker of light, Paracelsus' body gave way. His body crumpled to the floor. Blood gushes from his shoulder.
'…Well, this wound shouldn't be too bad. He's got monstrous resilience. I'm the one with the [nagging wounds], not him."
But right now, I have a job to do.
Shhhh… Shhhh…!
(swiii)
Eleanor, time to focus on killing the Night Walkers that are closing in on her.
I could feel the tangled masses of magic coursing through me.
Yes, it was time.
I realized it at that moment, with certainty. I don't need to look at the clock to know. It's exactly nine o'clock and....
the exact moment Eleanor was killed by the demon.
[Activates the Active Skill 'Hour of Genius'].
Ta-da!
The ground rolls.
The world seems to slow to a crawl.
Time to perceive.
The cries of demons echo from the top of the frozen forest.
The panicked voices of the prospective new students.
For a fleeting moment, everything is etched in my mind, but now my pupils meet the bewildered gaze of only one person.
Eleanor de Rivalin.
The shadowy figure of a girl, her auburn hair flowing freely, rises from the shadows.
A Night Walker.
'Found her.'
I smiled.
And then.
[Ebony Dawn].
I slashed the Night Walker.
It was a precise stroke that left no afterimage.
{1} : Discredited because he lowered her social standing, the other terms have an incorrect connotation