Chapter 15

Chapter 15 – The Returner’s Promotion Battle (1)

Rewriter Note(s): [1] “Omae wa mou shindeiru . ”

But nothing happened . The barbarian felt no resistance as the glaive completed

its sweeping downwards arc . The only thing he had struck was air .

“Gruuh . . . ?” The barbarian stared quizzically at Pram . He hadn’t cut so much as

a single hair on his head . A glint of silver was now jutting out from the wooden

wall behind Pram . Something sharp with the silhouette of a crescent curve . The

barbarian snapped his neck down to look at the glaive in his hands . Except, it

wasn’t a glaive anymore—the blade was cut clean off . He was left with a

wooden rod .

Pram raised his rapier . “Shall we go again?”

The barbarian flung the wooden handle aside and closed the distance with a

swing of his fist . In an instant, his knuckles were close enough to obscure

Pram’s entire head from view . Pram wove to the side, letting the punch rocket

past him like a battering ram, and seamlessly vaulted into the air with a

backflip . With all the grace of a seasoned acrobat, he landed behind the

bewildered giant, and followed up with a swing of his rapier . [1]

The giant spun around and raised an arm to block the blow with his gauntlet,

but Pram’s rapier drew a perfect arc around his guard, and thrust into the pit of

his stomach . The now hapless giant tried to retreat, but Pram was faster . The

rapier plunged into the barbarian’s solar plexus . Tough as his body may have

been, it was a decisive blow to a vulnerable weak point . The giant’s body

quavered, his legs gave out from under him, and he collapsed into a crumpled

heap .

Desir nodded silently, as if confirming something he’d already known . “Looks

like it’s over . ”

“Nonsense,” screeched Ujukun . “That door is made of Kichlean steel . There’s

only one person here who can open it, and I’m pretty sure he’s in no condition

to do so . ” Kichlean steel was famed for its unyielding tensile strength . It was

also proportionately heavy . A door of this size would likely require the strained

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efforts of half a dozen men to even budge . “Which means you’re stuck here

until my guards arrive,” cackled Ujukun .

“Oh, I don’t know about that . ” The Blanchume rapier streaked through the air,

making short work of the door’s hinges . The door flattened with a thunderous

crash . Apparently, even Kichlean steel was no match for Blanchume . As the

pair made their exit, Desir turned to the dazed Ujukun . “Looks like it’s

definitely over now, doesn’t it?”

They’d only been running for a few minutes but Desir was already out of

breath .

“Alright, I think we’ve lost them . I really need to exercise some more . I can’t

believe I’m this weak . . . ” Desir muttered between stilted breaths . Though, his

lack of breath did little to damper is cheerful voice . “Good thing we got the

sword back, right?”

While nodding, Pram moved his hand to the rapier at his waist without even

realizing it . The pale rapier glittered like starlight, or even moonlight . He pulled

out the sword, and couldn’t feel the slightest weight . A truly incredible feeling .

“So you’ve decided to use the rapier?” Desir said, recalling how Pram had

fought with the rapier a few minutes before .

He’d held the rapier, and subdued the barbarian giant with overwhelming skill .

The fact that Pram had took up the rapier again was especially meaningful to

Desir .

“The situation was too urgent so I had no choice, but . . . ” Pram was still

hesitating . He eventually let out a sigh . “Why would my father hide something

like this in that old, worn-down Kemubin?”

That was the cause of this entire ridiculous incident . If he’d made it obvious

from the start that it was in fact a Kemubin, Pram would never have had any

reason to resent his father .

“Your father made a wise choice, Pram . ”

Pram raised his head at Desir’s words .

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“A Blanchume sword is an incredible thing . Imagine if word got out that you

owned it . Over a hundred people just like Ujukun would have come to hound

you,” explained Desir .

“But there was still a chance I would never have found out,” said Pram .

“He left it behind because he thought you’d figure it out eventually,” said Desir

assuredly . Pram’s father always believed that Pram would realize, as long as he

kept carrying the rapier around .

“How can you be so sure?” asked Pram .

Desir grabbed the rapier, and pointed at the grip . Pram looked at it . On the

Kemubin that had the shape of an old, worn sword, there were written some

unreadable words . The reason they were unreadable was because they were

incomplete . When the Blanchume was revealed and the rapier showed its true

form, the words on the grip took shape . It looked like there was a hidden

mechanism on the grip as well as the blade .

Pram read the words slowly .

Do not lose your way, my little bird .

The Alpha Class’s private restaurant was on a high floor, the view overlooking

Hebrion Academy . A cold breeze blew in from the open window . A colorless

night view lay outside . The stars shone solemnly in the deep dark .

Romantica shuddered in the cold .

“Here’s your order, madam,” said the waiter .

The lights glittered yellow and the waiters moved between the tables like birds

flying in and out of their nests . The menu was seafood—a salt-grilled fish and a

crab gratin were laid in front of Romantica, and she thanked the waiter with a

smile .

“The Alpha Class meals are so much better, right?” said Doneta Hadun, seated

across from her .

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She hadn’t known that he’d arrived . She guessed he’d come while she was

looking out the window . There was nothing strange about the fact that he was

there . In fact, what was strange was the fact that she was here . Without the man

sitting across from her, she could never have even set foot in this place .

“At long last . I’ve wanted to see you all this time,” said Doneta warmly .

“I see,” responded Romantica curtly . Romantica waited for Doneta’s food to

come out . A moment later, Doneta’s food was laid in front of him, and they

both raised their forks . The grilled fish tasted good, and the gratin was slightly

greasy, but its flavor was exquisite . The two of them didn’t say anything for a

while, savoring the food .

“So, what did you want to talk about?” asked Doneta .

There was no reason to hesitate . Romantica placed a wooden dagger on the

table . It was decorated with all sorts of ornaments . Romantica explained

herself, “I came to return this . ”

Doneta pushed up his glasses and looked at the Kemubin as if it were his first

time seeing it . Romantica pushed the Kemubin toward him . Doneta showed no

reaction for a moment . No rage, no annoyance . He merely collected his breath,

and pondered why he had gotten rejected . Only a third-rate noble would show

his emotions on his face . “I thought there was no reason for you to refuse-”

“You thought . ” Romantica looked at Doneta with her wind-touched green eyes .

Doneta’s heart started racing as he looked back at her gaze . “If you’re perhaps

uncomfortable with dating me, you don’t have to worry about that . ”

“I did hesitate for that reason at the beginning . But it’s not because of that,”

said Romantica .

“You mean there’s another reason?” asked Doneta .

Romantica nodded . “I joined a nameless party in the Beta Class . ”

“Beta Class . . . ” Doneta looked at her with disbelief . He mumbled to himself, as

though he couldn’t even understand what he had just heard . “Beta Class, you

say . . . ”

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“Yes . A commoner’s party . The people you regard as trash,” said Romantica .

Doneta slammed his fork on the table . Everything had grown cold . The air

blowing in from the window, the soup on the table, the atmosphere between

them . “I don’t understand . Did you get blackmailed?”

“Maybe . . . ” Romantica shook her head . “No, this was my decision . ”

“Then you weren’t thinking rationally,” said Doneta . He opened the Kemubin .

A golden necklace slid out into Doneta’s palm like a snake .

“I don’t have any regrets,” said Romantica . She stared at Doneta with renewed

vigor .

“Don’t be hasty . There’s still time,” smiled Doneta .

Romantica took a deep breath . “I’m not taking back my decision . ” Doneta’s lips

were upturned, but he wasn’t smiling . Romantica did the same . “I honestly

think I made the right choice . I didn’t want to join that party at first, but I

changed my mind as time went on . This party is fun . The leader trains us

diligently . My skills are improving quickly thanks to him . ” With each word,

Romantica became more sure that she made the correct choice .

“If it’s improving your skills, our party can do that as well,” refuted Doneta .

“Of course, that’s only one of the reasons . Doneta, do you remember how you

told me the Beta Class were all worthless commoners, nothing but trash?”

asked Romantica .

Doneta paused . “I don’t see why you’re bringing that up . ”

“The reason,” explained Romantica . She breathed in deeply filled up her lungs .

Glittering red snake eyes stared back at her . She breathed out, and said the

words that sealed her fate . “ . . . is that I’m a commoner . ”

Doneta slammed his fork down into the table . A sharp clang slammed into

Doneta’s eardrums . All of the concern and affection washed off of his face . A

slight look of scorn could be seen on his face . Romantica could no longer find

the slightest affection in his eyes .

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“Hm . ” He let out a slight cough . In a split second, he regained his poker face

after realizing his mistake, but it was too late . His feelings toward commoners

was close to physical repulsion, and he couldn’t contain it immediately . Just as

somebody wouldn’t need a reason to hate cockroaches, he didn’t need a reason

to hate commoners . A look of panic showed on his face—he looked desperate .

“That’s a lie . ”

“Your reason for thinking that?” asked Romantica .

“If you were truly a commoner, you would have kept your mouth shut and

joined my party . That would be the only way a commoner like you could have

entered the Alpha Class,” explained Doneta .

“That’s right,” Romantica admitted it . “But when they found out I was a

commoner, at least they didn’t look at me like you . ” Doneta was right—if she

joined the Blue Moon Party, she would have an easy time entering the Alpha

Class . In contrast, Desir instead invited her to his party even though he knew

she was a commoner . There was no discrimination . She didn’t have to lie, or

fear that she would be outed for being a commoner .

“I see . ” Doneta opened his mouth . “Of course . You’re all the same trash, after

all . ” His bitter tone was reflected in his demeanor .

“Trash . . . you’ve got that right,” said Romantica . Her voice carried the same

bitterness as Doneta’s, as she answered him, her voice filled with remorse .

“Nobles will always hate commoners . They hate and despise them as if they’re

biological enemies . I know very well why you nobles can’t stand commoners .

“It’s the same reason Hebrion Academy is an aristocracy instead of a

meritocracy—the same reason why Alpha and Beta aren’t divided based on

rank, but status . The reason is that you nobles are afraid of the birth of a new

Republic . ”

“ . . . Watch your mouth . ” Doneta whispered back immediately . His eyes shifted

side to side and he looked around to make sure nobody was paying attention .

Romantica ignored him and laid the final nail in the coffin . “Times have

changed . The Shadow Worlds have toppled the balance . Anyone strong enough

can acquire magic crystals . You’re all living in a castle of sand and it’s

crumbling . ”

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Her voice now reinvigorated, Romantica said, “You live in constant fear, not

knowing when everything will collapse . ”