Chapter 10
Why did you break your promise?
As soon as Royce saw me, he walked over with a slightly flushed expression.
“Shall we go together? To class?”
“Oh.”
Come to think of it, I was taking a class with Royce again this semester. The class I took last year was <Knight Survival Practicum>, but this time it was <Knight Unexpected Situation Practicum>.
“…”
The reason why I had to take this subject again was simply because I was human. Humans tend to repeat the same mistakes, and just like that, I failed to register for the course I wanted again.
‘I wouldn’t have been able to complete the last practical class if it weren’t for Royce and that one-page summary-like kit he brought that time.’
When I recalled that time, I suddenly felt grateful and said to Royce, “Senior, I’ll say it again, I’m really happy to be taking this class with you.”
“So am I, Serdin.”
“If there’s a group assignment, I hope we can do it together.”
“Of course, we should.”
Royce’s face was strangely red. As I stared at his face, Royce hurriedly brought up another topic. “That’s right. Serdin, I heard you became the class representative for this semester.”
The topic he brought up was one that had been making me very stressed lately. The fact that I’d unexpectedly become the class representative for this semester… It certainly wasn’t because I’d volunteered for it out of ambition.
‘Is this batch 628th? Who will be the representative for the fall semester?’
‘…’
‘There are many advantages to being the class representative. You get bonus points if you join the Imperial knights early, and hmm… Well, there are such advantages.’
It was just that I unfortunately made eye contact with the professor when no one raised their hands because they clearly did not want to be class representative.
‘…!’
‘How about Cadet Serdin Vivi?’
As soon as the professor said those words, all my classmates raised their hands, agreeing, and clapping.
‘Then Cadet Serdin Vivi will be the class representative.’
‘Serdin will definitely do well!’
‘We trust you!’
I could only blink as I watched the sudden announcement fall like a bolt of lightning right in front of me.
There were hardly any merits to being a class representative. Eudelin was already tough enough with all the classes and training. No one would want to take on the role of class representative themselves unless they wanted to go on a tour of hell. After being pushed into said tour of hell course, I spent a day sorting out my exhausted mind and came to a conclusion about the situation.
‘They give bonus points for admission into the Imperial Knights? Then, since it’s come to this, I’ll aim for early admission.’
Yes, if you thought about it, wasn’t this a good thing? The influence of one’s family mattered so much that I had to get permission to go to the dormitory even as a cadet. However, if I were to become an official, proper knight, I could gain independence from home.
Suddenly feeling motivated, I quickened my pace towards the lecture room.
“Congratulations, Serdin. I’m glad a good opportunity has come your way.”
“Ah, yes…”
I thought once again that Royce was undoubtedly trying to properly raise me.
* * *
‘Come to think of it, Royce is attending classes well this time.’
In the days that passed, there were several Classes of <Knight Unexpected Situation Practicum> or <KUSP> for short.
Each time, Royce participated in the class without fail. This was quite the opposite to last semester when he didn’t show even his nose until the day of the practice exam.
‘I guess he’s become more attached to his classes since it’s his final semester.’
Even though he was graduating soon, Royce was still a student here. Did he perhaps realize anew that he enjoyed going to school?
‘Come to think of it, it’s pretty fascinating that he’s still a student and not yet the captain of the Elche Knights.’
In the original work, it felt natural from the start that Royce was the captain of the knights.
On my way somewhere in Eudelin, I briefly thought about the original work while pulling up the bag slung over one of my shoulders.
<Kiss Your Sword> was not a novel that was very realistic. It was a novel where various incidents occurred one after another regardless of plausibility to drive the situation even more dire.
Attempted assassinations, assaults on the prince, the untimely appearance of monsters, and so on…
‘Of course, among those, the most traumatic for Royce seemed to be my death.’
Thinking about it, everyone in the original was a little crazy. On the day Lucille was undergoing trials at the temple, Royce, who was being controlled by Necroquod, even set fire to the place. There was also an episode where Lucille, the female lead, suddenly healed the poisoned Royce with divine power in a Mary Sue-like episode.
Anyway, crises and difficulties continued to unfold haphazardly. Of course, all that had nothing to do with me now, but there was another adversity before me.
“Exhausting…”
Was it because the original was a waste* novel?
(Translator’s note: A genre of novel where the protagonist can’t seem to catch a break and is constantly shoved into troublesome and bizarre situations.)
My life now seemed a bit tough and exhausting. Even now, I was heading towards a place that was both tiresome and frightening. It was the perfect stage for a story of hardship, one that broke your mental state. It was the formidable place known as the library, which had the power to drive people insane.
“Whew.”
I planned to borrow some books in advance for the required courses I would be taking this semester.
‘Still, the original was a “romance” novel.’
But for me, a supporting character, there was no romance. Only training, assignments, and counseling with professors.
‘I should forget about the original and start reading my course books first.’
I found a few books and reserved a desk for myself. But then, when I was really engrossed in a book and raised my head for a moment, I saw someone approaching me from the other side. He was a quite handsome person with the insignia of a third-year student. He was looking directly at me, smiling brightly as he approached.
“Hey, I have something to say to you.”
The blue haired boy smiled slightly and sat down at the desk.
What was it? As I pushed him away with a pen and a wary expression, he, who had been pushed down, spoke with an interested expression on his face, “I’ve been thinking about it since the moment I saw you here.”
“About me?”
“Yes. But I think I won’t regret saying it.” He hesitated for a very long time, as if pondering what he wanted to say.
‘Wait a minute…’
This conversation seemed a bit cliché. Could it be that the ‘romance’ part of the ‘waste’ romance novel was finally…?
“What is it?” When I asked again, he gave a sly, sunny smile.
Then he said to me, “This is my seat.”
“…?”
“I reserved it from 2:30.”
“But I reserved it until 3 o’clock.” When I said that and checked my reservation ticket that I had placed between the pages of a book, it said it was until 2:30. “I’m sorry.”
As expected, it would be better to put aside any thoughts of romance or whatever and head to the ‘Knight Unexpected Situation Practicum’ training ground early.
* * *
After class ended, I stayed at the training ground to take a short rest, and it reminded me of the reservation mishap earlier.
How did I fall into the illusion of romance? I was a bit embarrassed by my own actions and laughed.
As I laughed at my actions, Royce lightly tapped my arm and asked, “What are you thinking about to make you laugh like that, Serdin?”
“Ah, Senior. Earlier at the library, there was this guy…” I started to speak with a chuckle, but when it came to actually telling the story, I felt a bit embarrassed.
“No, it’s nothing.”
“… What guy?”
“It’s nothing. No guy.”
Royce didn’t respond.
When I looked at him, his expression had turned cold. The way he was clenching his jaw made it seem like he was angry about something.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“It seems like something bad might happen.”
Something bad? What could he be talking about? As I was thinking that, the professor suddenly returned to the training ground and said, “I forgot to make an announcement. For the remaining students, at least, listen up. There was an opinion that last semester’s ‘Knight Unexpected Situation Practicum’ class was too easy.”
“…?”
“So, starting this semester, we’ve decided to significantly increase the difficulty of the practice.”
“…!”
Wasn’t the male lead’s intuition something else? After saying something bad might happen…
I turned to look at Royce in surprise, and our eyes met each other’s.
“Hm? What, Serdin?”
He, too, seemed quite taken aback by the professor’s statement. At that moment, I saw someone walking behind Royce.
“That person…”
It was the third-year student I saw at the library earlier.
Royce’s gaze turned towards him after hearing my muttering.
“Who is it?”
“It’s nothing important. Earlier at the library…”
“Is it him?” Royce jumped to his feet. “I’ll be back in a moment, Serdin.” Saying that, Royce walked over to him in one stride and then disappeared in that direction.
‘ What is it?’
Feeling suddenly curious, I also stood up and ran towards the training ground where Royce had disappeared.
When I got there, the two of them were talking about something. Then, they suddenly picked up wooden swords and started sparring.
“What is this?”
Royce swung his sword; his sword and his body spun together in accordance with his light movements. His cold, composed expression was as chilly as fog, and there was not a single flaw in the firm motion of his arm as he extended the sword.
Perhaps because of his long limbs or his clean movements, it felt almost like a sword dance. It was impossible for anyone who wielded a sword not to be captivated by the excellence of their swordsmanship. But more importantly…
‘He said he would only practice with me.’
Royce, who easily won the practice match, lightly threw the wooden sword on the ground and turned around. He was heading back to the training ground where we originally were.
“Senior!” When I called him, Royce dashed over to me.
“Serdin, what would you like to have for dinner…?”
“Why did you break your promise?”
“What? What do you mean…?”
I pointed at Royce and myself alternately with the wooden sword. “You said you’d only do it with me.”
At my words, Royce smiled slightly and said, as if to reassure me, “What are you talking about, Serdin? I’ve never done that with anyone else.”
“But I saw it.”
“No, there must be some misunderstanding…” Royce really looked aggrieved.
“It’s fine. I’ll just find someone else too.”
Actually, it didn’t matter if Royce practiced with someone else. However, I wanted to tease him. Seeing him, who was usually as indifferent as the deep sea, reacting like this.
“Serdin.” He held me gently by the shoulders. “It’s really a misunderstanding.” Royce had a pleading look in his eyes. He seemed anxious that I, his hard-found first disciple, might turn away.
“If you’re like this, I have no choice but to do it with someone else.”
Royce tightly grabbed onto the wooden sword in my hand. As I teased him a bit more, he seemed like he might crumple to the ground if I continued.
“No, Serdin. Don’t do that…”
In the end, I decided not to make fun of him any further. “Alright, fine. By the way, there’s a strength training camp coming up…”
As I started talking about something else with a smile, only then did Royce also seem to relax and smile.
Ah, should I have teased him a bit more?
