BIWMD 07

Chapter 7: Leave Me Alone! But No One Listened (7):

“Haa….”

My selfish wish—to avoid personal misfortune by hoping the entire Academy would suffer instead—thankfully didn’t come true.

Of course, it was only fortunate for the Academy. For me, it was a complete disaster.

In other words, no monsters appeared, and I ended up having to spar with Ethan Behemoth.

“Are you ready?”

“Yeah, well….”

Right now, I was facing Ethan Behemoth, who stood in an offensive stance. I had foolishly given in to his proposal.

The critical mistake was when I casually asked what I’d get out of this duel, doubting if there was any benefit for me.

‘So… what’s in it for me if I spar with you, Your Highness?’

‘I’ll give you this. Looks like you haven’t prepared one yet.’

A faint purple potion swirled in a tiny glass vial, just about the size of a fingertip.

An elixir.

A magical potion that could heal anything from minor injuries to replenish mana, depending on its grade. And right now, right before a subjugation mission, it was one of the hardest things to find at the Academy.

How did he get it?

No—what a stupid question. There’s probably nothing Ethan Behemoth can’t get his hands on.

‘Even if you lose, I’ll give it to you. So fight.’

His tone made it clear he was confident he would win.

Even though he thought he was stronger than me, he was desperate for this duel. What could he possibly gain by sparring with someone he thought was weaker?

I didn’t know Ethan Behemoth had this much interest in me back then.

‘Still, if I entertain him for a bit and get that potion, it’s a gain for me.’

As inconvenient as it was, my still-weak body needed potions like that—items I’d later never even bother looking at.

“Alright. Let’s begin.”

“Shall we.”

I nodded in response to his voice as we stood face-to-face in the empty training ground.

Unlike him, dressed in leather armor, I was in the Academy uniform—far from proper combat gear.

But things like that weren’t an issue for me.

Although my physical strength and mana were far behind their peak due to my recent regression, my experience was still fresh in my mind.

No matter how strong Ethan Behemoth might be, the difference in experience was overwhelming. Beating him wouldn’t be hard for me.

No, the real problem was—

‘It’s harder to lose believably.’

Still, I had a plan.

Unbuttoning a couple of shirt buttons, I gestured, offering him the first move.

“Go ahead.”

“I will.”

In that instant, Ethan Behemoth vanished. Or rather, moved so fast that he seemed to disappear.

I immediately spread mana to my fingertips and summoned a translucent blue shield before me.

Just as it finished forming, Ethan’s heavy sword came stabbing in a tight arc.

“Block this.”

Clang!

A sharp sound exploded right in front of me as the solid blade ricocheted off the barrier.

If I’d been a moment slower, the blade would’ve sunk into my shoulder.

‘This guy… he’s serious.’

He had swung with full force, fully expecting I would block it. I raised my head and met Ethan Behemoth’s gaze.

His navy eyes shimmered with excitement.

“……”

They looked like the sea at night—mad, unknowable, endlessly deep. Like waves swallowing moonlight, sinking lower and lower. Like me.

The war-crazed youth I thought had disappeared with the last regression stood before me once again, sword in hand.

The thought of throwing the match quickly wavered.

‘Let’s see how far he can keep up… just a bit.’

Boom!

To shake him off, I snapped my fingers and detonated mana near him.

Thud!

He blocked the explosion with ridiculous strength, lifting his longsword horizontally.

‘Exactly.’

With Ethan’s strength, deflecting instead of dodging was the right move. A smart decision.

‘But it’s still the wrong one—against me.’

“Your turn, Your Highness.”

The mana he thought he had repelled clung quickly to the edge of his sword. If it touched him—victory would be mine. What would he do?

“…Haa.”

Taking a deep breath, he drove his sword deep into the ground and slid back several meters.

Rough, but effective.

When he finally pulled his sword free from the dirt, the mana clinging to the blade had scraped off completely.

Then, without any pause, he charged again.

A determined, heavy rush—like a predator going in for the kill. As he approached, he muttered lowly,

“Ethan.”

“…Sorry?”

I quickly put up another barrier, unintentionally responding with a surprised voice. Why his name?

“Call me Ethan.”

“…Okay. Ethan.”

“Then—Edith.”

He twisted his sword at a strange angle. I barely dodged the blade with minimal movement.

Several exchanges followed. Mostly him attacking, me defending. I even made sure to let out strained groans as if I was struggling.

It was getting a bit fun, but ultimately, I was preparing for a convincing defeat.

A freshman utterly overpowering Ethan Behemoth in a duel? Completely implausible.

His heavy sword grazed my cheek. I tilted my neck just slightly to dodge and said,

“…Go easy, please. I’m having a hard time.”

I needed to give off the aura of a beginner who spent all their strength at the start. There was no better setup for a believable loss.

But it seemed Ethan Behemoth had other thoughts.

He slipped inside my guard and murmured low:

“A hard time?”

“……”

His heavy blade crashed into my shield again. My arm tingled. But what shook me more was my chest—my gut feeling.

‘…He doesn’t believe me.’

He was evaluating me far beyond what I showed outwardly.

As if he knew I was hiding my true ability.

Then, he sealed it with his next words:

“Give it your all. I asked for this duel to see your talent.”

“……”

I was planning to end it soon, but I guess I’ll have to show him one more move.

‘…No helping it.’

I spotted a blade lunging toward my neck.

I planned to deflect it and counterattack, aiming for close combat.

I could show off one more decent move, and being up close would make it easy for Ethan to grab me. He’d chalk the loss up to a mistake on my part.

So, I didn’t dodge. I narrowed my eyes.

The moment he committed to a powerful blow—I would strike back—

“……”

But something was wrong. My body didn’t move as I thought it would.

Instead, my eyelids slowly closed, and the tension drained from me.

A blade was right before my neck, but I felt no fear.

No—this was more like…

Ethan Behemoth, having just provoked Edith Crowell, attacked with full power.

With a real sword, toward the nape of the neck.

Even against knights of equal rank, such a move would be rare in a simple duel. But for some reason, he believed Edith Crowell could handle it.

Even though she was just a sixteen-year-old freshman.

The truth was, he had already unleashed such attacks several times. And unbelievably, Edith Crowell had defended against them all.

Some she barely withstood. Others she parried with shocking ease.

Even the attacks he didn’t go through with—Edith’s technique had been more unorthodox and brilliant than any knight or mage he’d ever faced.

Ethan Behemoth’s gaze sharpened.

It was strange. How could a mere sixteen-year-old freshman move like a seasoned warrior?

No wonder the eccentric headmaster favored her.

He was grateful he’d asked for this duel.

He wondered what kind of genius Edith Crowell would grow into by the time she was his age.

‘She’ll block this one too, right?’

His blade lunged toward the back of her neck.

What will you show me this time, Edith Crowell?

“……?”

But for some reason, she didn’t move.

She didn’t dodge. She closed her eyes. Her body relaxed…

Just like that moment—when countless eyes were watching—when she calmly turned a blade on herself.

Ethan Behemoth knew that posture, that expression—all too disgustingly well.

Veins bulged on the back of his hand gripping the sword.

And then—he twisted its path with force.

Thud! Clang!

The blade embedded itself in the ground, narrowly missing. Instead, he lunged forward, wrapping Edith under his arm as they tumbled together.

“Edith Crowell.”

He supported the back of her head with one hand as her body lay beneath his.

And in a low, angry voice, he whispered—

“Why didn’t you dodge? Do you want to die?”