28 – Masters Class (5)

“Don’t cheat.”

around the age of 12. These were the words Flynn heard after defeating his senior two years older in a swordsmanship sparring.

I didn’t memorize it, and I didn’t break any rules.

It was just because the trace of the sword was visible and the opponent’s intentions were read. I saw a way to win, and I just followed that way.

This was so natural for him, and I thought it was something everyone could see, but it wasn’t.

It was something only Flynn could see.

At some point, people began calling him a ‘genius’.

He has lived in a renowned swordsmanship family and trained under the best masters.

Losing in Dalian was rare.

The genius sound stuck in my ears and I got tired of it.

And even at the academy, where those who were revered as geniuses from all over the world gathered, Flynn was holding out at the top of the pyramid.

There were some people above Flynn, but I thought it was a gap that anyone could catch up with.

‘I can rise to the top with a sword.’

And as the flagpole broke, so did Flynn’s faith.

All that fame, honor, swordsmanship, and the name Eternia Academy felt worthless.

Only then did he pick up the dwarf’s treasured sword and examine it.

The blade of the sword where it came into contact with the strange sword was cut in half, and the runes were damaged.

What will his best friend Nash think when he sees this?

If a freshman coming next year made it like this, they would make fun of him for eating the wrong potion.

Well, since I shouldn’t speak about this in the first place, Nash won’t hear anything.

Gael reached out to Flynn and held out his hand.

“Good work.”

Flynn sighed heavily.

“Master, I will do anything else… … . But I don’t want to do anything like this again.”

Flynn was exhausted.

Gael also had a face that seemed to be filled with something in his chest.

She looked at Flynn’s face and finally let go of her core and said,

“… … Don’t worry. A guy like that won’t come out for at least the next few decades.”

Gael also acknowledged that Damian was a bizarre being.

Flynn grabbed Gael’s hand and pulled him up.

“Your sword will be taken care of by Elizabeth-sama later. Our mission is now over, so we should go and finish the rest of our academic schedule.”

“Can’t we just take a little break?”

“Unfortunately not.”

With an inflexible mentor, Flynn couldn’t even get a break.

Flynn looked back at Damian quietly.

There were a lot of things I wanted to ask when I woke up, but it didn’t seem like I was allowed to do that yet.

If not right away, Damian will have to face Flynn and Gael again sooner or later anyway.

Because the entrance exam is just over a month away.

Excluding the time to go to the academy, there was less than 15 days left.

***

The judges and Elizabeth slowly walked in front of Damian. Silverin also caught up with them.

They didn’t bother to talk much.

A female examiner checked Damian’s condition.

“You have some internal bleeding.”

Then, for a while, he memorized an order. Soon after, a bluish light appeared on the examiner’s hand, and the light slowly moved into Damian’s body.

The examiner got up and looked at Silverine and said.

“It made me sleep well for about one night. When you wake up, you will feel completely better.”

“thanks.”

When the mental preparation seemed to have been completed to some extent, an examiner took out a rolled parchment from within his bosom.

When I opened it and let go of my hand, the parchment floated in the air in an upright state.

First, the examiner who unfolded it moved forward and stamped the place where his name was written.

The floating parchment flew to the examiner next to him.

The examiner signed with a long, thin fingernail.

A small fire was scorched there, leaving a black signature.

Then the examiner, and then, and so on, the parchment passed through the judges and arrived in front of the last Elizabeth.

Elizabeth crossed her finger over Gael’s name written in the signature line at the bottom.

The part where her hand had passed had turned into Elizabeth’s signature line.

And finally, she signed it.

After all the procedures were finished, the parchment rolled up. Moments later, a stitch flew in from somewhere, grabbed the parchment, and disappeared high into the sky.

***

Silverin sat across the bed.

Damian was sleeping next to her, unaware of the world.

She looked at Damian like that and brushed his tangled hair.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you take care of someone like that.”

Silverin quickly turned her head to where the sound came from.

Elizabeth was standing on the balcony, looking at Silverine with her back to the sun.

“Because I said I was responsible.”

The Sylverine that Elizabeth knew was not the kind of person who would take responsibility for anyone.

“Aside from his abilities, are there any other reasons you chose Damian?”

Silverin is silent for a moment. Instead of answering the question, she turned around.

“Why didn’t you follow Gael back to the academy?”

As if there was no reason to answer Elizabeth’s question.

Elizabeth did not bother to ask about such Sylverine.

“Now we are going to the Saints.”

“Saint?”

“Yes. The saintess doesn’t have much time left.”

The fact that Saint Flence’s lifespan was short was a top secret.

“You’ve lived so long, so it makes sense.”

“As you may be feeling, the divine power that protects the earth is gradually losing its power.”

“Who is the next candidate?”

The next saintess, Azelis, also entered this master’s class. She still needed time.

Elizabeth shook her head.

“I’m too young to have divine power yet.”

Until the candidate is fully grown, the vacuum of divine power is unavoidable.

And there will be those who take advantage of the vacuum to increase their strength.

“Somehow, it was said that the number of ghouls increased, so that was it. I roughly expected it, but… .”

Elizabeth nodded.

“Now we will start our activities in earnest. I don’t know exactly when, but soon. And when the time comes, I will need your strength.”

Silverin has to go to the North again.

“… .”

Silverin thought for a moment.

She looked back at Damian. Looking at him, Silverin’s stiff face loosened. Silverin put a hand on his sleeping cheek and caressed it lightly.

“When that time comes, I will take care of Damian.”

Erbezette nodded calmly.

***

When I opened my eyes, it was a bed in my room.

I don’t know how long I’ve been lying down. I thought I would be in bad shape because I worked so hard, but I was surprisingly relieved.

Before I could even check my physical condition, I was greatly taken aback by an unexpected situation.

On the right side of my bed, Elizabeth was sitting in a chair, quietly absorbed in reading.

No, why are you here?

I hardened as if even a wasp had landed on my head.

I don’t know what kind of lightning this is.

Elizabeth took her eyes off the book and said.

“Oh, you’re awake now.”

After I hesitated for a moment, she continued.

“I saw your performance well.”

“thank you… . And I apologize for destroying all the Plantera I’ve made.”

She shook her head.

“I brought it all to destroy, so you don’t have to worry about it. Because I only made one.”

I know it well because I have experience holding a carving knife. It’s still going to take weeks to build one, given its size.

To be honest, rather than feeling good while destroying it, I felt it was a waste.

“Then what I broke was made by someone else… .”

“No, they are made by other Plantera.”

“… ?”

My head stopped spinning for a moment.

So, are you saying that Plantera created another Plantera? Is she the only one made?

Erbezette smiles at me.

What kind of people are sorcerers?

I think I can understand why Sylverin told me to be friends with the sorcerer.

“I have to tell you this first. You passed the Masters Class screening.”

“… !”

“In the history of Eternia, only fifty-two people have entered the Masters Class in the past hundred years. It’s such an honorable place. It’s also the reason I waited like this until you wake up.”

“… It is an honor to hear about it firsthand.”

It feels strange to hear such a story with the sympathizer of Eternia seated like a person visiting the hospital.

“He used a unique sword. You’d better keep your power hidden for a while.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“The owner of the magic sword always changes, and it ends only when the person at the end of the food chain holds it. Always keep this in mind.”

Is my sword sealed again for a while?

“I… … Then you shouldn’t use a sword even at the academy?”

Erbezette shook her head.

“If it’s for you to grow, you should actively use the sword at the academy. But there are conditions.”

She pulled out a thick wooden box the size of an encyclopedia from under the bed and handed it to me.

“It’s a gift given to you when you enter Masters Class.”

I took it and opened the box.

Inside was a wooden mask.

“… ?”

When I grabbed it and turned it over, a unique magic circle was drawn on the side that touched my face.

“That will hide your identity. When you must use a sword, wearing a mask is the condition.”

“Did everyone who entered Masters Class receive this mask?”

She shook her head.

“I’ll give you the disguise artifact that best suits that person and can be put to good use.”

Are you saying that a mask is the best way to hide my identity?

I put the mask lightly on my face.

Soon after, my hair started to turn dark red.

It is an artifact that I use for the first time in my life.

It’s not bad.

Before the entrance ceremony, I received my first assignment from Eternia.

It was wearing a mask and living a double life.