Alban vs. Leonil
“Now then, are you both prepared?” asked Paula-sensei.
“Hear that, Leo?” Alban replied casually.
“I’m always ready!” Leonil declared.
They stood one step outside of striking distance.
One more step, and they would plunge into a world where sword met sword in a fight to the death.
While I held my sword loosely in one hand, letting my arm hang, Leonil grasped his tightly with both, assuming a serious stance.
I can already tell, clear as day.
Leonil’s strong. Way stronger than those three just now. His presence is totally different.
Guess it makes sense, seeing as he was the one who consistently curb-stomped Alban Odrant in the original fantasy novel. But… is he stronger than the me right now?
Huh, Protagonist-san. Well, let’s see what you’ve got—
“Then—Begin!“
The very instant Paula-sensei declared the duel open, we moved in perfect sync.
Simultaneously, without a shred of hesitation, we both stepped into the striking zone.
“────!!”
CLANG! The high-pitched shriek of blades locking together. We were locked in a fierce bind.
Oh, he blocked it after all. Impressive. I went for the kill pretty much from the first move, you know.
“Not bad at all, Leonil Hyland,” I said.
“The same goes for you, Baron Alban Odrant…!” Leonil replied intensely.
As if rehearsed, we separated our swords and immediately reengaged in a flurry of counter-attacks.
Leonil’s movements tracked mine perfectly, without the slightest opening.
—Magnificent.
As much as it pains me, I have to admit it. His swordsmanship, his footwork, the way he reads my movements—He’s definitely a prodigy, a natural talent. A normal person couldn’t even dream of mimicking that.
Ugh, what a pain in the ass. At the very least, Leonil’s talent is equal to mine.
Is this the protagonist’s plot armor or something? I ain’t got time for this.
But—how polished is that talent?
“You’re amazing, Leo! I hate to admit it, but to keep up with me like this… I’ll give you props for it!” I called out, my voice laced with false praise.
“That is an honor I barely deserve…!” Leonil responded earnestly.
“In recognition of that skill—I’ll get a little more serious!”
My probing is over. From here on, I’m going to take you down without mercy.
But I won’t use magic. I’ll break you with pure swordsmanship alone.
I gripped my sword tighter, kicked the ground harder with my foot, and then, crouching low, I hid my sword hand behind my torso and practically slid into Leonil’s personal space.
“Kuh…!”
He’s panicking, he’s panicking. When I pull this move, it makes him misjudge the distance for a split second. Plus, he can’t see my hands, so he can’t predict my next move. So what’s he gonna do—
“Haaah!” Leonil swung his sword wide.
Attack can be the greatest defense, depending on the situation. He figures he’ll block my unpredictable move with his own attack.
—That’s what you think, right?
Without attacking, I evaded Leonil’s sword. Still crouched, I circled around behind him, timing my move with his swing. To Leonil, it must have felt like my figure simply vanished from his sight.
It’s over—
I grinned and swung my sword straight at Leonil’s back.
Game, set, and match. I was certain of it.
────However,
“—”
Leonil’s body moved. He ducked low and dodged my strike. It was as if he had eyes in the back of his head.
“Wha—the—?” My brain momentarily refused to process the sight before me.
He dodged it? Why? How? That was totally a blind-spot attack…!
“—There you are, Baron Odrant,” Leonil said, glancing back, and our eyes met.
The moment I saw his gaze, I shivered. A cold rush of blood drained from my entire body. At the same time, the truth slammed into me.
This guy—he dodged that on pure ‘instinct’ alone.
He evaded my strike, a blow from an invisible position, with nothing but raw, innate talent. Is he seriously some kind of monster—!
“Haaah!”
“You…!”
Leonil immediately followed up with a counter-attack.
At that moment, my mind instantly flipped a switch. All unnecessary thoughts vanished, and my head became chillingly clear, as if my blood had frozen.
…Ah, that’s right. Sebas told me this.
‘In a battle, unexpected things will invariably occur. Things you believe to be impossible will bare their fangs at you at the most improbable of times.‘
‘At such moments, your true quality as a swordsman is tested by how coolly you can react.‘
That’s right—this is that moment.
Calm down, Alban Odrant. Focus—
Leonil’s slash came flying toward me.
But if I looked closely… the trajectory of his blade was slightly off. His weight transfer and center of gravity were sloppy.
I can parry this.
I readjusted my grip on the hilt and, the moment I received Leonil’s blade, I deflected it upward.
“Ugh…!?”
Couldn’t quite knock the sword out of his hand, huh? Refusing to let go no matter what—you really are a model swordsman.
“But this time, it’s over.”
His sword and both hands had been knocked high, leaving his torso wide open. The first opening he’d given me.
I unleashed a single, blinding slash straight for it.
▲ ▲ ▲
“Hah… Hah…!”
Leonil was breathing roughly, his sword-gripping hand trembling. His body was rigid, and drops of sweat fell to the ground.
“The winner is declared! Leonil Hyland-kun—is deceased!” Paula-sensei announced the end of the duel.
A few seconds prior, my strike had made contact with his body.
Immediately after, Leonil sank to his knees on the ground, looking thoroughly exhausted.
“Hah… Hah… That was incredible, Baron Odrant… I really didn’t stand a chance…”
“…Yeah.” I stood over Leonil, staring down at him, my stance reserved.
—How long had we been fighting?
It felt like we had been clashing blades for a much longer time than with Ivan and the others.
“I didn’t stand a chance,” he says? That’s a joke.
I was running on nearly full power the whole time. A genuine fear that I might lose if I let my guard down had taken root in the back of my mind.
—I really should have refused this.
This duel.
But a doubt had welled up in my heart: Which of us is stronger right now, me or the protagonist, Leonil?
Was it because I was arrogant after winning three-on-one? Or simply because I had a sword in my hand?
In any case, I accepted Leonil Hyland’s challenge.
The result—a victory.
But my inner thoughts were anything but calm.
…Leonil is a genius with the sword. Undeniably.
Despite all the effort I’ve put in under Sebas, the difference in our ability was miniscule.
If Leonil were to get even a little stronger—
The duel ended, and Leonil’s binding was released.
Now able to move, he sheathed his sword and extended a hand to me.
“But, I’m glad we fought. Honestly, I was pretty confident in my sword skill, but I really got to see where I stand now.”
“…No, Leo. You were plenty strong. It made me realize I still have a long way to go myself,” I said.
I took his hand and shook it, flashing a faint smile so he couldn’t read my true thoughts.
…He might really be a danger. Leonil Hyland might surpass me someday.
And eventually, he might lead me down the same path as the fantasy novel’s ending.
Should I really leave this guy free?
Dark, swirling emotions began to churn in my chest.
However,
“…Yep. Alright, I’ve decided,” Leonil said, pulling his hand away with a look of firm resolve.
“…? Decided what—” I asked.
“I am—gonna become your ‘Knight’.”
“Huh?”
He turned toward the classmates and—
“Everyone, listen up! As of now, I’m going to be Baron Alban Odrant’s ‘Knight’! I, too—nominate him to be the class ‘King’!”
▲ ▲ ▲
“…This has turned into a real pain.”
—It was after school.
I muttered, hanging my head in utter dismay, as I headed to the castle town with Letitia.
The Royal Academy permits students to go out after school, allowing free movement to and from the castle town as long as curfew is observed. Letitia, who was from the Royal Capital, had offered to show me around the city.
It was likely also intended as a reward for fighting well in the duel.
Walking beside me, Letitia wore a puzzled expression. “What’s been the matter with you? You’ve seemed off ever since Leo recommended you.”
“Oh, you know, just things on my mind…”
“You yourself admitted his swordsmanship was quite good, did you not? You’ve gained an ally in the class, so I believe this is something you should be pleased about.”
Yeah, I know. Normally, that would be the case.
But unfortunately, that guy is the most dangerous person Alban Odrant needs to be wary of.
I’m seriously worried he’s gonna be my downfall one day. So why the hell did he suddenly nominate me to be the class ‘King’…?
I don’t get it. I just don’t get it.
On top of that, knowing the friendly type Leonil is, he’s probably gonna cling to me even more now. If things go badly, I might not even be able to put distance between us, even if I want to.
For me, it’s like living every day with a ticking bomb in my pocket.
While I’m grateful we didn’t end up as enemies, I never expected this turn of events… Now I really can’t see the future.
The one clear thing is that this world has started down a route different from the fantasy novel.
Good grief, what the hell is gonna happen next?
“Speaking of which, Letitia, why did you nominate me to be the class ‘King’ in the first place?” I asked.
“I simply stated the facts. There is no one in that class more suited to the position than you are.”
“I have zero interest in a position that’s nothing but a pain.”
“Would you rather we all get expelled together? The way things are going, they’ll never decide on a ‘King’,” she countered.
“…That’s a hard pass,” I admitted.
She had a point.
With a group of people that headstrong all crammed into one class, there’s no way a “King” would be decided in just one month.
Good grief. What a ridiculous class I’ve transferred into…
“More importantly, Alban, what do you think of the castle town? You haven’t been here much, have you?”
“Hm? Oh… I only came once when I was pretty little…”
My memory of it is vague now. It was back when my parents were alive, probably when I was five or six, so I was really young.
So, setting aside any memory filters—
“It’s so much livelier than the Odrant Territory, and the sheer number of people and goods is incomparable. The streets are so vibrant; it’s overwhelming.”
“Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Of course.”
“Fufu… I’m glad to hear it.”
Letitia gave me a bright, genuinely happy smile.
She doesn’t often smile, but the smiles she grants me occasionally are uniquely charming.
“The Royal Capital is my hometown, after all. It makes me happy that you like it, Alban.”
“…Don’t you ever miss the Barrow family?” I asked.
The Barrow Dukedom, Letitia’s family estate, is located right here in the Royal Capital. She could go there if she wanted.
Anyone would miss their home sometimes. I asked her as a courtesy.
“Not at all. The home I should return to is already in the Odrant Territory, after all,” she declared matter-of-factly.
“Besides… the place I long for most is right next to you, Alban.”
“…Same here. Being next to you is what makes me happiest.”
We joined hands and smiled at one another.
Then,
“Whisper… Hey, look at them, declaring their love right out on the street…!”
“Whisper… They’re from the Royal Academy, right…?”
“Whisper… Flaunting it in broad daylight, how brazen…!”
I realized we were getting intense stares from everyone around us.
Shit, we totally got wrapped up in our own world…
“Whoa! Letitia, maybe we should walk a bit apart.”
“R-Right. Let’s maintain a reasonable amount of personal space.”
Thoroughly embarrassed, we hurried away, our faces flushed red.
However, our first castle town date had just begun.
We walked on, keeping a slight distance between us but matching our pace as we proceeded through the city.
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