Act 41

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‘With so many eyes on you, shouldn’t you at least say something flattering for the sake of the royal family?’

Linné was taken aback by Julian’s straightforward manner of speaking. What an honest, or rather, shamelessly bold man he is.

“Then, let me ask again. Miss Linné, for what purpose have you honed your swordsmanship?”

Faced with another difficult question, Linné hesitated slightly in her response. However, as the eyes of those around her turned towards her, she eventually spoke up. “To train my mind and body to achieve my goal.” 

To be precise, for revenge. Yet, the words she had just uttered were not wrong, so her expression remained unchanged.

“Not bad. It can serve as a driving force to achieve your goals.”

After hearing Linné’s words, Julian resumed his lecture. “The reason I brought up this topic is because of this.” 

His voice was not loud, but it was clear enough to capture the attention of everyone present. “Well-honed swordsmanship is as difficult to correct as the time it took to build.” 

As he moved his hand towards his waist, the students looked nervously towards the simple-looking sheath.

“As a guest lecturer, it’s nearly impossible to refine your swordsmanship in this limited time.” 

Swordsmanship is something that is built up. No matter how talented one is, it takes a long time dedicated to swordsmanship for it to shine. A very valid point.

Linné was surprised that such wise words came from Julian but nodded in agreement.

“In that sense, let’s talk about aura today, instead of swordsmanship.” 

As the word ‘aura’ came from his mouth, a small ripple began to stir in the quiet classroom. Among the swordsmen of the royal family, he is one of the strongest in terms of utilizing aura. The fact that such a strong person was sharing his know-how made everyone quite nervous.

“Every human has mana veins. Utilizing them to strengthen the body or tools is one method of using ‘aura’.” 

Although he was speaking of something everyone knew, the speaker was Julian himself. The students paid close attention, not wanting to miss a single detail of his words. “Well, it’s all something we know.”

Just as they were about to become disinterested by Julian’s clichéd speech, “Additionally, this ‘aura’ allows you to clearly understand the gap between you and your opponent.” 

With a clank, Julian grasped the sheath at his waist, injected aura into it, and extended it forward. “Wow… it’s beautiful.”

Indeed, his sword, known as the ‘Moonlight Sword,’ was exceptionally beautiful even among the renowned auras for their brilliance.

“Do you see what color my aura is right now?”

Currently, Julian was not only surrounding the sheath with a faint ‘aura’ but also his right hand. It was so faint that it would not be seen unless one concentrated hard.

Most students gathered in this classroom likely did not notice the faint ‘aura’ wrapped around his right hand.

‘…So this is what he meant by understanding the gap between oneself and the opponent?’

As Linné grasped the intention Julian wanted to convey through this lecture, a smile leaked out.

“What color is it?”

At Julian’s question, the students unanimously answered.

“Gray, gray.”

“A gray close to moonlight.”

“Silver… isn’t it?”

Linné, like the other students, first spoke of the ‘aura’s’ color.

“Silver.”

Then, with a confident smile, she continued.

“And a light cobalt color.”

Linné added a comment beyond the other students. Her words shifted the focus from Julian to her.

“Sir Julian, you are using two auras right now. A silver aura for the sheath, and a cobalt aura for your right hand, correct?”

“Yes, that’s correct, Miss Linné.”

Julian’s affirmation led Linné to shrug her shoulders slightly. She had definitely caught the ‘second aura’ he tried to conceal.

This means the gap between Julian and her is not as wide as she thought.

After admiring the sword marks Julian left in the forge before, Linné acutely felt her own shortcomings. Since then, through bone-grinding effort, she had somewhat closed the gap between her and Julian to a degree.

“And, there is one more.”

Linné’s pupils dilated at Julian’s calm statement.

The aura flickering behind him. It was not the ‘first’ or ‘second’ they had seen until a moment ago but a clearly distinct ‘third aura.’

‘It can’t be…’

She hadn’t noticed this ‘third.’ Since when had he been hiding such a significant aura?

“No student has noticed this ‘third aura.”

His half-closed eyes showed no emotion; they did not convey joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure. He simply stated this fact as if it were a matter of course.

“In this way, you can gauge the gap in skill between you and your opponent. Being able to produce an ‘aura’ that the opponent is unaware of means there’s hardly any chance of losing to them.”

She realized how arrogant it was to think she had closed the gap between her and that man, even by a little.

***

“Ye-yes, Sir Julian is truly remarkable.”

After finishing the special lecture and leaving the classroom, I ran into Vice Principal Allom Chorni. A bright smile lingered on his face.

Did he watch the lecture from outside the classroom?

How did he appear right after the lecture ended?

“I never imagined the students would be so enthusiastic about the special lecture! I was a bit skeptical when I heard Sir Julian was going to teach… Ahem!”

Allom, seemingly excited, quickly covered his mouth after realizing his slip of the tongue. Well, it wasn’t exactly wrong.

Who would have thought that ‘Julian’ of all people would be teaching others? ‘Even I doubted myself, so this reaction is only natural.’

Fortunately, judging by the atmosphere at the end of the lecture, it didn’t seem like a failure. With this, there shouldn’t be anyone doubting my competency.

“Please, Sir Julian, we’re counting on you to do well in the practical exam as well.”

With an awkward smile, Allom quickly walked towards the inside of the academy. It might be a good time for me to head home as well.

With that thought, I was about to take a step when the charming scenery of the academy caught my eye. This neatly and intricately designed landscape should have felt unfamiliar.

Yet, perhaps due to memories of playing the game, it somehow felt nostalgic. – ‘Right, the Black Knight was you. The demoted hero, Fallen Hayden Reich.’ Ugh.

As I was lost in thought, reminiscing, a scene from the trailer flashed through my mind. The scene where I, ‘Julian,’ now, was pointing a sword at the neck of the protagonist, Hayden Reich.

‘Perhaps, this time it won’t end up that way.’

With that thought, I took another look at the academy’s scenery. It was enough to evoke nostalgia.

‘Should I take a little detour?’

Maybe that’s why I suddenly felt whimsical.

***

“Why isn’t he coming back?”

Joshua, sitting on the sofa with a face full of discontent, muttered to himself. Around the sofa where he sat, bizarre pieces of art were abundant.

A marble statue with an indiscernible shape.

A strange painting of a sun with eyes shining over a wheat field.

For Joshua, who considered himself to have a conventional understanding of art, these pieces were beyond comprehension.

‘And why are there so many orchids?’

Numerous pots surrounded the living room.

He knew the mansion’s owner was incomprehensible, but he hadn’t expected such odd tastes.

“Sir, the barrier you requested has been set up. Just give the order, and we can immediately activate the barrier to block the flow of mana.”

A man approached Joshua and whispered with a trembling voice. One of the knights affiliated with the Crypart family.

Although not as overwhelmingly powerful as Alphas, making him an intimidating figure to confront, this knight possessed a strength that was formidable in its own right, lacking nothing when put to the test.

“Scared?”

When such a knight appeared somewhat restless, Joshua slightly furrowed his brow and asked.

“Huh?”

“Are you afraid of Julian?”

Hesitation flickered across the knight’s face before he seemed to make up his mind and spoke.

“Currently, the forces we have here at Julian’s mansion, including myself, are two knights with experience hunting a two-horned demon, six soldiers from the Crypart family, and you, sir. Plus, we have a barrier to block the flow of mana and a third-order ‘Kenser’ grade magician.”

“And?”

“It’s a considerable force for taking down a single knight, but if that person is ‘Julian,’ I must say it’s absolutely insufficient.”

“Go on.”

Joshua kept his gaze fixed on the knight.

“Not only that, the atmosphere of the mansion is strange. Sir… It’s late, but not a single servant is in sight…”

“They must have gone home early.”

“That would be fortunate, but if Julian has anticipated our arrival…”

Slap!

Joshua slapped the trembling knight across the face.

The knight’s head turned with the force of the slap, and after a moment of stunned silence, he quietly bowed, realizing his mistake.

“You coward! Are you that scared? And you call yourself a knight of the Crypart family?”

“…I’m sorry, sir.”

“You won’t have to fight directly. Just make sure the barrier is properly set up!”

“Understood.”

After receiving a slap, the knight respectfully bowed and turned to set up the barrier.

What good is a knight so full of fear?

Julian, who primarily uses aura, wouldn’t be able to use his full power once the barrier is activated.

Then—

“It’s only natural that I, who have obtained ‘its’ power, will win.”

The cabinet beside Joshua.

It was certain that the item inside was emitting a dubious aura, but the moment Joshua saw ‘it,’ he was enveloped in an inexplicable confidence.

With ‘it,’ he felt confident he could defeat Julian.

“Sir Joshua! There’s a noise coming from outside.”

“Heh heh.”

The time for revenge was drawing near.

Joshua laughed slyly.

***

In a mansion located in a secluded area.

Starlight and moonlight poured down on the place, which was silent except for the late-night hours.

Rustle!

Strangers began to stir around the mansion.

Men emerged from the bushes.

“It’s about time Julian would be going to bed.”

The man leading them was William Hylands.

“It’s beyond me why the Archbishop of the Order would treat Julian this way.”

“To maintain his arrogance despite breaking the rules.”

“And I can’t understand why he was granted the title of bishop right from the start!”

The individuals gathered here were all members of the Dawn Society, each harboring personal grudges against Julian.

“This incomprehensible affair ends tonight. By cutting off Julian’s breath.”

William felt a sense of solidarity as he looked at his comrades, united in purpose.

‘If only you hadn’t judged the Hylands family… I could have reached the fourth order and wouldn’t have been expelled from the Magic Tower!’

Thinking about personally executing Julian, known infamously as the ‘Laughing Guillotine,’ William couldn’t help but suppress a smile.

“Ahem.”

He nearly forgot his composure amidst such intense emotions. William, a mage recognized even within the Magic Tower, coughed to calm his excitement. A first-class mage would not lose their composure.

“Let’s break into the mansion. Everyone, gather around me.”

As William quietly chanted a spell, the members of the order began to gather around him. William focused all his attention on the staff in his hand. Soon, the gem at the end of the staff began to glow faintly.

“Within a 5M radius of the staff, sound and presence are somewhat blocked, so Julian won’t wake up because of us.”

“Wow.”

“Amazing, Sir William!”

His own unique magic, ‘Imperfect Silence.’ It wasn’t a spell he had learned for breaking into mansions, but William was satisfied that it could be utilized in this way.

“Let’s begin.”

After opening the magically sealed door and entering, the quiet interior of the mansion greeted William and the members of the order. According to their research on Julian’s mansion, all the servants went home before sunset. This meant that currently, only Julian should be in the mansion.

Though they were aware of this fact…

“Gulp.”

The moment William and the order members stepped into the mansion, they were overwhelmed by the suffocating silence.

Undeterred by the daunting atmosphere, William and his group moved forward. Their destination was Julian’s bedroom where he was presumed to be asleep.

“Ugh.”

It was then that William, concentrating on his ‘Imperfect Silence’ magic, furrowed his brows at a sudden, strange sensation.

“What’s wrong, Sir William?”

“Is there a problem?”

Feeling something was amiss, the order members inquired about William’s well-being. Meanwhile, William’s complexion grew even worse. His eyes turned to the gem decorating the end of his staff, the indicator of the magic’s operation. The light, though faint and refreshing, began to blur as if obscured by dark clouds.

‘The flow of mana is starting to distort!’

As the light from the gem began to fade, William turned pale.

“Sir William?”

With a tense expression, William looked around.

“Julian, that bastard, knew we were coming and set a trap!”

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