11. Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [1] – part 1
As I safely repelled the trio, I looked back at my classmates who were quietly watching the battle,
「A-Amazing, Allen!」
「How did you do that last invisible slash! Teach me next time!」
「No, aren’t you more eager to know about the first eight consecutive strikes !? It was too fast to see the swing of the sword!」
「At any rate, this guy is an amazing swordsman!」
「A perfect victory against those three… that is incredible. Congratulations!」
Applause and praise showered me.
「Eh, ah… th-thanks…」
I, who have no experience of being warmly hailed by my classmates, confusedly bowed for the time being.
As I did,
「Good job, Allen!」
「How did you perform that last technique…!?」
Ria and Rose-san ran over to me.
「Thank you, Ria. Err… by the last technique, you mean Hazy Moon?」
When I asked to confirm with Rose-san, she nodded many times over.
「Right, no one except Ria has seen it.」
Then I explained the structure of Hazy Moon in simple terms.
Rose-san listened to it in a deeply interested manner.
「-so, Hazy Moon is an installation-type slash.」
「I see… that was really interesting. Thank you.」
She smiled sweetly with a slightly pleasant look.
「Hmm, but I still think that technique is unfair…」
Ria, who was quietly listening to the explanation beside us, muttered dissatisfied with her arms folded.
Perhaps reminded that she was also defeated in the same manner yesterday.
「I see?」
I personally can find out where the slash is installed by looking closely, and in the first place, distracting the enemy before installing the slash requires too much effort, thus, it is a technique with too many flaws……
Well, each person has their own opinion, so I didn’t expand too much on it..
And while we three were talking happily,
「Uh…」
「I… uh…」
「Wha…」
The defeated trio start to come to their senses.
(So they can already move again…)
As expected of students of Thousand Blade Academy.
In addition to polished swordsmanship, their bodies seem to be well trained too.
「Uhh… are you alright?」
It felt uneasy to simply stand there and watch, so I held out my hand to one of the trio.
And he gave me a sharp look,
「…sorry」
He grabbed my hand firmly and stood up while staggering a little.
The other two somehow managed to stand up on their own – the three gathered and stood in front of me.
(……O-Oi Oi, I don’t want to fight anymore)
While having a bad feeling, I watched what they would do.
「-I apologize. Please forgive my rudeness until now.」
Then, he bowed deeply.
「…Eh?」
When I was bewildered by the unexpected situation, the other two bowed deeply in the same way.
「…We have misjudged you, Allen, you are the most suitable person to be our representative.」
「Please forgive all that reckless remarks from before…」
So I decided to forgive the three who had sincerely apologized.
「Don’t worry. I understand your feelings too, so I don’t mind anymore.」
Yes.
In the first place, there is nothing weird about them opposing the fact that I was chosen to be a participant of the Big Five Holy Festival – rather, it was exceedingly natural.
All of their intense training to this point, and their earnest way of the sword – I understood it well in the battle just now.
(I have heard that the classes at the prestigious swordsmanship academy are tough and everyday feels like hell…)
These three people overcame it with tremendous effort, and finally entered this Thousand Blade Academy. However, they were omitted from the selection of participants for the Big Five Holy Festival, where one displays the achievements in middle school. Instead, I, a self-taught swordsman who graduated from a nameless third rate academy was chosen.
(It’s no wonder that they would get angry…)
In fact, not getting angry would be more strange.
(But in terms of the actual training time, I’ve simply dedicated much longer…)
They might have swung their swords to death for three years.
However, I have been swinging my sword quietly in a crippled state for over a billion years.
In terms of the number and duration of swinging the sword, I am confident that I will never lose.
Then the trio suddenly sighed deeply.
「To lose not only in swordsmanship but also the kindness of the heart… We have lost face as men…」
「Aa, for certain…」
「Allen… if you don’t mind, can we be friends?」
He said that and and held out his hand to me.
「Yes, I hope to be friends too.」
I held that hand firmly and exchanged a friendly handshake.
Then, after I and the trio made peace with each other, Leia-sensei coughed and cleared her throat..
「-Well then, does everyone consent to Allen participating in the Big Five Holy Festival?」
When she looked around at the students, everyone here nodded.
In that situation, I alone had something troubling me, so I asked her.
「No, but… will the students from the other class accept it as well?」
I don’t think class A can choose the representative of the academy at their own discretion.
The answer came from one of the trio.
「Don’t worry, Allen. All of us here in class A acknowledge it. The other classes will certainly not raise any objections.」
「Thousand Blade Academy students are assigned to classes in order of highest grade.」
「The highest-rank class A acknowledges Allen. No one will complain. So, hold your head high!」
I see… so that’s how it is.
As I was convinced, Leia-sensei clapped her hands together.
「Yoshi, I shall announce again! The three participants for this year’s Big Five Holy Festival are Ria Vesteria, Rose Valencia, and Allen Rodore!」
The moment after she loudly announced this, applause and cheers burst out.
Comments