Chapter 68 : Chapter 68

Chapter 68. Sorry for Teasing You for Being Ugly (3)

‘Hohoho, he's still the same.’

It was a statement that meant he acknowledged the achievement of catching the Black Mage, but it was more due to luck than skill.

In fact, Justin Leyte was a famous man who, despite being a commoner, had risen in status as a knight solely through his own abilities.

In his youth, he had participated in the Arcana and had set a milestone by becoming the first from the Kingdom of Atronia to reach the round of 16.

Although he was unfortunately defeated in the round of 16, he was given the title of the Indomitable Knight due to the passionate fighting spirit he showed at that time.

After becoming an adult, he joined the Royal Knights and seemed to be on a smooth path to success, but….

‘The problem was that he was too upright.’

He had reported a fellow knight who was involved in corruption from within.

After that, he began to be ostracized within the knights, and in the end, he was about to quit the knights and leave, but the former Duke Cardios, who was the prime minister at the time, caught him and made him a professor at the Academy.

He couldn't afford to lose a talent of that level, so he had placed him where he could keep an eye on him to keep him in the country somehow.

Of course, Justin Leyte also knew the former Duke Cardios' intentions, so he was polite to him. But….

‘That's that, and there's no reason for me to look favorably on this guy.’

He looked at Patrick and said calmly.

“I will judge his admission after a skill test.”

“Do so.”

“If he fails my test, please send him to another faculty.”

That would save the face of the Eastern Margrave, Count Parmas.

He didn't bother to add that part.

For him, who detested corruption and shortcuts, this was already a huge compromise. But….

“Hey, you're being too harsh.”

From Patrick's perspective, he couldn't care less about that.

Originally, Patrick was very sensitive to the undercurrent of being pushed away and ostracized.

He had experienced such people to the point of being sick of them.

Patrick said bluntly.

“Why don't you just say it? ‘Trash who got in through corruption, get lost.’”

“Hoo, will you leave if I say so?”

“No, I have my reasons, so that's a bit…”

“What are you trying to do?”

“What do you mean, what am I trying to do?”

Patrick said with a smirk.

“In the end, I just have to win, right? Isn't that so?”

“What did you say your name was?”

“It's Patrick Schneider.”

“……”

“What?”

If you gathered all the crookedness and swagger in the world and kneaded it together, wouldn't it become something like this?

Professor Leyte was at a loss for words at the swagger that seemed to have been naturally ingrained in him, as if he had been a back-alley thug for 10 years.

‘Did our Academy get a new thug faculty besides the knight faculty?’

This was the first time he had met a guy who was openly sarcastic to a professor, and on their first meeting at that.

“You seem confident in your skills?”

“It's the only thing I can rely on.”

That was a fact.

“Good. If you have skills, you are more than welcome. Prove that you are not just all talk.”

“Got it. So who am I fighting? You, old man? Or those brats over there?”

At Patrick's words, Professor Leyte smirked and said.

“Everyone, halt!”

At those words, all the 1st graders who were training stopped. And Professor Leyte gathered them in front and said.

“This is an unscheduled event, but today we will have a special spar. First, let me introduce you. This is Patrick Schneider. A country bumpkin from a remote corner of the East.”

“Hey, that's offensive to the country bumpkin who's listening.”

Hearing Patrick's sarcastic words, the lined-up 1st graders had expressions that were half dumbfounded and half astonished.

‘What's with that guy?’

‘Is he crazy? Totally crazy?’

‘He just made a sarcastic comment to the professor, right? Right?’

But Professor Leyte didn't seem to care much and said.

“He has come to enroll in the Knight Faculty with a letter of recommendation from the Eastern Margrave, Count Parmas. Without taking any exams.”

At that, the expressions of the 1st graders turned grim.

Most of the students here were those who had passed through a fierce competition and harsh tests to be in this place.

But now some bastard they had never even heard of was parachuting in?

There was no way this would be accepted kindly.

Into that grim atmosphere, Professor Leyte poured oil.

“For your information, he said you were all untalented brats after watching you train.”

Although he hadn't said ‘untalented’, Patrick didn't deny it.

On the contrary, he was nodding his head and saying something like, ‘That's the undeniable truth.’

That was enough to make the gazes of the 1st graders turn from grim to murderous.

Receiving their heated gazes, Patrick smirked.

‘The chicks are glaring at me with pretty eyes. I feel like I've seen this somewhere…. Ah! The gazes of the so-called rising stars of the Nine Sects when I first entered the Murim Alliance were similar to this.’

To put it nicely, it was hazing; to put it as it is, it was just a pecking order fight.

People who swing swords are the type who, even if they're on the same side and not enemies, can't rest until they've established who's stronger.

It's familiar.

Those eyes staring at him.

And he knew what to do about them.

“Today, we will test this country bumpkin who doesn't know his place. Who will kick this idiot's ass and chase him back to his remote corner of the East?”

Before Professor Leyte's words even ended, more than a dozen 1st graders quickly raised their hands.

Professor Leyte pointed to one of them.

“Roist, come out.”

“Yes. Professor.”

And this time, he looked at Patrick and said.

“Will you use a real sword or a wooden sword for your weapon?”

“A wooden sword will do.”

“As you wish. You can choose from over there.”

“Yep.”

And Patrick went to the place the professor indicated and chose two suitable wooden swords.

‘At a glance, the equipment is well-maintained. Huh? What's that? It looks like a magic tool, do they have things like that too?’

He saw many strange-looking tools, but he could find out how to use them later.

What he didn't know could be learned later; for now, he would start with what he was familiar with.

‘If I lose here, I'll be kicked out of the Academy and can go back to the fiefdom, right?’

In fact, Patrick preferred that.

He didn't really need or have any interest in an Academy diploma.

He had a mountain of work to do in the fiefdom, and the thought of being stuck here for 5 years made him sigh in frustration. But….

[In fact, this father also took the entrance exam for the Academy in his youth.]

[For our family's finances, sending a son to study abroad in the capital for 20 years was impossible. So, although I passed the exam, I had to refuse admission myself.]

If he returned after only stepping on the threshold of the Academy, his father would obviously be disappointed.

No, even if he was disappointed, he wouldn't show it.

On the contrary, he would try to act nonchalant while comforting and consoling him.

And Patrick absolutely did not want to see that.

‘What can I do? I have to be a filial son. Filial piety. This is all because of my Master who preached Confucian ideals to me.’

Grumbling like that, Patrick grabbed his twin swords and faced his sparring partner.

“Do you use twin swords?”

“Yes. Is that not allowed?”

“No, do as you please.”

And Professor Leyte quietly muttered, ‘Just for show. These kids nowadays….’ And so on and so forth. And then….

“Both parties, bow.”

“I'm Patrick Schneider.”

“I'm Roist Panola.”

Right after the introductions were over.

“Begin!”

As soon as Professor Leyte's words fell, the opponent who had introduced himself as Roist fiercely charged at Patrick.

Taaak!

The two men's wooden swords clashed.

Gigik! Gigigik!

The two men, holding their wooden swords with both hands, were in a power struggle.

Roist tried to push Patrick back in one go, but his opponent's strength was surprisingly strong, and he wasn't pushed back a single step.

“Not bad.”

“……”

“But this is just the beginning!”

And a very faint aura rose from Roist's wooden sword.

An aura rose from the wooden sword of a young man still in his teens.

Although it was incomplete, raising an aura meant that this young man had one foot in the realm of 3-star.

It wasn't very noticeable in the Schneider fiefdom because of the monsters there, but this was actually a great feat.

Talent and effort.

If either one was lacking, one could not raise an aura at this age.

And then….

“Haaaaap!”

Roist's wooden sword split into a dozen and fell towards Patrick's entire body.

Peng! Peong! Paang!

With the sound of the aura exploding, Roist's wooden sword poured down on Patrick's entire body.

The graceful and continuous sword strikes clearly showed the traces of long training.

However….

“Keuk…”

The problem was that the attack, which he had put all his strength into, was not working on Patrick at all.

Patrick had not moved a single step from his spot. And although he was holding wooden swords in both hands, his right hand was just dangling like an ornament, and he was blocking Roist's fierce attack with only his left hand.

Nevertheless….

‘Why, why can't I break through.’

Roist's fierce attack could not touch a single strand of Patrick's hair.

No matter where he attacked or how he moved, the opponent's sword was always waiting where his sword was aimed.

It was a perfect defense, so much so that it felt like he was hitting an iron wall.

“Ugh…. Uwaaaaaaaaaah!”

Out of frustration, he put more strength into his sword and swung it harder.

As if to break through with strength if technique didn't work. But….

“You think that'll work?”

Patrick said nonchalantly and swung his wooden sword lightly.

Taaak!

It wasn't a flashy aura, nor was it Patrick's usual dazzlingly fast sword.

It just moved with the necessary strength and speed.

However, with creepily accurate timing and trajectory.

That clean sword strike accurately hit Roist's wrist, which was filled with strength, and as a result….

clang.

Roist's wooden sword, which he had been swinging with brute force, fell to the floor.

And Patrick, with a dumbfounded expression, said.

“Oh? You dropped your sword?”

“Keuk…”

“Wow, this is something new. You dropped your sword?”

“It… it was a mistake.”

“A miiiiiiiiistaaaaaaake?”

“……”

“You bastard. A swordsman should die holding his sword even in the moment of death. You dropped your sword and call it a mistake? A mistaaaake? If the kids in my fiefdom did this, I would… aish, I shouldn't even bother saying it…”

Patrick genuinely lamented, pounding his chest in frustration.

“……”

Looking at such a Patrick, Roist's face turned red.

He had a mouth, but he had no words to retort.

As he had been told, dropping his sword was a disgrace.

And to talk about it being a mistake after that was a blunder he would kick his blanket over for the rest of his life.

“You're embarrassed, aren't you?”

“……”

“Right. You're not one of my kids, so what can I say? Go. Go.”

And Patrick left Roist and looked towards the professor, saying.

“What should I do? Should I switch opponents and continue?”

“……”

“Professor?”

Patrick said to Professor Leyte, who was standing with his mouth agape.

Then, Professor Leyte, who had belatedly come to his senses, said.

“You…. You you…”

“Me…. Me me…. What?”

“…What star are you?”

“What are you going to do with that information?”

“……”

“Just tell me if I passed or failed. Am I going home? Or am I staying?”

Then, Professor Leyte hurriedly said.

“Pass, of course, you pass.”

“…Huh?”

“Congratulations. As a professor of the Knight Faculty, I greatly welcome your entry into our faculty.”

“……”

‘Why does he change so drastically?’

Patrick was slightly dumbfounded.

His rude and swaggering attitude was the same, but Professor Leyte's reaction had completely changed.

Just a moment ago, he had thought he was a hopeless thug, a parachutist, a rude brat, and a social misfit with serious mental problems. But….

‘He had a reason to be arrogant. He definitely did. With this level of skill, it would be strange if he wasn't arrogant.’

With just one spar, his evaluation of Patrick had risen dramatically.

Roist was one of the most skilled among the 1st graders. He had already surpassed 2-star and was looking at the 3-star realm, and he was a talent who was expected to possibly enter the 4-star realm while still at the Academy if he continued to grow.

He had defeated such a Roist.

No, it was hard to even say he defeated him.

Subdued? No. It would be more accurate to say he played with him.

‘I can't see the bottom of his skill.’

It was impossible to grasp Patrick's skill with Roist.

Should he have him face the 2nd graders in the training ground?

No. Although they were a bit better than the 1st graders, to that monster, there would probably be no difference. If so….

‘Me?’

A desire to compete arose.

Not as a professor, but as a swordsman who lives by the sword.

As Justin Leyte, the Indomitable Knight, one of the top five in the kingdom, he wanted to find out Patrick's skill. But….

“Stop it.”

“Huh?”

“You're a professor, you can't lose face in front of the kids, can you?”

At those words, Professor Leyte was startled.

When he came to his senses, he found himself unconsciously reaching for his sword.

“Keum, keum…”

“So, if I passed, what do I do? Do I participate in class from now on?”

“No, for today, just go back for now. If you go to the administration office, they will assign you a room at the Academy. You can also hear the detailed rules there.”

“Got it.”

And Patrick turned and walked away. Beside him, a handsome butler, so beautiful it was not enough to describe him as just handsome, followed behind him.

And Professor Leyte went to the fallen Roist and said.

“Roist, are you okay?”

“Yes. Yes. I'm fine. I'm sorry. Professor.”

“There's nothing to be sorry about. That guy was not someone you could have won against in the first place.”

“……”

“Today's class will all be self-training. 2nd graders, please guide the 1st graders.”

And Leyte left the training ground.

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