Damn Academy - Chapter 175

[Episode 175] Suspicion (5)

The woman who sought me out bore a refined and demure appearance. Her dark violet bob and rouged lips gave off a mature aura that seemed beyond her years. Overall, her presence didn’t feel like she was merely an acquaintance of Ruskeus; my intuition suggested a deeper connection.

“I’ll go out and see.”

Her conservative appearance contrasted starkly with her daring outfit. The skirt was so short that it revealed half of her thighs, and the top was cut low enough to expose a troubling amount of skin below her collarbone. I heard that such fashion was common in the warmer southern regions, but seeing it up close left me uncertain where to rest my eyes.

Haley eyed the woman outside with a mix of curiosity and disdain.

“Hmm, Ruskeus has such a… lovely friend? Well, go on then, have your chat.”

I left Haley and Jenia’s gazes behind and stepped out of the greenhouse with the woman who claimed to be Ruskeus’ friend.

“Let’s find a quiet place.”

She nodded silently and followed me.
T h is w a s c o p i ed f r o m kin g m tl .or g

We settled on a secluded garden bench on the outskirts of the campus.

“Who are you, and why are you looking for me?”

Now, I noticed a ring set with a gem on her left ring finger.

“I’m Olivia, a sophomore from the magic department. I heard from Ruskeus that you’ll be his dueling partner.”

“Yes. What exactly is your relationship with him that brings you here?”

Th is w as c o pied f r o m k i ng m tl . o r g
“… I’m Ruskeus’ fiancée. It’s an engagement arranged by our parents, but it’s not widely known. Can you keep this a secret too?”

“I have no gain in spreading this information. But why come to me?”

“I want you to win against Ruskeus.”

“Why?”

What could it be? A fiancée usually wants her betrothed to win for the sake of prestige and pride. Their twisted relationship seemed to be giving me a headache already.

Olivia sighed deeply, staring emptily into the distance.

“I despise him. There was a time I liked him, but not anymore. I want to see that repulsive man fail and be humiliated.”

There was evidently a personal story, but I wasn’t keen on hearing the intimate details. Getting tangled in someone else’s love quarrel would benefit me nothing.

“… I plan to do my best to win, but I can’t promise a victory. And I certainly won’t fight just for the sake of your revenge.”

“Of course, you have no grudge against him. I’m not asking you to avenge me. I’m here to help you. I’ll be on your side.”

“What kind of help can you offer me?”

“Ruskeus is strong. As a first-year, no matter what you do, it’ll be tough to beat him. He’s a magic swordsman, one of those rare breeds you find maybe one in a thousand knights. I’ll tell you how to defeat him.”

“…Are magic swordsmen that common?”

“What are you talking about? Is one in a thousand common?”

“Does Eternia allow the use of Magic Swords in duels?”

Olivia burst into laughter as if I had said something amusing, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Pfft! You… don’t tell me you’re talking about those Magic Swords carried by Swordmasters? Really? If Ruskeus could truly wield such a weapon, I wouldn’t have come looking for you. You’d have been knocked out cold without even getting close, or worse, died screaming.”

“… I see.”

“I was referring to a swordsman who combines magic with their combat. I heard rumors about what you did in the Duchy and was a bit hopeful, but you still have a lot to learn, rookie.”

“What can a first-year really know?”

Olivia smirked triumphantly.

“At least you’re aware of your abilities. That’s enough for now. I will tell you Ruskeus’ fatal weakness and how to counter it.”

It was a tempting offer, but I hesitated to accept.

“Thank you, but I must decline.”

To my refusal, her voice rose in surprise.

“Why? Why refuse such an excellent offer? We have a common enemy.”

If the duel was a matter of life and death, I would have used any means necessary to win. But this was only a school duel, meant to identify areas for improvement. Winning easily through tricks would leave me with nothing learned.

Sure, a victory would inflate my ego, but it wouldn’t aid my growth. I intended to fight honestly and improve through legitimate training. If I did my best and still lost, there would be meaning in that defeat.

“It’s enough to understand the opponent’s strength. I don’t wish to win by resorting to cowardly tricks.”

Ruskeus would enter the duel without knowing anything about me. It seemed only fair I face him under similar conditions.

I stood up to leave, but Olivia followed me desperately.

“You can’t beat him as you are now!”

I ignored her and kept walking.

“He’s sharpening his blade, knowing you’re favored by the Duchy. He’s determined to crush you, even if it means cheating, to elevate his own standing.”

Olivia ran in front of me, blocking my path with outstretched arms.

“And he’ll use his father’s influence to spread the news in the Duchy. Boasting how he brutally defeated a knight of the Platinum Shield.”

“The Platinum Shield is not an award for strength. If I lose in combat, that’s just a reflection of my own abilities.”

“You’re more inflexible than you look. Fine then… I’ll help with your training myself. I’ll mimic Ruskeus’ magic style and be your sparring partner. That’s strategy, isn’t it?”

“…Why are you so intent on crushing Ruskeus?”

“He’s never satisfied with just one. A handsome, capable man from a powerful family rarely settles for just one woman.”

“… I see.”

“Besides cheating openly, he’s been harassing first-year girls. Imagine, with his fiancée right here in the same year! After all those promises about a life together and rushing to marry after graduation!”

“… I understand.”

“Honestly, I approached you partly because I thought it would annoy him to see us getting along. You’re decent-looking, at least.”

T h i s w a s c o p i e d f r om k i n g m t l.o r g
I hated how well I understood her feelings. My resolve softened, and I finally accepted Olivia’s offer.

“Alright. I’ll accept your help with the mock duel.”

***

Olivia and I stood facing each other in a deserted forest at the base of Grace Mountain.
Th i s wa s c o p i ed fr o m ki ng m t l . o r g

She looked at my weaponry with curiosity.

“What’s your primary weapon?”

“A sword.”

“Is that all?”

Damian had a steel sword at his waist and five daggers strapped to his belt.
T h i s w a s co pi ed f r o m ki ng m t l . o r g

A far cry from the typical armament of a swordsman. Even with a longsword, facing a magician would be difficult, yet he only had those daggers.

“Yes. I use them all.”

“Did you train with an assassin’s guild or something?”

“…”

“Just a joke. Let’s start the duel.”

As she finished speaking, Olivia raised her magical power, and Damian drew out a dagger.

Damian, a knight of the Platinum Shield and a student of Silveryn, aroused my curiosity about his true capabilities. I wanted to test if he had the mettle to face Ruskeus.

“Ruskeus handles various spells, but his specialty is fire elemental magic.”

Flames ignited in Olivia’s hands. She scattered embers across the ground like sprinkling water on plants.

Suddenly, fire spread beneath her feet. Damian did not attack; he simply watched.

“If you stand there dazed like that, you’ll be in deep trouble.”

“… I see.”

“Laurea Mysia Glen!”

T h i s w a s c o p ie d f r om k i ng m t l . o r g
With the incantation, the fire embers spread in lines to both sides.

Damian, still holding the dagger, quietly observed the phenomenon.

Olivia focused her magic, moving the flames in a circular pattern around Damian. In moments, he was encircled by rising flames, confined to a space where he couldn’t move more than five steps.

“If you give a mage space and time to cast, this is the result.”

This was a tactic used to corner beasts. Once trapped within the fiery circle, the intense heat and flames obscured all vision from the outside.

Th is w a s c o p ied f r o m ki n g m t l. o r g
Damian could no longer see Olivia. Now it was time for the mage to toy with him.

She circled around to hide her position and summoned a fireball with a silent incantation.

The fireball rushed toward Damian’s back.

Shink.

The blade flashed. Although she thought she had hit a blind spot, Damian had drawn his sword and sliced through the fireball.

“…?”

It was a chillingly sharp reaction, as if he had eyes on the back of his head. Thinking it a fluke, she repositioned and cast another fireball.
T h i s wa s c o p i e d fr o m k i n gm t l. o rg

And again, Damian reacted with ghostly precision, splitting the fireball in two.

“… What?”

Slick!

At the sound Olivia made, something whizzed past her ear.

“Ah!”

She flinched and looked back to find Damian’s dagger embedded deep in a tree.

Chills ran down her spine.

“Laurea Enpasil…!”

In her panic, Olivia overexerted her magic, making the wall of flame grow. Anyone trapped inside would be immobilized by the heat.

The flames and the wind created a complete sensory blackout.

Shink!

Against her expectations, another dagger flew through the wall of flame, narrowly missing her ear again.

“…!”

T hi s was c op ie d f r o m k i ng m tl. o rg
It wasn’t luck. Damian knew exactly where she was.

Another dagger whizzed past her head.

“Ah!”

Startled, she stumbled backward, falling to the ground. As her concentration waned, the wall of flame dissipated.

Red embers died down, and through the wisps of white smoke, Damian walked toward Olivia, unscathed by the flames.

With her heart racing, Olivia pressed a hand to her chest as Damian reached out to her.

She couldn’t bring herself to take his hand, her voice shaking.
Thi s wa s c o p ied f r o m k in g m t l . o rg

“What… what are you? Are you from the circus? How did you know where I was?”

“… I’m generally sensitive.”

She was left in awe by Damian’s abnormal senses. What terrified her even more was that Damian had not even shown his full strength. The extent of his abilities was immeasurable.

***

Ruskeus wiped his sword with a handkerchief in his personal maintenance room.

“What are you saying?”

His voice was tinged with irritation.

With a somewhat shriveled tone, Olivia reported.

“His senses are incredibly sharp. Even with magic interference, I’m not sure that will work on him.”

“Is that the brat’s weakness?”

“No. But we need to know how strong he is…”

“I told you clearly — to find out what he’s weak against and what he fears, by any means necessary.”

“…”

Ruskeus set down his sword and stood up, approaching Olivia. He caressed her cheek as if she were a lover, then his hand moved up, tapping her forehead with a finger.

“Think about how many live off our family’s wealth. It keeps me awake at night knowing how much of our money is flowing to your family.”

He was talking about Olivia’s family.

“I know. My family lives comfortably because of you.”

“If you’re taking advantage, show at least some sense of responsibility. Right? If you beat the brat and gain recognition from the lady, that’s good for you as my fiancée, isn’t it?”

“…”

“Go and get close to him. Play the role of a fake lover or act pitiful, whatever it takes to find his weakness. You do something cute, I’ll treat you well, won’t I?”

“You could win without any of that. Why go to such lengths?”

Even though Damian had shown some skill, it was clear he was not enough to face Ruskeus.

“It’s necessary to crush him completely to highlight my own abilities.”

Olivia couldn’t bear to look up to Ruskeus. His eyes were filled with greed, and she felt suffocated by it.