chapter 26
026 Episode – Irene
Rakan’s move was really bad.
It was like a seven-year-old child running towards me with a toy knife.
I wondered if there was something hidden, but there was no sign of that.
Rakan also had no talent for swords.
So Tigris just stunned Rakan before he even wielded his sword.
A sword that pierces precisely in the temple.
Rakan gasped and collapsed.
The eyes of the students, who looked at them with curious eyes, were colored with embarrassment.
– What happened?
– I don’t even know
– What’s the point of being stunned at once like that?
– Just don’t be silly. Is this this?
Tigris returned the sword to Charlotte.
“If that’s the case, why did you accept Dalian? You don’t have to make me swing the sword even once.”
“It is pointless.”
It was clear that he would become a prank on others if he swung his sword.
In the heart of Tigris, Rakan is a hero who sacrificed everything for mankind.
He could not open his eyes to see the hero being dishonored.
It was an uphill battle to save the honor of Rakan, who was a comrade, but Charlotte, unaware of it, shot Tigris as if it were unlucky.
“under! what the. Who can handle a sword well from the start? okay. It was my fault for expecting something.”
Charlotte shouted at the freshmen.
“What are you doing there! Come on, take me to the infirmary. The infirmary is in that building.”
“ah! Yep!”
Several students rushed to the infirmary carrying the fainted Rakan.
Then, some students raised their hands.
“I want to compete too!”
“Me too!”
Tigris looked at Bedrian.
Bedrian let out a small sigh.
“The assignment of the dormitory is complete, Instructor Tigris, you can do whatever you want.”
All the instructors, including Bedrian, thought it was better to be like this.
No matter how Tigris wins the tournament, it is inevitable that small doubts will arise in their hearts.
A place has just been prepared to dispel those doubts, so it would have been better to end them all here.
“Let all those who just raised their hands come forward.”
I counted and it was 17.
None of the dogs were memorable for Tigris.
“Pull out all the swords. I will deal with you at once.”
The students looked at each other.
Even so, it didn’t make sense to deal with 17 people at once.
“We are serious! Instructor!”
“If you want to make me serious, you have to have the right skills. Your skills don’t even reach my toes.”
“… no matter how much you call yourself an instructor, you won’t be able to deal with 17 people at the same time.”
“You really think so? The ability to judge the skill of the opponent without drawing a sword is also a skill that a knight must possess.”
Tigris put the Salamander’s sword, which had fallen to the ground, into its sheath, and picked up the sword Rakan was holding a moment ago.
It was garbage that was completely out of balance because it was made of rubbish.
It was inferior to the training sword used by the Norberd family.
But it was enough to use it once and throw it away.
“Everyone who wants to face me must draw their sword. After this, even if I apply for a match, I will not accept it.”
“shit!”
All the personnel who applied for the match drew their swords.
And some students who were watching quietly came in with their swords drawn.
When I counted the numbers, there were a total of 24.
Among them was Irene.
Irene raised her sword, as heavy as her own weight, towards Tigris.
His momentum was calm and refined compared to others, and his posture was neat.
“Then let’s start.”
Tigris slowly approached the students.
As we approached them as if we were just taking a walk, some proud students rushed towards Tigris first.
Their black yawns were slow and unsophisticated, too emotionally involved and too powerful.
Tigris evaded all of their swords with just a slight twist.
Tigris’ right hand flashed.
puck! puck! puck!
The sword flew into the temples, jaws, and vital points of the guys.
They fell like puppets with broken threads.
“next.”
“Ahhh!”
Excited students rushed again.
However, Tigris did not accept their swords.
It was a swordsmanship not worth stopping with a sword.
I just avoided Tigris and hit him.
‘You seem to have a lot to teach me.’
As expected, the level of freshmen was not so high.
If there were so many geniuses like Charlotte, Irene, Linia, and Gordon in this world, mankind would not have been helpless by Rota and Arphem.
What Tigris can do is elevate these mediocre talents to the level of useful knights.
Suddenly, all 23 people were scattered on the ground.
‘one person. Irene is nowhere to be seen.’
Then something caught on to Tigris’ sense of humor.
Something heavy that comes in sharply from the side.
It was Irene’s great sword.
Irene’s greatsword was as merciless as the teeth of a lion that was hiding in the bushes and poking at it with its claws raised.
Tigris was the first to defend.
Whoa-!
The bayonet flew backwards with anti-reflection force, but Rakan’s cheap sword was also shattered.
Tigris immediately threw away his sword and reached out towards the Salamander’s sword.
However, Irene’s subsequent attack was faster.
Zeng-!
Tigris blocked Irene’s sword without completely removing it from the sheath.
Everyone around was amazed by Tigris’ technique.
But Irene was still calm.
Rather, it was just the thought of taking advantage of this advantageous situation.
assault.
Irene sprinkled the weeds as if to take Tigris’ life.
Each one was heavy and sharp, and it was so intimidating that it made the viewer sweat.
Despite Irene’s relentless assault, which played 10 times in less than 3 seconds, Tigris did not panic and blocked them all.
The people around me started to shiver.
– Is that something a human can do…?
This was true for both Tigris and Irene.
Irene, who was attacking with that big sword, and Tigris, who completely blocked it without pulling it out of its sheath, were all like monsters.
Irene bit her lips.
Tigris’ broken posture returned.
The return of posture meant a counterattack.
The sword of Tigris was revealed from its scabbard.
At the same time, Irene came in as if to cut off Irene’s waist.
Irene thrust her sword into the ground and blocked it.
Irene’s judgment was right.
That’s it-!
Irene’s greatsword slashed through the ground like a spring farmer’s hoe.
If she had raised her sword to block it, Irene would have flown through the sky.
Irene’s shoulder felt like it was going to break.
But there was no time to rest.
Irene prepared for the next attack.
This time it was a slingshot.
Irene deflected and blocked Tigris’s sword with her bayonet nailed to the ground.
The sword of Tigris flowed down the blade of the greatsword.
It was an opportunity.
Irene kicked towards the side of Tigris, who leaned forward.
It was full of aurors and was intimidating.
However, there was something Irene did not understand.
When Tigris cut the bell, it was said that he cut the bell with one right hand.
Tigris’ left arm reacted reflexively.
When Irene flew to the side and hit Irene’s leg with her left arm, Irene’s body floated.
While floating in the air, Irene aimed at the head with her other foot, but Tigris was not hit by such shallow moves.
Tigris avoided it by simply taking a step back.
Irene came down to the ground and prepared for an attack.
But Tigris had a sword in it.
“Dalian doesn’t end here.”
Irene’s mouth, which had never been opened, opened.
“It’s not over yet.”
“Look at your side.”
Irene looked at her side.
Her clothes were cut long.
“···when.”
Irene didn’t see it, but Charlotte, who had seen it from afar, saw it clearly.
Watching Tigris dodge backwards and draw his sword quickly.
It was a speed that ordinary people could not even see.
Tigris knew her name, but asked politely.
“What is your name?”
Irene answered Tigris’ question.
“This is Irene.”
“Irene. Can you tell me why you use a greatsword?”
Irene noticed the intent of Tigris’ words.
Due to Irene’s body structure, the sword did not fit.
However, Irene insisted on using the great sword.
“I can’t tell you.”
It was Irene’s terrifying repulsion, so even when the principal came to ask a question, she couldn’t answer.
Tigris watched Irene’s eyes flutter and didn’t ask further.
It was because Tigris knew why Irene was using the greatsword anyway.
“i get it.”
Instead, Tigris cut a check from his pocket and gave it to him.
The amount was 10 silver.
“I’m sorry I cut your clothes. Take it.”
It was too much money to say that one of the clothes was ruined.
Irene reflexively refused.
“Okay…”
“It is also the cost of repairing your greatsword.”
Irene looked at her sword.
There was a large tooth in the middle of the bayonet.
“There is a place called the Dwarf’s Forge at 234-1 Middletown. There, I will be able to repair your greatsword neatly.”
“…I can fix this on my own. It’s really good.”
“Irene. If you are a noble, follow the etiquette like a nobleman.”
Irene’s eyes widened.
“It is against the etiquette to refuse money from a high-ranking person three times. Two times is the most appropriate, and three times are recommended.”
Tigris knew why Irene hated taking money.
She is the nobleman of a fallen family.
That’s why I didn’t want to be sympathized with by others.
But Tigris told her not of virginity, but of nobility.
If you don’t, you don’t follow the rules of aristocrats, and you don’t want anyone to help you.
Irene looked into Tigris’ eyes.
Unlike the others, Tigris’ eyes were not sympathetic, but mixed with unknown emotions.
I couldn’t tell what those eyes were, but at least I didn’t feel sympathy.
Irene politely accepted Tigris’ check.
“…I will be grateful.”
“To go forward.”
Tigris left those words behind.
* * *
Three days have passed since the incident of new student discipline (students called themselves that) that occurred during the entrance ceremony.
The new students submitted all the course application forms to the department office.
I received the personal details of the people who signed up for ‘Understanding and Breaking Down’ from the clerk working at the T-Christian Department’s office.
“Is this all?”
“yet···! left.”
thud-!
Two paper boxes were placed on the Tigris desk.
A total of 353 people.
Since the Department of Swordsmanship had 613 members, nearly half had applied for Tigris’ lectures.
It’s a whopping 4 credits, and since it’s a lecture taught by Tigris, I thought I would get a lot of applications, but I didn’t think that there would be this much crowd.
Of course, Tigris could not teach these many people alone.
It’s not just a history class taught by writing on a blackboard, it’s a swordsmanship class.
Tigris was looking at the garden with about 30 people.
The clerk wiped his sweat and smiled bashfully.
“Hehe···. This is very, very much. It was really hard to move this to the office.”
Originally, Tigris had said that he would go, but Remy, the clerk, made the move.
It was to mix horses with Tigris.
“Maybe tea or drinks…”
“Would you mind putting this up in the department office?”
Tigris had something he had prepared in case applicants flocked in.
The clerk read the paper Tigris had handed him with a dissatisfied expression.
“test···? Are you going to hire people for a test?”
“Yes. The date and place are written on it, so bring your supplies and tell them to bring them.”
If the number of students suddenly increased, the instructor could pick and teach the person he liked, but Tigris had no intention of recruiting people that way.
He was going to teach only those who could follow his teachings.
If it didn’t pass the test, even if it was Rakan, it was going to be dropped.
“All right. I will put it on the front door of the department office and dormitory. So, if you have time, have a cup of tea…”
“It’s almost time for work. Drink it next time.”
“···It is for sure! Definitely!”
The clerk was confused as to how happy he was to make an appointment with Tigris.
Tigris left the office worker behind and went to work.
On that day, a notice was posted on Tigris’ registration for classes.
<Announcement>
All students who have applied for the understanding of slamming and breaking shall be gathered at the Remiola performance hall by 7:00 pm on March 1st.
The number of participants will be decided through a test, so please bring all necessary materials.
What you need: Clean paper and a pen.
The hard-working Remy clerk was happy to have a cup of tea with Tigris, but since then, Tigris hasn’t called Remy even once.
* * *
As Tigris said, Irene headed to the dwarf’s forge located at 234-1 Middletown.
Usually, these blacksmiths and artifact production facilities were located in Purple Town, but the main customers were in the middle town because they were high-class such as nobles and knights.
earth-! earth-!
Because the blacksmiths were concentrated, the sound of hammering could be heard from all directions.
Irene was used to the sound of a blacksmith shop.
It was because Irene had once worked part-time in a blacksmith’s shop after she came down to the emperor.
Irene stood in front of the dwarf’s forge.
Although it looked old and shabby, the quality of the sword and armor on the stand was very good.
This dwarf’s forge was also famous on this blacksmith’s street, because the owner was famous for fixing or making swords for those he liked.
No matter how much a nobleman brought a bag of money, if it did not meet the standards of the man, he would not make it at all.
Irene opened the forge door and entered.
The scorching heat made Irene’s cheeks heat up.
“Nyshaw.”
A dwarf’s blacksmith literally, a very small but solid-looking man, quenched Irene without even looking at it.
“I have come to fix the sword.”
The man glanced at the great sword Irene was holding and started hammering again.
“Is this something you use?”
Usually, it would be strange for a small woman like Irene to hold a sword, but the man immediately recognized that it was Irene’s sword.
It was because the grime on the handle of the sword coincided with Irene’s small hand, and the scent of Irene’s Aura from Irene’s greatsword was heavily stained there.
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Looks like the owner changed along the way.”
Irene was startled.
The man nodded his head as Irene flinched and said.
“Looks like something with a story. Take a look.”
The man put down his hammer and sword and approached Irene.
Irene was also small in stature, but she was slightly smaller than Irene.
It was like a dwarf in legend.
The man took off all the white bandages surrounding the sword.
“You took good care of your sword. It must not be easy to manage such a greatsword like a baby.”
“Can you fix it?”
“There is still some black iron left, so it will be possible to make up for it. By the way···.”
The man looked at Irene.
“Why are you using a greatsword?”
– Can you tell me why you use a bayonet?
Irene heard Tigris’ words and the blacksmith’s words overlapped.
Irene bit her lips.
Even though there was no need to try to touch the scar that was deeply entrenched in his heart, looking at the man’s megalithic eyes made me want to speak.
Irene’s eyes changed.
It was a look she hadn’t shown her mother since that day.
It was the devilish eyes of a man whose heart was rotting with revenge.
“Former heir to the Welf family… No, he will become Count Welf.”
House of Count Welf.
A person who inherits the lineage of a family whose everything was destroyed by the ‘blood demon crisis’ two years ago.
It was Irene de Welf.
She planned to kill the blood demon who killed her father and brother, and to rebuild the broken family with this single sword.