I Became a Swordsmanship Instructor in a Romance Novel

Meanwhile, an odd tension filled the training grounds of the Ramielli Academy in Zeke’s absence.

“What are you looking at? As if you’re any better.”

“Hmph, for your information, I didn’t see anything.”

Selena and Iriel, forced to face each other in the same class, exchanged barbs.

“That’s not how you do it.”

“What do you know? Zeke said I’m doing it right. Shouldn’t you worry about yourself?”

“Hmm, so you’re saying Instructor secretly taught only me…?”

Selena and Iriel were never on good terms to begin with.

No, it was beyond just disliking each other; the two princesses downright loathed one another.

However, Zeke’s presence and the events that had entangled them had slightly softened their animosity.

They had even reached a point of begrudging acknowledgment.

But with Zeke temporarily away from the academy on personal matters, and to make matters worse, with Soi Spoon, the bridge between them, also gone, the two had reverted to their old, frosty relationship as if nothing had changed.

As the relationship between the two princesses soured, the swordsmanship class at Ramielli Academy gradually split into three factions.

With Zeke Clayman, who could embrace and teach all the transferred students, absent, the mantle of instruction fell upon the four students who had previously learned under him.

However, Yuri had no interest in such matters.

There was the pro-Yohaiden faction, led by Selena.

The pro-Eustia faction, following Iriel.

And the pro-Rosnante faction, loyal to the Empire, rather than the two princesses.

At first glance, it seemed like almost all the students had chosen between Selena and Iriel.

However, it was Rosnante who surprisingly drew the largest number of students.

Firstly, since the majority of the transferred students were male, they felt less resistant to a prince being above them compared to a princess.

Secondly, it was due to Yuri Gilbert’s presence.

The mock battle between Yuri Gilbert and Selena Yohaaden on the first day had left all the students in awe.

They couldn’t believe their eyes.

Every time Selena swung her sword, a heavy, booming sound, unlike anything they’d expect from a wooden sword, would rip through the air.

And Yuri Gilbert effortlessly blocked and evaded Selena’s attacks.

The victor of the match was, of course, Yuri Gilbert.

To those who witnessed the spar, Selena’s swordsmanship felt like an unattainable display of power, while Yuri’s pursuit of ultimate efficiency seemed more grounded in reality.

The fact that she even achieved victory with such unassuming swordsmanship made it no surprise that many admired her.

Yuri didn’t choose either Selena or Iriel when the swordsmanship class began to split into factions.

This naturally led many to believe that Yuri Gilbert had chosen Rosnante.

And since Rosnante didn’t deny it, those who admired Yuri Gilbert chose to follow the Second Prince.

And so, in the present.

Rosnante’s imperial faction had become the largest.

At the center, Rosnante stood with his arms crossed and a solemn expression, while the group that followed him gathered around, chattering excitedly.

In particular, the son of a count, who had previously faced Rosnante in a mock battle, was snorting beside him.

After that spar, he had apologized to Rosnante once again, pledged his allegiance, and sworn loyalty.

“Your Highness Rosnante! How long must we endure this!?”

“That’s right! Your Highness! We cannot just stand by and watch those Yohaiden and Eustia factions act so smug!”

“I understand that the ducal families are formidable, but they are not more precious than the Empire’s blue blood! The authority of the imperial family is paramount, how can they be so disrespectful!?”

They were young, with their youthful blood boiling with passion.

Divided into three factions, they couldn’t help but compare their achievements and compete.

Since Zeke’s hellish training had been passed down to them, there wasn’t a single student who hadn’t shed tears, no matter how harsh their previous training regimens.

However, seeing a princess and a prince, the same age as them, leading the training from the front, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and desperately follow suit.

As they went through such hardship and tempered their bodies, it was only natural for them to develop a competitive spirit and compare themselves to others.

“Your Highness Rosnante! I sensed it! Earlier, Selena Yohaiden and Iriel were looking at you as if you were pathetic!”

“Your Highness! Do you know what those Eustia faction fools said earlier!? They said Your Highness is the weakest!”

“…How dare they! Your Highness has yet to reveal his true abilities! Your Highness! Isn’t it time for you to step forward with your true power? Show the world your true potential!”

The count’s son was still fuming, as if his anger hadn’t subsided.

However, Rosnante shook his head with a solemn expression.

“…That is not possible. As a prince who bears the noble blood of the emperor, how can I point a sword, even a wooden one, at a duke’s daughter? They are also my people.”

“…Ugh.”

The count’s son bit his lip and trembled, seemingly frustrated.

Rosnante maintained his stoic expression, but inwardly, he was sweating profusely, his armpits getting clammy.

‘Yeah, well… It’s true that I’m the weakest…’

Unlike the other children who had undergone the mana awakening procedure, Rosnante still couldn’t control mana.

He was told that due to his constitution, his mana road was “premature,” and to fix it, he needed to gather 40 mana stones.

Fortunately, with the First Prince’s downfall, the 20 mana stones he owed were no longer an issue.

However, he still needed 40 more.

As a prince, he couldn’t get a part-time job at a random shop, nor could he rely on loans.

The only option left was to borrow money from those around him, but…

Now that people were starting to gather around him again, he couldn’t bear to show them his pathetic financial situation.

So, he had no choice but to save money by cutting down on his expenses and luxuries, in addition to his monthly allowance from the Imperial Palace.

Thanks to that, he earned a good reputation among the group that had begun to follow him again.

They praised him for his transformation, saying that he valued frugality over extravagance and humility over authority, showing the qualities of a wise ruler…

But Rosnante couldn’t feel any more uncomfortable.

‘Ugh… Why did I say such nonsense…’

He still felt awkward around Zeke Clayman, and there were times he wished Zeke would just disappear.

But he had never wished for a swordsmanship instructor as much as he did now.

On the first day these students transferred, after Selena and Yuri’s spar, quite a few of them flocked to him.

─ Your Highness, were you also hiding such power!?

─ As expected, you must have lost in the mock battle due to some cowardly trick, unable to show your true skills!

─ It’s only natural in the art of war to be most wary of the most dangerous person.

At their questions, Rosnante couldn’t bring himself to deny it out of pride.

─ O-Of course! However, Instructor Zeke warned me. He said I shouldn’t fight anyone seriously unless it’s to protect something truly precious.

─ Ohhh…

─ He said that when I unleash my true power, something truly irreversible will happen…

─ Ohhh! So that’s why Yuri Gilbert, who is stronger than Selena and Iriel… chose Your Highness instead of them!

In reality, Yuri had no interest in such factional struggles and was only interested in Zeke, which was why she didn’t join any side.

However, in the eyes of the other students, it was more than enough to believe that Yuri Gilbert had chosen Rosnante.

─ Th-That’s right! That’s it! Yuri Gilbert is a talented child, but she’s nothing compared to me… In fact, I gave her some advice on swordsmanship a few times.

Rosnante’s lie spread among the students, snowballing with each retelling as it gained momentum.

His followers gradually began to worship him not as a fellow student, but as a deified being.

Rumors spread like wildfire: that Zeke Clayman had recognized Rosnante’s talent from the beginning and fought him seriously in the first demonstration class;

that Rosnante had declared his support for Rosnante at the Eustia banquet in front of everyone;

that it was Rosnante’s wisdom that cleared Zeke Clayman and Yuri Gilbert’s names in the midterm mock battle.

10% truth mixed with 90% lies created a convincing narrative.

Among them, it was already an established truth that Rosnante’s strength was on par with or even surpassed Zeke Clayman’s.

“In that case, why not have Yuri Gilbert teach Yohaiden and Eustia a lesson!? Since Your Highness cleared Yuri Gilbert’s name, surely she wouldn’t refuse such a small request!”

“Ohhh—”

The students’ eyes sparkled with admiration as they voiced their agreement with the count’s son’s suggestion.

‘Damn it, I haven’t even spoken ten words to Yuri Gilbert!!!’

Rosnante wanted to refuse, but the words wouldn’t leave his throat.

“Oh! Look, it’s Yuri Gilbert! Your Highness, should I call her over?”

“N-No. I’ll, I’ll go talk to her.”

With that, Rosnante abruptly turned towards Yuri.

He squeezed his eyes shut.

“Y-Yuri Gilbert…”

Step by step.

Rosnante approached Yuri Gilbert, calling her name.

Yuri Gilbert turned her head, her expression blank.

Rosnante swallowed nervously.

“Um… By any chance… C-Could you… spar with Selena and Iriel…?”

Rosnante asked cautiously, his voice barely above a whisper.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Wh… What!?”