The Academy’s Hard-Headed Swordmaster

A week had passed since the Academy officially started the semester.

It was a time when most students were adapting to the Academy, making friends, and building camaraderie… but there were still some students who hadn’t adjusted.

Mostly, these were the talented commoners.

No matter how talented they were, they couldn’t catch up to the other nobles’ skills in just a week—and thus, the commoners were scorned and envied.

Some nobles even argued that a separate, inferior class should be created for the commoners, as their slower progress hindered the overall pace of the classes.

Of course, such an opinion would never be accepted in an academy that valued equality—but even in such an academy, the nobles’ disdain for commoners couldn’t be stopped.

Liber was one of those scorned students.

“Damn it, damn it—damn it, damn it….”

Liber, a commoner who had caught the eye of a passing knight and received a recommendation to the Academy, had passed the entrance exam—but contrary to his expectations, Academy life was extremely difficult.

While no student directly bullied him within the Academy, almost all of them ignored him because he was a commoner.

The human heart is so sensitive that even without direct harassment, one can still feel significant distress.

“Fuck—!”

‘Thwack!’

Liber kicked the lamppost next to the bench.

The lamppost remained perfectly still, and only his foot ached—but Liber, unable to contain his rage, continued to curse.

“Fuck, fuuuck… you bastards… what did I do wrong…?”

He had talent.

He was lucky enough to meet a noble person and enter the Academy.

He thought a brilliant future awaited him.

It wasn’t.

That discrepancy tormented Liber.

He wanted to escape this pain immediately. He knew exactly how to do it.

He just needed to grow stronger.

He needed to catch up to the other students, and surpass them.

If he did, the nobles who ignored him would extend their hands as if nothing had happened.

Because nobles were the type to smile and offer flowers today, even if they were snarling yesterday, as long as it benefited them.

‘But how? How am I supposed to do that?’

However, if he had such overwhelming talent, Liber wouldn’t be suffering so much. He had just enough talent to be called a genius.

And geniuses were the most common sight at the Academy.

“Fucking hell….”

“Who’s there?”

Liber, sitting alone on the bench and cursing, flinched and turned his head towards the voice.

Someone was approaching him from the darkness where the lamplight didn’t reach.

Slightly afraid, wondering if it was a dormitory prefect or an Academy instructor, Liber trembled as he waited for the man in the darkness to approach.

A moment later, Liber breathed a sigh of relief as the man emerged from the darkness.

It was a second-year senior from the Knight Department.

Still a figure to be feared, but not as much as an instructor or professor.

“What are you doing here alone?”

“…Nothing, senior.”

“Really? You look troubled.”

Saying so, the senior chuckled and sat down next to Liber. Liber flinched as the senior, a figure of authority, sat next to him, but the senior waved his hand dismissively, calming him down.

“Having trouble keeping up with classes?”

“…….”

“You were the most brilliant genius in your village, but here you’re just another student, so your pride is hurt?”

“How did you…?”

Liber looked at the senior with surprised eyes. The senior grinned and explained.

“Because I was the same. I’m Damian Lotus, second year.”

“Ah, I’m Liber. Senior Damian.”

“What’s troubling you is… the Aura, isn’t it?”

Damian began to deduce Liber’s worries as if he had experienced the same thing.

Surprisingly, as he accurately pinpointed the problem Liber was facing, Liber blinked his eyes wide.

“Yes. Aura. When I first learned about it, I racked my brains trying to figure out how to grasp it.”

“…Even though you were a noble, senior?”

“Ah, a noble in name only. No fancy breathing techniques, no family support.”

Scratching his cheek, Damian confessed his circumstances.

He talked about how he had to hunt in the mountains behind his house because there was nothing to eat when he was young.

He mentioned how unsightly it was to see his family clinging to expensive ornaments when they were practically broke.

Realizing that even nobles had their own hardships, Liber began to let down his guard.

Seeing this, Damian cautiously opened his mouth.

“—What if there was a way to solve that problem?”

“A way to solve the problem…?”

“I’m asking, what if there was a way to easily grasp Aura?”

Saying so, Damian reached into his pocket. He then pulled out a small glass bottle.

Inside, there was something that looked like a red fruit.

Liber had never seen anything so red in his life.

A crimson fruit, as if made from congealed human blood. Liber couldn’t take his eyes off it.

Watching him, Damian smiled.

“This fruit allows you to feel Aura.”

“S-Such a fruit exists?”

“Yes.”

“Then… then why don’t the nobles use it…?”

“It’s extremely rare. Very.”

A fruit that even Damian, a noble, albeit a fallen one, called expensive—Liber couldn’t even imagine its worth.

‘Pop’

Damian opened the lid of the glass bottle containing the fruit and placed it on Liber’s hand.

“Eat it.”

“Y-Yes? But, you said it was extremely rare?”

“Yes, it is. I don’t have many. But… no matter how precious something is, it should be used by someone who needs it.”

Hearing his words, Liber gulped and looked at the fruit in his hand. If he ate this, just ate it—he could feel Aura.

“……Why?”

“Hmm?”

“Why are you being so kind to me, someone you just met?”

However, he didn’t immediately put it in his mouth. He wasn’t very knowledgeable, but he wasn’t stupid either. He knew there was no reason for a stranger to be kind to him and give him this precious fruit.

“Does one need a reason to help someone in need?”

“Even so—”

“Ah, of course, it’s not free.”

“…I don’t have any money.”

“I’m not asking for money.”

However.

“Someday, you too, help someone in need like this. That’s the price I want.”

Liber was in too much distress to find anything strange about the nobility and chivalry Damian was displaying.

Touched by Damian’s noblesse oblige, a concept he had never even imagined—using what he had without reservation for the weak—Liber shed tears as he popped the fruit into his mouth.

A moment later, Liber shuddered as he felt the Aura filling his body.

“T-This is…?”

“Congratulations. You’re an Aura User now.”

Damian’s lips curved into a smile as he spoke.

Seeing that smile, Liber vowed to dedicate everything to this senior, to live like him.

***

“Hey, Arthur. Got anything after class today?”

“Huh? No. Why?”

“Let’s go shopping.”

After some time had passed since entering the Academy, the students began to make friends with like-minded individuals.

Here, “like-minded” usually meant having a good family background and excellent skills.

Since I had both a good family and even better skills, I could have easily become friends with those kids, but I mostly hung out with Arthur.

The other nobles didn’t approve of me associating with a commoner… but I didn’t care.

More than anything.

‘He’s the only one on my level.’

In terms of skill, and looks.

Among the first-year students in the Knight Department, only three could somewhat handle my swordsmanship: Hundred, Arthur, and another student whose name I couldn’t remember.

The one whose name I couldn’t remember was already hanging around with those snobby nobles, and Hundred was a jerk—so Arthur was the only one left.

Fortunately, Arthur didn’t seem to mind hanging out with me.

Although he cringed every time I made a gay joke.

“Why? Anything you want to buy?”

“Desserts.”

“Desserts?”

“Yeah, someone asked me to buy them… and I’m too embarrassed to go alone.”

“Taking care of your fiancée? You’re such a romantic.”

It was actually a gift for another girl, but I nodded.

Arthur nodded understandingly.

So, after class, Arthur and I headed out of the Academy.

Dairoth Academy consisted of the main building, accessible only to students, instructors, and professors, and the Academy grounds surrounding it.

Just one step outside the Academy, numerous shops built for the students tempted them with their wares. Dessert shops were among them.

Arriving in front of the dessert shop, Arthur hesitated for a moment at the entrance.

“But, Kyle. I don’t have any money…”

“Did you think I’d make you pay after I dragged you here? I’ll buy them for you, dummy.”

“Really?”

Smiling brightly at the offer of free desserts, Arthur immediately went inside.

The shop was filled with countless female students who had rushed straight from class.

I realized for the first time today that there were so many girls in the Academy.

There were a few female students in the Knight Department, but since they were usually the only girl in a group, I mostly kept my distance.

“Whoa…”

“What, you’ve never been to a place like this?”

“Yep! First time!”

“Ah, right, you’re a commoner.”

Chuckling at Arthur’s exaggerated gasp of wonder at the sight of the dessert shop, I went straight to the counter and paid for the cakes.

Arthur tried to order a bunch of different cakes, saying he wanted to try everything, but since my goal was to visit every cake shop in the Academy grounds today, I only bought him one.

“Thanks for the treat.”

“Sure.”

Arthur devoured the cake in an instant and even managed to snatch half of the one I ordered.

I sighed and stood up, and Arthur followed after licking the cream off his lips.

We went around, determined to conquer every dessert shop in the Academy grounds.

We skipped a few shops that were too crowded, promising to return later, but we still managed to conquer dozens of cakes.

“Ugh, I’m full.”

“I’m still a little hungry…”

“What?”

While trying to suppress the feeling of nausea from all the sweets, we were heading back to the Academy when Arthur glanced down a side street.

I followed his gaze and spotted someone stumbling down the alley.

“That’s…”

“Why? Who is it?”

“…He’s in our class. Liber.”

“Ah, was there such a kid?”

When I tilted my head and asked, Arthur looked at me as if I was serious.

Shrugging, Arthur began to explain what he knew about Liber.

“He’s the kid who suddenly got a lot stronger recently. Everyone’s wondering how he improved so much in such a short time.”

“Must be a genius.”

“…He got stronger at a speed that can’t be explained by simple talent. He’s probably hiding something.”

“Like, drugs or something?”

I said it because the way he was stumbling around the back alley reminded me of a drug addict, but Arthur, as if reminded of something by my words, immediately followed Liber down the alley.

Scratching the back of my head as I watched Arthur take the lead without a word, I sighed and followed him.

We secretly trailed Liber, who seemed overly conscious of his surroundings as he slipped through the alleys.

He didn’t go far before meeting a woman who looked like a prostitute.

“Sir Knight.”

“Haa, haa—”

“Come here.”

Liber and the prostitute exchanged a passionate kiss.

Arthur gaped, witnessing the explicit sounds and sight.

Realizing why Liber had been so conscious of his surroundings and snuck into the back alley, I looked at Arthur and said,

“He was hiding something, alright.”

“…Yeah.”

Having realized it was nothing special, we left the back alley and headed back to the Academy. Figures.

Even if my memory isn’t the best, I still remember who the first enemy to attack the Academy is.

It was definitely that guy, Dezawa or Demiglace or whatever. Not Liber.

‘I’m not an idiot, I wouldn’t mix that up.’

I had, after all, seen the first ending of Dairus Academy.

I knew the general outline of how this world worked.

***

Liber pushed away the prostitute who had suddenly kissed him and shouted.

“Haa, haa—What was that all of a sudden…?”

“…They seem to be gone.”

The prostitute wiped her lips and glared at Liber. Realizing the meaning of her words, Liber flinched and looked at her.

“N-No! I brought them!”

“They did seem to be following you… well, since they left, they might have been your friends.”

“I don’t have any…”

“Oh my, making friends is very important, you know?”

“S-Shut up! Don’t lecture me!”

Yelling, Liber trembled as he reached out to the prostitute.

“G-Give… give me… the drug… the drug…”

“It’s not a drug, it’s a fruit. The Fruit of Life. Scarlet.”

“It’s the same thing, so hurry…”

The prostitute grinned and pulled out a glass bottle from between her cleavage.

Inside were several Scarlet fruits, each the size of a seed.

Seeing the Scarlet, Liber’s eyes rolled back as he tried to snatch it from the prostitute, but she didn’t let him take it so easily.

Watching Liber panting and craving the Scarlet, the prostitute smirked.

“Did you do everything you were told?”

“I-I did. I did it, so…”

“Good. If you’ve been a good boy, you deserve a reward.”

‘Pop’
The prostitute opened the lid and handed Liber a Scarlet fruit. Liber immediately put it in his mouth and shuddered in ecstasy.

The life energy filling his body.

He couldn’t live without it now.

Looking at Liber intoxicated by the Scarlet, the prostitute judged him to be a truly pathetic man. To fall like this in just a few days?

‘Well, it doesn’t matter to us.’

She didn’t care whether a mere commoner student was ruined or not.

The important thing was achieving the great cause.