Gelliver lay unconscious, having collapsed from a single blow.
Just one strike.
With a single attack, the second-ranked first-year student had been defeated.
“How… how did that happen…?”
Blanca turned to Demian, bewildered. Demian shrugged and replied, “Didn’t I tell you? He’s a genius.”
“Then why did the Fortina Marquisate leave him to his own devices…?”
Oliver Fortina had been all but abandoned by his family due to his perceived lack of talent.
“He was learning a sword technique that didn’t suit him.”
The Fortina family’s swordsmanship was an illusionary style, designed to deceive opponents with flashy movements.
But Oliver had no talent for illusionary swordplay. Instead, he possessed an uncanny aptitude for swift sword techniques.
Even his physique was perfectly suited for it. Once Demian taught him a few swift techniques, Oliver’s skills improved rapidly.
A mere trainee had quickly reached the level of a junior knight.
“Then why was he so scared earlier?”
“Well…” Demian clicked his tongue. “He’s a coward. No matter what, that personality of his just won’t change.”
“What a pity…”
As the two conversed, Oliver descended from the training platform, a mix of relief and exhilaration on his face.
“See, what did I tell you? You could win…”
“Teacher! I won! I really won!”
The moment Oliver saw Demian, he shouted excitedly.
“I beat that wretched brother of mine… that despicable man! I… I really won…!”
Tears welled up in Oliver’s eyes, and he wiped them away with his sleeve as he began to sob.
Demian, who had been about to scold him, changed his mind. He patted Oliver on the back and said, “Yes, you won.”
In front of Demian, Oliver continued to wipe away his tears for quite some time.
After the tests were over, Demian faced Class 13 in the classroom.
“Well done, everyone.”
At Demian’s words, the entire class looked bewildered. They had never received praise from him before.
All they had ever gotten were insults, beatings, and threats.
“The tests are over as of today. The results aren’t out yet, but it’s certain our class will rank high.”
When Demian first took charge of Class 13, he had his doubts.
But the students had a fierce determination. They performed far better than he had expected.
“You all kept your promise to me admirably. From now on, I won’t interfere with you anymore.”
Despite Demian’s declaration of freedom, the students hesitated, unsure whether to believe him.
“I’m not joking. From tomorrow, you can do as you please.”
When Demian reiterated, the students’ eyes widened. Soon, they were hugging each other and cheering.
“Finally, we’re free! Free at last!”
“No more of that hellish training!”
“We’re free from that devil of a man!”
Demian furrowed his brow at their cheers. These kids really had no filter.
But he merely chuckled, deciding to let them have this moment. It was only fair as their teacher.
“I can’t stay here any longer!”
“I’m leaving first!”
“Me too!”
Class 13 was about to bolt from the classroom when Demian raised his voice.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
The students turned to him, startled.
“But… you said you wouldn’t interfere…”
“I said from tomorrow. Not today.”
At Demian’s words, their faces fell.
“So, does that mean we have to train today?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Do we have to practice the imperial sword technique again?”
“Not that either.”
Demian grinned. “I’ve rented out an entire restaurant in the city. Today, I’m treating you all. Eat to your heart’s content; it’s on me.”
The entire class erupted in cheers.
“I’ll even buy you drinks.”
Their cheers grew even louder.
Blanca Roche, the captain of the White Blood Knights, walked down a quiet corridor.
Usually bustling with students, it was silent today. Everyone had gone out to celebrate the end of exams.
Blanca stopped in front of the infirmary. She knocked lightly before entering.
Inside were her son, Gael, and the school nurse, Miriam.
“Mother!”
Gael exclaimed with a delighted expression, though he couldn’t rise from his bed.
His body was riddled with IV needles.
Translucent tubes connected to the needles, administering an unknown medication to Gael.
“Just a little longer! Once the treatment is over… ugh…”
Gael’s face contorted in pain. The potent medication was taking its toll.
“Ugh… ugh…”
As Gael’s groans grew longer, Blanca’s expression twisted with concern. She clenched her fists unconsciously, her nails digging into her palms, but she didn’t notice.
“Gael, I’ll remove the needles now.”
Miriam carefully extracted the needles from Gael’s body. His expression gradually relaxed.
“Ah… ahaha… I feel a bit better now.”
Gael managed a weak smile, his body drenched in cold sweat.
Blanca approached him, gently stroking his hair. “Gael, you did well today.”
“It was nothing.”
Blanca smiled, gazing at him for a long moment.
“Ah-choo.”
Suddenly, Gael began to cough.
“Ah-choo, ah-choo.”
With each cough, blood trickled from his mouth. Blanca looked at Miriam in alarm.
“Miriam! Gael is…!”
“Just a moment.”
Miriam hurried over to examine Gael.
She retrieved some medicine from her pocket and gave it to him. Gael soon fell into a deep sleep.
“Phew… that was close.”
Miriam sighed in relief. Blanca, her face pale, held Gael’s hand tightly.
“Blanca, Gael’s adverse reaction to the medication is worsening.”
Gael was suffering from the Ten-Day Thirst, a terminal illness that dried up muscles and fluids, leading to death.
His condition was already in the final stages. Without daily medication, his life was at risk.
“Then what should we do…?”
Blanca looked at Miriam with a desperate expression. Miriam shook her head.
“Blanca, you know there’s only one thing you can do.”
“But… that… anything but that…”
“It’s time to prepare yourself.”
Despair washed over Blanca’s face. She buried her face in her hands.
”…I’ll decide by tomorrow.”
In that brief moment, her voice had become completely hoarse.
The next morning, Demian received a peculiar package.
“What is this?”
He examined the package from all angles. The sender was marked with the words “Sword Saint.”
“What did he send?”
Demian opened the package to find a box densely engraved with magical runes.
He opened the box to reveal a glowing red gem fragment.
A note beneath the gem read:
“Ah-choo.”
The sight of it made Demian choke.
“Is he out of his mind?”
He never imagined someone would send such a precious item as a Dragon Heart Fragment through the mail.
“This is a Dragon Heart Fragment?”
If he hadn’t known better, he might have mistaken it for a mere jewel, given its beautiful surface.
What was even more peculiar was that it emitted no magical energy at first glance.
“Is it specially processed?”
Demian picked up the fragment. Instantly, a powerful heartbeat resonated through his entire body.
”…!”
Astonishingly, the Dragon Heart Fragment was alive, pulsating with life.
The overwhelming vitality left Demian in awe.
“Incredible.”
Though tempted to consume it immediately, he had other matters to attend to. Reluctantly, he stored the Dragon Heart Fragment in a pocket dimension.
He then prepared to head out.
Having fulfilled his promise to the headmaster, he planned to begin his search for Sla in earnest.
”…I wonder if any of them showed up.”
He suddenly thought of Class 13.
The previous night, they had partied at the restaurant Demian rented, eating, drinking, and celebrating until they returned to the dormitory.
On the off chance that any students had shown up, Demian headed to Class 13.
“Not a single one.”
But contrary to his hopes, not a single student was present.
“When I said I wouldn’t interfere, they really took it to heart.”
Demian muttered, half-amused.
He couldn’t blame them. He had driven them hard over the past week, like a demon.
“Still, I thought Oliver and Penelope might show up.”
Those two had taken their first steps as knights thanks to Demian.
He had hoped they might have discovered the joy of learning, setting them apart from the others.
“Anyway, they’re as transparent as they come.”
If he wanted, he could have rounded up Class 13 right then and there.
Damian still had strands of their hair. With those, he could easily use dark magic to track them down.
But he had no intention of doing so. Class 13 had fulfilled their end of the bargain with him.
“Time to get back to work with peace of mind,” he muttered, heading for the door.
Just then, the door swung open, and Blanca Roche walked in. Her eyes widened as she spotted Damian.
“Sir Damian, I’m glad I found you here.”
“What brings you here?” he asked, puzzled.
Blanca Roche fixed her gaze on him. “I have a message from Sla.”
She spoke in a low voice. “I have Oliver and Penelope. If you want to save them, you’ll need to comply with my demands from now on.”