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“The test time is 5 minutes per person. Only wooden swords are allowed, and targeting vital points is prohibited. Even accidental attacks will result in immediate disqualification, so be careful.”

Explaining this to the first-year students gathered in the duel arena was the silver-haired princess, Bella Izakhel. Dressed in a pure white martial arts uniform, she exuded an air of nobility.

“Wow… Princess Bella is always so beautiful.”

Sia Riumin, Wendy’s classmate, muttered beside her.

“Right. Princess Bella is truly stunning…”

“She’s the epitome of a noble lady. Even in a martial arts uniform, her beauty remains unmatched.”

Wendy and Rachel nodded in agreement with Sia’s words.

“Hmm. Personally, I think she’d look great in something more revealing.”

“What are you talking about, Rachel? The princess would never wear something like that. She’d probably think it’s vulgar.”

“Ah, you’re right… I wasn’t thinking.”

“Ah… Today is the last day we’ll see the princess at school.”

Sia sighed with regret.

For the first-year students, today’s practical evaluation for the basic swordsmanship special lecture was essentially their final exam. Bella, who had been invited as a guest lecturer, had no reason to stay at the school once the lecture was over.

For the first-year students, being able to attend Bella Izakhel’s lecture in person was a stroke of luck.

Bella Izakhel, the daughter of the prestigious Izakhel Duke Family, known for producing heroes, was not only beautiful but also had a reputation for her kind personality, treating everyone equally regardless of status or background.

For Sia and the other first-year students at Meikhael University, this semester, where they could receive direct instruction from Bella, was an irreplaceable time.

“For this practical evaluation, as previously announced, physical enhancement and imbuing weapons with magic power are allowed. However, physical magic or direct attacks are not permitted. This is a swordsmanship class, so we must maintain some basic principles. During the given 5 minutes, I will evaluate your swordsmanship skills. Even though this is a test and you’re not using real swords, please treat it as seriously as a real duel.”

Myohail, who had transformed into Wendy’s hairpin, reacted to Bella’s explanation.

‘If you use magic freely, it won’t even take 5 minutes. Hehe…’

‘Th-that’s not allowed, Master. It’s against the rules…’

‘That’s only if you get caught. If you don’t get caught, it’s fine, right?’

Wendy was sweating bullets as Myohail’s words echoed in her mind through telepathy.

‘No… That’s cheating. And I can’t deceive the princess…’

‘You’re not deceiving the princess. Didn’t you hear her say to treat it like a real duel? That means any trick that doesn’t get caught is allowed.’

‘B-but a trick that doesn’t get caught is still a trick!’

‘What are you talking about? A trick that doesn’t get caught is just skill.’

‘No! I won’t use any tricks! I’ll take the test fairly…!’

‘Hehe… You’re so naive…’

Myohail clicked his tongue at Wendy’s response.

‘Student, real battles are full of tricks and dirty tactics. Do you think such naivety will work on the battlefield?’

‘I’m not being naive…’

‘Hey! With that weak mindset, how do you expect to follow the Count to the northern expedition?!’

‘Ugh… But this is just a test…’

Wendy bowed her head at Myohail’s scolding.

It hurt her heart, but it was a necessary step.

Myohail had been a companion of Grace, the first-generation hero. Having witnessed the hero’s journey up close, he knew how tough the job of a hero could be.

Even the cheerful and bold Grace couldn’t escape the pressure of the hero’s responsibilities and the expectations of many people.

Moreover, Wendy, the promising hero of this generation, was a timid girl. She was too fragile to walk the perilous path of a hero alone.

This northern expedition was no different. As long as Myohail was there as her protector, Wendy would be safe, but he also knew that this wasn’t what would make Wendy truly happy.

Myohail believed that the best thing for Wendy was to become independent as a hero. That’s why he had taken her as his disciple and kept her by his side—all for her future.

That’s why Myohail spoke in a stern voice.

‘Straighten your shoulders, student.’

‘Yes…’

‘I think it’s fortunate. Since the princess said to treat it like a real duel, we can see if our student can handle herself in the north.’

‘Master…?’

‘War is like that. There’s no such thing as chivalry. The one who survives is the true winner. Personally, I hope our student doesn’t hold back in this test.’

‘……’

Wendy couldn’t answer immediately because she understood Myohail’s intentions.

After a moment of thought, Wendy spoke.

‘Y-you’re right, Master. If I’m not confident, maybe using tricks would be better… A hero must always fight against evil and win…’

‘That’s right.’

‘But…’

‘Hmm?’

‘I… I have my own way. I’ll do my best… In a way that I won’t be ashamed of…!’

‘……’

Wendy carefully touched the hairpin that Myohail had transformed into.

As if to say everything would be fine.

‘I want to fight my own way. A victory gained through other means is no different from a loss to me. So… Please, Master, just believe in me a little…!’

‘Hehe…’

‘Huh?’

‘Fine. I understand. Maybe this old man has been too meddlesome. Hehe…’

‘Yes?’

Suddenly, Myohail burst into a hearty laugh.

Wendy’s words reminded him of what Grace, the first-generation hero, had said long ago.

‘Student, you are a hero, no matter what anyone says.’

‘W-what do you mean…?’

‘Your own way… It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that. Even if you’re not a confident hero yet, so what? Go ahead and do as you wish. This master… Sage Myohail will watch over you.’

‘Yes?! Yes! I’ll do my best!’

‘Good, good. You’re a good kid.’

While the two were conversing through telepathy, Bella finished her explanation.

“Your duel partner can be someone you get along with or someone you nominate. However, the evaluation criteria will be based solely on your ‘swordsmanship’ skills, regardless of win or loss. Since this is a basic swordsmanship special lecture, how well you handle the sword will be the main focus, so keep that in mind.”

“Yes.”

“Then, let’s start with the teams that already have partners. Please raise your hand if you’re ready to take the test.”

At Bella’s words, hands began to rise one by one around the room.

Then, Sia suddenly spoke up.

“Wendy, do you want to duel with me?”

“Huh?”

“Ah! I was going to ask first!”

“Haha… In these situations, the early bird gets the worm.”

“Ugh!”

Sia seemed delighted as she watched Rachel stomp her feet in frustration. It seemed that among friends, Sia had asked Wendy first.

Normally, Wendy would have gladly accepted Sia’s offer.

It was much better to duel with someone you knew rather than a stranger, as it wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.

But Wendy shook her head.

“I-I’m sorry. There’s someone I really wanted to duel with…”

“Huh?”

Wendy quietly looked at her ‘opponent.’

‘Hmm?’

Myohail was the first to notice who Wendy was looking at.

‘Student… You can’t be serious…!’

Once he realized who the ‘opponent’ was, he was stunned. But soon, he couldn’t help but admire her.

Wendy had the expression of a hero trying to overcome a great wall.

‘Heh… What a bold kid…!’

*

‘Hmm… Martin’s posture is incorrect, and Woody is holding the sword wrong. Both of you lose 20 points.’

As she watched the students duel, Bella was scoring each one.

No one could escape her cold, precise evaluation as a sword master.

“Time’s up. Good job, both of you.”

“Th-thank you!”

“I was so nervous in front of the princess.”

“Haha… Really?”

Bella smiled and brushed her hair aside, causing the male students to gasp. Her beauty was always radiant, but when she smiled, it was particularly devastating.

“Gasp…”

“Alright, let’s move on.”

The male students, completely captivated by Bella’s charm, returned to their seats in a daze. They probably didn’t realize that she had given them near-failing grades while smiling like a saint.

‘Hmm… As expected, the level is disappointing.’

As the successor of the Izakhel Style, Bella was uncompromising when it came to evaluating swordsmanship.

As the saying goes, you see what you know. Having reached the level of a master, she was strict even with herself, never giving herself a perfect score.

So, the skills of the newly enrolled students were inevitably lacking in her eyes.

That’s not to say she was dissatisfied with their abilities.

Some students showed potential despite their current shortcomings.

Moreover, not all students taking this class were destined to become swordsmen, and this was, after all, a ‘basic’ swordsmanship special lecture. It was just the first step in learning the basics.

There’s no reason to scold a baby for not being able to run.

Bella understood that this was just a one-semester special lecture, so she had no intention of failing anyone.

But her pride in swordsmanship wouldn’t allow her to give lenient scores, so she unconsciously gave harsh grades.

“Alright, who’s next?”

“Us!”

“I’ll go! I want to go first in front of the princess!”

At Bella’s question, students who were unaware of the grades they would receive raised their hands one after another.

But among the crowd, one student caught Bella’s eye.

A small, delicate girl who looked like she needed protection. Without intending to call her out, Bella absentmindedly muttered her name.

“Wendy… student?”

Wendy, with her twin tails, was raising her hand among the students.

Only then did the other students notice her.

From what Bella had heard, Wendy was a notable student at the school.

She had the impressive title of the youngest top student, and her fragile appearance made her stand out. Some students even thought she was a noble lady from a distant country.

But in reality, Wendy was the exclusive maid of the school’s chairman, Tristan. In other words, she was a commoner.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, Bella and Tristan had kept this fact hidden.

And now, Wendy was raising her hand in front of Bella.

“Wendy, do you have a duel partner?”

Since things had come to this, Bella decided to call on Wendy next.

Of course, she had no intention of giving her any special treatment just because they were close.

“W-well…”

Wendy herself was hesitating, fidgeting.

“Wendy? You need to nominate a duel partner.”

Wendy’s large eyes were trembling.

The image of Bella reflected in her eyes was also shaking.

“Princess…! I-I’m really sorry, but…”

“Yes?”

“Please… I have a request…!”

Finally gathering her courage, Wendy spoke in a clear voice.

“Please… be my duel partner!”

It was a challenge to Bella.

 

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