A Failed Knight Who Went to the Academy To Get Married

003 The Preliminaries for Defeat

Lisbeth believed she was the strongest among the knight academy students.

It wasn’t arrogance.

After all, she hadn’t broken a sweat in any of the duels leading up to the finals.

It’s just that she didn’t particularly want to be the class president,

So she was willing to concede victory in the finals if her opponent desired it.

But watching that commoner fight had changed her mind.

‘Maybe he’s stronger than me.’

She had long noticed his dedication to the sword.

His skilled movements and the rough calluses on his hands were proof of that.

Above all, she felt a kinship with someone so devoted to the sword.

But to say his hand was injured and he couldn’t wield a sword,

That was obviously a blatant lie, wasn’t it?

“If you’re going to push yourself that far, I’ll force your talent out, even if it’s by coercion.”

Knowing it was somewhat underhanded, I provoked nonetheless…

“Come at me.”

At Traine’s quiet utterance, I swallowed dryly without realizing.

The commoner who had always seemed so listless and indifferent,

was now exuding an unusual aura of boldness.

“It seems I’ve touched a nerve.”

Rather than regret or fear, I felt an inexplicable joy.

To be able to fight such a formidable opponent, coming to the Academy was indeed the right choice.

Thus, with a smile that seemed to revel in the pleasure of the moment, Elizabeth raised her greatsword.

“Now, shall we who walk the path of the sword have a proper battle?”

Traine charged with his magic sword in hand,

and soon their blades clashed.

“Weren’t you unable to wield a sword?!”

“Magic swords are weightless!”

“Such a pathetic excuse!”

And so began the duel between the two swordsmen.

As their blades ferociously danced and clashed,

the surrounding students watched, dumbfounded, unable to look away.

“What, what is that? I can’t even see the sword…”

“Seems like they’re swinging five times a second?”

“Are they even human?”

Lizbeth was just as bewildered.

In the relentless downpour of sword strikes,

a moment’s vulnerability would mean defeat.

But soon, Lizbeth realized Train’s weakness.

“You can only use that magic sword for about a minute!”

“With my magic power, 10 seconds!”

“Then I’ll finish this in 10 seconds!”

“Who’s talking big now!”

Suddenly, Train took a large step back,

and flung the magic sword.

“That won’t work!”

Lizbeth calmly deflected the magic sword.

Then, pressing close into Train’s embrace,

she swung her great sword, certain of victory, but-

Someone among the spectators shouted,

“Watch your back!”

She didn’t need to be told; she had sensed it already.

The magic sword that had flown away was now changing direction in mid-air,

swooping towards Lizbeth’s back.

“How clumsy!”

With a large spin, Lizbeth forcefully parried the incoming sword.

The magic sword, controlled not by physical strength but by mental power,

was something she had naturally anticipated to come at her in such a manner.

This time, I’ve sent it flying far away; it will take some time to return.

“If a swordsman drops his sword, it’s over!”

Elisabeth turned around to strike at Train again, but,

For some reason, he was nowhere to be seen.

“Where-“

By the time she had figured out where he was hiding, it was too late.

Train, who had thrown himself to the ground, kicked up his feet,

Striking Elisabeth’s wrist with a thud.

“Ugh!”

Caught off guard by the surprise attack, Elisabeth nearly dropped her sword,

But she quickly regained her posture.

However, it was already the end.

The magic sword was now in Train’s grasp,

And its tip was pointed right at Elisabeth’s throat.

…Elisabeth, raising both hands, opened her mouth.

“I’ve lost—”

“It’s my defeat.”

Traine interrupted Lizbeth’s words and declared his defeat first.

“My magic has run out.”

And then, the magic sword in his hand vanished.

Lizbeth challenged Traine with disbelief.

“What are you talking about? You clearly won.”

“My magic was depleted before I could strike you.”

“Did you release it on purpose?”

“I’m telling you, I really ran out of magic!”

“Don’t make me laugh. You lied about the 10 seconds just to catch me off guard, didn’t you?”

“It’s not a lie!”

“Quiet! Anyway, if I lost, then it’s a loss!”

“I surrendered first!”

“Instructor! Please decide who won this match!”

In the end, Instructor Eloi put an end to their childish argument.

“Traine won.”

Eventually, Traine slumped to the ground, and Lizbeth cheered in triumph.

“Great job!”

Then, after a brief cough, she said to Traine,

“That was a good match.”

Traine glared at Lizbeth for a moment as he sat there,

but soon he sighed deeply and stood up.

“It was just luck.”

Then, some of the students around shouted,

“Right! It was just luck!”

“Lizbeth would never lose to a commoner like him on skill!”

“Honestly, that commoner won by playing dirty!”

Lizbeth, still holding Traine’s hand, declared loudly as if to show off,

“Is that so? The magic sword is quite a difficult high-level spell to master, isn’t it?”

With a furrowed brow, Train retorted.

“No, after five years of practice, is that spell all you’ve got—”

“Moreover, the way you handle the magic sword and martial arts is quite impressive.”

“That’s just because you let your guard down—”

“The audacity to completely lie down on the ground just to get out of my sight.”

Eventually, Train said with a slightly sickened expression.

“You really hate to lose, don’t you?”

To which, Lizbeth replied with a playful smile.

“Since you’ve beaten me, who hates to lose, that makes you quite remarkable.”

Lizbeth extended her hand to Train for a handshake.

“I acknowledge you.”

Train reluctantly grasped her hand with a bitter smile.

Then, Instructor Eloi clapped his hands in satisfaction,

and the students began to clap one by one, taking cues from each other.

Amidst the resounding applause, Lizbeth said.

“Please take care of me, class president.”

***

“Then, let’s proceed with the appointment ceremony for the class president!”

In the classroom, Instructor Eloi shouted to the students of the Knight Academy.

As Train sighed heavily and stepped forward,

Instructor Eloi pinned a small medal on his chest and said,

“You don’t seem too pleased? The position of class president of the Knight Academy is an honorable title not just anyone can hold.”

“If there’s anyone else willing to take over as president, I’ll gladly hand over the position.”

“Is that so? Then you won’t be needing this book?”

As Instructor Eloi pulled out a palm-sized book from his bosom,

Train’s eyes suddenly widened.

“A magic tome?!”

“I had intended to give it as a gift to the new president.”

Train reached out to snatch the magic tome,

But Instructor Eloi teasingly dodged his hand.

“If you want it, swear as the class president that you’ll fulfill your responsibilities.”

“…Could it be that this was your plan all along?”

“It’s just something I prepared in case, after seeing the reason you wrote for applying on your entrance application.”

When Train glared at Instructor Eloi with all his might,

Soon, she handed over the grimoire to Train with a playful smile.

“So, share your aspirations with everyone in your own words.”

“I don’t really want to talk about it.”

Then, Instructor Eloi suddenly shouted towards the students.

“Alright! If Train doesn’t speak up, I’ll give you all a ton of homework!”

Boos came from all around.

“How can there be such a thing!”

“Hey Train! Can’t you speak up right now?”

“Class president! Please!”

As Train stood there flustered,

Instructor Eloi gently smiled and placed her hand on his shoulder.

“You’ll be spending the next three years with these friends. At least let them know what kind of person you are.”

With resignation, Traine slowly turned around and shouted towards everyone.

“I have no interest in the honor or ambition of being a class president!”

The students began to jeer, but Traine ignored them and continued.

“I am here solely to marry one woman!”

…At that resolute answer, the students fell into a unanimous silence.

“She is under a curse. I’ve come to study the grimoire to break it.”

He muttered, staring intently at his injured palm.

“Currently, I’m a wreck who can’t wield a sword, but I will definitely find a way to save her.”

The truth was, Traine’s departure from Yuril’s side wasn’t because he had given up on her.

On the contrary, he left because he didn’t want to give up on her.

Being close to her, he feared his heart might falter due to her kindness.

…Traine glared at the students once more and said,

“So, please, I ask for your cooperation over the next three years!”

That statement was as good as a declaration for them to lose interest in him.

Prince Shiran, who had been quiet until now, suddenly picked a fight.

“A commoner who became class president, surpassing royalty and nobility? Quite audacious, aren’t you?”

“If it displeases you, Your Highness, feel free to take over as president.”

At those words, Prince Shiran unexpectedly began to applaud.

“No, on the contrary, I’m quite pleased.”

Soon after, Elizabeth also started clapping.

“I too support your pure passion and ambition.”

Then, one by one, the other students began to follow suit with applause.

“Way to go, President!”

“We’re counting on you!”

“I’ll be cheering for your love too!”

Soon, the classroom was filled with a resounding applause, and

as Train looked around in a fluster,

Instructor Eloi placed a hand on Train’s shoulder from behind and said,

“Not bad at all. To gain everyone’s approval by acting deliberately brash.”

“No, I mean, I was actually saying that you should just leave me alone.”

“Give it up. Having been acknowledged by royalty and the duke, you are now truly the leader in both name and reality.”

In the end, Train sighed shortly, resigning himself to his fate.

And so began his eventful academy life, which started off with a flourish.

***

A few days later, at a small manor in the outskirts.

After knocking, the butler cautiously opened the door.

“Miss, I’ve brought your breakfast.”

Yuril was sitting at her desk, silently transcribing something from a thick book.

Her surroundings were a chaotic mix of various books, herbs, and experimental equipment.

The butler quietly set the breakfast on the table and asked,

“What time did you wake up today?”

“…Huh? Is it morning already?”

“It’s good to work hard, but you must also get proper sleep.”

“That’s true.”

“More interestingly, today’s newspaper featured an article that might pique your interest.”

When Yuril took a look at the newspaper,

The front page bore the headline, ‘Commoner Becomes Class President of the Knight Academy!’

Reading the article with sleepy eyes, Yuril soon snapped to attention.

“Train?!”

It was a story about how Train had won the position of class president by defeating his peers in the Knight Academy through a duel.

A whirlwind of emotions crossed Yuril’s heart, but

Above all, relief was the greatest.

“…I’m glad to see he’s doing well.”

Yuril smiled unwittingly, but

As she continued reading the article, her expression gradually hardened, and

At the very end of the piece, she furrowed her brows at one particular sentence.

‘Train boldly declared that no matter the adversity, he would not give up and would save that child.’

“Wait, didn’t Train leave me behind to go to the academy?”

It was then that Yuril finally understood the true meaning behind Train’s words just before he left.

“I’ve come to want to give up on saving you.”

That didn’t mean he was giving up on Yuril and leaving for the academy.

On the contrary, it meant he didn’t want to give up on Yuril, so he decided to leave.

“That idiot, did he deliberately speak ambiguously?”

The butler replied.

“If he spoke honestly, it’s obvious the lady would stop him, so he must have lied on purpose.”

“Likely so.”

“What will you do?”

Yuril put down the newspaper irritably and retorted.

“Nothing will change. In the end, he will give up on me.”

“Why are you so sure?”

“Because I’m afflicted with this poison.”

Yuril handed the book she had spread open to the butler.

The book contained detailed information about the poison that Trine had contracted.

“It warns that the loss of confidence and passion could even lead to suicide…”

“Just wait and see. After spending time at the academy, he’ll eventually lock eyes with another girl and forget someone like me.”

At those words, the butler started to say something in response but then changed the subject.

“By the way, have you found any clues for the antidote?”

“It’s one of the world’s three great poison puzzles; it’s not something that can be easily solved.”

“If it’s the young lady, I’m sure you’ll find a way.”

“Save your sweet talk.”

Yuril leaned back, looking somewhat exhausted, and muttered.

“It’s a hand injured because of me, so I’ll definitely treat it.”

Then she looked out the window at the garden.

The garden where the boy always waved cheerfully, smiling brightly.

Now, it’s an empty garden with no one to visit.

“And then, I’ll definitely tell him the words I couldn’t say before… to give up on me.”

***

At that moment, in the academy’s staff room, Train was raising his voice.

“How could you publish this as an article without telling me!”

As he abruptly presented the newspaper to Instructor Eloi,

Eloi, seemingly annoyed, scratched his head and replied.

“Don’t question me. It’s announced every year anyway.”

“It was a story told under the circumstances, but I wanted to keep it hidden if possible.”

“Why? Afraid that kid might see the newspaper?”

As Train openly sighed, Eloi patted his shoulder.

“Give it up. As the head of the Journalism Department, your name will appear in the newspaper articles often.”

“Then I’ll resign as head.”

“If you resign, return the magic tome.”

“There wasn’t much content anyway, so I will.”

At that, Instructor Eloi asked with a somewhat surprised expression.

“Have you already read it all?”

“To me, it appeared nothing more than a fairy tale.”

It is said that the magic tome changes its content depending on the reader.

Usually, the content is determined by the reader’s abilities and desires.

But when Train read it, for some reason, it had turned into a mere 20-page fairy tale.

Even more so, it was the predictable ‘The Frog Prince’.

A prince cursed to be a frog is freed from the curse by a princess’s kiss.

That was all there was.

“It seems I don’t even have the talent to read a grimoire.”

At that grumble, Instructor Eloi muttered with an unusually serious expression.

“The opposite, perhaps? Deciphering a book in less than a week is world record level.”

“Anyway, if you wish, I’ll just return the grimoire.”

Then Instructor Eloi said with a gentle smile.

“No, keep it. It will surely be of help someday.”

Train eventually muttered as if resigned.

“…At least let me know in advance if something like this happens again.”

Train threw the newspaper irritably onto Instructor Eloi’s desk and left the faculty office.

Just then, noble female students passing by approached Train.

“You’re Train, the class president of the Knight Department, aren’t you?”

“Me? Oh, yes. But…”

“I read the article. It was quite an impressive speech, wasn’t it?”

“Thank you.”

“I’m Serbia from the Duke’s family. A sophomore in the Department of Magic.”

“I’m Train, a commoner.”

“I’d like to invite you to a tea party after school tomorrow, would that be alright?”

“Me? No, I’m just a commoner?”

“As the class president of the Knight’s Academy, you’ll soon be a noble, won’t you?”

Train wore a bewildered expression.

He didn’t particularly want to accept the invitation,

But refusing it would surely lead to trouble later on.

“Yes… then I’ll gratefully accept your invitation.”

“Thanks. See you tomorrow.”

Serbia smiled and left with a group of girls.

As Train scratched his head and was about to enter the classroom,

This time, some unfamiliar male students approached Train.

“Are you Train?”

“Ah, yes. What’s the matter?”

“Don’t get cocky just because you’re a commoner who became the class president of the Knight’s Academy.”

Saying that, they deliberately bumped shoulders with Train and left the place.

Train sighed as if wishing the ground would swallow him up and returned to the classroom.

However, it seemed that his classmates from the Knight’s Academy had no intention of leaving Train alone.

“President! I read the newspaper article about you!”

“Are you going to get a love letter from that girl you have a crush on?”

“I’m rooting for your love!”

For some reason, after the ‘president’s speech,’ no students looked down on Train anymore.

But from Train’s perspective, either way was just bothersome,

So he flopped down in his seat and retorted irritably.

“Everyone’s so noisy.”

Just then, a blond delinquent-looking male student approached Train and sneered.

“Hmph, you’re full of luck. Even I hardly make it to the front page of the newspaper.”

Prince Shiran.

He was the student who had skipped the last duel, claiming a stomachache.

Train didn’t even look at his face as he replied.

“Then why don’t you be the class president in my stead?”

“That’s a laugh. The class president’s role isn’t for royalty but for jesters.”

…For some reason, among all the students, it was Prince Shiran who had become closest to Train.

After becoming class president, he inexplicably started to cling to Train more and more.

Anyway, Train was sick of talking about being class president, so he changed the subject.

“I’ve been invited to a tea party by another noble.”

At that, Prince Shiran snorted and retorted.

“Have you already been marked? It must be for courtship, so be careful.”

“Nah, it can’t be for courtship.”

“Sometimes they put sleeping pills in the tea and create a fait accompli.”

“…Really?”

As Train wore a look of disbelief, Prince Shiran paused to ponder before speaking again.

“Let me accompany you to that tea party.”

“What? Why?”

“If I leave you be, you might actually end up in a forced engagement with some other noble.”

“That’s kind of you, but what’s in it for you?”

“Why, there’s plenty. It’s also my role to ensure you don’t go flirting around.”

Why does this prince keep trying to meddle in Train’s affairs?

It even felt like he was under some grand misunderstanding.

Just then, another male student from the same class casually slung his arm over Train’s shoulder.

“Class leader Train! Prince Shiran! Can I come along to the tea party too?”

It was Jeez, a nobleman from their class.

A half-demon Train had encountered in the first round of their duel.

At a glance, he looked nothing more than a human with slightly reddish skin.

Train glanced at Jeez with an air of annoyance and asked,

“And what’s your reason?”

“Of course, you’re just trying to ride on the coattails of your fame to pick up girls!”

After a moment’s hesitation, Train answered.

“Alright. Then let’s go together after school tomorrow.”