Chapter 175: Your Opponent Is Me
The swordsmanship exam pairings were being announced one after another. It was a format using the vast hill where each group would fight freely. Plenty of supervisors and assistant examiners were placed in various locations. The results of the simulated matches would be reported to examiner Oriana, who would decide the final score for the swordsmanship test.
"Examiner, is my name still pending?"
Rigel asked. His name had not been called yet. However, Oriana answered indifferently.
"Not yet."
"When will my name be called?"
"Keep waiting a little longer."
Oriana said nothing more and continued announcing pairings for the other examinees. Her attitude was clearly odd.
(So much for getting her angry... Her impression of me has gone to hell...)
Rigel clicked his tongue inwardly. The entrance exam was a direct order from King Wistaria. He could not afford to fail. That was why he had not caused any major problems in the previous tests.
In the written exam, he had only enema’d the girl next to him with magic and raped her to kill time in the toilet. He had already submitted his own answer sheet. To prevent any report from the raped girl, he had even taught her the correct answers when she returned to the exam.
The basic physical fitness test was similar. He had provoked the leading beastkin girl, lured her to the cliff path where they would be alone, pushed her off the cliff, and raped her to kill time. He had cut it off at an appropriate point and finally reached the goal in the upper ranks. To suppress the beastkin girl’s resentment, he had provided appropriate support so she could finish in the upper ranks.
"Excuse me... I’m taking this exam seriously, right? I’m not refusing you or anything..."
"Hmph. Shut up."
Oriana spoke irritably. She continued announcing pairings for the other examinees without a care.
(Tch... What a troublesome woman...)
Rigel cursed inwardly. Judging by her attitude, she had completely turned against him.
(She isn’t planning to give me a walkover, is she? If she does that, I have my own plans...)
Rigel thought that. In both the written and basic physical fitness tests, he had not done anything improper to rack up high scores for the sake of the exam. He also did not intend to fail the exam. Passing through the entrance exam was one of King Wistaria’s orders.
However, if the examiner abused her position and tried to disqualify him, that was a different matter. Violent enforcement of his true power using the cheat skill [Rape] would also become an option. Rigel was thinking that when—
"Next! Rigel!!"
Oriana finally called Rigel’s name. It seemed his turn had finally arrived.
(At last...)
Rigel stood up reluctantly. Then he slowly walked toward the examiner.
"Who is my opponent?"
"Hmph. Unfortunately, there was an odd number of examinees. There is no examinee left for you."
"Eh...?!"
Rigel’s face twisted. Oriana glared at him irritably.
"I knew it... So that is your answer."
She muttered disappointedly. "It is forbidden for private fights unrelated to the exam" — that was written in the exam handbook. Logically, any sane person would know that much. Even if they didn’t, they should have stopped when warned by the examiner.
Nevertheless, the boy in front of her had refuted without understanding his position. Oriana found him unworthy of the Royal Academy. She gripped her sword and spoke.
"Then there is no choice. —I will give you 0 points in the swordsmanship exam!"
She said and slashed at Rigel. He easily dodged.
"Oop! That was close."
He muttered and took a light step. Oriana lost balance when she was tripped.
"Wha...!?"
She hurriedly took a guard stance and quickly faced Rigel again.
"Trampling me with your foot...!"
Oriana glared at him while saying that. However, he shrugged as if nothing had happened.
"As an examiner, being tripped by a mere examinee... How disappointing."
"K-you bastard...!"
Oriana’s face turned red with anger. Rigel smirked.
"Are you done? It’s over?"
"H-hah...!"
Oriana’s face turned red. She re-gripped her sword — then stopped. She had second thoughts.
"Hmph... Well, I’ll overlook your earlier remarks."
"Hou... Then I’m grateful."
Rigel smirked. Oriana ignored him and turned to the examinees.
"Then from now on, the swordsmanship test begins! This time’s format is a 1-on-1 simulated match. The pairings have been decided!!"
"Wha...!?"
Rigel was shocked. Seeing his reaction, Oriana smirked. The reason for his shock was what—?
—-
Rigel’s swordsmanship exam opponent had been decided. It was the examiner Oriana.
She continued explaining calmly.
"Then from now on, the swordsmanship test begins. Rigel, get ready."
"Alright, alright..."
Rigel casually drew his sword. Oriana clicked her tongue at his attitude.
"Take it seriously! The exam has already started!"
"I’m taking it seriously. Yeah, yeah."
Rigel answered vaguely and slowly approached Oriana. His steps were relaxed. Seeing that, Oriana let her guard down.
(He’s scared... He’s given up on winning against me...)
She thought that. It was a boring development. She loved breaking the spirit of a determined student during swordsmanship lessons. In regular classes, she would pick on arrogant students and beat them in simulated matches. She had expected a similar outcome this time.
But—
(This time my guess was off...)
Oriana changed her thinking. The examinee Rigel seemed to have approached the exam with little motivation. After being paired with her, he looked like he had already given up on passing.
"Are you serious? Properly draw your sword!!"
Oriana shouted. Rigel grinned.
"Of course I am."
(What is this composure...?)
Oriana felt uneasy. But the simulated match had already begun. She drew her sword and faced Rigel.
"If you show a sloppy attitude, you think I’ll hold back? Cocky! Then I’ll let you off easy so I can vent my stress!!"
Oriana shouted. She quickly closed the distance and swung her sword.
"Die!!"
However—
"You’re too slow."
Rigel dodged with a backstep. The movement was beyond Oriana’s expectations.
"Wha!?"
She was shocked. Rigel stood with his sword drawn with perfect composure.
"Are you already done?"
"Kuh! Fluke!! I only barely escaped by luck!!"
Oriana shouted and quickly closed the distance again. This time it was a side slash.
"Slow."
Rigel dodged the strike again with a light backstep. Oriana kept attacking bravely, but she could not catch him.
"Why!? Why won’t my sword hit!?"
"Hah? That’s obvious, isn’t it? Our skill levels are different."
"Wha!?"
Oriana gritted her teeth. She swung her sword again.
"Die!! You piece of trash!!!"
However, she still could not catch him. Her sword sliced through empty air.
(Why!? What the hell is this guy!?)
Oriana panicked. Rigel’s movements were relaxed, and he didn’t seem serious. But he was evading every attack perfectly.
(I can’t believe he’s that good at evasion!!)
She was certain. The man in front of her was a real powerhouse.
"Very well. I’ll admit your evasion ability."
"Hou...? That’s an honor."
"But this is the swordsmanship test! Don’t think that dodging cleverly will get you a good evaluation!!"
Oriana shouted. She attacked Rigel again.
"Haa... You’re really noisy, aren’t you..."
Rigel drew his sword and sighed. He continued evading with backsteps.
"What!? You called the examiner ’noisy’!?"
"Ah, crap... That just came out. Sorry. Let me say ’cheerful and energetic woman who enjoys swordplay’ instead."
"K-y-you bastard...!!!"
Oriana’s face turned red. Her movements grew even more intense.
(Kukuku... This should be enough now...)
Rigel stopped evading with backsteps. Then he turned his back to Oriana.
"Waaaaah!! O-Oriana Examiner!! Forgive meee!!!"
Rigel screamed pitifully with his back turned. Then he fled at full speed.
(Wh-what!? That trash examinee suddenly got scared...)
Oriana was bewildered. But—
"Hahaha! Finally you understood the difference in skill!!"
"Hiiiiiii!! I can’t win against you!! My stamina for evasion is at its limit!!!"
"That’s right! Of course you can’t beat an examiner just by dodging!!"
She immediately got cocky. She thought Rigel had suddenly become scared because he finally realized the gap in skill.
"N-nooo!! I’m already done!! Please help!!!"
Rigel shouted while running away. An ordinary, conscientious examiner would have ended the simulated match here. There was no point continuing in this state. However, Oriana was different.
"Fuhahaha! It’s too late to apologize now!! I won’t stop the exam until I crush you!!"
"H-hii!!"
Rigel screamed and kept running. Oriana chased him desperately. She passed through the hill and entered the forest.
