Chapter 63
A suffocating silence fell within the classroom.
And the suffocating atmosphere was made by Joshua.
A youngster gulped and muttered, "What did he just say?"
The majority of the students in the classroom had the same thoughts.
'I'm not sure which family he belongs to, but that boy with deep blue hair and deep eyes is pretty cool.'
‘This strange kid’s looks don’t suit his personality at all…’
‘There’s no way he has no idea he’s talking to the heir of Count Sten…’
Even though the head of the Sten Family had no desire to rise up the ranks, his overall power was still above a count. In fact, the Sten Family wielded so much power that even the Twelve Families—or even the five Dukes—couldn’t be careless around them.
Of course, the one who made the Sten Family reach their current heights was none other than the head of the household: Count Arie bron Sten.
Amaru bron Sten inherited the bloodline of such a renowned figure. As such, everyone in the Imperial Academy knew about Amaru's pride in his father’s beloved rapier.
"What did you just say?"
With a courteous expressionless face, Joshua listened to Amaru's heated words.
"I said… the rapier is the greatest piece of garbage to ever exist, and only girls use them."
"...!"
The cadets heard Joshua's words loud and clear, and they stared at him with astonished eyes.
"T-This bastard!"
“Who is he? I feel like he's a freshman because this is the first time I've seen him, but do you think he's a son of a great family?”
“Ah, let me in on the conversation! Aren’t there some rumors about the arrival of a high-ranked family’s son, someone even higher ranked than the Sten family?”
“But this boy… Has he gone completely insane?”
The clamor around them intensified as time went on. The majority of the cadets here were second and third-grade cadets, and it was their first time seeing Joshua’s face.
'That kid…'
Kane, the swordsmanship professor in charge of Avalon Imperial Academy's lower grade levels, frowned.
For a brief period, he pondered if Joshua were the son of a powerful lord. However, he quickly recalled that among the freshmen, not a single child piqued his interest. As such, none of them was a child of a high noble.
"You said… the rapier was a piece of garbage?" Amaru jumped out of his seat. "You dare—"
"Stop! Fighting among cadets is strictly forbidden!" Kane hurriedly exclaimed and interrupted after noticing the tense atmosphere.
Amaru paused before eventually speaking to Kane, "I'm a proud member of the Sten Family! Are you telling me to stay still even when our name is being insulted?"
"That…"
Kane couldn’t say anything. It was true that the deep blue-haired boy’s words and gestures were insulting to Amaru. The Sten Family was a family of proud rapier users. In addition, it was true that swords like the rapier were easy to use. Amaru was a bit of a narcissist as well, so Joshua's opinion stabbed deep into his vitals.
"It's ludicrous," said Joshua.
Joshua snorted and smiled.
"What—"
"Why are you insulting the weapons you don't use and only putting the ones you use on a pedestal?"
"...!"
Amaru's eyes widened as if he had comprehended something.
"So if you can do it, why can't I?"
"You motherfucker!"
Amaru's face flushed at Joshua's explicit remarks, and he looked as if he was about to erupt at any minute.
"I mean, I was just telling it like it is!" Amaru complained.
"You were telling it like it is? Let me repeat what you said… all weapons other than swords are useless… isn't that what you said?" asked Joshua.
“Aside from barbarians like the Mercenary King, the country’s heroes, the Masters—they use swords as their weapons.”
At Amaru's remark, Joshua revealed a twisted smile.
While he was living his first life, Joshua despised such mentality to the point of scorn.
Such a stereotype was strongly ingrained in the brains of these people, similar to the roots of an old tree.
He could tell with just a glance at the professor of swordsmanship. Kane had taken a stance that looked like he wasn’t going to stop the heated argument, and he didn’t respond to Amaru’s words as well.
Joshua's twisted smile deepened when he suddenly remembered his past life.
‘How much scorn and contempt I had to endure simply because I wield the spear?’
They said that his courage was reckless.
They said that his faith was just selfishness.
They said his stance was self-righteous.
And he had no choice but to show them.
However, scorn and contempt became his companions.
And he put all those mockery and ridicule to rest with just his spear. And in this lifetime, he planned to do the same: To tell the world the spear was truly the greatest and the most powerful weapon in existence.
"Fighting between cadets is definitely prohibited by the rules."
At Joshua's abrupt words, Amaru froze for a second before flashing a sleazy smile.
"What? You ran your mouth off just now, and suddenly decides to bring up the academy rules?"
"Hahaha."
Some of the cadets burst out laughing...
"But…"
However, Joshua stood up and gently shifted his focus to Kane.
"If it's practical training, like in class, no rules will be broken."
Kane flinched upon hearing Joshua's words.
"You want a real fight?" Amaru trailed off before nodding with a delighted smile. "A swordsmanship practice class is scheduled for tomorrow."
Amaru then looked at Kane before saying, "Excuse me, Professor, but please give me a chance to prove to my classmates that I wasn’t lying. Please approve this sparring session, and I won't argue anymore afterward."
"Well…" Kane sighed deeply in response to Amaru's words.
In Avalon Imperial Academy, a professor’s status was higher than any cadet, regardless of the latter’s nobility rank. However, it wasn't as if the professors could supervise the students without some tact.
The bulk of the academy's lecturers were lower-ranking nobles of the empire as well, and the majority of noble families send their children to study here.
Kane was more unfazed compared to other teachers when it came to the difference between his nobility rank and the cadets’ nobility ranks.
However, the circumstance this time was special. Kane had no choice but to agree with Amaru’s request because this incident could blow up if it were left unresolved.
'This year will surely be exhausting...'
Kane let out a long sigh and shook his head. "All right. However, the use of a real sword in sparring is prohibited. I will only allow the usage of wooden weapons from the academy’s storehouse."
"...Thank you!"
Amaru's face brightened. A wooden weapon should be enough. A wooden sword was the best when it came to breaking someone’s bones.
'I'm gonna crush you.'
Amaru stared at Joshua with bright eyes.
However, no cadets had any idea that this minor incident would bring about a major shift in the Swordsmanship subject, which had been a subject of the Avalon Imperial Academy lectures for a long time.
***
The Moon Gate's Arcadia branch had a secret room.
Zero tilted his head. Moon Gate had been receiving many rich and influential clients recently, and they all required his personal service.
'Having too many work clothes isn't a good thing...'?
Zero scratched his head before looking straight ahead.
A man with an expressionless face sat across from him in a chair. The knight's identity was unknown to Zero, but Zero could not easily overlook the family he represented.
The man's light armor had a little embossed sword and a shield motif on the breastplate. It was the insignia of the military Marquis of Villas, one of the Twelve Families.
'As for the Marquis of Villas, I don't think there are particularly troubling instances recently...'
Zero's doubts grew even more pronounced. Aside from accidents, wouldn't it also be an issue if everything ran too smoothly?
'Well, if I ask him myself, I'll eventually find it out.'
After a while, Zero straightened his back and opened his mouth.
"It's a privilege to meet the knight of the illustrious Marquis of Villas. My name is Zero, and I'm an informant."
"Muker."
Zero put on a business smile after a brief hesitation at the man's brief greeting. Only newbies would display their emotions in front of their clients. Failing to maintain a poker face while they were talking was especially deadly for informants who worked with a variety of classified information.
As a branch manager, Zero was adept at concealing his emotions.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir Muker. So, how did you come across our branch?"
Zero went straight to the point, knowing that people like him didn’t like to beat around the bush.
"I'd like you to find everything about one boy..."
"Regarding this boy—"
"It's a young man named Ash pen Frederick, and all I know is that he’s currently enrolled at Avalon Imperial Academy."
"Ash pen Frederick?"
Zero’s head tilted at the mention of a familiar name.
After a while, something popped up into Zero's mind.
—While I'm at the academy, I'll go by the moniker Ash Pen Frederick. Go there if more information comes in, and let me know as soon as possible.”
"Ah…"
Zero exclaimed upon realizing it, and Muker’s face brightened upon witnessing the former’s reaction.
"Do you have any idea about him?" asked Muker.
"Wait…" Zero smiled after a brief period of reluctance. "I know roughly..."
"...!" Muker's eyes widened in response. "Tell me everything there is to know about the boy."
"..."
Muker hurriedly added. "The money isn't an issue."
"..."
Zero seemed to be earnestly contemplating something, but he eventually grinned before saying, "As you are aware, our organization’s information is quite costly."
"But if it's about money—"
"Especially!" Zero yelled vehemently and interrupted Muker’s words with bright eyes.
"Especially if the information about the subject is under our organization's unique management…"
Muker’s eyes widened as he muttered, "A subject under your unique management?"
'I knew it, there’s something off about that kid!'
The kid had to be extraordinary if even the Moon Gate had to put information about him under Moon Gate’s unique management.
Muker had expected it, but hearing it straight from someone was different. Muker started trembling as if he had been struck by lightning.
"Tell me. I'll give you as much as you want for the information—"
"A million gold."
Muker was rendered speechless. "What?"
"Ash pen Frederick's information is worth a million gold."
Muker's eyes widened at Zero’s clarification. It seemed Zero wanted to ensure that Muker wouldn’t misunderstand.
"Our Moon Gate will not accept your request if you cannot pay that amount."
Zero’s voice reverberated throughout the entire secret room.
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