Chapter 71
After finishing all of his classes, Joshua went back to his room and took a deep breath.
‘I thought it was just a simple get-together of those kids, but I guess I was wrong.’
Joshua shook his head.
It was about Amaru’s circle of friends.
A circle was a small group dedicated to specific hobbies or extracurricular activities.
The issue was that the Avalon Imperial Academy's definition of a circle was a bit different. Rather than for fun, a circle was often made for other purposes. It was a way for them to consolidate power.
Children had always enjoyed demonstrating their superior power to their peers.
Whenever they saw someone they were looking down on tumbling away in one punch and getting annoyed by their family’s might, they would always be filled with immense satisfaction and the feeling of success. In this case, the circles formed in the Avalon Imperial Academy allowed them to do such a thing.
Children of high-ranking nobles with their own power would form a 'circle' with the children of other noble families equal in power with them. Meanwhile, the children of low-ranking nobles with little to no power would attempt to join the circles of the former.
On the other hand, the children of high-ranking nobles could also recruit talents they would require ahead of time.
‘They’re also unafraid of killing those who oppose them. In addition, a circle or two could have at least tens of children from powerful families, so the instructors have no other choice but to pay more attention.’?Joshua grumbled with a disgusted smile.
Professor Kane was worried about the circles.
Joshua had gotten a better understanding of them, but…
‘One must never expect change if one adapted to the unreasonable reality. And thus, another vicious loop is created.’
Unless it were stopped, more vicious crimes and victims would pop up.
‘I've chosen to leave, but I'm going to dismantle everything here before leaving.’
It wasn’t because of some irrational sense of justice but for his own sake.
'Perhaps I can easily win Icarus’ heart this way.'
Joshua grinned. He was already looking forward to Kaiser’s struggle in his journey after losing Icarus.
Joshua’s train of thought was interrupted when the door flung open, revealing the figure of a boy.
‘Speak of the devil, and he shall appear...’
Joshua mumbled to himself before bursting out into laughter.
Icarus came to a halt upon noticing Joshua. He looked at the latter with his beautiful face and blue eyes similar to a placid lake in summer.
"So you got here first..."
"As you can see," replied Joshua.
"What are you going to do now? There are some rumors that the Sten Family will soon send someone here."
"If that's the case, then there's no need to be concerned. I got along swimmingly with the person in question."
"You met Young Master Amaru?"
Joshua nodded at Icarus’ words.
"Even so, there's no guarantee that the Sten Family won't come forward. I’m pretty sure they’re thinking that everyone is underestimating their swordsmanship. There’s a high chance that they’ll make a move to reestablish their position among their peers."
"..."
"Above all else, Araksha will surely approach you,” Icarus said before adding, “Araksha is the largest circle here.”
"I don't give a damn."
"What?"
At Icarus’ bewildered voice, Joshua responded, "There is a way to resolve those two problems at the same time."
"...!"
Icarus' eyes widened.
"How do you plan on doing so?"
"Simple, I just have to demonstrate tremendous power to the point that they'll tremble upon hearing my voice. It doesn’t matter whether it's for the sake of preserving order or gaining prestige, everyone understands absolute power."
"..."
‘That’s preposterous!'?Icarus gulped. It was such an absurd idea.
‘But why do I feel like he will actually do it?’?Icarus thought.
Joshua suddenly said, "Do you still remember the wager we had last time?"
"..."
"Didn't you say you'd grant my request if I defeated Amaru bron Sten and survived?"
"Yes, I did…"
Icarus' response made Joshua smile.
"I will tell you my request in advance."
"...?"
At the sight of Icarus’ doubtful expression, Joshua continued. "I want you."
"Huh?"
Icarus’ jaw dropped in response.
"What are you talking about?"
“Literally. Icarus, I want you to be my man."
The words ‘my man’ made Icarus blush.
‘That sounded strange…’?
Icarus sighed and tried to calm his wildly beating heart.
"...!"
All of a sudden, Joshua approached him.
"Will you use your abilities solely for me?"
Icarus hurriedly took two steps back as he stuttered, “I-If your plan succeeds, I’ll c-consider it.”
At that, Icarus hurriedly turned around and walked out of the door in a flash.
Joshua stared blankly at Icarus’ back and grinned.
"Isn't this progress?"
Joshua happily muttered, but he had no idea what Icarus thought about his proposal.
***
"Hooh. Hooh."
Inside a small training ground filled with sunlight was a man trying to catch his breath while keeping his wits intact. Blood and sweat dripped down the man’s wounded body to stain the floor drop by drop, and he was losing his grip on his two-handed sword.
The man was Cain. Joshua's first Knight.
"Are you sure you’re skilled enough to protect your lord? Looking at you now, I'll be surprised if you don’t twist your ankle in battle."
At his opponent’s words, Cain bit his lips hard.
He was enraged, but he knew he couldn’t do anything. His opponent’s ink-black greatsword would surely end his life the instant he made a mistake.
The man on the other side of the training ground approached Cain without saying anything, and the man’s overwhelming presence noiselessly bored down on Cain.
Cain couldn’t even take a single step.
He had reached his limits.
He had swung his sword with all his might for three hours beneath the hot sun, and his body was now riddled with wounds.
It wouldn’t have been a surprise if Cain gave up, but he persevered with his willpower.
The man stared at Cain for a moment before saying, "You lost too much blood. Just looking at the wounds you sustained, it's a miracle you're still standing."
"..."
With a cool look, the man asked the silent Cain, "What's with the sudden urge to change your main weapon?"
"A-ankle," Cain replied in a shaky voice akin to a candle flame being battered by winds, "I don't want to twist my ankle in battle."
"What?" The man seemed amused by Cain’s words.
Cain continued. “I don’t… want to be an obstacle for the lord I chose. I want to be of help.”
"..."
"That's why… no matter what—no matter how many wounds I get—Promise. It's all because of that promise."
"Promise?"
Cain immediately nodded.
"Aside from him… he promised that he’ll make sure that I would never have to bow down to anyone else."
"...!"
"I... believe in my lord’s... promise. So I will protect… my lord’s back. But for that to happen, I have... I have to become even stronger."
When his words fell, Cain tightly gripped his two-handed sword with the last vestiges of his strength. He staggered but quickly recovered as he said, "So… I will respectfully decline the Duke's consideration."
At that, Cain kicked off of the floor and rushed toward Duke Agnus. His eyes burned with passion and hope.
Cain was moving so fast that it was impossible to believe that he would be knocked down anytime soon due to his wounds and fatigue.
His opponent, Duke Agnus, grinned upon seeing Cain rushing toward him.
"Your determination is admirable."
Duke Agnus gently swung his Ink-black Greatsword downward.
The glimmer of the Ink-black Greatsword quickly cut across the training ground.
Cain's body flew to one corner of the training ground before he could even come close to Duke Agnus. Obviously, this battle ended in his defeat.
Duke Agnus turned around.
He made a sidelong glance at the unconscious Cain and said, "Take him away for treatment."
"Yes, Your Grace!"
Several knights on standby hurriedly entered the training ground.
“You actually made one of my men this?loyal to you in such a short amount of time…”
Joshua had made a ridiculous request to the Duke. He wanted the Duke to teach Cain swordsmanship. Upon hearing Joshua’s words then, the Duke had found it ridiculous and was furious. But now, the Duke’s fury had vanished as if it had been wiped clean.
Right now, Duke Agnus was filled with nothing but satisfaction and delight.
"You’re going to make sure that he won’t have to bow to anyone else?"
Duke Agnus' grin grew even wider when he recalled Cain’s words from earlier.
"This is a lot of fun,” Duke Agnus muttered in enjoyment as he walked out of the training ground.
“Your Grace.”
Duke Agnus turned to his vassal, Baron Hed. The latter looked as if he had been waiting all this time.
"We have received news that the imperial family will complete the 'task' soon."
Duke Agnus' eyes shifted in response to Baron Hed's words.
"What’s the source?"
"The Sten Family."
"Is this a direct letter from Arie?"
"Please take a look at this letter."
Baron Hed retrieved a letter from his chest pocket and reverently held it with both hands.
"..."
Duke Agnus silently accepted the letter and started reading it.
After scanning through the contents, he burned it with the 1st Circle magic, Fire, that was stored in his ring.
"Should I say, at last?"
"Do you have any plans, Your Grace?"
Duke Agnus shook his head in response to Baron Hed's question.
"For the time being, I can only watch. On our end, there's nothing we can do right now."
Once his words fell, Duke Agnus seemed to have fallen into contemplation. However, he quickly gave a command. "Whenever you notice something unexpected, report it to me right away."
"Yes, Your Grace," replied Baron Hed in a formal voice with his head lowered.
"..."
Duke Agnus' face seemed grimmer than ever as he hurriedly left.
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