LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 6
TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 6
When Andre was hit, his subordinates turned around and glared at the one who struck him. Standing there was Glasia Ehrenberg. Glasia, known for being a commoner with top-tier swordsmanship skills, was so infamous that the thugs began to back away upon seeing her.
“Glasia…? Why are you here?”
“I apologize. It seemed like my charge was about to be exposed to violence.”
“Your charge?”
“As of today, I have been assigned to guard Charles Jean Rochefort. If you wish to freely wield violence against him, I suggest you offer me a higher price than what he has paid.”
“A guard duty? With what money could this fallen noble possibly afford that…?”
What money, indeed. It was the money from selling books to the Princess. But since there was no way these small fries would believe me even if I told them, I simply let out a low chuckle.
“Ah, Glasia.”
“Yes.”
“This wasn’t part of the original contract, so I’ll pay you extra.”
Saying that, I tossed a prepared pouch to Glasia.
“What’s the task?”
“Beat these three just enough so their families won’t make an issue out of it.”
“In other words, you want me to inflict pain without leaving any visible injuries.”
I grinned. Glasia was quick to catch on.
“D-Don’t hit us! I’ll pay you double what he’s paying!”
Glasia opened the gold coin pouch.
“How much are you willing to offer?”
“One ducat! I’ll pay one ducat!”
“That’s too little.”
“Two ducats! Fine, I’ll pay five ducats!”
“Sigh… This isn’t going anywhere.”
The extra payment I gave her was already ten ducats. Did he really think he could break our contract with just five? The fact that I’d been hit by such a small fry in the first place was humiliating.
Without hesitation, Glasia began swinging her wooden sword at them.
“Agh! Why do you keep hitting the same spot?!”
“Because I need to target areas that heal quickly and don’t leave lasting damage.”
“Y-You crazy woman!”
They drew their real swords and began swinging wildly, but their skills were no match for the future Sword Master. They had no choice but to take a one-sided beating.
After fifteen minutes had passed.
“P-Please spare us! We swear we won’t bother you again!”
The thugs clung to me, crying and begging.
‘Hmm… Should I let them off now?’
Seeing them clutching at my pants and pleading, I felt a twinge of pity. I was about to stop Glasia when—
“If you’re considering stopping here, I might have to reconsider our contract.”
That’s what Glasia said.
“Huh? Why?”
“Grudges must be dealt with thoroughly. If you stop after a half-hearted beating, they’ll only think of revenge. When using violence, you must ensure it’s so decisive that retaliation becomes unthinkable.”
Indeed, she might have a point. While I might know more about the game, she likely knows more about life. After all, she was a tenacious survivor who rose from the back alleys to become a Sword Master.
When I nodded, she continued her assault. She didn’t stop until fear was deeply etched into the hearts of the thugs.
—–
From that day on, Glasia and I were inseparable.
While I might feel like an extra in this game, Glasia’s reputation for her swordsmanship was so renowned that people began to take an interest in me because of her.
“Who’s that guy walking with Glasia? Is he a commoner too?”
“I heard he’s some kind of guard charge.”
“To have someone like Glasia as a guard? He must have significant family influence.”
“No, I heard he’s a fallen noble.”
Every time I walked with Glasia, I could hear people whispering. I ignored them and kept walking.
“Walking with you sure draws a lot of attention, Glasia.”
When I was alone, I was practically invisible.
“Is this your first time receiving attention?”
As a top-ranking player, I’d received plenty of attention, but this was a first in this context.
“It’s basically my first time.”
“Then let me give you some advice. Don’t get drunk on attention.”
“Drunk?”
“When you receive attention for the first time, it’s easy to get intoxicated by it. You start feeling as if you’re special compared to the majority who go unnoticed. But attention is more toxic than alcohol. If you’re not careful, it can cost you your life. If you begin craving attention from others rather than focusing on your own gains, you will inevitably fall.”
Ah, so she’s telling me not to become an attention seeker. I nodded in agreement.
Thanks to her, I was able to attend school without being bullied for the first time in a while. However, the problem was that midterms started that very day. Like midterms in Korea, these exams assessed abilities befitting a noble. And today’s subject was swordsmanship.
The swordsmanship exam was a long, two-hour test. To pass, you had to land a valid hit on the instructor within the allotted time. And…
“Charles Jean Rochefort! Get up! Charles!”
I was sprawled on the ground, flailing my limbs.
“Ugh, I can’t do it.”
“What do you mean you can’t?! Get up now if you don’t want to get hit!”
“I surrender! I surrender! White flag! Respect the Geneva Convention!”
“Geneva… What nonsense are you spouting?! If you don’t get up now, I’ll grab a club!”
After two grueling hours of struggle.
I failed the swordsmanship exam.
The next day’s magic exam and the following day’s archery exam ended the same way—with failing grades.
Having failed all the exams.
While the bullying had stopped, my school life was now in a dire crisis.
I was on the verge of not advancing to the next grade.
—–
Meanwhile, Yuria Russell, who had heard of Charles Jean Rochefort’s failing grades through the Thieves Guild, was in an excellent mood. It was becoming increasingly evident that Charles, whom the Princess valued so highly, was nothing more than an empty shell.
‘As expected, my prediction was correct.’
Yuria thought to herself. The Princess had a tendency to be overly fascinated by “new things.” While it was true that firearms were used in the eastern regions of the Empire, they weren’t revolutionary enough to change the tides of war. That was the prevailing opinion among most rulers, and it was Yuria’s opinion as well.
Yet, just because someone had a bit of knowledge about firearms, the Princess was allocating excessive resources to an unworthy individual. Three thousand ducats. That was no small sum. It was enough to build a small fortress. Enough to buy a grand mansion in the capital and still have a thousand ducats left. The fact that the Princess had not only spent such a fortune on a single book but also hired the Thieves Guild to monitor one person was something Yuria found deeply displeasing.
However, if Charles Jean Rochefort continued to fail his exams, proving himself to be an empty shell, the Princess would lose interest in him and focus on more deserving talents. That was Yuria’s belief.
Thus, Yuria casually informed the Princess with a light heart. She mentioned how Charles had failed every exam so far and how utterly incompetent he had been.
After listening intently for a while, the Princess asked.
“What exams have been conducted so far?”
“Swordsmanship, archery, spear techniques, elemental magic, and divine magic.”
“All related to physical prowess, I see.”
The Princess nodded. Indeed, she had suspected that someone as frail as him would be terrible at anything requiring physical effort. But to be so lacking, even in magic… It meant his personal combat capabilities were utterly lacking.
If Charles was truly the author of “New Era Tactics,” there was no way he could be this incompetent. He must have a hidden ace up his sleeve.
“What exams remain?”
“Political science, diplomacy, and finally, the mock battle.”
Political science and diplomacy were written exams. They were certainly important subjects. But the final subject was far more critical.
“The mock battle, huh…”
It was a type of war game where students commanded wooden puppets controlled by summoners to face off against an equally matched opponent. The purpose was to evaluate the cadets’ abilities as generals.
At that moment, the Princess had a realization.
“If he truly is the author of that book.”
Then he would undoubtedly excel in strategy and tactics. The mock battle was a tournament-style exam among students. In other words, if Charles Jean Rochefort was indeed the author of that book, he would demonstrate exceptional strategic insight and rise to the top.
The Princess thought to herself. She wasn’t yet certain if Charles Jean Rochefort was truly the author of “New Era Tactics.” But if he was, he would undoubtedly stand out in the mock battle.