Chapter 66:
“Don’t Go Easy on Him”**
“It was Zeke, wasn’t it? I was startled for no reason.”
Lily sighed with relief as she saw Zekevert holding onto her arm.
She didn’t know how long he had been standing behind her, but it was Zekevert.
His usually calm green eyes were different this time. They had a sharp gleam, as if he was angry.
He must have heard the conversation. That’s what Lily thought.
Perhaps Zekevert, being much closer, had heard everything Professor Rumbla had communicated.
After all, Zekevert had a hobby of turning into a small animal and roaming around the academy.
“Shh.”
Zekevert placed a finger in front of his lips. He was telling her to stay quiet.
“Got it.”
Lily nodded, and Zekevert transformed into a red fox, quickly darting into the nearby bushes.
Rumbla leaned out of the window, trying to find the source of the rustling noise, and spotted the moving bushes.
Zekevert disappeared deeper into the bushes, out of sight.
“….”
Rumbla stared at the bushes intently before pulling the window latch and speaking into the communicator.
“It’s nothing. Just the sound of an animal moving.”
Click.
As the window closed, Lily finally exhaled the breath she had been holding.
That was close.
No, the real trouble might be just beginning. Lily’s pale blue eyes took on a serious glint.
“It seems like Richet has an enemy.”
* * *
“Now, now. How about we move somewhere else instead of staying here? We’re disturbing the business.”
Luckily, Philip’s desperate mediation worked. Under the gaze of onlookers, the four of them moved to a different spot.
Richet, still worried about the sofa that Deon had pierced, tried to hand some money from her wallet to an employee before leaving.
“I’m really sorry about the sofa. This should cover…?”
“Here.”
Deon snatched Richet’s wallet and placed his own money on the counter. The employee, shocked by the amount, which was more than a week’s worth of earnings, waved their hands in refusal.
“Instructor Rodwick! This is too much…!”
“It’s fine. If you think it’s not enough, charge me more.”
“No matter what, this is…”
The employee tried to refuse, but Deon was already at the café door, holding the handle.
He shot a sharp glare at Morgan, who stood behind Richet.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and get out.”
“I’m going.”
Richet marveled at Morgan, who was still smiling brightly.
Even in front of an angry Deon, he wasn’t scared at all. That’s what makes a champion different.
As Morgan followed Deon outside, Richet apologized to the employee again before stepping out to find the three who had gone ahead.
She found Deon and Morgan standing face to face next to the building wall. Deon’s demeanor was still menacing.
“Philip!”
“Ah, young miss!”
Richet called out to Philip, who was near Deon. Philip tried to approach Richet but backed away when Deon’s sword blocked his path, swallowing his tears.
‘What on earth are they doing…?’
Richet looked at Deon with eyes full of discontent, but Deon’s fiery red eyes were fixed on Morgan’s calm golden ones.
“Explain yourself, Morgan Dayal. Are you dating my sister?”
“No, I’m not.”
“You’re not?”
Deon’s mood darkened further at those words. If he wasn’t dating her, then why had he been holding hands with Richet so tightly?
That was even less forgivable than dating.
“I told you—”
Someone grabbed Deon’s arm. It was Richet.
“There’s a rule that examiners shouldn’t discuss personal matters with contestants… right?”
Deon narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Richet’s clear silver eyes, which were trying to lecture him again.
Lecturing with just her eyes.
“If you want to talk about personal matters with Morgan, then talk to me first… okay?”
“…”
Deon glanced at the handcuffs dangling from Richet’s wrist as she held onto him.
Click. Deon moved the arm Richet was holding onto.
He slipped his thumb between the space where the handcuff met Richet’s wrist and then swung his sword. The handcuff was cleanly severed and fell to the ground.
[As expected of Derkedeon! I should have asked your brother for help from the start instead of Morgan Dayal!]
Pythons chuckled in satisfaction.
“Th-thank you.”
But still, what good is it if he’s Derkedeon and my brother? He still doesn’t respond to me.
Even now.
As soon as the handcuff was cut, Deon turned his attention back to Morgan.
“…”
Morgan, who had been admiring Deon’s skill just moments ago, met his gaze.
In a voice devoid of any warmth, Deon asked, “Morgan Dayal, have you received your pass?”
“No, not yet.”
“That’s good. Then follow me.”
“What?”
“I’ll let you take the preliminary exam now.”
“…Ah. The one where I have to defeat the instructor…?”
“You don’t want to?”
“No, I do.”
Morgan had thought Deon might use his abilities against him.
But it was a more rational approach than he had expected.
When Morgan nodded, Deon moved ahead. As he did, he glanced at Riche, giving her a look that said, “This should do it, right?”
“Talking to Morgan under the excuse of doing an assignment? Really?”
Though it was absurd, Riche followed Deon.
The group entered a nearby building.
It was one of the training grounds scattered throughout the city that Xcelphon participants and test instructors could use.
“Let’s start the preliminary assignment now.”
On the wide platform for the duel, Deon, standing across from Morgan, unsheathed his sword, his red eyes gleaming ominously. Morgan also drew his sword in the same manner. Since he had cut through his handcuffs on the way, Morgan’s wrists were now smooth.
“If you defeat me, you pass.”
“Yes.”
The battle between the two began as Morgan blocked Deon’s fierce attack.
Riche and Philip stood on opposite sides of the arena, watching the fight.
[Aren’t they going to get seriously hurt?]
‘Then I’ll jump in immediately.’
Riche spoke, holding a star fragment in her hand.
Even though it started as an excuse for Deon, it was still a preliminary assignment.
They couldn’t interfere in the duel until a winner was determined.
Strike after strike.
Precise attacks and defenses. And conversation.
In line with his intention to use the preliminary as an excuse to converse, Deon continued to ask Morgan questions.
“You’re not dating, but you held hands?”
“It was because of the handcuffs.”
Indeed, a tough opponent.
Even though Morgan thought it was hard to block Deon’s attacks, he wore a composed expression on his face.
[If I decide that you can’t keep your promise, I’ll step in myself.]
The voice of the Principal echoed in his ears.
Though the certificate could be obtained from another instructor, losing to Deon and letting the Principal hear about it was not ideal.
The Principal’s judgment was relative. There would be no excuses if he deemed that he couldn’t trust someone who had already failed once in a qualification test. After all, Morgan had already experienced failure in a previous qualification assessment.
‘What should I do?’
Morgan pondered as he deflected Deon’s sword. Neither of them had gone all out yet.
If they were to fight seriously, it would be a battle with death on the line.
He didn’t want to do that against Derkedeon, nor did he want to show such a side in front of Riche.
Since the sword spoke more than words, Deon also sensed Morgan’s hesitation as their blades clashed.
‘Is this guy hesitating about whether to go easy on me?’
Deon frowned.
In truth, Deon’s mind was in turmoil. His younger sister, whom he knew, was kind to people, but she often distanced herself when they crossed a certain line.
And yet, Riche was sticking close to Morgan Dayel, whom she had barely met.
‘Riche can recognize capable people. Did she recognize that Morgan Dayel is Gerwer?’
Even so, it was unforgivable. Even with the handcuffs, surely they could have been cut off immediately. Sitting there with them on only seemed like Gerwer’s nonsense.
…Mocking Lordwick, are you? Deon asked Morgan.
“Did you drop your sword last time because of that arrogance?”
“It wasn’t arrogance. I was just lacking in skill.”
“Rubbish.”
As Deon’s attacks grew fiercer, Morgan gripped his sword tighter, letting out a short, bitter laugh.
‘It’s true, though.’
The last time he dropped Deon’s sword, it was really due to his lack of skill.
Deon wouldn’t believe him, but it was the truth that he had dropped his sword.
At that unfortunate moment, a sharp pain had shot through his wrist.
“You died at sixteen in your past life as Letiom, didn’t you? Because of your entangled fate with Letiom, death will continue to chase you. The death Letiom faces at nineteen will guide the death that missed you and find you.”
On the last day of sixteen that Hikenka spoke of…
Due to the Gerwer Duke being trapped in ice, Iandwayne had avoided death in his past life.
However, from that point on, death relentlessly pursued him.
Even though the curse his father had cast on him had disappeared, the nights were still terrifying.
[Morgan Dayel. You’re Iandwayne Gerwer, right?]
In the nightmare, death, which couldn’t possibly be real, whispered to Morgan. Go ahead, try to run. I won’t let you escape.
A precarious game of tag. Even when he fought off death’s grasp, it would soon find him again.
“Do you think you can receive the certificate if you keep being so arrogant?”
Deon’s ominous gaze. He wasn’t planning on giving it to him anyway.
Despite his intense movements, Morgan felt a bead of sweat trickle down his temple. Despite all the action, not a single drop of sweat came from Deon. As expected, Derkedeon was remarkable.
‘I don’t think I can win.’
Morgan smiled wryly. At that moment, Deon caught that smile. So, you’re looking down on me again, huh? Deon swung his sword hard, knocking Morgan’s sword out of his hand.
“Ah!”
Riche, who had been watching the duel without breathing, let out a small scream. The scene was just like the qualification test. Deon’s coldly gleaming blade was aimed at the disarmed Morgan.
But it didn’t stop there. Deon’s sword rose again, as if he was about to strike down Morgan at any moment.
[Yes! That’s right, Derkedeon! Don’t hold back! You need to clearly distinguish between the winner and the loser!]
Pythonus cheered Deon on, clenching his fists. Moreover, Morgan Dayel was an enemy who had sent monsters. There was no need to show mercy to an enemy.
Riche bit her lower lip. She couldn’t interfere yet. Deciding the end of the assignment was the prerogative of the test instructor, Deon.
‘Please. Deon.’
For some reason, Morgan weighed on her mind. Even though she knew Morgan was the one who sent the monsters to the Royal Academy. Perhaps it was because his appearance reminded her of Iand, but she didn’t want Morgan to be seriously injured.
‘It’s over.’
Morgan smiled bitterly, recalling the qualification test. Will Senior Derkedeon really cut me down? Failing the assignment seemed inevitable.
In that case, he’d likely have to leave immediately to take another instructor’s assignment.
Before Professor Declan reported his failure to the Principal, he needed to obtain the certificate.
He didn’t want Riche to become the target of Hanniban, the Principal of Udic Academy.
‘Hope he doesn’t cut me too deeply.’
The other instructor’s assignment he had been planning to take involved the hearts of thirty monsters.
If the injury was severe, it would be challenging to face the monsters.
Deon’s sword descended.
“O-Oppa!” (Older brother!)
