CH 133

[The Resolve for the Martial Arts Tournament]

The dress contest ended with Tayte’s victory.

After she got changed and interviewed by the student council public relations department, Tayte was finally free and we decided to tour the academy.

We first headed to the courtyard.

Here, all sorts of stalls run by students were scattered here and there.

“I couldn’t believe there was such a cute girl in this school…”

“M-me too! M-maybe I should ask her out at the closing party.”

“Are you insane?! That girl is Barrett Albers’ fiancée!”

“F-for real?!”

The word quickly spread throughout the academy and students passing by all looked at Tayte. Though they were captivated by her cuteness, they quickly averted their gazes when they noticed me glaring at them by her side.

“They say he’s been quiet these days, but he’s still scary, after all.”

“But it’s not as bad as last year.”

“Yeah, I think he was glaring to protect his fiancée from other boys, in fact.”

…Their evaluation of me was also improving little by little.

Tayte and I stopped by a small open-air café.

“Maybe because I had been so nervous, I now feel kind of thirsty.”

“Hahaha, me too, I’ve got a match coming up after this, after all… On top of that, my opponent is Jarvis.”

“Jarvis is very strong, yes, but won’t you, with the Holy Sword, have the upper hand?”

The hero chosen by the Holy Sword.

After Barrett obtained the Holy Sword, he received even more special treatment. To begin with, he was born into a prestigious family so he had been treated specially by the adults around him since he was a child… but the potential residing in his body was the real deal.

It was also mentioned in the original novel.

At the end of volume 2.

Raul turned the tables on Barrett who was trying to take back Tayte. Despairing at the difference in their strengths, Barrett powerlessly walked into the slums and as Raul looked at his back, he said:

[Barrett Albers…. if only you had taken swordsmanship more seriously…]

Even from Raul’s point of view, Barrett had a great talent for the sword.

—I myself was surprised at Barrett’s tremendous talent. In addition, I knew the flow of the original storyline—hence why I had mastered the basics of movement and trained in swordsmanship without relying on the power of the Holy Sword alone.

The great feature of this martial arts tournament was… the permission to use weapons obtained through the Divine Gift Ceremony. So, unlike the exercises in class, I could fully use the power of the Holy Sword.

I’d be fighting Jarvis under that condition.

Many people seemed to think I had the advantage.

…but I was afraid I would be in for a tough fight.

After our match was decided, Jarvis always had this peculiar look on her face, and I couldn’t get it out of my mind.

I’d met her many times since then, and she didn’t seem to have changed much from before—but I sensed a resolution hidden inside her.

Being fellow members of the Knights of the Academy, there was no way Jarvis didn’t know the power of the Holy Sword as we’d fought alongside each other countless times. Even so, that wouldn’t cower her from facing up against me, my guts told me so.

…But I…

“? Barrett?”

“…It’s nothing, Tayte.”

I couldn’t afford to lose, either.

For Tayte’s sake, too.