After receiving Instructor Katen's warning, Shuren kept an eye on Jake's movements.
He knew Jake's parents had brought in someone from outside to tutor him privately.
But there was always the chance Jake might lose his mind and launch a surprise attack.
Of course, the possibility was close to zero.
‘There are plenty of crazy bastards in the world.’
He had to prepare for the possibility that his expectations might be wrong.
Ever since reincarnating, Shuren had always questioned what he trusted.
‘That's how I got stabbed in the back by someone I thought was a friend.’
Because of his mistake, the Flamer Family had suffered an irreversible calamity.
If only to prevent something like that from happening again,
he needed to be cautious in everything he did.
And so several days passed.
Then a week.
Then a month.
Shuren faithfully continued his life at the training center.
‘And Jake hasn't caused any trouble.’
Perhaps the duel Shuren had started had produced a positive result.
Jake and his lackeys had caused no particular trouble since then.
Jake, especially, disappeared like an arrow the moment the training center's daily schedule ended.
‘He's leaving with a knight I've never seen before. That must be the private tutoring Instructor Katen mentioned.’
It seemed Jake really was aiming solely for the Formal Trainee Exam.
‘I thought he was just a kid obsessed with playing boss.’
Regardless of whether Jake was taking the right path, Shuren could at least acknowledge his fighting spirit.
Jake's pride must have taken quite a beating after the duel.
And doubts about their leader's strength must have begun sprouting among his group as well.
‘Not that any of those guys look capable of beating Jake anyway.’
Even so, Jake was quietly waiting for the day he could take revenge on Shuren.
Patience was difficult for children Jake's age.
‘Is fighting spirit something you're born with too? Not bad. Though your chances of beating me are almost nonexistent.’
Shuren had been called a genius in his previous life, and now he was living his second life.
Losing under those circumstances would be incredibly embarrassing.
So he continued carrying out his routine without complaint.
Then, one day—
‘The sword is biting especially well today.’
Shuren was still stubbornly practicing nothing but basic sword forms.
In this life, he was pursuing perfection, so he intended to build an unshakable foundation before moving on to actual swordsmanship practice.
‘It might be about time to start practicing swordsmanship.’
Just as he thought that—
“U-um, Shuren.”
One of the trainees spoke to him.
“That duel you showed us last time was amazing!”
“Ah…… really? Thanks.”
‘What's with these kids? They can't have come over just to compliment me.’
Shuren looked them over.
‘Were these guys from branch families too?’
He vaguely remembered them.
They were children Jake's group had often bullied.
With Jake's group keeping quiet lately, these children had finally been able to train in peace.
As a result, they had developed a favorable impression of Shuren.
The children hesitated, unable to bring themselves to speak.
“What is it?”
So Shuren asked first.
“Would you maybe want to join forces with us?…… Of course, we'll let you be the leader, Shuren.”
Join forces?
Him as the leader?
“Why? Do you need sparring partners during training?”
“You really don't know anything, do you?”
The trainee began explaining.
“The Formal Trainee Exam is coming up soon. We want to join forces for that.”
“Unless something unexpected happens, the exam will probably involve clearing a Mock Dungeon. You can use any method you want as long as you reach the objective inside the dungeon within the time limit.”
“Any method?”
“Yeah. So fights between trainees can happen as much as they want inside the dungeon. If you're incapacitated, you obviously can't reach the objective, so you'd fail. That's why we're suggesting we form our own group.”
“Really? Hmm.”
The trainee's proposal made sense.
Reach the objective inside the Mock Dungeon by any means necessary.
If that was the goal, forming a team would obviously be advantageous.
“Thanks for the offer, but no. I'm more comfortable alone.”
“H-huh……?”
The trainee who had made the proposal apparently had not expected Shuren to refuse.
“You really won't join us?”
“No.”
Shuren waved a hand dismissively and returned his attention to training.
He saw no reason to form a team in the first place.
The difference in skill was simply too great.
He would be lucky if those children did not drag him down.
On a real battlefield, they would probably lose their lives almost immediately.
And Shuren had no desire to form deep bonds with people bearing the Pellantz surname anyway.
‘What are those guys going to do?’
Shuren watched the trainees he had rejected approach Jake's group.
They bowed and scraped, begging to be accepted.
‘Like bats switching sides.’
Shuren let out a faint chuckle.
That was probably just the weak finding their own way to survive, so he did not particularly dislike them for it.
Whatever they chose to do, Shuren would simply focus on his training.
***
The days at the training center passed quickly.
‘Shuren…… I'll beat you no matter what!’
Jake likewise devoted himself to training, driven by his desire for revenge.
Before long, his private tutoring came to an end.
There were three days left until the Formal Trainee Exam.
“You worked hard, Jake. There are very few people on the continent who can properly keep up with my training program. Take pride in that.”
Jake's private tutor patted him on the shoulder as he spoke.
“As expected of Teacher Rekan. Thanks to you, my son has reached the early stage of Two-Star. You have my gratitude.”
“Not at all. It was possible because your son's talent is exceptional.”
Atun and Rekan exchanged smiles and compliments.
Normally, a trainee's parents were not permitted to approach them during the training period.
But because Jake had once ended up in the infirmary, Atun had used concerns about his safety as an excuse to create an opportunity to meet him.
“That is true. Even if he has only just entered Two-Star, reaching that level at his age is the mark of a genius.”
“I personally look forward to your son's future as well. Before long, I believe he will have more than enough talent to enter a first-string knight corps.”
“Haha, I certainly hope so.”
Atun looked at Jake and spoke.
“Now you must use the strength you have gained to defeat the bastard who wounded you. Make absolutely certain he does not pass the exam.”
“Yes.”
“Crush him. Make sure you crush him……!”
Atun gripped both of Jake's shoulders, his eyes gleaming.
The reason he was so obsessed with victory was none other than his family's reputation.
‘Someone deliberately spread word outside that Jake lost that duel. Whoever did it deserves to be torn apart.’
Shuren had damaged his family's honor.
They had to take revenge somehow and restore it.
‘Jake only has to win. If he does, we can fabricate the story that the bastard used sorcery in the previous duel.’
That was why he had spent a considerable amount of money hiring a private tutor for Jake.
“Are you ready?”
“Of course.”
Atun was not satisfied with Jake's answer.
He had caught a hint of hesitation in his son's eyes.
“Do not tell me losing that previous duel has convinced you that you cannot win?”
“N-no.”
“Son. Whether that lowly bastard used sorcery or defeated you with genuine skill no longer matters. The important thing is that the result remains: you lost that day.”
“…….”
“I even hired a private tutor for you so you could make up for it. Naturally, you must now produce a result worthy of that investment.”
“……Understood.”
“You must not disgrace the family's honor. Are you not ashamed to even face your siblings who went ahead of you?”
“I will win.”
“Good. That is all I ask. But if you truly cannot win…….”
Atun took a bottle and an envelope from inside his clothes and handed them to Jake.
“What are these?”
“The bottle contains deadly poison. I have also included a needle that cannot be detected through mana. If defeating him through skill proves impossible, use them.”
His voice was chilling.
“What? But if I use this, he'll definitely die…….”
“Jake!”
Atun shouted.
“None of this would have been necessary if you had not lost that day!”
Jake could not argue with him.
“……Understood.”
For the honor of his family, he reluctantly had no choice but to obey his father's order.
***
The Formal Trainee Exam was scheduled to take place soon.
Instructor Katen had been deeply worried because of it.
‘Jake's growing quickly.’
One of an instructor's duties was to observe the trainees' growth with his own eyes.
From Katen's perspective, Jake's rate of improvement was astonishing.
‘I wonder if Shuren is preparing properly.’
Katen believed in Shuren's talent.
But he still worried whether Shuren could handle Jake when the boy was even receiving outside help.
‘No matter how I look at it, this isn't fair.’
With that thought, Katen decided to discuss the upcoming exam with the Knight Commander.
He headed straight for the commander's office.
“What is it, Katen?”
“Commander. There is something I would like to discuss regarding the upcoming Formal Trainee Exam.”
Knight Commander Daryan.
He was the knight who had previously met Shuren and informed him that he had placed first.
“I was wondering if we might alter the examination slightly.”
“Is there a reason?”
“As I previously reported, there was a conflict between Shuren and Jake, was there not?”
“There was.”
“Jake's family will be determined to go after Shuren this time. An accident may occur in the process.”
“I am keeping an eye on that.”
“That is why I want to prevent an accident before it happens. What if we divide the trainees into two groups and conduct the examination twice this time?”
“……Katen. Are you not favoring Trainee Shuren a little too much?”
“This is not favoritism……!”
“I am joking. I know. Jake's side is so invested in this examination that they even brought in an outside tutor. Given that, they may very well try something on the day of the exam.”
The Knight Commander tapped his desk with his fingers.
He looked troubled.
“But we have no justification for changing the examination. The influential families already know what the exam will contain. If we suddenly change it, will that not arouse suspicion?”
“……That is true.”
“Then we would have to explain ourselves. What would we say? Honestly tell them it was to protect Trainee Shuren? You do not actually think that would be acceptable, do you?”
The Knight Commander gave a hollow laugh.
“If we answered that way, Jake's family would not remain quiet. If they truly decided to act, even this training center could be placed in danger of shutting down.”
The Knight Commander knew as well.
Jake's family was being unreasonable.
But they possessed enough power to get away with being unreasonable.
They were in a position where they could seize whatever justification they pleased and bend it as they wished.
“Even so, Shuren's talent is far too precious to simply ignore a danger we can already foresee.”
“I understand. Viewed purely as a knight, he is a child whose future growth is worth anticipating.”
The Knight Commander patted Katen on the shoulder.
“Do not worry. I will put the minimum necessary safeguards in place. But the training center cannot do anything beyond that. I regret it as well.”
At that answer, Katen clenched his fist.
“The position of Knight Commander comes with considerable authority, but it also carries just as much responsibility. I hope you understand.”
“……Understood.”
It was unjust.
But the Knight Commander's reasoning was also sound.
In the end, Katen had no choice but to leave the commander's office without accomplishing anything.
He walked aimlessly for a while.
His feet naturally carried him toward the training hall.
The door was open.
He did not even need to look inside to know who was there.
‘Shuren must be here.’
Careful not to disturb him, Katen quietly observed the inside of the training hall.
‘Still practicing basic sword forms today?’
But before long, Katen's eyes widened.
Today was different.
Shuren was not practicing sword forms.
He was performing swordsmanship.
The path of his sword was neither ferocious nor flashy.
It was simple, basic swordsmanship.
And yet those fundamentals were absurdly solid.
There was a strength to them as though one were standing before Mount Tai itself.
Was there anyone in the training center who could possibly stand against that swordsmanship?
‘……Perhaps I was worrying for nothing. Judging from that presence alone, Jake may be the one who ends up falling to Shuren.’
Again and again, Katen pictured Jake collapsing, unable to withstand Shuren's sword.