Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Exam (2)

◆

“-Iya.”

Siona scratched her cheek as she looked at the screen.

“This person, is he a swordsman that the Hero personally raised? No matter how I look at it, he’s not ordinary.”

Indeed, what she was seeing on the screen was a sight that even she, a Templar, had never witnessed before.

Carlisle’s figure was captured there, dismantling the automatons one by one.

Well, if it were an exceptionally outstanding individual among the new students, they might be able to pull off something like that. Several names of new students who could show similar scenes immediately came to Siona’s mind.

However, none of them would be able to do it like Carlisle was doing now.

⋯⋯He’s good.

Beyond simply being good, it was at a level where she couldn’t grasp how he was doing it at all.

Of course, if it were simply about having excellent combat ability, Siona wouldn’t be this impressed.

However, Carlisle’s movements themselves were bizarre.

It wasn’t about having quick dynamic vision, good strength, or excellent technique.

‘It’s like he’s dodging before it comes?’

As if he could see the future.

It looked like he was ‘predicting’ the movements several seconds ahead and positioning his body accordingly.

Whether he was deliberately trying to show off something or not, the fact that he kept his eyes closed the entire time was also strange.

It was a bizarre movement, employing a technique that Siona herself had never seen before.

“How does he do that?”

“⋯⋯I don’t know.”

A blunt response came back from Gray.

“Pardon?”

“I said I don’t know. I never taught him that.”

Siona blinked as she looked at Gray.

“⋯⋯No, no, if the Hero didn’t teach him, then how can he use such a technique?”

If it was a technique of such caliber that even she, a Templar, had never seen, then it wouldn’t make sense unless the Hero had taught it to him.

“That’s what I’m saying. That’s not something I—,”

Gray’s mouth, which had been about to say something, snapped shut.

As if she didn’t want to voice whatever words were supposed to follow.

“He probably wanted to use it.”

Both Siona’s and Gray’s gazes turned simultaneously.

Someone was walking into the headmaster’s office with heavy steps.

An elderly man with gray hair. His appearance was quite striking, with scars running across his entire face, including one that crossed over one of his eyes.

“⋯⋯Headmaster.”

“⋯⋯”

Siona politely bowed her head in greeting, and, surprisingly, Gray also nodded her head accordingly.

Sear Whiteburn.

The headmaster of ‘Cradle.’

One of the few people in the world that Gray showed respect to, meaning someone she wouldn’t immediately throw punches at.

The reason was simple.

He was the Hero ‘before’ Gray.

The former humanity’s strongest.

One of the few humans who completed the role of Hero and survived.

He would be a fitting candidate to serve as headmaster of the educational institution considered the best on the entire continent.

“It must have been a technique he was practicing. Isn’t that right, junior?”

“⋯⋯.”

Gray nodded very slightly with a thoroughly disgruntled expression.

Seeing that, Siona’s mouth opened slightly in disbelief.

She had found the correct interpretation of that sentence.

“No, wait. Wait a minute. Then that’s a technique that even the Hero can’t use?”

“⋯⋯.”

Silence was the ultimate affirmation.

Especially for someone whose pride reached the heavens.

“Mind’s Eye⋯⋯ It’s been a while since I’ve seen it. Even among the geniuses called prodigies, few awakened to it.”

“Do you know what that is, Headmaster?”

“Well, you can think of it as grasping all movements around you with your eyes closed. He’s reading the entire surroundings with senses rather than sight.”

The headmaster yawned as he plopped down in his chair.

“Just understand it as roughly predicting the future a few seconds ahead through ‘intuition’. That would be easier to understand. Responding to all situations with fundamentals honed to the extreme⋯⋯ That’s the theory. It would be a headache to explain it directly.”

“⋯⋯No, no, aren’t you speaking too casually about it?”

The headmaster’s tone might have been light, but the ability he was describing was ridiculous.

Combat is where life and death are determined by differences measured in split seconds when you can’t even blink.

However, in these situations, is it possible to ‘pre-emptively’ anticipate the circumstances several seconds in advance?

It was practically no different from entering with victory predetermined.

“Well, the method of using it is ridiculously difficult. It has to be that much.”

“Pardon?”

“Storm Knight’s Wind Talker. Spring Wanderer’s Drifting Grass. Three Talents Swordsmanship. All knights know these things. Don’t they?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Then, Siona Rebel. Could you reinterpret and recreate all of those yourself?”

Even to her heaven-like senior’s question, Siona could only stare silently at the screen.

There might have been grounds for consideration since she was feeling the shock of being hit in the back of the head with a hammer.

The things Sear mentioned were famous enough that anyone aspiring to be a knight would know them. Not knowing them would be foolish.

However.

Reorganizing, reinterpreting, and recreating them into new movements was a completely different story.

“⋯⋯Are you saying that man is doing such a thing right now?”

“To be precise, he’s selected ‘only what’s necessary’ from among them. Those who have reached mastery do it easily, but I’m not sure if there’s anyone among the Academy students who could do that.”

“⋯⋯.”

Naturally, techniques that are widely used by everyone have had their depth and practicality verified countless times.

The foundation and ‘correct answer’ of combat, created by the pinnacles of their era.

To have mixed and recreated all of those meant.

At the very least, he possessed the talent to compete in ‘insight’ with those heaven-like figures who created such techniques.

That was.

How should she put it?

‘He’s a monster.’

Siona let out a hollow laugh as such thoughts occurred to her.

It wasn’t something a mere Academy freshman could do.

The movement she had simply felt was ‘good’ was a result based on insane talent beyond what was visible.

Right now, hadn’t the Hero herself, who was right in front of her, admitted that even she couldn’t do it?

“Have you brought an interesting person, junior? Are you already nurturing successors at that age?”

“⋯⋯That’s just an attendant.”

The headmaster chuckled.

“If you’re being serious, that’s ridiculous. How does that look like just an attendant?”

“⋯⋯.”

“When the test is over, send that friend to the headmaster’s office. Cardinal Gray wasn’t trying to stick his spoon in for no reason.”

“-!”

Gray’s face crumpled up.

It felt like a name she absolutely didn’t want to hear had been mentioned.

“⋯⋯Why that old man?”

Upon hearing that, Sear’s face relaxed a bit, opposite to Gray’s.

“What, are you worried he might steal him away?”

“⋯⋯You’re saying strange things.”

“Just looking at junior’s reaction now, he seems to have come with an interesting proposal.”

“⋯⋯?”

What are you talking about?

Gray tilted her head in confusion, but Sear only smiled knowingly.

◆

“⋯⋯.”

“⋯⋯.”

How should he put it?

If Carlisle were to mention one thing he had felt while assisting Gray all this time.

This person always had either a violent expression or an expressionless face, but.

The variations of expressionlessness were quite wide.

Displeased expressionlessness, annoyed expressionlessness, pleased expressionlessness.

Should he say she had the rare talent of being able to express all such emotions through very subtle changes in her face?

And having accumulated such experience, when he looked at Gray’s face now, it could be called a ‘highly dangerous, take swift action’ expressionlessness.

She was about to explode.

Probably because there were mountains of questions she wanted to ask about the technique Carlisle had demonstrated in the test just now.

How could you use such a thing? Where did you learn it? She seemed quite eager to ask such questions.

However, since there was rarely anyone in front of her who required suppressing such anger, she stayed still.

“Nice to meet you, Carlisle.”

Cardinal Felix politely bowed her head as she spoke.

“I’m sorry for calling you so suddenly. You must be confused. I have a matter I want to hear an answer to quickly.”

Tea personally brewed by Cardinal Gray was being poured into the cup placed in front of Carlisle.

“⋯⋯.”

How should he put it?

This situation itself was strange.

Even though the Hero was there with him, Cardinal Felix had first spoken to Carlisle.

As if what she was interested in at this gathering was clearly him.

Moreover, the words that followed turned such suspicion into certainty.

“Lady Chasefield. I’m sorry, but could you step out for a moment?”

“⋯⋯.”

“I have something urgent to discuss.”

⋯⋯Just now, her expressionlessness almost broke through.

Seeing the intense emotions trying to burst out from underneath made Carlisle feel even more tense.

However, Gray soon sighed and stood up from her seat.

It seemed she was going to comply with her request.

‘Oh, she held back’. Admirable.

Admir⋯⋯!

She won’t create more troublesome situations here⋯⋯!

“Cardinal Felix.”

“Yes, Lady.”

“If you create troublesome business, I’ll turn everything upside down.”

“⋯⋯.”

Retraction of previous statement.

Her temper really doesn’t go anywhere.

Felix, who heard such words, had only a smile on her face as if it were a familiar occurrence.

After watching Gray leave with a snort while opening the door, Felix gently turned her gaze toward Carlisle.

“You’re being wary? We’re meeting for the first time.”

“⋯⋯.”

She was caught.

Carlisle smiled awkwardly and sipped his tea.

“It’s as if you’ve heard something about me. Did Gray say something bad?”

“⋯⋯No. The young lady didn’t say anything.”

“Hmm- Gray must care about you quite a bit.”

“Pardon?”

Why such a conclusion?

“The fact that she didn’t tell you about me means she doesn’t want you to get involved unnecessarily. Because it is obvious you’d get into trouble if you got involved with me.”

“⋯⋯.”

“It’s rare for that child. You can be proud of it.”

Be proud and be yourself.

This person just officially admitted with her own mouth that getting involved with her would be troublesome.

In that case.

“⋯⋯May I ask what kind of business you plan to trouble me with that you’ve requested this private meeting?”

Felix laughed out loud.

Carlisle’s way of speaking seemed to suit her taste quite well.

“Don’t worry. I’m not someone who wants to cause any harm to you or Gray.”

“⋯⋯Is that so?”

Responding calmly, Carlisle brought up a thought in his mind.

‘Hero. Is that trustworthy?’

[She’s someone who doesn’t lie.]

She ‘doesn’t lie’ – that’s the level of the problem.

Just because she won’t cause harm doesn’t mean it will necessarily turn into any good influence for Carlisle himself or Gray.

As he was gauging the other party’s intentions with a smiling face, Felix opened her mouth again with a bright smile.

Let’s see what kind of sinister story she was trying to bring up

“I’m someone who wants to bring you two together.”

“⋯⋯.”

“How about something like a love helper?”

⋯⋯What?