Mightiest Melee Magician-Novel - Chapter 103

Mightiest Melee Magician

[ Translator – Jreaming ]

[ Proofreader – Artethrax ]

 

Chapter 103

 

It was normal for most knights to remain at the 4th or 5th-rank and retire.

This wasn’t too different for magicians either.

If that was the case, what was a 6th-rank knight?

Although there were a large number of 6th-rank knights in the Raynac Empire, the strongest nation on the continent, only 3 officially existed in the kingdom.

It was the limit that an average person could reach.

The world beyond that, of 7th-rank, was only achievable by the 0.1% who were born with talent and chosen by the world.

And from 8th-rank onwards, it was beyond the human limit and was closing in on the ‘boundary’.

Since only 50 7th and 8th-rank knights existed across the entire continent… it wasn’t really wrong to say that 6th-rank was the limit.

But to be able to receive the attacks of one such 6th-rank knight?

And…

 

“……Look at you, attacking back now too.”

The fact that I was able to have a decent spar against a 6th-rank knight, going back and forth in attack and defense, surprised even me.

Maybe it was because I had already trained with such a strong knight like Sir Bolvar, but the sword of Sir Coulter seemed dodgeable.

This growth speed was enough for Sir Coulter to show great interest in me.

“What happened during the break? Huh? Tell me. Who did you learn from?”

“……”

Of course, that didn’t mean I was saying I had the swordsmanship skills of a 6th-rank knight.

Ignoring 6th, I wasn’t even a 5th or 4th-rank knight either.

I knew that, the instant Sir Coulter used Aura Blade or Sword Spirit, my wooden sword wouldn’t be able to get anywhere close to him, instead getting torn to pieces.

Right now, I was just bridging the gap a little with a faster movement and athleticism than the average trainee knight and with support from my overpowering strength.

But for a moment, I wondered,

‘If this wasn’t a spar but a real fight, what would happen?’

If I let down my wooden sword to use magic, and Sir Coulter used a real sword and Sword Spirit…

Would I be able to defeat him?

However, I needed to save this thought for another time.

“What are you thinking right now?”

“……Uat!”

I didn’t have the luxury to be distracted by my thoughts while facing Sir Coulter.

Swish!

Sir Coulter’s wooden sword danced.

Yeah.

Just like a dance, Sir Coulter’s sword moved here and there and striked all my openings.

“Th-the blade bent? How can a wooden sword bend like that? It’s like he’s using a rapier……”

“No, it just looks like that because it’s so fast.”

From the average person’s perspective, his swordsmanship was so fast that it looked like a rapier moving in curves.

However, I was able to dodge that blade’s movement and even block a few attacks.

 

“Woah! He dodged again!”

And this was nothing short of amazing.

This back and forth went on for another few rounds and as a distinct winner wasn’t appearing, Sir Coulter shrugged his shoulders.

“Since I’ve checked your skills enough, should we stop here?”

“……Shall we?”

As I let go of the wooden sword, a wave of claps burst forth from around me.

However, Sir Coulter stopped their clapping and talked.

“You punks. Why are you clapping? You guys have no self respect……”

“……”

“A magician who only trained for a month is able to be like this, but you guys who are proper trainee knights……”

My swordsmanship didn’t have form nor technique.

Since I couldn’t use aura, it didn’t have a destructive force that could be used in a real fight either.

Meaning, it was only for sparring.

Sir Coulter knew this too, but at least in front of the trainee knights, he supported me.

The reason?

Because even if I had only learnt it for a month, my foundations were solid.

“Ruin. Where are you going?”

“Pardon? I’m going to get a drink.”

“I feel like you keep dodging my question…”

“What question?”

“I asked who you learnt swordsmanship from. Can you… not say?”

“……”

Gulp, gulp.

I drank my water as I looked at Sir Coulter.

That look in his eyes, how could I say this……?

It was like the eyes of a child waiting for their birthday present.

Although it really didn’t fit his bear-like physique and appearance, hmm…

I felt like I should tell him.

Sir Bolvar Patten’s name isn’t some big secret, and he wasn’t really hiding in Ardell either…

I answered nonchalantly,

“It was Sir Bolvar Patten.”

“……”

This sentence exploded like a bomb from a siege engine.

“……Wh-who?”

“Bolvar Patten? That legendary spearman in the Record of Knights?”

“Y-you’re lying! I heard that Bolvar died!”

“There’s no way. Bolvar Patten? He disappeared so long ago.”

The students of the academy were all clueless as to his identity.

But between the trainee knights, since this was quite the legendary name, it was enough to rile everyone up.

This was the same for Sir Coulter.

“Ah, this……”

He asked again after failing to contain his excitement,

“Did you hear his name right? Is it the same Sir Bolvar Patten I know?”

“I don’t know what kind of person Sir Bolvar you know… but if he’s a spearman from the Golden Light Knight Order, then yes. They’re probably the same.”

“……”

Sir Coulter’s face became frozen solid.

He had an odd expression, looking like someone who couldn’t contain their heart after hearing shocking news.

An expression of joy and respect.

Curiosity and a welcoming smile, and all these other expressions were on his face right now.

“This… It feels like I’ve been hit on the head. If you can, could you tell me more?”

“Sir Bolvar stayed in Ardell after retiring. He’s like family to me, and he took care of me since I was young… I honestly didn’t know he was such a famous person. I only recently learnt of his ‘Spear Saint’ title.”

“……Sir Bolvar Patten is in Ardell right now?”

“Yes.”

It was then.

“Stop lying!”

A cutting voice was heard from somewhere, and the person who shouted…

Maltive Kegen.

“You… Stop lying.”

“……Lying?”

I didn’t know why, but Maltive shouted again with an agitated expression.

“My father said that Bolvar Patten was dead!”

“……Dead? No. He just retired.”

“If he retired and there isn’t any news for decades, then he’s dead!”

“Can you call someone dead when they’re still living well? It’s pretty rude.”

“Can you prove it?”

“Why do I need to prove it to you?”

“……”

Why was he so agitated about this?

The reason could be discovered quite easily.

Maltive wasn’t that smart of an individual.

He ended up exposing his inferiority complex that should’ve stayed hidden to everyone gathered here.

“……Even if that’s true, I don’t care about that. Because…… my father is still the strongest in the kingdom.”

Yeah.

The official strongest knight of the kingdom was Maltive’s father.

He was the captain of the Golden Light Knight Order.

This was an undeniable fact.

However, if a legendary knight such as Sir Bolvar Patten, who was recorded even in the Record of Knights, was to be alive and well?

I had no way to know of the skill level of Sir Bengrass, but the public ranking may change.

This was what he feared.

A star among stars that existed above the name hailed as the Sword Family of Kegen.

It was very obvious to everyone that the position they unquestioningly held wouldn’t be so steady anymore.

Was it like how I’m above the Galehills……?

I smiled brightly toward that Maltive.

“Think what you want.”

“……What?”

“The strongest in the kingdom or whatever, just think what you want about that. Do you know why Sir Bolvar retired? Because he didn’t care about childish things like that.”

“Childish things? Did you just say it’s childish?”

“I think that treating the fame of your father as your fame and getting scared because of that is pretty childish.”

“You bastard…!”

“Stop!”

As Maltive got agitated and moved his right hand towards his sword, Sir Coulter scolded him again.

However, Maltive felt like he had been severely insulted and grinded his teeth while talking.

“To insult both me and my father…… Take up your sword. Duel me.”

“……”

My goodness.

A duel?

“Do you know what a duel is?”

“I know that you need to put your life on the line.”

“Duels are only valid for knights who have taken the oath. I’m not even a knight, and you haven’t taken the oath yet as a trainee knight.”

“Is that important right now?! Come at me! When I fight— Uck!”

Crack!

As Matlive rambled on, he suddenly had to close his mouth shut when a sudden strike hit him in the back.

The one who struck his back was none other than Sir Coulter Pirante.

“You are only a trainee knight in title, yet to talk so much despite not even knowing what a duel is…? Silence. You want to fight Ruin that bad?”

“……Yes.”

“Fine. The group sparring lesson tomorrow will start with Group 1 against Group 31. Any objections?”

This wasn’t even the gladiator pits, so what duel?

Yeah.

We were students, and this was a school.

Wasn’t there a good reason to hit others in the name of teaching a lesson?

“None.”

At my answer, Maltive followed suit while still grinding his teeth.

“You keep grinding my gears… I’ll destroy you properly tomorrow.”

“Sure. I’m looking forward to it.”

 

Group 1 vs Group 31.

I didn’t intend for it, but the desired outcome had been determined.

I looked past Maltive and at the Galehill brothers.

“……”

I could easily read the nervousness that was on Jakil’s face from here.

It looked like he didn’t expect our confrontation to happen so early.

I walked up towards Jakil and said one thing.

“It’s tomorrow, so have you prepared enough?”

Then, with his signature nonchalant expression, he spoke the things that I expected him to say without error.

“……Prepare? Preparation before fighting a junior? Haha, I shouldn’t try too hard.”

He even underlaid a hidden meaning saying he should go easy on me.

It was as perfect as I expected.

I asked Jakil again,

“You’re not gonna do your best? You’re known as the ‘youngest ever court magician’…… You should properly show your skills to your juniors.”

“……”

“It’s a huge mistake if you go easy because it’s only a lesson. Please do your best. Act as though your life’s on the line. Because if you don’t……”

And I finished with a light smile,

Bling.

“You’ll really be embarrassed.”