"President Robert, it's been a while." (Eugene)
"It has, Eugene-kun. Three years, huh…?" (Robert)
I greeted him, but unfortunately, there was no time for a leisurely chat.
"Intruder!"
"Surround him! Surround him!!"
"How did this guy get in!?"
"What were the gate guards doing!?"
I was surrounded by over a dozen Holy Knights in the blink of an eye.
(They're all young.) (Eugene)
That was my impression.
It seemed to be true that the veteran Holy Knights had either been dispatched to the frontlines or killed in battle.
"Captain Robert! Leave this to us!"
"Coming in here alone, what an idiot!"
Two hot-blooded knights closed in.
Fortunately, their skill level wasn't high.
Even though they were already in striking range, they were full of openings.
But more than that, what caught my attention was…
(Is President Robert…a Holy Knight Captain now?) (Eugene)
He was just a student three years ago.
That's how far the generational turnover in the Holy Knight Order had progressed, apparently.
"Wait, he's—" (Robert)
"Take this!"
President Robert started to say something, but one of the knights carelessly swung his sword at me.
To be blunt, it was so slow it made me want to yawn.
(Cutting him down would be easy, but…) (Eugene)
My goal wasn't to make enemies here.
I am here to meet Sara and the Destiny Oracle, Orianne-sama.
(Guess I'll handle this barehanded for now.) (Eugene)
"Yo."
Using Sky Walk, I closed the distance and grabbed the hilt of the young knight's sword mid-swing.
"Wa!"
He panicked and tried to yank it back, but it wouldn't move since I was holding it.
"L-Let go!!"
When he pulled with his face turning bright red, I said, "Sure," and released it.
He toppled backward on his own with a startled "Uwaaahhh!".
He hit his back hard on the ground, it looked painful.
Maybe I should've let go a little more gently.
"How dare you do that to our comrade!"
"Unforgivable!"
Two other knights came slashing at me.
This time, I couldn't deal with it the same way as before.
I hesitated for a moment, then drew the Black Katana.
I wrapped my own mana around it.
When the two closed into my range…
—-Twin Heavenly Resonance Style: [Kamaitachi].
I swung sideways at the "necks" of the two swordsmen charging at me.
"Eh…?"
"Ah…"
Clang, clang, their swords fell to the ground.
They probably felt as if their heads had been chopped clean off.
The two clutched their necks in shock.
Of course, neither of them had a single scratch.
"You okay!?"
One of the surrounding knights rushed to the pair who dropped their weapons.
"Y-Yeah… I thought I was cut, but…"
They gave me an uneasy look while still dazed.
"Eugene-kun, just now…was that your Mana Sword?" (Robert)
President Robert asked.
"Yes. When I coat it with my white mana, it can't cut anything." (Eugene)
"The son of the former Imperial Sword can only use white mana… I remember that was a small topic of conversation when you first enrolled." (Robert)
President Robert smiled faintly in nostalgia.
…The surrounding Holy Knights stirred.
They were reacting to Robert's words.
The killing intent directed at me clearly intensified.
"The son of the Imperial Sword…!!"
"So the son of Jubei Seihara, who murdered the Holy Maiden Matrona-sama, shows up here of all places!"
"Don't think you're leaving alive!!"
Their wary eyes changed to ones full of murderous intent.
(That's only natural…) (Eugene)
Right now, Pops was the war criminal known to the Holy Union as the Holy Maiden Killer.
And I, his son, wouldn't get any goodwill either.
Holy Maiden Matrona-sama, one of the Eight Holy Maidens who had once visited the Lykeion Magic Academy during its school festival.
And, though not publicly known, she was "the one who ordered poison to be slipped to the previous Emperor."
In other words, she was the mastermind behind the Emperor's assassination.
It seemed she didn't expect the Emperor to actually die. The poison was only meant to make him ill.
But due to His Majesty's constitution and allergic reaction, the Emperor lost his life.
It was…just bad luck.
I learned this from Mother who is an angel.
Pops apparently tracked down those involved in the assassination on his own without borrowing Mother's power.
And then, he avenged his lord.
(That's the way of the East Continent… Pops.) (Eugene)
My father and the late Emperor had been bound by a Life Contract.
If one died, the other's lifespan wouldn't last much longer.
Mother didn't say it outright, but…after avenging the Emperor, Pops was probably…gone.
Thinking about that too deeply sank my mood.
But right now, I was surrounded by dozens of Holy Knights, all aiming to take my life.
I pushed aside the gloom and kept my guard up.
"Dieeee!!"
A slash came from behind.
I sensed the attack with Mana Detection.
I switched from the Black Katana to the White Sword.
*Kaang!*
The high-pitched sound of metal being deflected rang out.
The knight's sword went flying backward.
"Eh…?"
The knight stood dumbfounded, suddenly without a weapon.
I sent his sword flying with a projected slash from the White Sword.
Most of the people here didn't even see my movement.
For now, there wasn't much of a threat aside from one person in this place.
However, the number of knights gathering after hearing the commotion kept growing.
(Might be best not to linger here…) (Eugene)
I was about to retreat using flight magic or Sky Walk when…
"I'll handle this. The rest of you, stay back." (Robert)
President Robert stepped forward.
"Captain Robert yourself!? You can't, Holy Maiden-sama gave strict orders for you not to fight personally!"
"It's too dangerous. Leave this to us!"
"You're the only one left who can lead the Holy Knight Order…"
The surrounding knights tried to stop him.
"You lot can't do it. Eugene-kun is a Record Holder that cleared Floor 200 of the Zenith Tower. Not only that, he defeated the Watchdog of the Underworld, Cerberus, and even the Demon Lord Erinyes solo. Anyone among you who can match that, feel free to challenge him." (Robert)
"......"
Silence fell over them all at President Robert's words.
— "No way."
— "Beating a Demon Lord alone…"
— "I heard your soul gets stolen if you meet the eyes of that legendary Fallen Angel Lord…"
Eri-san sure is feared.
(Hey, that's rude. I don't want your soul.)
A faint thought transmission of the Demon Lord reached me.
(Eri?) (Eugene)
I tried speaking to her, but there was no reply.
Seems the Holy Capital's barrier was blocking her, but she couldn't resist commenting when she was the topic.
"Eugene-kun, ready yourself." (Robert)
Sharp killing intent prickled at my nose.
"!"
I hurriedly brought my White Sword into guard.
(…He's strong.) (Eugene)
President Robert alone was…more frightening than all the Holy Knights attacking at once…
The tip of his sword was aimed straight at my heart.
His stance had no openings, exuding the air of a seasoned master, more than any swordsman I have met before.
And I knew, if he moved, I'd be cut at a speed my eyes couldn't follow.
I ignored the surrounding Holy Knights and focused solely on the man before me.
"I want to tell you one thing, Eugene-kun." (Robert)
"What is it?" (Eugene)
President Robert spoke quietly, still in stance.
"I know you were sealed in the Zenith Tower together with the Red Dragon that destroyed the Dungeon City, and thus had nothing to do with the Holy Maiden Matrona-sama's assassination or the current war. But…I was an orphan taken in and raised by Matrona-sama. I owe her a great debt… Sorry, but I won't be able to hold back." (Robert)
There was strong emotion in his eyes.
"I understand. I accept the challenge." (Eugene)
Meeting that gaze, I readied my White Sword in my usual stance.
"I never wanted to fight you like this, after challenging the Trial of the Gods on Floor 200 together…" (Robert)
Those were his last murmured words.
…Silence.
President Robert stood unmoving, like a statue.
Ten seconds… Twenty seconds…passed.
(I can see it!!!) (Eugene)
Three years ago, I couldn't see the sword line that felled the Divine Beast.
Now, President Robert's sword was even faster.
But with my angel ability Future Prediction pushed to its limits, I could sense it before it struck.
—Twin Heavenly Resonance Style: [Nekoyanagi].
President Robert's blade turned into light as it rushed for my heart, but I barely evaded it, and thrust for his dominant hand.
"Kh!"
My White Sword pierced his right arm.
I couldn't get through this without leaving a mark, unlike the other Holy Knights.
There would be no second chance to dodge, so I had to land a hit.
Bleeding from his right arm, President Robert switched his sword to his left hand, but the overwhelming pressure from before was gone.
"No way!"
"Captain…lost?"
"Impossible!!!"
The surroundings erupted in noise.
The Holy Knights, now brimming with killing intent, began to close in on me.
(This might be bad…) (Eugene)
The young knights had lost their composure.
If they all attacked at once in a cramped place like this, it'd likely turn into friendly fire before they could bring me down.
I was about to time my escape when…
"Eugene!!!!"
A loud voice echoed through the place.
(Ah…finally.) (Eugene)
It was a nostalgic voice.
Three years had passed.
"Don't! Sword Holy Maiden-sama! Please stay back!"
"He's a swordsman who just defeated Captain Robert, it's dangerous!"
"I don't care."
Parting the young Holy Knights, a black-haired female knight stepped forward.
At her waist hung the Holy Union's treasured blade, the Sword of Mercy, Curtana.
The only person in the Holy Union allowed to wield it.
The student council president of the Lykeion Magic Academy looked more mature than I remembered.
"Long time no see, Sara." (Eugene)
"…Yeah." (Sara)
Sara, whom I met again after three years, answered my greeting briefly, with an expression that was neither purely anger nor purely sorrow.