Kiyotaka stood in the middle of the assembly as the red-haired man stepped up to address everyone with an annoyed expression on his face, as his eyes passed Kiyotaka.
Kiyotaka: (Hm? Why's he looking at me with such an expression like that? Irritation? Anger?)
The red-haired man then spoke, addressing the crowd.
???: [I'm Heinkel Astrea. The Deputy Commander of the Royal Guard. This is the Lugunica Knight's Academy Exam. If you pass, you get to enter the academy and train to be a knight.]
Kiyotaka then noticed the redness in his cheeks.
Kiyotaka: (Drunk? Not exactly very professional.)
Heinkel: [You'll have to pass a physical exam, an etiquette exam and a background check. Do your best.]
Reinhard sweated a bit as if Heinkel hadn't done everything he was supposed to. Heinkel pushed past Reinhard, leaving with a scowl on his face.
Kiyotaka: (Looks like they don't get along.)
Reinhard stepped up as if he were filling a role he shouldn't have had to take. As if Heinkel had done the bare minimum.
Reinhard: [All of you have come here to prove yourselves in the eyes of the Holy Dragon Volcanica. I'm expecting great things from you all. Be prepared for the tests.]
Reinhard gestured to Julius.
Reinhard: [Julius here will be the examiner for the physical examination. The Deputy Commander, Heinkel Astrea, will be the examiner for the Etiquette exam.]
Kiyotaka: [...]
Kiyotaka: (While flagrantly not showing proper etiquette?)
Reinhard: [And I will be conducting background checks. That will be all. Do your best.]
Kiyotaka: (The only one that seems out of place is Deputy Commander Heinkel.)
The group dispersed and then lined up for the physical examination, sitting in the designated seating area. In front of the young men was an arena where Julius was standing. Julius looked at Kiyotaka and seemed to feel conflicted about something.
Kiyotaka: (Most of these men seem like nobles. Only a few seem like they are commoners. Most of them that are are probably receiving a recommendation from a nobleman, just like how I'm receiving a recommendation from Wilhelm.)
Julius: [No magic is allowed. Only pure swordsmanship. A knock out or a solid hit to the leg, neck or head is 5 points. If you graze your opponent, it doesn't count as a hit. A solid hit is worth 1 point each. If you are hit on the arm, you may no longer use that arm. First to five points wins. Keep in mind that you will be called out three times against a different opponent each time. Even if you win all three matches, you may fail, and even if you lose all three matches, you may pass. It depends on your performance.]
Kiyotaka: (That's fair.)
Julius: [Alexis Grande. Kiyotaka Ayanokoji. Come out onto the arena.]
Kiyotaka: (I'm first?)
Kiyotaka stood up, grabbing a wooden sword from the table, seeing the other man, Alexis, also grabbing one and getting into position, looking at Kiyotaka with arrogance.
Alexis: [Who is this guy? He's just a commoner. Why is he even here?]
Julius sighed.
Julius: [If you would rather face me as your opponent.]
Alexis sweated.
Alexis: [I'll take the commoner.]
Julius: [Very well.]
Julius raised his hand and then swung it down.
Julius: [Begin!]
Alexis: [I'll take you down and...]
Kiyotaka performs a Ghost Step (Real Martial Arts Move. Check Bottom Of Page For Tutorial Link.) as he swings his sword straight into Alexis's stomach before he can react, knocking the wind out of him as Alexis falls to his knees.
Kiyotaka: [Julius. Is he allowed to surrender?]
Julius: [If he does, he'll fail his physical examination.]
Kiyotaka: [What if he doesn't wake up by the time he's called up again?]
Julius: [He'll fail if that happens as well.]
Kiyotaka looked at Alexis.
Kiyotaka: [It's nothing personal.]
Alexis: [Wait, how dare...]
Kiyotaka hits Alexis on the head with he pommel of his wooden sword, knocking him out.
Julius: [Healer. Take him off the arena.]
A few healers walked over carrying Alexis away on a stretcher.
Kiyotaka was about to step off, but Julius stopped him.
Julius: [Your next match is now.]
Kiyotaka: [Hm?]
Kiyotaka: (This isn't normal, but it doesn't look like Julius has a choice. That must be why he looks so conflicted.)
Julius: [Kiyotaka Ayanokoji and Edmond O'Donnell.]
Kiyotaka: (I feel like I'm being targeted by the Deputy Commander. It looks like Julius has no choice but to comply.)
Julius's face showed discomfort at having to follow Heinkel's orders. Edmund walked up to the arena, grabbing a wooden sword on the way.
Kiyotaka: (Oh, look at that. One of them is stronger than me. Guess the first one was meant to tire me, and then this guy was meant to finish me off? No. That's not what he had in mind.)
Kiyotaka got into position, holding his sword out in front of him.
Kiyotaka: (If he's stronger, then other things will be the deciding factor...)
Kiyotaka observed his form. It was strong, not leaving many lines of attack.
Kiyotaka: (Not bad.)
Kiyotaka took a step forward, but Edmund backed off.
Kiyotaka: (He's cautious. He saw me before and doesn't plan on underestimating me.)
Kiyotaka closed in.
Kiyotaka: (Still... if you're the one blocking, that means you're the one who's going to suffer more if you make a mistake.)
Kiyotaka swung his sword as the two of them went into an exchange of blows as Kiyotaka analysed his power, speed and reaction time. Kiyotaka swung his sword to Edmund's left side and noticed a delay.
Kiyotaka: (0.263-second delay compared to his right side.)
Kiyotaka swung the sword at Edmund's right side, crossing his arms to use the leverage of the handle to empower and quicken his attack. Edmund blocked it as Kiyotaka used Zwerchhau, uncrossing his arm and swinging his blade to his left side, catching Edmund off guard as he barely blocked the attack. (These are German Longsword techniques. Learnt about them from Sellsword Arts/Fencing.)
Edmund: [You're good.]
Kiyotaka: [You managed to block. I'd say you're quite good as well.]
Edmund: [I'm quite sure that if this were a deathmatch, I'd be dead already.]
Kiyotaka: [I'm glad you understand.]
Edmund: [But it isn't, and even if it was, I'll still fight with all my ability.]
Kiyotaka: (I like this one.)
Kiyotaka was then put on the defence as Edmund began attacking Kiyotaka, who blocked with precise and clean deflections, keeping his sword close to the centre so as not to open himself up for an attack. Kiyotaka swung back as Edmund jumped back, avoiding the blow.
Kiyotaka: (I've met someone who can compete with me... well, at least while I'm not allowed to use magic.)
Kiyotaka subtly changes his hold of his sword into a thumb-grip, holding his sword out to his side.
Edmund: [A fool's guard? You can't seriously expect me to fall for that.]
Kiyotaka: [What are you going to do then? Stand there and wait for me to go into the offensive again and take advantage of your weak left side?]
Edmund sighed, closing in, thrusting at Kiyotaka, only to then stop and attempt a cut at Kiyotaka's head, but Kiyotaka dodged to the side, closing the distance in an instant, using a Ghost Step as Edmund jumped back, only for Kiyotaka to sweep his legs with a kick, causing Edmund to crash to the floor as Kiyotaka then hit Edmund's leg.
Edmund: [It is my loss.]
Kiyotaka held out his hand to help him up.
Kiyotaka: [It was a good match.]
Edmund: [It was.]
Kiyotaka: (It's a good thing I didn't go all out or he'd be in a hospital bed because the only way for me to take advantage of his weaknesses was either strikes so fast they could cause permanent injuries or an unorthodox movement.)
Kiyotaka wasn't sweating, unlike Edmund, but he still recognised the man's obvious talent.
Kiyotaka gave a short bow as Edmund reciprocated as they left the arena, only for Julius to stop Kiyotaka again.
Julius: [I truly apologise for the unfairness of this.]
Kiyotaka: [It's fine.]
Julius: [Your last opponent will be me. That will be the same for anyone else who wins two of their matches.]
The crowd seemed shocked at this development.
Kiyotaka: (They'll mask it under the excuse of seeing how the students react to failure, which isn't a bad idea, but it's actually because Heinkel expected me to win both my matches. He's trying to humiliate me and Wilhelm by extension in a fight against Julius, where I'm already tired.)
Kiyotaka sighed.
Kiyotaka: (... well, here comes a loss.)
Edmund stood up.
Edmund: [Is this not unfair, Sir Julius?]
Julius: [I'm afraid I have no say in this.]
Edmund: [I see. That is unfortunate.]
Edmund sat back down.
Julius: [I will not be using my full strength.]
Kiyotaka: [Very well. Let's do this.]
Julius: [This wasn't the way I wanted to get a duel with you, but it will have to suffice.]
Kiyotaka: [Julius. I'm not holding back, alright? I want to see how well I can do.]
Julius smiled.
Julius: [Very well.]
Kiyotaka got into a stance clashing with Julius as Edmund looked wide-eyed.
Edmund: [If he had fought at full strength, I definitely would have died.]
He laughed self-deprecatingly as he and the crowd watched in amazement as Julius matched each of Kiyotaka's swings.
Julius: [Your swordsmanship is already superior to mine.]
There was some jealousy in his voice, but it was more fueled by his need to be perfect than anything else.
Kiyotaka: [But your arms are stronger and faster. Enough to make up for the gap and then some. You don't have the right to look down on yourself.]
Julius looked surprised but smiled as he then went on the offensive. Kiyotaka did his best, blocking most of the swings.
Kiyotaka: [If I could only use Mana, I could get at least one hit in.]
Julius sped up his attack, striking at Kiyotaka's head, which was able to stop the attack from hitting his head. He jumped back as the attack hit him in the chest instead.
Kiyotaka: (That's one hit.)
Kiyotaka made an annoyed face as Julius quickly struck him in the chest again.
Kiyotaka: (Not good.)
Kiyotaka shifted his stance to a plow guard stance.
Julius: [That's new.]
Julius rushed in, and Kiyotaka began parrying several attacks from Julius, but he felt two more hits connect.
Kiyotaka: (One more and I lose, but I never expected to win against him so easily. The key is to keep my form and find an opening to get at least one hit in.)
Kiyotaka jumped back.
Julius: [You've done well, Kiyotaka. I'm honestly impressed.]
Kiyotaka: [It's not over yet.]
Kiyotaka took a stance where his sword was behind him on his left side, with his left hand in a drawing position and the sword resting on his thumb and his pointing finger on the top. The blade was facing down.
Julius: [Trying that open stance again?]
Julius increased his speed, rushing at Kiyotaka.
Kiyotaka swung the sword from its position up, blocking the initial strike, and then he was able to keep the momentum of the sword slashing sideways as Julius parried the strike, but his sword was now not near the centre of his body. It was misplaced. Kiyotaka thrust the sword at him.
Kiyotaka: (I wi...)
Suddenly, Julius deflected the attack from his head, and Kiyotaka felt a jarring pain in his side. His own attack landed, hitting Julius's Shoulder, but Julius had also landed a hit to Kiyotaka's stomach. The crowd was flabbergasted.
Julius: [Excellent.]
Kiyotaka sighed.
Kiyotaka: [Only one hit.]
Julius: [That is still remarkable.]
The crowd began cheering for Kiyotaka.
Crowd: [He just landed a hit on the third strongest knight in the kingdom! A genius!]
The crowd erupted into more cheers as Kiyotaka sighed.
Kiyotaka: (I'm not a fan of all this attention, but whatever, I guess.)
Julius put his hand on Kiyotaka's shoulder.
Julius: [While I'll admit your physical abilities are still lacking, your analytical ability and swordsmanship are unmatched. I pass you.]
Kiyotaka bowed.
Kiyotaka: [Thank you.]
Julius smiled.
Julius: [I'm sorry about this. Deputy Commander Heinkel insisted on it. I don't think he believed you'd stand a chance against me.]
Kiyotaka: [It's alright.]
Julius seemed relieved to hear that Kiyotaka held no ill will.
Kiyotaka: (I thought so. It seems he has some issue with Wilhelm.)
Julius held out his hand.
Julius: [It was a great match.]
Kiyotaka shook his hand.
Kiyotaka: [It was.]
Julius: [The Oral Examination is next. It's that way. Good luck.]
Julius pointed to a door, and Kiyotaka nodded, walking over as he noticed a few men already there.
Kiyotaka: (So these ones are exempt from the physical examination? They must have a good reputation and abilities in other things valuable enough for the Knights to let them be exempt from it.)
Eventually, Kiyotaka came to the front of the line, stepping through the doors to see some Elders and Heinkel waiting.
Kiyotaka: (So he needs supervision in doing his job properly, huh? That makes sense.)
Hienkel: [This is the oral Examination. I'm the Examiner. This part of the test is the most important, as our knights must behave in the appropriate manner. Because of this, I can fail you for even the smallest mistake.
Kiyotaka: [I'll make sure to prove myself to you, sir.]
Heinkel scoffed.
Heinkel: [Let's begin.]
He began with what most would consider the most difficult questions that could be asked in the exam, without the elders being able to step in. Kiyotaka answered them in direct accordance with the text in "The Knight's Manual of Lugunica"
Kiyotaka: (If I recite straight from the manual, he can't say anything.)
It seemed to irritate him as he began listing nonsensical and strange situations and asked him what was proper conduct.
Heinkel: [If you're in a position where you have to decide between saving the current ruler of the country or its citizens, which will you choose?]
Kiyotaka: (What kind of question is that to ask a mere cadet?)
Kiyotaka: [I will choose whichever the ruler says.]
Heinkel: [The ruler is not permitted to speak.]
Kiyotaka: [Then I'm afraid I would not be qualified to make such a decision. It would be better to leave the decision in the hands of someone higher up, such as yourself. What would you do, Deputy Commander?]
Heinkel's face filled with rage.
Elder: [Heinkel. I think that's quite enough. Pass this promising cadet.]
Heinkel: [But...]
Elder: [If you don't. We will.]
Heinkel gritted his teeth in annoyance.
Heinkel: [You pass.]
Kiyotaka bowed respectfully.
Kiyotaka: [Thank you, sir.]
The elders looked to Kiyotaka with great expectation as Kiyotaka bowed to them. He joined the last line and noticed those same men from before ahead of him. Eventually, he reached the front of the line and entered the door in front of him to see Reinhard waiting in a seat behind a desk.
Reinhard: [Kiyotaka. You made it.]
Kiyotaka: [It's good to see you again, Reinhard.]
Reinhard smiled.
Reinhard: [Here, I will check your background. If you wish to lie, you are free to do so, but you will not pass this exam if you do lie.]
Kiyotaka: [I understand.]
Reinnhard: [Are you born from nobility?]
Kiyotaka: [I am not.]
Reinhard: [Are you associated with anyone who is an enemy to the kingdom?]
Kiyotaka: [No.]
Reinhard: [Were you born in the country of Lugunica?]
Kiyotaka: [I was not.]
Reinhard: [Which country are you from?]
Kiyotaka: [Japan.]
Reinnhard inspected Kiyotaka before looking surprised.
Reinhard: [Are you from beyond the great waterfall?]
Kiyotaka: [I am from another world. I was teleported here without my knowledge.]
Reinhard sighed with a small smile.
Reinhard: [That explains things.]
Reinhard then looked seriously at Kiyotaka.
Reinhard: [What are your reasons for joining the Knights of Lugunica?]
Kiyotaka: [It's a test of my resolve to become a good person.]
Reinhard's eyes widened before once again becoming serious.
Reinhard: [Are you a threat to the Kingdom of Lugunica?]
Kiyotaka: [No. I am not.]
Reinhard: [I apologise for all the questions. It's standard procedure.]
Kiyotaka: [It's fine.]
Reinhard noted down the information and stamped Kiyotaka's papers as "approved" and handed them to him.
Reinhard: [The Academy semester won't begin for two months, but the ceremony for selected candidates will begin in two days. Be sure to stay in the capital. You'll need to show these papers to enter the ceremony and the academy.]
Kiyotaka: (I see so they are observing us for 2 months, and if we show the wrong conduct, we won't even be allowed into the academy.)
Kiyotaka bowed his head.
Kiyotaka: [Thank you for all this, Reinhard.]
Reinhard smiled.
Reinhard: [Of course.]
Kiyotaka left the room.
Kiyotaka: (All that's left now is to kill the『White Whale』and deal with Roswal. Though I'm sure other problems will eventually pop up.)
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:
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