The Duke’s Madness

Students are agitated by the shocking declaration.

“No, you don’t have to take classes?”

“Is this good or bad?”

“Isn’t that nice? You can eat one river raw… It gets an A+ too!”

“Still, it’s the first lecture, so can I go out like this…?”

Knowles Hyen, who was watching the scene, shuts up.

At the same time, a huge mana began to spurt from his chest.

The moment Arthur, who was watching, quickly covered his ears, the Lion’s Roar burst out.

“Everyone be quiet!”

“… !”

“Who told you to make a fuss?”

students shut up

The voice filled with mana became a command and dominated the classroom.

Thanks to that, Professor Knowles Heyen nodded his head in satisfaction at the scene of the quiet classroom and took out something.

It was a rectangular ore that glowed black.

“A student who knows what this is?”

“… … .”

“Does anyone know?”

Students pay attention to the question.

Arthur was no different, because the mineral Professor Knowles brought out was very unique.

‘It’s not silver, it’s not a railroad… What is that?’

Meanwhile, Professor Knowles opened his mouth to explain.

“This mineral was handcrafted by the professors at the Science Tower. It is harder than most iron, so it is not easy to break it unless it contains mana.”

“… … .”

“Everyone cut this ore from now on. This is the test you will take from now on, and it is also the test that will be reflected in your grades for the entire semester. Do you have any questions?”

Students raise their eyes in amazement at Professor Knowles’ words.

It was because he couldn’t believe that cutting down just one mineral was a test.

So, just as I was paying attention, a student raised his hand and asked a question.

“Professor?”

“Yes. A perfect A+.”

The eyes of the students shine in the declaration.

‘If you just cut that thing… Can I skip class?’

‘Isn’t that too easy? Do you think all the students here will pass?’

‘It looks like there might be a trap… It seems easy even considering that. All you have to do is cut down that piece of iron…’

Each level is different, but the students gathered here are gifted children who are said to be the best in the continent.

Among the children of the aristocratic family, those who were the most selected gemstones had a low level of 1st circle, and outstanding students reached the 3rd circle.

For such students, it was very easy to cut down a single ore.

It was a time when the atmosphere in the classroom, which had sunk low because of that, gradually heated up.

Professor Knowles raises the corner of his mouth and asks a question.

“Is there anyone who can apply first?”

“… … .”

“The first thing to avoid is also a virtue of those who have a sword. I’ll ask again. Is there anyone who can apply first?”

Some of the students who had been paying attention quickly raised their hands.

Professor Knowles points to the first student to raise his or her hand.

“Please walk out in front of student Raileen.”

“Yes Professor!”

With the answer, a boy with a mild-mannered impression confidently walks out.

Arthur, who missed the opportunity, licked his lips and muttered.

‘Oh, I didn’t get selected… If that student passes, won’t they turn around?’

That’s why Professor Knowles’ declaration was unconventional.

In the meantime, Lailin walked out, drew a sword from her waist, and vibrated the ring.

Ugh-!

It seemed to form two rings, and the resonance spread quietly.

At a higher-than-average level, students burst out lamentations filled with regret.

There was no way that a swordsman who had reached that level could not cut through minerals.

When I think about this, Professor Knowles opens his mouth with his eyes closed.

“What are you doing now, student Raileen?”

“… yes? professor?”

“Who told you to use mana? And why are you drawing a knife?”

Raileen raises her eyes.

“uh···. then?”

“I don’t use mana. And the sword that will strike the ore will be replaced with this wooden sword.”

“… !”

“If you put mana around such a good sword, who can’t cut ore? Did you really think you would give such an easy test?”

Raileen opens her mouth.

It was no different for the other students in the classroom.

Cutting ore with a wooden sword without using mana?

It was conceptually impossible.

However, the declaration that follows tells us that the nonsense is real.

“Now let’s start the test. By the way, students who can’t cut this mineral for one semester get a failing grade.”

&

Ting!

“Let the Frilian students go in.”

Tang!

“Unian students go in.”

Ting! Ting! Ting!

“Please enter Student Jasmine.”

At the declaration, a boy named Jasmine bites his lip and steps down from the podium.

Professor Knowles, who was watching him, brightened his eyes.

‘You have guts. I also have skills. Another student was knocked out with just three swings, but that student broke his wooden sword four times.’

However, he did not show his admiration.

It was because there was no need to instill arrogance by revealing expectations from now on.

‘For now, on average… I’ve broken the wooden sword about three times.’

Thinking, Professor Knowles crosses his arms.

In fact, this test was not given to pass.

It was a kind of trial given to the students to find out how good they were.

‘The moment you have a definite goal and think it’s impossible, your true hidden skills will be displayed.’

Can you raise your sword without agitation in a situation that is considered impossible?

What physical strength and limitations do you show in the process?

We prepared this test to find out all of that.

And so far, it has lived up to expectations.

‘Students who exceed those expectations… Not yet.’

Then, a whisper was heard.

Professor Knowles raised his head at a different reaction from a moment ago.

“It came out…”

“The most famous sword master in the empire… The granddaughter of Holland Leverkusen!”

“I heard it’s the 3rd circle?”

“It seems that no one can match even the youth of a master swordsman.”

The corners of Professor Knowles’ mouth went up.

‘Is it finally coming out… The diamond that shines the brightest among the selected gemstones.’

Elin Leverkusen.

Among the freshmen who entered this time, he is a genius among geniuses whose talent is within three fingers when measured only with a sword.

Because of that, Professor Knowles handed over the wooden sword with a subtle anticipation.

“No explanation needed. Elin student?”

“Yes Professor.”

“Okay then let’s start right away.”

Elin nodded and turned to look at the ore in front of her.

“… … .”

Elin bit her lip and struck down the wooden sword she was holding with all her might.

Kang-!

The ore trembled once with a rough noise.

At the same time, the wooden sword Elin was holding broke as it was.

The students who were watching muttered, not hiding their admiration.

“Wow crazy…”

“Did the ore just shake?”

“How is that possible?”

“More than that, the attitude… Are you 17 years old like us? A complete knight-level attitude?”

In the meantime, Elin grabbed a new wooden sword and struck the mineral again.

Kang-!

This time, just like before, the wooden sword was broken in a single blow.

After Elin repeated it 10 times, he couldn’t break his sword at once.

However, no one was able to send her a sad look.

Average number of swords broken by students so far is 3

However, Elin Leverkusen broke the sword more than three times that.

‘crazy···.’

‘I heard it’s a monster, isn’t it more of a monster than I thought?’

‘He broke 10 wooden swords in a single blow with pure physical strength?’

It was a time when students stuck out their tongues at the results beyond their imagination.

Professor Knowles also muttered, swallowing dry saliva.

‘It’s amazing… only 17 years old That 17-year-old girl’s body is that perfect?’

Although the level is 6th circle, Professor Knowles was famous as an outstanding teacher who raised numerous disciples.

Among them, there is even a rare swordsman who has reached the level of a sword master.

In that sense, this compliment now was the best compliment he could give.

“… Elin student. Good work.”

“Yes Professor.”

Elin, bowing her head, descends from the podium.

She was the first student to hear from Professor Knowles that she had done a good job, but for some reason, her expression was not very good.

When Professor Knowles and the students judged the reason for not cutting the ore, Arthur gets up.

“Good job Elin. Now it is my turn.”

“… Yes Arthur.”

Elin notices for a moment and then opens her mouth.

“that···. I mean.”

“yes?”

“… no. I’ll do well and cheer you on.”

Arthur smiles softly.

“thank you. Hmm… But I don’t know if I can cut it. That kind of thing isn’t something I brought out to cut…”

With thoughts, Arthur walks out onto the podium.

Professor Knowles’ gaze narrowed at that figure.

‘This time it’s Arthur Bayern… .’

In a different way from Elin Leverkusen, he was an eye-opening student.

A student who received the first failing grade in a personality test given to pass lightly.

Thanks to that, he was a person of interest who brought the entire Arcane faculty to a meeting.

Of course, Professor Knowles didn’t see such Arthur very well.

However, he did not show his feelings.

Swordsmen, after all, speak with their swords.

In that sense, if Arthur Bayern does well in this test, that level of flaw will be gone.

It was time for Professor Knowles, who came to that conclusion, to look at Arthur.

Arthur, who grabbed the wooden sword, did not throw it out, but started spinning it like a top.

“… ?”

Everyone rolled their eyes at the unexpected action.

Professor Knowles, barely awake in the midst of it, asks a question.

“… Arthur Bayern student, what are you doing now?”

“yes?”

“why···. Aren’t you stabbing the wooden sword instead of striking it down?’

Arthur replied by raising the wooden sword he had been stabbing into the stone.

“uh···. No matter how much I think about it, I don’t think I can cut the ore. That’s why I was stabbing the ore with the intention of splitting it, not cutting it.”

Professor Knowles’ eyes go up.

The students who watched the situation were no different.

“… You turned a wooden sword to split the raw stone?”

“yes···. In my opinion, even if it takes a long time, this way looks more plausible. if···. Is that not okay, Professor Knowles?”

Professor Knowles was taken aback by the question and fell silent.

“… … .”

Even the creator of the test himself had no idea of this shift in thinking.

However, he soon calms down and responds.

“… It’s a unique method, but it doesn’t fit the purpose of this test. Arthur Bavarian student to bring down the sword.”

Arthur, who had lost his appetite, straightened the wooden sword.

And looking at the ore in front of him, he fell into trouble again.

‘hmm···. Even for me, it’s not easy to cut ore under these conditions.’

If he had told him to crush the ore, he would have raised and destroyed Taken’s lineage.

However, with a wooden sword, that was impossible.

After all, the wooden sword, which is just a long branch, will not be able to handle the power of the take.

‘But I want to do the impossible… Because I can skip the most unnecessary class, the swordsmanship class.’

The stage of learning swordsmanship from someone had already passed.

It wouldn’t be different even if it was Professor Knowles of Arcane.

Because of that, Arthur was scratching his chin and thinking about it.

A small scratch on the ore catches my eye.

“what?”

I don’t know if it’s because of dozens of students who hit this ore, or if it’s a scratch I got when I turned the wooden sword a while ago, but there was a small hole.

Looking at that small gap, Arthur soon brightened his eyes.

‘this···. Maybe?’

With thoughts, Arthur raises his wooden sword.

Then, the nerves of the whole body are focused on the arms and muscles holding the wooden sword to bring out the extreme sensation.

“… … .”

All sounds are blocked, and the world changes.

In that world, there are stones and yourself.

yourself and the stone.

In that state of trance, Arthur lightly hit the stone.

That moment.

Ting…!

A clear and pure echo resonates throughout the classroom.

Professor Knowles, who had been watching, exclaimed involuntarily.

“uh?”