Chapter 48: Selection (1)

“I’ll draw a card now~”

In the break room of Freyhem, a game was in full swing.

“Aaaaaaaand… Oh! I pulled out the Binding Sword.”

They were playing a psychological card game in which five knights, two specters, one wizard, and one duke were selected out of 9 players. The knights would need to search for the specters, and the specters needed to kill everyone.

It was the popular ‘Specters and Knights.’

“Whose heart should I put the binding sword…”

Cindy, a subordinate, swung the round table. Julie remained calm.

In fact, from the moment Cindy pulled out the binding sword, her heart was already pounding.

“Ma’am?”

“What?”

“You’re a specter, aren’t you?”

Cindy leaned towards Julie, outright expressing her suspicion.

Julie placed both of her hands neatly on her lap, then shook her head.

“No.”

“I think you are. Look at you. You really don’t know how to lie, ma’am.”

“What do you mean?”

“Since we said on the previous game that the change in your facial expression is too obvious, you are forcing yourself not to make any facial expressions.”

Julie inflated her cheeks, pretending to be upset.

“Now you’re making a forced expression.”

“… I’m not.”

“I’ll use the Binding Sword on you, then.”

“You’ll regret it. I am a knight.”

“Hmm… Now I’m having doubts with you talking like this.”

Cindy pretended to be worried.

Julie wondered if that was a real concern, but it was also a joke.

“Yes. I will accept it.”

“…”

When mana was injected into the card, it glowed. A small blue knife came up and swung at the card in front of Julie.

Whoosh—

Her ghost escaped.

“Look at this. She can’t lie at all.”

“… This game’s hard.”

Cindy smiled and asked Julie as she sighed. “Still, it’s fun, isn’t it?”

Julie wasn’t the kind of person who unintentionally interfered with her subordinates’ games. But this time, the members forced her to play it together.

Knowing the deeper meaning behind her words, Julie just smiled softly.

“Yes.”

“That’s right~ sometimes you have to take a break like this. You’re working too much these days.”

“…”

“If you get a specter, why don’t we just do it again? You have a good card strategy, but your psychological warfare needs work.”

“… I’ll be different from now on.”

Julie fiddled with the cards. She didn’t really enjoy the game itself, but her desire to win had been triggered.

She was expecting one more match.

However…

“Well, it’s already 8 PM. It’s time for the jousting match.”

“Oh, really?”

“Then we’ll get going, ma’am! Practice a little more~” Her subordinates sprinted from their seats and left.

The break room where there were fourteen people quickly became empty.

“…”

Julie, now left alone, looked at the table in the distance… and threw away the stack of cards in her hand.

Shhh—

As the cards were falling, she heard rumbling sounds closing in on her.

The knights were coming back.

Her excitement rising, she reorganized the deck.

‘Were they deliberately pretending to run away to mock me? That’s mean. But this time, it will be different…’

Julie’s subordinates stood behind her, and soon afterward, the people of the Imperial Family entered.

“Julie von Deya-Freyden.”

Julie also jumped up and saluted.

“We come bearing a letter from the Imperial Family. Follow the courtesy and receive it.”

“Yes.”

At Imperial Knight Lucan’s words, she knelt on one knee. He then gave her the letter.

The contents were as followed:

[Julie von Deya-Freyden. You are hereby given a chance to be selected as the emperor’s Knighthood Educator. As your first test, you must proceed to the destination ‘Lone Fast.’]

That was the hottest topic in the industry these days. The letter announced that she was nominated to be the emperor’s Knighthood Educator.

* * *

… There were several ‘magical spaces’ on the continent. Mystical and bizarre, each of them had a different characteristic.

In some places, it was winter or summer all year round. In others, it was always night. There were even locations where no grass could grow.

The periphery of the continent called ‘Annihilation’ or ‘Land of Demonic Beasts’ could also be considered a magical space if one looked at it broadly.

Julie was walking through such a locus. Although it was summer, the whole area was covered in perennial snow.

Her arduous march lasted half a day, at which point a flash of light led her to her destination, a large cottage.

Julie stood in front of the door and knocked.

Knock, knock—

“Is anyone there?”

There was no reaction.

Knock, knock—

“Come in.”

As she knocked one more time, someone inside answered. Julie opened the door, and the warmth inside pushed away the gelid blizzard’s chill.

She found familiar faces in the living room.

Syrio, Raphael, and Gwen.

All of them were her seniors in college.

“It’s been a while, Julie.”

The deputy commander of the Knights of Iliade, Syrio, smiled broadly at her. His vibe and facial features were still cool.

“Yes. Long time no see.”

“I knew you’d be nominated too. Sit~”

There were five chairs in the living room. Julie took a seat in one of the two chairs that were still vacant, thinking the last one probably belonged to the selection officer.

“I wonder what the test will be like~ Since we’re all here, it’s kind of like the group mission back in college, right, Gwen?” Syrio asked.

“I don’t know. I won’t go easy on you. You too, Julie, so be prepared.” Gwen glanced at the knights with a sharp gaze.

“I know.” Julie nodded firmly.

Raphael remained silent, so Syrio decided to continue.

“The other one is probably the selection officer’s seat… I heard Deputy Commander Isaac got injured. Do you think Sir Gefrid will come?”

Gefrid.

Julie became nervous when she heard the name of the Imperial Guardian Knight.

“Humpf. No way.” Gwen disagreed. “Gefrid is now retired. The Guardian Knight stays in the South in the first place, not the imperial palace.”

“That’s true.”

As Syrio shrugged, they heard a clear sound coming from outside.

Knock, knock—

All of their gazes waltzed to the door as it opened, the person not even waiting for an answer.

Whooooosh…

The blizzard raging on became momentarily visible.

Wearing a coat and a fedora, his face couldn’t be seen in detail. All they knew was that he was tall and that his physique was rigorous.

Julie felt used to such a view, and she soon discovered why when he took off his hat.

“…!”

Julie’s eyes widened. The other knights just blinked.

It wasn’t certain if he noticed their perplexity or not, but he casually just hung his hat and coat in the air.

Creaaak— Creaaak—

The wooden planks creaked with every step he took. To their surprise, he remained clear of snow marks.

“Nice to meet you.”

He sat down on the elevated seat of the selection officer.

“I am the deputy selection officer, Deculein.”

… It was quiet. His presence rendered them speechless due to how absurd it was.

The knights looked at Deculein blankly.

“… Deculein?” Raphael’s heavy tone, who had been silent all this time, broke the silence.

Deculein nodded.

“You? You’re the selection officer?”

“Yes.”

Raphael, Syrio, Gwen, and Deculein were schoolmates who joined the Knights Department and the Magic Department in the same year.

“What do you know about swords? No, do you even know what knights do? How dare—” The almost 2m tall Raphael jumped up and stared at Deculein, his manly facial features becoming distorted in different ways.

“Of course, I am a professor, not a knight. Hence, I will judge according to the manual.”

“Manual? What do you know about swordsmanship—”

“None. However, skill with the sword isn’t the only virtue required of Her Majesty’s Knighthood Educator. Additionally, I have already been selected as the Magic Educator by the emperor, so my qualifications are sufficient.”

Syrio’s eyes widened. “You were selected? What about Louina? Did you really just do this to her again?”

“… Louina.”

Deculein thought about the name he often heard these days.

His inevitable rival, Louina von Schlott McQueen.

At this point, she should just reveal herself already, but since they met at the Isle of Wizard’s Wealth, there had been no news about her.

“Wow, that’s amazing~ Anyway, if Deculein is the selection officer, are the four of us the only candidates?”

Syrio was very chatty, but Raphael and Gwen seemed dissatisfied, while Julie was more uncomfortable than dissatisfied.

“How can this be fair, though? Won’t you favor just one person?” Syrio grinned, making a good point.

Deculein shook his head.

“I’ll hold the selection, but Her Majesty will make the final decision.”

“Hmm. I still don’t think it’s fair… Well, okay. I have nothing to say since Her Majesty will decide anyway.”

“Okay. When does the exam start?” Gwen asked.

Deculein looked back at her, who in turn was startled when their eyes met.

“The first test is to reach this destination. The real start starts tomorrow, so take a rest today.”

* * *

[Independent Quest Complete: Magic Educator Selection]

◆ Mana + 100

◆ Store Currency +2

◆ Imperial Medal

It was already 11:30 PM, but I was still reading information about the knights in the selection officer’s room.

[Syrio │ Knight of Fresh Wind │ 33 years old]

[ Raphael │ Knight of Might │ Age 34 ]

[ Gwen │ Knight of the Holy Spirit │ 31 years old ]

[ Julie │ Knight of Refinement │ 28 years old ]

Each person had 100 pages dedicated to them. The imperial family gave me unexpected and high-quality information.

“…”

Three days ago, they entrusted me with the title of ‘Deputy Knighthood Educator Selection Officer.’

Perhaps it was at the emperor’s whim, but as soon as I saw the list of selected knights, I accepted it without any hesitation.

It was because of Julie.

I muttered. “… If I were the original Deculein, Julie wouldn’t have even been selected in the first place.”

Deculein’s work behind the scenes would have caused Julie to be excluded from the test itself. But I didn’t have the time and connections to do that.

Clank—! Clank—!

The sounds of swords clashing and magic being cast echoed outside. I went to the window and looked down.

Some knights were sparring among themselves.

Gwen and Syrio.

Clank—-!

I checked their swordsmanship style using [Vision].

Gwen used the [Top Rhodeltraza].

Syrio used the [Top Swift Syrio Swordsmanship].

Both of them were top-notch and powerful, but Syrio, who invented his own swordsmanship, was slightly better if I had to compare them.

“… Show me what you’ve got, Raphael.”

“Right.”

The battle between Julie and Raphael began.

Boom—! Baang—!

Their swords collided sharply, igniting embers. Raphael’s heavy sword looked like it could cause explosions, but Julie took it head-on without difficulty.

As I watched the battle, I took a deep breath.

“…Julie.”

The emperor’s Knighthood Educator.

A Guardian Knight and a Knighthood Educator were completely different positions. There was no relation to each other except that they were both knights.

I wanted Julie to be excluded from that glory.

I didn’t want her to be selected.

That was the reason why I accepted their ridiculous offer to select knights in the first place.

There was still “that monster” in the basement of the imperial palace.

The abyss of Freyden and the secret that would be the beginning of its downfall.

Deculein’s death variable and the ‘mirror’ she shouldn’t see.

Until I or someone else could break that damn mirror, I hoped she wouldn’t reach the imperial palace.

That was why…

“I have to eliminate you.”

* * *

The next day, Julie woke up early in the morning.

“…”

She started with stretching, conducting yoga to tidy up her body and clear her mind.

After warming up with flexible movements, she came out right after. The other knights were already sitting in the living room as if they were ready.

“Julie, did you sleep well?” Gwen asked.

Julie nodded. “Yes.”

“Oh, but you have really grown. I don’t think I can let my guard down around you anymore.”

“…I didn’t.”

Julie was humble, but Syrio and Gwen praised her. They said something about her sword harboring ice, like a magic sword that used elements or something…

As Julie held back her laughter like a hamster at the praise of the professionals, Deculein appeared.

He was staying on the right side of the cottage, in a separate selection room.

“Is the exam starting now, sir~?” Syrio asked with a bright smile.

Deculein nodded and sat down on the chair. “The first test is to evaluate your observation and persistence.”

As he said that, he energized a crystal ball.

A total of four items rose into the air.

“In this space ‘Lone Fast,’ there are many rare magical products such as ice flowers, latrans, mana cores, and crystal plants. Each of you will have to bring your designated item back to me.”

Deculein gave them references of what they had to look for.

Syrio was given latran, Gwen received mana core, the crystal plant went to Raphael, and Julie was assigned to find the ice flower.

“But it has to be a whole item. It shouldn’t be damaged in any way. Moreover, I will not move even a single step from this place.”

Julie carved the shape of the ice flower into her memory, a transparent flower that grew only on cliffs at snowy altitudes. It didn’t seem that difficult to find since ten of it bloomed and withered every day.

“If you have any objections, say it now. It is possible to modify the rules to some extent.”

Everyone, including Julie, shook their heads at Deculein’s words.

“Good. Since everyone agreed, you have 24 hours. Begin.”

It was exactly 7 o’clock.

All the knights stood up.

“Then everyone, let’s work hard~ Good-natured competition!” Syrio said encouragingly.

They parted as soon as they left the cottage.

Julie headed to the highlands where the ice flowers grew.

Lone Fast was a magical space with a considerably large area, but finding a sloping mountain range wasn’t that hard.

She started her climb.

“… Pant.”

It wasn’t easy. The snow was deep because it snowed nonstop last night, causing her legs to be engulfed by it every time she took a step forward. She could barely move by bouncing her knees.

Nevertheless, she reached the cliff of the mountain.

On that precarious slope, where she would fall if she stumbled a little, she found an ice flower. It was bright and transparent.

She looked at the watch and saw that only three hours had passed.

Julie put the ice flower in her hand, then went back the way she came.

Creak—

She opened the door as soon as she arrived at their lodgings.

Deculein was waiting in the living room. Julie approached him and held out the ice flower.

“Here it is.”

“…”

He silently took the flower that Julie handed over and quietly examined its every nook and cranny.

Julie waited quietly.

“This flower’s quality is bad.” Deculein said.

“…Huh?”

“I said it should be whole and not damaged in any way.”

Deculein returned the ice flower to Julie. The leaf of the flower had a tiny bit of damage.

“Oh, I see. Alright.”

It was too high a standard, but Julie went out without saying a word anyway.

Her face turned pale from the cold as she crossed the mountain range once more.

In search of the item, she rummaged through the most inhospitable highlands of the summit.

“…!” Soon, another one stood out. Julie ran and looked at the flower.

It had no damaged parts in any way.

“Good.” Julie nodded with satisfaction and returned to the cottage.

Deculein was still waiting in the same spot.

“Here it is.”

This time, she was confident, but…

“Its quality’s still bad.”

Surprised, Julie approached and noticed a scratch on its bottom.

It certainly wasn’t there the first time she saw it.

Did she damage it while she was giving it the finishing touches?

“Are there others with bad qualities too?” Syrio asked, eating as if he had already completed the exam.

Julie was also hungry. The only weakness of a knight with superior physical ability was their enormous basal metabolic rate.

“Meals are given after completing the goal or after giving up.” Deculein declared.

“Oh, really? Sorry, Julie. I was going to give you a bite.” Syrio shrugged.

“It’s fine. I’ll just look for another one.” Julie went outside, ignoring her hungry stomach.

She started her third climb.

Her hunger limited her use of magic, and she endured the cold by relying on her armor.

“Pant, pant.”

For almost six hours, she roamed all over the entire vicinity, during which the blizzard started again, worsening her situation. Snow covered her body, and her hair was already frozen.

… She found another one after a while, ending her suffering.

She was already exhausted, and she wasn’t happy about it.

After returning to the cottage and checking its condition outside the door, she gave it to Deculein right away.

“…”

Deculein examined the flower again. Her body was trembling with the cold, and the tension choked her neck.

Tick. Tock. Tick.

Three seconds passed, but she felt like his silence lasted for 30 minutes.

“Its quality is bad,” Deculein concluded.

“No way! No way!”

Julie looked as she was about to cry.

“Check for yourself.” Deculein held out the flower. Julie took and looked at it, finding yet another small scar.

“Oh.”

‘What happened?’

Julie thought while grabbing her hair.

It obviously had no damage before she went into the cottage.

What the hell was it that kept damaging it?

Tap—

The wood in the fireplace crackled as the flames burned it.

At that moment, Julie’s eyes widened. A realization flashed in her mind.

“Are you giving up?” Just as she did, Deculein raised a question.

“… I’ll go look for another one,” Julie went out immediately.

She ran through the blizzard like crazy, her entire body feeling frozen. She thought her life itself was falling apart.

She couldn’t find her objective easily, but she didn’t give up.

“Oh…”

In the harsh cold, she found the most brilliantly blooming ice flower.

That was the fourth one of the day.

Julie went back to the cottage. She didn’t run for fear of damaging the flower and held it with both hands to prevent the wind from blowing it apart.

“…”

The door to the cottage was open. Gwen, Raphael, and Syrio had already passed the test.

Julie shouted in front of the door.

“Here it is! I brought it!”

She didn’t enter the building. She just showed the ice flower as she stood in the middle of the frigid cold.

“Bring it to me,” Deculein said, but Julie shook her head.

“Please come out.”

Ice flowers were sensitive to temperature.

It would inevitably be damaged if she entered the cottage and went to Deculein, who was sitting in front of the fireplace.

“The Ice Flower is here.” Julie believed that this was the answer.

She blamed herself for being so stupid.

She held out the ice flower in the blizzard. The flower maintained its shape, but it was so cold that even her breath froze.

Yet despite her suffering…

“I don’t want to.”

His answer was much colder than the blizzard itself.

“…What?” Julie asked blankly.

In the villa’s living room overflowing with warmth, he was staring at her with a gaze far more gelid than the snow.

“I think I definitely told you all.”

Julie realized it too late.

“I will not move a single step from this place.”

Deculein was thinking of eliminating her from the start.