Chapter 237:


    Chapter 237 Everyone Has Regrets


    While they stared at each other with expressionless faces, it was Vi who first lifted one corner of her mouth.


    ‘The more I think about it, the funnier it gets.’


    There was a significant age difference between her and the child standing opposite her. n was at an age where he should be attending lectures at the academy.


    However, no matter how young he was, the words n had spoken couldn’t simply be dismissed as ‘the immature words of a young one’. n would now have to take responsibility for what he said.


    “In front of a knight’s sword, there are no excuses or justifications.”


    Vi twirled her sword in a circle.


    “If you’ve ever uttered such things, you’ll regret it. No, to be precise, you won’t even have the chance to regret.”


    Since Vi was the most likely candidate to be nominated as a hero, it could be said that each of her words carried corresponding weight.“Regret….”


    But n himself seemed indifferent.


    “I’ve never had any regrets in my life.”


    “Well, humans live with regrets.”


    Vi, who was fiddling with her sword, gripped the hilt so tightly that it made a creaking sound.


    Seeing n’s unusually calm demeanor, she felt a peculiar sensation.


    Vi wasn’t simply hot-tempered. She took pride in her skills and had undergone countless training and meditation sessions to maintain herposure.


    But there was one thing.


    n’s eyes. They looked at Vi, a Capital Knight, as if she were nothing but a speck of dust, and it was extremely unsettling.


    ‘There’s no way mymon sense is wrong.’


    Yes, no matter how much she thought about it, there was no way themon sense Vi had was wrong. Logically, if the knowledge she possessed were false, how could she have risen to her current position?


    ‘But if that’s the case….’


    However, because of that knowledge, Vi was even more annoyed. There was one more thing reflected in n’s eyes….


    ‘Eyes that look down.’


    It was absurd, but they were definitely eyes that looked down.


    Like a predator looking at its prey.


    Like a strong person looking down on the weak.


    Like a wise man looking at someone yet to gain insight.


    n was looking at Vi with those eyes.


    Vi knew. Such eyes do note from delusion or misunderstanding. They are eyes that only someone who genuinely believes they are superior to their opponent can have.


    “n.”


    Vi quietly muttered the name of her opponent.


    “You need to understand who I am.”


    “You’re no different in the end.”


    “Hm?”


    Because an unexpected answer came back, Vi unknowingly twitched one eyebrow.


    “At first, everyone thinks it’s because I don’t understand them. But that’s not the case at all.”


    “….”


    “Vi, I already know you perfectly well.”


    Even the calmness of Vi, which could bepared to a tranquilke, began to ripple slowly.


    n wasn’t saying anything particrly threatening, but each of his words was like a giant rock overturning the entireke.


    n calmly continued to speak.


    “I know that you cannot bring defeat upon me.”


    His gaze briefly swept over Vi’s wrist.


    “Even if you had nned a surprise attack.”


    Vi showed a slightly surprised expression.


    ‘Did he read the movement of my wrist?’


    In fact, saying he read the movement might be misleading. Vi had been maintaining an almost unmoving posture.


    In other words, n had seen the minute movements that couldn’t possibly be observed with ordinary vision.


    Vi pondered how to respond. She swallowed dryly and was about to part her lips when n’s words came faster.


    “Let’s begin. This conversation is getting tedious.”


    Vi finally burst intoughter.


    ‘His mindset is already no different from a hero.’


    That was precisely why she needed to be more cautious.


    Not everyone who walks like a king bes a king, but it’s also true that they are given the chance at least once.


    As Vi prepared to face n, she had thought a lot about how to approach this match.


    And after their extensive conversation, Vi now felt she knew exactly what to do in this match.


    ‘Even if people say I’ve gone too far, it can’t be helped. n must die here.’


    A transparent aura began to rise from Vi like a mirage. Her pure white hair floated up and scattered, as if countless pages of sheet music were turning.


    The treble clef engraved on Vi’s retina shone with a golden brightness.


    “Alright. Let’s begin. The match will be even more tedious.”


    Muttering to herself, Vi regained herposure.


    As n began to draw mana, an unusual current started to whirl inside the arena.


    Even though the stands were packed without a single empty seat, a hush fell over the ce. It felt as if everyone would hear it if someone breathed heavily.


    In the midst of the tension, tight like a pulled string, it was Vi who confidently broke through.


    Whoosh!


    Vi thrust her sword without any noticeable preparatory movement.


    It was customary to dere an attack beforeunching it, but Vi aimed directly for n’s vital spot without any warning.


    She genuinely intended to kill n right there.


    “Huh!”


    “Oh…!”


    A beatter, gasps burst from the audience.


    They couldn’t follow Vi’s sword movement with the naked eye nor observe it, but they could vaguely understand that Vi had made a very threatening attack.


    And everyone understood that the attack carried immense power and a great sense of foreboding.


    Thud!


    But what followed was a dull sound. A strand of mana that had risen from the ground struck Vi’s wrist.


    Whoosh!


    Like musical staves drawn in the air, five sword trajectories extended in a straight line, but since her wrist was hit, they all turned into blind attacks.


    ng! ng! ng! ng! ng!


    Five lines were drawn on the opposite ground where the missed attacknded. They looked like the ws of a beast or like sheet music.


    This was only Vi’s first attack.


    “…!”


    Yet the people in the arena felt a chill.


    The exchanges of invisible attacks made it difficult to understand the details, but the fact that they were witnessing ‘attacks of an iprehensible level’ was reason enough for awe.


    “….”


    The representatives of the Magic Department, who kept silent with serious expressions, were no exception.


    They, too, had faced off against escort knights and Capital Knights, even achieving excellent results like victories or draws, feeling a sense of pride.


    ‘This is different.’


    ‘This is what they call the real deal.’


    ‘It’s hard to even fathom.’


    As soon as the match began, these kinds of thoughts filled their heads. There was no time to think about reasons. Their bodies realized that this was what an instinctual rm felt like.


    At some point, their confused thoughts merged into one, driven by an intense feeling.


    ‘I want to see more, learn more!’


    And the moment the representatives of the Magic Department thought that, their wish was granted. Vi, who had narrowly failed with her first attack, immediatelyunched her next strike.


    Whoosh!


    ng!


    It only seemed like Vi’s shoulder had moved slightly, yet the sound of n’s shield and sword shing rang out almost simultaneously.


    Each swing of her sword sent a strike with five times the range and power.


    That alone would have amazed the spectators, making them gasp, but n calmly continued to defend and spoke.


    “Vi.”


    Vi’s gaze turned towards n.


    “If this is your best, your end will be quite disgraceful.”


    Vi’s expression hardened further.


    It wasn’t because n’s words had shaken her heart through her eardrums. What genuinely bothered her was….


    Whoosh─!


    The ease with which n’s magic blocked Vi’s attacks. The flow of mana controlled many things in the invisible parts, making it seem like it formed a separate 『space』.


    Swordsmanship and magic.


    Though different fields, didn’t they converge at a high level?


    Thus, it was clear to Vi’s eyes. n’s calm breathing, the ease with which he managed his strength, and his ability to swiftly assess the situation.


    ‘What… are you…?’


    A question mark began to form in Vi’s mind.