Chapter 8: Angels, Swords, and the Death of a Lowkey Life
Academy Research Lecture Hall Back Alley
Artoria and Sofia stood facing each other, as if in a standoff.
“So… you’re saying you and Bisus were angels serving Deus? And lovers?”
“Exactly!”
Artoria nodded vigorously.
“You expect me to believe such nonsense? Even a neighborhood kid wouldn’t fall for that lie. Do I look that foolish to you?”
Sofia’s aura surged outward like a blade.
It was the overwhelming presence of a swordmaster who had surpassed her limits, but Artoria, taking the brunt of it, remained calm.
“It’s not a lie. My lord husband and I were truly angels in our past lives. I swear on Deus’s name.”
Swearing on Deus’s name.
For a priest to break an oath made in their god’s name would bring the harshest divine punishment.
The same applied to the saintess.
So it’s true?
Sofia was bewildered.
Not just a lie to claim Bisus?
“Then, could you please stay away from our lord husband? I heard you were clinging to him yesterday, and as his wife, I’m quite uncomfortable with that!”
Lord husband.
Wife.
…Who decided that?
In my past life, Bisus whispered words of love to me.
He threw himself in harm’s way to protect me.
I’m his rightful lover.
No one can take him from me.
“I could say the same to you. In my past life, Bisus was a hero who defeated the Demon King with me. And my lover. He loved me so much he’d sacrifice his life for me.”
“…What?”
“You’re a saintess, so you can tell my words are true, can’t you?”
Artoria, enhancing her vision with holy power, was shocked.
What? True?
This is true?
My lord husband was with another woman in his past life?
“Then you back off. Wasn’t it because of you that our Bisus lost his place as an angel?”
Reeling from confusion, Artoria steeled herself.
“Hah. And wasn’t it because of you that my lord husband lost his life in that past life?”
Their gazes clashed with murderous intensity.
“Then let’s settle it. Whoever Bisus chooses. We’ll leave it to him.”
“Just what I wanted! Don’t come crying later!”
And so, a bet was made without the person in question’s knowledge.
Bisus packed his things and left his inn room for class.
Today’s class started with practical swordsmanship training.
A typical academy course focused on sparring to build real combat skills.
In the original story, the protagonist drew massive attention during an event in this class.
When Bisus first made his plan to steal the protagonist’s events, he considered winning sparring matches to divert attention from the protagonist but scrapped the idea.
Attention from anyone other than the three heroines would do more harm than good, and his skills were too weak at this early stage.
Without securing any opportunities yet, there was no way he could beat a strong opponent.
Bisus clenched and unclenched his fist.
If only I could have the strength from that dream.
He’d broken the bathroom doorknob after waking, but he chalked it up to his imagination.
“Hey, Bisus!”
“Janice?”
As he neared the training grounds, a student waved enthusiastically from a distance.
“Been a while. You here for practical swordsmanship too?”
“Yeah.”
“Surprising. Didn’t you hate physical stuff? Suddenly got the urge to learn swordsmanship?”
As a lowborn baron’s son with subpar skills, Bisus struggled to make connections in noble social circles.
But he’d managed to build a few friendships, one being with Janice, the effeminate male student before him.
Mainly because Janice was the protagonist of Eclipse.
“I still don’t really want to learn.”
He’d tried swordsmanship before, but his pathetic body failed him, and he gave up.
“But I’ve got a reason to now.”
Gaining power through opportunities doesn’t make you instantly strong. You need to learn how to wield it and gain combat experience.
That’s why Bisus signed up for this class.
“Aha! I get it.”
“What?”
“The republic’s princess! It’s because of Princess Sofia, right?”
“What?”
Bisus froze.
Sofia?
Did word spread about us sitting together in class yesterday?
“You were walking arm-in-arm with the republic’s princess through the halls, right?”
“Huh?”
“And I heard in the headmaster’s office, she and the imperial princess were fighting over you?”
“What?!”
“No way my friend turned into a Casanova charming highborn ladies on the first day of the academy. I’m shocked.”
Wait, hold on.
How does he know?
If someone like Janice, who doesn’t care for gossip or socializing, knows this…
Does that mean the whole academy knows?
Bisus finally noticed all the students staring at him.
“That’s him, right?”
“He’s decent-looking, but is he that handsome?”
“Maybe he’s got some amazing talent? If highborns are fighting over him, he must have something special.”
“He does look kinda sexy. Slurp.”
How did I not notice this while walking here?
Oh.
I was too lost in thought.
This is bad.
I’ve become the weirdo who seduced the republic leader’s daughter and the imperial princess.
This could attract their attention.
If I become a target of those guys while I’m still weak, I won’t survive…!
Bisus and Janice arrived at the training grounds.
“Bisus!”
Sofia, waiting inside, ran toward him.
“See?”
“So attractive.”
“Maybe that’s the style in the republic.”
“Good morning, Bisus.”
Sofia greeted him brightly.
“Morning…”
Bisus couldn’t match her enthusiasm.
“Hello, Sofia-nim.”
“Who’s this?”
Sofia tensed as Janice greeted her, but relaxed upon seeing his male uniform.
“I’m Janice Skylark, Bisus’s friend.”
“Sofia di Lubelion.”
Buzz buzz
As they exchanged greetings, a commotion stirred at the entrance of the training grounds.
The figure drawing all the students’ attention approached Bisus.
“Good morning, Bisus-nim!”
“S-Saintess?”
It was Artoria.
“Why is the saintess at the training grounds?”
“I’m taking this class too! Please look after me.”
What?
The saintess, who never took swordsmanship in the novel, is in this class?
The changes from the original story were overwhelming Bisus.
“No way, even the saintess?”
“What’s so special about him?”
“Jealous, Bisus! How’d you get the saintess too?”
Bisus felt the stares intensify.
No. Please, no more.
“…And that’s why you must take this practical swordsmanship class.”
The class began, and Professor Valdrake, a veteran instructor whom even the empire and republic couldn’t touch, addressed the gathered students.
Despite his usual unshakable demeanor regardless of students’ status, his gaze kept drifting to the two girls sitting on either side of one male student.
Why is the saintess here?
I knew Sofia di Lubelion was in my class, but the saintess is news to me.
Her name’s on the roster, though?
Whatever.
“Thus, this class aims to improve your skills through sparring. Since it’s the first class, we’ll start with a simple demonstration spar. Any volunteers?”
A sturdy male student raised his hand enthusiastically.
“Good. It’s great to have a volunteer right away this term. Step forward.”
Bisus rubbed his chin, looking at the student.
Naber Schreig.
The heir of Duke Schreig.
In Eclipse, he was an early antagonist who lost a spar to the protagonist, sparking Sofia’s interest in the protagonist.
“There seem to be no other volunteers, so you may choose your opponent.”
In the story, he picked the protagonist here. Unless something’s changed, he’ll—
“I’ll face Bisus Granginol.”
…What?
“Bisus Granginol, step forward.”
Me? Why me?
Bisus spotted Naber glaring at him.
I didn’t do anything!
Oh.
Right.
This guy had a crush on the saintess.
I’m screwed.
“Both students, take your training swords and step into position.”
Bisus trudged forward like a pig to the slaughter.
He weakly picked up the sword in front of him.
“Huh?”
In that moment, his body felt lighter, and a sense of omnipotence surged through him.
This feeling…
It’s like… in the dream…!