176: Talented Underclassmen ①

Belk’s estate was, without a doubt, the most massive noble mansion I had ever laid eyes on.

No, "massive" doesn't even begin to cover it.

It was the grandest of all grand manors. There were so many butlers and maids running around that I lost count within minutes. The courtyard garden was carpeted in a sea of vibrant, multicolored flowers that filled the air with a sweet fragrance. A plot of land this size in the Royal Capital... the property taxes alone would be enough to make a man faint.

Beyond the gardens, the estate even housed its own Special Training Ground, stocked with an arsenal of every weapon imaginable.

A thoroughbred among thoroughbreds. That was Belk Friede.

"Uooooooooooo! Spinning Slaaaaash!"

"—Interesting, but you’re wide open."

The man in question came hurtling through the air, rotating vertically as he prepared to bring his sword down on me. I didn't even need my Magic Eye to see him coming; his movements were broadcasted in high-definition.

I dodged with a light sidestep and planted a firm kick into his flank.

Belk went flying.

However, mid-flight, he was suddenly caught and cushioned by something resembling a net. It's probably magic, but the concealment is so thick I can barely make out the threads.

"Belk, there’s no way you’ll ever win if you just charge in like a total idiot," a voice chimed in.

"That's weird... I thought for sure that was my finishing move..."

The speaker was Meryl Stone.

She hailed from a long line of Court Mages and was a natural-born prodigy. She had been subjected to "gifted" education since she was in diapers, and her raw talent was said to eclipse even Belk’s. Despite only being a first-year, she held a complete monopoly over the top of the rankings. Apparently, Belk had never beaten her and was perpetually stuck in second place.

The biggest reason for her dominance was her almost pathological obsession with hard work. It was a well-known legend that the first-year Training Room was essentially Meryl’s permanent residence. She never let success go to her head; she was constantly, relentlessly refining her craft.

It wasn't that Belk was slacking off, exactly. It was just that Meryl was... special.

"—Mana Cannon."

As if to signal that their break time was over, a massive pillar of mana came raining down from the heavens. Meryl intercepted it with an agonizingly precise Defense Formula before soaring up into the sky.

Among the Noblesse, Meryl and Cynthia were likely the only ones capable of reaching Carta in the air on their own strength—excluding the literal freaks of nature, of course. Meryl might not have been on Carta’s level yet, but she possessed an exceptionally high level of technical skill. Once she reached the clouds, she began peppering Carta with a barrage of different elemental spells.

"Whoa... they’re amazing..." Belk muttered.

As I watched them, I realized I was thinking the exact same thing as him.

...For some reason, this is starting to get on my nerves.

—One-Hit Kill.

I unleashed an invisible slash.

However, the kid actually managed to dodge it. "Hie!?"

Good grief. For a first-year, he’s got absolutely no charm. How did he even sense that?

"Eyes on me," I snapped. "Don't look away."

"Yes, sir! Here I come!"

"Yeah. Give me everything you've got."

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Afterword

There’s just something cool about having an elite lineage, isn't there?

[Kakuyomu Contest 9 New Work]

I’ve posted a new story!

Since there are so many entries this time around, new works tend to get buried instantly ( ;∀;)

I really believe the content is interesting, so if you could give it a follow and a ☆, I would be eternally grateful!

Dear readers, please lend me your strength!

Reincarnated as the Strongest and Most Evil Villain, I Act Behind the Scenes for the Sake of the Original Hero

https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330668130826322