The first chosen as Rei's mock battle opponent was a man who appeared slightly older than him.
That said, several years had passed since Rei came to Elgin, and yet his appearance had not changed at all since then.
Normally, at around the age of mid-teens, a person's height would grow significantly in just a year, but there was no sign of that whatsoever. ...Still, that matter was not particularly viewed as a problem, since Rei was also an extremely powerful mage.
At any rate, being slightly older in appearance than Rei—who looked that age—meant the opponent was also in his late teens... probably not yet twenty.
Belonging to the elite Duke Kerebel's Knight Order at that age meant he was undoubtedly a person of talent, one likely expected to achieve great things in the future.
However, possessing high talent and consequently becoming arrogant was par for the course at that age... In that sense, Rei's existence was probably a perfect fit for Filma's purposes.
The man holding a longsword was completely unable to move in the face of Rei's Death Scythe and Twilight Spear.
The difference in skill played a part, but above all, the intensity radiating from the two weapons Rei held was the greatest reason the man hesitated to attack.
Ten-odd seconds passed like that... and eventually, Rei opened his mouth.
"If you're not coming, then I will."
So saying, he took a step forward.
At Rei's words and action, the man tried to step back half-reflexively, but...
"Leodanis!"
In that instant, Filma's voice echoed through the surroundings.
He hadn't exactly shouted, but the voice that carried through the area all the same was something gained from continuously issuing commands to allies amidst the din of battle.
Jolted back to his senses by that voice from Filma, the man—Leodanis—readied his longsword and tried to close the distance with Rei all at once.
"Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!"
It was a shout half-close to a scream, but his charge was far sharper than that of an ordinary adventurer.
...However, the reason it was still slower than Leodanis's true speed was likely due to the winter cold making movements slightly sluggish even after running to a certain extent, and the effect of the lightly falling snow wetting the ground.
Seizing the initiative from Leodanis was not a difficult task for Rei.
However, since this was a mock battle, it was necessary to let Leodanis gain some degree of experience.
That was why Rei watched Leodanis's movements unfold as they were... and then casually deflected the longsword swung down at him with Death Scythe.
A sharp metallic sound rang out through the surroundings, and in the next moment, the longsword Leodanis had been gripping spun away through the air. By the time Leodanis understood what had happened along with the fierce numbness in his hand, the tip of the Twilight Spear was already thrust before his eyes.
"That's enough!"
"...Eh?"
Filma's voice resounded across the training ground.
What escaped Leodanis's mouth was a voice utterly failing to comprehend what had happened.
Only his fiercely numb hand indicated that he had lost.
Not losing after a close fight, but beaten in a single stroke in the truest sense of the word.
The moment Filma's voice rang out, murmurs rose from the other knights who had been watching Leodanis's fight—though calling it a fight was difficult.
"Hey, did you see that? No, could you even see it?"
"...That scythe... it was swung before I even knew it."
"The spear too, when did he thrust it?"
Such voices echoed around, but Filma's voice resounded through the area as if to drown them out.
"Next! Sharisla!"
"Me!? Y-Yes, sir!"
At Filma's words, a woman in her mid-twenties holding a spear stepped forward before Rei.
As the woman called Sharisla approached, Leodanis picked up his longsword from the ground and moved away.
Leodanis had confidence in his own strength, so he probably never imagined he would lose so easily.
Even as he walked away, his expression showed that he still could not quite grasp whether he had truly lost.
"Begin!"
At Filma's signal, Sharisla surged forward.
Leodanis had handed the initiative to Rei by observing first.
Given that, it was better for her to move first and seize the initiative rather than Rei.
That was likely her reasoning behind the action.
As an approach against Rei, it was by no means wrong.
But... to wrest the initiative from Rei, Sharisla's skill and stamina... in short, her overall ability was far too insufficient.
"Haah!"
Released with a sharp cry, Sharisla's thrust.
With a spear, the fastest and most fundamental attack.
And as expected of someone belonging to the Duke Kerebel's Knight Order, the speed of that thrust was on a level that ordinary adventurers could not even compare to.
However...
"Eh?"
In the next moment, what escaped Sharisla's mouth was the same sort of somehow vacant voice Leodanis had let out.
Of course, she was not the only one to utter such a sound; the other knights watching the battle around them were the same.
It was only natural. At the end of the knights' gazes, Sharisla's spear and Rei's Twilight Spear were connected in a straight line.
What had happened could be clearly understood just by looking at the result before their eyes.
In other words, Rei's released thrust had met Sharisla's thrust head-on. That was all.
However, it was a result that would not be strange to describe as miraculous, where the very tip of Sharisla's spearhead and the tip of Rei's Twilight Spear had collided without shifting even slightly.
If the position of the spearhead had been off... even just a little, the spear would have flowed along the opponent's spearhead or shaft.
Seeing that such a thing had not occurred and that both spears were dead still, anyone could understand just how high a level of skill this godlike feat required.
The fact that they could understand this was proof that everyone belonging to the Duke Kerebel's Knight Order possessed ability above a certain standard.
"Here I come."
From the state where the very tips of their spearheads were pressed against each other, Rei muttered briefly.
The moment she heard that, a chill ran down Sharisla's spine as she wondered for an instant what was about to happen... but, perhaps judging that she would lose without being able to do anything at this rate, she swiftly pulled back the spear she held.
They had maintained their equilibrium precisely because both had been pouring the same amount of force into their spears.
Of course, this did not mean Sharisla and Rei had equal strength; it was certain that Rei had been matching Sharisla's level since it was a mock battle.
At any rate, in that situation, if Sharisla withdrew her spear, it would not be strange for Rei to lurch forward.
It should not have been strange... but Rei showed no sign of moving, not twitching even slightly.
However, just how inhuman—truly befitting of being called beyond human—Rei's abilities were, Sharisla had already fully understood in the short time thus far.
Given that, she did not think Rei would lose his balance just because she suddenly relaxed her force.
Rather, judging that to be natural, she released a thrust once more.
Perhaps it would be caught the same way again? she could not help but think in a corner of her mind... and when Rei actually released a thrust once more, Sharisla thought, As expected.
But the impact from when the spear was caught was not in her arm, and she reflexively felt a question arise.
If it were Rei, there was no way he would fail to align the spearheads—she had been harboring that doubt.
But now, with no reaction in her hand like this... the moment she thought that, a light recoil remained in Sharisla's hand, and the spear had vanished from her grip.
And before she knew it, just like with Leodanis moments ago, she found herself staring at the tip of the Twilight Spear thrust before her eyes, while in the corner of her vision she saw her own spear spinning through the air—the instant she saw it, she instinctively understood what had happened.
When Sharisla had unleashed her thrust for the second time, Rei had not done something like catching it with his spearhead as he had the first time.
Whether that was intentional or a result of a failed attempt, Sharisla could not tell, but Rei had likely timed the moment Sharisla's spearhead was diverted, entangled her spear, and sent it flying upward.
With the spear gone from the hands of Sharisla, who used the spear as her weapon, there was nothing she could do.
Well, she had a short blade of some sort prepared for emergencies, but since it was strictly a backup weapon, her proficiency with the short blade was naturally inferior to her spear.
In such a situation, there was no way she could defeat Rei... no, even land a single blow in return, and Sharisla opened her mouth before Filma could say anything.
"I yield."
At those words from Sharisla, Rei turned his gaze toward Filma, and after seeing Filma nod, he withdrew the spear tip he had thrust forward.
"Hmm, I knew it, but to be this overwhelming..."
Such words left Filma's mouth, but what lay within them was not disappointment toward his subordinates... but admiration for Rei.
Given that they trained together every day, Filma understood full well that his subordinates were by no means weak.
It may have seemed like they were losing to Rei easily, but that was purely because Rei's skill was extraordinary.
Or rather, if the two who had fought mock battles had been holding back, that would be a different story, but judging from their movements, there was no sign of them doing anything like that, nor any reason to.
(Compared to when I saw him before, he has clearly gotten stronger.)
What Filma was referring to was the time during the Azoth Firm incident when Rei had fought while hiding his identity.
Since several years had passed since that battle, it was only natural that Rei had grown compared to before.
But even so, growing this much was beyond expectations, and now that he had no need to hide his identity unlike before—in this situation where he could go all out—how far could he fight against Rei? Such a thought welled up within Filma.
(So I, too, am ultimately a knight... is that it?)
The moment he recognized the burning passion within himself, Filma opened his mouth.
"It seems that when facing Lord Rei, even they are too strong. Of course, battling a formidable opponent is also perfectly good training, but... this is a rare opportunity. Next, I shall have a mock battle with Lord Rei."
A stir ran through them.
The knights who heard this began to murmur.
For the Duke Kerebel's Knight Order... no, for a man who was close to the strongest even within all of Duke Kerebel's Territory, Filma was the only one, so that reaction was only natural.
Though, he was only close to the strongest, not the strongest itself... but even so, just how formidable Filma's abilities were was clear to the knights who trained with him day in and day out.
Filma, whose strength they witnessed on a regular basis, and Rei, who had displayed might worthy of his moniker Crimson right before their eyes.
Naturally, everyone present was curious about which of the two was stronger, but...
"Please wait!"
There was someone who called a halt to Filma's action.
The man was in his mid-forties, older than Filma.
Even so, the fact that he was out here training meant his stamina must be considerable.
However, this knight's role was primarily to serve as Filma's Support, and he held a position that could be called the Knight Order's vice-captain.
Rather than fighting on the front lines, he excelled at commanding subordinates in battle, and precisely because of that position, he had determined that he could not allow Rei and Filma to fight here.
Filma, who could be called among the strongest in Duke Kerebel's Territory, was, in a sense, close to a military symbol.
His renown was lower than Elena's, who could be called the symbol of the Noble's Faction, but even so, Filma, who had served as the captain of the Duke Kerebel's Knight Order for many years, was viewed by many as a symbol of power.
Those present, the knights here now, viewed Filma in the same way.
It was true that they wanted to see which was stronger, Rei or Filma.
But at the same time, how many of them could imagine the sight of Filma fighting Rei and losing?
They might not feel it as reality yet, but if they actually saw Filma lose with their own eyes, they would certainly be shocked.
Or rather, if his opponent were Elena... or at least someone from Duke Kerebel's Territory, it would still be acceptable.
However, Rei was naturally not from Duke Kerebel's Territory, let alone a member of the Noble's Faction.
For a person like that to defeat Filma, who was the symbol of martial prowess in Duke Kerebel's Territory in a different sense than Elena, had the potential to bring about the worst possible outcome.
That was why he had stepped in to stop this, but...
"There is no problem."
Thus, Filma told his older subordinate.
"But!"
"Lord Rei is the person that Lady Elena brought here. What that means... you should understand."
"That is..."
Moreover, since Rei's relationship had become one of tacit approval by Duke Kerebel and his wife at last night's dinner, Filma's words implicitly stating that there would be no problem with a mock battle here silenced the man.
Confirming that, Filma turned toward Rei with a ferocious smile and asked.
"Now then, Lord Rei. A mock battle with me... would you accept?"
To Filma's question, Rei silently nodded in reply.