Flare and Deskis-senpai are dating?
As the thought crossed my mind, Deskis-senpai draped an arm around Flare’s shoulder.
"Heh... how’s it look, Leo-kun? Jealous?"
"Hmph!"
Flare immediately threw a roundhouse kick at him.
He dodged it effortlessly. For a man with such a massive frame, he was remarkably agile. Still, they were supposed to be lovers.
"Wa—! No! That’s not it! You’ve got it all wrong! Leo, listen to me, okay? This is a total misunderstanding!"
"Heh... there is no need to be shy, my sweet honey. Are we not a pair who once whispered words of love to each other atop a bed?"
"Deskis-senpai... I am seriously going to murder you for sexual harassment one of these days."
"Heh. What a shy woman."
Flare was in a visible panic.
Personally, I didn't think it mattered who she chose to date, but for some reason, she was desperate to explain herself to me.
"I—I only said that because being confessed to all the time was annoying! I told them I’d consider making anyone stronger than me my boyfriend just to shut them up!"
"And then I won our mock battle," Deskis added.
"I lost... I certainly lost, but that was ages ago! Besides, we aren't actually dating!"
At that, Deskis-senpai let out a boisterous laugh.
"Hahaha! Exactly! It was all a lie! However, if a lie is shouted loud enough, it becomes the truth! I’m the one who spread the word. I used every trick in the book to circulate rumors—some true, most entirely fabricated!"
"Uuu... my reputation is ruined... and I didn't even do anything... Frederica-senpai, help me..."
"There, there. Deskis is entirely to blame. He really is a creep, isn't he?"
It seemed Deskis-senpai was universally regarded as a creep. However, he let out another loud laugh as if that were the highest form of praise.
"Day after day, I face duels in serious combat against men driven mad by jealousy! It’s exhilarating! It makes my blood boil! I can feel myself trembling with excitement! Flare! Marry me! Together, we can reach even greater heights!"
"Absolutely not! You aren't my type! Besides, I don't feel like I'd lose to you now anyway! That’s it—I should break this curse right here and now. I’ve been avoiding you out of pure instinctual disgust, but I’ll overcome that trauma today!"
So, the dating rumors were fake. It sounded like Deskis-senpai had manufactured the lie just to provoke other men into fighting him. And since Flare had made that careless remark and actually lost to him once, plenty of people were willing to believe it.
I see... Flare wasn't actually dating anyone.
"Then, does that mean if I beat Deskis-senpai, I’ll be the one dating Flare?" I asked.
"Fue!?" Flare squeaked.
"Hooh?" Deskis mused.
"For starters, I’d like you to retract that lie, senpai. Flare looks miserable."
She was a comrade in my squad, and I owed her for saving me from Valzak. I had to repay my debts. Besides, this wasn't a war; it was a test of skill. Back when I played baseball, I never felt much of anything during practice or training games. But things were different now.
I had chosen to become strong of my own volition. I had trained of my own volition.
Perhaps that was why.
"I’ve actually gained... a bit of motivation."
"Aren't you fired up, Nova? Shall we see if we can elevate each other?"
In that moment, I felt a genuine spark of excitement.
The Knight Academy was a sprawling institution built on prime real estate within the Royal Capital. Its grounds were so vast that an entire town like Secondary—where I grew up—could have fit inside its walls.
At the heart of the campus sat the Central Dueling Ground, the most frequently used arena in the academy.
Two knights now stood at its center.
The spectator seats rose around us like a colosseum. Even though it was currently spring break, most of the students who had remained on campus had flocked to watch. This was largely Frederica’s doing.
"Step right up, place your bets! It’s a man-to-man duel over Flare’s heart! Things are heating up, folks!"
"Stop it, Frederica-senpai. This is seriously embarrassing... I mean it," Flare groaned.
"Fufu, two men dueling to win your hand? It’s every woman’s dream, isn't it? So, who's your pick for the winner?"
Flare watched me from the stands. We had fought together on a battlefield where our lives were on the line. She had trusted me to watch her back. I had used my wits to lead us out of the jaws of death and toward victory. When she was with me, she felt a strange mix of comfort and restless butterflies.
Her gaze lingered on me for a moment.
"L—Leo is still just a friend, anyway..."
"Still, huh? I didn't even mention Leo-kun by name, you know."
"N—No! It’s just that Deskis-senpai is completely out of the question!"
"Ahaha, you're so cute when you're flustered."
Down in the arena, the atmosphere was much more tense.
"Let me introduce myself properly," my opponent said. "Deskis Chocolate. Sixteen years old. Student Council Treasurer and a Two-Star Knight."
"Leo... Twelve years old. No stars. I'm not even a knight. I’m just Leo."
"Everyone starts as a nobody. Titles are secondary to a man's essence. For now, show me who you really are. Show me with your sword."
We both drew our blunt iron training swords.
"Do you know the formal opening for a duel?"
"I do."
"Heh... My name is Deskis Chocolate. Staking this name and my pride as a knight, I challenge you to a duel."
"My name is Leo. Staking this name and my pride as a knight, I accept. I shall face you fairly and squarely."
With a grin, Deskis made the first move.
He lunged forward, leaning so far into his stride that it looked like he was falling. I reflexively stepped back, but I realized too late that it was a mistake.
"Hah!"
"Kuh!"
Deskis’s grin widened as he accelerated even further. His initial charge had been a feint. I managed to block the strike, but my balance was off. The force of the blow sent me flying backward until I crashed into the stone wall of the arena.
To the audience, it looked like the match had been decided in a single exchange.
"The Goddess of Victory does not smile upon those who retreat! Isn't that right, my goddess Flare!?"
"Stop looking at me!" Flare barked.
Deskis laughed, but his triumph was short-lived.
"—!?"
"You shouldn't look away during a fight."
I hadn't simply crashed into the wall. I had used the momentum to land on it with my feet. Kicking off the stone, I launched myself back toward him in a blur.
I was fast. The smile vanished from Deskis’s face as he tightened his grip on his sword. Just before reaching him, I slammed my feet into the dirt and accelerated again. And then, I pushed even harder.
From zero to one hundred, my lag was practically nonexistent. I had stepped into the same realm as Gaia Featherfield—a man who represented the pinnacle of the kingdom's strength—all through self-taught practice.
"Wha—!?"
The two-stage acceleration completely shattered Deskis's timing. Returning the favor, I slashed through his guard and sent him tumbling across the dirt. He barely managed to get his sword up to block, but his posture was broken. He couldn't even break his fall before he slammed hard into the arena wall.
"I like that technique," I said. "I see... it’s all about the change in pace. Ryu used to say that all the time. Thanks, I’ll take it."
"Heh... so this is NTR," Deskis groaned as he slumped against the wall. "That definitely dealt some mental damage."
The entire exchange had lasted only a few seconds.
The arena fell into a stunned silence. The elite students of the academy found themselves staring, wide-eyed, at a boy who was supposed to be a mere commoner.