Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Academy students lived in their own world, outside the interest of adults. Like wild flowers growing naturally in the field.

Adults' interest didn't always work positively, but without proper guidance, children were bound to lose their way. Thus, they sometimes brought cruel fate upon themselves.

There were at least dozens of adventurer guilds in the Empire, and dozens of guilds operating academies among them.

How each academy life was, couldn't be known, but at least there was something called hope in Beringen Academy.

Working and earning money on their own, training martial arts, friends becoming strength to each other, there was an opportunity to pioneer life after graduation.

Even if desperate struggle and death cast a shadow, children were stronger than thought.

Of course, there were mean humans everywhere one went, but like wild flowers overcoming pests, fortunately Beringen Academy was dominated by a positive atmosphere.

The one leading that positive atmosphere was Rickart.

Just like bandits don't gather when the lord keeps his position, and bad hooligans gather naturally when he vacates the position, Rickart just being in the Academy itself formed a good atmosphere. Even if he himself didn't intend to.

Bolka, Morty, Ice, Lara, Delphi, Pallen, Jerome, Manson who performed the deserter pursuit request together with Rickart looked quite like adults now as their age was age.

Including Rickart, these nine were on a different level from other students, and led the atmosphere within the Academy together with Rickart.

Overwhelming skill difference, and the future they saw became an example to other students. Saying 'I want to be like that too'.

Anyway, growth of boys and girls is bound to be with time, so graduation of those eight also approached gradually. Since they entered the Academy about 1 year or 10 months earlier than Rickart.

Academy was to graduate after staying 2 years, but mostly it was a little over 2 years or less. Since it was operated by rule of thumb, it was like that.

They often went out on requests by a few people not all together, and talked about things like whether to join an existing clan interacting with active adventurers, or make a clan among themselves newly.

Path is divided between brothers after childhood, and path is divided between friends after boyhood.

"So speaking of which, how about making a clan among ourselves?"

Bolka said. Originally having a personality of doing anything leadingly, he brought it up without hesitation.

It was midnight, and a bonfire was rising in the vacant lot between the Inner Castle and the girls' dormitory. Nine students were around it.

Sound of night bugs crying jjireuk jjireuk was heard in the grass, and stars were twinkling silently in the black sky.

Originally it was time to sleep, but including Rickart, the top nine students were somewhat free from rules.

"I can't. Have work to do."

Ice shook his head and said. And, Jerome and Manson were also with him. Since they were three who went together from the beginning, could be so.

"What work? Can you tell?"

"I must take the final exam."

"Why?"

"That is my fate."

Final exam was becoming Special Grade and going to Fernland. There was a legend that if passing that exam, one becomes a Sword Master.

No one except people who passed the exam knew what on earth happened for that to be possible. But, there were almost no people who passed.

The final exam itself was very rare, and no one knew who on earth hosted the exam, or when and for what reason it was held. Just knew there was such a thing.

People passing were about one in decades, and there was not a single final exam passer from Beringen Academy in 70 years of history.

So taking the final exam and passing was actually almost impossible work.

However, saying it's fate, what can be done. Nine students who were friends and comrades respected each other. Ice somehow looked bitter somewhere.

"Mm...... Can't help it then. The rest?"

Bolka looked back at students and asked. Morty was also negative.

"I plan to quit adventurer. Working beating iron is good. Sorry."

"I can't either. Decided to live with Morty. Sorry."

Lara said. Seemed two would marry. Since age already passed adult, it was sufficiently possible work.

"Excuse me, sorry but, I'll allow out too. There is a senior adventurer I know. Decided to join a clan there."

Pallen who went with Rickart and Ice for a while during deserter pursuit said. Although the kid had weak energy, had skill doing for one person sufficiently.

"No, well, nothing to be sorry about."

Said so, but Bolka showed explicit signs of regret inevitably.

Only three remained. Bolka, Delphi, and Rickart. The problem was Rickart had still a long time left until graduation.

Bolka looked at Delphi with almost pleading expression. Since he made such an explicit expression, Delphi couldn't stop laughter bursting out.

"Understood. Understood. Understand so don't make such expression. I know too that there is no person to take care of you if not me."

"Delphi......"

"But what will Rickart do?"

Delphi who tied short hair back asked.

"Let's include Bori too."

"Eng?"

"Bori said he wants to be an adventurer. Then good to do together."

"I don't matter, but you know it's dangerous work too, right?"

"Me and Bori have some time left until graduation. Have to improve ability during that time. And I believe will do well. Since he is a tougher kid than thought."

"Okay, well, if you say so...... Then clan leader?"

"Bolka do it. You are the leader."

Rickart smiled without any lingering attachment and said. Usually had absolutely no greed for such things.

Rickart's individual military force or ability to lead people in battle was unrivaled even including active adventurers, but ability to manage usually wasn't excellent.

Management meant managing people. Trust and leadership were important rather than handling with money, Bolka was better in that. Had many connections here and there too.

And if request comes in, Rickart could lead temporarily in actual combat. Since nothing is decided. Since we decide.

"Good. Then what to do for clan name?"

Delphi asked. Then Bolka and Rickart exchanged glances, and smile spread on both mouths whether meaning communicated without speaking.

"Viola. Clan, Viola."

Viola meant violet. Delphi didn't know the reason but didn't give separate objection. Just thought it was an unexpectedly feminine name.

Clan names were usually Fire Axe, Widow Maker, Black Wolves, Roar of Lion, something like this.

Anyway with this, Viola Clan was born. Rickart was 11 years old, volka and Delphi were 16 years old, Bori-bori was 13 years old.

Said so but actually it wasn't parting right away. It was graduation when someone comes from the guild to take students around late autumn or winter.

Now it was summer, and still had a few months left. Members who performed request together were busy here and there preparing for graduation.

After graduating, step into the rough world according to each goal, or even if there is no goal.

So from summer, the Academy was somewhat chaotic. Almost no classes, there were many kids worrying about where to go and what to eat to live, from students saving money tight.

When everyone was busy, Bori-bori swung a practice sword in the backyard of the dormitory used before.

However whether swinging or just playing, Rickart's expression watching nonchalantly lying sideways supporting head in shadow frowned slightly.

"What are you doing, you?"

"Ung? Ah, was writing letters. Ancient characters. Studying too, training too, if doing like this can do simultaneously. Hehehe."

"Bori, didn't you hear you also made a clan?"

"Ung. Told last time."

Rickart was dumbfounded so was about to say a word but stopped. Since it's not something that works by saying something.

Only, Bori-bori drew the sword in the air hwik hwik again, looking quietly, it also seemed rather better than unfolding general swordsmanship. Eng? Wait, what is this?

Since Rickart mastered as much as in sword, felt something subtle, but couldn't know exactly. Because it was something neither heard nor seen.

"Ricky, look well. I can do something like this now?"

Saying so, Bori-bori grabbed the sword and started to concentrate. Momentarily, Rickart's heart beat. Didn't know why.

And Bori-bori's sword unfolded quickly. Writing ancient characters in the air, afterimage of black mana remained and momentarily letters were written in real air.

"Oh!"

Rickart unwittingly opened eyes wide and shouted elasticity. Although letters written with mana afterimage disappeared immediately, it was clearly a surprising thing.

"What is it! What is it! Bori!"

Rickart jumped up from the lying spot. Even Rickart who rarely loses composure was surprised enough to be excited.

Anyway, Bori-bori was the only existence shaking Rickart's emotions here and there. Making crazy with frustration, surprising like now.

"Hehehe."

"Hey! Sword was neat too! Rather let's go with this!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! This was the answer! I haven't seen something like this either!"

Decidedly a sword never seen even throughout entire previous life.

"Is that so? Then should I name the swordsmanship?"

"......That's not it. Still early to call swordsmanship. Just miscellaneous technique. Don't be frivolous."

Rickart said with a straight face whether certain about what is not.

"......Understood......"

"No, should we try naming? What's wrong?"

"Right right. Then what to name?"

"Naturally Bori-bori Swordsmanship. Originally naming swordsmanship after one's name. Bori Sword Method!"

"But my name isn't that cool."

"Will change now. To cool one."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, then shall we try sparring now? My sparring skill improved a lot too."

Since Rickart mastered sword only for killing, didn't know moderation in doing sparring. But sparring with Ice, now mastered how to deal without hurting in his own way.

At first Ice was also beaten severely, there was a case bone cracked too. Looking like this, Bori-bori owed a lot to Ice here and there including Mana Drive.

Rickart held a practice sword and stood facing Bori-bori. And shining peculiar eyes when engaging in match, smiled with overflowing confidence.

"Try whatever you want."

Bori-bori swallowed dry saliva being nervous, but unexpectedly body didn't freeze like Ice.

Just knowing that Rickart wouldn't hurt even if he did whatever, swung the sword really at ease. Mana afterimage didn't remain. Because that consumed much mental power.

Rickart dodged Bori-bori's sword easily. Slightly tilting head or turning body, kept dodging within the interval.

Then widening distance slightly, Bori-bori tried to follow forcibly and step got tangled and seemed to fall by himself. Rickart didn't even swing the sword once.

Rickart grabbed falling Bori-bori and said.

"Much better. Stroke is cut and dot is thrust. Depending on writing method even same letter, tremendous change would be possible. Try paying a little more attention only to step."

Rickart pierced the core at once even for sword seen first time. And also saw infinite possibility of it.

"Ung."

Bori-bori nodded vigorously. And sparring started again.

Bori-bori recalled a letter he liked in head first. And drew a stroke, stamped a dot. Sometimes intensely, sometimes softly. No one taught but did like that by himself.

Then felt one hand is comfortable rather than holding sword with two hands, naturally posture also changed.

Then like a lie, developed moment by moment at unbelievable speed. To the extent that the gap between sword swung just now and sword swung next was vastly different.

The reason this is possible was because it was just play, not training or practice.

Bori-bori drew pictures to heart's content on infinite drawing paper called Rickart, and huge mountain and sea called Rickart accepted all that.

Doing so, Bori-bori laughed unwittingly at some moment. Along with him Rickart also laughed loud.

"Hahahahaha!"

Who said it. One who realized comes to laugh loud. Two boys seemed like that now.

Rickart felt like flying now. Because, it was a thing experienced for the first time. Could be this joyful holding a sword.

Sword forged only in desperate battlefield. Sword trained with fire and steel, blood, and death. Sword that burned self fastidiously......

Felt sense of liberation as that sword met Bori-bori's sword. Like demon sword taking off sticky curse and transforming into holy sword.

Rickart felt what was knotted in one corner of heart continuously since deserter incident was finally resolved.

Couldn't know why, but didn't need to know. If can say why, that is not realization.

From Rickart someone obtained a topic, someone felt a wall and suffered, someone just enjoyed. Couldn't know what was the reason for the difference of the three.

Now just, laughter of two boys cooler than wind was heard for a long time in the backyard of dormitory which was like chicken coop in old days.

Chapter 7 – Only Pure Soul. End.