Although Ethan and I had decided to join Seraphine’s future student council cabinet, it didn’t immediately cause any major changes in our daily lives.

First of all, the Student Council Election period is a two-week period that starts with candidate registration, continues through the campaign period, and ends on the voting day.

This means that even if we start student council activities as soon as possible, things won’t get really busy until about two weeks later.

Unless something unexpected happened, it was almost certain that Seraphine would be elected as Student Council President this semester, and as someone who knew about those potential unexpected events, I had no reason to worry about the election.

 

‘When the protagonist doesn’t interfere with the election, following the normal storyline would mean Seraphine’s confirmed victory.’

 

In line with Seraphine’s Student Council Presidential Election, the protagonist can choose one of three options: cooperation, non-intervention, and competition.

Cooperation naturally means joining the incoming cabinet that Seraphine will form.

Non-intervention means they neither participated in nor interfered with the student council cabinet selection. [Only on GalaxyTL! / Axiomatic]

Lastly, competition means choosing to join another candidate’s student council cabinet or directly running as an independent candidate.

 

‘Among these, only the competition route interferes with Seraphine’s election.’

 

In other words, unless some meddling with protagonist-level abilities and connections occurs, the structure of the Student Council Presidential Election storyline inevitably leads to Seraphine’s victory.

Also, even though it’s called a Student Council Presidential Election, it’s essentially just an election to see how many followers one has within the academy.

Since Fourth Prince Machart isn’t participating in the election, most of the votes for the presidential election would inevitably go to Seraphine, the only royal candidate.

It was right to assume that Seraphine would be elected as student council president, at least for this year and next year. There might be a more election-like event in the second semester of the third year, though.

With this, there was no need yet for Ethan and me to be called out for campaign activities to spread Seraphine’s name or to manage internal affairs on her behalf while she was busy with the campaign.

Thinking about two weeks later when the student council would start, and things would get busy in earnest, for now, I was just focusing on classes as usual.

For example, like in today’s class.

 

“……”

“……”

 

In a silence so thick you could cut it with a knife, a Sword Master faced me, keeping a short distance.

It was Harold, with his hand on the sword at his waist, waiting for me to approach him.

 

“Come whenever you’re ready, Lilith.”

“…Yes.”

 

With the start of the second semester, Harold’s Magic Swordsmanship class curriculum had also become more systematic. [Only on GalaxyTL! / Axiomatic]

One of the changes was the practical opportunity to directly cross swords with a Sword Master.

The regular duels that were previously only given to the top four students – the protagonist, Ethan, Caraham, and Natalie – now became an opportunity that came around once a month, even for ordinary students.

Of course, it’s not the kind of duel where the Sword Master’s full strength and my full strength actually clash since there are some handicaps in place.

 

‘If we were to fight full-on, my wrist would be cut off just by his aura.’

 

The professor, Harold, could respond only with pure swordsmanship without using mana or magic, and students would try to land an effective hit using either energy, magic, or any other miscellaneous techniques – this was the evaluation method for the second semester’s magic swordsmanship class.

By general student standards, if you could somehow land an effective hit on Harold, it was an automatic A+.

Since it was an opportunity that came around only once a month, each chance had to be valued carefully.

 

‘It’s okay. I’ve seen Harold’s sword swings many times before.’

 

Although not by choice, Harold’s swordsmanship was what I had seen most often after Ethan’s sword swings.

Although most of what I had observed was when Harold was facing Ethan, I could take the test from a much more advantageous position compared to other students who didn’t even know that much.

With the Blackwood dagger engraved with the Blackwood crest, a double-headed eagle, in my left hand, I shook off my steps as if springing towards Harold.

 

WHOOSH!

 

The Shockwave I activated from my toes at the moment of my first step helped accelerate my body.

I couldn’t use it recklessly as it would strain my ankles if used too many times, but it was enough to quickly close the gap for my first few steps. [Only on GalaxyTL! / Axiomatic]

After closing the distance of about 5 meters at once, I immediately swung the Blackwood dagger in my left hand in front of Harold’s eyes… that’s a feint.

 

Swish!

“Blur!”

 

After deliberately approaching Harold to a distance where his blade would barely reach, I first blocked his vision with Blurred Light.

Am I crazy enough to face Harold sword to sword? That’s nonsense.

In close combat, I, at my current skill level, would honestly struggle even against Luke. So, do you think I, who had cleared Luminor Academy 24 times in my previous life, wouldn’t know Harold’s capabilities?

 

“Mana, pierce the enemy!”

 

After blocking his vision with Blurred Light, I first created Magic Arrows with triple casting, which could be considered my full power.

With my current improved accuracy, I should be able to hit at least two out of three shots easily.

For a moment, I had a hopeful feeling that if all three arrows luckily flew toward Harold, I might be able to inflict a slight wound…

 

Clang! Clang! Clang!

 

…Well, I expected as much. I knew that Harold wouldn’t fall for such trivial tricks.

Even if I blocked his vision, Harold, who could read mana flow, wouldn’t fall for low-level spells like Magic Arrows.

I heard the sound of him deflecting all three Magic Arrows with just one swing of his sword, but I didn’t feel particularly desperate.

After all, even those arrows were just a feint for me.

 

Swish!

 

The real deal was this dagger I had hidden among the Magic Arrows I fired.

I used Dagger Throw, which I had learned when dealing with the demons in Grainstone Village. It’s also the same technique Luke uses.

Even Harold, who is sensitive to mana, might possibly let his guard down if an attack completely unrelated to mana is mixed in.

The Blackwood dagger, extended from my left hand, flew in a straight line towards Harold’s silhouette in the Blurred Light.

 

Clang!

 

…This time, too, it was deflected by his sword just like the other Magic Arrows, as if it was nothing.

 

‘This is fine.’

 

If that attack had properly landed on Harold, it would have been the cleanest and best finish, but it would be unconscionable to expect such trivial tricks to be effective against a Sword Master.

In the end, thinking that I had no choice but to end it with a physical clash, this time, I took out Seraphine’s dagger from my bosom and rushed at Harold. [Only on GalaxyTL! / Axiomatic]

Confirming the path of Harold’s sword that had just been swung within my Blurred Light, I gripped the dagger in my right hand strongly in reverse grip and stabbed at his thigh…

 

Clang!

“Ugh…!”

 

Yes, up to now… I had predicted he would respond sufficiently up to now, too.

However, I ended up taking damage because I took too long to change grips, leaving a window of opportunity for him to attack.

Receiving the impact of Harold’s longsword with a dagger not even 20 centimeters long, the impact on my hand was no joke. Although I eventually let go of Seraphine’s dagger, it seemed my paralyzed arm would need some time to recover.

Fortunately, Lizzy’s silver dagger was still left in my bosom, so I still had a last resort, and my real purpose wasn’t to land a hit with this attack anyway.

The reason I deliberately closed the distance and rushed in without magical support wasn’t because I was foolish.

It’s because I had been reciting the chant for Mana Chain in my other hand, ready to activate it at any time.

 

RATTLE-CLINK!

“…!”

‘I did it…!’

 

This was a moment when I could confidently say that my surprise attack would definitely work.

I didn’t miss Harold’s expression, stiffening slightly in surprise as my Mana Chains wrapped around his longsword.

Even for a Sword Master, fighting without magic or mana was essentially an act of constraining oneself.

Especially for someone of Harold’s skill level, he would have to consciously suppress the mana leaking from his body. While he focused on that, he naturally couldn’t go all out, either.

Having suppressed the Sword Master’s sword, it was now my turn. That is, if I could stab with the last silver dagger even once into his body.

At that moment, when I thought I had completely suppressed Harold’s sword…

 

RATTLE-RATTLE!

“…Huh?”

 

Contrary to my expectation that I had surely removed Harold’s longsword by binding it with Mana Chains, it was my Mana Chains that were being pulled by force.

Harold swung my chains along with his sword, as if making a whirlpool in the air, then used the chains to wrap around my right wrist, which was holding the silver dagger.

 

“Aaargh!!”

“Lilith!!”

 

With my left wrist, which was holding the silver dagger, completely suppressed, it was a defeat right there. There was nothing more I could do.

My right hand still had a tingling sensation remaining, so I couldn’t even choose the option of switching hands to hold the sword.

I collapsed to the ground, bound by the chains I had cast myself.

 

Thud.

 

“I, I’ve lost…”

“Well done, Lilith.”

“…Thank you, Mas… Pro-Professor…”

 

Belatedly reciting the spell again to release the Mana Chains binding my arm, I got up from my position.

…If possible, I wanted to pass on the first attempt by using all the cards I had, whether they existed or not, but life doesn’t always go as planned.

He wasn’t the final boss of Part 2 for nothing. It was actually a dream beyond reach to try to defeat Harold with my skills that can’t even beat Ethan, who’s just a miniboss.

 

“It was an excellent battle, Lilith.”

“…Thank you, Professor.”

“However, you should learn to fight while saving the cards in your hand. The reason you lost despite fighting with three daggers is that you consumed them as if they were cards to be discarded from the start. Of course, depending on the situation, it can be useful to follow a new strategy without lingering attachments, but in your case, you were following the strategy you had set up in your head beforehand and didn’t think about cases where you didn’t need to discard them. You’ve always got to have an ace in the hole.”

“…That’s right.” [Only on GalaxyTL! / Axiomatic]

“I hope you’ll show an even better performance in the next duel. …That way, I can also feel at ease about allowing your relationship with Ethan.”

“…Pardon?”

“…Next. Martin Zemberner Clinton, step forward.”

 

While questioning Harold’s incomprehensible additional remark, I picked up the daggers I had dropped one by one and returned to my seat next to Ethan.

As soon as I returned to his side, Ethan looked at my left wrist with concern and asked:

 

“Lilith, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m fine, Young Master Ethan. It wasn’t a battle that would leave some wounds, I just feel some slight pressure on my wrists.” 

“When you fell earlier, did you get scraped anywhere…?”

“Just a little dirt that can be cleaned with Clean, Young Master Ethan.”

“If that’s the case, then I’m glad…”

 

…I wonder what Harold meant by allowing my relationship with Ethan.

Right now, me and Ethan are nothing more or less than an exclusive maid and her master.

 

‘Maybe if I can’t win even once in the duel, he’ll make me quit being Ethan’s exclusive maid…?’

 

…Surely not, right?

Hoping that Harold wasn’t that narrow-minded, I felt that I needed to take this semester’s Magic Swordsmanship lecture class more seriously.