Player-Hunting Inquisitors

Chapter 7

Originally, the training ground was a place where students sparred with each other or professors unilaterally gave lessons.

The space, boasting a long history, had sword marks engraved on the walls that could not be erased.

Students, who entered with half anticipation and half tension, could not hide their surprise at the sight of two professors sparring in the training ground.

Moreover, one of the professors was a theology professor and the Saint of the Cult, making it even more surprising.

"Haha! Take this as well!"

Clang-!

As I swung my sword, I thought.

'How did it come to this?'

Surely, I was just wandering around the academy looking for other professors.

Suddenly, a swordsmanship professor recognized me.

"Aren't you Edwin's disciple?"

"Do you know my teacher?"

The man, Dairen Balkren, who was called the kingdom's greatest sword, knew my teacher.

True to his martial nature, he had a rather hearty personality and an overwhelming charisma.

"Your teacher praised you so much! Why don't you spar with me once?"

"No, I just have a question...."

"I'll answer anything after the spar! Come on, quickly!"

Swept up by him, I found myself in the training ground when I came to my senses.

'For now, let's focus on the sparring.'

I cleared my mind and slowly observed my opponent's sword.

'The kingdom's swordsmanship specializes in offense, so if I defend slowly, an opening will appear.'

Reflecting on my teacher's words, I slowly thought of a way to respond.

'No matter how great a Sword Saint he is, weaknesses are shared.'

While receiving his sword, I looked for an opportunity.

At that moment, perhaps frustrated by my defense, my opponent prepared to swing his sword widely.

'Now!'

A technique my teacher ingrained in me—to quickly switch between offense and defense like flipping a coin.

In an instant, my sword countered his attack and forced him into defense.

The sparring flowed easily after that.

The kingdom's swordsmanship was lacking in defense, and my swordsmanship had no shortcomings in offense.

At first, my opponent continued his attacks leisurely, but now he was focused solely on defense.

As the exchange of blows continued several times, I could feel his sword wavering.

"Ah! I lost!"

Just as I was preparing the final strike, I heard my opponent's voice of surrender.

Hearing this, I lowered my sword and gave him a respectful bow.

"What a shame. If I were a few years younger, I could have shown a better match."

"Not at all. You're still in excellent shape. Your swordsmanship was truly intimidating."

Clap clap clap-!

Before I knew it, students had gathered and were applauding us.

"Now it's time for the swordsmanship lecture. Sorry to trouble you, but could you stay here with us?"

"Understood."

Due to the nature of swordsmanship lectures, injuries frequently occur.

Therefore, it is recommended to have someone present who can provide treatment at any time.

I willingly accepted his proposal.

'Since he's a professor akin to the head of the Swordsmanship Department, it's fortunate to establish a connection.'

I gave a light nod to Yuria, who was among the students.

'Hello? We meet again.'

'?'

Seeing Yuria respond with a bewildered expression and a slight nod, I moved to the seat prepared at the back of the training ground.

"Now, you all saw the sparring just now! Don't underestimate me just because I lost to the Saint. I'll show you what I'm made of!"

Observing the lecture was quite a tedious task.

Dairen excelled at wielding a sword, but he didn't seem particularly gifted at teaching.

His voice echoed through the training ground, but his advice was overly simplistic.

"Swing with more energy!"

"Your mindset is off. Did you get rejected by a woman?"

Most of the time, he would gloss over issues by emphasizing mental strength instead of addressing them accurately.

Students had to swing their swords until the professor was satisfied, sweating profusely.

Among those students was Cornell, suspected of being a Player.

'Nothing particularly special stands out. He must be hiding his true nature during class.'

During the lesson, one student even dropped their sword due to sweaty hands.

"No, that's not it. Again."

"Again."

"Again!"

Among them, there was a student who received especially frequent criticism.

'That face...'

He was the second prince of the empire, the most powerful nation on the continent, and of the noblest bloodline.

"Your swordsmanship is too focused on appearances. If you truly wish to learn swordsmanship, I recommend starting over from scratch."

"...I'm sorry."

Hearing the sharp criticism, he lowered his head.

"Next."

Unfortunately for him, the next turn was Yuria's.

She was someone who overcame the limitation of being unable to see through sheer effort, pouring her heart into swordsmanship.

Adding to that, the swordsmanship I personally taught her and she honed herself.

When she swung her sword, it was a beautiful sight, entirely different from the students before her.

Flower petals seemed to bloom along the trajectory of her sword, and her movements were so light it seemed she might float away with a breeze.

However, for the person facing that sword, it must have been an incredibly harsh sight.

"...Perfect."

"Thank you."

Yuria was the only one among all the attendees of this lecture who completed her turn without receiving any criticism.

"Who is your teacher?"

The professor asked Yuria.

"The Saint taught me the basics, and I modified it to suit myself."

Hearing Yuria's answer, the professor glanced at me.

"Haha, even that guy's disciple teaches as well as he does.... Miss Yuria, if it's not too much trouble, could you assist me as a teaching assistant?"

"It would be an honor, Professor."

Clap clap-!

Applause celebrating Yuria echoed through the training ground.

I joined in the applause as well.

'Good job.'

**

After that, the lecture ended without any particular incidents.

Cornell, suspected of being a Player, didn't reveal anything during his sparring with the professor, perhaps not wanting to stand out.

The other students didn't show anything particularly noteworthy either.

"Yuria."

"Saint, I didn't expect to see you here."

"Indeed, I was dragged here by Dairen. Well, thanks to that, I got to see how much effort you've put in. Great job."

"...!, Thank you."

Hearing my praise, Yuria bowed her head.

Perhaps feeling shy, the tips of her ears turned red beneath her white hair.

Seeing that reaction, I too felt a sense of pride.

"Did I interrupt your teacher-student moment?! Haha."

With a loud voice, Dairen approached us.

"Miss Yuria, from now on, come to my research lab before this lecture starts."

"Understood, Professor."

Yuria, checking if she had another lecture, gave us a slight bow and left immediately.

"And Kian, you said you had a question for me? Follow me. I'll make some time for you."

"Thank you, Professor."

I followed Dairen to a café located within the academy.

**

"So, what is it that you're curious about?"

"Have you ever met my teacher?"

Initially, I intended to ask about field practice, but since he seemed to know my teacher, I brought up this question first.

My teacher, Edwin Fable, is currently missing.

Of course, this isn't an uncommon occurrence, so it's not a serious matter.

It's because, upon later discovery, he would either be performing a confidential mission or temporarily leaving the Cult based on his judgment.

Moreover, he is practically in a state akin to retirement now.

If he has chosen seclusion, it would be impolite to seek him out.

However, as his disciple, my curiosity is unavoidable.

'Besides, this is during a scenario. If Teacher helps, it would be a great advantage.'

"Hmm..., the last time I saw Edwin was a year ago."

"A year ago! Do you remember where you saw him?"

One year ago would be right after he went missing.

"I think he went to the Empire. I met him on my way back from a business trip to the Empire."

"The Empire...! Thank you."

This is quite significant information.

If he had chosen seclusion, he would have gone to a quieter place than the noisy Empire. For instance, the city-state union to the east of the academy would have been more suitable.

'If it's the Empire, it must be related to the scenario.'

It's good to hear about my teacher's whereabouts, but now it's time to bring up the main topic.

"I want to hear about the field practice scheduled to take place in two weeks. I heard this is a unique event exclusive to the academy."

"Ah, of course, you're curious. Let me explain."

The academy's field practice is a class conducted to enhance students' practical sense.

Generally, it involves forming teams and camping, during which students must find their own spots and set up camp without the professors' assistance.

The locations for field practice are carefully selected, with only weak monsters that students can handle.

For example, in the Forest of Beasts where this field practice will take place, only weak monsters like goblins and kobolds appear.

However, since being attacked at night is dangerous, sentry duty or alarm magic is essential.

"Sometimes, there are those who trust poorly designed alarm magic and fall asleep. For instance, magic that activates when a creature the size of a human passes by. As you know, goblins aren't exactly tall, are they?"

If students are in danger, professors intervene directly.

Of course, depending on the reason, points may be deducted, but safety comes first.

"Then, we have to stay up all night watching over the students, don't we?"

"Exactly. Although adventurers help, there aren't many trustworthy ones, so we have no choice but to bear the burden."

"Understood."

The only fortunate thing is that the academy takes a three-day break after field practice.

This is essential not only for students but also for the faculty.

After that, Dairen continued talking about incidents that happened a few years ago.

'If I play my cards right, I might even be able to judge them.'

Listening to those cases, I contemplated how to filter out Players and proceed to judgment.

The academy's reputation might take a slight hit, but the Cult is more important to me anyway.

'I'm sorry, Professor Dairen. I'll have to harm a student with the knowledge you shared.'

As I drank my beverage, a bitter taste rose within me.

Getting blood on my hands, though increasingly familiar, made me loathe myself. Yet, the desire for vengeance against Players erased that self-loathing.

'They are the ones who killed innocent villagers. Judging such individuals is the path I've chosen.'

Since the Players guided me to this path, it's now my turn to guide them.