At the perpetrator’s brazen statement, Ryla opened his eyes wide.
What are you going to do if you glare at me?
“How shameless of you. Even if the atmosphere has changed a bit, your character hasn’t.”
“So what?”
“Since I’ve started being shameless, I might as well become even more so. I’ll trample over others with the logic of power and gain popularity. In the end, that’s what swordsmanship is all about. Once you crush them with strength, they will naturally bow down and admire overwhelming power. That’s what the knights of the Empire dream of.”
“Becoming the strongest knight in the Empire and swearing loyalty to the imperial family and the Empire. That’s what these guys will become.”
“Before you suffer any more humiliation, how about leaving the swordsmanship department?”
This time, it wasn’t Ryla who provoked, but an unknown student from the swordsmanship department.
Looking at his face, there was no sign of the noble ideal of protecting women.
It was probably just directed at me.
Or more precisely, at my original self.
“What do you mean by that?”
“It’s exactly as it sounds. Only those advancing to the 3rd-year knight course are allowed to be in the swordsmanship department. You don’t belong here.”
In other words, don’t forget you’re not here to have fun.
“That’s for me to decide, not you. Right now, I need to figure out how to survive. So, I guess I have to make you all kneel. At times like this, I should provoke them in return.
“You’re saying that a villainous young lady like me doesn’t belong here, so I should get lost before you all gang up on me?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Of course, that’s what you meant.
It would be nice if we could just take it easy.
“If that’s not what you meant, then what? You’re threatening me with humiliation, aren’t you? Even though I’m the perpetrator, are you really aspiring to become knights?”
They seemed shocked by my words.
Or maybe they were angry; either way, their reddened faces were quite amusing.
Being in the hero’s party for so long, it’s refreshing to see kids like these.
It might be nice to stretch out my body after a while.
Massacring these weaklings could be fun too.
I should start living how I want from now on.
I’m going to show them that I can be just as arrogant as my original self ruined the image.
“Alright, Plant, let’s spar.”
“What…?”
“I never learned proper swordsmanship.”
“I had no master to teach me swordsmanship.”
Well, not exactly none, but there was someone who taught me just before I acquired the title of sword saint.
My basic skills are just from swinging a sword desperately to survive.
No tradition, no grace in my swordsmanship.
It’s probably very different from these guys who embrace the ideal of chivalry.
So they’ll feel wronged.
Because from now on, I’m going to crush them thoroughly.
“Are you saying you’ll spar with me?”
“Not just you. I’ll take on all of you.”
Only then will they believe in my abilities.
I’ll completely crush them.
“That’s going too far. You think you can beat all of us? Have you lost your mind after being dumped by the crown prince?”
Some of them were mocking me, openly ridiculing the fallen lady.
“Hmm, is this a practice sword?”
In the kingdom, they use wooden swords, but it seems like the Empire uses decent practice swords.
The quality is pretty good.
As expected of a great nation.
The wooden swords in the kingdom break easily even with magic coating.
Here, even without magic, the durability seems fine since they’re basic practice swords.
I wrapped the sword with magic coating.
With this, if I lightly strike the ground…
“If someone is talking!”
Bang!
I tried to control my strength, but the ground split wide open.
Still, I managed to control it well with my changed body.
With a bit more practice, I should be able to adjust it even more.
By the way, didn’t someone say something earlier?
“What? I didn’t hear you. Say it again.”
They were all dumbfounded.
Is this really the level of the Empire’s academy?
I’ve trained imperial officers before, so the academy shouldn’t be this low level.
Let’s test it out.
I’ll start with that guy Ryla, who seems the most dissatisfied.
“Ryla, you seem the most dissatisfied, so why don’t you come forward?”
“Is that a magic sword?”
Wow.
I didn’t expect this.
A magic sword? Do they think magic swords are cheap or something?
I just grabbed one of the many practice swords here.
They seem pretty dense.
Or maybe my original self was such a trash that it’s understandable.
Probably the latter.
“Is the swordsmanship department lacking brains? You all know I picked this practice sword, right?”
The practice swords in the swordsmanship department are strictly managed.
There’s no way I could’ve mixed in a magic sword.
And I have no reason to bring a magic sword just to deal with this department.
“Then… could it be that you’ve become a demon?”
Really, Olivia has no credibility.
“If I had, you’d have noticed long ago. I understand you want to deny reality, but come on, hurry up and attack.”
When I provoked him with my finger, Ryla furrowed his brows and sighed.
A sigh? What? Did he just sigh in front of me? That guy’s dead now.
“Fine. But if I win, you must leave the swordsmanship department.”
“If you win?”
“Yes?”
What’s with the ‘yes’? Do you seriously think only I should leave the swordsmanship department?
Shouldn’t the other side face consequences too?
“If you win, what happens? You’re telling me to leave, but isn’t this unfair?”
“Then…”
I pointed at each of them, one by one with my finger.
As I pointed at all of them, I grinned.
It wasn’t the smile of a noble.
It was an evil smile that shouldn’t be possible.
“If I win, all of you leave the swordsmanship department.”
That should be fair.
“All of us? That’s ridiculous!”
“What? Are you saying you’re not confident in defeating the villain of the Ashtar family, the one who was dumped by the crown prince and has been toying with you all?”
By now, they must have felt a surge of determination.
“Fine, let’s do this. You must keep your promise!”
Fools. No wonder your true master looked down on you.
Falling so easily for a provocation like this.
“First up, Ryla. Come forward. I’ll show you just how meaningless the chivalry and swordsmanship taught in your family are.”
Provoked until the end, Ryla finally snapped and strode forward.
“I will not tolerate any more insults!”
“I get it. Come at me.”
“Hiyah!”
He charged straight at me with his sword.
Was he underestimating me, or was he just naturally like this?
His battle cry was fine, but I could see his every move clearly.
In truth, this body isn’t particularly strong.
However, it’s currently in a state of mana fusion.
I can convert my physical abilities into magical power at any time.
Let me remind you, mana fusion is an incredibly advanced technique, and the original master of this body possessed a massive amount of mana.
I can easily enhance my physical abilities to a level where I can crush mere academy students like these unless they use complex magic rituals without incantations.
In short, this fool, who mistakes me for my original self and charges at me…
Clang!
“This is what I mean by ridiculous.”
The match ended easily.
Even though I displayed my power with just one sword, he still doubted what he saw with his own eyes and charged at me.
Well, I’ll give him credit for his spirit.
Back in the kingdom, there were people foolish enough to charge at the Demon King’s army, knowing they’d lose.
But that was them, and this is now.
Ryla and his companions are simply picking a fight because they don’t like me, believing my power to be worthless.
They remembered only the disgraceful image of Olivia’s past behavior and couldn’t believe what they saw right in front of them.
And the result was obvious.
“H-How…?”
“It’s simple. Clang! Whoosh! Got it?”
It was really simple.
I just deflected Ryla’s sword with a clang and swung mine with a whoosh.
Clang! Whoosh! Pretty easy, right?
“What on earth…?”
“Are you ready to admit defeat? Surely, the son of the Plant family wouldn’t lie at this point, would he?”
It would be troublesome if they started denying their loss now.
“I… admit defeat. But where did such power come from…?”
“I’ve always been strong. You all just believed I was nothing but an evil woman flaunting her family’s power.”
The swordsmanship students’ faces twisted in disbelief.
It must be hard to accept that the woman they always looked down on was, in fact, much stronger than them.
“Even so, this isn’t over yet.”
“I’m tired of this. All of you, come at me at once.”
“Don’t be so arrogant! We won’t allow someone like you, who bullied Lady Lily, to remain in the swordsmanship department!”
Oh, so that’s what this is about.
“Oh, really? Do you all have a crush on Lily or something?”
“Don’t you dare speak of Lady Lily so disrespectfully!”
Lily, huh? She seemed to have been quite tormented by the original Olivia, but she’s doing well for herself at the academy.
So, these guys are upset because I bullied the girl they like.
How pathetic.
“Why so much talk? Just come at me all at once. Are you embarrassed to gang up on a woman? I’m generous. It’s fine if you all come together since it’s only natural for you to be weaker than me.”
It’s kind of funny dealing with kids like this, but I have no choice.
I’m not a detective, and I can’t afford to ruin everything by pretending to know too much about Olivia.
If it’s hard to act like the old Olivia, why not play the role of an arrogant and strong version of her?
That’s the direction I’ve decided to take.
“You really aren’t acting like a proper noble lady. You’re not humble like Lady Lily, your words are vulgar, and all you do is look down on others!”
If it bothers you, then just win.
That’s all it boils down to.
“Well, if it bothers you, then win.”
I’ll end this exactly like that.
“Don’t regret it.”
“Yeah, come at me.”
The swordsmanship students seemed to have pretty good teamwork.
As soon as the duel started, they exchanged glances and naturally surrounded me from all sides.
Since they’re aiming to join the knight course next year, they seem quite competent.
I thought they were just underestimating me, but it looks like they actually intend to defeat me.
Then, they charged at me from all directions.
“A surround-and-destroy strategy, huh? Much better than the Kingdom’s knight school.”
If it weren’t for me, these guys would have no problem getting into the knight course.
The Duke of Ashtar will soon learn the value of Olivia’s true potential.
Let me show them how.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Bang!
I accurately swung my sword to the left and right, knocking the students aside, and then plunged my sword into the ground.
The students, who had displayed teamwork far superior to my former hero party, were flung away by my light swings and collapsed from the shockwave of my sword striking the ground.
“This is impossible! How could anyone have such power? How much mana have you used to strengthen your body?”
“Do you understand now? I’m so strong that my arrogance is justified.”
The students’ faces still showed dissatisfaction, but when I glared at them, they lowered their heads.
That’s right.
This is how it should be.
In the end, these fools only listen when you beat them down with force.
This is why I prefer dealing with mages.
They’re stubborn, but at least they’re smart.
“So, you all made a promise with me, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Get out of the swordsmanship department. I’ll be staying and taking first place.”
Taking first place is so easy.
After fighting alongside the hero’s party, taking down academy students like this is fun!