Chapter 99. It Is the World and It Is Reality… (3)

“……”

“……”

It was Aron and his son, who couldn't understand a single word this guy was saying.

But they soon ignored the madman's words and gave a common-sense answer like normal people.

“It is an honorable tournament where all the nations of the continent gather to compete for supremacy. How could one bet money on it?”

“Why can't we? We just have to bet, right?”

“No, well, it could be done, but isn't there such a thing as national dignity?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, you people who don't know the ways of the world. Does dignity put food on the table?”

Patrick, who scoffed with a click of his tongue, decided not to participate in the Arcana.

Although he had a desire to resolve the regret he couldn't in his past life, he had no motivation since there was no prize money.

Why should he bother participating in an event with no money and scuffle with little kids?

‘Me? The Radiant Dragon Great Master Jin Cheon of all people? Tsk, tsk, a man has his dignity, how could I? I won't do it.’

This was the thought of the guy who had just lamented about whether dignity puts food on the table.

In any case, to Patrick who had made up his mind, Matthew said.

“Even without prize money, you can make a name for yourself across the entire continent.”

“Yeah. I see. Good for you.”

“On top of that, His Majesty the King has said he will grant any one wish to the person who wins the Arcana.”

“…Huh? Really?”

Patrick's ears perked up slightly.

Seeing his friend, Matthew said.

“You didn't know? It's a famous story.”

“I just found out what the Arcana is.”

“Ah….”

Matthew made a ‘come to think of it’ expression and explained.

The Kingdom of Atronia's 3 consecutive defeats.

The king, feeling ashamed of this grand record, summoned the professors of the Knight Faculty and, while severely reprimanding them, also offered a carrot.

If a winner of the Arcana emerged from the Kingdom of Atronia, he would grant one of their wishes.

The words of a nation's king granting a wish carry a different weight.

“Hoooo…. Right. So that's how it is.”

Interest appeared on Patrick's face.

The king of a nation had said he would grant anything.

This was bound to be tempting.

Patrick spoke to Matthew and Aron.

“How many people go to the Arcana?”

“Five people per nation.”

“What do I have to do to be included?”

“The professors have to pick you as a representative.”

“Easy.”

At Patrick's words, Aron laughed heartily and said.

“Hahaha. Anyone would think you were saying you'd threaten the professors.”

“…Eh, no way.”

“You, don't tell me….”

“Aigo, then, regarding the business matter, I will convey it to our fiefdom as per the contract. I have urgent business, so I'll be going….”

And Patrick immediately got up from his seat and ran off somewhere.

* * *

“Professor Leyte.”

Seeing Patrick burst open the door without knocking, Professor Leyte immediately spoke.

“I cannot issue any more leave passes.”

“Why? No, that's not it…. I came for something else today.”

“…Something else?”

Anxious. A bad feeling.

He didn't know what it was, but he was anxious.

Professor Leyte had now come to know quite a bit about Patrick's character.

To deal with a troublemaker who might cause an incident if he wasn't constantly on guard, he had to keep his wits about him.

And what Patrick said was….

“What do I have to do to go to the Arcana?”

“The Arcana?”

“Yes. Please send me there. I'll come back with the championship.”

The moment he heard those words, Professor Leyte said with a bright smile.

“I'm glad to see you being so proactive. Here, have a seat. Let's talk for a bit first.”

This changes things.

Professor Leyte's attitude changed in an instant.

* * *

In fact, after Patrick showed an unbelievable performance in the mid-term assessment.

Professor Leyte had suggested sending Patrick as the Arcana representative. However….

“No matter what, he's a first-year.”

“Isn't he too young?”

“Please think of the fourth and fifth-years who have been waiting for the Arcana.”

“Doesn't Patrick have another chance next time, if not this one?”

There were more opposing professors than expected.

Most of the reasons for opposition were opinions asking to consider the fourth and fifth-years.

The Arcana is held once every four years.

And those who can go are the young talents representing each nation.

In other words, the current Academy students.

Naturally, most of the participants were upperclassmen, which meant it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them.

If Patrick went as a representative, someone would inevitably be deprived of that opportunity.

That glorious, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

From their perspective, it was by no means an easy matter.

Patrick, having heard the explanation, spoke to Professor Leyte.

“…I have one question. What's the skill level of the fourth and fifth-years who go to this Arcana thing?”

“Most are at the 3-star state.”

“That's it?”

“……”

“No, even the third-year, Senior Isabella, is a 3-star, so shouldn't the fourth and fifth-years be stronger than her?”

Professor Leyte sighed at Patrick's words.

Does this kid think that raising one's state is something that just shoots up if you eat and train hard?

There are plenty of knights who never surpass the 3-star state in their entire lives, so how could Academy students just raise their state in a few years?

And comparing Isabella to the other upperclassmen was a misstatement. Because….

“She's a genius. Even if you search all the fourth and fifth-years, there's only one person who can be said to be definitively stronger than her.”

“Is the level of the fourth and fifth-years that low?”

“Your standards are just excessively high.”

“Wait a minute. Then perhaps….”

At Patrick's words, Professor Leyte nodded and said.

“Princess Isabella is also one of the candidates for the Arcana representative.”

“This is ridiculous.”

In the end, it meant that even the fourth and fifth-years were at a similar level to Isabella or not much different.

‘No, why is the state of kids who supposedly do nothing but eat and train with the sword so pathetic. So incompetent....’

If Patrick set his mind to it, he could raise Matthew to the 4-star state in a few years.

Can't be done?

Does it seem impossible?

It can be done.

‘Humans will do anything if they don't want to die.’

At least, this human would.

Patrick frowned, thought for a moment, and then spoke.

“I'll ask one thing.”

“Speak.”

“Is the level of the representatives from other countries also around 3-star?”

“No, most are 4-star, and there are even 5-stars. The previous winner was a genius who had achieved the state of 6-star.”

“No, then!”

Patrick shouted.

“You know full well that the representatives from other countries are much stronger than ours, yet you're sending our kids to get crushed?”

“Wasn't there no other alternative?”

“There is now, isn't there?”

Patrick pointed to himself with his finger and said.

“Yes. There is. That's exactly what I'm saying.”

Professor Leyte also got excited.

If Patrick didn't go to the Arcana this year and other students went, the result was obvious.

16 consecutive years of complete defeat.

The king and the people would be furious, and the Academy professors would be treated as incompetent freeloaders.

But then Patrick appeared.

The professors didn't know, but from Professor Leyte's perspective, Patrick's state was at least 7-star, no, perhaps….

‘Thinking about it again gives me the creeps. What kind of monster is this?’

“What is it? That unpleasant gaze that says, 'What kind of monster is this?'?”

“You saw wrong.”

“I don't think so.”

“You saw wrong.”

‘His perception is also ridiculously sharp.’

Professor Leyte coughed for a moment, then returned to the main topic.

“In any case, if you go, we can end the humiliation of the Arcana.”

“That's right. I can end it in one shot.”

“But the other damn professors won't listen.”

“Just beat them up. Most of the world's problems can be solved by beating them up.”

“What kind of madman solves problems like that.”

“……”

‘Look at this guy talk.’

This time, Patrick stared intently at Professor Leyte.

‘What's the point of talking?’

What could he do when they insisted on taking the long way around even when he showed them the easy path? In the end, it seemed this matter would only be resolved if he stepped in himself.

“If they're selecting the Arcana representatives, the fourth and fifth-years will be coming back now, right?”

“That's right. Especially the fifth-years, once they return this time, they'll have to start preparing for graduation soon.”

“I see. Understood.”

It was Patrick, who had decided to talk directly with the parties involved if the professors wouldn't listen.

‘It can't be helped. Blame the professors, you damn seniors.’

* * *

The Academy professors argued fiercely every day.

“So, no matter how good his skills are, choosing a first-year as a representative is unprecedented. If we ignore tradition and formality, how will others view us?”

“How will they see us? They'll see us as losers. Do you think we have any more dignity to lose from here?”

“It might be better to lose with dignity than to win cowardly.”

“What kind of bullshit is that? By that logic, we should remove Princess Isabella from the candidates as well.”

“She is still a third-year, isn't she? And she is royalty.”

“Hahaha, since when has our Academy discriminated against people based on their status? Wasn't the founding purpose of the Academy to provide an equal opportunity for learning to all students?”

“No, no matter what….”

To choose Patrick Schneider as the Arcana representative? Or not?

Not only the professors of the Knight Faculty but also professors from other faculties were joining in and voicing their opinions on this issue.

The ones who most strongly argued for choosing Patrick as the representative were Professor Leyte and Professor Marox Baroq, whose state had risen by one level after his duel with Patrick.

Led by those two, most of those who had tasted bitterness in their duels with Patrick argued for sending him as the representative.

From their perspective, if Patrick went, not only could they win at the Arcana, but they could also aim for a high ranking.

If that happened, wouldn't the stigma of having lost to a student be slightly less humiliating for them?

There was a bit of personal calculation involved.

Conversely, those who argued against choosing Patrick as the representative were mostly elderly professors who valued tradition and formality.

Although they had retired from the front lines of teaching, they still had their names on the Academy's roster and only showed their faces and gave their opinions on important matters, but….

The problem was that their opinions couldn't just be ignored.

They hadn't simply retired; they had taken a step back while still possessing sufficient power and connections.

In the end, the opinions of both sides were in a tense confrontation, and a fruitless conversation had been going back and forth for days.

‘Should I really just beat them all up like Schneider said?’

Professor Leyte had even thought this during the tedious debate.

But unfortunately, the elders before him were too old.

If he beat them up, they might cross a river they should not cross.

So instead, he put forth the strongest justification.

“Please consider the fundamental problem. If we send the fourth and fifth-years as representatives this time, do you think we have a chance of winning at the Arcana?”

At Professor Leyte's words, even the professors who had expressed opposition fell silent.

Looking at those old men, Professor Leyte continued.

“The level of the Arcana has become immeasurably higher than when I was a student. It's common for young people who come as representatives from each country to have set foot in the state of 4-star or 5-star.”

“Ummm….”

“That is….”

“Prince Jayton, who was selected as the representative of the Magellan Kingdom, had his publicly known state at the end of 5-star a year ago. Young Master Garcia, the grandson of the Imperial Sword Saint, is also said to have a talent that surpasses his grandfather in the past. Antorius, who is coming as the representative of the Saint Louis Holy Theocracy, is a monster who is said to be a candidate for one of the spots of the youngest 12 Paladins.”

The names coming from Professor Leyte's mouth were all geniuses who were making a name for themselves across the continent at a young age.

“If our Academy's fourth and fifth-year students participate, can they compete with them? No, can they even defeat other ordinary representatives?”

“Umm….”

“Ahem, we'll have to see about that.”

“What is there to see? It's obvious they will be crushed miserably. Even Alex, who is the most skilled among the fifth-years, is at the 3-star state. Do you think it's a competition?”

“……”

“……”

“Other countries select their best talent and do their utmost to prepare for the Arcana. But we won't send our best talent because of some damn tradition and dignity? If we achieve a complete defeat for the fourth consecutive time as a result, how will the royal family and the people view us?”

Everything Professor Leyte said was right.

In fact, even those who argued against Patrick's participation felt their stomachs churn and dizzy at the thought of a fourth consecutive complete defeat.

What kind of humiliation could be greater than that?

For a moment, the old men were at a loss for words.

And Professor Leyte, seizing the moment, pushed forward.

“Tradition is good, and dignity is good. But before that, please face the reality of the nation's prestige and the situation the Academy is in.”

Just as the atmosphere was turning in Professor Leyte's favor….

“Professor. The fourth and fifth-years who left for knightly training have returned.”

“Ooooh, is that so?”

“Yes. And a letter arrived ahead of them, saying that Alex Rowensky has reached the 4-star state.”

“What did you say?”

Alex Rowensky.

Before Patrick's admission, he was the most anticipated figure at the Academy of the Kingdom of Atronia.

Born as the illegitimate son of the Marquis Rowensky family, he chose the path of a knight to become independent, and he was a man who combined both effort and talent, a figure who truly fit the word 'talent.'

Alex, Isabella, and though he was now broken by Patrick, originally Zordic Panola as well.

These three were the ones with the highest possibility of being chosen as representatives for this Arcana.

The news that such an Alex had reached the 4-star state became a great hope for the professors.

“If Alex has reached 4-star, he might be able to secure a win in this Arcana.”

“It will depend on the luck of the draw, but if he meets the right opponent in the individual matches, he might advance to the second round, perhaps even the third.”

“This is right. This is right.”

“Doesn't Schneider have a chance in four years, if not this year?”

Professor Leyte thought with all his heart.

‘Should I really just beat them all up?’

He now desperately realized why Patrick often said that most of the world's problems could be solved by beating them up.

He had just been on the verge of ‘kiiiindly’ persuading these tradition-bound old fools with deaf ears why Patrick Schneider should be chosen as the representative.

Just at the moment when they were about to be persuaded by using the disastrous results of the Arcana as an example, a tiny, tiny hope had to spring up for them.

The fifth-year Academy student, Alex Rowensky.

Yes. Professor Leyte knew that name well.

He was indeed the most promising student among the current generation of students.

Although that was before Patrick's admission.

That Alex had entered the 4-star state?

It was a good thing. A good thing, but….

‘Why now of all times? Why?’

Professor Leyte felt like grabbing Alex by the collar if he were in front of him right now, shaking him, and threatening him to lower his state immediately.

And next to Professor Leyte, Professor Baroq shot up and shouted.

“Even if he has just reached the 4-star state, it will be difficult for Alex to compete on equal footing with the representatives of other countries with his state. When we have a sure card like Patrick Schneider, why must we gamble?”

“Ahem…. No matter what, if we send a first-year as a representative, what will other countries think of our level?”

“Let's solve this in the natural order of things. In the natural order….”

“No, you foolish humans! Forget the natural order, we have to win!”

“Are you done talking?”

“Tsk tsk, this is why he's a commoner….”

“What did you say?”

In the end, Professor Baroq exploded.

Along with him, the professors' meeting hall also exploded.

‘Well done.’

Professor Leyte could only let out a small sigh.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.