Aaron and his son could not understand a single word the boy was saying. But they soon decided not to mind the words of a madman and gave a sensible answer like normal people.
"It is an honorable tournament where all the nations of the continent gather to compete. How could one place bets on such an event?"
"Why not? You just have to place them."
"Well, I suppose it's possible, but is there not the matter of national dignity?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You lot truly know nothing of the world. Does dignity put food on the table?"
Patrick, who clicked his tongue and scoffed, decided not to participate in the Arcana. He had a desire to resolve the lingering regrets from his past life, but with no prize money, he felt no motivation. Why should he get involved in something that brings no money and scuffle with a bunch of little kids?
'Me?
The Radiant Dragon Grandmaster Jin Cheon of all under heaven? Tsk, tsk, a man has his dignity. How could I do such a thing?
I won't do it.' This was the thought of the very man who had just lamented about whether dignity puts food on the table. In any case, as Patrick made up his mind, Matthew spoke to him.
"Even if there's no prize money, you can make a name for yourself across the entire continent."
"Yeah. I see. Good for them."
"Besides, His Majesty the King has promised to 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 even is."
"Ah..."
Matthew made a 'now that you mention it' face and began to explain. The Kingdom of Atronia's third consecutive defeat. Feeling shame at this grand record, the king had summoned the professors of the Knight Faculty for a severe reprimand, but also presented 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 carried a different weight.
"Hooo... I see. So that's how it is."
A look of interest appeared on Patrick's face. The king of a nation had said he would grant any wish. This was bound to be tempting.
Patrick spoke to Matthew and Aaron.
"How many people participate in the Arcana?"
"Five from each nation."
"What do I have to do to be included?"
"The professors have to select you as a representative."
"Easy enough."
At Patrick's words, Aaron laughed heartily and said, "Hahaha. To hear you say it, it sounds as if you're going to threaten the professors."
"... Hey, no way."
"You're not actually thinking..."
"Ahem, well then, regarding the business matter, we will deliver as per the established contract to your fief. I have an urgent matter to attend to, so I must be going..."
And with that, Patrick immediately rose from his seat and ran off somewhere.
"Professor Leit."
Seeing Patrick open the door with a clatter without even knocking, Professor Leit immediately said, "I cannot issue any more outing permits."
"Why not? No, that's not it... I came for something else today."
"... Something else?"
This feels unsettling.
Chilling.
I don't know what it is, but it feels unsettling. Professor Leit had by now come to understand Patrick's character quite well. He had to be on high alert to deal with this troublemaker, who was liable to cause some sort of incident if he wasn't watched and watched again.
And then Patrick spoke...
"What do I have to do to participate in the Arcana?"
"The Arcana?"
"Yes. Please send me there. I'll bring back the championship."
The moment he heard those words, Professor Leit broke into a bright smile and said, "I'm glad to see you being so proactive. Here, have a seat. Let's talk for a bit first."
Now this was a different story. Professor Leit's attitude changed in an instant.
In truth, after Patrick had shown an absurd level of performance in the midterm evaluation, Professor Leit had suggested sending Patrick as a representative to the Arcana.
However...
"No matter how skilled he is, he is a first-year."
"Isn't he too young?"
"Please consider the fourth and fifth-year students who have waited for the Arcana."
"Even if it's not this time, won't Young Lord Patrick have another chance?"
There were more opposing professors than he had expected. Most of the reasons for opposition were pleas to consider the fourth and fifth-year students. The Arcana was held once every four years.
And those who could participate were the young talents representing each nation. In other words, students currently enrolled in the academy. It went without saying that most of the participants were upperclassmen, and for them, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
If Patrick were to participate as a representative, someone would inevitably be deprived of that chance. That glorious opportunity that comes but once in a lifetime. From their perspective, it was by no means an easy matter.
After hearing the explanation, Patrick said to Professor Leit, "... Let me ask one thing. What is the level of the fourth and fifth-year students who go to this Arcana place?"
"Most are at the three-star level."
"What?"
"No, senior Isabella, who is a third-year, is also three-star. Shouldn't fourth and fifth-years be stronger than her?"
At Patrick's words, Professor Leit let out a sigh. Does this kid think raising one's level is as simple as eating and training hard, and it will just shoot up?
There were plenty of knights who never surpassed the three-star level in their entire lives, so how could academy students possibly raise their level so much in just a few years? And comparing Isabella to the other upperclassmen was a misstatement.
Because...
"She is a genius. Even if you search all the fourth and fifth-years, there is only one person who can be said to be definitively stronger than her."
"Are the fourth and fifth-years that much worse?"
"Your standards are just excessively high."
"Wait a minute. Then could it be..."
At Patrick's words, Professor Leit nodded and said, "Princess Isabella is also one of the candidates for the Arcana."
"This is ridiculous."
In the end, even the fourth and fifth-years were at a similar level to Isabella, or not much different. 'Seriously, why are the levels of these kids who do nothing but eat and train with the sword so pathetic?
So incompetent...'
If Patrick were to seriously teach Matthew for a few years, he could raise him to the four-star level.
Impossible?
Does it seem impossible? He could do it. 'When humans don't want to die, they'll do whatever it takes.'
At least, with this man. Patrick frowned in thought and then spoke.
"Let me ask you one thing."
"Speak."
"Are the representatives from other countries also around the three-star level?"
"No, most are four-star, and some are even five-star. The previous winner was a genius who had achieved the six-star level."
"What, then!"
Patrick suddenly shouted.
"You know full well that the representatives from other countries are much stronger than ours, and you're sending our kids to get crushed?"
"Was there any other alternative?"
"There is now, isn't there?"
Patrick said, pointing a finger at himself.
"Right. There is. That's exactly my point."
Professor Leit became excited as well. If other students went to the Arcana this year instead of Patrick, the result was obvious. Sixteen consecutive years of complete defeat.
The king and the people would be enraged, and the academy professors would be treated like incompetent freeloaders. But then Patrick appeared. The other professors might not know, but in Professor Leit's eyes, Patrick's level was at least seven-star, or maybe even...
'The more I think about it, the more it gives me chills. How can such a monster exist?'
"What's with that look? That unpleasant 'how can such a monster exist?' look?"
"You're seeing things."
"I don't think so."
"You're seeing things."
'His intuition is damn sharp.' Professor Leit coughed for a moment and then returned to the main topic.
"In any case, if you go, we can end the humiliation of the Arcana."
"That's right. We can end it in one fell swoop."
"But the other damn professors won't listen."
"Just beat the hell out of them. Most of the world's problems can be solved by beating people up."
"What kind of madman solves problems like that?"
'Listen to this guy talk.' This time, Patrick stared intently at Professor Leit. 'What's the point of talking?'
Even when shown the easy path, they insist on taking the long way around. What could he do? In the end, it seemed this matter would only be resolved if he took action himself.
"If the Arcana representatives are to be selected, the fourth and fifth-years will be returning soon, right?"
"That's right. The fifth-years, in particular, will have to prepare for graduation soon after they return."
"I see. Understood."
If the professors wouldn't listen, Patrick decided to talk to the parties involved directly. 'It can't be helped. Blame the professors, you senior bastards.'
The academy professors argued fiercely every day.
"So, no matter how skilled he is, selecting a first-year as a representative is unprecedented. If we disregard tradition and formality, how will others view us?"
"How will they view us? As losers. Do you think we have any dignity left to tarnish?"
"It may be better to lose with dignity than to win dishonorably."
"What kind of nonsense is that? By that logic, we should remove Princess Isabella from the list of candidates as well."
"But she is at least a third-year, is she not? 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, even so..."
Should Patrick Schneider be selected as a representative for the Arcana?
Or not?
Not only the professors of the Knight Faculty, but also professors from other faculties were chiming in on this matter. The strongest proponents for selecting Patrick as a representative were Professor Leit and Professor Marox Baroque, whose level had risen by one stage after his duel with Patrick.
Led by those two, most of those who had tasted defeat against Patrick argued for sending him as the representative. In their view, if Patrick went, not only would 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 fade a little?
There was a small personal calculation in that as well. Conversely, those who argued against selecting Patrick as a representative were mostly elderly professors who valued tradition and formality. Although they had withdrawn from the front lines of teaching, they still had their names on the academy's roster and only showed their faces and offered opinions on important matters...
The problem was that their opinions could not be simply ignored. They had not merely retired; they still possessed sufficient power and connections, having only taken a step back. In the end, the opinions of both sides clashed sharply, and for several days, fruitless conversations came and went.
'Should I really just beat them all up like Schneider said?' Professor Leit had even thought this during the tedious debate. But unfortunately, the elders before him were too old.
If he were to beat them up, they might cross a river from which there was no return. So, he instead presented the most powerful 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 Leit's words, even the professors who had expressed opposition fell silent. Looking at those old men, Professor Leit continued to speak.
"The level of the Arcana has become astronomically higher than when I was a student. It is common for young people who come as representatives of their countries to have set foot in the four-star or five-star level."
"Hmmmm..."
"That is..."
"Crown Prince Jayton, selected as the representative of the Magellan Kingdom, was at the cusp of the five-star level when his abilities were revealed a year ago."
"Lord Garcia, the grandson of the Sword Saint of the Empire, is also said to have talent that surpasses his grandfather."
"Antorius, who is coming as the representative of the Holy Empire of Saint Louis, is a monster said to be a candidate for one of the Twelve Paladins at the youngest age ever."
The names coming out of Professor Leit's mouth were all geniuses who had made 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 any other ordinary representative?"
"Hmm..."
"Ahem, we won't know until we try."
"What do you mean, we won't know until we try? It's obvious they'll be crushed miserably. Even Alex, the most skilled among the fifth-years, is at the three-star level. Do you think it will even be a competition?"
"Other countries select their best talent and prepare for the Arcana with all their might. But we won't send our best talent because of some silly tradition and dignity?"
"If we achieve a fourth consecutive complete defeat as a result, how will the royal family and the people view us?"
Everything Professor Leit said was correct. In fact, even those who argued against Patrick's participation felt their stomachs churn and a wave of dizziness at the thought of a fourth consecutive complete defeat. What humiliation could be greater than that?
For a moment, the old men were at a loss for words. And Professor Leit, sensing his moment, pressed on.
"Tradition is good, and dignity is good. But before that, please face the reality of our nation's prestige and the academy's situation."
Just as the atmosphere was shifting in Professor Leit's favor...
"Professor. The fourth and fifth-year students who left for knight training have returned."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Yes. And a letter arrived ahead of them, stating that Alex Rowensky has reached the four-star level."
"What did you say?"
Alex Rowensky.
Before Patrick's enrollment, he was the most anticipated figure at the Kingdom of Atronia's academy. Born as an illegitimate son of the Marquis Rowensky, he chose the path of a knight to become self-reliant. He was a man who combined both effort and talent, a figure who truly fit the word 'prodigy'.
Alex, Isabella, and the now-broken Jordic Panola. These three were the most likely to be chosen as representatives for this Arcana. The news that Alex had reached the four-star level was a great hope for the professors.
"If Alex has reached four-star, we might be able to secure one victory at this Arcana."
"It will depend on the luck of the draw, but if he gets a good matchup in the individual competition, he could advance to the second round, maybe even the third."
"This is right. This is the way."
"Even if it's not this year, won't Young Lord Schneider have a chance in four years?"
Professor Leit genuinely thought. 'Should I really just beat them all up?' He was now keenly aware of why Patrick often said that most of the world's problems could be solved by beating people up.
He had just been on the verge of painstakingly persuading these stubborn old traditionalist fossils with their clogged ears why Patrick Schneider should be chosen as the representative. Just at the moment they were about to be persuaded, using the miserable results of the Arcana as an example, a tiny, tiny glimmer of hope had to appear for them.
Alex Rowensky, a fifth-year student at the academy.
Yes.
Professor Leit knew the name well. He was indeed the most promising student among the current generation. Though that was before Patrick had enrolled.
That Alex had reached the four-star level? It was a good thing. A very good thing, but...
'Why now of all times?
Why?'
Professor Leit felt like grabbing Alex by the collar if he were here right now, shaking him and threatening him to lower his level at once. And next to Professor Leit, Professor Baroque shot up and shouted.
"Even if he has just reached the four-star level, it is difficult for Alex to compete on equal footing with the representatives of other countries. We have a sure card named Patrick Schneider, so why must we gamble?"
"Ahem... Even so, if we send a first-year as a representative, what will other countries think of our country's level?"
"Let's follow the proper course of things. The proper course..."
"No, you foolish old men! Forget the proper course, we have to win!"
"Have you said all you have to say?"
"Tsk, tsk, this is why commoners are..."
"What did you say?"
In the end, Professor Baroque exploded. And with him, the professors' meeting room also exploded.
'Well done.'
Professor Leit could only let out a small sigh.