Chapter 90….
Kaizel thought to himself.
What on earth is this little brat talking about?
His name is Dante Aquites.
He claims he was sent here under the Emperor’s orders.
And starting today, he’s been appointed as the swordsmanship instructor of the Rittergut?
At first, when he heard it, Kaizel couldn’t understand. But when he separated and considered each statement…
‘This is insane…’
That’s when a memory he had briefly forgotten resurfaced.
Dante Aquites.
The son of Zenon—the Empire’s Sword—was indeed set to come here as Rittergut’s swordsmanship instructor.
It had sounded so absurd that he dismissed it as a lie. But when he later heard that the Emperor himself had approved it, how dumbfounded had he been?
‘Come to think of it…’
The boy’s face looked exactly like his father’s.
Still clearly childish, yes, but that irritating face, that arrogant air—
all of it was like Zenon.
“Ha—ha.”
Finally grasping the situation, Kaizel let out a booming laugh.
“So you are that Dante?”
“Yes, Sword Saint.”
The boy’s polite reply made Kaizel nod.
There was one thing that separated him from his father.
He was courteous.
That alone made Kaizel take a slight liking to him. He then turned toward the guards.
“So, what you’re saying is these fools drew swords against Rittergut’s instructor and even dared use the name of Count Lenard’s house to threaten him?”
The guards’ faces turned deathly pale.
If Dante spoke true, then they had just thrust their necks beneath the scythe of death.
“Have you ever seen such idiots?”
Kaizel clicked his tongue and thundered:
“Throw them out! And toss out that little Lenard brat as well!”
“As you command!”
Immediately, several figures slipped out from the crowd like shadows, seizing Jayden and the guards, carrying them away.
“W–wait, Sword Saint!”
Jayden shouted in panic, but Kaizel merely dug at his ear with a finger. He didn’t even glance at them.
“Every year, it amazes me that trash like this keeps showing up.”
Indeed.
Once a year, at every initiation, there were always fools who couldn’t tell up from down and caused a scene.
This year, it just happened to be Jayden.
“Anyway, this mess is cleared up. You—come inside with me.”
“It’s an honor.”
Dante walked with Kaizel, still wearing his smile.
How long did they walk under everyone’s gaze?
Then Kaizel suddenly asked:
“But is your age truly fifteen?”
His eyes said he simply couldn’t believe it.
“Yes.”
“Then how in the world at that age…?”
He stopped midsentence, narrowing his eyes.
“Don’t tell me—you’ve already awakened your Stigma?”
His eyes nearly popped out.
Dante answered with a look that said it was only natural.
“Would Rittergut appoint as an instructor someone who hadn’t even awakened their Stigma?”
“No, of course not.”
Kaizel shook his head right away.
“Nor I. Naturally, I’ve awakened it—and I’ve also gained enough experience to be worthy of teaching others.”
“Experience? Where?”
Surely he wasn’t calling a few spars with family knights “experience.”
“Until very recently, I was in the Principality.”
Kaizel stopped walking.
The Principality.
And if it was only just recently?
Only one thought sprang to his mind.
“You mean… you were on the battlefield?”
“For four years, I roamed the battlefields.”
“Impossible!”
Who could believe such a claim?
The boy was only fifteen.
If he’d been fighting for four years, that meant he started at ten or eleven years old.
At an age when one could barely lift a sword, let alone survive a battle.
And he’s saying he roamed the frontlines?
“You can confirm the truth directly with the Sword Empress.”
Dante mentioned Isabella.
She and Kaizel had a deep connection. In her youth, she had even briefly learned swordsmanship under him. She was far closer to Kaizel than Zenon ever was.
“Ah…”
Kaizel asked, his voice hesitant:
“There was a rumor, five years ago. About a child who crossed swords with Isabella in the Imperial Palace. That wasn’t you… was it?”
At the time, he had dismissed it as nonsense and never gave it a second thought.
The rumor had claimed that a ten-year-old brat had cut Isabella across the chest.
Even village children wouldn’t believe such rubbish.
But now…
“His Majesty ordered silence on the matter. It must have leaked out.”
“Heh… ha—ha!”
All Kaizel could do was laugh.
He wanted to call it madness and tell the boy to shut up.
But he couldn’t.
Because in truth, he couldn’t sense anything from Dante.
If the boy had not awakened his Stigma, that would be normal. He’d radiate no aura, no presence.
But Dante had awakened it.
And he had been appointed as instructor—that was undeniable proof.
Yet Kaizel still felt nothing.
That meant only one thing.
‘This brat’s realm is not low…’
Perhaps far higher than he could even imagine.
It was a ridiculous thought, absurd even to himself.
But his instincts whispered it was true.
‘If only I were a little younger…’
Then he might have been able to sense it clearly.
For the first time, his aging dulled senses felt painfully inadequate.
“Humph! I’ll ask Isabella myself when I see her.”
“If Her Highness comes, please inform me as well. I would like to greet her—it’s been a long time.”
Kaizel shook his head at the boy’s cheek.
“Enough nonsense. Go up there.”
He pointed to the great platform erected in Rittergut’s Grand Training Hall.
“When the initiation begins, you will be introduced. Normally, we would have spoken more privately beforehand, but…”
He had already heard more than enough along the way.
Any further talk, and his head might burst.
So Kaizel simply sent Dante up.
“Then I’ll see you after the ceremony.”
Dante smiled knowingly, as if he’d expected this, and strode toward the stage.
“Ha…”
Watching the boy’s back, Kaizel let out a heavy sigh.
“Is that not a monster?”
Awakening a Stigma at fifteen was already shocking.
But Dante seemed to have done it years ago.
And to have fought on battlefields for years already?
Was there anyone like that in all history?
Kaizel wracked his aging brain, but no one came to mind.
It was a tale more outlandish than children’s fairy tales.
“Either the world has gone mad, or I have.”
He walked on with a helpless expression.
Meanwhile…
‘Still as amusing as ever.’
Watching Kaizel’s shocked face at every word was entertaining.
In his previous life, it had been much the same.
At first, Kaizel always fussed and praised Dante whenever he saw his sword.
Later, of course, that enthusiasm faded.
‘But he always gave me courage.’
No one could match your swordsmanship.
If your sealed talent ever blooms, you will reach the very ends of the heavens.
So never give up—press ever forward.
Kaizel had always counseled and encouraged him. Truly, he was a knight worthy of the title “Sword Saint.”
‘This time…’
I won’t let him be disappointed.
I’ll make sure that every time he looks at me, his eyes widen in shock.
And someday…
I’ll thank him properly, for cherishing me.
Of course, Kaizel wouldn’t understand what he meant.
Thunk, thunk.
As Dante stepped up the stage stairs, the hollow metallic clang echoed.
‘Hmm. Now that I think of it…’
There were many things to gain from Rittergut.
Secrets buried for decades, even centuries.
Dante had already picked out a few useful ones.
At least three, he could secure.
‘They’ll be invaluable.’
If he obtained them properly, they would give wings to both himself and Acrasion.
With a faint excitement, Dante stepped fully onto the stage.
Immediately, piercing stares fell upon him.
They were from those already seated—the instructors.
‘The instructors.’
So many familiar faces.
All those who had once scorned him, ridiculed him, and ultimately cast him aside.
“What business does a cadet have here?”
One of them spoke coldly.
‘Gideon.’
The most senior among them.
And the most corrupt.
“I asked what business you have here.”
Gideon frowned, rising to his feet.
The pressure in his tone made his intent clear: depending on the answer, he’d use force.
Dante looked him square in the eye and spoke.
“Mind your words.”
“…What?”
Gideon’s face twisted in disbelief.
That he, a seasoned instructor, would be spoken to like that—by a cadet?
“Rittergut’s discipline is a disgrace. Be it cadets or instructors—your conduct is far too lowly.”
“Say that again. What did you just say?”
A heavy wave of mana seeped from Gideon.
It was as though a sharp blade would cut Dante down if he took a single step further.
“Then wash your ears and listen well. I’ll say it again.”
Dante stared directly into Gideon’s eyes and declared:
“My name is Dante Aquites. From today onward, I will be here with you as Rittergut’s swordsmanship instructor, teaching the cadets.”
Not only Gideon, but all the other instructors fell silent.
Step.
Amid the hushed stage, Dante calmly walked to his seat and sat down.
