First of All, I’m Drinking - Chapter 66

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 66

 

Ragnor von Grantuan.

 

Born as the second son of Count Grantuan’s family and living without want, he had shown exceptional talent in swordsmanship since childhood.

 

The Grantuan Count family was originally unconnected to martial arts.

 

They were merely a prestigious religious family that had continuously produced Cardinals of the Stellar Order since ancient times.

 

For such a prodigy like Ragnor to be born in the Grantuan Count family was an extremely unusual occurrence.

 

-Ragnor. You will surely become the world’s greatest swordsman in the future.

 

Was it around age 7?

 

Those were the words his mother had said while stroking his head.

 

The moment Ragnor first sensed his own talent.

 

‘…What was I thinking back then.’

 

I don’t know.

 

It’s just a distant memory from the past that I can’t even remember now.

 

She wasn’t his birth mother.

 

His birth mother had died at the same time as his birth, unable to endure the labor pains.

 

Even though she was his stepmother, she didn’t treat Ragnor particularly harshly.

 

Ragnor grew up healthy under the care of his father, Count Grantuan, and his stepmother.

 

-Amazing! Truly amazing, young master!

 

He awakened his aura just six months after beginning his training.

 

At age 10, he was already winning duels against adult knights.

 

Of course, he experienced countless defeats as well.

 

His mother, worried that he might become intoxicated with consecutive victories and fall into arrogance, invited high-ranking knights he could never match at his level to request duels.

 

Thanks to this, he was able to accumulate extensive real combat experience that would be difficult for others his age to possess.

 

The results of his harsh training became increasingly prominent as he grew.

 

The combination of innate talent and acquired effort.

 

Even in the entrance exam for Byeolmaseong, one of the world’s three great academies, no one could stop him.

 

Of course, it was the same after enrollment.

 

Ragnor realized he had become far too accustomed to taking first place.

 

‘It’s boring.’

 

Life was boring.

 

It was tedious.

 

What difference was there between a life that only repeated victories and a life where nothing happened at all?

 

Ragnor had lost his expressions at some point.

 

Having lost his expressions, he also lost his emotions.

 

Fortunately, Ragnor, whose intellect was as sharp as his swordsmanship skills, quickly realized what he needed.

 

‘A rival.’

 

He needed an opponent.

 

Someone who could give him defeat.

 

Yet someone with whom he could learn each other’s strengths, complement weaknesses, and grow together.

 

He needed a worthy adversary.

 

Dueling with some aged high-ranking knight was meaningless.

 

What could ignite his emotions was only an opponent of similar age.

 

-Mother, I want to quit Byeolmaseong.

 

There was no such person at Byeolmaseong, which he had entered with expectations as one of the world’s three great academies.

 

-I respect your wishes, Ragnor. Then where do you want to go?

 

-I’m going to the Empire.

 

The Argent Empire.

 

A superpower that held half the world in its grasp as a single nation.

 

The most excellent school in such a country would surely be better than here.

 

Even among the same three great academies, there would be differences.

 

-I support your dream, Ragnor.

 

Carrying such vague expectations in his heart, Ragnor boarded a ship bound for the Empire alone.

 

Finally, now.

 

Ragnor was convinced that his choice to drop out of Byeolmaseong was the best decision of his life.

 

Clang clang clang!

 

“Tch.”

 

The black-haired youth deflected and parried his sword.

 

‘He blocked that?’

 

The difference in skill level was significant.

 

His own level was 5-star.

 

Meanwhile, the youth’s level was 4-star.

 

Knowing how to deploy an Aura Blade versus not knowing was a world of difference.

 

Normally, if he got even slightly serious, the youth should have been sent flying immediately.

 

However.

 

Clang clang clang-!

 

The youth defended against his sword precariously but certainly.

 

He wasn’t even just being pushed back helplessly.

 

While deflecting sword strikes, his eyes constantly searched for openings.

 

‘Strong…!’

 

Watching the youth continuously deflect his sword, Ragnor felt an emotion he had forgotten long ago.

 

It was competitive spirit.

 

‘I have the advantage in skill level, but.’

 

What could it mean that he still couldn’t settle the match despite having a higher skill level?

 

In terms of technique, the youth was far superior to himself.

 

Ragnor was genuinely impressed by the youth’s abilities.

 

Moreover.

 

Slash-!

 

When the youth finally managed to cut his sleeve, admiration turned to astonishment.

 

Ragnor unconsciously broke into a bright smile across his face.

 

He couldn’t remember the last time he had smiled this broadly.

 

‘I’m glad I came here!’

 

Indeed, heading to Millennium Academy was the best decision.

 

For the first time in a long while, Ragnor felt his body trembling with excitement and exhilaration.

 

At that moment.

 

Crack!

 

In the midst of continuing their battle.

 

Suddenly, his sword shattered into pieces before his eyes.

 

Ragnor’s eyes widened.

 

This was impossible.

 

He had definitely adjusted the intensity of his Aura Blade sufficiently considering the sword’s durability.

 

‘…Could it be.’

 

Ragnor realized one fact and was overcome with trembling.

 

* * *

 

“What will a swordsman do now without a sword?”

 

“…”

 

Ragnor wore an expression of shock, then suddenly said.

 

“You’re really amazing.”

 

“Huh? What, all of a sudden?”

 

“I definitely adjusted the intensity of my Aura Blade considering the sword’s durability. Yet the sword still shattered… what could be the reason?”

 

I gulped nervously.

 

This bastard, did he actually notice?

 

“Looking back, when you blocked my sword, you focused intensively on just one spot. While pretending to deflect, you were actually accumulating damage. So the sword could be easily destroyed with even a small impact.”

 

To think he figured out that much.

 

As he said, I continuously targeted only one point on the blade, accumulating shock damage.

 

Indeed, it was insight befitting the grandiose reputation of the Next Generation World’s Best Swordsman.

 

“I don’t plan to go down easily just because my sword was destroyed.”

 

Thwack.

 

Ragnor took a combat stance.

 

“I absolutely want to train swords with you at this school.”

 

A strange longing flashed in Ragnor’s eyes.

 

As if he wanted to see just how far I could go.

 

“…So if you don’t want to be eliminated, try beating me.”

 

Thud!

 

Ragnor kicked off the ground and charged with thunderous momentum.

 

I raised my sword diagonally to block Ragnor’s assault.

 

Kwaang-!

 

Sword and fist collided.

 

Logically, when a blade clashes with a fist, the fist should be crushed.

 

However, Ragnor was a Sword Expert.

 

Using the technique of infusing aura into weapons, he intensively reinforced his fist.

 

In the end, I was the one being pushed back.

 

“Damn it! This is really driving me crazy!”

 

How many times have I been pushed back by a brat who hasn’t even lived 20 years!

 

My pride has been shredded to the point where nothing remains.

 

‘I still need to avoid direct power struggles.’

 

I had to fight by redirecting Ragnor’s strength like before my sword was destroyed.

 

Fighting a Sword Expert with 4-star aura was this unreasonable.

 

Fortunately, changing my approach made it much more manageable.

 

Slash-!

 

“Kugh!”

 

Ragnor seemed relatively unfamiliar with combat techniques, having trained only with swords his whole life.

 

He was full of openings everywhere.

 

Swoosh!

 

My thrust grazed Ragnor’s arm.

 

As the battle continued, wounds gradually accumulated on Ragnor’s body.

 

However, due to the difference in build, I couldn’t land a decisive blow.

 

Whoosh-!

 

A heavy axe fell from above Ragnor’s head.

 

Ragnor turned his body and easily evaded the attack.

 

Kwaaaaang-!

 

Irin’s axe struck the ground uselessly.

 

Irin pulled her axe from the ground and raged.

 

“Why are you so fast! Just die quietly!”

 

“Leave it to me.”

 

Tanya took over and charged at Ragnor.

 

Gripping two daggers in her hands, she wildly slashed through the air.

 

Even a single graze would be fatal.

 

Kwagagagagaga-!

 

However, Ragnor deflected all of Tanya’s daggers with his two fists.

 

‘Monster bastard!’

 

His talent alone was incredibly amazing.

 

Following that, Irin swung her axe again.

 

This time, unable to find timing to dodge, Ragnor had no choice but to block Irin’s axe with his fist.

 

Kwang!

 

“Kaaaah!”

 

Ragnor clutched his fist and screamed.

 

Irin’s level was 4-star.

 

But no matter how much of a Sword Expert he was, blocking a heavy axe with bare hands was too much.

 

‘Now!’

 

This was the only opportunity.

 

This moment when Ragnor was struggling with pain.

 

If he regained his composure, the battle would once again turn into a tedious war of attrition.

 

Swaaaash-!

 

I rushed in like lightning and thrust my sword toward Ragnor’s neck.

 

He looked straight at the sword charging to sever his neck.

 

This couldn’t be avoided.

 

“…”

 

Did he sense his end approaching?

 

Grin.

 

A smile appeared on Ragnor’s lips.

 

“…See you again, Asel.”

 

Whiiiiik-!

 

The familiar sensation of the blade cutting through air.

 

Clear particles of light scattered, decorating the empty chamber.

 

It was proof of forced teleportation.

 

After that persistent duel, I had finally defeated Ragnor.

 

“Ha, fuck.”

 

I collapsed to the ground with a crude curse.

 

“Damn exhausting, crazy bastard.”

 

He was someone I had to acknowledge.

 

Probably no one of similar age existed who was more outstanding than that guy.

 

Irin and Tanya were looking at me as if seeing some incomprehensible unknown entity.

 

“…You really won.”

 

“Between you and Ragnor, I can’t tell anymore who’s the crazier one.”

 

Those two contributed greatly to this victory.

 

Without Tanya and Irin’s help, I would have had to reveal more of my hidden power, and that wouldn’t have been a desirable outcome for me.

 

Tanya seemed to have more to say.

 

“…What are you really?”

 

“…”

 

“I’ve never even heard rumors of someone like you existing in the Empire. To fight evenly with that Ragnor von Grantuan, and even achieve victory despite our help…”

 

Tanya still seemed unable to believe the battle’s outcome.

 

It wasn’t a wary expression.

 

She just seemed unable to contain her curiosity.

 

I cleared my throat.

 

“Don’t try to judge the world by your own standards.”

 

“What does that mean?”

 

I grinned, showing my teeth.

 

“Just that. Things that are far removed from your common sense can certainly happen in this world.”

 

“So you won’t tell us your identity to the end?”

 

“Identity, what identity. The way you put it makes me sound like some underworld boss.”

 

Of course, the reality is that I’m an even more formidable existence than that.

 

Being a Demon Lord is quite different from being compared to some underworld boss.

 

“I’ll tell you later once we enroll and become closer.”

 

I brushed it off vaguely like that.

 

Because of my victory in the duel against Ragnor, I would receive tremendous attention from everyone upon passing.

 

It was a result that was about a trillion light-years away from my original plan.

 

‘…Well, it’s better than failing.’

 

Even if I’m a former Demon Lord living a second life, I can’t control every variable.

 

This incident fell into the category of unavoidable circumstances.

 

Anyway.

 

With Ragnor forcibly expelled, there was no one left in this Exam Site who could pose a threat to us.

 

The results were so clear that there was no need to even wait for the third day.

 

Therefore.

 

Irin, Tanya, and I. All three of us passed the exam.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————