The Failed Swordmaster - Chapter 8

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 8 4. Muscles, They Are the Symbol of Masculinity (1)

Glossy black hair tied in a ponytail style. Clean skin like first snow that contrasted with it. Vibrant lips that seemed natural without any makeup caught Lumian’s eye.

He pressed his lips tightly shut in a straight line. If he didn’t, it felt like his heart would jump out of his mouth.

He breathed through his nose and inhaled.

The protagonist, who belatedly realized his nostrils were flaring, reproached himself.

‘Damn, that must have looked ugly!’

But what lay ahead was more problematic.

He had unexpectedly encountered a peerless beauty. Lumian’s body stiffened like stone from tension, and sweat poured down his back like rain.

He had felt it since the inn, but after his reincarnation, he tended to become even more foolish in front of women he found attractive. It was lamentable. To think he looked like this despite singing about wanting to date pretty women.

He took a deep breath quietly. This time he was careful not to let his nostrils flare. And he tried to circulate the aura in his body to calm his mind.

“Is it okay if I eat with you? This is my first time in the student cafeteria. Oh, and is it okay if I speak casually? I am your senior, you know.”

“Ah, I know that…”

“Yeah. Hmm, it tastes better than I expected?”

The Academy’s free student cafeteria didn’t have many users. Most students had plenty of money and wanted to have upscale meals in more luxurious places than here. Except for Lumian, who had blown all his money buying poison.

So there were no other students around them. That made things even harder for Lumian. Her eyes that grew slightly larger after eating bread and the corners of her mouth that naturally turned up shook his heart wildly.

‘No. I need to get a grip!’

Even if he couldn’t show a cool side, he couldn’t act like an idiot. Lumian summoned his mental strength to overcome the sudden crisis.

“Why are you just staring? Aren’t you curious why I came?”

I’m curious, I’m so curious!

Lumian cried out inwardly. But contrary to his thoughts, his mouth wouldn’t open easily.

The female senior made a “hmm” sound through her nose and slightly bent her upper body, bringing her face closer to Lumian. Lumian gasped. Unable to meet her gaze directly, he rolled his eyes downward.

And then he could tell.

That she had a disappointing chest compared to her face.

“…I’m curious. Before that, could you tell me your name first?”

The tension in his body smoothly melted away. The sweat that had been pouring out stopped, and his hands that had been trembling under the table found stability.

Lumian was the type who valued figure over face. After confirming the senior’s chest, he finally found peace of mind and could converse leisurely.

Watching such a Lumian, the female senior widened her eyes. An expression that seemed slightly surprised.

She was cute enough to make him want to go over and hug her right away, but Lumian was fine. Women were about figure over face, after all.

“How bold. Asking a lady’s name so carelessly.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I’m Lumian Calard. Second-year knight cadet, Class E. May I ask the beautiful senior’s name?”

“Hehe, really interesting. It hurts my pride a little that you don’t know me though.”

“Ah, um. Sorry…”

Lumian offered an apology with a flustered expression.

Even though he had found stability, responding to a woman’s jokes was still beyond Lumian’s capabilities. Seeing his bland reaction, she puffed out her cheeks and introduced herself.

“Tania Eloise. I’m a third-year.”

“I see.”

“You fight well, don’t you?”

Flinch. Slightly startled, Lumian looked at Tania Eloise.

He had become tremendously strong in just one day. Though incomparable to his previous life, he was definitely not at a level where he wouldn’t notice a knight cadet approaching.

How on earth did she know? His curiosity was quickly resolved. Tania, who flashed a grin, continued speaking.

“I was looking around here and there with a magic telescope. I skipped class and had nothing to do.”

“Is that okay though? Don’t grade retentions increase starting from third year?”

“It’s fine. Assaulting classmates is a much worse thing than that.”

“I never assaulted anyone. I only shook hands.”

“When I went to the infirmary, the kids’ hands were all swollen. It must hurt a lot. They don’t seem to want to say how they got hurt because of their pride though.”

Lumian let out a chuckle. He didn’t find Tania, who was persistently picking on him, unpleasant at all.

It was because she was pretty. Though she wasn’t his type, he was always ready to be generous toward pretty women.

Lumian slightly bowed his head and said.

“I’m sorry. I’ll run to the kids right away to apologize, and I’ll confess everything to the supervising professor too.”

“Hmm. That wasn’t what I meant.”

“Then?”

“Buy me a meal next time. In exchange for turning a blind eye.”

“Pardon?”

“Something delicious. Dessert included.”

Lumian made a dumbfounded expression.

Tania Eloise’s face, still smiling brightly, came into view. After making a stupid face for a while, he suddenly came to his senses and thought.

‘Could this possibly be… a date invitation?’

It seemed like it might be.

No, he didn’t know yet. Don’t act rashly.

Nothing was more embarrassing than getting excited only to have the other person become serious. Lumian felt his palms getting sweaty again as he composed himself.

Tania pressured him once more.

“What, you don’t want to? Then there’s no choice. I’ll have to go find a professor to report a delinquent student.”

“No, that’s fine. I’ll buy it, the meal.”

“Hehehe. See you later. And I’m sorry about earlier. I’ll buy the dessert.”

With those words, Tania Eloise swiftly left.

She appeared like the wind and disappeared like the wind. Watching her move away, Lumian made a serious expression.

After pondering for a moment, he quietly muttered to himself.

“She’s still not my type after all.”

Though Lumian was an inexperienced virgin, that didn’t mean he planned to date just anyone. The female senior might get angry if she knew, but he wanted to share love with his ideal type.

‘Still, let’s stay on good terms.’

Who knows?

Maybe his ideal type might be among her friends.

‘But what was that apology about? Did she make some mistake toward me?’

Lumian, who had been making a puzzled expression, soon nodded. It seemed she was referring to threatening to report what just happened to a professor.

That much was nothing. Everyone knew it was a joke. Lumian grinned and resumed his interrupted meal.

Though he had only been living Academy life for barely half a day, his mood was more enjoyable than any time in his previous life.

* * *

‘Quite impressive?’

Tania Eloise, who was leaving the student cafeteria, made an interested expression. The smile on her lips and her crescent-shaped eyes represented her mood.

‘Where did someone like that suddenly pop out from? I thought I had identified all the useful kids.’

To think such talent was hidden among the second-years. It was fortunate she discovered him now.

Of course, it wasn’t at a level that would make her eyes widen in amazement. Compared to Cal Krone, who boasted unrivaled skills among second-years, he seemed quite lacking.

‘Cal Krone wouldn’t have had much trouble.’

When she first encountered Lumian Calard, Tania Eloise had briefly exercised her skills.

She had strongly unleashed her presence to pressure her opponent. As she expected, Lumian showed a struggling appearance, stiffening his face and sweating.

‘But he broke free from the pressure before long.’

That’s right. He had belatedly resisted her energy and escaped the pressure. He probably continuously circulated his aura the moment he was exposed to her presence.

It could definitely be said he exceeded second-year level. Ordinary cadets wouldn’t have been able to meet her eyes until she released them.

‘His personality seemed decent too.’

No matter how much of a senior she was, what she had done was quite harsh. Harsh enough that it would be fortunate if the other party saw it as a mischievous prank.

However, Lumian showed no signs of being offended. Rather, he showed courteous behavior, trying to respond to her jokes.

“I should look into him a bit more.”

Hehe, Tania let out a light laugh.

It felt like finding a gold coin right from the start of the semester. For her, a talent collector, it could be called quite a pleasant beginning.

That’s right. She was mistaken.

Lumian’s tension wasn’t because of her presence. He didn’t even know she had unleashed her presence. It was only because he was focused solely on her beautiful face.

Likewise, finding composure wasn’t because he had resisted her presence either. A meager chest. Sadly, that was the correct answer.

A sad situation where the misunderstanding was a stroke of luck.

All of this was a tragedy created by Lumian, who was virtuous in character and full of lewdness.

* * *

“Ah, why Professor Arnold from the very first day?”

“Exactly. I’m going to lose my mind.”

“Ah, it’s already terrible. I want to run away.”

“Should we run?”

“No way. Physical training class has a high point value. We’ll fail starting from second year.”

“Damn it….”

The indoor training facility prepared for knight cadets. Inside, metal chunks and equipment that looked suffocating just to see were lined up in rows.

But there was an even more burdensome presence.

A muscular man bursting through the training facility door.

Professor Arnold swept his gaze over the Class E cadets.

“Some are missing?”

“Three are injured and in the infirmary.”

“They’re not faking illness, are they? Well, they wouldn’t dare do that in my class. If they ran away, I’ll fold their spines.”

Professor Arnold grinned and rolled his neck in a full circle.

The crackling joint sounds and writhing trapezius muscles made the cadets’ breath catch. Some students were already making tearful faces.

The physical training class that Professor Arnold was in charge of was quite important for knight cadets.

Knights had the mysterious power called aura, but physical training was essential to support it.

Depending on how excellent a body one built, synergistic effects could explode, so most outstanding knights never neglected body training. The cadets all knew how important this was too.

But even knowing this, they couldn’t help it. The children simply couldn’t enjoy this time.

Physical training is extremely difficult. Both the burning sensation felt when squeezing out strength to the limit and the nausea after lifting heavy weights are terrible pains no one wants to experience.

On top of that, it was damn boring. There were no competitive elements with others, and technical aspects were lacking. One simply had to stubbornly repeat actions and win the fight against oneself.

The patience of mid-teenagers couldn’t possibly endure such work. The cadets of Class 2E at the Knight Academy all showed attitudes of not wanting to do it, making Professor Arnold displeased.

However.

While everyone was frowning like this, there was one person whose eyes were particularly shining.

The unfortunate man who had no testicles, and therefore had never possessed magnificent muscles either.

It was none other than Ryan Fromhart, no, Lumian Calard.

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