SWNOVELXO Chapter 99
First Aid Station for Injured Contestants.
The students’ enthusiasm was so high that the first aid station was bustling with people.
Still, the turnover was incredibly fast.
Professors and teaching assistants from the Holy Studies department of each academy, along with Holy Studies students, had come out for practical training.
Except for the unconscious students, everyone else was quickly leaving the station after receiving treatment.
I decided to visit the station.
I had two lunch boxes in hand that I had asked Card to prepare for me.
“I’m here to pick up a friend who’s hospitalized.”
“Oh, yes, please tell me their name.”
A student pulled out a list and responded.
The treatment station was in a very busy state.
But for them, this was also training, so the students were treating without any complaints.
“I’m here for Seron Parmia from Jerion Academy.”
“Please go to Room J-21.”
The student quickly finished answering and hurried away.
My heart raced a bit.
I moved and, after a while, arrived at the J-21 room the student had mentioned.
I knocked twice, but there was no response from inside.
Creeeak—
So, I opened the door and stepped inside.
Just because there was no answer didn’t mean I wouldn’t go in.
Inside the hospital room, there was a small girl lying on the only occupied bed.
All her wounds were treated, but she seemed not to have regained consciousness, exhaling colorful breaths as she slept.
I approached her and pulled out a chair to sit.
Then, I placed the lunch box beside her to avoid waking Seron.
“…Prince Sweet Potato.”
Has she woken up already?
“You’re awake. You must be hungry. I brought lunch boxes.”
“…I don’t feel like eating right after waking up! Do you think I’m a pig?”
Seron grumbled as usual.
But she looked somewhat drained.
It didn’t suit Seron at all.
“I watched the preliminaries.”
Seron’s shoulders jerked.
She looked around in a flustered manner.
“Uh, when did you watch? You were in the preliminaries too.”
“Our group finished quickly because I played well.”
“Wow, look at you bragging—so annoying.”
“You should speak properly. I’m just great.”
Seron made a disgusted face.
Oh?
Seeing that, I placed my hand on my throat.
Then, I lightly pulled the curtain bandage, revealing Bickamon’s original face.
Seron’s body froze.
I grinned.
Seron’s eyes went blank.
“Seron, why don’t you say ‘annoying’ again?”
“Eek! Th-that’s foul play! Foul play!”
Seron flailed, pulling the blanket over her face.
Her forehead turned bright red.
Her tone quickly changed to timid.
“Really, calling you a prince and all those embarrassing things…”
“Why did you overhear that, huh?”
Seron trembled.
Seeing her like that made me chuckle.
“Looks can be deceiving.”
Seron flinched at that.
She mumbled and squeezed the blanket tightly.
“…I don’t like you because of your looks.”
Seron slowly lowered the blanket she had held in her hands.
Her face blushed with embarrassment, but she looked at me straight.
“Wow, the prince’s looks might be irresistible, but I like you because you’re Bickamon, Hanon, or whoever.”
Her earnest gaze shone.
It was so pure that even I felt shy just hearing it.
What about me, facing Seron?
Regrettably, my emotions were already fading due to that curtain bandage.
I was losing both love and anger in the process.
Yet, when I looked at Seron, I vaguely felt it.
This is what it’s like to like someone.
In that instant, Seron’s face exploded in color.
She was blushing so much that steam seemed to come out of her forehead.
“Ah, b-but not right now. D-don’t smile like that!”
Seron hid her eyes and weakly flailed her arms.
Still, wanting to see me more, she peeked out with sidelong glances.
I belatedly realized that I had been smiling all this time.
If I kept looking like Bickamon, Seron would fall apart.
I rewound the curtain bandage and returned to Hanon.
Then I stood up and lightly tapped Seron’s head.
“Seron, this is my personal decision. I’m going to ask Ergo for an apology.”
“Eh.”
Having recalled the incident with Ergo, Seron flinched.
Ergo had attacked in anger, even after the preliminaries ended.
He ended up disqualified after a meeting.
There was no way they were going to let someone who broke the rules into the finals.
The revenge for this incident was originally Seron’s share.
“I can’t just let my friend get treated like that by some lousy guy.”
I’d rather live petty than do nothing.
“So eat your lunch and gain some energy. You look best when you’re throwing a fit.”
“…Is that praise or an insult?”
“Interpret it as you wish.”
She made a sulky face, but perhaps because she was flattered, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.
She’s as consistent as ever.
“So what’s your plan? Are you really going to get that apology? I’m fine with it.”
Her slightly anxious eyes met mine.
I was happy she thought of me like that.
But I didn’t want to be a burden to her.
Seeing her attempt to dissuade me, I grinned.
“Don’t worry. I’m just going to have a little chat.”
“Whenever you say ‘don’t worry,’ it makes me more anxious.”
“What do you take me for? I’m a gentleman.”
Seron’s face became even more anxious.
Why does she see me as such a troublemaker?
I couldn’t understand.
“I’ll really just ask for an apology.”
“Really, really?”
“Really.”
I reassured her one last time before leaving the hospital room.
Walking out of the room, I habitually cracked my neck.
It was a warm-up ingrained in me before a fight.
Ergo was slated to be sent back as he was disqualified from the preliminaries.
So, there wasn’t much time to spare.
Of course, I didn’t intend to fight recklessly.
Attacking a member of the royal family in an unofficial match could lead to unknown repercussions.
And aside from the apology to Seron, I had something I wanted from Ergo.
I had originally planned to make a deal with Ergo.
It happened to line up perfectly.
So, I decided to challenge him very legitimately.
I quickly moved my feet and went to find someone.
Then I bowed my head to the person I was searching for.
“Iris, can you help me just this once?”
“Uh? What?”
It was Card, a higher ranking than royalty.
* * *
The Kingdom of Sky Kingdom, which has the longest history in the world.
Moreover, the great royal family Paradon, which descended from the great hero Olfram,
is the overwhelming heir to the throne.
The only prince, Ergo Paradon.
Dressed in gold from head to toe, he had a very displeased look on his face.
The reason was simple.
He had been disqualified from the preliminaries for daring to punish a girl who had spoken disrespectfully to him.
“I got disqualified? You insolent fools!”
His teeth were grinding in anger.
With a high self-esteem Ego, he believed everything he did was justified.
In addition to that, he had a tyrannical nature.
But it is true that he is capable.
Even as a tyrant, he was already showing outstanding prominence in politics.
So,
“Your Highness Ergo, the 3rd Princess Iris Haishirion has come to see you.”
Ergo couldn’t ignore a visit from the 3rd Princess.
The anger evident in his eyes vanished like mist.
The 3rd Princess was one of the closest figures to the throne in the Haishirion Empire.
There was no reason to turn her away.
“Bring her in.”
Ergo straightened his clothes and sat in his chair.
Creeeak—
As the door opened, two people walked in.
Ergo’s eyes filled with curiosity upon seeing them.
One was the 3rd Princess, Iris Haishirion.
She was so beautiful that tales of her charm echoed even in foreign lands.
Next to her was a boy who resembled her quite a bit.
With black hair and red eyes, he was a boy of small stature.
“Princess Iris, is this your younger brother?”
“Yes, he is my younger brother.”
Iris, who usually didn’t lower her voice, didn’t do so for Ergo either.
As he was confirmed as the heir to the throne, he was expected to become the future king of Paradon.
“Nice to meet you. I am Hanon Irey. I am the cousin of Princess Iris.”
Cousin.
Hearing that made Ergo smile brightly.
The fact that Iris brought him along directly meant that he must be a beloved younger brother.
Naturally, he wouldn’t behave rudely.
“Is that so? Nice to meet you. I am Ergo Paradon.”
He knew that Hanon didn’t carry the name of the Duke of Robliju.
Still, he didn’t bother to point that out.
Sometimes the value of a family name is not everything in this world.
“Excuse me, but I’ve come to see you today for my own request.”
“Hmm? A request? Speak up.”
It felt a bit awkward that it was not Iris but Hanon making the request.
But showing leniency today, he decided to listen to Hanon’s story.
“Your Highness, don’t you possess the Sword of White Dream?”
“Yes, I do.”
The moment the Nightmare Sword was mentioned, Iris glanced at Hanon for some reason.
Ergo found that puzzling but chose not to ask.
“I was wondering if you might consider exchanging it for the sword I possess?”
“The Sword of White Dream?”
Ergo’s eyes widened slightly.
Ergo had a deep possessiveness over his sword.
Thus, to directly ask for an exchange was quite displeasing.
If it were Iris, he might have been fine, but it was his cousin asking.
He could feel the tyrannical nature beginning to surface as annoyance brewed, but he managed to hold it in.
“It seems you don’t have a sword on you.”
“Yes, not right now.”
Just as Hanon’s vague answer was about to irritate Ergo’s face,
Hanon pulled something from around his neck.
In his hand was a pendant.
As soon as Hanon tapped the pendant, a sword materialized.
It was an old sword, but it felt like a rather good one.
However, it didn’t seem to carry any other significance.
Just as Ergo was beginning to lose interest,
“It is the sword once wielded by the great hero, Paradon.”
Upon hearing Hanon’s statement, both of Ergo’s eyes widened.
“What did you say?”
“It is the sword once wielded by the great hero, Paradon.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Ergo looked confused.
Iris seemed to be caught off guard as well; she stared at Hanon with wide eyes.
But Hanon’s expression stayed unchanged.
“If you recall the portrait of the Paradon Royal Family, you will see that it matches up perfectly. If you want, you can verify if it’s real.”
“Hold on a second.”
Ergo felt a headache coming on from too sudden a topic.
Rubbing his forehead, he stared at Hanon’s sword.
In his mind, the portrait of the Paradon royal family was vividly engraved.
Since he had always grown up seeing the self-portrait of Hero Paradon, he remembered it distinctly.
‘It’s certain.’
That sword undeniably resembled Paradon’s sword.
However, throughout history, many replicas of Paradon’s sword had existed.
This sword could very well be one of them.
‘But.’
He was bothered by the fact that Iris brought him.
Could someone Iris vouches for, possibly scam Paradon’s heir?
But on the other hand, another thought crossed his mind.
‘The Sword of White Dream is a fine sword, but.’
Is it truly worthy of an exchange for Paradon’s sword?
The sword of Paradon was something the Paradon royal family had sought after for ages.
He hadn’t actively searched for it, thinking it had likely been lost long ago,
but if found, he would have to go through the royal treasury to retrieve it.
The sword of Paradon had no extraordinary abilities.
However, its name alone was enough to sway the Paradon royal family.
So to suggest exchanging it with the Sword of White Dream didn’t sit well.
“Oh, and there’s something else I’d like to request.”
Ergo’s expression turned immediately to that of suspicion.
He’d naturally expected Hanon would want something more.
And what he asked next twisted around Paradon’s face.
“How about a duel with the faux prince, the real prince?”
Hanon grinned.
“Hey, faux prince, let’s have a match!”