Chapter 3
“What is this guy, really?”
Serine Bastian was perplexed.
“Why does he keep holding my hand?”
He had extended his hand for a handshake, and she accepted, but he wouldn’t let go.
Of course, she could forcibly pull her hand away, but that would be extremely rude by noble etiquette standards.
“What? Does he still have feelings?”
She thought maybe he had truly changed his mind because he had signed the engagement cancellation documents without resistance… but maybe not.
“I really can’t trust this guy.”
Ernas Lanzstein.
Heir to the Lanzstein family, one of the six great swordsmanship houses.
A braggart with no real achievements who never dared to face a true expert in swordsmanship.
And… a shameless man who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.
“There’s definitely some ulterior motive behind agreeing to cancel the engagement so easily.”
Having seen him many times since childhood, Serine knew just how cunning he really was.
He must have some scheme this time as well.
“Whatever plot he’s hatching, I won’t fall for it.”
With that thought, she glared at Ernas.
Suddenly, Ernas released her hand.
Then he plopped down onto the sofa.
“Then I’ll be going.”
“Huh?”
“Anything else you need?”
“…!”
Serine flushed with humiliation.
Ernas’s cold tone felt rude.
“No! I don’t have anything else! I’ll be going then!”
She didn’t know what his scheme was, but she wouldn’t fall for it.
With that thought, Serine turned her back to Ernas.
Serine seemed upset, but I couldn’t be bothered by it.
‘What was that just now?’
Sitting alone on the sofa, I raised my left hand.
I checked the artifact ring, “Yusurecht.”
‘There was definitely a strange message.’
Yusurecht had a ‘Skill Mimic’ ability that allowed copying others’ skills.
But the downside was it could only copy at a level one or two ranks lower than the original.
However, just now a message popped up saying ‘Skill Mimic’ had evolved into ‘Skill Reproduction,’ and it perfectly copied Serine’s Bastian Knight Swordsmanship at rank A.
‘Did Yusurecht have this function?’
I never included this setting in the novel.
But I also never said it didn’t exist.
‘Wait, it said my understanding is 95%, right?’
Let’s hypothesize.
As the novel’s creator, I know almost everything about Yusurecht — that’s the 95%.
But Yusurecht had a hidden function unknown to me — that’s the remaining 5%.
Since I understood 95%, the remaining 5% function was unlocked, evolving ‘Skill Mimic’ into ‘Skill Reproduction.’
This was something impossible for Ernas in the novel.
‘And for Serine too…’
After a message saying her understanding was 95%, a success/failure check for skill reproduction was made.
The check succeeded, perfectly copying Serine’s Bastian Knight Swordsmanship rank A.
Plus, unexpectedly, it also gained Lorelian Practical Swordsmanship rank C and Eastern Magic Practice method rank B.
‘Wait, then…’
I stood up from the sofa.
Reaching toward the decorative sword hanging on the wall.
“Hoo…”
I took a deep breath.
It was the first time I ever held a sword. The heavy feeling was unfamiliar.
But I got a feel for it.
‘I can do this.’
Whoosh!
The moment I swung the sword through the air, an electrifying satisfaction coursed through me.
‘This is…!’
My body moved on its own.
I changed position with precise footwork and performed continuous moves.
A solemnly perfect orthodox swordsmanship was unfolding through my body.
‘Then…!’
I twisted my body dramatically and launched into continuous moves.
A three-strike combo as fast as the wind tore through the air.
Papapat!
Vertical Trinity.
A technique only master practitioners of the Bastian Knight Swordsmanship could use.
I perfectly reproduced Serine’s favorite finishing move from the novel.
“…”
I stopped and sheathed the sword.
I was breathless, but not from exhaustion.
“Really… it works?”
I was trembling.
I, who had never held a wooden sword before, instantly mastered the essence of Bastian Knight Swordsmanship and perfectly reproduced it.
This was impossible for Ernas in the novel.
Only I, the creator of this novel, could do this.
“If I can absorb skills like this and make them my own…”
As a novelist, all kinds of techniques I imagined.
Maybe I could reproduce all of them in my body.
Lichtenauer Swordsmanship Academy.
An imperial royal institution, and in this sword-adoring country, graduating from the academy with excellent grades is essential for success.
The academy accepts new students once every three years, with many young swordsmen from various families competing in the entrance exams.
Those who pass the exam throw themselves into fierce competition for their family’s prosperity and personal advancement.
‘Moreover, this year’s freshmen are special.’
This year, the heirs of the six great swordsmanship houses of the empire have gathered.
The future ranking of the six great houses is expected to depend on how these six heirs perform.
This is why Ernas used all sorts of tricks and schemes behind the scenes.
Because academy rankings are not decided by a simple written exam…
They’re decided through intense battles.
‘If I want to survive in this world, I have to win the fights against heirs from other swordsmanship houses.’
With that thought, I raised my head.
I saw the Lichtenauer Swordsmanship Academy built on a huge lake.
“Ernas Lanzstein!”
“The genius who took second place on the entrance exam…!”
Students gathering for the entrance exam murmured.
By now, Ernas was already rumored to be a genius.
He had shown off his talent during the exam, and proved it through results.
Of course, that wasn’t Ernas’s real ability.
‘He’s handsome, from a good family. Naturally, he gets all the attention.’
As I walked aware of the gazes, a group of students approached me.
“Ernas-sama!”
“Good morning!”
There were three boys and three girls.
I immediately recognized them — Ernas’s followers from the novel.
They were his lackeys who always picked fights with the protagonist Akandel and got beaten, while the girls picked fights with heroines like Serine and always lost.
“We’ll serve you. This way…”
“No need.”
“Huh?”
I snapped coldly and walked off alone.
If I got involved with those guys, it would likely drag me into troubles with other characters.
Unlike Ernas, I didn’t get pleasure from parading followers around, and had no reason to stay close.
“E-Ernas-sama…!”
I ignored their panicked calls and strode ahead.
“Wow, look at that haughty aura. I like confident guys like that.”
“Right? If a normal guy acted like that, he’d just seem arrogant, but since it’s Ernas-sama, it looks cooler. Serine, don’t you think so?”
“He just looks arrogant to me.”
“Huh?”
“Ah, no, it’s nothing.”
I accidentally spoke my true feelings.
Feeling like I had spoken out of place, Serine cleared her throat.
“You all seem interested in Ernas, huh?”
“Of course!”
Just as Ernas had his followers, Serine also had hers.
But around Serine were mainly noble-born girls.
Boys hadn’t dared to approach her since the entrance exam, because Serine had always been cold to them.
“He’s handsome, from a good family, and talented!”
“He has an unmanly face, being from a good family doesn’t make him great, and who knows if he’s really talented.”
“Serine, why are you getting angry…?”
Among the girls, a mature-looking black-haired girl pushed up her glasses and spoke.
“Hehe, I’ve noticed something.”
“What do you mean?”
“Serine is worried, right? She’s worried her fiancé Ernas is so popular that other girls might flirt with him.”
Hearing that, the other girls’ eyes sparkled.
“Oh, that’s right!”
“Ernas was popular with girls even when he was in the capital…”
“She’s worried someone will steal her precious fiancé!”
Watching the chattering girls, Serine sighed deeply.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“Huh, isn’t that so?”
“Of course not. And more importantly…”
Serine crossed her arms confidently.
“The engagement has already been canceled. Ernas and I have no relationship now.”
“Huh? What do you mean…?”
“It’s true.”
She pulled out the engagement cancellation documents signed yesterday.
“See the signature? The contract ritual is working properly. The engagement has been officially broken.”
“S-Serine?! What have you done?!”
“Why did you cancel the engagement?!”
“Do your parents know?”
The girls were flustered.
“This engagement is between the Lanzstein and Bastian families. How will you manage this…?”
“Serine, it’s not too late. Cancel the engagement cancellation.”
“I have no intention of doing that. I will never be engaged to that man again.”
That’s right.
There’s no way I’ll ever have that kind of relationship with Ernas again.
“Why? Ernas would be the best groom!”
“The best groom? By what standards?”
“Well, you see…”
“He’s handsome, from a good family, and talented, right?”
Serine scoffed.
“I’ll give him the handsome and family parts… but talent? No.”
“Huh?”
“Everyone is mistaken. He’s definitely not a genius.”
Others may be fooled, but Serine saw through it already.
Ernas Lanzstein is a fake genius.
Serine brushed back her brown hair and said,
“Just wait. I’ll expose his true ability soon.”
“…!”
“I’ll show everyone he’s nothing special.”
Serine placed her hand on her chest and spoke confidently.
