Civil Servant in Romance Fantasy - Chapter 310

Chapter 310: Experienced Workers Are Better (2)

The road to hell was often beautifully paved. That was why those unaware of the destination happily headed towards hell, and even those who knew took heavy steps, finding comfort in the pretty path.

“I heard Charles accepted the challenge! As expected, he wants to face me again too!”

“No, that’s— Never mind.”

Erich seemed like he was about to say something to Rutis, who was laughing joyfully, but he closed his mouth again. He probably didn’t feel confident in winning against the prince’s crazy values with logic.

Instead, Erich looked at his textbook with a somewhat bitter gaze, perhaps feeling sympathy for Charles who must have accepted the nomination while looking like he was drinking poison. At that moment, I felt glad that my brother was a good person who could sympathize with others.

I’m sorry.

I also expressed my condolences and apologies to Charles, who wasn’t here. If even Erich, who was just an observer, felt this way, then imagine my guilt as a participant in this scheme. My recommendation letter probably played an important role in getting Charles to accept the nomination. In other words, I was one of those who paved his road to hell.

I do feel bad, but what could I do? I was shocked when I first heard that Rutis had chosen Charles, but thinking about it carefully, there was no better choice.

It’s hard to find someone like him.

If it were just about finding a strong student, that would be easy. Erich, for instance, was stronger than Charles, and even excluding Erich, there were probably five or six others.

However, accurately assessing both the opponent’s and one’s own capabilities and engaging in a courteous sparring match without causing any harm went beyond mere strength. That went beyond mere skill; it was an art form. You’d probably need to be a veteran training instructor to even attempt it.

That was why I wrote a recommendation letter for Charles, who was still only in his second year. If one had to suffer because of their abilities, then shouldn’t they at least be guaranteed success with those abilities? That was all I could do for him.

“It would have been nice if Charles was an Armein noble.”

I gently closed my eyes as I heard Rutis murmur regretfully. What a cruel bastard—if Charles was an Armein noble, then Rutis would probably seek him out even after graduating from the academy.

It was really fortunate that Charles was from the Empire.

***

When I heard that Rutis had chosen his duel partner, I wasn’t particularly interested. I felt sorry for Charles, who had become the prince’s dedicated opponent, but that was it. Unlike Rutis, I had no intention of choosing a duel partner.

I might’ve reconsidered if I had known I would be in the same position as Charles.

“Teacher.”

“Ah, Louise.”

I was called to the faculty office by the head instructor of the magic department. Actually, I had been called frequently since the start of the school year because the head instructor respected my master, but this was the first time I’d been called to the faculty office instead of the head instructor’s private office.

I understood why as soon as I saw the pile of papers stacked on the head instructor’s desk.

“I’m sorry to bother you when you’re busy, but these are the students who have requested you as their duel partner for the upcoming practical exam.”

The head instructor’s calm explanation made me freeze on the spot.

That entire stack? All of them chose me...?

There are too many.

A chill ran down my spine. With only slight exaggeration, the stack looked almost equal to the total number of second-year Magic Department students—no, on second thought, there might not be any exaggeration at all.

“There are many applicants, but you don’t need to worry. You’ll only have one match anyway, so you just need to choose one from among them.”

Those words made me feel a little relieved. It was natural for duels to be one-on-one, but without that obvious constraint, I might’ve been stuck fighting every single second-year magic student nonstop.

Still, the relief didn’t erase my mixed emotions. Did everyone in the department see me as an enticing target? Or did I have a grudge against someone I wasn’t aware of? Either way, it wasn’t a good situation.

I’ve lived a good life...

I never expected to suddenly become the public’s number one enemy. Had I been living a meaningless life all this time...?

It should be ending soon.

Charles’s movements became busier as his injuries started to accumulate. To others, it might look like he was making a last-ditch effort to turn the tide of the sparring match.

In reality, he was preparing for his final act. Charles had done all he could and was now setting the stage for his defeat. A last-ditch move, one that could lead to a stunning reversal if it succeeded—or mark the end of the duel if it failed.

“Oh, what a shame.”

“Yes, it was a close call. If it had succeeded, it would have led to another close battle.”

The result was, of course, failure. It was such a close failure that even the Principal sighed.

He’s top-tier.

And then I saw it; the genuine smile on Charles’s face as he lay on the ground.

To most, that smile would seem like the mark of a good sportsman graciously accepting defeat. But I knew better. It was the expression of someone relieved that the curtain had finally fallen on their performance.

...Should I recommend him as an imperial instructor?

I seriously considered it. Finding strong knights was easy, but finding knights like Charles was rare. He’d be perfect as a martial arts instructor for royalty.

“This was fantastic! Let’s do this again next time!”

For once, the echoing declaration of a certain redhead across the arena didn’t bother me.

Three years of dueling royalty at the academy—Charles now held a title few could claim, even across the entire continent. If he could handle Rutis, then teaching imperial heirs wouldn’t be too hard for him.

I should discuss this with the Invincible Duke next time. After all, he needed someone trustworthy to train his grandchildren.

***

Coincidentally, Erich’s duel began in another arena just as Rutis’s duel ended. It was the same last year - were their student numbers consecutive or something? It was convenient for me to watch, so I didn’t particularly mind—

“That was incredible! Erich, I think you finished the fastest out of everyone!”

By the time I reached the arena, the duel was already over, probably setting a new record. As Sarah said as she stuck to Erich’s side, it must be a record for the shortest time.

“I was lucky. Normally, it would’ve taken longer.”

Erich smiled slightly at Sarah, whose eyes were sparkling. But his expression seemed subtly stiff, as if something was bothering him.

What’s wrong?

I tilted my head. Why did he look like that? It wasn’t just an ordinary win—it was a record-breaking, flawless victory without a single scratch. There was no better way to win, so what’s eating at him?

...Well, I shouldn’t worry too much. Maybe it was unrelated to the duel.

***

I tried to keep smiling for Sarah, who was beaming with pride, but in truth, I wasn’t feeling great.

Over winter break, I focused solely on training back at the territory. I achieved decent results and gained confidence that I could beat anyone in the academy except for maybe Rutis.

I wanted to finish it in five exchanges.

It took me seven.

Should I have sacrificed my shoulder?

Actually, there was a way to end it within five moves. It would’ve been quickly over if I’d been willing to take an injury in order to close the distance.

It seemed that my instincts still prioritized avoiding an injury even when it held me back. That was another habit I’d need to train out /genesisforsaken