Chapter 21 of the Academy's Weapon Replicator

Chapter 6: Golem (2)

The reason I have a third dagger when I only had two.

It's because the second dagger, which Ajie dropped from her 'Nakjo,' was a fake made by 'Weaving.'

Weapons made by Weaving cannot interfere with reality.

In other words, it was possible for me to hold both a weapon made by Weaving and a real weapon in one hand. Weapons made by Weaving can pass through objects.

The dagger Ajie dropped from her 'Nakjo' was the one I had woven.

The moment it appeared in reality, it was blown away by Ajie's Nakjo, but I still had the real dagger in my hand.

I threw that dagger at Ajie's head.

"It was dangerous..."

I said calmly, but cold sweat was streaming down my face.

I threw the dagger the moment Ajie regained her stance, and I almost missed.

Honestly, at the last moment, I couldn't see anything.

"...How did you do it?"

"What do you mean?"

I feigned ignorance. I couldn't explain Weaving.

However, Ajie, who I thought would be displeased, nodded as if she understood.

"Of course. You must have challenged me because you had such a trump card. Asking you to reveal it would have been too pitiful."

Ajie said this and looked at me.

Her gaze seemed softer than before the fight.

...Ajie de Roach.

She is stricter with herself than with others.

"I lost, Frontier. I will teach you 'Combat Techniques.'"

This way.

Through a gamble, I managed to find a way to improve my combat skills.

...Was it a good thing?

* * *

The next day, Edwin heard faint whispers while walking through the Constell grounds.

-Is that him, the one who...?

-Yeah, it seems so.

He had heard the whispers for a while but never thought they were about him.

-They say he was almost killed, but a first-year saved him?

-Yeah. The second son of the Roach family.

"......!"

Edwin turned his head toward the source of the sound. The students who were whispering pretended not to see him and walked away.

However, the taunts directed at him continued.

'Shit.'

Edwin hadn't done anything more embarrassing than the other students. He was simply targeted.

As the son of a fallen noble family, Edwin had no place among the commoners or the nobles.

He was the easiest target for commoners who harbored resentment against nobles.

'...If I activate the golem here.'

What would happen?

A masterpiece created by Professor Vinkis through dedicated research.

There would be only a few students who could properly respond.

It would surely become a gruesome bloodbath.

The students nearby wouldn't even leave a trace, and even if they tried to run, one by one...

"Hey."

"Huh!"

Edwin was startled.

Turning his head, he saw Elin looking at him.

"What are you standing there for?"

"Ah, nothing."

Elin's voice snapped Edwin back to reality.

'What am I thinking?'

What crazy thoughts.

Lately, it has become harder to control his anger.

Is it because he has acquired the powerful weapon, the golem?

No, it started when he met Frontier.

...Is Edwin so plagued by inferiority?

"Are you going to eat? Let's go together."

"Ah, sure."

Edwin followed behind Elin.

The Evans family, commoners but famous due to Aster, her younger brother. The Behertio family, nobles but fallen due to business failure and lack of talent.

Thus, the relationship between Elin and Edwin is close yet distant.

They have known each other since their first year.

Elin, one of the few people Edwin can open up to, regardless of her brother Aster.

"...Ah, indeed."

Elin's eyes darkened as she walked.

She had heard the students taunting Edwin.

"That's why you were standing there just now."

"...Something like that."

Edwin admitted honestly.

"Ignore them. The less capable ones always try to act less capable. They need someone to vent their anger on."

"I need someone to vent my anger on too."

"...Edwin."

Elin looked at Edwin. Her eyes, dark and as cold as they were, pierced him.

A clear warning.

"Hey, fallen noble sir."

A sly voice hit Edwin's ears. It was a very bad timing.

Edwin turned his gaze, filled with anger, to see a familiar face.

Gerry Clat. The leader of the commoner group.

"Gerry. Don't start trouble and just go."

Elin spoke first to Gerry. Normally, she would have left it to Edwin to handle.

Edwin would have sorted it out himself. But today, Edwin was different.

"...Gerry. Did you make those kids whisper? What did you say about the commoner group?"

"Commoner group? Call it 'October.' And what do you mean by 'my doing'? It's your doing. You did something pitiful, you idiot."

Gerry continued to provoke Edwin.

However, Edwin soon turned his angry gaze elsewhere and closed his eyes.

This was something Edwin always did to calm himself down.

Tsk, Gerry clicked his tongue.

That poor noble has to be given credit for his patience.

"Gerry."

But today,

Today, Edwin and Gerry were in agreement.

"When do you want to die?"

* * *

A few days later.

Edwin arrived at the designated place at the designated time.

The golem was by his side. He didn't plan to use it, but he didn't know what the other side would do.

And his prediction was right.

"Wow? Look at this."

Gerry said with a mocking tone.

At the meeting place, Gerry wasn't alone. Five or six students—likely commoners—were waiting for him.

"You brought something strange with you?"

"If bringing something strange is what you mean, then your surroundings are the same."

Edwin smiled wryly at the students around him.

Gerry shrugged.

"These friends are spectators. It would be too boring for just the two of us to fight. Someone has to watch, right?"

Gerry's face was full of mockery.

Edwin had hoped no one would be watching when he chose the location.

So he picked a vacant lot where no one usually goes.

That's why Gerry deliberately gathered onlookers. He didn't think he would lose.

'Well, it doesn't matter.'

He didn't choose this place out of fear of losing. He just wanted no one to see.

Edwin drew his sword. It was a real sword, no doubt.

Gerry did the same.

"I'll forgive you if you beg for mercy now."

"..."

Gerry had never killed anyone.

He had no intention of doing so.

But swordsmanship can clearly reveal superiority without killing.

One good strike and he would know his place.

Clang! The two moved simultaneously.

Gerry's sword drew a vertical line, and Edwin deflected it diagonally. At the same time, the tip of his sword aimed for Gerry's neck.

"Ugh!"

Gerry barely dodged by leaning his body back.

Edwin's movements were clean, as if he knew Gerry's first move.

In fact, he had predicted it. The more stable the technique, the easier it is to read.

Gerry, despite having some experience with swords, couldn't match Edwin, who had received family training.

A few metallic sounds and the sound of the wind, and it was clear that Gerry was being pushed back.

Edwin's relentless attacks prevented Gerry from counterattacking.

His offense functioned as the best defense.

"Damn it!"

Gerry, despite winning, spat out curses.

"Damn you. What kind of guts did you have to come here alone? Did you really think I was a joke? You bastard."

"...You named the commoner group 'October' and took the role of its leader."

Edwin looked at Gerry.

Even though he had won, he saw Gerry's face, red with humiliation, looking down at him.

"I knew you had some pride. You cripple."

"...You'll be buried in Constell. A cripple who picks a fight and loses to a commoner. It suits a fallen noble."

"Do as you please."

Edwin bowed his head.

Perhaps because his body wasn't in good condition, his mouth had become foul.

That goes for you too.

"Shit..."

Gerry, still not satisfied, spat out another curse and his gaze fell on the sword Edwin was holding.

"Hey. Leave that sword behind. I'll sell it."

"Don't touch my sword."

Edwin growled with a menacing look.

Alright. Gerry turned his gaze to the spectators.

"Hey. Take that sword."

The students around him slowly approached.

Edwin tried to stand up, but stopped when Gerry's dagger was pointed at his neck.

"Stay still. If you don't want to die."

Gerry's face finally showed a smile, as if he was feeling better.

'...Ah.'

It feels like I'm going to vomit.

What am I doing? Why am I just standing here? Do I need to be this passive?

I tried to have a fair fight. Even if it didn't go that way, I acknowledged my defeat.

But to have my sword taken?

Behertio, who suddenly fell from grace.

...He hadn't done anything wrong.

The backlash of the commoners against the nobles.

...It had nothing to do with him.

-Die, all of you. Shit.

When Edwin reached this thought.

There was a creaking sound above his head.

"...What?"

What entered Edwin's field of vision was the cold arm of the golem, lifting Gerry's chin.

Gerry's face was crumpled like a piece of paper from the bridge of his nose down.

'The, the jawbone...'

It was broken. By the golem's grip alone.

"Gu... guh, gack."

No proper sound came from Gerry's mouth.

Hanging helplessly in the golem's grip, tears streamed down his face.

"What, what is that!"

"Run!"

The students, upon seeing the golem's action, turned and fled.

Edwin instinctively reached out his hand.

'No, if I leave now...'

The golem would be exposed.

To Professor Vinkis as well.

Just thinking that.

The golem put Gerry down and leaped.

In one bound, it caught up to the fleeing students in an instant.

Thud, thud, the sound of one-sided violence.

After a short while, all the students who were here were lying on the ground, sitting down, or pressed against something.

And the golem stood still, as if nothing had happened. It had just carried out its orders.

'No, surely... they're not dead?'

At least it's fortunate that the golem didn't use a spear.

It could be evidence that it didn't kill them, but Edwin couldn't bring himself to check.

His hands trembled. Soon, the trembling spread throughout his body. Even trying to stand up from his crouched position was difficult.

The sky, no, the ground was dizzy. Everything in front of him was pitch black, as if it had been flipped over.

"Golem, come here."

The golem immediately stood by his side.

First, I need to hide this.

If the students wake up and tell someone, the credibility of their story would decrease without the physical evidence of the golem.

It's fortunate that they are all part of the same group, 'October.' There's a possibility that people will believe they spread a false rumor.

If that happens, this incident would be categorized as 'involuntary manslaughter' at most.

...Assuming they all survive.

But if the golem is exposed, the story changes.

The authority to control the golem would be taken away, and he would be accused of using violence against the members of 'October' after picking a fight with Gerry.

From the circumstances, it would be seen as a premeditated crime.

'Hurry, to Professor Vinkis's lab.'

What's the route from here to the lab?

...It's not easy.

I have to pass through several facilities that students frequently use, so the chances of not being seen by anyone are slim.

'I need to hide until night.'

Somewhere else.

Anywhere will do, as long as the students here can't find him when they wake up.

"...Let's go."