Clarent in his hands was a two-handed greatsword. Its moves were broad and sweeping, making it a humanoid meat grinder on the battlefield. But it was no good against an opponent who surpassed him in speed, agility, and technique.
Scathach's martial skill surpassed his. Her twin spears favored a nimble, tricky, technique-oriented style. In a one-on-one duel, she happened to counter him perfectly.
If he insisted on fighting it out, his chances of victory were slim. So Arthur decisively unleashed a beam of light.
Frost-colored magical energy gathered over the blade before blasting fiercely toward his opponent.
This move could crush thousands of troops on the battlefield! It was equally devastating in a personal fight. Compared to all the light beams of the current age—whether Father King, Mordred, his cousin Gawain, or the Sword Emperor Lucius—Arthur had never been inferior to anyone in his life!
However—
"Good!"
However, compared to the Purple Old Woman before him, he still seemed far too green.
She simply swung her spear. Under Artorius's astonished gaze, the spear tip pierced straight through Arthur's beam of light. Like a sharp paper cutter slicing a sheet of paper in two, Scathach broke through the light and drew ever closer to Arthur!
"You fell for it!"
When Scathach came within less than a meter and a half of Arthur, fully entering his attack range, Arthur inwardly rejoiced. Frost suddenly spread out from his body—
Inherent Skill · Frost of Stillness activated once more! Cold enough to freeze the soul spread from the tip of Gae Bolg toward her arm, freezing it at a speed so fast that even Scathach could not react in time!
"This battle will ultimately end with my victory! Old Woman!!"
That was Arthur's final thought before the shaft of her other spear, held in her left hand, knocked him unconscious.
Author's Note:
Updated! Please give me monthly tickets, blades, tips, and recommendation votes! Please!
Forty-Ninth: This Is a Placement Test
It hurt.
His head hurt.
It hurt as though someone had repeatedly smashed the back of his head with a spear shaft, in reality and in his dreams alike.
When Arthur regained consciousness, his migraine made him groan, "Ah..."
Such a bishonen, suffering so much. If it had been an older sister, she would surely have already been fussing over him.
But she did not.
"Not dead, are you, boy?"
The cold purple-haired beauty spoke with equal coldness. The dizzy Arthur fixed his eyes on her chilly face.
Unlike the delighted beast of a woman she had been during their earlier fight, Scathach now gave off an abstinent air.
She was crouched beside Arthur's head, watching him with an indifferent gaze.
"Just now..."
Arthur thought back and confirmed how he had lost.
—Just as his Frost of Stillness froze her right arm, Scathach spun around with a whoosh, using a backward thrust to evade the range of Frost of Stillness.
At the very instant Frost of Stillness was about to spread further, she struck the back of Artorius's head with the shaft of her left-hand spear.
As a Dragon of Frost, Arthur's physical constitution was absurdly strong. He should not have passed out from a single blow. However, he also had to account for the head injury Scathach had caused by ambushing him in the real world. The two combined had knocked him out.
It was only an instant, Arthur thought. If there had been one more instant, Frost of Stillness would have spread over her entire body. Then I would have won.
The reason he had let her get so close before activating his Inherent Skill was because he had been wary of her speed and reactions.
If he could not attack from zero range, she would surely have evaded the range of his Inherent Skill, or countered it with magecraft or some other method.
Arthur's plan had indeed succeeded.
As for his eventual defeat, that had been the result of her shameless ambush before the battle.
"So, if we count it that way, it was fifty-fifty. Scathach was nothing special. She barely managed a draw against me."
He deliberately said it in a low voice that Scathach could still hear.
Scathach: "..."
The Queen of the Shadow Country felt that she had not hit this brat hard enough earlier.
Though she did not fully know what Arthur was thinking, by putting herself in his place and reconstructing the battle just now, Scathach, who possessed the "Wisdom of the Land of Shadows," could infer seventy or eighty percent of his thoughts.
And then she wanted to hit him.
"I only used Spear Techniques, boy."
After standing up, Scathach said to Arthur in a calm tone, "I did not use magecraft, nor did I use the authority I possess as the Queen of the Shadow Country.
"And even so, I was still the one who won."
"Mm-hm, yes, yes."
Arthur stood up as well, then looked at the purple... older sister before him with a faintly disdainful gaze.
"You won, you won. Satisfied now, older sister?"
Scathach: "..."
No, now she wanted to hit him even more.
This brat's attitude was practically saying, *You're already such a grown-up, yet you're arguing with a child like me over this nonsense. So competitive.
Queen of the Shadow Country, teacher of heroes... how petty.
"So..."
She took two deep breaths, suppressing the urge to beat Arthur up, then asked him, "Why exactly have you been searching for me all over Ireland, Dragon Child of Britannia?"
"First, that form of address is outdated." Arthur told her, "This prince's primary titles are Governor of the Roman Empire, Conqueror of Germania, Guardian of Gaul, and Savior of Europe—not some Dragon Child of Britannia.
"Second, I no longer wish to find you. After several days, the search journey I began on a whim has ended because this prince has had his fill.
"So now, you are the one who came looking for me, Your Majesty."
"You're the competitive one."
Watching Arthur spout nonsense with a perfectly serious face, Scathach went from angry to amused.
Perhaps it was only fitting for Scathach. That smile left Arthur stunned for over two seconds.
"You're the type who likes to play the hero in front of girls you like," she remarked. "Of course, I do not dislike that."
"..."
Hearing Scathach say that, Arthur put on a flustered expression that seemed to say, Eh? How did she know that was what I was thinking? It made Scathach laugh happily.
"Stop pretending, boy." She leaned close to Arthur's ear and said to Artorius in a magnetic voice:
"With your level of cunning, you would not panic even if I said such things.
"Put away that clumsy performance."
"..."
"Heh heh heh~"
After hearing Scathach say that, Artorius finally showed a genuinely delighted smile.
"It is not clumsy, Your Majesty Scathach." Like Scathach, he slightly turned his face and leaned close to her ear. "I put a great deal of effort into figuring out your thoughts, and a great deal of effort into performing as well."
"A boring little trick."
"Really? Is that truly what you think? Do you really not find it interesting?"
"Bad taste."
"The feeling is mutual."
After that exchange, the two finally pulled apart. Two chairs appeared out of thin air behind them. Arthur and Scathach sat down together. Afterward, Arthur could see appreciation in her eyes.
From the first moment Scathach appeared before Arthur, both sides had been testing each other.
More accurately, Scathach had been testing Artorius more.
Testing his reactions, testing his martial skills, and testing his intellect, personality, and even the extent of his shamelessness.
It was the instinct of an outstanding educator.
Every teacher gave a placement test to a newly accepted student, confirming the student's level so they could teach according to their aptitude. Scathach was no exception.
She divided every subject she tested into six grades: E, D, C, B, A, and the unassessable, exceptional EX—though these letters should technically have been written with runes. But modern English was easier to understand, was it not?
Scathach rated Arthur extremely highly:
Martial skill: B-. As someone with formal training, his foundation was extremely solid. He had gained abundant practical experience on the battlefield, but without the guidance of a famous teacher, his techniques and moves still needed improvement. Magecraft: B--. A self-taught talent who had pieced things together from everywhere, his magical foundation was too poor, leaving enormous room for improvement. Physical constitution: A+++. The Dragon Never Bows! Whether speed, strength, endurance, or magical energy, all were top-tier. His agility, reaction speed, and body control still needed improvement, but with training, they could also reach the highest level. Mind and strategy: A-. An extremely intelligent, cunning, and unscrupulous fellow. In some respects, he had even exceeded Scathach's expectations...
All in all, he was an extraordinarily talented child with tremendous potential. His potential and talent were so great that they made one's heart stir, to the point where one could not help wanting to teach him and look forward to what he might become. Teacher Scathach was satisfied.
Author's Note:
There will still be three updates today. Please support me!!!
Scathach, Your Teaching Is Excellent, but I Refuse (Please Vote!)
Mom's Maid.jpg
"You came looking for me basically for that sort of thing, did you not?"
Sitting upright and admiring the bishonen, Scathach continued speaking to Arthur in a confident, composed tone:
"Since you were so sincere, went through so much trouble to find me, and worked so hard to show off, I will reluctantly agree."
Naturally, the "sort of thing" she meant was not the sort of thing Maeve next door did. It was the standard equipment of Fate-style transmigrators: Teacher Scathach's training.
"You should be grateful, boy. You should know the state of the world right now. Strictly speaking, I should no longer be taking disciples."
After saying that, Scathach realized she had made a mistake.
Because Artorius wore a delighted expression.
It was as though he were saying, You idiot, you finally fell into my hands~
That left Scathach somewhat puzzled.
Other than her abilities and her capacity to teach and guide others, she had no other advantages.
This Dragon Prince had gone through so much trouble to come here, searching for her and teasing Maeve next door in dreams. Was he not seeking her instruction so he could improve further?
What else could it be for?
Surely he could not actually be enamored with her beauty?
Thinking that, Scathach could not help letting out a soft laugh.
Five hundred years ago, perhaps she might have considered it. But now...
The Queen of the Shadow Country's heart had already withered. Romance, love—she had long passed the age of thinking about such things.
That was why she envied that child, Maeve, who still possessed youthful vitality and remained like a young girl.
In fact, one reason she had come to find Arthur today was to vent Maeve's anger for her.
Of course, Arthur's place in her heart had now surpassed Maeve's.
"Could it be him?"
"If it is him, perhaps he can fulfill my wish."
Though she had not yet reached the point of having no way out or being completely spent, Scathach now possessed a premonition, a hope, an idea.
She needed a disciple strong enough, stubborn enough, and ruthless enough to "prepare for the worst."
Before you continue