Overpowered Archmage Doesn’t Hide His Talent

Chapter 166:

Translator: MarcTempest

Proofreader: naturallyInconsistent

Chapter 166 Don’t use ‘geum’ too often. It lowers the tone.

A building shaped like two swords crossed and stuck into the ground.

This is where the knights’ round table is located, and its size is overwhelming, representing its dignity.​The round table is also known as the Sword Star in the world.​The knights also dream of visiting this place as their first priority.

They have various ways and places to train their swords, but their ultimate goal is to become Sword Stars here.​Scarlet stepped into this place, which only those who reached the realm of the knight of the capital could access.

A blind girl with a bandage over her eyes greeted her.​She was a girl who was called simply ‘the guide’ without a name.​The girl sensed Scarlet’s aura.​“Scarlet Judith has arrived.”

The guide bowed her head and opened the door for her.​There was no fancy structure inside.

There was only a huge round table under the white light.​Fourteen vacant seats for the knights of the capital.​Scarlet found her seat and sat down, and soon the thirteen seats were filled.​The knights placed their swords on the round table.

Ordinary greatswords, long needles, special swords that stretched like whips…. The types were too diverse to describe.​“Long time no see. Darling.”​The owner of the unique ability ‘Charm’, the knight of the capital, Selphen, greeted her with her pink hair fluttering.

It was their first encounter since the duel with Flan.​Scarlet nodded lightly with her eyes.​Someone next to her broke the silence.​“We’re all here except one. Let’s talk about the main point briefly. Time is precious. Time is…”​As she muttered, the pupil of the female knight was spinning with the minute and hour hands silently.

She was the one who swung the long needle, the one who cut time, Clot.​The moment Clot muttered.​The interior was wrapped in a clear melody of string instruments. At the same time, the last vacant seat of the round table was filled by a woman.

“Good. I’ll deliver it briefly.”​The last one to appear placed her violin bow on the round table.

That was her sword.

The one who cut sound, Viola.

Viola was a person who looked like a musical score made of human. Her hair was white like a staff, and on top of it, there were black lines like a staff at regular intervals.​She said.​“We are obliged to participate in the Dawn Butterfly Collection. There’s no one who doesn’t know that.”​“I’m so sick of it. They’re making us escort them because they’re afraid of something unpleasant happening at the Dawn Butterfly Collection.”​“So, the one who recorded the high rank in the Dawn Butterfly Collection will be awarded a special benefit in the Heroic War.”

“Special benefit?”

“You can decide the time, date, and place of the duel.”​“Are they trying to motivate us like that…?”​The superiority among the knights of the capital could not be uniformly determined.

It changed every time depending on the time and place, so this was undoubtedly a great benefit.​“In other words, it’s a disadvantage for the lower-ranked knights of the capital. And one more thing.”​Viola lifted her violin bow lightly. With a high octave sound, the round table was split in half.​“The quota of the knights of the capital is reduced by half.”​“…!”​Everyone focused on the statement rather than the state of the round table. Someone quickly asked.

“They’re reducing the quota by half? At this time when the Heroic War is not far away?”​The winner of the Heroic War (英雄戰) is given a title. Sword Star is the title that the knights receive.​The title of the mage has not been decided yet. There was no winner or even a participant from the mage.​“Why are they suddenly reducing it?”

“The second princess has doubts about the quality of the knights of the capital. She thinks that not all of the fourteen deserve the benefits of the palace.”​“She doubts our quality? Oh, no way.”​In the middle of the conversation, Selphen glanced at Scarlet sneakily.

“Is this because of Scarlet?”

​The round table was quiet at the blatant remark. Selphen continued to speak without caring.​“…Isn’t it? The princess must know that Scarlet lost to Flan. That’s why.”​The eyes of the knights turned to Scarlet.​Their eyes were varied. Eyes that seemed curious about the truth, pure curiosity…. The boredom disappeared from everyone’s faces.​“Ah…. Really. Why did you do such a duel?”​“It doesn’t seem to matter much.”​But someone cut off Selphen’s words.​

The owner of the voice was the one who cut memory. Libra.

“Only one person will receive the title of Sword Saint. Besides, the fewer the number of knights, the higher their rarity, isn’t that so?”

“That’s not the problem right now. We’re getting half of the benefits we used to get…!”

“Then I have to ask you. Selphen, what is your goal?”

“What?”

Selphen narrowed her eyes as if she was offended.

“I’m just curious. I thought you were…”

Libra lifted her hat slightly. Her mysterious gaze stared at Selphen.

“You look like a knight who only cares about the benefits.”

“What are you talking about? This is all Scarlet’s fault…”

“A knight is someone who welcomes a duel. A being who communicates only with the sword. If you have a big complaint against Scarlet, you should fight her to the death.”

“Ha…”

Selphen avoided her gaze and their conversation ended. 

The round table became noisy.

“Libra is right, though.”

“It’s more fun this way. I’m tired of stepping on those who claim to use the sword. I thought there would never be a strong mage… But it looks like one has appeared.”

“What’s his name? Flan?”

“Read the newspaper, will you? Don’t just swing your sword.”

The conversations were mixed up everywhere. 

In the end, Viola grabbed Violent’s bow again.

“─.” 

“─.” 

“─.”

All the noise was annihilated and disappeared.

The silent round table. 

Everyone was mumbling, but no sound came out.

“Stop making noise. It’s loud.”

Viola muttered.

Of course, there was resistance.

“Who do you think can’t wield a sword?”

“What a waste of time… I should have gone to Belka…”

“Enough.”

This time, Libra calmed the situation down.

“Let’s save the rest of the story for the reception. And.”

Finally, Libra looked at Viola.

“Don’t use your sword too often. It lowers your dignity.”

◈

Six days later. The training ground at 11:50 p.m.

Ten minutes before the reception begins.

“…”

In front of Flan, who was standing calmly, Yushia and Trixie were lying down with miserable faces.

They barely rolled their eyes and looked at Flan.

‘Monster.’

‘I can’t keep up…’

That was the impression of Trixie and Yushia. 

They had endured hellish training for a week, sleeping only three hours a day.

In the meantime, Flan opened his mouth.

“Don’t worry.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll make you great mages. After the reception, the tower will have a solid position.”

His usual calm voice.

But it sounded more sincere. Trixie and Yushia nodded their heads without knowing.

They might die if they repeated this training a little more… But if they survived, they felt they could reap the rewards. Flan never lied.

“You.”

Suddenly, Trixie opened his mouth.

“Look at Trivia.”

“What’s with the Trivia all of a sudden?”

“Just…”

Trixie avoided his gaze. Flan didn’t bother to point out Trixie’s strange attitude lately.

“Then, from now on…”

“Hmm?”

Flan slowly gathered mana.

“We’re going to do the final check.”

“…The final check?”

“It’s not a surprising thing, is it?”

Trixie and Yushia just nodded their heads. 

They had no strength to argue, and even if they did, it was something they had to do anyway.

“Think of it as squeezing yourself to the limit for the last time. If you can endure it, surely…”

Flan nodded his head.

“Your rank will go up by one or so.”

Rank.

As soon as they heard the two letters, Trixie and Yushia’s bodies shuddered. 

For a mage, raising one’s rank by one step was nothing less than an achievement.

“The final check is to fight a knight.”

“A knight fight…”

Yushia rolled her eyes.

“Yvonne or Janet. It must be one of them.”

“It seems like we can finally face them.”

“Yes, Trixie. I’m not afraid either.”

Flan watched the conversation between Trixie and Yushia with satisfaction. 

They used to worry a lot, but now they were ready to try.

“Sir Flan. We think we are prepared.”

“Good.”

As the two girls staggered to their feet, Flan quietly looked towards the entrance of the training ground. 

There was an unknown silhouette in front of the opaque glass door.

But the silhouette was too tall. Soon, Trixie and Yushia tilted their heads.

“Why is she so tall?”

“I know, right? Yvonne or Janet are not that tall…”

The door opened, and a knight appeared.

Black hair that seemed to weave the dark night sky, red eyes that flickered on her face.

“…”

The Knight of the Flickering Flame, Scarlet Judith.

“!”

Trixie and Yushia’s eyes widened a beat late. 

The two girls glanced at each other, then turned their heads to Flan at the same time.

“You…!”

“Sir Flan?”

The clock’s second hand pointed at midnight.

It was the day of the reception.