Chapter 90 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Academy [7] – part 1 (1/2)

90. Top Secret and Thousand Blade Academy [7] – part 1

At the same time as the signal to start the match , I placed the bamboo sword in front of my navel and assumed Seigan no Kamae.

On the other hand, Jean-san assumed the exact same stance.

Jean Bael.

He is a tall swordsman donning the uniform of Thousand Blade Academy.

He is probably 180 centimeters tall.

Short black hair.

Well-featured face

Perhaps he had bad eyesight as he was wearing silver-rimmed glasses.

(The『Head』 of the Swordsmanship Club huh…)

To be honest, I was quite interested in what kind of sword he’ll display.

「…Allen Rodore. I heard from the vice-head, Silty, that you refused our recruitment to join the swordsmanship club.」

「Err, yes, well…」

Silty Rosette, a second-year female swordsman who serves as vice-head of the swordsmanship club.

Her forte was the『defensive sword』called Circle style.

(But, can that really be called “recruitment”?)

I once had a mock battle with Silty-san during the new semester in May.

(If I remember correctly, I was observing the swordsmanship club’s activities with Ria and Rose.)

When Silty-san suddenly blocked the entrance of the gymnasium and I was forced to accept a mock battle.

(That’s more of confinement than an invitation.)

As I was thinking back to those old days, Jean-san continued on.

「We were refused once, but… I still want you to join the swordsmanship club by all means.」

「Eh?」

As my eyes widened at the sudden invitation, he began to explain the current state of the swordsmanship club.

「Unfortunately, the swordsmanship club is now on a decline. The promising first-year swordsmen that I found and raised up painstakingly, were snatched from me.」

Jean-san said, gritting his teeth and clenching his fist hard.

「That’s terrible…」

The budget for club activities is determined by the『Club Budget War』.

Large clubs, such as the swordsmanship club, are greatly limited in their activities if they don’t procure a budget there.

Therefore, the situation in which promising first-year students were snatched away can be said to be a crisis that shakes the survival of the club.

「But, just who would do that?」

「The Witch of the Century – Student Council President Sie Arcstria!」

「T-The president?」

She would never… No, she actually might.

(…Yeah. She would do it without any hesitation.)

The poker game crossed my mind.

The president used a『gimmick card』with a gentle smile on her face.

Even as innocent as she looks, she’s a little wicked.

「Student Council Secretary Lilim Tsuorine and Accountant Ferris Magdalot – Those talented two are both former swordsmanship club members.」

Jean-san said with distant eyes.

「I see…」

It’s the first time I’ve heard of it.

「Aa, they were supposed to be the backbone of the swordsmanship club in the future. I don’t know what kind of underhanded method she used, but that hateful Sie Arcstria snatched them away from me.」

「I-I see…」

Now that I think about it, I remember the president saying, I scouted them both.