Dragonslayer’s Class Regression 193

Chapter 193

Valhalla, one of Atlas’s landmarks and the continent’s finest knight training institution.

After enrolling in Valhalla, Reina Draker was adapting to a new culture different from the academy.

Additionally, Reina had been dealing with a major concern lately.

She stared intently at the gift box with cute Devil Bear pattern wrapping paper before her.

“……”

It was a gift from the second son of House Rothwell, known as Slash Derban at the academy.

Reina drew the sword at her waist and sliced through the box with the cute pattern.

SLASH

The Devil Bear plush inside the box was split in half, stuffing bursting out everywhere.

Reina sheathed her sword and said.

“Throw it away.”

One of House Tourn’s vassal students kneeling beside Reina took the split box and left.

As Reina shook her head and was about to head to the training grounds, a woman watching her clicked her tongue and spoke:

“Reina, if you keep acting like this, you’ll never get married.”

Olga was a fellow Valhalla student five years older than Reina.

She was a lady from House Argo, an influential family running a shipping company in the port city of Jason.

Despite not being from a martial family, she was unique in that she voluntarily pursued knight training and enrolled in Valhalla.

Reina responded to Olga firmly.

“I have no intention of getting married.”

“That’s what you think. Your family might think differently.”

Reina shook her head at Olga’s words.

“I received the Draker name, so House Tourn has no reason to force marriage on me.”

But she knew as well.

That someday she would have to marry someone, and that someone would likely be determined by agreements between families.

‘Even so, not Slash Derban.’

Looking at Reina’s frowning face, Olga smiled amusedly and said:

“House Rothwell isn’t a bad match. Derban is… a bit lacking in some ways. But he probably won’t cause trouble using his family name.”

“If you like him so much, you take him, Olga.”

“I can’t. I already have an arranged marriage.”

Her fiancé was none other than Edward Jiemens, second son of House Jiemens.

Though she spoke calmly, Reina knew better than anyone that Olga was someone who wanted to escape the fate her family had arranged.

Reina said to Olga:

“Olga, when frustration builds up, sparring is the answer.”

“…That’s an odd way to put it. But you’re suggesting we go spar, right?”

Just as Reina and Olga were about to head to the sparring grounds,

A servant approached and whispered to her. Reina was shocked at the servant’s words.

“What? Zeke Draker?”

* * *

A restaurant specializing in southern cuisine located within Valhalla. It was a place she had dined at before with Diego.

Though Zeke wasn’t particularly fond of southern food, strangely enough, he often remembered the food here even after graduating from Valhalla.

Around when the food arrived, Reina appeared at the restaurant.

THUD!

Over a dozen people in black uniforms lined up behind Reina.

As Reina entered the restaurant, they remained at attention outside.

Zeke clicked his tongue at the sight.

‘Even at Valhalla… House Tourn hasn’t changed.’

Reina spotted Zeke and sat across from him.

“It’s been a while, Zeke Draker.”

“Yes, it has been, Reina.”

Reina was slightly taken aback by Zeke’s friendlier than expected greeting.

She composed herself and asked Zeke.

“What brings you here?”

Zeke looked at her and said.

“Let’s eat first. Have you tried the food here?”

Reina shook her head.

Zeke pushed the hot southern dishes that had just arrived toward Reina.

“Try it. The food here is quite good.”

Reina eyed Zeke suspiciously as he suddenly showed up and offered her food.

Zeke paid no attention to Reina’s glare and started eating first.

Watching him, Reina’s appetite was stirred and she began eating too.

“Oh?”

Trying southern food for the first time, Reina was surprised by the unexpected flavor.

To prevent muscle loss, Reina usually ate mostly lean meats and supplemented missing nutrients with supplements.

As a result, the southern food’s strong spices and seasonings, which she rarely tasted, appealed to her palate.

MUNCH! MUNCH! MUNCH!

Reina was originally a big eater.

She quickly cleared the table, leaving the plates empty. Zeke had to order two more rounds of food.

“WHEW.”

Only after stacking up plates beside her did Reina finally come to her senses.

Seeing Zeke’s curious gaze, she felt slightly embarrassed and looked away.

“…That was quite a delicious meal.”

“Yes. I’m glad you enjoyed the meal.”

As someone who had regressed over 20 years, Zeke saw Reina and Alice, who were around his age or younger, as similarly young.

He was simply pleased that Reina ate better than expected.

She wiped her mouth and returned to her sharp gaze.

“I heard you cleared the Ghost Mansion recently.”

News of Zeke completing the mission seemed to have spread widely.

Zeke nodded while drinking his separately ordered tea.

“Yes. It wasn’t easy, but I managed to succeed.”

Though it was actually an effortless mission he stumbled upon, Zeke spoke smugly as if it wasn’t.

Unaware of the details, Reina nodded and asked Zeke:

“Why did you want to see me?”

Zeke put down his teacup and got to the point.

“I want to meet House Tourn’s head.”

Reina’s eyes widened at the unexpected statement.

House Tourn’s head, Rex Tourn.

He was considered the strongest knight in House Tourn’s history and one of Draker’s Black Knights.

Yet he rejected the Draker name, chose the Tourn name, and became the family head.

Reina asked Zeke with a stern expression:

“What business do you have with the head?”

Zeke looked into Reina’s eyes and said:

“I want to challenge the Trial of Struggle.”

“What?”

Reina was startled at the mention of the Trial of Struggle.

She unconsciously stood up and shouted at Zeke:

“You…! Do you even know what the Trial of Struggle is?”

Zeke nodded while drinking his tea.

“Yes. I do.”

“And you still want to do it?”

Reina stared blankly at Zeke before noticing the surrounding gazes and sitting down.

“I know you’re the youngest Blue Knight appointee and gained fame as the Knight of the sea. But the Trial of Struggle isn’t a joke. Even renowned family knights shake their heads at it.”

“I know. That’s what makes it valuable.”

Reina furrowed her brow at Zeke’s words.

‘Crazy, even so, the Trial of Struggle…’

The Trial of Struggle was the name of a special dungeon managed by House Tourn.

House Tourn had managed this dungeon since ancient times, and anyone could enter to prove their valor.

However, the dungeon’s level was so high that no one had reached its deepest point yet.

Zeke said to Reina.

“I know you need the head’s approval to enter the Trial of Struggle.”

Head Rex Tourn was the unprecedented figure who reached the 90th floor of the 100-floor Trial of Struggle.

Before Rex Tourn’s generation, many who recklessly entered the Trial of Struggle never returned.

So after becoming head, Rex Tourn tested challengers’ strength and judged whether they could enter the dungeon before allowing entry.

Reina said to Zeke.

“Taking the head’s test is possible. But once you take it, you can’t back out. You must enter the Trial of Struggle.”

“That’s what I want.”

Reina clenched her jaw watching the composed Zeke.

‘Is the gap widening again like this?’

When in the cradle, she didn’t think much of Zeke.

She only thought he was a weak direct descendant who only worried about skipping training.

But suddenly one day he changed, and now he’d gone so far that she had to look up to see him.

Zeke slowly stood up.

“I hope you’ll consider it and contact me. If you connect me with the head, I’ll give you suitable compensation.”

“Why go through me to meet the head? Someone like you could go directly.”

Zeke grinned at those words.

“Wouldn’t it look better if I went on your invitation rather than directly approaching House Tourn? Also, I was curious how you were doing.”

Reina was flustered by Zeke’s unexpected words.

For Zeke, he was curious about the growth of Reina Draker, future Flash Knight and one of the Five-Star Knights, but she took it differently.

Reina lowered her reddened face.

Zeke thought she was trembling with anger at his words.

‘Seems I made a mistake. Well, it’s understandable. I’m already challenging the Trial of Struggle when she thought of me as a rival.’

Zeke clicked his tongue, paid for the meal, and left the restaurant, leaving the head-down Reina.

When Zeke left, Olga, who was sitting within view, quickly approached Reina.

She exclaimed excitedly.

“Hey, hey, Reina! Was that really Zeke Draker? The Draker Tournament champion! The continent’s youngest Blue Knight appointee and youngest Valhalla graduate!”

Reina struggled to compose herself and raised her head.

“Yes. Zeke Draker.”

Olga cheered at those words.

“Right! Right! I can’t believe I’m actually seeing Zeke Draker! I watched Zeke Draker and Helen Draker’s championship match at the Grand Stadium during that martial arts tournament. You saw it too, right Reina?”

“…You know I participated in that tournament too?”

“Oh, did you? Anyway, did I show you before? My Zeke Draker article clippings!”

“No. I haven’t seen them.”

“Really? I guess I didn’t. I’m a member of his fan club, by the way.”

“What’s that?”

“Zeke Draker fan club?”

“…”

“My suggestion won the fan club naming contest. Yongyongi. Catchy, right?”

Reina looked at Olga in disbelief before finally cracking a smile.

Just then.

Someone opened the door and entered.

They approached Olga and Reina.

It was the second son of the Rothwell family.

The man who had swept through the academy under the name ‘Slash Derban.’

He approached Reina holding an elaborate, large bouquet. Slash Derban called out to Reina.

“Reina Draker! I, Derban Rothwell, second son of House Rothwell, formally request to court you!”

Olga let out a series of excited gasps, eagerly watching for Reina’s reaction.

But Reina simply glared at Derban with a cold expression.

At her gesture, Tourn family students waiting outside rushed in.

Reina spoke in an icy voice.

“Remove him.”

The Tourn family students in uniforms dragged Derban out. Derban shouted like a tragic protagonist from a play.

“Let go! Reina Draker! Accept my feelings!”

Even in confession, Slash Derban showed no hesitation.

Olga held her stomach laughing as she watched Derban being dragged away.

“Reina, don’t be like that. Why don’t you go on at least one date with Derban?”

When Reina shot her an intense glare that suggested this couldn’t be overlooked, Olga whistled innocently and quickly turn her head away.

She recalled Zeke Draker’s face as he spoke of challenging the Trial of Struggle with composure.

‘Zeke Draker, huh.’

For a moment, she unconsciously imagined herself standing together with Zeke.

The two of them crossing weapons, sparring daily and testing each other’s skills.

In her imagination, Zeke and Reina were facing each other, smiling with beads of sweat.

‘What am I thinking…?’

She shook her head trying to brush away the thoughts.

Then she spoke to Olga who was watching Derban still shouting as he was dragged outside.

“Olga, I need to visit the main house for a bit.”

“Huh? Why the main house?”

She pressed her lips together before slowly speaking.

“I’m going to challenge the Trial of Struggle too.”

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