It Seems the Demon King Has Returned to a World Where Gender Roles Are Reversed - Chapter 77

 Chapter 77 :

Behind the building where the male knights’ classroom was located.

In a cluttered space filled with various materials and supplies, the boys glared at Ragna.

Their stance felt as if they were cornering him, pushing him against the wall.

In their hands, they held wooden swords, likely prepared in advance for training, as if anticipating such a situation.

Looking at their menacing demeanor, Ragna threw a question at them.

“…So, what’s the plan here?”

“Don’t play dumb. You know exactly what you’ve done!”

“Hmm, I’m not sure I do.”

“It was two weeks ago! Are you seriously saying you forgot?”

Two weeks ago?

Ragna tilted his head, still puzzled.

No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t recall doing anything to them two weeks prior.

Seeing Ragna’s reaction, one of the boys shouted in frustration.

“Two weeks ago! The stunt you pulled in the female students’ classroom! Don’t tell me you actually forgot?!”

“The girls? Well, I remember that, but what’s the issue?”

He didn’t recall doing anything wrong there.

He had even used polite language with Hazel to avoid causing trouble.

But the boys clearly thought otherwise.

“Do you have any idea what we’ve been through because of your actions?!”

“Because of you, the way the female students look at us male knights has changed. They’re saying this year’s first-year male knights are shameless brats who don’t know their place!”

The boys’ faces flushed red as they raged uncontrollably.

Ragna stared at them blankly.

“…Oh, I see.”

Only then did Ragna understand what they were talking about.

And without realizing it, he burst out laughing.

In short, their complaint was that Ragna’s actions had caused the female students to view the male knights negatively, and they were demanding he take responsibility.

Understanding this, Ragna let out a sigh.

“…Alright, it was my mistake. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

“You think you can brush it off with that?!”

One boy shouted angrily, and Ragna frowned at him.

“Then what do you want me to do?”

“Know your place and act like it.”

“Specifically?”

“…Get out of the Steiner mansion right now and move into the dormitory.”

One of the boys said with a cruel smile. Ragna’s brow twitched.

The boy continued.

“I don’t know why you’re coming and going from the Steiner mansion with Seria Brandzburg, but know this: she’s way out of your league.”

“Hmm…”

“I don’t know why Lady Karen is showing you favor, but if you had any sense, you’d refuse it.”

“And?”

“…And don’t ever approach Seria again. Like I said, she’s not someone you can associate with. Not that you’d think otherwise.”

The boys sneered mockingly.

Seeing their attitude, Ragna finally understood their intentions.

“…I get it. You’re after Seria, aren’t you?”

Ragna recalled what Eric had once told him.

The boys who sat at the back of the classroom had enrolled in the academy with a specific goal: to find a capable partner to marry into their family.

In other words, they were looking for something akin to a son-in-law to elevate their status.

They had come to the academy hoping to live comfortably by aligning themselves with someone influential.

And in that sense, Seria was in the perfect position.

The Brandzburg family, a relatively obscure noble house.

Seria herself was in an ambiguous position, unable to openly claim her lineage due to her birth.

Yet, she was training under the renowned Karen Steiner as a candidate for the next White Knight.

Exceptional talent paired with a modest background.

She was the ideal candidate for what the boys were seeking.

As Ragna nodded to himself, one of the boys shouted.

“You, you—!”

“Hm?”

“How dare you casually say Seria’s name?!”

“Beg for forgiveness! Get on your knees and beg, you lowlife!”

“…”

The boys reacted hysterically.

Ragna gave them a dubious look.

…Is this what men become when the world’s structure changes?

If he had been born and raised normally in this world, perhaps this could have been another version of himself.

The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

“Phew…”

Enough of this wordplay. He had figured out their motives. Now, it was time to settle things.

Swoosh—

“……!”

Ragna bent slightly, scanning his surroundings.

The boys frowned at his actions.

“…No choice, then. This’ll have to do.”

Muttering to himself, Ragna picked up a dusty piece of wood from the ground.

It looked like it might have been a table leg or something, thick and slightly cumbersome to swing.

“…What are you doing?”

“Hm.”

One of the boys asked, but Ragna ignored him, swinging the piece of wood a few times. The boys stepped back, wary of the dust flying toward them. Ragna smirked and said,

“Come at me.”

“……?”

“We’re clearly not getting anywhere with words. Since it’s come to this, let’s have a spar as training.”

“……What?”

“Actions speak louder than words. Or what, were those wooden swords in your hands just kindling?”

A cheap provocation slipped from Ragna’s lips.

Normally, even street thugs wouldn’t fall for such a taunt.

But—

“…Fine.”

The boys took the bait.

They gripped their wooden swords and assumed their stances.

Spreading out in a fan shape, they spaced themselves and raised their swords toward Ragna.

Facing their menacing formation, Ragna calmly adjusted his posture.

Taking a deep breath, he thought to himself: this was a good opportunity.

The training from the past two weeks.

He would test its results here and now.

It wasn’t complete yet, but this would help him gauge his current state.

He would identify his shortcomings and prepare for the martial arts festival.

With that in mind, Ragna leaned against the wall, standing firm with both legs planted and holding the piece of wood in a mid-level stance.

His stance resembled a tree rooted firmly in the ground.

However, the boys let out small chuckles at the sight.

Ragna’s stance showed no distribution of weight or preparation for the next move.

It was just a mid-level stance, nothing more.

All he could do was swing his sword like a lifeless statue.

Wasn’t this the stance of a complete novice?

Thinking so, the boys assumed their practiced sword stances in contrast.

From an outsider’s perspective, their stances looked far more dynamic and powerful, brimming with the momentum to charge at any moment.

Yet, despite their display, Ragna didn’t move.

“……”

A silence fell.

Confirming Ragna’s stillness, the boys exchanged glances.

Nodding to each other, they synchronized their timing and—

“----!”

With individual battle cries, they charged at Ragna. Watching them, Ragna let out a short “Hup” and held his breath.

**First Step**

Even though they were male, they were still knights.

The momentum in their wooden swords was far from ordinary.

If they went all out, they could easily shatter a log or two.

Their instantaneous burst of energy was enough to make even a bear or tiger from the mountains retreat.

But the problem wasn’t their momentum it was the form of their attack.

It’s often said that the best way for a group to attack a single target is to strike simultaneously.

The human body isn’t suited to block attacks coming from all directions front, back, left, and right.

Unless you had six or eight arms, a human with just two could never fend off such an onslaught.

But attacking one person simultaneously isn’t as easy as it sounds.

In practice, it’s surprisingly complex.

For one, everyone’s stride is different.

Their attack forms are also varied some swing, others thrust, all in a chaotic mix.

When wielding swords, they inevitably get tangled up to some extent.

Even so, these boys were trained swordsmen.

To avoid clashing, they widened their spacing and adjusted their strides, unconsciously coordinating with each other.

But such gaps inevitably create a hierarchy.

In the end, the fastest among them reached Ragna first, attacking alone.

Barely two seconds had passed since the fight began.

The boy closed the distance to Ragna and swung his sword.

The attack appeared to be a standard downward vertical slash… but its trajectory was slightly off.

The sword, descending like lightning, shifted mid-motion, angling inward toward Ragna.

This was a technique commonly called the “clavicle breaker.”

It targeted the gap between the opponent’s neck and shoulder.

This move was typically forbidden in dojos, as it could earn a severe reprimand.

The clavicle, when injured, has significant consequences. Yet, the boy was using this dangerous technique against Ragna.

However, even as the strike came at him, Ragna didn’t move.

Only when the attack entered his range, as if he was certain of something, did he grip his sword tightly and unleash his breath.

A sharp *crack* echoed.

What happened? The boy’s wooden sword, aimed at Ragna’s clavicle, lost its strength and fell to the ground.

The boy, clutching his hands, let out a shrill scream and collapsed, rolling on the ground.

Ragna, maintaining the posture from striking the boy’s hands, steadied his breath and withdrew his sword.

But—

Second Step

As Ragna moved to retract his sword, another boy had already closed in, swinging his wooden sword.

This was another vicious strike.

The attack was a horizontal thrust, its tip so sharply honed it seemed too lethal for a mere wooden sword.

Moreover, the attack originated from outside the opponent’s field of vision.

By the time it was noticed, the sword was already aimed at Ragna’s face.

It would undoubtedly cause a critical injury if it connected—and that was clearly the boy’s intent.

But it was too late to dodge. In that moment, Ragna swung his piece of wood, leaving it to instinct.

With a *thud*, the wood shattered into pieces.

The wooden sword pierced through the scattered fragments, but whether due to the impact or a piece of debris hitting the boy’s eye, its trajectory veered off course. A sharp *rip* sounded, but it only grazed Ragna’s chest, leaving a shallow scratch.

Ragna didn’t miss the opportunity.

With his free hand, he delivered a strike.

His backhand, carrying enough force to crush a rock, slammed into the boy’s face.

Distracted by the debris in his eye, the boy’s head snapped back, and his body collapsed limply.

But at this point, Ragna’s next move was effectively sealed.

He held nothing in his hands.

With three boys still remaining, Ragna gritted his teeth, bracing for the pain to come.

*Thwack, thump!*

The sound of blows echoed across his body as Ragna let out a small groan.

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Translated by Reversalnovel.web.id