Chapter 31 : Instructor, the progress is too fast (2)
by Afuhfuihgs“Don’t worry, I’m not here to complain about what happened in yesterday’s class.”
Her audacious attitude made me chuckle despite myself.
I’d encountered all sorts of people on the battlefield just before I returned to this world, but this was the first time I’d met someone who dared to speak informally to a superior.
Was she just confused after being subjected to such intense training on the first day?
Before I could say anything, Ray stepped forward to block her path.
“Cadet Reese. Please show proper respect. Edgar is your supervising instructor.”
Her expression was much more stern than usual.
Though Ray occasionally scolded or prodded me, she had never once spoken to me informally.
Despite the authority her father had granted her, she respected both her position and the social hierarchy between us.
So for her, seeing a commoner cadet suddenly barging into my private office and addressing me with such familiarity must have been baffling.
But Reese, apparently not grasping the gravity of the situation, tilted her head in confusion.
“Was it too much for me to use your given name? Then, Instructor Edgar, I came here because I have a question…”
“Cadet Reese!”
“Whoa! What’s with the yelling?”
“Your behavior is truly disrespectful.”
Reese was visibly startled by the loud voice that echoed through the office, but Ray wasn’t done. She turned on her heel, marched over to the door, and threw it open, her expression unflinching.
“Leave.”
“W-what?”
“No cadet who fails to show respect to an instructor is welcome here. Please leave at once.”
“Who do you think you are?”
“I am Edgar’s personal assistant.”
“What? And you’re ordering me around as an assistant? Unbelievable…”
Reese’s face twisted into a scowl the moment she heard Ray’s position. She stomped over toward me, irritation evident in her every step.
“Instructor Edgar—or Edgar Mulick. Could you deal with this assistant of yours? Better yet, let’s talk alone. I have something very important to ask you.”
Her frustration was obvious. She probably thought she was being needlessly obstructed by Ray.
I gave her a calm, pointed smile.
“Get out.”
“…What?”
“Leave. Or rather, get lost. In fact, I’d prefer it if you withdrew not only from my office but also from my class. While I’ve been refusing all withdrawal requests from cadets, I’d gladly make an exception for you.”
For a moment, a look of bewilderment appeared on Reese’s face.
I continued, completely unperturbed.
“A cadet who doesn’t understand the basics of respect has no place in my class. Especially one who disrespects my assistant. Did I ever give permission for anyone to treat her as such?”
“……”
Did she not learn anything from yesterday’s class?
I don’t tolerate impudent cadets. I’ll correct their behavior through firm discipline, and if that doesn’t work, I simply give up on teaching them.
There’s no point in teaching cadets who lack both the will and the attitude to learn.
So, every word I said to Reese was sincere.
“I won’t repeat myself. Leave.”
Reese’s once-bold expression quickly morphed into one of unease.
“I’m sorry.”
“Respectfully.”
“…I’m sorry, sir.”
Her shoulders slumped as she spoke, a hint of disappointment on her face, as if this hadn’t gone the way she’d expected.
Honestly, Reese’s sudden informality and her brazen attitude did suggest she had some reason behind it.
The fact that she’d acted this way despite knowing I was from the Mulick Marquisate only added to that sense.
But that wasn’t my concern.
Whatever her background, whatever she was hiding… my relationship with Reese was simply that of an instructor and a cadet.
There was no reason to make any exceptions when it came to showing respect, especially when it was directed toward Ray.
“Edgar, I don’t mind.”
“No, Ray. You deserve a full apology. If you’re so offended that you want to quit your job as my assistant, then who would I work with?”
“…That’s a misunderstanding. Honestly, what are you even thinking half the time?”
“Ahem. It’s just a way of speaking, Ray.”
After sorting out the peculiar situation, I decided to get to the point with Reese.
“So, what is it you wanted to ask?”
Though her spirit had dampened a bit, she immediately answered my question.
“It’s about that sword you carry, Instructor.”
“Respectful tone.”
“…Yes, sir.”
I glanced down at my waist. Fastened there was Galid, the treasured sword I’d received from the Ritheal Trading Company. Though I could store it in my family’s artifact, the Dimensional Bag, I preferred to keep a blade close by at all times. The Gladius I’d used before was stored in the bag, while Galid had become my primary weapon.
“That sword is Galid, isn’t it?”
To my surprise, Reese recognized it by name.
I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Although I wore this sword every day to the academy, Reese was the first to notice what it truly was.
“How do you know about Galid?”
“It’s not that I know a lot, really,” she said, awkwardly adding, “just a little, sir.”
Seeing her scramble to adjust her words, I chuckled.
The lesson on respect had been sufficient by now. My issue hadn’t been her informal speech but the way she’d addressed Ray so thoughtlessly. So, I decided to relax a bit with her.
“You can speak casually, if you’re uncomfortable with formality.”
“Really?”
“Yes, but only when we’re alone. Still address me as ‘Instructor,’ and make sure to use formal speech with Ray.”
“Got it, Instructor!”
The way her mood instantly lifted made me think she was a pretty straightforward cadet. Even her previously gloomy aura, likely due to her dark hair, seemed to lighten.
“So, what about Galid?”
“Oh, um… I read in the papers that when you were hunting in the Red Thicket, you used some unique ability with Galid? They described it like a waterfall of flowing water magic…”
She must have been referring to Wave of the Sword, an ability embedded in the blade. Although it wasn’t a skill I could typically use, my Fifth Inevitable, Sword Resonance, allowed me to wield it.
I nodded. “I did use that, yes. Why do you ask?”
“So that was Wave of the Sword, wasn’t it?”
“You seem to know quite a bit about Galid.”
“To my knowledge, only truly exceptional people can use Wave of the Sword. You have to fully understand Galid and be able to handle it perfectly. How did you manage to wield it, Instructor?”
“It seems you’re no longer trying to hide your curiosity.”
I didn’t know the full details, but it seemed Reese had some connection to the Venher Kingdom. Maybe she had close acquaintances there, or perhaps she was even from Venher before settling in Kleppe .
The fact that she’d revealed this likely meant she thought the matter at hand was more important than any secrets.
I gave her a slow nod and replied, “Perhaps I am one of those exceptional people, as you put it. Wielding a sword to its fullest depends on the skill of the swordsman, after all.”
“That… That can’t be right…”
“I’m not expecting you to understand. So, is that all you needed?”
It was only natural she couldn’t understand. I didn’t know how much she truly knew about Galid, but my ability to wield Wave of the Sword was due entirely to fate and inevitability.
But there was no way I’d explain my Sword Resonance to her. She was just a cadet I’d met in yesterday’s lecture, whose true identity I still didn’t know, and I wasn’t kind enough to lay out my abilities to someone like that.
“W-wait a moment, Instructor!” Reese suddenly stopped me, her expression a mix of desperation and resolve.
“There’s somewhere I’d like you to come with me.”
“I’d rather decline if it’s an invitation for a date.”
“That’s not it!”
The outskirts of Tristan, near a place called the Blue Marshlands.
Though the name contrasts sharply with the Red Thicket, the two locations share similar terrain, though no monsters are found in the Blue Marshlands.
Ray and I had come here at Reese’s request. Fortunately, it was a day without any classes, so I had plenty of time.
Here’s what she told us: While exploring the area, she’d stumbled upon a monster lair. She claimed she sensed an aura similar to Galid there.
She suspected it might be another treasured sword from the Venher Kingdom, Polic, but every time she reached the source of the lair, she couldn’t go any further.
So it seemed that Reese sought my assistance specifically because I was able to wield Galid properly.
“…There really is a monster lair?”
“To be honest, I thought you might be lying.”
“Why would I lie about this…!”
Since Reese’s story was based on bits of speculation and limited knowledge, I hadn’t placed much trust in it. But here we were, in the Blue Marshlands, staring at a real fissure that led us into an actual monster lair—a fresh, undiscovered lair that adventurer heroes would undoubtedly be thrilled to explore.
And as we arrived…
Grrr—
Snarl.
The lair was teeming with monsters that filled the space around us.
Proto.
They looked similar to crocodiles, characterized by their speed and sharp, blade-like teeth. At a glance, their physical abilities suggested they would be quite powerful, but they lacked magical abilities, and their hides were unexpectedly easy to pierce, leading to their classification as “low-level monsters.”
Then, as I observed them, a thought clicked.
“This… might be perfect for training.”
It was rare to find a monster lair near Tristan where low-level monsters like these were the main occupants. Low-level monsters could be manageable, even for cadets who had only just reached the “First Fork in the Road” in their development, provided they worked together. In other words, there couldn’t be a more ideal location for practical combat training.
And beyond that, it was also a perfect match for Valut Swordsmanship. With its emphasis on fighting multiple enemies, this Proto-filled lair was practically tailored for the style.
Somehow, with Reese’s unexpected help, I’d found an ideal “special training ground.”
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