Ch.125Academy Transfer – 6

The Sword Saint, with an excited face, kept urging me for another match. When he saw that I not only caught up to his speed in our next bout but even surpassed it, he let out an exclamation close to ecstasy.

In contrast, I remained indifferent. While it might have been an earth-shattering event for him, it was only natural for me since I had grasped the principle of acceleration.

Even just because of the mana breathing technique, my understanding of the concept was bound to be far superior to his. I could now understand why they say “a good beginning is half the battle.”

“I don’t know how much more this child intends to impress me…”

Unaware of this fact, the Sword Saint stared at me with honey-dripping eyes and clasped my hands with all his might.

It was a scene that would have made the other six students, who were consistently suffering because he only struck them like lightning and retreated whenever it was their turn due to his focus on me, die of resentment if they saw it.

“I understand, but could you please let go of my hands? It’s quite uncomfortable.”

“Y-Yes, of course. I should. I apologize.”

The Sword Saint apologized but released my hands with an expression overflowing with lingering attachment. My skin tingled from how tightly he had been holding them.

“I think it would be better to teach you properly by setting aside time separately later. You may rest now.”

After slightly bowing my head, I sat down next to Rosaria. She welcomed me with a smile and immediately interlaced her fingers with mine. Our shoulders pressed closely together.

Seeing us like this, the remaining five students, except for Aria who was blushing, expressed their jealousy with various expressions. About half of their emotions seemed mixed with disbelief.

“What are you looking at? Focus.”

And then they each got hit by the Sword Saint.

As the lesson, which until now had only involved single strikes, began to progress with proper power control, short screams echoed from various places, led by Leona.

The Sword Saint’s teaching was effective but the process was ruthlessness itself. Without my healing magic, Priscilla and Aria would have collapsed, unable to even stand properly.

“That’s really how it was? Before Miss Mira developed healing magic, we had to call priests to substitute.”

Karna, who finished a bit earlier than the other five, confirmed with a killing blow that they really did teach while having priests heal the students. It seemed that the position of humanity’s strongest and teaching ability were completely separate matters.

“But the effect will definitely be there. I guarantee it. The reason he sent me up first is probably because he judged that those who remain still have room for growth. I’ve finished my portion for today.”

“…That might indeed be the case.”

Apart from Aria and Priscilla, who grew more through theory than practice, it was clearly visible that the remaining three had movements with less waste compared to when they first started.

Even Aria and Priscilla weren’t completely without effect, just relatively less so, and since their growth was a bit slower, their rest periods had definitely been extended. It was evidence that the Sword Saint was managing them meticulously.

“Let’s end here for today. Good work, everyone.”

“Huaaah…”

When the termination was announced, Leona sprawled out on the floor, while Elisier and Laura staggered as if they might collapse at any moment. Aria was panting, trying to catch her breath.

Priscilla came staggering to me, drenched in sweat. As I hugged her tightly saying “good job” and wiped her sweat with my sleeve, the Chairman arrived with perfect timing, having apparently heard the news.

“You’ve completely destroyed the training ground. Couldn’t you have taught a bit more normally?”

The Chairman first checked with burning eyes to see if I was injured, and only after confirming I was fine did he start nagging.

“That child you made the Dragon Fang Sword for, his talent is truly outstanding. I was greatly impressed.”

“Isn’t he?! You really know your stuff! What excellent discernment!”

For some reason, it quickly devolved into a praise fest for me. The Chairman immediately switched to doting mode when the Sword Saint praised me, and the Sword Saint also chatted away with a pleased smile.

“Oh, that’s amazing, Mira. Two of the strongest people in the Empire are praising you like that.”

“Shut up. Be quiet.”

“Alright, alright. I should naturally obey the words of Mira Crate, ‘the Empire’s greatest talent,’ ‘a being who transcends students,’ and ‘the ultimate model for all swordsmen and mages.’ I’ll be quiet. There!”

“…”

The praise was so embarrassingly excessive that I could die of shame, to the point where Rosaria used it to tease me with a smirk.

“Both of you, that’s enough.”

I finally had to intervene and separate them. It was around the time they started talking about creating a special uniform just for me and bestowing a duke title on the Crate family.

The Chairman praised me wholeheartedly once more before leaving with a smile, and the Sword Saint also turned to leave with Karna, saying he’d see us in the next class.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a good evening!”

After Karna, who bowed politely even from a distance, only the usual club members remained, and Laura, Elisier, and Leona immediately took the vacant spots.

“How did you do it?”

All three seemed curious about how I had caught up to the Sword Saint’s speed. Aria and Priscilla also approached stealthily, apparently wondering the same thing. The only person standing calmly was Rosaria, who knew she couldn’t do it anyway.

“You know the mana breathing technique, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I know it.”

Elisier and Leona, who had seen me use it before, nodded.

“Mana… breathing technique?”

In contrast, Laura tilted her head.

“Why?”

“Somehow it sounds like a term I’ve heard before, but I can’t remember where.”

She probably saw it in another novel. Laura was both an author and a reader. And the mana breathing technique wasn’t a concept that appeared in just one novel.

But I couldn’t bring up such a story in front of Leona and Aria, so I brushed it off saying I had mentioned it before. I could give the real explanation later when only the possessed people were present.

“But why the mana breathing technique?”

“The acceleration technique the Sword Saint used and the mana breathing technique I use operate on the same principle.”

“…How?”

After I briefly explained how the mana breathing technique worked, not only the three nearby but also Aria, Priscilla, and even Rosaria collectively grimaced.

“Seeing and understanding each mana particle, is that even humanly possible?”

“Only the beginning is difficult. Once you grasp it, it becomes easy.”

“You, my friend, have a very bad habit.”

“What is it?”

“The habit of presenting actions that only you can perform as if they were incredibly easy tasks. My advice is to correct it as soon as possible.”

“I never said it was easy from the start. I said it becomes easy once you grasp it.”

“That doesn’t seem to change the fact that they’re essentially the same thing.”

It was unfair since I was just telling them exactly what was written in the ancient text I read and what I experienced. But since they probably wouldn’t listen even if I explained, I quietly gave up.

They’d understand if they tried it themselves. I was planning to teach them all later anyway.

“Welcome back, young master.”

“Oh, welcome back, Master.”

“…Why is she like this?”

When I returned to my room, I was greeted by Beatrice with her hands folded neatly and Nika kneeling beside her with her hands raised. I asked in disbelief.

“While I was briefly away for laundry, she had the audacity to pleasure herself with your pillow. The stuffing was soaked through, so I disposed of the pillow by burning it after washing, and I’ve prepared a new one, so you need not worry, young master.”

“Is that really enough punishment?”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, Master! I won’t do it again! Please forgive me! Your scent was so good that I couldn’t help myself…!”

As Beatrice turned around as if she’d been waiting for this, Nika desperately begged for forgiveness. Since I really hadn’t intended to go that far, I gestured for her to stop at an appropriate point.

It must be an instinct encoded in a succubus’s genes to do such things, so what can you do? While Beatrice was receiving my coat, Nika awkwardly stood up straight beside her.

“Oh right, Yustera.”

Suddenly, I had a good idea and spoke up.

“Yes, yes! Master! Do you have something for me to do?”

“You went to the demon realm last time, right? Was there anything unusual?”

“Unusual, you mean…?”

“Like what happened after the Demon King disappeared.”

“Ah, there was!”

Nika immediately brightened up. She seemed eager to talk about what she had experienced.

“What is it? Tell me.”

“Well…”

Her brown eyes glanced at Beatrice. Despite hearing the top-secret news that the Demon King had disappeared, Beatrice showed no change in expression as she continued organizing the coat she had received.

“Beatrice is fine with it. Right, Beatrice?”

“Of course, young master. Didn’t I tell you? This Beatrice will stay by your side until the very end, even if you were to rebel against the Empire.”

After patting her head a couple of times, assuring her I had no such plans, I urged her to continue with the explanation.

“First of all, quite a few demons witnessed the light you used, and with the Demon King gone, the entire demon realm is split into two factions. One believes the Demon King was killed by the hero, and the other believes that whether severely injured or not, he didn’t die and is temporarily in seclusion for some reason. That’s the broad division.”

“Do you know who’s on which side?”

“The two remaining Legion Commanders both believe the Demon King is alive. The 1st Legion Commander is so hardline that he’ll behead anyone who even mentions the Demon King’s death, and the 5th Legion Commander’s position is that we can’t jump to conclusions until the Demon King appears in person, so we should just control excessive rumors and wait.”

The 1st Legion Commander refers to Durahann. Given his personality as the very embodiment of a rigid knight, such a reaction was quite expected. On the other hand, the Elder Lich seemed to be maintaining loyalty while cautiously testing the waters.

“Most of the others besides the two Legion Commanders seemed to be trying to take the Demon King’s position. They were all busy fighting with their subordinates rather than uniting. The frontlines are probably the same. The frontline forces should be commanded by Legion Commanders, but with the Demon King gone, anyone with a bit of power would try to reclaim command authority.”

If command authority was divided over whether the Demon King was dead or not, it also explains why demons were fighting a civil war within the fortress. It was a surprisingly sharp insight, unlike Nika’s usual self.

“Well done. You know quite a lot of details?”

“Everyone tried to recruit me. Unlike those idiots who fight among themselves over who’s stronger, succubi absolutely obey only the Queen’s words. Over a hundred demons came to me during that short time I was in the demon realm.”

Nika stuck out her tongue and smiled.

“I rejected them all, of course. There’s only one person in the world I serve. They probably think I’ve sided with the Demon King. By the way, I also had our girls drain some of those who came—eek!”

“You’re out of your mind, Yustera. What rudeness is this to the young master?”

She was immediately hit by Beatrice.

‘It’s more chaotic than I thought?’

That was my first thought while Nika was being lectured about her mindset as a maid.

The frontlines were in civil war over who had command authority, the 1st Legion Commander was killing anyone showing signs of betrayal, the 5th Legion Commander was pretending to be loyal while subtly testing the waters, and the rest of the demons were divided and fighting among themselves.

It felt like the butterfly effect of Astaroth’s actions coming back around.

‘Come to think of it…’

I looked at Nika, who was standing with her hands raised and a pitiful expression.

Nika is also a Succubus Queen and a demon. Astaroth was once a Succubus Queen and a Legion Commander too.

‘…Then couldn’t Nika also aim for the Demon King’s position?’