episode_0010

“Bold.”

At that moment, Erica’s words pierced my ears.

“Is it audacious to refuse a duel?”

“If you think it’s dishonorable, it’s a bit bold. Whether commoners or nobles, everyone has their honor.”

“If you had thought about such honor, you wouldn’t have asked me, senior.”

Upon my words, Erica nodded and seemed to finish her meal as she rose from her seat first.

“Don’t forget the assignment I gave you. There’s no deadline… but it won’t be easy to succeed.”

“Yes, senior.”

As she left, Sharen let out a deep sigh and whispered softly to me.

“The fifth years are incredibly imposing.”

“They are fifth years.”

“I’m glad you refused the duel.”

“You didn’t think I would accept it?”

“I haven’t watched you closely, but I thought you wouldn’t accept it. It’s not easy for a first-year to duel, and if you do, other students will come to challenge you.”

“It was strange, wasn’t it? The most important thing.”

Wanting to fight the strongest first-year, is that a reasonable thing to say? I’ve never been noticed even once, living like an ordinary student. Me, the strongest? That doesn’t make sense. In our class alone, there’s Sharen, there’s Ceresria, and in other classes, there’s the Witch of Thunder.

In this school overflowing with strength, why would anyone target me? Even at a glance, it seems like I wouldn’t win against the rest, and it’s absurd to think that I can win and build honor. If I were truly strong, these things would have happened long before, and most importantly, what am I supposed to do if the challenger doesn’t even reveal their name?

Feeling a small sigh coming on, I drank the beverage that came with the meal and rose from my seat.

“I’ll go first.”

“Sure, see you in the classroom.”

It felt like I was walking slowly from the restaurant to the classroom, and I could hear whispers passing by. I couldn’t tell what they were saying, but it seemed like an unbelievable and probably not a good story. Sharen probably felt the same way, and so did Ceresria. Amidst these thoughts, as I entered the stairs leading to the classroom, someone was coming down.

I didn’t know his name. I had never actually seen his face, but I knew the name he was called at the academy. It was only natural that he held one of the few titles among the first-year students.

Our eyes met. His golden eyes looked down at me, sparkling. There weren’t many people in this academy with golden eyes. I cautiously thought he seemed a bit snake-like. His hair was long and tinged with gray. He seemed lively in his face, that kind of person.

“Oh.”

At that moment, his mouth opened. His voice was somewhat neutral but high-pitched. Looking at me and smiling, there was definitely something striking about his demeanor.

“Are you that friend? The first-year who fought with the fifth-year? Really? How strong are you? You probably didn’t win, but did you land a hit? Or did you just collapse without doing anything? Rumor has it you froze the lounge; do you have that much power? Or did you go berserk? If not, did you use natural mana to increase the ice? There’s another rumor that you’re hiding your true strength; is that true? What’s the real answer?”

The words came at me in a flash, making my head ache. He was even more lively than I had thought. I couldn’t even figure out what to say. I tried to understand what he was saying, but faced with numerous questions, I gestured for him to calm down and held my tongue.

“You talk too fast, and too much. If you have something you’re curious about, ask one by one.”

“First off, are you that friend? The protagonist of the rumors. The one who fought with the fifth-year?”

“I don’t know how the rumors started, but I didn’t fight the fifth-year.”

“Did you really freeze the lounge?”

“That wasn’t me.”

“I see… So the rumors were wrong. Ah, my name is Miles. Miles Khan. They call me the Wind Jester, but what about you?”

“Astan, no last name.”

At my response, Miles approached with a smile. It was as if he had teleported in front of me and showed me something.

“Do you want a cookie?”

“I’m okay.”

It seems like there are many strange students at the academy. Naturally, among all the students gathered from the entire Jinra continent, it was strange to find a student who wasn’t peculiar.

Finding the glass bottle was more difficult than I thought. Finding Leonardo senior was also a task I couldn’t figure out. Where does the 5th year attend classes and wander around? While pondering this, I suddenly thought of something.

The professors must know. It was an obvious thought that hadn’t occurred to me. The professors would probably be in their offices. I slowly made my way to Professor Jerren’s office, one of the few professors I was acquainted with.

“Come in.”

As I cautiously opened the door and entered, the professor smiled at me.

“Do you need help?”

“I’m curious where the 5th years usually spend their time.”

“The 5th years… they don’t attend lectures. Usually, they’re either researching magic in their own labs or wandering around somewhere. Some students even go to other cities for research purposes.”

“I see.”

Upon hearing my words, Professor Jerren gestured for me to sit, and I carefully took a seat.

“Who are you looking for? That’s what matters.”

“I’m looking for Leonardo senior.”

“Leonardo… Have you been to the underground of the academy?”

“Not yet.”

With that, the professor chuckled, then opened a drawer and handed me a key, which I carefully put in my pocket.

“It’s the key to the basement. Leonardo is probably in there. However, the basement is a dangerous place. If you’re going in, it’s best to be perfectly prepared.”

“…Yes.”

I bowed to the professor and left the office. Since I had no intention of having lunch, I absentmindedly headed towards the classroom. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me and turned around. Someone was approaching slowly from the end of the corridor. Feeling an inexplicable fear, I turned back and started walking again. I wondered who it could be, but seeing someone wandering near the professors’ offices, they didn’t seem like an ordinary person.

“The basics of defensive magic start with reinforcing the body with mana. I think everyone knows how to focus mana on different parts of the body to enhance their abilities. So, how should defensive magic be performed? There are several methods.”

The professor began writing something on the blackboard.

“First, there’s concentration of reinforcement through mana. Focusing mana on the area of attack before being hit to block it. However, it’s not a good method since it means receiving even weakened attacks.”

“Second, there’s neutralizing magic. Blocking fire magic with water magic, or countering lightning magic with earth magic. However, if there’s a significant difference in power, it’s impossible. In such cases, it’s also possible to disrupt the opponent’s magic to prevent its activation. I’ll teach this later.”

“Third, there’s the method of deploying a mana shield. Some students may have access to magic, while others may not, but this is one of the essential spells that you all must learn.”

Saying so, the professor wrote a spell on the blackboard.

“Mana, protect my body. It’s a simple spell, but one of the most reliable. Let me show you a bit…”

The professor extended his right hand, and at that moment, a thin membrane unfolded. The protective barrier, shimmering with a blue light, seemed as though it would shatter upon touch, but it did not.

“Right now, this is a magic for demonstration. If you become proficient in this magic, you can layer the barriers to increase defensive capabilities, or even expand it further to completely block frontal attacks. If you become truly skilled, you can extend the barrier around your body to block all attacks. It depends on the situation. Some mages imbue attributes into these barriers and use them as a form of attack.”

“Let’s practice this today. For students who know how to use magic, this should be easy, right?”

As the professor said this with a smile, a small sigh escaped. Turning slightly to look at Sharen, who was already prepared, and seeing Cerestia extending her right hand as if it were a bother.

I can do this. It was easier than carving ice.