The last lesson of the day, Combat Training, started as it usually did.
After making the students run laps around the hall, the professor was about to make them fight each other, but today someone showed initiative.
"Leo, you want to have an official duel with Cedric? Haha, what a great idea! A good fight is all that's needed to bring two people closer," Professor Rendel exclaimed with a wide grin.
"But first wear these bracelets." He handed two plain silver bracelets to both participants. "Official duels allow the use of spells, so special magical items are needed. When the barrier spell within them breaks, that counts as defeat."
Observed by most of the class, Leo quickly equipped the bracelet, then proceeded to enter the center-most arena. There he stood with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.
After a slight delay, Cedric walked in range, a stiff smile on his face.
"Leo... Let's talk. There's no need for fighting," he whispered.
Cyril stood among the spectators but still heard their dialogue perfectly well, as did Rhamn.
"No, you should fight! Come on, show some bloodlust, you bean sprout!"
Cedric should win this one with no trouble.
They fulfilled their spectator roles at a comfortable distance of indifference.
Leo responded to Cedric with a mean sneer. "Shut up, mongrel. I'll show you what I am capable of!"
Professor Rendel, with a satisfied smile, raised his arm and shouted, "Ready? ...Begin!"
Without even using magic, he still managed to deafen nearby students.
Leo immediately cast a fireball spell.
After the magic circle disappeared, a fiery bolt flew in a threatening arc towards Cedric, who simply ran to the side, dodging it.
"You slippery...!" Leo yelled in annoyance and clenched his teeth.
He gripped his wooden sword tighter and began cautiously walking in circles around Cedric.
"...Don't tell me he thought that would end the fight? Is Leo an idiot?" Rhamn exclaimed, her face blank.
Seems that way...
Cyril looked over the other spectators. They were watching with bated breath, their eyes locked on the arena.
I guess it is their first time witnessing combat with spells.
Then his gaze went over Myra standing nearby.
She was twirling a strand of her auburn hair, her eyes staring at her spear in boredom. Noticing him looking over, she tilted her head.
This is the level of class I, it looks like.
"Far below you!"
Cyril shook his head and refocused on the fight, leaving Myra hanging.
By this point, Leo managed to cast two more fireballs, which were all easily dodged by Cedric, who refused to attack himself.
Slightly panting now due to lack of mana, Leo's face grew even worse.
With a yell he ran up to Cedric and wildly swung his sword around.
With smooth, minimal movements, Cedric dodged all the swings, still refusing to attack himself.
Then, just as he was dodging another predictable swing, Leo suddenly raised his free hand, beginning to construct a magic circle, his casting speed faster than what he showed before.
Surprised, Cedric reflexively struck with his own wooden sword, stabbing Leo in the chest.
Counting this as a lethal attack, the barrier broke, and Leo Arken was knocked off his feet.
"The duel is over. Cedric won!" Professor Rendel announced, on his face a beaming smile.
Following his words, the surrounding students clapped, staring at Cedric with surprise and newfound appreciation.
Leo raised his body from the ground, absentmindedly staring at the ceiling. Soon the cheers around brought him back to reality, and his expression quickly twisted in anger.
"You bastard! You won't be able to keep that smug look for long, I promise that!" he yelled with a red face.
Leo quickly got on his feet and slowly stumbled away towards a bench.
He sat there with his head lowered, not reacting to the few students trying to talk to him.
"That's that, I guess."
This was indeed a waste of time.
Not paying this too much attention, Cyril turned around to face Myra, spear already in his hands.
Let's see how today's duel goes.
"We can't let this girl stay undefeated!" Rhamn exclaimed with fire in her eyes.
Myra, also with a spear, walked to meet him with a smile.
Still absorbed in the duel, other students began asking Cedric what happened, but he kept his silence.
"Stop slacking off!" Professor Rendel shouted, attracting everyone's attention.
"I see you like real duels a lot! Alright, you!" He pointed towards a particular student among the crowd.
"...Me?" A student with brown hair and eyes shakily pointed at himself.
Everyone around him took a few steps back.
"Yes! Aldy, you were the loudest. Wear the bracelet and step into the arena! Your opponent will be Cyril!"
The professor's words caused the room to go quiet.
Cyril froze in his footsteps and turned to look at his opponent-to-be. Any student between them immediately got out of the way, letting him get a good view.
"It's just some weakling with shaking legs. He is not worthy!"
It doesn't seem like a challenging fight, true.
"Someone needs to light a fire under these slackers' asses. Show them the difference between a capable fighter and them!" Professor Rendel shouted at him, raising a thumbs-up.
Tears began welling up in Aldy's eyes as he sent Cyril a begging look.
"Waste"
If that's what the professor wants...
Cyril slowly walked towards the now unoccupied arena, equipping a bracelet Professor Rendel threw at him on the way.
"Very good! Go on, Aldy, have some guts."
Professor Rendel gave away the other bracelet.
The brown-haired student walked towards the arena like a lamb to the slaughter. Everyone else gathered to watch the show with renewed excitement.
"Can you go easy on me, please?" Aldy quietly said as he arrived.
Cyril briefly observed his trembling arms and shaking legs but didn't reply in any way.
"That's too bad! Rendel said to show you a world of hurt!"
Not getting an answer, Aldy swallowed loudly and gripped his wooden sword tighter.
"Ready? ...Start!"
Aldy immediately rushed in close, swinging his sword.
Cyril, without making a single step, swung his spear in return, using it more as a staff.
The two weapons clashed, and the wooden sword immediately bounced back, going with such strength it completely flew out of Aldy's hands, landing a distance behind him.
Feeling numbing pain in his hands, Aldy stumbled a few steps to keep his footing.
Once recovered, he shut his eyes, clenched his teeth together, and started making a magic circle.
It's too slow...
Cyril calmly observed the open state of his opponent without taking any actions. In his mind were countless ways to interrupt this spell or to retaliate with his own.
In the end he only made a casual step to the side, and a bolt of fire flew past him, hitting the barrier surrounding the arena.
He glanced at Aldy, who was now cautiously walking backwards away from him, and sighed.
No reason to continue this.
Suddenly Cyril dashed in close. Without using any technique or fancy footwork, he simply swung his spear, relying entirely on brute strength.
With the characteristic sound of glass breaking, the barrier was destroyed. Aldy, as if hit by a manarail, was immediately flung outside the arena, rolling on the ground a few times before coming to a stop.
He lay there for some time, gasping for air while staring at the ceiling.
"The duel is over!" Professor Rendel shouted with urgency.
With a somewhat concerned face, the professor ran up to the fallen, casting a healing spell on the way. The surrounding students were deathly quiet, not even a whisper going among them.
Pain can still be felt... I didn't know that.
It seems I also used too much strength.
Perhaps because he got too used to fighting with Myra, he didn't expect his attack to have such an effect.
Glancing for a moment at his trembling opponent, Cyril raised his head to look at the surrounding students.
No one cheered or clapped at the fight's conclusion. Whoever met Cyril's eyes immediately averted theirs.
Slowly everyone began discussing what happened.
"We already know he is strong. Did he have to go this harsh?"
"And we have to study with this for five years?"
"He is really from the Thorne family. So ruthless!"
Ignoring all the glances going his way, Cyril slowly walked out from the arena back to where he stood before.
His face was as calm as ever, but internally he couldn't help but feel a bit perplexed. Not like he intended to do what he did.
"These guys are too weak. I say it's their fault."
It is what it is.
Just as he was absorbed in thought, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.
"Incredible, Cyril! You won even easier than I thought!" a female voice exclaimed at full volume, silencing all the whispers around.
People sent a certain auburn-haired girl confused looks, as if she were a madwoman.
Cyril froze, observing the hand casually patting his shoulder.
"Haha, sorry." Myra awkwardly took her arm back with a smile, "Good job in there!"
Cyril lingered on her hand for a second more before glancing over to her face.
Myra's black eyes held not a drop of fear or negativity. She looked at him with such a shine, like he was a hero from a story who had just slain an evil dragon.
"...Do you think I should've gone easier on Aldy?" Cyril asked, looking away from her eyes.
Myra immediately shook her head, her auburn hair shaking with it.
"What?! Of course not. He is studying in Ailanthus, not some cushy academy from the center. He better get used to difficulty if he wants to go far. This wasn't even anything too harsh."
"I see." Cyril slowly nodded.
A bizarre feeling flooded his chest. Somehow, it was easier to breathe now.
"Maybe she is not completely unlikable..."
Rose soon walked over, having finally recovered from the running earlier.
"Curse these lessons. They are the only thing holding me back." She said, her breathing still uneven.
"How are you so physically strong, Cyril? Is this the blood of a knight at play?" Rose asked, in her eyes a spark of professional interest.
"Maybe," Cyril shrugged his shoulders without saying more.
The students resumed their training, and only occasionally would someone quietly discuss the earlier fights.
...
After the end of the lesson, Cyril returned to his dormitory.
There he sat before his desk, opening the Spell Making textbook.
Time to study.
He focused on learning, though a fight from earlier would resurface in his mind occasionally.
"We are just too damn strong for the weaklings of this place." Rhamn sat near him, her head raised towards the sky.
I shouldn't get careless.
Combat-wise, there is Myra already. But even without her, there is always a chance someone here becomes stronger than expected.
What if someone is hiding their strength? Some dark horse that will defeat everyone against all odds in the most unlikely moment?
"Things like that only happen in stories." Rhamn shrugged with a smile.
Cyril turned towards her, observing her posture from top to bottom.
You already act like some third-rate villain from a story, so there is a chance.
Rhamn's face froze.
"...Is that so?" She pinched her chin, entering into deep contemplation.
No longer getting distracted by her, Cyril refocused on studying.
"'I am really from the Thorne family,' huh," he muttered after a while, gazing in the open window nearby.
For some reason an auburn-haired girl patting his shoulder with a smile flashed on his mind as well.