"S-student Vallhall! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU JUST…!"
"HURGH!"
The furious leading teacher rushed at the seated boy, already reaching out to grab him, but that was also the moment that bright red blood burst out of completely confused Rotsard's mouth and nose, causing the teacher to stop in confusion.
"Wh-whah happhenhedh…? Whah didh yhoy dho to mhe…?"
"...!"
Trembling like a fall leaf in the wind, Rotsard mumbled while blood was spilling out of his mouth, staring at the speechless teacher Karlasth with his terrifying yellow eyes that were now tearing up with blood.
Something was wrong… something was terribly, horribly wrong…
Something that should never happen, happened…!
"Gah! Teacher Karlasth! Leave him be! That's only mana rebound! He'll suffer a bit, but he'll be fine! We must get a few students to the hospital wing! Some of them have frostbite!"
"..."
The assistant teacher called out, but the leading teacher merely glanced at her.
Mana rebound?
Not a chance.
With mana rebound, the magic user throws up dark, almost black blood, one without vitality.
The inexperience of the young woman was blatantly obvious.
The blood that Rotsard was throwing up was bright red, brimming with vitality.
He was literally coughing up his life.
"H…helph…"
"..."
The boy wheezed pleadingly, but the teacher didn't approach him and just stood there, thinking.
Rotsard Vallhall was a well-known trouble-child. A delinquent who stirred up nothing but trouble.
A problem for the Royal Academy. No one could do anything against him because of the high position of his family and the exorbitant sums of money they donated yearly.
But at the same time, Rotsard was a problem for his own family too.
If someone harmed him, then all hel would break loose.
…but if he died on his own, because of his own mistake that could not be prevented, then…
No one could be blamed, and the problem would disappear.
"...you're right, teacher Hervorlst… other children are in a much more dire situation…"
"...!?"
And so the leading teacher made a decision.
One to turn his back on the severely wounded seventeen-year-old boy begging for help, and walk away.
Rotsard wasn't able to pay attention, but one way or another, a group of students was taken to the hospital wing by the leading teacher, leaving a small group warming up around the rank 4 flame wheel created by the assistant teacher Hervolst.
Already terribly weak, Rotsard could barely crawl, but he somehow managed to get up and started to stumble his way towards the building.
It just so happened that he would have to drag himself past his classmates.
He wasn't even aware where he was looking, just forcing his body to take step after step. His mind was as hazy as if he was submerged in the thick fog in the middle of a dark forest.
"LEAVE HER ALONE!"
Justin's shout as he shielded Amelia with his body didn't even register in Rotsard's brain.
"T-teacher… he… he doesn't look… okay…"
Only one other student dared to speak up, even though they did so only because of how terrified they were of Rotsard's appearance and not for his sake.
"He got what he deserved. Mana rebound looks far worse than it feels. He's just a pampered brat, so he never experienced any pain."
The assistant teacher scoffed, looking away from the bloodied boy who never stopped attempting to simply walk past them without initiating any interaction.
"THAT'S IT! Teacher! I want to request a duel with that scum!"
With Amelia trembling behind his back, Justin felt threatened by Rotsard's presence and howled, pushing forward his training sword and demanding.
"You hear me?! Scum!? I challenge you to a duel! If I win, you will never bother young lady Edemsworth again! If you win, I'll quit the Royal Academy! You should be satisfied with those conditions, right!?"
Justin roared, brimming with righteous fury, and the remaining students gasped either in shock or awe at his bravery.
"I approve. This is a lesson after all, and he of all students I know needs to learn a lot about life."
"Hmph! That makes it!"
The assistant teacher declared with a spiteful expression and waved her hand signaling the start, to which the spirited student called out confidently, raising his sword against his classmate, who barely clung to life.
—--
Once again, Rotsard wasn't even aware what was happening around him. His vision was turning blurry from the blood flooding his eyes through the tear ducts…
He noticed some movement, he trembled and stopped, but the shape began approaching faster, rushing straight at him! Fearing for what was left of his life, he reached out his hand, but couldn't even hold a steady aim. Despite that, he still chanted a spell…
But then he lost his balance on the snow and slipped, falling on his back…!
—-
The moment that Justin rushed at Rotsard, the bloodied boy raised his hand, and despite Justin's acceleration spell, he never failed to aim right at him!
It was a chilling experience...! Justin, who couldn't use external magic that projected outwards and instead focused on the internal magic that boosted his body, never imagined someone like Rotsard Vallhall matching his movement.
He had to go above and beyond to deal with that scum, it seemed!
"POWER JUMP!"
After one last jump to the side, Justin activated a surprise spell and flew into the air!
"!!!"
But then he almost lost his cool when Rotsard hand followed him, but that wasn't the time for doubts!"
"...shnowhnholl…"
The bleached-blond-haired boy mumbled, and more blood spilled out of his mouth as he fell to the ground, losing his balance, but the spell he mumbled activated, only that instead of the supposed snowball, a cone of white mist erupted from his palm!
But it went far above Justin's head, engulfing the wooden blade of his wooden sword without coming close to Justin's body or even hands!
"TOO WEAK!"
Justin howled, cutting right through the white mist and delivering a devastating overhead slash at his opponent.
The attack was partially blocked by Rotsard's hand, but it was so ridiculously powerful that the wooden blade shattered into fine splinters…!
Or rather, diamond dust glittering in the returning sunlight like some sort of otherworldly spectacle...!
"...ghguh…"
The loser in the encounter was obvious. He rolled to his side, coughing up blood while clenching one arm close to his body while shedding bloody tears, after all.