Jack Richmond's Education
"What... did you just say?!"
"Ah, my apologies. It seems my true thoughts slipped out without my noticing. Allow me to apologize."
My words must have stoked his rage; his eyes bulged wide. Watching him seethe and snort, unable to contain his own fury, was almost pitiful.
"You bastard...!"
I simply stared at him in silent disdain. At last he could no longer hold back; I felt his mana stir.
Hot-tempered and short on brains, too.
Just as he was about to spit out an activation chant—planning to use a skill indoors, no less—the door rattled open. Aleister, who had briefly stepped out, returned to the classroom.
"Hm? Has some trouble arisen?"
Sensing the charged atmosphere, he looked toward us, where every gaze in the room had gathered.
Richmond turned to Aleister with a greasy smile, as if the anger of a moment ago had never existed.
"No, nothing of consequence. A minor difference of opinion, that's all."
"Is that so? Well, the lecture isn't finished yet, so would you both return to your seats for now?"
"...Of course."
Before heading back, Richmond wiped the smile clean off his face. With a rotten glare he leaned in and hissed into my ear.
"Hey. You and me after class. I'm going to kill you for sure—so prepare yourself."
Hilarious.
I let the brazen threat slide in one ear and out the other, then took my seat.
"Whoa, getting marked by S-rank Jack Richmond..."
"I heard Winchester's talent is only D-rank. Isn't he in real trouble?"
Whispers rose around us. Apparently the fellow enjoyed a certain degree of fame within the academy.
I was prepared to ignore it all when Elizabeth, seated beside me, spoke carefully.
"Young Master, are you all right?"
"Of course."
There was no reason not to be. Types like him existed everywhere. Paying them attention only made them thrash harder; it was far more peaceful simply to live without caring.
Don't underestimate a working adult.
I had endured far worse abuse from workplace superiors. A little mouth like his couldn't leave a scratch.
[To pick a fight with you when he's so weak... what a strange fellow.]
No need to care at all. With guys like that, caring means you lose.
[Is that so?]
Yeah.
I glanced sideways. Enri and Angela were clearly furious as well; it showed plain on their faces.
"That look of his was truly unpleasant. Honestly, I never want to get involved with him again."
"Hmph! Someone like that needs his big nose smashed completely flat!"
Unlike the two who were fuming, Elizabeth wore a worried expression.
"Jack Richmond may have a problematic personality, but his skill is another matter entirely."
"I heard he even beat Lady Elizabeth at the entrance ceremony!"
"I recall hearing the rumor myself."
According to them, he had taken first place in the combat portion of the entrance exam, defeating her. Elizabeth's overall score had still been higher, so she became the representative, yet they insisted his pure fighting ability deserved recognition.
[Still just a brat.]
Still just a brat.
For the first time, Beatrix and I were in perfect agreement. My mana and stats had long since left the level any freshman could handle. Besides, Elizabeth's talent was support-oriented to begin with. Comparing her to someone who almost certainly possessed a combat-type talent was meaningless.
"There's no need to concern yourselves with him from now on. As team leader, I'll have a proper word with him."
The others looked uneasy, but none of them opposed me.
"This place should keep any meddlers away."
Richmond, who had claimed he had business with me, led me to the sparring grounds where I had once traded blows with William.
"What an insolent fool who doesn't know his place. Still, I'll praise you for following me this far without complaint—even as a mere D-rank."
Still a long tongue on him.
The sparring grounds, huh. Surprisingly sensible choice of venue.
For someone who had been ready to unleash mana inside a classroom, he had at least picked a decent spot.
"So, you brought me here for a spar?"
Dragging me all the way to the arena left little other possibility.
"A spar? With the likes of you?"
"Was that not it?"
"Kyahahahaha!!"
He laughed long and hard at my question, then fixed me with a terrifying glare.
"Don't make me laugh. This isn't some spar. This is an education. I'll drill the proper etiquette toward an S-rank into a D-rank like you."
Not worth answering.
"If the future about to unfold frightens you, then drop to your knees right now and beg. Of course, I have no intention of forgiving you either way!"
"That's far enough."
"Huh? Who dares— V-Vice President?! How are you here...?!"
The one who instantly cooled Richmond's boiling temper was none other than Dorothy Rothermere, future student council president.
She interrupted my spar with William last time, and now she's here again.
She strode confidently onto the sparring grounds and looked between us.
"I received an anonymous report that something was happening at the first-year sparring grounds, so I came to check."
Richmond's face soured at her words. The place he had picked his fight was the classroom where teams were being formed—crowded with students. Plenty had witnessed the scene, and many had even followed us here. One of them must have reported it to the student council.
"I keep running into Junior Winchester at the sparring grounds, don't I?"
"...So it seems."
"Hmm~ Planning another duel? So full of youthful vigor. Is it because you're boys?"
Another one, she said.
Does she think I'm some kind of battle-obsessed tribe?
I felt wronged. Neither the match with William nor this one had been started by my will.
Richmond looked mildly surprised that Dorothy and I seemed acquainted. Then his expression shifted and he spoke to her with an air of grievance.
"Vice President, with all due respect, sparring between students does not violate academy regulations."
"Of course I know that perfectly well. That's why I haven't dragged you off yet, isn't it?"
"..."
Dorothy smiled as she spoke, but the message was crystal clear: she was watching, so don't cause trouble.
"Since I'm already here, I'll serve as an official student-council observer for your spar. Occasions like this are rare, so you can feel free to be happy about it, all right?"
"O-of course. Having the Vice President observe our spar is a true honor."
"Aww, no need to pile on the flattery that much."
Richmond's face bloomed with a full smile, yet I could clearly see his fists trembling with clenched force.
"Ahem. As observer, I'll briefly explain the rules."
Dorothy cleared her throat and looked at us both.
"During spars between students, all skills are strictly forbidden. Attacks made with lethal intent are also prohibited. Simple enough, right? Any additional questions?"
"Haha, none at all."
"None."
Richmond and I each took our places on the ready lines painted across the sparring floor.
"Then, beginning now—the spar between Taylor Winchester and Jack Richmond."
"Woooah!!"
"The strongest freshman Richmond versus the most famous freshman Winchester!"
"I never thought we'd get to see a spar this early in the first semester!"
At her signal, excited voices rose from the students who had gathered to watch.
Hearing the cheers, Richmond smiled and drew the sword at his waist.
"You just had your life spared, you worm. Be grateful to Vice President Rothermere!"
Richmond kicked off the ground. The way he charged straight at me looked like a rodeo bull from some old television show—unfortunately for him, I was no matador.
So this is the level of the strongest freshman.
Even without mana, he was so slow it nearly made me yawn. No need to dodge.
Clang!
I simply lifted the spear in my hand a fraction and caught the blade rushing toward me. Surprise flickered across his face that I had blocked it at all, yet his body never stopped moving; the next motion flowed naturally.
"How dare you!"
Using the rebound of the deflected sword, he spun once and swept the blade horizontally. The strike aimed precisely at my neck; I tilted my head just enough to let it pass with room to spare. My eyes followed the edge as it glided harmlessly past, and I casually hooked his poorly planted rear leg with my foot.
His body, still turning on momentum, lost its center and tumbled sideways.
"Guhk!"
Even though Richmond had clearly taken the initiative, he ended up rolling across the floor. Astonished cries burst from the onlookers.
"I-impossible!"
"So the rumor that the Winchester heir is only D-rank was a lie after all?"
"No way! They said Richmond was going to be the next strongest hero!"
Richmond ground his teeth and pushed himself up. He must have smashed his nose into the ground when he fell; blood streamed freely, making him look thoroughly pathetic. Honestly, with a gap this wide, I wished he would simply realize it himself.
"I merely hooked your foot."
"How dare—how dare a mere D-rank look down on me, Jack Richmond, an S-rank!!"
I had only stated the facts. Why he took it as an insult was beyond me.
"There's no point continuing this. Let's finish it quickly."
"Ha! Keep the bluffing to a reasonable level, D-rank. You got lucky dodging once and now you're far too cocky!!"
Gripping his sword tightly, he charged again. The same pattern, repeated. At this point I half-suspected a passing goblin would have attacked more efficiently. His combat sense wasn't terrible once we clashed, but his head was fundamentally empty.
I lightly redirected the strike and, as he rushed past, hooked his leg once more and sent him sprawling.
"Uwaaagh!"
It wasn't even physical comedy; he simply toppled in the middle of his charge and rolled spectacularly across the ground. Hmm. A perfect one-hundred-out-of-one-hundred artistic sliding score.
Come to think of it, I made a promise.
Recalling the forgotten vow, I looked down at him and spoke calmly.
"I don't particularly care what you do, but from now on, do not lay a hand on me or anyone around me."
"You bastard! Uwaaaaaaah!!!!"
The humiliation of being bested yet again finally snapped the last of his reason.
Now I don't even need to bother with him.
Sensing the telltale surge of mana from him, I smiled.
"You really are an idiot."
At the sound of my voice he realized what he had done and frantically tried to pull the mana back—but someone else moved faster.
"Ghk!!"
"Jack Richmond. For violating academy regulations, I will subdue you as a member of the student council."
Dorothy Rothermere twisted the wrist holding his sword in a flash, slammed him to the ground, and pinned his back with her knee.
Ho. So this is the difference of the academy's strongest.
Her speed was so great that even I lost track of her for an instant.
"Junior Richmond, you're not going to claim this isn't a rule violation either, are you?"
In the suddenly silent sparring grounds, Dorothy's quiet voice rang out clearly.