The Second Prince's Seclusion (1)
By the next day, the news had spread like wildfire through Lamieli Academy.
In common classes, liberal arts lectures, the training grounds, the cafeteria—nowhere was the second prince to be seen.
Those who had been riding the second prince's coattails even before arriving at the academy found themselves cut loose just one day after enrollment.
They scrambled everywhere to track down any word of him and soon learned without much trouble that he was holed up in his mansion, refusing to see anyone or even step outside.
Everyone had expected the newly enrolled second prince to be active for a while, at least to manage his support base among the students. The news delivered a minor shock to the noble students.
And the reason behind it began to circulate quietly among them as well.
"......Why the sudden seclusion, you think?"
"Shh, this is just between us, okay? Don't go blabbing that I told you."
"Of course! You know you can trust me—I'm the Empire's Lockjaw, after all."
"Lockjaw my ass."
"Anyway, spill it!"
The students hesitated to speak openly due to the second prince's status, but 'just between us' was no gag order.
"Okay, okay. So, yesterday in the knight faculty class......"
"What!? A baguette?!"
"Shhh!! Quiet! That's not the point......"
"Yeah, yeah."
And so, even as they tried to keep it hush-hush, the students diligently spread the full story of the previous day's incident. In the end, everyone in the academy knew that the second prince had challenged the swordsmanship instructor to a duel, gotten thrashed with a baguette, and passed out.
A few nosy types had even dug up the detail about him pissing himself.
And that news reached the ears of the other swordsmanship instructor, Dios Redwood.
"What!? So...... the second prince got beaten with a baguette in front of all the other students, pissed himself, and passed out?"
"Y-Yes......"
"Heh, what a madman. Chewing through his own lifeline."
"B-But it was an academy-notarized duel......"
Dios scowled at the words of a low noble student sponsored by his own family.
"That doesn't mean shit. Do you know why academy professors have more authority than noble students but can't just swing it around? That fool has no clue."
"......?"
"It's four years at most. Professors stick with first-years from enrollment to graduation."
"So during that time......"
"And yet that second prince thinks he'll forget his grudges after just four years?"
"Well...... yeah."
The low noble student had once been caught in a large gathering and suffered the second prince's temper. He couldn't imagine the prince letting go of any grudges.
No, he probably wouldn't even wait those four years.
Hmm. But that guy beat the second prince with a baguette...... When I saw him as a kid, he seemed pretty talented......
Dios shook his head, recalling the rumors about the second prince.
Well, if he slacked on sword training after that and chased superficial flair, sure. I had high hopes because of the rumors about imperial knight order level, but guess it was all hype.
People's fates were unpredictable, after all.
Those who forgot diligence in the way of the sword were doomed to be weeded out.
He desperately ignored the gut starting to soften from the academy's delicious meals lately.
Dios considered himself lucky.
With the second prince joining the academy and showing interest in swordsmanship, he'd been sucking up since the entrance ceremony to get in good with him.
And now this incident blew up before things got irreversible.
Yep, better to hitch to the first prince after all. That guy did me a solid...... A solid...... Huh?
Suddenly, Dios's lips curled into a smirk.
Zeke had been screwing with him before enrollment—ignoring greetings, stealing the young ladies' attention.
That lingering grudge had been nagging like a pebble in his shoe.
But now he could catch two birds with one stone.
Yeah, cut the second prince loose and get rid of that annoying bastard.
"No need to drag this out."
"Pardon?"
"Today's swordsmanship class—won't the kids from his class show up?"
"Y-Yeah."
"Heh, this'll be fun."
*
Dios's class time.
He swept his hair back as he faced the students in the first training hall.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Dios Redwood, the first swordsmanship instructor in charge of the first training hall at Lamieli Academy."
As he spoke, the students eyed him warily, like frightened animals.
"First, allow me to introduce myself. I'm the second son of the Redwood Count family and one of the Black Dragon Swords of the Black Dragon Knight Order. Surely no one here doesn't know that name. And I competed with them, claimed victory, and went on to serve as captain of the Black Dragon Knights."
Yes, this was it.
The classic curriculum they'd heard about before coming to the academy!
Starting the first class with his own intro instead of making them spin in the training hall!
What a relief!
The students visibly relaxed.
"What you'll learn over the next four years is the Black Dragon Sword. Speaking of this Black Dragon Sword! Long ago, in that dark era when wicked magic dragons led monsters in an invasion......"
The history of the Black Dragon Sword pouring from Dios's mouth started off intriguing enough.
The students' eyes sparkled.
"And finally...... That's when! A 40-meter ogre suddenly......"
But just when it seemed about to end, a new monster appeared.
"And finally...... That's when! My father, a swordmaster, unleashed a legendary technique......"
Or when it really seemed over, a new technique name popped up.
"But finally...... That technique was......"
Then he'd explain that technique in detail.
Just stop saying 'finally' already!!!
This was another hell.
The students struggled not to yawn during the instructor's long-winded speech.
It was torture in its own right.
To stay awake, they whispered among themselves.
"Yesterday's instructor class wasn't boring, right?"
"Falling asleep in that situation wouldn't be sleeping—it'd be dying. Dude. But after surviving that hell yesterday, this feels like heaven. Yawn."
"Hey, mouth shut when you talk. Same here, but...... Wow. How does a guy talk nonstop for three hours? Mouse Durastan? They say first classes always end early."
Dios, oblivious to the students' despairing gazes, was high on his own ramble, pushing the story along.
Then he spotted the low noble from earlier frantically crossing his arms and wrapped up his speech. Checking the time, he saw about an hour left.
"......And so, the tale of the Black Dragon Sword is far from over. But we'll stop here for today. I'll share the rest bit by bit in future classes, so no need to feel too disappointed."
Ahem. Clearing his throat, Dios scanned the students' faces.
Hmm, reciting this tale always stirs the blood.
The students seemed to feel the same.
Some gawked with mouths agape, others had bloodshot eyes—clearly moved.
They just couldn't yet grasp that they'd learn such an epic sword style.
Yes, the Black Dragon Sword is supreme. Hmm. Now, before demonstrating......
Dios grinned.
"You all took Zeke Clayman's swordsmanship class yesterday, right?"
"......!"
"And I heard the second prince dueled him and lost."
The kids, dazed from three hours of Black Dragon Sword butchery, snapped wide awake.
Bringing up the incident everyone was tiptoeing around—in class, no less.
Was he picking a fight with the second prince?
"Sigh. What a shameful affair. As a fellow academy swordsmanship instructor, I must apologize."
He bowed his head slightly.
"To think an instructor would bully a student and even insult a honorable duel."
Dios shook his head as if truly regretful.
"Uh......? Hey, that's not quite right, is it?"
"Uh, yeah. The second prince did challenge him first......"
"At first I thought it was too much, but......"
"If that instructor had used a real sword...... It wouldn't have ended with the prince passing out......"
The skill gap between the second prince and the instructor was obvious.
The prince charging with gritted teeth versus Zeke barely moving, swinging his baguette boredly—the difference was so stark even sword illiterate could see it.
And Zeke striking empty spots while verbally guiding? It felt more like instruction than insult.
"No wounds either......"
"I went home yesterday covered in bruises......"
"Me too."
The students wore puzzled expressions.
Everyone here had taken a baguette hit in yesterday's class.
It hurt more than expected for a bread whack, and seeing the mottled bruises in the mirror at home had shocked them.
Fortunately, by morning only killer muscle soreness remained—the bruises vanishing like a lie.
They were nobles or pampered commoners; none had been hit at home before.
But with the empire's noblest blood, the second prince, taking baguette hits too, who were they to complain?
Seeing no marks on the prince, though, made the status gap sink in.
The instructor must've gone easy because he's royalty......
That was all they could think.
"He faked fainting from shame, right?"
"Yeah. I'd do the same."
Regardless, Dios pressed on with his narrative.
"So, I intend to hold that honorless, shameless instructor accountable. Surely! No one here took Zeke Clayman's class, right?"
Dios's face hardened as he spoke.
"Don't you think such a person should step down as instructor? There's a way. Gentlemen. If no one attends Zeke Clayman's class......"
His sinister, sticky gaze pierced the students.
Then he burst out laughing and spoke cheerfully.
"Hahaha!! Just kidding! Kidding! As if an academy sword instructor would block students from choosing another. I have no right to that. No, no."
"Ahaha......"
"But give it a little thought, and the answer's obvious."
The students swallowed hard.
"Well, with that settled, time to demonstrate the Black Dragon Sword."
Serena had no eyes for Dios's Black Dragon Sword display.
Her mind was full of Zeke Clayman.
She clenched her fists, trembling.
Instructor Dios is inciting the students. To boycott Instructor Zeke's class! I have to tell him about this!