The Frost of Judgment
The Academy, which serves as the central setting and focal point of the main story in New World Academy, is located in the heart of the continent, much like the Empire ruled by the Emperor. Unlike the territories governed by the four great families—Rabin, Freya, Arbana, and Einstro—the central region is known for its distinct four seasons.
In contrast, each of those four families is associated with a single dominant season. Rabin embodies spring. Freya represents summer. Arbana stands for autumn. And Einstro commands winter. They say the secret arts each family possesses can summon the very environment tied to their nature.
“Oh my god…”
“Ugh, there’s a barrier around the arena, so why is it this cold?”
“I-I’m shivering too.”
“It wasn’t just me?”
The current season was spring, the beginning of the year. A gentle time of warm breezes, slowly budding flowers, and sprouting new life in full bloom. Of course, the arena itself was modeled after a snowy mountain and battered by blizzards, but that was merely the internal environment of the training ground.
Whoooosh.
A wind blew in. Not the warm spring breeze that melted the heart, but a biting, bone-chilling gale sharp enough to freeze a person solid. The arena’s barrier protected us, yet even so, several students were already starting to feel the cold. The frigid aura created by her secret art had pierced through the barrier and reached us.
“Haa……”
Every breath I exhaled turned into a thick white mist that clouded my vision, making it clear the temperature here was nothing like before. What lay before us was no longer… spring.
Crunch. Crunch.
Winter. What stretched out in front of us now was not spring, but a merciless, frozen winter.
“It’s still warmer than the weather up north, yet everyone’s complaining so much.”
The one who had summoned this winter, Reglia, shook her head lightly as she watched the students whining. It was a sign that the northern region where she lived treated this level of cold as completely ordinary. And right now, the interior of the arena must have been harboring a cold far beyond what we could imagine.
Judging by the power, it’s certainly a technique worth preparing over a long period. However, it remains one she cannot fully handle yet.
The power doesn’t seem to be coming out properly either. It would have been better if she had trained her abilities a bit more before using it…
Still, I’d say she’ll be able to handle it properly within two years.
If she works hard, she definitely has the talent to master it within two years.
Cheonma and Hoya offered their evaluations of Reglia’s technique, concluding that it was still lacking. Since it was clearly too much for her current level, they must have spotted quite a few shortcomings.
‘I didn’t expect to see that technique here, though.’
Punishment of the Bitter Cold. A secret art taught only to direct descendants of the Einstro family. Even if someone learned it, the difficult requirements and conditions made it extremely tricky to use.
“That girl… I can’t believe she could actually use that technique…!”
“K-Kena, ma’am?!”
“Calm down!”
“Ouch, it’s hot!”
When Reglia revealed her hidden trump card, the freezing air seemed to warm up slightly. Apparently, that was thanks to that person over there.
‘Well, I suppose that makes sense.’
Since Punishment of the Bitter Cold was a technique only those with exceptional talent among Einstro’s direct line could learn, the Freya family naturally had its own secret arts reserved exclusively for direct descendants.
‘And that hot-headed idiot over there still hasn’t received it yet.’
Unlike Reglia, Kena had not yet been taught the technique by her father, the current head of the Freya family. The fact that someone she lived with had learned a family secret art and was now using it right in front of her was bound to light a fire under someone with her personality.
Fwoooosh.
“Reglia……!”
‘Thanks to her, the cold feels a bit more bearable.’
Not that it had been particularly cold for me in the first place.
“But why isn’t Lady Einstro moving?”
“I can’t see anything.”
“She should just fire off some magic right now.”
“Doesn’t her expression look kind of stiff, though?”
It’s because she used up all her mana. She poured every last drop into that last technique.
She invested everything except the mana needed to maintain her summon, so of course her face would stiffen when the power didn’t come out properly.
Cheonma and Hoya immediately answered the students’ questions. Of course, since only I could hear them, their words never reached the other students.
“…Impressive. Reglia Einstro.”
“Thank you, Professor.”
Garein appeared, clapping his hands. Multiple cuts marked his body, and frost clung to his legs, hindering his movement.
“Can you still fight?”
“If I use Aaron, it’s possible, but I won’t be able to do anything else. If you target me, Professor, I have no way to stop you.”
“Then shall we continue?”
At those words, Reglia thought for a moment before shaking her head and declaring her surrender.
“Then we’ll end it here. Go to the infirmary next door and get those wounds treated.”
“Yes. It was a good match. Thank you.”
Reglia dismissed Aaron and left the arena with slightly unsteady steps, heading straight into the infirmary right beside it.
“Next. Lohart Ando.”
“Y-yes!”
“Is the professor really going to fight in that condition?”
“Looks like it.”
While Reglia had removed the frost clinging to Garein’s feet as she left, the wounds on his body remained. Yet Garein showed every intention of continuing the matches in his injured state.
I was glad that my opponent’s strength had been reduced even a little, but the students didn’t seem entirely comfortable with it. Their expressions were rather dark.
“I’ll give you the same five minutes.”
Just like with Reglia, Garein granted the same five-minute preparation time. Lohart, who had stepped up as his opponent, fiddled with his bow and moved his lips silently. The environment was a forest with plenty of places to hide, at least.
After those five minutes passed and Garein opened his eyes to signal the start of the match—
“Then the evaluation…”
“P-Professor, shouldn’t you get your wounds treated first?”
Lohart spoke up bravely. Garein’s brow twitched as he asked,
“I’m fine. Let’s begin the match.”
“B-but your injuries…”
“It seems you all are looking down on me.”
BOOM!
“Ugh!”
“I am not yet in a state where I need your concern.”
Garein dashed forward at terrifying speed and slammed into Lohart, knocking him back like a battering ram. As he watched Lohart bounce and collapse, along with the rest of us, he coldly rolled his neck.
Crack. Crunch.
“Even in my current condition, I am more than enough to face all of you. And I already told you clearly—think of me as your enemy and fight. Were you planning to let your enemy heal his wounds before fighting him?”
He’s right. You idiots—who’s worrying about who here?
Exactly. All these kids are stupidly nice, huh?
This isn’t kindness. It’s stupidity.
Everyone swallowed hard as they stared at Garein. The overwhelming presence radiating from his body felt as solid and impenetrable as an iron fortress.
“Lohart. Stand up and point your arrow at me.”
“Ugh…”
However, Lohart clutched his shoulder and couldn’t even properly hold his bow. It seemed the earlier strike from Garein had done real damage. Seeing that he clearly couldn’t use his weapon, Garein shook his head.
“Lohart. Head to the infirmary.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“I won’t deduct points. You’ll have another match later, so go get treated right away.”
Lohart had nearly been eliminated the moment the match began. Thanks to his tearful sacrifice, the other students seemed to snap back to their senses.
“Next, Joria Hon.”
“Y-yes!”
“Next, Peria Dorma.”
“Yessir!”
“Next, Jone.”
“Yes!”
The matches that followed went exactly as Garein had wanted. Every single student fought him with everything they had. A few even managed to leave wounds on his body. As a result, the longer time went on, the worse Garein’s condition became… until finally—
“Next, Zeon.”
“…Yes!”
My turn had finally arrived.
It’s finally your turn.
That man’s condition is clearly not at full strength, just like it looks.
If you keep your head straight, you might have a chance.
So stay calm and remember the training we did.
The training we did, huh…
“Then I’ll give you five minutes. Prepare—”
“Ah, that’s fine, Professor.”
Garein’s brow furrowed slightly at my words. But look, there wasn’t much time left until lunch. There was nothing to prepare in five minutes anyway, so I didn’t want to waste time like this.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said.”
“…Are you confident you won’t regret this?”
“Yes. I’m really fine.”
Step. Step.
People who played the game always said it—Garein was the perfect embodiment of an iron fortress. His rock-solid defense and heavy-hitting attacks made him an incredibly difficult opponent. But even the sturdiest fortress eventually has its gates opened.
I was lucky enough to know Garein’s strategy. Normally, even knowing his weakness, winning against him in a match would have been nearly impossible. But thanks to the unique nature of this evaluation match, the training I received from Cheonma and Hoya, and the fact that Garein was currently weakened by his injuries, I now held a sliver of hope in my hands.
“A choice you will regret.”
Regret… regret, he says. I wonder if he knows? That the one who will be regretting at the end of this fight won’t be me—it will be him.