The Public Class (Part 2)
At last, the curtain rose on Innocence Academy's Public Class.
"The battles will proceed in a randomly selected order, regardless of year. You can especially look forward to great things from this year's first-year cadets."
Juliut, the principal of the academy, turned his head back to speak to those seated in the VIP section.
At Juliut's words, which specifically singled out the first-years, the heads of the Four Great Elemental Families smiled.
Yet, there was exactly one person among them who could not smile.
"Ahem, ahem..."
Sicili Windless, the head of the Windless family, cleared her throat. She was... worried about Lucia.
Following Juliut's brief explanation, the event commenced swiftly.
There was a vast number of cadets.
To ensure the monster subjugations proceeded quickly, they were sending out beasts tailored as closely as possible to each cadet's skill level.
In some cases, the cadets were even allowed to choose their own monsters.
"The monsters for this public class were prepared by the Association President,"
Juliut said, politely gesturing with an open palm toward the Adventurer Guild Association President sitting nearby, his eyes crinkling in a smile.
The Association President let out a hearty laugh.
Soon after, the voice of the instructor hosting the event down in the Colosseum echoed throughout the entire stadium, amplified by a magic-infused necklace.
"Our very first cadet! Oh my, are we really starting with him? That's right... From one of the continent's Four Great Elemental Families! The master of earth magic, Caligus... Cadet Amon Caligus of Class 1-A!!"
Following the instructor's call, cheers erupted throughout the Colosseum.
However, perhaps because they found the host's tone a bit too frivolous,
the atmosphere in the VIP section grew slightly chilly.
Juliut took off his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose, and gestured to a nearby instructor.
He then whispered a few words to the instructor who quietly approached him.
Amidst the cheers, in the quiet pocket of the VIP seats, the Sword Saint, Chris, scratched his head and spoke up.
"Why is everyone so stiff? It feels like a festival, I like it. Juliut, who is that instructor hosting down there? I quite fancy his style."
At Chris's question, Juliut turned his head.
"...He is my son. Edward."
"Edward...? Edward is an instructor?"
"Well... things just turned out that way."
"I had no idea Edward was such a lively fellow, haha!"
"I suppose you wouldn't. It must have been nearly ten years since you last saw him..."
The quiet conversation between Juliut and Chris continued.
Upon hearing that the frivolous host was actually Juliut's son, Edward, the other guests in the VIP section also showed surprised reactions.
While the first thing that came to mind for ordinary people at the name Edward Klaus was the Trio of Black Blood, the people in the VIP seats were far from ordinary.
Having lived through the war themselves, they knew Edward by another, different epithet.
The Black Horn Hunter.
Information about Edward was exceptionally scarce, even among the general public.
The reason was clear.
As the vice-commander of the special anti-demon assassination squad, he was targeted by countless demons.
Utilizing the unique properties of Edward's illusion magic, the Allied Forces' assassination squad had systematically assassinated high-ranking demons with Black Horns—the strongest and most notorious among their kind.
The number of Black Horn demon heads they had brought back easily exceeded five.
Chris recalled the Edward he had encountered on the battlefield.
Kaen had been ten years old at the time.
Chris had temporarily left her in the care of an acquaintance before heading out to the front lines.
The Edward he met during the war was on his way back to the garrison, carrying a bundle of severed demon heads he had personally carved off.
Back then, he was just a brat who didn't show a single shred of emotion, but he's turned into quite an amusing fellow. Did he undergo some kind of inner change?
Chris briefly wondered if he should meet up with Edward for a chat later. He would be quite surprised if he ever found out that Edward was now married.
Before long, a young man walked into the center of the Colosseum.
It was Amon Caligus.
Seeing this, Jeras Clementine cleared his throat and spoke to Maxim Caligus, who sat beside him.
"Ahem... I heard that Amon had quite a rough time during the class placement exam. Is that true?"
Jeras already knew that Zeto, who was said to be a friend of his daughter Yuri, had defeated Amon.
Even though Zeto wasn't his son-in-law yet, Jeras couldn't help but want to boast a little.
At this, the massive figure sitting with his arms crossed—
Maxim Caligus, the Shield of the Empire, glared at Jeras.
"...He needed to be broken at least once. If he is my son, if he is a Caligus, he will have undoubtedly grown stronger from it."
"I certainly hope so."
Jeras chuckled, and the monster Amon was to face entered the Colosseum.
Listening to Edward's commentary, it seemed Amon had chosen this monster himself.
"An ogre... It seems like an excellent opponent to showcase the earth magic of the Caligus family."
At the Guild Association President's remark, the guests in the VIP section nodded in agreement.
It was twice the size of an orc, which shared a somewhat similar appearance, and its physical strength was naturally incomparable to such lesser creatures.
Ogres, unlike orcs, had a single horn on their heads and possessed pale, white skin.
Of course, they were just as hideously ugly as orcs.
The weaknesses of an ogre were its slow movements, fitting its massive bulk, and its relative lack of intelligence.
In exchange, its destructive power was immense.
Maxim nodded silently.
Since Amon favored close-quarters combat, he felt this was an opponent that would allow his son to display his skills to the fullest.
The ogre that entered the Colosseum wielded a massive, blunt-edged axe.
Edward snapped his fingers, and the illusion magic binding the beast dissolved...
—Uwooooh!!!
The ogre roared, and the crowd's cheers grew even louder.
The battle between Amon and the ogre began immediately.
—Clang!!
The ogre struggled to pierce Amon's sturdy gauntlets.
It was different from the time he had been shredded by the lycanthrope's rapid strikes.
Amon, too, had grown a step stronger.
Amon then drove a spear made of solid stone deep into the ogre's shoulder, landing a heavy blow.
Thunderous applause rained down on the Colosseum.
"As expected of my son."
Maxim Caligus clapped, a pleased smile spreading across his face.
"He's much calmer than usual, isn't he?"
Sicili remarked, observing Amon's combat style.
At this, Hubert, the chairman who had remained silent until now, raised his index finger and spoke.
"Haha, Innocence Academy always finds a way to foster the growth of its cadets. I am confident this public class will be an entertaining experience for the family heads as well."
While Amon's newfound composure was largely due to experiencing the out-of-bounds strength of Zeto, it had still happened within the academy, so it could be considered the academy's achievement.
—Boom!!
Soon, Amon crushed the ogre's skull with his earth gauntlets, bringing the battle to an end.
With a triumphant expression, Amon raised his blood-stained gauntlets high, proudly flaunting the prestige of the Caligus family.
Once again, applause showered over Amon.
The guests in the VIP section conversed among themselves.
Praise like "A Caligus is indeed a Caligus" rippled through the crowd.
On the other hand, Chris silently rested his chin in his hand.
He was the Sword Saint.
He was obsessed with the sword.
Unless it involved a swordsman, he had little interest.
After Amon's battle concluded, the matches of other cadets followed immediately.
Most of the battles ended quickly.
The only notable event was a third-year cadet who, perhaps feeling pressured after the first-year Amon defeated an ogre, chose the same monster only to make a complete mess of the fight.
Swordsmen also appeared from time to time.
A paladin, a rather rare sight, made an appearance, drawing the keen interest of the Vice-Commander of the Silver Wing Knights sitting in the VIP section.
The paladin wielded a massive two-handed sword.
His chosen opponents were a pack of undead ghouls.
Chris, still resting his chin in his hand, cast his gaze downward to watch.
The battle ended rather anticlimactically.
The ghouls simply could not withstand the divine power.
The Vice-Commander of the Silver Wing Knights whispered something to her subordinate.
Chris clicked his tongue softly.
They were only cadets, after all. Even though he had lowered his standards as much as possible, it still failed to satisfy him.
Instead, his expectations for the 'blind swordsman' who had reportedly defeated Kaen were only rising.
If that boy also failed to impress him... it would be quite disappointing.
If that happens, I'll just have to tell myself I came here to see Kaen's face.
And perhaps give Kaen a good scolding for losing to someone like that.
Time flowed on, and before long, it was afternoon.
A sense of fatigue was beginning to settle over the Colosseum.
There were simply too many cadets.
Naturally, only a select few truly stood out among them.
"...I'm sure you're all feeling quite tired by now. You're probably thinking about the break after this match, or perhaps wondering about what to eat for lunch. But! At this very moment, you must open your eyes and pay close attention. That is, if you don't want to miss her."
Right on cue, Edward, who was hosting, suddenly built up the tension.
"This cadet's name is not widely known. However, I, Edward Klaus, guarantee that her name will soon echo across the entire continent. When I first saw her, I wondered: why on earth did she come to this academy? Because, at least in my eyes, she has absolutely nothing left to learn here."
Edward was an exceptionally skilled host.
Though the guests in the VIP section might have found him frivolous at first, his eloquence was undeniably brilliant at capturing attention.
Just as everyone—even Chris—was beginning to wonder who she was and what her identity could be,
"A rising supernova of Innocence Academy, and one who can be called one of the strongest cadets even within Class A. Please welcome her with a round of applause. From Class 1-A, Cadet Eisel Ludwig!"
Following Edward's grand introduction, she made her appearance in the Colosseum.
Walking slowly into the arena, she was a girl of somewhat petite stature, with long, platinum-blonde hair that exuded a mysterious aura.
Wearing a cynical expression, she drew the undivided attention of everyone in the Colosseum.
Among those in the VIP section, Principal Juliut and Chairman Hubert were likely the only ones who knew of her.
Since most of the guests were outsiders, her face was entirely unfamiliar to them.
Just how strong was this girl, whose name they had never even heard, for Edward to praise her so highly?
Every single person in the VIP seats burned with curiosity.
Soon, the monster she was to face made its entrance.
Upon seeing the monster crawling into the Colosseum, Izard Aisin, the head of the Aisin family, spoke for the very first time today.
The identity of the monster, which made even the cold-hearted head of the Aisin family lose his composure, was...
"...A wyvern?"
It was a wyvern, often referred to as a lesser cousin of dragons.
Of course, saying such a thing in front of a real dragon would leave one without a single bone intact.
Its only resemblance to a dragon was that it was a winged lizard... yet it was still not an opponent to be taken lightly.
Although it could not breathe fire like a dragon, it was notorious among monsters for being exceptionally tricky and violent.
The massive bulk of the wyvern filled the Colosseum.
It was the largest monster to appear so far, and in terms of strength, it was undoubtedly the peak.
Since wyverns could fly, a circular barrier smoothly rose to envelop the Colosseum.
This was Instructor Reina's barrier.
"At last... This is the beast Chairman Hubert specifically requested. Capturing a wyvern alive was a first for us as well, though Instructor Edward did assist in the process. We captured two in total. It seems that first-year cadet will be facing the smaller of the two. In any case, I am looking forward to this, hahaha!"
The Guild Association President offered a boisterous explanation.
The guests in the VIP section felt a slight wave of bewilderment.
Setting aside the sheer skill of Edward, who had casually cast illusion magic on a wyvern—a creature known for its high magic resistance—they were astonished by Eisel's sheer composure in the face of such a beast.
But Eisel was simply thinking about something else entirely.
Even at this very moment, Eisel's mind was consumed by thoughts of the curse afflicting Zeto.
She had managed to find a demonic curse that was strikingly similar to the one described in the fairy tale she had read last night.
Generally, curses could be lifted through a specific counter-curse ritual or forcibly erased with a massive amount of divine power.
Fortunately, the book had also detailed the method to lift it.
However, that method... was highly disturbing to Eisel.
The method to lift the curse is a kiss from the one he loves...?
Eisel repeated the words to herself.
How could a mere demon's curse interfere with human emotions? She found it utterly absurd.
Whether it was just a curse from a fairy tale, or if the author had based the tale on a real curse, she had no way of knowing.
Just as Eisel was lost in these thoughts, Edward, standing beside her, whispered, "Shall we begin?" and snapped his fingers.
The illusion magic binding the wyvern dissolved instantly.
—Kieeeeeeeek!!!!!!
The wyvern's ferocious screech echoed through the Colosseum.
Yet, no cheers followed.
A primitive emotion, entirely natural for humans, washed over the spectators.
Even though a barrier was in place and they knew they were safe, they felt genuine fear.
Cadets and their families alike watched with bated breath, filled with worry.
They wondered if that fragile-looking girl could truly defeat a wyvern.
"With Instructor Edward there, she will be safe. Why don't we all ease our expressions and enjoy the show?"
Hubert's quiet voice broke the silence in the VIP section.
Right after, Eisel, standing before the wyvern, drew a short rod from her robes.
As she channeled her mana into it, the rod clicked and began to shift its shape.
In an instant, the rod transformed into a magnificent golden spear.
The eyes of everyone in the Colosseum locked onto the sight, having never witnessed such a thing before.
The Spear of the Thunder Emperor...
Watching this, Hubert offered a bittersweet smile, bidding a silent farewell to the weapon.
"Oh...?"
Chris found himself wishing he had a sword that clicked and transformed like that.
He was entirely serious.
He was already planning to pay a visit to a famous dwarven blacksmith.
Meanwhile, Eisel, holding the Spear of the Thunder Emperor, felt a surge of irritation.
A kiss from the one he loved.
For a curse that supposedly ate away at one's heart, the method to lift it was absurdly simple. In a way, this was good news for her.
If kissing Zeto was not just her own selfish desire but a necessary step to lift his curse, then it was a massive win for her.
But that was only if the one Zeto loved was her—Eisel.
What if... just what if... the curse doesn't lift even after he kisses me...?
Eisel muttered inwardly.
The wyvern's tail whipped violently toward her, but with a crackle of sparks, Eisel's body shot straight up into the air.
Conveniently, a perfect target to vent her frustration on was right in front of her.
Hovering high above the Colosseum, Eisel gathered lightning into her spear.
—Crackle!!!
Sparks erupted violently along the golden spear, and she began her descent.
Eisel drove the spear straight down toward the wyvern's head...
—Craaaash!!!!!!!!
With a deafening roar, the wyvern's head was slammed into the ground by the force of the strike.
—Kiiiiiing!!!!!
Immediately after, the lightning gathered in the spear erupted.
The flash was so blindingly bright that, despite it being broad daylight, it momentarily made the surroundings seem pitch black.
The fierce current flowing from the wyvern's head overflowed, bursting out of its body and forcing Edward, who was standing nearby, to leap backward to avoid it.
—Zzzzt!!!
—Crackle!!
Currents of electricity rippled across the Colosseum floor.
Fortunately, they did not spread too far.
—Sssss...
Soon, smoke rose from the wyvern's body, charred to the bone by the lightning, and the smell of burning flesh began to fill the Colosseum.
Clap... clap... clap...
In the silent Colosseum, the sound of someone clapping echoed.
It snapped the dazed spectators back to reality.
A moment later, a massive roar of cheers erupted, and thunderous applause showered down on Eisel, shaking the entire Colosseum.
—Waaaaah!!!!!
Eisel had brought down the ferocious wyvern with a single, devastating strike.
Cadets and outsiders alike marveled at her sheer power and the precision of her blow.
However, Eisel's expression was far from pleased.
If the curse doesn't lift, it means Zeto loves another woman... and to save Zeto, I'd have to make him kiss her...?
Whether what she felt in Zeto's chest was truly a curse, and whether it would really fail to lift even after kissing her...
None of these things were certain, but even the mere thought of them was enough to shake Eisel to her core.
Turning her back sharply on the wyvern as she walked out of the arena, Eisel's cold gaze locked onto Zeto, who was sitting in the spectator stands.
He is my Zeto.
My Zeto alone.
So how could he possibly love anyone else? The curse will lift, of course it will.
Right, Zeto?