Martial Exhibition (2)
Aiel Northwood, the prodigy who took fourth place in the entrance exam and topped the magic department's freshman class, sat with a displeased expression. Approaching him with a bowed head was Ryugrien Graywood, from a vassal family of the Northwoods and a fellow magic department freshman.
"Lord Aiel, is something the matter?"
"...How could I be in a good mood when a defective product like that has entered the same academy?"
"...You're speaking of Serena Eldark."
Aiel gave a curt nod. He ground his teeth as he recalled Serena's appearance before entering the lecture hall.
"Even a defective product carries Northwood blood. That's why I advised her to conduct herself properly, yet she didn't even pretend to listen."
"I've heard she's been frequently seen with the man who took second place in the entrance exam. It seems to be true."
"Frequently doesn't even begin to cover it. They were practically glued together."
Aiel Northwood said, "It looks like she's determined to mix her mother's tainted blood into the Northwood line once again."
No matter how much half-elves were shunned by pureblood elves, there was a reason Aiel reacted so excessively to Serena's existence. The Northwoods, a noble family from the northern forests, had ruled for truly ancient generations—a prestigious house. Originally, they had maintained their noble blood through proper marriages with elves from other noble families. But in recent generations, other races' blood had kept mixing in. The younger generation, weary of the Northwoods' conservative traditions, had rebelled and eloped.
This trend worsened with each passing generation, to the point where now only Aiel and a few of his siblings remained with pure blood.
As a result, someone like Serena was an inevitable thorn in Aiel's side—he who was destined to lead the Northwoods.
"You seem quite bothered by it."
"Do I look like I'm not? It's bad enough having a half-breed shoved in my face, but this one goes out of her way to do irritating things."
"Shall I dispose of her, then?"
Aiel paused at Ryugrien's casual question. He scolded him as if he'd lost his mind, calling it absurd.
"...Ryugrien, have you finally gone mad? Do you not know who would stir if we touched her?"
"I know. But this is the academy, Lord Aiel."
Ryugrien continued, "We can use the academy's systems to deal with her appropriately. We'll have solid justification, so even the Dragon Star won't be able to harm us."
Aiel's eyes widened as he stared at Ryugrien.
"...What are you saying?"
When Aiel asked with piqued interest, Ryugrien spoke as if he'd expected as much.
"The Martial Exhibition. You're surely representing the magic department, aren't you?"
"Are you saying I should crush her in the Martial Exhibition?"
"Simply put, yes. But she won't go down easily. She's no pushover."
"...True."
Aiel admitted it readily enough. Skill-wise, the entrance exam had proven Serena was a cut above, regardless of anything else.
"Then how do I beat her in the Martial Exhibition?"
"With a little strategy, you can win, Lord Aiel. All we need is to buy you just enough time."
The time a mage needed—casting time, obviously. One word sufficed for Aiel, but someone like Serena Eldark could prevent even that. Especially her Useon (Dragon Words), which were a natural counter to him. If she silenced him, he couldn't cast.
But if they could secure that casting window definitively, Aiel's odds of victory would skyrocket.
"How?"
"By throwing off her condition. In battles between the strong, it's always those tiny variables that decide the winner. Her specialty, Useon, demands intense focus, and spirit arts even more so. If she's not at her best, she won't perform at half her usual level."
Ryugrien said, "You might dislike such petty tricks, but once you win, you'll be able to pressure her even more. Do you think a weak-willed girl like her could defy you after you've crushed her?"
Aiel furrowed his brow slightly. He truly despised cheap tactics. If he favored them, he wouldn't have warned Serena directly—he'd have used other means to bar her from the academy altogether.
But as Ryugrien said, crushing her in the Martial Exhibition sounded immensely satisfying just to imagine. Especially since her superiority grated on him, with his pride in his pure Northwood blood.
If a minor ploy led to victory, so be it. Especially in a grand event like the academy's Martial Exhibition, where the noble Northwood lineage could publicly trample a defective product...
The family's unity would solidify, and incidents of blood dilution might decrease.
It would proclaim that pure blood was superior to mixed.
Aiel Northwood asked Ryugrien, "...And how exactly do you plan to throw off her condition? You expect Serena Eldark to suddenly fall ill right before?"
"Leave that to me. I'll use the Graywood family's secret arts."
"......Can you pull it off?"
"Yes."
Ryugrien replied, "Just prepare well for your match, Lord Aiel. I'll have everything ready by the time your bracket against Serena Eldark is set."
Academy Martial Exhibition. Among Terastial Academy's annual events, it was the first the freshmen encountered—and the most popular among all students. Each year level selected two representatives from its eight departments, matched them randomly, and determined the strongest through martial combat.
Major departments like swordsmanship and magic, as well as niche ones like theology and magical engineering, all vied to participate. Standing out here could aid one's future career. And above all, the winner received a massive prize under the guise of a scholarship.
The sum was enormous, thanks to sponsorship by Gold Star Giovanni, one of the Palstar Heroes. The name evoked the planet Venus at dawn, but a literal translation worked just fine. The Palstar Hero symbolized by gold was, simply put, overflowing with wealth.
He commanded the world's largest merchant guilds, wielding immense influence through his fortune. Though no grand incidents marked him, his benevolent spread of that power earned him the title of Palstar Hero.
Indeed, his donations saved thousands of children yearly, giving them proper lives and education. Fittingly respected for his positive impact, he generously sponsored the academy, a cradle of talent.
Winning the prize once could save a crumbling house, or so the jokes went—the payout was that huge. Enough to live extravagantly through all one's academy years.
Far from alone in craving that life, many aimed for representative spots purely for the cash, beyond future prospects.
Thus, a Martial Exhibition representative spot was coveted by all—something anyone would seize if given the chance.
Seong Hyun-jin, who had effortlessly claimed such a position, strolled through the academy grounds.
After his long mountain seclusion, he felt pins in his feet if he didn't walk enough daily. The slopes irked him, but he followed the well-maintained paths anyway.
Then, someone approaching from ahead called out.
"Oh, Second Place!"
Turning at the familiar voice, he saw Daniel, a combat department classmate.
Seong Hyun-jin nodded lightly in greeting.
"Working out?"
"Just taking a walk."
"You like walks, huh?"
At Daniel's words, Seong Hyun-jin nodded. Daniel responded in agreement.
"Me too. That's why I walk these paths after classes every day."
"I see."
Walking was a fine hobby—and exercise too. Many enjoyed it. The only difference was Seong Hyun-jin's walks involved bounding over mountains, while Daniel's were genteel path strolls... but Daniel had no way of knowing.
"Oh, hey, Second Place. Since we've bumped into each other, wanna hear some good news?"
"What?"
"Keep going up this path, and you'll seize some luck."
Seong Hyun-jin eyed Daniel curiously at the out-of-nowhere claim.
"For real. I don't lie, Second Place."
"What kind of luck?"
"See for yourself. Catch you later!"
Daniel, who had approached from the opposite direction, waved casually and headed back the way Seong Hyun-jin had come, leaving only cryptic words behind. Seong Hyun-jin watched him go, puzzled.
"What the heck...?"
Dismissing it as nonsense, he continued along the path. Terastial Academy's walkways spanned the entire grounds, with side paths branching off for shortcuts. But Seong Hyun-jin wandered aimlessly, and soon the sun began to set.
"Huh...?"
Noticing the sunset, he finally snapped to. He'd wandered far from his dorm.
How'd I get here?
If he didn't hurry back, curfew might lock him out. As he turned to leave, something caught his eye.
...Who's that?
A pretty girl sat on a nearby bench, pretty enough to pique his interest. Her sky-blue half-up hair and golden eyes were captivating. Her legs, with their alluring lines accentuated by sheer black stockings, were the sort any guy might glance at.
After Serena and Yeonhui, he hadn't expected another beauty at the academy. Seong Hyun-jin was mildly surprised.
Is this the 'luck' Daniel mentioned...?
Her black uniform marked her as a Terastial student, but she wasn't among his classmates.
Upperclassman, then.
Interested but figuring he'd rarely cross paths with someone not in his year, Seong Hyun-jin started to leave.
"So you're the new connection Shamash told me about."
He tilted his head at the voice from behind. It was a lovely, birdlike chirp—pleasant, but unfamiliar. Turning, he saw the pretty girl from the bench approaching, now facing him.
"...Me?"
"Yeah, you. Freshman, right?"
She beamed naturally—a warm, benevolent smile unlike Yeonhui's gentle one or Serena's rare, pretty but infrequent grins.
"Yes, freshman. And you, senpai?"
"Second-year."
As expected. Seong Hyun-jin inwardly praised his deduction skills. She smiled easily as she introduced herself.
"Ciela Teraport, second-year magic department."
"Seong Hyun-jin, first-year combat department."
"Wait, Seong Hyun-jin?"
She seemed startled at his name.
"Really? You're Seong Hyun-jin?"
"Yes. Why?"
"My master mentioned a student, but I didn't expect such a cute underclassman."
Seong Hyun-jin flustered a bit. Calling him cute on first meeting—she was bold and unreserved. But guessing why, he replied self-deprecatingly.
"Yeah, I'm a bit short."
"Huh? Oh, haha, that wasn't it."
"So, what did your master mean by mentioning my name...?"
"The headmaster."
"...Pardon?"
Ciela smiled again, naturally comparing them.
"We're the same, Junior Seong Hyun-jin. I'm a disciple of a Palstar Hero too."
"...You even know whose disciple I am?"
"Yep. As I said, my master is the academy headmaster, Demon Star Eleonora."
Ciela affirmed, "She told me recently: Sword Star Hakodate Karin's disciple enrolled, but he's so lacking in common sense, so keep an eye on him."
"Makes sense—the headmaster's close with our master."
Seong Hyun-jin nodded in understanding, then paused at a oddity in her words.
"Wait, what was that about common sense...?"
"...Ahem, she said to pay extra attention since you're Sword Star's disciple."
Ciela backpedaled late. Seong Hyun-jin let it slide once.
"That's appreciated."
"...You let that go easily?"
Surprised, Ciela eyed him and asked, "Fellow Palstar Hero disciples—interesting, right? You too?"
"Sure, a bit."
A disciple of another Palstar Hero was intriguing. Above all...
...She's gotta be strong.
That alone was reason enough for Seong Hyun-jin.
Ciela smiled happily at his interest. Seong Hyun-jin thought she must smile often.
"Wanna get along, then? I've always wondered how other Palstar Heroes' disciples live."
"Reaching out to a nobody like me first—senpai, you're kind."
"What? Haha, you underrate yourself, Junior."
Ciela said, "But as Sword Star's disciple, you could stand taller."
"I always take pride in being Master's disciple. Problem is, that's all I've got."
"Nothing else? Hmm, intriguing."
From her reaction, Seong Hyun-jin sensed one dominant emotion toward him: curiosity. She eyed him like a research subject.
Scholarly type.
Magic department fit—more theory than combat, probably. Strangers staring like that might annoy most, but her openness made her easy to talk to.
"You seem curious about me."
"Busted? Honestly... yeah, I am."
Ciela admitted freely. "If it's a connection Shamash prophesied, how long will it last? I'm dying to know."
"Shamash?"
She'd mentioned it earlier. When Seong Hyun-jin asked, Ciela pondered how to explain.
"You entering the Martial Exhibition, Junior? Of course you are."
"Yeah."
"Knew it. See it then."
She flashed a relaxed grin.
"How I fight."
"...And that'll reveal what Shamash is?"
"Instantly."
Ciela said, expecting his insight. "Sword Star's disciple should have sharp eyes."
"...Can't you just tell me?"
"Where's the fun? No thrill."
She beamed brightly. "Second-years go first, so watch closely. Then tell me your theory, Junior."
It felt like a detective game, catching Seong Hyun-jin off guard... but her bright smile made refusal impossible.
"...Got it."
"I'll watch yours too. Show me strength worthy of Sword Star's disciple."
"Definitely. I'm gonna get famous."
"You want fame, Junior?"
"Yep."
As Seong Hyun-jin nodded, Ciela said eagerly, "Then you'll deliver."
"That's the plan."
"Looking forward to it, Junior."
Ciela rose from the bench, waved lightly, and left first. Seong Hyun-jin watched her go, then jolted at a forgotten fact.
"Oh, curfew!"
He bolted back. As he raced off without looking back, Ciela glanced over her shoulder.
"Fun underclassman."