Chapter 440
Chapter Title: An Instructor's Rounds
-----------------------------------------------------------------
440.
On an evening in the second week, with the training retreat already half over.
The students were gathered in their own groups, busy discussing the results of that day's training.
“Look! I can cast my spells a little faster now!”
Iliana said in an excited voice.
She extended a hand, and her signature light magic activated.
“Hmph. At this rate, I might just overcome my one weakness of having a slow casting speed.”
As Iliana stroked her chin with a smug look, Chelsea shot her a pathetic glance.
“Iliana, your casting speed was slow simply because you were lazy with your theoretical studies.”
“That’s not true! Do you have any idea how hard it is for me, a magic swordsman, to cast spells while moving quickly? Do you know the hardships of a magic swordsman who has to use aura and mana at the same time?!”
“It’s a fact that you were lazy with your studies.”
Iliana, who had flinched at Chelsea's indifferent remark, shouted, “Aha!” and shot up from her seat.
She then crossed her arms confidently and said.
“You’re just afraid I’ll catch up to your specialty, high-speed casting, aren’t you? Hehe! So jealous.”
*Whoosh—!*
“Kyaaaaah!”
“What was that?”
Iliana was sent flying by a gust of wind magic, cast without a hint of warning.
Watching this, Karl mumbled while chewing on a piece of jerky.
“Chelsea, your casting speed seems to have gotten even faster.”
“Yeah, I think it’s the result of training with Instructor Akan!”
Nella looked at Chelsea’s proud smile with a puzzled expression.
“I heard he’s a complete amateur when it comes to magic?”
“He is. He doesn’t know much about magic. But his combat know-how, methods for improving concentration, and so on! I’ve learned a lot!”
Nella smiled gently at the excited Chelsea and patted her head.
Watching the scene, Dade muttered.
“The knight-track kids are going to be in tears. They’re already scared of Chelsea, calling her the ‘Knight Hunter.’”
Chelsea, who possessed the best close-quarters combat skills among the second-year magic students, had established herself as the natural enemy of the knight-track students.
As a result, she was known among them as the ‘Knight Hunter.’
Chelsea flashed a V-sign.
It was then.
“Ah! It’s Instructor Akan!”
“Instructor Akan! Have you had dinner?!”
A stir went through the camp.
The students turned their heads to see Akan standing there.
“He’s popular.”
“Compared to the alumni who’ve graduated, he’s literally an angel.”
Iliana, who had returned after being blown away by Chelsea, replied to Nella’s murmur.
“And he’s handsome, to boot!”
“You always go crazy for a handsome face.”
“Ack!”
When Dade teased her, Iliana stomped hard on his foot.
Completely ignoring Dade as he clutched his foot and rolled on the ground, Iliana stroked her chin.
“There’s a strange charm to him, you know?”
“Yeah, unlike most of the other beastkin who are rough and wild, Instructor Akan is so gentle.”
“And I heard his skills are incredible? They say he’s not even an Azonia graduate. I wish he’d become a professor at our academy.”
Nella and Iliana were busy chatting as they watched Ar-on.
Meanwhile.
Surrounded by the female students, Ar-on offered a gentle smile.
At that, the girls let out sighs of admiration.
“At first, I didn’t like how he looked similar to Ar-on but seemed weak somehow.”
“You thought so too? I felt the same way. But now… I kind of like this side of him?”
“Yeah. He’s charming. It makes me want to protect him, you know?”
The female Azonia students murmured with dazed eyes.
“Hmph!”
Just then, Borman stepped between two of them.
“Hmph, Instructor Akan is certainly a strong man. But a male beastkin ought to have a strong and wild side!”
Borman glared and looked to his side.
“Isn’t that right, Dion?!”
“Dion’s the only one with a strong and wild side.”
“You’re just a musclehead.”
The female Azonia students responded sharply.
To which Borman shouted confidently.
“Isn’t my commanding presence in battle cool?”
“It’s certainly impressive.”
“Yeah, impressively stupid. The cool one is our boss cat!”
“That’s right! Ar is way more commanding and cool than you!”
“That thing?”
Borman narrowed his eyes and pointed at Ar.
“Scared of water. Scared of water. Scared of water.”
The sight of Ar hugging his knees and shivering uncontrollably in front of the campfire was a far cry from commanding and cool.
The Azonia students looked on with bizarre expressions at Ar, who had been acting strangely for some time now.
The two female Azonia students looked at each other, then shouted.
“Even that’s cute!”
“He’s like a broken cat!”
Watching his peers react with even more fervor, Borman grumbled.
“I’ll never understand women.”
“They’d probably say anyone is cooler than an ignoramus like you.”
“Why are you picking a fight with me now, fox?”
While the Azonia students bickered.
Ar-on headed toward the Seirun students.
Although Ar-on was popular with the female students in general, the Seirun students weren't ones for making a fuss, so they didn't show him much interest.
“Eiran.”
Ar-on smiled and took a snack out from his pocket.
“Here you go.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Eiran, who had been secretly reading a book in a corner, smiled brightly at Ar-on as he handed her the snack.
“What are you reading?”
“A book.”
“Wow, just the same. That child loved books, too.”
Eiran, knowing who Ar-on was talking about, smiled shyly.
“So, what’s it about? That child never showed me what they were reading, either.”
“I-It’s just a grimoire! A grimoire! It’s a Seirun magic class textbook.”
Eiran said, closing the book with an awkward smile.
Lunia, who was passing by, glanced at the book’s cover and narrowed her eyes.
“[A Study on the Constellations of the Night Sky and Star Magic]? Isn’t this a first-year textbook? Why are you reading this? Are you doing something weird again… Mmph?!”
“I-It’s for review! Review! Miss Lunia! Reviewing is important, you know?”
Her mouth covered, Lunia frantically tapped Eiran's arm.
“Magic, huh? A shame. If it were martial arts, I could help you.”
“Not at all! Your teachings have been a great help, Sir Akan!”
“Is that so?”
Ar-on gave Eiran, who had replied with a bright smile, a pat on the head before leaving.
At that, the female Seirun students hurriedly asked.
“Miss Eiran. It seems like Instructor Akan has been taking extra good care of you for a while now.”
“Are you two in some kind of relationship?”
Eiran smiled at her classmates, who were asking with sparkling eyes.
“I suppose he’s just fond of me.”
“Gasp! Could it be!?”
“He certainly has a dignified air, unlike the other beastkin, but…”
“It’s not that kind of relationship.”
The reason Ar-on looked after Eiran was simple.
It was because she was a descendant of his disciple, Verkia.
Having doted on Verkia, Ar-on couldn’t help but give Eiran a little extra attention.
As the female Seirun students crowded around Eiran, Aris spoke up.
“Eiran, I think Lunia’s going to die.”
“What? Ah! Miss Lunia! Please wake up!”
Eiran cried out in despair at the sight of Lunia, whose eyes had rolled back as she fainted.
While the usually quiet Seirun students grew rowdy.
The next person Ar-on approached was Chen Xia, who was deep in meditation with her eyes closed, despite the boisterous atmosphere.
After watching her for a moment from a short distance, Ar-on spoke.
“Wouldn’t pressing the attack be a poor choice?”
At his words, Chen Xia’s eyes slowly slid open.
Blinking her large eyes a few times, Chen Xia wore a look of wonder.
“How did you know?”
“I felt your killing intent. I could see what kind of move you were imagining.”
“That’s amazing.”
Chen Xia was astounded by Ar-on’s words.
As a shadow, Chen Xia had learned to conceal her killing intent.
Even in the very moment of killing someone, Chen Xia could hide her bloodlust.
It was incredible enough that he had sensed the faint killing intent she’d emitted while fighting an imaginary opponent in her meditation, but to have predicted her movements based on it was something else entirely.
‘Just how high is his martial prowess?’
Chen Xia was filled with admiration.
Looking at her, Ar-on took a snack from his pocket and handed it to her.
Receiving it politely with both hands, Chen Xia spoke.
“Thank you for looking out for me. But may I ask why you pay me special attention?”
Chen Xia knew that Ar-on, as an instructor, looked after the other students.
But she was curious why he seemed to care for her more than the others.
“You remind me of someone I know.”
Ar-on smiled faintly.
As Kyle’s disciple, Ar-on also knew of Bihar.
And he knew the truth—that Bihar had stained his hands with blood in the darkness, in place of everyone else.
‘That child truly respected Kyle.’
Ar-on had wanted Bihar to live with dreams of a bright future.
That was why it pained his heart to hear that Bihar had lived his life behind the scenes of history, in the darkness, all for the sake of his talent.
There must have been a reason for it, but it wasn't the future Ar-on had hoped for.
“If you’re going to protect someone’s back…”
“……?”
“It’s best not to think of sacrificing yourself for their sake.”
Chen Xia blinked at Ar-on’s words.
“Don’t give up. Move forward.”
Hearing that, Chen Xia realized what Ar-on was talking about.
A moment ago, during her meditative battle.
When she had closed in on the enemy.
Chen Xia had accepted the possibility of death.
At Ar-on’s advice, Chen Xia smiled bitterly.
“The one I follow is a great person. But the path he wishes to walk is far too perilous.”
Chen Xia closed her eyes.
“That’s why I want to stand at his back and protect him. Because I owe him a debt of immense gratitude.”
‘When he reached out his hand and told me I could become a hero, my world was filled with light.’
“For his sake, I am prepared to sacrifice myself willingly. So please, do not pity me.”
“I’m not pitying you.”
Ar-on smiled faintly.
“That person wouldn’t want you to die.”
Meeting Chen Xia’s gaze, Ar-on spoke with conviction.
“The person whose back you want to stand behind will get angry if you sacrifice yourself for his sake. That’s the kind of person he is.”
“Do you know Sir Leo well?”
“I know him very well.”
Ar-on smiled.
“He would never give up, no matter the situation. If you want to be his strength, you must never give up either.”
“……”
Chen Xia’s eyes widened.
“Sir Akan… have you experienced something similar?”
“I have.”
“And you didn’t give up, Sir Akan?”
“……”
Ar-on closed his eyes.
Then, he gave a bitter smile.
“I gave up. I was a coward.”
Chen Xia blinked.
“You must never do that.”
Ar-on said, patting Chen Xia’s head.
“Never become a bad friend like that… a bad little brother.”