The Path Less Taken
Basic Dark Magic, Spirit Magic, and now even Hemomancy—on the very first day of the subject.
One after another, Kizen's professors had rolled out curricula that were clearly, heavily geared toward the upcoming Duel Evaluation.
And of course, Curse Magic—the final class of the day—was no exception.
"The first thing I do when I walk into a classroom is look at my students' eyes."
Bahil, immaculate as always in his pure-white suit, set his felt fedora down on the lectern as he spoke.
"My, my. Today those eyes are brimming with anguish. Eyes that won't be able to focus on the lesson at all. Shall I peer into what you're all thinking? Ahh, yes—the Duel Evaluation. Right now, there's nothing in your heads but that."
Scattered chuckles rippled through the room at Bahil's showmanship.
"I graduated from Kizen myself, so I understand perfectly. Fighting a fellow Kizen student must feel nerve-wracking, even unsettling. But don't worry. I'll show you the way."
Bahil flashed his signature smile—that smile that radiated trust like nothing else.
"In this single class alone, I will teach you how to subdue your opponent swiftly and safely. All you need to do is trust me and follow along."
The students' eyes began to sparkle.
And small wonder. To seventeen-year-old boys and girls, the name Bahil carried the kind of towering halo one could hardly hope to look up at, let alone measure.
"By now, I imagine each of you has more or less settled on your own style of dark magic. So we'll divide this class into two parts."
Bahil looked around the room.
"Those of you who have already decided exactly which dark magic you'll use in the Duel Evaluation—you'll need a curse specialized for support. I'll be teaching 'Legdown,' a speedy little spell that lets you pressure your opponent quickly and without strain."
A murmur went through the students. It was a spell that appeared in no textbook.
"Humans are creatures with an extremely unstable sense of balance. We rise on our hind legs and walk with our backs held straight. Simply falling over renders most actions impossible. Legdown inflicts exhaustion only on localized areas—including the opponent's feet—to restrict their movement. If the curse lands hard, or if they push themselves to move anyway, down they go. Naturally, its advantage is that it's faster and lighter than Exhaust."
Bahil smiled serenely.
"And to the students frantically flipping through your textbooks right now—of course you won't find it, no matter how hard you look. I refined this curse myself."
Ooooh—
A chorus of awed exclamations rose from the students.
"Next: aspiring Curse Magic majors, students planning to make curses their main weapon in the Duel Evaluation, and anyone who still hasn't decided which dark magic to use at all. For you, I'll teach the improved Paralyze curse."
Remake Paralyze! Once again, a spell that existed in no textbook.
"It's weaker than the original Paralyze, but through practical refinement it can be completed far more quickly. And I've arranged it so that it works using only the basic Rune Script and formula combinations you first-years can currently wield. Stack it during combat, and you can replicate the effect of the original spell."
The students were given two choices.
The light but effective Legdown, or the heavy but guaranteed takedown that was Remake Paralyze.
"Now then, let's split up."
Bahil clapped his hands together.
"Students who come to the left will learn Legdown. Students who come to the right will learn Remake Paralyze."
Murmuring among themselves, the students began dividing left and right.
And through it all, Bahil's gaze was fixed on one place, and one place only.
...Now then, Simon Polentia.
Madness gleamed in his eyes.
A genius like you must wear the clothes that fit you perfectly. Curses are the one true path that will bring out two hundred percent of your Jet-Black! Throw away that moldy old Summoning nonsense—no fool would ever stake a Duel Evaluation on Summoning as their main discipline! You know that as well as I do, don't you?
Uncharacteristically, Bahil was biting his lip, his face taut with tension.
Simon, who had been chatting with Dick, Meilin, and Camibarez, soon turned and made his choice.
Which way? Obviously to the right—!
Simon went left, together with Meilin. Dick and Camibarez went right.
Watching Simon's choice, Bahil clenched his jaw hard.
Once again, Simon had chosen curses not as his main weapon, but as his sub.
"Professor Bahil."
Just then, he felt a hand come down on his furious shoulder. He turned, eyes still swimming with madness, to find the gray-eyed TA holding a finger to her lips.
"That face. Lose that face, now."
"..."
Bahil's expression melted away as if it had never existed, and within moments his usual gentle smile had spread across his face once more.
"Oh dear. It seems I got a little carried away. Thank you, Chehekl."
"It's quite all right. That's what I'm here for. Now—your instructions."
Bahil straightened his tie.
Across the room, the TAs could be seen flipping through the design schematics for Legdown, preparing to teach.
"Send all the TAs to the right side. I'll teach Legdown myself."
"...I beg your pardon? But last week you said you would be teaching Remake Paralyze...!"
"I've changed my mind."
This is a problem.
The TA staff had stayed up nights preparing materials, all geared toward teaching Legdown.
Chehekl considered trying to talk him out of it, but there wasn't the slightest flicker of hesitation on Bahil's face.
He'd sooner die than change his mind.
A TA's duty was simply to obey the professor. She bowed her head.
"Understood."
Chehekl walked over to the TAs still mid-preparation. They were setting up mana projectors and handing out materials to the students.
"Hold up—TAs, gather round."
At the sudden assembly call, the TAs clustered together, puzzled.
"What's going on? This is a two-hour class—we're supposed to start any minute now."
"The professor changed his mind. He's teaching Legdown himself."
"Whaaat?"
Bahil's TAs buzzed in open disbelief.
"Come on, that's impossible, noona! We've done nothing but prepare Legdown this whole time, and now we're switching on the day itself—!"
"Oh no, this can't be happening! Senior, talk some sense into him, please!"
Chehekl folded her arms.
"You all know perfectly well he's not the kind of man who listens when we argue."
"..."
"The professor's whims? Where would you even start counting? Stop your whining and get moving. I'll handle the Paralyze class somehow."
With slumped shoulders, the TAs set down their materials and filed away.
Chehekl patted the younger ones on the back to encourage them, then shifted her gaze toward a boy sitting alone at his seat.
The reason the professor carries on like that... I'd wager it's that kid, isn't it?
We're all in for a long, exhausting stretch of days ahead, she thought, and turned away.
And so Curse Magic drew to a close. Every class of the day was done.
Dick headed down to Rochest. Meilin and Camibarez made for the girls' dormitory. And Simon sat alone on a deserted bench, staring blankly up at the sky.
Overhead, a beautiful sunset was sinking away.
[What thoughts have you so entangled, boy?]
Pier's voice broke into his reverie. Simon answered without taking his eyes off the sky.
"Pier. Does a Legion Commander have to major in Summoning?"
Pier let out a low, dark chuckle.
[Nothing of the sort! If you choose Magic Combat, then I shall simply run the Legion myself! The Legion serves as support while you maximize your own native strength—that too is entirely your choice! The Legion will honor whatever will you make.]
"..."
When Simon stayed silent for a while, Pier curled the corners of his mouth upward.
[What? Did you expect me to talk you out of it?]
Simon's face tightened.
[Speak. What is it that has you so shaken?]
"No, it's just..."
Simon let out a long sigh.
"Everyone keeps saying it. Summoning is weak. Summoning is outdated. The other professors and students, sure—but even Professor Aaron, the man who teaches Summoning."
[And so?]
Pier said.
[Are you going to quit Summoning?]
"..."
Quit Summoning.
Simon felt a fierce swell of resistance rising up from somewhere deep inside.
[Perhaps that feeling is the truest one you have right now.]
Pier chuckled.
[The way I see it, boy—you love Summoning! You've always had a taste for learning new things and savoring what you achieve, but the feeling you carry toward Summoning is something apart from all that. Do you truly need to search the Legion for a reason to keep at it?]
"..."
There wasn't a single word of it Simon could deny.
[But! That isn't what you're agonizing over, is it?]
"What?"
[Boy. Your principles and your values are already set in stone. For a man like you to waver now over whether to abandon Summoning, just because of what other people say—beneath you! Dig deeper. Something pettier. Something smaller and more worthless than that!]
The corner of Pier's mouth stretched into a long, knowing grin.
[Could it be that what you want is to win this Duel Evaluation using Summoning and Summoning alone?]
"...!"
Simon stared down at Pier's avatar, thunderstruck—then let out a small sigh and smirked.
"Wow. I really can't hide anything from you, can I."
[Khehehe!]
"It's ridiculous, isn't it? I don't know when I'll ever grow up. There are better methods right in front of me, and yet I keep wanting to win with Summoning anyway..."
[And why do you suppose that is?]
"Because it just... makes me angry."
Simon said.
"Summoning is weak. Summoning needs time. Summoning needs support from other disciplines. You can't win with Summoning alone. That's all I heard all day today. From the TAs, from Dick, from the professors—even from Toto, a Summoning-track student himself."
Simon folded his arms.
"It's not even my declared major yet, and it still got under my skin a little. Summoning being treated like that."
[And yet you have always chosen the most efficient means available to you. Those two beliefs collided, and that is what set you adrift.]
"Yes."
Simon rose from the bench and dusted off his trousers.
[So. What did all this agonizing produce?]
"Just this once—for the romance of it."
Simon grinned.
"Imagine it, Pier."
The people—everyone—was denying it.
If he truly managed to win the Duel Evaluation with Summoning alone, right there before their eyes...
"Wouldn't that feel incredible?"
Like something bursting wide open in his chest.
[KHAHAHAHAHA! Yes! THAT'S the spirit!]
Pier threw his head back and roared with laughter, the sound ringing through the empty air.
[To walk willingly down the road no one else will take! That act alone makes you special—it makes you worthy! And you have both the power and the talent to do it, so there is not one reason left to hold back! Carve this into your bones, boy!]
Blue flames flared to life in the sockets of Pier's avatar.
[You are the Legion Commander chosen by none other than me! Do not, for one moment, hesitate at the lines those sardines have drawn—you wear a shark's body! Whatever you desire, take it! Do it all exactly as you please!]
"Yes, Pier."
At last, a light, unburdened smile spread across Simon's face.
"Now I've truly made up my mind."