If Xiel Is in His Right Mind (1)

Agent 8 sighed as he checked the slips that had piled up while he was asleep. Warnings regarding the Ruinbark had been flying in continuously, and with good reason. A Ruinbark, after all, was a magical beast originally prepared as the fifth-years' final examination. Strictly monitored, its patrol routes guided, and forbidden from breaking out in any direction—why such a beast was here in the lower-year sector was anyone's guess.

However, it hardly mattered now.

Because it's dead.

And with its head lopped clean off, at that. This was the first time Agent 8 had ever laid eyes on a Ruinbark's carcass, and he couldn't make heads or tails of the situation. Right at that critical juncture when the beast had been bearing down on the Sword School first-years, his memory had cut out entirely. When he finally opened his eyes, the massive carcass was laid out under a tree—though the first-years and Instructor Xiel were nowhere to be found.

Only two wounds. It was brought down in a mere two strikes.

Scanning the Ruinbark's remains, Agent 8 reached an undeniable conclusion.

"The students didn't do this."

The puncture wound on the arm was bizarre. It had clearly been stabbed by a sword, but the cut was far from the clean, frictionless shear of a Magic Sword.

Did someone drive ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the blade through with raw physical force?

Judging by the surrounding flesh, mana had definitely flowed through it.

Then was this wound made by a student whose mana control is still crude?

His reasoning was simple. The severed neck displayed a pristine, mirror-like cross-section. Even with a razor-sharp masterwork blade, achieving such a cut without magical assistance was virtually impossible. Barring a divine sword of myth, it was unmistakably the work of a Magic Sword.

You wouldn't get a jagged wound like the one on the arm using a Magic Sword.

Agent 8 couldn't even begin to fathom that Xiel had deliberately pierced the Ruinbark using brute force and an unorthodox grip purely to demonstrate a lesson to his students.

Even so, taking down a Ruinbark with first-years... is utterly absurd.

It was an unprecedented feat. The Ruinbark known to Agent 8 was a catastrophe that fifth-years engaged only after forming specialized strike teams and undergoing extensive tactical drills. Even then, casualties arose every year, occasionally escalating to critical injuries, and protective intervention from supervising professors was an absolute prerequisite.

His Highness the Prince had good reason to tell me to watch him.

Agent 8 shuddered involuntarily. The man was a monstrous talent. There was a clear reason Prince Dietrich, so desperate to recruit capable retainers, had gone out of his way to covertly reach out to Imperial Intelligence.

Command ability. Martial prowess. Intellect. And on top of that, commanding the absolute, undivided adoration of his students!

Now isn't the time to be daydreaming.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Agent 8 sprang to his feet. He had to hurry back to his post; the sheer shock of the scene had momentarily made him neglect his duties.

Flap, flap.

Just then, a messenger bird swooped down through the canopy, carrying a missive from Agent 9.

A little late with the warning, aren't you?

Glancing back at the carcass, Agent 8 suddenly let out a dry chuckle.

"They stripped all the harvestable spoils, too."

In his initial disbelief over the felled beast, he hadn't noticed that the valuable materials had been systematically butchered and packed away. The absurdity of it kept him chuckling, but the real shock lay elsewhere.

...There isn't a single person injured.

Creeping near the campsite, Agent 8 tilted his head in sheer disbelief.

"This meat is incredible! Did the instructor really hunt it himself?"

"I told you, I caught it!"

"Come off it, Anne. We heard the whole story. Didn't the instructor stand right behind you and walk you through every step? All you did was draw the string and let go."

"Hey, drawing and releasing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is literally the entire point of archery! Are you trying to say I didn't hunt it?"

"I heard the instructor butchered and seasoned the meat, too."

"Damn it, I'm telling you I caught it!"

The campsite was buzzing with warmth and laughter. A bonfire crackled merrily as skewers of meat roasted over a makeshift spit. By the look of things, they had even found the leisure to go game hunting afterward.

Wait, putting that aside...

He checked every single student. Not one of them bore a scratch. Not a single bandage was in sight.

They fought a Ruinbark, for heaven's sake!

They had crossed paths with the most lethal predator stalking this entire forest, and they were sitting around roasting meat as if on an autumn picnic.

"Unbelievable."

What in the world was going on with this year's first-year class? Instructor and students alike had completely shattered the standard parameters of their grade. Taking second place overall in the Exchange Event was already an insane outcome, but pulling off something like this during a field practicum went beyond reason. Unlike the Exchange Event, the practicum wasn't an internal competition between academic years. Because performances were directly compared against the Arcane School's cohort, the political fallout back at the academy would be immense.

...I wonder if the bureau will even believe this.

The scores marked on the evaluation rubric were baffling enough. Would Imperial Intelligence actually accept the sequence of events that had transpired today? They would have to in the end, of course, but the sheer mountain of corroborating reports he would have to draft...

"God damn it."

A sudden wave of resentment toward Xiel washed over him. He would rather run three more back-to-back reconnaissance missions in hostile territory than drown under this much paperwork!

At any rate, everyone was safe, so he could at least breathe a sigh of relief—

"Hey."

A whisper from the foliage beside him made Agent 8 flinch. It was Agent 9.

"How did you—wait, why are you here?"

"Because the students and professor I'm assigned to are heading this way." Agent 9 shrugged nonchalantly and pointed down the trail toward the camp. "Take a look. See? There they are."

It was true. Emerging from the edge of the clearing, a handful of Arcane School first-years and Professor Emeric were walking toward the Sword School's camp, their postures hesitant and thoroughly sheepish.

"What happened to them?"

"They came to haul supplies. Looks like the Sword School offered to share."

"Ah, I see. But why were they in such dire straits to begin with?"

"Their puppets got pulverized. By the Ruinbark."

"Ah."

The puzzle pieces finally fell into place.

"The Ruinbark must have torn through the perimeter near Points 33 and 34. The puppets that were repaired and carrying the Arcane School's provisions took the brunt of the assault and got reduced to scrap."

"So that's why those magic kids looked like half-dead corpses."

"Exactly. After shivering through the freezing night on empty stomachs, how could they possibly carry out an exam? They returned to their base only to find the situation just as hopeless, so it seems they had no choice but to swallow their pride and beg the Sword School for help." Agent 9 wore an amused smirk. "I never imagined the Arcane School would actually lower their heads like that."

"Hunger will break anyone. Arcane School or Sword School, neither bunch has ever experienced true starvation in their lives. Especially those mages—every last one of them was raised wrapped in silk."

Even so, given the historic friction between the departments, bowing their heads and pleading for charity couldn't have been an easy choice. Wait, more importantly...

"By the way, how did the Ruinbark breach Points 33 and 34? Weren't those fortified safe zones?"

"For a monster of that caliber, the barrier devices installed out there might as well be twigs."

As expected. The devices were designed to deter standard predators, but when a Ruinbark made a move, the dynamic changed entirely. The safety net had never been engineered to withstand an apex monster. Yet one mystery remained.

"Then how did the Ruinbark end up wandering all the way down here and dying?"

"Command is probably scrambling to figure that out right now. The fifth-year sector must be in absolute chaos. Wait a minute." Agent 9 whipped his head around, his eyes locking onto Agent 8. "Did you just say the Ruinbark is dead?"

"Yeah. The Sword School over there took care of it."

"What? 'Over there'? You mean the first-years?"

"Who else? It attacked this camp."

"...Don't talk nonsense." Agent 9 shook his head vehemently. "A Ruinbark isn't something freshmen can fight. Did you step in and kill it?"

Agent 8 found himself momentarily tongue-tied. Since when had giving a simple answer felt so exhausting?

"...No."

"Right, our combat rank wouldn't cut it either. Not solo. Did you team up with someone?"

"No."

"Then who?"

"I told you. Instructor Xiel Steelheart and his students."

"...Are you lying to a comrade right now?"

"I'm dead serious."

As Agent 8 offered a brief rundown of the carcass's wounds, Agent 9's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"In only two strikes?"

"One seemed to be from the students, and the other was Instructor Xiel. It was unmistakably a Magic Sword. More likely than not, Instructor Xiel decapitated it and the students stabbed it after."

"Hmm." Agent 9 directed an intrigued gaze toward Xiel across the clearing. Then, he suddenly flinched. ...Did our eyes just meet? He quickly dismissed the thought. No, impossible. I'm observing from this distance while fully veiled in stealth. Just my imagination.

"Well, you're going to have one hell of a time writing that report. I'm heading out."

"Right, see you once this wraps up. How about grabbing a beer?"

"What are you talking about? You won't be seeing me anytime soon."

"Huh?"

"I can tell just from hearing your story. You'll be buried alive under paperwork until next term."

"You bastard!"

Snickering smugly, Agent 9 melted into the shadows and vanished. Agent 8 stared at the empty branch, wondering whether to call that man a colleague or a mortal enemy. Pulling out his scoring rubric with a heavy sigh, he stared blankly at the parchment.

How on earth am I supposed to write this?

The standard grade sheet for bureau headquarters was bad enough, but the private briefing required for Prince Dietrich was an entirely different beast. It seemed he would need plenty of time to agonize over his phrasing. Above them, the canopy darkened as the final night of the practicum deepened.

A practicum replete with valuable learning opportunities.

That was Xiel's comprehensive assessment of the excursion. Of course, the mission was not officially concluded until they were through the academy gates.

"Squad leaders, prepare for withdrawal. Strike the tents, erase all evidence of our encampment as thoroughly as possible, and recover the perimeter traps."

"Instructor! What should we do with the leftover meat?"

"The remaining meat will spoil before we reach the capital. Leave it at the edge of the forest; scavengers and wild beasts will dispose of it naturally."

The dismantling of the camp they had occupied for three days proceeded swiftly, with Xiel assisting the students in hauling heavy supplies. The struck tents were folded with military precision, the gear packed into canvas rucksacks, and the bedrolls strapped securely to the frames. In short order, they were ready to march.

"Instructor, I believe we are all finished."

"Do not say you 'believe' it is finished. Verify that it is indeed finished, Student Delev Kundel."

"Yes, understood!"

Delev snapped an energetic response and immediately rechecked the perimeter with crisp efficiency. Beside him, Celia tilted her head in suspicion.

"What is his problem?"

"He's completely enraptured by the instructor," Anne giggled. "He spent the entire night raving about him, after all."

"I mean, the instructor is incredible, sure... but Delev acting like an obedient lapdog?"

"Don't ask me. Oh, right! Anne, do you want to go hunting with me over the break? Our family has a private hunting preserve near Welton."

"Really? I'd love to! Wait, your family owns an entire hunting ground?"

"Of course. Three whole forests, actually."

"Whoa. House Rihardt is truly on another level... My family only has one tiny patch of woodland... Wait, haven't you ever hunted before?"

"Hunting is usually reserved for the men in our house. They rarely let the daughters participate. No matter how much I begged, Father always refused, saying it was far too dangerous."

"For us, there just wasn't much game to begin with. The forest was pretty much abandoned."

Listening to the daughters of the two high noble houses casually converse, the impoverished duo slumped their shoulders in mutual despair.

"Does your family have a forest, Karen?"

"I saw a forest of mold in my basement the other day. The servants quit en masse, so the manor was neglected for a while..."

"Ah..."

"Owning a forest... must be nice... Still, if we keep working hard, maybe we can buy one of our own someday, right, Karen?"

"Of course! We just have to give it our all. We're only first-years, and our achievements are already incredible. At this rate, receiving an imperial scout offer won't just be a pipe dream!"

"Exactly! We did phenomenally on this practicum. Nobody got hurt, and we even brought down a high-grade monster!"

Felling a Ruinbark. It was an exploit that would be discussed in the academy halls for years to come.

"I heard that beast was meant for the fifth-year seniors, yet we were the ones who took it down. Heh!"

The future that had seemed bleak and daunting on the day of matriculation was steadily coming into focus. To think that a single instructor could change their lives so profoundly.

"All squads, if preparations are complete, fall in."

It was time to return. Given that they had consumed the majority of their food rations, their packs ought to have been considerably lighter, but that was hardly the case. The monster spoils weighed heavily on their frames, the harvest from the Ruinbark being particularly dense.

"Why are we lugging all this bark back? Ugh, my shoulder feels like it's going to tear."

"Isn't it meant to serve as proof of our accomplishment when we submit our grades?"

It was not.

With this quantity of bark hide, several sets of high-grade armor can be crafted.

Monster materials served an extensive variety of purposes. While certain items, like the Peckworm's scent gland, had niche utility, the armored bark of a Ruinbark was renowned for its immense tensile strength, making it ideal for elite defensive gear. In truth, high-grade monster carcasses were said to have nothing to discard except the flesh itself. Consuming the meat of magical beasts was an empire-wide taboo due to mana corruption, but every tendon, ligament, ounce of fat, hide, horn, and plate could be processed and repurposed.

My bank account will see a healthy increase.

High utility inevitably commanded exorbitant market prices.

I will need to pay a visit to a reputable byproduct artisan during the break.

Another productive task was added to his vacation schedule.

"Instructor Xiel."

Just as they were about to set off, a group emerged from the edge of the woods.

"Looks like the Arcane School."

Their complexions were noticeably healthier than yesterday. They had clearly filled their bellies overnight with the game meat shared from the hunt and kept the biting cold at bay with the firewood provided by the Sword School. Professor Emeric and his students approached, the professor stepping forward to offer their gratitude.

"Good morning, Instructor Xiel. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to pass the night comfortably."

"Is that so. Are there any injured?"

"We treated them thoroughly using the medical supplies you lent us. Thank you."

The Sword School had provided far more than mere firewood. While they could not spare tents, they had freely offered bandages, hemostatic powder, and essential salves. Deeply moved by this unexpected magnanimity, Professor Emeric felt not the slightest reluctance regarding their bargain.

"I will procure the magical artifacts and the Magic Puppets as promised, no matter what it takes."

"Understood. I shall hold you to it."

"And regarding that favor you mentioned... what might it entail?"

Xiel offered the exact same flat response as before.

"I will inform you at a later date."

"Ah, ha-ha... Very well."

"I have no use for it right now. However, I will require it soon, so I will reach out when the time comes."

What manner of favor could a swordsmanship instructor possibly ask of a magic professor?

"Well then, we shall greet you properly once we are back at the academy."

With their polite bows concluded, Professor Emeric and the Arcane School students took their leave. Watching their backs retreat, Celia and Anne stared in disbelief.

"Since when were the mages so polite?"

"People always said they were the most arrogant snobs alive..."

Their demeanor completely shattered the prevailing rumors. And it had all been orchestrated by Instructor Xiel. Watching the scene, Delev quietly allowed his respect for his teacher to reach dizzying new heights.

Following the Exchange Event, the practicum had exceeded their wildest expectations. Yet what they truly anticipated was what awaited them upon their return. Having achieved such staggering results, the evaluations awaiting them would undoubtedly shake the entire academy.

"Move out. Maintain defensive formations and do not lower your guard until we cross the threshold."

Whether the students were floating on air or not, Xiel's voice remained entirely level, utterly devoid of inflection.

Around the same time, within the capital.

"Just as expected."

Reviewing the dossier just delivered by Imperial Intelligence, Second Prince Dietrich wore a thoroughly satisfied smile. "Just as expected" carried two distinct meanings.

First was the astonishing efficiency of the intelligence network. Everything that had transpired during the practicum up to this very morning had been collated, analyzed, and placed upon his desk just past midday. A truly terrifying speed.

And second...

My instincts were spot on.

It was the contents regarding the subject of the investigation: Xiel Steelheart.

"To think he is a man of such caliber."

What was the general quality of academy instructors? Aside from Dean Berhal, a former knight commander, and the senior professors handling the fourth- and fifth-year classes, Dietrich had heard they were nothing out of the ordinary. That might have held true historically, but certainly not in this case. This man named Xiel had slain none other than a Ruinbark—and had done so cleanly, without sustaining a scratch.

He will become an invaluable pillar of strength.

Having earned a foothold in the imperial court after procuring the remedy that eased his mother's critical illness, the Second Prince was steadily expanding his influence. If he brought this extraordinarily capable warrior—one who was already drawing covert glances from prominent noble houses—under his personal banner, it would be akin to giving wings to a soaring eagle.

"Sir Lelio."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"We shall make contact with Instructor Xiel once more."

"It has not been long since he rejected ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠our overture. I wonder if approaching him so soon is prudent."

Dietrich shook his head firmly.

"We simply need to make an offer he cannot refuse."

"An offer he cannot refuse, Your Highness...?"

An offer beyond refusal did not consist merely of gold.

House Steelheart. A lineage already erased from the world.

House Steelheart had effectively collapsed thirty years ago due to obscure circumstances. Only a single survivor was rumored to have remained, and his name was Xiel Steelheart. Yet no one had known his whereabouts, and no one had cared to look. The Steelheart family had never been an influential noble house, possessing little wealth or territory to provoke the greed of rivals.

"There is that estate in the central-west region bestowed upon me by His Majesty."

Therefore, there was only one thing Xiel could truly desire: the restoration of his fallen family. And for that, one required land.

"Y-Your Highness, that territory is..."

"It matters ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not. What is a piece of land if it secures a talent of his caliber?"

"However..."

"Sir Lelio, for this matter, I expect your obedience without further objection."

"...As you command, Your Highness."

Lelio bowed his head, understanding the depth of the prince's ambition. Having lived in the shadows, constantly yielding ground to his elder brother, the First Prince, Dietrich had finally seized an opening. He had no intention of hesitating for even a fraction of a second.

His Highness has truly set his resolve.

It was an extraordinary proposal. One that no fallen noble could ever dream of declining.

Assuming, of course, that Instructor Xiel Steelheart was in his right mind.