Most Intriguing
The Sword School erupted in celebration over the practicum results.
In contrast, the Arcane School was plunged into sheer despair.
"The Arcane School has gone completely dead silent! Not a single peep out of them!"
"The Dean's strategy worked like a charm!"
"Just imagining the look on their faces makes me feel like..."
It was a miraculous outcome, one that brought the Sword School's notoriously fractured faculty together in rare, unanimous triumph. The second- and third-year classes had produced modest showings, but the fifth-years had performed brilliantly, decisively besting their Arcane School counterparts. The fourth-years suffered only a narrow defeat.
And then...
"Our Instructor Xiel delivered the finest performance of all, wouldn't you say?"
The first-year class's achievements had brought a radiant, satisfied grin to the Dean's face. The report's contents were far too staggering to be dismissed as mere good fortune against an underwhelming Arcane School cohort.
Zero casualties.
An average ruins breakthrough time faster than the second-years.
And on top of that—
"I was stunned the moment I saw it! How in the world did they take down a Ruinbark...?"
"The report states the students cooperated, but Instructor Xiel delivered the finishing blow himself, did he not?"
They had slain a high-grade monster, a Ruinbark.
It was a feat wholly unimaginable for mere first-years.
Naturally, Professor Isabella, who was in charge of the fifth-year class, wore a rather complicated expression. Due to an unforeseen mishap, that very Ruinbark had been the beast her fifth-year students were originally slated to face.
Of all places, how did it end up over there?
Even from Isabella's perspective, the incident was absurd. The Ruinbark, which she had intended to inspect beforehand upon arriving at the site, had already broken free of its designated containment zone. It had charged straight toward the vicinity of the Sword and Arcane Schools' first-years, tearing through the safe sector like a juggernaut.
The intelligence division claimed an equipment malfunction was to blame, but...
Incompetent bastards.
Still, by some miracle, not a single person had been injured by the beast. Gratitude was owed where gratitude was due. Given the circumstances and the person involved, offering a proper word of thanks was only right.
"Instructor Xiel, I apologize for causing you unnecessary trouble."
When Isabella—who had remained silent the entire time—finally spoke, Elcanto and Marchen, who had been loudly singing Xiel's praises, blinked in surprise.
That woman is actually apologizing?
"That beast was our responsibility," Isabella continued. "Yet it strayed all the way there and endangered your first-years."
"It is nothing Professor Isabella needs to apologize for," Xiel replied flatly. He added without missing a beat, "It was a good opportunity."
Isabella tilted her head. "A good opportunity?"
"Yes. I was able to instruct the students on how to combat giant monsters."
Whether he was displaying exceptional professional poise or simply boasting was impossible to tell.
Could this be another of his meticulously calculated responses? Elcanto nodded inwardly, convinced this was yet another display of Xiel's genius.
"...I suppose there are those who would call such an ordeal an 'educational opportunity,'" Isabella remarked, narrowing her eyes. "And from an instructor in charge of the first-year class, no less."
"Regardless of which year one oversees, it would have served as a fine pedagogical exercise."
A subtle tension rippled through the air. Isabella's words seemed edged with veiled mockery, yet Xiel met her gaze directly, conceding not a single inch.
Berhal stepped in with impeccable timing.
"Now, now. The matter with the Ruinbark has been resolved smoothly, so let us leave it at that."
Even as he spoke, an intrigued gleam lingered in Berhal's eyes.
He didn't shrink back in the slightest. And against Professor Isabella, of all people.
Judging purely by pedigree and skill, Isabella had no reason whatsoever to linger at this academy—much like Berhal himself. Rumor had it that her martial prowess once brushed the very threshold of the Imperial Knight title. Disheartened when the honor ultimately eluded her due to political complications, she had reportedly abandoned the knighthood altogether.
She was an inscrutable woman whose depths few dared plumb, yet Xiel had locked eyes with her without so much as flinching.
Meanwhile, Xiel's thoughts ran along entirely different lines.
An assassination would be feasible.
He was casually measuring the caliber of the person before him.
In an open confrontation, however...
Gauging an opponent's strength was pure instinct for him, born not from competitive pride, but from years of ingrained habit. It was the survival conditioning of someone who, whenever the unexpected struck, had to instantly decide whether to eliminate the threat or turn and vanish into the shadows.
Across the table, Isabella felt a very different sensation.
Chilling.
Though she was the sole female professor in the Sword School, she took immense pride in having accumulated battle experience that rivaled any man's. Yet she had never encountered a gaze like this. The moment their eyes met, it felt as though the blood in her heart had run cold.
It must be my imagination.
Unnerved by the unfamiliar sensation, Isabella forced the thought aside, entirely unaware that the icy chill originated from the Breathing of the Polar Night—a discipline honed only by Xiel.
"In any case," Berhal resumed, "thanks to the concerted efforts of all our faculty in preparing this practicum, we have achieved a resounding victory. We must wait and see how the Arcane School reacts, but there is no denying that the day belongs to us. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Absolutely! You are entirely correct, Department Head!"
"A most profound truth, sir!"
Elcanto and Marchen chimed in with practiced speed. Then, catching each other's eyes across the room, they exchanged covert, disdainful sneers.
Useless fool. Now he's shamelessly riding the Department Head's coattails, is he?
Enjoy acting the senior while you still can, you tub of lard. Your days are numbered.
Unified on the surface, yet secretly baring fangs at one another—such was the perennial state of the Sword School faculty. Still, the mere fact that they were presenting a united front at all was a monumental step forward.
Only Professor Idel remained silent, quietly observing the room while reading the atmosphere.
Should I really try aligning myself with Instructor Xiel?
Idel was, above all, a pragmatist. Through sheer grit and political maneuvering, he had climbed the ranks to secure his post as the fourth-year supervising professor. Reaching the fifth-year post was out of the question so long as Isabella remained entrenched, but his current standing was comfortable enough.
And right now, the brightest rising star was clear.
That instructor definitely has something backing him.
Xiel looked fundamentally different to him now.
I should strike up a conversation once this meeting wraps up. Yes. It would be wise to get on his good side while the iron is hot.
Having resolved his course, Idel gave a firm, solitary nod.
The sound of gears turning in their heads is practically deafening, Berhal chuckled inwardly. Well, intentional or not, the faculty's collective opinion regarding Xiel had converged into a single consensus.
No one will dare look down on him now.
Not for being a mere elective lecturer.
Not for teaching the first-years.
Not for his obscure lineage, nor for any other superficial reason.
In that respect, Professor Elcanto really does have an uncanny nose for survival, doesn't he? Berhal thought, viewing Elcanto—who had backed Xiel aggressively from the start—in a slightly new light.
"Now then, let us discuss rewards for these achievements," Berhal said smoothly. "Given the exceptional results produced this time... each professor will be awarded an incentive bonus."
No one turned down coin. Even Isabella's brow twitched with interest at the mention of a bonus.
Yet the most immediate reaction came from Xiel.
"How much is it?"
It was a shockingly blunt question.
Asking for the exact figure so openly was an undeniable breach of social decorum, yet coming from Xiel, it felt entirely natural.
"Instructor Xiel, you seem quite enthusiastic," Berhal noted with an amused arch of his brow.
"It is rightful compensation. I am not extraordinarily overjoyed."
"Oh?"
"However, if the sum exceeds what I anticipated, I will be extraordinarily overjoyed."
Unable to contain himself at such sheer candor, Berhal burst into laughter.
"Haha! Splendid. Very well. Yes, it will indeed exceed your expectations. At the very least, it will be substantially larger than the incentive paid after the last Exchange Event."
At those words, Marchen's head snapped around violently.
He received an incentive bonus after the Exchange Event?
She certainly hadn't received a copper. Granted, her class had given the administration every reason to withhold one.
Damn it all... it was because of that bastard...
Her fourth-years had lost to Xiel's first-years. Worse, they had finished dead last overall. The memory made fury flare in her chest all over again.
"Then how much will it be?" Xiel pressed.
"Double what you received then."
Two hundred thousand cel.
A magnificent sum.
"That is a considerable amount. I am pleased."
"Are you truly pleased?"
"Yes. The corners of my mouth are currently raised."
"..."
Was he actually happy, or wasn't he? Berhal stared at Xiel's impassive face with a dubious squint before simply shrugging and addressing the rest of the table.
"Furthermore, incentive bonuses will be distributed to all professors this term. Our decisive triumph over the Arcane School warrants nothing less, so you need not fret over the budget."
Only then did Marchen's scowl soften. The remaining professors nodded with open satisfaction. Money was always welcome. The post of an academy professor was hardly a path to exorbitant wealth, and with whatever prestige the role once held steadily eroding, a generous financial incentive tasted extraordinarily sweet.
"Now, a final announcement," Berhal said, leaning forward. "As you know, the term break is only two weeks away. Please finalize your students' semester evaluations diligently, compile the necessary documentation, and submit everything to the teaching assistants. And lastly... our academic curriculum will undergo a reorganization starting next semester."
"A curriculum reorganization?"
"Yes. A detailed overhaul. To put it simply, the proportion of practical swordsmanship instruction will be increased, primarily targeting the first- and second-year cohorts."
Marchen and Idel let out collective sighs of relief. A sudden syllabus overhaul was nothing short of a catastrophe, requiring professors to scrap and rewrite their lesson plans from scratch. But if it only applied to the lower grades, they were spared the headache.
There goes my vacation. I'm completely doomed, Elcanto groaned internally in pure despair, while—
If swordsmanship takes up a greater portion of the second semester... I will be able to conduct my lessons far more thoroughly.
Xiel was genuinely intrigued.
Noticing the stark contrast between their reactions, Berhal cast a bemused glance over the pair before bringing the meeting to a close.
"That concludes our business. The administrative office will issue a formal circular regarding specific adjustments shortly. We are dismissed."
The faculty meeting had finally ended.
Now is my chance, Idel thought. Gauging the room, the fourth-year supervisor pushed back his chair and rose. As the other professors began filing out into the corridor, he cleared his throat loudly.
"Ahem! Er, Instructor Xiel."
Elcanto, who had just reached the doorway, paused mid-stride and glanced back suspiciously. What is that fellow playing at?
"Might I steal a moment of your time?" Idel asked.
"Ah. Professor Idel Reckard. Please, speak."
Slightly caught off guard by Xiel's rigid formality in using his full name, Idel hesitated for a heartbeat before pressing on with renewed courage.
"If your schedule permits, would you care to join me for a meal?"
"A meal?"
"Indeed. It is nearly dinner hour, and come to think of it, I have not once treated you to a meal since your appointment, have I? Haha. As your senior colleague, I felt rather remiss, not to mention a bit concerned..."
"Why are you my senior?"
"Pardon?"
"I am an elective lecturer. I am not a professor."
"..."
Idel had certainly not anticipated that response.
"Ha... haha. Well, we are both in the business of educating students, are we not? In that sense, we share common ground, surely?"
As the one seeking favor, Idel had no choice but to swallow his pride. Xiel pondered the logic for a brief second, then nodded.
"Understood in that context, your reasoning is sound."
"Right? Hahaha! Splendid! Then how about tonight? If you have prior engagements, tomorrow or the day after would suit me just as well..."
"I have no prior commitments this evening."
"Oh! Wonderful!"
Watching the exchange from the doorway, Elcanto clicked his tongue in sour disgust.
That... that shameless vulture...
A strange, prickling sensation gnawed at his chest. It felt as though someone were brazenly poaching Xiel away right from under his nose. Could this feeling be...
Jealousy?
"Then shall we settle on dinner tonight?" Idel beamed.
"Very well. Is Professor Idel Reckard paying?"
"Of course! Naturally! Haha, what kind of senior takes a junior colleague out for dinner and expects them to pay?" Idel declared with booming confidence.
Elcanto resented him fiercely. He hated Idel for sidling up to Xiel so brazenly, and he hated Xiel just as much for accepting the invitation without an ounce of hesitation.
"Now then, is there anything in particular you fancy? Let me see... What has been the most delicious meal you have had since arriving at the academy?"
Oblivious to the turmoil brewing in the doorway, Xiel answered without a second of deliberation.
"The dinner I had at The Star of Lancaster was the most exquisite."
The Star of Lancaster.
It was the very establishment Xiel had visited once alongside Deleb, an extravagant venue that had left the young noble nursing a faint pang of financial regret. Idel recognized the name instantly.
Hmph. A high-end establishment, but well within my means.
It posed no problem whatsoever.
"Excellent. Let us be off!"
With that, the two men strode out together on remarkably amicable terms. Elcanto watched their retreating figures with eyes brimming with green jealousy, until—
"Wait."
A critical detail suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Instructor Xiel eats like a bottomless pit, doesn't he?
And he was heading to The Star of Lancaster, of all places?
A snicker escaped Elcanto's lips before he could stop it. In the blink of an eye, every shred of envy evaporated into thin air.
"His wallet is going to be slaughtered down to the last copper. Hehehe..."
Tonight, Professor Idel was about to bear witness to the terrifying truth of just how much food a single human being could pack away. Humming a jaunty tune, Elcanto strolled down the hallway in high spirits.
And meanwhile...
"...Dinner, is it?"
A short distance away in the corridor, another figure had been observing the entire scene.
Perhaps I should invite him out for a meal as well, Isabella mused, the thought sparking a flicker of genuine intrigue.
She recalled Xiel's chilling, unfathomable gaze from moments earlier. Throughout her life, she had crossed paths with countless men, and the vast majority of them had looked upon her with either quiet resentment or condescension. It was inevitable; women were a rarity in the realm of knights, and a gaze cast her way was almost guaranteed to contain contempt, patronization, dismissiveness, or prickly wariness.
Yet Xiel had been entirely different.
His eyes held an abyssal stillness that defied measurement.
"Not bad at all."
Curiosity and competitive spirit stirred simultaneously within her breast. He had personally slain the Ruinbark, after all.
His skill is the genuine article.
Had anyone overheard the conclusion she had just reached, they would have been flabbergasted. Ever since her failure to claim the title of Imperial Knight, Isabella had severed nearly all external ties, isolating herself within the confines of the academy. Because her designated role was that of a professor, she interacted only minimally with students and their noble guardians, never once taking the initiative to approach anyone herself.
Yet now...
"Quite intriguing indeed."
For the first time since her arrival, she had taken an active interest in a fellow member of the academy.
Xiel Steelheart.
The Sword School's solitary elective lecturer had somehow managed to completely monopolize the attention of every professor in the department.