Exam Preparation - Eizel Trains a Disciple Again!
The rumor that Eizel was training a disciple once more spread like wildfire—not just through Arhobent Academy, but across the entire capital. It was bound to become the talk of the town. After all, it had only been three years since she'd declared her retirement from mentoring and stubbornly stuck to it. Anyone who knew her iron will was well aware of that. So, naturally, people were curious about the disciple she'd gone back on her word for. Just how impressive was this guy...?
Even Knaktool, the top prospect at Arhobent Academy and an orc through and through, couldn't have missed the news. Expectations that he'd have no real competition in the upcoming exam began to shift with Eizel's return—and her disciple's arrival. The hot-tempered orc wasn't about to sit idly by. He was the type who wouldn't believe anything without seeing it for himself. And now, the position he'd staunchly defended was being threatened by some no-name punk? It was infuriating. To top it off, the disciple was human. The thought of being compared to a mere human sent Knaktool's rage boiling over. He was on the verge of exploding at the slightest provocation.
"Hey, Knaktool. You hear that rumor?"
One of his orc cronies plopped down next to him during breakfast, flapping his loose lips. The guy was part of Knaktool's crew.
"That bastard's been scouting for teammates lately... Cocky human prick, right?"
Knaktool set down his spoon mid-bite. His crewmates around the table winced—they knew what was coming. They hoped the chatty orc would pick up on the vibe quick, but he was oblivious.
"Fuckin' shitty human bastard. Heh heh, needs a beatdown to knock some sense into him."
That's when Knaktool rumbled in a low growl.
"Hey."
The chattering orc's grin slowly faded. Knaktool turned his head, fixing him with a murderous glare.
"Funny?"
"...Huh?"
In the blink of an eye, Knaktool's fist smashed into the orc's face.
CRACK!!
The thick nasal bone shattered, blood spraying from both nostrils. Knaktool stomped down on the fallen orc and started kicking relentlessly. The cafeteria erupted into chaos.
"Hey, stop him—quick, hold him back!"
The crew piled on Knaktool to restrain him. Causing a scene now would spell big trouble.
"Calm down, just hold it in, Knaktool."
"You fuckin' mutt, wanna die? Running your mouth like that, you piece of shit—I'll kill you!"
Agh, aaack!
The beaten orc wailed and sobbed. After a solid thrashing, Knaktool finally cooled off. He swept back his disheveled hair, scanning the room with deadly eyes. His crew avoided his gaze, cowed.
"Drag this one to the infirmary. Tell 'em I did it. 'Cause he's a worthless fuck. Shit."
"Sniff, ugh, n-no, it's my fault. I deserved it."
The victim whimpered through tears. Crossing the earl's son Knaktool was never smart. The guy had a bright future ahead, too.
"Say whatever. Your funeral."
Knaktool kicked over a chair and stormed out. A group of humans eating in the corner muttered curses.
"Ruined my appetite... Fuck, don't orcs have any table manners?"
Across from the complainer, a calm young man named Guwint spoke up.
"Quiet down. Don't poke the bear. Let's lay low till the exam's over, yeah?"
"...Got it."
No one wanted drama screwing up their recommendation letters. Knaktool was just extra aggressive, with good reason to back it up.
The lizardmen crew shot venomous glares at the orcs but looked away for the same reason—recommendations.
Before today's ruckus, the academy had been peacefully quiet, like the calm before a storm. With the exam looming, no one wanted trouble. But Eizel's disciple lit the fuse everyone saw coming. Sure enough, the orcs took the bait. It wasn't a huge incident yet—just a scuffle between trainees. But no one expected Knaktool to march straight from the cafeteria to confront Eizel's disciple.
Luckily, Eizel spotted him first and shooed him off before it escalated. Still, Knaktool got disciplined. His earl family smoothed it over quick, so the academy head didn't revoke his recommendation. The fiasco made it crystal clear just how unhinged Knaktool was.
Around exam time, nobles in the capital threw lavish parties. All the big names showed. Guwint, leader of the human crew at Arhobent, attended with his earl father. There, he ran into Lady Elizabeth.
"Lady Elizabeth, it's been a while."
"Indeed it has, Sir Guwint."
She was infamous among noble heirs as a rose with thorns. Guwint had heard she'd entered the hero exam too—a poorly kept secret that she'd finagled a recommendation from her duke's territory academy. But her skills were beyond doubt, so the gossip died fast.
They exchanged pleasantries. Guwint didn't care for her arrogance, but he kept it hidden. Pissing off the duke's daughter was bad business.
"I quite like you, Sir Guwint. Yes, that's how a person should be—sharp and quick on the uptake, right?"
"I'm glad to hear it. I always worry about slipping up..."
"No need for that. If you mess up, I'll tell you first. You can fix it then. Nobody's perfect. I understand."
Even her compliments stung. She seemed oblivious to her own flaws. Well, spoiled rotten her whole life—maybe it was inevitable.
Suddenly, she changed tack.
"By the way, Sir Guwint... Do you know a fairy named Eizel?"
"Of course. The rumors are everywhere."
Her face hardened, colder than before.
"Have you seen her disciple?"
"From a distance. Handsome young man."
Guwint stuck to positives. He avoided making enemies, even rivals.
"Wh-what was he like?"
"...Pardon?"
"What did you think of that man, Kang Ji-hyuk?"
Now he got it. As a fellow exam candidate, she was sizing up the competition. Fishing for intel. Guwint shared his vague impression.
"Hard to say from afar, but he had a sharp aura. Like a finely honed blade, I'd say."
"...I see."
"Why do you ask?"
"Just curious. Nothing more."
She brushed it off and parted ways.
That bastard...
Elizabeth ground her teeth just thinking about that humiliating encounter. The injustice still burned; she woke up some nights seething. From then on, she'd trained like a demon for revenge. He'd toyed with her—a genius among geniuses—like a child. His talent was undeniable. Why else would Eizel break her vow for him?
Her skills had improved noticeably, but she had no idea how strong she'd need to be for payback. Desperate, she'd grilled Guwint, but he knew squat. Damn him. Anxiety gnawed at her. Ever since meeting him, self-satisfaction eluded her. No matter how much she trained, it felt insufficient. What if they crossed paths in the first exam round? Revenge tempted her, but fear loomed larger—another thrashing? Her sky-high pride had crumbled after that. Knaktool and Guwint, hyped prospects? Child's play compared to Kang Ji-hyuk. Infuriating, but true. For now, she prayed to avoid him in round one. Half a year... no, a year. One year to catch up. Become a hero first, then one more year. Just one...
Since settling into Arhobent Academy, Ji-hyuk's days were packed. Up before dawn for intense training, breakfast, then scouting potential teammates. Afternoons back to training, dinner, meditation till bed. Eizel stuck by him except when sleeping. He had no complaints about the routine.
Teammates were the headache. Too many candidates to vet, and even shortlisting didn't guarantee buy-in. He had to rely on fuzzy memories from over a decade ago.
Priority roles: tank, mage, healer. Tanks were plentiful. Healers doable with legwork. Mages? Essential for expeditions. The witch's cave proved that. He needed a reliable one to watch his back. But he knew how rare—and expensive—they were.
Sharp as ever, Eizel clocked his worry.
"Find your pick. I'll handle the rest."
She said it with confidence, some ace up her sleeve. Ji-hyuk shelved money concerns.
Then, a name flashed in his mind. A mage he could trust at his back. At the magic academy now... still a teaching assistant? First time they'd met, she was a professor—the academy's star, ice-cold genius, fire magic prodigy. He knew her dirty secret, too. Old teammate perks.
Worth a shot. He eyed his master across the dinner table.
"Master."
"What?"
The fairy glanced up.
"Got someone to meet."
"Yeah?"
"But... need something first."
Experience shows nothing bribes like a good gift.