Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: 8. Just Do It, and It Works. (1)
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# 67
#1 Their Side: Lady Aris Lil Retia's Circumstances
A snowball flies right into my face with a thud, shattering lightly and falling to the floor.
"What... did you do to me?"
It wasn't a question about the act of throwing the snowball.
Professor Niserwin's actions were beyond human comprehension, but they always had their reasons.
What I was talking about was the anomaly with my own body.
As the daughter of one of the empire's premier military families, I had been trained in combat by countless knights and swordsmen.
There was no way I should have taken a direct hit from a snowball without even a trace of mana in it.
It shouldn't have happened, but I took it so easily.
"I merely used your blood flow to briefly halt your body."
And the one who provided the answer was Professor Muam.
"Is something like that even possible?"
"Yes. Blood is essentially like water, after all."
"Then why didn't you use it on us?"
It was a technique that stopped the opponent without any warning.
If he had used it in our fight?
I was lost in such serious contemplation when—
Thud!
"...Professor!"
Another snowball came flying in, shattering my serious train of thought.
"As I said before, the professors are holding back in their own way."
Professor Niserwin's words felt weighty as he rolled snow piled on the desk into a snowball, but his actions were far too lighthearted.
"So, why freeze me in place and throw snowballs at me?"
"Didn't I tell you earlier, Lady Aris? That you already have a rough grasp of the knack."
"What does that have to do with th—"
Thwack!
Again. Again! The previous ones hadn't hurt, just felt unpleasant, but this one was both unpleasant and painful.
"Does it hurt?"
"Is that even a question?!"
I couldn't take it anymore.
Even if it was academy rules that even commoners had to show respect to professors, this had gone too far.
"It hurts! I can't take any more of this..."
I won't hold back anymore! Just as I was about to shout it, Professor Niserwin cut in first.
"That's the knack."
"Pardon?"
"Doesn't the later one hurt more than the first? That's the difference between a swordmaster and someone on the cusp."
Professor Niserwin looked at my expression and let out a deep sigh.
"Here, this is the sword aura used by ordinary swordsmen."
He rolled a small snowball across the desk until it was fist-sized and placed it on one side.
"And this is a swordmaster's blade aura."
This time, he firmly packed snow with his hands and placed it on the opposite side from the first snowball.
"Between these two snowballs, which do you think would hurt more?"
"Obviously, the one you kneaded hard by hand..."
Thud!
"Correct."
No, you don't need to throw the snowball while confirming the answer, do you?
"Urgh..."
Fortunately, Professor Muam hadn't used his technique this time, so I managed to dodge.
"Aren't you treating people too much like toys?!"
Still, I had to call him out on it!
"We did it because it's effective."
"Professor, you need to think a bit more about the students instead of just chasing effectiveness!"
"Hmm... I need to think more about the students, you say..."
I felt a swell of pride watching Professor Niserwin close his eyes and ponder my words seriously.
"Um, Lady Aris?"
Professor Muam, who had approached unnoticed, delivered a shocking fact with a grave expression.
"You know, Professor Niserwin? When the student council executives started skipping school, he said it was a disaster and personally kidnapped and confined the entire council overnight."
"Pardon?"
"He went on about how if students stop coming to school and hole up at home, they'll develop social anxiety or whatever, and put it into action right away. If he starts thinking even more about the students, even I as a professor think it'll be a real problem..."
I didn't understand why thinking more about students led to kidnapping and confinement, but I got Professor Muam's point.
In other words, if he thought more about us students, we'd be in danger.
"Um, Professor Niserwin?"
"Hmm..."
Oh no.
That man had started pondering seriously.
If another professor were agonizing over students with that expression, he'd look like a true mentor. But when Professor Niserwin did it, he looked like an archdemon scheming to drag students into hellish pits.
"Professor? I think I spoke out of turn. Someone like you, who agonizes for the students—I must have lost my mind for a moment..."
I poured out flattery as it came to mind, but he wasn't listening.
If I caused the academy's difficulty to ramp up because of me, forget my marquis family status—I might get beaten by the other students!
"You're right, Lady Aris. I've been too indifferent to the students until now."
No, don't!
"Yes. From now on, no matter the hardships or adversities, I won't back down when it comes to the students!"
"No, it's fine to back down a little! The students don't want you to push yourself so hard!"
-Aris, you madwoman! What are you thinking, igniting that thing's motivation?!
Even the goddess started berating me.
Professor Niserwin's face was brimming with passion for education—for rolling us into the dirt.
"No, I've had various ideas, but held back because they might discomfort parents as guardians. I'll push them through, convincing the parents if need be."
Oh no... I had summoned that calamity with my own words!
"No, it's fine. You don't need to go so hard for the students."
"No, as someone who chose teaching as my profession, devoting myself to the students is my calling."
The students don't want your devotion! I wanted to scream, but saying that might spark another incident.
"Professor, it's okay, really!"
I barely stopped him from standing by grabbing his leg and pleading through tears.
This preserved the academy's peace.
-Your peace ultimately couldn't be saved.
All it confirmed was Yuglasia Academy's sky-high difficulty. No vacation in sight.
Talk is cheap. Becoming a swordmaster from a few snowballs?
"No way that's possible."
I could only sigh at the familiar blue wall before me.
In about ten minutes, the silver devil would descend, and the vicious cycle of passing out and waking up at dinner would repeat.
"Still, have to try."
I backed off to a set distance and focused mana at the spear tip.
A spear art of my own, stripped of useless motions, solely to pierce that wall.
Concentrating mana while visualizing.
Like Professor Niserwin packing snow, I pack the mana.
The image of Professor Niserwin packing snow and hurling it at me tags along, but I ignore it.
Pack it more, pack it again.
'Packing, packing... Huh? What's this?'
Is it my imagination? The mana really seems to be packing like snow.
The dark red mana organizes into a longed-for crimson blade aura...
"What is this?"
The words slipped out involuntarily.
Did it work? Could getting hit by a few snowballs really make one a swordmaster?
For real?
I don't know. Can't tell if it's an illusion or actual blade aura mana.
"Only one way to find out."
Thud.
I kicked off the ground and charged.
The essence of mounted spear arts is penetration.
Retia-style mounted spear arts maximize a heavily armored knight's breakthrough power, modified solely to pierce water barriers—Retia variant spear art: Wall Breaker!
The spear tip touches the water.
The water barrier splits instantly.
Up to here, it's the same as always.
But if this truly is blade aura!
"Break!"
In the center of the reforming water barrier, I wring out all my mana and spin the spear.
At the same time, the packed mana—looking like blade aura—bursts forth!
"Yes!"
The water barrier shatters under the mana's shockwave.
That means!
"D-Did she really do it?"
Professor Muam's gaping mouth and stunned expression confirmed it for me.
Truly, from getting pelted by snowballs, I shattered the empire—no, the continent's youngest swordmaster record and reached swordmaster realm!
But more importantly!
"Run awaaaay!"
I bellowed at full volume toward the other students staring blankly at the broken barrier.
"Nice one, Goddess Aris! From tomorrow, breakfast, lunch, dinner—we'll build a Goddess Aris statue and pay homage!"
At my shout, someone hugged my waist—collapsed from squeezing out all mana—and we broke through the first-floor main gate.
And behind us, every last person in Yuglasia bolted for the main gate.
Thus, we ended our long history of torment.
And vacation began.
***
"She really broke through?"
I was dumbfounded by Iron Bat's words as he sobbed pitifully—not his usual theatrics, but genuine tears.
Does that even make sense?
Of course not. Aris becoming a swordmaster was impossible.
I just roughly demonstrated the swordmaster story I'd heard from Lady Rea at the palace—pretending it fit the situation—to fool them.
Something like: One winter, snow fell, and while playing in the garden with my sibling, packing snowballs made me think, what if I pack mana like this?
Tried it, and blade aura complete!
Lady Rea's swordmaster origin story, just like that old painter uncle's "It's easy, right?" explanation, had caused an accident here too!
Was this really a swordmaster secret technique?!
"Master, Master. What now? Even the student council fled, and if Aris keeps breaking through, what's left for me to live for?"
Shockingly, Iron Bat asked me seriously, without his usual lisping.
But is this that serious?
Living for the joy of beating students? This guy!
"Well, who knows."
"Don't say that. Like always, use your evil schemes to devise an insane plan even a swordmaster can't break!"
No, a plan even a swordmaster can't breach?
What is that? Sounds scary.
Swordmasters are treated as strategic weapons in small nations?
Sword saints even have legends of bisecting thick iron gates with massive blade auras in one strike?
Implementing a plan an existence like that can't breach at an academy? Even I think that's a bit off.
"Come on..."
"How badly do you want to beat the students...?"
"Huh? I don't want to beat students! I just want to ignite their passion for learning!"
"Seems like they've already learned everything."
"Ah, nooo..."
It was an education method that even produced the continent's youngest swordmaster.
No room for more education.
Already the continent's strongest empire—if we mass-produce swordmasters, world conquest is possible.
Then the imperial princess would hunt me down with that power?
Sadly, Iron Bat's time-attack education should end after leaving terrifying results.
"Our goal is victory anyway. With a swordmaster on our side, our win is assured!"
God-tier summoner and swordmaster!
Even No. 17, trained by the evil organization, couldn't beat this ultimate weapon.