To the Pisen Marquisate (1)
To the Pisen Marquisate (1)
The first-year female student was waiting for me in front of the dormitory.
Last time, she had been with other students, but today she was alone.
"Senior Alex, could we talk for a moment?"
Since it was a casual invitation to talk, I gave her an equally casual reply.
"I'm busy, so if you'll excuse me."
Leaving the dumbfounded girl behind, I walked into the dormitory.
I did want to understand properly what kind of ability had made the Marquis's son so strong.
But looking at her, I had a strong premonition that even a simple conversation would draw me into something complicated.
I was in the middle of learning swordsmanship, and our group project was going well. There was no reason to needlessly add more to my plate.
If it were an ability that strengthened swordsmanship or mana cultivation techniques, I might have gone out of my way to ask her about it.
But after seeing the Marquis's son, it didn't seem like it would be any help to me.
Fortunately, she didn't seem clingy. After that first rejection, she didn't seek me out again.
After that, ordinary days continued.
Ordinary classes and training went on, and another training session with the Duke of Ceuta came around.
After meeting the old man in the indoor training ground, I handed him the artifact bracelet first.
The old man's eyes widened as he took it.
"How did you manage to put so much mana into this? Did you go around to every student and keep injecting it with mana twenty-four hours a day?"
All I had done was diligently inject mana into it by myself every night before going to bed.
He had said it was difficult to inject mana, but perhaps thanks to my 'Mana Resonance,' the bracelet greedily absorbed it.
It wasn't a lack of time, but a lack of mana.
While pouring mana into the bracelet, there were more than a few times I nearly suffered from mana depletion.
It was a relief that I recovered overnight; otherwise, I surely would have been groaning with exhaustion every single day.
"This is troublesome..."
The Duke of Ceuta put on the bracelet with a troubled expression.
And then the sparring began.
Unlike before, the Duke unleashed a barrage of powerful attacks right from the start.
His rapier thrust forward like lightning. If I had slipped up even slightly, I would have collapsed before I could block more than a few strikes.
By using my ability to wield the greatsword like a shield and extending the length of my dagger, I barely managed to fend off the Duke's relentless onslaught.
I couldn't even dream of attacking.
If I used the necklace and the mana transformation I had obtained from the 15-year-old hero, I might have been able to put up a decent fight, but right now was a time for learning swordsmanship.
I swung both the greatsword and the dagger to block the Duke's rapier.
Perhaps because I had injected so much mana, the sparring session lasted longer than before.
The continuous, aggressive attacks were incredibly exhausting, but I also learned a great deal.
Though I would need separate explanations eventually, I felt that if we kept sparring like this, it wouldn't be long before I mastered the Duke's mana cultivation technique and swordsmanship.
But things didn't seem likely to go exactly as I hoped.
"Huff, huff... no way. I have to take next week off."
As soon as the mana in the bracelet ran out, the old man collapsed flat onto the floor.
With more mana and a longer session, the old man's body simply couldn't hold up.
"Don't tell me... did you attack like that because you meant to defeat me before you got tired?"
I asked just in case, but received no answer.
It seemed I had guessed correctly.
"Phew... Are you stealing my techniques and learning them well?"
The old man asked me as he lay there, catching his breath.
I nodded.
It really was helping.
If I were only learning the forms of swordsmanship, repeatedly practicing them would have been enough.
But at my level, the intent embedded in the swordsmanship was far more important than the forms themselves.
That was where the mana cultivation technique and swordsmanship connected as one, and to understand that intent, I had to spar with a true master like this.
"There's probably no need to explain the swordsmanship separately, so I'll just have to show you how the mana cultivation technique circulates later."
Since he was even going to teach me the mana cultivation technique separately, I grew increasingly curious about why he was guiding me like this.
"Still, it will be different from a mana cultivation technique obtained through an ability, so you'd better not get your hopes up too high."
That wasn't true. If I learned it well, it could easily become a mana cultivation technique formed as an ability.
The mana cultivation technique of the Gracia Dukedom had already become an ability recorded in my information window.
It was certain that Duke Ceuta's mana cultivation technique and abilities would also become mine before long.
That timeline, of course, depended entirely on how long the old man's stamina could hold out.
It was a long while before the old man was able to get up from his seat.
Even after that, I had to support him all the way to his carriage.
Seeing someone who could practically fly when empowered by mana become so weak without it made me realize once again how fascinating mana truly was.
After spending such a fruitful time together, the departure time for our first group project arrived.
The Grand Archduchess had coordinated everything, from the members' schedules and class times to the negotiations with the Pisen Marquisate.
Thanks to her, the other members and I could prepare as if we were going on a trip.
We would be traveling by carriage this time, too.
This time, it wasn't a royal carriage, but one prepared by the Grand Archduchess.
Two luxurious carriages, no less grand than the royal ones, and two Duchy Knights were waiting for us at the entrance to the Academy.
For the Princess and the Grand Archduchess, as well as for Balea and me—who had already ridden in royal carriages multiple times—boarding such a luxurious carriage felt perfectly natural.
Perhaps because of his prestigious family background, Joachim boarded with ease, but Mirisa had been on pins and needles ever since she stepped up to it.
Even after carefully boarding, she sat in the corner with her hands clasped together, her eyes darting nervously all over the place.
Still, with Balea gently comforting her, Mirisa gradually began to calm down.
"By the way, why did you get into this carriage? The Princess seemed disappointed. The Grand Archduchess, too."
"Balea also boarded this carriage, though."
The front carriage was occupied by the Princess, the Grand Archduchess, and the Empire exchange student, Joachim.
Balea, Mirisa, and I rode in the rear carriage.
"If you put it that way, I have nothing to say."
There was no deep significance to how the passengers were divided between the carriages. It was simply a matter of family standing, or perhaps peerage rank.
Although they said there were no ranks or status among students, differences in family power and standing were inevitable.
Besides, we were traveling from the capital to the Marquisate. Even if only for the sake of public perception, we had to maintain proper decorum.
The students in the front carriage were the Princess, the Grand Archduchess, and the son of an imperial count.
Given that Balea was the daughter of a deceased baron and I was a duke's illegitimate son, it was only fitting that we ride in the rear carriage alongside Mirisa, who was a commoner.
As we passed the time with idle chatter, the carriages soon began to leave the capital behind.
Unlike other places, the capital was always bustling. But once we passed through the outer wall, I could feel the atmosphere shift.
"The people's expressions look grim."
Surprisingly, Mirisa noticed right away what I was looking at.
Balea's expression also darkened. She seemed reminded of the recent events in her family's territory.
My expression hardened as well, though for an entirely different reason.
Letters appeared right before my eyes. It was a message window.
<You have left the capital. Would you like to set a new 'Save Point'?>
I was bewildered.
"Why?" escaped my lips involuntarily.
I had absolutely no idea why a Save Point was appearing now.
Only a month had passed since the last Save Point, which had been set during the opening ceremony.
There was no reason for one to appear so soon.
The fact that it had appeared so abruptly meant that something major was about to happen.
The wording was ominous, too.
It wasn't because I had arrived somewhere, nor was it because I had entered the Academy.
The message clearly stated that the Save Point had been generated because I had left the capital.
It might not have had any special meaning, but it was more than enough to make me anxious.
It was completely different from when the 'Save Point' had appeared a month ago just because the Academy term had started.
'In that case, I must make a different decision.'
I made up my mind and answered the question in the message window.
"No."
I decided not to create a Save Point.
"Was that because of their grim expressions?"
It seemed I had spoken my answer aloud.
Intimidated by my words, Mirisa shrank back into the corner.
Balea glared at me, and I had to apologize to both of them.
Though I felt anxious, I decided to proceed as planned.
I couldn't simply stay behind because I was anxious about an unknown future.
Besides, I still had opportunities left.
It would be best if nothing happened, but even if a problem arose, I had a way to wind back time.
While Alex was heading to the Marquisate with his companions, the freshman Ivana was sitting alone in the Academy cafeteria, eating her meal.
The students who used to swarm around her were nowhere to be seen.
Yet, judging by the empty seats around her, it was clear the freshmen weren't ignoring her presence.
Still, Ivana didn't care that her usual companions were gone, nor did she mind that others were aware of her.
As Ivana ate alone, looking entirely composed, a female student approached her.
Paying no heed to the gazes around her, she sat down in the empty chair opposite Ivana.
"I can sit here, right?"
Since the question came only after she had already taken a seat, Ivana raised her head to look at the girl.
A badge of a different color hung from her uniform. She was a second-year senior.
"Yes."
It was an indifferent reply, but the senior spoke as though the answer didn't matter anyway.
"It seems the male student from the Knight Faculty you used to hang out with is nowhere to be found."
Although the other students were also missing, the senior specifically pointed out Gael, the Marquis's son.
"Who are you?"
Instead of answering, Ivana set down her fork and stared at the senior.
"Ah, I'm Paula. I'm a second-year exchange student from the Empire."
Paula smiled at Ivana.
She had an ordinary face and a gentle smile, but hearing that she was from the Empire made Ivana feel a slight aversion toward her.
"Gael went to his estate on some business. And I only spent a short time with him."
Her response came out stiffer than usual. Those who knew her would probably have wondered what was different.
"Is that so? Ah, right. I heard he had to grant a favor as a result of his duel with a second-year. Did he leave because of that?"
"That is his personal business. I don't know the details, either."
Her unease grew stronger by the second. Ivana stood up first.
"Excuse me. I have an appointment."
"Sure. It was nice meeting you."
Paula remained seated and waved as Ivana left.
Ivana was displeased by the unexpected encounter, but once she left the cafeteria, she erased what had just happened from her mind.
There was no reason to waste emotions on something so trivial.
Meanwhile, as she watched Ivana walk out of the cafeteria, Paula crossed her arms.
"She might not be the one who caused the incident, but even if I'm wrong, her ability is certainly worth snatching up, isn't it?"
The Ivana she had just met was the final piece.
Paula had already gathered all the information about Ivana from the first-years.
The more information she gathered, the more astonished she became.
To think such an ability existed.
To think she could attend the Academy so normally while possessing such an ability.
On top of that, from what she had heard, this was definitely an ability related to time.
Though her study abroad was merely a side gig to assist other informants, she had luckily hooked a big fish.
Now that she'd hooked a big fish, she had to reel it in before anyone else could snatch it away.