The Lecture with No Faith
Legandia Academy admitted students around the age of fifteen. Across the empire, fifteen marked the transition to adulthood.
Students viewed the academy as both a place of education and a vibrant arena for social expansion. Adolescents, still in the midst of rapid growth, gathered to meet new faces. Whether they were nobles, commoners, or individuals from vastly different backgrounds, these encounters broadened their perspectives and forged friendships that would last a lifetime.
Indeed, when teenagers first become captivated by the opposite sex, the gathering of young men and women naturally sparks conversations centered on romance.
“No matter how I think about it, the academy clearly selects students based on appearance. How else could the girls be this stunning?”
“I’m not convinced. Your face alone tells me otherwise.”
“That’s not what I meant! Women—women! Men can tell they’re beautiful just from looking at your face!”
The two boys who had been playfully bickering over each other’s faces suddenly fell silent as the third boy in their group raised a more serious topic.
“So, who do you want to date?”
Still gripping each other’s heads in mock struggle, the boys instantly dropped their hands and sat down to ponder the question seriously. One rested his chin on his palm in a thoughtful pose that struck the others as eerily like a general strategizing on a battlefield.
“Still… I guess I’d pick the goddess type… but she’s too perfect, like a flower on a cliff.”
The other boys nodded in agreement.
In Rai’s class, there was an incredibly beautiful girl named Aria Shane Briqueville. Families with “Shane” in their name were distant imperial relatives.
Aria herself was a distant relative of the emperor, and her father, a duke, helped maintain the throne. Thanks to her family’s prestige alone, she was the only peer she could be compared to among the six princesses.
Yet Aria’s beauty far surpassed what her lineage alone could explain. Upon first seeing her, both men and women would stare blankly, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
The comment about her being a flower on a cliff drew nods from the group. Even Zeroa, who had been standing awkwardly in the background of the group, found himself nodding along while trying to hide his unease.
Zeroa wore only a shy, awkward smile and never voiced his own thoughts. He secretly glanced sideways. Rai was nodding vigorously.
Zeroa began reflecting on how this gathering had come about.
At Legandia Academy, there was a uniform for ceremonial events, but no strict rule required students to wear it. They could choose to wear either the formal coat with the academy crest or simply pin the badge on their chest. The coat was enchanted, yet as temperatures rose it became uncomfortable, so most students relied on the badge alone. Zeroa’s chest featured the pin, while Rai wore the coat draped over his shoulders.
While escorting Zeroa to class, Rai remarked how nice the coat looked and asked if he could try it on. They chatted casually as they walked, and only after Rai suggested joining the group gathered in the garden corner did Zeroa realize his instructor had seamlessly blended into the students without anyone noticing.
They were squatting together, laughing and chatting as if old friends.
Zeroa sat beside him.
Is it even okay to talk about this in front of the instructor…?
It was the kind of topic teenagers would normally discuss, but speaking so openly in front of an academy instructor felt entirely inappropriate.
“Luett from Class C is quite the looker.”
“Really? I haven’t seen her.”
“She’s the type who can’t even hold eye contact properly. Her face is cute, and especially that figure—her chest is amazing… so…”
“Intuitive?”
“Yes! Yes! Intuitive! You picked your words perfectly. I’m stealing that for my literature class.”
Zeroa tried hard to suppress his shocked expression as he watched one boy poke Rai’s side and snicker. Even the unknown student was impressive, but seeing Rai casually join the conversation in front of his own instructor was on another level.
“Everyone know?”
Zeroa considered whether to reveal Rai’s true identity right then and there. The boy in the center scanned the group with unusually serious eyes, buying time to draw attention before speaking softly.
“Did you know that seventy percent of girls at the academy have already experienced their first time?”
“Wow…”
“Oh my… how bold and magnificent.”
The boys’ exclamations of amazement followed, but Zeroa remained stone-faced, carefully observing the reactions around him. These statistics were often exaggerated, yet everyone present seemed to believe them, eyes burning with conviction.
Feeling the atmosphere rise, the boy continued.
“That means seventy percent of guys have the same chance.”
“Ooh…”
“Hah—finally me too…”
Seeing the boys turn their faces away in bashful embarrassment, Zeroa briefly wondered whether this elite-only academy was perhaps not as elite as advertised.
“Wait, that’s not exactly equal.”
Rai raised his hand as he agreed with the statement.
“Seventy percent… sure, let’s say so. But why would it apply equally to men?”
“You idiot! Men and women have to pair up! It’s the first time! What the heck do you mean girl with girl?!”
“… … Okay?”
Zeroa watched the boy foam at the mouth in excitement. Rai picked up the thread of the conversation.
“Popular guys usually don’t just date one girl.”
“… …”
As Rai revealed this bitter truth, the boys all lowered their heads in defeat. Rai gestured toward Zeroa as if to ask, “Why are you like this?” but Zeroa could only offer a wry smile.
“N-never mind… I’m handsome, so I’ll probably be popular.”
“I-I’ll be popular too. The maid said I was handsome when she cleaned my room.”
“… …”
Most of the boys were in denial, rationalizing their situation, while Zeroa—knowing he was far from handsome—could only smile awkwardly.
“Oh, Instructor Rai, you’re here.”
A mature, beautiful female instructor approached and called Rai’s name. The students stood up to greet her. She smiled warmly and accepted their greetings one by one. The boys, who had been feeling down moments ago, now beamed with bright smiles under her charming presence.
“Since this is my first posting, I’m not very familiar with the geography. Allow me to show you to the lecture hall.”
“O-oh, thank you. I’ll head over then.”
After casually revealing his identity, Rai turned to go, then paused and handed the coat to Zeroa before departing.
The remaining boys watched his retreating figure before slowly turning to face Zeroa.
“Ah… you’re the instructor for Class B…”
Zeroa quickly finished his sentence and fled the group like a startled rabbit.
“How is life at the academy?”
“It’s only been two days, but it’s fun. The students are hilarious.”
Xenia smiled softly at Rai’s words. As a colleague, she had noticed he was different from other academy instructors.
Though gentle, he could endure anything a headmistress might throw at him if he were angry, and his speech was free and unrestrained. To someone who had once dreamed of a life as an adventurer or mercenary, such an atmosphere was quite attractive.
She pushed her sky-blue bob behind her ear and mulled over Rai’s words. Most instructors would reply with polite praise about the academy’s prestige, educational excellence, facilities, or students’ talents. But Rai simply shared honest feelings: “The kids are fun.” A completely novel perspective.
At some point, Rai pulled a small paper envelope from his pocket and quietly offered it to Xenia as she watched him sneak a cookie.
“Oh, thank you.”
“No, thank you for making time. I should at least offer you something in return.”
Xenia checked that no other instructors or students were nearby, then discreetly sneaked away for her own little adventure. Walking around eating snacks was far from dignified conduct for an instructor who was supposed to serve as a role model for the students.
She had always lived by the strictest rules of propriety, yet here she was secretly munching on a cookie like any adult. The cookie crumbled pleasantly on her tongue, leaving a sweet aftertaste.
“Delicious, right?”
“Yes, it’s very good. Where did you buy it?”
“I’m not sure either. I asked the headmistress for it because it tasted so good.”
Xenia finally realized where she had tasted it before and recalled her first meeting with the headmistress, trembling while drinking tea. That cookie had tasted far sweeter back then.
Asking the headmistress for cookies like this was either incredibly bold or entirely fearless.
“Have more.”
Rai offered the envelope again. Xenia carefully took one more cookie.
“No, eat as many as you like. You seemed to enjoy it.”
“Kyaa—”
Rai suddenly snatched a handful of cookies from the envelope and pressed them into her hands. She yelped in surprise, and the innocent cry drew his attention. Feeling he had overstepped, she checked his expression. He was staring blankly, so she grew tense.
“I see. If it gets crumbs on your hand, it might bother you. I don’t mind, so I’ll take it.”
He took the envelope from her, and when their hands touched, her heartbeat quickened. The empty envelope returned to her hand, now filled with cookies.
“The practice hall is over there, right? I can see the students gathering. Thank you for telling me. See you later.”
“A-ah, yes…”
Rai bounded off playfully toward the practice hall. Xenia stared after him, then glanced at the envelope in her hand, smiled faintly, and hurried back to class.
At the practice hall, Rai distributed cookies to the students who had arrived early and chatted with them. At first the students were stiff, but soon they melted under his friendly demeanor and laughed while nibbling.
In a corner, a girl watched him with a furrowed brow—Philia Serios, who had questioned him about his background the day they first met. She had been thrilled to learn she would have a legendary instructor like Leila Cloud. Compared to the unreliable Rai, the respected Leila had still been active just recently.
She could not accept it, however. When she overheard other instructors gossiping, she was shocked. An instructor with a resume of only the Rennen battle? It was unbelievable.
When she asked about his experience, Rai had lied about having plenty. The instructors had no idea why such a person had entered Legandia Academy.
Philia knew it was foolish to judge people solely by their reputation, yet the moment she saw Rai’s unorthodox aura, doubt began to gnaw at her.
She had decided this lecture would be her final evaluation of him.
“Looks like everyone’s here. Feel free to sit anywhere.”
Seeing Rai sit directly on the floor, the other students exchanged glances before crowding around him.
“Since you took the entrance exam, you all know how to use mana, right?”
Rai produced a flame from his hand and floated it in the air.
“The farther you are from real combat, the harder it is to control mana. Here, try to lift it as high as you can. Everyone, make one and float it above your head.”
Each student formed a flame and raised it overhead. Most succeeded easily, but two—among them Zeroa—lost their balance and the flames scattered. Zeroa kept trying desperately to lift his higher, but it kept failing.
“If it’s difficult, stop at an appropriate height. The distance barely matters.”
Zeroa placed his flame at a stable chest level, but the others proudly raised theirs much higher. Rai chuckled when he saw the student who had succeeded.
“You’ll be holding your hands up all day.”
The student lowered his hand and raised the flame only to shoulder height. Rai carefully examined the flames each student had created, then began shaping them.
“From now on, your task will be doll play.”
“Huh?”
“Simple. Turn your flames into dolls and make them dance. Like this.”
The floating flame above Rai transformed into a human-shaped figure that danced joyfully, moving with vibrant energy as if it truly had life.
“Start by making a human shape. Imagine shaping clay into a doll. Since it’s made of mana, you can handle it however you like.”
After giving them time to practice, the students groaned while trying to form human-like flames. Rai watched the struggling students and asked one, “What do you gain from this?”
“Mana control ability. And I’ll get better at doll play.”
“… … Is that all?”
“The fun of making pocket money when you have none.”
When the student looked disappointed, Rai recalled Celenas’s lecture.
Even experienced instructors and seasoned officers are different from guiding academy students. First you must capture their interest, and learning ability rises with it.
Rai had taught those who rolled coins in real battles, so his classes lacked detail. He had simply said “do this and you’ll figure it out,” skipping complex explanations. He still did not understand why interest was necessary. Had they not come to the academy to learn?
Still, he did not ignore advice from someone far more authoritative than him in the field of education.
Rai quickly created a flame arrow and spoke.
“There’s this too. It’s just a plain flame arrow, but you can add a dragon head to the tip.”
The dragon-headed arrow looked spectacular, as if it were high-level magic.
“Amazing…”
“It has the same power anyway, right?”
“You lack romance. What a bleak life.”
The students’ reactions split evenly: some eyes sparkling with praise, others speaking only of practicality without reaction. They could not understand each other.
“You can do this as well.”
Rai created several flame dolls and had them perform a synchronized dance. The disciplined formation looked like a group of fairies dancing—fresh and beautiful.
“Question.”
Philia raised her hand.
“There are many mana control training methods in the world. But I’ve never seen this type before. May I ask why the instructor chose to adopt this particular practice?”
“It’s the best method I know.”
“Is that so… Did you personally create it? Or can I learn the name of the inventor?”
“Solterian.”
Philia racked her memory, but Rai answered before she could ask.
“A famous bard from the Kingdom of Iligandia. He’s quite decent, even if he drinks heavily.”
“… … So the method we’re learning right now… was invented by a bard?”
“That’s right.”
Philia was stunned.
Mana, magic, and combat arts had evolved over hundreds of years. Those who focused on mana had always pursued higher realms, developing superior techniques and spells to reach their current mastery.
People could now handle mana easily thanks to accumulated effort, creating a solid system—flawed in places, but reliable.
Yet here was a mere bard’s method being taught as the best mana control training. Philia, who had doubted Rai’s strength, exploded.
“Why… are we receiving such low-level education at Legandia Academy?”
The students stared between Rai and Philia in shock. Challenging an instructor’s authority head-on meant at least one of them would face consequences.
Rai tilted his head at “low-level education” and pondered for a moment.
“How do you define low-level education?”
“There are countless excellent training methods created by great people, yet you’re teaching the method of a mere bard.”
“Solterian is not someone to be dismissed so lightly… As I said earlier, among all the mana control methods I know, this is the most outstanding. Even those created by Iseathis, Phloa, and Devastein pale in comparison.”
Rai’s names were legendary figures who had achieved feats worthy of the history books.
Seeing so many renowned names mentioned, Philia—already harboring resentment—mistook his words for an excuse.
Rai stared at Philia’s deeply furrowed face, then suddenly switched to a playful expression.
“Then, shall we make a bet?”
“What?”
“Let’s bet. Two weeks from now, we’ll hold a mana control competition. Pick any opponent you want, and I swear I’ll win no matter what. I’ll continue teaching this ‘low-level’ education to them.”
“… …”
Philia hesitated, then pointed at Zeroa.
“You’re ruthless. Picking the weakest student.”
“You said to pick anyone. My apologies—this is not meant to belittle your skill.”
Zeroa smiled awkwardly at his polite apology.
“What I’ll bet on… is that you’ll listen to whatever I say.”
“What exactly are you trying to do to me?”
Philia instinctively covered herself from Rai’s teasing smile as she glared.
“Isn’t that necessary for it to be fun? You’d have an easy time expelling me from the academy.”
“I have no intention of expelling you. I simply want to turn this into an acceptable lesson and learn how an instructor like you became one.”
“That’s a truly enormous secret.”
Teasingly, Rai placed a hand on Zeroa’s shoulder, who had been officially named the weakest student.
“Congratulations. You’re now night study material.”
“Huh?”
Zeroa’s ordinary life had just changed forever.