Sparring (1)
"Ughhh... How am I supposed to finish all this by tomorrow..."
"You still have to, you idiot. Think about how much this counts toward our grade."
"Even so, isn't the workload way too heavy from the very start of the semester?!"
"How would I know? At least the professors are teaching us properly. It's better than them not teaching at all."
"...Yeah, I guess. They're doing it for our sake."
Several students grumbled about the sudden avalanche of assignments. It had been a while since I'd seen this scene. Of course, I was buried under just as much work. The sheer volume was overwhelming. On top of that, next week we'd be taking a simple exam instead of practical training, so the schedule was brutal.
I'd have to head back to the dorm and clear out all these assignments today. Starting this weekend, I'd also be working a part-time job. It was a position I'd barely managed to secure after one of the servers at the restaurant quit. Whether the owner simply didn't know my family background or just didn't care, it worked out in my favor.
Well, I was still receiving support from the family for now. But since I planned to run away soon, I needed to start saving funds. Running away without any preparation would be the height of stupidity.
An incident had already occurred at the academy, and rumors about the broken engagement were circulating within the school. By now, the news must have reached the family. I just needed to keep going like this. If everything continued this way, it would be perfect. There was still plenty of time until the next major event, so I could afford to take it easy.
"Alright, time to knock out today's assignments too."
Night deepened.
....
"My lord, news has arrived from the academy."
"I am aware."
"I shall go at once."
"No need. I have other matters to attend to. You may return first."
"Understood."
With those words, the black shadow in human form vanished from the family head's room.
Jeron Flame let out a long sigh and sat in his chair, idly tapping the desk with his fingers. He was the current head of the Flame family—and the insurmountable wall Vern would eventually have to overcome.
"Haa... Vern. So you really do carry my blood after all. Though, you've always been far too perceptive for your own good."
Still, it didn't matter. The plan was proceeding without a hitch. The key component required for it would soon fall into his hands. Perhaps he should have allied with Requiem much earlier.
The black-haired man, Jeron Flame, had the same black hair as Vern, but age had begun to streak it with white, and the once-lustrous strands were growing dull. Like his blind eye, his hair was gradually losing color, turning gray. None of that mattered, however. What truly mattered was the plan he was carrying out with that deranged group.
It was a collection of lunatics, but the man leading them was different. While the others killed, kidnapped, and murdered for amusement, their leader was something else entirely. The moment Jeron first met him, he understood—they were the same kind. Yet different. He had seen the man's unfathomable strength and the profound loneliness that accompanied it. Those burning eyes were fueled solely by vengeance. He was vengeance incarnate. Even Jeron, once hailed as a war hero, had felt his blood run cold in the man's presence.
When he first heard the scope of that man's plan, Jeron had laughed in disbelief. In the end, however, he had joined it. Their goals aligned. It was nothing more than a temporary alliance of mutual interest—nothing greater, nothing less.
The day to begin the plan was drawing near.
Haa. Yes... Vern must have noticed something as well. Unlike his other siblings, Vern had always been exceptionally sharp, even as a child. That was why he had played the role of a good-for-nothing scoundrel all this time. There was no turning back now. Vern and he had already come too far. That was why he had broken off the engagement with the Isis family. Vern had always been a kind boy—he wouldn't have wanted his fiancée to get caught up in this.
Kane would probably be jumping for joy. The man was obsessively protective of his daughter, after all. He and Jeron had never seen eye to eye. Well, it didn't matter. Things were getting interesting.
"......"
I should pay a visit to the academy soon. I don't particularly like letting Vern move as he pleases, but perhaps I can play along for once.
....
Time passed quickly, and the exam was now right around the corner. Tomorrow, the sparring matches that would replace practical training would begin. What a headache.
"Vern, what are you thinking about? You haven't been listening to a word I've said."
"My apologies. I was lost in thought."
"Hmmm, really? I'll let it slide this time~."
"...."
The pink-haired girl, Elin, looked up at me with a teasing expression. Why was she looking at me like that? I really hadn't been thinking about anything. Well, not entirely. I had been thinking about tomorrow's exam.
Since the practical training had been canceled due to Requiem, the students would instead hold simple sparring matches against each other. Sparring was an interesting event. Depending on how one performed, it was possible to be promoted as early as next semester. Of course, if someone cheated or performed poorly, their reputation could suffer—or they could even be demoted.
Since students of similar skill levels would be matched together, Class A would spar with Class B, while I, a Class C student, would be paired with Class D students. The format was straightforward: one-on-one matches that continued until one side retired or surrendered. Magic could only be used if it didn't cause injury, and only non-lethal weapons were permitted. Opponents were determined by drawing lots. Since the skill gap between Class C and D wasn't large, they had opted for a random draw system.
Still, tomorrow's matches were going to be troublesome. I didn't have any issues myself, but Elin was another matter. Judging by her magical ability, she didn't belong in Class D at all. She had the talent to reach Class B—or even Class A. The magic she had used during the previous incident had demonstrated extremely precise mana control. The fact that she could maintain a wide-area search spell across that vast mountain for over half a day meant only one thing: either her mana capacity was enormous, or her mana efficiency was extraordinary. In her case, it was both.
The spells she had used were all high-level magic, though she didn't seem to realize it herself. Aside from the detection spell, every other spell she cast had been incredibly mana-intensive.
What kind of teacher did she have to learn such advanced magic?
Her total mana reserves were also a mystery. But that wasn't the real problem. Elin wasn't suited for sparring. She had endured bullying for over a year for the sake of her family and her teacher. Even though she seemed brighter lately, shadows still crossed her face from time to time. Her self-esteem had likely already hit rock bottom. Once self-worth was that low, it was difficult to recover. She apologized for everything—"I'm sorry... Did I do something wrong?"—which said it all.
If someone with such low self-esteem was told to spar against other students, there was a hundred percent chance she would surrender. Yet I couldn't think of any immediate way to boost her confidence. That was what made this so troublesome. It wasn't my problem, but no one would be happy if a friend lost or surrendered in the middle of the exam. Elin was someone who could make it to Class A. But would she actually win her match?
Sparring wasn't just about casting magic well. Quick judgment, situational awareness, and reflexes were crucial. If the opponent was a warrior, one could simply bombard them with high-output spells from the start—but that wouldn't work against skilled fighters. Moreover, this was the academy. Even Class D students were elites. And given how kind-hearted she was, I wasn't sure she could bring herself to attack someone until they retired. From what I'd seen of her behavior, she might very well surrender while wondering, "Is it really okay for me to attack someone?" Or she might doubt herself entirely: "Can I even win this match?"
She had mentioned during the entrance exam that she'd made too many mistakes and ended up in Class D, her voice barely above a whisper. Her self-esteem was practically nonexistent. That was why she had lost confidence in her own magic. That was why she had only used defensive magic during practical training instead of attacking.
Haa. What was I supposed to do? I wanted Elin to be promoted to Class C. Was there really no way to raise her confidence?
There had been a time when I used to think like that, too.
On the day of the sparring matches, I realized all my worries had been unnecessary meddling. When Elin faced off against another Class D student, she retired her opponent the moment the match began. She had opened with a high-output spell and blasted her opponent clean out of the arena. After sending her opponent flying, she turned toward me, gave a thumbs-up, and grinned.
How did she even know where I was standing? Well, it didn't matter. Things had worked out. Haa, I'd worried for nothing. So the reason she'd looked so downcast hadn't been because of the exam after all. Then what had been bothering her? It didn't matter anymore. Since she'd passed safely, I could focus on my own match now. My turn was coming up soon.
My opponent was a student from Class C-1. She had fiery red hair and striking emerald eyes, with looks that rivaled even Elisha or Elin. She was a fire mage, just like me. Her name was Lucy, a commoner. Her personality was as fiery as her hair, but she was actually quite soft-hearted. Her competitive streak, however, made her a rather troublesome opponent.
Of all the people I could have drawn, it had to be another fire mage... Should I aim for one big decisive strike? Or should I close in with my sword? While I was still formulating a strategy, my name was called.
"Lucy of Class C-1 and Vern Flame of Class C-2, please enter the arena according to the guide."
So the time had finally come. My evaluation here would determine whether I got promoted. Let's do this properly. The sparring match starts now.