34. First Day of School
34. First Day of School
In my Past Life, I enjoyed using axes.
They had a satisfying feel to them, and they let me fight in a different style than with a sword.
I was most familiar with one-handed axes like the ones Silina used.
Though I never dual-wielded them.
Anyway, whatever anyone else thinks, by my standards an axe is a pretty damn good weapon.
Small, light, easy to handle.
It doesn't require much finesse. Block, deflect, knock aside, swing—that's all there is to it.
It's not thin like a sword, and not heavy like a greatsword.
So even if you swing it recklessly, it won't break, and you can put a solid, weighty hit behind it.
Sure, it doesn't have the reach of a sword or spear, but if you close the distance even a little, it has the advantage of letting you land one easy, powerful blow.
That's why I was good with an axe—no, I used to be good with one.
I could handle just about any weapon, but the axe was the one I could genuinely boast about.
So when I watched Silina move, I did think it was a shame her talent was going to waste.
But that—shit. I only thought it to myself. I had no intention of saying it out loud.
But then I went and overthought everything and blurted out what was on my mind.
I still hadn't kicked the habits from my Past Life, and this was the result.
"...What?"
Eurasia's jaw dropped.
Gailan's eyes went wide enough to split.
Pina looked like she was choking on her own breath.
And then Silina took one big step toward me.
"Eliarnes. What did you just say?"
Her tone was like she was chewing up each word before spitting it out.
Her eyes were sharp. Her brow twitched, and her breathing was rough. The hand gripping the scrap metal made a grinding sound, and the step she took toward me was heavy.
What should I do?
Honestly, I had plenty of excuses.
And if I told the truth, I had a witness to back up my excuse.
Eurasia could explain that I was skilled with my fists.
She was the top-ranked student, the one who'd taken down the most Monsters so far, and presumably the highest Tier among us. People would believe her.
But if I did that, I might get dragged into some pointless mess.
I really didn't want that. The moment I got tied to the imperial family, rumors would spread everywhere that I was the Second Princess's—Silina's—person.
I might end up stepping into some filthy political game without even realizing it.
Sure, it wouldn't matter if I made my stance clear, but Sara, Mother, and Father all told me.
Not to get involved with the imperial family.
I felt the same way.
House Eustetia maintained the Empire's neutrality.
And if rumors spread that I—the most likely next head of House Eustetia—was backing the Second Princess?
Things would get absolutely ridiculous.
To fend that off, I'd have to help the First Princess and Second Prince at their academies too. At that point, I'd rather just drop out.
"Answer me."
Silina stepped closer again.
Close enough to feel each other's breath.
The smell of Monster blood, Silina's sweat, and a clean woody scent reached my nose.
Looking at those sharp, gleaming platinum eyes, I could tell she wasn't going to let this go. The corner of her mouth twisted upward—she was thoroughly pissed.
What to do.
"Eliarnes. From what I just heard, it sounded like you know how to use an axe too. Is that right?"
"Yeah."
Whatever.
Screw it.
Since when did I start overthinking things like this?
And it probably wouldn't even go that far.
Just because I gave a couple of kids some pointers, nobody was going to spout bullshit about me being Silina's person.
The imperial family wasn't that stupid.
"...You know how to use one?"
"Yeah."
"Did you learn that from a book too?"
"Saw it in books, and learned it at home."
Her eyes were still fierce. But the intensity had faded.
"Is that so?"
Silina fidgeted with the scrap metal in her hand a few times, then held it out to me.
"Then show me."
"Here?"
"Yeah. I just swung this scrap around like an axe, so you can obviously do it too. Right? Or can't you?"
Silina's eyes narrowed.
"You wouldn't say something like that to me and then claim you can't do it with this scrap. Would you?"
I thought about it for a moment.
Not for long.
"Fine."
I took the scrap metal she held out.
"Don't need two."
I shrugged at Eurasia, who was watching me with a worried expression, and stepped forward.
Right. I said I'd do it, so at the very least I shouldn't embarrass myself.
Of course I can do it. It's not even hard.
I don't know how long this scrap will hold up, but I just need to kill it in one hit.
Every Monster so far has been the kind I could kill in one hit. The next one will be the same.
I only need to swing once.
One hit won't let anyone gauge my full strength.
Besides, if they're a professor at Karelai Academy, they'll know I passed the Special Entrance Exam. So this much is fine.
One hit. Let's end it in one hit.
*****
That motherfucker.
Black Wizard. That piece of shit worse than a dog was definitely watching all of this.
I could practically picture the bastard grinning while watching us struggle.
There was no other explanation.
Even at the bare minimum, there were at least five Monsters per floor—but on the sixth floor, not a single one appeared.
And on the seventh floor too, the Monsters that had been appearing just fine were nowhere to be found, as if they'd all hidden away.
And so, in front of the last lecture hall.
"...My lady, that..."
"W-we can catch that, right...? That thing?"
Flustered and frantic—
We came face-to-face with a single ogre, dyed blood-red.
And behind it.
[☆★☆★The Land of Dreams and Fantasy★☆★☆]
[☆★The exit is this way★☆]
I could see the glittering end of the illusion.
Was he curious how far I could go?
Why pull this kind of prank the moment I step up?
Because he didn't get to see the basilisk subjugation?
So he was curious about my strength?
Maybe they suspected Stella's talent was so exceptional that she could break through it.
So were they trying to humiliate me in front of everyone?
No, it wasn't that.
That illusion wasn't filthy enough to pull such a low, petty trick.
Then why?
Just for fun?
"Eliarnes. If you're not confident, we can all take it down together here and then you can show me outside."
Silina's pointed voice grated on my nerves.
"I'll help you. With my clumsy axe work."
Ah, so this girl held back too.
No, wait. I... I did talk shit.
If I were in her shoes, and some brat I'd never met—one who'd been quiet the whole time—ran their mouth like that, I'd have thrown a fit and latched on too.
"So? Want me to help?"
"I'm good. Give me that other one."
"Here."
I took the scrap metal Silina handed over and looked at the ogre.
A massive frame that looked about three meters tall, with bright red, muscular skin. Even at a glance, thick tendons and veins bulged through its tough-looking hide.
Fangs the size of my forearm jutted upward from its lantern jaw, and the saw-blade-like claws visible between its brutishly clenched fists looked incredibly sharp.
But the energy it gave off was weaker than the basilisk I'd faced in the Entrance Exam.
And while it had us in its sights, it didn't move first.
So was it the type that only moved if you entered a certain range or attacked first?
In that case... not bad.
I leaned one piece of scrap against the wall for a moment and raised the one I'd been holding.
I drew up my Mana. The Mana spreading from near my heart swept through my whole body. Like cherry blossoms blooming in early spring before the cold has fully faded, Mana tinged with a soft pink gathered in my right arm. It seeped into the scrap metal.
I swung it.
CRRRAACK—!
The corridor wall split nearly in half.
The scrap metal, naturally, shattered.
"H-huuuh...!"
Gailan's face went pale, and Pina's eyes rolled back. Silina stared at me with wide eyes, and Eurasia still wore a worried expression.
Ignoring all of that, I replayed the sensation from just now.
Just under a second.
Once it's infused with Mana, the scrap breaks in under a second.
But that's enough to split the ogre's skull.
Instead of blocking, deflecting, or knocking aside its attacks, I'll have to dodge everything and smash its head.
Can I do it?
The ogre isn't holding a weapon.
There's nothing around for it to pick up and throw either.
It's the first-floor corridor, so the floor won't collapse.
Above is the ceiling—no, it's covered by the floor above, so even if I go airborne, I'll have something to plant my feet on.
The narrow corridor width is a bit annoying, but.
I can do it.
"Watch closely."
I grabbed the scrap metal leaning against the wall with my right hand and stepped forward. The ogre's gaze followed me. The closer I got, the rougher its growls became.
Then, step—the moment I entered the ogre's range.
Its calf muscles contracted. Its thighs tensed. Its waist twisted, its chest muscles moved, and its right shoulder rose.
[RRRRRRAAAAAAAA―!!]
With a body that huge, its movements were easy to read.
The first attack was a downward smash from above.
I moved my feet lightly and dodged to the side.
THOOM! With a tremor like an earthquake, the Ogre's eyes rolled. It moved. The next attack—it would swing the hand it had slammed down and rake at my lower body.
I counted in my head and hopped—leapt upward. The massive claws swept through the space beneath me. CRACK— crack—its huge muscles twisted. That was the signal for an upward swing.
I extended my tucked legs and stepped lightly on its arm, then jumped a bit higher this time.
FWOOOSH—! The claws shot up, whipping through my hair and grazing right past my face. I grabbed onto those claws and twisted my direction. My feet touched the ceiling, then the floor.
I focused Mana into my legs.
CRUNCH—! My feet, now reinforced with power, dug into the tiles. The ogre's other hand moved. My firmly planted feet left the ground.
Two grasping hands that could easily crush my body reached out. But my gaze wasn't on them.
The ogre's wide-open head.
"Hup—!"
I sucked in a breath and threw my body forward. —KRAAANG! Fragments of the tiles I'd been standing on scattered in all directions. Through the debris, a blood-red fist and grasping hand surged toward me.
I twisted my waist and extended my legs. My foot met its fist, which had no real power behind it. I immediately bent my legs to absorb the impact and jumped again.
From that recoil—THOOM! The ogre's fist was pushed back. My body shot forward.
Cherry-blossom-colored Mana, melting into the dust, wrapped around my body. Swaying lightly like petals scattered by the wind, I finally landed on its shoulder.
Now all I had to do was gouge its eyeballs, jam its ear holes, and bring it down.
But even though I hadn't directly wrapped it in Mana, the scrap metal was in terrible shape—indirectly affected, it seemed.
At this rate, it won't last half a second, let alone one.
I need to end this fast.
I clenched my teeth and grabbed a few strands of the ogre's hair. Its left hand reached out to peel me off, and its right hand reached out to break me.
There's enough time.
I focused the Mana wrapped around my body into my right arm. I raised my arm. I gripped the scrap metal tight.
And I swung.
I didn't look at the hands reaching out to shake me off.
All I saw was the scrap metal swinging to crack its skull.
Just before it touched the ogre's head.
I poured all my Mana into the scrap metal.
WHOOSH—! Fresh Mana coiled around the scrap.
And the moment it touched the ogre's head.
Paseuseu—it vanished.
Ah, shit!
No, it's fine. It's fine. At this speed.
They won't notice.
I extended my arm. Thrust my shoulder forward. Took one big step. Twisted my waist.
Releasing my tightly coiled muscles, I drove my back leg forward. At the same time, I clenched my fist.
CRRRAACK—!
My knee shattered its neck bones.
My fist caved in its skull.
Bureureu—the ogre's trembling body collapsed.
I jumped down in the direction it fell and landed lightly.
Everyone was staring at me.
Eurasia... she'd already noticed.
Gailan had the same expression as before.
Pina seemed to have lost consciousness.
And Silina's eyes were filled with shock.
Did she notice? Did she not? I can't tell.
Let's just brazen it out.
"Heh. Saw that?"
Silina's lips twitched.
"In one hit, that thing... no, wait. Eliarnes. You just... with your fist—"
"What?"
"Didn't you kill it with your fist and knee?"
"No?"
"Don't lie. I saw you punch it just now. And on top of that, you broke the ogre's spine with your knee. It's impressive, sure, but... is that what you call axe work?"
"I said no. Got proof?"
"Proof? The mark on its head..."
Silina's gaze turned toward the ogre's head.
And her head tilted.
"Isn't that a fist mark? That can't be. I saw you use your fist and knee. The moment you swung your arm, your knee hit the ogre's neck bones... wait. I need to check."
This was why I hated sharp-eyed brats.
The moment Silina started forward, I raised my foot and stomped down on the Ogre's head.
CRUNCH— crunch— crunch—
After crushing everything from the head down to the already-broken neck bones into pulp, I put on a brazen expression again and looked at Silina.
"Sorry. Watching that made me queasy. I was raised delicately, so I've got a weak stomach. So, got proof?"
Silina didn't press further.
Instead, she said something else.
"You crazy bitch."
With those final words.
The world flipped over once again.