Lydia's Astonishing Comeback
He'd only rubbed and squeezed a bit when *** a knock echoed through the room, and Anne, who oversaw the EL group (female students), along with Holland, who handled the EK group (male students), entered from the harmony department. Melissa was seated in the professor's office.
"Come on in."
"Hello."
"Good morning, sir and ma'am."
The morning harmony department faculty meeting. Anne and Holland each grabbed a cup of tea and took their seats.
"Where's the newbie? I don't see him."
"Professor Naru won't be in today. He has personal matters."
Melissa crossed her legs, her purple short skirt and stockings on full display, and spoke nonchalantly. She closed the file folder she'd been flipping through.
"So we'll hold the meeting just among us today."
"That guy's absent a lot," Holland muttered, but Anne shook her head.
"Other than that morning last week when he ran an errand for Professor Melissa, he hasn't missed any."
"Newbies are fun to mess with when they're around. No sight of him means no fun."
"You don't play with people like toys."
"Don't you get it, Assistant Professor Anne? I just wanna get close to him."
"What's the point of getting chummy with Assistant Professor Holland? You'd just drag him to brothels every night, chugging bomb shots."
"You don't know men. A real man burns hot every single day."
"And then you'd blow your money, wreck your health, and drop dead."
"Alright, let's start the meeting."
With Melissa's cue, they discussed the status and grades of the EL and EK group students, along with the day's schedule. Finally, they turned to the RS group.
"Hazel. Shouldn't she move to EL group by now? Her grades aren't staying in RS forever. I think it'd be best to transfer her ASAP to the superior EL classroom setup over that rundown RS one. Plus, it'd help her build ties with noble kids."
"Anne, it's only been a week since Hazel started excelling. Let's watch a bit longer. Talk it over slowly with Assistant Professor Naru and decide after a month."
"Oh, right. I saw Lydia this morning," Holland said, stretching out a yawn before continuing.
"She was heading into the lecture hall?"
"Lydia? What's she doing there?"
"Her burn scars are completely gone. Skin's flawless."
Anne muttered to herself, "You're full of it, right?"
"Assistant Professor Anne, I can hear you."
Holland glanced at her, then turned back to Melissa.
"I thought it was someone else at first. But I went up and asked—it was definitely Lydia."
"No way. Lydia's burn scars aren't the type to just vanish. They were from a dragon's breath—leaves eternal wounds."
"If you don't believe me, go check yourself."
Melissa pondered for a moment before asking, "Where's Lydia now?"
"In combat training lecture."
"Then she's in the sparring hall. Meeting's over. Head back and work hard today, everyone. Good job."
"Wait, I'll come too."
"Me too. Gotta see if Assistant Professor Holland's telling the truth."
"I told you, it's real."
The three left the office straightaway and headed to the sparring hall, where combat training was in full swing. The corridor, like an indoor gymnasium, was already packed. Professors and assistants from other houses, even academy staff, crowded around, peering through the transparent glass wall into the sparring hall.
"That's really Lydia? She's grown a bit since then."
"When was the fire again?"
"Two or three years ago?"
"Haven't seen her in forever. No scars—she's pretty now."
The wide corridor buzzed like a marketplace. Everyone had rushed over upon hearing Lydia was back for class, stunned.
It made sense—three years ago, Lydia had been Buzdra Academy's pride, a sword prodigy gracing the promotional brochure cover for ages. A celebrity no one in the academy didn't know.
"Lydia, it's been ages since I've seen your skills. Show us everything, even if they've rusted—be honest. That way, I can guide you properly from here on."
"Yes, sir."
"Now we'll assess your level. Ready?"
"Yes, I'm ready."
In the sparring hall, with a hundred students watching from the sidelines, the professor in the center snapped his fingers. A door slid open, and a knight in full plate armor from head to toe lumbered in with heavy metallic clanks, facing Lydia.
The students whispered.
"It's Sir Walter, the Buzdra Knight."
"That ghost is our 12th-year final boss level. How's Lydia beating that?"
"Trying to crush a kid who's been out forever."
Buzdra Knights: Remnants of alumni from the past year to 200 years ago, guarding the academy as spectral entities. Though spirits, their prowess matched their living selves.
"Lydia, your shoulders are tense. Take a deep breath and relax."
"Guess it's 'cause it's been so long."
Lydia breathed deeply and gripped her wooden sword with both hands. Sir Walter opposite her held a flat, oversized wooden blade too.
'Naru, watch closely. This is the second life you gave me. I won't waste it.'
Lydia was more determined than ever.
Three years ago, despite being a student, her talent had earned her a spot on an adult monster subjugation squad. Dreaming of knighthood, Lydia had eagerly volunteered for real combat experience. After weeks as a diligent squire trailing the unit, disaster struck one unlucky day. A dragon appeared out of nowhere in their camp village, incinerating everything for reasons unknown. Amid the inferno sweeping the village, Lydia dove to save the children and took a dragon's breath instead. Her armor melted instantly, her body engulfed in flames as she screamed. If the squad's saintess hadn't rushed in, she'd be gone today.
'This reclaimed life. My second chance. I'll get strong enough to slay that bastard dragon solo!'
After the full-body burns, she'd been a listless problem student in class, but at home, she trained relentlessly. Alone, unseen, she'd swung her sword until bruises bloomed everywhere and her palms bled. Her classroom naps? Just recovery time for her body. She hadn't given up on life—fueled solely by vengeance against that dragon.
"Ready... set."
The professor raised his hand.
"Begin."
Lydia shot forward like an arrow. Holland, watching through the glass, muttered, "Whoa, she's fast."
"That's not the girl who quit swords. Good start—clean."
Even Melissa, no slouch with blades, was impressed. As Lydia traded blows with Sir Walter in earnest, the corridor erupted.
"Damn, that's swordsmanship."
"Still got that year-dominating skill."
Lydia's sword whipped like a storm, distorting space with each swing. Thwack! Crack!Scraaaape! Thud-thud! Sir Walter, who'd crushed countless 12th-years, was pushed back, barely defending as he retreated. Cheers exploded.
Lydia's prowess far exceeded her age group's norms.
"What's with the crowd?"
Principal Robert and his entourage, passing by, halted, mesmerized despite themselves.
"Whoever she is, she's possessed. Heh."
Then Robert blinked repeatedly, face shifting to 'Wait, is that...?'
"That girl... Lydia?"
"Yes, it's Lydia."
Melissa confirmed, and Robert nodded, stroking his chin.
"Ho... she's stretched out—longer limbs now. Easier to fight. But didn't she have burns?"
Padley from the public affairs department squeezed through. "Overheard Lydia earlier—said Assistant Professor Naru healed her with a one-of-a-kind elixir."
"Really? Naru did?"
"Some mystical elixir from his adventuring days."
"Must be priceless."
Melissa tilted her head slightly. 'Did Naru have something like that?'
Sudden roars from the students, thunderous applause. Sir Walter, overwhelmed by Lydia's ferocity, fell flat on his ass.
Even professors and assistants laughed and clapped.
"Lydia hasn't changed a bit!"
"Chills— she's unreal!"
"She could raise the school's rep like old times!"
"Cover model right now!"
Robert boomed with laughter. "Naru, that guy. Giving up a treasure like that means he really loves his students. Mmm, excellent. A model of devoted teaching everyone should emulate."
Assistant Professor Anne, eavesdropping behind, gazed at Lydia through the glass, thinking of Naru. 'He did that to her? Turned that hopeless case around? After Hazel too...?'
First impression: just some divorced nobody. But damn, he got results. Suddenly, Naru piqued her interest.
Meanwhile, Naru stood sharply dressed before the royal palace.
"Whew, seeing the queen after two years. Nervous."
Clutching the commissioned necklace, he strode confidently inside.