Chapter 2 - If you want it, fight for it
Chapter 2 - If you want it, fight for it
The next day, the Academy was in an uproar.
An intruder targeting Yulia had appeared. This was enough to raise questions about the Academy's security capabilities.
It wasn't just the demons who had a problem with this.
Nobles who had likely made enemies in various places also vented their complaints about the Academy's lax security.
Along with threats that if things were going to be like this, they might as well shut down the educational institution.
"...For that reason, the atmosphere at the Academy will be quite unpleasant for a while. I ask that you professors take extra care to ensure that students do not become agitated or turn their blades against one another."
President Ruskal said, clutching his forehead as if he had a splitting headache.
I originally expected the human side to demand a proper investigation, but instead, they were pestering us to bury it quickly.
I sensed something from that.
These guys, they must have had some kind of deal with the Eastern faction behind the scenes.
No wonder those in charge of security duties were suspiciously absent yesterday.
'One moment they're screaming for us to fight to the death, and now they're making absurd deals? It's driving me crazy.'
While others were fighting for their lives, these bastards were still just filling their own bellies and satisfying their own desires.
That was exactly the kind of human nobles in this world that Klaus had created.
'I created them, but they're truly hopeless, those fucking assholes.'
It was pathetic enough that I went through all that trouble just to try and live with these kinds of people.
Anyway, I had thoroughly crushed the guy who tried to carry out the assassination, and Rir, one of the Shadows who initiated the job, had been completely reprogrammed overnight.
Now, if I could just thoroughly crush the remaining two Shadows within today, I would succeed in clearing away all the surveillance nets that had been cast over Yulia.
'That uncle of hers is underestimating Yulia way too much. Even if I just leak some rough misinformation, he'll stop thinking and focus diligently on gathering his own forces.'
Go ahead and gather them if you can.
Because every time you gather forces, the number of bombs hidden within them will only increase.
Mocking him to the fullest in his mind, Klaus walked into the classroom.
"...."
"...."
The moment he stepped inside, Yulia and Natasha, who were sitting in their seats, looked at Klaus.
Perhaps sensing that gaze, Klaus turned his head slightly, and the two women turned their heads away almost simultaneously; their movements were so frantic that he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
However, the two women soon showed different reactions; unlike Yulia, who blushed slightly but raised her head again to start looking at Klaus, Natasha could not bring herself to face Klaus until the end.
'The difference in personality is showing immediately.'
I plan to start Natasha's training today as well.
Happily pondering how to torment her this time, Klaus lightly tapped the podium and opened his mouth.
"Nice to see you all. Before we begin the lecture, I'm sure you students have heard the general news about the unfortunate incident that occurred within the Academy. You can rest assured that such a thing will never happen again. Today, after a brief theory lesson, we will head outside for a simple practical exercise. You are all well aware that combat magic isn't just about handling magic, right? From simple martial arts to using various weapons and coordinating them together—that is the concept of combat magic as you know it."
The students nodded at Klaus's words.
Just as the name 'combat magic' implies, the focus is not on magic, but on combat.
Therefore, all the students gathered here possessed at least a minimum level of skill, and they had chosen the combat magic lecture to compensate for their shortcomings.
If not that, then perhaps they chose this lecture simply because they were curious about Klaus, the hero of the Continental War known as the Devil of the South, or to secretly recruit him to their side.
"First, before that, I will conduct a simple survey. If you use a weapon, please write down which one you mainly use. If you don't use any particular one, you can write 'martial arts'."
The students in the classroom scribbled something on the papers placed in front of them, collected them from each other, and submitted them to the front.
However, looking at the scene, it was clear that humans were grouping with humans, elves with elves, beastkin with beastkin, and demons with demons to submit them.
'I told them not to clash with each other, but they're drawing even firmer lines between themselves.'
The Second Continental War is inevitable anyway, and I have no intention of stopping it.
There was definitely a time when I thought, 'Maybe the Second Continental War won't happen if Yulia doesn't suffer a terrible fate?'
However, just as the one who determined the ending intended, the Continental War breaks out again, and the flow of events leads to a conclusion where the Alliance is ultimately defeated by the Demon Race.
The process is not important; even if Yulia dies, the Demon Race eventually wins, and the Alliance loses.
That was the conclusion of the one who created this world, so it could not be changed.
But that is a story for later.
For now, Klaus intended to forbid the various races from confronting each other, at least within his classroom.
It wasn't for some reason like harmony between the races; he just didn't want to look at it.
'The best way for those guys to get close is still that method.'
Having received the papers with their respective specialties, Klaus began a simple theory lecture.
Afterward, he ordered all the students to go outside for practical training.
As Klaus entered the large open space provided at the Academy, he looked at the students and opened his mouth.
"As you students yourselves would admit, you are not children. You are already skilled individuals who are accustomed to handling magic, or martial arts, or weapons. Therefore, it would be appropriate to learn how to sprint, not how to take baby steps."
"...."
"Some of you may have expected this, but today's practical exercise is a 1:1 sparring match. Real weapons will not be provided, but you are free to use combat magic. You just need to land a valid hit on your opponent in any way possible."
Immediately after saying that, Klaus pulled a piece of paper from inside his coat.
Inside, the names of each student were written, paired with other names.
"I have predetermined your opponents based on the specialties you wrote down. You don't need to worry about each other's skill levels. It's a bracket I made while taking all of that into account."
"Um, Professor Klaus. I have a question."
"What is it?"
"As far as I know, the number of students taking our lecture is odd. One person will be left over."
A student with good observation skills; it was indeed a keen eye typical of a beastkin.
It seemed they had moved like a beast picking out its prey, quickly scanning the number of people in the classroom while not showing much interest in the other students.
"I was just about to ask for your understanding regarding that matter."
At the word 'understanding', curiosity appeared on the students' expressions.
What on earth could be happening that Professor Klaus would say such a thing to them?
"It seems one of you students will have to spar with me."
"...."
"...."
At Klaus's words, two scenes came to the students' minds.
One was the scene of the professor who was supposed to be in charge of the magic lecture collapsing with foam at the mouth.
The other was the sight of Cecily Leblanc, who was also known to be quite proficient in magic, collapsing.
Both were situations where Klaus's overwhelming combat prowess was highlighted.
Hadn't he even demonstrated a method that required extreme talent, immense experience, and blood-sweating effort—not by simply consuming the same amount of mana to explode the opponent's magic midway, but by accurately striking the center point with a significantly smaller amount to completely annihilate it!
'Fight that monster of a man? Do you want me to be humiliated?'
That thought filled the minds of the elves, beastkin, and even the human noble students.
Even if you win, you don't gain anything, and if you lose, there's no telling how badly you'll be crushed or how much humiliation you'll suffer.
But the bigger problem was, what was the probability of winning in the first place? That was exactly it.
"...."
"...."
The students from the three races quietly avoided Klaus's gaze.
This is not a problem that can be solved by something like a competitive spirit.
If things go wrong, you could be completely humiliated in front of other students who already perceive each other as enemies.
No, in the worst-case scenario, humiliation aside, you could end up beaten so badly that you wouldn't be able to walk on your own for a while.
Murmur, murmur-.
Even the demon students were unable to step forward recklessly.
Of course, they weren't afraid of getting hurt or being humiliated like the other students.
It's not that they didn't have those fears at all, but compared to them, it could be said to be less.
Even so, the reason the demon students were hesitating was because he was Klaus, the Devil of the South.
'They're just reading the room with the other demons. Who would dare to challenge the object of their admiration? They're afraid of being judged on whether they actually had the skills to stand before him, or if they were just some nobody.'
As time passed, no one stepped forward willingly; if this continued, Yulia might step up.
However, Klaus was still waiting for someone with a relaxed demeanor.
Probably in a few seconds, that woman would slowly raise her hand and....
Flash!-
A woman with jet-black hair and orange eyes that were very impressive raised her hand.
The other students who saw her let out a sigh of "Huh?"
The person who stepped forward to have a 1:1 match with Klaus was none other than Cecily Leblanc.
"...Are there really no other students?"
Klaus asked for opinions while intentionally not looking at Cecily.
At that, Cecily bit her lip slightly and raised her hand vigorously again, emphasizing herself.
"Anyone would be just fine."
Tap! Flash!-
Cecily was waving her hand several times as if to say that 'anyone' was right here.
She was emphasizing herself so much that the other students were even giving Klaus subtle hints.
As if to say, 'Why are you blatantly ignoring that demon student when she wants it so intensely?'
"...Phew."
Klaus let out a sigh as if to make sure they heard it.
Then, scratching his forehead, he muttered in a way that made it feel like he had no choice.
"Understood. Student Cecily Leblanc."
"Yes, Professor Klaus!"
"You will have a 1:1 sparring match with me. I hope you won't collapse in such an unsightly manner like last time."
"I will try my best!"
Perhaps this scene would appear to the other students as a demon's struggle to defeat the object of fear known as the Devil of the South, or at least to gain his recognition.
But to Klaus, who knew the truth, it only looked like this.
'Torment me more! More, make it hurt more!'
That is what it looked like.