Study 2

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The rumor that a new liberal arts Instructor had arrived at Sword School spread quickly.

“Hey, did you hear? They said a new liberal arts Instructor is coming.”

“Really? Why?”

“What does it matter? Liberal arts is just something you attend half-heartedly anyway.”

“Yeah. The seniors said the same thing. As long as you don’t get marked absent, you’re fine.”

“Anyway, they said you just sit through liberal arts. Since today is orientation, it’ll probably be over in ten minutes.”

Sword School’s first liberal arts subject:

Understanding Self-Defense.

The students were only attending because they were told to, not because anyone was interested in the class.

In fact, they didn’t even need to attend.

It was good if they did, but if not, they could just earn credits through their major.

However, students still fought fiercely to register for liberal arts classes.

To be exact, out of the five liberal arts classes, they avoided the three taught by professors and flocked to the two taught by Instructors.

One of them was “Understanding Self-Defense.”

“Hey, isn’t this seriously a free ride? The seniors said so.”

“I’m telling you, since it’s an Instructor teaching it, it’s supposed to be easy. You just sit there and leave.”

“When I think about how hard it was to get into this class…”

There were one hundred first-year students in total.

And on top of that, there were second-years and above who hadn’t passed their liberal arts requirements for various reasons.

Among all those competitors, the forty students here had claimed victory.

A fierce battle fought just to enjoy the benefits!

These forty were the winners.

“Dellev, what are you doing?”

“Studying my major.”

Among those students was one boy reading his major textbook with an expression that said he didn’t care at all about the class.

“Class is about to start.”

“Liberal arts are always taught by teaching assistants anyway. And I heard they just give a short orientation and then tell us to self-study.”

Dellev Kundel.

The third son of the Kundel family, a boy with a memorable appearance—smooth golden hair symbolizing the Kundel family, and bright blue eyes.

“This time, they said an actual Instructor is coming.”

“They never last more than a few months anyway. My brothers said so. Even if an Instructor arrives, they don’t last long.”

“Oh, right, your brothers are in their third and fifth year.”

Dellev soon became absorbed in his textbook.

A few nearby students glanced at him.

“He’s the one who entered as the top student, right? From the Kundel family?”

“If we get close to him, he might help us get through academy life smoother.”

“I don’t know. Go talk to him.”

Dellev noticed their stares but his mind was entirely focused on his major.

‘Surpass my brothers.’

Amidst praise of being the greatest talent, he had entered Edelvine Academy as a freshman.

As the top of his class!

He had to prove his exceptional talent.

He couldn’t disappoint his family’s expectations.

Meanwhile—

“Celia, do you want to go to the plaza after this? The seniors said there’s something really good there—”

“Luke, shut up and stop talking to me. I’m going to sleep.”

“Oh, o-okay…”

There was even a student like Celia Rihardt who simply fell asleep.

Rihardt.

Along with Kundel, one of the Empire’s Five Great Houses.

Celia was the second daughter of the Rihardt family, and among the heirs, she had the greatest talent in swordsmanship.

Just like Dellev, she showed no interest and lay down with her eyes closed.

Her smooth, flowing red hair covering her face attracted the stares of the male students this time.

“Hey, did you hear? That assassin organization got destroyed.”

“Assassin organization?”

“You know, that super scary one.”

“Oh, that Wraith? The one with that guy?”

“Yeah. It was in the newspaper. The Empire wiped them out.”

Meanwhile, some students chatted excitedly.

Out of the forty students, not a single one was actually interested in the liberal arts lecture.

And then—

“Everyone, take your seats. Class is beginning.”

None of the students noticed that Ziel had entered.

“W-what the?”

A voice suddenly came from the front, causing the students to flinch.

“When did he… come in?”

“Hey, did you see? When did he walk in?”

An assassin (former).

Not just any assassin, but the greatest assassin of the organization, feared as Wraith.

He hadn’t even needed to use any assassination technique to walk to the podium unnoticed.

He had simply walked in naturally.

Anyone with his skill could slip into a person’s blind spot at any time.

From the entrance to the podium.

About ten meters.

That walk had been executed with exquisite timing.

The classroom suddenly fell silent.

“He’s the new liberal arts Instructor… right?”

“Hey, he looks kind of good.”

“Not just good… he’s on another level…”

Celia lifted her head at the murmurs.

At that moment, sunlight streaming through the window illuminated the side of Ziel’s face.

Celia took in a quiet breath.

A pale face.

Eyes and nose sharply shaded by the sunlight.

And orange-colored eyes.

How could someone with a face like that have walked in without anyone noticing?

‘It’s really him.’

She had planned to sleep.

But a smile spread across Celia’s lips.

“So they really brought in a separate Instructor this time. Last year, a teaching assistant came in and told everyone to self-study.”

“He didn’t even last one semester before quitting, right?”

Cus whispered next to Dellev, who still had his major textbook open.

And right then—

“Yes. This year, I will be serving as the liberal arts Instructor.”

“You… heard us?”

“I heard.”

“……!”

“And the student next to you—what exactly are you reading? We haven’t distributed the textbook for this class yet.”

Dellev glared at Cus.

“Because of you…”

“The ‘Theory of Sword Counterattacks’ you’re reading is not part of this course, so put the book away.”

How had he heard and seen that?

The distance between the podium and the students was at least twenty meters.

There was no way he could see the title of the book, let alone hear whispering.

Dellev closed his book with a bewildered expression and swallowed hard.

“Starting today, I am Ziel Steelheart, and I will be in charge of the liberal arts subjects at Sword School.”

The classroom was silent.

‘Weren’t we just supposed to sleep?’

‘I was going to study my major…’

‘Nothing the seniors said was true.’

Whether at Sword School or Arcane School, they had been told that as long as they didn’t skip, liberal arts didn’t matter.

“I will conduct this class properly, following the standard curriculum.”

“Properly.”

At that word, the students sensed something ominous.

“If you do anything unrelated during class or fail to participate earnestly, you will be called out—just like now.”

It wasn’t going to be easy.

“Evaluation will also be conducted properly. Please refer to the syllabus for the grading criteria.”

The grading criteria written in the syllabus were extremely strict.

Class participation, number of questions, improvements throughout the term!

Were they really going to evaluate all that?

‘We’re screwed, aren’t we?’

‘Why didn’t the seniors say any of this?!’

Why had they fought so hard to get into this class?

‘Wasn’t this supposed to be easy?’

‘They said it was free credits…!’

They had endured so much competition all for the sake of this.

“Is this not honey, but… poison?”

While every student sat in shock, only Celia watched Ziel with a look of growing interest.

“Hm.”

It was not because of what he had just said.

And then, a student raised his hand for an entirely different reason.

“Sir.”

It was Dellev.

The same student who had brothers in their third and fifth year.

“Since this is just liberal arts, can’t we take it easy?”

The lecture hall once again fell completely silent.

“From what I’ve heard, that’s how it’s always been.”

The same goes for Arcane School, and even more so for Sword School.

There’s this perception that liberal arts lectures exist only to satisfy the school rules.

“And come on, this is Sword School—who needs self-defense? You just draw your sword and cut.”

Dellev’s attitude wasn’t much different from what the long-ignored liberal arts Instructors had seen before.

That puffed-up spirit unique to freshmen!

The pride of entering as the top student!

And even a touch of arrogance that comes from being a scion of a premier family.

Ziel watched him in silence and asked a question.

“What’s your name, student?”

“Dellev Kundel.”

Kundel.

One of the greatest houses in the Empire.

Dellev was their third son.

In other words, among these Sword School freshmen, he had one of the strongest backgrounds.

He was even called the most gifted among his brothers.

At the entrance ceremony, every professor had sought him out at least once to meet him.

‘He should get it by now.’

But Ziel answered with a blank expression.

“Dellev Kundel. Come to the front.”

“Sorry?”

“Come to the front.”

Dellev let out a short, disbelieving laugh.

If anything, he was curious.

What would this man say after calling him out?

‘I’m from the Kundel family.’

A house known across the Empire.

Dellev walked forward just as Ziel had said.

“Yes, I’m here.”

In the same calm voice, Ziel asked Dellev.

“Do you understand the importance of self-defense?”

“We belong to Sword School, though.”

“I asked about the importance of self-defense, and your answer is that you belong to Sword School. That’s the wrong answer.”

Dellev tilted his head.

“I’m saying self-defense isn’t necessary because we’re in Sword School.”

“Why wouldn’t it be necessary?”

“Well… isn’t drawing a sword faster in that time?”

Ziel thought differently.

Even if you have a sword, there are many urgent situations where you don’t have the time to draw it.

Even after drawing, there are plenty of times when you can’t swing it freely.

In fact, some assassination targets with excellent swordsmanship died without drawing even once.

‘I’ll have to teach him.’

Professor Elcanto had said it.

Just follow the standard approach.

This student clearly didn’t understand the importance of self-defense, so he would simply show him.

“Then why don’t we try it. Whether self-defense is necessary or not—let’s experience it.”

Not theory, but practice.

Theory matters.

But practice matters more.

It was something he had learned many times while mastering the art of assassination.

Dellev, on the other hand, was incredulous.

‘A mere liberal arts Instructor?’

He could demonstrate as much as needed.

And he could show off in front of his peers while he was at it.

If he showed his skill properly, liberal arts would be smooth sailing from now on.

Of course, with the Kundel name behind him, who would dare lay a hand on him—but earning it himself felt different.

“So, are you going to attack me or what?”

“Dellev Kundel can attack, or I can. It doesn’t matter.”

Dellev’s eyebrow twitched.

Even if he was only a first-year, he was the most talented among his brothers.

‘He’s looking down on me.’

Ziel Steelheart?

He had never even heard the name.

Dellev had been sparring with knights even before enrolling.

And as the valedictorian, his confidence overflowed.

His opponent was a liberal arts Instructor.

‘How strong could he be, really.’

If he were a former knight, he wouldn’t have come in as an Instructor but in some other position.

With a faint scowl, Dellev gripped his scabbard.

“Sir, don’t regret this. I won’t be responsible if you get hurt.”

Ziel silently took a small step back to open the distance.

Dellev smirked.

More than enough distance.

With a single step forward, he would have plenty of time to draw and swing.

“Block my attack and counter me.”

“Sure—come at me whenever.”

And then—

Fwip.

For a moment, it felt like Ziel had vanished.

Not only Dellev but every student in the lecture hall sensed the same thing.

But a moment later—

Thud!

Someone slammed into the floor.

It wasn’t Ziel, but Dellev.

No one realized what had just happened.

“Uh… so…”

“Dellev just…”

They hadn’t seen the exchange.

They blinked, and Dellev was already flat on his back.

In a very undignified position.

“Urgh, gah… ngh…”

Letting out a pitiful groan.

He hadn’t had the chance to draw his sword, let alone respond.

“Kh.”

Dellev hurriedly pushed himself up.

He had only fallen; the impact wasn’t all that serious.

Physically, anyway.

His mind, however, had already started to unravel.

“I… I was thinking about something else just now.”

At that, Ziel turned his head toward a student sitting by the window.

“You there. Close the curtains.”

“Sorry?”

“I said close them. Block the light.”

The student stood up without thinking and drew the curtains.

Only the indoor lights remained.

‘What is he planning?’

Dellev looked confused, then let out a short laugh.

“What, you don’t want the students to see you getting beaten by me?”

He still thought that way.

He told himself the earlier fall had been due to carelessness.

So he could still talk like this.

For now.

“You don’t seem to know the definition of self-defense, so I’ll explain it, Dellev Kundel.”

At that moment, Ziel picked up a piece of chalk—

Tap.

He threw it and hit the switch dead on.

Darkness swallowed the room at once.

And in the dark came a dull thud and a cry.

Bang.

“A surprise attack can come at any time. In situations where you can’t see a thing like this, of course, but also when you’re asleep.”

Tap.

“Gah!”

The lights flicked back on.

Two chalk marks stained the magic-powered switch.

What the students saw was exactly the same scene as before.

“Urk, gah…”

Dellev lay there again in an embarrassing heap.

And Ziel stood over him, looking down.

“This is what self-defense means. An ambush comes in the worst possible circumstances. You won’t have time to draw your sword, and after it lands, you won’t even have time to scream.”

Ziel looked over the students and continued.

“Will you scream ‘cowardly ambush’ only after you’re dead? Or will you respond, create an opening, and counter in that brief moment?”

He had heard it all before.

During assassinations.

‘You cowardly assassin!’

‘Stabbing from behind!’

‘Fight fair and square!’

It was mostly the cowards who said such things.

Like the leader of a bandit gang.

Or a slaver.

‘If we fought fair, I’d crush you with one—urk!’

Of course, he never heard the rest of that line.

They usually died before finishing the sentence.

Dellev had no answer.

The other students were silent as well.

There was nothing to argue with.

The real problem was the absurd movement Ziel had just shown.

You could blame the second time on the darkness, maybe.

But no one had seen how Dellev had fallen the first time.

‘They didn’t bring in a liberal arts Instructor…’

‘What… what kind of person did they bring in?’

Ziel looked at Dellev again.

“Do you understand the importance of self-defense now?”

This was the importance of self-defense, interpreted in Ziel’s way.

It was a method the students had never even imagined.

Seeing their blank faces, Ziel felt satisfied.

‘I followed the standard approach.’

It was the first day as an Instructor.

And the students—

‘This isn’t easy credits.’

‘This is a total disaster…’

‘We’re screwed.’

They shuddered at the hardship they felt was coming.

It was a liberal arts class they had to take regardless.

If they dropped it now, they would have to wait until next year.

Edelvine Academy had no course drop system.

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