By Zephyria 
Beginner swordsmanship was a format of training stamina and refining the swordsmanship each person had learned, receiving instruction from Maelo Sanson.
However, it was said that from Intermediate Swordsmanship onwards, they would learn the common sword forms that knights of Shierun must master.
Imperial Swordsmanship. It was the swordplay primarily used by most knights of Shierun, including the Duke Valentia Family and the Ernhardt family.
I had once wondered why Shierun Academy didn’t teach a common sword form, but it seemed I had asked such a question because I didn’t know about the intermediate stage.
Maelo Sanson greeted them with his usual friendly expression and added a brief explanation.
“Since you’ve all shed the beginner label, you’ve likely encountered Imperial Swordsmanship at least once. Is there anyone who hasn’t seen it?”
No one raised their hand.
“Imperial Swordsmanship is not the most superior swordplay. However, it is the most stable. Unstable swordplay often appears stronger, making it more tempting. But if you endure its recoil within your body, you will naturally fall behind the ranks at some point.”
Maelo Sanson observed each of the children intently.
With Maelo’s level of mastery, he could discern what sword techniques were being used and how, simply by observing the direction of the children’s bones and muscles.
I had used the Changcheon Muae Sword, which possessed elegant form and structure. My fingertips and toes were not dull but delicate and extended smoothly.
“Imperial Swordsmanship will serve as a bridge, allowing you to use the various sword techniques you’ve learned as if they were a single sword art. In the most crucial moments, when you must endure the longest, you will find Imperial Swordsmanship. I will make it so.”
Thunderous applause erupted.
He was a man who was not only skilled with a sword but also an excellent orator. Deeply moved by Maelo’s words, I clapped until my palms stung.
Shayden moved to a spot further away.
Wondering if it was my fault, I looked over, and Shayden gave me an embarrassed smile and gestured towards me with his eyes. Bill Brown was waving his hands wildly and crying.
…A desire to flee welled up within me like a spring.
However, Bill Brown was a rather decent student.
Among the first-year students who came to take Intermediate Swordsmanship, he was the most diligent. To use Imperial Swordsmanship, one fundamentally needed a strong and unwavering lower body, and he, already having built his physique, performed the movements excellently without difficulty.
The only annoyance was that he would trot over to me after every little thing, begging for praise. Considering it was an age where he craved validation, I indulged him as he wished.
As the class neared its end, the child insisted he wanted to have a meal with me.
Shayden, Benjamin, and Rubel, who had been waiting for me, paused their steps. Shayden shook his head. Understanding, he opened his mouth to send the child back among his peers.
“What about your classmates?”
“Ah! It’s fine! They won’t say anything if I eat with my seniors!”
“…That’s not it. Don’t you need time to build friendships with your peers?”
“Huh? We’re already friends! They all like me so much!”
We were not communicating at all.
Sensing my predicament, Shayden paused, then smiled faintly.
I felt a pang of unease, knowing that his sly smile was not his usual one but a feigned politeness reserved for those he was trying to appease.
“Instead, speak in a small voice during the meal.”
“Yes!”
“Even smaller.”
“…Yes!”
“Good.”
Benjamin, who had been watching the exchange, cautiously asked me how I ended up with such a person by my side.
I had no proper answer and remained silent.
Throughout the meal, that fellow Bill chattered loudly about how much he enjoyed today’s class, ruining my appetite.
Rubel kindly served me a few of my favorite side dishes, allowing me to finish my plate.
❖ ❖ ❖
Monday afternoon’s class was Potion Making Practice, taught by Professor Cedric.
The exact course name was
I had no great interest in Alchemy; I believed it would be more convenient and better to buy potions made by others and carry them around.
Since it was Professor Cedric’s class, I was hoping it would be replaced by assignments instead of an exam.
“Mikael! Wow, it’s really, really been a while!”
“Did you have a good break? I missed you~!”
“You really grow up so fast when I look away for a moment. Aren’t you starting to resemble Ivan a bit already…”
“Not quite. I’m still much…”
Still, seeing my friends greet me with bright faces made my heart feel warm and good.
We boasted to each other about the enjoyable times we had during the past break, and I, too, boasted about my visit to the Duke Valentia Family.
The sharp-eyed children insisted on opening the locket I wore around my neck. A locket without a portrait was bright through the empty gaps in its filigree, while a locket with a portrait was dark, blocked by light. I learned this now.
I readily took off what I wore around my neck and placed it in their hands. The children marveled as they looked inside.
“It really came out beautifully.”
“This is why Mikael’s beauty shines.”
“Even with my eyes closed, it’s Ernhardt.”
“How old did you say your sister was?”
“Five… no, she’s six this year.”
I told them not to covet her, given the large age gap, but was met with loud boos.
Even though I knew their words that my parents and siblings were truly lovely, beautiful, and noble were mere flattery, I told them to keep praising me because it sounded good.
I had meant it sincerely, but the children took it as a joke and burst into laughter, so I just laughed along.
The children, one after another, began sharing their recent news.
Marianne said she had been inseparable from Glotin Tenner throughout this winter break.
She said she enjoyed the leisure time she had thanks to having a designated partner, which meant she didn’t have to attend many gatherings, and she advised everyone to find their destined partner as soon as possible.
It seemed Damian and Jenny had been well looked after by the Count Servel siblings, whom they were introduced to through me.
Just as they were about to boast about their tours of the capital with them, Professor Cedric entered the classroom.
“Oh my, everyone’s faces are so bright. You look just like chicks. Is it okay to be chattering like this when you already have juniors?”
With a sharp rap of his hand on the table, the children laughed and found their seats. I quietly watched Cedric count the students with his eyes.
“As you all know, Potion Making Practice is a course only open to students who have previously taken Basic Alchemy. Everyone sitting here has experience manufacturing magical reagents.”
From various places, I heard children respond in soft voices, “Yes, yes.”
“Basic Alchemy is making intuitive potions with simple, easily obtainable ingredients. Intermediate Alchemy is making potions with imagined effects using more difficult-to-obtain ingredients. And further, Advanced Alchemy is retrieving a targeted substance from between irregularity and disorder, something difficult for ordinary people to imagine.”
Cedric smiled and tapped a stack of printouts on his desk. The children in the front row stood up, collected the papers, and distributed them to those in the back.
It was commendable that they understood Cedric’s methods and cooperated without needing to be told.
“What we will learn from now on is Intermediate Alchemy. As with all alchemy, remember that only with long hours and dedication will you produce something worthwhile. Now, shall we form groups again?”
This time, groups of five were formed regardless of department, as desired.
Shayden had not enrolled in the Alchemy class, opting to take business-related courses with other classmates. Thanks to that, I was fortunate enough to be able to form a group with all my close friends without leaving anyone out.
Perhaps he had anticipated this and withdrawn beforehand. It was a thoughtful gesture.
Me, Jenny, Marianne Philodendore, Ivan Holmes, Damian Christopher.
We moved to desks marked with the number 4.
Each group received one box of experimental tools.
The ones we received during the Camping Class were in flat cases for temporary carrying, and many were made of light, bouncy materials.
However, the ones we received now were large, heavy, and had clear, distinct markings. They were clearly more valuable than the previous ones.
Curious, I fiddled with a glass tube that was coiled like a pig’s tail, and Damian whispered to me to be careful not to break it.
As if I, who wasn’t Benjamin, would drop or break something like this, I just smiled.
It was said that the first month of classes would involve learning the exact names of each tool, how to use them, and how to purchase ingredients from suppliers.
Listening carefully, I learned that many ingredients were cultivated by pouring in large amounts of Mana.
I also learned that the ingredients we had personally collected during the Camping Class were of better quality when cultivated than those found in the wild.
It felt unfair to me, who had been thinking whether Cedric had gone ahead of the students to pick out good ones, or if his skill as a professor was better, because in the previous class, he had replaced poor-quality ingredients with new, good ones.
However, recalling that the things learned in previous classes were urgent antipyretics or stomach ache remedies, I realized it wasn’t something to quibble over. Measures to deal with emergencies were always insufficient, no matter how many you had.
In the first session, we learned how to order simply by written request, and in the next class, we would visit ingredient wholesalers and retailers in person.
Moved by Cedric’s repeated emphasis that knowledge known only through paper was dead knowledge, and finding joy in learning about the world by walking, I was certain I would come to like this class.
Demian, who no longer limped, whispered into my ear with a proud expression.
“This is my specialty. Just follow along well.”
The other group members who overheard him didn’t cheer but quietly gave a thumbs-up. I struggled to suppress my laughter. It was amusing and delightful.