33 - The Victim of the Academy

**The Decider (1)** If Tyllis were to truly engage me with all her might, I wouldn't last a second. Yet, she stepped into this arena as an instructor. The lessons were structured to match the opponent's level, engage in sparring, and then teach what needed improvement. That's why even someone as weak as me could hold out against her for a decently long time. "Haa!" My full-force slash was blocked. There was no need for a pile of wings; something barely visible effortlessly deflected my sword. "Hyaah!" I aimed a determined thrust at the previously weakened area. It was effortlessly parried again. What a shame... I thought targeting the weakened point from earlier would work, but my overall strength must be lacking. "........?" At last, Tyllis, who had been blocking my attacks without doing anything, raised an eyebrow with a smirk gracing her lips. Don't look at me like that, I'm doing my best too. "Sir Johan, keep it up!" From behind, Ariel's timid encouragement came, almost hesitantly, as if she had her face hidden. Ironically, it felt like it sapped my strength. "……Let's change techniques." After repeatedly swatting at empty air, Tyllis shook her head and dispelled the summoned spirits. Was she finally admitting her current method was unfair? A group ganging up can indeed be seen as cowardly. "I think this phase matches Johan's level." With those words, Tyllis drew a weapon not displayed before. Twin swords, hidden beneath her voluminous robe, were revealed. Perfectly balanced in duality, not one for support, but a full-fledged dual-wielding technique. "Could it be that I'm the first student to force you to draw your swords?" "…Oh, yes. That's true. Others resorted to spirit magic." I had achieved something others hadn't. Yes, let's live with a positive mindset. What a great accomplishment this is. Embarrassment is fleeting, but pride lasts forever. "Then, please approach." "Here I come." I rushed at Tyllis, intending to bring her down. Even though I knew it was futile, I could at least showcase my effort. Clang! Our swords entangled. Although I might be a poor student at the academy, compared to kids my age, I consider myself fairly competent. "Your swordsmanship is fundamentally sound." "I know I'm far from seeing beyond the basics." "A commendable mindset." Tyllis gave a gentle smile. Even in the midst of her deft maneuvers with the dual swords, they confounded my sight, revealing no openings, while her attacks came with fierce precision. Her strikes came at a level just challenging enough for me to evade, filling me with breathless tension. I deflected and parried, Swiftly evaluating the situation and luring my opponent to spots advantageous to me. Sticking to the basics relentlessly, I searched for an opening. "Huff...!" Vision blurred, breath weighed down. I felt my limits nearing, as if teetering on the brink. Despite having room to comment, Tyllis said nothing during the match. It indicated I was performing well. 'At my level,’ that is. Clang! Finally, I dropped my sword. Watching it fly into the air with startled eyes. And in that instant— Thud! I charged ahead. Gathering every last ounce of my strength to close the gap. Dual swords are challenging to handle. For several reasons, the key point I'm exploiting now is the spacing. When wielding swords in both hands, it's challenging to counter an intruder who closes the distance. My style is traditional. I'm aware my skills can't handle mixing in intricacies. "Huh?" For the first time, a tone of surprise escaped Tyllis. With that single word, I reveled, drawing the dagger concealed on my wrist. My style is straightforward and clumsy. Magic is a deceptive trick, adaptable to the situation. But, I had one thing—a secret trick of my own. "Haa!" A technique taught by Safe Clown, the pinnacle of assassins. A simple thrust honed to perfection, capable of execution under any circumstance. A critical attack striking beyond the standards she perceived me with. "I was a bit startled by that." Thud! The ace-in-the-hole was blocked by her dazzling wings, losing its power. Breathless and unable to respond, a smile cracked through nonetheless. This in itself felt like a successful outcome. "The only recommendation I can give you, Johan, is to increase your practice." Tyllis, smiling, placed a hand on my shoulder. In a hallucination as if something pressed me down, I kept my eyes shut against the resonating voice. "However, bridging the talent gap will be difficult." "..." "If you truly wish to become stronger, you might need to abandon scruples at times. That final surprise was commendable, yet... lacked force." Tyllis's ability is 'Charisma,' making everything she says or does seem appealing. Truly the whispers of a devil. Had I craved strength, I might've unconsciously listened intently. "Do you have aspirations?" "I have dreams." "And to achieve that dream, would you do anything?" "Perhaps so." My thoughts swirled dizzyingly. As I pushed physical limits, her gentle words, striking my ears, felt almost sweet. Even knowing who she was, ignoring her was hard. I steadied my breath and shook off the allure that clung to my thoughts. "May the blessings of the spirits be with someone with dreams as earnest as yours." "..." With those words, Tyllis lifted her hand from my shoulder. My body drenched in sweat felt uncomfortable, the wind brushing coolly against it. I couldn't tell if what I had shed was mere sweat or cold sweat. All I wanted now was to rest. * * * "Sir Johan, are you alright?" "Yes, well... just exhausted is all. It's been a while since I exercised, and it feels invigorating." "Really?" When I returned to my spot, Ariel was the first to welcome me. So she does show concern in her own way. Clenching her fists tight, Ariel cheered me on. "I didn’t realize you had been making such efforts in secret, Sir Johan." "......" “Head in the clouds," or rather, "pure at heart," let's say. Still, a positive response, no? Since she's seeing me in a good light, I shouldn't quibble... No need to call her out. I merely maintained my silence. Ariel's imagination would take care of the rest. "Oh, Sir Johan. Will you be attending the next lecture?" "No, I have tasks to attend to." I had already achieved what I set out to do. Successfully, I'd managed to capture Tyllis's interest. She likely believed she had implanted a suggestion in me, so she'd keep a watchful eye on my condition for a while. See, I had managed to have Tyllis near me without significant effort. It might seem like inviting a troublesome stalker, but the objective was achieved, wasn't it? "Ah… I see." Ariel trailed off, likely recalling that I was in the process of creating a remedy for her. It’s clear that Ariel gets easily swept up by the mood. She might fall victim to a scam someday. When that time comes, I should preemptively educate her. With such thoughts, I leaned back leisurely in my chair until the lecture concluded. “Where are you heading now, Sir Johan?” “Well, today…” Perhaps impressed by my performance earlier, Ariel followed behind me as I exited the classroom. Normally, I would have headed straight to the workshop, but I felt more physically drained than anticipated. Even if I went there, my hands might tremble and lead to mistakes. I debated whether to simply return to rest or to stroll around and check on Tyllis's state, when— "Oh." “Hello, Johan.” I bumped into Emily in the hallway. She addressed me with that awkwardly formal title, still retaining her stiff demeanor. Was she looking for me? I briefly considered the thought, but one glance at the person appearing behind her revealed otherwise. “Oh ho, isn’t it Johan from Loram! Indeed, you carry yourself with the poise befitting a well-rounded student from there.” Apparently, Emily had been with Coran Lekias. It was clear that the senior priestess held the upper hand in this duo, meaning Emily hadn’t sought me out specifically. “Director Coran, have you found Teacher Georg?” “He returned on his own by dawn. Were you worried?” “Yes, somewhat.” “A thoughtful student you are, for having such concerns for your mentor. Teacher Georg is lucky to have such devoted pupils.” So, my regard for him rose yet again. “What brings you here, Director?” “Actually, I was thinking of teaching Emily some self-defense. She can’t attend Loram’s regular lessons, but for external guest lectures, I’ve secured approval. However… seeing everyone leaving, it seems the lecture is over.” Does Coran Lekias know that the person beside her could easily turn all the students here into mince meat in less than five seconds? If she knew, she wouldn’t have brought her here in the first place. “The lecture isn’t particularly long. After all, Lady Tyllis has to handle everyone alone, so it can’t be drawn out.” “Indeed, with Loram students of such caliber, the physical exertion must be taxing.” Coran Lekias nodded, letting out a deep sigh. “So, there you have it, Emily.” “Yes.” Emily remained as stoic as ever. Or perhaps she was inwardly relieved, thinking she wouldn’t have to go through the hassle. “Master, is it alright if I go off on my own for a while?” “Hmm? Do you have something to attend to?” “Yes, something just came up.” Emily looked directly at me. Then, to my utter shock, she made an unexpected declaration. “I was thinking of going on a date with Johan.” “Oh… um, well, if that’s the case.” A date proposal, delivered as casually as a request to stop by a convenience store. Taken aback by her sudden announcement, Coran Lekias nodded, too surprised even for her habitual scolding. “Sir Johan, are you acquainted?” “Just merely crossed paths.” “She asked for a date, though?” “Yeah, that surprises me too.” Ariel, who had been lingering without joining the conversation, found herself overwhelmed by the abrupt development, tugging insistently at my sleeve and firing off a barrage of questions. Amidst the unfolding confusion, I was the one feeling the most flustered. Even if it was just a casual date request, knowing what I know about her identity was enough to leave me breathless. “I need to inform Sir Stan immediately about this joyous news…” Ariel uttered a statement akin to placing an assassination order against me. Stan Robinhood. Like Ariel, he is a close ally of Robelia and Emily’s older brother. Is she planning to report her sister's dating status to him? And to that insane brother of hers, no less? If this information reaches him, I might soon end up as an unidentified corpse. “Please, keep this to yourself.” “A secret romance?! Is that what this is? Ah, well, if that’s the case…” “No, it’s just for discussing some research-related matters.” “Don’t worry, Sir Johan. I’m good at keeping secrets. I’ll take this secret to my grave. Which isn’t far off, as it presently seems.” A suffocating black humor. And at Emily’s capability to raze the situation with a single word, I couldn’t help but throw up my hands in defeat. * * * I brought Emily to a nearby café. She seemed like the passive type who, despite suggesting a date, hadn’t any plans in mind. Her sensibilities differ from ordinary people; thus, she may be cautious by nature. She’s an executive of Ex Machina, with a unique perspective on the world, yet she chooses to engage and live within it, striving to align with those around her. That’s why, though a central figure, I didn’t feel the need to be particularly guarded around her. “Why don’t we chat over some drinks?” Emily immediately began sipping the bubble tea I had bought for her. Seeing Emily's expression lightened my heart a bit; it seemed like she was enjoying it. As I tried to settle my nerves with a cooling sip of coffee, Emily finally detached her lips from the straw, her face still impassive as she said, "Thank you, Johan.♡" Even if a machine had outputted that sentence, it would have felt more human than this. She attempted a clumsy heart gesture with her fingers, her version of being cute, but it only came off as unsettling. It resembled something mimicking a human, an eerie figure akin to a display mannequin suddenly speaking. "Wow, that’s something… really." You honestly pull all the stops, don’t you? I truly felt an invisible barrier just now. In dealing with Emily, one could sometimes forget her underlying nature, but moments like this glaringly reminded me.