053

Basic swordsmanship was truly just that—basic.

What that meant was, I had never expected any grand results to come from basic swordsmanship.

One does not expect a person who has acquired a basic language to create outstanding literary works.

It is nearly impossible for a person who has only learned the basics of drawing lines and using colors to create a historical work of art.

Of course, there are cases where it is possible.

When the students' talents are genius-level.

'But not one, not two, but all three of them are geniuses?'

That couldn't be right.

I knew the students' level well.

Their level was about the average of any academy, the average of any 15-year-old student, no, slightly better than that.

Of course, Pan was a little more outstanding.

But for such students to achieve this level of results just by learning a little basic swordsmanship and receiving education from outstanding people.

Even though it was a theory I had created, I found it hard to believe.

“Ooh, the basic theory, ooh.”

Beside me, Rozalin and Hati let out exclamations of admiration, glancing at me.

Uh-huh, there was definitely the help of the basic theory.

For example, how to use the tips of the feet and ankles when planting one's foot.

The movements of the elbows, wrists, and fingers when swinging a sword.

How to handle one's gaze, the tip of the chin, and the head.

It was noticeable that they had obsessively focused on fine details through systematic training.

Thanks to strength training and improving their cardiorespiratory breathing, their ability to distribute and efficiently use their power had also improved.

And their ability to grasp the opponent's swordsmanship and adjust their movements in real-time based on that was also good.

‘But that’s all there is to it?’

Just that makes this much of a difference between first and second years?

Just how barbaric is conventional swordsmanship, then.

As I was watching blankly, I suddenly realized the reason.

‘Ah, I’ve never seen a student who has properly trained based on a systematic theory until now.’

The experience of the past two months must have been too intense.

The density and preciousness of each day made the events of just two months ago feel like the distant past.

The students had all learned their own arbitrary styles of swordsmanship.

Because of that, the students' skill levels varied greatly, and there were many cases where the swordsmanship itself was a mess.

The sight of the freshmen, now collapsed in a heap, was the sight of other students just a few months ago who had not received this opportunity.

‘Is my swordsmanship that…… great?’

Just watching them, I felt like tears would well up.

I wasn't wrong.

It wasn't just my own greed; I had truly found an educational method that could lead the students in a good direction.

The sight of them diligently beating down the freshmen was my proof, the proof I had clung to for long years, verifying my theory.

My memory goes back a little further.

When I was young, I wanted to become an administrator, enter politics, and make a name for myself.

But what threw that dream of mine into the mud were the robbers I met on the street.

A childhood dream was a passage through which one learns to become an adult in the process of striving to achieve it.

And the moment I realized that my dream could not only be taken away but could be trampled by force at any time.

I could never become an adult.

That might be why I clung even more to swordsmanship theory.

Since I couldn't become an adult, it seems I wanted others to acknowledge me as one.

The long struggle for recognition was over.

* * *

Teacher Cassian quietly stood up.

Was it because they had just witnessed the display of skill by Bridget, Pan, and Elibes?

The collapsed freshmen got up from their spots, staggering, and quickly stood in formation.

No one had ordered them to, but they looked sharply disciplined.

Rozalin and Hati, seeing this, nodded their heads in great satisfaction.

Bridget, Pan, and Elibes quickly moved to where Rozalin and Hati were and stood there.

It was a byproduct of training for two months not at school, but in a place with a clear senior-junior hierarchy.

“Everyone.”

Cassian calmly opened his mouth.

It was a strange voice, no, a strange way of speaking.

The calm yet gentle mid-range voice soothed people's hearts.

It wasn't simply because his voice was good.

Every word he spoke entered their ears clearly, and it felt as if their brains accepted the meaning before they could even think about what it meant.

“The seniors standing before you were terrible people until last year.”

Pan was embarrassed, Elibes silently nodded, and Bridget ground his teeth and glared at Cassian as if to ask what kind of nonsense that was.

Of course, he had no choice but to look forward again under Rozalin's gaze.

“It was the same for me a few years ago.”

This time, Rozalin and Hati glared at Cassian with dumbfounded expressions.

It was because they knew through various channels that Teacher Cassian had graduated first in his class at the Imperial Royal Academy, both at entrance and graduation.

“Everyone goes through a terrible period. That's not something to be ashamed of.”

In truth, these words could have been heard as telling the students that they were terrible.

Nevertheless, the students did not misunderstand and accepted the warm sincerity that Cassian conveyed.

Words that made one's heart tingle just listening to them.

“I hope you all learn to cherish that terribleness.”

The history of the academy that the chairman and the department head had talked about in the entrance ceremony hall did not remain in their memory.

Avril's provocation was also slowly being forgotten.

“So I hope you will do your best so that the young heart within you can grow safely.”

The warning Rozalin had given, the martial prowess the seniors had shown, also slowly dulled.

“Because the only one who can help you grow properly is yourself.”

Only the warm encouragement sent by Cassian remained in their hearts for a long time.

“I will help you with your basics. It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Cassian, the homeroom teacher of Class F.”

Cassian smiled faintly.

All the gathered students realized it intuitively.

‘Ah, for the entire time I am at this school, I will have no choice but to respect this teacher.’

It was a fateful meeting.

Perhaps because of their young age, such captivation was plainly visible on the students' faces.

And Rozalin, watching this, poked Hati in the side with a proud expression.

“He's my teacher. Aren't you jealous.”

“What, have you suddenly gone mad, sister?”

“You don't have a teacher like that, do you?”

“No, what is this person saying now. You dropped out. He's not your teacher anymore.”

“Should I just, want to have a life-and-death duel?”

As the two were bickering, Yuria slowly approached Cassian.

“Sir. You must go in and rest now.”

“Really?”

Yuria looked at Cassian with her own eyes.

Just a moment ago, the people here didn't know, but Cassian had wielded his voice like a sword, his words like swordsmanship.

His voice, imbued with will, was realized like magic, capturing and shaking people's hearts.

So much so that she could even feel her own heart, which was always filled with holy power, swaying due to the magic.

It was frightening that the entire process had happened unconsciously, without his own awareness.

Now, if Cassian spoke with sincerity, most people would easily be swayed and drawn in by his words.

But there was a side effect from that.

“Ah.”

Cassian, who was about to move at Yuria's words, staggered.

Yuria, as if she had expected it, caught his arm and supported him.

“Sir!”

Rozalin, Pan, Bridget, and others were surprised and approached Cassian.

Cassian held out his palm as if to say he was okay, stopping their approach.

“I'm fine. Just a little dizzy……”

He was a person who, even in his original state, could only swing his sword a couple of times by minimizing his movements.

But now, his body was damaged not by a sword, but just by a lecture filled with spirit.

It wasn't as serious a problem as when he used to swing a sword, where he would spew blood from his whole body, his muscles would tear, and his mana would run rampant.

But it was a problem that couldn't just be left alone.

Thus, Cassian slowly moved towards the dormitory with Yuria.

And the freshmen who saw this thought.

‘So frail that he even has a personal priest with him, but his teaching is top-notch, a star instructor…… damn cool.’

‘He’s the one that mysterious girl with the purple eyes serves with utmost devotion. Just what kind of power is he hiding……’

‘Or is the damn cool teacher not hiding his power!’

The mystery was added, but there was no one to correct their misunderstanding.

Of course, it was because it was half-fact, not a misunderstanding.

Meanwhile, Yuria informed Cassian of his physical condition the entire way to the dormitory.

“So now I can't even lecture as I please?”

“Considering your body, I judge it would be better to reduce your lecture hours and use skilled instructors. Since you have the mentor system in place, last year's students will obey the Great Master's words.”

“Obey……”

Cassian smiled bitterly.

The words were a bit harsh, but Yuria wasn't wrong.

“Thank you. I'll go in and rest now.”

Cassian said so and was about to see Yuria off.

Just then, Yuria stared intently at Cassian.

Her eyes, which had come alive a little while lecturing during the two-month vacation, took him in.

“Great Master. I don't think I can love my pathetic and foolish self.”

It was a confession that burst out without any prior sign.

Cassian just stared intently at Yuria.

“That means loving my failure. And my failure is the end of this world.”

It was a sincerity that Yuria had never once revealed.

“The reason I have no choice but to hate God…… is probably because I love this world.”

It must have been because those magical words from before had swept through Yuria's heart once.

Yuria felt unfamiliar with herself even as she said such things.

She hadn't expected an answer, so she turned her body.

Watching her back, Cassian looked up at the sky for a moment.

‘There are many things to teach.’

It seemed he wouldn't be able to rest.

Cassian, who had entered the dormitory, slowly filled his notebook, organizing the complicated stories that filled his head.

Viscount Cestra had said that one's handwriting was also similar to one's swordsmanship.

Perhaps that was why, even in the process of pressing down and writing, his body gradually grew tired.

‘It's okay.’

But since he wasn't swinging a real sword, it seemed he could endure this level of pain.

Just as Cassian had been writing for a while.

A strangely settled air gave him a peculiar intuition.

Cassian got up from his seat and opened the dormitory door.

There, Avril was standing without a sound.

“Teacher.”

“……Avril.”

Cassian had many things he wanted to say to Avril.

From the story about Bridget and Elibes to the new students.

“The Vürhelm Marquisate and the Cestra Viscounty coming to the graduation ceremony, that was your doing, wasn't it.”

The Vürhelm Marquisate already knew that Rozalin had become like that because of him.

The same was true for Viscount Cestra.

Considering that Bridget had been with Avril during the vacation, it was clear that his hand had reached them.

“The students suddenly flocking here was also your doing.”

No matter how good the results of the final evaluation were, it was only a simple test at this rural, third-rate academy.

But how did the nobles of the Imperial Capital come to know of that rumor.

“What are you drawing?”

At Cassian's question, Avril looked straight at him.

It was different from how he usually hid his eyes with his long bangs.

“All returners live their lives drawing a big picture with their own plans.”

Rozalin is moving Hati's mercenary corps to check the Wolf King's forces while also persuading the Imperial nobles to merge into one faction.

Hati was gathering mercenary members from all over the world and excavating artifacts from numerous dungeons.

Ulf and the Wolf King were consolidating the Northwestern Great Forest.

Just as everyone is growing their power in different ways, he is just doing the same.

“I am looking forward to the students you will create.”

“……”

“I came today to ask for permission.”

Having said that, Avril took out a book from the wide sleeve of his tunic.

“This is a swordsmanship textbook note based on your notebook. I will publish this in large quantities……”

Cassian quickly closed the door.

Slam!

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