Demonstration Class (3)
Having finished her meal with other noble ladies at the dining hall, Selena dabbed her lips with a handkerchief and rose from her seat.
“Huh? Lady Selena, where are you going?”
“I’m going to my major class.”
“Already?”
“Yes.”
“Lady Selena, what is your major?”
“…….”
At the young lady's question, Selena gave a meaningful smile, implying that she shouldn't ask any further.
It was a fact that would be known soon anyway.
Selena changed into her training clothes in the locker room and tied her silver hair tightly.
The box she had brought in the morning caught her eye.
‘He didn’t say anything about bringing a sword.’
So she would have to go empty-handed.
She left the locker room and headed to the second training ground.
“I heard it’s Zeke Clayman?”
“Who is that? Have you heard of him?”
“No, I’m going to take Instructor Dios' class anyway.”
“Well, me too.”
About twenty students were already at the training ground.
All eyes were on Selena as she appeared.
“Gasp!!! S-Selena Yohaiden…! … your Ladyship?”
“Is this real? Here?”
“This is the knighthood department….”
“Don’t tell me… a minor. No, wait, it’s her major class today!?”
As expected, even though she had made up her mind, it was burdensome.
The gazes of wonder, doubt, and astonishment were different from the usual looks of admiration and longing she received.
Most of the students here were men.
Including herself, there were only three women.
Moreover, they were people she didn't usually interact with.
‘I guess they're all commoners….’
The gender ratio was excessively skewed, but it was inevitable.
Among commoners, there were a certain number of women who became soldiers or adventurers to make a living.
However, was there any reason for a noblewoman, who had been raised preciously in a greenhouse with no wants or needs, to be mixed up with sweaty men, covered in blood while hunting monsters, or to have a duel with a sword?
Of course, it wasn't like there weren't any female knights or female generals from noble families in this world.
But in reality, their numbers were as small as the number of wizards.
It was only natural that she had initially misunderstood the general's gender to be male in Zeke's confession the other day.
Even if there were any, they were usually from insignificant baron or viscount families.
Or, they were the daughters of families renowned for their swordsmanship, but had no sons or couldn't adopt sons.
But for the daughter of a duke, the highest-ranking noble, to choose knighthood as her major and learn swordsmanship, it was only natural for them to react this way.
‘It’s okay. I was prepared for this.’
The face of her father, who had tried to dissuade her from taking up the sword, flashed before her eyes for a moment, but quickly disappeared.
Thud
Thud
Thud
Thump.
That man with his usual indifferent face.
Zeke Clayman had appeared.
He came in carrying a large box in one hand and placed it on the floor.
And in his other hand was something brown that looked like a club…….
‘Huh? What’s that…?’
Selena narrowed her eyes.
“B-bread?”
It was so unexpected that her voice came out without her realizing it.
The gazes that had been focused on her all turned to the bread in Zeke’s hand.
A cloth with ‘Hillaise Bakery♥’ written on it fluttered at the end of the handle.
The students began to murmur.
Selena suddenly remembered the time when he had shown his swordsmanship while holding flowers.
‘Oh, no! Instructor!! You can’t do that!!’
Was he really going to demonstrate swordsmanship with bread… ?
Of course, the impact would be huge!
'Is that right!?'
Selena had originally planned not to acknowledge Zeke at all today, but she couldn’t hide her shaking eyes at his eccentric behavior.
Zeke, on the other hand, looked around at the students with cold eyes.
“Is everyone here?”
“The Second Prince isn't here yet.”
The green-haired man standing stiffly behind Zeke replied.
“Then he’s late. Let’s begin the class.”
“……Shouldn't we wait a little longer…? N-never mind. Understood.”
The green-haired man stepped back and waited.
Zeke stepped forward.
“I’m Zeke Clayman, the swordsmanship instructor at Ramielli Academy.”
“…….”
“You are half of the first-year major students who have just entered.”
“Y-yes, sir!”
“Alright, then let’s begin the class Zeke opened the lid of the box he had brought earlier.
“These are sandbags. Take four each.”
“Huh…? Sandbags?”
“Why… Why would we…?”
As the students were voicing their confusion.
A group of men walked boldly through the entrance of the training ground.
The boy walking at the very front inevitably drew attention.
A leisurely gait that exuded authority.
A high nose. Bright, blue eyes.
Blonde hair fluttering as if he didn't care about trivial things.
And a smile that seemed to enjoy the surrounding attention.
It was the Second Prince, Rosnante Leonine.
Zeke took out a pocket watch from his pocket, checked the time, and looked back at them.
“You’re late.”
“We were a little late because we were practicing swordsmanship.”
Rosnante replied brazenly with a face that didn't look sorry at all, as if he was acknowledging it.
Zeke stared at him.
The Second Prince also met his gaze without backing down.
“Class time is not tailored to you. If you are late, it only harms the other students.”
“…….”
“I’ll let it slide this time since it’s the first class. Don’t be late next time. Take your sandbags and get in line.”
The atmosphere in the room froze as if cold water had been poured over it.
Selena also held her breath as she watched.
Of course, Zeke wasn't wrong.
But he was the Second Prince.
One of the leading candidates for the crown prince and a high-ranking member of the Empire who had already established his own power.
Another epithet he held was the Genius of the Sword.
It was said that he was already skilled enough to put up a good fight against an active knight.
Although it was the first day of their official academy life, the Second Prince’s fiery temper and self-righteous attitude had already spread through hushed whispers, so even the faculty had accepted his lateness as a matter of course during other common classes.
Zeke was the first to point it out.
‘Instructor, what are you going to do…?’
Selena looked at Zeke with worried eyes.
***
Zeke looked at the Second Prince with a scornful gaze.
‘It’s so fucking nice to meet you, you little shit.’
He finally met the culprit who had thrown him into this romance fantasy world.
'Oh, this bastard has blonde hair too. One point.'
Of course, from the other person’s point of view, he had just swung his sword, and it wasn't his fault that someone couldn't stand it and wrote a 5,700-word comment.
But he didn't even follow the releases to harass the author, he just read it casually and only commented once!
And yet, Zeke had been suddenly dropped into this romance fantasy world while scratching his balls at home.
There was no way he could have good feelings about it.
Based on his personal feelings, he wanted to drag this guy into a back alley and shake him down right now, but Zeke now knew that this world required justification.
‘Well, he is the Second Prince…. And I need to drag this bastard into my class anyway.’
If he acted on his emotions, the imperial soldiers might come running, and he might have to fight the Empire alone.
He didn’t want that kind of dark fantasy development anymore.
However, if there was a proper justification, wouldn't it be okay to grab his head and spin him around three times with a triple axel?
He needed to check this out a little.
‘Tsk. I’ll let it slide for now.’
Zeke decided to engrave the Second Prince firmly in his mind for now.
‘Let’s just start the class. Lightly. Lightly. For now…. Let’s work them out to about half their limit, based on their physique.’
Zeke repeated his resolve to himself and spoke to the students.
“We’ll start with physical training as a warm-up.”
* * *
Gasp
Huff
Pant
His breath caught in his throat.
Rough breathing escaped his lips uncontrollably.
The sandbags felt heavy on his ankles as if they were trying to drag him down to the bottom.
The same sandbags were also attached to his wrists, and with his arms stretched out, he looked like a zombie, the undead monster.
‘How long do we have to do this!’
The Second Prince, Rosnante, gritted his teeth as sweat poured down his face like rain.
His initial composure was gone, and his once-radiant blonde hair was now wet like rotten seaweed.
“Ugh! Huff. Huff. I’m gonna die. Shit.”
“Haa… Haa… Oh my god…”
“Gasp. Gasp. Wheeze!”
Next to him, noble students were letting out vulgar groans as they moved their heavy feet.
The dignity of nobility was gone, and their appearances were no different from the commoners training with them.
All the students were now dragging their feet instead of running.
“What are you doing? Run.”
“Ugh! I-It hurts!”
The swordsmanship instructor was following behind them, hitting the student who was lagging the furthest in the back with a baguette, urging them on in an emotionless voice.
‘I came here to learn the sword, not to run around in circles like this!’
The swordsmanship instructor was supposed to teach swordsmanship.
Rosnante knew the importance of basic physical strength.
But that was something to be done in one's own time, and it was excessive interference for someone who taught swordsmanship to be involved in basic training.
Moreover, such brutal training would only break the body, not strengthen it.
‘That damn bastard….’
He didn’t like the instructor from their first unpleasant encounter.
How dare he insult him so casually in front of the other students, and his ridiculous appearance with a baguette as a weapon!
He felt rebellious from the very beginning when he was made to wear those things, but he had decided to endure it for now and judge after listening to the class.
And this was what he got.
Had he ever been treated so terribly in his life?
No, he could say with certainty that he hadn't.
A noble does not roll around in the dirt like a commoner.
'I am of the Imperial bloodline, the Second Prince. I am Rosnante Leonine! How dare a mere swordsmanship instructor!!'
Just then, the son of a count who was walking next to him spoke.
“Gasp, gasp, Y-Your Highness, the Second Prince. Huff. What are we, supposed to, do about this?”
“Huff. Huff. Wait. Just wait until the running is over. I, I will step forward. Huff.”
“Gasp. U-Understood. Huff.”
“Hey, stop chattering and move your legs.”
Zeke cut in from behind.
‘Ugh!’
Rosnante gritted his teeth and moved his feet.
'That goddamn bastard!!!'
Finally, after running twenty-five laps around the training ground, the physical training was over.
Nobles and commoners alike, the students collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath.
“I… I can’t do this anymore.”
“I’m gonna die…. Is the sky always yellow?”
“Ugh….”
Groans and moans filled the training ground, but Zeke only spoke with an impassive face.
“Tsk, that took too long.”
At that moment, something seemed to snap in the Second Prince’s mind.
He glared at Zeke and sprang to his feet.
‘This crazy bastard, there’s no one as reliable as him when he’s on my side!’
The students looked at the Second Prince with expectant eyes.
Zeke raised an eyebrow and looked at him.
“What is it?”
“We are here to learn the sword.”
“Yes, I know.”
“This kind of training will only ruin our bodies! And for a swordsmanship instructor to overwork the students with training on the first day instead of teaching them swordsmanship, this is an abuse of authority!”
The students nodded in agreement.
Zeke turned around at his words and said,
“Eric.”
“……Yes.”
“Is it an abuse of authority for a swordsmanship instructor to make students do physical training?”
“……That’s……”
In fact, physical training itself was not an abuse of authority.
Zeke had been entrusted with all the rights regarding the swordsmanship class, and it was up to him to decide how to conduct the class.
However, it was just that there had never been a case where a swordsmanship instructor went as far as to include physical training in their curriculum.
Since the students were children of high-ranking and powerful families, other swordsmanship classes mainly focused on teaching the sword itself.
Therefore, although sandbags, the training equipment, were provided, this was the first time they had actually been used.
Zeke glanced at the Second Prince and whispered to Eric again,
“Go to the principal’s office right now and call the principal. He wouldn’t want to see an accident happen. He’ll come if you call him.”
Eric’s eyes widened, and he nodded, limping quickly out of the training ground.
'I knew it from the way he looked at me during training. You little shit. You’re having a seizure because you can’t even handle this….'
Zeke turned his head back.
'But looking at the way he's acting now, it seems like he wants to have a showdown with me…. Should I just have the principal as a witness?'
It was a sudden thought, but it wasn't bad.
Most of the nobles here were the Second Prince’s followers.
Even if they had a fair duel, if he wanted to, he could instigate them to make things difficult for Zeke.
But what if the duel was authorized in the name of Ramielli Academy?
The First Prince, his rival, also attended the academy, and there were other nobles who were not his followers, so the legitimacy of the duel could be secured.
And he could also ask the principal how much he was allowed to lose when sparring with a member of the royal family.
'But still, it seems a little unreasonable for an instructor to challenge a royal student to a duel first…. And how can I drag this guy into my class and make him behave….'
Zeke narrowed his eyes and looked at the blonde head.
'Let’s provoke him a little first.'
“I hear it’s not an abuse of authority. I have all the authority in the teaching methods. This is a right that you, as a student, cannot infringe upon.”
“…….”
“I know what you’re thinking. You think physical training is something you do in your own time, and in swordsmanship class, you just learn the sword. Isn't that right?”
“……That’s right.”
“But are you saying this, looking so exhausted after just running twenty-five laps around the training ground?”
Rosnante’s head became hot at Zeke’s provocation.
'As if he even wore the sandbags!'
This guy had no idea what the problem was.
“Then, are you saying it’s natural to run with sandbags!? If the students’ bodies get ruined, will you take responsibility, Instructor!?”
“Yes, I will take responsibility.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
His anger boiled over.
He couldn't stand it any longer.
Originally, he didn't intend to go this far.
After all, he was just a talentless instructor trying to intimidate the students at the beginning.
His skills had already surpassed the level of an academy instructor.
If he had been treated with even a little respect, like by the other instructors, he would have been willing to learn even from someone weaker than him.
But it seemed like words wouldn’t work on this guy.
“Zeke Clayman, I challenge you to a duel.”
Rosnante said, clenching his teeth.
Zeke nodded at his words.
“That’s disrespectful.”
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