Midterm Evaluation (2)
Before the next class began, Assistant Instructor Eric approached Zeke Clayman, who was meditating alone in the training grounds since early morning.
Without even looking in his direction, Zeke spoke.
"Eric?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
"I have a message to deliver."
"A message?"
Zeke opened his eyes and turned his head.
"Yes, are you aware that the midterm evaluation is next week?"
"I am."
Zeke nodded.
According to the schedule, the midterm evaluation period was scheduled for the following week.
"Do you have any specific tests in mind for the midterm evaluation?"
"We don't have tests in my class."
"....No tests?"
"That's right. Since the class itself is at the instructor's discretion, there's no need for a test as long as the evaluation is done properly. Isn't that right?"
"Well, that's true, but..."
Eric looked at Zeke with a strange expression.
"But you have to take the test."
"....Why?"
As far as he knew, all authority regarding the class rested with the instructor.
To protest or enforce that authority, a majority of the students in his class would need to agree.
"Have there been any complaints among the students?"
"No, that's not it."
Zeke frowned. If that wasn't the reason, why would they have to take a midterm evaluation?
He was already pressed for time, trying to cram individualized swordsmanship techniques into the allocated class time, so Eric's words were enough to irritate him.
"It's a 'request' from the principal."
"A request from the principal...?"
"Yes, yes. He's not usually the type to force these things, but... he told me to persuade you..."
Eric spoke, averting his eyes as if he were embarrassed to be saying such things.
"Let's hear it then."
"The test format is a joint sparring session... Each swordsmanship class will select four representatives. It will be conducted in a way that allows them to compete against each other."
"Ha."
Zeke scoffed after hearing about the midterm evaluation format.
"Eric."
"Yes..."
"It's not your fault, so I won't say much... but let me ask you a few things."
"Please ask."
"Your class will have four men, I presume. Except for Rosnante, everyone in our class is female."
"Yes."
"And you'll use the excuse that you selected the top four based on skill."
"...Yes."
Zeke spoke as if he couldn't understand.
"And can you really call this an evaluation? For us, with four students, it's 80% of the class, so we can say there's some degree of differentiation. But as far as I know, over 100 students are in your class. Eric, is this really a midterm evaluation?"
"...."
Eric firmly closed his mouth.
He knew that this evaluation wasn't fair, so he had already spoken to the principal about it once.
"Well, forget it. Tell the principal that we accept the midterm evaluation. But make sure to tell him that this is a favor I'm doing him."
"...Yes."
Eric bowed his head and quickly disappeared from the training grounds.
'He's playing dirty tricks.
Is this Dios's doing...? No, it's not him. This was done by someone who knows my personality.'
The face of someone capable of such shady tactics naturally came to mind.
'First Prince, Ilios Leonaine. He must be feeling the pressure after the Eustia banquet.'
Zeke organized his thoughts.
That cunning bastard couldn't have only thought about humiliating him with this midterm evaluation.
Even if they won, all people would see was a dirty victory where strong men overpowered delicate(?) princesses and women.
There was no honor in that.
'The only thing he could gain from this... is the reputation of having Rosnante suppressed by force. But, after my duel with Rosnante, the First Prince's influence expanded far beyond what our bedwetting idiot could achieve.'
Zeke thought from his perspective.
What could he possibly gain from this ridiculous sparring match?
He was definitely getting information from Yuri.
Zeke hadn't particularly hidden the contents of his class from Yuri, so she must be fully aware that his class was different from typical swordsmanship classes.
If even she hadn't realized that, it would mean the First Prince was that incompetent, but Zeke didn't underestimate him to that extent.
He smirked.
Lost in thought, Zeke smiled.
'That funny bastard is the sacrificial pawn.'
If Dios loses to our class, it means he's an incompetent instructor who couldn't even beat delicate women, making him unqualified to be an instructor.
If Dios wins against our class, it means he's a shameless person who overpowered delicate women with force, making him unqualified to be an instructor as well.
This midterm evaluation was a tactic aimed at Dios rather than Zeke.
And an attempt to plant his own person in that position.
It seemed he had become uneasy after merely placing Yuri Gilbert in Zeke's class after the Eustia banquet.
With different grades, it was difficult to exert influence, so he was trying to create a group to directly check Zeke.
He clearly intended to appoint his direct subordinate, someone he could trust, as the swordsmanship instructor instead of the foolish Dios.
'Insidious bastard.'
It was a scheme where he wouldn't lose anything regardless of who won.
It was a familiar tactic that Zeke both loathed and understood well.
Of course, the best-case scenario for Ilios in this process was for Dios's class to win.
That way, he could get rid of Dios and simultaneously deal a blow to Zeke's qualifications as an instructor.
'He'll probably try to bite me, claiming I didn't teach swordsmanship in swordsmanship class and instead created a political gathering.'
Even now, if one looked at it that way, it could be interpreted as such.
The members of his class consisted of the Second Prince, daughters of dukes, and a daughter of a count.
Of course, there was a commoner among them, but that wasn't a fact that stood out to people.
'Well, whatever happens, the task remains the same. It's easy to defeat that insignificant guy. Even if someone else replaces Dios, it won't be a problem... What's concerning is Yuri...'
Zeke recalled the black-haired girl with an expression of indifference.
"I guess I'll have to cause some chaos."
Zeke smiled mischievously, as if anticipating something.
'I'll utterly crush them.'
***
Right after accepting the midterm evaluation in the form of a joint sparring session between swordsmanship classes, hell began.
Short but intense physical training.
After that, everyone except the two who were learning swordsmanship that day practiced downward slashes.
Today's swordsmanship students were Rosnante and Yuri.
Selena had to undergo special training, so unlike the others who were paired up, she was separated for individual instruction.
"Why! Why! Why am I the only one doing physical training in swordsmanship class!?"
Rosnante shouted, filled with resentment.
"Didn't I tell you to bring magic stones?"
"Ugh! The price of magic stones has gone up strangely lately! It's already almost four times the price!"
"You would have had some fun if you had brought magic stones too."
"I gave them all to the First Prince, so I don't have any left!"
'It seems Duke Yohaiden is doing a good job.'
Some time ago, Zeke had informed Duke Yohaiden about the existence of the Lost Hope.
As a countermeasure, he had told him that grinding magic stones and applying them to swords could defeat them.
'I thought he would do it secretly and discreetly... Well, I guess he must have been anxious after experiencing them firsthand.'
It must have been a terrifying experience for Yohaiden to face opponents against whom swords were completely ineffective.
And the Empire, upon receiving this information, couldn't have remained idle either.
If Yohaiden's words were true, it meant that a force capable of overthrowing the nation with a small number of individuals was growing.
As the Empire and Yohaiden began to pour money into buying up magic stones, the price had skyrocketed.
"Anyway, until you gather all the magic stones, you'll be doing physical training. It can't be helped, so accept it."
"Ugh!"
Rosnante, with tears in his eyes, ran with sandbags strapped to his legs.
After assigning Rosnante his physical training, Zeke looked at Yuri, who was standing blankly beside him.
"Yuri Gilbert."
"...Yes."
"Are you feeling unwell?"
At first glance, Yuri's expression seemed the same as usual, but to Zeke, she looked anxious.
Since Zeke himself had a perpetually stoic expression, he could pick up on this subtle difference in Yuri.
"Hmm... If you have something on your mind, tell me."
"No, I'm fine."
However, Yuri flatly refused, indicating she had no intention of opening up.
"Alright, then pick up your sword."
Instead of prying further, Zeke urged Yuri to pick up her sword.
As she was raising her wooden sword, Yuri spoke.
"I, um..."
"What is it?"
"I heard about the test format."
"Yes, I said we'll select four people and have a 4 vs. 4 match."
"Yes, since there are five of us in our class, I would appreciate it if you could exclude me."
"Why?"
"Because I'm the weakest."
Yuri said so, but Zeke flatly refused with an impassive expression.
"I can't do that."
"Huh?"
"I can't do that without a reason. Give me another convincing reason."
Flustered, she stammered.
"...I don't have strong destructive power like Selena. I don't have the courage to face a sword calmly like Iriel. And I don't have the wildness to charge in like Elise..."
"Could you beat Rosnante?"
"...Rosnante was called a swordsmanship genius even before he came here."
"You're not saying you can't beat him."
Yuri flinched at Zeke's words.
"...I think I would lose."
"You just don't want to learn swordsmanship."
"!"
Zeke chuckled.
"Alright, I'll accept your request to be excluded for now. But I wish you had been more honest. Even if the First Prince ordered you to do so, I wouldn't mind. And if you change your mind, you can tell me anytime."
Yuri bit her lip.
"And whatever he does, I won't care, so do as you please."
Yuri's eyes wavered at Zeke's words, as if he had anticipated everything.
"Now, let's stop the chit-chat and grab your wooden sword. Try the downward slash we practiced yesterday."
"Um, am I not going to do anything special?"
Zeke seemed to be teaching each student a unique swordsmanship technique.
But with her, unlike the other students, he seemed to want to continue the training from the previous day.
"Well, there's no particular need, and I don't have the hobby of dragging someone along who doesn't want to do it."
Yuri felt a little hurt, as if she was being excluded, but she quickly brushed it off.
'I have to follow the First Prince... I've practically betrayed the Instructor already.'
Yuri swung the sword from top to bottom without a wobble.
But maybe she had been overly optimistic in thinking that this person might be different.
Suddenly, the suppressed feeling of being wronged resurfaced.
Once again, Yuri swung the sword from top to bottom.
'Right, it's my fault for being unreasonable. What was I even expecting?'
Yuri swung the sword from top to bottom.
'Right, so... it's okay. I never really wanted to learn swordsmanship anyway...'
A tightness in her chest welled up, but Yuri desperately tried to ignore her emotions.
***
'This is what genius looks like.'
This girl would never know how significant it was to be called a 'genius' by Zeke, who had spent a full 10 years struggling in a world ravaged and overrun by monsters.
Right now, Yuri wasn't focused on the sword at all.
Her emotions were fluctuating, and her mind was filled with all sorts of distracting thoughts.
However, as if it didn't matter at all,
Even though Yuri had only learned the trajectory of a downward slash yesterday,
The path her sword carved was as steady as someone who had practiced swordsmanship for years.
'It's a shame about her Mana Road.'
An ordinary Mana Road.
It wasn't as abundant and wide as Selena's, nor did it have the fast flow of Iriel's.
It wasn't as narrow as Rosnante's or his own either.
Of course, Soi didn't have a Mana Road at all, so she was an exception.
But what did it matter that her Mana Road was ordinary?
Her talent for the sword more than made up for it.
'For someone like Ilios, being bitten by the dog he raised must be the most painful thing.'
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