"Pfffft!" I nearly spurted out saliva in amusement.
Stefan went through all that trouble only to say that? It appeared he was taking the whole 'rival' thing a bit too far.
"Oh? He said that? interesting..."
As my grin intensified, I noticed the worried expressions displayed by Edward and Anabelle.
"Those guys belong to the Upper Class, right? Are you sure you should be crossing them?"
"Yeah, I mean... can we really compete against them?"
Their tone displayed worry and inferiority. I could tell from the shades in their eyes that these two had given up on competing against the top dogs. To be fair, their disposition was justified. Normally, those who were already labeled as inferior couldn't rise above the superior ones.
Plus, they had only started actively learning the use of Mana for three weeks. With so much gap in experience between them and the supposed adversaries, shrinking to safety was the natural course of action.
However...
"You guys don't need to worry about a thing. We have two months, don't we? That is enough time to surpass those guys!"
I intentionally omitted the fact that these two were already stronger than all Middle-Class Students, and we're already close to reaching the level of Upper-Class ones.
They needed to work harder, and I wasn't going to settle for 'barely enough'. The fact that I invested so much time and effort in these guys meant I expected massive returns.
"You all got amazing familiars, and your Mana Cores are in acceptable states. For the next two months, we'll be mainly focusing on spells for Anabelle, and techniques for Edward!"
Slowly, I saw the fog of uncertainty clear away from their eyes. My confidence seemed to be doing the trick. Since I had brought them this far... they could only expect me to stick by my promise!
"Yeah, about the techniques... Jared, there's something I need to tell you..."
Edward now seemed super serious, most likely the most since I knew him.
"Ohhh, so you're finally going to say it!" Anabelle beamed in surprise and satisfaction.
'So she knows about this too?'
Of course, she would! Anabelle and Edward hardly kept anything from each other.
"What's the matter, Ed?" I smiled softly, trying to ease the grave expression on my comrade's face.
His body was twitching and his fists remained clenched. Clearly what he wanted to say wasn't so easy for him to divulge. Still, one thing about the boy before me was his unyielding spirit.
The determination in his eyes told me that he had resolved to speak about it.
"The truth is... my family has a Martial Arts technique. It's a School that has been passed down for generations, and my father passed it down to me before he died."
My eyes widened in surprise.
'A Martial Arts inheritance? Edward has such a thing?!'
"I used one of its basic forms on you when we dueled... The 9 Fundamental Precepts."
My memory flashed to the moment when he used the first form of the technique on me 'REND'. I had to admit that the move possessed power and speed, but it was too straightforward—not suitable to be used against someone who also had Martial Arts.
'It's most likely a subpar technique...' My thoughts trailed.
But, it wasn't like I could tell Edward that his family's heirloom was inferior and undesirable to my tastes. Compared to the techniques I wanted him to learn, the modern ones just couldn't compare.
Still, I was fascinated by the fact that he had an inheritance. Usually, only top Martial Arts families possessed such a thing, and Edward wasn't really one. He was a commoner, having no parents and only his talent in Martial Arts to rely on.
His Martial Arts inheritance must have meant a lot to him considering it took him great courage to tell me, someone he already considered a friend. There was no way I was going to trample on his pride and joy.
"That sounds interesting... I would love to see these techniques." I replied with a smile.
"Well, I got permission from Ainzlark's authorities to be able to bring them with me to the Academy. I keep them in my room, so..."
My head moved in a nod.
"I get it. Could you perhaps bring the 9 Fundamental Precepts Book after the weekend, no, let's meet up tomorrow... and you'll show me."
Edward's unsure eyes began to light up in passion, most likely happy about my interest in his techniques.
"Certainly! Let's do that!"
Anabelle, who had been left out of our conversation so far looked a little miffed by her isolation and butted in.
"You know, Edward hasn't even mastered the 9 Precepts, the most basic of the Martial Arts inheritance he has."
The young warrior instantly grew flustered by her comment and blushed in embarrassment.
"I-I... I had no one to teach me! It's too complex and profound for me to understand by myself!"
I smiled as I watched the two of them bickering. Seated on my bed and being surrounded by two allies as we discussed the future... it didn't seem too bad.
The excitement welling up within me couldn't be denied as I allowed my thoughts to drift in the direction of my previous companions— Gawain Lenard the Sword God, Jane Ursula the Mad Witch, Ford Zesshi the Grand Mage, Raphael Noel of the Thousand Songs, and The Indestructible Immortal, Dom! These were my closest allies and the ones I called friends.
Of course, there were others, but none made an impression on me as compared to them. After all, the battle we fought so long ago still rang loudly in the heart of everyone in the land.
The Celestial War, the clash between Heroes and Demons... the battle that determined the fate of the Eastern Empire, no, the world at the time... we were the ones who fought in it!
But, that was all in the past. The threat had been vanquished and even centuries after my death there had been no sight of the great darkness that appeared all those years ago. My main concern now was right in front of me!
'I can't wait for the future!'
