While Yi-Han entertained the most disrespectful thoughts in the world, Professor Ingurdel was basking in self-contentment.
‘I have indeed brought the right ones.’
The knights brought by Professor Ingurdel, the White Wood Knight Order, were among the empire's most prestigious. This was not an order that stayed put, guarding a specific region. Instead, they roamed the empire, seeking dangers to confront. That was the essence of the White Wood Knight Order.
Common wisdom held that knights usually traveled grandly with servants and slaves, but the White Wood Knight Order was an exception. Its knights wandered the vast and harsh lands of the empire alone, clad in nothing but a single suit of armor and accompanied only by a horse.
For this, mere skill in swordsmanship was insufficient. They required a wide array of abilities, including adaptability and quick thinking in various situations.
Such knights could surely teach much to the young students!
‘Far better a choice than bringing knights of their own age…’
While Professor Ingurdel was feeling proud, Bikelintz, a knight of the White Wood Order, stroked his beard and frowned.
‘I came at Ingurdel's request, but it seems I've come to the wrong place.’
Bikelintz didn’t favor dealing with students or young squires. He had no idea how to interact with them. His swordsmanship, honed for real battles, was not meant for teaching or imparting lessons. Though he had come at Ingurdel's request, owing him a favor, the feeling of being out of place did not fade.
These were not knights staking their lives on the path of the sword but those also pursuing the path of magic.
"Knights enrolled in a magic academy, of all things."
Bikelintz neither disliked nor disregarded mages. Every knight, at some point, owed something to a mage. But he was uncomfortable with the idea of these young students, who would be insufficient opponents in swordsmanship alone, also learning magic.
There was no rule that they had to learn from Bikelintz or the knights of the White Wood Order. They could have called for kinder knights from other orders or perhaps peers who were squires...
"So, what should we do, Professor Ingurdel?"
"Just treat them comfortably as I mentioned before coming. Just spare their lives."
"Understood."
Bikelintz sighed and walked away with the knights. They dispersed to their respective positions, each taking a wooden sword and standing in place, seemingly waiting for the students.
Yi-Han opened his mouth, trying somehow to persuade Professor Ingurdel. If the White Tiger guys didn't step up, then Yi-Han had to.
"Professor. Fighting these knights one-on-one is a bit..."
"Don't worry, Wardanaz."
Professor Ingurdel smiled. Yi-Han almost felt relieved at that smile but then snapped back to reality.
'No, this is not the time to be relieved.'
"Of course, you will fight in groups of three against one. Gather according to the teams selected last time."
"..."
Indeed, it was not the time to be relieved. Yi-Han cursed Professor Ingurdel inwardly and moved forward.
Jijel approached with an extremely displeased expression, much like Yi-Han's.
Dolgyu cleared his throat and spoke, "It's a stroke of luck that the three of us have come together like this again..."
"Stop with the insincere remarks, Choi."
"Luck? Perhaps the same kind of luck as meeting the skull principal."
Dolgyu, scolded simultaneously by Jijel and Yi-Han, looked downcast. Yi-Han felt sorry and apologized, "I'm sorry, Dolgyu. It's not your fault."
"It's okay, Yi-Han."
Yi-Han looked at Jijel.
'Hmm.'
He realized that in just a few days, he had managed to built up grudges against the Moradi family twice. Once against the skull principal's summon, and once against a senior member of the Moradi family.
This realization brought a tinge of guilt to Yi-Han. Thus, he decided to make a slight concession this time.
"I will yield in this test. Moradi, I will follow your lead."
The situation was surprising, with Yi-Han conceding first, but Jijel showed no joy. Instead, she was overtly suspicious.
'What's he plotting?'
There were those who could be subdued and made to swear allegiance, and those who could never be subdued. Wardanaz was the latter.
Jijel knew this and had given up on expecting Wardanaz to kneel before her. But Yi-Han's sudden compliance was suspicious.
"...What are you planning?"
"What plan? Moradi, we can't score in this test without mutual concessions. That's why I'm yielding."
Yi-Han was always sincere when discussing tests. This sincerity slightly swayed Jijel.
Really?
"But Wardanaz, even if you say you'll follow my command, you'll disobey at the first chance... you brat."
"That's only when your commands are crap... I mean, unreasonable."
Dolgyu listened to their conversation, wondering when he should intervene.
Maybe it's better if they don't talk at all...
"...Fine then. I'll take your word for it. But I'll be watching."
"Please do. So, Professor Ingurdel, who are we up against?" Yi-Han asked while looking around.
Where's the drawing?
Professor Ingurdel kindly responded, "It's Sir Bikelintz."
"...Wasn't this supposed to be random?"
To Yi-Han, the knight called Bikelintz seemed like a leader, likely the most skilled.
"The best deserve a worthy opponent."
"Ah... I see..."
Yi-Han struggled to manage his expression. Professor Ingurdel, unaware of Yi-Han's inner thoughts, offered encouragement, "With the three of you, you can surely put up a good fight."
"Yes, Professor... Ingurdel."
Bikelintz, facing the three young students, spoke in a serious tone, "You may use every means at your disposal to attack."
Dolgyu asked with surprised eyes, "Is that... allowed?"
"Not using what you can is more unnatural. Use magic if you can. I won't hold back either."
'I wish you would, though,' Yi-Han thought as he picked up his wooden sword. From just a few words, he had a sense of what kind of person the opponent was.
Bikelintz was a strict knight, like Arlong, Yi-Han's teacher. The problem was that, unlike Arlong, who had gone easy on Yi-Han, Bikelintz would not.
A person who tells students to 'use every means to attack' usually meant they would defend using every means too.
Jijel sensed this ominousness, a subtle anxiety crossing his face.
"Choi family?"
"Yes, that's correct."
Bikelintz guessed Dolgyu's family from his stance alone.
"Double swords... the Moradi family."
Jijel nodded in agreement.
"And..."
Bikelintz was startled when he saw Yi-Han.
His stance was unmistakably that of the Azure Rock Style...
Was there a family known for using the Azure Rock Style?
Apart from the empire's knight Arlong, he knew of none, which left him quite bewildered.
"Which family do you belong to?"
"The Wardanaz family."
"Wardanaz... Hmm... Huh?"
As Bikelintz's face, as hard as a chunk of iron, contorted in confusion, Dolgyu and Jijel found themselves empathizing without realizing it.
'I understand that feeling.'
"Well... After all, in learning swordsmanship, the family isn't that important."
Embarrassed by his own confusion in front of the students, Bikelintz changed the subject and ended the conversation. But his bewilderment did not subside.
...Why is a student from the Wardanaz family here?
Moreover, judging by his stance, his swordsmanship training was not just a day or two's worth.
"Yi-Han, there's no opening in his stance..." Dolgyu swallowed hard and muttered under his breath.
The pressure emanating from Bikelintz was that intimidating. He was merely standing there, pressing his wooden sword down, yet the pressure he exerted was immense. It was impossible to guess how strong he really was.
"Since he said to use whatever methods we can, let's do just that."
Yi-Han drew out his staff.
In truth, Yi-Han didn't believe he could win against Bikelintz, a veteran knight who had wielded his sword for decades on the battlefield. Any strategy would likely be ineffective against such an opponent.
But standing still wouldn't yield any points.
To hear 'You lost, but fought well' from Professor Ingurdel, they had to give their all.
"Feet, grasp the earth."
Yi-Han cast the <Gonadaltes' Agile Steps>, not only on himself but on the other two as well.
<Gonadaltes' Agile Steps>, similar to the <Sensory Enhancement> spell, was more efficient and practical...
'There are side effects, but that's not my problem.'
The muscle soreness his friends would experience after the spell was none of Yi-Han's concern. Winning was the priority.
"Thanks, Yi-Han."
Dolgyu nodded, feeling the magic enveloping his body. Even without asking, he could tell Yi-Han was enhancing them with magic.
"Space, be perceived."
"?"
However, Yi-Han's incantation did not stop there.
After casting spells on the three of them, he immediately continued with another without pause, leaving Dolgyu bewildered.
"Hands, sever the enemy. Heat, distort the air..."
Sharp mana swirled around Yi-Han's hands, and at the same time, mirage-like illusions began to appear.
If unsure what magic would be effective, the answer was simple… Use them all.
At this point, not only Dolgyu and Jijel but also Bikelintz began to feel alarmed.
They had expected him to use at most one or two spells, but he was using far more.
'Should I intervene?'
Bikelintz looked towards Professor Ingurdel.
Using magic to this extent could lead to mana depletion, which could be fatal for a young mage.
Shouldn't the professor intervene?
Yet, Professor Ingurdel sat undisturbed, simply watching. Bikelintz grew even more perplexed.
'This isn't like him.'
"Flash!"
Yi-Han did not miss the moment Bikelintz's attention wavered.
He instantly cast a 1st circle lightning spell, targeting Bikelintz. A flash of lightning shot towards Bikelintz.
Bikelintz, without even looking, casually dodged it.
"Attack!"
Jijel shouted to Dolgyu and charged forward. Even without a signal, it was clear that this moment, enhanced by magic, was an opportunity.
'What kind of magic is this...'
Her legs moved much lighter than usual. Even Jijel, who disliked Wardanaz, had to acknowledge the effectiveness of the magic.
However, Bikelintz seemed unimpressed by the slight increase in the students' speed. With an expressionless face, he rolled his foot and moved at a speed far surpassing theirs.
"Ugh!"
A pained cry escaped Dolgyu's lips.
Although Dolgyu prided himself on being the fastest swordsman among the White Tiger students, Bikelintz was on a different level.
The moment Dolgyu lunged at the knight, Bikelintz's figure vanished, and an irresistible counterattack followed. All Dolgyu could do was fly backward and roll on the ground.
Swoosh!
Bikelintz, about to completely overpower Dolgyu, halted his attack. A bead of water was flying towards him.
The knight of the White Wood Order casually tilted his head to dodge it. He expected, like the water spells he had seen so far, that dodging it would be the end.
However, the water bead swirled around beside his face and targeted Bikelintz again.
Surprised, Bikelintz swatted it away with the back of his hand. The water bead, containing significant mana, left a heavy sensation on his mana-reinforced hand.
"Excellent."
Bikelintz praised sincerely.
Many superior mages among the upperclassmen could not exhibit such ingenuity. To modify a simple low-level spell so effectively was impressive.
Yet, Yi-Han, the recipient of the praise, felt slightly conflicted.
'Everyone except the professor is praising me.'
His feelings were a mix of happiness and a touch of sadness...
However, this was not the time for such thoughts.
Yi-Han gripped his staff and prepared for the next spell.
