Chapter 125 Volume III - Chapter 46: Divisions in Academy
~ting! ~ti- ting! ~ting!
The sound of metal on metal echoed throughout the room. I deflected an attack and attempted a counterattack by quickly spinning my spear.
My spear went past the shoulder of the professor I was dueling with, and the moment that happened, my world turned upside down. I felt a pain in my back, my eyes closed reflexively and when I opened them again, what I saw was... the white ceiling.
"Interesting... You used to have a frightening rate of development, now you have an even more frightening one, Adrian."
I took a deep breath and sat up, looking at my spear instructor, our history professor. Her green hair was tied back in a ponytail. Her eyes were sharp.
"Let's duel again."
"No, that's enough for today."
The professor gestured to the clock across the room.
"We've been training for three hours, and while it's not a bad thing to push yourself, it's better not to overdo it."
I clicked my tongue, but I didn't protest. It hurt to remember what had happened the last time I had argued with her.
"How far have you progressed in the Qilsak Style? I couldn't feel it much because we practiced straight."
"I'm about to master the second movement, I estimate it will take me a week."
The professor's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"You're already there? It's been two and a half months since you started learning the style... You're really improving at an astonishing rate, you make me jealous."
"Yet I still find myself on the floor when you're even remotely serious."
"The difference in grades between us is quite large, it's absurd that you want to beat me, but... I don't want to say much, considering the speed of your growth."
The professor smiled, then picked up her spear and walked to the other side of the room.
"You can go to your room, as I said, that's all for today."
After her words, I stood up without saying anything and quickly went to the bathroom.
I stared at the mirror for a moment, focusing on my own reflection, my hair wet with sweat, my eyes a little sunken from lack of sleep.
My face soured, and I clicked my tongue slightly.
It's not enough... I need more strength, I need to try harder, even if my body can't take it.
I paused for a moment, splashed cold water on my face again, grabbed a towel, threw my spear into a dimensional button, and walked toward the exit of the room.
"Thanks for the training, professor!"
"See you, Adrian!"
The professor took one last look at me, turned around, and started rummaging through her bag. I headed outside. I had nothing else to do anyway, I could have stayed at home and practiced mana. Worst case scenario, I could have actually gone to sleep...
Of course, this was what I had planned. I was on my way home with ideas in my head when something unexpected happened.
"H- hey..."
My eyebrows rose at the sudden timid sound coming from my left side, and I turned to where the voice was coming from.
The person calling me was a man about my age. His hair was very short, auburn colored and his eyes were yellow. He was also skinny. He didn't look very strong and the clothes he was wearing didn't look very expensive.
So he wasn't a noble...
"Yes?"
The boy opened his mouth, he was going to say something, but then he stopped. He waited a moment, took a deep breath, and straightened his posture.
"Hello, I'm Benjamin... I'm a first-year student like you and I have a request, or rather... we have a request."
He seemed a little timid at first, but now he was more confident. Actually, he was still timid, but at least he had pulled himself together.
Was I a scary person...?
"I'm listening."
The boy smiled slightly at my words, looking relieved. He must have thought I would refuse and kick him out.
"Can we go somewhere a little quieter?"
After saying this, the boy started to look around. He seemed very suspicious for a moment, but he didn't seem to have any ulterior motives toward me.
I don't understand what is going on, but this... intrigued me a bit.
"Sure."
The boy looked even more relaxed than before, and then he turned around and walked toward an area of trees.
"Follow me, please."
When he dived into the trees, I walked after him, although I waited a little because I had my doubts.
He walked like this until he got to a place where people couldn't hear us, almost couldn't see us. Finally, he paused again. Turning to me, he looked around again, made sure no one was around, and then fixed his eyes on me.
"We, or rather the non-nobles, need your help with something."
I was even more intrigued that he was not speaking for himself but for an entire group. I nodded and gave him the go-ahead to continue.
"After the last incident at the academy, those who were previously despised by the nobility began to rise to the top as the number of nobles dwindled. The nobles with money were able to pull their children out and send them to other academies, but the commoners couldn't. So while the student majority used to be noble, that proportion has changed slightly. And now, the non-noble students have formed a group among themselves."
He spoke so fast that he paused and took a breath. He seemed excited, but he suppressed this excitement and continued.
"Everything was quite good at first. The group was helping and supporting each other, but then whatever happened, that slowly started to change... This group, whose aim was to support each other by gathering non-noble students, is now terrorizing each other, just like the nobles used to do."
Oh...? I didn't know there was such a thing... I had been completely absorbed in training lately, so I didn't really care about things like the state of the academy.
"You've probably heard about it for the first time because when this group was first formed, they stayed away from most of the people at the top of the ranks. Even if you're a non-noble like them, you're still favored by the academy, so they look at you in the same way as the nobles. And lately... things have been getting out of control. As I said, the people at the top of the group used to give everyone a helping hand, but now they act in their own interests. They have a plan to create a single authoritarian power inside the academy."
"So what you're saying is that they're slowly inviting people at the top of the academy rankings to join them."
"Exactly! They use force against those who refuse, or simply ignore them if they are too powerful to touch. Their next target is..."
"Me."
The boy lowered his eyes and shook his head.
"You're not noble, you don't have a family backing you. So if you don't accept their offer when they come to you, they probably won't hesitate to strike. And I... no, we want to help you by informing you before this happens. What started out as a beautiful dream is slowly becoming our worst nightmare. No, it has already... Our own friends have turned against us. They despise the nobles who bullied them, and now they are bullying them."
"How many people think like you?"
"Not many, there are only about twenty of us because we are afraid that someone will expose us, but I remember how you looked after the incident at the academy. You had a guilty conscience and now everyone is aware of the time you spent in the training room. That's why we chose to trust you, believing that you're not like them. We need your help to make sure that our first year at the academy doesn't turn into a living hell..."
His breathing quickened for a moment and his eyes darted here and there. He still didn't make eye contact with me.
"I- I know it's a lot to come out of the blue and ask for a lot, and I don't expect you to answer in the affirmative, and maybe you think what I'm saying is a- absurd, but-"
"It's okay."
The boy suddenly raised his head and looked at me with a puzzled expression. I smiled.
"It's okay, I'll help you."
I put my hand on his shoulder and widened my smile.
"I understand what you are going through, and whatever I can do to help, I will do my best."
The boy continued to look at me blankly. He opened his mouth to say something but then stopped.
"Thank you..."
All his facial muscles relaxed and he exhaled deeply. He looked like he had come out of hell.
I withdrew my hand and turned back the way we came without lowering my smile.
"So, where are we going now, and what are we going to do?"
"First of all, I'm going to tell you all about what's going on at the academy, you don't seem to know much about it..."
"Sure, that would be nice."
In this way, the boy began to tell me everything that had happened at the academy after the incident, one by one, in detail.
And I listened to him with all my focus.
When I have the opportunity to help someone, I cannot refuse, especially when this person is sincerely asking for my help. I couldn't save a single person in the incident, at least this way I can help some people.
Yes, at least this way I will be able to get rid of the phrase 'I couldn't help anyone'. At least this way... I will take a step to change.
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