Chapter 69
The problematic day passed, and the next day arrived.
Joshua’s roommates were quiet, despite Joshua's assumption that he would be bombarded with questions as soon as he returned to the room after the sparring session.
It was more accurate to say that it felt peaceful.
When Icarus left the room, he was deeply contemplating something and returned only around midnight. Agareth also left the room with a shocked expression and didn't come back until the next morning.
As a result, even as a joke, Joshua didn’t get to bring up the ‘bet’.
'However, I have no intention of continuing this charade in this manner,'?Joshua muttered to himself with a sneer as he looked around.
He was in a room with nothing but a desk, a bookcase, and a chair: Professor Kane's study. He had been waiting for a long time, but he was glad that the swordsmanship teacher had summoned him early in the morning, before class even started.
The door was flung open.
"Ash pen Frederick."
Joshua's eyes were calm as he stared at Professor Kane standing in front of him.
"What is your true identity?" asked Kane.
Joshua kept his mouth shut, so Professor Kane continued. "It's always the best approach to look through the cadet's profile and other records."
"..."
"The Frederick's Estate is located far from the capital and is closer to the countryside, and it is now owned by Viscount Hook, thus making it the Hook's Estate. It says here that Viscount Frederick suffered from financial troubles while barely keeping his status as a noble. Five years ago, he sold his entire estate to Viscount Hook."
Professor Kane was probably referring to the contents of the Imperial Nobility List.
In certain libraries, a list of imperial aristocrats was available to everyone who needed them, especially members of the imperial family. It was common sense to at least take note of where in the region a certain family lived.
Of course, deeper details weren’t included because the people on the list were imperial nobles. After all, there was a high chance that such sensitive information could be used against them in times of conflict.
Even the most well-known fact could pose a great danger to everyone involved.
However, Professor Kane was still able to make a deduction despite the little information listed on the Imperial Nobility List.
“The son of a fallen noble, whose name isn’t even relatively known, defeated the son of the illustrious Sten Family with a single blow. I couldn’t even see how you did it.”
Kane’s level of swordsmanship, as a swordsmanship professor, was far beyond a random beginner B-Class.
In particular, Kane's heavy sword was known for its strange heaviness that caused even knights of the same class to yield.
"I’m doubting it even more the more I think about it. Viscount Frederick, the head of your family, vanished a long time ago. Even so, he's not a well-known martial artist, and he isn’t particularly good with the sword nor the spear as well." As he spoke, Kane's eyes narrowed. "I'll ask you once again… who are you?"
"I am..." Joshua met Kane’s gaze for a few moments. "...Ash pen Frederick."
"..."
Kane was taken aback by Joshua's response.
It was only after a while that Kane spoke once more. "Sometimes, high-ranking nobles or kings from neighboring countries enroll in this academy while concealing their true identities."
Kane's eyes lit up when his words fell. It seemed that he was attempting to gauge Joshua's reaction.
Unfortunately, Kane failed to see the reaction he wanted to see.
Joshua maintained the same expression as earlier. He didn’t even try to hide from Kane’s gaze.
"Ash pen Frederick," Kane called out.
"Yes?"
"To be honest, I don't give a damn what you think. The situation does not sit well with me, though."
"..."
"It was just a sparring session between cadets, but you still went against the Sten Family. Your actions will surely cause you a lot of harm. What you have done is one thing, but belittling the swordsmanship of the Sten Family in front of the other nobles’ children is another issue."
At that, Joshua finally spoke up, "I accept full responsibility."
"...?"
"I'll lug it all around on my back."
"You say that you're going to take full responsibility?" Kans smiled bitterly after a brief pause. "There was someone else with the same feelings as you at this time as well last year. His name’s Shimizu kun Douglas."
"Douglas…"
Joshua tilted his head upon hearing the familiar family name.
Kane continued with a stiff look. "The most essential thing to remember is that this isn't a problem you can address on your own."
"..."
"Even among cadets of the same rank, there is something called hierarchy and circles. It’s only natural that something like that exists here since the strength of one’s family is everything here."
"..."
"Of course, since Amaru is from the Sten Family, he was automatically a part of a certain circle before he even enrolled here, and that circle…will see what you have done as a challenge."
Kane stared directly into Joshua’s eyes as he asked, "Do you get what I'm saying?"
Joshua kept his mouth shut, so Kane continued and muttered, "From now on, those children will bully children from humble households, and of course, that includes you. They will always be afraid whenever they recall what you did to Amaru, so they’ll start thinking that they might suffer that same fate any time—"
"I have one question." Joshua had been calmly listening with his mouth shut, but he suddenly interrupted Kane.
"To split the students into 'classes' and 'circles' and to disregard the abuse and intimidation that is taking place behind closed doors within the academy. Is that what a teacher—an adult—should do?"
"...!"
Kane's eyes widened.
"I don't believe there’s anything else to learn or hear from someone like you." Joshua got up and continued. "If you’re terrified of the immediate consequences and leave them alone, their negative behavior won’t disappear at all. It will remain forever.”
Joshua hastily turned around upon seeing Kane’s gaze.
"Ash pen Frederick." Professor Kane's deep voice echoed behind him. "You know… there are a lot of things one cannot change no matter how hard they try."
"There’s no such thing as impossible in this world. The cowards simply do not try anything at all, and I assure you, I am no coward," responded Joshua.
"..."
Joshua turned the doorknob and left the silent Professor Kane behind.
"Unless you want to do something else in this academy—"
Kane’s low voice dug into Joshua’s ears, forcing him to come to a halt just as he was about to walk out of the door.
"If your only goal is to complete compulsory education… I would advise you to take a different route with easier steps. You should join the Imperial Knights, the education they provide is the same as this academy provides. Since you’re that strong, the admission test shouldn’t be difficult for you."
"..."
According to Kane, the members of the Imperial Knights weren’t required to enroll at the Avalon Imperial Academy, even if they were children of nobles.
The Imperial Knights' aim of directly protecting the imperial family was irrelevant because the Imperial Academy's purpose was to monitor each noble family.
'I won't have to waste six years here since I know about Bronto's new power.'
A student had to spend a minimum of four years at the Imperial Academy, regardless of how many grades they skipped. Lugia even said that Joshua had to spend four years here before graduating, no matter how fast he was progressing.
Meanwhile, an Imperial Knight had to serve for a period of ten years.
Kaiser's proposal for Joshua to join the Imperial Knights was pointless because Joshua had never once considered the offer.
Joshua's pride didn’t let him consider it.
'Of course, it’s not as if there isn’t a different method.'
Whenever Joshua recalled the letter he had sent to Kaiser the day before he left the Duchy, he would always find himself laughing. Whenever he imagined that man’s expression while reading the letter, there would always be a sneer on his face.
Kane saw that Joshua seemed interested, so he hurriedly said, "What do you think? Even if you’re already enrolled at the academy, if you put in a little effort, you should be able to pass the exam there."
"I have no desire to squander my time in a place like that."
"Then—" Kane’s face brightened.
"But..." Joshua looked at him and muttered, "I have no wish to flee just like this. I'm not afraid of anything."
"...!"
"Please excuse me."
Joshua walked out the door with a slight bow of his head.
Professor Kane was left in his study on his own.
Kane stared dumbly at the door.
"I'm a coward…" Kane shifted his gaze to the window, where warm sunlight was pouring in, and he muttered regretfully, "Do you think so too, Shimizu?"
***
"Warp Gates are really useful."
The man who had just exited from a Warp Gate looked around and exclaimed, "It has been so long Arcadia! Ah, no… it's actually been a couple of years."
"Hik!"
The man looked toward where the voice had come from. A young man dressed in a brown robe similar to what regular mages wore was standing there and hiccuping.
The young man was the wizard in charge of the Warp Gate in Arcadia, Shawn, and he was standing in front of the unknown man.
'This is insane.'
Shawn muttered and looked away.
However, the sight of the man had blown him away.
The Magic Tower controlled all the Warp Gates on the continent. The Warp Gates were one of the most important assets of the Magic Tower, and they was proof of the Magic Tower's influence on the continent.
Avalon's Knights were wary of mages and vice-versa.
Shawn suddenly felt dizzy. He was about to curse, but he hastily closed his mouth.
He looked at the man who had just appeared.
A tiny lightning bolt pattern shimmering beneath the sunlight was embroidered on the man’s blue robe.
'It's the Steropes pattern! This man…'
Could it be that a legendary person he had only ever heard of was standing in front of him?
Shawn’s body reacted instinctively, trembling in astonishment.
"Hik!"
The man in the blue robe watched as Shawn kept hiccupping. Eventually, he spoke in a low voice.
"Hey."
"Yes, yes… Hik!"
"I'd like to ask you one question."
"Say, say… it… Hik!"
"..."
The man stared at Shawn for a few moments before saying, "Can you tell me where the Avalon Imperial Academy is?"
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