2-A was reminded of the fact that Professor Adrian wasn't just about smiles and fun; he could be brutal and unforgiving at times as well.
The student who failed in the Aegis Trials went to the Headmistress to gain forgiveness; however, from the whispers Allen heard, it seems he wouldn't get the chance to give the assessment at the end of the year.
In Allen's eyes, what Adrian did might be a little overkill but in a way, Barry was used as an example for the class.
Now Allen hardly believed that anyone else would insult Adrian.
"Hey, where is your focus man?" Suddenly, his friend—Collen—draped his hand over his shoulder, the guy appearing as energetic as a ten-year-old.
Standing at 6'1, just two inches above Allen, the seventeen-year-old has long green hair that fell on his shoulder and a droopy golden pair of eyes.
Despite being a noble, he gets along with Allen, who comes from a commoner background—an orphan, no less.
Allen was used to his friend's antics, that's why Allen didn't bother removing his arm, and with a sigh, he said, "These days, people don't respect their elders."
Collen didn't have to ask what the guy meant. He was also in the same class and belonged to the group that only sat at the back and enjoyed the drama. He was in the auditorium as well; went there to witness the farce.
"But man, Adrian is one sick man. Despite going through so much, the man persisted and continued with the job." Collen commented without much thought.
"That shows his dedication toward his job." Allen simply responded—he also didn't put much thought into it and stated it like a fact.
"You are taking his side a lot. Aren't you, like, his rival or something?" This time, Collen showed hesitation which shows that he is sensible of what he says, but he pretends to be uncaring.
Allen shook his head, clearly tired of the conversation since things were heading toward Olivia, so he just stepped away from the green-haired and voiced, "See you on the training field."
...
It was time for the joint training between the second and third years—something they held every now and then. The idea behind it was simple: students close in age could often teach each other better than a teacher ever could.
There was also another reason. When the younger ones saw just how far ahead their seniors were, it stirred something in them—a hunger to grow stronger, to catch up.
Of course, this method didn't always work. Sometimes, it left the juniors feeling discouraged instead. And sometimes it breaks third years' confidence when they lose against their juniors. But even so, the training program had never changed.
As usual, the first class from the second and third years were gathered in the open training ground.
It was on the backside of the main building. It was vast enough to give two hundred students enough space to move around and practice individually.
This period was mandatory to attend unless you were seriously injured or sick.
There were four instructors around the training ground, overlooking the spars between the ten pairs.
On the sidelines, the other students were waiting for their turn. Some were pairing up by taking the initiative and some were just assessing others' fight for the sake of their curiosity or out of boredom.
Students were allowed to use their armaments, but naturally, any attack that could be considered fatal was strictly forbidden. Moves that might leave lasting damage were off-limits too.
The goal wasn't to win—it was to push each other, to learn, and to grow stronger without crossing the line.
Any student who breaches this rule would not only be expelled, but based on the degree of their crime, they might get imprisoned as well.
Now one might think, what's the point of punishing the criminal if they actually end up killing someone?
Well, when a student enrolls in the academy that nurtures future Wardens and Runesmiths, they already know that they could lose their life at any time. Since not only spars that could lead to such dangers, the students are sent on hunting missions as well.
Allen comes in the top five students that's why there were a few third years who wanted to fight against him.
And after the recent revelation of him being an entity possessing Light attributes had gotten them curious. Exactly how strong a Light user could be.
"They are going to challenge you soon..." Olivia muttered under her breath as she saw many third-years looking at him with an aggressive look in their eyes.
"Well, I still haven't gotten a hold of my second attribute so I am no better than an average student." Allen responded, hoping that his words reach the third year and they tone down their blood thirst.
Suddenly, to everyone's surprise—and excitement—the top student from the third year began walking toward Allen.
The long silver-haired woman carried a charm that made it impossible for anyone on the field to look away.
Even her steps, the simple act of walking that usually went unnoticed when done by others, felt like a graceful dance when she moved.
As she approached the juniors, whispers broke out across the field. One by one, the spectators turned away from the battle, their attention completely stolen by her presence.
"Hey, isn't she the daughter of Duke Ironhart, the wall of the nation?"
"The top-ranking students for three years. She is my idol."
"Damn...those long legs ..."
Everyone anticipated the girl to advance towards Allen since surely, even the top ranker, who generally appears detached and uncaring, must be curious about the light user.
Even those who were sparring couldn't help but glance at the scene as the top-rated beauty finally came to a halt—but not in front of Allen.
"Sylvie, I wish to challenge you." Everyone was startled to see the girl stopping before the Princess, who neither was the top ranker nor was famous for her combat. She was ranked fifteenth in the class in terms of combat.
Sylvie was shocked but she didn't disrespect her senior and asked in a polite tone, "Why do you want to spar with me when there are so many better options, senior?"
She couldn't think of any reason for the silverhead to approach her out of the blue. They barely had talked in the past—and those times only when they came across each other during some gatherings out of the academy. After all, Elana was the daughter of a Duke.
Elana calmly explained, "We both use blunt weapons, so I thought I could help you with your training. And don't belittle yourself by thinking you would waste my time. I have seen you fight before so I know you are a worthy opponent." There was a faint smile on her face which shocked many people since this was the first time they were seeing her smile.
Such a gentle approach left Sylvie with no room for argument. She couldn't reject a senior's kindness. And since she had to fight someone anyway, she should do it with someone who can help her overcome her weaknesses.
"Okay, Senior. Then please teach me well."
Elana nodded before she turned around and began to walk away.
Just as her back turned to Sylvie, the smile faded as if she never allowed her lips to curve. Her eyes darkened, extruding a sensation that made the onlookers flinch.
If not for her years of training, she might have lost control over her mana, and he blood lust would have leaked.
She wasn't going to kill the girl but surely today, she would understand what grave mistake she has committed by defaming the man Elana adores.
'I hope you see my performance today, Professor.'
°°°°°°°°°°
A/N:- Image.