The Academy’s Crude Pink-Haired Martial Artist

The situation concluded, and the first-year students dispersed.

Meanwhile, the second years remained in the training grounds.

Instead of annihilating the third years, there was something agreed upon.

“Uh-oh, if your hands touch the ground, we start all over again.”

Including Baldwin with a broken arm and Shivria, who was burning with rage, all second-year students had their hands tied behind their backs and were forced to lie face down, banging their heads on the caps of bottles.

“If your hands leave your ears, we start all over. Be careful now.”

In what was called the grasshopper position, they were made to grab their earlobes with both hands, leaning on their elbows while lying face down.

“Ugh, I’m sorry. I tripped over my own feet. Are you okay? Ugh, what’s that smell? Why are you guys wetting yourselves just because it’s hard?”

Kicking the belly of one whelp who kept whining about wanting to go to the bathroom, causing them to wet themselves, and knocking them over.

“Roll forward. Roll backward. Roll to the side—no, I said roll to the side! Is my speech difficult to understand? I am clearly speaking the Empire language, how strange. Now, back to the beginning. Roll forward. Roll backward. Roll sideways. Uh-oh, you were a bit late there. Back to the start. We all share responsibility here. Now, roll forward. Roll sideways. Heh. You need to move if you’re going to listen to what I said. I specifically said to roll to the side. Come on, again!”

For an hour, they rolled on the ground, hopping like a rabbit for 30 laps around the training grounds, made to do 40 laps with an elephant’s trunk motion, tumbled over, twisted their bodies while lying down, squatted down, jumped with legs spread, and shouted the last command, forcing them to start all over again.

After several rounds of light exercise for four hours, they made several promises, agreeing to swear on their mana.

If they broke the oath, all their mana would go berserk, causing their mana veins to twist, their blood vessels to rupture, and their whole body to explode and die.

Thus, they will not harass the first years like today, nor assert the authority of the second years.

Of course, if they cunningly escape the oath, they could throw all kinds of insults at me, but not the first years.

It’ll probably be soon.

Seeing them act that way, it feels like they might be holding something weapon-like.

This is actually welcome.

Because when that time comes, I can legally crush them.

Well, that can wait for later.

Right now, I need to deal with the immediate situation in front of me.

“Are you a demon?”

“Well, I did send off all the first years. I think I’m kind of nice since I didn’t give them a beating.”

“Hmm… Is that so? Alright, let’s move on. So, Eliaernes. Were you trying to kill Shivria?”

Fabiana de Herman, who helped me give exercises to the second years, clung to me.

The second years, with deep bottle cap marks on their heads, were dispersed.

Silina quickly left the training ground, likely because she didn’t want to see Fabiana, and both Yurasia and Stella also excused themselves, saying they would wait for me in front of the training grounds.

So now, only Fabiana and I were left in the training grounds.

It’s incredibly… uncomfortable and frustrating.

“Impossible.”

“If I hadn’t stopped that punch, or if I had even been the slightest bit late, Shivria would have had her head blown off.”

“No, even if it was serious, she would just end up a vegetable. With just one prayer from the priests, she would be cured.”

Not a typical divine healing, but a prayer.

It’s using a sacred artifact, rarely found in the Holy Kingdom, to perform miracles.

And Luna casually used a prayer that requires 20 priests without any compensation.

“Were you confident in controlling your strength? I surely felt a killing intent.”

“I didn’t harbor any murderous intent.”

“I’ve felt it for a while now, but you really speak well.”

“Thank you.”

“You could easily set up a merchant association if you went out to con artists.”

“I will consider it if I get kicked out of my family.”

Kuh-uh-uh—Fabiana chuckled.

“Even though I seem fine now, the hand that grabbed your arm really hurts.”

“…I’m sorry about that.”

“If I had been just a bit later, my right arm would have been torn off along with Shivria’s head.”

“I truly apologize.”

This time, I added a touch of sincerity to my apology.

“Are you a monster?”

“I’m a person.”

“How old are you?”

“Seventeen.”

“Goodness. That’s monstrous.”

“I’m a person.”

“Is all of Eustetia like that?”

“Didn’t you see earlier? I’m special.”

“Bwah-ha-ha-ha… Honestly, until I saw you, um… may I speak freely?”

Fabiana paused for a moment to look at me.

I nodded my head readily.

At that moment, Fabiana’s mouth opened.

“I thought all the children of Eustetia were merely insects.”

“Is there another Eustetia besides that Shivria?”

“Huh? Shivria?”

“Ah, I mean Shivria.”

“Yes. There’s another in my third year.”

I didn’t know that.

Looking at Fabiana in feigned surprise, she chuckled and nodded.

“Not a girl but a boy. And that boy is a finished insect.”

“Eustetia must be in real trouble.”

“I think if you used your strength a bit, it could all be resolved?”

“I’m already branded as a troublemaker; if I use my strength, I’d mess up badly.”

“Bwah-ha-ha-ha! You speak like someone who has been rolling with a mercenary band for quite a while. Quite interesting.”

Fabiana looked at me with sparkling eyes.

It seemed she had found a toy she liked.

So, I casually threw out a question that had been bothering me.

“By the way, where did you come from earlier?”

“Revealing that would be exposing my weakness. So, would you like to take a guess?”

I had felt no presence before she appeared.

Thus, I had tried to throw my fist without any hesitation, but suddenly Fabiana appeared.

At first glance, it seemed like teleportation magic.

But it was different from that.

It felt less like teleportation and more like she had switched places with ‘something.’

If that’s the case, then that something is…

“An attendant?”

“Oh?”

Fabiana’s voice held interest.

But it didn’t feel like I had guessed the answer correctly.

I didn’t think she would handle an attendant.

Then what remained was…

“Ideation.”

The context of manifesting an image she desires within her mana.

Fabiana is at the 6th rank.

An astounding genius.

Why is she calling me a monster when she herself is one?

“Hah!”

A hearty laugh erupted from Fabiana.

“I understand Fabiana-senpai is 19, but have you already mastered the art of ideation?”

“What a confident way of speaking.”

“Of course. It’s probably ideation related to spatial movement, and the medium would be… If we only consider speed, light? You could move to wherever light touches.”

There had been someone similar 400 years ago who could handle ideation like Fabiana.

That woman was a mage, able to move freely to wherever shadows were cast.

Thus, even as a mage, it was hard to find someone as outstanding as her in battlefield combat.

“Bwah-ha-ha… That’s impressive.”

The laughter transformed into a chuckle as it echoed through the training grounds.

“It’s not entirely correct, but I wouldn’t say it’s wrong either. It’s rather close to being correct.”

Well, that’s because I still can’t fully control ideation.

At the 6th rank, I can only move to places within my visual field and where light reaches.

Once I reach the 8th rank, I’ll be able to move to places beyond my line of sight with ease.

“Eliaernes. How on earth can you deduce such information?”

“I read a lot of books, which makes my imagination rich.”

“There are no such books in the imperial palace to get that information.”

“Silina said the same.”

“So, what did you answer?”

“I replied that there are in Eustetia.”

“You definitely said you were 17, but based on just your speech, it sounds like you’re at least three times that age. You could rival the attendants who’ve been glued to me in the imperial palace.”

Well, if I combine my past life’s age, I suppose that could be the case?

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Bwah-ha-ha. Yes. Now it seems both you and I are running out of time, so let’s get to the point and wrap this up. I helped you today, right?”

“Yes. I really appreciate it and feel honored.”

“So, I think it would be good for you to grant me a favor, what do you think?”

“Are you speaking as a princess, or as a student of Karela Academy?”

“If I speak as a princess, what would you do?”

“I’d drop out and run away.”

“Good. I’ll speak as a student of Karela Academy. What do you think? Will you grant my favor?”

I sighed softly.

Then I raised two fingers.

“Blocking my attack once. And reinforcing my testimony once. About two favors should be suitable.”

Fabiana wore a sly smile.

“It seems we’ll become very close.”

At that moment, my expression slipped.

I couldn’t remember what kind of expression I made.

I probably looked quite terrible.

*

“Are you alright?”

After finishing my conversation with Eliaernes, I was on my way back.

The student council secretary, Premier Platz, followed behind Fabiana, who was waiting in front of the training grounds.

“I’m not alright. It hurts a lot.”

Shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly, Fabiana released the mana she had been surrounding her hand.

Then, crack-crack—the sound came as her dainty fingers began to twist mercilessly.

As if that wasn’t enough, her wrist popped off and shattered.

“What the…?”

Seeing that, Premier turned pale and handed Fabiana the high-grade potion she had brought in her arms.

Immediately uncapping the potion, Fabiana gulped it down in one go while looking down at her still tingling hands with a chuckle.

“I clearly stopped the punch before it landed.”

“…I didn’t see the process, but I saw the result.”

“And yet, this is the state I’m in.”

Even though the effect of the potion was kicking in rapidly, her hands trembled and turned pale.

“Premier. What rank am I?”

“You’re at the 6th rank.”

“That’s right. I’m at the 6th rank.”

The 6th rank. Unlike the 5th rank, it’s the stage where one begins to open the merchant association that touches the sky.

At this rank, one can even imbue their mana with ideation for the first time.

Thus, those who have reached the 6th rank distance themselves from ordinary humans.

From bodily functions to basic durability, the 6th rank diverges greatly from ordinary humans.

I had crushed the hand of such a person.

Without even launching an attack.

“Bwah-ha-ha…”

Of course, I wasn’t using Guardian Magic.

But I did strengthen my body with mana.

That alone should mean that an ordinary 5th rank human would be unable to harm Fabiana’s body.

That’s the way of the world.

Yet, that principle has been turned on its head.

“Premier. What rank do you think Eliaernes is?”

“…Honestly, I can’t gauge it.”

“That’s right. I can’t either. One thing is for certain: she’s not at the 6th rank. But she doesn’t seem to be at the 5th rank either. She’s at best 4th rank. Hahaha!”

Finally, the pain and trembling in my hand subsided.

Fabiana began to make fists a few times with that hand, gazing at a girl passing by outside, her cherry blossom hair in full bloom.

A different expression from the one she had just worn in the training grounds; her face softened gently. Her expression was bright.

The playful smile in her eyes made it hard to look away, and her thin, delicate body inspired a protective instinct within me.

To anyone who looks, she’d appear lovely and harmless.

A beautiful smile like blooming cherry blossoms.

On the other hand, her insides were malicious.

Based on what she said, she resembled a mercenary who had endured in the frontline for ten years.

She was full of the traits of a con artist.

Watching her give exercises, she is indeed the manifestation of evil.

Yet, she is not ignorant.

Using the situation she’s in, her status, and others’ words and expressions, she strategically stabs at the opposition.

Moreover, she twists and tweaks those jabs, making her enemy lose their mental grip completely.

But that’s not all.

The overwhelming weakness that seemed to pass by unnoticed is truly astounding.

Though I can’t say she’s the strongest in the academy, it would surely take less than a year for her to claim that title.

Finally, at the end of that stands the name of Eustetia.

That is what makes it even more terrifying.

Fabiana is aware that she is a disaster walking around. And today, a new name was added within that frame of disaster.

Eliaernes Eustetia.

“There’s simply no monster like her.”

Before throwing a punch at Shivria.

Recalling the killing intent Eliaernes radiated, Fabiana’s pace resumed as she finished her judgment on Eliaernes.

Eliaernes is a madwoman with no backers.

Perhaps even more than the First Princess herself.

“If I touch her wrong, it could turn out very bad.”

Hearing Fabiana’s words, Premier’s mind raced as the danger level of Eliaernes, known as a troublemaking noble, rose dramatically.

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