Kays Translations

Chapter 10: Swordsmanship Class and a Conversation with Radius

After school, the swordsmanship instructor returned to the faculty room and spoke with several other teachers.

This was after he had already finished speaking with Ren and Licia.

“Are you familiar with Ren Ashton, the representative of the incoming class?”

“Of course. He attends my Monster Biology class with great enthusiasm, and he scored nearly full marks on the quiz the other day.”

After the female teacher answered, the other instructors listening to the conversation added their own comments.

“He participates enthusiastically in my class as well. It makes teaching him very rewarding.”

“Speaking of Ren Ashton, he helped me clean up after class just the other day. Ah, and on another occasion, he helped with the preparations too.”

“It is very admirable that he has remained earnest and has not let his guard down after enrolling. He is an excellent student of a different sort from the upperclassmen Arkhaise and Ignat, or His Highness the Third Prince.”

As their comments showed, Ren and Licia had earned an excellent reputation among the faculty.

Their daily conduct had left the teachers with a favorable impression, and their good behavior outside class meant that no one regarded either of them with resentment.

“But what brought this up so suddenly? Did something happen with him in swordsmanship class?”

“Yes… A matter concerning Ashton and Clausel has arisen, and I am uncertain how to handle it.”

“Surely you do not mean that those two caused trouble?”

“No. The inadequacy is mine. The dean had told me that they practiced the Mighty Sword Style, but they were far more capable than I anticipated.”

“Ah… So you cannot reasonably place them in the same lesson as the other students.”

“Exactly. I can instruct them in Imperial Swordsmanship, but the gap between them and the other students is simply too large. Their presence would undoubtedly inspire the class, but the lesson itself would do nothing for those two.”

During the second half of the lesson, the instructor had taught Imperial Swordsmanship to the entire class. Yet he had been forced to conclude that Ren and Licia had gained nothing from it. Even if the two themselves found some value in reviewing techniques they already knew, he could not be satisfied with that as their teacher.

“Each year, several particularly capable students are allowed to join upper-year swordsmanship classes. Why not place those two with the second- or third-years—or even have them attend the fourth-year class?”

The swordsmanship instructor shook his head. “It would make no difference.”

The strength he had witnessed from those two could not be compared even with that of the highest-year students. And they had displayed that strength without using the Mighty Sword Style.

No matter how one looked at it, there was no reason for them to attend an ordinary student lesson.

“A-Are they truly that capable?”

“Ha ha ha! Now that is impressive!”

“Goodness… In that case, it cannot be helped.”

The swordsmanship instructor shrugged and spoke as though there were no other possible solution.

“Swordsmanship is a required subject, so they must still take the examinations. Fortunately, attendance does not contribute to the grade in this subject, so that should not present a problem.”

“In other words, they may ordinarily be absent?”

“That is correct. As you all know, this is not a special accommodation. Students who attend only the examinations have existed for a long time.”

Werlich had once explained the same thing to Ren.

Given the nature of the Imperial Military Academy, a lack of flexibility would create difficulties in many areas. For that reason, there were several subjects in which examinations mattered more than regular attendance.

“This academy must also account for the circumstances of nobles, so we can be reasonably flexible when a student attends only the examinations.”

In exchange, however, the examinations were incomparably more difficult than those at other schools.

Poor results meant failure without mercy, whether the student was a noble or even royalty from another country. In practice, anyone who skipped lessons needed a correspondingly sound reason.

While the teachers were discussing Ren and Licia, Chronois entered the faculty room.

The swordsmanship instructor approached her and explained the situation.

“Dean, regarding those two—”

After hearing him out, Chronois gave an evasive laugh. “Tahaha… So it turned out exactly as expected.”

“They will of course have to take the examinations. The question is how they should spend the hours assigned to swordsmanship.”

“They said they would attend anyway because they could still gain something from the lessons. But as their instructor, I want them to spend that time in a way that truly benefits them.”

“Yes. I feel the same way.”

That left several proposals the faculty could make.

There were already a number of students who, like Ren and Licia, attended only the examinations for certain subjects. Many were exceptional students whose knowledge in those subjects equaled or surpassed that of graduates.

Such students often skipped the relevant lessons and appeared only for the examinations.

They commonly spent that time studying in the library or receiving assignments from instructors in other subjects.

This arrangement was particularly common among Special Class students, who were granted considerable freedom, and it matched the academy’s culture of respecting individual initiative.

Chronois believed that Ren and Licia should follow the same example.

“Please consult the other instructors. If any of them can provide suitable assignments for Ren and Licia, offer that option to the two of them—while following the rules properly, of course.”

This was the Imperial Military Academy, an institution different from ordinary schools in many respects.

Students who sought more advanced instruction and demonstrated results worthy of it had the right to receive that higher level of education.

There was no greater folly than forcing students to waste their time.

“How many swordsmanship lessons does Ren take each week?”

“Only Imperial Swordsmanship, which is required for his credits. It should be twice a week, both in the afternoon.”

The instructors exchanged looks as they considered how to ensure that the two students used those hours meaningfully.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

The red glow of the setting sun that illuminated the academy building also fell upon the three students chatting on the rooftop.

“Ah, the same thing happened to me.”

Fiona spoke as though the memory had only just returned to her, the sunlight behind her outlining her silhouette.

“When I was a first-year student, my Herbology instructor also recommended that I receive assignments from teachers of other subjects.”

Standing beside Ren, who leaned against the fence surrounding the rooftop, Fiona recalled her own first year.

Because she had once been sickly, she had spent a great deal of time studying Herbology for her own sake. The knowledge she developed was already said to exceed what Special Class students normally possessed upon graduation.

“What did you do then, Lady Fiona?”

“I received assignments from other teachers. Duties for House Ignat often interrupted my schedule, so I thought that arrangement would be better than trying to join another regular class.”

“That would let you use your time effectively for matters besides your studies as well.”

“Yes. The assignments are extremely educational, and whenever the teachers have time, they are very considerate in answering questions and offering guidance.”

As he listened, Ren looked toward Licia.

Licia was sitting on a nearby bench and looked up at him.

“Perhaps we should do the same. Reviewing Imperial Swordsmanship is important, but Weiss can teach us that much at the mansion. We decided to refine ourselves here, so we ought to use our time effectively.”

“I agree. The remaining question is whether any of the instructors can give us assignments…”

“You need not worry about that. There have been several students like the two of you even recently. And in the past, if I remember correctly, there was a boy who possessed knowledge equal to or greater than a graduate’s in roughly four subjects immediately after enrolling.”

“That is remarkable. What sort of person was he?”

When Ren asked, Fiona gave a wry smile and answered with words that immediately convinced both him and Licia.

“My father.”

Neither of them was surprised in the slightest.

On the contrary, the explanation felt entirely natural.

“Ren, if it was Marquis Ignat, then I suppose it cannot be helped.”

“Yes. That made perfect sense immediately.”

In any event, Ren and Licia still wanted to make the best possible use of their time.

They could decide later which subject instructors to request assignments from. The other matter they needed to settle was where they would study.

(Realistically, receiving assignments is the obvious choice… Though if the organizing committee becomes busy, we could simply use that time for committee work instead.)

Fiona also had no classes during the two afternoons each week when Ren and Licia would be absent from swordsmanship. For the reason she had just described, she spent those afternoons studying in the library or, at times, in a quiet corner of one of the gardens on the academy grounds.

When Licia heard that, she asked, “Then may we join you?” Fiona replied, “I would be delighted, if my company is acceptable.”

Ren could tell that the two girls had grown even closer since the incident at the Grand Clock Tower.

Then—

“So this is where you were.”

Radius opened the rooftop door and called out as he stepped outside.

“Huh? Is it time already?”

“Not yet. I had nothing to do until the appointed time, so I came here and happened to see the three of you.”

Ren had arranged to speak with Radius afterward about how the swordsmanship lesson had gone. It was little more than an ordinary friendly conversation.

There were still roughly twenty minutes before the time they had agreed upon.

Ren had told Licia and Fiona about the plan beforehand, so he excused himself, saying it was a little early, and left their side.

“Come to think of it, Radius, you have periods when you do not take classes too, right?”

“Several. This afternoon, for example. Official duties often arise, so I make a point of leaving this particular afternoon free of lessons.”

“I see. At least when it comes to having no afternoon class, you and I are in the same position.”

As Licia and Fiona watched the two boys leave the rooftop while chatting, they arrived at the same thought almost simultaneously and looked at each other.

Fiona spoke first.

“…What do you think, Lady Licia?”

“Naturally, I am extremely dissatisfied.”

“R-Right!? His Highness the Third Prince is someone far above us! Compared with him, the daughter of a marquis should be of little consequence…!”

“If you put it that way, I am merely a viscount’s daughter, so it is even more inexplicable for me…”

The two shared the same grievance.

Ren called Radius simply “Radius” and continued to treat him with the same casual familiarity he would show any friend.

When they compared that attitude with the way Ren behaved toward the two of them…

“…Haah.”

Both girls had previously asked Ren to speak more casually with them, only to have him firmly refuse.

Although they were romantic rivals, they decided that sharing this particular complaint was harmless and sighed together.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

After leaving the two girls behind, Ren suddenly—

“Achoo!”

—sneezed.

By then, he and Radius had reached one of the academy gardens and were talking while enjoying the natural scenery.

“What brought that on?”

“No idea. It just came out of nowhere.”

“Even with the warmth of spring, take care not to catch a cold.”

“I am not exactly letting my guard down.”

“That is good. Still, should you fall ill, I will at least come to visit. At that time, I can tell you one of the old tales my father and mother once told me.”

Ren was no longer a little child, and he could hardly allow the Third Prince to do something like that for him.

When Ren said as much while scratching his hair with a slightly awkward expression, Radius smiled coolly with his finely shaped features.

“What kind of old tale?”

“Are you interested?”

“Of course. I am curious what sort of stories the imperial family used to soothe its young princes.”

“Hmm… Then I shall tell you a little.”

As they walked across the neatly trimmed lawn, the spring breeze of dusk stirred Radius’s hair.

“Long ago, a girl was born in a certain country.”

“Oh, that sounds like a fairly ordinary beginning.”

“Incidentally, the tale is called ‘Corroding Princess.’”

“Wow… That became ominous immediately.”

Radius laughed at Ren’s stunned expression.

“The girl who was born—the Corroding Princess—possessed magic that corroded all it touched. Even her own parents could not lay a hand on her.”

Walking shoulder to shoulder, Radius began recounting the old tale as he remembered hearing it himself long ago.

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