I have seen Zaon frown in the past, usually when he was deep in thought or trying to bear self-inflicted embarrassment, but never out of anger. The girls of the Rosethorn Squad who were standing on the sidelines pressed against each other while Zaon lectured on proper sparring etiquette. They were shocked. Even the Cabbage cadets nearby lowered their heads to avoid his anger.

To my delight, the shy elf from Lowell's Orphanage had grown fangs.

I offered Yvain my hand. "How did it feel to face your first monster?"

The boy sat on the ground, clutching his knee with a pained expression. Nessa Morag-Vedras had gotten him good. If I didn't know better, I'd say the girl was an adept Muay Thai practitioner. The boy grabbed my hand, and I pulled him up. Part of me felt guilty for not intervening earlier—that was Earthling Rob. Ebrosian Rob told me I should've let the sparring continue and that I had denied Yvain a valuable lesson.

"I've faced monsters before," he said.

"Low-level Dustmanes, Slimes, and Horned Runners are barely monsters," I replied, recalling the bestiary of the southern lands between the Osgirian Dukedom and the Kharid desert. Part of the reason Osgirians were such important merchants was that their territory was nearly free of monsters.

"It was… I knew I was safe," Yvain said.

I helped him walk into the area between the dueling circles, and Wolf approached to examine his leg.

"You did well, kid. It's not easy to keep the composure against someone more than twice your level," I said as Wolf used [Greater Regeneration].

The boy nodded, but [Foresight] told me he was still a bit disturbed by Nessa's words. I wondered what I should tell him. Excusing the actions of his father would be foolish. The past couldn't be rewritten.

Sir Enric Osgiria had caused hundreds of innocent deaths two years ago during the Farlands Campaign, but Yvain was smart enough to understand that the sins of the father didn't pass to the son. The source of his unrest seemed to be something different.

Wolf's mana penetrated the skin of the boy, reducing inflammation and slowly regenerating the damaged tissue.

I let [Foresight] examine his face. I noticed guilt, but I wasn't sure it was caused by the victims of the Farlands campaign. Guilt and confusion. But why? Then it clicked. If I were in his position, I'd feel the same.

I cast [Silence Dome] around us, strategically leaving Yvain's leg outside.

Wolf continued working as if nothing had happened.

"The people of the Vedras Dukedom think of Sir Enric as a murderer, but they only know him as an Imperial Knight and the cousin of a duke. You know him better than anyone. He was your father, and you have every right in the world to decide how to feel about him. It's okay if you love him," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Something moved in the back of his eyes, but he avoided my gaze. "I do love my father, and I also resent him for leaving too early. I don't think those two feelings are contradictory. Don't let others dictate how you should feel about your family."

Yvain focused on his knee, trying to hide his surprise. I couldn't see the damage through the fencing pants, but Wolf was taking his sweet time. For a moment, I thought Yvain wasn't going to say anything, and I was about to pop up the [Silence Dome], but he finally opened his mouth.

"I love him…" He swallowed hard. "...and I hate him for leaving the Vedras Alchemists exposed, and for being unfaithful to my mother, and for getting himself killed."

My throat tightened. The 'official' reason for Sir Enric's death was that his spiteful lover poisoned him with specially crafted boluses that dissolved in his stomach hours after having ingested them. Prince Adrien and the Marquis had even set up one of the prisoners of the Great Hall's dungeon to make the story more credible.

I wondered what Yvain would do if he found out that wasn't the truth. Would he try to uncover the death of his father? Would he try to take revenge? I didn't know the boy well enough to have an answer, but I knew that path would lead to his demise. Yvain lacked the backing of the Osgirians, and both the royal family and the Vedras were too powerful for him to deal with. The new trading route was too important for anyone to let a kid mess with the plans of the noble families.

"I don't think the person who killed your father was his lover," I said against my best judgment.

"How can you say that?" Yvain asked, surprised.

"You know, I was part of the investigation team that day." The control that [Foresight] granted prevented my facial muscles from showing any unwanted expression. "Take it as a hunch, but I doubt Sir Enric's killer was his lover. There are many reasons to kill a man, and regrettably, your father embodied many of them. You know that well. Still, I can't say for sure that adultery was one of them."

Yvain nodded in silence. My words might serve as a small solace, but it was all I could offer him without exposing Lord Vedras' secret Prestige Class. I popped the [Silence Dome] as soon as the healing aura around Wolf's hands disappeared. A green mana band tightened around Yvain's knee. Compared to potions, healing magic was slower, but it didn't build up toxicity, so it was safer in the long run.

"There's no risk of ligament tear or joint instability. It should be well enough for another round or two," Wolf said.

Yvain bowed deeply. "Thanks."

My inner clock told me that more than two minutes had passed since the start of the sparring session. Genivra and Cedrinor were channeling mana like never before, and the girls from Rosethorn Squad seemed somewhat surprised.

"Enough! Let's rotate to the next group. Kili, Fenwick, Malkah, and Harwin, you are in!" I announced, turning back to Ilya and Wolf. "So, what do you think?"

"I thought for a moment you were going to kill Nessa," Wolf replied.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Yes. You moved fast. If you had crashed into Nessa, you could've snapped her back."

It seemed that Ebrosian Rob slowly gained terrain over Earthling Rob. Still, my mana manipulation was fairly good, and I didn't feel I acted all that scary. Elincia's warning echoed in my brain. I was a high-level person after all, and what seemed normal to me could seem extremely threatening to low-level individuals.

I made a mental note to be extra careful in the future.

"Thoughts on the combatants, Ilya?" I repeated my question, this time trying to be more precise.

"Cedrinor and Genivra have experience dueling people, it shows. They must've been trained to fight bandits during their time with the city guard at Ascombe. For Genivra, [Quick Step] is a Fencer's best weapon, and right now she only uses it within the boundaries of proper footwork. She has to learn that she can go beyond," Ilya replied as the sparring partners changed positions. "No comment on Cedrinor. His skill set is too basic for the time being, and he's been doing as much as he can. Odo, however, lacks offensive capabilities; he even uses the length of his arms as a defensive barrier rather than an offensive threat. He might be a good counter-striker if he let loose a little bit."

I nodded. Berserkers were all about strengthening their bodies with little support skills like [Quick Step], [Puncture], or [Ghost Blade]. That strengthening, however, came with a strain on his rather small mana pool. Berserkers had a great disadvantage in prolonged battles, but that could be fixed with a few strategic titles.

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"Kili, Fenwick, Malkah, Harwin, are you ready?" I asked.

The cadets gave me the thumbs-up. Kili had chosen a long rapier to compensate for her lack of reach while leaving her offhand free for a hidden dagger, Malkah and Harwin used long swords, and Fenwick had picked an arming sword with a buckler. To my surprise, Dolores rode on top of Fenwick's head into the circle. It was the first time the frog had participated in an exercise. I had no idea what Fenwick's Beastmaster skills were.

Kili had been paired with Vigdis Herran, the fox-spirit Snow Mage.

"Oi, Vigdis, be careful with that pipsqueak! You've got a history of losing to the runts!" Kaeli Herran called out with a grin as she entered the circle where Fenwick was.

Ilya seemed pleased with the reminder of her feats.

"Frog Boy! I will pay you three gold coins if you slime her well," Vigdis replied coldly.

It might be my imagination, but for a second, Dolores' eyes gleamed.

"At your service, ma'am!" Fenwick smiled. "One slimy beastfolk coming up!"

I rubbed my temples, trying to convince myself that a hint of competitiveness would be good for the cadets' progress. After what happened to Yvain, I wasn't so sure. The sparring pairs were already inside the circles, waiting for the cue. I hoped for no more incidents.

"Start!"

Fenwick's mana rushed through his body like I haven't seen it before. It was visible to the naked eye, even though he hadn't activated any skills yet. I remember the first week with the Cabbage Class, when I asked them about their motivations to become an Imperial Knight. Fenwick wasn't lying when he said money.

Suddenly, Dolores leapt from his head and grew until she was as tall as the boy, her arms and legs thickening like young trees until she lost the cute roundness of frogs and gained the poise of a bull. A deep, rumbling croak rolled from her throat, resonating through my chest. Wild mana swirled inside her body.

Pyrrah's mouth would've watered.

I used [Identify].

Dolores, the Greedy Sovereign of the Bottomless Pond. Bound Ancient Spirit Animal.

I cut off the skill just as Dolores turned to shoot a haughty glare at me. People didn't appreciate being identified, and Dolores was definitely a person.

"Can I get a bit more space, Instructor Clarke? We are cramped inside here, the three of us," Fenwick shouted with a candid smile.

Pushing more mana into [Mirage], I expanded the circle around the boy ten more meters. Kaeli waited patiently, jumping in place and slapping the sides of her legs. Then, her rabbit ears suddenly perked, and she jumped back just as the ground below her caved in. Water filled the dueling area, and the mana that swirled around Dolores formed phantom water lilies and cattails.

Using her own terrain powers, Kaeli made a boulder emerge from the water and landed on top of it.

Fenwick stood on top of a phantom lily pad, smiling.

No wonder he had been selected for the Academy.

"[Tongue Lash]!" Fenwick thrust his sword forward, and a spectral pink frog's tongue shot out. Kaeli jumped just before the impact, but the attack shattered the rock. She fell into the pond. The water reached above her knees.

Kaeli squealed as she jumped a meter above the water level.

"Something touched my leg!"

In that instant, vines emerged from the water, trying to reach for her. Still in the air, a mana blade emerged from her heel, and with a violent kick, she cut the vines. I couldn't tell if that was a Mountain Druid skill or purely mana manipulation. Before falling back into the pond, Kaeli activated her [Mountain Domain]. The currents of mana fought each other as Dolores tried to maintain control over the terrain, but small island-like boulders emerged from the ground as Kaeli's spell took partial effect.

"Dolores is strong. How did you become her master?" Kaeli asked.

"L-long story." Fenwick blushed. "[Leap]!"

Suddenly, the boy shot up much like a Wind Fencer. As he reached the apex of the jump, he used [Tongue Lash]. This time, Kaeli parried the strike, and Fenwick landed on a lily pad behind her.

It might be a hunch, but I wasn't sure if Beastmaster Fenwick was the 'master' in that relationship.

"[Waterwalk]!"

"You don't have to shout your skills!" Rup shouted from the sidelines.

I focused my mana sense. Fenwick walked over the water while Kaeli jumped from stone to stone. They exchanged blows as they moved. Every time Fenwick used a skill, he shouted its name, and every time, mana moved through Dolores' body. It was easy to see. They were dual-casting, but they weren't attuned enough for Fenwick to cast silently.

Interesting.

"[Lily Ward]!" Fenwick shouted, and a circular shield blocked one of Kaeli's flying stalagmites. The rock crashed against the barrier, sending splinters in every direction.

Kaeli covered her face.

"Now!"

Fenwick lunged, sword first, but the girl's reaction time was faster. Kaeli jumped back, but just as she was going to land on a nearby boulder, Dolores shot her tongue, trapping her. Kaeli paled and let out a high-pitched scream as the huge frog swallowed her upper body.

Kaeli's feet kicked the air. The Rosethorn Squad looked at the scene with a mix of awe and dread. The cadets seemed to be asking themselves if Fenwick had been so powerful all this time. In the meantime, I wondered how long they could keep the area spell going. Dolores' pond wasn't like Kaeli's [Mountain Domain]; it required constant mana.

I didn't have to wait long to get an answer. Before Kaeli's initial frantic kicking even ceased, the pond quivered like a damaged VHS tape. Dolores spat her out, dropping the girl into the illusory water that left her perfectly dry. The spell unraveled, and in an instant, the water disappeared. A flat stretch of grass-covered meadow replaced the pond, like it had never been there in the first place.

This was as far from System magic as I've encountered in a while.

Having spat the girl out, Dolores returned to her usual size and collapsed on the ground, exhausted. Fenwick fell flat on his back. He grunted and covered his eyes, on the brink of Mana Exhaustion.

For a moment, nobody moved.

Zaon jumped into the circle and gently helped Kaeli to sit up. Back at the Stephaniss cup, those two were almost the same height. Now, Zaon was almost a head taller, not counting Kaeli's bunny ears.

"Are you okay?" Zaon asked, seemingly trying to hide the concern in his voice.

"Don't touch me! I'm all slimy," the girl protested, trying to push him away.

Zaon smiled softly. "Like I care about that. Let me help you. You must be dizzy."

[Foresight] told me that Kaeli wasn't dizzy at all, but she gladly accepted the help.

"There's no way he isn't doing that on purpose," Ilya pointed out, pressing her fingers against the bridge of her nose.

The other members of the Rosethorn Squad snatched Kaeli from Zaon's arms as soon as he reached the group. For a moment, I thought they would throw her into the lake. The frog slime didn't seem to bother the boy in the slightest.

"I wish I could be that cool," I said, making Wolf laugh.

"Not all of us can be that smooth," he replied, furrowing his nose.

Kaeli was covered in thick frog slime from head to waist.

Vigdis Herran was most pleased with the outcome of Fenwick's duel. The girl hadn't summoned her snow area spell, but several icicles created a protective crown around her. Kili's combination of smokescreen and illusions made her hard to follow, so Vigdis had decided to restrict her movement and funnel her attacks by creating a combination of easy and hard paths.

Kili didn't seem to have a good time. She had no skills to counter the ice strips that covered the ground. Unlike targeted skills, the harsh terrain was effective on her regardless of her obfuscation skills.

I expected Vigdis to be more aggressive, considering her past history with small people. Back at the Stephaniss Cup, she had been one of the most competitive participants. She had even shed angry tears after losing to Ilya. I was glad to see her using her skills to challenge Kili's limits rather than overpowering her.

Malkah and Harwin's combats were a lot less flashy. Without suffering physical damage, Malkah's Bloodreaver powers were severely diminished, and Harwin's Ranger skills were better used with a bow. Still, Malkah's swordsmanship was top-notch, even against a higher-level opponent. Meanwhile, Harwin used a homing version of [Mana Arrow] to great effect.

"Ilya, analysis?"

"Malkah might need haters like Nessa if he wants to really test his skills. At this rate, he will fall behind. I was thinking, though. Bloodreavers might react to damage, not pain. If that was the case, just give him a pain blocker and beat him good. You'll be a worse teacher if you don't do anything," she replied, matter-of-factly.

"That's far from safe. We feel pain for a good reason!" I replied.

Ilya crossed her arms. "Then beat him good, carefully, with his consent, and with a good Healer nearby. He won't progress if he isn't tested."

Ebrosian Rob agreed with her. Earthling Rob, not so much.

"I'll… talk about Malkah about that," I said, clearing my throat. "Stop the combats! Good fights, everyone! Let's rotate to the next group. Rup, Aeliana, and Leonie go forward. In the meantime, Ilya will give you feedback. Think about how to improve for the next round."

Cedrinor and Genivra dragged Fenwick out of the circle while Yvain carried Dolores. It seemed that there wasn't going to be a next round for them.

As the dueling pairs changed places, I remembered how much mana Leonie had unleashed during the first selection exam. The other instructors called her a cursed child, and I couldn't dispel the memory of her gleaming blue eyes during our first-ever match at the beginning of the year.

There was something peculiar about the girl, and it wasn't just her snow-white hair. This was a great opportunity to gauge the true extent of her powers without raising suspicions. I cleared my throat, catching the cadet's attention.

"Leonie, I will be your training partner," I said.

The girl gave me a curious glance but ultimately nodded and walked towards the weapons rack.

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