I raised both hands into a guard and looked at Handol standing opposite me.A duel between a mage and a warrior.When skill is equal, the warrior generally holds the advantage.By nature, magic isn’t a discipline meant solely for combat, most spells take time to cast, and it’s hard to hit a moving target with magic.By contrast, a warrior is a brawler who trains relentlessly to subdue the enemy and win fights.When the two face off at this kind of close range, the outcome is obvious.This matchup is well implemented in Mir-Ellin Saga too, so a mage needs extensive preparation to face a melee warrior.In most cases, it’s better to just resort to hand-to-hand.Seeing me take a fighting stance, Handol snorted like he couldn’t believe it.“Huh. What confidence is that supposed to be? Do you really think people avoid you because they’re scared of you?”I clenched the Strength Enhancement Stone and the Agility Enhancement Stone in my hands and crushed them.Crack-.“Ask yourself instead what I’m relying on to pick a fight with you, and why I lured you into a secluded alley like this. Assuming that thing on your neck isn’t just for show.”“…Nonsense. What could an idiot like you possibly have prepared? You didn’t even bring a bodyguard.”Rustle-.As the enhancement stones broke and crumbled to powder, a notification window popped up before my eyes.Strength increases by 5 for 300 seconds.Trait [Alchemy]’s special effect activates.Ignores a portion of Defense increased by enemy Traits, Skills, Items, etc.The Strength Enhancement Stone, like the Mana Supplement Stone I made during the alchemy tutorial, is a single-use consumable.It’s an expensive consumable that temporarily raises Strength by a full 5.Because of Gu-eum Jeolmaek I only get about half the effect, but I could still feel power surging through my whole body.On top of that, thanks to the extra effect of the [Alchemy] trait, I temporarily gained a defense-penetration function.[Alchemy] adds extra effects to various consumables, including potions and drugs.Agility increases by 5 for 300 seconds.Trait [Alchemy]’s special effect activates.Low chance to perfectly evade the opponent’s attack.Following Strength, the power of the Agility Enhancement Stone also settled into my body.Feeling exhilaration flood my limbs, I curled my fists and taunted him.“Your tongue is long. Come.”“Die!”Fwap-.He pushed off the ground and rushed me; the fight began.***A peculiar building shaped like a cross stretching north, south, east, and west.Ishtal’s main office in the fortress-city — the Headquarters.At the intersection of that cross stood a massive tower.Knock knock-.Someone came to Freya’s office on the top floor of that tower.“President Freya. Are you in?”A familiar voice sounded from outside along with the knock.Freya stopped her paperwork and lifted her head.“Come in.”When the door opened, Disciplinary Head Jeremy set a report file on the table with a respectful nod.“President. Today’s reports and the duty roster. Please confirm and sign.”Jeremy was a year ahead of Freya, the Student Council President, yet he was always courteous to her.Freya looked over the Disciplinary Committee activity log and spending ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ ledger that Jeremy handed over, and the list of personnel maintaining security inside and outside the academy.As expected — clean, concise work.With a satisfied smile, Freya signed and returned the documents to Jeremy.“I don’t see anything problematic. Good work.”“Yes, then.”As always, Jeremy handled the business briefly and turned to go.He paused at the door, then looked back and asked Freya,“President, you seem unusually burdened. Is there something on your mind?”“No. I just have a few things to think over.”When Freya let out a small sigh, Jeremy carefully asked her again,“Is it about Loen, perhaps?”“How did you…?”Freya’s lips parted slightly in surprise, and Jeremy smiled gently.“There are few in this academy who could trouble your mind, President. And since he also attended today’s basic swordsmanship lecture, I wondered if it might be related. A simple guess on my part; if I’ve offended, I apologize.”“No need. But it is a personal matter, so you needn’t concern yourself.”“Understood. I hope it is resolved well.”He hesitated.As he was about to leave, Jeremy stopped and added one more line.“However, according to what I’ve heard, you may receive good news before long, President.”“…….”“I’ll take my leave.”With that suggestive remark, Jeremy exited the office.Silence settled over the room after he left.Freya mulled over the words he’d left behind.Given the flow of their conversation, what Jeremy said could be interpreted to mean that some mishap might befall Loen.'Could something be happening to Loen.'An incident from earlier rose to Freya’s mind.'What happened in class today.'Earlier, during the basic swordsmanship lecture, Handol had certainly picked a fight with Loen.She knew Handol held a bit of a grudge against him.In a childhood game of soldiers, he’d been badly hurt by Loen and had lived with a hooked nose ever since.Beyond that, Loen had had several petty clashes with him back then; their relationship had never been good.Since things had been quiet after they’d entered the academy, she’d thought it would be chalked up to the past and left alone — but today, matters had finally flared.Today’s events were partly her fault as well, for knowing beforehand and failing to prepare.'But what if it wasn’t mere coincidence or a spur-of-the-moment act.'And what if what happened in class wasn’t the end.'…Loen could be in danger.'Freya quietly clenched her fist.This wasn’t particularly about helping him.It was simply that troubles arising within Ishtal’s jurisdiction were unacceptable, and she would act accordingly.Which meant this wasn’t saving him; it was merely the rightful duty of the Student Council President.Deciding swiftly, Freya picked up the handset.Beep-beep-beep-.'Loen’s route to campus is limited.'From here in Ishtal, the only direct line to the Union’s main building is the tram from the transfer center.If anything were to happen, it would be along his commute route in that area.Brrring-.After several rings, the guardpost’s Disciplinary Committee member answered.[Communications security. Checkpoint No. 31 duty officer, Poln Arad speaking.]“This is Freya Gunhild, Student Council President of Ishtal.”[Ah, President. What can I do for—?]Freya calmly issued orders to the startled officer.“This is an emergency. I request a patrol sweep. Ishtal District 3, Blocks B through F. Focus especially on places that are secluded or have few passersby. If there is any student dispute, disturbance, or anything unusual, contact my office immediately.”***Handol Hendrik.He carried the blood of the Hendrik house, descendants of the Northmen, and was born with a strong body.He had top-tier Strength and Agility within his year and never neglected training.He also posted a decent result in the current Competitive Match, proudly placing within the Union’s top three hundred powerhouses.By contrast, Loen was a notorious delinquent, known not just in this Union, but across the entire continental social scene.With paltry innate magical talent and not even a shred of effort to improve himself, a piece of trash.Given the state of his so-called magical talent, his perpetually sickly physical ability went without saying.To think such a defective product could be a direct blood relative of House de Valis — that was Loen.A hand-to-hand fight with that Loen — the result should have been obvious.‘…What is this?’Whoom-.‘What on earth is happening?’What was happening before Handol’s eyes was far from that usual expectation.Whoom-.By a paper-thin margin, his fists cleaved empty air.Handol’s attacks didn’t touch Loen at all; they just pounded the air.Once or twice could be dismissed as coincidence, but he’d thrown dozens of strikes already and not a single one had connected.Attacks that almost, but never quite, landed.Loen slipped every one of them by a hair’s breadth.Punches, kicks, charges — none of it worked on him.It felt as if the opponent had read everything.'Impossible. This is absolutely impossible!'Denying reality, Handol continued to unleash attacks.“Die!”In a duel between warriors, having all your movements read means a massive gulf in skill.But the opponent wasn’t even a warrior — a mage, and that notorious delinquent Loen at that.This could never happen, and must never happen.'It makes no sense!'At the instant Handol lost to anger and overcommitted to a big attack,Thwack-.Something drove into the opening that had appeared.With a sharp impact, a horrific pain exploded in his abdomen.“Gggguh…”Saliva bubbled as Handol clutched his stomach and dropped to his knees.Thud-.He couldn’t breathe, and pain like an electric shock tore through his whole body.'H-how could this…'All the abdominal muscles forged by long training, even the skin hardened like steel by body-tempering arts, were useless.How could that flimsy body unleash such monstrous strength?All his movements had been read, and despite pouring out all his strength, he hadn’t even brushed the hem of the guy’s clothes.It was incomprehensible.Was this really that Loen?Step, step-.Loen stood proudly before him as he knelt. Then, looking down at him, Loen murmured quietly,“Your face says, ‘Why?’”Loen shrugged as if it were nothing.“There’s nothing special to it. The only thing that decided the outcome was information. I know all the hand-to-hand techniques passed down in your Hendrik house, so predicting your movements wasn’t hard.”'…What kind of crap is that.'Even groaning in pain, Handol let out a hollow laugh.It was strange enough that Loen would know their house’s martial techniques — and even if he did, how would that let him predict everything?He had a lot of questions, but he wasn’t in a position to ask them.Loen had won, and he had lost — by an overwhelming difference in skill.Now it was time to pay the price.Loen stuck both hands in his pockets and looked down at him with the arrogance of a superior addressing an underling.Clatter-.Behind Loen, blue chains of mana surged up and bound Handol’s wrists and ankles just as they were.Creak-.Handol’s limbs were completely restrained by the chains of mana.After binding him tight, Loen spoke in a calm voice.“You’re going to reveal who’s behind this, Handol. It will be better for you, and for your backer, if you answer honestly. I expect a correct judgment.”Slide-.Loen took his hands out of his pockets and slipped something over his knuckles.Clack-.“Of course, if you don’t answer honestly, that’s fine too…”On Loen’s hand gleamed a steel knuckle, flashing grimly with the reflection of light.I didn’t need to be told how badly that would hurt if it hit.“I’ll leave the choice to you.”Of course, Handol had no choice at all.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.