Chapter 45 : Chapter 45

Akarind Academy, like any other academy, prohibited discrimination between social statuses.

Therefore, students forged friendships, forgetting the class gap between nobles and commoners.

However, that was only a fantasy possible when one was under the magic of the space called an academy.

The moment they left the academy, they were again separated by a wall that could never be crossed, according to the gap in their status.

Occasionally, there were people who crossed this gap and kept in touch, but that was only for a while.

They grew up, became adults, and organized their relationships, leaving the memories of this time as just memories.

That was why the scene of the graduation ceremony unfolded in a strangely divided manner.

The students who were sad, guessing that they would be separated forever after this graduation ceremony.

They reminisced as they wrapped up the friendships they had shared for six years.

A commoner who hadn't stopped crying for days, and a noble who compulsively hugged everyone they met as if to etch them into their memory.

From people who exchanged punches as if to settle a six-year grudge, to students who burned with love for a lover they could never meet again.

“We can definitely meet, right?”

“You have to come to my territory! I’ll forget about status and class and come to meet you!”

“……Don't forget our promise to duel in 10 years. I’ll definitely win then.”

“I, actually, you…… No. I won’t say it now. When I stand before you in 5 years, I’ll tell you then.”

“When I graduate this time, I’m getting married. My father has arranged a marriage for me.”

And in the second floor of the auditorium, the parents’ waiting area, a different atmosphere from the students' freshness unfolded.

Nobles with nobles, the middle class with the middle class, and commoners with commoners, a hierarchy was divided.

The nobles were further divided by whether they belonged to the Empire or the kingdom, and within that, the gap according to class became clear.

And today, the parents’ waiting area of Akarind was more boisterous than usual.

And for good reason, as two nobles from the Empire were occupying seats regardless of the graduation.

Young Lord Rodhilt Vürhelm.

The son of the Marquis of Vürhelm, who held a pillar of the Empire’s Knights Order, and a knight who had received a formal appointment in the Royal Knights at a young age.

He was a person who had shown exceptional talent in the House of Marquis Vürhelm, famous for its swordsmanship, and it was certain that he would become the head of the House of Marquis Vürhelm in about 10 years.

Of course, that evaluation was just the story of gossips who didn't know the fact that Rozalin had caused a ruckus.

And another person was Viscount Hafroin Chestra.

An unparalleled knight who had survived at the forefront of the Empire’s major and minor wars for 10 years, having distinguished himself by fighting against the northern barbarians on the Empire’s border.

It was a very rare case for a noble from the Empire to enroll in a third-rate academy on the frontier like Akarind Academy.

But not one, but two, and from renowned families in the Empire at that.

It was only natural that the gathered nobles were whispering and eager to strike up a conversation.

However, the two nobles ignored the surrounding gazes and focused only on the scene below.

Rodhilt sat with his legs crossed and looked down at the students below with an interested expression.

It was a different scene from the Empire’s Royal Academy.

“Butler. Don’t you think it’s strange?”

“What is, sir?”

“Those students. Classes A, B, and C, was it? They’re mixed up purely by skill, not by class or region. In a rural academy like this, it would be normal for them to be mixed up by region and class.”

He had grasped their skills just by scanning the students gathered in the auditorium for a short time.

“It is said that the existing system was changed after the Goldline Merchant Guild invested here.”

“Why did those money-grubbers who only obsessed over the Empire extend their evil hands to a rural place like this? Was it the influence of our delinquent?”

“Young Master.”

The butler admonished his young master with a serious look.

Delinquent was a name that should only be used within the family, an inappropriate term to use in an official setting like this.

But Rodhilt just stared at the graduates below, as if he didn't care about the outside gazes.

That was why it was difficult for people to talk to Rodhilt.

From his posture to his expression, a resolute determination that seemed to forbid others’ approach was melted in.

Instead, the person people approached was Viscount Chestra.

Not only was his rank a viscount, but he had also been playfully talking to a man who looked like a soldier of the territory, who had been sitting next to him since earlier.

“In my day, we didn't have things like academies! Huh? We just fought on the battlefield, but the young ones are raised so delicately!”

There were.

The history of education and academies was over 100 years old.

“Classes A, B, and C. Kuh. I don’t know whose idea that was, but it's really strange. Getting close beyond the class gap? There's no such thing. If a noble lord said ‘Hey,’ we would bow our heads and say ‘Yes, sir.’”

There was.

Class efficiency for the educational efficiency within the academy was a rule that had been treated as most important since the establishment of the Empire’s Royal Academy.

“Ahaha, haha.”

And the soldier, who was a graduate of Akarind Academy, couldn't say anything and just laughed.

“And look at those instructors. Aren't they strange? For people of that level to be instructors. If I could learn from people like that, I would have come with a bag of money!”

That part was true.

Sordian, Berlis, and Avril.

The current level of instructors at Akarind Academy was at a level that even the famous academies of the Empire would find it difficult to compete with.

And that was why he had come despite his busy schedule.

“That’s right. I heard that the level of instructors at Akarind Academy has become very excellent lately.”

At that moment, a person who had been trying to strike up a conversation slyly did so.

It was a noble with a fat build and what looked like three chins.

“Nice to meet you. I saw you briefly at the gate. I am Marquis Catrind.”

“Ah. You’re the owner of the carriage that was kicking up dust in front. Well, since you were inside the carriage, there was no way I could see your face. Nice to meet you.”

Marquis Catrind’s face turned bright red.

Of course, he was the one who had been rude first.

No matter if his rank was a marquis, the other person was a viscount of the Empire.

Not only did he use a semi-formal tone on their first meeting, but he had also brought up the topic of his shabby entrance through the gate alone.

No matter if Hafroin was a noble who had risen through merit, he was a noble who had been through the mill in the Empire.

“Ahem, have you heard the rumor? I heard the Goldline Merchant Guild made a large-scale investment this time.”

Marquis Catrind hurriedly changed the subject.

“So they say various teachers have been supplemented. According to my son, it’s a shame to graduate.”

“Is that so?”

“Haha, it seems you haven't heard the rumor yet. They say a 4th-circle magician has been appointed here!”

She was already here.

“And there’s a swordsmanship instructor from our Belmein Kingdom’s Knights Order!”

He was also already here.

“And besides that, I heard that even one of the young masters of the Goldline is personally lecturing!”

He quit.

As his messy story flowed out, Rodhilt turned his head with an amused smile.

‘How can such an ignorant man?’

Marquis Catrind, who took that as interest, cleared his throat and continued.

“Actually, I was a little skeptical about the education at Akarind Academy. That Chairman, isn't he a fool who embraces incompetent instructors and pursues strange educational policies?”

“Is that so?”

“According to my son, a swordsmanship instructor who can’t even swing a single sword is running rampant, and since that swordsmanship instructor’s eyes are as good as a blind man’s, he’s pointing out this and that about our family’s swordsmanship!”

“Oh ho.”

“So I was going to come and teach him a lesson at some point, but I was so busy. Do you know how big the territory I rule is? I rule over four small territories, so the paperwork is just……”

At that moment, a man who was assisting with the ceremony showed his face on one side.

He was a handsome man with graceful lines, a calm and benevolent-looking man in his 30s.

He was doing odd jobs, going around the venue, taking care of documents, and organizing the students, but most of the graduating students seemed to be ignoring him.

Perhaps that was why.

“That’s him! Uh, what was his name, was it Casean or Carse?”

“Cassian.”

“Right! I think that was his name! Did you know him too?”

“Of course. I know him. He’s my son’s homeroom teacher, how could I not?”

Hafroin grinned, revealing his canines.

Marquis Catrind, thinking he was on the right track, began to badmouth him.

“They say he’s such a mess that the students have played tricks on him several times, but he can’t even say anything back! It’s a waste of the tuition fee I donated here!”

His voice was so loud that not only the surrounding nobles but also the students below were glancing at Catrind.

Hafroin glanced at the soldier sitting next to him.

The soldier was gritting his teeth, enduring something.

The reason Hafroin was attending this graduation ceremony was not for any other reason.

The lord was only available for an audience after the graduation ceremony was over.

So he had tried to see his son Bridget’s teacher, but he had been rejected, being told that the teacher had to assist with the graduation ceremony and to see him after the ceremony.

So he had come here to wait until the ceremony was over.

The young Marquis of Vürhelm had probably come for a similar reason.

The soldier had been praising Teacher Cassian as he guided him to the auditorium.

‘He said that although his skills are lacking, he is a person who dedicates his life to the defense of the village.’

When you’ve been on the battlefield, a soldier who cherishes his comrades is more important than a skilled soldier.

Hafroin smiled fiercely and stood up from his seat.

“I’ve found the person I wanted to see, so I should probably go and say hello.”

“Hello, to whom?”

“You, you’re a bit late on the news. The person you should be paying the most attention to at this academy right now is that Teacher Cassian.”

Hafroin just said that, patted Marquis Catrind’s shoulder, and went down.

It was a gesture as if he were dealing with a subordinate.

When Marquis Catrind was about to say something about the rudeness.

“If you're empty inside, you should at least know how to shut your mouth so it doesn't show.”

Rodhilt muttered as he passed in front of him.

Marquis Catrind’s mouth closed.

No matter how young a noble he was, who hadn't been promoted, the other person was the young Marquis of the Vürhelm family, one of the great nobles of the Empire.

He was a person of a different class.

“From the far-away Empire, to a third-rate academy on the frontier like this, and with no one graduating, why did they come? You should have thought about that first.”

Rodhilt continued the playful smile he had been wearing since earlier and tapped his head with his finger.

“Well, there’s no way a noble with a head like that would be in a kingdom like this. Isn’t that right?”

It was a great insult, but no one could refute his words.

Because, like Rodhilt had said, they didn't know why the two Imperial nobles had visited this place.

They only knew that there was something related to that teacher, seeing as they had moved right after Cassian’s name was mentioned.

Only Marquis Catrind, with a flushed face, couldn’t say anything and just trembled his fists.

After assisting with the graduation ceremony, I left the auditorium.

As the basic class instructor, I didn't have much to do at the graduation ceremony.

Besides, the current graduating students and I were not on good terms.

They were the students I had been in charge of teaching when I was still ignorant, so they must have had a lot of accumulated complaints.

I left to avoid receiving unnecessary glares.

No, I was trying to leave.

“Hey, you.”

A deep, low voice that seemed to be echoing from a cave rang out.

“How about you try and block this?”

And a sword flew at me immediately.

‘Ah.’

In a brief moment, my vision narrowed, and the sword, the hand holding the sword, and the arm and body connected to that hand came into view.

The position of the feet, the trajectory of the sword.

‘It’s violent.’

But its power could not be ignored.

A sword that came down as if tearing the air apart.

‘It’s too late.’

It was too late to block, parry, or counterattack the sword.

It was also too late to dodge.

So I go in.

One step forward, I pushed my body in.

“Oh?”

A sword that did its best to shatter me.

The only way out was the empty space between the arm and the body.

Thud.

I pushed the opponent with my shoulder as if I were falling.

It was closer to a posture of just entrusting my body to the flow itself rather than an intentional attack.

Therefore, I hardly felt any pain.

“Wow.”

The opponent stepped back about three steps without resistance.

My vision widened, and his face came into view.

“You dodged it like this?”

From the square jaw and eyes, to the red hair and the stance and way he used the sword.

One person naturally came to mind.

“Are you student Bridget’s father?”

“Ooh. And smart too!”

The middle-aged man seemed very satisfied.

“You, how about you quit the academy and become the captain of my family’s knights?”

He made a scouting offer right away.

So I also answered immediately.

“No, thank you.”

There was no room for hesitation.