No matter how scary Simon was, she had a job to do. The TA held up her fingers. "There’s a reason I suggested this duel. For people like you, who are lost and unsure of their own strengths, the answer often reveals itself when you’re pushed to your limit. You find out what you rely on in the most critical monts."
"Ah..."
"You started with Summoning techniques of your own volition, right? But as soon as you were cornered, you switched to Combat Magic without a mont’s hesitation. You clearly have a talent for it. Is there really a need to think about it any further?"
He felt a pang of guilt. It would be a lie to say he only used Combat Magic because she got close. While sending out the three skeletons, Simon had already enhanced his body with Jet-Black, preparing for close-quarters combat. The movent had been almost instinctual.
"I’m not asking for an answer right now," she said gently. "Take your ti and think about it."
"Thank you."
After Simon left, the TA let out a silent sigh of relief. In the distance, she saw her senior TA instructing another student. Both wore protective vests, but the student was collapsed on the floor with a dazed expression, having clearly just finished a round. When the student bowed and left, the TA saw her chance.
"Oh my god, I’m so glad you’re free!" The TA ran over and threw herself into her senior’s arms. "That was so scary!"
The senior pushed away her whining junior with a frown. "You started this whole sparring thing, and now all the students are pestering to fight them! What a pain."
"...Hmph."
"Anyway, what was so scary?"
The TA pointed at Simon like a child tattling to her mother. He was standing alone in a corner, lost in thought.
"Ah, Special Admission No. 1," the senior noted.
"I thought he was cute, but he’s terrifying. It’s the first ti my heart has dropped while sparring with a student."
Pushing away her immature junior, the senior crossed her arms. "So, what advice did you give him?"
"I basically told him, ’You’re damn good at Combat Magic, you should just do that, so why are you obsessed with Summoning?’ but, you know, nicely."
"Hmm."
It was true. With only a few summoning spells learned so far, he was bound to fall behind in the Duel Evaluation. Only a few specializations were advantageous in the early stages, with Curse Studies and Combat Magic being pri examples. Summoning and Necrology required more ti to beco effective.
’Is he worried because he’s a Summoning prospect?’ the senior mused. ’Well, I guess he can afford to have such problems right now.’ Talking to him now would be useless. Once he drops to a lower squad and feels the pressure, his perspective will change, she thought. ’Or, if not that, then like the prodigy he is...’ For a mont, her mind recalled the image of Simon facing the Cyclops. ’He might just co up with a new thod.’
---
After the duel with the TA, Simon’s thoughts were even more tangled than before. It felt like two different ideas were colliding in his head.
Still, one thing had beco painfully clear.
’In this Duel Evaluation, skeletons alone won’t be enough.’
He slowly replayed the fight in his mind. To be honest, the skeletons had been useless. In fact, his opponent had used them against him as a ans to land a curse. He had to adapt. To survive here, he had to constantly change and grow.
A new challenge had presented itself.
"Simon!"
Pulled from his thoughts, Simon lifted his head. Kamibarez was approaching, waving with a bright smile. Behind her, Dick and irin walked side by side, already bickering about sothing.
"Hmph, how could you not land a single hit?" irin teased, sticking out her tongue.
Dick gritted his teeth in frustration. "I was just going easy on you because you’re a girl!"
"Yeah, right," she sing-songed. "Says the guy who couldn’t land a single hit."
Before Dick could retort, irin giggled and darted behind Simon. "By the way, Simon. You said you had sothing to think about, but then I saw you fighting a TA?"
"Yeah. It just kind of happened."
"Did you win?"
Simon gave an awkward smile and scratched his head. "How could I possibly beat a TA?" As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward the TAs. The one he had fought happened to be looking his way, but as soon as their eyes t, she quickly looked away and scurried off. ’I wonder what’s wrong with her?’ he thought, tilting his head in confusion.
"Ugh, isn’t this Duel Evaluation way too stressful?" Dick complained, scratching his head vigorously. "It’s not like all necromancers are fighters. There are scholars and researchers, too. No matter how old the tradition is, it’s just barbaric."
Kamibarez timidly nodded in agreent.
irin, however, just smirked. "It’s only stressful because you’re weak."
"I told you I was going easy on her!"
She snorted. "This is just my opinion, but if you’re in the bottom ten percent in combat ability, you’re just not skilled enough. You’re disqualified from being a Kizen necromancer, scholar or not."
At those words, Kamibarez’s head drooped, and the little wings fluttering behind her back slumped.
"Ah!" Realizing her words had hit their mark, irin broke into a sweat and rushed over to her. "N-No! I didn’t an you! You’re a vampire, from the great Ursula family!"
"But I’m... not that good at fighting," Kamibarez mumbled.
"Don’t worry! I’ll take responsibility and train you myself!"
While the two girls chattered, Dick let out a heavy sigh and sidled up to Simon. "Still, you’re lucky. You don’t have to worry about the Duel Evaluation."
"No, I’m worried too."
"Heh, really? From what I’ve seen, it looks like everyone wants to avoid fighting you at all costs—"
At that mont, Simon’s eyes flashed. His right hand shot up beside his head just as sothing slamd into it.
Dick gasped.
The object had flown with such force that dust scattered around them. Simon lowered his hand to see a protective vest.
"Simon Polentia."
Hector approached, his cronies trailing behind him like bodyguards, snickering.
"Put it on," Hector commanded. "Let’s have a round."
Simon let out a small sigh and tightened his grip on the vest. And then—
’FWOOOOSH!’
The vest flew back at an incredible speed, colliding with Hector’s outstretched hand. He barely managed to catch it, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead.
"Get lost," Simon said, his voice cold. "I’m not in the mood to deal with you right now."
"...You bastard!" Hector’s face flushed a dangerous shade of purple. Veins bulged on his neck as his fist was enveloped in Jet-Black. Enraged, he strode forward. Simon held his ground, lifting his chin in defiance.
"Don’t do it, Hector." irin ran and stood between them.
"...Mind your own business," Hector said coldly, his eyes narrowing. "Ivory Tower."
"What’s wrong with you? Are you a child?" she shot back. "If you keep acting like a thug, I’m calling a professor."
Hector’s lips trembled with rage. Then, he spat, "A re lackey of Serne."
In an instant, the atmosphere turned to ice. Dick’s eyes widened, Kamibarez’s face went pale, and even Hector’s followers flinched.
But most of all, irin snapped. A Dark Flare magic circle blazed to life in her palm.
’This is dangerous!’ Simon realized. Hector was unprotected, and the student protection period was over. Attacking an unguarded student during class would an more than simple disciplinary action. He lunged toward her.
Hector just stood there, a smirk on his face as if daring her to try.
"Stop."
Simon, irin, and Hector all froze. A TA had appeared between them, a placid smile on her face. "Is there a problem?"
Her approach had been so fast none of them had noticed. Even in the chaos, Simon quickly covered irin’s palm with his hand. Hector, on the other hand, imdiately bowed respectfully.
"Nothing’s wrong, ma’am. I apologize for causing a disturbance." Among the students, Hector was a tyrant, but to the faculty, he maintained the image of a polite, well-mannered student. He turned his back and muttered, "Let’s go." His followers glanced between the TA and Hector before quickly falling in line behind him.
"...Hmm." The TA turned to irin, who flinched before quickly bowing her head. "Hector, irin. This is a warning for both of you. You were about to do sothing Professor Jane would despise."
Fortunately, the TA didn’t press the issue and walked away. As the suffocating tension dissipated, Dick let out a deep sigh. "God, I’m dying to crack that bastard’s skull. Just one solid punch on that psycho."
"irin! Are you okay?" Kamibarez asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"Ah, yeah. I’m fine, Kami," she said, taking a deep breath. "I just... lost my composure for a mont."
’It seed like more than a mont,’ Simon thought.
irin lifted her head. "And you."
"Yeah?"
"It’s embarrassing, so can you let go now?"
Simon realized he was still holding her hand. He nodded and released it as if it were nothing.
"Hah, seriously." She walked over, took his hand with both of hers, and turned it palm-up. His palm was bright red from the burn. "Are you crazy? That was a Dark Flare magic circle, and you just grabbed it with your bare hand?"
Simon just smiled sheepishly.
irin’s expression hardened as she pulled him by the wrist. "I’m taking him to the nurse’s office for a bit."
"Oh, okay! Take care!" Kamibarez called after them.
---
They went to the infirmary and got treated. Fortunately, it was a minor burn. The treatnt ended with so ointnt and a bandage, and the two headed back down to the training hall.
"...Simon."
"Yeah."
"Why did you cover my hand like that?"
Simon shrugged. "Isn’t it obvious? You would’ve been in huge trouble if the TA saw you about to use magic."
She cleared her throat. "A mont ago—"
"Thanks, irin," Simon said, cutting her off.
They had both spoken at the sa ti. She quickly turned her head away.
"For stepping in when Hector and I were about to fight," he finished.
"Though you ended up almost fighting him yourself, and this ti I stepped in. So I guess we’re even again." Simon chuckled, but irin wore a very complicated expression.
"Honestly, Simon. That’s your problem. You’re way too nice. You know that? So considerate that it’s annoying. But..." She strode over and grabbed his shoulders. "It’s not going to work this ti."
Then she took a deep breath, squeezed her eyes shut as if steeling herself, and shouted.
"Thank. You!"
Having yelled the words, she imdiately spun around and ran back toward the training hall as if fleeing for her life.
Stunned into silence for a mont, Simon finally let out a small laugh.
"[Like father, like son,]" Pier’s clone remarked, clicking its tongue.
Simon gently pressed down on the tiny figure with his finger, a silent gesture for it to be quiet.
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