Surviving at the Magic Academy

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What kind of beings are Swordsmen?

They were like moths to a flame.

As you can see in this city, they hovered near battles—duels and wars, to be precise. Whenever a big fight broke out, you could always find a Swordsman there.

So, why do they chase after fights? It might be due to their limited lifespan. The moment a Swordsman forges a sword, their chance of becoming a Mage disappears because that sword devours everything of its owner.

In contrast, Mages nurtured trees. These trees filled the body and the soul, making everything much more abundant.

As a result, Swordsmen lived and died in a very short span compared to Mages—about one-third or, rather, one-fourth of that lifespan. To overcome such limitations, they had to elevate their skills. And that’s why they pursued battles.

Aware of such a moth-like existence, most talented individuals chose to become Mages. Yet, the world was overflowing with Swordsmen. The reason was simple: forging swords was relatively easier and less troublesome than nurturing trees.

Anyone with even a little talent in Magic could forge a sword. All it took was gathering the materials and condensing magic into it. It was completely different from the agonizing process that Mages had to endure.

In fact, it was even possible to forge a sword without any talent in magic. Theoretically, if several Mages forcefully infused a lot of magic into someone, even a talentless person could become a Swordsman.

Rumor has it that great noble families and the royal court each have several militant groups made up of Swordsmen. That’s probably true since it would help them fully protect their territories.

Yes. The path chosen by those who couldn’t become Mages was the sword. That was the perception among Mages. So, I also slightly scorned them and referred to them as Swordsmen.

But their power was undeniable. The swords they forged cleaved through Mage spells and separated flesh and wood. They were also incredibly effective at slaying monsters.

Swordsmen—these were beings specialized in carnage, taking the easy and comfortable route. Thus, most of those scraping the bottom became Swordsmen, and there were countless of them.

Within the discrimination from Mages, they shared a strong bond with one another. They called themselves Knights to distinguish from Mages and built their own society.

Among them, talented individuals did emerge. Those who entered the University were exactly that. And as evident in this city, they were tightly clustered together.

That was their characteristic—bonding and fighting.

Of course, Mages looked down on them. Some even treated them like monsters. A threat that spoke, thought, and acted, and could stab you with their swords at any moment; it was only natural to feel that way.

It’s unclear whether Mages scorned Swordsmen because they grouped together, or if Swordsmen grouped because Mages scorned them—perhaps it was both.

Anyway, fundamentally, Swordsmen felt camaraderie towards one another. If someone excelled, they would congratulate rather than envy them.

They would rather protect and cherish such individuals. You could sense the atmosphere of such Swordsmen during public duels, especially their respect for Kashian. They were the complete opposite of Mages.

Having finished the fifth duel, it had been roughly a month since public duels began in the city. The demands for victories were all used to extend the time spent outside. Nowadays, they spent half of their day in the city.

During all this time, Kashian became quite famous. There were many reasons for this. Selling duels, possessing excellent skills, and her stunning appearance, among others.

However, the biggest reason was probably the duels organized by the association. Even if those duels were held in private, I consistently promoted the fact that she was sponsored.

Those familiar with the association’s traditions would certainly have figured out her situation. They probably had a rough idea of how many opponents she had taken down.

Consequently, the rumors spread like wildfire. Those intrigued sought out Kashian and gaped at her in duels. They approached her to buy scoring sheets.

Some were turned away, but there were also those who genuinely wanted scoring. Thus, I gathered a lot of physical information and analyzed the outstanding aspects of Kashian together with Mira.

With just that information, my Shadow Tree was almost overflowing. During this period, duels limited by magic became a trend, to the point that people began selling their own duels following our lead.

Fiddling with a doll, I thought of Kashian.

Her body had nearly reached its limit. She would probably need to reach the next level to hold more changes within her. That was what Mira had told me.

Holding the score sheet from the last duel, I felt the same. Her score was nearly at its peak.

In the fifth duel, the score sheet awarded her 95 points. That indicated her body was on the brink of its endpoint. The end of her talent was finally coming into view.

Thinking of what was contained within, it was quite terrifying. Dozens, if not hundreds, of changes were alive and breathing inside her.

Reaching the limit meant we no longer urgently needed to adjust her. Of course, that didn’t mean I would stop dueling or collecting information. I still had to refine the perfection.

Still, I could enjoy a bit of leisure. Just like how I was fiddling with the doll, while Kashian and Mira took a break to explore the city.

I checked the circuits of the doll. It had a very complex structure, solely designed to hold Kashian’s information.

How much could I replicate Kashian’s body? I was conducting these simple experiments to find out. I carefully infused magic into it.

As the Magical Heart throbbed with magical energy, the doll started to twitch. After hesitating for a moment, it cautiously took a step forward.

That’s when a crack appeared in that body. As it took another step, the crack widened even further. Without panicking, I calmly observed its body through magic.

With each step taken, I could sense the circuits slowly breaking apart. The magic shattered, and the body split. This indicated an overload.

And on the fifth step, the Magical Heart couldn’t withstand the pressure and exploded. The doll instantly crumbled into a wooden block. That was my tenth failure of the day.

It barely held enough information the size of a fingernail, and yet this doll couldn’t withstand even that. I noted down the course of this experiment roughly on paper. At least this time, it managed to take five steps. Just enduring that much was a remarkable feat.

I crossed my arms and looked down at the paper. Holding less information than this wouldn’t have much meaning. More fragmented information would lose its flow. Ultimately, the path ahead was clear. I needed to use better materials.

I wanted to conduct more diverse experiments, but it seemed today was going to have to end here. I glanced at the door. Beyond it, a familiar magical presence was slowly approaching this way.

Eventually, that magical essence smoothly opened the door. A young man with a cold demeanor strode into the room without hesitation. It was Aldric. He scanned the surroundings, then slightly bowed his head at the sight of me.

“I’m the only one here at the moment. Everyone else has gone to the city.”

I nodded in acknowledgment. I had no clue why he had come. The watchers had also left the room with Mira and Kashian. They must have already reported everything.

In response to my words, he slightly shook his head.

“I’ve come to meet Ebron. I thought I might have a chat with just the two of us, and I heard you were alone.”

He said he had something to discuss with me—I couldn’t quite grasp what that might be. Still, I prepared a table and some chairs with the doll, then made another one serve him a cup of tea.

No matter what the topic was, it was essential to give him a warm reception. After all, this person could very well become a key figure in the association. There was no reason to annoy him unnecessarily.

When I first heard his name, it sounded vaguely familiar. After puzzling over where I had seen it, I finally recalled. It was the name I checked on paper while learning about the duels.

He was one of those who had triumphed in eight duels. Aldric was one of them. Sixty years ago, he had been in the third floor and passed the duels. There was no record of his actions after that.

So I thought he must have left the city, but I never imagined he would still be with the association. It was probably because he understood Kashian the best.

“Please have a seat. You wish to speak, so I will listen attentively.”

Aldric slowly took a seat. Gripping the teacup, he began to sip it. I sat on the opposite side, savoring my tea as the bitter aroma danced at the tip of my nose.

After some time passed, he set the teacup down and began to speak.

“I believe you’ve already figured out the reason we’re having these duels, Ebron. It’s not merely to pressure Kashian.”

I nodded slowly. It was as he said. They were far too confident and even kind for it to be mere pressure. Every step of the duel process was conducted transparently.

I had thought of it as just their confidence. However, while interacting with Swordsmen, I gleaned a bit of their intention.

They weren’t sponsoring and conducting duels to suppress. Quite the opposite. It was meant to protect them.

Receiving the sword of a sponsor was both a warning and a lesson about the failures they had experienced. Ironically, it manifested similarly to the methods used by Mages.

“Honestly, I was quite surprised.”

He wore a wry smile.

“I had thought that Kashian’s limits would be reached by the fifth duel. I expected her to falter there. But that wasn’t the case. It’s probably thanks to your support.”

He drummed his fingers on the table and stared straight at me. The slight smile on his face had become softer than before. But in his eyes, a hint of malice was visible. I couldn’t understand the reason behind that malice.

“The perfectness of her body is truly astonishing. I never imagined she would progress in that direction. Limiting magic and maximizing physical potential—I would even wish to experience it myself.”

His words continued quietly and politely. Yet, I felt tense. I could see malice slowly accumulating in his eyes.

“Yes, her body is nearly complete now. But do you think she has truly progressed? No, I don’t believe that. She’s merely a test subject under your control.”

“Test subject? I’m genuinely doing this for Kashian’s sake…”

He extended his palm toward me. The sharp magical energy infused within it blocked my words entirely.

“Unlike that body, her will has not developed at all. Hence, there’s been almost no elevation of her realms. Every duel she engages in has simply followed your commands. If she were to win her last duel and leave, would you let her go?”

I couldn’t respond to that. If I spoke a lie, he would see through it immediately. He didn’t wait for my reaction before continuing.

“The association exists to protect talents that have lost their way. Just as you are, a Swordsman is a rather convenient being for Mages to utilize.”

He closed his eyes, and the surroundings became somewhat lighter. I could feel cold sweat trickling down my back. He lifted the teacup and took a sip.

“I don’t see this as your intent, Ebron. It’s likely due to the influence of whatever is next to you. The existence of Swordsmen, once tamed, loses its path forward. I wanted you to understand that, hence why I came.”

I silently nodded.

This duel wasn’t my affair. Therefore, I continued focusing solely on my research. Within that, I gathered numerous materials and information, pouring that into Kashian’s body. I wished to confirm the finished product.

Thus, I subconsciously treated Kashian like a mere component, like a possession of mine. Just as he said. The term test subject was quite fitting. I was conducting an experiment using her as a sample.

As he finished all the tea, he stood up. Looking down at me, he continued.

“So I urge you to think about it. Let her go and send her our way; that might be the better path for her. I will also stand against you. I will be participating in the eighth duel.”

“I will take note of that. Thank you for your valuable words.”

I nodded slowly. He turned his body and left the room. Watching his back, I mulled over his words. It could be the influence of Mira. Hearing that made me feel like we had become the embodiment of evil.

As I organized my thoughts, I silently gazed at the teacup. Shortly after, Mira and Kashian returned. They were smiling at each other, with the Bear Doll trailing behind, clutching something tightly.

“Oh my, why do you look so down?”

Mira asked as she looked at my face. I quietly opened my mouth at her.

“Aldric came to visit.”

Then, I shared everything he had mentioned with her. There was no need to hide the fact that he was trying to lure me while treating Mira like a monster. I was very clear on who was friend and who was foe.

In the current situation, they were allies, and they were the enemies. There was no need to be drawn in by the enemy and suspect my allies. Besides, what was the problem with treating Kashian like a test subject? She had consented to it. I had nothing to feel ashamed about.

“It seems like you’ve been hearing quite an amusing story. I should have joined you and listened too.”

Mira chuckled. Kashian was playing with the Bear Doll, seemingly uninterested in what I was saying. I glanced at her. Why wasn’t she paying attention when this was about her?

“Well, it’s not wrong either. I did nurture this body with great care. But this child is more special than they think. To protect this talent, how foolish of them.”

She giggled while wrapping her arms around Kashian’s shoulder. Only then did Kashian turn to look at us.

“Since you’ve shared such secret talks with me, should I reveal a secret of my own? Actually, I’ve already discussed borrowing that body with this child.”

I widened my eyes in surprise. Seeing my astonishment, Mira wore a mischievous smile.

“Before we departed from the Tower, we had already made all the arrangements. I would refine that body, and she would lend it to me on occasion. Just like that.”

“Why didn’t you tell me beforehand?”

“Well, to ensure you acted decisively, of course. Just receiving scores seemed ambiguous, so I planned to add a reason for you to come. You tend to move easily once you think rationally.”

I slowly mulled over her words. If I had heard this story before we set off, who knows how I would have reacted? I might have even acted counterintuitively.

I could have handed them a fake tree and stayed behind at the Tower. That alone would have sufficed for the Bear Doll to manage everything. Only Mira and Kashian would have come to this city. And they would have been the only ones to participate in the duels.

“Did you expect such events to unfold here?”

This entire situation was a product of them anticipating what would transpire. Did they already know about the sponsorship? But Mira shook her head slightly.

“Not at all. But this child said she had a bad feeling. She thought you might be needed. So I crafted this plan. I set the bait, and it was your choice to take it.”

Mira pretended to cast a fishing line into the air, which lightly snagged my clothes. As she gently tugged it, she continued.

“You’re far too passive, Ebron. That’s why it’s easy for others to manipulate you. Perhaps that’s why others are prodding you, like that friend who just came by.”

She dropped the line, which scattered into the air and returned to her body. She smiled and patted Kashian’s head.

“Her intuition is truly remarkable. It’s a realm of talent unknown to them. She immediately sensed that my essence was the heart and reached an agreement with me throughout that long tale. Bringing us here, and trusting us with her body—everything was the result of that intuition. She instinctively understood it would benefit her.”

Kashian beamed at those words. The Bear Doll puffed up its chest and clapped its hands vigorously. It seemed this one was in on it too. Surely it had been listening to everything closely, yet it managed to hide that within its consciousness.

I sighed. Their secret wasn’t going to be a significant detriment for me. It was merely a simple tactic to make me act a little more actively. That I had been so easy to decipher was the more shocking revelation.

“Then what do you plan to do from now on? As Mira mentioned previously, her body has nearly reached its limit.”

Mira pondered, her fingers rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

“Hmm, is there anything more? They seem to be misunderstanding quite a bit. She hasn’t been stagnating; up until now, she’s merely been accumulating power in preparation for a leap.”

As she spoke, Mira flashed a gentle smile. Then, she gently patted Kashian on the shoulder. Kashian glanced at me and lowered her head slightly. A serious expression crept onto her face.

“Did that person say my will was lacking? But I don’t see it that way. My life is at the end of this sword. You’ve led me this far, so now it’s time for me to move ahead.”

She caressed the sword at her waist as she spoke. Then she calmly closed her eyes. Even without magic, the air around her settled gently under her will.

“Oh my, that’s adorable.”

Mira exclaimed, feeling Kashian overjoyed. Mist penetrated her body. Kashian scrambled away from that touch in disgust. Watching their exchange, I sighed a little.

Afterward, the same time elapsed. Duels continued, and materials were gathered. Amidst it all, Kashian’s body became even more flawless.

And thus, the sixth duel began. The opponent was someone preparing to graduate on the fourth floor. Kashian sustained wounds to her arms and nearly split her legs but ultimately clinched victory.

Covered in bruises, she smiled faintly at us. The score sheet awarded her a perfect 100 points.

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