TBATE: The Rook

As I watched the princess of the human kingdom, Kathyln Glayder, walk down the steps that led to the wide arena in the classroom, I subtly adjusted my posture in the chair, my focus inevitably captivated by the raven-haired princess who moved with a calculated proficiency befitting her royal grace,Geist, the instructor of practical mana manipulation, donned a sly grin as he ran his fingers through his locks, poised to make an indelible impact upon the human princess as well as the other girls who sat in the front rows, already carrying a deep-rooted impression of the sly instructor.

As she approached Geist, Kathlyn took out her diminutive wand and directed its tip towards him with a determined countenance and furrowed brow. Her composure remained serene, evidenced by her relaxed shoulders. My interest was piqued, as I leaned in to witness every nuance.

"Do you feel prepared, Princess Kathlyn?" inquired Geist with a smirk, as he positioned himself for battle.

In response, Kathlyn simply nodded meekly, prompting a dense vortex of ice mana to encircle her sleek wand.

Looking at the mana condense around her wand and taking shape, I looked at her expressions. Except for the concentration on the spar/duel, she didn't seem to focus on anything else but I feel that she is angry about something .

This idiot girl couldn't multitask.

"Ice shards," she whispered to herself before seeing multiple shards of ice being fired towards Geist.

Despite his unsavoury reputation, Geist held the esteemed position of a professor at the most prestigious institutions of magic and was a seasoned adventurer. As her attack approached, he was surrounded by orbs of incandescent orange flames that spiralled around him, fiercely colliding with the shards of ice.

The impact generated a dense shroud of mist that obscured their presence, masking their sight from students with lower mana-core levels.

Looking at the raven-haired princess, a translucent dome formed around her.

Mages were divided into two categories in Dicathen---Augmenters and Conjurers.

While the difference between them slowly vanishes as they advance their cores, it is not always the same.

Augmenters and Conjurers were limited; hence no one was superior to the other.Augmenters depended on body augmentation and thus their defence and offence were both physical.As for Conjurers, their offence and defence both were conjurer phenomena. Taking in mana from surroundings and then shaping the cell using a deep-rooted knowledge of the spell for offence and since they could never augment their bodies enough to protect themselves, they had to conjure mana shields infused with the property of their magical attribute.

Conjuring a protective veil so late in the fight was hazardous. If it was a serious fight, she would've been dead. It spoke volumes about the princess's personality.

Being aware of the fact that almost everyone would become her friend because of her stature she adopted the emotionless facade. And to keep everyone away one just does not need to act like that.

Having the necessary power was also crucial , i need to train her at lest to a lance level in the future , because her performance is very poor , she really on others for protection .

As I gazed downward, Geist's power prevailed over Kathyin's magic and he drew nearer. Ice spikes materialised from the thin air, causing the temperature of ambient water molecules to plummet, inducing crystallisation. Geist lifted his hand aloft and cast a spell skyward, summoning a colossal fireball that fragmented into smaller incendiary projectiles hurtling towards Kathyln---akin to a meteor shower.

As I observed Geist, his countenance displayed a profound sense of hopelessness and despair.

The spell he was invoking was of an intricate nature, possessing an irreversibility once manifested which meant it could not be cancelled once conjured.

Meanwhile, Kathyln's preoccupation with Geist's previous attack prevented her from perceiving the impending danger that loomed over her.

From the continuous flickers of her protective barrier, it was apparent that the aftermath would entail nothing less than a fifth-degree burn, and given the severity of her state, it was plausible that she could even die.

I sighed once again.

Clap! The sound echoed through the classroom, a sharp crack that conjured a spell of shockwaves, freezing the bodies around me. The dome of energy enveloped the entire class, and I felt the other spells flicker and fade as I disrupted them with my mana. In an instant, I activated my movement technique, Gentle Step, and appeared between them.

"I think this little game of yours has gone on long enough, don't you?" My expression remained icy, the innocent façade I usually wore nowhere in sight.

"While I appreciate your concern for the princess, it was unnecessary. I had everything under control," Professor Geist replied, his voice smooth but laced with irritation.

"Under control?" My brow twitched, sensing his annoyance simmering just beneath the surface.

"Yes. Do you think that I, a professor at this esteemed academy, would actually put one of my students in harm's way?" he shot back, his tone defensive.

"I see... then allow me to take my colleague's place in this "demonstration.'"

"Haha... well, if you insist. I seem to have frightened the princess a bit too much with my last spell. I should have canceled it earlier if I knew you were going to interrupt."

Even now, this pathetic excuse for an instructor was trying to defend himself. I could see the murmurs ripple through the class, students already swayed by his words.

I turned to Kathlyn, gently stirring her from her stupor. "You're okay. Do you think you can make it back to your seat on your own?"

"Y-Yes... thank you." For the first time, I noticed a flush creep across her porcelain skin as she turned away.

"Then please guide me well." I faced Professor Geist, standing my ground without drawing a weapon or taking a fighting stance , eliciting gasps and whispers from the class. Even Geist looked at me, wide-eyed.

"Since you are an augmenter, I suppose you will have a weapon?" he asked, a hint of condescension in his voice.

"I don't need it," I replied, my tone unwavering.

"It would be fair to let you choose how you'd like me to fight."

"It doesn't matter," I said simply.

He shrugged helplessly, striding toward his sword embedded in the ground. I could see a vein throbbing in annoyance on his forehead as he glanced back at me.

"I insist," he retorted, his voice firm.

"Then please go with what you're more confident in." I took a step forward, my gaze piercing into his.

The once-grinning professor scowled, his face reddening. He wanted to impress his class, but I wasn't making it easy for him.

"Very well then. I'll be sure to go easy on you." His upper lip curled into a forced smile.

With a swift motion, he pulled his sword from the ground, the blade dancing in the air as he approached. Without warning, he blinked and swung down with a force that was anything but "easy."

His sword ignited with blue flames, the heat radiating dangerously. I dodged his initial strike, using wind mana to deflect the fiery trail away from me.

His attacks came in a relentless barrage, each swing and stab growing faster, as if he were testing my limits. I parried and dodged with ease, my mana enhancing my movements, which only seemed to frustrate him further.

"I'm sure the academy students aren't just a bunch of rats who keep dodging and running away," he called out, feigning a lighthearted tone.

"Is there really a need for me to attack when our esteemed professor can't even land a hit on a first-year student?" I countered, adopting an innocent expression.

His silence spoke volumes; his lips twisted in anger. A few students had begun to murmur, unsure whether to call the director or the student council.

Professor Geist's attacks intensified, spells weaving into his strikes.

"Flame Pillar!" A torrent of blue fire erupted from the ground beneath me. I sidestepped just in time, countering with a precise mana blade aimed at his neck.

Caught off guard, he leaped back, a bead of sweat forming on his brow and a thin line of blood flowing from his check .

"I'm sure the academy professors aren't just a bunch of rats who keep dodging and running away, Professor," I shot him a taunting grin as I closed the distance.

In a blur, I kicked the side of his knee and swept his other leg, sending him crashing to the ground. I stepped on the knee I had just struck, ensuring it was broken.

"Check the temperature," I murmured, conjuring a spell. He pushed himself back, creating small distance between us.

 "Is he an idiot?" I thought, throwing the spell at him.

 As the spell reached him , he burned for a few seconds, the flames licking at his skin.

A thick wave of smoke filled the room. I waited a moment before using wind mana to disperse it, aided by the other wind mages in the class.

As if on cue, the bell rang, signaling the end of the class. I walked out, leaving the entire room in stunned silence, eyes wide and jaws slack.

"...E-Elli." A soft voice broke through the haze. It was Kathlyn, rushing towards me with Arthur trailing behind.

"I have to admit, you were impressive back there, Ellis, but I think you took it too far."

"Thank you for the compliment, Arthur. Well, he deserved it," I replied, glancing back at the classroom.

I turned to Kathlyn, still visibly shaken. "Are you an idiot?" I flicked her lightly on the forehead, watching her expression shift to one of utter shock.

"If you had focused on defending yourself instead of just beating him, you wouldn't have put yourself at risk like that.

Don't be so stubborn; think things through more carefully. You know... you're awfully emotional for someone whose face never changes." I looked at her with a straight face, before heading to my next class, leaving the princess in a daze.

 "Yes, now just run away from her," I thought, a smirk playing on my lips as I walked away.

They would've picked up the rapid buildup of the mana from Geist.

________________________________

Later that day, I finished my classes and headed back to my dorm.

Soon, I sensed a familiar mana signature inside my room. Opening the door and Looking around, I saw Director Goodsky standing there, with her bond perched on the windowsill. Her eyes scanned the room before landing on me. I nodded in her direction, and her stiff expression softened.

"Ellis Rose, we need to talk," she said as I moved closer.

"Is there something you need from me, Director?" I asked, taking a seat in front of her.

"Yes. I came here regarding the little 'demonstration' in Professor Geist's class." Her expression remained unfazed as she mentioned the trouble I must have caused her.

"Ah... there were some circumstances leading up to that..." Before I could explain, Director Goodsky raised her hand to interrupt.

"We've just dismissed Professor Geist from our academy. Princess Kathyln personally stepped forward to explain what happened. Of course, I had to get some people to verify her testimony, but everyone agreed that the professor posed a danger to the students." She nodded, placing a couple of documents in front of me.

Wow, she worked fast. This incident had occurred less than four hours ago, yet she had already managed to handle the situation and fire that professor.

As if she could read my thoughts, she smiled and added, "It helps to move things along when you have the final say in all matters regarding this academy. I must say, though, I have never seen the princess so worked up as she was today. When she came in, she had a slightly angry expression on her face, which, by her standards, is quite serious. You can imagine my surprise. Hoho!" Director Goodsky covered her mouth with her hand as she chuckled softly.

"Really? I didn't think the princess could even show emotions," I replied with a grin.

"Yes. You must be her childhood sweetheart , because of how she defended you quite fervently, leaving Professor Geist no room to defend himself." She winked at me.

"I'm still wondering why you sneaked into my room. I'm sure you didn't come here just to tell me that everything was settled and to get to know me better." I replied.

"Ellis! I feel like you're starting to see me as someone who always has an ulterior motive," she said, feigning offense.

"Haha! I do," I replied with a smile, which made her smile in return.

"Ellis, what do you think about becoming the professor for your class, Practical Mana Manipulation?" She clasped her hands, studying my expression.

"No," I said firmly.

"But you didn't even think about it," she replied.

"No, I will never be a professor at this academy, and you can't change my mind."

".....but—" Before she could finish her sentence, I cut her off.

"No."

Sigh. "At least I tried. Well, I have someone else in mind," she said, rising from her chair.

As she walked toward the door, she looked back and asked, "Aren't you curious about the other person?"

"No," I replied lightly.

"Then have a nice day, Student Ellis," she said as she walked out of the room.

" finally some peace " I muttered under my breath.

*knock*

*knock*

*knock*

" Fuck " .

________________________________

(* ARTHUR LEYWIN'S POV *) 

Pondering what the director had said, I just sat there, my eyes blankly staring at something off in the distance. Like she'd mentioned, there was no real benefit for her to hire me as a professor, which is why I found it so suspicious. It was so ingrained in me to be wary of other people's motivations no matter who they were• 

I guess as a figure of authority and power, you naturally become suspicious of everyone around you, which was why I couldn't fathom why she'd asked me to do this.

Practical Mana Manipulation was a class that didn't have any extra work to grade, which would make it even easier for me to just teach the class. Even if it wasn't easier, it would help build a good position for myself and would be a lot more interesting .

 Seeing as how I probably couldn't escape attention from the students anyway because of Tessie and my other duties , I might as well do things a bit differently. Of course, I didn't plan on revealing my full set of skills to anyone just yet, but I didn't see the point in trying to be completely inconspicuous anymore, especially after what I saw today , that monster .

"...Arthur?" I snapped out of my thoughts to see that Director Goodsky was looking at me with a rather worried expression .

"Ah, yes. Although I'm not sure how competent I'd be in that kind of role, l'd like to try my hand at being a professor. " I looked over the document stating my duties and responsibilities as a teacher.

"I'm sure you'll do an excellent job," she smiled .

Looking at her, I asked, "Were there any other classes that Professor Geist taught besides mine?"

"Fortunately, no . We hired him this year after he retired from being an adventurer .

For this semester, the other professors and I decided to only have him teach one class, as a sort of test run." She shook her head at the pitiful results he'd produced.

"Before I sign, I have one last question," I stated as I read over the final paragraph of the document.

"Go on," she urged.

"Wouldn't it be counterintuitive that I'm not allowed to hurt students while being part of the disciplinary committee?" | quizzed .

"Ah, good question. The 'not hurting students' rule is for inside the classroom . While the situation is always investigated for every case, as long as it is for the safety of other students, such as using a certain degree of force to quell a fight or suppress a rampant student. As for outside of class, during your disciplinary committee duties, I'll trust your judgment on that. "

With that, I nodded and signed the document. "I expect great things from you, Arthur, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. " She gave me a gentle pat on the shoulder before ushering me to go eat lunch.