The Academy is Doomed

Chapter 40

A harsh yell erupted from Vestric’s side as Amon grabbed Oliver’s neck and wrists and held him down.

“What the hell are you doing!”

“How dare a teacher intervene in a student-student exchange!”

Amon growled at their shouting, pressing Oliver even harder against him.

“Didn’t you just see him try to use his Aura Blade?”

Aura blade was never a technique to be used in a duel to test each other’s skills.

In fact, the very act of using an Aura Blade in a duel was an admission of defeat.

Even Raymond, who had faced Chloe in the original tournament, hadn’t used Aura Blade at all, even when he was outmatched.

“I’m sure the supervisor saw that.”

“……mm.”

True to Amon’s word, the supervisor was about to signal the end of the duel when Oliver raised his Aura Blade.

Only Amon was one step ahead of him, interrupting the flow.

“You’re right.”

The supervisor turned around with a stern face.

“Listen up, everyone!”

The supervisor, having gotten everyone’s attention, pointed at Oliver.

“A moment ago, a student of Vestric’s attempted to use ‘Aura Blade’ in a sacred exchange! What is an Aura Blade? A blade forged from the mana that enriches the world, its grateful existence, for the sole purpose of ‘destroying’ it, a weapon whose sole purpose is to kill!”

The Supervisor spoke up with a furious face.

“To use such a weapon in a friendly exchange is blasphemy. I am disqualifying Oliver, a student of Vestric’s, from the competition!”

At that, the Vestric faculty began to chant.

“He used Aura blade?”

“I didn’t see any…….”

As the chorus grew louder, Benjamin spoke up with difficulty.

“Oh, student Oliver, did you really use an Aura Blade?”

“Yes…….”

“None of us saw it, and I don’t know if that teacher was just going to jump in and persecute an innocent student…….”

The supervisor grimaced in displeasure and unsheathed his sword.

Benjamin backed away in anger at the sight, and a brilliant colorful sword light surrounded the supervisor’s raised sword.

The Supervisor, whose ‘Aura Blade’ rose up like a cluster of stars in the sky, spoke in annoyance.

“Does that mean you doubt my eyes, even the eyes of the Imperial Swordsmanship Instructor, Volbert, Headmaster Benjamin?”

“Ah, ah…….”

The supervisor was also a mid-level Sword Master.

When he spoke with a stern face, everyone in the Vestric, including Benjamin, turned tail and retreated.

After glaring at them, the supervisor announced.

“The fourth match, the swordsmanship tournament, is in favor of Amonis Academy.”

As the words fell from his lips, Amon let go of Oliver as if to throw him down.

“Aura blade is a taboo in exchange competition. They are meant only to take an opponent’s life. It is never to be used in a duel.”

“Ugh…….”

Biting his lip, Oliver dropped his head and returned to Vestric’s side, while the Supervisor stepped toward Amon.

“You’ve saved me a lot of trouble. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

A smiling Supervisor Volbert patted Amon on the shoulder.

Amon glanced back at him as he returned to his seat.

Three of the five matches had already been won by Amonis Academy.

It was safe to say that the exchange had already ended in Amonis Academy’s favor.

‘Everyone’s not happy.’

To be more precise, they looked as if they were about to pounce at any moment.

Well, why wouldn’t they?

‘Boris’s fight was one thing, but the second one was a series of ambiguities.’

Raymond’s historiography match?

It ended with the referee declaring Raymond the winner.

The third bout ended in a forfeit, and the fourth swordsmanship bout ended in a near-disqualification for cheating.

But Amon was not about to let the fifth bout go by without a fight, and he was going to withdraw anyway.

‘It’s a tight feeling in the pit of your stomach.’

He wouldn’t look so upset if he’d lost in a way that everyone could understand.

‘What’s the point, you can’t win if you’re cute.’

What can you do when the imperial supervisors are standing over you, glaring?

Even as he chuckled inwardly, Amon crossed his arms and faced Vestric with a stern, stern, serious expression on his face.

Meanwhile Anar’el was staring at Vestric’s side, too.

Just as Amon had guessed their intentions, she could read them just as easily.

“Benjamin.”

“…….”

“We won this exchange. No, would it be better to say that we won this time too?”

Benjamin gritted his fangs at the words and smirked.

“Oh, I see. Huh, I never thought I’d be subjected to such humiliation at a failing academy……”

“Shame? If you were defeated by the Amonis Academy, wouldn’t it be an honor rather than a shame?”

The sight of Anar’el laughing at Benjamin made Amon want to jump up and down.

‘Well done! Our headmaster!’

Who knew Anar’el had such a hilarious side!

‘Laugh more! Make it really hard!’

And then I thought, “Well, I’m done with the exchange, so I’m going to tell him to get lost.”

“Well, it’s not going to be easy to convince them after this, so what do you say we play an extra game?”

Amon’s mouth dropped open at that.

She was so proud of herself.

“Headmaster……?”

Amon grabbed Anar’el’s wrist, but Anar’el, who had gained momentum, brushed Amon’s hand away and said confidently.

“Our Amonis Academy is not only amazing for its students, but also for its teachers! Since this is the purpose of the exchange, why don’t we try to make some goodwill among the teachers?”

“What, what!

“I’m sure it’ll be easier to convince them, don’t you think?”

‘What is this elf saying all of a sudden?’

If there weren’t people around, I would have grabbed Anar’el by the ear and yanked her off.

But with so many eyes Amon could only stare sadly at her ears as they fluttered with momentum.

And Benjamin, hearing her suggestion, burst out laughing.

Principal Anar’el?”

“Of course! Well, then…….”

Like a ship with a sail in a gentle breeze, Anar’el scanned her trusted teachers with a smile on her face.

But then she realized.

Sloth, Amon, Brestle, and Marion were all staring at her.

Of course, it wasn’t because they were motivated.

Their gazes contained emotions like anger and hatred.

‘Ah…….’

But they say that regret is never too soon.

Anar’el realized the meaning of that saying.

“Hahahaha! Then what event will we start with?”

“…….”

Anar’el looked at Benjamin.

“Mi…….”

“Huh?”

“Mi…….”

Sorry, it was a joke.

So let’s cancel the teacher exchange.

Just as she was about to say that, she saw the sneer on Benjamin’s face and exclaimed.

“You decide!”

“Ha! Hahahaha! Fine!”

Anar’el exclaimed triumphantly, then looked at her trusty teachers and said in a worldly tone of politeness

“I’m sorry, everyone.”

“…….”

“But we can’t just stand there and let them laugh at us like that!”

Amon spoke up.

“Who laughed first?”

Marion said.

“Why is there a teacher exchange there in the first place?”

Sloth lamented.

“Maybe I should retire…….”

Brestle whispered quietly into Anar’el’s ear.

“We’ll see when it’s over.”

“Heh, heh!”

You can’t pick up spilled water, after all.

Sighing, Amon shook his head.

‘But that’s fortunate. If the situation is this emotional, they wouldn’t have called me out for a history competition, right?’

It was clear they were going to have a barbaric sword fight, with swords clashing and sweat pouring down their faces, or an ugly magical contest that turned the grateful world’s source of mana into murderous magic.

‘Thank goodness. I suppose there’s no place for an intelligent, noble scholar like me.’

That’s why Amon patted his chest in relief.

Headmaster Benjamin of Vestric pointed a finger.

“There, the teacher from earlier, step forward!”

Amon clicked his tongue.

‘Who would participate in such a useless teacher exchange? It’s really a shame.’

“The guy who interrupted the match a little while ago, come out!”

“Who’s going to be nominated anyway? It’s definitely not me, and it’s not…….

Seeing Amon’s gritted teeth, Benjamin spoke up.

“Headmaster Anar’el, what’s the name of that young male teacher there?”

Without missing a beat, Anar’el answered.

“It’s Amon Drake!”

“Amon Drake, come out!”

Amon sighed and strode forward, his eyes filled with resentment at Anar’el for selling out his name so relentlessly.

“Phew……I really don’t want to do this…….”

Scratching his head, Amon shrugged.

“So what is the subject of the competition? History? Or rhetoric?”

At that, the opponent who stepped forward tossed him a wooden sword and growled.

“Swordsmanship. You cocky bastard.”

“……?”

Amon cocked his head.

“I’m a history teacher, and……?”

“Don’t make me laugh! The movements I saw a moment ago were not those of a scholar!”

“I’m a scholar, but……”

The other teacher whispered in a low voice, barely audible to the others.

“Hmph, as is typical of the despicable Amonis Academy, they lie whenever they open their mouths.”

Amon was dumbfounded, for he had always spoken only the truth.

But Amon had an innocence that was beyond reproach.

Therefore, the words “despicable” and “lying” didn’t hurt him at all.

But the other person continued.

“You’re no different from your despicable principal, you filthy bastard.”

“What……!”

What did I just hear?

Did he just put him on the same level as that rotten elf?

-Thwack!

Amon snatched the wooden sword from the ground like lightning and pointed it at his opponent.

“Take that back.”

“Hmph, you’re finally showing your true colors.”

As Amon snarled with a ferocious look on his face, Anar’el clasped her hands together in excitement, tears streaming down her face.

‘Alas, Mr. Amon, I never thought you would be so enraged by the insults directed at me…….’

Being an elf with good ears, Anar’el had heard the entire conversation!

That’s why she guessed Amon’s anger at the words ‘despicable headmaster’!

“I say again. Take that back.”

“Alas, Mr. Amon……!

“You won’t take it back, then, good.”

Amon growled, gripping his wooden sword with both hands.

“Good. I’ll force you to take it back.”

The two men locked halberds, pointing them at each other, and the other lunged at Amon.

“Teacher Amon, come on!”

A vein popped in Amon’s temple at the sound of Anar’el cheering him on.

Does she even realize who this is all for?

‘……Alright, when this is all over, let’s kill that elf.’

With that thought, Amon swung his sword at his opponent.