We finished a simple breakfast and returned to the main hall.
“Whew―☆ Moved☆ It was a delicious sandwich―☆”
“Even though it was mostly bread crusts and shredded cabbage leaves.”
“Kyahat☆ A girl’s elegant~ meal should be fresh♡”
“That’s still food made from begged discarded ingredients.”
“…”
I looked at Alvit with dissatisfaction in my eyes.
Even my inner pretty filter seemed to be angry, instructing me to puff out my cheeks.
For the first time in a while, I united with the pretty filter to make a gesture of dissatisfaction.
Girl’s Dissatisfaction Ultimate Technique
[Cheek Puffing]
The point is to emphasize the puffed cheeks with two fingers―☆
“Boo boo―☆”
But Alvit showed no reaction, indifferently.
“…”
How boring―☆
With a ‘heave-ho’ sound, Alvit carried a bucket full of water with both hands. After she made several trips between the faucet and the main hall, the surroundings were filled with water buckets.
Dozens of water buckets placed on the stone floor.
A scene similar to the one I had set up for concept on the first day.
Alvit scanned the corners of the main hall with dissatisfied eyes. Although it was surprisingly clean compared to the first day, it still seemed insufficient.
“I only cleaned the sand simply at dawn because I had to train, but those ‘things’ on the stone floor were a bit distracting and I couldn’t concentrate on training. I’ll have to do another water cleaning after finishing the training.”
“Eh☆ What’s ‘that’―☆ Tell me too~ What is it, what is it? Has Alvit finally gotten a romantic and girlish secret? Wow―☆”
“…”
Alvit glared at me with her lips pursed.
What can you do by looking at me like that, you brat―☆
Well, given Alvit’s somewhat obsessive-compulsive personality, she’s probably talking about bird droppings.
I didn’t know she disliked it so much that she didn’t even want to mention the word.
I thought she’d be fine since she endured harsh things in the main story without complaining.
‘Unexpected, did she just endure it with sheer willpower in the story?’
Her true feelings that can only be seen in daily life.
It seemed that Alvit really, truly hated dirty things.
As she was preparing for cleaning, Alvit suddenly said to me.
“Come to think of it, is it because it’s still the new student placement period? We haven’t received study materials from the <United Student Council>.”
In <Academy City Yord>, the essential curriculum was basically made up of textbooks distributed by the <United Student Council>. Whether they were properly taught depended on the capabilities of each school’s student council or autonomous organization.
‘Actually, except for the top 3 elite schools, they just do what they want, putting aside studying.’
For the high school girls of the academy city, textbooks were just boring.
Only diligent ones like Alvit cared about them.
By the way, I also gave up on liberal arts subjects and the essential curriculum.
I opened my mouth to subtly deflect Alvit’s words and gauge an angle to tease her.
“On such a warm and beautiful day! It would be terrible to become a bookworm just by looking at books in the classroom―☆ We should enjoy tea time chatter like proper girls☆ while eating lots of☆ delicious desserts and cookies! Kya♡ It’s truly a girls’ tea party! Wow―☆”
“We don’t even have money for that.”
“…”
No, she’s hitting me with facts here.
Zhang Su, who argued that they should surrender to Cao Cao before the Battle of Red Cliffs began. I understood Sun Quan’s feelings as he looked at him. Such unwelcome fact-checking disrupts one’s mind.
Sun Quan, who left his seat in anger at Zhang Su’s words. And Lu Su, who silently followed and supported him, activating [We’re in a winning situation but you’re chickening out. Amateurs, ignorant fools.].
I understood their feelings.
Didn’t they eventually win the Battle of Red Cliffs?
Life is ultimately about being confident.
‘We could have a tea party if I just got some snacks from the bakery uncle.’
But I am a gentleman.
I might become a pink tiger, but I couldn’t become a pink rat, so I swallowed my words, only grumbling inwardly.
Not knowing my inner thoughts, Alvit brought the rest of the cleaning supplies from the cleaning tool closet. Then she set them up, ready to clean immediately after finishing training.
“We’ll get messy during training anyway, so let’s clean up all at once later.”
“Smart girls like us have every movement as elegant and delicate as a dancer’s steps―☆ Kyaha☆”
“Us?”
So we settled in the main hall.
Since we were both in tracksuits, we decided to start serious training in that attire.
Having somewhat recovered from the mental shock of the first day, Alvit said she would teach me about [Basic Ether] operation that I mentioned on the first day.
I was secretly impressed by this.
‘How would it feel to open a study session for multiplication tables and basic arithmetic for a third-year senior after entering high school?’
Actually, I too was interested, even though I started this concept out of setting and mischief at first.
Except for [Pink Spiral] that I created through shortcuts using world setting knowledge, I never had the opportunity to receive such thorough instruction in orthodox ether operation from someone.
I decided to sincerely and seriously receive Alvit’s teachings.
‘Hilde was too frustrated to teach others because of her talent, and the kids I clashed with around the same time had too strong individual personalities…’
Alvit, who becomes a key figure in a massive armed organization and acts as an instructor in the main story.
If it’s her teaching, which is close to the orthodox method, I might gain a different perspective from what I’ve seen so far.
After a brief warm-up, we stood holding swords on the clean sand of the main hall.
Alvit opened her mouth with a deliberately solemn tone.
“I won’t go easy on you until you do it properly, so be prepared.”
“Yay―☆ Alvit, don’t fall for me when you see my strong and cute and strong sword-wielding figure☆ Oh☆ What if my hidden tremendous talent is exposed―☆”
“Haah… Let’s start by spreading your legs to shoulder width. I’ll guide your posture from the side from now on.”
This junior doesn’t even respond anymore.
Following Alvit’s guidance, I went through from the most basic sword grip to the ready stance.
“…!”
Alvit flinched when she felt my unexpectedly trained body while manually adjusting my posture, but soon focused on training again. She seemed to think it was because I had been riding a bicycle since dawn.
The sword gripped tightly with all my clumsy might. Already trembling before even starting to attack. Just holding the sword is wasting muscle movement.
Alvit said with disgust:
“Th-This is serious…”
“…”
Ether swordsmanship, which requires maintaining a flow of attack and defense in accordance with the battlefield. It’s a mess from the basic grip and posture that form its foundation. All nerves are focused on the arms because strength is constantly leaking from the fingertips.
Tremble tremble
The tip of the sword shaking incessantly even when still.
It’s similar to how novice drivers make the mistake of focusing only on the steering wheel and front, missing everything else.
‘It really is serious.’
As a gamer, I already knew this, but Clara’s [Weapon Aptitude] is at the lowest grade, practically non-existent in all areas.
That’s why I use ‘bare hands’ which don’t appear as a game system.
Abandoning weapon techniques and using only two fists.
I gained insight into the art of fighting empty-handed by clashing with dungeon gates and competitors.
‘Maybe because I’ve never really done it, but I’m not adapting to using ether with weapons.’
I was truly incompetent at swordsmanship, not just as a concept.
Alvit looked pitifully at the trembling tip of my sword and explained about ether combat in a calm voice.
“As you may know, senior… or maybe you don’t? Anyway. The levels of ether combat are divided into 3 stages.”
[Basic Ether]
[Vibration Ether]
[Wave Ether]
The 3 stages of handling ether, which is basically red.
The ether levels corresponding to [Beginner], [Intermediate], and [Advanced] skills that users learn through the essential curriculum.
In <Academy City Yord>, high school students who can handle the [Beginner] level are considered average.
Alvit paused her explanation and imbued her practice sword with red ether.
Tsutsutsutsutsu―!
Alvit’s practice sword instantly coated in red light.
Like the lightsabers in old space war movies, a sword imbued with subtle yet ominous destructive power.
Indeed, a surprisingly sharp edge could be felt from that light.
[Basic Ether].
Although students who use it skillfully are less than average-
Basically anyone who’s been through elementary school knows how to handle it.
‘The difference in proficiency is enormous, like between someone who only knows multiplication tables and someone who can do mental multiplication with 10-digit numbers.’
Still, in the academy city where high school students gather, being able to use it was average.
“Basically, from the moment you can skillfully handle [Basic Ether], you unlock ‘skills’ with your own characteristics.”
Alvit concentrating to use a skill.
‘As expected, her [Basic Ether] usage is more skillful than others.’
I focused on the grip and posture while watching Alvit’s demonstration from the corner of my eye.
“[Flash Sword]!!”
A short cry.
With eyes shining sharply, as Alvit swung her reddened sword, that red light spread in the air, leaving afterimages.
Spot―!!
Red scars appearing along the sword’s tip.
The afterimages that remained in the air for a moment gradually swelled, then exploded with a sound like firecrackers.
Bang―!!
Flutter―
The skill’s noise echoing in the main hall.
The sound of birds startled by the skill noise taking flight.
And then silence returned.
“…”
“…”
Alvit released her concentration and withdrew the ether from her sword as she spoke.
“…Phew. In the case of my skill, I can momentarily exert greater power than the original ether by sending afterimages into the air like this.”
“…”
“In this sense, [Basic Ether] can be said to be a method of operation that draws out one’s potential from a mastered posture.”
Alvit’s sword aura exploding with a time delay.
Actually, there’s a bigger secret hidden in her skill. But it wasn’t time to mention that yet, so I kept my mouth shut.
‘She’ll realize that on her own later.’
Alvit continued speaking.
“Actually, I can only properly demonstrate up to [Basic Ether], and I’m not yet at [Vibration Ether] or [Wave Ether]…”
“Eeh―☆ That’s mean~ It’s tantalizing!! Show me more―☆”
“Even in the academy city, only the top 10% of strong individuals can skillfully use both [Vibration Ether] and [Wave Ether]…”
“Boo―☆ Incompetent☆ Alvit is incompetent☆”
“I don’t want to hear that from a senior who can’t even use [Basic Ether]…”
Alvit sighed deeply.
Then, as if remembering something, she began explaining.
“Come to think of it, besides the basic 3 stages, there’s also a level called [Unique Ether] that only a few strong individuals can use.”
“…”
[Unique Ether]
Instead of natural red ether, one makes ether their own by imbuing it with their unique color.
Alvit continued speaking with an embarrassed expression, scratching her cheek.
“…Well. Except for the [Five Colors], the five strongest in the academy city, it’s like a dream story, so let’s focus on [Basic Ether].”
“…Okay☆”
“First, would you like to try imbuing ether into your sword as it is? Even if it’s difficult, let’s try to concentrate until the end.”
“Yes―☆”
It was the moment I tried to imbue [Basic Ether], not [Unique Ether], into the sword.
Rumble rumble―
Woong…!
For some reason, the sword tip shook more violently than before.
The sword, filled with uncontrollable power, gradually turned red.
Then it started swelling up like a balloon about to explode.
Seeing this, Alvit and I were flustered.
“Eek―?!”
“W-Wow―☆”
“W-Wait a moment!!! You put in too much ether!! Take it out!! Senior!! It’s going to explode!! Just throw it away!!”
“H-Here goes―☆”
I threw the sword far away, like a batter hitting a home run.
Whoosh―
The carelessly thrown sword fell towards where the water buckets were gathered.
And then explosion―☆
Booooom!!!!
As the water buckets caught in the explosion scattered in the air, a shower of water burst inside the main hall as if a sudden rain had fallen.
Alvit and I, soaked to the bone.
“…”
“…”
“Tehe―☆”
“This damn school… of course it would be like this…”
* * *
“Then why don’t I just quit this crappy school!!”
“…Huhu. Rota, without your family’s power, what school would accept an incompetent brat like you?”
“Eek…!”
One of the three prestigious schools in the academy city.
In a club room of <Public Bana Boarding School>.
A fierce confrontation between senior and junior continued there.
And finally, the junior, whose cat ears were twitching with anger, threw away the hat that was the school’s symbol and declared:
“I’m quitting!! This lousy beggar’s school!! I said I’m quitting―!!”