Academy Slave Instructor

41 – Comrades in Arms

Comrades in Arms

Two people are practicing in Rai’s garden.

Since we have been together a lot, Aslan, who joined naturally, spent a lot of time training in the garden after going to the dungeon. That doesn’t mean he’s taking private lessons from Rai, he just chose the garden as a training ground.

I know Rai is an excellent skill, but he says that taking private lessons means revealing all of the family’s vision, so it doesn’t happen very often at the academy unless there is a fair amount of trust.

At home, there is an unlucky instructor Damian, so he comes to the academy, and while training, he practices with Rai and Zeroa. During the break, there are only two people who are still at the academy and have a close relationship with Aslan.

I didn’t get specific permission, but instead of kicking out Aslan, who is using the garden at will, Rai walks past him while he’s training and gives him advice one by one.

“Narrow your feet, you don’t have to spread your legs wide.”

“Why? This is a straight posture?”

“Do what suits your body, idiot. Straight posture focuses on universality to the last. Recognize that you are different from ordinary people, take what you need and discard what you don’t. Shouldn’t there be an adjustment?”

“What suits me?”

“Did you put your head on to wear a helmet? Roll your head. You spread your stance wide to gain the strength to wield the greatsword. It’s a great sword, which is its weakness, so what if you strengthen it on your own?”

I cringe whenever he teaches me, but his explanations are accurate and easy to understand.

Usually sharp Lai is nasty when he tells something while giggling, but when he listens to his advice, Asran feels that his stopped skills are improving little by little.

I especially like it because it’s the opposite of Demian, who emphasizes a straight posture.

Zeroa and Aslan finish practicing and sit down on the tree that Lai is leaning on while still drenched in sweat. The hot weather made it difficult to train in the scorching sun, but the two swung their swords for hours.

“You manage to drink it?”

Aslan frowned as he watched Zeroa sitting in the shade and eating Olight.

“I vomited a few times at first, but after eating, I got used to it.”

“Isn’t it better not to eat enough to throw up?”

“Because I’m weak.”

With a bitter smile, Zeroa finishes drinking the glass of water that has become stale water after mixing it with Oliit. His expression is so calm that it looks like he is just drinking water.

Asran, who ate it as a penalty in a bet because it tasted so bad, pulled back his body and turned his head as if the terrible taste was still in his mouth.

In his gaze, he sees the book Rai is reading. He doesn’t seem to go with books at all, but he surprisingly reads a lot. When he’s training, he’s always sitting in the corner reading or eating something.

Now I am doing both. Looking at Rai, who is concentrating on his book while eating snacks, Asran asks.

“What are you reading?”

“Actor and Spatial Network Theory by Devastien.”

“……”

This is a book that you wouldn’t know what it means just by hearing the title. Aslan knew only that Devastain was a famous wizard, but afterward, he couldn’t understand anything.

“Looking at what you’re doing, it doesn’t match the book at all, but surprisingly you read quite a bit.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice if the smart guys stole useful stuff from the stuff they wrote to show off.”

He doesn’t speak well, but Zeroa laughs awkwardly when he sees Rai talking about the importance of learning. When the two of them are alone, he holds back from wanting to ask because of his poor verbal skills, but when Aslan creates the atmosphere, he gains courage too.

There is something timid Zeroa has always been curious about. It was the technique he used when dealing with assassins.

Zeroa still has no idea what he did.

“By any chance… How did you use the technique you used against the assassins?”

“Why? Want to learn?”

“… If you can learn it.”

After going to the dungeon, Zeroa became cautious about asking Rai about his vision or skills. I didn’t feel it because he spread his skills so easily, but when he taught me how to break down walls in a dungeon, he realized how rude he was.

Nevertheless, Rai had a desire to learn that skill even at the expense of face, pride, and honor. The confidence he showed that day was so great that it made even the timid Zeroa greedy.

“What is it? You said you cut down assassins with one knife? Is that real?”

When Asran became interested, Zeroa looked at Rai and gave her silent permission, then explained the situation. Just by swinging the sword without mana, everything in front of him was cut.

Athlan’s eyes light up at Zeroa’s description that it looks as if the space has been cut.

“Slashing space! I think it would be cool just hearing the explanation?”

“It’s not space cutting. Don’t name other people’s skills arbitrarily.”

“Then what is it? Space splitting? Air cutter? Ground splitting?”

“Cut.”

“… Veda? Is that the end?”

As Rai nodded, Aslan complained, “Why did you name it so plainly?” Rather, when Lai is arguing that you guys are making a lot of trivial things, she, who knows zero, tells what she has been thinking so far.

“That wasn’t magic, was it?”

“Yes, no. If I had to say it, it’s pure sword skill. Of course, the concept isn’t physical power.”

“Can I use that skill if I try?”

Lai smiles a little as she sees Zero Ah returning her words that she wants to learn. In the mood to teach her something, Aslan also closes her mouth and looks at him quietly.

“You have two paths.”

“What is it?”

“The way to give up now, the way to die trying for 10 years and give up.”

“……”

Zeroa and Aslan lost their words for a moment at the bright smile on Rai’s face. After a moment of silence, Aslan crumples her face.

“I don’t know how great his skills are, but he’s very proud.”

“It’s not about talent or anything like that. The texture is completely different.”

“What do you mean by different grains?”

When Zeroa asked, Rai created a magic circle in the air.

A large magic circle made of blue light is so complex that it makes your eyes dizzy just by looking at it with dozens of small magic circles intertwined. Aslan, who was staring blankly at the magic circle made up of dozens of runes and hundreds of configurations, saw Rai and he explained.

“The magic circle I’m showing you was about 100 years ago, before the word innocence was popular? It’s a test to get the title of wizard at that time. You had to invade and destroy it to be called a wizard.”

The grades aren’t good, but since they studied at the academy, at least the two of them can figure out the contents of the magic circle. However, this magic circle was difficult to interpret, so I couldn’t even understand the meaning of some parts.

It’s such an elaborate magic circle, but they say you have to break in and destroy it. Unlike breaking with simple power, intrusion is possible only when the spell or magic circle is completely analyzed.

As a wizard’s qualifications required knowledge as well as sophisticated mana control ability, Zeroa felt that the old wizards were required to have quite high abilities.

“As the number of warriors who use magic has increased, the number of wizards you speak of has decreased, and the level of magic has dropped a lot. Some great incidents of losing magic knowledge have occurred.”

Athlan also knows about the big incident Rai is talking about. A representative case is the burning of the Gray Tower, which was said to be a treasure trove of magic, in the early days of the Age of War.

“The reason why the texture is different is because I am a wizard. It’s convenient to think of it as the concept of a battle mage derived from a wizard.”

“Aren’t those called warriors battle mages now?”

“It’s not all the same because everyone uses magic. The starting point is different. A warrior develops skills based on the weapon in his hand, and a battle mage develops skills based on magic.”

As the two seem to understand but don’t fully understand, Rai continues his words as the two quietly look at the magic circle.

“Even if you can’t recognize the magic circle, you can learn magic knowledge. But the problem is the nature of mana. Me, who was raised to use magic as a weapon, and you, who were raised to use magic as an aid, are different in nature. If you want to use that skill, you have to drop everything right now and learn it from scratch.”

“… Didn’t you use mana?”

I didn’t feel mana at all, but seeing Rai talking about the nature of mana, Zeroa has questions. Besides, she said it was pure sword skill.

“The technique I used at that time is used by those who have reached the extreme of the sword. But my sword is poor, so it is possible to use a trick called magic. The reason you didn’t feel mana is because the spell was already completed before you wielded it. When I arrived, the magic had already been activated.”

“Whether it’s an expedient or whatever, it means that it has reached the extreme.”

“Sure. I’m good.”

In the end, Rai, who finished the story proudly, raised his head and looked at the person standing in front of him.

Aslan, who followed Rai’s line of sight, didn’t even feel a sign, but he saw the man standing in front of him and looking down.

“Are you resting peacefully?

A middle-aged man with long, uncommon black hair raises the corner of his mouth mockingly, and Aslan crumples his face and gets up.

Athran, who brought out his trademark bad-looking eyes at the words of a quarrel, faced a middle-aged man he had never seen before. Asran’s posture as he carries a greatsword the size of his body on his shoulder and flicks it makes it look like he’s arguing with him.

“You look really spacious. What’s your business?”

“It’s been a while, Joshua.”

As Rai smiled and said, Aslan, who had been widening his eyes, turned around.

“Do you know each other?”

“Yeah, you did some work with me before. What are you doing now?”

“Now I’m serving as the Deputy Minister of Information.”

“Are you the deputy minister? You’ve succeeded.”

“There are five deputy ministers, but they are the lowest among the deputy ministers.”

They are having a conversation calmly, but at the word deputy minister of information, Zeroa looks at Joshua with a blank face.

Ministry of Information. The name is simple, but the work is not simple. It is responsible for intelligence agencies both domestically and internationally, as well as counterintelligence and security, so if the intelligence department points out, even high-ranking aristocrats can be arrested.

If it is the deputy minister of an organization outside the power of the department directly under the emperor, it is difficult to treat him carelessly even if he is a duke.

“Sorry.”

Aslan is on his knees begging for forgiveness. He is not a person who can be dealt with with simple ambition. He was desperate because he had a fight with someone who could uproot the family itself if he did something wrong.

Still smiling and raising Aslan up, Joshua sits down in front of Rai.

“You can stop letting the lizard go.”

“Is that so? He liked it, so I sent him to eat more.”

At Rai’s words, Joshua giggled. Upon hearing the conversation between the two, Zeroa nods her head, saying that lizards are surprisingly popular among high-ranking nobles.

Zeroa, imagining Arya slicing a lizard on her silver platter with a knife, felt that something was strange, but she pondered whether to take a grilled lizard next time.

I was grilling whenever I saw a lizard watching to feed me, but my opponent kept sending lizards. There are very few nasty people in the Empire who don’t care about Rai’s actions, but rather maliciously repeat them to get on his nerves.

When he appeared, Rai immediately knew who the lizard was watching over.

Joshua, who used to be his own adjutant, is now the deputy minister of information directly under the Emperor. When it comes to being nasty, there is no worse character in the Empire than him.

“I don’t think you’ve come to pay for the lizard, why are you here?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. Are you asking me the purpose first? It hurts my heart.”

“Say it even with a painful face.”

When Rai frowns at Joshua, who is laughing with a smile, he shrugs his shoulders and says,

“I’m here because of the head of the academy. What can I do to show off so much about how I like my new dog. I want attention, so I have to pay attention.”

Ray glances at Zeroa, who is making a stupid face, wondering what kind of dog the head of Selenas is raising, and flicks a gold coin to Aslan.

“I’m meeting a friend after a long time and I’m going to talk for a while, so let’s go and play.”

“Okay. Have a good time! Joshua!”

Athran, who speaks plainly to Rai and greets Joshua politely, quickly leaves the garden with Zeroa. Asran, an aristocrat, was more sensitive to the dangers of the Vice Minister of Information than the commoner, Zeroa.

Joshua smiles heartily at Rai’s face as he looks at his back with eyes full of displeasure.

“Then the interrupter is gone, shall we continue talking?”

“Before that, I sent my children, so you should send them too.”

“Hmm… It’s scary to have a one-on-one meeting with you. There’s nothing I can do about it.”

As Joshua ponders, she claps her hands twice.

It looks like nothing has changed around, but all the hidden agents who were besieging Rai’s house retreat. Sensing the distance, Rai throws the book he was reading to the side.

“You still like Devastane.”

“Isn’t it illegal to enter the academy?”

“The only place the intelligence department can’t go is the emperor’s bedchamber.”

“It’s a good organization. They spy on the women’s bathroom as well.”

While Rai is making a silly joke, a man with a handsome mustache pushes a cart full of tea sets into the garden.

Standing nearby, he bows politely to Joshua and then bows to Rai.

“I am Kayle Theorg. It is an honor to be able to serve the famous Demon of the World this time.”

“Don’t worry, he’s a trustworthy person. Do you still only like sweets? Unlike his terrifying reputation, this person likes sweet things, so give him something sweet.”

“Then may I recommend Bell Union’s snow flower tea? Even without adding sugar, it has a subtle sweet taste that ladies like.”

“I don’t know much about cars, so take care of it.”

In response to Rai’s answer, Kale skillfully brews tea and serves it in a luxurious teacup.

Watching Kale pull her cart out of the way and stand behind her, Rai takes a sip of her tea and puts her thumbs up at her kale with a silent exclamation that it tastes better than expected.

“You’re living better than I thought. I wasn’t the kind of person who would starve to death no matter where I gave it to you.”

“Ah- I’m rather nervous because you’ve been so good. What are you guys thinking?”

“Well, I can’t possibly know the meaning of the sun.”

At Joshua’s words implying that the emperor had permission, Rai clicks her tongue as if he doesn’t like her and takes another sip of her tea.

“Is that all I have to ask you? Aren’t you curious about how your old lieutenants live? Seeing as you don’t want to find out.”

“Someone got voyeurism and sent lizards, and the rest are living well.”

When Rai says he’s not interested, Joshua shakes her head and grumbles.

“You always do. When I’m by your side, you make me have happy dreams, but when I’m out of sight, I don’t even care. How many people do you think are perverted by your palm-turning ruthlessness?”

“Well, at least Melanie and Wyatt will be fine. Older Juan will be fine too.”

Seeing Rai talk casually, Joshua sighs and lowers his head, then raises it again. When he raised his head again, the smile on his face was gone, only seriousness and sharp eyes remained.

“I’m sorry, but I came here because of those crooked lieutenants. Your lieutenants created the resistance.”

Rai kept his mouth shut when he heard that his former lieutenants had created a force against the Empire.