Episode 45. Special Professor (2)
The candidates moved to the outdoor training grounds for the duel.
Among them, one candidate with a particularly pale face trembled and muttered.
“Why… why me? Why is it always me?”
Albert, with a voice full of sorrow, sobbed.
Professor Elisha approached him, her heels clicking.
“Are you Candidate Albert Hoover?”
“Ah… yes, yep! That’s me!”
Elisha turned on her Hero Watch and examined the hologram of the candidate list.
“3rd-year candidate, overall ranking 237 out of 472. Belongs to the Warrior Department, main weapon is a sword. Holy Mark is the Earth God’s Holy Mark, no blessings. Correct?”
“Y-yes, that’s correct!”
Albert, nervous, gulped and answered.
“Hmm.”
Elisha took out a cigarette from her pocket and put it in her mouth.
Click, puff!
The silver-haired young man next to her, Instructor Vincent, lit her cigarette with a lighter.
“Average.”
Albert’s level, as shown on the list, was exactly the average for candidates.
“Um… Professor. Instead of someone average like me, wouldn’t someone with better grades…”
“No. Just right.”
Puffing out smoke, Elisha turned off her Hero Watch.
“I want to see exactly what the average level of 3rd-year candidates is.”
“Ah… yes.”
He couldn’t bring himself to say that there were many other candidates besides him.
“Now, come to the center of the training grounds.”
“…Yes.”
Albert walked to the center of the training grounds like a cow being led to slaughter.
“The duel will be in real combat using magic and real swords.”
“R-real combat?”
“Yes. Fight with the intent to kill your opponent.”
“But what if there’s an accident…”
“Don’t worry, that won’t happen.”
Elisha shook her head firmly.
She turned her gaze to Instructor Vincent standing beside her.
“Instructor Vincent.”
“Yes, Professor.”
Instructor Vincent stepped towards the center of the training grounds.
Elisha spoke softly to Vincent as he walked away.
“Go easy on him.”
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
Vincent nodded slightly.
“…Go easy?”
Did Professor Elisha’s words reach Albert’s ears?
Standing in the center of the training grounds, gripping his sword, Albert’s expression began to show a hint of anger.
Telling him to fight with the intent to kill, but then telling the instructor to go easy on him.
It was as good as outright ignoring him.
“Phew. Well… it’s true that I’m just an average candidate with nothing special.”
Albert drew his sword and took a stance.
“But I’m still a hero candidate!”
The Holy Mark glowed, and magic power enveloped Albert’s entire body.
Before the horn signaling the start of the duel could sound, Albert charged at Instructor Vincent.
A sharp sword strike aimed at Vincent, who hadn’t even drawn his sword yet.
“Hoh. A sneak attack.”
One of the best choices a weaker opponent can make against a stronger one.
In a normal duel, it would be rude, but in ‘real combat,’ it was an action worthy of bonus points.
“But.”
A cold smile formed on Elisha’s lips.
“Amateurish.”
Clang!
A flash of silver light.
Albert’s sword, aimed at Instructor Vincent, was deflected with a clear metallic sound.
“Ugh…!”
Albert barely managed to hold onto his sword, suppressing the dizzying recoil that traveled through his palm.
He steadied his stance and summoned his magic power.
The magic power spread throughout his body concentrated on Albert’s sword.
“Hyahhh!”
With a rough shout, he leaped again.
Elisha, watching the duel, had a cold glint in her eyes.
“Too much force. The distribution of magic power is a mess.”
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Vincent deflected Albert’s magic-infused sword and lightly kicked Albert’s knee.
“Uh, uh?”
Albert, who had poured all his magic power into his sword, lost his balance and fell flat on his face.
“Ugh…”
Albert groaned, holding his bleeding nose.
Thud.
A silver sword blade touched Albert’s neck.
“I… I lose.”
“……”
Instructor Vincent, who had subdued Albert in just two moves, sheathed his sword and turned away indifferently.
“Hmm.”
Elisha, watching the duel from the side, frowned with a dissatisfied expression.
Her gaze turned to the candidates watching the duel.
“Next.”
“Uh…”
The candidate pointed out by Elisha nervously looked around and stepped forward.
And the duel began again.
Clang! Clang!
“Ahh!”
This time too, less than 30 seconds after the duel started, the candidate dropped his sword and fell to the ground.
“Next.”
After about five similar duels.
“Enough.”
Elisha raised her hand lightly and stopped the duel.
“Sigh.”
Elisha sighed deeply, holding her forehead as if she had a headache.
“Pathetic.”
She turned to Professor Lucas with a fierce look and continued.
“If the 3rd-year candidates are at this level, then the fact that there were no casualties during the monster incident was purely luck.”
Tsk. Professor Elisha clicked her tongue.
“Professor Lucas.”
“Yes, Senior.”
“Do you think the reason your candidates are so pathetic is because of the candidates themselves, or because of your qualifications as a professor?”
“That is…”
Professor Lucas answered in a calm voice.
“It’s my qualifications.”
“Really? Then this will be quick.”
Professor Elisha smiled coldly and spoke.
“Take responsibility and resign from your position as a professor.”
“……!”
Professor Lucas’s eyes widened at the shocking declaration.
“W-wait a minute. If I resign, who will take care of the candidates…”
“Instructor Vincent will take your place.”
“He’s an instructor, not a professor!”
“So? Although Instructor Vincent may be somewhat inferior to you in terms of strength, I think he is more capable in training candidates.”
“……”
Professor Lucas’s expression hardened.
“T-that’s not true!”
At that moment.
One candidate stepped forward with trembling steps.
“…Albert?”
Professor Lucas looked surprised at the candidate who stepped forward.
“E-even though Professor Lucas is fierce, eccentric, has a bad temper, makes strange things like special juice, and always picks on me when he’s bored…!”
“You little brat.”
“B-but he’s a good professor!”
Professor Elisha chuckled at Albert’s outburst.
“…Which part of what you just said makes him a ‘good professor’?”
“T-that… well… um… at least one thing is certain!”
Albert gulped and shouted as if squeezing out the words.
“Professor Lucas teaches us what it truly means to be a ‘hero’!”
“……”
Silence fell with Albert’s shout.
“Hah.”
A hollow laugh escaped Professor Elisha’s lips.
“True hero… are you still spouting such nonsense?”
She turned to Professor Lucas with a cold smile.
“Traditionally, a hero is someone who can kill more monsters and demons. All that talk about what a true hero is, is just useless idealism.”
“A powerless hero can protect no one, nothing.”
Therefore.
“A strong hero is the true hero. Anything else is just trash unworthy of being called a hero.”
Professor Elisha shot a sharp look at the candidates.
“In that sense, you are all trash unworthy of being called hero candidates.”
“……”
The candidates fell silent, struck dumb by Professor Elisha’s harsh words.
“…Are you calling my students trash now?”
At that moment.
Professor Lucas, who had been quietly bowing his head, gritted his teeth.
“Yes, did I say something wrong?”
“……”
Professor Lucas closed his eyes and clenched his fist.
The clenched fist trembled for a moment.
“Ah.”
As if a good idea had struck him.
Professor Lucas turned to me and raised the corner of his mouth.
‘What.’
Why are you looking at me and smiling all of a sudden.
“Hehehe. Well… since you brought out your ‘instructor,’ I guess I can bring out mine too.”
I’m not your instructor, you jerk.
“How about this?”
Did my inner scream not reach him?
Professor Lucas walked over and placed his hand on my shoulder.
“How about a duel with this candidate?”
“That candidate is…?”
Professor Elisha tilted her head and checked the candidate list.
“Name Dale Han. Overall ranking 472 out of 472. Main weapon is a sword. Has the Holy Mark of the Forest God, no blessings… correct?”
“That’s correct.”
“…Are you joking with me now?”
Professor Elisha looked at Professor Lucas with a dumbfounded expression.
Candidates with much higher rankings couldn’t even properly block Instructor Vincent’s sword, and now you want to pit him against the lowest-ranked candidate?
“Enough nonsense. If you really want to continue the duel, bring out the highest-ranked candidate in this class.”
“No. Dale here has some circumstances, so his ranking is low, but his skills are solid.”
“Hah.”
Elisha snorted as if it was ridiculous.
No matter how low his ranking is, how strong can the lowest-ranked candidate be?
“I didn’t want to say anything harsh out of old times’ sake… but this is getting annoying.”
“So, will you duel? Or will you give up?”
“Duel or not, what kind of duel can you have with the lowest-ranked candidate…”
“Scared?”
“……”
Elisha took out a cigarette from her pocket and put it in her mouth.
Without lighting it, she chewed on the cigarette like gum and turned to Instructor Vincent.
“Instructor Vincent.”
“Yes, Professor.”
“My hunting dog’s head is a bit sore, so help him clear his mind.”
“Understood.”
Instructor Vincent nodded slightly and walked to the center of the training grounds.
“Hehehe.”
Professor Lucas smiled deeply as he watched Instructor Vincent walk to the training grounds.
“Dale.”
“…What?”
“If you win, I’ll make you 10 cups of my special juice.”
“I don’t need…”
“Of course, Albert will drink it.”
“Oh.”
That’s a bit tempting.
“Well… alright. I don’t like the idea of the professor changing now anyway.”
If Professor Lucas resigns, his office, which he uses as a hideout, will disappear too.
“Dale.”
“What now?”
I turned my head to see Professor Lucas, arms crossed, chuckling.
“Go easy on him.”
“……”
I chuckled and nodded.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
