[10] Class Begins, Part 1

1 (Alice)

Class begun with push ups.

"If you can't do even 100 in the allotted time, I'll personally have you demoted to the Trash Heap of Class 10! If you feel yourself growing weak, string out that mana of yours and get pushing! Pro-per-ly!"

The instructor's voice boomed loud even in the sweltering heat of what I realized was summer. He walked with the gait of someone who cared not for the sun, boots crunching down on the green of the grass.

[Brillian Vess — Level 78]

He was a man of muscle. Dressed in the same training uniform we were handed before class, a white shirt and black shorts, pure muscle radiated under his clothing and his white skin gleamed with sweat. He wasn't particularly massive or broad, simply very toned. His brunette hair moved with the wind and his stern gaze looked over our group.

I pushed myself up from the ground.

"67!" I yelled.

The exercise was meant both to exert our natural bodies and eventually our mana. Those who were truly fit would strengthen their bodies, those who sucked would strengthen that and their mana. It killed two beds with one stone, and maybe even another more.

Sweat rolled down my head. I forced myself to continue pushing with no mana. My physical body was good, great even, but 100 push-ups was a stretch even for me if I had absolutely no aid to go by. I wasn't superhuman without mana, after all.

Still, I seemed to be doing the best out of anyone here.

Some kids were murmuring how this was a waste of time. How it was useless to train when mana worked just fine to strengthen them. How anyone with even a lick of mana could take on the strongest person without. How—

"Shut your yaps! This eint about training your bodies, you bafoons, it's about your mind," My instructor did not take their words lying down, "The next person that complains will run a lap around the school grounds!"

His speech certainly got everyone motivated. The 'warmup' had been a lap and—I tell ya what—most people died from that alone. The school was a massive complex smacked dab in the midst of the capital, after all.

In front of me, there was a boy staring intently my way and a friend to his side who tried his best to pretend he didn't know him.

". . .70."

". . .60."

". . .63."

We stared at each other as we pushed and counted out loud for the instructor to hear.

"Oh cool I leveled up," Fram suddenly looked elated.

Clearly, he was amongst the ones in the class 'stringing their mana out'.

"Shut up. Let me focus," His friend cared so little as to be bothered by his talking.

That poor boy looked beyond exhausted. There wasn't an area of skin on his head that lacked stickiness. Yet, Fram merely laughed his words away even as sweat rolled off him as well. He certainly was an energetic one.

"Posid, are you laughing? You find my training so easy that you have the time to laugh!?"

"No sir, no!"

"Well, I'll be," My instructor smiled, crouched down, and patted the back of the boy.

This left Fram hanging, his arms shaking.

"Mighty fine back you've got here, lad."

"T—thank you sir," The boy's eyes had already grown wary.

"No problem," Brillian said, sitting by Fram before proceeding to place his legs upon the boy's back, "No problem at all."

He looked at the sky, enjoying the weather as Fram struggled.

I stifled a laughter.

By the time I finished my set, my body ached and sweat covered me. Still, I stood before Brillian and announced I was done.

He looked shocked for a moment before snapping at the rest of the group.

"You bunch let yourself be beaten by a zero? Add twenty to your hundred," He said, much to the grumbling of those around me and their dagger-like stares.

Then he turned and smiled at my direction, "You can take a break, lass. Those who put out deserve it."

I really could. However, looking at the stares of those around me and their envious eyes. Well, it was better I went another route so I didn't die.

I shook my head, "I'll continue with the class."

At that, he widened his eyes, but he nodded soon after, "Very well."

I joined the rest of my classmates. This time, going slightly slower and finishing with the majority of the class.

"Goodjob! Now grab your training swords, the steal ones, And get swinging. I want the basics repeated. Forward, chop, slash! Backwards, left, right, and counter! If I see you using mana, I swear to the high heavens you'll be here till noon."

Class 9 was like a military academy.

"After that's done, your squats will be there to welcome you with open arms," Brillian grinned.

I loved it.

2

The next section of the day was a class on Demonic Beasts.

"We'll be starting with the basics of the basics, lads and lasses. Goblins," Brillian said, "The dreads of villages in the middle of no where, but the easy pickings of novices like you bunch."

Of course, it was headed by the same teacher as the last.

Albion's Knight Academy worked like that. There was a grand total of 10 constant teachers called Instructors who headed each Rank, teaching Physical and Mana Training—and anything more they decided to add on in the second section of the day with each 'section' lasting 1 hour.

There were quite a few auxiliary teachers who you could sign up to join. They existed for weapons training, a slew of other activities like map making, dungeon navigation, military strategizing, and much more. There classes were after lunch and I had yet to choose even one.

Basically, except for the required classes with your Instructor, you could do nothing as long as you managed to reach level 30 within 2 enrollment periods—or 2 years.

"They are small. They are weak. And their bodies are unable to process mana. These creatures can be defeated alone with little problem, but a group of them might bring some difficulty."

I jotted down some notes as the man spoke—utensils provided by the academy. Really, my brain was good enough to not need them, but I simply followed the motions because he was not a man that liked to see students lazing around.

As the lecture continued, and he delved into their anatomy and which parts of them were the weakest—the head and joints—I felt a stare directed my way.

Amidst the small sea of about 30 students, Fram day by my side for some reason or another. I was by the window, and he was at my right with his friend, who I recently came to know as Jack, at his right.

I looked and he didn't even seem to register my glance. What was he so enthralled with?

". . .your eyes are a bit creepy, you know?"

"Ah—sorry," His expression turned to shock and he quickly apologized.

I watched as his friend facepalmed and smiled.

"No problem. How are you feeling by the way? I hope I didn't knock you out too cold?"

He slapped his chest, "It was just a light nap, I'm as swell as a bull!"

"Posid, are you talking during my lecture!?"

He jolted from his seat.

"Er, um, no sir?"

Brillian smiled.

"Why don't you go for a jog around the school to cool your head? Hmm, I think 3 laps should do? I think it would be odd if I don't hear about the boy who ran till exhaustion by tomorrow, though. . ." He nodded, twice, "Mhmm mhmm, yeah it would be bad if you don't complete the run. I would have to give you 'special training' if that became the case, I believe."

At the words 'special training', Fram leapt from his seat and ran out of the classroom.

"Noooo need! Consider the run finished!"

One lap around the school was about 3 miles. The boy needed to run 3.

3

"Here's your meal."

"Thank you," I smiled and accepted the tray after I had shown my identification—glad that the kingdom paid for my meals as well.

As I walked through the large cafeteria bustling with students, there was quite a bit of murmuring and eyes trained on me. For some reason or another, I was well known. Mostly, I should say, because of the 0 they likely saw.

"What a shame. . .beautiful but weak."

"A fragile rose basically, right? Man I'm a fucking poet."

". . ."

"She May not be a princess but I would marry her in a heartbeat."

"That marriage wouldn't last long."

Most students in this academy were nobles or children of knights, after all. They knew the method to see the level of someone weaker than them, so they saw mine quite clearly. And spoke of rubbish.

I sat at a lone table and began eating until a clank and a voice brought my attention up.

"Can I sit here?" Jack Jack asked.

That was his name, indeed, Jack Jack. The person I tagged 'Fram's Friend'.

If I were being honest, even more than the energetic Fram, he looked like a mob character you would find in the background of an anime. He was neither handsome nor ugly, neither tall nor short, though he appeared a bit more physically fit than Fram, and his hair was a reddish-brown.

"Be my guest," I pointed.

Shana had yet to arrive, after all.

"Mhmm."

Jack ate in silence.

I ate in silence.

"Say. . .what do you think of Fram?" He asked me moments later.

"Hmm?" I swallowed my food.

And smiled.

"I don't think anything of him."

"I'm not surprised. . .but he would be bleeding if he were here right now."

"Then let him bleed~" I replied, "A crush is only a crush, he's bound to get over it if nothing comes from it."

I wasn't dumb. I was aware of my own beauty, and I was aware that some people might like a personality like mine. Basically, however, Fram was just too obvious a person.

"By the way. . ." I blinked my eyes as I looked around, ". . .where is he?"

4 (Fram)

I'm dying. I'm dying. I'm dying.

My breath had left me long ago. My heart and lungs wanted to burst forth from my chest and my legs felt as if they would tear through my skin.

I'm dying and I know it.

Dammit.

Why did we have to have such a macho instructor!? I was cursed I tell ya. First I was defeated by a zero, then slapped to my senses by my friend, and now Mr. Vess graced me with two punishments in a row!

"Ahh I—I give up."

I couldn't take it anymore.

My body lost its energy as I smacked against the warm grass, knees followed by my face.

I laid there, ignoring the strange gazes and murmurings that came my way. I didn't care. I just wanted to rest.

A pair of milky white legs stopped before me.

"Umm. . ."

I blinked my eyes and looked up.

There was a girl, dressed in the uniform of the school and styled with a skirt. She had short, silver-blonde hair that reached her sides, and glasses that accentuated her golden pupils.

"Are you okay?" She asked, a hint of a blush on her cheeks as she stretched out a hand to me, "I think it's cool that you're trying so hard to train yourself. . ."

Mother,

I have met an angel!