Chapter 28 - Geist BBQ

(Arthur Leywin)

As I watched the princess of the human kingdom, Kathyln Glayder, walk down the steps that led to the wide arena in the classroom, I subtly adjusted my posture in the chair, my focus inevitably captivated by the raven-haired princess who moved with a calculated proficiency befitting her royal grace.

Geist, the instructor of practical mana manipulation, donned a sly grin as he ran his fingers through his locks, poised to make an indelible impact upon the human princess as well as the other girls who sat in the front rows, already carrying a deep-rooted impression of the sly instructor.

As she approached Geist, Kathlyn took out her diminutive wand and directed its tip towards him with a determined countenance and furrowed brow. Her composure remained serene, evidenced by her relaxed shoulders. My interest was piqued, as I leaned in to witness every nuance.

"Do you feel prepared, Princess Kathlyn?" inquired Geist with a smirk, as he positioned himself for battle.

In response, Kathlyn simply nodded meekly, prompting a dense vortex of ice mana to encircle her sleek wand.

Looking at the mana condense around her wand and taking shape, I looked at her expressions. Except for the concentration on the spar/duel, she didn't seem to focus on anything else.

She couldn't multitask.

"Ice shards," I whispered to myself before seeing multiple shards of ice being fired towards Geist.

Despite his unsavoury reputation, Geist held the esteemed position of a professor at the most prestigious institutions of magic and was a seasoned adventurer. As her attack approached, he was surrounded by orbs of incandescent orange flames that spiralled around him, fiercely colliding with the shards of ice.

The impact generated a dense shroud of mist that obscured their presence, masking their sight from students with lower mana-core levels.

Looking at the raven-haired princess, a translucent dome formed around her.

Mages were divided into two categories in Dicathen---Augmenters and Conjurers. While the difference between them slowly vanishes as they advance their cores, it is not always the same.

Augmenters and Conjurers were limited; hence no one was superior to the other.

Augmenters depended on body augmentation and thus their defence and offence were both physical.

As for Conjurers, their offence and defence both were conjurer phenomena. Taking in mana from surroundings and then shaping the cell using a deep-rooted knowledge of the spell for offence and since they could never augment their bodies enough to protect themselves, they had to conjure mana shields infused with the property of their magical attribute.

Conjuring a protective veil so late in the fight was hazardous. If it was a serious fight, she would've been dead. It spoke volumes about the princess's personality.

Being aware of the fact that almost everyone would become her friend because of her stature she adopted the emotionless facade. And to keep everyone away one just does not need to act like that.

Having the necessary power was also crucial.

As I gazed downward, Geist's power prevailed over Kathyln's magic and he drew nearer. Ice spikes materialised from the thin air, causing the temperature of ambient water molecules to plummet, inducing crystallisation. Geist lifted his hand aloft and cast a spell skyward, summoning a colossal fireball that fragmented into smaller incendiary projectiles hurtling towards Kathyln---akin to a meteor shower.

As I observed Geist, his countenance displayed a profound sense of hopelessness and despair.

The spell he was invoking was of an intricate nature, possessing an irreversibility once manifested which meant it could not be cancelled once conjured.

Meanwhile, Kathyln's preoccupation with Geist's previous attack prevented her from perceiving the impending danger that loomed over her.

From the continuous flickers of her protective barrier, it was apparent that the aftermath would entail nothing less than a fifth-degree burn, and given the severity of her state, it was plausible that she could even die.

I sighed once again.

Realmheart flared to life all over my body. The space around the spell bent as it was teleported just above Geist's head.

The spell that was about to fall on Kathyln landed on Geist, followed by a massive tremor.

Sylvie's ears perked up and looked back. Realmheart had already dissipated among golden flecks. She looked at me and then at the arena as she struggled to understand the current situation.

A wave of smoke rose up in the room. Using wind mana, I removed it, aided by other wind mages.

Walking down the stairs while the veil of smoke was still static, I approached Kathyln.

"W-What happened?" She queried, with a nuanced stutter in her tone.

I stayed silent and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the opposite side of the brutally burnt body of the professor. The whole class went into a panic followed by the sudden rush of other professors.

They would've picked up the rapid buildup of the mana from Geist.

Kathyln looked back at me and then stole a peek from behind me, trying to look at the professor. Moving to the side, I let her take a quick glance at him as she placed her hand on her mouth, "I... I didn't want to..."

My mouth opened to talk but soon I felt a familiar mana signature approach.

Looking back, I saw Director Goodsky arrive inside the class and her bond on the perch of the window. Her eyes trailed across the room and landed on

Kathyln before locking with mine. I nodded in her direction and her stiff expression softened.

"Arthur Leywin, please hear me for a second in my office." She said as I let go of Kathyln and moved towards her.

"But you didn't do anything." Kathyln spoke from behind.

"She must be inquiring about the incident." I replied.

The ice in her expression melted for a fleeting second of time before returning back to its usual one, as she pursed her lips and nodded in my direction. Spinning on my heel, I went towards Director Goodsky.

"What happened here, Arthur?" She questioned, without taking me to her office.

All other professors' attention transferred to me; their eyes focused solely on me while the medics took Geist's charred body away.

"I am sure there are other students too who witnessed it," I replied.

"But no one seems as composed as you." She replied with a smirk.

I sighed before looking back at Cynthia, "He was trying to impress the girls with his battle prowess and fancy spells. However, his own spell exploded while it was getting conjured and hit himself."

"How is that possible? He was a seasoned adventurer and a light-yellow core. His control of mana was stupendously good. Director, I don't think this kid is in his right set of minds." Another professor spoke.

"I have a question." I said, directing myself towards the professor who just spoke.

"And what is it?"

"How does someone's presence in case of a robbery is determined? How do we enter our dorm room? What makes up magical residue? And what do all of these questions have in common?"

The professor looked at me for a while before adjusting his round glasses, "The common derivative would be mana signature."

"Correct. A mage with a high enough core stage can sense mana signature. Professor Geist's own mana signature is spread all over his body. What would the most basic conclusion that makes the most sense be."

The professor's tone lightened as he looked at Cynthia, "That his own spell harmed him."

"Doesn't that contradict the statements that had been uttered by the same person a few seconds ago?" I said, while looking at Cynthia.

Her knitted brows released as she smiled, "It does, little one. Thanks for your cooperation and good luck with your next class. You may leave and we will pick matters from here." Cynthia said, patting my shoulder.

Sylvie jumped on my shoulder while casting one last glance behind. Kathyln was looking at me, and for a moment it seemed like she wanted to say something.

Realising that my next class was fast approaching, I had to leave and move on.

"Why did you help her?" Sylvie asked out loud, while we were walking through an empty hallway.

"Who kn-"

"Not the 'Who knows' again! Give me a correct answer for once!" Sylvie spoke, the agitation in her voice making her sound more childish than usual.

"Fufufu~ You shouldn't be so loud with people around, Sylvie-chan." Arisu emerged from the corner, a grin on her face.

Sylvie snickered before pouncing on her. Catching Sylvie by the scruff of her white fur, I sighed, "Did you find what I asked for?" I asked.

"I did." She replied, handing me a parchment of paper.

Just as I was about to take it, she pulled it away and leaned forward, "You really have a knack for saving princesses, don't you?"

So, it was her all along.

"I am not sure what you mean, Arisu," I said and took the paper from her grip and started to move away.

"Elshire forest." Her meek whisper reached my ears, but I continued to walk straight.

"Should I?" Sylvie asked.

"We should bide our time. When the timing is right, everything will come together."

>> TIMESKIP TO WHEN ALL CLASSES ARE FINISHED <<

As I strode through the grand halls of Xyrus Academy, I directed my steps towards my dorm room. It seemed rather peculiar, as every dormitory was designed for a pair of occupants, yet mine appeared to be an exception, featuring two beds while only harbouring myself.

Approaching my room, I extended my hand towards the artefact, and upon contact, it emitted a metallic grinding that echoed subtly in the hallway before granting me access.

Upon entering, my eyes fell upon an unexpected sight: a blond-haired individual with elongated ears. As our gazes met, his countenance transformed from a beam of cordiality to one of astonishment and recognition.

"You! The one who persistently rebuffed my invitations for a formal duel! The human boy, Arthur Leywin!"

"Uhhh, Hi?" I said, extending my hand.

His expression changed once more as he extended his own hand and greeted me.

Upon meeting him, it was apparent from the brief interaction that he possessed a relaxed and amicable demeanour. He initiated the conversation with ease, introducing himself and delving into his personal background, highlighting that Director Goodsky had designated this particular room to him.

After a while, he asked me if I wanted to go to the cafeteria with him. I glanced at Sylvie once as she gave me a hungry gaze. Therefore, I agreed to go with him. Tossing my blazer away and unbuttoning the top two buttons of my white shirt, I followed Feyrith to the cafeteria.

As we walked along the path, I couldn't help but notice the many girls who kept stealing glances back at me and talking about my adventuring days as they giggled among themselves. It was a bothersome sight that made me uneasy. However, it wasn't something I hated.

The criteria for not fighting and gaining enough merit to be admitted into Xyrus Academy via scholarship was for me to become an adventurer and not hide my identity. It was a clever tactic from Cynthia since no one could question my claim on scholarship.

Feyrith appeared to be entirely unaware of the girl's existence as all of his attention was focused on discussing magical theories while remaining focused on our journey ahead. I couldn't help but feel relieved, knowing that I didn't have to deal with a lecherous companion who only craved the attention of women. Living with someone like that would undoubtedly be a toxic experience.

(A/n) Yes, Elijah is a horny dog and Nico is a simp. Can't change my mind

As we reached the cafeteria, multiple heads turned towards us in tandem.

Nudging me slightly, Feyrith's sly grin betrayed his amusement as he commented, "You seem to have attracted the attention of all the vultures here, be it boys or girls."

I followed his gaze and saw numerous eyes fixed on me, their varying expressions of envy, respect, and lust mingling to create an unsettling aura. It felt as if

I had become the epicentre of a gathering storm, with each pair of eyes a lightning bolt, striking me from all directions. The weight of their collective gaze bore down on me, making me acutely aware of my every movement and gesture.

"If you want, we can eat in the room." Sensing the discomfort, Feyrith spoke.

"No. It's ok." I replied, as I moved forward towards getting my dinner.

After getting our share of food, accompanied by Feyrith I walked towards an empty table. Sylvie hopped off me and landed on the table. I took out the plate I had ordered for her with a mix of vegetables and meat and placed it in front of her.

She looked at the green leaves and then at me, making the rumoured 'puppy eyes'.

"You do know that won't work on me, right?"

She snorted and started to painfully eat the vegetables along with the meat.

"You there." A voice spoke from behind me.

I sighed instantly knowing where all of this was going.

As I glanced back, I spotted a trio of boys, one of them having a head of vibrant blue hair, strolling towards me. The blue-haired boy sidled up next to me and suddenly pounded his fist onto the table, causing my plate to tumble to the ground, scattering food everywhere.

I peered up at him, bewildered by his malicious intent.

"Get on your feet, you peasant, and retrieve your grub from the floor," he jeered with a sinister smirk.

I knelt down and picked up the scraps, but the morsels were now appetisingly coated with dirt and debris.

I was about to grab my slice of bread when he suddenly attempted to stomp on my hand. Reacting quickly, I sprang to my feet, and he seemed taken aback by my towering stature. I stood 7 inches above him.

His mouth moved soundlessly as I strode up to him and gazed directly into his eyes. He appeared to be struggling to say something, but no words emerged from his lips.

"A-Are you planning to fight with m-me?" he stammered.

"I just want my bread. It seems like you're stepping on it. Would you mind moving your foot?" I replied, maintaining my composure.

He shifted his gaze downwards and withdrew his foot. However, just as I bent down to retrieve my bread, he launched his feet in a sweeping motion, aiming at my midsection.

Swiftly grabbing my bread, I nimbly evaded his attack, dodging his enhanced magical assault. He looked stunned at my successful dodge.

"You shouldn't cause trouble here," I warned him.

"I'll do whatever I please," he retorted with a haughty laugh.

"Fufufu~ I'd love to see you try, but for your own safety you should stay away." A familiar voice spoke. Looking back I saw Arisu walking towards us.

'The scary lady is here, again.' Sylvie thought.

'We should just leave now that we have the chance.' I thought back as I disappeared with Sylvie before anyone could find out. Tess seemed to look here and there, looking for me.

I wanted to see how much she had grown too but now wasn't the time. There was something else that I was supposed to do.

Yes...

THAT.