Chapter 21

Rekter stared at Katachi in disbelief. He should not have lost! He learned two new terms, 解悟 and 解愁, which should have been enough in the event that Katachi tried to learn one to boost his own Word of Power. So why didn't it work? Rekter's precedence level ought to have surpassed Katachi's by now!

K: "If you would take off your shirt right now, Mister Rekter… That would explain everything."

Take off his shirt, Katachi said. But, why take off his shirt? Rekter followed his instructions blindly and-

"By the gods!"

"There's a word on his back!"

"That's the word on his chest from before!"

"He used magic on a teacher?!"

"Isn't that against school regulations?!"

"He used non-healing magic on a teacher!"

R: "Wha- What is the meaning of this?!"

Surely it should have been enough to learn two new terms to raise his precedence level! And why was there a word on his back? Katachi wriggled his finger, and in an instant the word on his back faded off. Rekter finally turned back to normal after suffering the influence of the Word of Power for more than a week.

R: "-! You... You conniving manwhore...!! What did you do to me?!"

Katachi glared at Rekter in the eyes sternly, his victory decisive.

R: "Answer me! What did you do!?"

K: "If you're that compelled to learn... I set your thought patterns to gullible." (恒定! Constant status – Self!)

It all became clear to the teacher only now. Katachi used his Word of Power to make Rekter think in a gullible fashion. By mentally steering him away from shrewd thoughts and logical strategies, Katachi was able to limit Rekter's ability to raise his own knowledge on his Word of Power and gain a huge lead in terms of their precedence levels.

While he believed that Katachi was a foolish child who thought that raising his Word of Power by one would have been enough, Rekter imagined himself outplaying the 'foolish' Katachi by raising his own with two terms. Katachi had it all planned out – The trap was sprung without giving Rekter a chance to retaliate.

R: "When did you pull this off?"

K: "To be honest, I was skeptical when I tried it. I thought that my plan would never work."

Katachi used his right hand to feel the wooden dagger from the tournament on his chest, under the pretense that he was dramatically pressing his fingers against his chest in a bold declaration.

K: "Then, I noticed it – I have yet to see a single teacher in the public bathing space. That's when I realized that teachers used their own bathrooms because the Teacher's Bathing Space didn't exist on the academy map."

Would anyone have the courage to call him 'unfortunate' after a showcase of his exemplary manipulation? Katachi didn't know. He certainly didn't view his disposition as a weakness, so he figured that nobody ought to.

K: "So I was betting on the fact that you would never be able to counter my trap because there is no one around you when you bathe to check your back for you, and that your room would always be brightly lit so you won't be able to see it. It may be good luck on my part that you don't wear clothes in the dark or you would have noticed it immediately."

Just as the lions and tigers demonstrated their strength through direct means, so too do the snakes and raccoons exude their worth in subterfuge, cunning and ensnarement of their prey; All things in nature their part to play, and Katachi filled his role with frightening precision.

R: (He figured out a trick like that from plain observation? Then it was a mistake on my part after all! Have I become so accustomed to the luxury of this academy that I can't even notice something glowing bright gold?!) "You made me stupid and gullible...!"

His rage was barely contained and he lashed out recklessly at the child.

R: (溶解! Dissolve object – Katachi!)

A 解 formed on Katachi's chest. Normally, that would have been fatal. Katachi ought to have melted like an ice cube in scorching heat but the golden 解 word fading off reinforced Katachi's current dominance over him.

K: "Frankly, part of my good luck may have been the Word of Power itself for making you gullible and easily fooled to the point that you're not as perceptive. Well, no matter what you do it's useless now. Your words are no longer on par with mine."

Rekter clenched his fist in fury. He had been too late in stopping Katachi's ploy. If only he trusted his instincts from before and took precautions against Katachi from the very beginning before he even stepped into the classroom... The humiliating fate could have been avoided. But Katachi used non-healing magic on a teacher, so he still had chances at a reversal.

R: "It's fine. I've caught you red-handed anyway. Kotsuba Katachi, for disobeying the rules of using non-healing magic on a teacher, my authority as-"

K: "I figured you would use something like that as a shield." (固定! Fixate position – Rekter!)

A golden 定 formed on Rekter's shirt and he was left frozen on that spot. Rekter's opinions and feeble rebuttals were now inconsequential.

K: "... Bertund."

Be: "Yes, Mister Kotsuba?"

K: "I may be expelled now, but am I still the champion of the tournament?"

The students caught on to what he's doing and began their rebellious uproar.

"No, Principal Bertund, you must not give him the prize!"

"He's a cheater, he used a Word of Power!"

"You should give it to Zirco instead, he's the real magus here!"

"Give it to Deku instead! He always uses it for charity!"

"He may have saved that group of five, but he doesn't deserve the school's sponsorship!"

Be: "Mister Kotsuba, you- Sorry, let me repeat myse- I am trying to say tha- Stop blocking my vision- Calm down, students. There are two flaws to your complaints."

It's astonishing how Bertund kept that straight, smiling face while speaking to the aggravated mob. The astute students hung back when they caught wind of the underlying meaning while the foolish ones simmered their rage demanding an explanation.

Be: "First of all, the Words of Power are indeed a form of magic – It's considered event magic. It may be strongly discouraged in the tournament because of its very nature, but it is magic nonetheless. It is merely discouraged, not prohibited. None of you may say that he's cheating. The second point, did you not watch the finals? Mister Kotsuba didn't use his Word of Power at all for that match. It was purely a magus-on-magus competition where Zirco used Aleksei's spell while Katachi used Urdythari's."

"How can you be so confident that he's not cheating?"

"Yeah, how do you know he's not using his Word of Power to imitate water magic?"

"How would you know? You barely do your job, Bertund!"

"You wouldn't be able to know, would you?"

"How would we know he's not cheating with his Word of Power?"

Be: "It's because I- Hey, I'll have you know I do my job- Stop pushing and squeezing- You wouldn't want me to- Relax! Let me explain!"

It was strange how Bertund maintained his cheeky, smiling face as the students retreated a little bit. With the slime on his head bubbling and snarling at them, the children knew better than to contest it.

Be: "Do you all want to know how I know he didn't cheat during the finals? Simple – I personally taught Mister Kotsuba water magic myself."

Everyone was shocked by the answer. Nobody in the school believed their ears spare the ones who knew about Bertund's conditional requirements. Few believed that he had the time to teach a student considering his position, but the unlearned were not creative enough to decipher Bertund's almost-heretical teaching methods.

Ba: "Is... Is that true?"

"You're lying-!"

"I've never seen you teach us before!"

"That can't be-!"

Be: "Yes, I taught him those spells. What need has he to learn from me if he could simply force his way through the tournament with his Word of Power?"

"But how would you explain Cillian's sword floating?"

"What about the time Chotil Nea pounced on him?"

"What about Deku being defeated?"

"How is he pardonable for the tournament up to the finals?"

"He didn't use water magic at all when he fought the other competitors!"

Be: "Yes, yes, he probably did use the Word of Power for the rest of the tournament. But still, it is his victory even if you claim otherwise. He at least has the mind to end the tournament off with proper magic, did he not? Look at it this way – He was more than sufficient in taking out Zirco, and the fights before that are simply means to conceal the magic he knew."

"Why do you keep defending him?!"

"You should have just expelled him the moment he stepped in here!"

"This is so unfair! He should have used water magic against Deku!"

"I demand equal treatment!"

"Principal Bertund, you're a biased person!"

He waited patiently as the insults of the students were hurled towards him... And ignored them coldly. Bertund closed his eyes and waited for the commotion to die down. The students eventually gave up and stayed silent after their attempts at his attention were made futile.

Be: "... To be truthful, if I were to make a judgment myself Katachi has always been unstoppable. Even if you tell me to deny or expel him, is there a point? Would I rather risk him going berserk, tearing the entire academy down just to accept him as a student here? Would I risk fighting a battle like that with him, knowing the outcome was already pre-determined with his Word of Power? No. I would not."

K: (... Way to make me look like a villain, Bertund.)

Be: "That would most probably be what most of you think I would think. But should I think like that as the principal of this school? Should I, as a head figure of the academy and the direct descendant of Sage Raufid, reject a potential magus out of fear? I think not."

The principal had his own reasons that required Katachi to be reimbursed for his efforts against Rekter, beyond the student body's knowledge. The desperate defense was disguised by a chance opportunity for them to learn a life lesson.

Be: "If I were afraid of every single person out there, I would not be able to raise my head against such honor I've been bestowed. If I held fear towards strangers, I might as well not enroll any of you at all. Would it be fair if I didn't allow you into the academy simply because I heard other people say that you shouldn't become a magus? Would you like that?"

Bertund now controlled the entire ambiance – None of the students rebuked or spoke against his intentions. For the first time, Katachi witnessed a different form of persuasive prowess even he was swayed by.

K: (... What a sudden change. It's as if he read my thoughts.)

Be: "I know you wouldn't like that. Thinking like that is unlike me. Rather, encouraging students to uncover their aptitudes, embodying the vision of the school, ensuring that every student gets a fair chance at magic – That is my role as a principal. And it doesn't matter if their magic is powerful, potent, or forbidden – My role is simply to offer you a chance at mastering the fundamentals of magic. If you can grasp that, then surely you can one day become as powerful as he is right now, and maybe even more!"

K: (I somehow feel grateful for this speech, considering that it's actually aimed at me... I think Bertund really does have some form of mind-reading magic or something. But if that were true, why can't I feel it?)

Be: "And so, I say – Mister Kotsuba is allowed to partake in this chance as much as you all do. He will be expelled and never to return as an alumnus for breaking the rules. But he shall be awarded the three school-sponsored items for his service in the tournament. And let this incident be a note for you all – Never, and I mean never underestimate your opponent."

It wasn't hard to take it seriously despite his perpetually smiling face since Bertund's voice and tone were solemn enough to puncture their doubts.

K: (That... That played out in my favor, I think.)

Be: "Mister Kotsuba."

K: "Ah, yes?"

Be: "As a congratulatory form of encouragement for your outstanding performance, I hereby officially declare you the champion of our 17th annual Sage Raufid Young Magus Tournament."

Katachi's face warped at the sight of everyone else. The students around him looked like growling hunting hounds, ready to silently pounce upon and gnaw at him.

Be: "You may request for 3 items or services that the school deems affordable, and receive them free-of-charge. But, be warned – Should your request be invalid that would be a chance wasted."

K: "It's fine. I know what I would want for a first item. I would like a really, really big paper book full of blank pages."

The students were confused. Why would he want a blank paper book when he could have the school prepare a paper-making machine for his personal use? An opportunity enough to purchase the most expensive medicine, the fanciest of supplies and even personal space in the academy, and he chose a blank book made of paper? Why would anyone want that much paper?

Be: "Understood. Shelly?"

The lady in similar attire walked towards Katachi and handed him a really thick book with a leathery hardcover.

Be: "There you are. A thousand blank pages bound into a book."

K: (A thousand!? I... I didn't think I'd need a thousand... I thought five hundred would have sufficed.) "Th-... Thank you."

Be: "What's next?"

K: (Right, the next issue would be Mister Rekter.) "I would like to request for permission, uh... For my second item."

Be: "Permission, Mister Kotsuba?"

K: "Permission to claim Mister Rekter's Word of Power as my own."

"What!?"

"Did he just say 'take his Word of Power'?"

"As if having one wasn't enough, he wants two!?"

"Hah. That's not possible! No person can possess two Words of Power at any one time!"

"What a greedy coxcomb!"

Be: "I don't think you would need the school's power nor authority to do that. What you do to him is for you to decide. You have wasted your second request, Mister Kotsuba."

The students laughed at him for asking the impossible, but Katachi simply gazed at the stagnant Rekter.

K: "I don't mind. I just thought I would say that to be polite."

He walked towards the statue with the book in hand and his mind set on one thing only: 解. Katachi placed his hand over Rekter and silently invoked the new power learned from Bertund.

K: (锁定! Lock within book – 解!)

When Katachi opened the book to see if it worked, the golden 解 formed on the first page. The students who were jeering at his stupid request a moment ago turned pale white. A fatal oversight on their part caused their blood to chill rapidly as they doubled over their memories to revise their claims earlier.

He briefly paused to wonder if the children never considered how a lone Hunter would collect multiple Curse Words. The ignorant students were frightened at how it was possible while the perceptive ones were petrified at how fast it took for Katachi to become that much more powerful, now that he possessed a second Word of Power.

They finally understood the purpose of the first item. Every two blank pages could be considered a single sheet bound with many others by adhesive or thread. In that case, every page could contain a Word of Power since the pages were considered singular objects. Theoretically, Katachi could contain all the Words of Power in one neat book and not have to use something like pebbles as their vessel.

K: "That's two of 292... Bertund?"

His soft voice held weight far greater than the energetic hollering displayed during the matches. The mere hint of his goal made the other students lose all will to retaliate. The career path as a Word of Power Hunter was, after much preparation, finally ready and set in stone. Katachi was going to collect that monstrous power repeatedly until he obtained them all.

Be: "Yes, Mister Kotsuba?"

Their simplistic goals of joining the Findel Magus Association or becoming reputable meisters and sorcerors were thoroughly diminished before a desire as deranged as his own.

K: "For my third request... I would like a complete basic traveler's kit."

Katachi's destination wasn't the school. It wasn't to pass his time enjoying an idyllic life with established bonds between friends, or to evade the expectations others set for him, accrue knowledge, earn recommendations, best others at competitions, bring honor to his family, any of those mundane ideas a child might have… He was devoid of them all.

Be: "A basic traveler's kit?"

It was at a destination so far away, beyond the expectations of the students that only his journey itself could tell where and when the endpoint lies. Life itself was short and fleeting, so why spend that precious time on trivialities that failed to improve the real problem at hand?

K: "Yes. I need a basic kit that can help me hold this book and some clothes, a water bag and, and... A groundsheet. Probably with a side pouch for me to store some coin as well."

That's why he didn't mind being ousted – Rather, expulsion, on the contrary, hastened his process of leaving the school which worked in his favor.

Be: "Inclusive of new clothes and a blanket?"

It was a maddening, reckless rush towards evanescent life which left the bystanders wondering the most poignant fact of it all – Was that truly a life well lived?

K: "Ah- Uhm... Yeah, that will suffice."

Alas, they never did behold the pain and burden he shouldered. For Katachi who embodied a madness that innately understood the cruelty of the mortal coil, calling him a child would be unfair.

Be: "Very well. All right, students, you don't have to stay here the whole day. Go and enjoy yourselves! Today's events have concluded – The lessons start tomorrow! Come on now! Move along!"

And yet, calling him a child was the only fairness permitted to the young one.

*** ***

Bertund shooed the students away like a grocer scaring crows from his crops and the atrium was empty once again – With only two people within. Katachi, the despised and expelled student along with the still-immobile Mister Rekter.

K: (I'm not sure if it actually managed to strip Rekter of 解 entirely and lock the Word of Power inside the book. I can probably use the Word of Power within the book, too... Hopefully.)

Katachi tried to open the door, but it was locked.

K: (I wonder if ownership of the book is sufficient enough for anyone to use the words within... This is a nice opportunity to try it out.)

Katachi held the thick thousand-page book in his hands tightly and focused on the door's lock.

K: (解锁! Unlock object – Door!)

A golden word was applied onto the door and it clicked open.

K: (Interesting. Does it stay unlocked when I remove it?)

Upon the removal of the Word of Power, the lock snapped shut once again. But, the door was left ajar so Katachi could see the locking mechanism as well as the interior of the guest room. It was a lavishing beautiful mixture of beige and caramel brown and within housed a bed, three comfortable seats with cotton padding, a coffee table and a small desk with a stool. The bed was made nicely with red velvet of the highest quality and a faint tint of Brosenveide filled the air.

K: (It's so pretty. This room's almost a direct upgrade from my place.)

Katachi entered the room for three steps and admired the interior of the guest room before getting back to the Word of Power that worked on the lock.

K: (It's just like 定 then – Its effects are persistent only when the sigil is applied.)

Katachi left the guest room with a satisfied expression. The magical hallway guided him on a familiar path as Rekter was left alone in the atrium, frozen on that very spot. Nobody tried to free him because it was futile, to begin with.

*** ***

The dormitory room's door was knocked on.

S: "Mister Kotsuba? Are you there?"

Outside the room were Shelly and Bael with a bag, some nice-looking clothes, a rope, a groundsheet and a blanket among other sundries.

K: "Good... Good afternoon."

Ba: "Katachi... You're going to leave?"

Katachi looked away from the now-depressed Bael while patting her shoulder.

K: "... Yeah. I am."

Ba: "You're not even going to deny the fact that you're being expelled?"

K: "I'm fine with it. My goal-"

S: "I'm sure you two have a lot to say but could you please take these into your room first, Mister Kotsuba? They are quite heavy so do it fast."

K: "Oh. Right. Sorry, Missus Shelly."

Katachi carried it all into his room in three trips while the two ladies rested the items against the handrails of the stairs.

K: "Thanks for the help, you two- Hey, why isn't Principal Bertund the one bringing these to me?"

S: "Bertund? He's busy with seeing off Minister Lein."

That much should have been obvious.

S: "Right then, I have my own things to do, so you two have a nice chat. It will probably be your last in a while unless you leave with him, Bael."

Bael quickly changed from a stoic to flustered expression and snapped back quickly.

Ba: "Wha- What's that supposed to mean?!"

In an attempt to hide her embarrassment Bael quickly left the area.

S: "Katachi, be sure to come to the principal office at four in the afternoon sharp. You have about three hours – It should be enough to pack everything. I'll be off doing administrative work if you need me."

*** ***

K: (Let's see... I really don't need these tiny runes in the pouch, do I? I'll keep the Urdythari pebble as a memento, it could be practical to make others think I cannot invoke the rune myself. I should also make room for the map. These clothes are brand new... They're light traveler's clothes that fit my body well, but I'd like to wear them only when my original clothing is damaged beyond repair or when I outgrow my old clothes.)

One must be far-sighted to prepare for the journey ahead.

K: (There. It's all set.)

Katachi walked towards the principal's office with the bag saddled tightly. The students whom he passed by leered at him with hateful glares, lambasting him in harsh whispers.

K: (How nostalgic.)

In his mind, a memory of a certain man surfaced. He was sentenced to be humiliated on the pillory and he had three young girls hugging his legs while he stood there. They were begging him to give up and return the burden of the sins to them.

But he insisted on shaming and flagellating himself for their misdeeds. Katachi remembered that man; he came to Mother Rin's church often and performed silent prayers for his children while mourning his wife. He was a silent and passionate man of few words, one whom Katachi looked up to as an idol.

K: (I must strive to be like him.)

With that back on the pillory in his mind, Katachi ignored the stares and continued walking towards Bertund's office.