Chapter 45: You Dare? (1/2)
The inco for each of the Student Council unnified steps echoed throughout the silent auditoriued the at
As she bowed and tucked her hair behind her ear, a roar of applause erupted as both ht the cheers would last a lot longer but as soon as Tess started speaking, it was as if each of the students in the crowd covered each others' mouth so that they could hear her voice
"My name is Tessia Eralith, and I am honored to stand here as this academy's student council president"
Murain cheered for our beautiful president Next to me, a scrawny human boy spoke excitedly to his friend beside hi about My older brother told me she's been on campus since last year as a direct disciple under the Director and will start for this year with us!" He leaned into his friend so only he could hear but the volume at which he spoke betrayed him
"Th-That means she was the first non-human to set foot on this campus Wait… she's only a first year and she's already the Student Council President? Is that even possible?" His friend, whom I couldn't really see, spoke louder and louder with each word, causing the neighboring students to hear as well
"Yeah, I heard of her as well! She's supposedly a super-genius of soht?"
"Why the hell is she so damn pretty when she's talented as well? This isn't even fair…"
"I wonder what I would have to do to get her to even look at me?"
The audience was filled with different talks about Tess but while, for the males, it revolved around how much of an unobtainable star she was, for the feoing crazy on top of e
"Kyuu~" 'Papa! That's Ma up and down so I picked her up and wrapped my arms around her
'Who's your Mah in defeat at her excite so I could see why she was so fond of her… but 'Ma attention to, firripped my arm with both of his hands as if he needed
"Woah," he repeated For how smart he looked, he sure acted like an idiot at tihtly nudged his head but it just bounced like a bobblehead toy
"…Art…I think I'ripped ine I was Tess
Okay, this is getting out of hand I released my bond to attack and she pro hi more from surprise than pain
"Oh, sorry…" With Sylvie still dangling on the crown of his head, Elijah let go of ain
As the crowd settled down enough for Tess to start speaking again, Director Goodsky silently disappeared
Tess spoke eloquently enough to surprise even me She was only thirteen, yet she had the ability to draw the crowd's full attention with her unadorned words filled with maturity She spoke about the principles of this acaderound where students should feel safe to walk freely around Tess emphasized the discipline one would face if anyone hurt another student outside of a consented duel
"While I iven the privilege to be inside the acadeer made it all too apparent to ainst the scholar e students I, for one, will not tolerate any sort of aggression or bullying based on the trivial fact that one is a scholar e student" Tess' voice never wavered as she stood behind the podiurew a little noisy at this statement, as everyone present had heard rue student
"Starting this year, while uniforms and the upper courses required eneral education, that contains a e classes will be mandatory, for better assimilation between the two different types of students After the two years are up, onea test, although it will be quite a difficult one" This last statest the students in the crowd While both Elijah and I didn't have to take a test due to my special connection with Director Goodsky, round, had to test for either a scholar et in as a scholarstudent only needed a basic foundation ofWhile they had to take a written exam to test their mental acuteness, the practical portion of the exae students, however, had a much stricter practical exa on whether they were a Conjurer or Augmenter It may have seemed like a cakewalk for someone like Elijah, Tess, or e for so student stepped up next, silencing the croith a wave of his hand
"My name is Clive Graves and I am your Student Vice President As the Presidentwith the assimilation and freedom to move between the two student types, there will also be no li a student can attend this academy While in the past, the professors here pushed students to graduate after four years, it is becoes' capabilities are beco less than satisfactory Therefore, the Director has declared that instead of a tiraduate from Xyrus Academy, one needs to fulfill a list of requireraduation exaraduate have becoraduate has increased to ten years In that ties in both theoretical and combat fields We welcome everyone here—humans, elves and dwarves alike—to this Acade him
The last part of the announcement wasn't exactly news for any of us It was announced quite recently though, whichto do with the new Continent Was this Acadees in case of a future battle against the new Continent?
"That's the firstborn son of the faet on his bad side," the boy next to ain, in a pointlessly loud volu up the ceremony, all the new students were dis out of the auditorium, my eyes unconsciously looked for Tess, but she was nowhere in sight Outside, the trees arched over thesmall showers of fall-colored leaves The students were all excitedly chatting a deeper within the campus to where the dorms were, I saw a few fe a double-take back at us and giggling with their friends
Elijah sighed "I feel like I beco when I' side-by-side, Sylvie pitifully patting Elijah's head from on top of mine
"Well, even if irls will have to eventually settle for you, right buddy?" I teased, giving him a playful wink
"Screw you" He hit h
Suddenly, a loud explosion startled the both of us as well as the students walking around nearby So at the end of the lances, Elijah and I shot off
"I don't see how a short-ass dwarf like you can even hope to be a proper Aug some weapons for real warriors like me?"
"What da hell didja say? Who do ya think ya are, anyway?"
I stopped running a good distance away and shookon It was just stupid posturing between two students The explosion had beenhis fist on a nearby tree with erous?" Elijah looked around where some of the students had to deliberately walk around the two of thest the last to leave the auditorium so most were already deeper within the campus or inside their dorms, so there weren't , soht up in the ht on the first day, right? Let's just go" I tried to nudgestudents
"Co to do besides unpack anyway! Let's just see how good they are Look, the hu at thee uniforms, but the human had two stripes on his tie while the dwarf only had one
"My name is Nicolas Dreyl! Declare the duel, short-ass, so we can start! Or are you all bark and no bite?" the hue pinned to his left breast
"Tch! Yer gonna be sorry" The dwarf that was a head shorter than his opponent with a bulky build looked aearing the blazer uniforiant battle-axe with ease told le stripe on his tie told us
The htly as the dwarf placed a hand on his badge and started chanting "I declare a duel between me, Broznean Boor, and Nicolas Dreyl!"