"...yes, the headmaster is in. Go ahead."
The secretary seated behind the desk next to the door to the headmaster's office nodded his head at the advanced swordsmanship teacher from over all of his paperwork and said encouragingly.
"Thanks."
The other man nodded, approaching and opening the door casually…
"...you should still knock, tho…"
*wham*
The secretary furrowed his brows and pointed out, but the advanced swordsmanship teacher had already entered the headmaster's office and shut the door rather rudely…
"...?"
"?"
The headmaster wasn't alone in the office. He was accompanied by the Academy's Guardian in his human disguise, and both of them turned and stared at the advanced swordsmanship teacher in front of the door as he leaned against it and then slid down to slump on his butt, his face losing composure and turning ghastly pale.
"I… I had a gut feeling that the giant gate would be a problem, so I used my sword intent to cover it up. That's… that's why there was no actual damage done to the students or the academy when whatever was on the other side howled."
The man started speaking unprompted, while trembling and having obvious trouble breathing.
"But… But that kid…! He… He ripped MY SWORD INTENT together with the gate so easily…! So easily, as if it was a single piece of wet paper…! I…! I AM A SWORD EARL FOR HEL'S SAKE! HOW!? HOW DID HE DO IT!?"
The more the man spoke, the more bloodshot his eyes got, and he ended up losing his temper and raising his voice into a high-pitched shout.
"..."
"...are you saying that you didn't recognize the origin of his attack…?"
The headmaster and the Guardian exchanged rather loaded looks before the headmaster focused back on the advanced swordsmanship teacher and inquired.
"I…! I… I'm not sure… It was cold, but I don't think it was something from the Essence of Winter… the attack came from the outside, so it definitively wasn't caused by whatever was behind that gate… that's why I'm certain it was that kid's doing…"
"...?"
The teacher flinched before blinking a few times and slowly regained his cool as he started speaking, making the headmaster raise his brow, intrigued.
"..."
"?"
For a moment, the teacher stopped talking and only stared at the Academy's Guardian, making him tilt his head in confusion.
"Also, the attack that ripped both my sword intent and the gate apart DIDN'T carry any traces of gedwyld, so… after all, maybe it was a fae's doing…?"
The teacher spoke up, but it seemed he was more asking the Academy's Guardian who WAS the Great Fae of Nature, than actually making a point himself.
"In your opinion, the attack couldn't come from Swordsmanship magic system?"
The Guardian asked.
"Wha…? N-no? Was that it?!"
The teacher stared at him in pure shock before uttering, sounding and appearing completely at a loss.
"Because in my opinion, that move bore similarities to your magic system… but it was on the level of how an ocean bears similarities to a lake, though."
"!?!?"
The Guardian spoke up with a shrug and a smirk, while his words caused the advanced swordsmanship teacher's eyes to bulge out of their sockets.
It took a while for the advanced swordsmanship teacher to calm down. His hands were even shaking during his usual evening drink that he shared with a few colleagues in the staff-only break room.
What he did decide on, though, was to gather all of his disciples the next day and warn them to never, under any circumstances, even as much as attempt to stir trouble with Rotsard Vallhall.
Of course, that advanced swordsmanship teacher was also a man of principle and honor, so he did inform others about the danger… although he was pressured by the headmaster and especially by the Academy's Guardian, to not go into any details as to why Rotsard should never be messed with…
…which meant that only his closest friend, his rival, and a fellow advanced swordsmanship teacher all in one person, took his words seriously.
She was most likely going to do the same thing and warn her direct disciples…
Before anyone knew it, the next day arrived. Some plans have changed, and the advanced swordsmanship teacher was standing in front of a group of students from across different years and classes, all of whom he personally picked because of their potential and talent. The gathering was not at the break of dawn, like usually, but during the lunch break.
"...where is Henry…?"
After only a glance, the man realized that someone was missing and asked about it while raising his raised brow.
"Sorry, teacher, Young Lord Treedor said he got something very important to do. Probably some family affair."
A tall sixth-year student raised his hand and spoke up, trying a bit too hard to sound casual…
"I don't care. Go get him."
"N-no, teacher, I'm serious… It's like… an affair involving a member of one of the five great families… I… I can't…"
The teacher scoffed and motioned at the main building with his chin, but the students he ordered turned ghastly pale and started shaking his head as he stuttered.
"Haaaa… You're more talented and hardworking than him but you can't really get out of his shade and do everything he tells you, huh?"
"M-my family has been serving the Treedor family for generations, teacher… Please try to understand…"
The man let out an annoyed sigh before scoffing at the student in an attempt to stir up some of his fighting spirit, but the youth merely backed off and put up his shoulders defensively while muttering a complaint.
"Tsk! That guy must be hitting on girls anyway! Whatever, just make sure to pass on to him what I'm about to say…"
The teacher clicked his tongue, shaking his head in great annoyance before waving his hand dismissively and nodding, more to himself than to his disciples.
…and then, no longer than five minutes later…
"...t-teacher…!"
After listening to the warning and explanation, the same sixth-year student who was speaking for his missing friend, raised his trembling hand as the look in his eyes grew panicked.
"What? Don't tell me you already messed with that monstrosity!?"
The teacher furrowed his brows and asked only to flinch and let out an alarmed gasp.
"N-not me…! Teacher…! Teacher, student Treedor did ditch this meeting to hit on a girl…!"
The youth shook his head, and it seemed he ended up selling out his friend.
"Then he will get an extra hour of practice duel with me."
"No, teacher! He…! He said that since the obstacles are gone, he can finally woo Mira Vultress!"
The teacher shrugged his shoulders and dismissed the issue, but then the student dropped the most horrifying information that caused every other student to turn just as pale as he.
"...I don't… Mira Vultress…? That's not Leona's pupil, right…? Who is she? Why does she sound familiar?"
The man shook his head and muttered with a grumpy expression as if he wasn't really fond of straining his memory.
"She's Rotsard Vallhall's fiancee!"
"!"
But when he received the proper explanation, the teacher's eyes bulged out as he also turned ghastly pale.
"WHAT ARE YOU ALL WAITING FOR!? FIND HENRY!"
Within the same heartbeat, the advanced swordsmanship teacher was already shouting commands while running back to the main building, and the students followed with only a second or two of delay.
"FIND HIM! FIND HIM! FIND HIM! FIND AND STOP HIM AT ALL COST! EVEN BY FORCE! KNOCK HIM OUT COLD IF YOU HAVE TO!"
The man roared and stormed into the building while his disciples split up to cover as much ground as possible in their search.
All of them were greatly concerned… especially the newest addition to the roster, a commoner student named Justin…