204 – Confidence to miss the championship
After returning to the academy, I visited the president’s office.
Since I wasn’t the only one invited, there were quite a few people gathered. Cornette, the Dean of the Faculty of Magic, she invited all representatives to come here.
Of course, Yoo Sia was an exception. There are personal reasons.
When we got together, it turned out that only Cornet, the person involved, had not arrived. The representatives waited in silence, occasionally saying hello with their eyes.
A teacup that has not been touched by anyone. The ice inside occasionally floated and made a clear sound. The scenery outside the window is also quite peaceful.
The first to speak was Becky.
“I’ve been training to death recently…. “It’s been a long time since we got together like this.”
Becky’s words were not lies. In fact, the spirits of the representatives who met again after a long time were quite good. This is proof that he never neglected training.
“So why are we gathered together?”
When Maiev muttered that.
“I will explain it now.”
An ecstatic voice rang out. For an instant, it felt like the president’s office was brightening up. Probably everyone gathered here felt the same way.
The owner of the voice is Cornette.
Before we knew it, she had sat down and was staring at us from inside the strange station.
“… !”
Surprise flashed across the representatives’ faces.
In the past, I would have simply thought it was surprising and passed over it. But now that everyone has devoted themselves to training, they are even more aware of how great this is.
Is it just me who is as calm as usual? Cornette’s gaze, looking around, finally landed on me.
“First of all, Plan, how are you doing these days?”
“We still only deal with magic.”
“Good. “By the way, is there anyone you consider to be your competition these days?”
It’s a little different from Cornette’s usual attitude of simply saying hello. So, there was definitely some intention behind this question.
I answered honestly.
“There is nothing in particular.”
“Can anyone do it?”
“Yes.”
Then Cornette smiled happily.
“I thought you would answer that way. “It’s reassuring to check this attitude before having an important conversation.”
“Hey, President….”
Becky, who had been listening quietly, asked very carefully.
“Did we gather together because of an official letter from the imperial family? “It’s a war of heroes.”
“You were expecting it.”
Cornet nodded his head slightly.
“The Heroic Exhibition hosted by the imperial family was originally an event to determine sword prowess among knights, but this time, wizards were allowed to participate. “This is unusual.”
“I see… ? Why was it allowed?”
“For that, I have to say thank you to all the representatives. “Twice, three times, any number of times.”
Cornette continued calmly.
“It looks like there has been a slight change in government within the imperial family, and it seems to have quickly reflected the recent actions of the Faculty of Magic. What do you think, Miss Maiev?”
Maiev blinked when her name was suddenly called.
“Me?”
“Yes. Wizards were allowed to attend this important event. “I’m curious about how you feel.”
“Um…. “There’s something fun to see?”
“You’re still looking at it from the audience’s perspective.”
Cornette looked around at the representatives again.
“After checking, it seems that a lot of capital knights who are about to reach the level of swordsmanship are participating. Wizards who step in will compete against them.”
Becky, who was listening from the side, took a deep breath.
“Wow, a capital knight….”
“The problem is that all wizards think like Miss Maiev. “I think there’s something interesting to see, but I don’t dare participate.”
Cornette let out a deep sigh.
“Now that wizards are officially allowed to participate, ridicule will follow if no wizard steps forward.”
Maiev nodded.
“That’s definitely true. Even though it is allowed, they do not participate? It could be said that wizards are cowards who have been using it as an excuse to ban them from competing.”
“But I understand why most people are reluctant to participate. Because the name of the capital knight is so high. I also competed a few times before becoming president….”
The representatives widened their eyes at those words. The person who reacted the most was, of course, Becky.
“What is the combat power of the water and capital knights? “I guess we’ve never actually seen it.”
“At that time, all the monks were retired. Anyway, although it depends on who my opponent is, I rarely win. “I was a 5th rank wizard at the time.”
Cornette continued speaking with eyes filled with sentimentality.
“I have reached the 6th place, but now it is difficult to participate for other reasons. “It’s because of the title of president.”
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The president spread out his three fingers.
“There are three periods for a wizard.”
“Three periods?”
“Yes. When you are young, you are evaluated by the abilities of your teacher, when you are young, you are evaluated by your own skills, and when you get older, you are evaluated by the disciples you raised.”
The representatives nodded quietly.
“Now the time has come when I am evaluated not by my own skills but by the skills of my students. How about you guys try competing? “I dare recommend it.”
“Um, er, us?”
Becky stuttered over his words.
“Uh…. Is this correct? We’re not even the same students, and the stakes are too high to compete against a capital knight….”
“Of course it would be nice to win, but even if you lose, it is an experience. It is rare to find a wizard with experience in sparring with a capital knight. “It will definitely serve as a foundation.”
While Becky hesitated, Trixie opened her mouth.
“I will definitely go out.”
The blue girl’s remarks did not contain any impulsiveness. There is only the confidence that feels like you have thought about it enough.
“It doesn’t matter if I lose. However, in the eyes of the Gasols, he will not be seen as the head of the family who avoided fighting.”
The other representatives looked at Trixie with quite impressed eyes. It seemed like everyone was quite influenced by the matriarch’s resolute attitude.
Becky suddenly asked Cornette.
“President, but what happens if you become a hero?”
Trixie narrowed her eyes.
“… “There’s no way you’ll be a hero.”
“No, it’s not that I can do it, it’s that I’m really curious! “Our generation has never really seen a hero.”
Cornette smiled as she watched the two girls bickering.
“It comes with tremendous honor. Even better, that honor will not be limited to humans.”
“Uh, what does that mean?”
“Usually, other races show courtesy to heroes. “There will be more opportunities for interaction between species.”
Becky’s mouth dropped open.
“Wow…. Amazing. Then, based on the interactions we have had, we will become stronger. “It’s really amazing.”
There was some basis for Becky being so amazed. A hero who is said to be by far the strongest among humans. That seat of power has been vacant for the past several decades.
Cornette said.
“Now that I think about it, I guess you’ve never seen a hero. “Do you all know why?”
“I don’t know.”
“It’s because of the difference in skills between knights and wizards.”
Hero originally referred to the strongest among humans, but as the structure of only knights winning the championship was repeated, its meaning gradually faded.
To be precise, it has become lower than Geomseong (劍星).
“Sword Saint, High-ranking Knight, Capital Knight…. Rank among knights began to be considered more important. “The meaning of the competition between a wizard and a knight has been lowered.”
“Ah….”
The atmosphere became solemn.
All representatives are from the same generation. This is because they were all born and have lived in a dark age where it was natural for them to be ignored by knights.
Maiev asked cautiously.
“I understand that the current president is ranked 6th. “This is the highest level among human wizards, so isn’t it worth participating in now?”
“There are many capital knights, but I am the only 6th rank wizard. “The knight’s defeat will end as an individual defeat, but my defeat will remain as the defeat of the wizard as a whole.”
She spoke her words in a quite sincere tone.
“And of course there are other reasons.”
“Any other reasons?”
“Yes. Even if I reach 7th place, it would be unacceptable for me to participate. Because the president has the role of president. “The Academy is important to me.”
Everyone nodded silently.
Certainly, watching Cornette, I could feel his indescribable affection for the Academy. The kind of affection that can crush oneself as a wizard.
Cornette opened his mouth again.
“Anyway, I understand that everyone will participate. Thank you. Regardless of whether we win or lose, I sincerely hope that the representatives of the Faculty of Magic become even better.”
“Yes.”
“Yes!”
Everyone answered in unison. Since I was the only one who didn’t respond out loud, Cornette’s strange gaze turned to me.
“I’d like to hear Plan’s opinion as well.”
“I’m not confident.”
Then everyone’s heads quickly turned to face me. Even Dean Cornette tilted his head slightly.
“… “For what reason?”
“I have no confidence in losing the championship.”
Then, he exhaled deeply here and there. It was hard to tell if it was a sigh of relief or just a sigh. There were some guys who burst into laughter.
“As expected, it’s the usual flan.”
When Lewis said something, everyone burst into laughter.
That was the decision to participate in the Heroes’ War.