“Professor Vanahilda speaks so gently that even an infant wouldn’t be hurt by her words… so that’s what that meant literally…”
It was breakfast time, just after finishing an hour and a half of Basic Physical Training, which had been shortened by thirty minutes compared to yesterday.
Hailga, who had experienced Vanahilda’s teaching for the first time today, spoke with her tongue hanging out in exhaustion.
Then, Pret spoke up in a cheerful voice.
“Aha! I never lie!”
He was one to talk, considering he was not only using a fake surname but had also disguised an information guild as a circus troupe.
I thought to myself how easily he could spout such shameless words.
As evidenced by Pret speaking up just now, the freshmen had ended up eating with us.
The seating was arranged so that Pret sat next to Yor and Svein sat next to Liolikin.
I suspected this was because I had previously pointed out to Svein that blatantly avoiding Liolikin was rude and told him to sit elsewhere if he was going to act like that.
“By the way, about Professor Vanahilda… didn’t her reaction seem a bit strange when I handed her that energy bar earlier?”
Since I was currently the only one who knew Pret was a liar, Reysir brushed off his comment and brought up a new topic.
The way he lowered his voice was quite cautious, showing that he wasn’t treating Vanahilda’s reaction as a joke.
‘He’s probably guessing there’s some story behind her and worrying about it!’
As expected of a webnovel protagonist, his meddling knew no bounds.
Although I knew the answer, I couldn’t say it, so I decided to just eat my meal in silence.
“That professor treats students like babies, right? So, maybe she was just moved because a ‘baby’ gave her something to eat?”
“That sounds completely ridiculous, but it also sounds so plausible that I feel weird…”
Liolikin had offered a guess that touched upon the truth while being slightly off the mark.
Hearing that, the worry that had appeared on Reysir’s face vanished in an instant, replaced by a look of bitterness.
“But don’t you think the training intensity is too merciless for someone who treats students like babies?”
Hailga spoke again, lifting her spoon.
Her hand was trembling, causing the spoon to vibrate along with it.
It had been thirty minutes since the Basic Physical Training lecture ended.
Even though she had stopped by the dormitory to wash off the sweat and change into clean training clothes, she was showing that her arms still had no strength because the training had been so grueling.
My condition was much the same, so I couldn’t help but sympathize.
To be honest, I had let my guard down when Vanahilda appeared at the dawn training session today.
I thought the intensity would be weaker compared to the Basic Physical Training lecture I took last semester.
But what do you know?
Once the lecture actually started, it was completely different from what I expected.
‘So it was possible to maintain that infant-care tone while still driving students to the brink of exhaustion…?’
The Martial Arts lecture hadn’t been this hard.
When I got tired while hitting the sandbag, I could step back for a moment, catch my breath, and then continue.
But the Basic Physical Training hour was different.
Rest was entirely at the professor’s discretion, and because of that, I had to hit my limits over and over again.
Furthermore, perhaps because the lecture was only an hour and a half, the few rest periods we did have were extremely short.
It was truly a nightmare.
“I thought it was just right. Feeling my muscles tremble all over makes me feel like I got a proper workout…”
Despite wearing weight bands weighing dozens of kilograms on his limbs and undergoing more intense training than the others, Liolikin seemed to like Vanahilda’s Basic Physical Training lecture.
Come to think of it, he hadn’t felt embarrassed at all by Vanahilda’s baby-talking tone; rather, he had reacted happily because he received frequent praise.
“Wow, Senior Liolikin is truly amazing! I have no strength in my limbs to the point that I’m worried about the next lecture.”
Pret naturally added his own words while praising Liolikin.
No one felt uncomfortable with his attitude.
“Ah! Come to think of it, the next one is a mandatory combat-related lecture, right? The one called ‘Practical Combat Techniques’…”
According to the syllabus, that lecture was centered around sparring.
Since it was a sparring format that utilized both Aether characteristic abilities and weaponry, it was only natural for Vigdis to have the following doubt.
“But Hailga and Senior Risi have only just decided on which weapons to use. They haven’t even started practicing with them yet, have they?”
“Yes. That’s why Senior Risi and I won’t be attending that lecture until next week. During that time, we’re going to learn weaponry from the professor in charge.”
Hailga’s expression as she replied was very dark.
It was impossible to master any weapon in just two weeks.
Having to spar while using an unfamiliar weapon and handling fire-attribute Aether at the same time was bound to make her look like that.
Even more so because her weapon was as difficult—or even more difficult—to handle than a whip.
“I heard Hailga’s weapon was decided as ‘wires.’ Is there a professor at our Academy who knows how to handle those?”
“I was told that Professor Skadi, who is in charge of Dagger Arts, will be teaching me. She said she would also take charge of my lessons outside of lecture hours.”
When Hailga gave this answer, Vigdis spoke up.
“Huh…? Isn’t that the same professor who teaches Kar the Whip Technique…?”
“Wait a minute, my main weapon is a dagger! So I naturally thought I would be learning from that professor. What exactly is going on?”
Pret ‘pretended’ to be flustered.
The reason I used the word ‘pretend’ in describing Pret’s reaction is that there was no way he didn’t know I had learned the Whip Technique from Skadi last semester.
Even so, for him to make such a fuss as if he were hearing it for the first time…
I suppose that’s a talent in its own right.
“Maybe the three of us will learn together, or we’ll learn separately on fixed days. I’m scheduled to meet Professor Skadi soon, so I’ll ask her what she plans to do and share the answer during lunch.”
Conversation ceased after those words from Hailga.
Even though the dawn lecture had been shortened by thirty minutes, there wasn’t a great deal of time to spare.
Moreover, we had to attend a lecture that would involve intense movement immediately after.
‘It’s better for gastrointestinal health and the cardiovascular system to finish the meal as quickly as possible to digest at least a little bit!’
In that sense, I had just finished my meal.
Thus, I patted Yor’s back and waited for the others to finish before we all stood up together.
Since this lecture was also held in the specially modified Small Lecture Hall, all of us except Hailga headed straight there…
In case any readers are worried about our dental health, here is a little bit of trivial information:
there was a separate vanity area in the dining hall where students could brush their teeth, and we used it.
Although hygiene in the actual medieval and early modern eras was filthy beyond belief, Korean webnovels usually only borrow the absolute monarchy and glamorous aristocratic culture of those times.
Thus, the nobles of this world were very clean and had a high sense of hygiene.
I suspect that’s why such facilities exist.
Stopping the idle chatter there and continuing the narrative, the Small Lecture Hall we returned to was not only cleaned but also empty.
In the early morning, various tools and equipment for physical training had been installed, but it seemed they had been cleared away while we were eating.
Checking the clock on the wall, it was five minutes before the hour.
After a short wait, a new professor appeared.
“Since this is our first time meeting like this, let’s start with introductions. I am Caldrun Isvald. I have mostly been called ‘Marquis Isvald,’ but I suppose you all will call me ‘Professor Caldrun.'”
In the original work before the remake, this person became close to Reysir after collaborating with him to defeat a Boss Monster in a Demonic Realm that appeared in the Isvald Marquisate.
His position was that of a ‘powerful supporter’ supporting character.
He felt a sense of rivalry and likability toward Reysir’s outstanding martial prowess and expressed unconditional support.
Whenever he got the chance, he would request a spar, and afterward, he would casually hand over things Reysir needed as payment for humoring him.
Since Caldrun had a lot of work to do as a Marquis, he did not join the protagonist’s party as a companion.
He played a role closer to a game NPC who gives quests, contacting Reysir occasionally to say things like,
Something has happened here and I need your help.
When it’s over, I’ll give you such-and-such a reward.
Since you’re here, spar with me once before you go.
‘Is it because he didn’t appear often and his role was useful in many ways? Caldrun survived for quite a long time for a character in “Nas-e”!’
However, did the author think his position overlapped with Fjodra’s?
Or did they decide he had to die after seeing comments asking when Caldrun would bite the dust?
When Reysir reclaimed his fief, Caldrun invited him to his own territory and spared no advice for the development of the fief.
Furthermore, he created connections with various business entities.
And after even providing investment funds, he lost his life.
‘Despite the setting that he possessed some of the greatest martial strength in the Empire, it was in a very hollow way…!’
The original protagonist didn’t even get to witness the moment of Caldrun’s death.
While Reysir was busy clearing a Demonic Realm in a foreign country after receiving a request for help, another Demonic Realm appeared in the Daudabina territory, which had just begun redevelopment.
Caldrun had rushed in to minimize the damage and died there.
“I have to handle the affairs of my fief and family, so I will only be staying at the Academy on Wednesdays. Keep that in mind.”
Dyuf was also the master of a territory, but the scale of work to be handled was worlds apart between a Barony and a Marquisate, just as the size of their land differed.
Furthermore, unlike Dyuf, who didn’t touch business at all, the Isvald Marquisate had several businesses that had been operating for generations.
‘I wondered if it was okay for a Marquis to be an Academy professor… but I guess Caldrun isn’t taking on general lectures.’
It seemed he was a specially appointed professor invited only for the Awakened Special Class.
“I need to check your skills first, so come forward one by one. First, Reysir.”
As expected of an original supporting character, Caldrun ignored the order on the Attendance Book and called the original protagonist first.
Reysir stepped forward and stood in the center of the hall, while the rest of us, including myself, sat on the benches installed along the wall.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. You won the last Bimu Tournament with overwhelming skill, didn’t you? And I heard you defeated Boss Monsters at the end of last year and again recently. They even said you took down the Boss Monster that appeared on graduation day in one shot. Is that true?”
“It is true, but I didn’t achieve it solely with my own strength. It was possible because of the help of many people, including Karbaldr.”
“Oh… I thought your pride would be touching the sky by now, so I planned to take you down a notch, but I suppose there’s no need for that.”
Caldrun showed a satisfied smile, as if pleased by the original protagonist’s humble answer.