— I would like to ask you for a favor, Director, — I replied, trying to phrase my request as precisely as possible.
Suga Tin was sitting in his office when he received a call from Trey. He had expected the young man to change his mind and finally agree to participate in the tournament, but the mention of a favor immediately piqued the director's interest.
— If it is within my power, I will do my best to help you. What exactly is your request? — Suga Tin asked with curiosity, staring at the wall in front of him. He could not see Trey, just as Trey could not see him.
— I would like to ask you to witness my duel, — Trey's voice came through.
Hearing the request, Suga Tin immediately began losing interest. He was already considering which dean he could pass this duty on to, but for the sake of completeness, he decided to first learn who the duel was against before refusing.
— First, tell me who your duel is against. And what does the winning side receive? — Suga Tin asked, doing his best to sound calm and disguise it as genuine interest.
— A duel against Samantha, princess of the light elves, and Cassandra, princess of the dark elves. If Samantha wins, she gets her sister, Keyrin, back. If Cassandra wins, I will swear loyalty to the matriarch of the dark elves, — Trey answered.
The moment he heard who the duel was against, Suga Tin's mouth fell slightly open in surprise. A flood of questions immediately surfaced in his mind, but he forced himself to discard them and focus on what mattered most.
— And what do you receive if you win? — Suga Tin asked with undisguised interest. He was genuinely curious what the princesses could possibly have placed on the line.
After a brief silence, Trey answered calmly:
— I get them.
— You get them? Who exactly? Could you explain in more detail? — The director's interest instantly shifted into shock. If he had understood correctly, then this was an unprecedented event: both princesses had agreed to something like this.
— I will receive Princess Cassandra and Princess Samantha under my command for the rest of their lives, — Trey replied.
A heavy sigh followed, after which Trey sent the magical contract over to the director.
If Suga Tin had not already been seated in his chair, he likely would have collapsed from what he had just heard. The two most popular and influential female stufon in the academy were offering themselves to a half-elf. This news alone was enough to cause an uproar not only within the academy, but far beyond it as well.
— Who proposed these terms? You, or them? — Suga Tin asked in shock.
If Trey had been the one to suggest such conditions, it would already have caused quite a stir. But if the princesses themselves were the initiators, then the world would never be the same once this information leaked out.
— Them. They came to me and both challenged me to a ranked match, — Trey replied calmly, as though he had expected this very question.
Suga Tin fell silent for a moment, processing what he had just heard, before quickly regaining his composure.
— Very well, I will help you. What time is your duel? — he asked.
Now he needed to cancel every scheduled meeting just to personally attend this match. Missing something like this was simply not an option.
— Five in the evening. Thank you for your assistance, Director, — there was a note of respect in Trey's voice.
— I will help you, but not for free. You must participate in the tournament this year and next year as well, — Suga Tin said.
He understood that another opportunity like this might never present itself again.
— Is there no other way? — Trey's voice came through.
He had no desire to participate in the tournament, much less twice instead of once. All he could do now was hope the princesses would prove useful enough to justify such terms.
— These are my conditions. If you disagree, you may ask the deans instead, — Suga Tin replied firmly.
He could have settled for only one tournament, but if there was a chance to gain more, why limit himself?
A brief silence hung on the other end.
— Fine. But this year I will only be a substitute. Next year, I'll participate fully, — Trey said in a resigned voice.
Suga Tin was about to object, since that had not been what he meant at all, but he quickly realized that, in truth, he could still drag Trey into the arena this year regardless.
A satisfied smile slowly spread across the director's face.
— Then I will see you at the arena. Good luck, stufon Trey, — Suga Tin said, visibly energized.
The day promised to become even more interesting.
Only a few hours had passed since the end of the third trial, and stufon Trey had already managed to find himself in fresh trouble.
The director could only wonder what else the young man would get himself involved in before the tournament even began.
I ended the call.
— Well, that settles that. All that's left is to visit a shop for a weapon, then we can head to the arena, — I said.
There was a strange feeling that I was being used, and the worst part was that I was willingly going along with it. It was irritating.
— What kind of weapon do you want to buy? — Keyrin asked thoughtfully, studying me closely.
— I'm thinking a sword. But I want to find a sword technique and move away from the style of the Kray Empire, — I replied, considering what weapon might actually suit me best.
— So you aren't even sure what weapon you want to use, — Keyrin said thoughtfully, tapping her elegant fingers against her chin without taking her eyes off me.
— Yes, but why are you asking? — I asked in confusion, not understanding why she was so interested in this.
— It is better to reach deep mastery of one weapon than to try grasping everything at once and only know the basics of each, Trey, — Keyrin replied seriously.
I shook my head slightly.
— I understand that. But since childhood, I was taught the fundamentals of the Kray Empire's swordsmanship. I can't simply throw all of that away without having something to replace it, — I answered, still watching Keyrin while trying to figure out which weapon truly suited me more after completing the first trial.
Keyrin seemed lost in thought as she examined me carefully.
Her violet eyes traveled over my body, causing a strange and unfamiliar sensation to stir inside me.
Walking around me in a slow circle, she asked me several times to raise one arm, then the other, as quickly as I could.
I obediently followed her instructions, still having no idea what exactly she was trying to determine.
After another test, Keyrin gave a small nod.
— You're not hopeless, but your reflexes are terrible. They're practically nonexistent, — she said calmly.
— Not hopeless for what, Keyrin? — I asked irritably, feeling more and more like some bizarre specimen being examined from every angle. It was starting to annoy me.
Keyrin tilted her head slightly.
— As you know, there are many styles and techniques for wielding different types of weapons, — she began explaining.
After a brief pause, as though carefully choosing her words, she continued:
— The strongest techniques are usually the property of clans, guilds, or those in positions of power. You compared various styles and techniques, but if we translate them into conventional ranks, then the Krey Empire's technique would be considered A-Rank, while everything you had been evaluating before was, at best, C-Rank, and more often D-Rank.
She paused briefly, then looked directly into my eyes.
— Unlimited talent is both a gift and a curse. And you have two of them. Without a proper technique, your mastery will one day simply hit a ceiling and stop developing. And when you finally find a technique truly worth learning, you'll have to start almost from scratch.
Her voice remained melodic, but there was unmistakable seriousness in it.
— That is why I recommend you not rush into buying something that will only be useful in the short term. It is better to focus on long-term development. Right now, you should prioritize magic. You already possess two techniques that allow you to attack and defend. As for a weapon and a technique to go with it, it would be better to choose those later—when you find something truly capable of unlocking your potential.
After finishing, Keyrin fell silent.
Her words made me realize just how much I had been rushing, trying to seize almost every possible opportunity to strengthen myself.
— Alright. Then what do you suggest? What weapon suits me right now as a mage? — I asked with interest, looking at the serious Keyrin as she thought for a moment.
— I think a round shield would suit you for close-range defense. If an opponent manages to close the distance, the shield will prevent them from immediately forcing close contact, while a medium-length sword will help you maintain distance and counterattack, — Keyrin answered after some thought.
— Why not a spear? — I asked in surprise.
After her mention of a shield, I had been sure a spear would be her next recommendation.
— Trey, halberds and spears are two-handed weapons. If you use them with one hand, you won't be able to bring out their full potential, — Keyrin explained calmly.
Then, softening her tone slightly, she added:
— But if you still want a spear, you may choose one.
From her own experience, she knew how difficult it was to abandon a familiar style or technique, but she also understood that it would be better for me to adapt as early as possible.
— Fine. Then let's check the shop on academy grounds first. If we don't find anything there, we'll head into the city, — I said, walking toward the door.
But Keyrin's voice stopped me.
— Wait. Are you carrying all your gold on you? — she asked in astonishment.
Turning around, I saw genuine disbelief on her face.
— Yes. Where else am I supposed to keep my money? — I asked, no less surprised by her reaction.
Covering part of her face with her hand, Keyrin let out a quiet laugh.
She had a pleasant laugh—one I was hearing for the first time.
Lowering her hand, she stepped closer and studied me intently.
Under her scrutinizing gaze, I developed the strong feeling that I had made some serious mistake somewhere, yet I could not understand what exactly it was.
— Perhaps I am looking at a future monster of this world. But for now, you are merely a small child who knows far too little about the world, — Keyrin said, looking at me with a faint smile.
Her words made me feel oddly embarrassed.
And why had she decided I was some kind of monster anyway?
— Let's go to the bank. Your money needs to be deposited for safekeeping, — Keyrin continued, heading for the exit.
Stopping at the door, she turned to look at me.
I was still standing there, staring at the place where she had been just a moment ago, as if trying to process her words.
— Are we going, young master? Or have you changed your mind already? — Keyrin asked with light amusement.
Shaking my head, I pushed aside the unnecessary thoughts.
It was still far too early to plan anything.
Just as Hes had said, I was still far too weak.
— Yes, let's go. I think you can look around for something too, — I said as I approached her.
Not waiting for any possible protest from her, I opened the door and stepped into the corridor first, stopping outside.
Judging by the expression on Keyrin's face, my words had clearly bothered her a little, but I chose to pretend I noticed nothing.
Once she came out, I closed the door, and together we headed off to do some shopping.