Clap!
"Well then!"
Johnston brought his hands together.
The sound interrupted my thoughts.
His pleasant smile had returned, and he looked almost delighted with himself.
"Since we've reached an understanding, Kamrik, I believe there's only one appropriate way to settle this little disagreement."
I stared at him.
"...What?"
"I am formally challenging you to a duel."
The words hung between us.
For a moment, even the heat beneath my skin seemed to hesitate.
A duel?
Johnston sighed, shaking his head as though he'd been forced into making some terribly regrettable decision.
"Surely you understand that fighting outside sanctioned grounds is against academy regulations."
...
Said the bastard who'd just punched me through a table.
"While I would dearly love to settle this here and now," he continued, "I'd rather not have either of us subjected to unnecessary disciplinary action."
He spread his arms.
"So we'll do things properly."
A few students murmured in agreement.
Johnston smiled wider.
"A formal duel, under academy supervision, of course."
He adjusted his sleeve.
"I'll submit the challenge. Three days from now should be sufficient for the arrangements."
Three days?
"All you need to do is show up," he continued. "Unless, of course, you've suddenly lost your nerve."
Thomas clicked his tongue.
"You arrogant piece of..."
"Thomas."
Flake caught his arm before he could move.
Thomas pulled away but remained where he was.
Johnston regarded him with a satisfied smile before returning his attention to me.
"I trust that won't be a problem, Kamrik?"
I said nothing.
Apparently taking my silence for agreement, Johnston gave a small, graceful bow.
"Excellent. Then I look forward to seeing you there."
And just like that, the atmosphere changed.
Students began drifting back toward their tables, some disappointed that the confrontation hadn't turned into a fight, others visibly relieved.
A few complained about having wasted their lunch break.
The show was over.
At least, that was what everyone seemed to think.
I stood there, staring at Johnston.
My fists slowly unclenched.
Even Bloodrend seemed momentarily confused, the hunger beneath my skin faltering as though someone had promised it a meal only to snatch the plate away.
A duel.
Three days of waiting.
Academy supervision.
Rules.
All so this snake-eyed bastard could spend another three days walking around with that disgusting smile on his face.
"Hah."
A strange laugh escaped my throat.
Johnston paused.
"...What's so funny?"
"Heh... hehehe..."
I lowered my head, gripping the side of my face.
Then...
"HAHAHAHA!"
I burst into laughter.
Gods.
This was hilarious!
A duel?
He wanted a fucking duel?!
Johnston looked down at me with renewed disgust.
"You truly are a difficult creature to..."
"Bullshit."
His smile faltered.
"Excuse me?"
"BULLSHIT!"
My voice tore across the cafeteria.
The students who had started dispersing stopped.
I took a step toward Johnston.
"You think you can call for a duel and then walk away?"
His visible eye narrowed.
"That is how matters of honour are settled, you uncultured..."
"Shut your fucking mouth."
His expression froze.
I barely heard Flake shifting nervously behind me.
My attention remained fixed on Johnston.
That face.
Those disgusting lips, still curled into the faintest trace of a smile.
Gods, I wanted to wipe it off.
"You think I'm going to wait three days for the privilege of beating your ass?"
I stepped closer.
Johnston straightened.
"Watch your tone."
"Or what?"
I spread my arms.
"Going to punch me again? Come on, Snake Eyes."
I grinned.
"Fucking try it."
He didn't move.
Neither did his two subordinates.
Bloodrend pulsed beneath my skin, urging me forward.
"Listen carefully, Johnston."
My smile widened.
"I'm going to rip those damn lips right off your face."
Someone gasped.
"And then I'm going to drain you for all you're worth."
My fingers curled into fists.
"Every last bit."
Johnston's slit pupil contracted.
"You..."
"And you know what the best part is?"
I leaned forward.
"I'm not waiting for your stupid fucking duel."
Another step.
"I'm going to do it right here."
I grinned.
"Right now."
The crowd began backing away.
A few students pulled their friends with them. Someone stumbled into a chair, while Johnston's two companions edged farther from their master.
The excitement from earlier had vanished.
Nobody looked particularly eager to see a fight anymore.
They were looking at me like I was something they needed to escape.
"Kamrik...?"
Flake's voice came from behind.
"Kamrik, come on. We don't have to do this."
His hand brushed against my shoulder.
I shrugged it off without looking.
Flake stumbled, and I heard Thomas catch him before he fell.
"Watch it, you bastard!" Thomas snapped.
But I wasn't listening.
Because Johnston's smile...
It was gone.
Completely.
His jaw had tightened, and for the first time, his expression wasn't filled with contempt.
There was something else there.
Uncertainty.
Fear.
Oh?
My grin widened.
"What's wrong, Snake Eyes?"
I tilted my head.
"Where'd that pretty little smile go?"
"Y-You..."
Johnston swallowed.
"Have you completely lost your mind?!"
"Maybe!"
I laughed.
"Maybe I have!"
The heat in my chest surged again.
Bloody's laughter rang through my ears.
"Yes! That's it, maggot! Tear him apart!"
Bloodrend strained beneath my skin. Every pulse sent another rush of anticipation through my body, and the ache along my arms was becoming almost unbearable.
Johnston was so close.
I could feel the blood moving beneath his skin.
His pulse.
The quickening beat of his heart.
The sensation was almost intoxicating.
"Kamrik!"
Thomas stepped forward, electricity snapping between his fingers.
"That's enough, you crazy bastard!"
I ignored him.
One more step.
Johnston retreated.
Only half a step.
Barely noticeable.
But I saw it.
And gods, did that feel good.
"You hear me, Johnston?"
I pointed directly at him.
"When I'm finished with you, you won't have a damn thing left to smile about!"
"Kamrik, stop!" Flake shouted.
His words barely registered.
Mana rushed toward my fingers, and the blood beneath my skin throbbed in anticipation.
"And when I'm done..."
My voice rose.
"YOU'RE GOING TO BE BEGGING ME AFTER."
Johnston's face went pale.
I lunged forward.
"YOU HEAR ME?! I'M GOING TO..."
A hand clamped over my mouth.
"MMMPH?!"
My entire body went rigid.
What?
When?!
I hadn't heard anyone approaching.
Hadn't sensed so much as a flicker of mana.
One moment, I'd been about to finish my sentence.
The next, someone was standing behind me with a hand firmly covering my mouth.
"My, my."
A pleasantly familiar woman's voice sounded beside my ear.
"Such frightening things coming out of that little mouth of yours."
My eyes widened.
Oh.
Oh, fuck.
"I think that's quite enough, Kamrik."
Her voice remained gentle, almost affectionate.
"Another word, and we might have a rather unpleasant problem with the academy's rules."
Her fingers pressed a little more firmly against my mouth.
"And we wouldn't want security taking you away before you've even had lunch, now would we?"
...
Security.
Right.
The rules.
A distant part of my mind finally remembered the rather important detail I'd somehow managed to overlook.
The Headmaster was watching.
He was always watching.
And if I'd finished that sentence...
A cold sensation ran down my spine.
Oh, shit.
Before I could think any further, another hand caught the back of my uniform.
And lifted.
Just like that.
My feet left the floor.
"MMMMPH?!"
I dangled helplessly in the air.
A grown man.
A Vanguard student.
A mage who'd been seconds away from doing something spectacularly stupid.
Currently being held by the scruff of his uniform like a misbehaving kitten.
I twisted my head indignantly.
And found myself staring into a familiar black blindfold.
Tias.
Grand Professor Tias.
Of course.
Who else?
Her lips curved into that familiar, gentle smile.
"Honestly, Kamrik. I leave you alone for one morning, and look what happens."
"Grand Professor Tias!"
Someone shouted.
Then the cafeteria erupted.
"That's Grand Professor Tias!"
"What is she doing here?!"
"Is that really her?!"
"Quick, bow!"
Chairs scraped against the floor as students hurriedly stood.
Then, almost as one, the surrounding crowd lowered themselves onto one knee.
Even Johnston.
His earlier arrogance had vanished completely.
Thomas and Flake were kneeling too.
Flake looked absolutely bewildered, his orange eyes darting between me and the woman holding me in the air.
Thomas, meanwhile, seemed to be trying to solve an equation with no possible answer.
From every direction came the same greeting.
"Greetings, Grand Professor Tias!"
The sound echoed through the enormous cafeteria.
...
Holy shit.
I'd almost forgotten what kind of reputation this woman had.
Even if it was all fake.
She was a Grand Professor.
A tier-seven mage.
Someone who'd taught at Valthrune for decades.
Meanwhile...
I was still dangling from her hand.
Could this day get any worse?
Tias looked over the kneeling students with her usual pleasant expression.
"Oh, goodness. There's no need for all that."
She waved her free hand.
"Please, everyone, carry on. You're supposed to be enjoying your lunch."
Nobody moved immediately.
A few students exchanged nervous glances before gradually getting back to their feet.
Not that anyone returned to eating.
Their attention remained fixed on us.
Or, more specifically...
On me.
The idiot currently suspended in the air by one of the academy's most powerful professors.
...
Wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful.
I cleared my throat.
"Prof..."
Chop!
"Ow!"
A sharp strike landed against the back of my neck.
I jerked forward.
"What was that for?!"
Tias smiled.
"That's Master to you, young man."
...
Silence.
Johnston stood frozen in place, his face several shades paler than before.
His slit pupil trembled.
"D-Did you say... apprentice?"
Tias turned toward him, her familiar smile still in place.
"Oh? Why, yes, I did."
She released her grip on my collar.
Unfortunately, she neglected to consider the fact that I was still suspended several feet above the ground.
Thud!
"OW!"
I landed in an undignified heap beside the remains of the table Johnston had punched me through.
Seriously?!
Did this woman have something against putting people down normally?!
Tias continued as though nothing had happened.
"Kamrik here will be my very first apprentice since I began my teaching career at Valthrune."
Her smile grew a little wider.
"I'm quite excited to see how he'll develop. I do hope you'll all become wonderful Pathfinders alongside him someday."
Nobody spoke.
Not Johnston.
Not Flake.
Not even Thomas.
And certainly not the students gathered around us.
Honestly, I understood their surprise.
An apprenticeship under a Grand Professor wasn't something you simply applied for.
Especially not one under Tias.
She was one of the most renowned mages in the western nations, a tier-seven powerhouse who'd spent centuries refining her craft.
There were noble families willing to sacrifice a considerable portion of their wealth for the chance to have one of their children study under someone of her calibre.
And now she'd casually announced she'd taken an apprentice.
Her first apprentice.
Ever.
And that apprentice was...
Me.
The former Studies student who'd just threatened to tear someone's lips off in the middle of the cafeteria.
...
Yeah.
I could see why everyone was having trouble processing that.
As the realization settled in, their attention shifted toward me.
I dragged myself upright, brushing splinters and bits of food from my uniform.
My poor uniform.
It hadn't even survived its first day.
I rubbed the back of my aching neck.
"Seriously, why'd you have to drop me like that...?"
Tias planted her hands on her hips.
"Now, Kamrik."
Uh-oh.
That tone.
I knew that tone.
"Didn't I tell you we were supposed to have lunch together in my office?"
I blinked.
Then frowned.
"...Did you?"
Chop!
"OW!"
This time, she struck me directly on the forehead.
I staggered backward, clutching my head.
"What was that for?!"
"Are you questioning your master's words, young man?"
She tilted her head.
Her smile hadn't changed.
Somehow, that made it worse.
"I-I was just asking!"
"Oh?"
She tapped a finger against her cheek.
"Hmm. Well, if you have so much energy to cause trouble during your lunch break, perhaps we should put it to better use."
...
What?
Why did I suddenly have a terrible feeling about this?
Tias turned toward Johnston.
The snake-eyed bastard visibly stiffened.
"Now then, young man. I believe you mentioned something about a duel?"
Johnston swallowed.
"Y-Yes, Grand Professor."
"Wonderful!"
She clasped her hands together.
"Then Kamrik shall accept your challenge."
...
Huh?
HUH?!
I whipped my head toward her.
"Wait, who said I was..."
"Three days from now should be sufficient, wouldn't you agree?"
Johnston stared at her.
His mouth opened, then closed.
For the first time since he'd approached our table, the bastard seemed to be struggling to find his words.
Tias continued cheerfully.
"I'll personally oversee the arrangements and sanction the duel in my capacity as Grand Professor."
Her smile widened.
"I'm sure it'll be a wonderful opportunity for both of you to demonstrate what you've learned."
Johnston's expression shifted.
For a brief moment, I caught something beneath his obvious terror.
Calculation.
Of course.
He'd come here intending to humiliate me, only to learn that the person he'd challenged was the personal apprentice of one of the academy's most powerful professors.
And now that very professor had agreed to oversee our duel.
He couldn't exactly withdraw without embarrassing himself.
Not in front of this many people.
"Y-Yes, Grand Professor."
He bowed stiffly.
"I would be honoured."
"Excellent!"
Tias clapped her hands.
"Then it's settled!"
...
It was?
Since when?!
I opened my mouth to object.
Unfortunately, Tias was faster.
Again.
Her hand caught the back of my uniform.
And...
Yoink!
"HEY!"
My feet left the ground.
Not again!
"Now then, everyone!"
Tias addressed the cafeteria as though she weren't carrying a grown man by the scruff of his neck.
"Please return to your lunches. You've all had quite enough excitement for one afternoon."
She gave the gathered students a pleasant wave.
"And do remember to eat properly! Your midterm examinations are coming up next month, after all."
Several students immediately straightened at the reminder.
Oh, right.
Midterms.
That was something else I had to worry about.
As if my life wasn't already complicated enough.
"I'll be seeing you all again soon!"
With that cheerful farewell, Tias turned and started walking toward the enormous bronze doors.
Still carrying me.
Still holding me in the air like some kind of disobedient housecat.
I sighed.
At this point, struggling was probably a waste of energy.
Behind us, the crowd slowly began to disperse.
Whispers returned as students tried to make sense of everything they'd just witnessed.
Johnston remained beside our ruined table, his two subordinates hovering behind him.
Flake stared after me, his mouth slightly open.
Thomas looked like he wanted to say something.
Several things, probably.
None of them particularly pleasant.
I raised a hand toward the two of them.
Well...
At least I'd managed to make an impression.
Whether that impression would lead to friendship remained to be seen.
As Tias carried me farther away, I let my gaze wander across the cafeteria one last time.
And there, beyond the retreating crowd, I spotted a familiar tuft of white hair.
Sora.
The Hero was still sitting at his table.
Still eating.
He hadn't stood up or joined the crowd.
He hadn't even bothered to look particularly interested when one of the academy's most renowned professors announced her very first apprentice.
His attention remained on his lunch.
...
Seriously?
Not even that?
I stared at him for another moment.
Then Tias carried me through the bronze doors, and the cafeteria disappeared from view.
Apparently, becoming the first apprentice of a Grand Professor still wasn't enough to make the Hero give a damn about me.