Chapter 17 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: A Lesson in Class
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The next morning.
After finishing breakfast in the dormitory cafeteria, Leo headed straight for the Hall of Beginnings, the first-year classroom building.
The very first major class of the day was Knight Studies.
As it was a provisional class, many students from other departments participated, not just those from the Knight Division.
With so many people, the class was split into sections.
In Leo's section were Chelsea and Karl.
Karl was actively using the provisional classes to get acquainted with the students from the Knight Division.
Chelsea, aspiring to be a combat mage, said she planned to take Knight Studies as her minor.
The students gathered in the training hall and waited.
Soon, Professor Ain appeared.
"I've already introduced myself, so I won't do it again. This is my assistant professor, Claria Livache."
Claria gave a slight bow.
Only a Lumerne graduate chosen by a professor could become an assistant professor.
They assist with classes and can even teach in the professor's stead if necessary.
Naturally, as a graduate of Lumerne, her skills were guaranteed to be elite.
Professor Ain looked over the students.
'Leo Flove, Celia Jerdinger, Duran Moira.'
A look of satisfaction crossed Professor Ain's face.
He had every reason to be pleased, with two student representatives and a top student attending his class.
"Students from the Magic and Summoner Divisions, please raise your hands."
More than half the students raised their hands.
Professor Ain nodded and pointed to Claria.
"You will go with the assistant professor. She will lecture you on how to apply magical and spiritual power to martial arts."
Ain gathered the knight students separately and began to speak.
"Today is the first class. Therefore, we will discuss the most fundamental aspect of Knight Studies: aura."
At Ain's words, the students' eyes lit up.
"Of the three powers derived from mana—aura, magical power, and spiritual power—aura is the most difficult to handle. Does any student know why?"
The first-years were stumped by the very first question.
The properties of aura?
Almost no one had ever given it much thought.
Usually, knights only worried about how to better sense mana and manifest a stronger aura.
Of course, not every student was clueless.
Celia raised her hand.
"Celia Jerdinger."
"Yes, Student Celia. Please answer."
"It's because aura loses the properties of mana during its conversion process."
"Correct."
Magical power is created by amplifying mana, and spiritual power is created by resonating the user's will with mana.
As such, they don't lose the properties of mana in its natural state.
Aura, however, is a power created by absorbing mana and processing it to fit the body.
In that process, it loses its natural fluidity and becomes fixed.
That is why it is so tricky to handle.
"Then, can any student explain the form in which we use the aura accumulated in our bodies?"
This time, even Celia was flustered.
The form in which we use it?
'How do you explain the form it's used in?'
'You just… use it by exerting your strength, right?'
They simply used it instinctively, as they had been taught, following the flow of their aura techniques.
There was no way to explain the form it took when used.
Of course, Ain hadn't asked the question expecting an answer.
What Ain was talking about was the basic theory of Aura Studies, a subject that hadn't existed at Lumerne until last year.
It was a course taught only at the Azonia Academy for Beastkin Hero Cadets, which Ain was planning to introduce at Lumerne this year.
So it was only natural that the first-years wouldn't know.
Just as Ain was about to explain, someone raised a hand.
Professor Ain looked pleased at the student who had bravely stepped forward.
Few professors disliked a student who presented their thoughts with confidence, even if they were wrong.
"Leo Flove."
"Yes. Go ahead and answer."
"We use the power of aura by combusting mana."
Ain's expression was one of surprise.
"Correct. Then do you also know what is most important when combusting aura?"
"Stamina."
"Impressive, Student Leo. Have you studied Aura Studies before?"
"No, I haven't."
"Then how did you know all this?"
"Because it's the most fundamental essence of aura."
People sometimes neglected the essence of the power they wielded.
Of course, one could use aura without understanding its essence or principles.
But there was a huge difference between knowing the properties of the power you use and not knowing.
Aura, in particular, was a power more influenced by the user's will than magical or spiritual power, and there was nothing better than imagery for drawing out the power of the mind.
"Excellent. Five extra points for Student Celia. And ten extra points for Student Leo."
Envious gazes from their peers fell upon the two.
"As Student Leo said, we use the power generated when we combust mana."
Professor Ain said seriously.
"Starting this year, I plan to incorporate Aura Studies into my classes to teach you first-years."
"Professor! What is Aura Studies?"
"It is the study of aura. It's one of the required courses at Azonia Academy."
The first-years' eyes gleamed at the mention of a new field of study.
"Then, since this is the first class, we will learn how to apply aura. Today's lesson is on the Aura Step."
The Aura Step is a technique that maximizes leaping ability by focusing aura in the legs.
'Aura Step, huh.'
Leo's eyes shone.
It was a conceptual technique that hadn't existed in Kyle's era.
"Anyone who possesses aura can learn the Aura Step. However, its effectiveness varies drastically with proficiency."
Professor Ain lifted his foot.
A silver aura flickered at the tip of his toe, and then he was standing on thin air.
The students gasped in admiration.
Professor Ain walked lightly through the air as he spoke.
"I will now explain the principle of the Aura Step."
Ain's lecture on the Aura Step began.
'The principles of aura manipulation aren't that different.'
Strengthening the body with aura naturally increases leg strength as well.
The Aura Step could be seen as focusing that physical enhancement on the legs.
While Ain was busy instructing the students, someone who appeared to be a messenger entered the training hall.
"Professor Ain. Professor Betes is looking for you and Assistant Professor Claria."
"Professor Betes? Understood."
Ain nodded and addressed the students.
"The assistant professor and I will be gone for a moment. Practice the Aura Step."
With those words, Professor Ain left.
"Leo. Want me to teach you the Aura Step?"
Celia approached with a sly grin.
Leo asked with an indifferent expression.
"Are you going to ask me to call you 'Young Lady'?"
"You think I'd be that petty?"
Celia crossed her arms and smiled sweetly.
"I was born before you, right? So if you call me 'older sister' just once, I'll help you."
"I'd rather not learn from you if it means dealing with that dirty pettiness."
"What? Is the student representative unable to even use the Aura Step? How pathetic."
Someone cut into their conversation.
Turning their heads, they saw Duran Moira, the top student from the central region exam, standing there.
Duran clicked his tongue as he looked at Leo.
"To think a guy like this is the year representative. I simply can't fathom Lumerne's standards."
"You have a problem with me being the year representative?"
As Leo stepped forward and asked, Duran's lips curled into a smirk.
"It's not a problem. I'm just lamenting the fact that a guy who can't even use the Aura Step is our representative."
Duran spoke with annoyance as he glanced at the other students.
"It's not just you. There are more than a few who can't use the Aura Step. I'm worried it will damage the dignity of the entire year."
A few students bristled at his words.
But they couldn't easily challenge him.
No matter what anyone said, he was the top student of the year.
He was undoubtedly one of the top ten most skilled among the nearly 500 first-years.
In response to Duran's words, Leo said.
"If you're aiming to be a hero, shouldn't you be the one to maintain some dignity?"
"Dignity? Are you lecturing me, a man of heroic lineage, on the dignity of a hero?"
The Knight-Duchy of Moira, which Duran belonged to, was a nation founded 50 years ago by the knight hero Dior Moira, known as the Golden Sword.
Having pursued the path of a hero since childhood, Duran was confident that he possessed stronger heroic qualities than anyone else.
"What does lineage have to do with being a hero?"
"It has everything to do with it. A hero is someone who is chosen."
"I see things differently. I think a hero is someone who never gives up."
"For the freshman representative to be spouting such idealistic nonsense… how pathetic."
"Aren't you the one getting a little too cocky, relying on nothing but your bloodline?"
"My lineage is merely an addition. What I truly believe in is something else."
"And what's that?"
"Skill, Leo Flove."
*Fwoosh-!*
In the blink of an eye, Duran closed the distance to Leo.
The other students marveled at his incredible speed.
It was a speed that ordinary students couldn't even dream of achieving.
But Leo just smirked.
"Not that fast."
"It seems I'll have to show you what class really means."
Duran grinned fiercely.
"If you're so confident, how about a race to see who's faster?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Duran Moira. Do you really think a race to see who's faster with someone who hasn't even learned the Aura Step makes any sense?"
Celia interjected with a frown, and Duran responded as if this was the perfect opportunity.
"Celia Jerdinger. There was something I wanted to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Why did Leo Flove become the year representative?"
"How should I know?"
"It's because the top students from the west were pathetic that this guy stood out, isn't it?"
Chelsea, who had been among the minor students who had gathered to see what was happening, stepped forward.
"Did you just call my brother pathetic?"
"I only stated a fact, Chelsea Llewellyn. I had high hopes for the two great heroic houses of the Rodern Empire, but to think they'd let a guy like that take the representative spot. Frankly, I'm disappointed."
Celia smiled coldly.
"You seem quite bitter about not becoming the student representative, don't you? But have you ever considered that the only reason you didn't get the spot is because you were simply pathetic?"
"If I had been in the same exam hall, this guy never would have become the representative."
Duran said with a confident tone and an arrogant expression.
"The only reason this guy became the year representative is because he was lucky."
"Let's go, Leo. There's no need to listen to such nonsense."
"Right."
Agreeing with Celia, who could be called her rival, Chelsea pulled down the skin beneath her eye with her left finger and stuck out her tongue with a 'bleh!'
"To think he's being protected by girls."
The students from the central region in Duran's faction jeered.
Leo chuckled.
"I accept that challenge."
"Leo!"
Celia said reproachfully.
"It's hard to ignore him when he's going this far, right? Besides."
Leo bared his teeth in a grin.
"Guys like this need to be shown what class really means."
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