“That is Balder Class’s Seventh Squad! The current elites!”
After returning to Leon’s private office, Alisa’s voice rose sharply.
“Seventh Squad…even with students coming and going so often, it’s always a collection of impressive Combat Studies students.”
Of course, there were only as many classes in the School District as there were patron deities, and students were divided into squads within those classes. Due to the nature of the curriculum, there were always openings and new students. Squads were formed by deities and teachers picking students they thought fit best together—though on occasion, students who were wildly unbalanced in some regard were grouped together in hopes of a catalytic interaction.
The 7th Squad of the Balder Class was known for being particularly elite.
Lefiya had, for better or worse, been part of the 7th Squad as well during her time as a student.
“We don’t make any assignment decisions with that kind of intent, though. Regardless, students who belong to the squad invariably get worked up about its supposed history. As a result, it has unfortunately acquired a reputation as an elite group,” Leon said with a wry smile.
“It isn’t the elite squad part that bothers me! It’s an attitude problem!” Alisa erupted in annoyance. “Specifically that Luke Fowl! Really, he’s the only one who’s an issue! Even if he is older than you, Lefiya, I’m his senior in age and school year! If that’s the attitude he’s going to take, then he should be especially polite with me!”
Lefiya smiled awkwardly, able to tell Alisa had clashed with him many times now as prefect.
“But he…isn’t a problem child, is he?”
“Oh? Why do you say that?”
“Natalinoe…Nano and the others’ trust in him is impossible to miss. He is the leader of the squad, isn’t he?”
Alisa looked surprised, while Leon smiled.
Perhaps pleased to see how much keener Lefiya’s perception was now, he nodded in satisfaction and handed her the records and grades of the members of the 7th Squad.
“That is correct. Luke’s marks are excellent. I have no complaints about his work in written or practical courses, and it would be safe to say he is the best student with a sword. And above all, he is a hard worker. His chemistry with Alisa is poor, but he is trusted not only by his squadmates but by other students and teachers as well.”
Of course.
Even if there were an issue with his personality, Level 3 was not a realm that could be reached by superficial routes.
Even if Luke was cold, he appeared to be a respectable person…At the very least, he was better than some of the troublesome members of Loki Familia. Particularly Bete, and Bete, and Bete…
Though she could not understand why he looked at her like that.
“What did you think of them, Lefiya?”
“…There didn’t appear to be any discord in the squad. At least, I did not sense anything in their current state that would demand an outsider’s instruction. Nor any sort of problem that you might be concerned about.”
Thinking back to what had happened earlier, she gave her honest opinion.
Putting her hand to her chin, she decided to continue, even though it was nothing more than intuition.
“However, Luke came across to me as irritated…impatient.”
Perhaps he was disgruntled seeing everyone make such a big deal about an alum?
At the same time, it didn’t feel like such pointless envy was lurking in his eyes…
As Lefiya mulled over it, Leon didn’t indicate whether she was right or wrong.
That said, she suspected the smile on his lips was his answer.
“You are correct; it’s not something that rises to the level of a problem. But there is a latent powder keg that cannot help but explode at some point. And they are—or rather Luke is—harboring something that, while absolutely not mistaken, is also the reason he has become intractable.”
“Not mistaken?”
“Yes. Something that we teachers would ordinarily praise.”
Is that why they have their hands full with the Seventh Squad?
But…
“Couldn’t you reach out to these students, Professor Leon?”
If this was really a problem that even a teacher as capable as Leon could not handle, then what chance did Lefiya have?
As a troubled look crossed her face for the first time, Leon looked out the window. Outside was a bright blue sky and wide open sea that knew nothing of anguish or turmoil.
“Let us set aside the question of whether I could resolve this myself or not. There are two reasons why we thought to ask you to handle this instruction, Lefiya.”
“Two reasons?”
“Yes. The first is because we judged that, as an adventurer, your words would have more of an effect on them than us teachers.” Looking back, he met Lefiya’s gaze. “And as for the second, I was told that this would be for your own sake by none other than Lord Balder.”
“Me?”
“Yes. And I thought so as well. That you could become a guidepost for them, and they could be a light that can hold you back.” When Leon said that, he was clearly speaking not as a teacher, but as the individual, Leon Verdenberg.
Lefiya was visibly surprised, unable to understand what those words meant. But she could tell that he trusted her and cared about her future.
“In other words, just go smack that cocky Luke upside the head and give him a bloody nose, Lefiya!”
“That’s a little too much, Alisa…”
Lefiya could not quite manage a wry smile as her old friend leaned forward heatedly to offer her suggestion.
“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to let me know!” she said, letting her student council president persona shine through, even as Lefiya looked down at the profiles in her hand.
There were four sheets of paper with four student portraits. She stared into the eyes of the ashen-haired boy, who was listed as sixteen years old.
“I understand. I shall do as much as I can.”
Leon and Alisa both smiled at that.
✦ ✦ ✦
The next day, Lefiya’s instruction began in earnest.
Though it was not as if they would be going straight to Orario.
Even if she were instructing students who wanted to become adventurers, it would be beyond thoughtless to go straight to the Dungeon. She was responsible for their instruction, but she was also responsible for their lives, and she couldn’t let anything happen to them. Leaping right into a den of monsters without confirming the students’ true strengths first would be nonsensical from a safety standpoint.
The official Dungeon practical would begin in two days’ time. It wouldn’t be too late to take them then.
That was why the first order of business was training at school.
Nano fights from the rear as a mage, as expected. Miliria is an archer who covers the center, Cole is a knife-wielding scout, and Luke is an overwhelming frontliner…
They were in an arena hewn from valmars ore, a practice ground in one corner of the academic layer also used for interclass competitions. Lefiya was sitting in the stands while watching the 7th Squad go to work.
This was a Combat Studies lesson in the form of mock battles. The squads of Balder Class and Vár Class were taking turns fighting all around the field.
And the 7th Squad was dominating.
Wielding a longsword with a dulled blade, Luke tore into the enemy formation while a half beat later, Miliria and Cole, and then Nano wreaked havoc. The opposing squad could not hold out against a Level 3’s charge followed by waves of attacks.
“Drop back, Cole! You’re getting in the line of fire! Milly, come quickly! Plan Element! Nano, you give the signal with your magic!”
“Got it, Luke!”
Luke’s abilities, including his ability to give directions even from the front, were certainly impressive. He had good battlefield awareness, and the keenness of his attacks was head and shoulders above the rest of the students.
Meanwhile, just when it seemed they were a little too reliant on his ability to break through, Nano showed that she was a powerful cannon in her own right.
Their opponents were used to them from all their training sessions, so they had come up with several different strategies for dealing with 7th Squad, but even so, they couldn’t be stopped. In the blink of an eye, their defenses had been defeated.
Luke and Nano are certainly Level 3, but Miliria and Cole are skilled, too, coordinating closely while providing cover and support. It’s thanks to them that the squad doesn’t get split apart during combat. They clearly all trust each other. They make a fine party.
This was the current generation’s elite squad.
They could achieve far greater results in their four-man cell than split up among various Dungeon-diving familias. But as she came to that thought, Lefiya’s spirits flagged.
She could not help wondering where she got off analyzing them like that. As if she was so superior.
She was just middle of the pack in Loki Familia, if even that. Unable to endure the self-loathing, she again felt the urge to complain about Loki sending her here.
However, she also felt that she needed to adjust her perception of herself as a teacher.
“It’s difficult being an instructor…”
Realizing it again, she left the stands as the training came to an end.
First, a teacher had to work on communication to establish a better connection with her students.