“You’re participating in this class, too…which means you have to practice like everyone else, right?” said Alfred. “Let’s see who can put the other person into a deeper sleep. You won’t try to run away, will you?”
If Rix took him up on it, Alfred would show him no mercy; if he didn’t take him up on it, he’d be made into a coward… Regardless, Alfred was clearly scheming to embarrass Rix in front of the entire class.
Nonetheless…
“A challenge? Sure, sounds good. Let’s do it.”
Rix casually accepted without a second thought.
Hmph, what an idiot. Little does he know that white magic is my forte. My Sleep spell is at a totally different level than even Annie’s. And there’s no way someone without a Sphere can beat me! Alfred gloated to himself.
“All right, then I’ll start,” he said. “Here I go! Close thine eyes and tranquility find!”
The next instant, Rix became engulfed in the mana that shot from Alfred’s fingertips.
“—?!”
Rix was assaulted by an overwhelming sleepiness, and his consciousness began to fade. He was bound to collapse at any moment…and just when it looked like he was about to fall over—
Stab! Gush!
—Rix had pulled a knife seemingly out of nowhere and stabbed it into his own thigh.
And naturally, a huge fountain of blood started gushing out of the wound like a horror show.
“Oof… Nice. Now I’m wide awake.”
“Whoaaaaaaaaaa?!”
“Eeeeeeeeeeek!!”
Immediately, the classroom flew into a panic.
“You’re good, Alfred,” said Rix. “But look—I resisted.”
“What the—?! What are you doing?! Are you stupid?! Did you need to go that far?!”
Alfred shrank away from Rix, who was grinning boldly.
“I can’t hold back when I’m faced with a challenge. Now it’s my turn…!”
Alfred was retreating in fear, when suddenly, Rix disappeared.
“What?!”
Before Alfred realized what was happening, Rix appeared behind him and had the boy in a chokehold.
“Eek?! Wh-what do you think you’re—?!”
“Close thine eyes and tranquility fiiiiiiiiind!” Rix screamed as he applied intense pressure to Alfred’s neck.
Slump… In an instant, Alfred lost consciousness.
“So this is the Sleep spell, huh? I see… Professor Ray was right; it’s a dangerous power that shouldn’t be abused… I’ll have to be careful.”
Rix admonished himself as he looked down at Alfred, who was foaming at the mouth with his eyes rolled back.
“I take my eyes off you for one second, and this happens…,” Randy said with a sigh.
“Ah-ha-ha-ha…”
Annie laughed nervously, and Professor Ray rushed over to administer a healing spell.
After one thing and another…Rix’s life at the academy went on, with no one ever really knowing what might happen next.
He solved everything by force, relying on his overwhelming physical abilities.
It was pretty much the exact opposite of what a mage should be—that is, walking the path of magic that manipulated the world’s delicate laws and logic.
Some days later during lunch break, in the luxurious student dining hall…
“At first, I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but I think I’m doing a pretty good job keeping up with classes!” Rix said cheerfully.
“Uh, no. You’re definitely not.”
As usual, Randy shot Rix down.
Rix and the others were sitting at the same long table where they usually sat. They had all lined up with their respective meals they had ordered and were in the middle of eating.
“What do you mean, Randy? So far, I’ve been able to accomplish every assignment the professors have thrown at me, haven’t I?”
“Yeah, sure. You’re finishing the assignments, but your methods are fundamentally different…”
Randy sighed and brought a spoonful of potato soup to his mouth. Rix was gnawing on some rye bread.
“But I wonder… Indeed, if Rix keeps on going like this, will he be able to become a mage?” Serephina asked as she neatly sliced some roast beef.
“Unfortunately, I think it’ll be difficult…,” Annie replied hesitantly and poked at her herring pie. “When it comes to the credit examination at the end of the semester, there’s really no getting around the requirement to actually use magic… And I don’t think there are any instructors who will be convinced by Rix’s usual methods…”
“I guess not. And he won’t be able to earn enough credits through classroom learning without practical skill.” Randy scratched his head, at a loss.
“Isn’t there some way I can become a mage, even if I can’t use magic?” Rix asked, dead serious.
“What the hell do you think you’re saying?”
“Urgh…so it’s hopeless as long as my Sphere isn’t open…?! In which case, it’s only a matter of time before I get expelled…! Please, everyone…don’t forget me… Never forget there once was a man named Rix Frestat at this academy…!”
“As if we could forget,” Randy quipped, sighing at Rix for what felt like the umpteenth time. “No chance, unless someone goes into my brain and erases my memories.”
“Precisely,” Serephina agreed.
“Have you made any progress with opening your Sphere anyway? If I remember right, you and Shino have been getting special instruction from Professor Anna after school,” Randy added before bringing a fork full of beans simmered with tomato to his mouth.
Peeking off to the side, some distance away, Rix could see Shino eating all alone at another table.
“Beats me! Our Spheres show no signs of opening!” Rix said, unconcerned.
“I—I see… I wonder what could be so different between us…? Even I didn’t have any real trouble with mine…,” Randy replied awkwardly.
Annie changed the subject. “But you know…Professor Anna is such a good teacher.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, for her to give you and Shino extra instruction after class every day, so patiently and earnestly… She has her own classes and research to worry about, and I don’t think just anyone would do that for someone else.”
“Oh, yeah, I guess so…” was Rix’s noncommittal reply.
“What’s wrong? You’re downright mumbling… Did something happen with her?” Serephina asked him.
“No, it’s nothing. Probably just my imagination. Argh, what should I do? If my Sphere never opens, then…”
“Worry not. Even if you can’t become a wizard, with your physical ability, you’ll find some way to make your living in the future. Perhaps as a mercenary,” said Serephina. “If you like, I’ll even hire you as a mercenary! What do you say?”
“No way.”
“You so flatly refuse?! Do you hate me that much?!”
Serephina despaired at Rix’s answer, her eyes filling with tears. Then—
“Hmph… You four are awfully chummy as usual. Licking each other’s wounds, are you?”
Suddenly, someone had started badmouthing Rix and the others.
When they turned around, they saw Alfred standing there.
“Well, I guess I should expect as much from some common folk playing at becoming mages. You have no serious principles nor convictions about learning magic. You think of magic as nothing but a tool for your own self-fulfillment,” Alfred scoffed. “The shallowness of commoners never ceases to amaze me.”
“What did you say…?!”
Unable to ignore the insult, Randy stood up and glared at Alfred.
“What? It’s the truth, no? And anyway…you’re actually happy, aren’t you? Now that there’s someone even lower than you? That’s the only reason you’re friends with an ordinary person like Rix, isn’t it?”
Not backing down, Alfred glared at Randy.
“What?! I’ll make you regret saying that!”
Randy was growing more indignant, but Alfred ignored him and looked over at Rix.
“Rix…I heard all about you. It seems you’re actually quite the swordsman, huh? They say you even took down a sea monster with nothing but your sword.”
“…”
“I’ll have to give you that one. Quite amazing. Yes, truly spectacular. Good boy, good boy. There can’t be many humans in this wide world who could take down a sea monster without magic. And yet…what a shame. They say a swordsman can never win against a mage.”
Randy and Annie gasped at Alfred’s scornful words.
“Hmph, based on your reactions…even you know enough about magic now to understand what I’m saying,” Alfred continued. “That’s right. No matter how much a swordsman hones their skills, they can’t hope to win against even the lowest-level mage. After all, the best a plain old swordsman can do is kill other humans or cut down some lowly monster… And that’s an undeniable truth. You may have faked your way through classes this far with your idiotic ideas and your raw strength, but if you and I were to have a real magical duel…you definitely wouldn’t be able to win. Actually, it should already be difficult for you to win even against Randy or Annie. Magical combat class will be starting soon…and I’m quite looking forward to it, Rix.”
Alfred looked down at Rix with a smug, triumphant smile.
“Zzz…”
But Rix had conked out, with a piece of bread still hanging out of his mouth.
“How dare you fall asleep when I’m talking to you?! Honestly, you never fail to find some way to tick me off!” Alfred howled, grabbing Rix by his lapels and shaking him awake.
“I-I’m really sorry… Your whole spiel was dragging on so long…”
“Hmph! Well, whatever. Just you wait and see; once we’re in magical combat training…I’ll make sure you understand what they mean when they say a swordsman can never win against a mage. I can imagine it now—you’ll be begging at my feet for mercy when I’m done with you. Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!”
Having finally said his piece, Alfred turned and left.
“Geez…what a jerk,” Randy spat.
“Indeed. He’s rotten to the core,” Serephina muttered.
Annie, meanwhile, did her best to console their friend. “Try not to pay him too much mind, Rix… I’m sure you’ll open your Sphere soon enough.”
But Rix had noticed that no one had tried to challenge what Alfred had said—that a swordsman can never win against a mage.
“A swordsman can never win against a mage,” huh…?
What could that even mean?
Rix thought it over as he gnawed on his bread.
Before long, the bell signaling the end of lunch break rang out across the school grounds.