This is messed up. Today’s my first day as a homeroom teacher, and they’re already doing rank duels: Luke and Abel, the top of the class against the bottom. This fight’s only going ahead because they just arrived. I sort of got carried away and gave them permission to duel without checking first, and, man, did I get shouted at for it…but I don’t have a single regret. I mean, they were both amazing! Their duel was just awesome, totally nuts! I mean…they fought with swords, y’know?! Both of them! Luke pulled out his sword, and I had no idea what was going on. And Abel fought with enhancement magic stacked on himself… That kid’s a total mystery. He really is amazing, though I feel like he’s still getting kicked around by his own spells a bit. His movements are too direct, and there’s no mana in his sword just yet. He might be able to make up for that with magic tools someday, but he’s never going to win without any Anti-magic to cut through spells. He absolutely needs that if he’s going to make his style of swordsmanship work. Yeah, there’s a lot for him to work on…but I’m really looking forward to it. Maybe Abel and Luke are going to change the accepted wisdom that magic users are only meant to fight with their spells. Like, they could be spell-swordsmen maybe?
Luke is…just incredible. Really, truly something else. The one real advantage Abel had over him was his speed—I couldn’t even keep track of him myself. If I were Luke, I think I’d try and attack him with some long, wide-ranged spell. Most people with the Dark element would do the same, probably. Doesn’t matter how fast you can go if there’s nowhere to run.
But Luke…he kept it simple, fighting with his sword! He didn’t even enhance himself at all! I really have no clue what he was doing. I don’t know the first thing about swords, but even I could see how talented he was. Then there was that Dark spell he used right at the end! That thing was so incredible, it made my mind go totally black for a second! Big Sis told me that Dark was an element that absorbed. Sure…but I never thought it’d be so powerful! I was so smitten by it, I didn’t even think to manipulate my mana to resist him, and he sucked me half dry. He broke all the magic tools that were deploying Magic Barriers around the arena too. I think I understand why Big Sis is so obsessed with him now. I mean, he’s so special, you can’t help but notice it at a glance.
Uh-oh…I also completely failed my quest to be an approachable homeroom teacher. I’ll be going with the “cool instructor” character this year too.
How…depressing.
☆th of ○○
A few days have passed since classes started. Everything’s going really well, to be honest. Seems like the students are getting along in the dorms too. Though the hierarchy system means they’re all rivals, they do need to work together as classmates too, I suppose. They’ll never beat the upperclassmen if they don’t actively share information with each other so they can all better themselves. Well…I suppose there are exceptions to the rule every year, though.
Anyway, Mia and Lloyd’s rank duel is coming up tomorrow. It’s the first official freshman duel that the public is going to get to see. I bet they’re both nervous…I wonder if there’s anything I could do to help. Honestly, I’m not actually in favor of rank duels for first years. In my opinion, it’d be much better if they could begin in second year. These students need to grow up a bit first, y’know? Plus, that would probably cut down on the number of transfers in the first year.
Sadly, though, I’m not in any position to change the systems of this academy. So, in that case… Mia! Lloyd! Both of you try your best out there! I’m rooting for you!
◇th of ○○
Lloyd ended up winning the rank duel. Mia’s got three elements, and she’s undoubtedly talented. She’s got no less potential than Lloyd, and the duel really just came down to her indecisiveness and poor mental fortitude. Also, Lloyd only has one element. That put her at a disadvantage as well… There’s a unique sort of late blooming that comes from having so many talents.
You might consider her a bit of a disappointment if you only got a look at the results, but I think both of them did really well. It was a fantastic duel, and I’m sure the experience will spur some serious growth in both of them. Lloyd’s good at fighting. He doesn’t have multiple elements, so that really limits his choices in a duel. That’s why he puts his enemies down with overwhelming firepower before they can do anything to counter him. It’s simple, but I think it’s the best tack that he’s got. It makes a lot of sense for him to fight the way he does.
Mia…I’m kind of worried about how she’ll handle this. I think this is probably the first real frustration she’s faced in life. I wonder if she’s okay? I thought about going to see her, but I decided to let her rest for the day. I don’t think anything I tell her now will really reach her, and I think if it were me, I’d just want to be left alone.
I will go see her tomorrow, though.
□th of ○○
I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished.
Mia came to ask for permission to use one of the magic training areas today. Man, she’s back on her feet quick! I thought. I’m still cursed though…still trying to play the cool teacher, and so I ended up saying something pretty insensitive to her. I wanted to apologize, so I went to the training area to see what she was up to.
When I got there, she and Luke were talking about something together. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but something was clearly off. I mean, like, Mia started crying partway through, and then she was clinging to his leg. I sort of gave in to my curiosity and just watched them for a while, but then Luke came walking toward me. I panicked, ended up hiding in one of the cleaning supply lockers, and that’s about where my luck ran out.
He found me.
I was so panicked, I came out with this mysterious line, like…
“There is an instructor hiding in a locker that is meant for cleaning supplies. The chances of such a thing occurring are not high, of course, but they are by no means zero. What you see is an uncontested fact. It is a reality that is not up for debate.”
…To be honest, I don’t even know what I was saying. Then I just left.
Aaaaaaah! My cool teacher image! How am I supposed to go to school tomorrow?!
Big Sis! Help meee—
(The rest was illegible.)