Kapitel 18: Chapter 17: Troublemakers
Verner had grown a lot after the martial tournament, but he refused to rest on his laurels; he continued to diligently train every day.
He'd gained a lot during the tournament: experience fighting a powerful monster, a sword crafted by Ellize just for him, the resolve never to forgive the witch, and—most importantly—a new comrade.
Marie, whom he had faced during the finals, had become his friend and rival. They strove to better themselves together.
He now had a rival that was at around the same skill level, and he could spar with her whenever he wanted. This was helping Verner become stronger faster than ever before.
It reminded him of what Ellize had told him a while ago—there were limits to what someone could do alone. He finally felt like he understood the true meaning behind her words.
Besides Marie, he had Eterna, John, and Fiora by his side. And—although not a student—he knew he could count on Mr. Supple in times of crisis.
They all had their strengths and weaknesses, but they could help each other overcome their shortcomings. None of them could hold a candle to the saint—not on their own, at least. But if they joined hands, Verner was sure they would never lose to anyone.
Verner felt like he was at the top of the world and was enjoying every single day to the utmost.
One day, after class, he was sparring with John and Marie on the sports ground behind the school when he noticed that Marie was stealing glances at a student a little further away.
Marie almost never showed her emotions on her face, but Verner knew that deep down, she was a kind person. However, on that particular day, Verner noticed something off about her expression.
"What's wrong Marie? Is there something weighing on your mind?"
"Well... That girl over there..." she said, glancing in the direction of the red-haired girl swinging her sword again and again in the distance.
Verner remembered her—she'd lost to Marie in the semifinals.
"That's Aina, right? What's up with her?"
"She hates me. She always glares at me whenever she sees me."
If memory served Verner right, she had also refused to shake hands with Marie after her defeat.
He didn't think that was a good attitude to have. He didn't know Aina all that well, but it was plain as day that she was incredibly prideful.
She must have felt a sense of rivalry toward Marie ever since the tournament.
"It's not your fault, Marie. I get that she's frustrated since she lost, but hating you for it is completely absurd," John reassured her.
"He's right! Don't let it get to you," Fiora added.
Marie had won their match fair and square. She was stronger than Aina, that's all there was to it. There was no reason for her to be ashamed of that.
"I agree that you shouldn't let it get to you, but it can't feel good to have her glare at you like you did something awful every time you cross paths," Eterna said.
Verner nodded. "Eterna has a point."
Even if Marie wasn't at fault at all, it wasn't easy to ignore someone's constant hostility.
But if the group were to try to talk to Aina, it would most likely backfire. She was way too prideful to listen to them. Even if they tried to bring it up to her gently with sound arguments, it would most likely just add fuel to the fire.
"Hmm? Hey, guys, that's the headmaster, right?" Fiora suddenly asked.
For some reason, the headmaster had walked up to Aina. They chatted for a while, then headed off together. Verner and his friends were left wondering what had happened.
"Do you think he has something to tell her about her grades?" Eterna asked.
"Why would the headmaster himself bother with that?" John pointed out.
Even if they were curious, it wasn't something worth investigating. A teacher talking to a student wasn't anything outlandish in the first place.
Just as they decided to stop thinking about it, another person butted in.
"How strange... It's not often the headmaster goes out of his way to discuss something with a student himself."
They all turned back together to find Supple, digging into the ground with a shovel. The five students couldn't stop themselves from wondering how he could point out that something was odd when he clearly was the weirdest person out there.
Supple didn't seem to notice the way they looked at him as he dug out a piece of soil. He hardened it with magic before neatly putting it away in a bag.
"I would have understood if he'd decided to congratulate Verner for his victory, but what could he have to say to Aina Fox? She's a promising student, of course, but I would expect him to talk to one of you before her. She's not a blood relative of his, and their families have no ties either... How puzzling," he continued.
"Hmm... Mr. Supple... What are you doing?"
"Me? There was a footprint left by none other than our glorious saint. I had to preserve it before a foolish individual stepped over it and destroyed it!"
The students were all speechless. That pervert's a lost cause, they thought in unison.
As students who hoped to become knights in the future, they wondered if they should kill him on the spot. He was a greater threat than even the witch as far as they were concerned.
Completely oblivious to the looks of disgust he was receiving, Supple added, "The headmaster has been really strange recently. His actions are unsettling, to say the least."
You're one to talk!
"For some reason, he ordered the night guards to stop coming to the academy and picked up their shifts instead. He refuses to let the maids clean his office, and he's added five more locks to the door...not to mention the fact that he changed the windows to more robust, barred ones. No one can look inside now. Doesn't it seem like he's hiding something people shouldn't see?"
For real, you're one to talk! The five students stared at the bag Supple was still holding. As far as they were concerned, that very much qualified as "something people shouldn't see."
"Is it really that strange? I also wouldn't want people snooping in my room..." Verner pointed out.
"You're not wrong. His behavior is a little unsettling, but at the end of the day, none of what he's doing is reprehensible. You could explain away his actions by saying he just felt like it. It happens sometimes, does it not? Someone who's never been seen kicking a rock suddenly decides to do so. If I asked why and they said they felt like it, I suppose I wouldn't question it anymore. Still, if they started kicking rocks every single day, I would suspect something had happened. That's how I feel about the headmaster. I can't quite put it into words, but I can feel that something has happened. He's changed."
While he explained his theory, Supple carefully closed the small bag and put it in his inside pocket like it was the greatest treasure he owned. One thing was certain, at least—Supple's actions could not be explained away by saying he just "felt like it."
"Now, now... Shall we tail him for a while? We may discover something interesting," Supple suggested. With that, he ran in the direction the headmaster and Aina had gone in without another moment of delay. He seemed quite serious in his intent on tailing him.
As for the students, they were left wondering what they ought to do about Supple. He had to be stopped before they could turn their attention to the headmaster.
◇
Aina Fox had always loved and admired her father. She couldn't have been more proud of him.
Seventeen years ago, she had been lucky enough to be born as his daughter.
House Fox was not a very prominent noble family—her father was merely a viscount, after all. They ruled over a small territory comprised mostly of villages, and—while they had enough wealth to want for nothing—they were poorer than most other nobles.
Aina had never been unhappy about that, though. Being a daughter of House Fox filled her heart with more pride than anyone could ever imagine, and it was all thanks to her outstanding father.
Even though he was only a viscount, he had gained the respect of every other noble family. As an accomplished magic knight, skilled in both swordplay and magic, he had been trusted with the important mission of keeping the saint—humanity's only hope—safe. Only twenty or so people were deemed worthy of joining the prestigious saint's guard, and her father was remarkable enough to have become the leader of such an elite group.
He was the closest ally of the saint, and was always ready to become her shield and sword if the situation called for it. In addition, he was an exemplary knight, and those who devoted their lives to serving the saint on the battlefield all respected and admired him more than anyone else. Most of all, however, he was a champion of justice.
He had become even more respected for protecting humanity's only hope now that Ellize had grown into a fine lady. In fact, she was revered as the greatest saint in history.
Every time she triumphantly returned after saving yet another village from monsters, Aina's father was by her side, and everyone praised him.
Ever since she was a little kid, Aina was convinced that her father was cooler and stronger than any fairy tale hero. He was a fearless guardian who would always protect the princess from harm, and Aina loved him with all her heart.
However, a little over a year ago, her pride had been crushed.
At the time, Layla Scott, a fresh graduate of the academy, had participated in the annual bout that decided the hierarchy within the saint's guard for the first time...and her father had lost to that little nineteen-year-old girl.
He'd handed over his position to Layla and had been relegated to number two.
Aina, who had been given special permission to come to watch the matches with her family, had been shocked by the outcome of the fight.
It had to be a lie. Her father must have felt sick that day; there was no other explanation.
The person in question had rejoiced; someone stronger than him would certainly do a better job at protecting their precious saint. But Aina hadn't been able to accept it. She had sworn to win back the honor her family had lost that day.
Fortunately, she'd been learning how to fight from her father ever since she was a child. She had easily passed the entrance exam and was utterly convinced that none of her classmates could ever come close to her level. She wouldn't lose to anybody.
In Aina's eyes, the Training Institute for Magic Knights of Alfrea was nothing more than a stepping stone. Graduating at the top of her class would be easy; the true challenge would come after that. She needed to defeat Layla Scott and reclaim the position of head of the guard her father had lost.
That was the only way she could restore her family's honor.
She was sure she'd come out on top at both tournaments. Victory for the first one seemed a given. It only seemed natural to her, since she strongly believed that she was stronger than anyone there, including the upperclassmen.
She was her father's successor, and her responsibilities were much heavier than those of the others.
And yet, she had failed at the very first martial tournament—the one where she only had to face fellow first-year students.
"Everyone is so hardworking. How nice. Layla, what do you think of this year's tournament?"
"You're asking for my opinion? There are quite a few impressive students this year. I can't get too complacent or they'll catch up to me in no time."
Aina had overheard a conversation between the saint and her sworn enemy, Layla Scott. Well, rather than overhearing their conversation, it would be more accurate to say she'd gotten close enough to listen in on them.
"Verner, Aina Fox, John, and Marie Jett, in particular, are diamonds in the rough. Verner still lacks technique, but his foundation is remarkable. Aina Fox doesn't use flashy moves, but she's put in the work. Her basics are well-polished. I wouldn't expect anything else from a descendant of the Fox family, naturally. As for John...he served as a soldier, didn't he? His experience shines through, and he has a good mindset when it comes to combat."
Aina couldn't help but smile at Layla's words. Her sworn enemy had a pretty good eye, didn't she?
Exactly! I'm not my father's daughter for nothing! I'm miles ahead of these weaklings!
She didn't like the fact that Layla had implied that she wasn't flashy enough, but she'd let it slide—the other girl had complimented her more than the other two.
Her good mood dissipated just as quickly as it had arrived when she heard Layla's next words, though.
"Finally, Marie Jett is quite proficient both in swordplay and magic. Her technique is already on par with most knights, even though she doesn't have the strength to match it yet. She's a strong contender this year. To be honest, I think she might win."
What was wrong with her?! Why was she saying that Marie—or whatever her name was—was stronger than her?
Actually, it wasn't the first time Aina had heard about Marie Jett. She was a plain girl, kind of gloomy even. Aina could never tell what she was thinking.
Although Aina saw her in a better light now that she'd seen her fight—she also thought the girl was pretty strong—Marie wasn't fit to be a knight at all. Aina simply couldn't forgive her for receiving such glowing praise from her very own rival!
There was an easy fix to this. She just had to crush her and show Layla just how superior she was.
I won't lose to her!
She'd stepped onto the arena with the utmost confidence, but she'd bit the dust in a matter of minutes. Despite her confidence—she'd always been so sure that she'd never lose any of the martial tournaments—she'd been eliminated during the first tournament's semifinals...by someone of the same year, no less.
She hadn't won. She hadn't even managed to reach the stage where she could have fought for first place or—to add insult to injury—snatch second place.
She slapped Marie's hand away and ran away.
She was a failure, and tears of dejection started running down her cheeks.
What happened next made her even more miserable.
In the next match, Marie lost to a boy called Verner. Right as their fight ended, a gigantic monster barged into the school, disrupting the tournament.
Six people—five students and a teacher—stood up to that horrible monster who'd come to kill the saint: Verner, the winner of the tournament; Marie, the runner-up; John, who'd also finished in the top four; Eterna and Fiora, friends of the final four; and Mr. Supple.
The fight had been close, but they'd managed to bring down the monster. Everyone had acknowledged their bravery. But Aina hadn't been among them.
They weren't knights yet, but they hadn't hesitated to stand up for the saint. They were praised for it; even Lady Ellize had thanked them. They were heroes. But Aina hadn't been among them.
She was the only one among the four students who had reached the semifinals who hadn't stepped up.
"Hey, look—that's Aina. She was in the top four, right?"
"Ah, right. She's the only one who didn't do anything when the monster appeared."
"The other three were amazing, though!"
"To think she's the daughter of Viscount Fox... What a shame..."
"And she always acts like she's above everyone."
"I wonder what she was doing when the monster came."
"I know! I ran away because I was scar—uh, I mean, I went to the toilet, and I saw her. She was hiding in a classroom."
"So she really ran away?! Seriously?! Viscount Fox's daughter ran away!"
"I guess that's how she truly is."
"She was kinda mean to Marie after losing too, wasn't she?"
"She's all talk. People like her always fail to deliver when push comes to shove."
After that day, the way people treated her changed. Other students—who hadn't done anything but hide—spoke ill of her behind her back.
Aina usually looked down on the people around her, that much was true. That attitude of hers was probably part of the reason why everyone hated her now.
I'm not like you guys. I'm the daughter of the head of the saint's guard!
She had never said anything like that herself, but everyone knew. Even if she hadn't told them that she looked down on them to their faces, her behavior spoke volumes.
Aina was a very honest girl but, at the same time, she had no consideration for others and no delicacy. She had plenty of enemies because of that.
Up until now, she had always managed to keep them in check with her outstanding talent. No one dared speak ill of an excellent student like her. Sadly for her, the tournament had destroyed her image.
It wasn't right! Aina wanted to scream to the world that they were all mistaken.
Had she been there, she would've fought. She would've made a difference. She would've stood up to the monster alone and protected the saint. She knew she was capable of that.
What had happened was just the result of her bad luck. It was all a coincidence. It wasn't her fault the monster had appeared when she wasn't there anymore!
But no matter what she thought or said, she couldn't change the cold, hard facts. She hadn't actually done anything. Rumors didn't care about her feelings. Aina was the coward who hadn't stepped up in a time of need.
Ever since that day, Aina had been nothing more than a shell of her former self. She simply carried on with her training without ever talking to anyone. Regardless of who was around her, she was convinced that they looked at her with contempt. She had a feeling that if she stopped training for a second, stopped busying herself, she'd lose herself to her resentment.
She hated Marie the most. Everything had gone rapidly downhill after she'd lost to her. If she stopped devoting herself to her training, she felt like she might run up to her and raise hell.
It's all your fault. If only you didn't exist...
She wouldn't be able to stop herself from blaming it all on her.
That's why she immersed herself in training.
She had run away after losing to Marie, and now she was running away from facing her.
"You've suffered a terrible injustice. I understand your pain."
The only person who walked up to Aina and started a discussion after she'd decided to run away from everything was the headmaster.
He was almost fifty, but he was still muscular and carried himself with dignity. In this world, where the life expectancy of men was barely sixty, he was already elderly enough to be called an old man. Surprisingly, however, he was full of so much energy that he appeared much younger in spite of his gray hair.
His hair was swept back, and his eyes pierced through his interlocutor like those of a carnivorous beast. He was one meter and eighty-eight centimeters tall—much taller than the average of one meter and sixty-five centimeters.
"Luck is fickle and cruel, is it not? You're a gifted individual, and you may very well have become the next head of the saint's guard. Yet here you are, being mocked for one defeat. One little defeat that only occurred because you weren't feeling your best. How unfortunate. I know you would have protected the saint without hesitation if you'd been there when the monster attacked."
These words were everything Aina had wanted to hear. She was heartbroken, and his sweet words had slipped right into the cracks.
"It's regrettable that I could only watch you despair from afar without stepping in. I've always believed that you would become a magnificent knight, you know? I cannot bear to see your talent disappear now; it would be a terrible loss for mankind. And...keep this between the two of us for now, since it hasn't been confirmed yet, but...we're suspecting Marie of foul play. Didn't you feel strangely cold before your match started? You did, right? I think Marie started attacking you before the match had even started. That's why your body felt heavier than usual, and you couldn't unleash your true potential."
Spoilers: that was a lie.
If Marie had truly impacted her physical condition so badly, Aina would have definitely noticed. If she had been as cold as he suggested, she would've remembered it. Naturally, Aina didn't remember feeling strange in the slightest.
However, humans were creatures that changed their way of thinking to suit their agenda. Memories were even easier to adjust.
Thinking back on it, maybe she had felt cold.
It didn't take long for Aina to convince herself that it had indeed happened. Her imagination and reality merged and, before long, replaced one another in her mind.
Whenever they did something wrong, there were plenty of people who convinced themselves that they'd only done so because the other person was also in the wrong. That feeling quickly turned into thinking that maybe what they'd done hadn't been so bad, after all. This would continue until, eventually, they concluded that it was all the other person's fault. They'd then play the victim and wonder why people were criticizing them when they were perfectly innocent.
"You were very cold, right? You just didn't notice at the time. It's not your fault. It's because Marie tricked you."
The headmaster's words kept replaying in Aina's head. It was almost like she was being brainwashed.
I see now... So that's what happened. There's no way I would've lost to Marie fair and square. I only lost because she cheated...
Now that she had (mis)understood everything, she was boiling with rage. It wasn't fair. She'd never forgive her... Never!
The headmaster sensed that the timing was right. He looked into her eyes and noticed that she had completely lost her ability to think.
"You're the most outstanding student in our school, so I'll tell you an important secret—the witch has planted spies in this academy."
"What?!"
"I've been fighting alone and looking for someone I could trust for the longest time. I have no idea who the enemy could be, you see. But I have a feeling I can put my trust in you, Aina. To be honest, I think you've been put into this situation because the witch has deemed you to be a threat."
Aina was at a loss for words. Spies? In the academy? But at the same time, she also felt a dark and shameful sense of satisfaction. The headmaster had chosen to come to her for such an important talk. He hadn't sought Marie, but her.
"I'm sure you noticed something was wrong too. The timing in which the monster appeared was so perfect that everything just felt like an orchestrated play to me. I'm sure the witch has gathered many allies in the academy already. I cannot begin to imagine how many of them are lurking in the darkness, waiting for the opportunity to attack our precious saint. To think she came here, unaware of such dangers..."
"That's not good! We need to let her know at onc—"
"No, we cannot. If we go to her without proof, she might suspect us instead. We must grasp this chance instead. We can allow the witch to believe no one has noticed her evil plan, then catch her when she least expects it." The headmaster leaned in, peered right into Aina's eyes, and grabbed her hand. "Aina Fox... Please lend me your strength. Let's protect the saint together."
"O-Of course! If you think I'm qualified, I'll do everything I can!"
"That's a good answer. I'm glad I chose you... I need you to continue pretending that everything is fine. Live your life as usual, but keep an eye on the saint and report everything she does to me. I want you to pay special attention to the times when she acts alone, away from other students. I'm sure you've heard of what happened with Miss Farah a few months ago. If the saint looks like she's sneaking off somewhere alone discreetly, it might be because she's being threatened by the witch's servants, just like then. She'll be in danger, so I need you to let me know immediately. That way I can go rescue her, all right?"
The headmaster's honeyed words hit the mark, and Aina fell right into his trap.
It was hard to question someone that expressed how much they trusted you. Especially for a young girl who was going through one of the hardest times in her life. Aina's personality may have played a part in it as well, but she was already fully convinced by everything the headmaster had told her.
"Let me give you something that will come in handy when you need to reach me. This little fellow understands human speech perfectly well, and he's able to repeat anything he hears. This species has a lot of natural predators, so they've developed the ability to blend into their surroundings. This means that even if you carry him on your shoulder all day, no one will notice. Just tell him what you need to report and send him my way. I trained him so he'd come flying to me at once. He'll relay your message," he explained.
With that, the headmaster handed Aina a small bird. He seemed to be used to people, because he didn't resist when Aina picked him up and let him rest on her hand. A few seconds later, he had camouflaged against Aina's skin tone. She could barely see him anymore.
"Try saying something to him," the headmaster urged.
"Hmm... Then... Hello?" she said.
The bird bent his head slightly to the side and opened his beak.
"Hmm... Then... Hello?" he repeated.
"Wow! He's so cute!"
"Wow! He's so cute!" the bird echoed once again.
Aina was delighted. She scratched his head with her fingertip and found that he was soft to the touch.
"Now that this is settled, I'll leave you to it. And remember, Aina, this is a top secret mission. You can't let anyone know about it."
"I won't! Please leave it to me!" she exclaimed, full of confidence.
The headmaster smiled at her before walking away. With every step, his lips curled more and more into a disturbing, crooked smirk—a far cry from the fatherly smile he had shown Aina. He laughed at the foolish girl who had believed his lies so easily.
Unbeknownst to him, Verner and his friends had listened to their entire conversation from their hiding places. They exchanged a look, astonished by what they'd heard.
(4.5k word count)
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein