บท 44: Whim and Whimsy

"Alright, everyone, listen up...!" shouted the Coach, clapping his hands together to draw everyone's gazes while several Mages endeavored to restore the obelisk to its upright position.

"Starting when I finish this speech, those who scored over 2,000 in Mana and Aura or possess power greater than 1,000 will have forty-five minutes to change into your gym uniforms and prepare for combat! Everything you need can be found in the corresponding changing rooms...!"

'I guess that Pheist kid only came to watch...' thought Will, standing his ground and looking around with crossed arms as the remaining First Years filed off the field and made for the changing rooms.

"Are you searching for someone?" asked Ahmad. "If so, my eyes can be of service."

Shaking his head, Will replied, "It's nothing important. Let's head out. I'm not worried about making the team, but if we arrive early, we should have priority when choosing an opponent."

"Then we'll see you back on the field," said Alessandra, causing Madeen to frown as she grabbed the latter's hand and guided her in the direction the other female participants were headed.

'Ah...'

Looking down at Ohta, who had been avoiding everyone's gazes since he was asked to leave the stage, Will's expression remained as usual, but he couldn't help wondering why he was the only one who could see through their disguise.

"What is it...?" asked Ohta, noticing Will's gaze and frowning. He thought the latter would make fun of him, but instead, Will's expression softened as he asked, "Should we give up on entering the Duelist League for now? It kind of feels like bullying to take the positions from our seniors."

Surprised by Will's words, Ohta blinked in surprise and opened his mouth, but no words came out. Instead, it was Ishyll, sporting an awkward smile, who asked, "Is it alright if I still try out? If I'm to be promoted to the Elite Class, I need to earn a considerable number of merits..."

"No worries," replied Will. "Ohta and I are outliers, so it won't harm our standing too much if we focus on other things the next six months. Just let me know if you need anything. That goes for you as well, Ahmad. I'm not going to tell you to avoid accepting sponsorships, but if anyone tries to coax you into signing over your life or image, don't feel like you have no other options."

"But of course...!" responded Ahmad, beaming from ear to ear. "And if you ever visit the South Sea, my home and hearth will always have a place for you!"

Since they only had so much time to prepare, Ahmad and Ishyll departed soon after the former finished laughing. In their wake, Will and Ohta stood out like sore thumbs, two of the only First Years who lingered.

"Are you sure about this...?" asked Ohta, sporting a slightly vexed look as he didn't like the thought of Will, or anyone else, making 'concessions' on his behalf.

Shrugging, Will contended, "Six months isn't that long. Besides, this will give you more time to spend with Tim and Dori. Then, when they enroll a half-year from now, we can all try out together."

"What happened to doing everything you can to become a Master before graduation...?" asked Ohta.

"You don't become a Master by bullying the weak," retorted Will. "The only real challenge I would face among the First-Years is you. Since we can always fight or spar whenever we please, my only reason for joining the League would be...publicity. But even that isn't particularly important at this exact moment."

Closing his eyes and sighing, Ohta flatly remarked, "You really frustrate me sometimes..." However, in contrast to his words, a faint smile adorned his face as he turned to depart, adding, "I'm gonna grab something from the concession. Bring your face and wallet."

"Yeah, yeah..." responded Will, slipping his hands into his pockets and following after Ohta with a relaxed smile. He had hoped to use the Duelist League as a platform to make his presence known to the other Sages, but as there were still more than four years until the promised meeting time, it was likely they weren't even paying attention to the goings on in Axial. He could also have those he financed wear logos the others would recognize, so it wasn't like he was losing much by not competing directly...

...

As if to indicate they were prime real estate for investors, those hoping to join the Duelist League arrived in padded, predominately white, unmarked jerseys, form-fitting shorts, and as much armor as they were comfortable wearing. Contrary to the stereotypes of Will's first incarnation, those from the Mage course wore more armor than those following the Martial Path. There were exceptions, of course, but as most Magic spells disregarded conventional defenses, most Warriors prioritized speed and mobility, their primary protection being their Aura.

"Well, this is a curious development. Did the two of you decide not to try out...?" asked Alessandra, wearing the same basic outfit as everyone else but with a breastplate, gauntlets, and somewhat impractical, high-heeled greaves.

"What is the meaning of this...?" appended Madeen, sporting a disproving frown that was largely obstructed by her visor.

Impressing even Ohta with his ability to bullshit, Will smoothly answered, "I didn't come to the Academy to show off, but to represent my family and its values. I still plan to enter the Duelist League, but, at least for the time being, I've decided my focus should be promoting and nurturing those yet to reach my level."

"Oh? So you're planning to become our Manager...?" asked Alessandra, crossing her arms and shifting her weight onto her left foot, conveying intrigue but also indicating that she was somewhat annoyed.

Though it wasn't his original plan, Will responded, "If you'll have me," with a smile.

"Well, when you put it that way..." mused Alessandra, narrowing her eyes and adopting a smile of her own as she added, "I suppose the only thing that's changed is that we won't have to compete against each other in an actual match. We'll still be training together, right?"

"That's right," affirmed Will. "Though, depending on how things pan out, we may have several others joining us."

"Are you referring to that pretty boy and that hunk of man meat...?" asked Alessandra, referencing Ishyll and Ahmad.

"And anyone else who approaches me with an earnest desire to improve," replied Will, who, at that moment, was even considering sponsoring those in higher years. He would need to be careful not to overstep and threaten his brother's position, but since Lyra was in the same year, that wasn't too big a concern.

"Wow. I had heard the rumors about the Oirthears' magnanimity, but now that I'm seeing it in action, my pride in my own Constellation is beginning to wane~" joked Alessandra, covering her mouth with her right hand and giggling. Her left held a bow that was nearly as long as she was tall, and, as a result of training in archery since she was six, her shoulder, back, and arm muscles were much more developed than a normal girl her age.

"It's not that the Oirthears are magnanimous..." remarked Madeen, her voice low and serious as she asserted, "The other Constellations have lost their way. All most of them care about these days is making money and using it to influence how people live and think..."

"People influencing one another is how cultures are formed," contended Will. "I know some say that money is the root of all evil, but even without it, those who seek power and wish to remain in it will utilize any means to achieve their objectives. Money is just an intermediary, and so long as the economy is healthy, it does more good than harm."

"Why do you do that?" asked Madeen, frowning as she complained, "I get that you're smart, but do you always have to show off by lecturing people at every opportunity? Can't I just vent sometimes?"

"She has a point..." remarked Ohta, staring up at Will with half-lidded eyes as he used a biodegradable fork to eat the chili cheese fries the latter had purchased for him a few minutes prior.

"You give off a serious holier-than-thou vibe," Ohta explained. "It would be one thing if you were an old scholar lecturing your disciples, but since we're all around the same age, it comes off as super pretentious."

"Well, I find it charming," argued Alessandra, causing Ohta to stare at her and retort, "Will could down a gallon of milk and rip ass until he has a hole in his boxers, and you'd probably compliment the smell."

"Oh? Does Will's constitution not favor dairy...?" asked Alessandra, looking at the person in question. She didn't know how close Will and Ohta were, so while she found the latter's remarks boorish, she maintained her usual smile and deflected.

"My stomach might as well be cast from iron," replied Will, reinforcing his abs with Aura to produce an audible knocking as he rapped them with his knuckles. Then, in response to Madeen's and Ohta's accusations, he met their respective gazes and said, "And I apologize if my words upset you. I spent the past couple of years interacting with someone over six hundred years old, so I guess some of their personality and idiosyncrasies rubbed off on me..."

"Oh! Now that you've brought them up, what's the Ebonsword like?" asked Alessandra, genuinely curious but overselling her excitement a bit to steer Will's focus back to her.

"My Master...?" asked Will, crossing his arms and feigning deep thought as he explained, "Their personality is difficult to describe without it sounding like I'm insulting them. One thing I can say without hesitance is that they are immensely powerful. That, and their control is on a level that's difficult to comprehend even if you see it in action..."

"If possible, I would like to meet them someday..." muttered Madeen, her voice faint and expression slightly troubled behind her visor. She felt like she had wronged Will after hearing his 'sincere' apology, but since they had already changed topics, she wasn't sure how to backstep or issue an apology of her own. Instead, she added, "My Grandfather once met and challenged the Ebonsword in his youth. He credits the encounter as the reason he was able to become a Sword Saint."

"Mmm...I can see that..." said Will, nodding before revealing, "I once saw my Master cut a waterfall vertically, and it remained split for several hours due to the remnant Aura."

"Wow...it's no wonder you're so strong..." remarked Alessandra. "If I'm not mistaken, that's the phenomenon referred to as Sword Intent. According to my mother, it's like the physical form of a Curse, manifested using Aura instead of Mana."

"That's almost precisely how my Master explained it," affirmed Will. "And if you take things a step further, you can achieve a Domain."

"That's one of the requirements for becoming a Sword Saint..." appended Madeen, not wanting to be left out of the conversation.

Nodding, Will added, "That, and manifesting a Martial Spirit within your weapon or body. But since the process consumes part of your connatal Mana and Aura and has a high chance of failure, most Masters wait until they're past their prime or never even try to awaken one."

"Yeah...because if your Martial Spirit is destroyed, it's nearly impossible to recover..." muttered Madeen, hanging her head. She wasn't alive when it happened, but since it was a fairly big deal at the time, she managed to get her hands on a recording of her Grandfather's duel against the current Sword Saint, Alicia. She couldn't see it, but the narration and the sounds of the crowd cheering at her Grandfather's expense caused her to harbor a grudge against Alicia, the Duelist League, and the Kingdom as a whole...

"Nothing is impossible," asserted Will, smiling confidently. Then, feeling he was being a bit of a contrarian, he quickly appended, "You're the best proof of that. After all, even though you're blind, you see more than most people with sight."

"Gee, thanks..." muttered Madeen, rolling her eyes behind her visor. She knew Will was just trying to be nice, but as she had heard people saying similar things throughout her life, she would have preferred it if he hadn't brought up her blindness at all...

...