Chapter 10

Unlike yesterday, which ended with just one sparring session, today was not so relaxed. After Professor Gent's class, lectures by other professors continued.

Currently, Professor Emily's lecture on 'Mado History' was in full swing. One might think that such a lecture is out of place at the Knight Academy, but the battlefield is not just for knights. The purpose of this lecture was to find ways to cooperate with and counter mages through the study of war history.

"...Thus, for knights, the mana communication device was truly revolutionary. There was no need to ride horses to deliver letters, and the command system, which had limitations with just flags, was completely overturned."

However, the lecture didn't really sink in.

Someone is claiming to be my descendant, forming a knight order in my name, and now they are living as a noble family.

"In a famous example, the Battle of Maynen. Due to the chaos caused by the monsters, there was a landslide in Maynen, and neither messengers nor carrier pigeons could be sent. Thanks to the commander having this mana communication device, communication became much easier."

In such absurd situations, one tends to laugh rather than get angry.

"Ha."

"..."

After a long time, I tightly pressed my lips together and frowned, which eventually caught Professor Emily's attention. She raised her thin eyebrows and pointed at me.

"Student over there."

At first, I tried to pretend it wasn't me by turning my head and saying, "Who?" But the professor corrected herself.

"Silver-haired male student."

"...I am Ian Aynel."

There's no point in hiding my name. I stood up confidently.

"What are your thoughts on the widespread use of the mana communication device that began with the Battle of Maynen?"

"..."

My covered book, unused stationery, and disgruntled expression.

The professor seemed to be trying to discipline the bold new student.

'In such a situation, it's better to say sorry.'

Pretending to be a student with strong beliefs might be a better approach.

"I think the premise is incorrect. The Battle of Maynen is not an example of the widespread use of the mana communication device. It is a battle that highlighted the greatness of messengers."

Fortunately, I participated in the Battle of Maynen.

"Really?"

The professor looked at me with a puzzled expression, and the surrounding students started murmuring again.

"Ridiculous."

"No, that's why you shouldn't accept commoners!"

"Ugh, how tiresome. Again?"

"Cut it out."

They seemed like hyenas, ready to tear me apart.

Other commoner students looked frightened by the atmosphere.

I seemed to be the perfect example of what not to do for them.

But if I back down now, it will really be the end. I continued speaking.

"Even though the development of mana communication itself was successful, it was impractical for actual combat. The commercialization took much longer than the development period."

I glanced at the notes on the board.

I quickly combined the information from there with what I knew.

"Moreover, it was not easily usable on the battlefield. As the battle with numerous knights and monsters dragged on, a 'Blue Cloud' would form in the sky."

A Blue Cloud refers to the phenomenon where the air is filled with so much mana that it becomes visible.

When the battlefield overheats, it forms like a fog, making the sky appear hazy unless a strong wind blows.

"At the time, even a faint Blue Cloud would cause communication issues. The mana from the communication device couldn't penetrate the layers of mana."

"Cut it out."

"What do you know?"

The students raised their voices in frustration.

They seemed to expect the professor to refute and sit me down immediately, but...

Professor Emily slowly put down the chalk, dusted off her hands, and nodded with interest.

"Please continue."

The grumbling students were surprised, their eyes widening, but they kept their mouths shut.

The ratio is excellent. If you widen your eyes, you have to close your mouth.

"So, the mana communication device, which worked well in cities, became a burden on the battlefield. Ultimately, due to the landslide, the methods for requesting reinforcements or support were lost."

"Do you mean to say that the messengers accomplished this?"

"Yes, there was no other way."

I spoke firmly.

I had no intention of backing down on this point.

In reality, the soldiers who became messengers could not stay with their comrades until the end, and their contributions might not be recognized by anyone, but they accepted this humbly.

"Do you have any evidence for this?"

"Look at the casualty list from that time."

I provided the answer I had prepared. I calmly explained to the professor, who looked a bit surprised.

"Many of the casualties at the time had intact bodies. This is a bit unusual, as humans are often treated as food by monsters, so human bodies are rarely found on the battlefield."

Indeed, they devoured our fallen comrades as if they were cleaning up.

Thus, those whose bodies remained intact were considered lucky.

"Are you saying these were the messengers who died while climbing the mountain where the landslide occurred? It seems a bit weak."

"The condition of the bodies should also be considered. According to the records, there are many typical injuries from falling off a mountain. The wounds are too thin to be from monster teeth or claws, more like scratches from branches or thorns."

"..."

Professor Emily fell silent, crossing her arms and deep in thought.

She seemed eager to check the records.

Ding!

The bell signaling the end of the lecture rang.

Professor Emily, who seemed more excited than anyone else in the classroom, quickly packed her books and called out.

"That was a very interesting and persuasive argument... What was your name again, student?"

"Ian Aynel."

"Great, I'd like to hear more about that hypothesis later. Thank you for your hard work, everyone."

Professor Emily left the room, almost as if she were fleeing.

The students looked at me with various emotions: admiration, surprise, interest, jealousy, anger, frustration, boredom, and dissatisfaction.

"Ugh, what a waste of time."

"Why is the professor listening to such nonsense?"

"He's probably trying to get some points."

However, there were more students who didn't think so.

"But it does have some possibility."

"I don't think he's wrong. The key is how advanced the mana communication devices were at that time."

"I heard there's a painting of Maynen's hills that depicts the landslide. It would be worth checking..."

Perhaps because Professor Emily called it interesting and persuasive, the students who were interested in this topic started discussing among themselves...

"Wow."

"..."

"Is he a commoner too?"

The commoner students, who had been huddled together, looked at me with admiration.

'Well, it doesn't matter much.'

Through that conversation, I probably left a good impression on the professor, or at least not a bad one.

I wanted to find out about the people claiming to be my descendants, but there was no way to do so now.

It wasn't an urgent matter anyway.

For now, I decided to focus on the present.

My top priority is to revive the Silver Lions Knight Order.

If the Silver Lions grow, the truth about my descendants will naturally come to light.

'To do that, I need high grades.'

My goal is to be the top student.

If asked why, it's obviously for the publicity.

If I, the top student of the Knight Academy, declare that I will join the Silver Lions Knight Order, the story of the knight order will continue to be mentioned.

Choosing the lowest position when I could have any position will create a good start.

While doing this, if I mention a bit about the former glory of the Silver Lions, rumors like "The lion rises again" will spread, making for a decent start.

'Well, it shouldn't be too difficult...'

I don't think I was that great a knight, but they praised me as such.

If I was considered a great knight in my past life, wouldn't I be a standard for the academy that trains knights?

'I can't possibly not be the top student in a curriculum based on me!'

I thought.

"..."

This is the sports field.

After the morning indoor lectures, we were supposed to have outdoor training in the afternoon, and I was a bit excited.

But seeing the huge logs lined up, I sighed.

'I've never done anything like this.'

I don't know where these logs came from, but the professors, ignoring my thoughts, shouted:

"Pair up in groups of ten at each log!"

Instead of learning swordsmanship as we had expected...

This was a form of hazing for new students.

The intention was clear from the restriction on using mana.

It was a strategic move by the professors to correct the habits of students from noble families who had acted freely.

This training involved all first-year students from A to C classes, so I saw the pink-haired girl.

'Well, this is good.'

I hadn't had a chance to talk to Charlotte since we were in different classes, but now I had a natural opportunity.

Charlotte's expression didn't look good, but I headed straight for the log where she was standing...

"Hey, let's do this together."

A rose scent tickled my nose as Maria Rayrose suggested we pair up.

"What, you want to do this with me?"

"Normally, you should pair up with someone strong. It's easier that way."

Unexpectedly, she had a good head on her shoulders, but there was one misunderstanding.

I am strong, but not particularly athletic.

I thought Maria Rayrose joining would reduce my burden, so I didn't refuse.

But it didn't end there.

The bear-like boy, Barron Doombeast, who had sparred with me, also joined our group.

His followers looked disappointed that our group was full.

"..."

Barron, with a tight-lipped expression, motioned for me to look ahead. His silent but confident demeanor made me sigh.

Charlotte, standing next to me, seemed to have a question but kept her mouth shut due to the pressure from the other students.

'No chance to talk, then.'