Chapter 57

Chapter 56

The Hero Never Studied - 4

The Crasius family is one of the most prestigious martial families in the empire. While it may not be the top among martial families, it is a solid and unshaken family that has never been excluded from discussions about martial families throughout the 300-year history of the empire.

One of the imperial barons directly appointed by the emperor and a member of the imperial parliament, the Crasius family is the name that Erih bears on his shoulders. Of course, since he is not the heir, the weight is somewhat lighter.

Nevertheless, the name of being the second son of a prestigious martial family has had a significant impact on Erih's career, and he received education within the family even before entering the academy. As a result, it's hard to find his match, even among the seniors, not just the freshmen. Perhaps someone like Ruitis might be different, as status, educational opportunities, and skills usually correlate.

'Not a bad draw.'

No one who comes out is someone I think I'll lose to, but the probability of them acting as a variable is extremely low. I should be able to secure a decent practical score.

'If Louise were here, it would have been better.'

Watching the nervous opponent doesn't really boost my motivation. I'm sorry, but the victory is too obvious. If Louise were watching, I would have been more motivated, but she is busy preparing for her own sparring match in the magic department. It's a pity.

'Can't help it.'

I can only satisfy myself by cheering hard during Louise's sparring match.

With that thought, I gripped the hilt of my sword, and as soon as I did, I saw a familiar doll enter the sparring arena.

"Brother?"

A voice of confusion escaped my lips. Fortunately, it wasn't loud enough for the opponent to hear, so it didn't draw any attention. However, my eyes were already fixed on the person behind the opponent, who was none other than Karl.

I never thought he would come to the sparring arena. It was only then that I noticed the principal standing next to him. What on earth is going on here?

'I'm going to go crazy.'

Erih bit his lip at the sight of Karl, who was crossing his arms and looking at him. Over time, they had grown accustomed to each other. Karl had become a bureaucrat, and Erih had entered the academy, so they had spent more time together since Karl came to the academy than before.

Erih had become used to Karl's gaze and gestures to the point where he no longer felt tense. They had even restored a relationship where they naturally greeted each other when their eyes met. After all, there was never any reason for their relationship to sour. It was just that time had made things awkward.

However, at this moment, as Erih gripped his sword, Karl's gaze fell upon him. Those pitch-black eyes, so similar to the head of the family, seemed to pierce through him. Despite being higher up in the sparring arena, Erih felt as if he were being looked down upon.

'Embarrassing.'

He gripped the hilt of his sword even tighter. Being intimidated by someone who just watches, especially a family member, is an incredibly embarrassing situation that he couldn't even talk about.

'How long am I going to live like this?'

If he were even half as good as his brother, he would be truly outstanding, a comment Erih often heard in social circles. However, Erih had never been disheartened by such evaluations. When the gap between the comparison and himself was so vast, it was impossible to feel jealousy or self-loathing.

Moreover, the evaluation itself was a high praise of Karl's abilities, not a denigration of Erih. At the time, Erih hadn't even entered the academy.

But now, things are different. He is a legal adult by imperial law and has gradually grown closer to his brother, whom he once felt was so distant. He doesn't want to live in his brother's shadow forever. He doesn't want to be a weak, shrinking brother. He wants to be a proud noble and a member of the Crasius family.

'Rather, this is an opportunity.'

The eyes that resemble the head of the family felt encouraging. If he could earn the recognition of his blood relative with those eyes, it would feel like earning the head of the family's recognition.

Determination replaced the confusion in Erih's eyes. The intention to just get by had turned into a fierce resolve to earn recognition. He would imprint admiration and satisfaction in Karl's eyes, which now looked at him as if he were a tool.

He could sense the opponent's confusion, but he was sorry. He now had a reason to take it seriously. If he caused any serious injuries, he would apologize properly.

That day, Erih saw Karl nodding his head, a satisfied smile on his face.

***

I briefly wondered if I was Erih's berserker totem, but it doesn't matter. As long as I can help my brother in any way, I'm satisfied. Where in the world can you find a brother like me?

Anyway, with a sudden change in momentum, Erih quickly overpowered his opponent and secured victory. His skills were already superior, and with added determination, there was no way the opponent could hold out. Still, I was surprised by how much Erih had improved.

'He must have trained a lot.'

He lived up to the name Crasius. After all, the head of the family wouldn't let his son idle around, right? Still, among his peers, there are very few who can match him. He deserves praise.

I nodded at Erih, who was looking at me, instead of clapping, which would be too pitiful for the defeated opponent. Seeing his grin, it seemed my feelings were conveyed.

"Indeed, the Crasius family. With both brothers excelling, it's clear they take after their father."

While considering whether to add a bit of flattery, I heard the principal's voice from the side. It seemed to carry a nuance of a connection with the head of the family, more than just a simple compliment.

"Have you ever met my father?"

"Of course. Just before I retired from the military, that friend had just joined."

The principal, stroking his long beard, seemed lost in the memories of that time. But something was off. If the head of the family had just joined the military when the principal was about to retire, it meant he had already reached the peak of his military career. And now, 20 years later, he is the principal of the academy?

'A real old-timer.'

Even more so, he had completed his entire career in the military. Indeed, mages become more dangerous as they age.

"He was a quiet and reserved friend, but he was also very responsible and surprisingly warm-hearted."

"I'm not sure about the warm-hearted part."

"Didn't he take good care of his people? At least among Wilhelm's contemporaries and juniors, I never saw anyone who disliked him."

If 'warm-hearted' means maintaining a thorough power base, I can understand. The retainers of the Crasius family are known for their high loyalty. A master who clearly distinguishes between public and private matters and punishes wrongdoers is certainly in the top tier.

After the last sword sparring match, we moved to the magic sparring area. Since magic sparring often involves ranged attacks, using the same arena as the sword sparring would not meet the standards.

Even if the arenas were different, sword and magic sparring could be held simultaneously, but due to the limited medical staff, they are conducted sequentially. It would be chaotic if a sword student had a leg cut off and a magic student had a burning arm at the same time.

In front of me, I saw a pitiful victim who had been impaled by an ice shard Lather had thrown.

'Is this kid an ice mage?'

It seems he chose a skill that matched his hair color.

"Oh, it ended quickly."

"Can you hold out when someone shoots at you from a distance?"

Ruitis and Erih, who had finished their sword sparring, were also there. They had nothing else to do, so they decided to watch the magic sparring. Their real goal was probably to see Louise.

Glancing around, I noticed that no one was approaching us, as if a barrier had been set up. With the inspector and the principal present, it was already intimidating, and now the royal family was included.

"Brother, this way."

"Great job, Lather."

The barrier became even stronger with the arrival of Tannian and Ainter, who were welcoming Lather. Students who hadn't been seen in the sword sparring arena had quietly joined us. The students were now avoiding this formidable group, fearing they might step on a shadow.

"Now we just have to wait for Louise's match!"

At Ruitis's words, I inadvertently looked at him, remembering the ridiculous sword match between Ruitis and Lather from last time.

'What is this kid?'

Ruitis had shouted about the superiority of swords in the sword match, but Louise was learning magic. At the time, I didn't know what practical skill Louise had chosen, so I didn't think much of it, but what is this kid?

Even if he knew Louise was learning magic and still said that, or if he didn't know what classes Louise was taking, both are problematic. The former is insane bravery, and the latter is stupidity.

'Probably the former?'

I decided to think of it as a temporary outburst from the prince of the knight nation Armain, for the sake of Ruitis's remaining honor.

It was a bit scary how they all turned their attention to the sparring arena as soon as Louise's match began, after spending a long time chatting among themselves.

"Louise! You can win this!"

"Go, Louise!"

You guys are crazy, stop it.

Feeling uncomfortable, I kept a slight distance from the five idiots. The loudest cheers came from the two with the loudest voices, but the other three were also moving their mouths vigorously, clearly cheering.

The more they cheered, the more the opponent's expression turned to one of resignation. Who could freely cast magic against someone being cheered on by the imperial family, the royal family, and the next saint? I couldn't do it either.

'Poor guy.'

Even Louise seemed a bit embarrassed by the loud cheers, his face turning red. Still, he seemed grateful, awkwardly waving his hand, and the five idiots cheered even louder, and he waved again...

'This is just a painful match.'

It's really a pity.

The sparring match between Ruitis and Lather, which I watched most carefully, ended without any problems, except for the two victims' broken hearts. It was satisfying to see the bright future guaranteed to the outstanding students.

I could even directly confirm Erih's growth. The practical exam went without any issues and was even beneficial. I thought it would be a fulfilling day once Louise's match was over. That was the setup.

"Wow..."

"Amazing."

The principal's sigh, almost a groan, and my