Chapter 1

When it comes to Pablo Dina Academy, people generally think of it as just an ordinary town college in the Shaburo province. In terms of teaching quality, any well-known academy in the kingdom could easily surpass Pablo Dina Academy. However, not everyone has the qualifications or ability to pass the entrance exams for those famous academies, so colleges like Pablo Dina, which are neither too high nor too low, become their best choice.

Pablo Dina Academy is not located in a prosperous town. The first dean, when establishing the college, wanted the students to focus on their studies without being distracted by the prosperity of the town, which could corrupt their learning spirit. Therefore, the college was built ten miles away from the town, at the foot of the Gelan Mountains.

When the warm spring breeze blew over the entire Gelan Mountain, the new students had already settled in and started to familiarize themselves with Pablo Dina Academy. They would undergo a three-year program before embarking on their respective future journeys. For now, they were just fledglings yet to spread their wings.

One of the most surprising and unbelievable things for the students who took the swordsmanship course was that their instructor was a young man who looked not much older than they were. According to the upperclassmen, this young swordsmanship instructor had come to Pablo Dina Academy two years ago and stayed for some reason, continuing to teach swordsmanship.

When it came to the young instructor's swordsmanship skills, the upperclassmen would always say with a pained expression that it was best not to provoke him. His swordsmanship was at a level beyond imagination, and his bad temper would be a nightmare. Most importantly, one should not be deceived by his young appearance, or even notice it.

Among the new students, there were always those who were proud and ambitious, hoping to prove themselves by standing out among their peers. Their first choice was often the young swordsmanship instructor.

But that one experience taught Ailu the importance of listening to the advice of the upperclassmen.

Ailu never forgot the scene of the initial provocation. The young swordsmanship instructor introduced himself as Drank Charan, wearing a light white linen suit, with his black hair casually tied with a cloth strip. An ordinary wooden sword was tucked into his waist, and his hands were crossed in front of his chest. His handsome young face was marred by a poker face.

After introducing himself, the young instructor began to explain the course requirements, stating that whatever he arranged must be followed, or the consequences would be on them.

The new students seemed to have colluded to give the young instructor a hard time and started to cause a commotion. However, the young instructor just stood there quietly, expressionless, watching the commotion as if they were just a group of gossipy women. When the commotion began to subside, a few of the new students who really wanted to cause trouble stood up to challenge him, their reasons lofty and grand.

Ailu recognized one of the troublemakers, Sand, the third son of the Feto family, whom she had visited with her parents a few years ago. His ancestors were part of the kingdom's Silver Wing Corps and had participated in the war against the Ossu savages and the Sugro undead during the Red Rain Year. Later, due to military merit, they were ennobled as hereditary barons. As a descendant of a military noble family, Sand had received swordsmanship training from a young age and was said to have already reached the level of a lower swordsman.

The young instructor did not care about Sand's challenge. He simply gestured, and Sand, who was eager to attack, took out a wooden practice sword and charged at him. Ailu thought her eyes were playing tricks on her; she didn't see how the young instructor moved, but Sand's wooden sword was already flying away. Then she saw the others who had joined in the challenge fall to the ground, clutching their arms and moaning in pain.

Everyone seemed to be shocked by the scene. The commotion quickly quieted down. The young instructor didn't even look at the fallen Sand and the others; he calmly explained the requirements for the day's training. Everyone had to run a hundred laps around the training ground, and even if they had to crawl, they had to finish. Those who tried to slack off, escape, or pretend to be sick would be expelled from the swordsmanship course. Those who didn't want to run could leave immediately.

Ailu remembered that at least half of the students left the training ground for the swordsmanship course that day. Later, she heard that they had complained to the dean, but the result was that they were scolded by the principal.

Among those who stayed, some tried to plead for mercy, but the young instructor gave them a cold look and said that if they didn't want to stay, they could leave. Those who had the ambition to enter the academy would not give up any opportunity to stand out. After witnessing the young instructor's formidable strength, giving up now would mean losing an important opportunity. Ailu stayed because she wanted to learn swordsmanship.

After suffering in pain for a long time, Sand and the others, except for Sand, left the swordsmanship course. To Ailu's surprise, Sand stayed and ran with them, though the young instructor didn't say anything.

As lunchtime approached, the young instructor looked out the window and casually pointed out a few students to supervise. He told them to report any students who tried to slack off, escape, or pretend to be sick, and if he found out that the supervisors had covered up the truth, all the supervisors would be expelled from the swordsmanship course.

It seemed that the young instructor left the training ground in a rather irresponsible manner. After confirming that he had left, the remaining students started talking and tried to persuade the designated supervisors to let them rest and slack off...

The next day, only a dozen or so students remained in the swordsmanship training ground. Ailu was relieved that she had persisted and completed the hundred laps, even if it meant walking. It was the greatest hardship she had ever faced.

Ailu always thought that the young instructor's departure was a final test of their resolve. Perhaps he was hiding somewhere watching them, so she persisted until the end. Later, when she became close to a few classmates, she found that they had the same thought. However, the reason the young instructor gave for expelling the students who violated the rules was that one of the students had reported them.

Such a statement that caused resentment and misunderstanding made Ailu realize that the upperclassmen were right when they said that the young instructor's bad temper was indeed a nightmare. For a long time, the remaining students were suspected and questioned.

In the quiet swordsmanship training ground, the young instructor looked the same as the first time they met. However, what he said next made Ailu realize that staying was the right decision.

"Those who want to learn swordsmanship from me, I don't care about your opinions of me. I only teach the students I should. Those who lack persistence, cheat, or lack determination are just wasting my time. No matter how talented you are, if you can't persist, you will achieve nothing. The same goes for your dreams and future. There are no shortcuts in life; only continuous effort and perseverance will lead to success. Even if you fall, the belief to get back up will support you. Those who give up easily will ultimately be failures. You have passed my test for now. In the days to come, follow my arrangements, or the consequences will be on you."

The rules set by the young instructor were that every morning, the students had to complete twenty laps of running and a thousand sword swings as basic training. The rest of the course would be taught step by step according to their progress. Ailu, who had thought she would have a mundane three years at Pablo Dina Academy, now felt that it might be more exciting than she had imagined.

...

Speaking of the young instructor's age and background, it was always a hot topic. Young, powerful, at least at the level of a mid-level swordsman... However, most of the teachers at the academy did not know much about this man named Drank Charan. The only one who knew the truth was probably the dean, but every time someone tried to inquire, they would get a vague and unsatisfactory answer. As for asking the young instructor himself? No one had the courage to do so, as just seeing his poker face would make them shiver.

Despite the rumors, the young instructor continued his daily routine. He had a separate house, and every morning before dawn, he could be seen practicing with an old standard-issue long sword from the kingdom's army in his yard. After completing the morning training with the students, he would return to his house. In the afternoon, some students passing by his house had seen him sitting in a chair by the window, reading a book. As for what he did at night, no one knew, as no one had ever seen him at night.

Ailu always thought this was the young instructor's simple and ordinary life. However, the incident at the banquet that day revealed another truth to her.

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