Chapter 59

"Ah, ah!?"

"Someone, someone get the nurse!!"

The movement of the people began when the staff member collapsed.

—No way, the demon instructor lost!?

—Did you see that just now!? I have no idea what just happened...

—He disappeared. He definitely disappeared!

"Hey, is the nurse coming? Is the exam over now?"

"Ah!"

When he called out to the other staff member, he was met with a very cold reaction.

"No, no... It's you who came up with this incomprehensible test, and now you're running away? What's that about?"

"S-S-Sorry! We can't grant admission on our own!"

"Huh? The staff member over there said that if I pass the exam, I can enroll. You guys were the ones who tacitly approved it, right?"

"Ah!? Don't be angry, p-please, don't be angry...!"

"Or do I really have to kill that Mikhail?"

"Please don't!!"

The staff member who was tending to Mikhail let out a "Hiss" and stood up. The head of Mikhail, which he was holding, fell to the ground with a thud. Mikhail was just a victim of the situation.

"So, are you going to let me in or not?"

"Of course, no problem!"

He was told this with teary eyes. Despite feeling somewhat unsatisfied, it seemed that Hikaru's admission was approved.

"Hikaru, what about me?"

"Oh, right. Well, Lavia's exam—"

"Enough!! I'm in!!"

"—Right, right."

"Good. Unlike Hikaru, I don't have the confidence to adjust myself to not kill my opponent."

At her casual words, the staff members were even more frightened.

"...So, how did it come to this?"

Afterward, Hikaru and Lavia were summoned directly by the principal. When they entered the principal's office, they were greeted by a middle-aged woman with a pleasant smile, but her eyes were not smiling at all. There were about four armed instructors standing by her side.

"I've heard the story. What is your purpose?"

"Enrollment."

"That's enough. Speak frankly. Waving the name of Pawnsania during the war, injuring an instructor, and causing confusion among the staff. Is your goal to undermine the value of this academy from within? If so, it's a rather crude method, isn't it?"

"..."

Hikaru's head hurt.

Why can't they just let him enroll honestly? He had even prepared the high tuition fees.

Incidentally, the tuition for a two-year course was 500,000 Gilan per person.

"So, is it wrong for me to have a guild card that says 'Pawnsania Kingdom'?"

"...Suspicious people should be suspected first, shouldn't they? You are more than suspicious."

"Actually, I want to ask, how can I gain your trust?"

"Well? Isn't that something you should think about?"

Ah, this is that. The burden of proof is on me. They're in 'never trust again' mode—Hikaru thought.

Sigh, what should I do?

Thinking this, he glanced to the side—Lavia was looking at the principal with a disdainful gaze, one that made Hikaru involuntarily suck in a breath.

(Hey, Lavia! Your eyes! Your eyes! They're leaking contempt!)

(What can I do? The principal is an incompetent who doesn't trust Hikaru)

A terribly venomous whisper came back in a low voice.

"Right, Principal. How about this—"

One of the armed instructors suddenly spoke. He had unusually long bangs that covered his eyes. He was a man with a disagreeable presence. He held a spear, but on the Soul Board, it was only a "2" in skill, and there was nothing particularly noteworthy about him. He didn't have the muscle mass of Mikhail.

Moreover, he had been staring at Lavia ever since Hikaru and Lavia entered the room.

"We'll have them fetch the leaves of the Dragon Kidney Flower."

"! But—"

"It's necessary for the principal, and it will also help save lives. It would be a good assignment for new students."

"...No. It's too dangerous."

"Principal... What are you saying? A person from Pawnsania is causing chaos. We need them to do this much at least."

"That's a different matter."

"Hey,"

Hikaru interjected.

If left unchecked, who knows what they might make them do.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I was given a 'test' by the staff member in charge of admissions. I passed it. Yet, you're refusing my admission. Now, what else do you want me to do?"

Hikaru was starting to feel a bit annoyed.

Paying a high fee just to become their salary? Maybe it would be better to use that high fee as a reward to hire an adventurer skilled in 'Stealth' for private lessons?—That's what he was starting to think.

"The 'test' is... a formal part of the academy's regulations. It states, 'If the aptitude of an applicant is unknown, the instructor shall make the judgment.'"

"Then, what about my aptitude—"

"Hikaru."

At that moment, Lavia spoke clearly.

The principal, who had not heard her speak before, looked at Lavia with interest.

"Let's go. There's no one here who can beat Hikaru. What is there to learn in such a place?"

"Wha—"

The principal and the four instructors were speechless.

Just then, the door to the room was suddenly opened.

"Principal! —Oh, you're here too."

It was Mikhail.

He looked fine. He must have been revived quickly with a healing spell.

"This one should definitely be admitted. I've learned my lesson. Whether they're a student or younger, you can't take them lightly—I had completely forgotten this obvious fact. Having someone like this in the academy will definitely be a great stimulus."

"Hey, hey, Mikhail! You're just saying that because you were caught off guard!"

"Shut up!!"

Mikhail shouted.

"None of you could beat me, let alone him! Even if you caught me off guard, you couldn't win! This guy—"

"Don't call him 'this guy.' His name is Hikaru."

"Ah, right... Hikaru took my consciousness in an instant. I didn't even have time to think about dying. His strength is unknown. I want to learn from him."

The instructors were taken aback by Mikhail's words.

"Is it that serious?"

"Yes, Principal. And he didn't kill me... even though I told him I was willing to die. If he were an assassin from Pawnsania, he would have killed a prominent instructor like me first."

"That's... true."

After thinking for a while, the principal said,

"...Alright. I'll allow his admission."

"Principal!?"

The instructors cried out in shock.

Only Mikhail patted Hikaru's back.

"Good for you, Hikaru!!"

"...It hurts. Besides, it's annoying to be told 'admission approved' with that condescending tone, and I was actually thinking about giving up on enrolling."

"Don't say that! Principal, please make Hikaru a scholarship student. It's possible with an instructor's recommendation."

"Hey, Mikhail!!"

The instructors shouted in anger, but

"...Alright. I'll do that."

The principal, who had been hesitant, suddenly agreed with Mikhail's suggestion.

Hikaru was momentarily suspicious of the quick change, but decided it didn't matter if it didn't affect him.

"Hmm... If that's the case, I might as well enroll. If I don't like it, I can just leave. —Is that okay, Lavia?"

"...If Hikaru is okay with it, I guess it's fine..."

Lavia still seemed dissatisfied but agreed.

As they left the principal's office, Mikhail followed them.

"Sorry... I made you go through a lot of trouble."

"I didn't know you had such an allergy to Pawnsania."

"Your country... it would be better if it didn't start wars."

"...I agree, but still, I'm surprised you pushed for my admission after I knocked you out. Did you enjoy getting hit or something?"

"No way!"

"Then, did you want to fight me with your sword drawn? Did you think you could win?"

"—Haha, I'd love to try, but that's not it. As I said, the academy has been stagnating in research lately. We needed a stimulus. And the principal... is a person of integrity. If you weren't from Pawnsasia, I'm sure they would have handled you properly."

"Do you have a grudge against Pawnsasia?"

"I have a nephew... He encountered a skirmish between Quinbrand and Pawnsasia. And—"

"Was he killed?"

"Don't jump to conclusions. He's still alive. He was injured by an arrow from Pawnsasia, and it seems to have been coated with a special poison."

The poison caused a high fever and made the wound worse. It was difficult to remove the poison with magic, and a special medicine was needed.

"So, the ingredient is the leaf of the Dragon Kidney Flower?"

"Huh? How did you know that, Hikaru?"

"Because that disagreeable spear instructor was going to send me to get it."

"Kilnenko, huh... Well, to put it mildly, he's a bastard."

Mikhail said it so confidently that Hikaru couldn't help but laugh.

"I agree."

Mainly because of how he was staring at Lavia.

"You and I get along!"

"Only on that point."

"So, when will you start attending the greatsword lectures, Hikaru? There's one tomorrow too!"

"...What? Greatsword?"

"Of course. This is the flow of us warming up our friendship—"

"There's no friendship."

Lavia stepped between Hikaru and Mikhail.

"You've been acting too familiar with Hikaru. Besides, why would Hikaru, who doesn't use a greatsword, want to learn it?"

"Whaaat!? You're not going to take the greatsword lecture? You're not going to study the extinct greatsword styles with me?"

"No. Besides, you're surprisingly intellectual."

"I'm a martial intellectual! So, what lectures are you planning to take?"

"Maybe the small sword. —That's it."

Hikaru quickly ended the conversation with