After a light breakfast.
“We’re going to the training grounds.”
I was wondering what we would do until the special class students gathered, but Instructor Esta called us directly to the training grounds.
“Why the training grounds all of a sudden?”
“Because special students should be special.”
Although Esta’s response to Yunia’s question seemed evasive, I could roughly guess the purpose behind it.
“Are you planning to make a demonstration? Like implying that the special admissions students have some very special ‘talent’?”
“Exactly. You’ve grasped it well.”
Instructor Esta nodded heavily in agreement with my response.
“You guys might also have some ‘hidden talent,’ but the students coming in through special admissions will have tremendous talents.”
“Tremendous talent… Specifically, what kind of talents are we talking about?”
Yunia gulped as she asked. Her voice showed clear signs of tension.
“Are you already thinking about competing?”
Esta chuckled softly at Yunia, making a joke.
“Competitiveness is one of the driving forces behind the growth of academy students. However… I can state this with certainty. Miss Yunia?”
“Yes.”
“At least in terms of magical power, your potential alone is enough for other students to already consider you a ‘special admissions student’.”
Esta pointed to Yunia’s mana pcokets, and Yunia blushed and glanced at me.
“That’s…”
“It’s not wrong.”
I strongly agreed with Instructor Esta’s statement.
“Among those I’ve seen while coming to the Academy, there was no one who could compare to Yunia.”
“…Oh?”
Instructor Esta looked at me with a slight smirk.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Are you talking about potential, or the size of mana?”
“I’m simply talking about ‘volume’.”
Though I put it somewhat indirectly, Instructor Esta was not someone who wouldn’t understand that.
“…What are you saying?”
“What do you mean, what am I saying? It’s something you can tell just by looking.”
I deliberately made sure they could clearly see, directing my gaze to their mana pouches.
“Yunia is bigger, Instructor.”
“…Hah.”
“Umm, Phoenix-nim…!”
“Do you think I said something wrong?”
With a twisted smile, Esta responded, and though Yunia was flustered, I confidently raised my hands.
“It’s like how you can tell the difference in height between men at a glance.”
“What about the possibility of pressure from clothing?”
“I’ve taken that into consideration as well.”
I pretended to scan with my hands in front of my eyes and smiled at Instructor Esta.
“97.”
“…”
“Did I make a mistake?”
“…Tsk.”
Instructor Esta clicked her tongue openly but said no more.
“Since we talked about potential, let’s continue. Students who enter the Academy are all geniuses with outstanding talents, but how they hone their abilities will determine their future after graduation.”
It sounded like a tutorial instructor’s speech, but it is also a reality.
“Yunia. You have a potential of 100. But can you utilize all of that potential?”
“Uh… not really.”
Esta was assertive.
After all, she had seen Yunia fight against the monsters that attacked the Magic Train.
“Right. You must have come to the academy because you’re still lacking a lot. Don’t worry. If you work hard for three years here, you might fully awaken that potential of 100 by the time you graduate.”
In game terms, it means you can reach level 100.
While not everything can be discussed in game terms, in the [Esdinas of Heaven] universe, the maximum growth level can be observed quite intuitively for women.
Mana pockets.
If it’s 100 cm, you can grow up to level 100.
‘So the Vinyudan people can’t enroll.’
Given the clear ceiling on growth, the academy had no choice but to make that decision.
“Let me ask you. What do you think the talents fostered at the academy should be like?”
“Huh?”
“Miss Yunia seems a bit unclear, but you know the answer.”
Instructor Esta turned her gaze to me, demanding an answer.
“What do you think?”
“Fostering beings with strong combat abilities.”
“Could you elaborate?”
“Well… training ‘heroes’ who can overcome the impending disasters for humanity?”
“Correct.”
Instructor Esta clapped her hands in approval.
“This place was originally a ‘military academy.’ …Not a military academy for imperial soldiers, but a ‘hero academy.’”
“Heroes…”
“A place to cultivate heroes who will save the world. That is the essence of this academy. No matter the reality, the fundamental nature of the academy is that.”
That’s indeed the essence.
If we delve deeper, it could be said to be the training of heroes to face the Demon King sealed in Hell.
“Indeed… heroes who will prevent the Apocalypse…”
The story of Esta might sound a bit different to Yunia who heard it from me.
“Got it. I’ll learn diligently!”
“I’m not sure why you’re so enthusiastic just from looking at me, but that’s the spirit.”
Esta seemed to regard Yunia’s gaze lightly, drawing the sword she had at her waist.
“Then first, we need to check your combat power. You’ll need to protect yourself from any troublemakers among the new or current students.”
“Yes?”
Yunia was taken aback.
“Combat power?”
“Yes. While heroes come in various forms, the fundamental aspect is always combat power.”
It’s unusual for an instructor to wield a sword against students.
While Instructor Esta would handle it appropriately, I know her well.
‘She’s starting with showing an overwhelming difference in strength, just like in the original.’
The original Esta did that.
Current Esta is not much different—
“Yunia. Try attacking me with your maximum output.”
“…?”
A reversal?
“What?”
“I will take your attack.”
Esta imbued her sword with an aura.
A pure white aura began to sparkle, and Esta stood in place with her sword pointed forward.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
“Who is worrying about whom?”
“Oh, no. I didn’t mean it like that…”
“Did you think the title of White Sword Saint is a false one?”
“…No, that’s not it.”
As Esta lowered her voice in warning, Yunia seriously took out the weapon she had brought.
Clink, clink.
A long stick emerged from her possession, instantly unfolding into a magic-engineered bow.
Even though she’s wearing ordinary clothes right now, it looks like she might be a tactical magical girl if she were in a lyrical, magical frilly dress.
“What’s going on?”
“Huh?”
“No, not Yunia.”
As Yunia shaped her mana into an arrow with her magic-engineered bow, Esta turned her gaze toward me.
“You too.”
“Are you planning to fight two against one?”
“…Do I have to repeat myself?”
Esta frowned.
“Anyway, it seems that the characteristics of new students in the special class are no different.”
“Ah, I understand.”
Academy Special.
Most new students are arrogant.
They treat instructors as mere pushovers.
Even someone as renowned as Esta, the [White Sword Saint], cannot escape that.
Of course, most regular students respect and be cautious of Esta, but we’re now experiencing it firsthand.
“Come. Attack me with all your strength.”
“Um…”
“Why the hesitation?”
“No, it’s just…”
I approached Yunia and then placed my hands over hers.
“I’m someone who specializes in this.”
“Hmph?!”
I stood right behind Yunia and placed my hands over hes.
“…What are you doing?”
“What I can do.”
“…”
“Understood. I’m a type of ‘Buffer’.”
“Buffer?”
Instructor Esta’s gaze, which was starting to show signs of irritation, now had a hint of interest.
“Yes. To put it simply, I have the ability to make the targets I touch stronger.”
“Umm…”
“Like this.”
I corrected Yunia’s stance and lightly placed my hand on hers.
“…Huh?”
Yunia gasped in surprise, and I joined her in aiming the magic-engineered bow at Esta.
“Can I say something arrogant, Instructor?”
“Fine. Just this once.”
“If you get hurt, don’t sue me later.”
“…You really are arrogant.”
“Ah, ahhh…”
Yunia, caught between us, groaned in distress.
“I-I really don’t know what’s going on…!”
Yunia bit her lower lip and poured mana into the arrow.
“I-I’m really going to shoot!”
There was a hint of emotion in Yunia’s voice.
No matter how much of a White Sword Saint Esta is.
Even if she’s facing a student.
Like any genius newcomer, Yunia must be thinking about landing a hit on the instructor.
“I’m shooting!”
Yunia pulled the bowstring to its limit.
I adjusted Yunia’s flowing mana as much as possible, refining and purifying the mana shaped into the arrow.
‘So that Esta can understand what kind of power I have.’
I refined the mana.
This soon gives an effect similar to the technique used by a swordman who has reached a certain level of mastery over mana.
“!!”
Instructor Esta’s eyes widened as she observed the mana arrow created by Yunia and refined by my adjustments.
She quickly readjusted her stance in response.
“Eh?”
Yunia panicked.
The arrow she had aimed seemed to hesitate as it now targeted Esta’s forehead due to the change.
“Miss Yunia.”
I gently patted Yunia’s hand.
“Just trust and shoot.”
“Trust?”
“Trust in Instructor Esta’s skills.”
Despite the provocations and jesting so far.
“If it’s Instructor Esta, even if we give it our all, she will definitely dodge or deflect it.”
Showing a serious side in a critical moment often cancels out previous issues.
Hah.
Esta smiles.
Esta smiled slightly. I returned her smile.
“Now.”
Together with Yunia, we released the arrow.
Whoosh─Bang!!
The mana arrow flew with a reddish-golden light, similar to Yunia’s color.
It resembled the ‘aura’ Esta had created with her sword.
“Pass.”
Before the arrow could reach her, Esta swung her sword with a wide arc.
Boom───!!
The mana explosion occurred due to Esta’s sword intercepting the arrow.
The red-golden and pure white lights of the mana mixed and dispersed like mist, causing Yunia to panic and try to move forward.
“Perhaps—”
“There’s nothing like that.”
I grabbed Yunia’s wrist and lifted both our hands up.
“We should surrender.”
“…Huh?”
“We lost.”
I pointed behind us.
“Are you being too serious with students, Instructor?”
“It’s because you have the skill to make me serious.”
Behind us.
“You’re quite something.”
Esta, holding up one finger, poked our backs with it.
“Pass.”
“…Um, in what sense?”
“Miss Yunia seems like she won’t be easily dragged around by other men…”
Esta looked at me with a low smile.
“At least, I feel like you won’t be easily taken advantage of by most students…”
That smile.
“…Wait a moment.”
Soon.
“…A power to make partners stronger?”
Her expression turned to one of shock.
“What kind of ability do you have right now?”
“I’m showing you what I can do, trusting in Instructor Esta.”
I released Yunia’s hands.
“Would you like to experience it yourself?”
“…What’s the cost?”
“Oh. If you’re thinking of something like Mana Drain, it’s not that at all. It’s just a buff, a simple buff.”
“…”
I extended one hand toward Esta.
“It only requires physical contact.”
Changyeom said.
—To be honest, I could provide a buff remotely, but…
How I would ‘make physical contact’ with the various heroines at the academy.
—They say mana activation and efficiency enhancement require skin contact, don’t they?
Mana enhancement through physical contact.
This would be my external ability known at the Academy.
“Ah.”
And an important point.
“It might sound a bit awkward, but…”
This is something I learned after coming to the surface, so revealing it now might cause various issues.
“This can only be done with women.”
At least, I couldn’t allow a man to have physical contact with me.
“Basically, you could say it’s a [Female-only Buffer].”
