Chapter 186

“You’ve been captured too? Kunta is happy to have more comrades!”

“……”

The cadets hesitated, eyeing the barbarian dressed in a yellow safety helmet and construction gear. They subtly began preparing to flee, wondering if they had stumbled upon an illegal labor site.

But then—

“Oh, those guys? Yeah, I dragged them here by force. But as for you lot, you’re here as part of today’s outdoor lesson, so just sit tight and observe.”

“Th-that’s allowed?”

“Didn’t you enroll in the academy to study, not to work? If there’s work to be done, I’ll handle it. Why would I make you do it?”

“……”

Surprisingly kind and considerate. Despite his eccentricities, the instructor occasionally displayed the qualities of a proper mentor.

“Uh, aren’t we cadets too?”

“Instructor, did we do something wrong to deserve this?”

Arno and Garland, both clad in construction gear like Kunta, voiced their grievances as they worked on reinforcing the tunnels.

This felt unfair.

After all, they were cadets too—why were they being forced into construction work?

To their complaint, Ihan responded, furrowing his brow:

“You two were out hunting criminals while I was gone, weren’t you?”

“……”

“Cadets, sneaking around at night like vigilantes. Tsk, tsk.”

“Well, it was… practical experience…”

“So, you’re saying it was a good thing?”

“…No, sir.”

“Then what should you be doing now?”

Faced with Ihan’s glare, they immediately replied to save themselves.

“Where should we start working?”

“We’ll get right to it.”

They surrendered, and Ihan clicked his tongue.

Honestly.

‘Who did they take after to act like this— …Wait.’

…Was it me?

For a moment, a tiny shred of his conscience nagged him, whispering, Own up to it. Ihan fell silent.

*****

The reason Ihan had dug a tunnel from his home to the academy after narrowly surviving in the Empire and spending two days unconscious wasn’t because he had gone mad or merely wanted to stretch his body.

“—As I see it, the academy and the royal capital aren’t exactly safe right now. You could even call it a ‘wartime state,’ in my opinion.”

“……”

“This isn’t just me trying to scare you. It’s based on the facts. And because of that, I believe we need a plan.”

“Um… is that tunnel part of the plan?”

“It’s one part of it.”

Though the mention of a wartime state caused some tension, the cadets remained resolute.

After all, they had already endured an unprecedented monster terror attack.

For those who had experienced it firsthand, Ihan’s words weren’t baseless.

‘If what that damned mage said is true, another attack isn’t far off.’

It was now an undeniable fact that the fanatics were targeting Pendragon. While Ihan could deal with whoever came his way, he doubted his cadets or the other students could act as decisively.

This wasn’t a matter of resolve but one of experience—of living through war or not.

That’s why Ihan had been deep in thought the moment he regained consciousness.

About how to better protect the cadets. Or…

“Create a contingency plan.”

“A contingency plan?”

“Specifically, a shelter. In a crisis, there might be times when you need a place to hide. A shelter for the cadets would be invaluable.”

“Well, that makes sense, but the higher-ups haven’t issued any orders yet, have they?”

He meant the academy headmaster, or even the royal family.

“When do you think they’ll issue orders? Let me tell you, if you don’t prepare ahead of time, it’ll be too late. Those at the top only move when things go wrong. That’s a universal truth.”

“I can’t say if that’s entirely true, but… it’s clear you’ve been through a lot, Instructor.”

At some point, the cadets began to take Ihan’s words seriously.

It was evident that his actions weren’t impulsive but the result of careful consideration.

“Still, it’s surprising to see you putting in this much effort for the cadets’ safety, sir.”

“Hmm?”

“Oh, I mean, we know you’re not a bad person. But to go as far as building something like this for us… it’s incredible!”

Perhaps it was a student from a noble family that valued noblesse oblige.

They looked at Ihan with a face full of admiration, and Ihan felt a twinge of guilt.

After all, the real reason he had built the shelter was…

‘So I wouldn’t be interrupted while fighting.’

…Hmm.

‘Better to keep that to myself.’

Sometimes, saying less was key to preserving your reputation.

*****

‘Master probably built this shelter to avoid distractions during battle.’

Hehe.

Levy, watching quietly, smirked faintly to herself.

It wasn’t mind-reading, but her keen understanding of her beloved master allowed her to deduce his motives.

And sure enough—

The moment others began showering him with respect, Ihan’s smile stiffened for a fraction of a second before returning to normal.

To Levy, it was obvious.

‘His pupils dilated by 0.03 millimeters more than usual. He must’ve been quite flustered.’

At times like this, it was clear he wasn’t great at hiding his true feelings.

“Such a cute man,” she murmured.

Her sharp, almost frightening observational skills came from a lifetime of survival and reading others’ expressions. What some might call a talent was, in truth, a coping mechanism born of hardship.

But thanks to the one person who had extended her a hand, Levy’s abilities were now being put to better use.

…Though—

‘Huh? Something seems a bit different.’

Was her talent developing faster, or was it her determination?

As Levy observed Ihan, she couldn’t shake the sense of something peculiar, though not in a harmful way.

It wasn’t that he was injured.

Rather…

‘He seems uncomfortable.’

It was as if he were wearing clothes that didn’t fit—too tight and restrictive.

Levy tilted her head, puzzled, trying to figure out what might be bothering him.

Just then—

“Oh, you’re here.”

“???”

At Ihan's sudden remark, the cadets barely had time to process their confusion before—

Whoosh.

—someone materialized in the clearing where they stood.

“!!!?”

A man cloaked in black had appeared. The cadets, startled by the unfamiliar presence, instinctively reached for their swords.

“Impressive, but… slow.”

Clack.

“Huh? …What?”

“What’s going on?”

“…?”

They couldn’t draw their swords.

Though they had tried to unsheathe them, the blades somehow slid back into their scabbards, as though an unseen force had pushed them back in.

It wasn’t their doing.

Something—or someone—had intervened with blinding, wind-like speed.

And there was only one possible culprit.

“Do you always dress like that? Last I saw, you were in proper armor.”

“There’s no benefit to showing my face, and I have no desire to play the clown.”

“Oh, so you’re looking down on clowns now? That’s job discrimination.”

“…That wasn’t my intention. Ahem.”

It was undoubtedly the cloaked figure.

A stranger.

“Oh, it’s Sir Raq,” someone suddenly said.

Well, perhaps not so much a stranger anymore.

Irene Windler, her bright golden hair and blue eyes sparkling with a cheerful smile, pointed at the man in black.

“Sir Raq is here too? Did the instructor invite you?”

“Ah, my lady…”

“Oh no, was I not supposed to mention your name? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s fine. You’ve done nothing wrong, my lady. Please, don’t make such a face.”

As Irene’s expression quickly filled with regret, the man in black removed his hood.

The cadets gasped.

Beneath the hood was a strikingly handsome man with teal-green hair and crimson eyes. Many of the female cadets covered their mouths in surprise.

Just as men couldn’t help but notice an exceptionally beautiful woman, the presence of someone so visually captivating drew everyone’s attention.

But while some were awestruck by his looks, others were more stunned by his name.

“Raq? The Raq de Duron?”

“The Cursed Wolf of Galahad!”

“Oh my god…! Didn’t you say he was your idol?”

“……”

“What’s wrong—oh, he fainted.”

The name Galahad carried immense weight, and for anyone aspiring to be a knight, it was impossible not to feel a sense of awe.

To see one of Galahad’s champions in person was nothing short of overwhelming.

While many were starstruck, others, particularly those with some skill, were more unsettled.

“What is that? Some kind of monster?”

“Kunta, you shouldn’t call someone a monster. …Though I understand your sentiment.”

“…No one but my grandfather could handle someone like that. Why are there so many monsters…?”

The "Three Champions" of the Swordsmanship Department, who had grown immensely in skill over the past six months, were particularly unnerved.

Their confidence had been steadily rising, but seeing Raq de Duron made it wither.

Pat.

“You’re doing fine,” Ihan said, patting their shoulders. “Don’t compare yourselves to him. It’ll only make you sick.”

“Instructor?”

“I didn’t invite him here to crush your spirits. Part of it was to show you something useful. It’ll make sense later.”

“Wh-what do you mean…?”

Ihan lightly reassured them before striding toward the absurdly handsome knight.

“So you decided to come after all, huh?”

“You begged me incessantly, you scoundrel.”

“Cut the crap. You’re here because you felt the same ‘discomfort’ as I did.”

“……”

“Whatever. I didn’t bring you here to argue.”

“For once, we agree.”

Ihan began stretching, and Raq followed suit.

Some knights skipped stretching out of arrogance, but Ihan and Raq were not among them.

Those confident in their abilities ensured their condition was optimal, leaving no room for carelessness.

Ihan’s movements were fluid and dynamic, his entire body loosening like a coiled spring being released. His flexibility and muscular control drew quiet murmurs of admiration from the cadets.

“Watch closely,” Ihan said. “It’s just a simple sparring match, but you might learn something.”

“…Huh?”

Ignoring their questions, Ihan spent another 30 minutes warming up.

It might have seemed tedious, but the cadets watched intently, struck by how seriously even someone of his caliber took preparation.

“How should we do this?”

“Five-minute rounds with one-minute breaks. Ten rounds should be enough to settle it.”

“Ten rounds, huh? That’s a bit intense.”

“Scared?”

“More like worried I won’t manage my strength well for ten rounds.”

“…You scoundrel!”

“You started it…”

Before anyone realized it, Ihan and Raq had closed the distance between them.

At some point, a circle had been drawn on the ground, and the two knights now stood within it, facing each other.

“……”

“……”

Without a word, the match began.

Fwoosh!

Thwack!

Without raising their guards, the two knights exploded into action.

Their fists cut through the air with terrifying precision, each aimed directly at the other’s face.