Chapter 14: A Lesson in Humility

Chapter 14: A Lesson in Humility

The next morning, Aetrial made his way to the lecture hall for combat strategy class, a subject that was as much about politics and maneuvering as it was about tactics. He’d read about this part of the academy in the novel—it was where alliances were forged and rivalries solidified.

He entered the hall to find it buzzing with students. Arthur Lionheart sat near the front, surrounded by admirers, his presence commanding respect without effort. Tyler Knightneurs lounged casually in the middle rows, a faint smirk on his face, while William Middleton flipped through a thick tome near the window.

Aetrial decided to sit near the back, away from the crowd. He wasn’t in the mood to attract attention, especially after last night’s encounter with Arthur.

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The Lesson Begins

The professor, an older man with sharp features and a stern demeanor, strode into the room. “Today’s topic: adapting to the unexpected. In battle, you will rarely have the luxury of perfect preparation. Success often depends on your ability to think quickly and act decisively.”

Aetrial perked up slightly. This sounded like something he could use.

“To illustrate this, we’ll conduct a simulation,” the professor continued, waving his hand. The room shimmered as illusionary magic activated, transforming the space into a battlefield with dense forests and rocky terrain.

The students murmured in excitement.

“You’ll be divided into small groups,” the professor explained. “Each group will have a leader who must guide their team to victory. The leaders will be selected randomly.”

Aetrial groaned internally. Random selection? Just his luck.

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The Teams Are Chosen

As the professor began assigning teams, Aetrial’s name was called. He found himself grouped with three other students:

Rhea Everhart, a no-nonsense noble girl with a talent for water magic.

Gavin Thorn, a brash commoner with impressive swordsmanship.

Lila Marston, a quiet girl who specialized in support magic.

Aetrial glanced at his team. They didn’t look thrilled to have him as their leader. Rhea crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed, while Gavin muttered something under his breath.

“So, what’s the plan?” Rhea asked curtly.

Aetrial hesitated. Leadership wasn’t exactly his forte. But he couldn’t let them see him falter. “We’ll start by scouting the area,” he said, trying to sound confident. “Lila, you’re on detection duty. Gavin, stay close and protect her. Rhea and I will cover the flanks.”

Rhea raised an eyebrow. “Bold of you to assume you can keep up.”

Aetrial gave her a tight smile. “Let’s find out.”

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The Simulation

The team moved cautiously through the illusionary forest. Aetrial focused on maintaining a calm exterior, though his mind raced with strategies. The professor had hinted that this exercise was about adaptability, so he knew to expect surprises.

Sure enough, they soon encountered another group. Aetrial recognized one of them as a noble from Tyler’s faction—a skilled fire mage.

The opposing leader smirked. “Looks like we’ve got an easy target.”

Gavin bristled. “You want to say that again?”

“Stand down,” Aetrial said sharply, surprising even himself. He turned to his team. “Rhea, counter their fire magic with water. Lila, focus on boosting Gavin’s speed and strength. Gavin, flank them while I draw their attention.”

Rhea hesitated for a moment but nodded. “Fine. Let’s see if you can back up your words.”

Aetrial stepped forward, dark mana swirling around him. The opposing team hesitated, clearly wary of the infamous Ranolf magic. Aetrial used this to his advantage, unleashing a controlled burst of shadow tendrils to force them into a defensive position.

“Now!” he shouted.

Rhea and Gavin moved with precision, their combined efforts overwhelming the other team. Within minutes, the simulation ended with their victory.

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Aftermath

As the illusion faded, the professor clapped his hands. “Interesting performance, Team 7. Aetrial, your use of intimidation and teamwork was effective. But remember, overreliance on fear can backfire. Not all enemies will hesitate when faced with dark magic.”

Aetrial nodded, grateful for the feedback.

Rhea approached him after the class, her expression begrudgingly respectful. “Not bad, Ranolf. Maybe you’re not as useless as people say.”

“Thanks,” Aetrial said dryly.

Gavin gave him a thumbs-up. “You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that.”

As they left the lecture hall, Aetrial couldn’t help but feel a small sense of accomplishment. For once, he’d managed to hold his own.

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Reflection

Back in his dormitory, Aetrial mulled over the day’s events. The simulation had proven that he wasn’t entirely hopeless as a leader. But it had also reminded him of the limitations of dark magic—it was powerful but often relied on psychological warfare.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “One step at a time,” he muttered.

Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, he allowed himself to feel a flicker of pride.

End of Chapter 14