Chapter 203: Kai Felix |
A massive hallway.
There were two instructors in the hallway.
This hallway was a common space set aside for the invited instructors of this training session to gather separately.
“It should be about time for them to arrive.”
“I didn’t expect to see you at a new teacher training session.”
“I feel the same way.”
A woman who appeared to be in her late 30s and a man who looked to be in his 50s.
These two instructors were extremely difficult to invite as lecturers for the new teacher training session.
The woman’s name was Anest Ranez.
Although not officially a master, she was an outstanding teacher with skills comparable to one.
The man was a famous spirit mage named Diaker. Some called him a spirit knight, while others called him a spirit guardian.
As a spirit mage contracted with the four elements, he was a teacher with exceptional talent in utilizing elemental spirits.
Given their high reputations as teachers, it was not easy to gather them in one place.
“I came to repay a debt to the Sword Saint. And…”
“You came to see Regia Malcher, didn’t you?”
“…That’s also a reason.”
The two instructors shook their heads as they spoke.
“I knew the Sword Saint had a wide network, but I didn’t expect him to be acquainted with Regia Malcher as well.”
“As far as I know, Regia doesn’t usually schedule external appointments unless it’s something significant. I wonder if he really came because the Sword Saint called.”
“I know, I thought the same thing.”
They were both curious about why Regia, who was hard to meet outside, had accepted the Sword Saint’s invitation.
“It should be about time for it to end.”
“Eucalis took the first class, right? I should hear about it. See if there are any new teachers worth teaching this year.”
“I’m also very curious about the level of the new teachers this year.”
Soon, Eucalis, who had finished the first class, entered the hallway.
“Mr. Eucalis.”
“Eucalis, how was the first class?”
Eucalis’s expression was quite flushed as he entered.
Since it was rare for him to have such an expression, the two instructors sent him curious looks.
Eucalis opened his mouth with a confident expression.
“I have already decided on the student who will receive first place in this new teacher training session, teachers.”
“What do you mean…!”
“You’ve already decided? It’s only the first class, isn’t it?”
The two instructors had expressions full of expectation at Eucalis’s words.
Eucalis was also considered as great a teacher as themselves.
For such a teacher to be excited and decide on the first-place student from the first class, it was presumed that the level of this new teacher training session would be extraordinary.
“How was the content of the class? Judging by that expression, I think I can guess the answer without hearing it. Who exactly are you planning to give first place to? I heard there weren’t many teachers to look forward to in this training session?”
“Kai Felix? Or is it Ciron? I heard Paqueta’s granddaughter is also here.”
Eucalis shook his head.
“It’s none of them. It’s Ethan Whiskers.”
When Ethan Whiskers’ name came up, the two instructors wore puzzled expressions.
“Ethan Whiskers? I’ve heard rumors, but…”
“Given Ghost Sword’s peculiar taste, I thought he gave the top spot as a rival to Ciron.”
The two instructors had heard rumors about Ethan Whiskers a few times.
But rumors are often unreliable.
Therefore, the two instructors had decided to reserve judgment until they saw him in person.
If he had been a high-ranking noble, they might have given some consideration despite the rumors, but Ethan was from a provincial territory.
“Rumors tend to be exaggerated, don’t they? But Lord Ethan wasn’t like that. Rather, the rumors were understated.”
Eucalis briefly explained what he had seen in the first class.
These two were well aware of Eucalis’s teaching methods and philosophy, so they had a rough idea of how he conducted his lectures.
“He said he could handle all the weapons I brought out.”
“Seems he’s a bit boastful.”
He might be able to handle them all. But considering Eucalis’s teaching methods and philosophy, simply handling them isn’t everything.
Eucalis shook his head at Anest’s words.
“No.”
Then he grinned.
“He really could handle them all. And at a high level at that.”
“All the weapons you brought out?”
“Yes, all of them!”
The two instructors could now understand why Eucalis was excited.
“You must have brought out at least ten, and he handled them all at a high level? A new teacher who just joined?”
Given that Eucalis said “high level”, it must have shown considerable proficiency with any weapon.
It was hard to believe for a newly hired teacher.
If someone other than Eucalis had said this, they would have thought it was a lie.
“The first one he picked up was a whip.”
“Wow…”
The whip was one of the non-mainstream weapons and was quite tricky to handle.
“That’s not all. When we got into the main part of the class, it was even more amazing.”
“There’s something even more amazing than that?”
“It doesn’t seem like there could be anything more amazing than this just from hearing about it.”
“You both know that usually when a class starts, new teachers tend to focus only on the immediate content of the class, right?”
But Ethan was different.
Rather than focusing on the content of the class, he focused on how the class was being led.
He absorbed all of Eucalis’s experience right there on the spot, without missing a single thing.
“I felt like everything I had built up over many years was being stolen from me right there.”
It was a terrifying statement.
But at the same time, it was also an incredibly exciting one.
Teaching a talented individual who is trying to surpass oneself is one of the fantasies that educators hope to experience.
The eyes of the two instructors changed at Eucalis’s words.
“Ethan Whiskers is a swordsmanship instructor at Ivecar, right?”
“Then… he’s unlikely to attend our classes. And I was just getting motivated after a long time.”
Excluding Regia’s class, which all new teachers would attend anyway, it was highly unlikely that Ethan, a swordsmanship instructor, would attend magic-related classes.
“I wanted to teach him.”
After hearing Eucalis’s story, the two instructors were itching to teach Ethan Whiskers.
Just as a studious student shows an active attitude when meeting a good teacher, a teacher also burns with educational enthusiasm when meeting a good student.
“That’s probably right. If he attends any class, it would be the Sword Saint’s. Hmm, seems you’re both disappointed.”
Eucalis grinned as he said this. Fortunately for him, it seemed his competitors had disappeared.
Eucalis wanted to keep Ethan under his wing and teach him properly.
He is a teacher with tremendous talent who grows as much as he is nurtured.
Moreover, he’s an individual who will become great even if left alone, so wouldn’t it be good to become his mentor and have a foot in his success?
Successful teachers often have excellent disciples under them.
But there was a bit of uneasiness. The brüle that Ethan had shown. It was quite a high-level magic.
Given that he used such high-level magic, there was a possibility that Ethan might attend these two’s classes.
That’s why Eucalis deliberately didn’t mention anything about magic. If he had, these two instructors would have actively pursued Ethan.
At that moment, the door opened with a creak.
“…!”
The three instructors’ gazes turned towards the door.
The one who entered the hallway was an elderly gentleman with snow-white hair.
His sharp eyes, large nose, and jet-black beard in contrast to his hair were striking.
“If it isn’t Mr. Regia!”
Eucalis, who was acquainted with Regia, greeted him.
“It’s been a while, Eucalis. I’m meeting those two for the first time, but it’s nice to meet you.”
“Hello, Mr. Regia. I’m Diaker.”
“Hello, Mr. Regia. I’m Anest.”
“Regia Malcher. I think you know about me, so I’ll skip the introduction. More importantly, Eucalis, you just finished your class, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. Are you curious about this year’s new teachers too, Mr. Regia?”
“No, I’m not curious. I just need to confirm one thing. That guy named Ethan Whiskers, how was he?”
For a moment, Eucalis’s eyes wavered.
But he soon composed himself.
It was because Regia’s tone when asking about Ethan was quite negative.
“Did… did Ethan Whiskers make a mistake with you, Mr. Regia?”
“The reason I came here is because of that Ethan Whiskers. I have something to confirm.”
Regia said.
“That guy, how was he?”
The situation started to take a strange turn.
Diaker and Anest quietly calmed their surprised hearts.
They never dreamed that the reason Regia came here was because of a mere new teacher.
Eucalis’s expression darkened, wondering if he was going to lose his potential disciple whom he had finally met like this.
The aura Regia was emitting seemed like he had come to kill an enemy.
“Tell me in detail.”
***
“What’s the matter?”
At the outdoor training ground.
Ethan was having a private conversation with Kai Felix, who had a serious expression.
Kai Felix looked at Ethan for a moment, pondered, and then carefully opened his mouth.
“Why did you say that to me?”
“You mean when I asked why you swing your sword like that?”
“Yes.”
“Because that’s actually what you’re doing. I don’t know the detailed circumstances, but I could tell you were swinging it carelessly.”
Kai Felix’s brow furrowed slightly.
“What did you see in my swordsmanship to say that I’m swinging carelessly?”
“I said it after watching your swordsmanship. Pretending that your current skill is the best you can do when you can actually do better. Isn’t that being careless?”
Ethan said this while looking straight at Kai Felix.
“How can you teach students with such an attitude?”
It was an extremely rude question. But Kai Felix couldn’t even answer, let alone refute.
In fact, it was something Kai himself knew best.
He was feeling helpless due to the complex situation surrounding him.
What’s the point of getting stronger in the situation he’s in?
That’s why Kai Felix felt a strange emotion while watching Ethan handle numerous weapons at a proficient level.
He could do that too. He could move explosively with all his might like Ethan.
But he could never act like Ethan.
That’s why he found himself seeking out Ethan, without even knowing what he wanted to say.
“There’s a difference between being able to do something but not doing it, and not being able to do it at all. Teacher Eucalis must have noticed too. When you swung the spear.”
Ethan’s sharp gaze pierced Kai Felix.
“That you were giving your all to swing carelessly.”
Kai Felix let out a deep sigh at Ethan’s words.
“I must not become strong.”
The Felix family had high expectations for Kai Felix.
But those expectations were only about the responsibilities that the second son should take on.
The heir to the Felix family was not the second son Kai, but the firstborn Rohai. Since the eldest son Rohai Felix would inherit the family, all the glory of the family should naturally belong to Rohai Felix.
Rohai Felix was a talent who, as the firstborn of the family, would inherit everything and elevate the Felix family to the pinnacle of the Twelve Families.
But Kai Felix’s role was only to assist Rohai, who was the firstborn and the next head of the family.
“Why is that?”
“Because I’m the second son. Everything in the Felix family is for my brother. I must not become stronger than my brother. I must not excel more than my brother. I must remain… as an assistant for my brother forever.”
These were words he had been suppressing and swallowing until now.
The sight of Ethan in Eucalis’s class unknowingly caused everything he had been holding back to explode.
“That’s why I can’t become strong. You asked why I swing my sword like that, right? It’s because I have to swing it like that.”
The family’s gaze.
The family’s expectations.
The family’s pressure.
All of these things made Kai Felix who he is today.
In the Felix family, children who are not the firstborn must live only for the firstborn who will inherit the family.
They must not become stronger than the firstborn, nor excel more than the firstborn. However, showing a shameful appearance to the Felix family’s bloodline was not tolerated either.
Kai had only been acting as befitting the second son of the Felix family until now. Perfectly so.
Ethan smirked as he looked at Kai, whose face looked like he might cry at any moment due to frustration.
“Then why don’t you leave?”
“…Pardon?”
“The Felix family, I mean.”
It was a very simple statement, but something he had never thought of before.
“What’s so great about the Twelve Families? Just leave and go your own way. Who knows? The Twelve Families might become the Thirteen Families.”
Ethan said this as he approached Kai. Then he held out his index finger in front of Kai’s eyes.
“What do you see?”
“I only see a finger.”
Ethan removed his index finger from in front of Kai’s eyes.
Then the vast sky filled both of Kai’s eyes.
“Even that wide sky can be covered by placing a single finger.”
Ethan said this as he held out his index finger in front of Kai again.
“Cover Felix.”
At that moment.
Small cracks began to form in Kai Felix’s small frame.
Author's ThoughtsHi everyone, I've completely translated this novel! For those who love this novel and wanted to binge read until the last chapter, you can go to my Patreon "Shop" page. There, I have a product in which you can read them with discounted price!