I Became a Crazy Swordsmanship Instructor in the Game

Chapter 37:

There’s no guarantee that creative ideas will always lead to good results.

Stephen’s plan to secure the tent by driving nails into the trees was undoubtedly creative, but unfortunately, there was no one capable of executing it.

In the end, being more experienced, Felicia had to graciously teach the students how to set up the tent without any support.

“When you drive the nails to anchor the tent, make sure to twist the knot tightly like this. That way, the fabric won’t come loose, and the tent will stay taut even after some time.”

The magic undergraduate students were astonished when they saw that Felicia managed to create a convincing tent in just about ten minutes.

“That’s truly impressive!”

Cheryl exclaimed with excitement. Felicia smiled awkwardly and made a suggestion.

“How about we light a fire and have something to eat? I’m feeling a bit hungry since I skipped breakfast.”

“By the way, where did Philip go?”

Felicia began stacking dry branches, feeling a bit frustrated with Philip’s sudden disappearance. Thankfully, they had three skilled mages, so there was no need to worry much about the fire.

After a short while, the aroma of the boiling soup filled the air, and Philip returned.

“Where did you go, Instructor?”

Philip replied casually, “I went to check if there were any demons or dangerous creatures nearby.”

It was a somewhat reasonable excuse, so Felicia could only sigh and turn her head away.

“… Well then.”

The savory jerky, high-quality sheep milk cheese, and mashed potato soup turned out to be a delightful outdoor dinner. Even though it wasn’t fully cooked yet, the students couldn’t resist salivating at the fantastic aroma.

“I think this is the most luxurious soup I’ve ever tasted. During class, we had to eat soup made with weird ingredients to simulate field conditions.”

Soon, the group finished their satisfying meal and regained their energy.

“Now, what should we do next?”

Stephen asked, curious about the possibilities.

“How about exploring the lake? You might discover some of the interesting phenomena rumored to happen around here.”

Philip suggested, and the idea was quickly embraced by the group. For teenagers, new places always sparked a sense of adventure, and a beautiful lake was an enticing prospect.

“Professor and I will stay here. You guys go explore. We haven’t seen any signs of danger nearby, so it should be safe for you to go on your own. If anything happens, just come back and call for us.”

“Sure, we’ll do that.”

As the students left to explore, Philip and Felicia were left alone.

“What should we do now?”

“I’m not sure. How about you take a nap, sis? You seemed to be busy with work until late last night.”

Phillip was right; Felicia hadn’t had a proper rest for the past few days.

Even for someone as disciplined as her, the early semester schedule was brutal, leaving her utterly exhausted. If it weren’t for Phillip’s request, she would have had to handle academic-related tasks at the academy.

“Then I’ll get some rest, just for about two hours,” Felicia said, stretching her arms upward and letting out a tired yawn. Then she fidgeted around, trying to find a comfortable spot to lie down.

“Haahh… you really have to wake me up,” she murmured.

She rested her head on her backpack, using it as a makeshift pillow, and soon drifted off into a peaceful slumber, her breathing becoming soft and rhythmic. Seeing her serene form, Phillip couldn’t help but smile contentedly.

“Yes, sleep well.”

Everything was going according to plan. After making sure Felicia was sound asleep, Phillip quietly left the campsite.

‘Now that I’ve taken care of the kids, it’s time to focus on my own objectives.’

He unfastened Neria, the sword he had kept in his backpack, and strapped it to his waist.

‘Haaah, where are you off to fight now?’ 

Neria’s voice sounded drowsy, as if she had been dozing off.

“Well, something like that. If you want more sleep, should I take another sword with me?” Phillip teased.

‘Are you always going to say it so reluctantly?’ 

—

“Damn it, what can I do now?”

Near the “Singyuru Lake,” a man wearing a blue robe was deeply engrossed in his magical experiment.

On the experiment table lay a sky-blue translucent gemstone, a gift he received from the lake’s fairy a few years ago. He had been studying the mysterious power wielded by the fairy using that gemstone for several years now.

This power was entirely different from magic and aura. It was akin to the unique ability of dragons known as “Dragon Language,” which allowed the manipulation of nature solely through willpower. Unraveling the secret behind this ability could secure him a place in the magical world’s history forever.

“How do these fairy pranks happen, after all?” 

Ever since he was deeply impressed by a prank played by a forest fairy during his boyhood, he began to look for traces of the fairies and initiated his own research. After investing a considerable amount of time in the search, he found the “Singyuru Lake” and left the Golden Arcanum Tower where he belonged, transferring to the Blue Tower where he could deeply study water manipulation magic.

Over the years, he built a close relationship with the lake fairy, accompanying her on numerous pranks to study and record the phenomena.

However, the results were meager.

The innocent pranks of the benevolent fairy were not enough to gather sufficient data.

The fairy’s pranks were also governed by some sort of power, similar to magic, which undoubtedly followed certain laws.

“… I lack data. I need to observe more phenomena.”

Originally, researching the fairy’s power was forbidden for mages. The towers did not encourage provoking supernatural beings, which were variable in nature.

However, if he didn’t provoke them, no phenomena would occur.

The man’s attention was drawn to the crystal bead placed next to the experimental table. As he looked at it, he could see the image of young boys and girls laughing and chatting on its surface.

Recognizing their school uniforms, he realized they were students from Privia Academy.

“I apologize to all of you, but sacrifices are sometimes necessary for true progress.”

He had been preparing for this moment for a long time.

“If I can manage to anger the lake fairy, I might be able to observe the source of her power…”

Although he knew the students trapped within the crystal bead would pay a price, he was willing to set aside his conscience for the sake of magic.

All he needed to do now was recite the spell, and the summoning ritual hidden near the lake would be activated. It was a ritual to summon an ancient demon known as the ‘Manticore,’ a creature he had traded for long ago.

The Manticore, also called the “Secret Devourer,” possessed magical abilities that rivaled those of the fairies. With proper assistance, the man hoped to uncover the essence of the fairy’s powers.

“Forgive me.”

He muttered solemnly as he raised his staff. At that very moment, the door of the cabin suddenly swung open.

“Who’s there!”

He canceled the spell he was about to recite and immediately prepared an offensive spell to fend off the intruder. Ice Spear magic, a trademark of the Blue Tower, materialized around him.

“It’s me. I am the instructor of the students you’ve been spying on.”

Trying to discern the identity of the intruder, the man spoke cautiously.

The intruder’s handsome appearance and cold, commanding gaze were unfamiliar to him. However, he could recognize the insignia of a Privia Academy instructor, which prompted him to attempt initiating a conversation.

“I am a mage from the Blue Tower…”

“I know. You’re Geo Lomartan, an untalented fool who dares to defy taboos. Should I guess what you’re doing here? You were attempting to summon the Manticore into the lake, hoping to witness the enraged fairy slaughter all my students and ravage the nearby villages.”

Philip interrupted the man’s speech.

“What kind of nonsense are you spewing? I’m a mage from the Blue Tower, and I have no intentions of breaking any taboos.”

Geo Lomartan, the Blue Tower mage, felt a surge of frustration and shifted his left hand behind him. He was about to activate the magic circle inscribed near the door.

“Oh, you have no such intentions?”

Philip smirked and unsheathed his sword.

‘Is that true, Master?’

Neria, who had been listening, asked Philip in surprise. 

Philip nodded, and as he did, frost began to envelop his surroundings.

“… If you take one step forward, you’ll become an ice statue. I don’t know what you’re blabbering about, but I won’t harm you if you leave now. Consider yourself lucky to have trespassed into a mage’s workshop and still be able to leave safely.”

Facing Geo Lomartan’s authoritative attitude, Philip clicked his tongue.

‘Should I just kill him?’

Philip was well within striking distance. He knew he was more than capable of defeating Geo Lomartan, but he considered the opportunity of battling a mage to be quite intriguing.

Philip carefully observed Geo Lomartan’s stance. He decided to abandon his plan of using Geo to accumulate experience points after noticing the traces of illusion magic – the kind that flaunts hiding true abilities and employing trap spells.

To Philip, Geo seemed far beneath his expectations. With such mediocre skills, he doubted Geo would be of any help in future battles against other mages.

In a split second, Philip summoned his aura and swung his long, blade-like sword before Geo could react.

Though Geo managed to secretly cast a defensive spell and block the blade once, it couldn’t fully withstand the impact.

“Ugh!”

Geo’s frail body crashed against the cabin wall. Dazed, he coughed up a mouthful of blood, his injuries evident.

From the moment they met, Philip knew Geo stood no chance against him without proper preparation.

While a fully prepared mage could be insufferably formidable, most mages, save a few exceptions, struggled in impromptu situations.

‘I should be cautious with the magic circle.’

With Geo lying helplessly, it was time for Philip to deliver the finishing blow. He moved the blade closer to Geo’s neck.

Seeing the menacing blade, fear replaced the arrogance in Geo’s eyes.

“Who… who are you? I’ve never heard of anyone like you.”

“And I’ve never come across a reckless mage like you. Let’s call it a draw. But more importantly, release the magic circle immediately. If there’s any trace of magic around me by the time I count to three… well, use your imagination.”

Philip was determined to end Geo’s life.

Sacrificing young students for personal gain was against his principles, something he could never forgive.

“Damn it…”

Silently cursing, Geo reluctantly dispelled the magic circle. Philip felt the frost and cold dissipate as he approached Geo.

“What… What are you going to do with me?”

Geo’s pupils trembled. Philip responded by grabbing his throat, as if asking why he should even bother answering.

“You should ask the fairy lady you were trying to deceive. You’ll have to explain everything you planned to do in your own words. She’s quite kind; if you’re lucky, she might spare your life.”

————-

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