Chapter 6:
Chapter 6:
Phillip walked briskly, making his way to Felicia’s side.
There was no need for him to do anything to gather attention. With the exception of a few distracted new students, all eyes were focused on him.
“Greetings, students. Some of you may know me, while others may not. But one thing is certain: it is fortunate for all of you to have encountered me in this place.”
He had a striking appearance that even evoked jealousy from himself when he looked into the mirror, and a resonant voice with a pleasing tone.
‘If only I had been like this in my past life, my salary would have exceeded billions.’
Phillip thought to himself while observing the new students and their parents.
Though no one openly expressed it, he could read the atmosphere to some extent.
Amidst gazes filled with doubt and disdain, Phillip smirked.
“I can sense the curiosity in your eyes. As you gain more experience with me, you will come to understand. When you face problems that seem unsolvable, you will seek me out more readily. Perhaps for advice on matters like relationships. I am an expert in that field, after all.”
Laughter rippled through the group of new students. The laughter was slightly awkward, typical of adolescents around Phillip’s age.
Phillip glanced at Felicia.
“…?”
She had widened her eyes like a surprised rabbit, but as Phillip caught on, she cleared her throat and spoke up.
“Ahem, then, Instructor, why don’t you impress the students with a display of your skills?”
“Yes, Professor.”
Phillip bowed his head in greeting before unsheathing the sword at his waist. It was none other than “Neria the Chatterbox.”
‘Is he going to use that? That? The one he was practicing with all day yesterday?’
“Yes.”
Phillip, who replied softly, stood before the training dummy made of leather and sand. Unlike the one Diana Frenhall had used, this one was clad in shoddy iron armor.
Last night, in a dream shown by Neria, Phillip had engaged in over thirty virtual battles.
Although he hadn’t fully mastered the “Moonlight Sword” technique, Phillip had successfully incorporated one of the possibilities demonstrated by the Moonlight Sword into his own skills. Neria’s third owner, with her magical armor and exceptional magical power, had become an excellent sparring partner.
Now, Phillip was about to demonstrate a technique he had honed by slaying nameless knights dozens of times.
“Ha!”
Neria’s divine sword swept through the steel armor on the training dummy effortlessly.
It was a light and seemingly playful strike.
“…?”
The eyes of everyone present moved repeatedly between the training dummy and Phillip.
“Phillip… Oswald…”
Felicia glared at Phillip, her eyes brimming with tears. Something beyond hatred was taking root in her heart.
‘I’m… I must be losing my mind. I can’t believe I trusted such a worthless person. Why… Why is he doing this to me? What grudge does he hold against me?’
And in that moment, the training dummy that Phillip had touched collapsed, crumbling to the ground.
Sand spilled out, flowing through the gaps in the steel armor, along with torn leather fragments.
Except for a small minority, people finally realized that Phillip had done something. Simultaneously, Felicia’s expression rapidly transformed, radiating a glimmer of hope.
It had been a long time since her brother’s face appeared somewhat pleasing to her.
“What did he do? Is that supposed to be impressive?”
Amidst the silence, someone muttered, and an immediate response followed.
“Of course, it’s impressive. Striking despite the armor? It means creating an opening within the armor at the moment of impact. Not just anyone can do that.”
“Setting aside the ingenious idea, he has a natural talent for manipulating magical energy.”
“There must be a reason he wasn’t cast out from the Viscount family.”
The attending parents, as well as more than half of the distinguished guests, were highly skilled swordsmen who had dedicated over twenty years to honing their swordsmanship.
Even those who imparted teachings to knights sworn to their respective families found it challenging to replicate the technique that Phillip had just showcased—a demonstration of his exceptional ability to manipulate magical energy.
The contrast with Diana Frenhall’s demonstration of her skills was evident.
While her ability to split the sword energy was an impressive accomplishment for her age, it didn’t have the same impact as Phillip’s.
The atmosphere in the room shifted. The extraordinary talent displayed by the twenty-two-year-old momentarily overshadowed her reputation, leaving a profound impression.
“If you can keep up with Professor Oswald’s lessons, some of you students sitting here might be able to achieve similar feats like mine.”
Phillip bowed respectfully and returned to his original position.
Despite the class resuming, the gaze of a few distinguished guests remained fixated on Phillip’s face.
‘It was successful, wasn’t it?’
‘Seems like it. The risk of being overshadowed has nearly vanished.’
‘Ah, yes. Was that your only concern?’
‘Look over there instead.’
Phillip cast a glance at Felicia and let out a soft chuckle.
Although she had regained her composure and smoothly conducted the observation class, Phillip noticed a momentary relaxation in her demeanor.
It was evident from the intermittent trembling of her slender legs.
‘Master, you’re really wicked. You did that on purpose to see my sister’s reaction, didn’t you?’
Neria grumbled.
‘That’s not true. I chose it because it’s the most challenging technique I can perform.’
‘… It turned out even better than I expected. I can’t instantly shed the image of a troublemaker. My goal was to make them tolerate me by showcasing my skills, even if my personality isn’t the best.’
Just like skilled athletes with good abilities but not-so-great personalities often appear in matches or on TV, that was also what Phillip aimed for.
‘If there’s no one capable of replacing me, I can survive. If no one can surpass me, that’s it. Even if I act however I want, no one can challenge me as long as I refine my skills.’
With those thoughts in mind, Phillip focused on the observation class.
“Now, we’ll actually wield real swords and strike the training dummies. The practice swords are of the same length and weight as real ones, so for those who haven’t handled a sword before, it may feel heavy and dangerous.”
Once they completed the brief practice, the observation class would come to an end.
‘Ah!’
Phillip quickly approached a young female student who was struggling to hold the sword.
“If you hold it like that, your wrist will hurt. Here, since you still lack strength, grip it with both hands. Place one hand on the pommel and firmly support the guard below… That’s it. Shall we try swinging it once?”
* * *
It was the afternoon after the observation class had come to an end.
The staff members returned to their offices to prepare for the semester, and the students headed back to the dormitories, their place of refuge.
However, Phillip had no time to dedicate to administrative tasks.
‘Neria is not sure anymore. Is this really the right time for this? Shouldn’t we go back and attend to something important?’
“… You’re surprisingly reasonable, aren’t you?”
‘Master, you’re acting strangely.’
Phillip acknowledged that Neria’s words held some truth.
During this busy time when his fellow colleagues were fully occupied with their duties, Phillip was climbing up the hill behind the academy.
“It should be somewhere around here.”
‘What exactly are you looking for?’
“Two young ones. Brown-haired twins. They are new students.”
What Phillip was searching for were the twin protagonists.
The unnamed twins, orphaned and raised in the mountains, were meant to be here on this mountain.
‘Aren’t they the new students who enrolled today? Why are they here?’
“… Well, these kids may have a strong sense of adventure and curiosity.”
The twins, who grew up in the mountains and bid farewell to the one who had taken care of them, entered the academy.
Given their circumstances, with no guardian or reliable adult to rely on, seeking solace in the mountains was not uncommon for them.
“There they are.”
Phillip soon spotted the brown-haired boy and girl sitting on a large rock.
“Lua, what’s with the expression? I love it here. It’s so spacious, the buildings are tall, and the bread is unbelievably delicious! Seriously, I’ve never tasted such soft bread before.”
“… I don’t know, Luen. I just… feel uneasy. I wanted to keep living there.”
The lively girl with a ponytail was named Lua, and the boy with straight-cut bangs was named Luen.
Phillip observed the children closely, sensing a peculiar feeling within himself.
“You’re always like that, Luen. I like Uncle too. But how long can we live in that small cabin? Uncle also felt the same way. It’s time to explore the bigger world, Lua, Luen, he said. I believe it’s the right thing to do.”
“But…”
“Ah, there you are. Luen, come here,” said Lua, pulling her twin brother closer and affectionately tousling his hair.
“You’re with me now, Luen. If you’re feeling anxious, it makes me anxious too. Let’s just… focus on the happy things that lie ahead, okay? Make lots of friends… and who knows, maybe you’ll meet a lovely girl who adores you…”
“I haven’t really thought about that,” Luen replied.
Phillip couldn’t help but find their interaction endearing. It reminded him of small creatures, like rabbits or squirrels, comforting and caring for each other. It tugged at his heart.
Knowing that these affectionate siblings would soon be separated only made it more poignant.
Phillip believed it was time for him to step in.
“What are you two doing here?” he asked, making his presence known.
Startled by his sudden appearance, the twin siblings jumped off the rock, slightly startled.
“W-Who are you?”
They seemed unsure and cautious in the presence of an unfamiliar adult. However, upon realizing that Phillip’s attire indicated he was an instructor, their wariness eased slightly.
“Sir…? Instructor? What should we call you?” they asked, seeking clarification.
Philip tilted his head and asked with a puzzled expression, “Call me whatever you want. But more importantly, it’s almost time to confirm the number of students in the dormitory. What were you doing here?”
Phillip continued again, “Well, it’s not that you can’t be here, but as new students who just enrolled today, do you know if it’s appropriate for you to be here at this time? It might not be allowed for you to stay here without knowing.”
Lua quickly apologized. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry, nobody has been harmed yet, so you haven’t done anything wrong. However, it’s time to confirm your dormitory assignments. Come with me, behind me.”
Phillip gently pulled their arms, guiding them behind him. Then, he aimed at the empty space as if targeting something invisible.
Neria asked with confusion, ‘What are you doing, Master?’
Phillip felt a strong sense of dissonance emanating from a specific point in the empty space. It felt as if something had been hastily patched up, creating an odd sensation.
“It’s her.”
Phillip had an instinctive feeling that something was about to happen.
One of the three renowned sages in this world, Illoxina Taramia, had appeared in this place with the intention of taking one of the twins.
“Just a moment, please calm down. I am not your enemy,” she reassured them.
And then, the space itself tore apart as the grand sage materialized before them.
Illoxina, the Golden Arcanum Tower’s Lord, master of magic concerning space, time, and wind—a truly formidable sorceress and one of the most powerful beings in the world. Though many decades had passed, she appeared to be in her twenties, thanks to some form of age-preserving magic.
Upon scrutinizing Philip’s appearance, a look of surprise flickered across her face.
“I wonder how you managed to recognize my magic, but now is not the time for such inquiries. I am Illoxina Taramia, the Tower Lord of the Golden Arcanum Tower. If you require proof, I can provide it,” she offered.
As Philip had known, she carried herself with the same demeanor, showing respect even to him, who was much younger.
As tension filled the air, Philip met her gaze and cleared his throat.
“… Is there any reason to doubt what I just witnessed? I am merely curious as to why you are here, Tower Lord. Since it seems you are unaware of me, it appears that you have no specific business with me. However, if you have any matters concerning our students, I would appreciate it if you could inform me,” he requested politely.
The Great Sage Illoxina gazed alternately at the twin siblings and Phillip before letting out a soft sigh.
“Rosello Graham, the Headmaster, and I have already discussed this matter. I’m sorry, but I must take one of the students with me.”
“What do you mean?” questioned Phillip.
“I have come here to take a young boy named Luen,” she replied.
Upon hearing this, Lua darted forward in front of Phillip. Her face showed a mix of fear and confusion, and her eyes widened like a startled rabbit.
“Why? Why him?” Lua stammered, tightly clinging to Phillip’s arm, trembling.
Illoxina bit her lip, fully aware of the task she was about to undertake.
It was her duty to separate the siblings who had been inseparable since birth. Considering the inevitable sense of loss and pain that would befall these innocent children, Illuxina couldn’t help but feel a heaviness in her heart.
However, she knew that it was necessary for the sake of the children, even if it meant enduring their suffering.
“Child, I cannot explain everything to you. But if your sibling remains here, both you and the other children at the academy will be in danger. Please, forgive me…”
She spoke with a solemn tone, raising her left hand in a gesture of both apology and resolve.
Phillip felt the subtle currents of magic emanating from her hand. Her power was unfathomable.
And in that moment, an overwhelming wave of drowsiness crashed upon him, threatening to drag him into a deep slumber.
“Ah…”
Young Lua and Luen succumbed to the enchanting embrace of sleep, their bodies sinking to the ground, but Phillip resisted with every ounce of his being. His eyes burned with determination as he fought against the overpowering fatigue.
Gritting his teeth, he forcefully blinked, his eyelids twitching in defiance.
There were words that needed to be exchanged with Illoxina, knowledge he needed to gain.
“Don’t resist! It’s harming your body!”
Illoxina’s urgent plea echoed in his ears as he struggled against the seductive pull of her sleep magic.
Though it was a mere fifth-tier spell, being wielded by someone hailed as a Great Sage made all the difference.
Unless someone possessed innate anti-magic abilities, their mana within could become entangled, potentially resulting in severe harm.
However, Phillip forcefully parted his lips, his eyes burning with determination.
His head spun, his vision blurred, and his body felt devoid of strength.
“Promise me that you will take good care of that child.”
“… I promise.”
“Can you love Luen as much as that girl who fell asleep over there? You are taking away the only family she has left in this world. You are shattering the world of two young children. Is this sacrifice truly for the greater good? What do those young ones know!”
Phillip lifted his hand, discreetly wiping away the trickling tears. He could no longer endure.
“Promise me once more, can you truly… take care of them?”
Unfortunately, Phillip never heard Illoxina’s response. Reaching the limits of his mental strength, he soon lost consciousness and collapsed.
The Great Sage gazed at Phillip with trembling eyes.
He seemed to possess knowledge of why she was taking Luen away, even though he appeared to have no direct connection to the situation.
‘Surely, he must be someone entirely unrelated.’
He possessed the mental fortitude to resist her magic, and he was a character that stepped forward to protect two siblings with whom he had no apparent connection, and even the innate talent to instinctively unravel her spells.
‘Someday, our paths will cross again.’
“… I will give it my all.”
After responding to the fallen Philip, she gently lifted Luen into her arms.
“…”
Feeling the weight of the child in her embrace, the Great Sage concealed her presence within the academy.
——-
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I Became a Crazy Swordsmanship Instructor in the Game
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