A Genius Boy Who Was Exiled From His Family Home for “Not Being Able To Use Magic” Becomes a Witch’s Apprentice and Masters All Magic in the Right Way. This Is How You Use Your Magic, You Know?

Chapter 76. Mock Battle

Magic training.

As the name suggests, it’s a class held outside the classroom in a spacious area to enhance magical power through practical exercises──or so it seems.

First and foremost, this country places special importance on bloodline magic and tends not to emphasize magic training.

Moreover, the bloodline magic held by nobles varies widely. Naturally, efficient training methods also vary greatly, making it difficult to standardize a curriculum.

Therefore.

“──Form pairs or groups according to your abilities and conduct practical exercises. Choose partners who will help you train properly.”

This sounds nice, but essentially means ‘form pairs at random and fight’, leaving it entirely up to the students.

(…I see.)

Should one lament the roughness, or be glad that it at least retains the form of a practical exercise?

Well, for him, it’s probably the latter. So Hermes analyzes.

After all, his main advantage of attending this academy is, in a sense, this.

The students conduct mock battles using magic. In other words, they use magic──bloodline magic.

Which means he can thoroughly observe and analyze bloodline magic.

There won’t be a better opportunity than this.

…And various things aside, in a way, having an opponent with whom he can fight without issues is more suitable for achieving that purpose.

To meet those conditions and have someone who understands the circumstances──

(──Well, Sara-sama, I suppose.)

He feels a bit guilty for always relying on her.

Thinking he should thank her in some way eventually, he approaches her──

“Sara-sama!”

“Sara-sama, if you don’t mind, would you be my partner?”

“Your magic is wonderful; I’d love to see it again!”

(…Ah.)

She was very popular.

Mostly receiving enthusiastic invitations from male students, ostensibly to see her magic, but with other intentions mixed in.

He had no intention of interrupting that. He now understood her position in the class.

…However, that means.

There might not be anyone willing to partner with Hermes, who is currently treated like a pariah.

(…Uh-oh?)

Isn’t this actually a problem?

No, if he didn’t have to form a pair, it would be fine, but he thinks he should avoid causing any more trouble at this point.

Therefore, at least he should form a pair. But finding someone to pair with──as he began to feel a strange sense of urgency.

“Hmph. What’s the matter, commoner, don’t you have a partner?”

A familiar voice called out to him this time.

When he turned around, as expected, it was the male student who had cast magic at Hermes on the first day. His name──

“──Albert, sama.”

“I don’t recall giving you permission to address me by name.”

The male student, Albert, twisted his lips in displeasure at Hermes’ response.

“So? It looks like you don’t have a partner.”

“……Yes. Are you willing to partner with me?”

“Why would I do that? I already have a partner.”

Why did he bother talking to him then──the question was answered by his next words.

“I came to tell you who you should partner with.──There, isn’t there another student without a partner?”

As he said that, Albert pointed to──

“……Me?”

For some reason, sitting in the shade of a tree without participating in the class.

It was the girl Hermes had spoken to earlier, Nina, who responded reluctantly.

Of course, he had noticed she was watching from the sidelines, and he had directly asked her why.

Her answer was──

“That’s the situation, Nina-sama.… I’ve always been annoyed by the fact that you skip classes.”

“Even if you say that, you know, right?──Because of family circumstances, I’m forbidden to reveal my bloodline magic.”

That’s how it was.

Bloodline magic is the fundamental magic supporting the feudal system of this country.

But at the same time──for the family, bloodline magic is a closely guarded secret.

Some families do not want their trump card to be seen by others.

Therefore, they restrict or completely prohibit their offspring from using bloodline magic at the academy, for example.

So──there are a certain number of families doing the same thing as Hermes.

Nina is a case of complete prohibition. Therefore, she reluctantly──or rather, was quite eager to watch, or rather, skip this exercise.

She showed a troubled face at Albert’s request.

“If I can’t use bloodline magic, there’s no point in participating in the magic exercise, right? Besides, I can’t possibly fight Hermes. He’s probably very strong, and in a magic duel, I’d be instantly defeated.”

“That’s not necessarily the case.──Not if it’s not a magic duel.”

However.

Albert dismissed Nina’s words with a peculiar expression.

Her eyes narrowed as if to say, ‘Do you understand what you’re saying?’

After receiving her gaze, Albert looked around and declared.

“Don’t you all want to know? How capable this commoner, who enrolled under the banner of the Trachia family, really is!”

In response to his voice, murmurs of agreement began to rise.… Mainly from classmates who still looked down on Hermes.

…If they want to test his skills, they should do it themselves, and he doesn’t understand the point of pitting him against Nina, who is forbidden to use magic.

Everything is unclear, but──it seems Albert wants to use this class to make Hermes and Nina fight.

Hermes had no idea of his intention, but……

“……That’s the situation.”

Nina seemed to grasp it. Sighing in exasperation, she hesitated for a moment──

“Alright, I’ll go along with your ploy.… Personally, I’m a bit curious too.”

For some reason, she eventually nodded, walked over to Hermes, and faced him.

“Sorry, Hermes, for dragging you into this. Anyway, could you spar with me?”

“I don’t quite understand the situation, but if it’s a spar, then sure.”

Though a bit bewildered, Hermes, who naturally enjoys combat, agreed and turned to face Nina.

…He was curious about why they had set up this situation, among other things.

Before he knew it, the surrounding students had stopped their mock battles and gathered to watch. That wasn’t good; where were the teachers──he wondered, but they were already gone. The school had completely left this to the students. Was this school alright?

At that moment, Albert spoke to him again, this time with a smug tone.

“Hey, commoner. As you know, Nina-sama cannot use bloodline magic. And it would be disgraceful for you to use bloodline magic against a lady──”

“Albert, could you be quiet for a bit?”

Before Albert could finish his gloating restriction on Hermes’ abilities, Nina’s voice cut in.

Her voice was colder than before, and Albert fell silent under its pressure.

“Once again, I’m sorry, Hermes.… It’s not much of an apology, but I’ll give you a piece of advice.”

Standing in the center of the now quiet outdoor area, Nina spoke to Hermes.

“You can use magic. In fact, I recommend it. Otherwise──I will definitely win.”

“……Huh?”

As Hermes widened his eyes at her declaration,

Nina pulled out a foldable metal object from her pocket. Infusing it with magic, she cast a simple earth-element general-use spell.

“……I know I can be pretty careless and go with the flow, but,”

As a result, the metal transformed. What appeared in her hand was something everyone recognized──

“──I have always decided never to slack off when it comes to the sword.”

A swordswoman.

At that moment, Hermes understood her true nature.

“Alright, I’m coming.”

As she took a flowing stance, her body tilted forward──

──and vanished.

She moved so fast it seemed as if she disappeared, stepping into Hermes’ space in an instant. Converting the power of her step into an upward momentum, she unleashed a reverse diagonal slash that seemed to cut through the sound itself.

“!?”

Hermes barely reacted.

Complete evasion was impossible; realizing this in a split second, he jumped in the opposite direction of the sword slash while placing his right hand in the sword’s path. Simultaneously, he deployed a reinforced general-use light barrier, compressing it to the extreme and placing it on the back of his right hand. He perfectly timed the interception of the lightning-fast sword slash.

Even so, the impact was so intense he thought his arm might be torn off.

A parry at the last possible moment. Unable to dissipate the shock, he was flung backward. He didn’t resist, using the momentum to jump backward, landing after a spin. He barely managed to reset the situation.

(──I see.)

He now understood Albert and the others’ plan.

They must have known that she was an unparalleled swordswoman, an anomaly in this magic academy. They intended for her to defeat him, expecting that an initial encounter would leave him unable to respond. Then they could say he lost to someone who didn’t use bloodline magic and ruin his reputation.

……Thinking like this, Hermes realized he might have grown accustomed to the ways of this country.

But.

None of that mattered anymore.

Because.

“──Amazing.”

He was enthralled by her swordsmanship. The same awe he felt when he met Rose, seeing the pinnacle of skill.

As someone who had learned some hand-to-hand combat for close-quarters defense, Hermes could tell.

Her swordsmanship was flawless, beautiful, and devoid of any waste.

He could only glimpse the extent of her training and dedication, but even that glimpse overwhelmed him.

He had no hesitation in showing the utmost respect to the girl before him.

And it seemed she felt the same.

“……Amazing.”

Nina murmured, her face filled with surprise and, even more so, exhilaration.

“This is the first time in the academy that my first strike didn’t finish my opponent. And you, a magician, at this range.… I’m sorry, I underestimated you.

──You’re incredibly strong.”

“I also underestimated you. I doubted your words that ‘I could absolutely win without magic,’ and I apologize.

Now let me say it──I can’t win without using magic.”

But now, things were different.

Like masters who recognize each other’s skill with a single strike, they acknowledge and face each other.

Albert’s petty scheme and the expectation of seeing Hermes humiliated were forgotten.

Their minds were no longer on the baffled Albert.

The mock battle was still unresolved, and there was only one thing to do.

United by the joy of finding a worthy opponent even with their limitations,

Both of them simultaneously kicked off the ground.