chapter 28
28 – Guest Lecturer (4) Livia Illustration
Soon, the second lecture was over.
After helping Jane, who was last in order, the time of the guest lecturer would be over.
‘Phew, it’s finally over.’
Now, they don’t bother him anymore.
However, aside from that, they kept looking at him and it was mentally exhausting for some reason.
He doesn’t care anymore, but the problem is that they keep watching his every move.
‘Well, that’ll be over today as well.’
Thinking thus, he moved his steps towards the spot where he promised to meet Jane.
Just moments later, he found himself somehow at their predetermined destination.
“Are you here?”
Jane, waiting by the main gate, greeted him.
Cael noncommittally nodded at her greeting.
“Yeah. Have you thought about today’s lecture?”
“Ah, I was just about to tell you something regarding that.”
They walked side by side, conversing.
Listening to her opinion, Cael gave a nod.
“It certainly isn’t terrible.”
“Right?”
“So, what can I do to help?”
As Cael attentively watched her, she shifted her eyes and replied in a faint voice.
“Um, could you play the part of a demon?”
So that’s why she was being so cautious.
Well, it’s just a role, after all.
He didn’t particularly care and so nodded lightly.
“Is that it?”
“Yes, that’s quite enough.”
“Got it.”
Upon saying that, they moved towards the training ground.
***
This lecture was different from the previous two, as it was planned to be carried out in the training field.
According to Jane, it’s better to experience fighting demons than just theorizing about it.
He somewhat agreed with that sentiment.
After all, how much could actually change from mere discussion?
When faced with real-life events, everything taught is prone to be forgotten.
Therefore, witnessing it at least once was a prerequisite.
Wouldn’t it be somewhat helpful then?
Cael scanned the students gathered on the training ground.
“Are we all here?”
“Yes!”
This lecture is busier than the last two.
Well, it’s no ordinary lecture. It’s one by the hero.
So, it’s not surprising that so many people are here.
‘Some of our class students are here too.’
Surveying the students, it seems all the S-ranked students have gathered here.
They are probably very curious about the Hero’s lecture.
“Now, let’s have the lecturer come in.”
The next moment, Jane walks in dressed in comfortable training attire.
Her golden hair sways lightly.
Even in her casual training suit, she exudes an aura of nobility.
She’s known as the hero now, but she’s also royalty, like Ellie.
That’s probably why she seemed to shine even brighter.
“Hello, students of Lionel Academy, I am Jane Von Lionel, the leader of the hero’s party. I look forward to working with you.”
As she introduces herself with a bright smile, all the students, excluding Ellie, are captivated.
It’s no exaggeration to say that she’s beautiful.
“Everyone, pull yourselves together.”
With a calm voice, Karel says so, and all of the students are taken aback.
Then, he opens his mouth to address the students.
“I will explain about today’s lecture now. This lecture is to teach you how to fight against demons.”
“Ah, you mean how to fight demons?”
Elaine tilts her head at the question.
Karel affirms her question without hesitation.
“Yes.”
“So are we going to fight the demons ourselves?”
“No, you’re not. You’re not fighting; you’re watching.”
“?!”
For a moment, the students wore a bewildered expression.
If they’re not fighting, but watching, what does that mean?
Isn’t it possible that there’s a demon here right now?
“Is there a demon, Professor?”
Low looks around with a serious expression.
Responding to his question, Kael shakes his head.
“No. I will simply play the role of a demon.”
“Huh? Then?”
“Right. I am going to play the role of a demon and duel with the warrior.”
“?!”
At that moment, all the students listening to the lecture widened their eyes in surprise.
The recent hot topic spreading through the academy.
It was about who would win if Kael fought the warrior.
Naturally, everyone said the warrior would win.
However, everyone had the same thought in their heads, contrary to their words.
They couldn’t imagine Kael losing to anyone.
“Professor. Let’s start right now.”
“Ah, okay!”
Jane pulls out her wooden sword.
Shifting his gaze to the students, Kael opened his mouth.
“Stand back a bit more.”
“Yes!”
At Kael’s words, the students hurriedly back away.
Jane, seeing that they have kept their distance, imparts mana to her wooden sword.
-Vmm.
Golden mana wraps around her wooden sword.
-Fzz!
The unique mana of the royalty provides pressure, even without attacking.
Clearly, as befitting the title of a warrior, she possesses extraordinary power.
‘Seria and everyone else have definitely become stronger than before.’
While Kael was ponderously thinking,
-Whoosh!
Before he knew it, Jein was in front of him, swinging her blade.
‘If it’s a Demon…’
Karel recalled the Immortal Lich, one of the Four Heavenly Kings he had faced before.
Then, he released his mana.
-Woong.
He formed a mana barrier with ease, blocking her assault.
Then, he drew a magical formation.
‘It’s impossible to use the same magic as that guy.’
But it’s possible to create one in his own way.
Karel drew the spell formation and poured mana into it.
The next moment.
-Kyaaack!!!
A dragon made of mana appeared.
The students around them were taken aback by its appearance.
“What, what is this? Is it a real dragon?”
“It’s clearly made of mana.”
“No, but why does it seem like a living dragon?”
It’s different from the original dragon that Immortal Lich controlled, but it’s comparable to it.
Jein was also somewhat surprised to see a dragon in front of her.
Then, she raised her blade with a serious look.
-Hoong!!
She swung her sword with all her might.
A golden strike flew toward the dragon.
-Kwaaang!!
A huge cloud of dust rose from the training ground.
The students swallowed dryly at the sight.
And when everyone was watching anxiously, sweating cold sweats.
-Shaaak!!
A tail made of mana broke through the dust and charged at her.
Jein’s eyes widened as she retreated.
And then, she speaks.
“There are demons among us who can manipulate summoned entities. There is no need to particularly deal with the summoning.”
As she speaks, Jane injects magic back into her wooden sword.
Without hesitation, she drives it into the ground.
-Kwaah!!
Dust rises once more.
The dragon’s sight is completely covered with dust.
Jane takes this opportunity to stop Cael in his tracks.
And then, swings her sword with all her might.
-Kaaah!! Kaang!
Contrary to her expectations, her sword was caught against a barrier.
In retrospect, it was only expected.
Typically, magic from demons would shatter due to her power.
However, her opponent now is not a demon.
It is no one else but Cael.
Hence, her sword would not break through the barrier.
“How should we deal with it, Hero?”
At that moment, Eli raises her hand and asks a question.
Baffled by the unexpected situation, Jane furrows her brows.
Instead of an answer, she injects even more magic power into her wooden sword.
– Uwung.
A light burst out from her wooden sword.
Seeing this, Ray opened his eyes wide.
“Strong energy?!”
A technique said to be even greater than sword energy.
A technique known to only be used by a few of the strongest people on the continent.
And there it was, being used by no one else but the Hero.
-Kwachang!
The next moment, Cael’s magical barrier eventually shattered.
Jane saw this and then answered Eli’s question.
“It’s hard to encounter a demon who can cast such formidable barriers. However, when a barrier is used, you have no choice but to wait for an opening or break it with overwhelming force. And…”
She shifts her gaze directly in front.
Then, stamping her foot, she continues speaking.
“Now that the demon magician has been stripped of his armor, he is nearly defeated.”
As she says this, she wields her sword.
‘Stopping right before would be right, wouldn’t it?’
That’s what she thought, but in reality, she was mistaken.
The first mistake was she was unaware that the role of the demon named Kael was not an ordinary one.
He was one of the four great demon generals, the immortal lich.
He mostly fought using magic and summoning, but that didn’t mean he was entirely weak in close combat.
– Vroom!
Suddenly, Jane’s sword strike heads towards the empty air.
She widens her eyes at Kael’s unexpected movement.
And her second miscalculation.
Or rather, it would be better to say it was a mistake.
It was at the very end where she had let her guard down.
– Bam!
Kael’s fist impacted precisely into Jane’s abdomen.
Because of this, Jane was flung towards the opposite wall.
“……”
“……”
An awkward silence filled the training field for a moment due to the unexpected situation.
Just when everyone was about to shut their mouths,
“So, this is an example of how not to deal with a demon, right? This?”
Elly asks this, grinning.
Jane couldn’t bring herself to answer her question.
She wished she could hide in a hole from embarrassment.