Recently, the special classes were reduced because the captains in charge couldn’t find the time, but instead, Ms. Eve’s illusion magic training for demonic beast response has significantly increased.
Moreover, the training wasn’t just about facing beasts; it was based on the premise of an attack on the city, making it a high-difficulty training with many factors to consider.
It would have been fine if only lower-ranked beasts, which don’t have much power, showed up…
“Ah… Daniel…”
“…That’s troublesome. Since we can’t see inside the barrier, it’s hard to react if we’re distracted by something else when a demonic beast suddenly breaks through and attacks. And given that they’re flying creatures, taking them down won’t be easy.”
Today’s training saw the difficulty spike sharply because it included not only flying beasts but also the intermediate-level beast of greed that spreads a barrier.
The students watched in silence as Daniel, who was considered quite experienced among them, got caught by a beast and was dragged into the air to be torn apart.
As they gained more training experience, the kids became more accustomed to experiencing death in the illusions, but they also understood how terrifying that feeling could be. The fact that someone like Daniel suffered meant they realized they could face a similar fate during today’s training.
How many of them would end up like that today?
Just when a silence fell among them, Daniel returned to reality after dying in the illusion, biting his lip in pain and self-reproach. Dwight’s voice quietly echoed among us.
“…I think Ms. Eve set the difficulty level incorrectly today. Instead of being weakened by passing through the barrier, these are fully intact intermediate-level beasts. I believe sending them as training targets for the students, who rarely have the chance to face such beings, is a bit excessive.”
Sitting next to me, Sylvia nodded, silently agreeing with his words.
Even though they might seem insignificant because they’re labeled intermediate, it means those beasts possess challenging abilities. Such creatures generally only appear outside in areas with high miasma concentrations.
If you’re not an elite hero stationed at the very front of boundary areas, you wouldn’t have the opportunity to fight a fully-fledged intermediate beast in your lifetime.
As we watched another student freeze at the sight of a teammate’s death and then lose their life again to a beast, Dwight shook his head and muttered.
“It’s not easy for active heroes stationed in the city to deal with intermediate beasts. If someone could handle them easily, they’d typically be stationed on the front lines. And most students aren’t at a level where they can protect others while facing those. However, training predicated on the assumption that an intermediate beast would attack the city with its full power seems too much. It’s a preparation for an event that’s unlikely to happen.”
Just then, the students in training were wiped out, and the magic was dispelled. Ms. Eve, who checked everyone’s condition after they returned to reality, approached Dwight with a bitter smile.
“I see you feel that way, Dwight. But are you really sure such a thing won’t happen?”
Dwight looked slightly flustered. He didn’t think his voice was that loud, but it seemed she had heard everything. However, he quickly regained his composure and answered her.
“To be honest, I think it won’t happen. As the heir of Neinhart, I trust in the magic set by the great mage Viola. The barrier almost perfectly blocks the miasma coming from outside. No matter how strong a beast is, once it crosses through the barrier into the city, it will inevitably be weakened. So, I don’t think we need to worry about a beast with its full power attacking the city.”
“But what if something happens to that magic? What if someone tries to destroy it from the outside?”
“That’s usually impossible. Damaging completed magic artificially is extremely difficult. Moreover, as long as the magic circle at the city’s center is intact, the barrier is designed to self-repair even in such cases.”
“I know, it’s truly great magic. But what if there’s some way to bypass that powerful magic?”
“There can’t be any flaws in Neinhart’s magic…!”
Suddenly, Dwight’s mouth snapped shut.
Wondering why he stopped speaking, I noticed his gaze fixated on my left arm.
Thanks to the beast that attacked the academy with its full power, my left arm had been turned into a prosthetic.
When I smiled wryly, Dwight, usually so stoic, quickly turned his eyes down, filled with guilt, and muttered.
“I… I forgot there was a precedent. If the magic had no flaws, your arm wouldn’t have ended up like that. I misspoke. I sincerely apologize.”
“Forget it. Dwight, it’s not like you did anything wrong.”
I shook my head in response to his apology.
Still unable to hide his troubled expression, Dwight made me feel awkward. Just then, Ms. Eve called him softly.
“By the way, Dwight, I heard you’ve been helping to install magic circles that prevent teleportation in boundary areas?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Do you know why that construction is happening?”
“I heard that it’s to prevent victims like Scarlet from appearing again…”
As Dwight cautiously spoke while glancing at me, Ms. Eve gently took his hand as it hung low and said.
“That’s right. To ensure that there are no victims. I’m also in favor of that construction plan. But Dwight, what if a witch creates a flaw in this construction, just as she unleashed the beasts in the seemingly safe academy? What if, this time, she leads those beasts to attack the city? What would happen then?”
Ms. Eve’s gaze passed over my face, Dwight’s, and then the faces of the other seated kids.
With trembling eyes and a shaky voice, she continued.
“If, by any chance, a witch were to lead unleashing beasts into the city without any weakening, who do you think would be the most likely to suffer? Helpless citizens? The heroes protecting the city? No, it would be you all. Honestly, I wish you wouldn’t have to fight at all, but in such a situation, you’d necessarily need to step up, and that means you would be the ones to face significant sacrifice against those intermediate-level beasts.”
With a bitter smile, she said to us.
“I know it’s tough. I recognize that this training is harder for most of you. But I have no choice but to prepare. If, by any chance, such a situation arises, and you haven’t undergone any prior experience, that time could be when you might cross a river so dangerous that you can never return…”
Her expression conveyed a desperate plea.
The kids couldn’t say anything in response to her.
They could feel what kind of feelings she had in saying such words.
When we faced the witch at the front line before, she must have imagined all of us perishing at her hands.
She probably also felt guilty for letting us put ourselves in such danger by allowing us to be taken to the front line.
That’s why, relieved that we all returned safely, she likely thought she needed to train us as best as she could.
I remember descriptions where the intensity of training escalated whenever she suffered a loss of students due to an incident.
It was her way of doing everything she could to ensure that kids wouldn’t die anymore.
Still, even other kids who probably hadn’t read the original story might feel it too.
That she values her students more than anyone.
And because we all wanted to repay her feelings, there were no kids who were intimidated by the demanding training now.
Only those who desperately wished to grow stronger to ease their teacher’s worries remained.
“Next group, we will start the training right away.”
As I announced that while stepping forward with my teammates, other kids sent supportive glances our way.
After all, showing a flawless performance during the training would surely make Ms. Eve happy.
“Hehe, I also hope Scarlet doesn’t die! Let’s do our best!”
With Florene cheerfully sticking close and cheering us on, I affectionately patted her head and then plunged into the training.
As we entered the illusion of the city, I noticed my teammates tense up at the sight of intermediate beasts flapping their wings.
I whispered to myself while watching their reactions.
“Don’t worry, they’re just intermediate beasts.”
Even if they may be incomplete and weakened.
After all, we’re here, at least as witches.
Flames erupted from my clenched fist, engulfing the beast.
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