Chapter 29 : Attendance, I will call you (3)

When I first entered the military academy, what criteria did the new cadets use to choose their classes?

Perhaps each cadet had their own method, but generally, it was by receiving help from the senior cadets.

First-year cadets typically experienced a welcoming event just before the semester began, where they met their seniors within the department and received various pieces of advice.

• “Instructor Ted usually gives a grade of at least B. So it’s good to take classes that suit you.”
• “Instructor Jackson explains things well and has great course content. He’s one of the best teachers in the swordsmanship department.”
• “Instructor Akina? Hah. If you’re confident you can win the competition for this class, go ahead.”

Among the most common advice was ‘class recommendations.’

Which classes were popular, which instructors gave good grades, and which time slots were the best—these were often referred to as ‘golden classes.’

The experience accumulated by cadets over the years was summarized and shared.

And the important factors they considered when choosing classes were all combined into these recommendations.

This sort of class inheritance continued, leading to a phenomenon among the instructors where the rich got richer and the poor got poorer.

In other words, popular classes remained popular, while the less popular ones continued to have empty seats.

• “Instructor Edgar? Well, we don’t know much about the new instructor. I haven’t heard anything.”

What about the newly opened class and the newly appointed instructor?

No one would hastily sign up for it.

Since there was no information about the class, and no knowledge of the instructor’s teaching abilities, this was only natural.

So, what was the reason that the Balut Swordsmanship class was so popular?

It was strange that the newly opened class I initiated, <Balut Swordsmanship>, garnered such excessive interest, even leading to additional slots being opened.

It wasn’t just because the class was intriguing; there was definitely another reason behind it.

And I found that reason just ten minutes after starting the class.

“Up to this point, I have explained the circumstances under which the Balut Swordsmanship was developed and the objectives it aims to achieve. Therefore, you need to not only use this swordsmanship as your primary fighting style but also handle it according to its intended use.”

Originally, the first lecture wouldn’t take up much time.

I would typically outline how the course would proceed and what the core content and main points would be.

Just a brief overview and direction was all that was necessary.

“Today, since it is the first day, I will conclude with this explanation. If you have any questions regarding the future course direction, please feel free to raise your hand.”

So, when the preliminary education ended after about thirty minutes, I thought I would wrap things up by answering some simple questions.

This was a piece of advice passed down to me from Akina, who was both my senior and mentor, and was also strongly recommended by my assistant, Ray.

However…

The direction of those questions was somewhat different from what I had anticipated.

“Instructor, have you really caught a Hellhound before? It seems overly exaggerated in the newspapers… Could you share that story?”

It was as if this male cadet had already decided on his own answer, asking about monster hunting instead of questions related to the class.

A look of confusion appeared on my face for a moment, but unfortunately, this was just the beginning.

“First of all, it is an honor to meet the second son of the Marquis mulick from the Grand Duke family. I wonder if you remember our brief meeting due to a special agreement between our families.”

“Hello, Instructor. I am Dwayne, the eldest son of the Merip family. The thing is, I think I might miss a few classes this semester due to overlapping schedules. Is it possible to have attendance recognized?”

“I still haven’t heard any news of an engagement, so what are your plans?”

“Instructor! Do you currently have a partner?”

There were cadets flaunting their family names to demonstrate their connections, cadets boldly asking for attendance exemptions due to their noble lineage, and even cadets inquiring about my marriage plans…

An array of irrelevant personal questions poured in.

In particular, the overwhelming majority of personal questions were from female cadets, who seemed to be shining with excitement.

…It was a complete mess.

I silently listened to the barrage of absurd questions.

Now I finally understood why <Balut Swordsmanship> had garnered so much popularity.

This class was, in short, a playground for clueless noble cadets.

Since it was a class by a new instructor, there was no need for them to take it seriously, and since a fellow noble was in charge, the class didn’t lose any prestige.

The <Balut Swordsmanship> class fit perfectly with the tastes of these nobles.

I could only imagine how much worse it would have been if this class had been assigned to a new instructor with little reputation, instead of me, the second son of the renowned mulick family, who had recently gained recognition in the kingdom.

“Cadets, please refrain from questions unrelated to the class…”

Ray, who had entered the classroom with me as my assistant, looked like she was about to unleash her frustration on the cadets.

I lightly raised my hand to stop her.

“It’s fine, Ray.”

There was no need for her to step in.

I had a rough understanding now.

Going forward, I needed to figure out how to deal with these students.

“Alright. Since it seems you all don’t desire a peaceful direction, I will gladly meet your expectations.”

“……?”

“What does that mean…?”

The cadets looked at me, confused by my sudden statement.

They had no idea what I was trying to say.

I smiled at them.

“All students, gather at the practical training location, Training Ground No. 7. Attendance will be taken starting now.”

Suddenly, memories from the time I trained hopeless recruits on the battlefield resurfaced in my mind.

It was time to bring those memories back to life after a long time.

“Thank you for your hard work, Senior.”

“Ah, Selina, you too did well. Since practical training will start in the next class, be well prepared.”

“Yes, understood.”

Selina finished assisting with her first lecture as an assistant and turned to leave.

There was definitely a lot to learn from her senior instructor, Jackson.

As one of the ‘Three Greats’ of the Swordsmanship Department, he attracted a full enrollment of 100 students and, fittingly, delivered clean and excellent lectures.

Even during the preliminary education process, his teaching ability stood out.

“I want to be an instructor like that too.”

Selina reminded herself as she looked at him.

Although Akina was her top role model, Instructor Jackson was also a wonderful senior.

The 4th-grade research instructor sometimes taught classes, so she needed to study in advance regarding this.

• Move faster. Implement.
• Begin implementation!

“…Huh?”

As she moved along, she suddenly heard a rough shout coming from somewhere.

Selina turned her gaze towards the sound.

<Training Ground No. 7>

Training Ground No. 7.

It was a small training hall located in the 3rd building, where practical training for the <Balut Swordsmanship> was conducted by Selina’s peer instructor, Edgar mulick.

As the only 3rd-grade instructor among her peers, everyone was aware that Edgar was in charge.

“But isn’t today the first day…?”

No instructor would conduct practical training on the first day.

Typically, the first day involves only explaining the future course plans, and if they do have a practical session, it would mainly focus on theory.

The only training hall currently lit among the swordsmanship department’s facilities was this Training Ground No. 7.

Selina approached the training hall door with a puzzled expression.

As she got closer, the sounds from inside became clearer.

“I am very disappointed with you, cadets.”

A low-toned voice rang out.

It was a voice she had heard during a previous escort mission.

It was Edgar mulick.

“Damn it! That’s the fifth time you’ve said that, Instructor!”

“That’s how disappointed I am.”

“Do you really think you can get away with this? I will lodge a complaint with the administration! I will invoke the name of my Merip Count family…!!”

“Will you also bring up the name of the Marquis mulick?”

“……”

As Edgar countered his logic, the cadet fell silent.

The only person who could outdo Edgar at the Tristian Academy due to their family name was Instructor Akina from the Crowflin family.

With a calm smile, Edgar continued.

“As I said before, if you wish to leave the class like this, feel free to do so. However, you need to bring sufficient reasons to convince the administration. This is merely training necessary for education.”

“While you are in my presence, you should show basic respect when I address you. Did you expect noble treatment even in the world of heroes? The instructor at the military academy is not the butler of your family.”

His low voice echoed through the training grounds.

From the calm yet sharp tone, it was clear he was subtly enraged.

Selena, witnessing this, was also taken aback.

‘To treat nobles so easily…’

New heroes from noble backgrounds.

Just hearing their names felt overwhelming; they had always been difficult to handle.

No matter how much the Kingdom of Kleppe had turned to heroism and meritocracy, the class system still existed.

Moreover, there were always those who clung to hollow honors no matter where they went.

It was a reality that when such individuals caused chaos in a lecture, it was hard to control them.

As a result, most instructors ignored them and carried on with their lectures, passing any problems to the administrative office.

In other words, there had never been an instructor who attempted to confront them directly.

‘They’re all… following Edgar mulick’s orders.’

However, something surprising was happening.

From the first day of classes, they were subjected to an extremely rigorous physical training regimen, and the students were following it without complaint.

“Didn’t the instructor look pretty cool just now?”

“This training is tough, but it feels oddly good.”

Of course, not everyone was following along without a word.

Some cadets exchanged strange conversations to endure the training, while others focused intently on the exercises themselves.

Warm-up training necessary for the <Balut Swordsmanship> lesson.

Although the circumstances weren’t great, the content of the training was excellent.

Still, for those cadets who felt resentment…

“Didn’t you say you hope to join the kleppe Knights after graduation? Just yesterday, I had a meal with Duke Crowflin…”

“Y-Yes, I will do my best!!”

Edgar casually provided a reason for their agreement.

Whether willingly or unwillingly.

All the students were fully engaged in the lecture from the very first day for a full two hours.

Selena watched this abnormal scene in a daze.

…What kind of person is he?

It seems that quite an unusual instructor has entered the swordsmanship department of the military academy.