437 – To Reclaim, A Price Must Be Paid -5-

With the sacred fire Elysia created, a familiar illusion began to unfold before the eyes of the Healing Arts students.

For Sophia, who had fled to the Academy to escape loan sharks, the image of the lender who tormented her arose.

-Hey, if you don’t have the money, you can repay with your body.

-I’m sorry. Please, just a little more time.

-I can’t wait, understand? Don’t think you can take your sweet time repaying the debt your father left.

-Please, just give me one more week.

-What will you give me if I wait?

-…

-Don’t resent me if I sell you off as a nobleman’s concubine.

For Gail, who lost his parents to a bandit raid in his childhood, the face of the enemy who attacked his village materialized.

-Gail, run away!!!!

-Mo… Mom…!

-Mom’s okay, so run!

Before Rin, a robber wielding a knife appeared.

-Hey~ Pretty thing.

-…Where am I?

-Come play with me.

For Silvaen, a hidden enemy soldier was looming.

-Shhh.

-…

-Shut your mouth before I kill you.

Finally, before Yuria, an cultist who had kidnapped her in a dungeon arose.

-Let me go…!

-Kuhahaha!!! I’ve been looking all over for you, to meet you here!

-Please…

-Shut up!

Alongside their past selves.

Above the heads of the bewildered Healing Arts students, the voice of the one who created the illusion began to explain the situation.

-You are now trapped within the illusion I have created.

The trembling eyes of the students turned towards the source of Elysia’s voice, and Elysia offered a small apology, expressing her regret for her forceful methods.

-I sincerely apologize for bringing these forgotten memories to the surface. However, I believe that sometimes, expressing the anger you have forgotten is a good opportunity to overcome the past. So, even if you are overwhelmed with rage, I hope you will understand with a generous heart.

Elysia spoke.

“This situation… it’s all fabricated.”

She was saying it was an illusion she had conjured, an opportunity to extract the part of himself trapped in the past.

“-For a select few students, scenes from my own past have unfolded. For a smaller number of you, I have inserted fragments of your own past memories.”

For Elysia, it was Silvaren and Rin.

And the remaining three were witnessing their own pasts.

Yuria, her eyes trembling, watched herself being dragged away by the hand of the cultist.

‘Please… Let me go… Save me…!’

She saw the helpless past version of herself, weak and trusting.

Yuria clenched her fist. Once more, Elysia’s voice echoed coldly in her mind.

“-You all know.”

“…”

“-The means to take a life.”

“…”

“-You simply haven’t acted out of fear. The conviction that one doesn’t want to harm anyone with their own hands, that is something everyone possesses. Especially for those of you who have walked the path of healing, such an act is even more abhorrent.”

“…”

“-Even within the confines of this illusion, ending a life is not something easily done.”

Elysia spoke calmly, as if nudging a frightened child forward.

“-Those of you witnessing my past will understand. You will see the picture that is painted by my choices in this moment.”

“…”

“-Of course, you must strive for a life apart from the sword. You must aspire to a life of study, rather than blood-soaked battlefields, and secure good employment in the safest capital city.”

Elysia’s voice gradually grew more forceful.

“-But what if a situation arises where that is not possible?”

Slowly, she infused her words with a sense of dread.

“-You must then make a decision.”

After a brief silence, Yuria clenched her fist and stepped forward. She knew her weakness on that day all too well.

“-You all know how to kill a person.”

Of course, she had never committed murder, nor did she ever intend to. Life was precious, after all.

But.

If that life threatened her own, or the lives of those dear to her, then, as Elysia said, a decision had to be made.

‘Thud.’ Yuria placed her hand on the cultist’s back and whispered softly.

“I’m sorry.”

-Mental Collapse.

‘Kreeeeeeaaagh!!’

-Excessive Healing.

‘aaagh!!!!’

-You all know, yet you refrain from doing.

To protect the ones you hold dear.

*

Ruin, too, was preparing for his final lesson.

“I’m going to die from heartburn.”

Of course, Ruin was practically green, resembling pond scum, from the previous night’s overindulgence.

Beginning with an unintended reunion, a month or so had passed, and now only one thing remained.

During that time, Ruin faced 0 confessions and 1 rejection.

He was also able to have a long-overdue, heartfelt conversation with Hans, whom he had considered a lost connection.

Looking back, Ruin felt as though he had only been wounded during this class, but he also thought that it was a good thing to receive the beating he was destined for early.

Of course, his relationship with Hans hadn’t returned to what it once was. But, it had improved from what it had been.

They had both inflicted a lot of pain on each other, and they had gleefully cursed each other out, so now they could only rely on the connection that time would forge, but Ruin thought it wasn’t a bad experience.

“Truly… doggone awful.”

He participated in this class to improve his skills, but Ruin, who had matured more mentally than magically, gave a faint smile as he watched Hans approach.

“Welcome, everyone.”

Ruin found it amusing that Hans had dressed in a suit, as if he was a proper teacher.

“Today is the last class I will have with you all.”

Hans turned his head, looking at each of the faces of those sitting in their seats, memorizing them.

Shartia.

Shuen.

Airi.

Faulkner.

And Ruin.

Geniuses who had grown rapidly in a short amount of time.

‘Shartia’ had elevated the perfection of her illusion magic, which was originally her strength, to the point where she could cast spells that would fool even an apostle.

‘Airi,’ who didn’t seem to have any particular talent, discovered a talent for barrier magic and had grown to the point where she could erect a rough barrier.

‘Faulkner,’ who had the greatest talent for anti-personnel magic, had become strong enough to fight well against a high priest.

‘Ruin’ completely overcame his dependence on ‘Flame Letters’ and grew to the point where he didn’t feel weak from having lost his unique magic.

Finally, Shuen improved her bombardment magic and defensive magic to a respectable level, growing at a considerable pace.

‘The future is bright. Though not as bright as mine, of course.’

Hans watched the students preparing for the final class and said with a soft smile.

“Today is our last class together.”

“…”

“So far, you have learned basic physical fitness, magical theory, and methods for breaking barrier magic from me.”

“…”

“In particular, the methods for dealing with black mages that you learned from me are homework that you must know. With the problem of heretics worsening recently, you must have the power to protect yourselves.”

“…”

Hans looked at the students, who had stiff expressions, stretched lightly, and clapped his hands.

“Then, shall we begin the last class?”

“…”

“The last class is a time for you to create your finishing move.”

*

“Hwaaahhh!!!”

Too slow.

“Ugh!”

Slow.

I watched the approaching swords with a happier smile than ever, gleefully mocking the protagonists in some novel.

‘Ah… this is why I learned the sword.’

Whipping up on lesser folks was always fun.

I kept my gaze fixed on Rook’s sword as it flew toward me, and casually twisted my body. Evading the path of the blade was slightly easier to unbalance an opponent than directly meeting it.

“You’ll die if you swing it like that.”

“…!!”

I watched Rook’s sword slice through the air with a flourish and offered a soft-spoken piece of advice. Compared to the beginning, the basic framework seemed to be there, but he still lacked experience.

“Your strength has improved, but your experience is lacking.”

“…”

“Try imbuing your sword with Aura next time. It would be a shame if you couldn’t use what I’ve been so gracious to teach you.”

“I’m sorr…”

“Eliminated.”

I smiled lightly and struck Rook in the abdomen with the flat of my blade. A dull thud echoed, but the Healing Arts students would take care of it. So it’s ok right?

Now, four remain.

Rohan. Malik. Hanna. Bellian.

Calmly observing the burning resolve in their eyes, I shrugged and continued what would be their final, helpful lesson.

“You’ve grown a lot.”

“…”

“Before, you wouldn’t have even been able to lift your swords in my presence, but I can feel the mental and physical growth.”

“…”

“Your handling of Aura has improved considerably, too.”

I said, raising my own sword.

“Care to see something interesting?”

A rapid gust of wind swept past, and Rohan’s eyes began to tremble. They held the awe-filled gaze of someone witnessing the existence of a monster.

“This is the goal you all should be striving for.”

The Aura flowing from Caliburn moved in multiple strands, creating an ominous atmosphere.

“Try to block this unavoidable strike, if you can.”

Malik muttered under his breath.

“What a b*stard.”

Malik thought the world was wide.

*

We smiled and waved as the students departed.

“Ugh…”

“We have to hike down this mountain again? Ugh, I really want to die.”

“He didn’t spare us tormenting even on the last day, did he…”

Everyone had been pushed to their limits until the very end, I guess, judging by the haggard expressions of the students. I turned to my colleagues with a pleased smile.

“You all really put them through the wringer, didn’t you?”

“I just kept thinking of more things to teach them since it was the last time.”

“Indeed. Saint-nim.”

It felt like I was the one pushed the hardest, considering.

“Oppa, my legs have gone numb.”

“…Did you even *have* legs?”

“…”

Hans strode forward, reaching Ruin.

-Thwack!

Delivering a punch to his shoulder as he spoke.

“What… up for trying it, then?”

Hans gave a small smile, looking at Ruin.

“Don’t get hurt.”

“…Whatever.”

Watching Hans turn back, I chuckled softly and said,

“Someone’s not being honest.”

And so, on the way back.

“Huh…?”

Ruin rediscovered an old magic residing in his pocket.

Ruin snorted softly, muttering a curse under his breath.

“b*stard… you’re saying if I take it back, I should be ready for the consequences.”

Ruin’s shoulders felt heavy, and he let out a long sigh.

“Shit.”