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Orlen continued to address Alia, his tone measured yet firm. "You could have dodged the wolf better if you weren't in such a hurry. Were you trying to show off by passing behind it in one move?"

Alia's cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked down for a moment before nodding. "Yes, Professor," she admitted.

Orlen raised an eyebrow but didn't press her further. "You should've dodged the first strike and used that opening to maneuver behind it after the second attack.

The wolf's follow-up strike would have been slower, giving you more control over the situation. Rushing only put you in unnecessary danger."

Alia nodded again, this time more resolutely. "Understood, Professor. I'll be more careful next time."

"Good," Orlen said with a brief nod. As Alia bowed slightly in gratitude, he turned his attention to Maria.

"Maria," he said, his gaze softening just a little, "it seems that, despite being a summoner, you're not yet fully accustomed to the way summoners should fight."

Maria's face turned bright red, her eyes darting briefly to the ground. She nodded, her embarrassment plain to see.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Orlen said, his tone more encouraging now. "You're here to learn, after all. I won't list your mistakes today. Instead, I want you to spend this week understanding more about the strengths and strategies of summoners."

Maria's head snapped up at his words. There was no judgment in Orlen's voice, only the steady authority of a teacher pushing his students to grow.

Orlen turned his gaze briefly toward Alia, who stood nearby with her arms crossed, her brow furrowed in what could only be described as lingering frustration.

"While you're at it," Orlen added, his voice quieter but no less commanding, "try to figure out why Alia is so angry with you."

Maria blinked in surprise, her gaze shifting uncertainly to Alia. "Angry? With me?" she thought.

"Don't worry," Orlen said, his tone reassuring as he noted Maria's confusion. "She won't do anything absurd. Just take the time to understand. It will help you understand what a summoner is."

Though still puzzled, Maria nodded and managed a small, respectful bow. "Thank you, Professor."

***

Orlen straightened and let his sharp gaze sweep over the remaining players. Evan, Zack, and June stood in a tense line, each reacting differently to his scrutiny.

Evan's shoulders were slightly hunched, June stood rigid and focused, and Zack wore a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You," Orlen said, his clawed finger pointing directly at Zack. "You're up next."

Zack stepped forward, rolling his shoulders and trying to shake off his nerves. His jaw was set, and he gripped the hilts of his swords tightly as he approached the arena.

"Your opponent will be…" Orlen scanned the students. His eyes settled on an Elf girl with fiery red hair tied into a loose braid. "Sia."

The girl stepped forward with a confident smirk.

Her light armor gleamed faintly in the sunlight, and the twin short swords strapped to her sides glowed faintly, an indication of their magical enhancements.

Sia tilted her head as she studied Zack, her smirk widening. "My hopes were high since this is the first time our academy has ever accepted guests," she said, her tone dripping with mockery. "But judging by the last match, I'm starting to think we overestimated you."

The comment sent a ripple of murmurs through the watching students.

Zack's grin faltered, and his grip on his swords tightened. His knuckles turned white as he clenched his teeth, forcing himself to stay calm.

He inhaled deeply, muttering under his breath, "Just don't make a fool of yourself." Then, in one fluid motion, he pulled his swords from his inventory. The weapons gleamed in the light, their edges sharp and ready.

Sia raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.

Orlen stepped between them, raising his hand to silence the crowd. "Take your positions," he commanded.

The two combatants moved into place, their postures mirroring the quiet tension in the air.

Zack held his swords loosely but with purpose, while Sia's hands hovered over the hilts of her short swords, ready to draw in an instant.
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"Begin!" Orlen barked, his voice cutting through the stillness like a blade.

And with that, the fight started.

---

"Ahhhh! She's sooo cute! I don't know what I'm going to do!" Lady Rael squealed, her voice brimming with excitement as she hugged the small creature tightly.

"Just don't suffocate her," Zephyrion replied dryly, barely glancing up from the stack of papers in front of him.

His tone was laced with exasperation, but his sharp eyes flicked toward her briefly, as if to ensure she wasn't about to crush Nyx.

Since the players needed to focus on their academy week, Arlon had reluctantly left Nyx behind. However, trusting random people to care for her was out of the question.

Thus, he'd entrusted her to Zephyrion—a decision he hoped wouldn't backfire.

By pure coincidence—and it was definitely a coincidence, with no ulterior motives whatsoever—Lady Rael had found herself in Zephyrion's office.

And, again by some miraculous twist of fate, she had "discovered" that Nyx was there. Now, she was cradling the small creature in her arms, her face lit up with delight.

Nyx, for her part, didn't appear overly bothered.

Whether that was due to her naturally easygoing nature or the jerky treats Lady Rael had conveniently brought with her was anyone's guess.

The little creature munched happily, seemingly unbothered by her new predicament.

Zephyrion sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "How long are you planning to stay, Rael? Actually, why are you even here in the first place? You said you were 'just passing by,' but we're on the top floor. The very top floor."

Rael blinked innocently, her tone turning mockingly sweet. "Why? Do you want me to leave?" She tilted her head and smirked. "Heeh! I see now. You can't focus on your work because you're too distracted by me. Sitting here. With a child on my lap. Hmm? Hehe, you can dream on, Zephyrion."

Zephyrion choked on his response, his composure slipping for a brief moment. "C-c-child!? You're wrong! Don't just say things like that!"

He cleared his throat loudly, his face tinged with an unusual shade of red. "I told you, I'm trying to work. I'm close to solving an issue Arlon mentioned to me."

Rael leaned back, idly stroking Nyx's head while the creature purred softly, still chewing on her treat. "Hmm, is that so?" she mused.

Her gaze wandered toward the window, her voice taking on a casual tone. "You know, I've been thinking lately… If I ever had a child, I wonder if they'd be a Beastman or a Magus."

Thump!

The sudden sound of a chair collapsing filled the room. Zephyrion, now sitting awkwardly on the floor amidst the wreckage of his once-pristine chair, cleared his throat again, trying to salvage some dignity.

"Zephyrion! Are you okay?" Rael asked, a hint of concern mixing with amusement as she leaned forward to peer at him.

"I'm fine," he muttered quickly, standing and brushing off his robes. "The chair… the chair was old. It must have… broken. Yes, that's all."

Rael's lips twitched, but she refrained from laughing outright. Instead, she leaned back with a smug expression, resuming her petting of Nyx.