Chapter 10: The Magic Instructor
Inside the vast castle of the Round Table, various rooms were built, including a small classroom for few people where Fei and the others received instruction from Yururu, a larger classroom capable of accommodating dozens, and a medical room where a resident holy knight specialized in treating injuries.
This time, Fei and the rest gathered in their usual classroom. A white-haired old man with a slightly hunched back entered the room. His name is Durga, a second-rank holy knight. The rank of a holy knight was evaluated on a scale from twelve to one, with a lower number signifying higher ability. In other words, Durga had received the second-highest evaluation.
“Hmm, looks like everyone’s here.”
“Hey, it’s Grandpa Durga! Hi. You always look scary.”
“Bowlan, you shouldn’t speak to teacher like that.”
“Oops, sorry.”
Although Bowlan made a lighthearted comment, she was silenced by Durga’s imposing gaze. The old man promptly opened a book on magic.
“Well then, as we discussed the other day, let’s begin with the importance of star power manipulation.”
Durga proceeded to explain the significance of star power manipulation in a calm manner.
“Efficiently deploying magic relies heavily on star power manipulation. As you know, magic requires chanting and the manipulation of star powers.”
Since this was a topic they had heard countless times, Bowlan wore a bored and uninterested expression, but she refrained from saying anything unnecessary to avoid being scolded.
“Arthur, give star power manipulation a try. Manipulate it without enhancing your body or attributing any particular element.”
“……Yes, sir.”
In an instant, a transparent light in the form of star powers spread throughout Arthur’s body. Observing this, Durga stroked his chin beard and remarked, “You pass. Next up are Tru and Bowlan.”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
Upon witnessing the star power manipulation of the two, Durga furrowed his brow.
“Not quite there yet.”
This event was one of the episodes from [The Round Table Chronicles] that demonstrated Arthur’s abilities and the size of his rough stone. Durga, the magic instructor, was not one to shower praise on people. However, the game featured a storyline where Tru and Bowlan also recognized Arthur’s considerable talent. These daily training events during their ordinary days served as a respite from the more intense moments in the novel game and were popular among fans.
“Now, onto Fei.”
“……”
When Durga called out Fei’s name, who shouldn’t have been present, Fei attempted to manipulate the star power. However, compared to the previous three, Fei’s performance was rather lacking. The flow of star powers through Fei’s body was sluggish, and the purity of the manipulation was also poor.
“Not acceptable.”
“……”
It was always the same scene. Fei had no talent for star power manipulation or magical elements. That’s why Durga, with strong words, criticized Fei. However, despite the reprimands, Fei continued to persistently manipulate the star power.
“……”
Durga, catching a glimpse of Fei’s efforts from the corner of his eye, didn’t react. As the magic class concluded, Durga prepared to leave the classroom. Yet, Fei continued manipulating the star power and consulting reference materials.
As Durga exited the classroom, he overheard the conversations among other temporary holy knights, individuals he also instructed in magic. Clad in their red uniforms, they spoke casually as if jesting.
“Durga is always so bothersome. He never laughs.”
“Hey, at least add ‘teacher’ to his name.”
“Sure, whatever.”
“I heard he used to be a first-rank holy knight but stepped down. He’s got some strange obsession. And he never laughs, either. He’s really peculiar.”
Durga, unpopular among the temporary holy knights, was surprisingly well-liked among the game characters. He pushed them hard because they would eventually face life-threatening battles, offering them valuable advice. Players who could see his intentions from an outsider’s perspective appreciated him, but young holy knights who trained under him simply saw him as a nagging old man.
Hearing their remarks, Durga suddenly recalled the time he scolded them for their lack of focus during class. However, he didn’t pay it much mind and attempted to leave as if he already knew. In that moment, Marumaru, a fifth-rank holy knight, appeared before him. Sighing, he struck up a conversation with Durga. Marumaru had assessed the abilities of Fei and the others during their entrance exam and seemed disappointed.
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“I’m sorry, Mr. Durga.”
“Why are you apologizing? I don’t understand.”
“Well, it’s because I recruited those guys on a temporary basis.”
“If you were planning to recruit them all eventually, it doesn’t make a difference.”
“You’re right.”
Marumaru scratched his head and chuckled. Then he brought up the main topic he wanted to discuss with Durga.
“Oh, by the way, there’s something I wanted to ask you, Mr. Durga.”
“What is it?”
“I was wondering about this year’s special forces.”
“Oh… well, this season, Arthur and True are on the team. Their magical talent is unparalleled among the other members. In all my years, I’ve never seen such talent before.”
“Do you truly believe that?”
“That member, Bowlan, may be rough around the edges, but she’s also talented.”
“I see. And what about Fei?”
“He’s not good. He can’t even perform star power manipulation. He lacks talent.”
“I see.”
“However…”
“However? What is it?”
“Well, it’s nothing.”
With that, Durga departed from Marumaru’s side. After a while, he gazed out from the Round Table Castle and caught sight of a temporary team member walking on his hands through the capital city. The man wore a worn-out red training uniform and had black hair dirtied by soil. Yet, his black eyes sparkled oddly.
After finishing his hand-walking routine, the man hurried off to another destination. Later, he was seen practicing swordplay with a silver-haired woman at the Three Trees. Even during his brief moments of rest, he could be found engrossed in studying star power manipulation using the book Durga had used during class.
Durga never smiled. But as he observed the man’s straightforward determination, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of foolishness himself and let out a chuckle through his nose. Despite facing criticism and warnings repeatedly, and despite the overwhelming talent acknowledged by others, the man continued to concentrate on his studies more than anyone else.
“Heh, it seems knights are growing lazier with each passing generation… but it appears there are still those who foolishly forge ahead.”
Durga laughed and departed from the scene. Even after he left, the man would persist in his training. Durga was well aware of that fact.
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star power manipulation is truly difficult. I can’t seem to get the hang of it at all. In between my swordsmanship training sessions with Yururu, my master, I practice manipulating star powers. I possess the non-attribute , but that’s common to everyone. Ordinarily, you can strengthen your body, but I can’t even manage that. The other four basic attributes apparently require chanting, but body strengthening magic doesn’t. It’s almost like infusing your body with star powers. I wish I could at least attempt it, even if it doesn’t involve chanting.
But let’s set that aside for now. My primary focus should be improving my star power manipulation. As a diligent protagonist, it’s only natural that I struggle. It means I have to push myself even harder from this point forward.
Speaking of star power manipulation, there’s this person named Durga who serves as our magic instructor, always lecturing me. It’s only expected for him to be strict with me, considering I’m a hardworking protagonist. But I don’t resent his demeanor; in fact, I appreciate it as it pushes me to strive for improvement.
Moreover, wasn’t he originally a first-rank holy knight? He willingly demoted himself because he believed his abilities didn’t match his rank. I truly admire that kind of humility. It’s like an old, kind-hearted grandpa from a bygone era who surrenders his driver’s license to prevent traffic accidents as he grows older.
As I ponder these thoughts, it seems our break time has come to an end. Alright, I will give my all in every aspect of my training from now on!!!
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Bruh, Morgan literally reply in this comment.
Fay and star power… yeah… uh…