As the week went by, I noticed that the druid girl, had been doing her best to avoid me throughout the days we were at school. However, she couldn't avoid me during combat class. Carnium Academy was not just for scholars and magicians; it was also meant to build strong warriors and soldiers for people from all places in the continent. It was a pathetic attempt at unifying the different races of the country, but racism and bias still persisted.
"You've been avoiding me," I said suddenly, poking my head over her shoulder. She jolted from shock and turned to face me. Students, particularly nobles, stared at our interaction in disapproval. To them, I was tarnishing the name of my "father".
"What's your name?" I asked with a friendly smile to at least disarm the tense and defensive emotions she held around herself. She hesitated for a moment before she spoke. "...It's Morgana."
"Nice to meet you, Morgana, I'm Marcus," I said with a toothy grin.
Before I could speak any longer, our fitness instructor spoke up. A young woman, with brown hair and yellow eyes, she looked to be in her mid-thirties and held dark bags underneath her eyes, alongside with her unkept hair and bangs all signs she wasn't getting enough sleep.
"All of you, I assume you came here prepared when you enrolled at this academy," the woman said, her tone sharp and authoritative. "We'll be testing how well you do under pressure in combat," she explained as she scanned the lot of us.
"Through magic we'll be having these tests conducted with artificial dungeons. Split into groups of at least 5, with 1 healer in each group," she explained. "Ensure that you make these teams wisely and balanced, this process is also part of how well you make analytical decisions based on your impressions of others so far!" She said.
This was definitely going to be a problem for certain people. The majority of people instinctually avoided Morgana, everyone but me.
"How about we team up!" I said excitedly.
"Aren't you worried how people will view you if you hang around me!?" she yelled in a hushed tone.
"That stuff doesn't really matter to me," I said, and she put her index finger to my chest. Our eyes locked and I could tell what sort of question she was going to ask.
"You guys need another teammate?" a young boy offered, scratching his head awkwardly. By the looks of it, a commoner who couldn't form a party with anyone else. His purple hair grown and kept up in a manbun. His similarly purple eyes examined us and was pooled with opportunity.
"Sure. I suppose so. You good with that Morgana?" I asked and she nodded shyly upon the arrival of the other boy.
"What's your name?" I inquired.
"It's Isaiah," he said, keeping it short. No introductions or attempt at making conversation and he pretended as though Morgana wasn't even there.
"We just need one more," I said, ignoring the piercing gazes of other students.
"They're supposed to be 5 per group," Isaiah said looking at me as though I was an idiot.
"Groups and parties won't be that huge, there's only 68 people in this class. 5 per group would be impossible for everyone," I explained briefly as my eyes locked with the last person we needed.
Only one student was left without a partner, and she scorned at the prospect of teaming up her Pink hair paired with her red eyes really went well with her personality: rash, angry, and prideful.
"You seriously think I'll team up with you commoners!?" she yelled, flinging her hair into the air with pride.
"I'm a noble," I explained, catching her attention.
"I'm well aware, but there's no way I'm teaming up with a druid and a commoner!" she persisted in her argument.
I took note of the other students clearly avoiding her, which caused her to scowl. I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Is something funny?" she asked, pointing her staff at me. It was clear that she had no sort of mana control, which was probably why the other students avoided her. I knew that she would be left without a partner, her lack of mana control didn't go well with the fact she was incredibly aggresive and volatile.
"No. I want you on my team. I've noticed and acknowledged most of the people attending classes thus far, and you're always paying attention. You're by far the hardest working," I explained, her cheeks flushed pink at my comment.
"Y-you think I'll join you!?" she exclaimed loudly, turning her head away and folding her arms.
"Different groups will go in at different times. I'll call out the names of one person and that person's group will go in first!" the teacher announced loudly.
"Can Marcus and his group please step forward!" the teacher called out.
"Looks like you don't have much of a choice... either come with us, or go on your own," I explained.
She trembled as we walked away, collapsing under the pressure before running after us as we entered the artificial dungeon.
000
As I prepared for combat, I pulled a sword from the inside of my ring. "Morgana," I said, "Your companions are light-based, I assume? Can you provide us with some vision?" She nodded and illuminated our surroundings.
"Isaiah," I continued, "watch our flanks. Bella, try sensing any of the dungeon's creatures as they approach us and give a warning ahead of time." Isaiah nodded, understanding that he had joined the party because of my status as the son of an esteemed noble.
Isabella on the other hand...
"I was going to do that anyways, not because of your orders." she retorted with a huff
To be honest, it felt strange giving orders when I could clear the mission on my own if I truly wanted to, but this was a group-based mission to test our coordination and clearing it alone would draw more attention, which was the opposite of what Mikaela had wanted.
"A group of Lizardmen are approaching from the flank, about 50 meters away," Bella informed us, and our attention quickly turned to their direction of approach. "Maintain a 1-2-1 formation," I ordered and the three quickly complied. The Lizardmen came into sight far earlier than they would have without Morgana's magic light.
"Morgana, I want you to provide support while Isaiah and I engage the enemy. Bella, don't use your magic; you lack control," I directed. Morgana quickly got into a defensive stance as I charged towards the Lizardmen, Isaiah following close behind, spear in hand. However, I failed to account for Bella.
Several Lizardmen charged at me, but only two of the eight had weapons. I am both an enhancer and an emitter, but for the sake of not blowing my cover, I was only an enhancer for the time being. I condensed the aura around both me and my sword and swung my blade, cleanly, efficiently, and without any wasted motion, cutting the Lizardman's head off. Isaiah seemed to be having more trouble, his breathing hitched as he finally killed his second of the eight. Several lightspears soon followed after our engagement, slaughtering the remaining four that had managed to stay alive.
"Great job, team," I said, giving Isaiah a back pat. He scratched his cheeks, clearly pleased with the praise. "You're not a bad leader," he admitted, "I thought you'd be good because you're the son of that great noble, but people were saying you'd be incompetent, so I was a bit worried." I simply smirked and nudged him, "Can't believe every rumor."
I turned to Morgana, who smiled back, and then to Bella, whose eyes were cast off. I knew every person in that class, and Bella was one who particularly caught my attention. She had nearly an endless reservoir of mana that needed to be condensed, but she had no talent in doing so and advancing in the stages. Her mother was a commoner and her father a noble, making her an illegitimate child. Simply put, that tough girl act was nothing but a facade used to hide her severe inferiority complex towards others.
I patted her on the head, to which she looked up at me. "Thanks for the help, too," I said. "You don't mean it," she said weakly, her hands trembling from what I assumed to be her preparation for a barrage of insults. "No, I'm being serious. You did a good job," I reassured her. Tears neared her eyelids. Isaiah simply sighed. "That warning was a big help to us. We wouldn't have known which direction they came from otherwise and with their speed, an ambush could have been deadly,"
Isaiah explained as he clearly intended to assist me in the future and that he would help Bella if it meant doing so.
Morgana quickly nodded her head in agreement as she patted the other girl's back.
"If you need help with control, I don't mind helping," I offered.
"S-sure, I'll ask if I do," Bella responded her voice laced with both gratitude and nervousness.
"Lets clear this dungeon!"