"Alright! Now that all of you have gathered here, I will assign you a task. Complete it then I will surely continue teaching you as my class. If you dare even fail the basics then I'm transferring those who fail."
"Um..." A girl raised her hand.
"What is it?"
"What is the task?"
At her words, the professor proudly puffed out his chest.
"Easy. Take this from me."
He held out an expensive looking necklace. Judging by the energy surrounding the crystal, it might be a magic item.
"If you succeed then you get this. But..." He held up one finger. "If I manage to knock you out then you're out of my class."
"But that's–"
!!!
When the girl tried refuting, a fist appeared in front of her face.
"No way..."
"How did he do that?"
The professor teleported instantly in front of the girl.
"Kyaah!?"
She fell over on her butt with a startled look on her face.
'Such power...'
The demon energy was the reason why he was so fast. Since my senses are shared with Dáinsleif, I could tell by the way the spell was activated.
By the way, Dáinsleif was currently around my neck attached to a type of string. Lilith taught me how to resize the sword to the size of my finger. I don't have the ability to sense mana or demon energy, so it would be dangerous without it. If I can't sense demon energy them I wouldn't be able to tell who is a demon servant and who isn't.
When the demonic energy is thick and dense then it means it's a demon lord or archdemon. The latter ranges from level 500 to 900. They rarely leave the demon world as they protect their lords' children or manage territories. But it helps being on alert.
"I will repeat myself. Take the necklace then you pass. But if I knock you out then you fail. And don't worry, I will be using restraints on my power. Just enough to match all of you."
He created a giant magic circle.
""Restraint""
THUNK
THUNK
THUNK
Three large manifested chains pulled at his Ki. With the restraints, his power would be reduced depending on the size of the restraints.
The giant metal chains faded but the spell was still in effect.
"Now then. Bring it on, children."
Before he could ascend into the air, a sword cladded in fire was thrown towards him.
He swiftly dodged it.
BOOM—!
The power of the explosion shook the whole training ground. A large smokescreen covered the area.
'What the heck? How much mana does she have?'
I saw Noelle on the other side of the training ground. Her entire body was burning with red mana. There was a small angel wing behind her back and a fire tiara above her head.
She had the legendary class known as "Crimson Angel Queen". They say her class makes her grow wings similar to those of an angel. Her strongest attack is called "Divine Fire Shower". It's an AOE spell that rains powerful fire arrows each holding power of up to 5th tier fireballs. The sheer number of how many she can create is what is terrifying. Her mana is by far the second most on the entire continent. The Archmage Hero obviously has the most.
I'm not sure where Celeste lies.
'Speaking of her, I wonder where she is?'
Noelle swung her arm back, causing the sword to return to her.
"Less talking. We should get this over with. Honourable big brother said I should meet him at the gym and I do not want to be late."
The way she said big brother was really weird. She had a glint in her eyes similar to when someone is in love.
"My, my. Miss Noelle is very impatient."
"Huh?"
The professor appeared right next to Noelle. She swung her sword with the same intensity as before.
CLANK
The professor flicked it away with a small pocket knife.
"Guh!"
He kicked her side before punching her stomach. Noelle couldn't even react since the professor was so fast.
'No hesitation on hitting a woman, huh.'
I took out a blunt sword and covered it with silver aura. All the other students also took out their weapons ready to attack the professor.
"Mhm~ Come, children."
He took a martial arts stance.
*
In the end there were five students who were knocked out by the professor.
"Phew. I shouldn't have underestimated students who managed to enter the academy. The higher ups should grade you better next time."
The professor was a total mess when the battle finished. His clothes were torn and bunt up from receiving so many spells at once. They attacked together instead of individually. The biggest reason they were even able to win was because he reduced his own power. Luther was sure that the professor could end all of them in one minute if he used his full power.
Noelle got up time and time again. She was actually the one who did the most damage. Even after the test was over, she didn't look tired at all. She was a real monster when it comes to her mana pool.
She was the one who was able to grab the necklace before anyone else. Despite her shortcomings, she makes up for it in power and speed. The professor wasn't lying when he said that she was better than others in the entrance exam.
The entrance exam consists of both academics and physical tests. Luther didn't have to do that since Ashura got him into the academy.
"Rest up now. Since it was the first day there was a need for me to know the abilities of my students. Normal classes start tomorrow."
All of them scattered after bidding the professor farewell. The sun was about to set as it left a hue over the sky, painting the area in orange light.
Noelle was on her way to the gymnasium where her brother told her to meet him.
'Why did big brother call me? Will he accept my confession?'
One a certain night, Noelle walked into her brother's room wearing nothing but a bathrobe. She was completely naked underneath.
She was fidgeting uncontrollably and was red in the face when her brother's eyes landed on her. He was the one she always followed ever since she was little. Her brother was wise and mature so she would always follow his words and actions.
He never really answered the confession she made a year ago. His words would always be the same whenever she wanted to be with him.
-I'm busy. Go away.
The same cold answer whenever she wanted to be with him. It wasn't always like this. When they were children the two promised to marry. That was all she wanted. To be with him.
Their parents already knew how much she loved her brother but they didn't stop it. Incest isn't look down upon per se but there is a risk of conceiving problem children if they have a child.
Noelle knew that but even if that was the case, she still wanted to be with Clark.
If they cannot make children then they could just adopt one. If the empire doesn't allow their marriage then they should move.
This was what Noelle called the solution to the boundaries set by their blood.
"Brother!"
She saw a tall, handsome man standing in the middle of the court. As he turned around, his red hair fluttered as his cold eyes looked at his younger sister.
"~~!"
Noelle buried her face in his chest and sniffed his shirt. She felt like her mind went blank from being in his embrace.
"Noelle."
A cold voice called out to her.
"Yes?"
"Get off."
"O-Okay."
Clark fixed his suit with a sigh.
Noelle looked up at him with eyes full of love. Her heart was beating like crazy as she awaited his answer.
"Noelle."
His cold eyes looked down at her. It was always the same fierce glint.
"Yes, big brother..."
"Do not enter the tournament."
"...Huh?"
Noelle's eyes opened wide when she heard his words.
"B-Brother?"
"Are you deaf? Do not enter the tournament. You are weak and will only embarrass our family name."
"W-Weak!? B-But!"
SLAP
Clark slapped her in the face.
"Do not speak while I am talking."
She held her stinging cheek as tears threatened to come out.
'Why did...'
She looked up at him and obediently shut her mouth.
"You might be strong if we were to rank you among normal people. But that doesn't mean you can fight the people like us. Children of heroes."
"..."
"I already told father to remove you from the roster."
"!!!"
Being removed from the roster means losing the chance to have a successful career in the future. Many people with high standing from prestigious organizations will be at the tournament to pick the students they like the best. If the students are picked then they are given a position in the company that chooses them.
Many students dream of entering the famous guilds, knight divisions and mage towers. The stepping stone would be entering the tournament.
"Complete your education and get a normal job as a guardian knight. You will only disgrace us if you enter."
Clark turned around as if he already said his bit.
Noelle hurriedly spoke.
"What do you think of me?"
He stopped.
"Are you just dense or are you ignoring me?"
She continued even as she saw his eyes sharpen further.
"How many times do I have to say I love you!? Can't you at least tell me this?!"
She screamed as tears fell down her eyes.
"Haa..."
Clark sighed as if he found it troublesome.
"What I think of you, my little sister?" He turned to face her. "All I see is a girl with a ridiculous fantasy of marrying her blood brother. That's honestly disgusting. We came from the same mother and father, Noelle."
"!"
Noelle gasped.
"The only reason you're not being sold off to another noble house so we can benefit politically is because you're still useful."
"Useful...?"
"With your large mana pool I can make you a part of my private army that I will use to raid demon lord castles one day. My duties as the head of the Armstrong household are to find valuable people. You happen to fit in that aspect."
"..."
Noelle's mouth was opened wide.
'I was only seen as someone useful for his own future...'
"Stop your overly clingy behaviour around me. I find your affection bothersome."
"B-Brother..."
"And one last thing. Do not call me brother. You will refer to me as Lord Clark as I will become the head of the family."
Clark adjusted his collar.
"Remember, if you do not listen to my order then I will remove you from the household myself."
With that said, he walked off.
Noelle stood there as she blankly looked at his back. The back she would always see whenever she followed him around.
She finally fell on her knees and sobbed loudly.
Her precious big brother thought nothing of her. He didn't even see her as his own sister.
Just a tool.