Upon hearing the sound of his voice, a sudden jolt of fear coursed through my entire being, causing my body to tremble uncontrollably. It was as if the mere sound of his voice had the power to strike terror into the depths of my soul.
Again, I didn't know why.
I turned my head slowly towards the source of the sound, and my eyes fell upon a man standing there, dressed in a pristine white military uniform that was emblazoned with gleaming gold accents. In his hand, he held a sleek cane, which he seemed to wield with an effortless grace.
This man was none other than Sir Hughes Lios, the current head of the Lios House, and the youngest person to ever assume the mantle of leadership. This man was also the headmaster of the school, as House Lios was responsible for the academic affairs in the country.
Sir Hughes's reputation extended beyond just being a member of the prestigious House Lios. He was also known as a formidable sword master and a powerful mage, further cementing his status as one of the most renowned figures in the country. There wasn't a single person in the country who didn't know Sir Hughes Lios's name.
As I gazed upon him, I felt a strong sensation of fear causing my body to shake. It was as if his very presence was a manifestation of my worst nightmares, a dark and foreboding force that seemed to loom over me like a shadow.
"Calm down. It's fine."
The voice within me spoke up again, reminding me to stay calm and not let my emotions get the better of me.
Right. I needed to stay calm.
As I collected myself, I turned my attention back to the man himself, who was slowly making his way towards Leon and Marcus.
Sir Hughes voice was laced with genuine admiration as he spoke to Marcus. "To be able to use a high-leveled skill at such a young age...you're as impressive as ever, Marcus!" he exclaimed.
As he strode across the courtyard, all eyes were on him. People instinctively moved out of his path, their faces reflecting a mixture of dread and reverence. Without even a fleeting glance at Leon, he marched straight towards Marcus.
"That was a wind magic-imbued swing just now, wasn't it? Very good," Sir Hughes remarked, genuinely impressed. "It's a skill you wouldn't expect from an eight-year-old. You're truly talented for your age."
"It was thanks to your tutelage, Master," said Marcus, bowing his head as he spoke.
"You have real talent. I'd expect no less from the heir of the great House Asura. I'm sure you'll become a great swordsman someday. As a swordsmanship instructor, I guarantee it,"
It was clear from Sir Hughes's tone that he held Marcus in high regard, and that he recognized the younger man's formidable skill and talent. And coming from a man like Hughes Lios, who was known for his uncompromising standards and lack of patience for incompetence, this was high praise indeed.
However, the tone of Sir Hughes' voice changed when he turned his attention to Leon. His expression was one of distaste, as if he found Leon to be a repugnant creature.
"Why are you still here?" he demanded, his voice carrying a note of exasperation. "It was made abundantly clear in the stakes that you must leave immediately. Do you want me to kick you out myself?" Sir Hughes paused, seemingly contemplating the idea before quickly dismissing it. "Oh, no, don't even entertain that idea. The mere thought of touching someone like you is repulsive to me."
Clearly, Sir Hughes had a low opinion of Leon, whom he regarded as repugnant and unworthy of his time and attention.
"So why don't you just get up there and leave by yourself quietly?" he asked, his voice thick with disdain. His gaze alone commanded Leon to leave the premises immediately, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that he was not welcome and that Sir Hughes wanted to be rid of him as soon as possible.
At first, Leon flinched under Sir Hughes's intense gaze, but he quickly regained his composure. "He cheated!" he finally burst out, his voice rising with indignation. "There's no way he won that duel fair and square! H-He must have cheated somehow! I mean, there's no way he could have defeated me with only a wave of his hand!"
Marcus, in turn, looked at Leon with a disappointed expression, recognizing his excuse for what it was. "Excuses, how lame," he remarked, clearly unimpressed by Leon's behavior.
Leon, on the other hand, seemed to be undeterred by Marcus's comment. "I demand a rematch!" he declared. "I want a chance to prove that I can beat him, and I won't stop until I get it!"
However, Sir Hughes wasn't willing to entertain the idea. "How incredibly stupid."
Leon's confusion was evident in his voice as he asked, "What...?"
"I believe I told you before… that I'm not interested in spending time on someone who doesn't have the talent. Honestly, teaching an incompetent like you is a total waste of my time."
Leon couldn't bear the weight of the word "incompetent" used in reference to him, and so he mustered up the courage to lock eyes with Sir Hughes, his gaze unwavering.
"That's not true!" he yelled, eyes widening with rage.
"What isn't?"
"Me being incompetent!"
Sir Hughes raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical of Leon's claims. "Do you find any fault with that statement?" he asked, his tone even and measured.
"I do!" Leon shot back, his voice trembling with emotion, "You're wrong about me! I have talent, I have potential, and I'm willing to work hard to develop my skills. I have what it takes to be great, I know I do! So don't write me off just because you don't see it yet!"
Sir Hughes regarded Leon with a cool detachment, unimpressed by his outburst. "You already proved enough," he said bluntly, his words landing like a cold slap to the face. "You lack the very foundation of being a swordsman, Leon. You don't have what it takes to even hold a sword, let alone wield one with proficiency."
"N-no! That's wrong. You're wrong!"
"You know it already, don't you?" Hughes continued. "You lack the basic skills required to become a swordsman, let alone a sword prodigy. Your form is sloppy, your movements are clumsy, and your technique is laughable."
Perhaps sensing the truth in Hughes's words, Leon dropped his gaze to the floor and didn't argue back.
"Then I'd like to hear the reason why you think I'm incompetent!" he finally managed to say, his voice trembling slightly.
Hughes fixed him with a cold stare, his expression hardening. "You are incompetent, plain and simple," he said, his words cutting like a knife through the air. "And until you can prove otherwise, I have no interest in wasting any more of my time on you. Do you understand now?"
Despite the harsh words, Leon refused to let them define him. With a fire in his eyes, he replied defiantly, "I refuse to let your words dictate my worth. I have a dream and I won't let anyone, not even you, tell me what I can or can't do. I have a dream, and I'll make it a reality no matter what it takes."
Hughes scoffed. "Dreams are for those who have the talent to make them come true, and clearly, you don't have that talent. Your skills are subpar at best, and you're nowhere near the level of a true swordsman. Perhaps you should give up on this dream of yours and find something else to do. Why not consider a career as a jester? Your swordsmanship skills are so inadequate that they are comical and would surely elicit laughter," he suggested sarcastically.
As I gazed upon the scene before me, a sense of unease began to wash over me like a tidal wave. It was as though I had experienced this very moment before, and my mind was struggling to piece together the fragments of memory. The dream continued to unfold, and a part of me knew exactly what was going to happen next.
As the dream persisted, it became clear that it was not a mere figment of my imagination. Rather, it was like a buried treasure trove of memories that had been unearthed, forcing me to confront a past that I had long forgotten. With each passing moment, the memories surged to the surface, unbidden and unwelcome.
Despite my best efforts to resist, I was powerless to stop the flood of unwanted memories from overwhelming me. I couldn't even bring myself to look away from the unfolding events. It was as if I was being pulled into the dream, forced to witness the past once more.
As the dream persisted, I found myself struggling to maintain my composure as the events unfolded before me. In the midst of it all, I could hear Hughes laughing with amusement. It appeared that he found it entertaining how the occupation of a jester appeared to be fitting for Leon.