It's been three years, and now Thews is ten years old. This milestone brought some unsettling news from his mother. "Thews, you'll be attending Ronliet Academy soon. Please study for the entrance exam," she told him.
"No," Thews replied bluntly.
Alice frowned. "Thews, yes, you will."
"Don't wanna," he muttered, crossing his arms.
"This isn't a request, it's an order," Alice said firmly.
"No. You can't make me."
Echo, standing nearby, whispered something to Alice, who then added, "If you pass the exam and attend the school, we'll buy you a sword of your choosing in the capital at the start of every school year."
Thews' ears perked up. "How many years do I have to spend there?"
"Normally, it's eight years," Alice explained, "but you can attend four extra years after that, making it twelve in total."
Echo chimed in, "And if you get held back, you won't get a sword for that year."
Thews frowned. "What does 'held back' mean?"
"It means you haven't passed your tests satisfactorily," Alice clarified.
Thews thought for a moment, then countered, "Make it two swords each year, and we have a deal."
"We're not negotiating," Alice said sternly. "You'll get what's offered, and you will pass those exams."
"Mom," Thews began seriously, "do you actually expect me to pass these exams?"
Alice sighed, "I've given up on you getting good scores in both the written and practical exams. As long as you pass, that's fine by me."
"But do you really think I, Mathews Witsur, will manage to pass?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Alice replied, "You have two months until the entrance exam. If you study twice as much as you ever have and we pray to the gods daily, then perhaps you might have a chance."
"But actually studying... it'll be a pain in the ass," Thews groaned.
"And if your scores are just below passing," Alice added, "I'm sure our treasury can boost your score a little."
Thias, overhearing, protested, "We can't just bribe the school to accept Thews!"
"We can if necessary," Alice replied coolly, "but we'll make sure it doesn't come to that. Thankfully, Echo has offered to help, so we should be fine, considering how well Rena did."
Thews smirked and muttered, "Score. I don't even have to study. Echo will just do her magic."
Echo quickly dashed his hopes. "We won't be using the memory transfer method. You need to learn how to study on your own."
"Shit," Thews grumbled.
And so, the boy who had become accustomed to slacking off was forced to put in some effort. He also had to train in swordsmanship, which he found to be more of an excuse to take it easy since it didn't involve studying. Still, he needed to build up his body to a reasonable standard to use his former techniques.
The day of the entrance exam arrived, and Thews stood in line with many other hopefuls. He recalled leaving home, and the memory made him smile. When Lucy found out Thews was leaving, she threw a tantrum like she had when Rena left. Knowing he might not return for a while if he got accepted, she had told him, "Whatever you do, you mustn't pass! Stay dumb! Stay lazy!"
This memory warmed him, but his mood changed when it was his turn for the practical exam. He faced Luke, one of the academy's few swordsmanship teachers, as most students preferred to study magic.
As Thews entered the arena, he thought, "Let's make sure we barely pass." And so, the fight began.
To most observers, Thews appeared to have little skill in swordsmanship and barely passed. But Luke noticed subtle movements that no amateur would make, filing them away as curious. Maybe it was a fluke, Luke thought, but he couldn't dismiss the possibility that Thews was holding back on purpose.
After two minutes, Luke called off the exam. "You pass, but just barely. I have to give you credit for your physique though. You must have trained a lot."
Thews grinned, "Oh, you checking out my body, teach? Didn't know you were into that."
Luke took it in stride. "You flatter yourself too much. I wouldn't say I'd sleep with you just yet. Give it a couple more years, then maybe we can talk."
With a smirk, Thews waved as he left. "I'll hold you to that, teach."
Next was the mandatory magic exam. As expected, Thews was found to have no talent for magic, something he didn't even have to hide since his magical skills had always been terrible. What did surprise him was his high aptitude for dark and space magic.
Echo explained, "Your dark magic aptitude likely stems from your connection to death in your past life, though here, dark magic isn't necessarily linked to that. Your spacial magic could be due to your control over swords—levitating, summoning, and storing them with ease."
Thews' mana pool was slightly above average, probably due to Alice being a legendary-class mage. Rena had a much larger mana pool, and some had tried to recruit her for magic studies, but she had refused.
The written exam followed. Thews, determined to give his all, ended up with a test that was hard to read due to his terrible handwriting. It wasn't as illegible as it had been that new year, but it was still pretty rough.
When the written portion was over, the applicants were sent away for a week. Many had to stay in inns or hotels, as returning home was impossible for some. Thews was one of those, as traveling from the academy city to his home would take about a week by carriage. Although he could travel instantly using one of his swords' abilities, it would raise too many questions. So, he stayed at a cheap inn.
Legally, Thews couldn't take missions from the adventurers' guild as the minimum age for registration was twelve. He considered lying but decided it wasn't worth the risk.
Out of boredom, he wandered into the nearby forest, where he had some encounters with low-level monsters. Since the academy was nearby, there weren't many dangerous creatures around, and that's how he spent his week.
When the results were posted, Thews anxiously searched the board. He became increasingly worried when he couldn't find his name among the lower scores. He looked and looked until he realized he'd been reading the list from top to bottom, mistakenly thinking the first number was the lowest score.
When Thews reviewed the actual lowest scores, he found himself among those who barely passed. Did Alice pull some strings? The truth remained a mystery. Satisfied with the results, he left to pick up his uniform and was then escorted to the student dormitories, where he would be assigned a room. The following day would mark the official start of the school year.
After a brief wait, someone else entered the room—a boy with black hair and blue eyes. "Oh, you must be my new roommate. Nice to meet you. I'm Nicolas Lyrelius. What's your name?" the boy said.
Thews, still lounging on his bed, replied, "Name's Mathews, but you can call me Thews. Actually, with my dad not around, maybe Matt would work too. But that's complicated. Hmmm… Just call me Thews, and I'll call you Nick."
Nick looked puzzled. "I… sure. You don't have a last name?"
"I do," Thews said. "Did I forget to mention it? It's Mathews Witsur."
Nick's eyes widened. "Witsur? That's the new barony established in Altren by the hero Alice Witsur, right?"
Thews opened his eyes slightly. "Yeah, Mom mentioned something about that."
"It's an honor to meet the son of a hero—and an even greater honor to share a room with him," Nick said, clearly impressed.
"Oh, don't worry. You won't be saying that for long," Thews replied, leaving Nick slightly confused. "Sure," Nick said, still unsure of what to make of it.
Nick began unpacking his things, and Thews asked, "So where are you from?"
Nick was momentarily surprised. "You don't know?"
"Why would I know where a stranger is from?" Thews replied.
A moment of silence followed before Nick burst out laughing. Thews joined in, just for the fun of it. "That was a good one," Nick said.
"Sure, but seriously, where are you from?" Thews asked.
Nick, still smiling, replied, "You… are you seriously asking that?"
"Yes," Thews confirmed.
"But you laughed as if it were a joke," Nick pointed out.
"It looked like you were having fun, so I joined in," Thews explained.
After a brief pause, Nick said with a grin, "I'm from Terras."
Thews inquired, "Where's that?"
"In the Bronze Country," Nick replied.
Thews nodded. "Never been there. Maybe I should visit sometime."
"If you do, be sure to let me know. I'll make sure you get a warm welcome," Nick offered.
"I'll hold you to that," Thews said with a smile.
"If you don't, I'll be deeply hurt," Nick added playfully.
"I'll make sure not to break my new roommate's heart," Thews promised.
Nick returned to unpacking his belongings, and Thews asked, "So, why is it called the Bronze Country?"
The next morning, Thews was jolted awake by Nick, who was already dressed and ready. "If you don't get up now, you're going to be late for your first class," Nick said.
"Why didn't you wake me up sooner?" Thews grumbled.
"I tried, but you kept saying 'Just a few more minutes,'" Nick explained.
"Go on without me. I'll get ready, but I'm not in a hurry to get to class," Thews said.
Nick chuckled. "Sure, but don't say I didn't try." With that, he left the room.
Thews sluggishly prepared himself for class. As he wandered around the campus, he spotted three older students bullying a first-year girl. Initially, he considered leaving it alone, but seeing the girl's distress sparked an idea.
Thews shouted loudly, "Looks like someone's not getting any tonight!"
The commotion drew everyone's attention.
He continued, "Some older classmen looking for freshman attention since none of the girls in their year would give them any!"
The bullies started advancing toward Thews, who kept up his taunting. "I mean, it's fine to be assertive, but there's a limit. Especially with faces like yours!"
The main bully, clearly annoyed, said, "What the heck are you babbling about, little twerp?!"
Thews replied loudly, "Just calling it like I see it, big bro. No need to be shy; we all have our off days. But with faces like yours, I'd say it happens more often than not."
The main bully retorted, "Do you know who you're messing with? I'm Torus Ranhteri of the great Ranhteri house. You better shut your mouth before we teach you a lesson."
Thews smirked. "Ranhteri? Never heard of it. 'Assteri' might suit your face better, honestly."
Torus, fuming, ordered his buddies, "Kill him!"
Thews feigned looking behind the bullies. "Oh, teacher! Good timing."
The bullies turned their heads, and Thews seized the opportunity to kick Torus hard in the groin, causing him to collapse in pain. Amid the confusion, he managed to land a similar kick on one of the other bullies.
The third bully, enraged, shouted, "You little rat!" and lunged at Thews. Thews briefly considered dodging but decided to take the beating rather than cause more commotion.
As the third bully pummeled him, Thews remarked between punches, "Are you sure you don't want to send those two to the infirmary? Healing magic works, but I hear it's harder with damaged body parts."
The third bully paused, considering the comment.
Just then, a teacher arrived and separated Thews from the bully. The teacher, seeing the injured students, instructed, "You. Help me get these two to the infirmary. And you, to the principal's office, now."
The teacher left with the bullies, and Thews shrugged. "Nah, I'm good." He then headed to class.
As it was his first day and with the delay caused by the altercation and getting lost, Thews arrived almost forty minutes late.
Entering the classroom, he announced, "Present."
The teacher responded, "And who are you? What happened to your face?"
"Oh, don't worry about it. Just had a lively conversation earlier. Name's Thews, by the way," he said nonchalantly.
The teacher instructed, "Go to the infirmary… No, class is ending early. Come with me."
Thews glanced at Nick, who was staring at him in shock. Then he followed the teacher to the infirmary.
Inside, Thews and his teacher found the bullies being treated by another teacher. The teacher who had sent Thews to the principal's office asked, "Why are you here?"
Thews' teacher replied, "Should he receive treatment as well?"
"Fine, but after this, we'll all head to the principal's office," said the first teacher.
Thews was treated for his injuries after the bullies were tended to. Then all four of them proceeded to the principal's office.
The principal, a dragonkin with silver hair, a white tail, and light pink eyes, greeted them. She had three pink gems on her forehead and looked to be in her twenties.
The two teachers explained the situation to her. After dismissing them, the principal asked the students, "What happened?"
Thews bluntly replied, "Those three were annoying me, so I kicked two of them in the balls." His straightforward honesty left the bullies stunned.
The principal asked, "Why only two of them?"
Thews replied, "I didn't have time for the third one."
The principal pressed further, "So you would have if you had the time?"
"Yes," Thews answered candidly. The raw honesty further unsettled the three bullies.
The principal then inquired, "What did the three of you do to annoy Mathews here?"
Torus responded, "We were just talking to a girl."
Thews interjected, "They were hitting on a younger girl, trying to get her to sleep with them later."
One of the bullies, visibly irate, retorted, "That's not true!"
The principal said, "Mathews, don't interrupt me while I'm speaking to them."
"No promises," Thews responded.
The principal turned to the bullies. "You three have been skating on thin ice for a while. Apart from your family's status, what reason do you have to remain at my academy?"
Torus puffed up, "I'm a genius, and you know it! My presence here brings fame to your school. If you ignore this incident, it will be better for everyone."
"So, you admit to having something that could be perceived negatively," the principal said.
Torus stammered, "I didn't—"
The principal cut him off. "I'm willing to let this slide, Torus, Arn, and Urs. You've earned some favorable grades from our teachers. But if I hear of any more trouble, all three of you will be expelled. And you all know what being expelled from Ronliet means." The threat sent shivers down their spines.
"You three are dismissed. Head to your next class," the principal ordered. The bullies filed out, with Torus casting a scathing glare at Thews before leaving.
With the room now empty, the principal turned to Thews. "Mathews Witsur. Son of Alice and Mathias Witsur. Brother to Rena Witsur. Starting as a student at my academy and already causing trouble."
Thews shrugged. "All true, I guess."
The principal continued, "I've heard a lot from your mother and sister. Both have warned me about your troublesome nature."
Thews asked, "Why would big sis say anything about me?"
"Well, whenever the topic of her family comes up, she always mentions she doesn't want to make an enemy out of you," the principal explained.
"Isn't that just normal sisterly concern?" Thews asked.
"It would be, if it weren't the most common thing she says about you. Your mother, however, describes you as a slacker dragging her name through the mud."
Thews replied, "I don't get it. I do slack off a lot, though."
The principal rose from her chair and walked towards Thews. "And then there's Mr. Luke, who felt something was off during your match. Truly intriguing."
She placed her hand on Thews' shoulder and said, "Yet you managed to overpower two fifth-year students in seconds."
Thews explained, "If you break someone's guard, you can hit their weak spot easily. And with men, there's always that one spot…"
The principal raised an eyebrow. "So?"
Thews continued, "I'm just good at spotting opportunities, I guess."
The principal released his shoulder and said, "You are suspended for a week. You may stay on school grounds, but you're not allowed to attend classes. If you try to attend any, this privilege will be revoked. Congratulations, Mathews. You're the first first-year student to be suspended on the first day in this academy's history. You may leave now."
With a grin on his face, Thews exited the office. As soon as he was out of earshot, the principal muttered to herself, "Why does a child so young smell like an ocean of blood?"
When Nick eventually returned to their room, he exclaimed, "What on earth happened?! Did you get into a fight or something?!"
Thews, with a proud smirk, replied, "What do you think?"
Nick demanded, "What's that supposed to mean?! Explain!"
Still grinning, Thews began, "If you're so eager to know, I'll tell you. Spread the word around the school, too. So, here's the thing…"
Nick listened in anticipation.
Thews said, "Three upperclassmen annoyed me, so I kicked two of them in the balls while they weren't looking. The third one caught me and gave me a good beating."
Nick asked, "Why did they annoy you?"
Thews thought for a moment before answering bluntly, "Don't know."
Nick shouted, "What do you mean you don't know?! If word gets out that you're kicking people just because you feel like it, your reputation will be ruined!"
Thews let the words sink in, ending with a proud smirk.
Nick sighed, "Why are you making that face?! You… you… sigh Forget it. I suppose your reputation does suit you."
For the next few days, Thews lounged in his room, enjoying the downtime, until Rena arrived with an unhappy expression.
"Sup, sis," Thews greeted.
Rena replied, "I expected something would happen, but this…"
Thews shrugged. "Is it so unusual for me to just chill in my room?"
Rena shot him a look. "You must be joking."
"What do you mean?" Thews asked.
Rena said, "I came here to talk about your suspension."
"Oh right, that," Thews said.
"Did you forget?" Rena asked.
"I was so comfortable lying around, I forgot this was supposed to be a school," Thews explained.
Rena stared at him for a moment before Thews asked, "Isn't this supposed to be the boys' dormitory?"
"I got special permission from the principal when it concerns you," Rena replied.
"I see," Thews said.
Rena continued, "I'm going to send a message to Mom and Dad about this. Is there anything you want me to include?"
"Just tell them I'm not done yet," Thews said.
Rena responded, "I hope this means you'll continue studying hard and not causing more trouble."
"Whatever you say, sis," Thews replied nonchalantly.
Rena sighed and said, "I heard your roommate is the Lyrelius boy and that he's diligent. Has he at least given you some study material?"
Thews said, "He gave me some papers and books, but I haven't read them."
"Then start reading them," Rena ordered.
"Now?" Thews asked.
"Yes, now," Rena said firmly.
Thews protested, "But…"
Rena cut him off. "I won't repeat it a third time."
Resigned, Thews began to go through Nick's materials while Rena stayed in the room to supervise. At one point, Thews asked, "Shouldn't you be in class or something?"
Rena replied, "I got permission from the principal. Now, what's the answer to this question?"
From then on, Rena visited Thews daily during his suspension, staying for at least two hours each day.
On one of these visits, Thews had a conversation with one of his swords. A pleasant man's voice spoke, "I heard you got into trouble, master."
Thews responded, "Oh, it's you, Idiot. How's teaching going? How many have quit since we last talked?"
Idiot replied, "Changing the subject right away. I see you've improved, albeit slightly. The direction of your improvement is troubling. But I'll answer you first, and expect you to answer me later."
Thews said, "Sure, sure. I'll tell you what I want to say later. So, how have things been?"
Idiot replied, "I have great news—more disciples have joined me than left since we last talked. In fact, only one has departed."
Thews remarked, "You seem quite pleased. When was it that we last spoke?"
"Seven months ago," Idiot answered bluntly.
Thews repeated, "Seven months, huh. That's quite a while. Don't you feel a bit disappointed about not managing a full year without someone quitting?"
Idiot responded, "Attacking my character now, are we? Yes, I do feel a bit disappointed. But one of my most promising disciples mentioned that I just have bad luck with selecting students."
Thews asked, "So, how many have you been involved with lately?"
Idiot replied, "Ah, now you're trying to provoke me by suggesting my past behavior was less than honorable. No, I haven't been involved with any of my students, whether in this world or the previous one."
Thews, with a cheeky grin, said, "How can you say that when you've been inside so many people's bodies in the past?"
Idiot countered, "Now you're deliberately misleading. I'm not proud of having shed blood in the past, but as a sword created to convey a message, it's not unfounded."
There was a brief pause before Idiot said, "Now that we're done with your questions, how about you answer mine?"
Thews asked, "What did you want to know?"
Idiot responded, "I mentioned I know you recently got into trouble."
Thews asked, "Are you surprised?"
Idiot said, "You're still asking questions when it's your turn to answer. I wasn't particularly surprised by your trouble, but I'm curious about the circumstances."
Thews explained, "I saw some people whose faces I didn't like, so I kicked a few of them in the nuts."
Idiot remarked, "From what I've observed, that doesn't seem like a strong enough reason for you to go that far."
Thews shrugged. "It is what it is. I don't know what else to say."
Idiot probed further, "We both know that's not the full story. You're aware of how my abilities work, so don't try to argue."
Thews paused before blurting out, "I got to thinking about your idea of equality."
Idiot asked, "Oh, that. What made you connect that with your actions?"
Thews replied, "I don't know. Something about humanity misunderstanding true equality, combined with seeing a girl being bullied, just set me off. So, I decided to lower those bullies' reputations to where they deserved to be."
Idiot responded, "That sounds like something you'd do."
Thews asked, "What do you think about the… what do you call it… image of true equality?"
Idiot replied, "What do you think someone like me would feel about it?"
Thews muttered, "A sword used by an infamous philosopher who challenged minds to near lunacy. The sword was called 'The Idiot's Solution.' What would someone like that think of an idea of equality that disregards individual viewpoints and humanity?"
Idiot waited for Thews to answer, but Thews finally admitted, "Yeah, I have no idea what you'd think. In the first place, I haven't even figured out what the punchline of your name means."
Idiot said, "How long has it been since we met? A century? Maybe two or even three?"
Thews replied, "How should I know? Ask Echo."
Idiot responded, "You missed my point again. Yet sometimes you speak with unexpected wisdom. It's curious, truly curious. Perhaps those are what we call moments of wisdom."
Thews asked, "And why would someone choose to name themselves Idiot? That doesn't make sense. I was called Centipede, but that wasn't my choice."
Idiot said, "You may have lived for centuries, but it only proves that no amount of time can cure stupidity. No offense, of course."
"None taken. I'm fully aware," Thews said.
Idiot concluded, "I think it's time I return to see what my students are up to. Take care, master. I know this won't change anything, but try not to cause any more trouble. Distance yourself from trouble when you can. It's been proven you're the cause of many headaches. Oh, and try to study, won't you?"
With that, Idiot fell silent. Thews was left alone with his thoughts. Knowing that Rena would be arriving soon, he opened the window and jumped out to avoid her. Rena had her ways of locating Thews, but he was determined to enjoy some free time.
When Rena entered the room and found it empty, she sighed and pulled out a magical device that showed Thews' exact location—a precaution Mira devised due to Thews' habit of disappearing.
Is tracking someone without their permission legal? No.
Does Mira care about the legalities when it comes to Thews? No.
Can Rena ignore the legality of knowing her brother's location? Questionable.
Does Thews know? No.
Will Thews eventually find out? Unlikely, unless someone tells him, as he only suspects Lyke can do such a thing. Lyke, one of Thews' swords, can track individuals by their blood and their relatives for up to three generations.
Will someone tell Thews? Those who know are sworn to secrecy, including Echo and several of Thews' swords.
Will they ever stop tracking Thews? Not likely.
Eventually, Rena found Thews, who received a stern scolding for his evasion.
And so ended the first week of school life for Thews.