I hadn't even realized it when the teacher arrived, and I had started listening to him.
In fact, the teacher wasn't delivering a lecture. He was simply guiding us on which subjects we should choose for our weekly schedule. Not everyone who came here had a desire to be an adventurer. Thanks to the instructors brought in from all over the world, the academy was extremely well-prepared to meet the students' needs. There were a lot of theory and practice courses. Even now, everyone was selecting which classes to take on their schedules using their bracelets.
Iris, sitting behind me, had chosen a class about plants. Stefan had not yet decided which subjects to choose. Many students were indecisive like Stefan, so the course selection would remain open for a few more days. Ela had chosen geography. She seemed curious about the outside world and appeared to want to be an adventurer just like me. As for me, I knew exactly what I should choose.
I didn't want to take a class on a subject I already knew, like math or physics. I had directed my focus toward the wonders and mysteries of this world. The theoretical courses I had chosen, in order, were: Technology, History, and Resources.
I chose the technology class because I felt like I was falling behind in that area. The reason I took the history class was simply out of curiosity. My reason for taking the resources class stemmed from wanting to know if I could gain new inspiration in the field of blacksmithing. I hadn't forgotten the special ingot given to me for the dagger. I was curious about the "source" of that greenish, fragrant metal. I wanted to know what this world had to offer. I recorded my course selections on the schedule, noting which days I would have these classes and began to look around. The person I had coded in my mind as the "main character" seemed to be choosing her classes just like me. Zui, Sin of the Flower, was quietly watching outside. It was clear that Viola was having trouble making a decision. There were three demons and seven nalias in the class. They had grouped together among themselves. The nalias appeared a bit tense. I didn't know which nalia came from which kingdom but I thought at least one of them might be from Quintah.
After the teacher waited long enough, he told us to gather and follow him. We all exited the building where our classrooms were located. After a short walk of a few minutes, we entered a reddish-toned building. It was just like the hangar-like building I had entered yesterday. The only purpose of that building was to welcome new students. The building we entered now was like an arena. The ground was sandy, and we seemed to be surrounded by spectators as if in a coliseum. In fact, it made more sense to say that the Victorian Era was a coliseum squeezed inside a building.
In one corner of the arena, there were many swords, spears, axes, and other weapons. There were numerous adults around us. Among these adults, one nalia stood out because this was no ordinary nalia. This nalia had neither horns nor elven-like pointed ears. I had mentioned that a nalia without these features was truly rare, and I had talked about how this nalias had skin colors shaped by their personalities. This nalia had a grayish skin tone. He had very long hair that was silvery in color and his body was quite muscular. There were wrinkles on his forehead, indicating that the man was in his forties. He was carrying a large sword on his back and wearing black leather armor. Once he was convinced that we had all arrived, he began to speak in a thick and booming voice.
"Are you ready, toothpicks?!"
I saw that Stefan was suppressing his laughter at these words. Besides, I wasn't the only one who noticed him.
"Is there something funny?"
"N... No, sir! There's nothing funny at all!"
Stefan suddenly straightened his back and puffed out his chest. Seeing this behavior, our instructor didn't continue to speak with him. After exchanging a few sentences with the people behind him, he turned to us.
"Then listen well, because I won't repeat myself. Today, we will assess your physical skills and confirm whether you are fit to fight. Choose a weapon from the area you see. The weapon you select will be the primary weapon you will train with."
He seemed like he wouldn't do anything to us as long as we followed his instructions. I was curious about how strong our instructor was. Furthermore, it was the first time I had ever seen a nalia with a unique skin color. Everyone moved toward the area with the weapons to follow what the man had said. There were really a lot of weapons here. It didn't take long for me to realize that they were real weapons. They didn't look sharp. Most likely, they had intentionally dulled the edges of the weapons. I was walking slowly into the area, watching what people were picking up. A large portion of the crowd had headed toward the section with the swords, and I was intrigued that Iris and three demons from our class went to the spear section. The weapons were not only numerous but also incredibly varied. I had never seen so many different kinds of weapons in my life. There were even sword types that I had never seen before.
At that point, I understood what kind of weapon I needed to choose.
I don't need to say it, but I'm medicore in terms of strength. Not just in terms of strength, but also in technical capacity. I really wanted to take a sword. Even when my father trained me during his free time, we used wooden sticks as swords. Moreover, as a blacksmith apprentice, I always had a fascination with weapons, but I could not choose a sword as a weapon. Swords were the kings of weapons, and it was impossible for an untrained person to use one effectively. Therefore, I needed to transition to a simpler weapon—one that was destructive enough to allow me to use my strength but not as elegant as a sword.
So, I began to look at the axes.
I was going to use an axe as a weapon. Of course, using a sword was more aesthetic, but I didn't need aesthetics right now. The type of weapon that would most easily overcome my disadvantage was an axe. Thus, I started looking at the different types of axes. I did not look back at the two-handed ones. I was searching for a one-handed axe, light enough to be used not only for fighting but also for chopping wood, and with a single edge. The type of axe that best suited my criteria was a tomahawk. I picked up the closest axe to that. It met all my criteria and there was even extra weight added to the other side of the axe. This wouldn't make it difficult for me to use this weapon; instead, it was an added feature designed for the axe's attacks to have more impact. At that moment, a new, smaller slot formed within the identity.
Inventory:
- Academy Uniform
- Training Axe (Tomahawk)
It seemed like this game-like world was doing everything it could to make me see it as a game. I looked at the axe once more and we returned to the area where the instructors were. We were all grouped according to the weapons we had chosen. Most people had chosen swords, and there were very few like me who had opted for an axe.
"Now that you have chosen your weapons, you will each engage in a training battle. The pairings have been predetermined."
It felt strange not even knowing the name of the strong nalia who said this. From his demeanor, it was clear that he had military experience, much like my father. Most likely, my father's subordinates saluted him by rank rather than by name. Thus, he began to read everyone's names aloud.
"Zui Amor VS Alex Grima"
I was curious about how the Sin of the Flower would fight. Given her bad reputation, it was only natural for me to be curious. Moreover, she seemed to have no special traits at first glance. It was obvious that if someone like her did something truly dangerous, the other noble families could easily take care of her. Nobles were difficult to understand and while thinking about this, I didn't want to miss the moment when my name was called. The instructor continued to announce our names one by one. I heard the names of familiar people and was curious about what they would do. Toward the end, I finally heard my own name.
But I never expected to hear the name of the person across from me.
"Nell Warden VS Viola Scarple"