I Became a Person Who Wanted To Drop Out of the Academy

Chapter 4

Episode 4 – I am an idiot 4 –

My level itself is on par with the Academy Professor.

Aura Master, the highest level achievable through aura. A level which the majority of knights can’t even touch, let alone grasp.

Although we share the same level, it doesn’t mean that I share the same proficiency as the professor.

The disparity between Aura Masters is the most intense of all levels.

Not knowing it alone, I have been devoting my efforts to mastering the sense of aura by considering the utilization of WFS’s skills.

Eventually, I became a person who only raised his rank but lacked depth.

The problem with learning swordsmanship from the forgotten ghost in the WFS skills was that the quicker you could learn was inversely proportionate to the effort put into swordsmanship.

‘I would have built my body from Sword Ghost and learned swordsmanship before starting if I hadn’t entered the academy.’

My growth is incomplete so my level is only half-full now. I’m strong, but I don’t know how to utilize that strength.

Comparing it to martial arts novels, I am a master who reached the state of fire but cannot guarantee a victory against a super-level master. That gives an idea of how abnormal my current state is.

However, with the rules of a fight, it’s different.

Within a non-death match, I might be able to beat someone stronger than me.

Moreover, I could even claim that winning by game rules means I am actually more skilled. This is an opportunity I can’t miss.

“In the end, isn’t it hard to decide because it’s unprecedented? So why not have a fight with me?”

As Professor Rachel’s words continued, the judge beside me panicked.

Because a fight between a professor and a student could potentially happen in front of him.

You think there’s no problem? If something goes wrong, the student’s parents can rage. And my father is a count.

Given my father’s character, he wouldn’t rage unless I was heavily injured. He does care about me, but he tends to think it’s karma for my past deeds.

Of course, the judge wouldn’t know such circumstances, so his fear was expected.

So the judge, who was 1-2 years older than me whose name I still didn’t know, sent me an earnest look.

Please, stop.

However.

“This time it’s a real fight, right?”

I wasn’t one to yield to his pleas. Last time I was defeated in just one round, but now I had a way to win.

“No, were you not defeated in just one round last time? Wouldn’t it be better… to just quit?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

And the flustered judge tried to dissuade me, but it didn’t mean anything.

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There was no reason to feel guilty as there would be no harm to the judge anyway.

“So the rules are the same, right? The match time is a total of 5 minutes. The one who inflicts more damage wins.”

“Exactly. So let’s give it a try.”

I don’t know why she proposed a fight with me. However, one must know how to change crises into opportunities for a smooth ride.

Without struggle, there was no way to get the equipment.

“Then, the match time is a total of 5 minutes. The side that inflicts more damage within the match time wins, and if the damage cannot be distinguished, it will be recorded as a draw. Do you agree?”

“Yes.”

“Of course.”

As the fight between Professor Rachel and I was decided, the audience was more berserk.

“Wasn’t he beaten up by first attacking the professor?”

“But what confidence does he have?”

“He must’ve thought that the professor would go easy on him. She won’t deal with a student as she did last time.”

“But why did the professor suggest a fight?”

“Isn’t the left-over grudge from the last incident the reason?”

“Does the professor know him? Is he going to inflate his self-esteem by proposing a fight against a student?”

Despite the numerous opinions being exchanged, we were only focused on the upcoming fight.

When the duel began, Professor Rachel and I headed to our designated spots. Standing in my place, I turned to look at Professor Rachel, who was still watching me with the detached expression she had when we first met.

She wore a high hat and a cloak that falls below her knees.

In her hand was the staff that once overpowered me.

And in my hand was a mere wooden sword.

If there was money at stake, I would definitely bet on Professor Rachel.

However, this time, I was determined that her staff wouldn’t overpower me like before. This time, victory was the goal.

Awaiting the referee’s opening announcement, Professor Rachel’s lips parted,

“I’m going to go easy on you. There’s no need to worry about passing out.”

Upon hearing the implication that she would spare me, I responded.

“Seriously? Regardless of what happens, you can keep that promise?”

“Yes. I’ll keep that promise.”

Having received her confirmation, we both turned to face the referee.

With the confirmation that we were both ready, the referee began the duel.

“Then, let’s begin the duel. 3… 2… 1… Start the duel!”

At the start of the duel, Professor Rachel immediately started to cast her magic circle.

“Don’t move! If you do, my arm— it’ll get cut off!”

I cast my (spell).

—-

“Hmm…?”

Professor Rachel looked on with a puzzled expression at what I was doing. However, I had thought of a simple way to stop her, and was acting upon it.

“I will cut off an arm or a leg if you move or attack me. If I get seriously injured, the duel will naturally get called off.”

“Then, I win, right?”

“Did you harm me, Professor Rachel? If anything, that means I inflicted more harm.”

Within the academy rules, the outcome of a duel is determined by the harm inflicted. The damage evoked, not the damage received.

Occasionally, damage to a summoned creature also needs to be accounted for, hence the stipulation. Yet, there’s a loophole there.

As per the academy rules, defenses are considered, thus the victory is simply decided by who inflicted more damage.

Of course, there isn’t any rule concerning self-harm because such an idiotic situation was never anticipated.

In conclusion: If self-harm is committed, since I inflicted more damage to myself, I win.

But apparently this explanation was not enough for Professor Rachel to understand everything as she asked me a question.

“Why can’t I attack?”

“If I get hurt by you, I’ll aim to hurt myself even more. Then I will faint, but didn’t you promise not to make me faint? You’re not going to deem it a win if you break your promise, right? Oh, by the way, if fainting from self-harm is not recognized, I will just stay still until I faint from excessive blood loss.”

I confidently explained my strategy to Rachel. After all, a hostage situation only works if the other party is aware of the hostage.

Still not fully understanding, Professor Rachel asked another question.

“Then what if I hadn’t promised not to make you faint?”

“I would have held my life hostage. I would have pointed it at my neck.”

It’s hard for a professor to avoid responsibility if a student dies or gets severely injured due to them, and that would be no different here.

There might not be a major issue if there’s a backer, but at the very least, they would have to give up their professorship.

“So, you…”

My unorthodox move took Professor Rachel by surprise. She shifted slightly, but I noticed her movement and shouted,

“I told you not to move!”

With those words, the aura-imbued blade that circled around pierced right through my left arm.

Shwoosh.

The blade made contact with my arm, and blood trickled out from the tip of the sword.

It trickled down the sword blade like the drops of water at the end of an icicle gradually melting under the thawing weather. The warm blood then headed for the ground from the end of the sword.

As the sword pierced through my arm, the spurting blood showered my head based on the wound. The blood that had managed to fly into the sky for a moment, ran down my face and eventually hit the ground.

Seeing this, someone might think, in damnation, it seemed as if I was shedding tears.

Ah, f*ck. I was unnecessarily stabbed.

It hurts to the bone.

It feels like tears of blood have welled up in my eyes.

Regardless of my feelings, the shocking sight was vivid enough to make Professor Rachel gasp as she watched me.

“You…”

I did not miss that moment of confusion.

“Why don’t I dispel the magic and wait until the last 5 minutes? That would be good for both of us. If you plan to knock me unconscious…”

I then shifted my grip on the aura-imbued sword.

Instead of aiming the tip of the sword at the opponent, I pointed it at my own throat.

As much as the blood was now soaking the aura-imbued sword.

Even though my right arm was shaking under the pain.

I knew first hand that my will had been conveyed to the Professor.

“Even if you knock me out with magic now, the shockwave would likely severe my neck. And since you attacked me, it will surely become a controversy.”

The reason why outcasts in Joseon were avoided, why they always lived in a drunken stupor.

And the reason why executions by electric chair are carried out through a button that is randomly chosen by the prison guards.

Taking a person’s life.

That is never an easy decision.

Even people from the Middle Ages felt guilt over taking an enemy’s life let alone executing a student who they might one day teach.

So, this has to work. It absolutely has to.

And right on cue, I could see Professor Rachel struggling to make a decision.

She had never encountered a student like this before, after all.

This was a feat only someone like me who didn’t care about the scrutiny of those around could pull off.

I was curious to see what Professor Rachel would choose to do. Would she attack me? Or simply let time run out?

Or would she come up with another way to subdue me?

Thankfully, just as I hoped, the magic circles prepared around Professor Rachel gradually began to dissolve.

In essence, she had declared her surrender.

“It’s your victory.”

Four simple words. But they were enough to describe the situation.

I had won against her. Fair and square.

Even though my weak arm was unable to hold the sword firmly (self-inflicted), and despite the throbbing pain that made my body shudder (also self-inflicted), none of it mattered.

I had emerged victorious from a duel against a professor of the Jerip Academy.

“hahahahaha.”

With the confirmation of my victory, I fueled my laughter with the still-present pain from the wound.

While looking around with a smile, one could see astonishment in the air.

Most of them were astonished, not because I defeated the professor, but because I did take such a huge risk.

“Did that lunatic just risk his own life?”

“Isn’t he surely the second son of Mentutitihothep Marquis? Doesn’t he care about his own life?”

“Even if he lost to the Professor in one go, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal. But why would he tarnish his own image like that?”

“But isn’t it incredible that he still won?”

“That’s true; but thinking about it, it’s similar to the audacious thing he did just a while ago.”

“That is indeed true.”

“Apart from respect, aristocratic dignity is nowhere to be seen. You wouldn’t feel it from his personality.”

“Even commoners wouldn’t act so recklessly, right?”

In such a situation, several reactions emerged, but I just laughed. Firstly, I had won. And secondly, by setting up such a crazy scene, it had put the principal in a difficult spot.

Just because of this development, the principal was at risk of political attack. Of course, it was just a superficial excuse, but any excuse matters in a nobility society.

While indulging in such daydreams, Professor Rachel approached me.

“So, what do you want from me? If it’s within my capabilities, I’ll grant it to you.”

She ended up promising that she will listen to my request.

“You won the combat, so you could ask to be moved to the top-ranked class.”

Her words made me realize something I hadn’t thought of before.

Upon reflection, winning the duel allowed me to make a request.

I hadn’t thought of anything beyond putting the principal in a difficult position. However, it was only right to gain what I can now that the situation had changed.

I quickly asked her for more details.

“If you are able to grant my request, would other requests also be possible?”

“Yes.”

Professor Rachel affirmed that she would grant any request within her capabilities.

From the moment I entered the academy, there was something that I had always wanted.

My only wish in this academy was simple.

Therefore, I openly declared to everyone in the battlefield,

“Then!! Please!!!! Expel!!!! Me!!!”

I shouted out loud.

Asking to be expelled.

People around me questioned what they heard.

Some of the quicker ones started doubting my sincerity.