Tomorrow, at the Monetre Swordmanship Academy, 9:00—
Heimfher stared at his teacher with bored eyes, his legs were tapping on the floor continuously and his eyes occasionally closed on its own, even though it was still in the morning, Heimfher felt that he was about to fall asleep again, and just as he thought the the lesson wouldn't end soon, he teacher gave his final speech right before the bell outside the classroom rang.
"Okay, that's the end of the morning lesson, we'll continue after this, no outside lesson today."
Gonggg!!
"Finally.." Heimfher said as he stretched his hands above his head. "That lesson was so boring.."
Break time had started, and while most students headed straight into the cafeteria to go eat some snacks or their breakfast, Heimfher on the other hand decided ti stay in his class, since there was no outside lesson unlike yesterday, Heimfher didn't have to bother himself to walk outside the classroom.
'I don't have any spare money.. I can't buy anything to eat, and i seriously don't want to do anything..' He thought as he place his head on the desk infront of him.
'Right now.. The only thing thats feeding me is the Protection bureau– I already said that i'll join, but.. Man, i can't believe it all came down to this—
'Oh- yeah.. I need to talk to my mother and that guy.. It's been a while since i met my mother– Atleast according to the previous Heimfher's memories, i wonder what they're doing.. My little sister Sylvia and my little brother Ferthrune—
'...Holy shit who the hell created this name.. My father?! Now that i think of if, why do my little sister get a simple name like Sylvia while me and my little brother has a name that could be used as an olympus gods?! Heimfher and Ferthrune!? Seriously?'
While Heimfher was sitting on his desk and relaxing himself, his eyes were slowly tightening, and his drowsiness became unbearable, Heimfher kept thinking about his mother and siblings, but unaware that his conciousness was drifting. In the end, Heimfher fell asleep on his desk and time passed by in an instant.
.
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In the afternoon, right before the last bell rang in the academy—
Heimfher was seen walking at the hallways along with many other students, each of them carrying a bag or a satchel as they all headed towards the academy entrance gate, preparing to go to their respective home, other students laughed and joked around while Heimfher was all alone, walking on his own in a radius that no other students dare to stand, it's as if he had a barrier that won't allow anyone to get close.
'Goddamnit.. I shouldn't have have fallen asleep that time.. How did i managed to fall asleep in the first place, im sure i was opening my eyes..' Heimfher thought while he watched his own footsteps.
He was about to exit the academy building, the other students walked to the entrance just fine, but when it was Heimfher turn to exit, a teacher suddenly walked infront of him, blocking his path and forcing him to stop.
"Huh?.." Heimfher said, startled by the sudden appearance of his teacher. "Sir Orlen?"
Sir Orlen put up a serious face infront of Heimfher, similar to when someone caught their students to be doing something problematic, except for Heimfher, he didn't remember doing anything that was against the rules of the academy.
"Heimfer?" Orlen said sternly. "Follow me to the principal room."
Orlen's words struck Heimfher like an anvil, and so does to the other students, they who heard Orlen ordering Heimfher to go meet the principal was stunned, but they weren't surprised out of pity, but rather relief.
"Huhh?! Heimfher was called by the principal? You gotta be kidding me, hah!.. He might finally be expelled!" A student said blatantly infront of Heimfher.
More students soon expressed their relief aswell, from Class A to Class D, everyone had the same reaction to Heimfher being called to meet with the principal, and that is joy.
"Seriously?.. Now out of all times? What is the principal thinking, he should've kicked him out long ago."
"He shouldn't have been accepted in the first place."
"Why does class E even exists? Does this academy not have any shame?"
"The worst of the worst, its a miracle that he was able to stay here for almost 2 years.."
"They say he's trying to become a knight, hah.. What a joke, a commoner like him having that big of a dream should be a crime."
The mockery just kept coming, one after another, Heimfher had to convince himself that he wasn't going to take those words to heart, he knew better than everyone, and he also knew that what they're saying was true, Heimfher was not talented at Swordmanship, and it shows. However, what they missed was his talent on other aspects, no one in the academy knew about Heimfher's abnormal mana veins yet, and when they do, they won't be able to believe it.
'It's okay.. I will quit anyway, there's no point in arguing or fighting them back with words, i don't care if they will see me as the failed student even after i quit when i myself knew that i was born to wield magic, not sword.'
Heimfher then nodded, he didn't show anger, he showed calmness, when everyone around him was throwing words like an arrows, Heimfher had already covered himself with steel armors.
"Okay." He said to Sir Orlen, urging him to guide him to the principal.
Sir Orlen and Heimfher soon walked among the students, they went in the opposite direction, while the students were walking out of the academy, Heimfher walked back in.
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Inside the principal room—
The principal of Monetre Swordmanship Academy, was a man in his 60's, he has rough physique and is covered with scars, his hairs tied back and his eyes were half-blind, he was constantly smoking a cigar in his mouth, even when Heimfher was sitting infront of him, his cigar kept lighting up and blowing smokes everywhere.
"Sir Valhem, i've brought the student you asked." Orlen said as he and Heimfher entered the room.
"Hmm, Good work, you can go home now, i want to speak with this kid personally." Valhem said, his face was undoubtely frightening, yet despite that Heimfher looked calm, most likely because he knew he would be expelled.
Orlen didn't waste any time before he left the room and never came back, it was only Valhem and Heimfher in the room, and while Heimfher was sitting at the sofa, Valhem stayed at the edge of the window, looking outside as he saw all of the students in his academy going back home.
"You're Heimfher?" He said.
Heimfher's body was electrocuted for a second, it feels like he had a goosebumps all over his body, even though it was only Valhem speaking.
"Y- Yes.. Sir.."
'Holy fuck! He's scary! What the hell.. Why am i suddenly remembering my school days on earth.. Do all principals always have this much aura in them!?' Heimfher thought, he almost blurted out what he was thinking, but thankfully he managed to hold back.
"I heard you're ranked the lowest in the entire academy." Valhem said, his tone unexpectedly placid, unlike what Heimfher had predicted. "Why did you enroll in this academy?"
Heimfher took a few seconds of silence to think about his answer.
"...I wanted to become a knight." He said firmly.
"A knight huh.." Valhem seems to smile a little bit from hearing Heimfher's answer, he then grabbed the cigar in his mouth and walked towards Heimfher to sit down. "That's a good dream to have.. But are you sure you can do it?"
"..."
Heimfher surprisngly doesn't answer Valhem's question, his mouth was twitching, as if wanting to speak, but his mind didn't allow it as he deeply know that he wasn't born to become a knight.
"No answer?" Valhem said, he looked disappointed at Heimfher's silent treatment. "I guess you're not ready."
"I've received reports about you, almost everyday.. Everyone in the school keeps saying something awful to you, but you keep ignoring them– You brushed off all of the insults and you keep attending lessons and learning swordmanships everyday, hoping that someday you will bloom into a beautiful flower—
"But that day never came, am i right?"
Valhem's words made Heimfher's eyes widened, his pupils expanded despite his reluctance, it's just like what the other students said, the principals wasn't there to comfort him, but he was trying to make Heimfher fave the cruel reality.
"Hardwork beats talent.. That's a famous quote from the ancient times." Valhem said as he looked into the sky above from the window.
"But it's mostly wrong, hardwork only beats talent when the talented's effort is less than the hardworker. Those without talent, will eventually face a wall, while the talented, only have to face their own ego.. A person without talent will think that if they work hard, they will beat the talented, while the talented will think, that their talent alone is enough to beat the hardworker—
"In the end, everything is decided by both, it's just that some people worked harder than the others and some people had more talent than others, that's how they managed to climb higher, talent without hardwork will make you stuck, same with hardwork without talent.. You think you will become good at swordmanship if you work hard, but you fail to realize that everyone in the academy also worked as hard as you are—
"Heimfher, im sorry to say this.. But your effort is not enough.. Atleast, in this academy.. This place is a prestigious academy that only accepts the skilled."
Valhem stared at Heimfher with his eyes, his face was an obvious sign that he won't change his mind no matter what, he wasn't a bad person, he wasn't an apathetic person, he was only acting as the principal of a prestigious academy that bears the next generation of knights and powerful swordsmen, if he could change one talentless student for a more talented student, he would take it whenever he was given the chance. That's how this academy works.
"...I understand, You want me to quit huh, i'll do that." Heimfher replied, his voice was monotone, and Valhem was surprised at the fact that Heimfher didn't cry when faced with the reality.
"Really? I didn't think you'd give up that easily." Valhem replied, he was a bit in shock with Heimfher's lack of perseverance. "If you were to keep coming to this academy, we would still accept you, you know—
"There's many students in the past who placed last in the ranking and they still didn't give up after i told them the same thing, the reason why i said this is because i've seen too many students falling into despair after they graduated, that's why i began to give every lowest ranking students a choice."
"It's okay, it's just as you said." Heimfher then stood up from his sofa and was about to approach the exit door. "Talent alone isn't enough, and Hardwork alone also won't be enough.. I realized, that my talent isn't in swordmanship, and i've come to accept that, because right now– I've already found my true talent, and im planning to put my effort into it instead of swordmanship."
Valhem watched as his mouth opened ever so slightly, he looked lost and wasn't sure what to reply, until.
"I see, i guess everyone has a talent after all, it's just the matter of when they would find it.. If that's your final decision, then i won't preach further.. I will prepare all the paperworks and send you off, the students might spread some rumors, but you don't care about that right?" Valhem said, his eyes were as firm as Heimfher's, it looks like he had also made his mind.
"Thanks, principal.. I'll see you later." And with that, Heimfher left the academy on a peaceful note, he left while feeling complete, he doesn't have any regret, and to his previous self that was already dead, Heimfher prayed in his heart that he would find peace while he watched his new body owner take on a different path.