She has earned a what?
Strike?
Is the dean going to slap Ilyrana or something? Or is she maybe going to pull out a cane and strike her ass?
After such a huge reaction from Ilyrana and everyone else, I was expecting the punishment to be absolutely brutal. But this sounds like a nothing burger.
[Look around. You might be the only one here who thinks that.]
…
Pink is right. The crowd is looking like they’ve seen someone die. And Ilyrana? Well, she looks like she’s the one who is dead. Her face is so pale I feel like I am seeing a ghost.
“That would be it,” Dean Morcyne says with a grim sigh before looking around the training area. “Princess Leena won’t be accepting any more duels for today. I want this place to be empty of all the students in five minutes.”
There’s not a hint of protest from the crowd, not even from Leena, whose challenge just casually got cancelled. They all look too scared of her to say anything. I know Dean Morcyne probably holds the absolute power here in the academy, but isn’t Leena a princess from another country? Why does she look so timid in front of her?
There must be more to this dean than it meets the eye.
It doesn’t take long for the students to leave the training area. They leave quietly and in proper lines— totally opposite of how they came in.
Ilyrana looks weakly at Dean Morcyne, and then at me. And at this moment, she looks far scarier to me than anything else. There’s something much deeper than simple hatred in her eyes now.
“Ilyrana,” The dean calls her out.
Ilyrana lowers her head and slowly turns around to leave.
Now, the only people left behind in the training area are Leena, Aeson, Dean Morcyne, and me.
Aeson looks so frightened he’s not even looking at the dean. As my escort, he cannot leave with the others, and thus, he’s trying his best not to draw attention.
“Princess Leena and Mr. Jacob,” Dean Morcyne finally addresses us. “I think it would be best if you both leave the academy for today. You are welcome to visit us another time, if you wish.”
…
…
…
“What the hell was that!? Why would you do it, Jacob!?” Aeson demands, giving me a slight push while looking pissed.
Currently, the three of us— him, Leena, and I— are on our way out of the academy. The moment Dean Morcyne left and Aeson thought it was safe to stop pretending like he’s a piece of wood, he started showering me with angry questions.
“I told you, Leena used to be my teacher. And she’s had bad blood with Ilyrana. I had to help her out in a confrontation,” I lie.
I cannot exactly think of a good excuse for doing what I did. I just don’t want Aeson to think that I am a bully.
“No, you didn’t have to do anything! And why the heck did you cause such a big commotion, Leena!?” Aeson changes his target.
“Who the hell are you to ask me that?” Leena asks back in a dangerous voice.
“S-Sorry.”
I think he forgot for a second that Leena isn’t his friend.
…
“Anyway, what is a ‘strike’?” I ask after a few seconds of silence. “And why was everyone acting like it’s such a big deal?”
“Because it is a big deal!” Aeson answers, looking serious. “You don’t know what you’ve done to Ilyrana, Jacob.”
“What did I do!? It’s her fault for attacking me in the first place!” I protest.
“Well, I think you’re both at fault,” Aeson says with a shrug. “You shouldn’t have mentioned Queen Ilsevel while insulting Ilyrana. Everyone knows that that’s one of the very few things she’s touchy about— her mother. Nothing else could’ve made her react in such a way. Of course, that doesn’t justify using a spell like that.”
Damn… I just said it randomly, and continued because it got a big reaction out of her.
“Anyway, you heard the dean,” Aeson continues. “She gave Ilyrana the worst punishment you can possibly get. A ‘Strike’ basically marks her down as a problem student. And you can only get two of those. Get a second strike, and you’re expelled from the Academy.”
…
“I know a little about this,” Leena says. “It’s not exactly a common occurrence, is it? Getting a strike.”
“No, it isn’t,” Aeson nods. “It’s a rare punishment reserved for the most unruly students, those who have done something truly reprehensible. Even just a single strike can cause major reputational damage and worsen career prospects by a lot. That’s why nobody but the dean herself can personally hand them out to students.”
“But what does that mean for Ilyrana?” I ask. It’s not like she has to worry about a career.
“Don’t you get it?” Aeson asks. “It’s already bad for normal students, but for the princess and the holder of the first golden badge? The bad rep this will bring her will make losing to you look like a little joke.”
Oh…
“And not only that, if she somehow gets the second strike— it will mean immediate expulsion from the academy. Her golden badge will be permanently taken away as well. That means, she will lose her position as the princess and have no means left to gain it back,” Aeson tells us.
…
Holy fuck, that is serious. Did Saria mean for this to happen when she gave me the task?
If so, she’s a calculative genius. I am feeling quite guilty now.
{You didn’t have a choice, master. It’s not like you wanted this to happen.}
[I mean, he did take his insults too far. He didn’t really have to ace the task Saria gave him, just complete it nominally.]
You are right, but I was worried that Saria wouldn’t consider it done otherwise.
“Now, I feel bad,” Leena says, wording out my thoughts. “But not that much. With how rarely these strikes are given, I am sure Ilyrana won’t receive a second one.”
“That’s true,” Aeson says. “Ilyrana is a model student, after all. The bigger problem for her is the reputation loss. The news about her receiving a strike is going to be spread widely. That’s not a good look for a princess.”
“Ohh, she will be fine,” Leena says with a wave of her hand. “It’s Ilyrana we’re talking about. I hate her for a reason.”
“Hopefully.”
“Yeah…”
“Anyway, it was kinda intimidating seeing the Dean,” Leena says, changing the topic. “She’s a big deal. If even half the things I’ve heard about her are true, I wish to never come across her again.”
“What? I wish the exact opposite,” I say. “She seems great to me. Strict but fair, and she saved my life. Also, she’s so damn hot. I think I might have a crush on her.”
“Dude!!” Aeson exclaims, looking highly offended. “That’s my mother you’re talking about.”
