Chapter 81: Dueling Practice (Part-2)
“J-Jacob…?” Leo repeats after Miss Laura in a confused tone.
Though his face is still smiling, his eyes are telling a different story… this guy is completely thunderstruck right now.
“Yes, Jacob. He will go and practice with Leena after I finish reading the List,” Miss Laura says while looking at me.
What the actual fuck is happening!? Why does Leena want to become my dueling partner!?
I mean, even an idiot can understand that it’s not because she wants to reteach me stuff. I actually try to do fairly average in the class. So, there is no way I am behind anyone.
But am I going to protest against this?
Well, no. I think it’s a great opportunity to learn why Leena seems so obsessed with me after that fireball incident…
“O-Okay, ma’am,” I reply.
“Good. Then, going on with the list. The first pair is Ryan—”
“Excuse me, Miss Laura!”
Suddenly, Leo speaks up loudly.
“Yes, what now…” she replies, looking a little frustrated now.
“I-I think Princess Leena told you the wrong name. You see, Jacob usually stands right next to me. She must have gotten our names mixed,” he says with a smile.
“Hmm? Is it true?” Miss Laura asks Leena.
“H-Hello, my name is actually Leo, not Jacob,” Leo says while waving at Leena shyly.
“Sorry, I don’t think I am mistaken. And by the way, are you from a different section? I don’t remember seeing you in this class…” Leena says with a genuine look of wonderment on her face.
“………”
Leo stares back at her, dumbstruck. His expressions are the same as that of a man who has just been slapped twice before being kicked in the balls.
Damn… that’s just brutal…
*Cough*
“A small misunderstanding…” Miss Laura says while coughing awkwardly.
“Anyways, let’s continue. First up, Ryan Briem and Arya Woods…”
“Wait, what!? I am with that bitch!?” Ryan exclaims in shock.
Aria, who is standing just a few meters away from us, doesn’t look much happy with this pairing as well. She even shots a glare full of loathing at Ryan, who courteously returns it back while doubling its intensity.
Well, there is nothing to be surprised by their reaction. Our relationship is really simple; We hate her for confiscating our porn in school, and she hates us for being perverts.
“… Mateo Miller and Jeremiah Dillon, Kylie Hicks and Faith Webb…”
Ignoring Ryan’s small outburst, Miss Laura continues to announce the names one-by-one.
Sigh… Poor Ryan. I hope Leo gets a better partner—
“Jacob…”
Suddenly, Leo whispers into my ear, so close that the hairs on the back of my neck straighten up with fright.
“What are you doing, man?” I ask, turning to look at him in anger.
Holy… shit…
Lifeless eyes, pale face, and a death-like depressed smile… the old Leo has returned.
“D-Don’t get upset, buddy. There is no need to think about this anymore…” I say consolingly.
“She doesn’t even… recognized my face… hahaha…” Leo says with a broken laugh.
“W-Well… eh…”
I don’t even know what to say to this. That really was too much…
“Come on, Leo! Girls are all hoes, don’t get yourself fucker over for them. They don’t deserve your attention….”
Fortunately, Ryan doesn’t make fun of Leo and even takes up the charge to cheer him up.
Phew…
“… and finally, Leo Klein and Ethan Lawson,” Miss Laura finishes.
“Okay then, get together with your partners and start practicing. The student volunteers from other races will go around and instruct all of you in the basics of dueling,” she says before dismissing us.
Slowly, students start to disperse around, trying to find their partners.
“Good luck, guys,” Ryan says to me and Leo, before moving towards Aria unenthusiastically.
“Ha… Haha… A guy… I am partnered with a guy… Haha… Life is so good…” Leo also moves away while muttering to himself in his broken voice.
“Poor guy… Anyway, I should also meet up with Leena— Aaaah!”
I turn back around, only to find Leena standing right in front of me.
Fuck! Don’t sneak up on me like that!
“Let’s move to a little less crowded place, shall we?” she asks.
And without waiting for a reply, she turns her back to me and starts walking towards the North-East corner of the ground, where there is considerably less number of students practicing.
“Man, I just hope that this doesn’t turn bad for me…” I mutter before starting to follow her.
Like this, both of us keep moving until reaching an almost empty area, where Leena finally stops and looks back at me.
“We won’t have to worry about eavesdroppers here,” she tells me with a small smile.
Wait, why the fuck do we need to worry about eavesdroppers!?
Damn…
This is exactly the direction I don’t want this conversation to take.
“W-Well, yeah, it’s a nice and quiet place. So, should we start practicing?” I ask.
“Listen, Jacob. I am going to be honest with you…” Leena says, ignoring my question completely.
“As you might have already guessed, I did not ask Miss Laura to partner us together because you are behind everyone else in your class. In fact, it’s the opposite…”
Opposite?
Shit… Don’t tell me…
Does she know about the training I did in the last two days!?
No, unless she was actually stalking me, there is no way for her to find out about this.
And I don’t think a princess will stalk someone… right?
“W-What are you saying, princess Leena?” I ask nervously.
“Only that I didn’t become your dueling partner to help you catch up with the basics, Jacob. It’s because I want to train you in advance magic…” she says in a serious tone.
“Train me… in advance magic!? Why!?” I ask, shaking my head in confusion.
Okay, I admit, I didn’t expect this…
Why would the Dark Elf princess want to teach me advance magic!?
“It might sound a little childish to you, but my reason is really simple. It’s because I want to give Ilyrana a crushing defeat in the upcoming tournament,” Leena says, looking straight into my eye with determination.
….. What!?
“Wait a second… How come training me in advance magic will help you defeat Princess Ilyrana in the tournament,” I ask, looking at her as if she’s mad or something.
Suddenly, a slightly angry and annoyed look overshadows Leena’s face.
“Just so you know, I am not talking about personally defeating her in a duel, okay? It’s really regretful but I am still not powerful enough to do that. And that’s why I want your help…” she says with a strange glint in her eyes.
….. What the fuck!?
“I know that I really shouldn’t say this to a princess, but if you really think that you can defeat princess Ilyrana with my help, then you are just bat-shit crazy…” I tell her straight.
“Tch… I am not asking you to defeat her,” Leena says while rolling her eyes, “I just want you to defeat the humans she is teaching in her class right now.”
“And… ehh…. what will that achieve?” I ask, confused.
“Isn’t it obvious!? A single student of mine defeating all of Ilyrana’s students! Doesn’t this basically prove that I am a more capable teacher than her? I will defeat her like this…” she says with an enraptured look.
…
Okay, first of all, this is kind of crazy. And also, I don’t know why Leena wants to defeat Ilyrana this badly, but I not that interested in becoming her pawn to do that.
Though if she offers me her body as a reward, I might reconsi— No, I am not doing this!
“I… I don’t think you thought this through, Princess Leena. I am just as new to magic as any other student present here. I simply cannot learn advance magic ahead everyone and win against everyone,” I say with a shrug.
Unexpectedly, a smile forms on Leena’s face hearing this.
“Oh, there is no need to feign in front of me, Jacob. I already know about everything. Even your little secret…”