"How is that man in the first match..."
In the Bel Gordon Knights Academy Contestant section, the elite knight who had prepared to eliminate everyone except Annan kept backing away until his teammates blocked his path.
"It's fine. Wear him down!"
"He can only cast four spells, and there are eight of us!"
"Eru, don't tell me you can't even make a sorcerer cast a spell?"
His teammates' "encouragement" did nothing to bolster his courage. Then Instructor patted his shoulder. "You're allowed to lose."
Eru Calder froze.
“Countless Nobles think highly of that young man from the Northern Frontier. Even the Deepwinter Church is preparing to approach him. They believe he has the potential to become a Legendary.”
"A... a Legendary..."
Instructor's words only made Eru Calder shrink back. He recalled how the academy described spellcasters: a mage who became a Legendary might resurrect an old enemy just to beat him to death again, while a wizard who became a Legendary might resurrect an old enemy's female ancestors and descendants, then enslave them...
"Relax, Eru. Make him cast one spell, and you've done your job. Make him cast two, and all of Bel Gordon will be proud of you."
"Really?"
Eru raised his head.
Bel Gordon Knights Academy might have had a terrible reputation. Locals loved to joke, "How do you rate the chivalry of Bel Gordon Knights Academy? You can't rate something that doesn't exist." But its students were proud of their academy. They believed it had innovated on the Knight's Creed by adding two tenets: respect your opponent and use your wisdom.
"Really," Instructor answered solemnly.
Eru Calder straightened his back and looked toward the man entering the Gladiator Arena.
Make him cast two spells, and that counted as a success!
Before the fight, the imperial minister of