"Damn," Lucas muttered. "I've got Combat Class next."
Raymond's face fell with obvious disappointment. "Oh. Right. Of course you have to go."
As Lucas turned to leave, Raymond actually followed him to the door and he was still clutching his journal.
"Would you... would you maybe want to talk more about this sometime?" Raymond asked, nervously.
"I don't really have anyone else who gets this stuff. Most students think alchemy is boring."
Lucas gave a smile. "I'd like that. How about we meet up again after midterm exams? I should have more free time then."
Raymond's face lit up. "Really? That would be... yes, I'd like that a lot."
As Lucas walked away with Celeste trailing behind him, he couldn't help but think:
Mission accomplished.
-----
The training grounds were already busy with activity when Lucas showed up.
Students had spread out across the sandy arena, some practicing moves with wooden swords, others working through defensive drills with shields and spears.
Professor Hendricks stood at the center of the grounds, arms crossed over his chest, watching the assembled students with his usual stern look.
"Alright, listen up!" he barked.
"Since this is your last class before midterm exams, I'm not gonna torture you too much today. Use this time to polish the combat skills you've learned over the semester. Practice your forms, work on your footwork, spar if you want - but make it count. The combat portion of your exams will test everything we've covered."
Lucas grabbed a practice sword from the weapons rack and found a pretty empty space near the edge of the arena.
He started working through the basic sword forms taught in the school's [Basic Swordsmanship] technique, focusing on keeping his movements controlled and precise.
His improved stats from the elixir made the sword feel lighter in his hands and his body responded more smoothly to his commands unlike before.
He was halfway through a diagonal slash when a familiar voice interrupted his concentration.
"Lucas."
He turned to find Garrett Mills standing a few feet away, practice sword in hand.
But unlike the previous times they met, Garrett didn't look hostile or arrogant. Instead, his face was serious and weirdly respectful.
"Garrett, what's up?" Lucas said.
Garrett cleared his throat, looking almost uncomfortable with what he was about to say.
"I wanted to talk to you about our match the other day."
Ahhh sh*t. Does he want a rematch? I'm cooked!
Wait. Why am I worried? After the elixir, I should be able to defeat Garrett without any tricks. Not like the tricks would work a second time anyway.
"You opened my eyes," Garrett continued.
"I've been coasting on natural talent and my family's training, thinking that was enough. But when you beat me using tactics and willpower despite being weaker than me... it made me realize how arrogant I'd been. How much I'd been taking for granted."
This is..... unexpected.
"I've been training hard since then," Garrett said.
"Working on the weaknesses you exposed. And I wanted to tell you that I now see you as a rival. A real rival. The next time we fight, the winner won't be certain. I'll make sure of it."
He held out his hand toward Lucas. "Good luck on the exams, Lucas Estellan. May the best fighter win."
Lucas took his hand and shook it. "Good luck to you too, Garrett."
Garrett nodded and went back to his training.
He began doing a series of intense drills that showed he hadn't been playing around at all. He was truly determined to win their next encounter.
Garret Mills.....turns out, he's a solid guy, Lucas thought as he went back to his own practice.
Wait, did he say we were rivals from now on! I'm not the MC, I can't have a rival! What if it changes the story.
NAAAAH! That'd never happen.
After shaking his head, Lucas kept working through various sword techniques, occasionally pausing to catch his breath or adjust his grip.
Celeste, instead of training, had found a shaded spot under one of the spectator structures and was watching everything with interest.
Sometimes, she would glance at Lucas with obsessive look that gave him the creeps.
I have to get stronger fast if I want to escape that crazy woman!
The hour passed quickly, with students gradually getting more tired and sweat-soaked.
Lucas could feel his own muscles starting to ache, but it was a good ache. It made him know that he was getting better and stronger.
Finally, Professor Hendricks called everyone to attention.
"Gather round!" he shouted.
The students assembled in a loose semicircle around him, most breathing heavily and wiping sweat from their faces.
"This is it," Hendricks said. "Your last class before midterms. Some of you have shown real improvement over the semester. Others..." He shook his head. "Well, let's just say the exams will separate the wheat from the chaff."
He paced back and forth, hands clasped behind his back.
"Combat isn't just about swinging a sword or throwing a spell. It's about discipline, adaptability, and the willingness to keep fighting even when you're scared or tired or hurt. The exam will test all of that."
Hendricks stopped and looked over the assembled students.
"For those of you who pass, congratulations. For those who do really well, you might find yourselves moved up to higher-ranked classes where you'll face even tougher challenges." He paused.
"And for those who fail... well, either you'll get demoted to a class more suited to your current abilities, or you'll be packing your bags."
"So use these next few days wisely," Hendricks continued. "Study hard. Train smart. Get enough rest. And when exam day comes, show me what you're really made of." He straightened to his full height. "Dismissed!"
He's acting like we're graduating, not just taking midterm exams. Though I guess for some students, this really might be the end of their time here.
Lucas couldn't help but think internally as the students started to leave.
Still, Hendricks's speech had been more motivational than Lucas expected.
The old soldier clearly cared about his students doing well, even if he had a gruff way of showing it.
Lucas returned his practice sword to the weapons rack and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat from his face.
His muscles were pleasantly tired, and he felt confident that his physical prep was on track. Combined with the stat improvements from the potion, he had a real shot at passing the combat portion of the exams.
All he had to do now was hit the books and hit the gym every day until the midterms exams and he was sure he'd pass. At least, if the tests weren't too outrageous.
The only question was how well he'd do.
Celeste appeared at his side as he left the training grounds, looking as fresh and put-together as ever despite the heat.
They walked across the academy grounds toward the library. Lucas could see other students heading in various directions,: some toward the dorms, others to get in some more study sessions or training to get ready for the midterms.