Now and then, I cast a glance at the split screen on my laptop, keeping an eye on my other students. They were managing fine without assistance and seemed deeply engrossed in their individual practice. Beside me, Chia analysed her second tryout match with fierce determination in her eyes, reliving another defeat.
"I remember this one clearly. My opponent was just as aggressive as I was," Chia recalled, reflecting on her second failed tryout match.
"To be honest, Instructor, I really cannot tell where I went wrong here," Chia admitted.
"In this case, it was simply a gap in overall ability," I explained, pointing out her mistakes. "It seems you completely forgot how to defend during this match."
"Seeing an opponent match your aggressiveness, you got caught up in the moment and tried to overpower them. Once again, you left yourself wide open by overextending," I detailed further.
"I see... I kept thinking I needed to strike first to dictate the pace of the battle. It seems I ended up doing the exact opposite," Chia nodded thoughtfully in understanding. "So I should have stayed patient and waited for an opportunity when facing an opponent more aggressive than myself?"
I gave her a thumbs-up.
Chia smiled, and together we watched the rest of her second tryout recording until it finished. "You know, Instructor, I was quite disheartened after learning I failed my second tryout match..."
"I was terrified of getting expelled if I failed five times," Chia reflected sadly. "However, seeing my younger sister Shia completely disregard her own match just to worry about me gave me the strength to push forward again."
Oh...
So Shia threw her match on purpose just to stay by her sister's side? I gained a valuable insight into the relationship between the Tsukinose sisters.
"Instructor... if possible, I would love to compete as a duo with my sister," Chia requested with hopeful eyes. "If Shia and I fail in the one-versus-one matches, please consider entering us into the two-versus-two division."
A duo team...
Duo mage competitions were somewhat rare on a local and national level, though they were extremely prominent in international tournaments.
"Of course, though I will make sure you both grow strong in single matches as well," I reassured her with a gentle smile.
I spent the remaining time breaking down Chia's matches before heading over to the virtual training room to check on Princess Thelma and Sesil. They had apparently sent a request for assistance after Princess Thelma collapsed from sheer exhaustion, while Sesil continued to tirelessly battle the monsters inside the virtual dungeon.
"I can still go on!"
Sesil fired her mana rifle repeatedly at incoming monsters. Occasionally, she swapped her rifle for a sword, using her magic to clear out hostiles attempting to surround her.
Meanwhile, Princess Thelma lay completely drained on the floor behind Sesil. Channeling my magic, I summoned my own mana rifle and aimed at a monster that had managed to slip past Sesil's defences, closing in on Princess Thelma.
BOOM!
The massive shockwave from my magic burst startled both Sesil and Princess Thelma.
"Sesil, duck down!" I warned her, firing another shot to eliminate a monster targeting her while she was distracted by the sheer pressure of my magic.
I hit the pause button on the virtual chamber and walked casually toward the pair. "Princess Thelma, your primary weakness lies in your endurance. Joining my morning runs will definitely have to become mandatory for you."
"As for Sesil, outstanding work," I praised with a smile.
"I-Instructor... what was that power just now?" Princess Thelma stammered out, her eyes filled with awe. "Is your abnormal magic truly that powerful?"
"Y-yes... I am curious as well..." Sesil added softly.
"Well, something like that. Princess Thelma, can you walk back on your own, or do you need help?" I asked her. "You two have been training in here for four hours straight. Good job."
"I am exhausted! I do not want to walk!" Princess Thelma whined like a tired child.
Approaching her, I lifted her in a princess carry and brought her out of the virtual chamber, with Sesil following close behind. Princess Thelma remained silent in my arms the entire time. The moment we stepped back into the real world, she hastily scrambled down from my arms.
"..."
Without saying another word, Princess Thelma darted away from the training area.
"Hey, make sure to head back to my office!" I called out to remind her.
"Instructor, you really are amazingly strong," Sesil remarked. "No wonder Aunt Selia speaks so highly of you."
"Whether someone is strong or not is entirely relative. There are plenty of people out there far stronger than me," I replied, guiding Sesil back toward my office.
Shia and Dellila had already returned, casually chatting with Chia. After I settled back into my chair, Princess Thelma finally emerged from the restroom, looking as though she had just washed her face.
"I am so tired, I want to eat a huge meal after this," Princess Thelma complained, collapsing into a chair beside Dellila.
"Make sure it is nutritious and not junk food," I reminded her. "Your stamina clearly needs work based on your performance in the virtual room."
"What?!" Princess Thelma gasped in shock. "I-I do not eat junk food!"
Speaking of which, I had prepared a small reward for their hard work on this first day of training. Walking over to the mini fridge in my office, I retrieved five 220ml cartons of milk and handed them out to everyone.
"A small reward from me for today. I hope you all remain this motivated to train with me moving forward. I may be a brand-new instructor, but I am confident I can help you become exceptional mages," I declared, taking my seat once more.
"Yes! We look forward to your guidance!" Shia responded enthusiastically.
"Please take good care of us, Instructor," Dellila added politely.
"Understood!" Chia and Sesil echoed together.
"Of course! You have to make us strong!" Princess Thelma chimed in, taking a sip from her milk carton.
"You may all change back into your uniforms now and head home. Tomorrow we will resume practice at the same time, alright?" I instructed them. "If anyone cannot make it, please notify me in advance."
"Yes, sir!" they answered in unison.
Princess Thelma was the first to head into the locker room, accompanied by Shia and Chia. Dellila took her time finishing her milk, while Sesil lingered behind, presumably to cool down after her workout.
"I am heading out first, everyone!" Princess Thelma announced cheerfully.
"Safe travels," I replied, opening my laptop to begin drafting the daily training report.
Before long, Princess Thelma, Shia, Chia, and Dellila had all departed. Only Sesil remained, now back in her standard school uniform, standing silently in front of my desk. Did she wish to speak with me in private?
"Not heading home yet?" I asked her softly.
"Um... there is something I would like to discuss with you, Instructor," she replied, a hint of hesitation in her voice.
"Go right ahead, I am listening," I said, pausing my work. I stepped around my desk and took a seat directly across from her.
"Are you choosing not to enter me into the Wind Elemental debut tournament this March?" she asked hesitantly. "Is it because I am still too weak and unprepared?"
"Honestly, speaking as your instructor, I believe you are ready," I answered truthfully, looking directly into her eyes. "It is currently early February, so there is still plenty of time to register. The real question is, do you feel ready yourself?"
Sesil fell silent, looking as though she were holding back buried emotions, likely stirred by painful memories of her previous debut failure.
"I..."
Sesil let out a soft sigh, her hands clenching into tight fists on top of the table.
"Maybe I am."
Uncertainty still lingered in her voice. Should I honour her wishes? Judging by her posture, she was clearly still wrestling with fear and hesitation.
"Very well, shall I go ahead and register you? Regardless of whether you win or lose, I will always be proud of you," I said gently. "According to your performance data, you are fully capable of competing in a debut match. We have given our absolute best, and whatever the outcome, it remains entirely up to us."
Sesil paused for a moment.
"Please register me!" Sesil suddenly requested, her voice filled with conviction. "I want to win my debut match this time."
Seeing a spark of determination ignite in her eyes, I smiled. I retrieved my laptop, accessed the tournament schedule, navigated to the registration page, and pulled up the entry form for Sesil. Then, I moved over to sit beside her.
"Alright, since this is a mutual decision, let us hit the enter key together," I said, placing my index finger over the enter button.
"Yes!" Sesil replied with renewed energy.
"On my mark. Four, three, two, one..."
We pressed the Enter key in unison.
[Sesil Ingwynn Ernburg has been successfully registered.]
The landing page refreshed to display the current list of participants, bringing the total count to ninety competitors. The tournament structure consisted of a group stage, with the top two contenders from each group advancing to the playoffs. Sesil appeared visibly nervous, staring at the screen.
"I can definitely do it this time," Sesil whispered under her breath.
"Please, pay no attention to any harsh words from others," I offered gently and calmly. "You do not need to explain why your last debut ended the way it did, nor do you need to worry about failing or bringing dishonour to your family name. Put all of those thoughts aside for now."
"I want to see you succeed, Sesil. Winning or losing this match is not what defines success. What truly matters to me is seeing you overcome whatever doubts have been holding you back," I added, offering her an encouraging smile.
"Yes, Instructor!" Sesil responded with enthusiasm. "Thank you so much! I will be taking my leave now!"
"See you tomorrow!" I replied, walking her all the way to the door.
Sesil seemed bright and cheerful once more, looking as though a heavy weight had finally been lifted from her shoulders. In that case, I needed to design a specialised training routine tailored specifically for her. I returned to my desk, finished writing the daily report, and submitted it to the academy database.
Afterwards, I opened the spreadsheet containing Sesil's training schedule and status parameters. My main objective was to elevate her Strength and Intelligence ratings to C+ within the next month leading up to her match.
Should I set up a series of scrimmage matches for her? I could analyse the data from those matches together with Sesil, which would undoubtedly sharpen her tactical intelligence. Would three scrimmages a week prove too exhausting for her, though?
I opened the instructor forum to submit a formal scrimmage request, then returned to her schedule. Training six days a week with one rest day seemed balanced enough. Alternatively, I could structure it as three scrimmage days over five days, followed by two days of match analysis, one light physical conditioning day, and one full rest day.
Reviewing the footage from her virtual battle earlier, Sesil's combat instincts were already solid. I decided the second option would be far better. I did not have the heart to put my student through a relentless week of harsh training. After all, she was still an ordinary human, unlike myself, who had been raised in a strict military environment from a young age.
I saved the updated schedule for Sesil and packed up my belongings. After locking up my office, I walked over to the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor. It appeared I was the last person remaining on this level, as the surrounding instructor offices were quiet, with no sounds of ongoing training.
Upon reaching the ground floor, I spotted Dellila happily playing with a stray cat behind the main administration building. Was she not heading home either?