Firana jolted when the door opened.

Since Captain Kiln had announced she would be Firana’s opponent, the girl had become skittish. A big man dressed in a leather apron entered the room, a small cubicle adorned solely with a bedframe and an empty desk, and put an iron brigandine on the table. Then, without saying a word, he left.

Firana knocked on the armor with her knuckles. It was solid.

“Isn’t this a bit too much for a sparring session?” The girl said, barely hiding her nervousness.

It was. But again, the Stephannis Cup was a solemn event devised by the Marquis's grandfather to test potential recruits for the Imperial Academy. To a certain extent, I could understand why the nobility didn’t want hoe-wielding Farmers participating in the tournament.

“I'd rather you be safe. Accidents can happen even in friendly sparring,” I said, despite the fact the most ‘grievous’ wound I had seen during my HEMA years was a torn-off nail. “Captain Kiln is a dutiful person. She will not harm you but push you to your limit.”

Firana avoided my eyes. Suddenly, she wasn’t as eager to fight as before, which was strange considering how much she enjoyed fighting me. More than her natural talents, Firana’s most important trait was that she enjoyed a good challenge. Now, that spark of defiance had disappeared.

I glanced at her with my best teacher’s questioning face.

“What if I mess it up? Captain Kiln knows I’m an Aias. She fought alongside my parents against countless monsters since before I was born… I don’t know if I’ll live up to the expectations,” She finally yielded, her voice trembling, if only slightly. “What if, because of me, Zaon and Ilya are left without a place in the tournament? I want them to avoid the army. I want all of us to go to the Imperial Academy together.”

I bit my tongue. It seemed my worries had reached the kids.

“Firana, listen,” I said, placing my hands on her shoulders and gently forcing her to look at me. “I know how you truly are. Captain Kiln will test you, but I want you to forget about the tournament, your family, and winning. I want you to go out there and have fun.”

Firana opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out.

“I know you enjoy fencing, and I know you admire Captain Kiln. Take this opportunity to show how much you’ve learned,” I continued.

“But the strategy…” Firana managed to utter.

“Screw the strategy. Follow your gut, Firana.” I cut her out before she could overthink her predicament. The strategy would come later when she faced opponents of her caliber. If I was right, Captain Kiln’s test was different; she wanted to figure out if Firana had the makings of a fighter or if she was a mere farmer girl playing with a sword.

Firana nodded in silence as if she was slowly digesting my words and their meaning.

“Can I use my cape then?”

“I trust you will give us a great show,” I replied, gently slapping her shoulders.

“I’ll do it,” Firana showed me her white teeth.

I nodded and turned towards the desk, where a complete armor set awaited us.

“First time using real armor?” I asked. Our training gear at the orphanage was all padded linen that only protected dull blades. The gambeson on the table was two or three times thicker, which meant Firana would have a diminished range of movement. Luckily, the brigandine was easy to wear by design.

“I have worn armor before,” Firana nodded.

“Let’s get you changed then.”

Firana removed her woolen sweater, and I helped her get into the thick and long gambeson. After a minute of struggle, the girl’s head emerged from the neck hole with her chestnut hair all disheveled. If I hadn't been used to seeing her with morning hair, I would’ve burst out laughing. Luckily, the padded coif was going to hide it. Then, I opened the brigandine and let Firana put her arms through the shoulder holes.

“Tell me when you feel the weight resting on your waist,” I said as I tied the straps on the back and added the lamellar skirt. Being a mildly medieval history aficionado came with its perks in this world. One of them was being acquainted with armor.

The armorer must’ve had a great eye because the brigandine was perfectly attached to Firana’s body. Sure, Firana wasn’t small for a fourteen-year-old girl, but I was surprised by the fact a brigandine her exact size existed. Then I remembered that this world used fifteen-year-old soldiers to fight monsters.

“How does it feel?” I asked, stepping back and putting the depressing thoughts out of my mind.

Firana turned around, moved her arms, and stretched her back.

“I can barely feel the weight.”

That was a good hint. In the absence of a mirror, I used [Minor Illusion] to cast a perfect copy of the girl. She gasped and turned her body from left to right. I made the illusion mimic her movements, although a bit delayed.

“I know what I want for my next birthday,” Firana said with a smile.

“I’m taking notes,” I replied, cape around her shoulders.

A Viking-like helmet with a sturdy nose guard crowned the set. The result was quite scenic; medieval armor usually looked better in movies, but the worn-out cape added a touch of gritty realism to the shiny piece. Firana then put on the gauntlets while I grabbed her longsword from the perch.

The courtyard, previously full of soldiers training their skills, now remained empty if not for Captain Kiln and Sir Janus, who waited in the center. The woman had shed her formal uniform and wore a loose white shirt and a set of iron gauntlets. A longsword hung from her waist. She looked fiercer than any HEMA practitioner I had faced before. If I had to rank my rivals, I’d put the captain between the Lich and the Wendigo. But she wasn’t my opponent today. I cast a glance at Firana; she seemed resolute.

From the sidelines, recruits and royal soldiers watched the scene with interest. I didn’t expect Captain Kiln to empty the courtyard for a simple demonstration, but Firana should get used to fighting with an audience. As we approached, a murmur rose from the audience, and Firana did not miss the opportunity to raise her hand and salute. I don't know what else I was expecting. Back on Earth, every class had a showoff, and this world didn’t seem to be the exception.

“You better take things seriously, Firana Aias. The duel will not end until I know you have given everything. Understood?” Captain Kiln said.

Sir Janus sighed. “She’s a kid, Izabeka.”

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“At her age, I was already knee-deep in mud transporting supplies for the Sentinels.” Captain Kiln barked back.

Sir Janus shrugged and walked back to the corridor with the rest of the onlookers. I had yet to discover why those two didn’t get along, but I was more worried about Firana for now.

“Remember what I told you,” I said, adjusting the coif to her shoulders.

Firana nodded.

I put the longsword in her hand and backed up towards the sidelines. Sir Janus signaled to me to come close. The murmurs had grown to the point the corridor was a kettle about to boil.

“Who's the old lady, and why is she fighting a kid?” An oblivious royal soldier asked.

“Is your Personal Sheet full of skeeth manure? That ‘old lady’ is none other than Captain Izabeka Kiln, the third strongest person in Farcrest. She defeated a damned Wraithwood Warden when she was only twenty years old!” A young guardsman said defensively.

“And who is the kid facing the mighty old lady?” An old blacksmith with gorilla biceps asked.

“Dunno. A young noble born, maybe?” The guardsman replied.

“She will not last a second, then. All of them are lazy.” The old blacksmith sighed.

I remained silent with my eyes fixed on the courtyard. Captain Kiln and Firana exchanged a few words before breaking apart. Firana saluted and raised her sword over her head, pointing the tip towards her opponent. Captain Kiln, on her part, drew her longsword but didn’t adopt any kind of guard. Instead, she rested the sword on her shoulder and signaled Firana to hit her.

“Easy, Firana,” I muttered, but the girl didn’t take the bait.

Firana stepped forward and threw a quick diagonal slash, but Captain Kiln was even faster and quickly got out of the way. Firana recovered in the blink of an eye and pressed forward. Her expression was one of complete focus. Unlike the first time we met, her movements were precise and measured. If Captain Kiln was surprised, she didn't show it.

Firana showed off her skills, weaving strike after strike, not leaving a single opening for Captain Kiln to counter. At times, like small flashes of genius, Firana left behind the constraints of [Longsword Mastery] and weaved movements far beyond her capabilities. Even though she was at the same level as Zaon, their movements were radically different.

“The kid isn’t half bad.” A soldier pointed out.

Of course, she wasn't. Firana was my star student.

Captain Kiln’s face showed no emotion. The woman limited herself to dodging and retreating with an inhuman speed, always a palm away from Firana’s reach. If I had to guess, Captain Kiln wasn’t showing even a fraction of her real strength. Firana, however, kept pushing forward.

“The kid is getting desperate.” The blacksmith said.

“Your brain is full of lead; that kid’s pace is perfect.” The guardsmen replied.

Captain Kiln grabbed her longsword with both hands and pushed Firana’s sword out of the way with extreme ease. The movement was so fast I had almost missed it. Firana’s balance was off, but she managed to dodge Captain Kiln’s riposte—at least the first one. Captain Kiln released a quick barrage of strikes, overwhelming Firana’s defense.

The courtyard fell into complete silence.

“How old is that kid? Does she even have a class?” A guardsman asked, genuinely surprised. Building a solid defense was usually more complicated than attacking.

“She doesn’t, she’s just that good.” Sir Janus replied.

My throat was dry.

Captain Kiln swung her sword from above. Firana blocked, but the blow was too strong and smacked past her sword and against her helmet, making her stagger. Luckily, Firana was used to fighting Wolf and receiving powerful blows, so she quickly regained her balance.

“Strange form, Firana Aias. Did Holst teach that to you?” Captain Kiln said as she raised her sword.

Before Captain Kiln could finish the sentence, Firana lunged at her face. In the last moment, however, Firana changed the direction of the blow and tried to attack with the fake edge. Captain Kiln raised her sword and blocked seamlessly, but Firana didn’t stop there. The girl pressed forward, hiding feints beneath feints, launching fake attacks, and aiming at the captain’s hands.

Slowly, Firana diverted from the controlled style I had been instilling in her.

Captain Kiln grunted and pushed Firana’s sword away. Then, fast as lightning, she overpassed the girl’s defense and struck her ribcage. Firana lost balance and fell on her knees. There was a deep dent in her brigandine. The audience gasped. It had been a brutal blow.

“That’s enough, Izabeka!” Sir Janus yelled from the sideline.

“No, let her,” I grabbed his shoulder before he could invade the courtyard.

Firana removed her helmet with one hand while she untied the armor straps with the other. A moment later, she got rid of the brigandine as she gasped for air. The dent must have pressed her ribcage. I looked at the scene with concern. A potion might quickly heal a broken rib, but the mental wound could last longer. Firana brought her hand to her side and struggled to her feet.

“Let’s change weapons, something I could use with one hand if you are so kind,” She huffed.

Captain Kiln nodded, and with a single movement of the hand, a couple of squires entered the courtyard and exchanged the longswords for rapiers.

“I’ll let you know rapiers are my specialty,” Firana smirked over the pain. Then, she untied her cape and grabbed it with her free hand. I wondered if cloak and rapier were a thing in this world or if Firana was just improvising.

Either way, I could tell she was brewing something.

“Are you having fun, Firana?” I yelled from the corridor.

Firana looked at me and grinned.

“I could do this all day!” She yelled back.

Of course, she could. Firana was the one who chased Zaon down the orphanage for extra sparring sessions despite Ilya’s complaints. The crowd was getting excited. The only one who didn’t share the feeling was Janus, who looked at the duel worriedly.

Firana waved her cape in front of Captain Kiln’s face in an attempt to divert her attention from her blade. However, the woman deflected Firana’s attack without apparent effort. Slowly and methodically, Firana tried to dismantle Captain Kiln’s defense, but the woman had the advantage of experience and levels.

Firana pulled back, gasping. The fight was near its end. Then, Firana fluttered the cape towards Captain Kiln’s face again. Out of nowhere, she adopted a sudden rigid stance. I blinked just to be sure I was watching correctly. Firana was striking a pose. The enchanted cape seemed to understand its master’s orders and billowed forward, pushed by an invisible force. Then Firana let go.

The cape wrapped around Captain Kiln’s face, blinding her. Firana jumped forward, rapier in front, but a sudden mana surge emerged from Captain Kiln’s chest, sending the girl to the cobbled floor. The courtyard held its breath as the Captain removed the cape from her face.

She was smiling.

Captain Kiln erupted into a burst of juvenile and melodious laughter. The guardsmen exchanged bewildered glances as if witnessing a rare cosmological event. Captain Kiln covered her mouth with her hand, but she continued laughing uncontrollably. Firana stood up and laughed as well. To be fair, the cape twirling around the woman’s face had been hilarious.

The duel was over.

Sir Janus gave me a quick nod and disappeared inside the Great Hall. A man in a white robe quickly inspected Firana’s ribs, but she shouldn't have broken anything because he departed before I could cross half the courtyard. I reunited with Captain Kiln and Firana while the rest of the soldiers resumed their daily training. The moment's tension had been completely wiped away, and everyone seemed to be in a better mood.

“I’m impressed, Rob. Firana is a great fighter. It’s been a while since someone caught me by surprise. Consider your participation in the tournament official.” Captain Kiln said, still smiling. Without her stern expression, she looked a lot younger.

Firana beamed at me, covered in sweat.

“You did a great job, Firana. I’m proud of you.” I smiled back.

“I just copied Ilya’s trick.” She shyly replied.

New title acquired!

Favorite Teacher (97): Going to school isn’t that bad with you on the whiteboard.

Class Reward: Slightly increased mana pool (97).

New title acquired!

Making the difference: A title for those who had made a radical change in a student's life.

Class Reward: Greatly increased mana pool.

I felt a tug in my chest, and a sudden surge of adrenaline rushed through my veins.

The Corruption.

“Can I have a word with you, Captain? In private?“ I asked, leaving a confused Firana in the middle of the courtyard and walking towards the changing room. I heard Captain Kiln’s footsteps behind me.