"Arret?"
"Huh?"
I looked up at my teacher, who was holding a book in her hand, the one about the knight. I knew I could probably listen and learn more about the world, but at the moment I couldn't. Why? Because everything hurt. It has been a few days since I discovered my new muscle building exercise and I got bored so I decided to use it in school. Now I was trying not to act as if I was in pain to not make people question what the hell I was doing.
"I asked, what did the knight need to use to save the princess?"
"A sword?"
"Good, but can you tell me the name of the sword?"
I internally sighed, for this was the most confusing part of this curriculum.
"… Sapphire."
"Correct! Now why was this?"
This is unusual, our teacher didn't ask someone this many questions, I must have really been out of it.
"Because it was made of magic crystal that…"
"Shone like sapphire." The teacher and the entire class repeated, one much more excited about it than the other. I looked around at my peers and saw most of them trying not to sleep. I looked behind me and saw Rohan trying to pay attention, but looking as if he was failing. I get it buddy.
Miss kept going on about the latest chapter in the story about the knight and it was apparently important for us to know a sword made of magic crystal was called sapphire, because it shone like it. That was stupid, name it something cool like Lucifer, slayer of dragons, or Goliath or even Magic Crystal Sword, something that makes sense, not Sapphire.
What kind of knight names their sword anyway? Seems a bit bizarre.
I stood up straighter and kept trying to lessen the pain. I immediately put my head in my crossed arms and gripped the thin cloth I had as clothes to hide the shaking. I wonder if this world had pain killers. The story of the knight was not only boring, but it was so generic that what little historical knowledge I could gain from it was drowned out; it was so generic not even I could tell what was made up or real. So, this knight gains this sword and named it Sapphire, before setting off to fight the dragon holding the princess hostage, hungry for gold. Apparently dragons loved money, and I guess it held the princess hostage so it would be paid to release her? Anyway, the knight I currently heading for the dragon's dungeon. I don't know which dungeon this is, the one from video games or the prison. Maybe both?
It was so infuriating that my class was so slow, I mean I guess they can barely read. It's been almost a week and we barely made a chapter, with 2 hours of reading a day. The book couldn't have been thicker than like 20 pages yet it felt like we were reading the entirety of a bookcase. Maybe I should also ask for the book?
I had an idea, a day ago. Why don't I tell the teacher I am too smart for this stuff? The only reason not to would be it might give away my real identity of a reincarnator, but I doubt the first thing the teacher would think when I tell her will be that I'm from a highly advanced society in another world. And if she does question it, I have an 'excuse': my siblings. Olivia is going to an academy, has a trainer and is well on her way to becoming a Knight, and Otto is about to go to an Arts academy.
I think it's safe to say my excuse checks out.
Eventually, the teacher closed the book and told us it was break time, letting everyone leave. She waited until everyone had left their seat before sue would walked behind everyone. I, and Rohan, didn't stand up, the teacher giving us a questioning look until everyone left the classroom. I stood up and walked over to her.
"Miss."
"Yes Arret?"
"I don't know how to say this but I think school is a little bit easier."
Miss stayed quiet.
"I already know the alphabet, and how to read, and count, and every thing else."
"That's amazing, Arret. You'll do so well on this month's test!" She then began to walk away but I stopped her.
"W-wait miss. I just, uhm, is there any way for me to get harder stuff?"
The teacher stopped and thought.
"Arret, I can't do much, you will have to prove you know everything in the test. Until then I cannot do much."
"C-Can I at least get harder questions?"
Miss just shook her head, before walking towards Rohan.
"Yes, Rohan?"
"Uhmm. I uh, I wanted t-to say the same, same thing."
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
"Oh, it's surprising to gave a class with 2 smarties! Now come to break!"
...
I looked around the house, but there was nothing to do. I read all the good books, all the books teaching fighting were taken by Olivia, all the books teaching tailoring or sewing went with Otto, meaning I probably won't see the fighting books for a few months or the tailoring books until the weekend. I could keep training but just the thought of it made my body shudder. Maybe Septem would teach me something useful? Not sewing, perhaps another time, when I was less bored. Something I would need... cooking?
I stood up from the bed, opened the door, and headed downstairs. I could not only hear, but feel Aunt Ferrar make a brand new weapon, or armour, or horseshoe. I reached the ground floor and went into the kitchen area, where Septem sat, sewing a surprisingly good sweater.
"Uncle Septem?" I said in my cuter voice.
"Whatchu want?"
"Well I have nothing to do, so I was wondering-"
"Go help Ferrar."
"Can you teach me cooki-"
"Fu- Gods no. You need some bulk, look how skinny you are, even when you eat our food."
That's cause four food is full of bread and potato like vegetables, barely any protein, maybe some fish or egg, and the main meal is a disgusting broth. And that's for muscle, let alone ant actual fat. I didn't say that out loud, of course. But I thought it so loudly, I wouldn't be surprised if he looked at me weird.
"But Otto didnt-"
"Otto already had skill before, no point making a horse be taught how to scale a wall when it can run like the winds. Go help Ferrar." And he focused fully back on his cloth.
I slouched away and put on my leather shoes, before leaving the house and entering Ferrar's Blacksmith shop. There was a few men waiting by the counter, who turned to look at me. I quickly made my way towards the side of the counter and opened the little gate before entering the actual forge. Ferrar was hard at work, making... nails? Though she seemed finished with the process and was currently just putting them in some kind of wooden box that she then seemed to sign. She finally saw me and breathed out.
"Yeah?"
"Septem said I should help you."
"You can't help me. You can barely walk with that strength of yours."
"That's why Septem told me to come here."
Ferrar seemed to sigh.
"Alright, here," she took a hammer off of a wall, with the shaft being around 15 cm long and the head another 5. All made of a metal. She then helf it out so I would grab it. I reached out and she gave me the hammer. It was heavy but I could hold it.
"Alright here is what you'll do."
...
I slouched onto my bed. I said I would use my magic muscle training but I should've just used it, because today felt like a training session. Everything hurt more and I groaned at every movement. However it gave me some insight into my training: I lacked stamina. Not stamina as in breathing, I had plenty of that, but I lacked muscular endurance. Yes, I got strength from my training, but considering it lasted a minute, I got no endurance. I had to find a way on how to get endurance. I could just do what I've been doing, but spread put the mana in little dots to make it so my muscle gets less damage and more excersise. Or I could move the mana around so I could damage one part of the muscle at a time, or-
Wait...
If my body lacked endurance due to my training methods, what about my magic? I've always thought about how I could get more mana but never how to lessen the cost of a spell. I thought I couldn't, but maybe.. what if I lose mana? I sat up.
What if every time I cast a spell, when mana is taken out of my core and moved into my finger to draw a circle, I lose mana? Like it seeps off into other parts or maybe meets more resistance as it has to move through my body, due to it not having been moved around a lot. Maybe thats why me moving my mana to muscles is becoming easier and easier. Not just due to me getting better at it, but it meeting less and less endurance the more I use the same path. I decided to test it out, and if its true, I believe I had another challange to complete. I felt so stupid for not thinking of this before.
...
"Alright everyone, time is up! Please, no talking, hand over the papers."
I awoke from my dlumber and quickly handed the piece of paper in. I have been, impatiently I might add, waiting for this test. Finally, I could get more challenging work, to learn. I finished it all in the first 5 minutes and just slept the rest of the lesson. It was fair to say that it was literally child's play. The most basic of arithmetic, mixed in with questions about the alphabet and the seasons. I got 100%, 100%. I yawned. Yes I was tired, but not because I studied, I didn't study at all, but because I stood up all night practising and practising. Magic, endurance, magical endurance, breathing, strength, everything. I just had to keep practising, specifically the more practical stuff, such as magic circles; the better I memorise the drawing process, the easier it'll be to repeat it. And last night, I achieved a goal. I achieved auto drawing.
Of course I practised under the blanket with circles as small as I could draw, but it doesn't take away the rush. I don't have to draw the circle anymore, it slowly auto draws itself in. Of course this is only for the candle spell but now that I practised with that I believe that the other magics will be drawn easier as well.
Now I think the results arrive either tomorrow or next week, and whenever they do, I shall be prepared.
...
"Arret come with me."
As I walked towards my classroom, the principal called out to me, standing on the stairs opposite the staff faculties. I followed her upstairs, a place I've never been to before. I finally got to see it and it seemed to be the same as downstairs, except much nicer. There was even carpet.
"Well done on your test, Arret. You got the highest of your class, and therefore you can have your request granted. Up here, advanced classes are taught to those that have prior education. Usually, these are nobles, but sometimes non-nobles, like you, get up here. Let me introduce you to the class." She walked towards the first classroom and I followed.
Finally I might learn something new and exci- wait I'll be introduced, in front of the whole class? Before I could say anything, the principal entered, interrupting the auburn haired teacher I saw before rallying up the students on the first day. I didn't fail to notice the higher class clothes and most importantly: a weapon at her waist, specifically a mace.
"Hello, class 1A," I'm guessing my class was 1B, "I shall introduce a new student joining you due to their high score." I couldn't just stand outside so I walked in and looked over the class. I got many looks, but everyone looked bored. Some sneered or smirked, or even grimaced but no one reacted over the top.
"This is Arret-"
"Hello,"
"-and he got the highest score on last week's paper in class 1B. Please welcome him." She began to call, very quickly followed by everyone. When it stopped, the principal continued.
"Treat him well." The command silenced any noise, a pressure seemingly placed upon us. She then turned to me. "Miss Sotsuc shall show you your seat."
The principal then proceeded to leave.