Saintess Summons Skeletons

While they walked through the corridors at a slow pace, Sofia asked a few questions.

“So what do you teach here exactly? There aren’t too many actual classrooms, it looks like.”

“I founded the place twenty years ago. The formation of the empire was quite recent, as you might know. We conquered the land, and for the most part, it was honestly laughably easy.”

“More or less what Kuli told me, yes. That’s not answering my question, though?”

“It is, I’m getting there. The capital cities and castles were just about the only places that actually fought back. Any village that surrendered peacefully was spared, but those who didn’t… I just don’t want our future generations to be weak and defenseless like that. And thus, the Steel-will academy was created. We teach many things, theory included of course, but it is vastly combat-centered. Fewer classrooms, more places to train and fight.”

“I can get behind that. But did I really need the entire back-story?”

“It’s my baby, I like to talk about it. Do not ask me about the standout students or you will be hearing me brag until next year. You have been warned.”

“I never knew you were proud of us like that, headmaster,” Chino chimed-in from behind.

“Ah– Well, keep that to yourself, hmm? I need to stay an aloof inspiring figure for the students. It does wonders for their motivation.”

“What about me? My image of you just shattered,” Chino deadpanned.

“Very funny, Miss Blacklumber. Your skills are a serious pain to work around, did you know that?” the headmaster bantered back, “Besides, you have someone new to look up to now.”

Chino said nothing, looking at Sofia’s back.

“I do not think I am an especially good role model…” Sofia commented, “Do you have a resurrection skill, Chino?”

“N- No?”

“A terrible role model, then. Terribly terrible,” Sofia emphasized, nodding to herself, while Chino stared at her in confusion.

“Right, do you need me to let you win?” Sofia continued, asking the headmaster as they left the main building from a side wing.

Ulfric shrugged. “Just try to make it look like I had a chance, at least.”

“Your heart seems at least S tier from the flow around it, surely you cannot be that weak?”

“I am not the problematic factor in this equation…”

The small group stood under a rather large rotunda in the center of the academy’s outer grounds, which turned out to be a giant elevator, taking them fifty meters underneath the ground, past several layers of magical protection.

I guess the underground arena is a mainstay for all magic academies huh.

Won’t be as large as Brighthall’s but the protection rituals seem quite sufficient.

As the elevator stopped at one end of a long corridor connected to six different training grounds, the headmaster looked at the other end, and gently pushed Chino’s back.

“Go first, Miss Blacklumber, get yourself a seat before the chaos.”

Chino turned around, gave a brief fiery gaze to Sofia, and lightly ran to the arena.

Ulfric sighed when Chino was out of earshot, “Ahh… My own student, so fervently wishing for my defeat…”

“She seems to like you quite a lot,” Sofia said, “I’ve never seen her be anywhere near that comfortable around a man, quite honestly. Although I guess that was quite a bit ago…”

“I know. That has not changed much from what you knew, I am afraid… She is a very guarded child, any lie or hidden intentions and she might instantly close up to someone, boys her age, especially.”

“You must be a very open and honest person, then.”

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“Is that not the impression I gave you?!”

“That’s not how Kuli described you.”

“That damn–!!! Naaaah, that rabbit… I’ll make her eat her own tail someday! Stuff her foul mouth with that ball of fluff so she may finally shut the hell up. Tssk.”

“... should I write the marriage proposal for you and hand it to her in your name?”

Ulfric was left speechless at Sofia’s joke, a strange look on his face. Lightly shaking his head, he turned around, starting to walk toward the arena.

“I may have to fight seriously after all…” he muttered.

It was Sofia’s turn to not know what to say. Awkwardly scratching her nape, she followed Ulfric to the arena.

“Thank you, by the way,” Sofia called out right before Ulfric opened the arena’s doors, “You’re truly a good man.”

“Hmm?”

“Come on, you might trick her, but you won’t trick me. Frantically organizing this entire duel thing the moment you heard her ask me if I was stronger than you… Walking that slowly like you feel your age; the isolation veil to hide the other students rushing; the mental back and forth with the deputy. All of it. You really went that far just to lift her spirit…”

Ulfric did not look back, simply grabbing the doors’ handle.

“I hate to see my students cry.”

The entire academy was present in the arena’s spectator rows, almost three hundred students, aged twelve to twenty, two dozen professors, and another entire section of staff.

The deputy headmaster stood in the center, a small charm pinned to his shirt amplifying his voice.

“Good afternoon, everyone. I hope you have enjoyed your last day so far. We have prepared a special surprise for you all on this occasion. As you all have seen earlier, we are receiving a high-profile guest today. Does anyone know who it is?”

The deputy head briefly glanced at Chino with a smile. Of course he knew a shy girl like her would never answer in front of such a crowd but he still gave her the opportunity to brag if she wanted.

“It seems nobody knows. Then let me give you all a small hint. ‘Spirit forest’. Anyone?”

A chubby teenager hesitantly raised a hand. The deputy headmaster teleported a voice-amplifying charm right to him.

“Are they from the new independent city in the south?”

“Correct!” The deputy head immediately took over, “Our guest today is none other than the mayor and founder of the city of Ser’Extra, which is quickly growing to be one of the most prosperous on the continent!”

Immediately there were a few gasps and shocked noises, some voices rose about the crowd, “My- my father said the city was built by a necromancer!” one of the younger students yelped to her friend, clearly heard by everyone.

The deputy head clapped his hands twice to calm the crowd. “Keep your calm, please. They are, indeed, a necromancer. And a noble of our Empire, too. No need to be so alarmed. You should see it as a great honor that someone so powerful came all this way for you and for free. Now for the actual surprise, our Steel-will academy’s headmaster will now face the mayor of the south in a show match!”

The strange ambiance immediately turned to sudden excitement. Even discounting the Phoenix from earlier, just an occasion to see the headmaster, one of the strongest people in the empire, personally participate in a fight, was enough to get the students going.

“Feast your eyes, everyone. It is not everyday that one can observe two masters above level three-hundred fighting and live to tell the tale. They will hold back enough so that no one is in danger, but those with a keen eye will surely benefit greatly from the show! Now pay your respect to today’s combatants! Headmaster Ulfric Merad!”

One of the arena’s doors opened, and the students got to see the headmaster in his blood-red orichalcum battle armor, helmet under his arm. Equipment usually displayed in the main hall that they all thought was nothing but fancy decoration.

The students cheered for his entrance.

“And today’s special guest, Lady Sofia of Sorrows!”

The arena instantly turned silent, all eyes fixed on the second door.

Heavy footsteps approached slowly. The students could all feel an oppressive aura as the steps got louder.

It was actually just Sofia extremely lightly pulling their bones down for added gravitas.

Finally she pushed open the door, making a shining entrance. Her entire bone armor was altered to fit the design of the dragon-scale armguard, and re-colored to the same dark blue by VPPV altering the light reflecting off of it. For the special occasion, she made sure all the [Runelord] runes of power shone through, bathing the arena in golden light. Like the headmaster, she held her helmet under arm, and advanced toward the center of the arena with a smile.

The students were mesmerized by the sight.

Sofia quickly located Chino; she was happy to see a bright fire burning in her eyes.

The deputy head master excused himself from the arena, before reinforcing the surrounding barriers which dampened the sound of the students a lot as they chattered in excitement.

Ulfric extended a hand, “Let’s have a fun fight.”

Sofia shook his hand with pleasure.

“Let’s have a fun fight.”

What they were really about to do could barely be called a fight for them, with the safety of the students in mind, but they still both hoped to see what the other could really do.

Ulfric summoned a short wooden staff, while Sofia stayed empty-handed.

After they both returned to their side and put on their helmets, the deputy head started the countdown from outside.

“Three. Two… One!” A loud whistle signified the start of the performance.