The man seemed momentarily choked by the blunt and unabashed question, the playful smile on his face stiffening for a moment.
He then straightened his back and, with a natural air of superiority, introduced himself:
“Clyde, an Elemental Magic teacher hired in the same intake as you.”
He deliberately emphasized the words “Elemental” and “teacher,” as if to remind the other party of his identity and status.
Sefina showed no expression, not even bothering to think for a second before replying bluntly:
“Never heard of you.”
Clyde:
The vein on his forehead twitched instantly. Didn’t this person bother to find out anything about the other teachers?!
Although someone had mentioned Clyde during the lunch gathering, Sefina was too busy eating to pay any attention.
From Clyde’s perspective, she was completely disregarding him!
It was a blatant insult!
Clyde gritted his teeth, forcing down his anger and steering the conversation back on track:
“This isn’t important! What matters is that our students from different classes have gotten into a conflict.”
He pointed at Emma and Kefi.
“Oselenka Magic Academy has always valued magical ability above all else. Why don’t we let the two of them have a fair magic duel?”
“The loser will sincerely apologize to the winner. How about it? That way, the dispute is settled, and it aligns with the academy’s tradition.”
“No problem!”
The Baron’s Daughter, Emma, immediately responded loudly, her face brimming with confidence, even impatience.
As a mid-level Second-tier Mage, she was already quite good for a first-year student. Handling a seemingly timid commoner should be a piece of cake.
Kefi bit her lip, a flicker of struggle flashing in her deep blue eyes, but ultimately, driven by the curious gazes gathering around them and her stubborn unwillingness to bow before nobility, she nodded:
“I accept…”
If she backed down now, she would never be able to hold her head high in front of these self-righteous nobles.
Sefina listened as Kefi agreed to the wager but did not intervene.
At Oselenka, regulated magic duels between students were allowed and even encouraged, as long as no serious injuries were caused. Teachers generally would not interfere.
Seeing this, a trace of triumph flashed in Clyde’s eyes; he felt the initiative had returned to him.
He continued to provoke, directing his challenge at Sefina with a taunting tone:
“Teacher Sefina, since our students are so daring, why don’t we make a little wager too? Let’s bet on… whose student will win this duel? Adding some stakes will surely boost their morale.”
He expected Sefina to hesitate or refuse, considering Kefi’s chances looked slim.
However, Sefina’s reaction once again exceeded his expectations.
She only gave him a cold glance with her icy, wine-red eyes, her tone calm and even, then uttered a sentence that left everyone stunned:
“Since the students are having a magic duel, why don’t we teachers have one too?”
“What?”
Clyde was momentarily dumbfounded, his face full of astonishment.
Did he hear that right? This girl, who looked underage and had somehow slipped into the teaching staff by unknown means, actually dared to directly challenge him — the noble Earl’s son and a Sixth-tier Mage specializing in Elemental Magic — to a magic duel?!
Where did she get the nerve?!
After a brief moment of shock, a wave of fury from being underestimated and a feeling of absurd amusement surged within him.
How amusing! A little commoner like her dares challenge him?
“Fine!”
Clyde agreed almost without a second thought, seeing this as a perfect chance to teach this insolent brat a lesson about rank and power!
He promptly proposed the stakes:
“Since it’s a duel, it’s only fair to have something on the line. Let’s bet our latest completed Paper on Magical Research. After all, we’re both teachers of the same faction, so we know the value of each other’s work.”
Upon hearing this, Sefina seemed to suddenly recall something. She tilted her head slightly and, with an almost innocent tone, asked lightly:
“Oh? You’re an Elemental Magic teacher as well?”
Clyde: (/// ̄)~
He felt a surge of old blood clogging his chest! So all along when he introduced himself as an “Elemental Magic teacher,” she had just let it go in one ear and out the other?! She clearly didn’t take him seriously at all!
Suppressing the urge to curse, Clyde gritted his teeth and forced out the word:
“Yes!”
Only then did Sefina seem to understand. She slowly turned her head, unhurried, and agreed without hesitation:
“Alright.” She paused, then added,
“The wager is set. Three days from now, whichever side—Kefi’s or mine—loses will be considered your win.”
Having said that, she ignored Clyde’s darkening face and walked directly to the still stunned Kefi, grabbing her wrist with an unmistakably commanding tone:
“Let’s go.”
Then, under the murmurs of Clyde, Emma, and the surrounding curious students, the two of them walked out of the library without looking back.
Clyde glared at that small but extraordinarily arrogant figure, his teeth grinding.
“This brat… is the height of arrogance!” he muttered lowly.
“Why is she so confident? Does she really have some kind of backing?”
Calming down, Clyde began to think. Newcomer commoners and fallen noble teachers, as far as he knew, generally had power around the Fifth-tier Mage level, with the strongest not exceeding the peak of Fifth-tier.
Even if this little girl had exceptional talent, at most she’d be a Fifth-tier Mage, right? Why would she dare challenge him, a genuine Sixth-tier Mage?
“Hmph, all bluff and bluster!”
Clyde finally concluded, “I want to see how you’ll finish on the day of the duel!”
He resolved to immediately investigate this Sefina’s background.
***
Meanwhile, Kefi, pulled out of the library by Sefina, still felt her emotions bouncing up and down.
Looking at her teacher’s calm expression, her heart filled with guilt and unease.
“Sorry, Teacher Sefina…”
Kefi murmured, hanging her head low. “It’s all my fault for accidentally dragging you into this…”
Sefina’s footsteps didn’t falter; her gaze stayed fixed ahead, and her tone remained even:
“It’s fine. The wager with Clyde is something I set myself. It has nothing to do with you.”
Kefi was still worried. After hesitating, she reminded her:
“But… Teacher Sefina, please be careful. I heard… that Teacher Clyde is a Sixth-tier Mage! Though you seem to be Sixth-tier as well…”
She guessed this based on the advanced Levitation Spell Sefina had cast yesterday.
But even among the same tier, there were differences in strength. Teacher Clyde came from nobility and undoubtedly had better resources…
Sefina only replied lightly: “Don’t worry about it.”
There was no trace of nervousness in her tone, as if the upcoming duel, which involved reputation and important research papers, was nothing more than a routine practice.
Seeing her teacher so composed, Kefi’s anxiety eased a little, but the pressure still weighed heavily on her.
However, just as Kefi started to relax a bit, Sefina suddenly stopped, turned to look at her, and said something that instantly froze her in place:
“Also, now, come home with me.”
Kefi: ????!!!
Go home?! Whose home?! The teacher’s home?!
Now?! Why?!