Rustle.
Dawn, when the air was particularly chilly.
The sun slowly rose, gradually brightening the sky, illuminating the once-dark mountain.
A sight to behold, a scene like a treasure witnessed by early risers.
Unfortunately, few are diligent enough to witness such magnificent treasure-like scenery.
Especially.
[Arin! Get up, if you don't get ready now you'll be late!]
"Just 5, 5 more minutes..."
[You say that every day and then sleep 50 more minutes. Just wake up already.]
This was especially true for students who were always sleep-deprived.
"Umm...!"
She didn't seem particularly moved by the ghost girl's nagging.
Whining and fussing, she threw a tantrum as if reluctant to wake from sleep.
Seeing this, the ghost girl furrowed her pretty brow and decided to use her ultimate move.
[Arin, at this rate it seems like you'll have to 'retake the exam'?]
Jump!
"R-Retake!!?"
As if the sleepiness had never existed, she bolted up in shock.
She was already somewhat pale in the mornings due to low blood pressure, but at the single word "retake," her face flushed red.
The word "retake" must carry great weight for her to get this excited.
[Hehe, silly Arin.]
"Y-You...!"
Only then did she shake off the sleepiness, recognize reality, and point an accusatory finger at the ghost girl.
There are things you should do, and things you shouldn't!
Mentioning retaking the exam to a test-taker!?
'That vicious wench!'
[I can hear everything, Arin. But what exactly is so scary about retaking? I don't understand.]
"...What would you know, you inconsiderate brat."
Snap.
How could a ghost understand a test-taker's terror.
She, Aileen Windler, snapped her fingers with a sigh.
With a hum, a blue wave of energy spread, and an amazing phenomenon occurred.
The curtains blocking the sunlight retreated, windows opened, and the stale air and dust accumulated overnight rushed outside all at once.
Her room was soon filled with fresh air and morning sunlight, and she stretched her body while breathing in the clear oxygen.
"Phew, magic really is convenient."
[Others will say you're using magic pointlessly.]
"That's only what conservative old fogies say, and thinking about it again makes me mad!"
[Hmm, I'll admit that!]
Hearing what the mages who started exchanging at the academy and the magic studies professors had to say would leave one breathless with frustration.
Expressing magical talent as something "chosen," or claiming that magic is a higher wisdom that ignorant humans could never understand, and so on.
Anyway, listening to them made one's stomach turn.
'It's no wonder mages are despised in this world. They all seem like lunatics.'
Except me.
[Arin. It's fine to be lost in self-admiration, but shouldn't you get ready now?]
"...Sigh, I don't want to go."
Twelve years of school should be enough, but thinking about waking up early for classes for another three years already gives me depression.
A sigh escaped Aileen involuntarily.
At that moment.
[Oh! It's the instructor!]
"He's diligent. ...Phew!"
[...Feast for the eyes.]
The running instructor came into view.
He must have been running long before she woke up, as he was drenched in sweat.
The sweat drops forming like dew reflected in the sunlight, and running so diligently was impressive.
'How can a person run like that every day?'
A scene seen every morning since moving.
On the other hand, it was admirable.
But the admiration was brief; what drew her eyes more than the diligent instructor's lifestyle was his shirtless body.
She scanned him so thoroughly that anyone watching would give her suspicious looks first.
"...He probably doesn't know we're watching, right?"
[Probably not. More importantly, Arin, take a picture of that first, hurry!]
"S-Secret photography is a crime..."
[If you don't get caught, it's not a crime.]
"......Is, is that so?"
It was a convincing maxim, and Aileen pretended she had no choice and took out 'that thing.'
A rare magical item created by a water mage, said to be worth as much as a building.
It had the grandiose name of [Image Reproduction Camera], but to Aileen it was just a camera, and nothing more than a creepy gift from that oily duke.
But now.
"Ah, it's captured."
Having succeeded in her secret photography, for the first time she was glad of the duke's gift.
That old man might not be such a bad person after all?
"-When did she get a camera? That's the first I've known."
She must have thought her actions and voice couldn't be detected, but unfortunately, his ears and hearing were ironically extraordinary.
Of course, since there was some distance, he didn't hear her entire words, so Lee Han only recognized that she was taking a picture, and didn't particularly mind her behavior.
However.
"I should ask her to show me how it turned out."
He was curious how he was photographed, and planned to ask her to show him sometime.
......A secret photographer destined for future humiliation.
* * *
Lee Han was the same.
He had heard from Jack about the angel and the delinquent prince, but what Lee Han did didn't change.
He didn't bother to go out of his way to find something, nor did he seek advice.
Reason?
'They'll show up eventually, whatever.'
If he had to say, the delinquent prince's existence was on the same level as a rare animal to Lee Han.
Rare animals commonly called albinos.
Like white deer or white squirrels, they were fascinating when seen, but not seeing them wasn't really a problem?
'Nice to see, but fine not to see.'
Not seeing them won't kill you.
Nor is it frustrating.
So Lee Han simply waited for him to appear naturally.
'With a comrade around, won't he appear naturally?'
Surely, with two "rare animals" already gathered, he'd sense his comrade's presence.
Lee Han believed in probability.
So what he needed to do now was not to find the invisible last rare animal.
"We will now begin double unders. Everyone, take the ropes prepared by the instructor."
-......
He had to fulfill his duty as instructor.
"Also, those who have learned aura techniques must take ropes with red marks, those who haven't learned aura techniques but have learned some swordsmanship must take ropes with green marks, and those who haven't learned either aura techniques or swordsmanship must take ropes with yellow marks."
-......
"Begin!"
"B-Begin..."
The cadets took the ropes suited to them with bewildered expressions.
Double unders, the name is fancy, but simply put.
"Now, begin 'jump rope.' Red must do 10,000, green 5,000, and yellow 2,000 each!"
-???
"Heh, what a stubborn bunch."
Lee Han smiled lightly and took out his iron club.
Swish, he lightly swung the iron club that made a fearsome sound cutting through the air.
"From now on, anyone who fails to follow the instructor's orders will have a 'counseling session' with me until class ends. It will likely be a very nutritious counseling session, so by all means, look forward to it."
"...How many did you say?"
They had absolutely no desire to "counsel" with that iron club, and carried out his orders.
The sound of ropes turning echoed across the training ground one after another.
* * *
...Surprisingly, no one gave up on Lee Han's class.
It was unusual.
Commoners were one thing, but the noble kids staying was unexpected.
Whether they had some ulterior motive or some petty scheme, the class proceeded regardless.
Whatever the background, it couldn't be his concern.
And the first content of the class he decided was none other than.
"Looks fun, jump rope. I did it a lot when I was young, hehe."
"It probably won't be as easy as it looks."
"Really?"
"...Well, if it's you, Miss Maid, it might be easy?"
She was the superhuman helper who had carried all those jump ropes.
Compared to the useless assistant who hurt his back carrying those jump ropes and was carried to the recovery room, she was very fair and upright, far better than those guys showing off as heirs of knight families.
"Ugly bastard."
"Yes?"
"Not talking to you, Miss Maid. More importantly, if you're bored, you can rest."
"No, I'll help if there's anything I can help with! Even if it's temporary, I'm your maid, Sir Knight, heh."
"...That's very kind of you."
Truly a passing thought, but lacking in brains though she may be, she was an honest and kind girl.
After dealing only with cunning nobles and royals, facing such a pure soul made his soiled mind feel cleansed.
'...No, wait. Having something to be cleansed means I'm the same as those cunning ones?'
Such a thought crossed his mind for a moment, but Lee Han desperately denied it.
Because he absolutely didn't want to be associated with that sort.
Thus his untimely self-realization continued, but.
Thud...
Unfortunately, signs seemed to be appearing.
"Ah, there happens to be something I need you to do."
"Yes?"
"Just sprinkle some water on those collapsed ones over there."
"Oh!"
"...No perseverance."
Lee Han clicked his tongue seeing the cadet who fainted from being hit by a mere '10kg' rope.
Kids these days.
'How can their endurance be so weak?'
They're so frail it's a problem.