Class problems

I spent the last day of the weekend with Fran, Cecil, and Theo, who helped me with what I missed out on the week I spent unconscious.

So today marks the start of the fourth week.

In the game, this week's event is that a teacher on the E class is being a bit of a... controversial individual... and Kaida has to team up with new recruits to stop him.

Classes D to S are absent from that event, which gives me a bit of freedom to improve on my strengths.

"I feel like everyone is looking at me" I sighed to Fran as we walked to our required classes with teacher Crowbell.

Thanks to being promoted to rank five, everyone is being more cautious of me than usual.

"Don't mind those peasants" said Fran with her head held up high.

Being friends with her already makes everybody avoid me, but the added attention I'm receiving isn't good for me.

"At a certain point, it becomes harder to ignore them"

At least we're about to enter our classroom, a much calmer place where I can relax with Fran.

*Bam*

As soon as we entered the classroom, we heard a desk being slammed with great force.

"We can't simply just stand by and let those savages hunt us one by one! We have to play their games and counterattack with our own conditions"

"No! What we need is to simply ignore their duel requests, as the ones with a higher rank we have the right to decline duels from lower ranked students"

Two students stood tall on the classroom, an elven boy and a demi-human girl with bird-like features on her body.

"That approach doesn't help the lower ranks on the S class! They are still forced into a duel by the top A class students"

The elven boy said with a loud tone as he pointed at a group of students.

"You don't care about our fellow students. You only care about maintaining the position of the ones at the top of the S class" added the elven boy with an angry expression.

"That's how the system works, Yonaiker! Everyone has a chance to climb up the ranks by defeating the one student directly on top of them on the ranks" the demi-human girl pointed at Yonaiker, the elven boy.

"She didn't even try to deny that she only cares about maintaining her position" whispered a student sitting on his desk.

"If I was rank eight like her, I'd also try to protect my rank"

"But Yonaiker is rank seven, and he wants to protect the lower ranked in the S class"

"What is going on?" I asked with widened eyes as the two students kept arguing.

"Mr. Alen, princess Von Themys"

Cecil and Theo approached us, one happier than the other.

"What are those two talking about?" Fran asked.

"I don't know" Cecil laughed and closed his eyes.

"Class A wants to challenge their way into the S class, and they're discussing what to do"

Theo started explaining.

"Yonaiker Raiten..." the prince pointed at the elven boy "Says that we have to accept the duels and fight to show dominance toward the A class"

"Griffa Irea..." he pointed at the demi-human girl with bird-like features "Says that we should just ignore them, that if the other students deserve to be on the S class, then they'll earn their spot on this class"

"How come I never knew about this?" Asked Cecil.

"I also haven't been told about this matter" commented Fran.

"First time I hear about this" I added.

"I excuse Alen because he only woke up two days ago" the blonde prince sighed.

"No one old you about this because everyone is afraid of you" Theo pointed at Fran.

"And you..." he pointed at his bodyguard "You've been following me all the time and never noticed. You have no excuse. You simply don't care"

Rather than angry, Theo's voice seemed more annoyed at his partners obliviousness towards his surroundings.

"I guess I don't" Cecil laughed.

"I also don't care about what these peasants' problems are" Fran crossed her arms.

"See, this is why you two aren't included!"

"Shut it, coward!" Fran ordered in a cold tone.

"Heek!" Theo quickly shielded himself behind his bodyguard.

"She really got you, my liege" Cecil laughed.

"So... the whole class is divided on what to do?" I looked at the two students arguing.

"Pretty much" Theo cleared his throat as he exited his safe place behind his bodyguard.

"Weak people sure have a lot of time to be worrying about things like this"

We all looked at Fran, who delivered a comment we expected from her.

While the main plot with Kaida is all about fighting a corrupt teacher, class S deals with this?

"Are you part of the "we should just ignore them" group, my liege?" Cecil asked.

Theo nodded.

"What group are you joining, Mr. Alen?"

All three of them looked at me.

...

Why is it important what I choose?

I'm guessing that Cecil will choose the side that decides to fight, and Fran will most definitely choose the ignore side.

"I guess... I'd like to have some duels"

A duel would be a good way of testing my new spells.

"Then I also want to fight those peasants on the S class"

...

"Huh?"

Theo, Cecil, and I asked in unison as we didn't expect Fran to choose that.

"What?" She used a deep and cold tone that was betrayed by a slight blush.

"No... nothing" the three of us tried to avoid her eyes.

"Then I want to ignore them"

Now, the focus was on Cecil, who decided to side with the faction that wants to do the complete opposite of what he likes.

"And because we're now standing on different sides... Mr. Alen, I challenge you to a duel!"

Cecil's challenge echoed throughout the whole classroom, making everyone look at us.

"The only way to decide on which way this thing should be dealt like is by a duel between the two opposing parties"

...

"You two don't have any power to decide that!" Theo yelled at the bodyguard.

"Why not? We represent the two sides we'll follow the side of the winner"

"You don't care about the two sides. You just want to fight Alen!" Theo kept yelling at his bodyguard.

"Was I too obvious, my liege?" Cecil didn't expect to be caught so easily.

"I personally think that it is a wonderful idea" the elven boy commented on a loud tone.

"The class is currently split perfectly in half over this decision, and this is a nice way of choosing what to do"

"Alen, you'll represent us against Cecil on this duel" Yonaiker Raiten placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Cecil, you'll win and set my plan to deal with the A class"

"Your plan to deal with the S class? Stop lying! Your plan doesn't deal with them"

They both started to argue once again.

"Are these people always so intense?"

Fran asked a question I also had in mind.

"N-no... it tends to be a lot more... peaceful... this is just an exception" Theo explained.

"The way you said 'these people' sounded a lot as if you were insulting them" I chuckled in a low tone that only Fran could hear.

"I was" she smiled and looked at me.

"Cecil, I accept the duel" everyone shut up as I accepted the duel that Cecil proposed.

"Finally... I've been meaning to have a serious fight against you for a long while, Mr. Alen"

I returned the defiant smile that Cecil was giving me.

To tell the truth, I've also been meaning to try myself against him.

It seems that learning new spells made my confidence have a boost.

"I can't believe this is happening"

"A duel between Alen and Cecil?"

"Alen managed to kill a lich boss, Cecil stands no chance"

"But Cecil is the strongest in the first year. He even got awarded the rank of knight in the Raychmen kingdom"

"Yea, why do you think that he's the prince's bodyguard at such a young age?"

The whispers and murmurs of the students began to fill the classroom. Suddenly, every single S class student forgot about the issue with the A class and began to expect the duel between two top students.

The notice of our duel quickly left our classroom and spread through other classes in the first year.

Alen versus Cecil, the number five and two of the S class, the two strongest male students in the first year.

Our duel was immediately accepted by the teachers, and it even paused other duels scheduled for today.

But no other student in the first year cared about their duel being stopped. They wanted to watch the more important duel.

"Look at what you caused, Cecil" Theo scolded his bodyguard.

We were currently on arena six, the only place where we could have our lunch in peace.

"You too alen, you didn't need to accept this stupid duel"

"But I accepted it, and I truly want to test our strength between Cecil and I" I commented to the sad prince.

"I'd be preparing myself to fight if I were you, coward" Fran told the blond prince.

"Why?"

"Because my friend's going to win" she said it with so much confidence that I actually felt like I could win.

But realistically, I'll probably lose against Cecil.

Unlike me, he knows how to cast tier two spells, and the surprise factor of my fake incantationless casting doesn't work against him.

It'll be a difficult duel.

______