13 - Disciplinary Action

"Alright, listen up!"

A commanding voice thundered across the training ground. Limina stood at the center, her dark coat fluttering with the breeze. Her voice cut through the murmurs and whispers of the gathered students like a blade.

"I'll be conducting a disciplinary action," she announced. "This is what happens to problematic students. Watch closely, because if any of you get ideas about stepping out of line. This might be your future."

Gasps and excited murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Limina pointed toward the four students now standing at attention in front of her. Three of them, visibly nervous nobles, shifted their feet under the weight of attention. The fourth, Ellen, looked entirely unbothered.

"All four of you. Charge at me. Now."

The nobles hesitated. Some students chuckled. Their pride kept them from stepping forward.

"What's wrong?" Limina said, grinning mockingly. "Afraid of a teacher in front of a few dozens students?"

None of them moved.

Limina's eyes narrowed. Without another word, she stepped forward, and in a blur, slapped each noble lightly.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

The hits weren't strong, but they rang with humiliation.

The crowd erupted into laughter. Faces flushed red with shame, the nobles finally snapped.

"You'll regret that!" one shouted, his mana flaring to life.

Wind, fire, and earth magic surged toward Limina. But she didn't even blink.

Again it wasn't a duel.

It was a lesson.

Limina danced between their attacks, slapping aside fireballs with her bare hands, dodging gusts of wind like falling leaves, and stepping casually around spikes of stone.

Each student fell, humiliated again and again. Pinned, tripped, tapped on the forehead or shoulder with precise, non-lethal blows that shattered any illusion of superiority they had.

The crowd had long gone silent, mesmerized.

Limina stood tall above the groaning nobles. "This," she said coldly, "is why you don't bring your egos into my battlefield."

She exhaled sharply. "Now, where's the last one?" She intend to save the best one for the last one.

She looked around, but Ellen was nowhere to be seen.

Limina's eyes narrowed.

And then—

A flicker.

A sensation.

Killing intent.

She turned around... nothing.

But her instincts screamed.

From the ground below, a shadow lunged upward.

Ellen.

Her hand was already mid-strike, aiming to land a clean hit.

Limina's smile returned.

"So, you're the tricky one."

BOOM

Limina responded by swinging her arm down, creating a sharp shockwave that exploded against the ground where Ellen had stood just a second before.

Dust and debris scattered, but Ellen had already slipped out of the strike zone.

"Come on, are you even trying?" Ellen said as she landed lightly on her feet, red eyes gleaming with thrill. She rolled her shoulders and stretched her arms with a lazy grace.

Limina raised an eyebrow. "Hahaha, I guess those reports are true. You have found your way as a knight." she said, brushing away the settling dust with a flick of her wrist.

Ellen smirked. "Indeed I am."

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Most students were holding their breath, barely able to believe what they see.

Limina's eyes sharpened. She shifted her stance. "Then come at me seriously. Or are you just good at sneak attacks?"

"Hah. You'll regret saying that."

With a blur of motion, Ellen charged.

Her foot struck the ground with explosive aura, propelling her forward like a bullet. Limina moved to counter, expecting another feint.

She came in fast and direct, her fist aimed low, then twisted her hips mid-move and launched a spinning kick toward Limina's side.

Limina blocked it with her forearm, but Ellen used the momentum to twist her body again, sending another kick—which Limina dodged with a calm sidestep.

"Not bad," Limina said, clapping once, genuinely entertained.

Ellen grinned. "Well then. I give up."

"...Huh?" The crowd murmured in disbelief.

"Surrender? This is Disciplinary action," Limina raised a brow.

"Yeah yeah, just beat me up quick. I know my own limit," Ellen replied.

She wasn't lying. Her body was itching for a fight, but she wasn't about to risk straining her eyes. Not for this. She would never win against someone like Limina anyway. Continuing was pointless.

Limina let out a short exhale, half amused, half annoyed. "You're weird. Alright then—"

In a blink, her palm struck Ellen's stomach. Not too hard, but enough to send her flying back a few meters.

Ellen winced slightly. "Tch. You really didn't hold back."

"That was me holding back," Limina replied flatly.

The crowd was still murmuring, most of them unsure whether Ellen had been brave or just stupid.

Professor Ludger stepped forward, arms crossed, surveying the situation with a stern expression.

"Let this be your lesson," he said, voice carrying across the field. "This academy doesn't tolerate arrogance, no matter your background or skill. If you cause trouble, expect consequences."

Limina dusted off her hands and turned to the other students. "Class dismissed. Enjoy your free time."

Ellen quietly made her way back into the crowd, weaving through the murmurs and stares like nothing had happened. Caelan was the first to greet her, tapping her shoulder with a crooked smile.

"That was one way to make an impression," he said.

Beside him, Sylva let out a small chuckle. "Definitely memorable."

"Elleeeen~ you good?" a familiar voice rang out, far too cheerfully for the occasion.

Charlotte appeared from between the students, waving like she hadn't just disappeared from the scene minutes ago.

Caelan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You made another friend?"

Charlotte wasted no time sliding in between them. "I'm Ellen's best friend! Charlotte, nice to meet you~"

"Stop your nonsense," Ellen muttered, barely sparing her a glance.

"Hehe~ Anyway, your little group's full of elites, huh? Let me join too!"

"Elites?" Caelan repeated, puzzled.

Charlotte clapped her hands together, eyes sparkling with exaggerated admiration. "Yup yup! There's Caelan Valemont, the guy who'll become a legendary spearmaster! And Sylva, the mage with the potential to be the most destructive force this side of the continent!"

Both Caelan and Sylva looked surprised—but definitely pleased. A bit too pleased.

Ellen just stared at her. "She's just trying to flatter you. You know that, right?"

"Shhh~" Charlotte hushed her, pressing a finger to Ellen's lips with a grin.

Rolling her eyes, Ellen turned and began walking away.

"Where are you going?" Caelan called after her.

"Somewhere."

And with that, she slipped past the crowd and out of the training grounds.

---

Ellen quietly made her way back into the crowd, weaving through the murmurs and stares like nothing had happened. Caelan was the first to greet her, tapping her shoulder with a crooked smile.

"That was one way to make an impression," he said.

Beside him, Sylva let out a small chuckle. "Definitely memorable."

"Elleeeen~ you good?" a familiar voice rang out, far too cheerfully for the occasion.

Charlotte appeared from between the students, waving like she hadn't just disappeared from the scene minutes ago.

Caelan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You made another friend?"

Charlotte wasted no time sliding in between them. "I'm Ellen's best friend! Charlotte, nice to meet you~"

"Stop your nonsense," Ellen muttered, barely sparing her a glance.

"Hehe~ Anyway, your little group's full of elites, huh? Let me join too!"

"Elites?" Caelan repeated, puzzled.

Charlotte clapped her hands together, eyes sparkling with exaggerated admiration. "Yup yup! There's Caelan Valemont, the guy who'll become a legendary spearmaster! And Sylva, the mage with the potential to be the most destructive force this side of the continent!"

Both Caelan and Sylva looked surprised—but definitely pleased. A bit too pleased.

Ellen just stared at her. "She's just trying to flatter you. You know that, right?"

"Shhh~" Charlotte hushed her, pressing a finger to Ellen's lips with a grin.

Rolling her eyes, Ellen turned and began walking away.

"Where are you going?" Caelan called after her.

"Somewhere."

And with that, she slipped past the crowd and out of the training grounds.

---

After a short fight with Instructor Limina, I realized how big aura or mana affect the fight. You simply can't rely on your technique only.

I might need to start a training routine in order to finish this story.

The sun was starting to set, casting long shadows across the academy grounds. I leaned against the trunk of a tree.

She needed to get stronger. That much was obvious. Talent was one thing, but if she didn't start taking things seriously, she'd be left behind.

"Alright," she muttered to herself, pushing off the tree.

The wind brushed past her face. The idea of morning training sounded perfect.

But then reality hit.

She never could wake up early.

Even if she set three alarms, her body had a way of ignoring them all. Her version of early was already too late for any productive head start.

She sighed. "Right… That's going to be a problem."

Then, as if fate flicked a light on in her brain, she remembered someone.

Sylva.

A small smirk tugged at Ellen's lips. Maybe there was a solution after all.