55-Calm And Decisive

It was Sieg's final day working at the academy.

He walked into the classroom at a measured pace, his every step composed. The students, without exception, lowered their heads the moment he entered, none daring to meet his eyes.

With a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips, Sieg spoke in a calm tone, "Today, there will be no breeding class. Instead, you'll be attending Miss Roxanne's lesson. She's holding an open lecture on Pokémon battles."

Today's class was no ordinary session. It was a school-wide open lecture by Roxanne, whose popularity alone ensured the event would be packed. Nearly every class intended to attend, and Sieg saw it as a good opportunity to save himself the trouble of teaching. He simply led his dozen students along with the others.

Truthfully, he was also curious to see what this rock-type prodigy, so captivated by her field, had to offer in her teachings.

"Yesss!!"

His students erupted into cheers as they followed Sieg, who led the way across southern parts of the school grounds.

They arrived at a wide battle arena.

By the time Sieg and his students arrived, a large crowd had already gathered. Approximately several hundred students filled the seats.

At the center of it all stood Roxanne. A small projector and a white canvas screen were her only tools. The rest was nothing but a simple patch of grass.

"Pokémon battles aren't as simple as most people think. They're not just about simulation training or clashing moves," Roxanne began, pacing slowly with a slender pointer stick in hand. "A real Pokémon battle involves evaluating the battlefield, considering move interactions, crafting strategies, selecting the right items, and most importantly, understanding the mental game between trainers and their ability to withstand pressure…"

She spoke with tireless passion, surrounded on all sides by eager listeners, her voice rising and falling like a seasoned orator.

Unfortunately, most of the students didn't seem particularly invested.

To them, battles were nothing more than a game of raw power, dominated by level differences and flashy move exchanges. Everything else sounded like fluff.

These students, who had never experienced the true intricacies of battle, had no clue how deep the rabbit hole truly went.

"Let's take a look at the battle footage from the most recent Indigo League Championship match between Dragon Trainer Lance and Ice-type Elite Four member Lorelei," she announced.

The moment Sieg heard Lance's name, his focus sharpened. He turned toward the screen, watching the intense battle play out on the projector. His eyes gleamed with curiosity and intrigue.

His students were more than happy to watch the footage too, though their reasons were far less academic.

"Hehe, wasn't this Lance's fourth championship try? He always gets stuck at Lorelei."

"Haha, yeah, her Cloyster always takes out his Dragonite!"

"With how often he uses Flying-types, I'm starting to think he's not a Dragon Master at all!"

The students chattered away, fully absorbed in gossip and banter. Not a single one paid attention to Roxanne's strategic breakdowns or insights into psychological warfare.

She grew increasingly frustrated. She could only sigh and continue trying to guide these spoiled rich kids with as much patience as she could muster.

Unfortunately, her efforts were met with indifference.

"Look at yourselves, so lazy and arrogant. Pokémon battles are far more complex than you think," Roxanne finally snapped, her refined expression giving way to visible anger. Even the ribbon-like strands of her elegant hair swayed with frustration.

"Just look at Sieg. He's the same age as you, yet he's already a certified Junior Breeder, and he could easily crush you in battle."

As soon as the words left her lips, she realized her mistake.

The moment she praised Sieg, the entire crowd turned to him.

Many of them had already been holding a grudge. After all, Sieg was close in age, yet he was their teacher. Their own parents and elders constantly compared them to him, and the frustration had been simmering for a while.

And now, the woman they all saw as a goddess, their admired teacher, had openly praised Sieg in front of them.

It was the final spark.

"Damn it, so what if he's good at breeding? That doesn't mean he's better than us at battling!"

"Exactly, his Pokémon aren't even high-level. He only beat Miss Roxanne by luck!"

"If he's got guts, then let him fight us right here!"

Angry voices surged like a tidal wave, crashing toward Sieg.

Roxanne stood frozen, caught completely off guard by the turn of events. She hadn't intended for this to happen, and yet her offhand comment had caused serious trouble.

She tried to calm the crowd, but the rising uproar quickly drowned out her voice.

Sieg's brow furrowed slightly. His sharp eyes swept across the unruly crowd before settling on Roxanne.

"Was that deliberate, or just careless?" he thought to himself.

He couldn't fathom why she would do such a thing on purpose, and her flustered expression seemed genuine. In his heart, he already had a conclusion.

But letting these brats talk trash about him unpunished...

Sieg slowly rose to his feet. His cold gaze pierced through the crowd as he declared, "According to Article Seven of the Academy Code, insulting or disrespecting a teacher is punishable by expulsion and permanent disqualification."

Silence fell instantly.

Among all the students present, only a rare few had backgrounds powerful enough to ignore the academy's consequences. For the rest, their academic records and future careers meant everything. Getting expelled over something like this? That would be impossible to explain to their families.

Roxanne, watching from the side, let out a long sigh of relief as Sieg restored order with just a few words.

Though she had already graduated and now served as a Gym Leader,she was still inexperienced when it came to handling people. She lacked Sieg's sharp instincts and decisive nature.

"…Sieg," she whispered to herself, so softly that only she could hear it.

Her gem-like eyes locked onto him, glowing with admiration.

He had surprised her too many times.

She remembered their first meeting vividly. Sieg had chased her down from her gym to the school, challenging her to a battle. His instincts in combat and ability to read situations had impressed her deeply. Even then, she had sensed that this boy would go far.

She never expected that barely half a month later, Sieg would already be making waves as a genius breeder, courted by all the major factions.

Even she had tried to recruit him, personally visiting the Pokémon Center to invite him. He had turned her down, but during their conversation, his deep knowledge of Pokémon breeding had left her in awe.

And now, in the face of chaos, he displayed a level of composure and authority that far surpassed what most could manage.

Roxanne realized that the pride she once carried now felt hollow.

All the things she'd prided herself on suddenly felt small in comparison to Sieg's quiet strength.

"I want to become someone like Sieg too, someone who acts decisively and with conviction," she thought to herself, her eyes filled with determination as she looked toward the one who had so effortlessly taken back control.