The Swordsmanship class had ended without... well, it was hard to say it ended peacefully, but it was over one way or another.
Even after Rest and Danila's match concluded, mock battles continued between the Knight Department students and those from other departments, but unlike at the start, the students from other departments were no longer being pummeled one-sidedly.
After all, the grudge the Knight Department students held was directed solely at the Magic Department.
They had no quarrel with the Civil Service or Clergy Department students, and they took them down without inflicting any serious injuries.
As a final result, ninety percent of the Knight Department students who had participated in Swordsmanship class emerged victorious.
The remaining ten percent were students from the other departments, including the Magic Department, and were permitted to continue attending class.
The students who had been defeated would be limited to nothing but laps around the field for the rest of the semester, and they were in for a rough time.
"So that's what happened... That must have been terrible."
Hearing Rest's account, Viola let out a sigh that was equal parts admiration and exasperation.
Swordsmanship class had ended, and they were now in the final class of the day — Dance.
Inside the dance hall on the academy grounds, Rest held both of Viola's hands and awkwardly moved through the steps in time with the music.
While concentrating with all his might to avoid stepping on Viola's feet, he recounted the events from the earlier class.
"Yeah, exactly... I never imagined there'd be that big a rift between the Magic and Knight Departments."
"Magicians and knights have never gotten along to begin with. Both sides think they're the ones propping up the kingdom. Fortunately, my father and the knight commander are on good terms, so it hasn't led to any major clashes."
Viola's father — Albert Rosemary, the marquis — served as chief court mage, standing at the top of the kingdom's magicians.
Apparently, Marquis Cattleya, the knight commander, had been a friend from their student days, and the two maintained a reasonably close relationship.
"Of course, even when I say magicians and knights don't get along, it's not like they're actively sabotaging each other. Well, they might compete over who gets credit for a feat or two."
"Ah... I see. I guess that kind of thing could happen."
Rest managed a wry smile as he dredged up memories from his past life.
Just because you belong to the same country or the same faction doesn't necessarily mean you share the same convictions.
Whether this is true or not, I'm not sure… but apparently the U.S. military has had the Air Force and the Marines at each other's throats, and there were even incidents of friendly fire from mistaken bombings in the past.
Even in pre-war Japan, there had been rifts between the Army and the Navy, and they suffered enormous losses because they refused to share critical military intelligence with each other.
Even if they fight under the same national banner, their motivations probably aren't always aligned.
(Mm… from the standpoint of separation of powers, maybe it's actually better to have some factional rivalries… but I really didn't expect to get caught up in one during my student days) "Well, it's not like every knight hates magicians or anything, but… oh, Rest. That step's wrong."
"Whoops!"
Caught off guard by Viola's correction, Rest hastily adjusted his dance step.
Viola had been learning dance since childhood as part of a noble's upbringing, whereas Rest was a complete amateur.
He had received some basic instruction at the Marquis Rosemary estate, but entrance exam prep and magic training had taken priority, leaving dance on the back burner.
"Sorry, my bad."
"It's fine, don't worry about it. Besides… you don't have bad reflexes, and you've got a sense for it. You'll improve in no time."
"I hope so…"
"Don't worry. You've got plenty of partners willing to dance with you, Rest. You'll get plenty of practice today."
Viola meaningfully glanced to the side.
Rest followed her gaze as much as he could without disrupting the dance, and saw Primula and Yuri waiting in line at the edge of the dance hall.
Since more women than men tended to choose the dance class, each male student ended up partnering with multiple female students.
"Primula is a better teacher than I am, and Yuri is probably less skilled than you, so they might actually make great practice partners. Don't rush it—just improve little by little. Once you've finished dancing with the two of them, it'll be my turn again!"
"…Can't I at least get a break? Seriously."
Even with magic to suppress fatigue, tiring was still tiring.
Rest pulled a strained expression as he finished his first dance with Viola.