The next class was separate from the Rosemary sisters.
Rest was visiting the Knight Department's grounds to attend a "Swordsmanship" class.
Rest was a student of the Magic Department, but he could take classes from other departments as electives.
"Swordsmanship" was a Knight Department class, but many Magic Department students also enrolled in it.
"Next up is a class where I have to move around... I'd better be careful not to get hurt."
"Ugh, this is brutal... the sunlight is burning my skin..."
When Rest, now changed into his gym clothes, stepped out onto the field, his newly-made classmate Luido Jistal slumped his shoulders wearily.
"We're training to be magicians, right? So why do we have to do stuff like sword fighting?"
"Well, it's part of a noble's upbringing, isn't it?"
Many of the Magic Department students enrolled in "Swordsmanship" were children or heirs of noble families.
Noble sons were expected to take up the sword to defend their domains and their people in times of need.
This old-fashioned notion held sway in noble society, and many students outside the Knight Department chose "Swordsmanship" as well.
About a hundred students had gathered on the grounds—half from the Knight Department, the other half from other departments.
The breakdown of the latter was fifty percent Magic Department, thirty percent Civil Service Department, and twenty percent Clergy Department. There were almost no Arts Department students, probably because injuring one's fingers would hinder their activities.
Healing magic could mend most injuries, but it was said that it could still affect the fine motor skills needed for activities like painting or playing musical instruments.
"Exactly... There's no need to learn swordsmanship. Just blast them with magic from behind, and that's that."
A male student behind Luido spoke up irritably.
"You are... Ruyi, was it?"
"I'll go by Maurice. You're Rest, the prospective groom candidate from House Rosemary."
Pushing up the bridge of his glasses, Maurice Ruyi—another classmate—introduced himself.
Maurice had the face of a stereotypical academic, but his body was slim with little muscle. It was obvious he wasn't cut out for athletics.
"Swordsmanship is just a pastime for those who can't use magic. That it's become part of a noble's upbringing is truly lamentable, wouldn't you say?"
"Come now... aren't you going a bit far?"
Rest hastily reined Maurice in.
Maurice's way of thinking was far from a minority view.
Among mages, many considered swords and spears—weapons used by commoners who couldn't wield magic—to be inferior tools.
Of course, those aiming to become knights or warriors found this idea unacceptable.
In fact, Knight Department students nearby were glaring daggers at Maurice.
"Even a magician can end up in close combat during a chaotic battle. I think it's not a bad idea to be prepared for that, don't you?"
"Oh my... That doesn't sound like something the prospective groom of a distinguished mage family would say. Surely you're not suggesting that swords are superior to magic?"
"It depends on the situation. Being able to do both is better than either one alone."
After all, Irish Rosemary, the legitimate bloodline of House Rosemary, excelled at bare-handed combat.
And Diebl, a former court magician, was also a practitioner of martial arts—just because one was a magician didn't mean martial skill was unnecessary.
"Hmm... I see. Well, I suppose there's that perspective too."
Maurice sniffed dismissively.
It seemed Maurice was a magic purist—one of those who believed mages were inherently superior to other humans.
As a Magic Department student, this view was, in a sense, perfectly natural and not all that uncommon.
"Oh my, what's this? The atmosphere here is rather hostile."
"Yuri."
Yuri Cattleya appeared on the grounds.
She was beaming under the bright sun with a cheerful smile.
"C-Cattleya..."
The moment Yuri appeared, Maurice's face flushed bright red.
Luido's eyes went wide, and Rest let out a bitter "Aaah..."
Yuri was also in gym clothes, but hers appeared to be one size too small. Her ample chest pushed up the top, causing it to ride up and expose her midriff.
Now that she was dressed so revealingly, it became apparent... she was the type who looked slimmer in clothes.
(Come to think of it, she had a nice figure that time she got drenched in water too... no, that's not—) "What's up, Yuri? You seem unusually chipper."
"Of course I am! I've been waiting for today's swordsmanship class!"
Yuri pumped both fists in front of her.
"I've always wanted to learn swordsmanship, but my father wouldn't let me because of his principles! So I've been looking forward to this all day!"
"I see... That's great."
House Cattleya was a renowned family of knights.
It made one curious anew as to why their young lady, Yuri, was running away from home.
"Why not give it your best shot too, Maurice? It doesn't matter whether it's the Magic Department or the Knight Department. If you're going to do it, give it everything you've got!"
"Ugh... Gr... Y-Yes..."
Maurice averted his gaze from Yuri's gym attire and reluctantly agreed.
"Class is starting! Gather over here!"
The instructor called out.
It seemed to be time for class to begin.
Rest and the others jogged over and assembled in the center of the grounds.