She Is Not a Witch

Behind the Belis family’s mountain, Verdant Empire.

The usually quiet forest was filled with the sounds of clashing metal and rapid footsteps. Two young men were practicing swordsmanship in the shade of the trees. One, with golden-brown hair, wielded a broadsword with both hands, his sword strokes stirring up gusts of wind in the air.

His opponent, a youth with short wine-red hair, held a thin sword in each hand, moving with incredible agility. He frequently used the trees to block his opponent’s attacks and change positions.

“Rock, take this!” the golden-brown haired youth shouted. Light seemed to flow in his eyes as air currents reversed, creating a strange suction force towards his sword.

Rock felt the surrounding air pushing him towards his opponent’s sword. If this continued, he would surely be struck by the other’s blade. Judging by his all-out attack, being hit would mean lying in bed for several days to recover.

However, opportunity comes from danger. This was also an excellent chance. As an assassin, he sought that instant between life and death. His right foot pushed off, his body launching like an arrow from a bowstring, the tips of his twin swords flashing with red light.

The two red gleams intertwined like stars streaking across the atmosphere. His opponent had completed his power build-up, the heavy broadsword sweeping through the air in a crescent arc. One red gleam was knocked away by the moon-like arc, emitting a crisp metallic vibration, while the other red gleam curved around the arc. Following the sword light’s trajectory, a button flew high into the air, refracting flashes of light in the forest’s sunlight before rolling into the fallen leaves on the ground.

“You’ve lost,” Rock said softly, standing behind Isaiah, holding a thin sword.

Isaiah looked at his collar, where a button had vanished. He sighed, but didn’t seem too discouraged.

“Rock, you’re still really good.”

“The month is up. I won’t be coming tomorrow,” Rock continued.

“Mm, I know.”

Rock turned around, looking at this third young master of the Belis family with some confusion. He was different from before; in the past, he would have found all sorts of reasons to extend the time.

But he didn’t want to bother with the reasons for this change. He walked to the other side, picked up the sword that had been knocked away earlier, and prepared to leave.

“Rock, you have the final competition next week, right?” Isaiah’s voice came from behind.

“Yes.”

“Are you confident about defeating Tocolin?” the voice continued.

“Hard to say.” How could there be confidence in such things? The opponent was also a genius; he couldn’t possibly overwhelm him.

“Good luck, Rock.”

“Hmph.”

The wine-red haired youth left without looking back.

⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱

A week later, at the Eick City Academy Competition.

This city in the western part of the Verdant Empire, though not a major central city, had gained some fame due to the surrounding forests and orchards.

Although snow still lingered on the tree leaves, the arena in the city was bustling with noise. Many people had come to watch, most of them parents of the children, while others took advantage of the winter day to soak up some sun and watch the matches.

The students competing on the field were from the city’s school, roughly divided into two groups. One group was well-dressed, with neat and attractive attire, while the other was somewhat thin and poor, some even shivering in the cold wind.

“Haha, look at that one over there, shaking like a duck,” one noble child pointed and said to his companion.

“Indeed, but that one’s better. Look at that one over there, what is he even wearing? He looks like a ball. I bet he’ll just roll on the ground during the match.”

“Exactly, hahaha. Can’t they dress a bit more presentably? I feel embarrassed just thinking about competing with these people.”

“It’s all because the princess is so merciful. Commoners weren’t even allowed to participate before.”

“The rules only changed this year. If I had been born a year earlier, I wouldn’t have to deal with this trouble.”

“Well, let’s not talk about it anymore. I’m up first. See you in the finals.”

Emenas Academy was the most renowned legendary school on the continent, admired by countless people. Graduates from there were welcomed by various countries and organizations, and most became part of the upper echelons of these countries or organizations. It’s no exaggeration to say that nearly half of the high-level sequence experts on this continent came from this academy. If anyone could influence the thoughts of these students, they could indirectly influence the world.

But the academy had always maintained strict neutrality, never favoring or openly supporting any side. This was a principle established at its founding. Originating from the Chaos Calamity a thousand years ago, when all races united against a common enemy, it took nearly 20 years of grueling war to achieve a bitter victory.

After the war ended, the sages of various races at the time announced the joint establishment of an academy to nurture guardians of civilization for this world and prepare for the next calamity. Admission quotas were distributed to various countries and organizations based on region and population. Additionally, those who made special contributions to the academy could receive special recommendation letters to nominate their own students or disciples for admission.

The academy admitted about 1,200 new students each year, with over 500 spots allocated to the Verdant Empire. Of these, more than 300 were taken by major noble families, churches, and various organizations, leaving only about 200 spots for the vast territories of various cities. A medium-sized city like Eick City naturally only had one spot.

Isaiah, because his second sister had married the current Wolf Dagger Earl, who was a direct vassal of the Griffin Duke, one of the four great ducal houses, naturally had several spots at his disposal. The countess, loving her brother, had begged her husband to obtain a spot from the Griffin Duke.

So Isaiah could get a recommendation letter without participating in the competition. Who could blame him for having a stunningly beautiful sister? One could roughly guess his sister’s beauty and grace from his own appearance.

The Eick City Academy competition wasn’t as exciting as one might imagine. After all, most people weren’t geniuses, and only a few at Sequence 2 were somewhat worth watching.

On the competition grounds, several youths wielding blunt weapons faced off in pairs, quickly eliminating each other.

“East Arena Three, Number 19 wins,” a referee waved, signaling the end of the match.

“Damn it!”

A noble youth in red attire sat on the ground clutching his arm, with traces of blood on his body. He looked resentfully at the wine-red haired youth opposite him, muttering curses under his breath before slowly getting up to leave.

Completely ignoring the threats and curses from the other side, those weak words only made him feel bored. Rock twirled his thin sword, then walked to the rest area.

“Well done, Rock! You’re the only one left from our class. Next, defeat Tocolin and you’ll be the champion!”

“Go for it, Rock! Show those nobles what we’re made of!”

A group of classmates surrounded him, cheering excitedly.

“Yes, yes, I’ll do my best.”

Though he agreed readily, Rock didn’t feel very confident inside. Tocolin was originally a viscount’s son, but because his father got involved in some internal strife of a major noble family and failed, he was convicted and stripped of his title, reducing him to a commoner. But his excellent aptitude, coupled with years of pent-up resentment, had made him extremely hardworking. He was a loner in the academy, neither getting along with commoner students nor willing to associate with his former noble companions.

Defeating him wouldn’t be easy, after all, he was also an extremely diligent genius.