[I PICKED the wrong day to return to school.]
Zirkus was a bit surprised to find out that their classroom was similar to the lecture halls that he had as a college student back in his world.
It was the kind where lecture chairs incorporated rows of fixed desks.
Despite the seating arrangement, none of his classmates sat next to him.
[I don't even see the two dudes who bullied Enzo Fenton with me last week.]
"I thought he already dropped out of school."
"He returned, huh?"
"How shameless."
"The disgrace of Class-Greatsword is back."
'Class-Greatsword' was obviously the name of the class, and the disgrace would be Zirkus Huxford, of course.
[I can hear you, kids.]
There were only twenty-eight students in Class-Greatsword.
Holy Sword Academy, as its name suggested, was a school for aspiring swordsmen and knights. Hence, the main weapon mostly used by students was, obviously, a sword.
And Zirkus Huxford was one of those students aiming to be a swordsman.
<"Our sheepshead fish doesn't have talent in swordsmanship, though. Kekeke!">
Zirkus had already mastered the art of ignoring the taunting System, so he didn't react this time even though it called him a sheepshead fish again.
And it wasn't like he had time to worry about that.
"Enzo Fenton and Zirkus Huxford!" Sir Jesse, a middle-aged man, and a High-Grade Swordsman, yelled. This man was also the teacher of the Swordsmanship Class. "You'll be sparring partners for today's class!"
The entire class was shocked.
Why wouldn't they be?
Everyone in the academy knew Enzo Fenton and Rivo Creswell were the fixed sparring partners ever since their Novice Class days.
Tsk.
[What changed now?]
Zirkus maintained a poker face, but his eyes search for Enzo Fenton.
[Oh, there's my Catch.]
Enzo Fenton was sitting in the front row with Rivo Creswell and Nixie Winslet. The three kids stared back at him indifferently.
[Hmm... is this planned?]
Zirkus avoided eye contact with the three, and turned to Sir Jesse this time.
The smile in the teacher's eyes told him he was in on it.
[Ah, I get it now.]
The three kids probably asked Sir Jesse to assign Zirkus as Enzo Fenton's sparring partner for today's class.
Why?
The reason was simple.
[They obviously want to give Enzo Fenton the chance to beat me up "legally" as payback for bullying him.]
How cute.
"What is it, Huxford?" Sir Jesse asked "kindly." "Do you have any complaints about the arrangement?"
Zirkus smiled as angelic as possible. "None at all, sir."
For some reason, Sir Jesse flinched.
Even his classmates suddenly avoided his gaze as if they were afraid of him when they were just dissing him a moment ago.
Worse, Nixie Winslet was looking at him again as if she was disgusted.
[What now?]
<"It's your smile, Sheepy.">
Tsk.
It was the System that decided to call him 'Sheepy,' short for 'sheepshead fish.'
<"That evil and ugly smile of yours makes me think you could probably be the hidden final boss of this novel.">
Zikrus clicked his tongue again.
[Why is this damned System cursing me so early in the morning?]
***
ZIRKUS suddenly felt like he was going to have a stomachache while watching the sparring happening in front of him.
The "gymnasium" where the sparring was taking place looked like a fighting arena.
There were three pairs of students sparring with each other in the arena at the moment. Of course, each match was being observed by Sir Jesse closely.
The sound of swords clashing against each other filled the arena...
... along with some loud voices.
"Is that your best already? I haven't even used 50% of my real strength!"
"Heh! I've only been using 30% of my power, fool!"
"Are you giving up already?!"
"No– I'm not! I'm going to be the best Sword Master someday, so I can't fall here!"
Zirkus cringed so hard while listening to all the cheesy lines his classmates were throwing around.
He was the only one who cringed, though.
The others looked inspired while watching their classmates fight.
[Yep, I'm really inside a fantasy novel where saying "inspirational" stuff out of nowhere is totally normal.]
Zirkus had to witness it all because he was sitting in the front row while waiting for his turn.
"Huxford will probably end up like Ian Jacobs and Mark Albertson."
Hmm.
[I already noticed it, but my classmates really address me by my family name instead of my first name, huh? Not that I'm complaining.]
"Jacobs and Albertson are still in the hospital, aren't they?"
"I heard they'd be lucky if they recover in just one month. Enzo beat them up so good last week."
[I knew it.]
Ian Jacobs and Mark Albertson were probably the two dudes who bullied Enzo Fenton, too.
Zirkus didn't attend the class for an entire week, but just listening to his classmates gossip about him helped him see the picture of what could have happened.
[Enzo Fenton used the Swordsmanship Class as an excuse to beat up his bullies.]
And Zirkus was obviously next.
"Oh, look!"
"Kyaaah~"
"The Heavenly Trio is here!"
Zirkus had goosebumps all over his body after hearing the cringe-y title that he would often read in cultivation novels.
['Heavenly Trio?!']
He thought he died again and got transported into a cultivation world this time.
But when Zirkus turned in the direction where his other classmates were looking at, he let out a sigh of relief to see that the kids were only talking about Rivo Creswell, Nixie Winslet, and Enzo Fenton.
[Ah, right. Now I remember that it was mentioned once in the novel that Rivo Creswell, Nixie Winslet, and Enzo Fenton were called the 'Heavenly Trio' during their academy days.]
It was so embarrassing that Zirkus erased the information from his mind on purpose.
[Hmm?]
Zirkus' already ugly face scrunched up– making him uglier– when he noticed that Enzo Fenton was staring at Nixie Winslet while the female lead was looking sadly at Rivo Creswell. It was probably because the hero was looking at another girl.
Ah, right!
[Rivo Creswell has a girlfriend when he was a student.]
Zirkus was about to turn his head to take a peek at Rivo Creswell's girlfriend when, all of a sudden, his eyes met Enzo Fenton's cold gaze.
[Uh-oh.]
Enzo Fenton's gaze was telling Zirkus he was dead meat.
***
A WOODEN sword, huh?
Zirkus wondered how much getting beaten up by a wooden sword would hurt.
He was aware that the body he possessed didn't have any talent in swordsmanship, so he was already expecting to get beaten up...
... well, only IF a fight would take place.
<"What a fucking coward.">
As usual, Zirkus just ignored the System's taunting.
"I give up."
It was Zirkus' declaration as soon as Enzo Fenton, his sparring partner, stood in front of him with a wooden sword in his hand.
Needless to say, the future villain looked confused.
Sir Jesse was still busy instructing the other pairs, so Zirkus thought it was the perfect chance to talk to Enzo Fenton alone.
"Are you afraid of getting beaten up, Zirkus Huxford?"
Wow.
Enzo Fenton's voice still sounded innocent even though his expression was totally cold.
It was frightening, but Zirkus acted unfazed.
[I have a brilliant plan to follow through.]
"I'll give up this fight," Zirkus said, acting haughty even though his heart was beating erratically because he was nervous. "In return, I'll give you a piece of love advice."
Enzo Fenton tilted his head. "Love advice?"
"My friend–"
"I'm not your friend."
"My classmate," Zirkus said, correcting himself immediately. "Dudes with black hair and red eyes always win. It's a deadly combination, especially when he's from the North."
He had read enough fantasy romance novels/comics to know that much.
[If you're not a black-haired and red-eyed Northern Duke, then you're definitely not the male lead.]
Enzo Fenton just looked at him as if he was crazy.
Zirkus let out a sigh. "It's not you– it's the standard setting. If your love rival has black hair and red eyes, you're never going to get the girl."
"..."
"So, just give up on your first love," Zirkus said, smiling and speaking kindly. He was older than Enzo Fenton, so he thought it wouldn't hurt to act like a benevolent older brother this once. "This older brother will help you find a hobby to keep yourself occupied."
"Zirkus Huxford."
"Yes?"
Enzo Fenton raised his wooden sword. "Clench your teeth."
Zirkus almost died again that day.