“For great services rendered, we award Anthony Clevasti with the spellsword insignia, third class.”

  After the fourth and third year students received their rewards for their deeds during the subjugation excursion, it was time for the first years. The second years stood lined up as interested spectators, since they weren’t entirely clear about what had happened. Each year the second years spent their spring party exams on more mundane tasks to learn how to operate as a group without support.

  Together with his fellow cats, since he still belonged to that class, Ioha watched the knights receive well-deserved rewards, mostly in the form of fifth-class insignias. Third-class was a surprise. He didn’t participate in the uneasy murmur that spread among them.

  “What did he do?” one voice behind him asked.

  Anthony was a first-class jerk, but he was objectively very good for a first year. Their flanks had been dangerously exposed, and Ioha could see Anthony pulling his weight there. The jerk got his reward pinned to his blazer and stepped down from the scene. It came up with impressive speed the evening before.

  After Anthony, it was time for the commoner knight, who made it to the best four during the tournament. He received a fifth-class insignia, and a low rumbling of dissatisfaction spread from the knights’ ranks. Then Genu, who also received a fifth rank reward, together with angry voices from the knights. By now, Ioha heard that most of the protests came from the fourth years.

  Oh, well. Pretty clear after the tournament. Ioha didn’t really care. Insignias looked nice on a uniform, but you couldn’t eat them.

  None from the staff class received any recognition, and Ioha swore Miri looked a bit downtrodden.

  When none of the logistics students received their due, Ioha shot Ai a glance. She shrugged, stuck her tongue out at him and smirked. Angry shouts from the fourth years, cats and knights alike, clearly expressed what they thought of the spectacle. Excluding the prime healer among the first years, possibly in the entire school, didn’t go down well. Especially as no one who had been there was unaware of the organised chaos where she stood as a beacon of light and kept her fellow students standing long after what anyone could decently have expected. On top of that, she carried a second name.

  It wasn’t as bad for the mercs. Karaki being excluded hurt a little, but only a handful were called up. To be honest, their generally weak auras saw most of them running support tasks when what was planned as a supervised single-party exam degenerated into a mass assault on the entire camp. Mercs weren’t trained for heroic last stands in the first place.

  Then the cats. Their princess received her fourth-class reward and looked happy about it. A few more got fifth-class insignias and seemed satisfied as well. And after that, their new principal left the scene. Ioha grinned, and Canadena slapped his back. None of them were rewarded, but by now that outcome was pretty clear.

  “I disapprove!”

  Aura-enhanced sound? Ioha dropped his grin and looked at the rank of knights. My right-hand defender?

  “Silence in the ranks!” That was their principal trying to restore order.

  “I am the pillar of the graduating knights,” the knight fingered the first class insignia their principal had pinned on him earlier this day, “and I disapprove of this travesty!”

  “Harvali is full of shit, but this time I agree with him.”

  Huh? Ioha’s head turned to their last rank. A cat? Fourth year then. One of them suddenly broke rank, and Ioha recognised the cat who tirelessly kept his shield clean. “Harvali, today you earned my respect.”

  “I don’t need it, Derina, but I appreciate the gesture.”

  “Silence in the ranks!”

  “I said I disapprove,” the knight persisted.

  Another three fourth-year cats broke ranks and joined the one called Derina. “So do we,” they shouted almost in unison. Those three had risked their lives for half an hour kiting monsters into the reach of his taunts. All four of them received third and second class insignias, the second class going to the cat who first broke rank.

  “Silence in the ranks!” This time it was Lord Clevasti himself. His voice carried a lot better than their principal, and all students fell silent. Almost all.

  “The Terendala family will file for damages. We have been insulted,” the knight stated.

  “The Wari family will file for damages. We have been insulted,” repeated the cat.

  “Are you serious about that?” Lord Clevasti’s tone mellowed somewhat. “On what grounds?”

  “During the breach, I, personally, fought together with our first years. Are you saying my leadership was so poor they failed to do their duty?” Harvali Terendala had broken ranks as well.

  “I said no such thing.”

  “And yet, neither Sir Questingtank nor Lady Nakagawa received their due despite personally preventing the breach from reaching inside our camp.” It felt a little unfair that Karaki and Canadena were excluded, but they were two of over a dozen students who kept the backline intact, hacking, stabbing and bashing everything thrown their way.

  Ioha still flinched whenever his cringe-worthy second name was called out, but he seemed to be the only one. Running away and pulling a pillow over his head wasn’t an option, so he stayed in rank and pretended nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Another back-slap brought him out of that misconception.

  “Do as you like.” Lord Clevasti’s voice sounded tired and worn. “Spellsword Academy has made a decision. That decision stands.”

  “Yes, Lord Clevasti!” Harvali returned to his place in the ranks.

  “We shall do so, Lord Clevasti.” The cats copied his motion.

  Their principal returned to the scene with a parchment scroll. Wergaist had its own production of paper, but this was ritual. “I now pronounce Anthony Clevasti a pillar of the freshmen.” And with that, a hero was made.

  Ceremony over, the students dispersed, and Ioha tagged along with his group of five in search of a training field. Genu looked uncomfortable, probably because he was the only one who had received an insignia.

  “Our hero!” Canadena whispered loud enough to be heard four or five training fields away. She didn’t help one bit.

  As the sun rose in the sky, so did the temperature. Winter broke once and for all, and graduation lay just mere weeks away for the fourth years. The air filled with spring flowers, and Ioha was simply unable to feel any lingering resentment toward the school. Right now, he enjoyed the sound of birds that had been absent since just after school started. New smells, new sounds, new sights and new feelings. Now, if the mess-hall could join the bandwagon as well and offer new tastes, life would be perfect.

  Running steps from behind suggested they stop and find out what it was all about. Five fourth years, one knight and four cats closed the distance.

  “Sir Terendala,” Ioha said when they arrived. It didn’t hurt to be polite. He was the obvious leader, after all.

  Harvali Terendala bowed. “Sir Questingtank. On behalf of my family, I apologise for the disgrace bestowed upon you.”

  He really talks that way? “Ioha bowed in return, uncertain about what to say.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Ai came to his rescue. “We have received your apology. Since the fault was not yours, it has been accepted in full.”

  “Lady Nakagawa.”

  “Sir Terendala.”

  “I announce you to be my honoured guests should any of you ever visit the Terendala estate.”

  That sounded important somehow.

  “I am honoured to receive such an invitation, Sir Terendala.”

  Ioha decided to join whatever Ai was doing. “As am I. I’m grateful, Sir Terendala,” he said.

  Genu responded as stiffly, but Miri, Canadena and Karaki just nodded.

  Then all of a sudden, four cats bowed, like in some servant comedy skit. “Sir Questingtank. On behalf of my family, I apologise for the disgrace bestowed upon you.”

  That was, word for word, the same expression. Given how serious they looked, Ioha got the feeling this ritual was far more important than he gave it credit for. “Sir Wari.”

  “I have yet to be knighted. Just Derina, please.”

  “You did great back there. There’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Ioha said. He couldn’t just leave it all to Ai.

  Uncertain flickers between the four cats delayed the next sentence a little. “It would be my honour to have you as our guest at the Wari estate. This I swear upon the honour of me and my retainers.” The three cats accompanying him repeated their servant skit.

  “I’m grateful. It would be my honour as well.” Hopefully, he hadn’t made an arse of himself.

  “My fiancé is unaccustomed to federation traditions. His choice of words fully echoed the sentiments I expressed earlier,” Ai said, and proved he had indeed made an arse out of himself.

  “Bollocks!” Canadena said.

  “Bollocks!” Karaki repeated.

  Fiance? Ioha thought.

  “You’ve never been an uptight sucker before. Leave that shit to Terendala over there.”

  All four cats snorted. “But it was so fun!” Then they guffawed.

  “Harvali’s the uptight one, but I’d have him cover my back any time things turn sour,” Derina said between coughs. “The invitation was for real, by the way.” The three retainers looked a lot more like cats at ease now. “Look, the Clevastis really did it this time, and we really are going to file for damages. If they believe we’re just going to watch them steal your glory, they have a lot to learn. Besides, that really did cast a shadow on us.”

  “I concur,” Harvali added. “I am the first son of Lord Terendala. Our house is a council candidate.”

  And? That’s important, exactly why?

  “Shit!” Ai said. “Cool! Be happy, Ioha. You just became federation business.”

  She was a lot more politically observant than he could ever hope to be. If she said his problem just grew, that meant it just did.

  “There’s something ugly going on in Wergaist. Isekai declaring sovereignty is part of it.” Derina’s explanation wasn’t enough by far, but things like having a condemned outworlder mass murdered as a representative fit in all too well.

  “We were on our way for some training,” Ioha began. The conversation was taking a direction he didn’t like. “Was there anything else?”

  “Sir Questingtank, I’m afraid there is.” Harvali had forced the topic open again.

  “Yes?”

  “Please allow us to accompany you to your training.”

  Ioha looked at his friends. They shrugged or made other gestures, meaning he was in command. “Why not?”

  The street turned to paved road and then into dirt road. The field he had in mind lay behind the school stables, which were empty courtesy of the upcoming third-year knightage students’ horse races. A minor event, it still gathered quite an audience, and currently everyone involved with the horses did whatever you did when an equestrian event grew close. Ioha didn’t ride, and he had absolutely no knowledge when it came to horses. If need be, he’d ask Ai.

  The training field wasn’t very well-kept. One could almost call it shabby. While it did include the mandatory barn, it had definitely seen better days. Part of the gravel was covered by weeds taking root, and one fence rotted away under bushes and even a few young trees. In other words, it was perfect.

  “Training weapons,” he said. Miri was already on her way to the barn, with Ai trailing behind her. He followed her and went inside. Shield and bokken had to do. Ai picked a parrying sword, and Ioha nodded. While they grabbed their weapons, the fourth years entered as well. They silently picked sets as well, and Ioha’s stomach churned with discomfort.

  Outside, he faltered when their seniors lined up at one end of the field.

  “You must have guessed,” Harvali said. “We need to spar with you.”

  Well, that was rather obvious. “Party or duels?”

  “Party. We’ll do without support.”

  Cocky, but I like it. “We won’t. There was no getting out of it now, and he wondered what use five fourth years had from hammering freshmen into the dirt. Well, he didn’t plan to make it cheap. “We’ll start from the other side then.”

  Harvali nodded.

  On the way over the gravel, Ioha tugged at Ai’s sleeve. “Mind-link, all six of us!” To his left, Karaki walked with one parrying sword in each hand. He must have guessed what was coming. Genu and Canadena were equipped as expected, and Miri was unarmed as always. “Miri, burn all on my command!” She nodded. “Ai, battle-flares on my shields. Traps!” They reached the fence and turned.

  Their five opponents made ready.

  “Miri!”

  Battle standard. Shield half-sphere.

  Miri’s command spell kicked in, a really sweet addition to the tactical spell she already knew. The new one she learned during their excursion. She’d last a minute or two at most.

  Time passed in slow motion. The sparring match wouldn’t last a fraction of Miri’s ability to stay active.

  “Miri, you’re in command!”

  Their opponents lunged impossibly fast despite the time dilation.

  “Taunt three!” Miri shouted.

  COWARD! COWARD! COWARD! Two cats unaffected by his taunt went after Ai.

  “Flank!”

  Karaki and Canadena rushed one each.

  Hard top and front shield for each of them.

  Two jumps; it took only two jumps for their opponents to cover the entire field. Three of them converged on him, eyes hazy with confusion and rage. When they bashed their way through his layered shield, Ai’s delayed flares went off.

  “Genu, front left!”

  Karaki got tapped out, but Canadena hit her blinded opponent lightly on the temple, so one each. Genu showed the best swordplay Ioha had ever seen him capable of, but it wasn’t even close.’

  “Ai!”

  Between them, Ai and Ioha tapped out one of the two retainers before his shields collapsed, and they were all tapped out. As a party, they had performed better than Ioha could ever have dreamed of, and yet the fight was over in less than ten seconds.

  All combatants took a step back.

  Irritated, Ioha moved forward again. “OK, so five fourth years beat the crap out of six freshmen. Proud much?”

  “I told you so,” Derina said to Harvali. “Seven months, and they didn’t even know each other before.”

  The knight looked back. “Two of us. The kids tapped out two of us.” Then Harvali met Ioha’s eyes. “The two of us need to have a long talk later.” He looked at them all. “I apologise for forcing the match on you. And just for your knowledge, your party could compete on even terms with any second-year party in this school.” He stroked his chin. “This is why we need to talk.”

  Ioha sat down. This wasn’t what he expected. “A long talk?”

  “Yes, after I tell you what you all need to know. Long after. Do we have accord?”

  Accord? He really is stuck up. “Sure.”

  “Your leader, Sir Questingtank, will soon get into a lot of trouble. You need to look the other way.”

  “What the…” Karaki began. ‘

  “Please listen to him first,” Derina said.

  “Sir Questingtank holds a sainthood. The first documented one for over a hundred years. This has to stay a secret.”

  And that pretty much shut them all up.

  “And you, Sir, must accept what happens to you, or none of us can help. Do you understand?”

  Ioha nodded. Something bad was coming his way. He had known from before the excursion. There were signs, and not very subtle ones. “I understand.”