The Mage of Primordial Chaos

After lunch spent inside Ling Xin's special little world again, it was time to head to the third period for the day—Etiquette.

In other words, a useless lesson.

The teacher for this class was called Mr. Dul. That was not a joke. I guess it made sense, given how dull the lesson was. Really, all we learned was how to respond to orders, how to dress properly, how to behave during parades and formal gatherings… the list goes on. Some students in my class were actually interested, which baffled me beyond comprehension. How can someone physically find this interesting? None of the girls found this class exciting, but strangely, Claire seemed somewhat absorbed.

Though, when questioned about it, she just refused to answer and make an excuse like usual. The plan to get close to her was going to take no longer than expected, it seemed.

Anyway, the time spent in Etiquette class was a waste. It dragged on for what seemed like hours, so when we were finally released, all of us let out sighs of relief.

Now, the next class was Combat Training. This, I was excited for. I was also excited to see who the teacher would be. Would it be someone I know? Or would it be a stranger altogether? Either way, just the thought of combat training made me eager.

When I saw who the teacher was, however, all of a sudden I wasn't so eager anymore.

There, standing in the classroom, was none other than Sigil—the Celesticus Founder of the Library of Infinite Beginnings. He wore that usual warm smile on his face, that usual mask that covered his eyes. He had his wings hidden since they were quite large, but there was no doubt about it. He was Sigil.

I sighed before taking a sip of water. "… What are you doing here…?"

"I am your Combat Training teacher, young friend," Sigil replied, pretending like he didn't know me. "You may call me Mr. Ligis."

Pfft-

It took everything I had not to burst out laughing and cause all the water inside my mouth to spit onto his face. Ligis? Really? Sigil backwards? That's the best he could come up with?

Ah, whatever. His name's not the problem here. The real problem, is how much of a… wuss he is. I mean, he's practically radiating the 'I am a protector of peace' vibes around his body. He hates fighting, violence, and anything of the sort. Having him as our Combat Training teacher… oh god, what was the school thinking…

I'm beginning to think the Library's various Founders threatened or bribed Tian Lin into giving them the teacher positions they wanted, not the ones they deserved…

"Alright~ come in, come in, everyone~" He said softly, clapping his hands together like we were five year old children or something. He had a warm blush on his face and a gentle smile, like we were his kids.

I had no idea what was wrong with this guy, but apparently, he liked kids. Not in the pedophilia sense, but in the he-wanted-to-be-a-father sense. But then again… if he really wanted kids, with his looks, it wouldn't be hard to find a wife. I'm sure there were plenty of beauties in Celestica, so if he really tried…

… Wait, unless… he swung the other way?

I didn't want to think about it. I really didn't. However, I did make a mental note to myself to ask Sylvoir about this the next time I saw her, which would probably be tomorrow. 

"My name is Mr. Ligis, for those of you who didn't hear just now," Sigil reiterated, spreading his arms. "I will be your Combat Training instructor for this year, and hopefully forever. For the purpose of this class, your duo will also be your training partner. Since this is our first day together, we'll start off with something simple—beating your partner in a weaponless fight! One wins when they trap their opponent in an unbreakable stance. No giving up or surrendering will be allowed! Try your hardest, okay~?"

No giving up allowed? That's harsh. And saying that with such a warm smile on his face was juts downright cruel. But as teenagers, hearing that only fueled our egos, and most of the class was eager to fight. The more physically weak ones were reluctant, but it's not like they could refuse. As part of the Vanguard, they needed to master physical, hand-to-hand combat. Even though they'll be fighting in Hexdroids most of the time, when it came down to it, physical combat was still the basics of the basics—a necessary skill any soldier must be capable of.

As for me… Claire was my opponent. I've had my fair share of experience in the field of combat before, but when it came to bare hands… I honestly wasn't sure if I could beat her. Sure, I could most likely overpower her rawly, but that would be revealing too much of my strength—which I wanted to avoid, if possible.

"So… are you ready?" I asked, turning to her.

"Hmph. More ready than ever." Claire, with a crooked smile on her face, glared me down. It was as if this combat training had finally given her the excuse she needed to pummel me, but quite frankly, I'm afraid she was going to get her hopes shattered. Although I didn't want to outright destroy her, I also wasn't going to lose that easily. I had a man's pride to protect, after all.

"When both partners are ready, you may begin!" Sigil announced, throwing his hands into the air. "Do your best, since this practice will serve as a diagnostic test for all of you so I can determine your skill levels! Start anytime! Remember, there is no time limit, but if I see any dawdling around, I'll personally intervene! Also… the first partner who gets to beat their opponent has the right to challenge me!"

My ears perked up.

Oh? If that's the case, then… I take back everything I just said. Sorry, Claire, but I have a dude to beat up.