Chapter 16 A Friendly Advice

After Hemsley finally rescued Cedric from the angry mob of white knights, the class moved on to the next exercise: magic fundamentals.

"Alright, settle down!" Hemsley called out. "We'll be practicing basic barrier magic versus offensive spellcasting. Partners will take turns as defender and attacker. Defenders must erect a magical barrier to block incoming fire spells, low intensity only, we're not trying to burn anyone alive!"

He shot a pointed look at the class.

"Attacker will cast weak fire bolts at the defender's barrier. Defender must maintain concentration and keep the barrier intact. Switch roles after exchanges."

Students began pairing up again.

Cedric's eye twitched as Molly bounced over to him, her earlier tears completely evaporated, replaced by that same sparkly, innocent smile.

"Looks like we're partners again, desk buddy~! This is gonna be so fun!"

"No! No! Not again. I can't survive another round of her teasing. Maybe if I just walk away. Pretend I didn't hear. Join another group—"

"Mister Valmont, you're with Miss Moriana. Stop wandering."

Cedric froze mid-step. Trapped. He turned back slowly, resigned to his fate.

Molly stepped up to her designated spot.

"O-Okay, Cedric~ I'm counting on you to go easy on me, okay? I'm not very good at this whole barrier thing~"

 "Just put up your shield."

He raised his hand, a small flame flickering to life above his palm.

Molly raised her hands in front of her face, peeking over her fingers like a frightened kitten. A flimsy looking barrier flickered into existence.

He tossed the first fire ball. It was tiny. A baby flame.

It touched Molly's barrier.

"KYAAAAAA~!"

Molly stumbled backward, her barrier flickering wildly. She clutched her hands to her chest, her eyes wide with theatrical terror.

"It BUUUURNS~! Cedric, it's so HOT~! How can you be so CRUEL~?!"

The training yard went silent. Again.

Heads turned. Again.

Cedric's face went pale, then red, then purple.

"Is he shooting serious fire at that poor girl?"
"Dude! He's on his power trip again!"
 "Yeah, he's on his high horse again! LOOK at her. She's terrified!"

Molly stumbled again, her barrier barely holding.

"I'm trying so HARD~ but he's just too STRONG~!"

Cedric's hand trembled. The tiny flame in his palm extinguished.

"I-that was barely-it was the WEAKEST possible—"

"Oh no~! Did you say the last one~? All-out attack~?! You're going to... do it~?"

The male student body collectively shifted, several of them taking steps toward Cedric.

"Alright, switch," Hemsley called, before Cedric could be lynched. "Moriana attacks, Valmont defends. And Moriana—" He fixed her with a look. "—please keep your fire bolts to an appropriate level."

Molly nodded enthusiastically, her terrified expression instantly replaced by bright cheerfulness. "Of course, Professor! I would NEVER hurt my dear desk buddy~"

Cedric stepped forward, rolling his shoulders. Finally. A chance to show what he could do. Defense was his specialty. He'd trained for hours every day, building his magical resistance, perfecting his barrier technique.

He raised his hand, and a solid wall of holy blue light materialized before him, thick, stable, impressive. Exactly as it should be.

"Let's see her try to get through THIS!" 

Molly bounced to her spot. She raised her hand. A tiny flame flickered above her palm.

"That's it? That's—"

She threw it.

The tiny flame arced through the air and splashed against his barrier with a soft pfft.

"Oh? That was too weak? You're giving me that smug look, desk buddy? You think your little wall is so impressive? Let's see how long that lasts."

She raised her hand again. Another flame. Then another. And another. Tiny fireballs launching like pebbles from a slingshot. 

Cedric's arms came up; both hands pressed against the inside of his barrier. Sweat beaded on his forehead. The wall was vibrating.

"Her attacks! They get stronger and faster! What-what IS this?!"

Behind him, the other students had noticed.

"Whoa, look at her go!"
"She's like a machine gun!"
"GET HIM, MOLLY! SHOW HIM WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE AT THE RECEAVING END!"

Cedric's barrier began to waver. Tiny fractures spiderwebbed across its surface. His arms shook with the effort of maintaining it.

"I can't... this is... HOW IS SHE DOING THIS?!"

"YEAH! THAT'S WHAT HE GETS FOR BULLYING THE HELPLESS GIRL!"
"HOW DOES HE LIKE THEM APPLES?!"
"NOT SO TOUGH NOW, VALMONT!"

Cedric's legs trembled. His barrier was seconds from shattering. A visible split ran down the center of his barrier.

"TIME!" Hemsley shouted, finally stepping in. "That's enough, Miss Moriana! Excellent... persistence. Mister Valmont, your barrier held admirably under sustained assault. Good job."

The barrier dissolved. He stood there, chest heaving, arms still raised in a defensive posture, staring at Molly like she'd just revealed herself as a dragon in disguise.

 She tilted her head, that innocent, sparkly smile back in place.

"Wow, Cedric! You're SO strong! I threw everything I had at you and you STILL held on! I'm like, SUPER impressed!"

The other students cheered.

"THAT'S RIGHT, VALMONT! YOU GOT HANDLED BY A GIRL!"
"TEACH HIM TO PICK ON SOMEONE HIS OWN SIZE!"

Cedric's legs finally gave out. He sat down hard in the grass, staring at nothing.

"I'm not strong enough. I trained for years. And she beat me with fireballs the size of peas. What even is my life anymore."

Molly bounced over and crouched beside him.

"Hey, Cedric~ You okay down there? Need a hand? Or maybe a nice cold drink? You look a little... burned out~ Hahaha, sorry... I could not help myself."

She giggled at her own pun.

Cedric didn't respond. He just stared into the distance, a single tear of existential despair tracing a path down his cheek.

---------------------

ACADEMY CAFETERIA - LUNCH HOUR

 At a corner table near the window, Leon sat with a tray of untouched food, his chin resting on one hand, his gaze fixed on some distant point outside.

His fork hovered halfway to his mouth, frozen in mid-air.

Across from him sat Greg and Kon. Greg was already on his second tray.

"Oi. Leon."

Greg waved a hand in front of Leon's face. Nothing.

He snapped his fingers. Still nothing.

"I think he's in a happy place, just leave him be Greg."

"What? No way, something's up."

"Something's wrong with Leon. He's been like this all morning. Didn't even flinch. Didn't eat his breakfast. Wait..."

He leaned forward again, a slow grin spreading across his face.

"Hey! Champion Boy!" He poked Leon's forehead with a finger. "You in there?"

Leon blinked. 

"...Hmm?"

 "There he is. What's got your head in the clouds? You've been staring at that wall for ten minutes. What's going on? You find a girlfriend or something?" He snorted, laughing at his own joke, playfully taping Kon on the shoulder. "I'm joking, obviously. There's no way YOU found one. You don't even notice when girls literally throw themselves at you. Remember last semester? Lady What's-Her-Face literally tripped into your arms, and you didn't even ask her name!"

Leon's expression didn't change. If anything, it grew more distant.

"Yeah, something like that."

Greg's laugh died in his throat. Kon's fork slipped from his fingers.

His mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.

"Are you serious? From all the people, you, got a girlfriend?" Kon asked. 

"Wait. Wait, wait, wait."

Leon finally looked at him, and there it was, a tiny, almost imperceptible flush on his cheeks.

"This bastard! He's blushing! The champion is blushing! About a girl!"

"Leon. Who is she? I need to know. Is she a noble? A commoner? Does she have a sister? Is her sister single? TELL ME EVERYTHING!"

Leon winced, rubbing his head.

"I wish I could tell them about her. That she's a demon and I have feelings for her. Her father is Demon lord, my enemy. She makes me feel things I don't understand. She asked me to be her boyfriend."

He sighed.

"It's... complicated. This one girl... she confessed her feelings and I don't know what to do."

"HUH!? What's so complicated about a girl confessing to YOU?! Either you like her or you don't! Is she not cute?! No, wait, stupid question! She made you BLUSH, so she's DEFINITELY cute! So, what's the problem?!"

"Don't tell me," Kon added, "all that responsibility crap is holding you back, isn't it? Fuck it, I say go for it, if you ask me."

Greg leaned forward, jabbing a finger at Leon's chest.

"Listen to me. You're the Champion Leon. You fight demon lord. You face down monsters that would make grown men cry. And you're telling me you're scared of dating a GIRL?!"

 "I'm not scared—"

"Is she not cute?! When you look at her, you don't want to be near her?!"

"I want to—"

"Then GO FOR IT! You think too much! Always thinking! 'Oh, the responsibilities' this, 'oh, the right thing to do' that! Who CARES?! A cute girl likes you! That's a WIN! Take the WIN!

What do you even have to lose? Worst case scenario, it doesn't work out and you go back to fighting monsters all day long. Best case scenario—" He waggled his eyebrows. "—you got yourself a girlfriend to enjoy things only couples can do. I'm talking about fun stuff, when you two all alone."