Lucian Von Helsing was a legend in the Acheron Empire for many things but, among Mage-Knights, he was most known for being the greatest factor of Mage-Knights not being seen as a complete joke compared to the more 'Traditional Mages'.
Of course, Mage Knights had existed for millennia, probably as long as regular Mages, and many had destroyed stereotypes throughout history but none as great as Count Von Helsing. As such, he had amassed a lot of fans. One of them was Raoul Raoul who would happily give his left nut to shake hands with the Count. He said so himself.
Professor Raoul directed Caius to take a seat and as he did, he looked at the faces of the students gathered. They were about a third of their class's actual population with the vast majority being boys.
Caius saw faces he expected to see;
Aurelius and Baler were there but Doran was missing. The only one in their group not to have an interest in Mage-Knight training.
And then there was… Delia Kragsten.
Of course, she was there.
Even if Caius hadn't read the original story, it was clear from Combat Magic class earlier today that this was Delia's true passion. But the look she gave him though. It was cautious. She narrowed her eyes at him and held his gaze for a good few seconds before looking away and making a point to ignore him.
"Huh," Caius let out in a low voice.
He still remembered that look of almost hate he felt she had given him right after Combat Magic class. A look he still didn't understand.
The Mage-Knight Training classroom was an arena like the Combat Magic Classroom. It was just missing the leveled spectator seats. Instead, there was a massive raised stage and space around the stage for them to sit or stand and observe what was happening on it.
There were also no chairs. Just raised platforms they could sit or kneel on. It looked and had the feel of a dojo. There were racks all over stacked with training weapons that lacked any real edge that could cause permanent damage and there were statues for practice but they were so carelessly thrust aside that it didn't look like the class was going to be making much use of them.
The students were all seated in a straight line as there were not that many of them and everyone wanted to have a good unobstructed view of the stage. Delia was seated on the end closest to Caius and she had left three seating platforms between herself and a male student who was sneaking nervous glances at her.
It would have taken wanting to get as far away from her as possible for Caius to go to the other extreme end of the seating line so of course he didn't do that. However, with three seats between Delia and the student closest to her, Caius had choices and didn't have to sit right next to her. But what would be the fun in that?
When he sat right by Delia's side, he saw out of the corner of his eyes that she glanced at him, surprised and then she looked cautious again as she looked away and back at the stage.
Professor Raoul gave him a wink and a thumbs-up. Probably thinking Caius was brave in his decision. He then kept that enthusiastic grin as he continued his lecture from where he had been forced to stop when Caius entered.
"Now, as I was saying, there is an array of specializations in becoming a Mage-Knight. As many as the various weapons you can choose to wield. Every class of weapon has its own set of moves, of stances, and sometimes cannot be interchanged.
For instance, the Spear gives a good bit of range even in melee that a sword or dagger won't give you but lacks the maneuverability, especially in tight spaces that shorter weapons have.
You have to take note of the weight distribution of the weapon. They're not all as balanced as a sword and sometimes you don't want balance. Sometimes you want a smashing destructive weight that something like a war hammer will give."
It honestly didn't sound like Professor Raoul was lecturing. It felt more like he was just talking about his passions which made sense as this was all just an introduction to a very broad topic. But it also made it engaging.
Especially whenever he'd talk about a weapon and pull it out of his Storage Ring to give it a good few spins and also some practice swings that had the class just mesmerized.
Delia certainly was. She was extremely focused with a wide grin on her face and her stormy grey eyes twinkling with interest.
And then her expression dropped. Caius thought she might have felt he had been staring at her too much but quickly realized it wasn't about him.
Someone had walked into the Mage-Knight training classroom. No one had even heard the doors open again after Caius closed them. They also hadn't heard the new arrival close it again. She was just suddenly in the class and walking steadily towards the stage.
Midnight blue gown with golden patterns. Nice and round tits whose cleavage was being teased by a little boob window on the gown. Her black hair was held in a bun at the top of her head with a golden string. Glistening Bronze skin and a smile that had every boy catching his breath.
"Sorry to intrude, Professor Raoul," Professor Cynthia Kragsten said with one hand on her waist and in a pose that Caius could only describe as sensual. Also, she didn't sound sorry.
"Yes, Professor?" Professor Raoul said with a raised brow.
"There's a student in your class that should not be here," Cynthia Kragsten said and somehow, it was clear to Caius in that moment that she was here as a sister and not as a teacher.
Professor Raoul looked confused as he asked,
"Really? Who?"
"Shit!" Delia said at the same time. She probably meant for it to be in a low voice but it came out loud enough to catch the attention of the two Professors in the classroom.
Raoul Raoul looked between the two sisters and noticed the similarity in their looks quickly enough and his mouth made an 'O' shape of realization as he nodded.
"What's your name?" He asked Delia calmly.
"Delia Kragsten," Delia answered.
Professor Raoul nodded and turned to Cynthia,
"Is there a reason you think Delia should not be in this class?"
Cynthia shrugged,
"She'a a Kragsten. She's not meant to be slumming it here with the uncultured. She's meant to rise above it all. To learn the spirituality of magic and not just the might of it.
I think that explains my stance well enough. I'll be taking Delia with me now."
"Cynthia, you can't do this!" Delia said and she stood up, stamping her foot in indignation.
Raoul looked between the sisters again,
"She looks like she wants to be here though," he said.
Cynthia smiled. It was a sweet smile but Caius could see the venom in it.
"Doesn't really matter what she wants, does it? While at Lochxen, I am her guardian. My will is the will of the Kragsten family and we don't want one of our own here."
The students shared looks like she was insulting them directly. And she might as well have been. That was about two times already that Cynthia Kragsten had been condescending to what they were trying to learn. It seemed to cut deeper here than it did when she said it during Combat Magic class.
Professor Raoul didn't look hurt though. He just smiled and wagged a finger as he said,
"Ah, but it does matter. I might be mistaken but I'm pretty sure the only one who can decide which class a Student can take or not is the Student, that would be Delia, and the Professor of the class in question. That would be me.
She seems happy to be here…"
"I am!" Delia interrupted to add.
Raoul acknowledged her with a smile and completed his sentence easily,
"… So, she will stay."