"...!

"

Even though the newly arrived knight wasn't taking any hostile actions besides standing in front of them with his enchantments active, all the teachers called upon their defensive spells instinctively.

Everyone felt that their spells activated slower – and it wasn't just an illusion either - the flow of their mana really did slow down even though they weren't directly in contact with the ice enchantment.

The effect of the ice magic was especially visible when it came to the water magicians.

Their spells were distorted and their mana was almost refusing to flow as if it didn't want to work against the ice.

|All water mana ultimately wants to become the ice mana...|

The blue-haired teacher, Rokiana, recalled the words of her late grandfather as her water bubble wavered as if she was facing a hurricane and couldn't keep a proper shape even for a second.

"I-I remember you! You're the fourth son of the Auequas! Didn't you get disinherited? How dare you bust in here and threaten the teachers of the Aspakeony Academy!?

"

The red-haired middle-aged teacher recognized the knight and frowned.

With his body glowing red from the enchants, he walked up to the light-blue-haired knight with his head held high.

"If you don't want trouble, you will leave the faculty office immediately!

"

Since the red-haired teacher knew that he was of higher status than the knight, he started acting as if he could order the knight around and waved his hand glowing with the weak fire enchantments in front of Mizoe's face...

"Who allowed you to speak to me about anything else than what I asked?

"

"!!???!?!?!?!?!?!!

"

Mizoe's glare hardened and he grabbed the red-haired teacher's hand - the red glow of the enchantment instantly disappeared as the ice magic completely stopped the red-haired teacher mana within a single second.

"H-How dare you! U-unhand me!

"

The teacher squealed terrified as his hand started becoming stung with the ice so cold that it was burning his skin.

The red-haired man's face twisted in pain and he opened his mouth in a silent scream.

"S-stop! P-p-please...!

"

The teacher slumped down on his knees and his tone changed to the one of a horrified plea of mercy.

"...

"

But Mizoe didn't let go.

He kept glaring at the powerless teacher with the same strict and grim expression, indifferent to his suffering.

"Sir Auequas!

"

Rokiana didn't like the red-haired teacher but she couldn't just let the situation stay like this either. She recalled her magic since the closer she would get the more useless it would become. and took a step forward.

"...?

"

Mizoe glanced at her and raised his brow - his eyes darted down for a moment.

"...!

"

At first, Rokiana became irritated that she was being checked out in this sort of situation - but then she realized that the knight wasn't looking at her body – but straight at the rapier on her waist...

|He acts just like my grandfather...! Always vigilant no matter if the opponent can use magic or not...!|

Rokiana shook her head to get rid of the unnecessary thoughts - for some reason, she kept on recalling her late grandfather, and that always meant that she would get emotional, so she had to keep herself in check.

"Sir Auequas, could you please let this man go?

"

She asked calmly and walk closer towards the light-blue-haired man.

"...hmph...

"

"Ughuhuhgghghghgh...!

"

Mizoe sighed and freed the red-haired teacher - who was mumbling something ineligible while shivering from the cold - and even released his ice enchantment spell.

Well... Rokiana thought that Mizoe released the spell, while in fact, Mizoe's mana just ran completely dry, leaving him in a state of severe mana depletion.

That also meant that the light-blue-haired man would suffer all the side effects that came with that state...

The symptoms for Mizoe were very similar to the ones Zoemi suffered from since the difference in mana quantity wasn't all that much - that meant the light-blue-haired man became drunk,

But - as it goes with being drunk, everyone is a bit different.

In Zoemi's case, he would become wobbly and very emotional...

...while Mizoe...

"I asked a question and as the proper nobles, you should be well-behaved enough to answer. I also told you my name so it would be only proper to introduce yourselves too. Young lady, no matter how beautiful you are, a bit of common courtesy won't hamper your honor.

"

Mizoe would always turn authoritative and domineering.

"Ah! I am sorry...!

"

Rokiana blushed nervously and bowed her head apologetically.

"Don't be sorry, beautiful lady, just act with honor and pride as everyone should.

"

Mizoe spoke in a cold, indifferent voice.

"Yes! I am sorry, sir!

"

Rokiana left herself be scolded as if she was once again a little girl.

"Still not giving me your name? You must like that I'm calling you beautiful.

"

"...!

"

Mizoe sounded very strict and Rokiana blushed even more.

"Then, beautiful lady? Why did you and other teachers allow something as outrageous as whipping to happen to my son, and what are you going to do about the perpetrators?

"

Mizoe asked, every single bit as imposing as he was with the ice enchantments active.

"Sir! We have no excuses for ourselves, we were informed about what will happen but we didn't think the situation would become so serious...

"

Rokiana flinched and explained feeling extremely embarrassed over the failure.

"You thought that whipping won't be a serious thing? Beautiful lady, is that weapon by your waist not a sign that you are a knight? Have they changed the curriculum as did they change the type of weapon they would grant a graduate?

"

Mizoe tilted his head and pointed at Rokiana's rapier and then at his own short-sword.

"I-I doubt it, sir!

"

The blue-haired woman shook her head.

"Don't stutter. Speak clearly.

"

Mizoe raised his brow and declared.

"Sir, yes, sir!

"

Rokiana straightened her back and saluted since the tone used by the light-blue-haired knight reminded her of her time on the battlefield back at the borders of her territory.

The thing about becoming a knight was an influence of her grandfather too...

Curiously enough, Rokiana was the only teacher who wasn't aware of the planned punishment and learned about it only after the fact, unlike most of the faculty - but since she was the one to speak up to Mizoe, she was the one being scolded in everyone else's stead.

"What's done cannot be undone – then? What about the punishment for the responsible ones?

"

Mizoe shook his head with disappointment and asked furrowing his brows.

"That's...

"

"...!

"

Rokiana glanced at the other teachers who were busy helping out the red-haired teacher.

"Since the main culprit is the second prince of the kingdom, most of the faculty have opted to not take any action against him...

"

She clenched her fists and looked away in shame.

"To think the teachers would go against the Academy's policy so openly! Is sir Vereq not a headmaster anymore?

"

Mizoe shook his head and asked in disbelief.

"He is, sir! Our decision was just sent to him before you came in, sir!

"

Rokiana declared, straightening her back again.

"Then everything should end up as it should - I guess I leave it to him to deal with this insubordination.

"

Mizoe shrugged his shoulders, then he nodded towards the Rokiana and turned towards the exit.

"I will leave it at that then. I hope you will correct your way. It's a shame when a good knight is making such doubtful decisions.

"

The light-blue-haired knight called out to the blue-haired teacher making her flinch and blush at the same time.

"I'm sorry, sir!

"

Rokiana hurriedly lowered her head and apologized.

"You can stop with the sir too, I'm your senior, not instructor, beautiful lady.

"

Mizoe scoffed and hook his hand dismissively.

"Yes, sir... I-I mean, Yes, senior!

"

Rokiana stuttered and saluted again.

"If anyone would want to see me, I'll be by my son's side. Goodnight.

"

Mizoe declared with such pride as if he was at least a duke and walked outside leaving the stunned teachers behind.

-------

"W-welcome back...?

"

He didn't even stumble once and returned to Miriette's room - Miriette herself was staying in Zoemi's room for the moment, so only the medic watching over Zoemi greeted the knight nervously.

"Hello.

"

|The young lady Espine said that he didn't have a lot of mana but she must have been mistaken...!|

The poor medic almost had a heart attack because of the overbearing pressure surrounding the returned knight...

Even though Mizoe was dealing with the effects of the mana depletion so well – at the first glance - it didn't mean that he would actually remember anything that he did the next day though....