Heaven's Greatest Professor

He really didn't mistake in recognising people. The woman's aura was colourless and private, but nothing insidious. She might not be naturally good at controlling her aura, but she did not give away much about herself through her aura.

Her aura was mostly retracted within her body as if she didn't want others to see her true self. That did not make her nefarious, only more self-conscious. After all, Warden himself had a similar practice of aura.

"You," she opened her mouth again, "don't let me find you again... I might take you on that offer..."

Leaving those empty threats, she shot out of the water and flew away, the darkness covering her complete form.

Warden watched her leave and couldn't help but mutter, "Why do I feel like I'll meet her again?"

Clicking his tongue, he sat down and went back to work again.

By the time the sun rose in the broken sky, Warden had finished up completing carving runes on a gauntlet. So far, the night had been thoroughly productive, other than the little hitch with that obtusely stunning woman with the darkness element.

After meditating for some time, he was mildly refreshed from the exhaustion of the tireless work. He stood up, stretched and exercised a little before going back to the camp. He was told to be present on sunrise, and he was already late by a few minutes. Not that he thought anyone would hold that against him.

Unsurprisingly, there weren't that hard on rules, considering it was the day after the skirmish.

"You're back," Caleb said with the brush in his mouth.

Only then Warden was aware he didn't pack his brush or other essentials with him when he departed. Well, he could get those essentials, by asking around.

"The sergeant was looking for you," Caleb said, spatting.

"Me, for what?" Warden raised an eyebrow.

"Probably wanted to introduce you to the captain," Caleb said, shrugging. "You have caught some attention during the fight at the valley, after all."

"So, is this good or bad?"

"Depends, honestly. If you're a laid-back person, it will be bad since all this will get you is more work with some recognition... But you definitely didn't seem like a lazy ass, so it might be good for you. The captain can even help you in training..."

"Training what exactly?" Warden asked. The rank of captain tends to be given to silver rankers who were a master at something. While Warden was a master spearman, he hadn't mastered the form of Intent yet... Maybe the captain has some insight in intent...

"Well, mostly related to energy manipulations and refining oneself," Caleb said. "Just don't be an ass in front of her."

Hearing that, Warden was mildly disappointed. Well, his hope was a long shot, after all. "You seem to respect the captain a lot?"

Caleb shrugged.

"Is she like... us? Convicted for some reason?" Warden asked.

Caleb nodded and did not explain anything else.

A few minutes later, Luis really called him up and guided him to meet with this reverent captain of theirs.

"This is Warden, the person I told you about," Luis introduced the moment they entered the room. "He's proficient in fighting and a very promising candidate. Warden, tell us again how many points did you earn in the skirmish yesterday?"

Warden didn't have a mouth to answer the moment he laid eyes upon the captain. She was tall, brimming with the spring of youthfulness, probably the youngest of the bunch in the 16th infantry, along with the likes of Pino. But compared with that former auxiliary class, this woman was the captain.

She had an oval-shaped countenance with a lovely figure, and long black hair bound in a braid. She had a frosty look in her sapphire blue eyes when she lifted her head from the papers to look at him.

Shit! Warden cursed inwardly. This woman was exactly the one he had troubled with last morning. The one he gazed upon when she was bathing in open water nonchalantly.

"Warden, huh?" she said coldly.

"Yes," he said. Ignoring everything of the past, he immediately saluted.

The captain raised an eyebrow, cold light glowing in her eyes, as though she was considering how she'd handle him. "So, what are you charged for?"

"It's complicated, ma'am," he said, keeping his stance even. "The gist is that I had beaten up a noble when he tried to capture me with an alleged crime."

"Hmm," the captain lifted her papers and handed them to Warden. "Here it says more, though. Care to explain them?"

Warden skimmed through the report to find, it was on him, about what he was convicted for. Naturally, what was written was the thorough report they had convicted him for.

"So, you just didn't beat up a noble, did you?"

Warden shrugged. Did he read this woman wrong before? Whatever it was, he didn't really feel like explaining himself. Ultimately, it would be his words against the report.

Warden returned the report to her, still standing awkwardly, waiting to what they do with him. Whatever it was, he would be stuck here for six months, he couldn't change that.

"So how many points did you earn again?" the captain asked.

"164," he added.

"After the cut?"

He nodded. Only then did he remember this woman was only at Iron rank, perhaps at the cusp of it. How could she be the captain? He turned to Luis, wondering if they were playing any tricks on him. Luis did not give away anything, but through his aura, Warden could glimpse upon the deep-rooted feeling he had for this young woman, who looked to be only in her early twenties.

"Hmm," the captain considered for a moment and turned to her sergeant. "How's in charge of the cleaning this month, Luis?"

Something twisted inside Warden's gut as he could foresee where this was going.

"Pine and Pino."

"Give them rest for this month," she said, smiling brightly. There was no malevolence in her mind as she spoke her decision. "Warden here will handle them for now."

Warden sighed. He had already seen it coming when she asked about cleaning duty. This new captain of his might not be vicious as he had thought, but she definitely was petty.

Now, he only hoped the cleaning wouldn't take too long.

"Lady Agnes, are you sure?" Sergeant Luis said. "I thought of bringing him here so that you consider him as an asset for our ranks... He single handedly took care of a pack of trolls in the fight and—"

Captain Agnes raised her hand to silence the Sergeant. "You doubt me?"

Luis shot him a look and then shook his head. experience-NovelFire

Well, that was a quick turn of opinion, sergeant, Warden mused.

"Good, you're dismissed."

Warden thought of giving a sharp retort before withdrawing, but he bit it back, considering it was his mouth which had brought him to this punishment in the first place. Although that weird mind mage was at fault for rioting his emotions. But the words were his.

"Do you have a complaint?" the captain asked. Her eyes narrowed, finding him still standing.

"No, not at all," he said brightly. "I love cleaning."