The director tilted her head slightly. "If I had to choose between the two reasons, then of course the latter. If he has enough ability, the rest is irrelevant. But can he prove it?"
"Then why not arrange a test?" Argus said firmly.
Some time later, at the academy's spiritual arts training ground, Gita spread his arms out to the sides and said with a wry smile, "Today is the entrance exam, so the campus is almost empty. At least you won't embarrass yourself in front of all the students."
Cedo stared at him silently, expressing neither anger nor excitement. The director stood nearby, arms crossed over her chest. The rules were simple. He would be pitted against one of the instructors. A duel with someone who taught the art himself was the quickest way to test his abilities, was it not?
One of the students stood frozen nearby, his eyes wide. What was going on? He had heard there was some kind of duel, but he had never seen teacher Gita fight anyone.
Cedo thought briefly. It was useless to try to prove anything with words. Only strength was valued here.
The director lifted her chin slightly. Well. They would see what this inferior being was capable of.
Argus stood staring at the training ground. Now, for the first time, I'll see what he can do in a real fight. Lesser beings had weak bodies. Even if they could use sacred power, it was barely noticeable. He hoped he was not mistaken.
Gita narrowed his eyes at Cedo and said with a grin, "Are you ready? Then I'll go first."
With those words he concentrated a huge clot of fiery energy in his palms. The flames rose above him, scorching the air. The next second he threw the stream straight at Cedo, but Cedo only dodged slightly, and the flames flashed past without touching him by a hair. The students who had managed to make it onto the training ground froze with their mouths open.
Gita noted this briefly and thought: a few students have come to watch. Well, let them see how quickly an impostor ends.
He immediately reorganized the energy. Now electrical discharges flashed in his hand. With a loud cry he threw it forward. Cedo jumped back easily, somersaulting gracefully, avoiding the blow.
Dodging is all he knows how to do, Gita muttered to himself. A lesser being. He might not have managed to become a paladin, but he had once been the academy's top student, and he certainly would not lose to someone like that.
He unleashed another stream of fire at Cedo, pouring all his confidence into the blow. And Cedo went on dodging, as if dancing amid the raging elements.
I really don't like using this power against people, he thought. But it seems there's no choice.
And then he began to gather his own energy. "I'll show only a little."
The next moment the space around Gita seemed to shrink. He was suddenly pressed to the ground, and the stone surface beneath him began to crack deeply. Those present froze, unable to believe their eyes.
Gita, gasping for breath, thought: what? What was that?
One of the students whispered, "Did he change the gravity around him? I've never seen such a spiritual art."
Cedo smiled slightly and said calmly, "It seems the academy still has a lot to learn. And not just the students. All of you."
After that he adjusted the glove on his hand. A second later Gita, trembling all over, began to push himself up on his hands. Cedo snapped his fingers, and Gita cried out, "What did he do?"
"A spiritual art," Cedo answered.
Gita finally got to his feet, pointed a finger at him and cried out, "I've never heard of anything like this. This is some kind of trick."
"Calm down," Cedo replied.
The director, observing all this, finally said that she thought everything was clear.
"Indeed," Argus added quietly.
Nearby, Lismeria stood with her arms crossed and thought: that was definitely a special spiritual art. But how? Lesser beings, not blessed by the spirits, have almost no sacred power. So who is he really?
A week later, in the academy assembly hall, the director stood behind the podium, speaking loudly and clearly.
"At this academy we teach theory, but our main task is training warriors to fight the distorted ones. True fighters are what we need. Those who fail will be expelled without delay. But if you complete your training, you will have a chance to join the Order of Paladins. Everything depends only on your own abilities."
On the balcony, slightly to the side, stood one of the students. Turning to her friend, she said quietly, "Yeah. There are plenty of commoners here today."
The other nodded silently, showing no particular interest.
Leon came over to them, leaned on the railing and said casually, "Hi. It's not often you're seen at an entrance ceremony." She doesn't care about other people at all, he thought.
She replied dryly that she could say the same about him.
Leon chuckled. "Well, if there are any noblemen among the newcomers, it's worth getting to know them better. That's why you're here, right?"
She wanted to answer, but suddenly froze, looking down.
Leon noticed Cedo among those present and frowned. "Why is there a lowly being among the teachers?"
Lismeria, standing nearby, answered calmly, "Because he's a teacher."
Leon cried out in surprise. "What?"
Lismeria tilted her head slightly. "What do you think of this man?"
"What's there to think about?" he replied. "He's simply a lowly being."
"That's what I thought," she said.
At that moment Cedo slowly glanced around the hall. The academy is huge, he thought. The investigation will take a long time. And the looks here really aren't very friendly. If nothing changes, I'll stand out too much and eventually become the most suspicious person in the building. First I need to at least be accepted.
Some time later Gita was giving a lecture in the study hall.
"So. Starting today we are resuming classes in the spiritual arts. And don't think you can simply sit it out. If you hesitate, even the first years will overtake you. You may think you're the elite, but—" He suddenly pointed a finger at one of the students. "What's this? Why are there so few of you today? Do you even want to be here?"
Lismeria crossed her arms over her chest and sighed quietly. Obviously.
Gita glanced sideways at Cedo and thought, with a barely perceptible sneer: who here would seriously listen to some lowly being?
Then he pointed at the podium. "Well then, teacher Cedo. Please introduce yourself to the students."
Cedo stepped up to the podium, looked calmly around the room and said that, as they had already heard, his name was Cedo. He would be teaching them spiritual arts. He would not promise that his lessons would be easy.
Leon leaned back on the bench and chuckled. "Does he really think he can handle it?"