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Aisha Bizvel’s cousin—

Rexaron Bizvel.

To be honest, I don’t know much about him.

And with good reason—he was never supposed to be an assistant professor in the first place.

‘Even when walking the path of righteousness, deviations always occur.’

Rexaron was one of those deviations.

As befitting a northern border noble of House Bizvel, he was of immense stature.

His bloodline, famed as a warrior clan, gave him an overwhelming physique and combat ability.

Even Aisha, who was considered tall and slender for a woman, looked small before him.

"Hmm?"

At that moment, Rexaron noticed me entering the training room.

A chill ran down my spine as our eyes met.

It didn’t feel like I was looking at a human.

Even a gorilla probably had less muscle than him.

He scanned me up and down before speaking.

"Little first-year, sorry, but I’m still in the middle of training. You’ll have to wait to use the training room."

It seemed he couldn’t see my name tag.

"Professor Rexaron, I’m Hannon Irey, a second-year student council member."

"Second-year?"

Rexaron finally examined my name tag, then rubbed his short beard with his hand.

"You must not be eating enough. Make sure you eat more from now on!"

"Thank you for the advice. But more importantly, may I ask what’s going on here?"

The student council had the right to inquire about disturbances, even from assistant professors.

Since the academy assigned us tasks, we were granted some authority in return.

That was why I deliberately mentioned the student council.

Fortunately, Rexaron took my words seriously.

"It’s a personal training session. Although I’m an assistant professor, with the upcoming Demon Dungeon expedition, I must be even stricter with my cousin. Aisha is still too weak. I was showing her reality."

Aisha is weak?

That made no sense.

Anyone who had seen her spin her greatsword like a windmill would never say that.

But Rexaron’s eyes were serious.

"Reality won’t change no matter how many times you point it out."

At that moment, Aisha emerged from the wrecked wall, gasping for breath.

She gripped her greatsword tightly, glaring fiercely at Rexaron.

"I am going to the Demon Dungeon."

"Hah."

Rexaron let out an exasperated sigh.

"Aisha, I told you—you’re too weak. You’d be better off taking bridal lessons."

He hoisted a greatsword as large as his own body onto his shoulder, looking every bit like a barbarian.

"You insisted on attending Zerion Academy, so I let you go, but look at yourself. You can’t even withstand my sword."

"Even so, I have no intention of taking bridal lessons to become your wife, Rexaron."

A wife.

That word triggered a realization.

In House Bizvel, cousin marriages were permitted.

The northern region was so isolated that such customs were allowed.

This was one of the reasons Bizvel was often labeled as a clan of barbarians.

"Hah… A woman should marry a strong man—that’s the natural order."

Rexaron spoke as if frustrated.

"There isn’t a single man my age stronger than me. Aisha, why don’t you understand that being embraced by a strong man is a woman’s greatest happiness?"

His eyes were sincere.

He had grown up entirely within Bizvel’s closed-off traditions.

To him, Aisha’s behavior was utterly incomprehensible.

"Happiness isn’t the same for everyone."

But Aisha had left her family behind and chosen Zerion Academy.

Her blue eyes gleamed with determination.

"I just want to walk my own path."

Rexaron silently observed her.

"Very well, then."

Then, slowly, he pointed his greatsword at Aisha.

"You’ll simply have to learn how futile that path is."

The atmosphere grew heavy, as if they would clash at any moment.

"Hold on."

I could no longer just stand by and watch.

I had promised to take Aisha to the upcoming Autumn Demon Dungeon Tournament.

If she couldn’t go, our frontlines would be significantly weakened.

I had to prevent that.

"Senior Hannon?"

Aisha belatedly realized I was there.

She had been so focused on Rexaron that she hadn’t noticed me.

To think he’d rough her up like this right before the expedition—he must be out of his mind.

‘This man… He really doesn’t intend to let Aisha go to the Demon Dungeon.’

I stepped in front of Aisha.

She was our strongest vanguard in the upcoming tournament.

I couldn’t let anything happen to her.

"Little second-year, stay out of this. It’s a family matter."

Rexaron looked at me with an annoyed expression.

He clearly didn’t see me as a threat.

But I had no intention of backing down.

"No. Precisely because it’s just a family matter, I’m stepping in."

"‘Just’ a family matter?"

Rexaron’s eyes darkened dangerously.

To him, Bizvel was everything.

In House Bizvel, only the strong inherited the family name.

Even if one wasn’t a direct descendant, there were no exceptions.

Rexaron was one of the top candidates to inherit Bizvel.

When he claimed no one his age could match him, it wasn’t arrogance—it was a fact he truly believed.

To him, House Bizvel was greater than the empire itself.

But to me, none of that mattered.

What mattered was the scenario.

"Little second-year, your words are disrespectful. Were you not taught manners?"

"And what manners are you talking about? House Bizvel, the one that claims ‘manners are equal before fists’?"

"At least you understand! Then maybe I should teach you some proper manners!"

This brute—words wouldn’t get through to him.

"Besides, Aisha is the top-ranked first-year in martial arts. If even she isn’t allowed to go to the Demon Dungeon, then who is?"

"That’s what I’m wondering too. Everyone’s just too damn weak! That’s why I took this position as an assistant professor."

"Then does that mean you won’t let any of the first-years participate in the Demon Dungeon?"

Starting from the second semester, regular first-years would also take part in the expedition.

As soon as I pointed this out, he snorted dismissively.

"It doesn’t really matter, except for Aisha."

"…Excuse me?"

I couldn’t understand for a moment and asked again.

"Aisha is my future bride. As her husband-to-be, I can’t allow my bride to be put in danger. That’s the only reason I object. I have no reason to oppose the other kids participating in the tournament."

"…So you're stopping Aisha purely for personal reasons?"

"I’m pretty sure I already told you—it’s a family matter."

At that moment, I realized something.

This wasn’t a matter that could be solved with common sense.

His common sense and mine were completely different.

Trying to argue common sense with someone who had a different perspective would only lead to conflict, not resolution.

There was only one way to persuade him.

I had to act within his version of common sense.

I decided to abandon my own.

There was no point in beating around the bush with words that wouldn’t get through anyway.

"I’ve heard that the Bizvel family follows the words of the strong."

"That’s right."

Rexaron answered without much hesitation.

"In that case, if there’s someone stronger than you at Zerion Academy, would you be willing to follow their words?"

"Senior!"

Aisha gasped and called out to me.

She had realized the implication of my words.

And so did Rexaron, who squinted his eyes at me.

"Oh?"

A whistle of amusement escaped his lips.

This was a man who had fought his entire life in the northern lands of Bizvel.

A man who never backed down from a fight.

"Fine. There’s a saying: ‘When in the Empire, follow the Empire’s laws.’ If there’s someone stronger than me at Zerion Academy, I’ll follow them."

A murderous glint flickered in Rexaron’s eyes.

As expected of a northerner, he didn’t hesitate to direct such killing intent at a mere student.

He truly was someone beyond my common sense.

"Senior, you can’t!"

At that moment, Aisha grabbed my shoulder and cried out.

"I know you're strong, Senior! But no matter how strong you are, you can’t beat Rexaron!"

Even the usually strong-willed Aisha shrank in front of Rexaron.

That was how absurdly powerful he was.

And I was well aware of it too.

Back when he saved the Saint, he was at the level of a Cardinal-tier monster.

Which is why—

"Huh? What are you talking about? I have no intention of fighting."

I had to attend the Autumn Demon Dungeon Tournament tomorrow.

Why would I be crazy enough to fight a monster like him?

"Huh?"

Aisha blinked in confusion at my words.

I grinned at her.

"Professor Rexaron just said it himself. If there’s someone stronger than him at Zerion Academy, he’ll listen to them."

"Y-Yes, that's right."

"There is someone like that."

My eyes curved into crescent moons as I looked at Rexaron.

"Someone even you can’t do anything about. So just wait a moment."

I’ll bring them right away.

Leaving behind a bewildered Aisha, I quickly ran out of the training hall.

Even Rexaron, who had expected me to challenge him, seemed to realize something strange was happening.

I sprinted up the stairs at full speed.

Then, I flung open the door to a certain professor’s lounge—the place where one particular professor would always be slacking off.

"Whoa!"

A woman, who had just opened a can of beer, was startled by my sudden entrance and spilled some of it.

With a regretful expression, she hurriedly drank what was left.

Then, with beer foam still on her lips, she glanced at me.

"What do you want, Hannon?"

Drinking beer so casually during working hours—

It was almost impressive that she was even considered a professor.

"Professor, didn’t you say you don’t drink before the Demon Dungeon Tournament?"

"Listen, kid, look closely. This is a beverage."

Professor of second-year martial arts, Vega Mercia.

She shamelessly held up her beer and called it a beverage.

"Anything under 10% alcohol is just a drink to me."

She ignored every societal norm.

"Anyway, what’s the problem? You came running in here like your life depended on it."

Vega chugged down the rest of her beer.

"There’s an issue. I need your help."

"My help?"

She raised an eyebrow and leaned back in her chair.

"Let’s hear it."

"Just come with me first."

I knew she wouldn’t budge if I just explained.

So, without hesitation, I grabbed the chair she was sitting on and lifted it.

With my trained physique, carrying both Vega and the chair was nothing.

"H-Hey, what—"

Vega panicked, but I ran off without hesitation.

She wobbled on the chair, but she didn’t fall off.

In no time, I rushed down the stairs and burst into the first-year training hall.

Inside, Aisha and Rexaron were waiting in awkward silence.

They turned to look at me—

And their faces immediately twisted in disbelief.

With a shameless grin, I set Vega and her chair down in front of them.

She looked extremely annoyed at having her break interrupted.

As I adjusted the slipper dangling from her foot, I made my grand declaration.

"Here you go. This is your opponent."

Behold, the strongest force in Zerion Academy.