Chapter 564

The students, who had been yowling like cats in heat, regained their composure after witnessing my display of force. Truly, one swing of the sword speaks louder than a hundred words.

I exhaled a long puff of cigarette smoke toward the now-silent lecture hall, reflecting on the truths proven by the passage of time.

“I didn’t want to say this, but get a grip. Even the knights who graduated long ago are dropping like flies these days. Do you really think you have the luxury to chat idly with your current skill level?”

If my skills were at the level of a squire or knight, I’d be training non-stop, not even sparing time to sleep. With that level of skill, you’d be perfect for dying like a dog on the battlefield.

“You’re here not to enjoy a bright and cheerful youth, but to be thrown into war. If you have time for idle chatter, use it to learn more about the enemy or swing your sword one more time. Unless your life goal is to become a corpse right after graduation and have your name listed on a damage report no one will read.”

“…….”

Maybe that was a bit too harsh.

Glancing around, the students’ faces had darkened completely, as if they were different people from before the lecture started. It was like a comedy stage where a clown with a gun told jokes no one laughed at.

But it was necessary. With that kind of mindset, they wouldn’t survive the world ahead.

Ordinary kids might not understand, but once they enrolled in the academy, they had the duty to become the Empire’s core combat force. So they had to grow stronger.

My words might not change their mindset, but if this advice reduces the future death toll from eight out of ten to, say, four or five, then I couldn’t ask for more.

That’s why I prepared this lecture in the first place.

“…It seems everyone understands. Then, let’s resume the lecture. If you have any questions, please ask during the Q&A session.”

Unfortunately, there was no ashtray on the podium, so I casually flicked the cigarette ash onto the floor and began the lecture in earnest.

The staff will handle the cleaning.

—

“Some of you may know, and some may not, but the academy’s existing lectures focus on hostile entities… that is, targets like beastmen and monsters, who are in actual hostile relations with us.”

At least, that’s how it was when I was a student.

“On the other hand, this lecture will cover a broader range, targeting all races that, even if not currently enemies, have the potential to harm humanity in the future. Not just monsters and beastmen, but also fairies, dragonkin, and even dwarves.”

The students flinched slightly at the mention of dragonkin and dwarves being considered enemies, but the threat to stay quiet seemed effective, as no one made unnecessary noise.

“Since it’s the first day, let’s focus on one race. Monsters and beastmen are covered in other lectures… In terms of danger level, fairies would be a good choice.”

I picked up a piece of chalk and drew a figure on the half-broken chalkboard.

A long-eared archer. The typical appearance of a fairy.

[Even a dog with chalk could draw better than that.]

Hersela seemed to have a different opinion.

‘…Then you draw it.’

[Sadly, that’s difficult. If I start using Life Force Technique during the lecture, everyone would panic.]

Making excuses. Knowing Hersela’s personality, if she could draw well, she’d have stepped forward. Clearly, she’s no better than me.

“What is that…? You said you’d lecture on fairies, but why does it look like a monster…?”

“Shh…! Don’t make him angry again…!”

The students, lacking artistic appreciation, tilted their heads and whispered, unable to understand the simple beauty of my drawing.

Their voices were so quiet I didn’t feel the need to address it.

Meanwhile, Freide was practically burying her head to stifle her laughter.

…Is it that bad?

I thought it was a good drawing that captured the essence of a fairy.

—

…Whatever. It’s not like it’s going in an art gallery. As long as it’s recognizable, it’s fine.

I pointed at the fairy on the chalkboard with the chalk and continued the explanation.

“Fairies. Living proof that the saying ‘they become merciful and less greedy as they age’ is a lie. After living for a thousand years, they’ve developed rotten brains, twisted mental states, and extreme arrogance.”

[You have a fairy among your subordinates. Is it okay to say that?]

‘Well, she’d probably like it.’

Given Ferne’s personality, she’d probably drunkenly agree and start cursing fairies herself.

“They prefer bows, but after living for hundreds of years, those who’ve trained in swordsmanship are also skilled. Their light body weight makes them agile, and thanks to the Blessing of the World Tree, their physical abilities rival those of knights. Today, I’ll explain how to deal with fairies when you encounter them as enemies. Let’s start with the standard methods.”

Once the lecture began in earnest, the students listened intently, not even daring to breathe.

“The opponents you’ll face… that is, fairies of the patrol level and below, use a technique called ‘Spirit Arrow,’ where they shoot lower spirits as arrows to create magical phenomena. It’s faster than regular magic and has a longer range. If you face them from a distance, you’ll be roasted in no time.”

I drew a simple diagram to explain Spirit Arrow, and Hersela sighed deeply.

[…Can’t you skip the drawing?]

‘It’s much easier to understand than just words.’

I brushed off her complaint and continued.

“Spirit Arrow is powerful, but it has a weakness: the process of shaping the spirit into an arrow means you can predict what kind of attack is coming. So, if you have a magician in your party, countering with the opposite element is the standard method. I assume you all know that. So, let’s move on to non-standard methods.”

I drew the Elpinel Church Order’s cross over the spirit and marked a big X on its face.

“Spirits. Fairies may call them the spirits of nature or their friends, but that’s all nonsense. They’re just ghosts infused with elemental energy. In a way, they’re similar to necromantic monsters. So, using a divine miracle to purify spirits will cause them to ascend. It’s much more efficient than preparing opposing elemental magic.”

The students’ eyes widened in surprise, and even the observing professors looked skeptical.

Of course, it’s true.

Prejudice is a scary thing. The people of this world, believing only in the fairies’ claims of spirits being the essence of nature, never even thought to try divine purification.

But bored gamers try all sorts of crazy things. Some tried charming spells, thinking spirits had egos. Others tried tearing them apart with whirlwinds, thinking they’d die if dispersed. Some even tried eating them with devouring skills.

Among them, someone tried casting divine purification on a spirit. And when the spirit screamed and ascended, they posted it on the community.

The title was probably… “These guys aren’t necromancers, are they?”

Since the experiment proved it was several times more efficient than magic, it became the standard to prioritize having a priest capable of purification when dealing with fairies.

—

“If their Spirit Arrow is blocked, fairies have two choices. If fighting in a forest, they’ll control trees and bushes to attack. If outside, they’ll charge with swords. If they choose the former, set the forest on fire and run. There’s no chance of winning otherwise.”

Unless you can continuously burn down the entire forest, fighting fairies in a forest is suicide.

“If they choose the latter, you’ll engage in close combat… The best method is to use your weight to overpower them, but I doubt you’re capable of that.”

If you have overwhelming strength like me, you can crush them, but that’s not feasible for those who aren’t even masters.

“So, the next best option is to target their fundamental weakness.”

I moved a few steps to the side and approached the first fairy drawing, marking its weakness with a big X.

Even a child could recognize it.

“Right here, target the fairy’s ears. Fairies cherish their ears, not allowing anyone but their spouse to touch them. That’s because it’s their weak spot.”

It’s a weakness that can’t even be protected by armor.

I stubbed out the finished cigarette and lit a new one, continuing.

“Fairy ears, unlike ours, are packed with nerves. They aid in mating, maintain balance, and act as a catalyst for receiving the Blessing of the World Tree.”

No wonder they’re called ear-fighters. Grabbing their ears hard enough can make their legs give out, rendering them powerless. A truly fatal weakness.

Of course, some might endure or recover and counterattack…

“So, even if you have to sacrifice some flesh, charge in and slice or rip off their ears. At that moment, they’ll no longer be a threat but a lump of meat unable to stand on their own. Understood?”

In one-on-one combat with a fairy, there’s no better method. It’s the best strategy verified by players who sold fairy slaves for funds.

After that, I spent about an hour explaining other methods verified by me and other players.

Use wind magic to lift them into the air and let them fall to their death.

Spirit Arrows transform into magic upon impact, so deflect the arrows mid-flight.

Their hearing is exceptionally sharp, so roar near their ears to shock them.

They take pride in their long lifespan, so mock them for being driven west by humans despite their age… and so on.

“-That concludes today’s lecture. Any questions?”

The long-awaited Q&A session arrived, but the students only fidgeted with doubtful expressions, none daring to ask.

Well, except for one.

“Does that method really work? It’s the first time I’ve heard of it…”

A bespectacled female student raised her hand, her voice filled with skepticism, questioning the effectiveness of my lecture.

“Of course. These are verified methods, tested against fairies.”

My answer was filled with confidence.

It had to work. I wasn’t just explaining game strategies but methods verified in reality, even confirmed by asking Ferne.

When I mentioned lecturing on how to kill fairies, she enthusiastically answered in detail.