Burgund Haneiyuutan:Volume 1 Prelude

In a classroom

"As it stands, you will be expelled."

"Umm...professor. I could not hear very well. Could you please repeat it." 

"You will be expelled, if you remain as is. That is the situation."

The voices of two individuals echoed in the small room. One of them is a confused voice of a young boy. In contract, the other one is a calm voice of a mature woman. 

"....I'm sorry. I still could not hear very well..."

"I understand that this may be shocking, but if you remain as is, you will be out. OUT. Do you understand? It's time for a reality check, Mr. Harvest."

"Um...so you will be fired from the school, if nothing is done?"

"How do you get that? The one leaving is you, of course! Why would I, the instructor, be fired?"

"I thought that it is understandable for an instructor who cannot satisfactorily teach an immature student, even driving him to expulsion, to be fired...." 

Swish!!

The tip of a sword was right in front of the boy's eyes. The woman had drawn the sword she was carrying on her waist. The scary thing was, the boy had no idea when the woman drew the sword, let alone, put her hand on the grip. When he realized it, he found the tip of the sword almost touching his nose. 

She had drawn her sword at a divine speed. 

"If you talk back at me, I won't restrain myself."

"Yes, I am sorry, Miss Muska..."

The boy had no choice but to reply in a pitiful tone with cold sweat running down his body.

Well, this woman wearing a sword on her waist. 

It is a bit unsettling that she is arming herself with a sword, but it is not too odd considering her profession. She is a knight. 

This is a knight's academy - as the name suggests, it is an educational institution to foster knights. This woman is a real knight, and an instructor at this school. This boy is a student at this school. 

The name of this boy is Shun. He is a boy with black hair and eyes. 

The name of the female knight is Muska. Her full name is Muska Nyan Fronti. She is a beauty with cool eyes and brown hair tied in the back. Her mature body is contained in the knight's uniform. 

She is in her mid-twenties, and definitely passable as a gorgeous woman when she keeps her mouth shut. However, her face shows fatigue and somewhat lacks vigor. 

"Ms. Muska, why am I going to be expelled?"

".... Are you seriously asking this?"

"Couldn't you at least tell me the reason?"

Seeing Shun talk without reservation made Muska look sour. Then, she put her hand on her chest, as though she is in pain, and took a small bottle out of the pocket of her uniform. She opened the bottle, took a pill out into the palm of her hand, and threw it into her mouth. 

"Ms. Muska, is it the gastritis again?"

"Yes, it is. Having to take care of the problematic students is giving me head and stomach aches."

Muska's gastritis was well known among the students.

"Are you taking the medication as directed? It doesn't seem to be getting any better." 

"I am taking it. A bottle a day."

"Isn't that too much...?"

"Recently, I started taking medication for stomach irritation for over medicating."

"That is a downward spiral."

"The number one culprit is shameless..."

Muska contorted her beautiful face to glare at Shun.

"Well, it's all right. In any case, I think it is difficult to believe that you can pass with your grades."

"But I have managed to pass thus far, and was able to become a third level student."

"It is easy to pass to the next level. If you enroll at the school, you can progress to the third level. However, in order to become a knight, you have to pass the final exit exam. Your current grades do not even qualify you to take the exam.

"I am trying hard..."

"Then how do you explain these grades?"

Bang! Muska slammed the desk. There was a bundle of papers on the desk; they were Shun's grades at this school.

"You are the last place in every theoretical subject, language, math, history, politics, magic engineering, military strategy, and culture. What do you think about these grades?"

"I am not very good at using my brain..."

He is also at the bottom in practical subjects: swordsmanship, fighting skills, strategy, basic fitness.

"What about these?"

"I am not very good at using my body..."

"There is nothing you are good at!"

Muska exclaimed, close to screaming. She held her chest with one hand, and her head with another.

"Frankly, these grades are unbelievable. I nearly cried when I was writing your grades in the report card."

"Actually, it's rather laughable. Hahahahaha."

"Really, is this funny? Am I that ridiculous? Worrying about your grades to the point where it is making my stomach hurt? Is it that funny?"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Muska."

This is bad. Muska is starting to lose it. Shun is finally realizing that he cannot get by with a smile.

Having Muska say all this, finally got Shun to realize that his position at the school is really at risk. He thought that he can automatically become a knight by simply enrolling in the Knight's Academy, but it doesn't seem to be that easy. 

"Listen, Mr. Harvest. I will say this one more time. With your current grades, you will not be allowed to take the final exit exam, and you will be expelled in the near future." 

"Is there anything I can do? I promised my dead parents that I will become a knight. If I get expelled, I cannot face my parents in heaven."

"I want to say that you did this to yourself. But it is not that I want to definitely expel you. In fact, I would like to have you at least take the final exit exam."

Shun clung to the words that came out of Muska's mouth. 

"Then...."

"I will give you a one last chance."

Muska muttered with a slightly tired expression. 

"I begged and begged and begged and begged and pleaded with every instructor yesterday, and arranged for your special resit next week."

Apparently, she was tired from doing this. 

"If you manage to score a passing grade in this resit.."

"I can become a knight?"

"No, that won't happen."

"What? Why?"

"Listen to me. If you manage to pass the resit, you will be eligible to take the final exit exam. You have to pass the final exit exam, in order to become a knight." 

This, however, is significantly better than being expelled without being allowed to take the exam. Shun agreed. 

"I will say it again. This is your last chance. Be sure to study hard."

"Well, it is not that I don't take the exams seriously. But during the exam, I hear a weird voice in my head, and I get distracted...."

"It is not even funny to say that you lose consciousness from lack of sleep. Be sure to take care of yourself before the exam and get some sleep."

"Yes, I understand. Thank you very much, Ms. Muska."

He is convincing only in his response. Muska muttered as she placed her hand on her forehead.

"If you understand, you can leave."

"I can?"

"I can keep giving you a long lecture, but instead, use the time to study and prepare for the resit. If you score poorly on the resit, I will not forgive you."

"Yes, thank you very much, Ms. Muska."

Shun bowed his head, and was about to leave the classroom when Muska called after him. 

"Also, needless to say, you are in a precarious position at this school right now. If you are involved in a slightest problem, you will be expelled before taking the resit."

"Yes, I know."