Part 2: Pointy Stick and Wooden Sword

One month later
Students swarm to the end of the hallway, gazing up at the little jarl on the stairs.
Student I: Hey, don't push me!
Student II: Who stepped on my shoe!?
Student III: Shh, shush! Quiet down!
Erick: ...In any case, as your jarl, I promise you fame, fortune, and... extra snacks!
Erick: Row those oars like never before, sailors! Just like the mysterious adventurers of old!
The crowd cheers in unison.
Golden Key Sancho: You’re going to get caught by the instructors... then you’ll be locked in a dark room all day without any food. Breaking school rules is such a dumb idea.
His sharp voice pierces the excited atmosphere.
The excitement dissipates, and the little ones in robes start whispering, their eyes all focused on him.
Golden Key Sancho: This is so unrealistic. I suggest you spend more time preparing for the next test. The students who score lowest will have to take extra classes to make up for it.
Golden Key Sancho: Most importantly, if you do poorly in Arcane Skills, you'll probably end up as janitors after graduation.
Golden Key Sancho: Sitting in a lonely office with a musty smell you can’t get rid of...
Children's minds are always so vividly imaginative.
Golden Key Sancho: Hmph, and I'll become the brightest star at the LSCC.
Golden Key Sancho: You'd better start thinking more practically, like me...
Erick: Are you kidding!? I've known many cowards like you before...
Golden Key Sancho: Hmph, who's the coward? At least I don't need others to do my bidding.
Erick: You...!
Erick’s face turns red with anger.
Just as she's about to storm over—
A hand grabs her.
Effie: For the peace and welfare of mankind! What you're doing is completely pointless.
Like weather vanes, the crowd turn their heads to this new interloper.
Student I: It's Dreary Eifer! Run!
Student II: Ugh, she’s going to put me off my lunch...
The little robes scatter, leaving the three of them standing alone.
Erick: Hey, don't go! Our plan isn't even—
Effie: Your plan is meaningless, regardless of whether you fail or succeed. In the end, you'll either face endless anxiety or insatiable emptiness.
The girl with the dim eyes points at the retreating crowd.
Effie: Even if you assemble them time and again, they’ll still walk away in the end.
Golden Key Sancho: Not true! Some people are meant for more! And the others...
Erick: Agh... so annoying! Both of you, just shut up!
She storms over, kicking up a cloud of dust with each step.
A battle for glory is inevitable.

The three scuffle, pushing and shoving, but none yields to the others.
The school bell rings. They freeze momentarily. Then, they scatter like kittens and race back to the classroom.
Instructor: ...As for the glavakus, they are a kind of critter that primarily inhabits the tropical rainforests of North America.
Instructor: Being omnivorous, they are an adaptable species with a remarkable ability to form colonies even in the most extreme conditions.
Instructor: Please turn to page 126 of “The Compendium of Critters.”
Instructor: As you can see, studies show that their colonies operate under a distinct hierarchy.
Instructor: The stronger the scent of a glavakus, the higher its status. They rely on their acute sense of smell and sensitive hearing, for they lack vision.
Instructor: From our last class, how should you react when encountering such creatures?
Students: Do not run or jump; walk quietly!
During the students' unified chant, a slight discord can be heard.
Erick: Pfft, pfft...
Golden Key Sancho & Effie: ?
Erick: You two... have truly impressed me. I challenge you to a duel!
Erick: The loser will bow to the winner and become their faithful sailor!
Erick’s assertive voice pierces the chorus, and the instructor frowns.
Instructor: Erick, you seem to have some... unique opinions.
Instructor: Stand up and share them.
Erick: W-What?
She stands up hastily. The blackboard reads, “Large, Dangerous Critters.”
Erick: Um...
Clearly, our hero's attention was never on the instructor.
Scratching her cheek, she tries to recall any relevant information.
Erick: Well, my grandfather Harald once said...
She looks up at the frowning instructor. The classroom falls silent. All eyes are on her.
Erick: He said, “In life, one must defeat many things, like super-heavy cars or giant brown bears. But the most dangerous of all…
Erick: “Is the endless Vanity and boundless Emptiness.”
The instructor's eyes flicker with confusion, but she listens intently.
Erick: The monster known as “Vanity” is a huge, winding snake, as large as a mountain range! It opens its mouth, bottomless, and swallows anyone who strays into it.
Erick: It swallows them whole, then spits out the bones in piles a mountain high!
The students gaze unblinkingly, hearts lodged in their throats.
Erick: The monster known as “Emptiness” is a cunning, deceitful creature. One that no one has ever truly seen...!
Erick: It lurks in the shadows. At night, the noises under the bed, the flash outside the window, the drips in the bathroom—any one of them could be it!
Erick: Sometimes, it's right next to your ear; at others, it’s far, far away.
Erick: It stalks grown-ups, not with a gaping jaw but with claws as sharp as potato wedges...
Erick: It silently approaches those drowning in sadness, regret, and despair. When they cover their faces, too overwhelmed to be wary, it extends its bloodied claws...
Erick: Shwoop!
The students shudder in unison.
Erick: To finish off those poor souls!
Erick: In my view, these are the largest and most deadly of critters.
Erick: Of course, I've never met these terrible beasts. Harald says I'm not tall enough yet. But one day, one day, I will.
Erick: I'll knock them down and beat them so hard they can't even stand up straight!
The students' eyes sparkle with admiration, and they quickly break into applause.
Even her opponents, Sancho and Eifer, can't help but get lost in thought.
Golden Key Sancho: …
Effie: …
The instructor sighs. This student will be a bone to chew for sure.
Instructor: Erick, a fitting critter ought to be...
The ring of the school bell cuts her off. Class is dismissed.
The students swarm, flocking towards Erick.
Instructor: Erick, come to my office later.
In the bustling crowd, Erick raises her hand and waves.
Erick: Yes, ma'am!
...
The night casts its shadows on Erick’s youthful cheeks. She breathes softly.
She lies on her bed, underneath which sits “The History of Potions.” She twirls her pen in her hand.
After a moment, she stops, buries her head in the paper before her, and begins to write.
Erick: "Dear Harald—"
Erick: "This is my first winter at the SPDM."
Erick: "I've met many new sailors here, each boasting their own impressive tricks."
Erick: "One can make saplings sprout out of stones; another can fly with the wind; there’s even one who can foresee test questions!"
Erick: "My fleet has grown much larger, and there are many places here that I can’t wait to explore."
Erick: "I will unearth all the treasures I can here, hide them in my drawer, and give some of them to you when you come to pick me up."
She looks up, glancing at the book on the desk, her brows furrowed.
Erick: "But the instructors here are mean. They’re always frowning, and they like locking students up in the guardhouse."
Erick: "Today, I spoke of the monsters ‘Vanity’ and ‘Emptiness’ in class."
Erick: "The instructor called me to the office and said, 'Those are not considered monsters.' — Can you believe it!?"
Erick: "Then she rambled on about the history of critter surveys and made me memorize it all."
Erick: "In terms of boredom, these instructors are all the same!"
Erick: "Of course, my sailor crewmates support me. They said those were the scariest monsters they'd ever heard of, a hundred times more dangerous than anything in the ‘Critter Dictionary!’ When I walked out of the office, wow—"
Erick: "They surrounded me, chanting 'Erick', 'Erick', 'Erick'! I'd never seen such a large and enthusiastic crew!"
Erick: "I talked to them from school dismissal till evening. By the end of it, I could hardly feel my tongue!"
Erick: "...But I really miss you, Harald."
She stretches out her hand and rubs her eye.
Erick: "When I walked out of the office, for a brief moment, I was expecting to see you standing by the door. Once I’m done with this adventure, be sure to come pick me up in old John's beat-up car."
The sound of footsteps echoes from under the door.
???: Pfft, pfft!
Erick: Oh, right on time...
Erick: "Tonight’s duel challengers are here; I have to go.
"Please say hi to old John and his beat-up car for me."
Erick: "—Your brave and fearless Erick."
She folds the letter, slipping it into an envelope.
Then puts it carefully under her pillow, like a treasure.
Erick: Huff, huff, huff...
Erick pants, hands on the ground, beads of sweat dripping from her golden hair and onto her forehead.
Sancho and Eifer are standing upright, unflinching.
Golden Key Sancho: I thought you were something special... Can't even perform a decent Arcane Skill! Your test scores must be terrible.
Effie: ...Go back to sleep, dueling her is pointless, she’s no chance of beating us.
Erick: Not true! If I could take off this arm ring, you two would be running scared!
Golden Key Sancho: Yeah, right, you people always have excuses –– stomach ache, hungry, rainy weather...
Golden Key Sancho: Always concocting a reason for your failures, then making another grand promise before the end of the week!
Effie: It’s like running in circles. More pointless than playing catch with a ball...
Footsteps and dim lights approach from the dark road yonder.
???: Hey, you shouldn’t be out here. What are you doing!?
Golden Key Sancho: !!!
Golden Key Sancho: Oh no, it's the school disciplinary witch... Run!
But by now, the figure is standing right in front of them. She grabs Eifer and Sancho by their collars.
Matilda: Hah! As the SPDM's disciplinary assistant, leaving without permission—
Matilda: Oh, ow!
Sancho bites the witch’s left arm, giving him a moment to escape her grasp.
The "Great" Storyteller: Erick lunges at her other arm...
The witch shakes her arm, releasing Eifer, and then—
Matilda: Hmph! Caught you!
You know it's past curfew...
Erick is pinned to the ground, as if weighed down by a pile of stones.
Erick: Now's your chance. Run, you idiots!
The two snap out of it and run into the darkness.
The "Great" Storyteller: They look back, catching a glimpse of our hero’s brave resistance.
The "Great" Storyteller: Until their vision is obscured by the night's mist...
It didn’t take long for punishment to arrive.
The corridor is empty and silent. Having been punished, Erick stands alone by the classroom door. Her stomach growls.
She glances at her shoes, idly picks her nose, and stares out the window at the dimming twilight. The orange afterglow has reached her knees.
There’s a sudden rustling sound from around the corner.
Erick: A jarl never ever gets scared! Come out now! I mean— you’d better show yourself, or else...
From the corner of the hallway, two little heads pop out like rabbits.
Golden Key Sancho: Are you okay?
Erick’s bravely puffed chest finally deflates.
Golden Key Sancho: I snuck you some fried cod... You must be starving.
She grabs the offered meal, devouring it like a bear starved through the winter.
Effie: ...Why did you help us?
Erick: (Munching) Because I can't let my future crew fall into another’s hands. It was nothing, really. Being a jarl means more than just giving orders; you have to take on responsibility too.
Erick: Even the most powerful of jarls will eventually fall from grace if they avoid their personal responsibilities and simply order others around.
Golden Key Sancho & Effie: ...Wow!
Erick: I heard that in ancient times, there was a king who ruled over the biggest forest in the world...
Listening intently, Sancho and Eifer gradually lower themselves to the floor until they are fully seated, utterly mesmerized by her vivid storytelling.
From the fading rays of the twilight sun to the silvery glow of moonlight, night gracefully arrives.
Their eyes glow brightly. They swallow hard, absorbing the tales of greatness, wonder, and the incredible.

The witch shakes her arm, releasing Eifer, and then—
Matilda: Hmph! Caught you!
You know it's past curfew...
Erick is pinned to the ground, as if weighed down by a pile of stones.
Erick: Now's your chance. Run, you idiots!
The two snap out of it and run into the darkness.
The "Great" Storyteller: They look back, catching a glimpse of our hero’s brave resistance.
The "Great" Storyteller: Until their vision is obscured by the night's mist...
It didn’t take long for punishment to arrive.
The corridor is empty and silent. Having been punished, Erick stands alone by the classroom door. Her stomach growls.
She glances at her shoes, idly picks her nose, and stares out the window at the dimming twilight. The orange afterglow has reached her knees.
There’s a sudden rustling sound from around the corner.
Erick: A jarl never ever gets scared! Come out now! I mean— you’d better show yourself, or else...
From the corner of the hallway, two little heads pop out like rabbits.
Golden Key Sancho: Are you okay?
Erick’s bravely puffed chest finally deflates.
Golden Key Sancho: I snuck you some fried cod... You must be starving.
She grabs the offered meal, devouring it like a bear starved through the winter.
Effie: ...Why did you help us?
Erick: (Munching) Because I can't let my future crew fall into another’s hands. It was nothing, really. Being a jarl means more than just giving orders; you have to take on responsibility too.
Erick: Even the most powerful of jarls will eventually fall from grace if they avoid their personal responsibilities and simply order others around.
Golden Key Sancho & Effie: ...Wow!
Erick: I heard that in ancient times, there was a king who ruled over the biggest forest in the world...
Listening intently, Sancho and Eifer gradually lower themselves to the floor until they are fully seated, utterly mesmerized by her vivid storytelling.
From the fading rays of the twilight sun to the silvery glow of moonlight, night gracefully arrives.
Their eyes glow brightly. They swallow hard, absorbing the tales of greatness, wonder, and the incredible.