Even though Noah suspected Verrud and Jakob weren’t done with his group yet, they’d bought themselves at least a little time – time which Noah took to take measure of the other fights that were playing out across the advanced track meeting room.

It definitely wasn’t out of the norm for students to spar. There were four other groups just beside him, and many of them were using even fewer restrictions than he and Alexandra had. The flash of magic striking Shields filled the air, joined in with muted conversation.

He had to admit that it was a little odd to watch. A pair of students were positively wailing on each other, releasing blast after blast of magic and barely even trying to dodge. Their Shields were clearly of better make than their own abilities, because neither of them could so much as dent the other’s defenses.

They were surrounded by a small ring of professors and other students who were watching with apt interest. Midway through the fight, a professor stepped forward. Both students stopped and he told them something that Noah couldn’t quite make out over the din.

A moment later, the fight restarted. It looked more like they were testing out the limits of their abilities than actually trying to spar.

As far as actual power goes… from the pressure coming off their attacks, looks like most of the students here are somewhere around Rank 2. Not all that different from my own students, but I suppose that’s a big reason they got the invite after it became clear that they were Rank 2s.

Noah made his way over to the table. Isabel and Emily sat, surrounded by all the other students. Moxie stood behind them and Lee sat off to the side, visibly restraining herself from vacuuming up all the food on the table. Their formation made it functionally impossible to get anywhere near Isabel and Emily.

“Not bad so far, huh?” Noah asked as he slid up beside Moxie.

“Not at all. I can’t say I loved the first strategy you used. Your reputation is already horrid enough, you know,” Moxie said with a shake of her head. A small grin flickered across her face before she banished it again. “That said, at least it’ll keep people away from you. I don’t like sharing.”

“Whoa,” Noah said, raising his eyebrows. “Never realized you were the jealous type. Noted.”

Moxie rolled her eyes and bumped her shoulder into his. “Whatever. It looks like your plan hasn’t gone exactly as you wanted it to. Yulin kind of ratted you out.”

“I thought you said you weren’t a fan of people thinking I was a creep. This might actually make some professors believe I can be trusted within five hundred feet of their students. Maybe we’ll make some new friends.”

“I didn’t like the fact that you actually had to act like a creep,” Moxie admitted. “I rather did like the part where other people stayed away because of the reputation. A little privacy is nice, especially after having Evergreen scrutinize everything I did. Sure, there were rumors, but basically nobody gave a shit about you because you were beneath their notice. When we started doing more together, I didn’t mind hiding under that shield either.”

“I can always be creepier. All I’d have to do is take a few of the papers Vermil had in his room and wave them around.”

Moxie prodded Noah in the side and he let out a strangled yelp.

“That was only marginally called for.” He lowered his voice. It wasn’t like it would be easy to overhear them in the loud room, but he didn’t want to take any chances. “And how are things looking? Anything we need to be aware of?”

“Not yet,” Moxie said, smiling as if Noah had told her a joke. “Jakob and Verrud haven’t really come close since the start of the meeting aside from passing each other when they were heading across the room. If they’re planning something, I don’t think they’re communicating.”

“Which either means they don’t have anything else for the meeting or they’re taking extra care to make sure nobody notices they’re working together,” Noah said. His lips pursed and he headed over to the table, sitting down a short distance from the students.

“There have definitely been a lot of people paying attention to us overall. I think a good portion of that is because we’re new, but you and Alexandra put on quite the shows. I don’t think we’re going to be able to avoid everyone for long.” Moxie sat down beside him, facing the other direction so she could look into the crowd. She leaned the backs of her elbows against the table and reached over her shoulder, snagging a chicken drumstick.

Lee, who sat a short distance to Noah’s other side, sent him a pleading look. “Can I start eating now, please? I’m starving.”

“You are always starving,” Noah said. “But yes. Go ahead – just take it slow, please. No more than one piece of food every minute. Also, eat normally. No inhaling food.”Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

Lee did a remarkable recreation of Moxie’s nose scrunch. She pointedly reached out and grabbed an entire roast chicken from a plate in the center of the table, plopping it down on her plate. She sent Noah a challenging stare, then ripped a piece of it off and pressed it into her mouth. “One piece.”

That’s probably the absolute best I can possibly expect from her.

“Here we go,” Moxie muttered. “Get ready.”

Noah glanced over at Moxie just as something prickled and pushed against his domain. He’d restrained it to the immediate area around him, but it still seeped out a bit more than he would have liked.

More importantly, if his domain was facing obstruction, they were at least Rank 4 – and were standing right behind him. He plucked a piece of chicken from Lee’s plate before she could scarf it down, then turned to see whose attention he had drawn.

A tall, well-built man stood behind them. As Noah had guessed, his uniform identified him as a Rank 4. He had fair features with light blonde hair and a large grimoire hung at his side. Noah was forced to crane his neck back to look at the man’s face.

“Professor Vermil, was it?” the man asked.

“You never know,” Noah replied with a nod to Moxie. “That could be her.”

A patronizing smile passed over the man’s features for a brief instant. “Amusing. I saw your fight with the Torrin students. You have impressive body control.”

There’s a line to add to my list of things that are only acceptable to say in the bedroom and not in public.

“It’s made easier when you’re a professor going up against a student,” Noah said with a dismissive wave. “And I’m afraid you’ve got the advantage over me. I have no idea who you are.”

“Magus Anthony,” the man replied.

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance. Is there something you were hoping for?” Noah asked. He didn’t miss the fact that Anthony hadn’t mentioned his noble house. That wasn’t exactly a warning sign, but it didn’t make Noah any less wary of him.

“Yes. I would like to test my own hand against you. Your movements were interesting, and I believe my students would have much to learn from watching a match between us,” Antony said. “You are more than welcome to choose the field and weapons. They will not change the outcome.”

Ah. I knew I smelled cocky asshole somewhere. Some big noble family, then. He’s got blonde hair, so he’s not Torrin main or support branches. He could be with the Herrons, or an entirely different noble family throwing their hat into the ring.

“Any field, with any weapon?” Noah confirmed, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head to the side.

“So long as we don’t have to leave this room,” Anthony amended. “They are typical duel rules, Professor Vermil.”

Noah caught the implication in his words.

Typical duel rules that any proper noble would know, huh? I wonder if this guy is just a prick, or if he’s working together with Verrud and Jakob. Considering he sought me out, I’m getting the feeling it’s the latter.

“And where are your students?” Noah asked.

Anthony waved a hand dismissively. “I don’t keep permanent track of them. They’re more than capable of handling themselves, so I imagine they’re wandering around the room somewhere and mingling with the others. Interacting with the other students is one of the main benefits of the advanced track, Professor Vermil. Connections take you far in life.”

Right. So your students are nowhere to be seen and totally aren’t going to show up and try to bother anyone the moment I leave.

Noah leaned over to Moxie to whisper into her ear. “Do noble duels normally allow for a champion?”

She blinked, then nodded. “Yeah.”

He sat back and returned his attention to Anthony. “Very well. I’ll accept under the normal rules.”

“Thrilling. The location and your choice of weapon, then? Runes? Swords?”

“Slow down a second. I’m willing to go up against you, but not yet. You need to show me you’re actually worth my time. I’m going to have to ask you to face my ally. If you can beat her, then I’ll be more than willing to take you on.”

“An underling?” Anthony didn’t even try to hide his distaste as he looked to Moxie.

Noah bit back a laugh. “She’d rip my head off if I called her an underling – and no. Not an underling. An ally. No higher rank than me, I can assure you.”

Anthony grunted and waved a hand. “Come, then. I will handle her first. What is the field and weapon?”

“The field is right here,” Noah said. He put a hand on Lee’s shoulder. “The battle will be endurance, and you’ll be going up against my good friend Lee.”

“You are putting me up against a girl half my size and a quarter my runic strength?” Anthony stared at Noah in disbelief. “Is this a joke?”

“No runes,” Noah said. He gestured for Anthony to sit down. “Endurance. Specifically, whoever can eat more. I have quite the appetite, you know.”

“Yes. I was aware of you in the previous meeting.” A flicker of unease passed over Antony’s features, but when he looked at Lee, it was replaced by relief. Noah suppressed a laugh. The professor was probably recalling how much he’d seen “Vermil” eat and thanking the stars that he hadn’t challenged him directly to an eating contest.

“Then you’ll know I’ve taught Lee a lot,” Noah said. “She’ll be my champion. Eat more than her, and I’ll fight you.”

“In a real duel,” Anthony amended. “With runes or weapons, not food.”

“Fine with me.” Noah shrugged. “All you have to do is prove that you can eat a single more bite than she can. Whoever has the greatest endurance wins. No Runes or magic. Body imbuements are fine. That work for you?”

Anthony looked down at Lee. He was quite literally more than twice her size. A confident smile passed over his lips and he sat down beside her. “Very well. This is quite an odd duel, but I will oblige.”

“Good luck,” Noah said, and he genuinely meant it. “Lee?”

“Yeah?” Lee peered at him from beside Anthony, excitement flashing in her eyes as her tongue ran along her lips.

“Now you can eat.”