Chapter 17: The Meaning of Education (Patreon)

The door swung open...

Philip smiled. "Eris, I've brought your new tutor."

She turned around. Eris stood with her feet planted apart. Arms crossed over her chest. A haughty look on her face as she sized up the boy approaching her.

"What is this? He's even younger than me???"

The girl's voice was thick with dissatisfaction, suspicion, and contempt. Given who she was — a true noble princess... how could someone who looked like this... like a little brat, possibly teach her magic???

Six-year-old Rudy... was two years younger than Eris. And since girls develop earlier and faster than boys... the current Eris... simply looked much taller than Rudy.

As for Rudy... he paid no mind to Eris's hostile tone. He just smiled to himself and said, "I don't think a teacher's age... should be the only standard for judging whether they're qualified, don't you agree??"

"Oh? You have a problem with what I said???"

Rudy's attitude... was the spark that set off the powder keg that was Eris.

Her face full of arrogance, she declared, "Do you know who I am? I'm Eris Boreas Greyrat!" "My grandfather is the lord of Fittoa!" "I'm going to teach you a real lesson about how to speak to me!!!!"

With that... Eris raised her hand and swung it at Rudy's left cheek.

But unfortunately!!! In the very next instant... Eris found her outstretched arm caught by Rudy's hand. A brutal shoulder throw sent her crashing to the ground.

Then... the deadly poison began to take effect. Rudy hadn't used any real force at all. But Eris's whole body went numb. She couldn't move at all. All she could do was stare up in terror at Rudy standing over her.

"What — what did you just do to me???" she demanded.

Rudy said with a smile, "Just a little low-brow trick, nothing more. So — will Big Sister Eris acknowledge me as her teacher now??"

Eris snorted defiantly. "Let's see you make me stand up, and I'll acknowledge you!!"

Rudy nodded and pulled Eris to her feet. After curing the poison, he smiled. "There. Better now??"

But what greeted Rudy... was another punch.

This time, though... Rudy didn't use the deadly poison again. Instead, he used Wind Magic to bind Eris's entire body in midair. Watching her struggle desperately... yet never manage to move an inch.

Rudy smiled. "If Big Sister Eris still isn't satisfied... we can go outside to the courtyard and settle this properly. Honestly, Big Sister Eris, your temper is quite something... but your skill isn't all that strong... Bring me a hundred thousand, a million more people just like you... and I could handle every one of you without breaking a sweat."

"You!!!!!!"

Rudy's words left Eris furious. But there was no denying... the magic before her had indeed left her completely unable to move.

Eris took a deep breath and shouted, "Put me down first."

Rudy nodded and smilingly released her from the binding. He stood there... quietly waiting for her reaction.

"You really are strong..."

Eris said, slowly closing the distance toward Rudy as she spoke. As the gap between them shrank... a furious fist shot straight at Rudy.

Unfortunately... faced with a little girl's clumsy technique. Rudy simply summoned a gust of wind. And it swept Eris straight out into the courtyard.

Rudy nodded to Philip. Then his body flickered... and in an instant, he was already outside in the courtyard. Standing in front of the still-defiant Eris.

Smack!!!

A slap landed across the girl's face.

"Do you accept it now??"

"No!!!"

Smack!!!

Another slap landed on the other side of the girl's face.

"Do you accept it now???"

"No!!!"

Smack!!!

Another slap landed on the other side of the girl's face.

"Do you accept it now???"

"No!!!"

Smack!!!

Another slap landed on the other side of the girl's face.

"Do you accept it now???"

"Do you accept it now???"

"Do you accept it now???"

Each time Rudy asked... at first, the girl still managed a reply. But once he was certain she truly wouldn't back down... Rudy smiled and nodded to himself. After that, he stopped waiting for her answer after each question. He just landed another vicious slap on her face. Striking with both hands, he swelled the girl's entire face up like a pig's head.

Only then... did Rudy finally raise his hand and press it against her face. As a green healing spell gradually took effect... the girl's swollen face slowly returned to normal.

Watching this scene unfold... the onlookers behind them couldn't help but twitch the corners of their eyes.

As for Rudy... he looked at the now-restored Eris and smiled. "All right, let's start over... do you accept it now???"

Smack!!!!

"I — I accept it!!!"

Just as Eris caved... Rudy's hand didn't stop for even a moment. He slapped her once more. Then he paused for a beat... and said with an embarrassed smile, "Oh, sorry, my hand slipped out of habit. What was that you just said — you don't accept it, right???"

"No, no, I accept it, I accept it, I really do!!!" Eris shouted.

But what awaited Eris... was yet another vicious slap. Then... after healing her once again... Rudy released the Wind Magic binding her body.

Watching Eris, who clearly wanted to strike back but couldn't decide whether she should. Rudy nodded in satisfaction. He turned and smiled at Eris's father, Philip. "Sorry about that — I used a bit of force just now."

But just as Rudy spoke... the still-defiant Eris drew the sharp blade at her waist. and slashed it savagely at Rudy.

But in the next instant!!! Eris found herself bound in place once more.

Turning back... he looked at Eris's utterly unyielding face. The corner of Rudy's mouth curved slightly. "Excellent — I do love a student with backbone like you, Big Sister Eris."

He raised his hand and slapped her hard across the face. This time!!! Rudy didn't bother asking for her opinion anymore. He simply answered with violence... pummeling Eris while smiling and saying, "I never expected... Big Sister Eris actually enjoys violent teaching methods... Honestly, I'm quite a violent person myself. It seems our personalities are a perfect match. I'm getting more and more excited about our lessons together going forward. What do you say, Big Sister Eris — aren't you looking forward to it too??"

Eris tried desperately to speak. But unfortunately... the Wind Magic had sealed her mouth completely shut. Aside from breathing, she couldn't move at all.

For a while... the entire courtyard held nothing but the steady sound of slap after slap.

Philip and the others... once they'd confirmed that Rudy truly had the ability to teach Eris... all left the scene.

Only Rudy's little follower Sylphiette remained. along with Eris's swordsmanship teacher, Ghislaine. They stood off to the side, quietly waiting for Rudy and Eris to finish.

But unfortunately... from evening well into the night. Even when dinnertime came... Rudy still hadn't let up on restraining Eris. He ate with one hand while using the other to keep whipping the girl with a stick.

Little by little... the proud, unbreakable spirit that had sustained Eris from the start... finally, under such merciless treatment... began to crumble. A flood of tears poured endlessly from her eyes. Snot streamed from her nose in thick trails.

Seeing this, Rudy... finally withdrew his hand and set the whip-marked Eris down. He laid her on the ground and asked with a smile, "Big Sister Eris, do I qualify as your teacher now??"

"Yes — yes, you do." Eris cried, her hoarse voice barely holding together.

Seeing this, Rudy... no longer pressed the girl any further. He stepped forward, healed her wounds completely. and pulled her along... to sit across from him, pointing to the food on the table. "Eat up... This was kept aside just for you — I've been using magic to keep it warm this whole time."

"..."

Eris cast a wary glance at Rudy's gentle, smiling face. and gave a small nod. She picked up her utensils... and began eating with great politeness.

But for some reason. as the warm, comforting food... slowly filled her mouth... a flood of tears began welling up from the corners of Eris's eyes.

After this half-day of miserable ordeal. Eris now understood full well just how terrifying the boy in front of her truly was. But at the same time... the enormous defiance still burning inside her... also made Eris crave the power to overpower Rudy someday.

For treatment like this — treatment this cruel and painful... one day!!!! One day, she would pay it back tenfold!!!!