Chương 87: “A Dog Cannot Climb Without Something Above It”

The afternoon had started out normally enough. Professor Cassia had announced the event with her usual clipped efficiency: a series of open sparring matches between first-year and second-year students in the combat elective. By the time they had entered the training building, several platforms had been erected within the training grounds. The rest of the faculty who had free time had already taken their positions on the observation platform above, eager to see the performance of the first and second-years.

After three months in Summit and their first real taste of Tower climbing, the first-years were getting confident; they were starting to believe they were strong. However, Professor Cassia knew how fatal being overconfident was. The second-years had survived a full year of the Tower. Their parties and guilds had reached an average of Floor 30, and with the highest public climbing record now standing at Floor 33, that showed their resolve.

After all, plenty of established guilds around Summit had plateaued at Floor 25 and never moved past it. Of course, context mattered. The lower floors had guides now. Hunting areas, safe zones, and recommended routes had all been mapped by the top climbers over the past few years, and the path for newcomers had been paved accordingly. People with access to good information could move faster than the pioneers who had come before them.

But even accounting for all of that, the gap between a three-month climber and a veteran who had survived for over a year was real. Professor Cassia wanted her students to feel that gap in their bones. It was both a lesson and a punishment. Though, knowing Cassia, she probably enjoyed both. None of this was unusual. In the original webnovel, the same event had played out almost identically. Cassia introduced the second-years. The first-years got humbled.

Arthur, as the main character, fought his match against a second-year student and held his own, going toe-to-toe and showing enough raw talent and combat instinct that the second-year had to take him seriously. It was one of the early moments that cemented Arthur's reputation fully within the academy. That was what was supposed to happen. Celestia watched as Arthur charged across the dueling platform and was knocked back for the fourth time.

The second-year sidestepped the charge, caught Arthur on the follow-through, and redirected his momentum into the ground. Arthur hit the hard ground shoulder-first and rolled. Arthur pushed himself up. His jaw was bruised and his lip was split. He raised his sword again. The second-year waited, his wooden sword resting lazily on his shoulder. Why was the main character, the golden boy protected by the oh-so-beloved plot armor, getting beaten like a dog?

This reminded her of the conversation she had with Liana yesterday.

"We have not really made conversation with each other," Celestia said. Liana, standing in the doorway of the office, blinked.

"I… I suppose so?"

"Sit." Celestia gestured to the chair opposite her desk.

"It would do me well to learn more about commoners." Liana let out a small, uncertain chuckle and sat down.

"What would you like to talk about, Lady Celestia?" Paimon appeared from the side with a tray. She set a cup of tea in front of Celestia, then one in front of Liana, pouring both in silence. Liana thanked her. Paimon nodded once and withdrew to her usual position by the wall. Celestia picked up her cup, took a sip, and set it back down. The porcelain met the saucer with a soft clink. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"How was your time during the semester break?" It was not an idle question. Celestia had been surprised to see Liana in Summit before the second semester had started. At the time, Celestia was too surprised to outright question it. But now, with their relationship having progressed to something approaching amiable, and with Liana's help with the potion development, idle talk such as this was nothing too out-of-place. Liana set her cup down and smiled.

"It was lovely, actually. I went back to my hometown. My parents are growing old, so the healing magic I learned from my master helped a lot." She paused.

"My mother was just happy to have me home. She cooked every day I was there. I think I gained some weight." Her voice softened.

"It was peaceful. I didn't realize how much I missed it until I was there." Celestia tilted her head slightly.

"Hometown?"

"Mhm." Liana looked up again.

"How about you, Lady Celestia? How was your semester break?"

"I was busy with work. You're saying you went back to your hometown?"

"Yes…?" Liana blinked, looking slightly confused, as if she couldn't figure out why Celestia was hung up on that detail. Celestia leaned back in her chair and tapped the side of her forehead with one finger. Several moments passed. Liana sat still, holding her tea, unsure whether she was supposed to say something. Then Celestia sat up again.

"Remind me next time," she said.

"I should have you bring some presents to your parents." Liana's face lit up. She clapped her hands once, lightly.

"That's very kind, but you really don't need to—""I insist. You have been a tremendous help with the development of potions. It is the least I can do."

"But really, it's not—""Liana." Liana stopped. She looked at Celestia's expression, saw that there was no room for further protest, and smiled.

"... Thank you, Lady Celestia." The conversation continued for some time after that. They talked about Anna's sleeping habits and whether Sir Ozy had gained weight or whether his fur was simply getting fluffier. Liana mentioned that Anna had burned through three sets of gloves in the past week alone. It was a simple light and unhurried conversation, and when Liana eventually stood, bowed, and left the office, the room was a little quieter. And Celestia sat at her desk for a long time after that.

She had been thinking about the plot. In the original webnovel, Liana and Serena had spent the semester break in a quiet standoff. Serena, who had growing feelings for Arthur, had kept Liana close as a rival to watch. Liana, who had been the childhood friend, had done the same. It was a stalemate; two girls circling the same boy, neither willing to make a move. That stalemate had been important… With both girls attached to him, Arthur had spent the break at the Flamesy estate training with the knights.

The Flamesy house maintained a private guard of veteran soldiers, and Arthur, as Serena's guest, had been given access to their training grounds. He had learned techniques there. He had dueled their senior knights, learning much. They had taught him how to read an opponent's weight distribution and how to control tempo across long exchanges. The fundamentals that separated a talented fighter from a skilled one. By the time the second semester began, Arthur had grown considerably.

But that was the original story, which meant Serena had Arthur to herself for the entire break. Celestia speculated that though they had trained, it was not to the same intensity as the original story. She had hoped, at the time, that it wouldn't have a cascading effect on the future. How wrong she had been… She watched Arthur hit the dirt again. Rather than fighting toe-to-toe with a second-year student. Rather than that pivotal moment where Arthur proved he belonged among the strong, he was being brutally beaten.

The second-year wasn't even trying hard. Every exchange lasted less than ten seconds, and each one ended the same way: Arthur on the ground, the student waiting for him to get up. Arthur got up as he always did. He prepared his stance, adjusted his grip, and went charging again. The second-year parried the first swing without moving his feet, deflected the second, and put Arthur on the ground with a strike to the ribs. Celestia's fan tapped against her palm. She sighed.

'This won't do.' Arthur needed more motivation to get stronger before the third arc started. It was a funny thing, really. The original story had plenty of arcs to develop the main character's strength. There was action, romance, drama… but there was a vital aspect that was missing, a key ingredient that had never really cemented itself into the story. She had wracked her head over the ways to maintain her Story Relevance, and finally, she figured this was the best possible way.

Instead of being a petty minor antagonist… She, Celestia von Reingarde, will become the main protagonist's rival.