Chapter 104
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Volume 3 + Chapter 104: You Should Focus On Fundamentals
Inside the venue of the freshman social gathering, the grand chandeliers cast a soft glow over the young men in their suits and the young women in their gowns. Some freshmen clustered together, while others attempted lively conversations with upperclassmen.
At this moment, it was a scene straight out of a classical social event.
Xia Yi was no exception. She hadn’t eaten dinner yet, so she casually picked up a toothpick and speared a small piece of apple from the table, popping it into her mouth.
So hungry.
This wouldn’t be nearly enough to satisfy her.
After all, this event wasn’t centered around dining—the amount of food provided was minimal, barely enough to count as light snacks. Alcohol, on the other hand, was plentiful.
Even if she cleared the entire table of food, she probably still wouldn’t be full.
“My takeout…”
Xia Yi suddenly remembered—the takeout she had ordered was still sitting in her dorm room. By now, it was probably cold.
Whatever. I’ll just tough it out for a bit. Once the social’s over, I’ll go back and reheat it.
“Miss Xia Yi.”
A male voice called out from behind her.
She turned around and instinctively responded with a polite social greeting.
“Good evening.”
Though her expression remained calm, she was inwardly surprised.
The boy standing before her was none other than… Anthony?
Anthony was bowing courteously to Xia Yi.
He was the young master of the Wilson family, possessing some talent in swordsmanship. During Laurel Academy’s entrance exams, he should have been the top-ranked student in the swordsmanship division.
But due to a series of unexpected events, he ended up facing Xia Yi in a match—and was instantly defeated.
The crushing loss had left Anthony deeply discouraged.
Later, during the official swordsmanship classes, he challenged Little Fox to another duel.
And just like before, Little Fox showed no mercy, using Anthony as a stepping stone to flaunt her own skills.
Just like that, the once-confident young noble suffered two devastating blows in rapid succession.
Now, Xia Yi noticed that Anthony seemed… different.
“Miss Xia Yi, I… I’ve actually wanted to ask you something for a while,” Anthony said, his expression growing increasingly complicated. “It might be abrupt, but I…!”
“Anthony, what did you want to ask?” Xia Yi blinked.
Anthony clenched his fists, bit his lip, and lowered his head as if steeling himself. “Miss Xia Yi, could you tell me… how? You’re aiming to become a mage, so why is your swordsmanship so strong? Strong enough to surpass even someone like me, who’s considered exceptional among my peers!”
“Ah…”
“Miss Xia Yi, this is very important to me. Please, tell me.”
Anthony bowed slightly.
For a proud young noble like him to admit inferiority in the very field he took the most pride in—and to humbly seek guidance—meant he had truly reached a turning point.
“Miss Xia Yi, do you… have some kind of special training routine?” Anthony pressed.
Special training? Nope!
Xia Yi thought back. The thing she spent the most time doing lately was… reading manga!
Even if she admitted it, it wouldn’t exactly be impressive.
Better come up with something else.
“Anthony, yes, I do! I’ve been working very hard in private,” Xia Yi explained. “Every day, I do a hundred push-ups, a hundred sit-ups, a hundred squats, and a ten-kilometer run.”
That sounds way better than saying I read manga all day!
Anthony stared at her in disbelief. After a long pause, he finally spoke.
“…Miss Xia Yi, are you serious?”
“Absolutely, Anthony. You should try it too—stick with it for a hundred days and focus on building your fundamentals first.”
“……”
“Anthony, it really works! Not just for building a solid foundation, but also for mental discipline—”
“Enough!”
Anthony cut her off.
The Wilson family far outranked the lowly Lawrence family in prestige, yet he had swallowed his pride to seek advice—only to be met with this absurd answer.
“Miss Xia Yi, I came to you with sincerity, humbling myself to ask for guidance. So why are you mocking me like this? Are you really so selfish that you won’t share your real swordsmanship training secrets? Spouting empty platitudes like this—do you think I’m that fragile?”
“Anthony, there are no shortcuts in swordsmanship.”
“Still spewing this nonsense everyone already knows?!” Anthony’s frustration grew.
What he wanted was the secret technique—the one that would make him instantly stronger. Otherwise, how could someone as talented as him lose twice to peers his own age?
The only explanation was that they were using some hidden method he didn’t know about. Once he learned it, he’d surpass them all.
“Miss Xia Yi, I’ve tried to respect you. Please, show me the same courtesy—”
Thud.
A hand suddenly landed on Anthony’s shoulder, cutting him off mid-sentence.
“Underclassman, if you’re feeling frustrated, you’re welcome to grab a drink over there. Plenty of people would be happy to chat. But pestering others like this? That’s poor manners.”
It was the student council president.
Xia Yi recognized him—he had spoken on behalf of the upperclassmen during the opening ceremony.
Right now, the student council president was smiling at Anthony.
“Don’t push your luck, alright?”
“…Tch.”
Anthony clicked his tongue.
Whether in terms of family status or standing within the academy, he was far beneath the student council president. After shooting Xia Yi one last glare, he stormed off indignantly.
“Not too shaken up, I hope, Miss Xia Yi?” the president asked.
“Not at all.”
Xia Yi shook her head.
Something like this wasn’t nearly enough to faze her.
Still, she should thank him for stepping in.
“Thank you, President,” she said.
“It was nothing. Actually, this is the first time we’ve spoken, isn’t it? Let me introduce myself—I’m Alistair Thomas, of the Thomas family.”
“I’m Xia Yi – Lawrence, of the Lawrence family.”
“I’ve heard quite a bit about you. I’ve been meaning to talk to you for a while—after all, someone as unique as you is a rarity even at Laurel Academy,” the president mused. “Getting Professor Biden to lose his temper in public? That’s a first for me.”
“Is that… a compliment?” Xia Yi asked wryly.
“It is. I genuinely mean it. You’re an interesting one, Miss Xia Yi. No wonder Lia’s taken such an interest in you. I’ve never seen her mention anyone like this before.”
“Me?”
Xia Yi grew even more curious. She still couldn’t figure out why Lia was so fixated on her.
“What exactly has Lia said about me?”
The student council president chuckled.
“Lia said…”
