The New Instructor
1554 Words
Chapter 2
"Not again..."
Liora muttered under her breath as she looked up, ready to apologize.
The words caught in her throat.
For a heartbeat, everything around her seemed to fade.
She found herself staring into a pair of dark eyes, calm yet impossibly sharp, as though they could see through every secret she carried.
The man standing before her was tall—well over six feet—his broad frame casting a shadow over her. Neatly tailored black clothes fit him perfectly, emphasizing a lean but powerful build. His midnight-black hair was combed back with effortless elegance, not a strand out of place.
His features looked almost unreal.
A sharply defined jaw, a straight nose, and lips that carried neither a smile nor a frown. There was nothing flashy about him, yet every detail seemed sculpted with impossible precision.
The library lights reflected faintly in his eyes, making them appear like polished obsidian.
Liora forgot to breathe.
How can someone look like this...?
"You've finished staring?"
His deep, composed voice broke the spell.
Heat rushed to Liora's face.
Only then did she realize she was still pressed against him, one hand clutching the front of his coat.
Her eyes widened.
"I—!"
She stumbled backward so quickly she nearly lost her balance.
"I'm... sorry."
A stunned silence swept through the library.
Then whispers exploded from every direction.
"Oh my gosh..."
"Isn't that the new instructor?"
"He's ridiculously handsome..."
"I heard he just transferred here."
"He looks more like a celebrity than a teacher."
Completely unfazed by the attention, the man adjusted the sleeve of his coat before walking deeper into the library with slow, measured steps.
Every movement carried an effortless confidence.
The crowd unconsciously parted to make way for him.
As Lucien disappeared behind the bookshelves, the whispers only grew louder.
"So he's the new instructor..."
Liora sighed and returned her book to the shelf.
"...I heard he transferred from the Royal Knights."
"They say he's younger than most instructors."
"Did you see his face?"
Every table seemed to be discussing the same person.
Liora rubbed her temple with a quiet sigh before slipping the book back onto the shelf.
There would be no studying here today.
---
The dorm building came into view.
As Liora climbed the stairs, she clasped her hands together.
Please... let them be asleep.
She stopped in front of the door, took a breath, and pushed it open.
"He's so hot!"
Natasha's voice hit her before the door had fully opened.
Liora closed her eyes for a brief second.
Of course.
She walked inside and tossed her bag onto her bed.
"Natasha, tomorrow is our History paper."
Natasha barely looked at her.
"Oh, please. You wouldn't be saying that if you'd actually seen him."
Tiana nodded eagerly.
"Exactly."
Liora pulled a textbook from her bag.
"I have."
Silence.
She looked up to find both girls staring at her.
"You... what?" Natasha asked.
"I met him at the library."
Their eyes widened.
"In fact..." Liora added casually as she flipped open her book, "I accidentally bumped into him."
Both girls squealed.
The next thing Liora knew, they had dropped to their knees beside her bed.
Natasha clutched one of her arms.
"Liora!"
Tiana grabbed the other.
"Tell us everything!"
Liora blinked.
"...What's wrong with you two?"
"You bumped into him?" Natasha's eyes sparkled with envy. "You're so lucky! What does he look like up close?"
"What did he smell like?" Tiana blurted out.
"Did you accidentally touch his chest?"
"Or his abs?"
Liora stared at them for a long moment.
"...Are you listening to yourselves?"
The girls leaned even closer.
Liora pressed two fingers against her forehead.
"I think I'm getting a headache."
She gently pulled herself free and stood up.
"I came back to study, not gossip about some handsome instructor."
Natasha and Tiana exchanged sheepish smiles.
"Sorry..."
They returned to their own beds, and for the first time that evening, the room finally became quiet enough for Liora to read.
---
The following morning, Liora handed in her History paper with a calm expression.
As the other students groaned and argued over forgotten answers, she simply walked out of the examination hall.
The next assessment was combat.
By the time she reached the training grounds, the place was already overflowing with students.
Black and dark navy uniforms filled the wide arena.
The academy's combat attire was designed for movement rather than appearance. Compression shirts bearing the Celestia Academy crest clung closely to the body, while reinforced combat trousers allowed students to roll, kick, and grapple without restriction. Fingerless gloves protected their hands, and sturdy training boots dug firmly into the packed earth. Students with long hair hurriedly tied it back before stepping onto the field.
Liora made her way into the changing room, slipped into her combat gear, and tied her black hair into a neat ponytail.
When she returned outside, students had already paired off across the training grounds.
There wasn't an instructor in sight.
The upcoming combat test allowed everyone to practice freely before the official evaluation.
"Liora!"
Natasha waved from across the field.
"You're with us."
Liora smiled faintly and walked over.
The three took turns sparring.
Natasha relied on speed, darting in with quick punches that Liora calmly redirected before sweeping her feet from under her.
Tiana preferred brute strength.
She lunged forward, trying to lock Liora in a grapple, but Liora twisted away at the last second and tapped her shoulder with an open palm.
"Again," Tiana huffed, brushing dirt from her trousers.
A few nearby students had begun watching their matches.
The steady rhythm of boots scraping against the ground, sharp breaths, and friendly laughter filled the training grounds.
Liora adjusted the fingerless glove on her right hand.
"Again."
Just as Natasha raised her guard,
The training ground suddenly erupted into screams.
"Ahhh!"
"Oh my gosh!"
"He's here!"
"What is he doing on the training grounds?"
Every student froze.
Some immediately abandoned their sparring partners.
Others rushed toward the entrance, trying to get a better look.
Within seconds, nearly half the students had gathered in one direction.
Natasha's eyes widened.
"It can't be..."
She grabbed Tiana's arm.
"Come on!"
The two girls dashed toward the crowd without another word.
Liora stood there, blinking.
"...What's wrong with those two?"
Curiosity finally got the better of her.
She brushed the dust from her combat trousers and walked over at a much slower pace.
As the crowd slowly parted, a familiar figure came into view.
Tall.
Broad-shouldered.
Dressed in Celestia Academy's black combat instructor uniform.
His expression remained calm and indifferent as he walked onto the training field, as though the dozens of students staring at him didn't exist.
Liora recognized him instantly.
The man from the library.
"So... he's really the new instructor."
A low murmur spread through the crowd.
"He's even more handsome in a combat uniform."
"I heard he's the youngest instructor ever hired by the academy."
"I hope he's the one supervising our combat test."
"Imagine him correcting your stance..."
Natasha clasped her hands together dreamily.
"I wouldn't mind if he trained me every day."
Liora rubbed her forehead.
"They're hopeless."
A sharp whistle cut through the endless chatter.
The screams across the training grounds died down.
Every student's attention snapped toward the man standing at the center of the field.
He surveyed the gathering with calm, unreadable eyes before speaking.
"Form your lines."
His voice wasn't loud, yet it carried across the entire arena with surprising clarity.
The students hurried into position.
Even Natasha and Tiana, who had been whispering excitedly only moments ago, quickly straightened their posture.
Liora quietly took her place in the front row.
The instructor's gaze swept across the hundreds of students before resting on no one in particular.
"My name is Lucien Nocthar."
A ripple passed through the crowd.
"So that's his name..."
"It even sounds cool."
"I knew he'd have an amazing name."
Ignoring the murmurs, Lucien continued.
"From today onward, I will be responsible for your combat training and practical evaluations."
His tone remained steady, neither friendly nor cold.
"Combat is not a performance."
His sharp eyes moved across the rows.
"It is discipline and…survival."
The excitement on many students' faces slowly faded.
"If your goal is to impress your classmates, you've come to the wrong field."
An uncomfortable silence settled over the arena.
Liora found herself listening more carefully.
Unlike most instructors, he wasted no time trying to make himself popular.
"I have only three rules."
He raised a gloved hand.
"First, respect your opponent."
A finger folded down.
"Second, respect your own limits."
Another finger lowered.
"And third..."
His gaze swept across the students once more.
"If I tell you to stop, you stop immediately."
For a brief moment, no one spoke.
Then Lucien clasped his hands behind his back.
"We'll begin with a simple assessment."
His gaze moved calmly across the rows before pausing on one student near the front.
"You."
Liora blinked.
"...Yes, Instructor?"
"Step forward."
The surrounding students immediately turned toward her, dozens of curious eyes filled with surprise.
Natasha's mouth slowly fell open.
"Oh no..."
Tiana whispered, "Why is he calling her?"
Liora took a slow breath before stepping out of the line, wondering why, out of everyone present, she had been singled out.
- Writer
