Los estudiantes duros aprenden lecciones de disciplina y respeto de la manera más dura, negándose a escuchar de otra manera. -- Anon Guest
[AN: Translation- Tough students learn lessons of discipline and respect the harshest way, refusing to listen any other way.]
The students called him Sensei Hellkin, when they called him anything at all. They couldn't know anything about his true identity because he never spoke about it. That, and it probably wouldn't matter a whit to them that he was heir to an Earldom on a mountain on the other side of the world.
The Master of the Dojo didn't trust him with much, so he got the lowest-scoring, disciplinary-issued, distractable, learning-difficulty kids who would much rather watch a bug than learn how to defend themselves. The theory being that if he ate them, it wouldn't be much of a loss.
Adept Kormwind much preferred to sate his small appetite with a bowl of rice and whatever the kitchens decided to add to that serving. And a generous dollop of fish sauce to help it down. But that wasn't the issue today. The issue was the mandatory rebellious whelp per class.
"And what if I don't wanna?"
"Then you are going to fall and fail." He picked the smallest student who had nonetheless managed to absorb his lessons to his satisfaction. "Care to grapple with Fraulein Zinnie and show us how good you are at landing on your feet?" He took a relaxed lean against a windowsill. "I promise to carry you to the infirmary if you break something."
They usually backed down at this point. Those who rebelled before his lessons could begin were offered the choice to duel him or actually learn. Those like Herr Maultier, who got stroppy partway through, learned from the ones who paid good attention and tried their utmost.
Herr Maultier chuckled because he regularly menaced Fraulein Zinnie out of her pork strips at mealtimes. They would both be learning something interesting today.
Fraulein Zinnie glanced nervously towards her sensei.
"Just like you practiced with the others. Breathe. Remember, bravery is knowing you are scared and facing it anyway. Be brave."
The rest of the class lined up against the walls. Fights like this could go in any direction.
Herr Maultier raised his fist and charged like any rough on the streets.
Fraulein Zinnie kept her form, for all that her knees shook a little, and used his impetus and centre of gravity against him. Throwing him out of the window.
Adept Kormwind caught the miscreant by his collar before he could hurt something. Allowed the lad to realise that he was within bone-breaking distance of the ground below.
"Have we learned something?" Adept Kormwind cooed. "Or shall I let you complete your trip and see how well you've learned to tuck and roll?"
"Please put me back in the classroom, Sensei Hellkin?" he begged.
Adept Kormwind pulled him back in. "We will do this twenty times. Come at me with a proper form, and I will put you down on the mats so you can work on your rolling."
Herr Maultier was trembling, now. Glancing towards Fraulein Zinnie with a new-found fear in his eyes.
"Gekommen sie, mein Herr. We only have a few hours to learn."
Fraulein Zinnie, for the record, spent much of her time looking at her hands and then looking out the window. Suddenly agog at recognising her skills.
She would not be going without her pork strips henceforth.
[Photo by Julie Blake Edison on Unsplash]
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