Transmigrated As The Bastard Side-Character

"Holding the higher ground is overrated. It only matters if the enemy can maintain vision and formation. Fire, smoke, destruction magic, collapsing terrain, and certain devices... I just listed several ways to disrupt that advantage alone."

Cassien paused briefly.

"People rely too heavily on textbook warfare. There’s no reason to chain yourself to it."

The professor crossed his arms. "And the superior mana reserves?"

Cassien smiled faintly. "Then I drag the battle out."

"Hm?"

"The more mana someone possesses, the more arrogant they usually become. Arrogant fighters waste energy trying to overwhelm weaker opponents quickly." Cassien glanced around the classroom. "A desperate fighter values every movement. A prideful one does not."

Even the students who disliked him earlier were listening carefully now.

"So if I’m weaker?" Cassien muttered. "Then I turn the fight into attrition. I force mistakes. I force exhaustion. And the moment their mana control begins slipping..."

His eyes sharpened slightly.

"That’s when people die."

The professor stared at him for several long seconds.

"Interesting answer. But I see a flaw." He adjusted his glasses. "Your strategy relies on the opponent becoming overconfident. What if they don’t? What if they remain disciplined from beginning to end?"

Cassien looked at the professor silently for a moment before shrugging.

"Then I lose."

The classroom froze again.

"Huh?"

"What kind of answer is that?" Ren questioned.

The professor narrowed his eyes slightly, but Cassien continued before anyone else could interrupt.

"If the enemy has superior numbers, superior positioning, superior mana reserves, and discipline on top of all that..." He sighed lightly. "Then the odds simply aren’t in my favor anymore."

The room quieted.

Cassien pointed toward the students seated behind him.

"That’s the problem with most strategists. They think every battle has some hidden genius solution where the underdog magically wins through intelligence alone."

He shook his head.

"That’s fantasy."

Several students stiffened at hearing that.

"Sometimes the stronger army just wins. Sometimes the better soldiers survive. And sometimes you die because the situation was doomed from the start."

The professor’s expression slowly shifted into genuine interest.

"But," Cassien continued, "that doesn’t mean you stop searching for opportunities."

He slowly walked across the front of the room while speaking.

"If direct victory becomes impossible, then the objective changes."

"To what?" the professor immediately asked.

"Survival."

Cassien answered without hesitation.

"You preserve manpower. Retreat strategically. Bait the enemy into overextending later. Or..." His eyes narrowed slightly. "You assassinate the commander."

A few students swallowed nervously.

"The battlefield stops being fair the moment people start dying. Honor, pride, formations... all of that disappears once survival becomes the priority."

The professor remained silent.

Cassien continued calmly.

"If I can’t win the war directly, then I cripple leadership, destroy supply lines, poison resources, target communication routes, damage morale, and force internal panic."

He shrugged again.

"A battle doesn’t always end on the battlefield."

Silence filled the classroom.

Even the students who hated him earlier were staring now.

One girl whispered quietly.

"That’s... actually terrifying."

The professor slowly nodded.

"I’ve taught this course for eleven years," he announced, "and most students answer emotionally. They speak about courage, heroic sacrifices, and honorable last stands."

His eyes remained on Cassien.

"But you answered like someone trying to survive against impossible odds."

Cassien yawned. "Well, yeah. Dead people don’t exactly celebrate victory."

A few students laughed quietly.

The professor smirked faintly before tossing a thick book toward him.

Thud.

Cassien caught it lazily.

[Advanced Tactical Structures & Adaptive Warfare]

He looked down at the heavy book in his hands. "You punish students here by giving them more work?"

"You should’ve stayed awake."

"Oh, the tyranny."

The professor ignored him entirely.

"Now then, class," he turned toward the students, "today’s lesson will focus on battlefield adaptation. Since Mr. Artfold seems to believe textbook warfare is flawed..."

A faint grin appeared across the professor’s face.

"Let’s see how well he performs when theory becomes reality."

...

Ring!

The bell finally echoed throughout the academy after a long while.

Cassien immediately stood from his chair before stretching lazily.

’Finally...’

Without Ren speaking at all, the class had been far more entertaining than expected, but sitting through lectures for that long still felt miserable.

He glanced down toward his schedule once more.

—

[Class 1C]

[Year: 1] [Semester: 1]

[Classes]

→ 1. Combat Fundamentals I

→ 2. Mana Control & Arcane Foundations

→ 3. Tactical Strategy & Battlefield Analysis

→ 4. Noble Politics & Academy Laws

—

’One last class.’

Cassien walked through the crowded academy halls while students flooded between classrooms.

The atmosphere had changed noticeably compared to earlier.

"That’s him..."

"The guy who beat Alex."

"And argued with Professor Dren in strategy class..."

"He’s kind of scary..."

Cassien ignored all of it. As he continued down the hallway, a soft voice suddenly called out from the side.

"U-um... excuse me."

Cassien scratched the back of his head lazily. "What’s up—"

Then he noticed who it was.

A girl with soft brown hair, delicate features, and deceptively innocent eyes stood there quietly.

Sophia Desend. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Cassien immediately recognized her. ’Well, well... if it isn’t the academy’s little trickster.’

Sophia smiled softly. "Would you mind walking me to class?" Her voice sounded gentle and slightly nervous. "I’m in all four classes of your semester... yes, I checked your schedule."

She looked away shyly.

"I thought it might be nice if we got closer."

’Closer my ass,’ Cassien thought immediately.

Sophia Desend.

A manipulator. A social climber.

Someone who attached herself to talented students, used their influence to rise through the rankings, then discarded them afterward.

The innocent act was almost impressive.

Cassien looked down slightly toward her smaller yet curvy figure.

"Umm..." he paused dramatically.

"I’m gay."

"Huh?"

Cassien burst out laughing.

"I’m messing with you."

For a split second, irritation flashed across Sophia’s face before the innocent expression returned immediately.

’There it is.’

Honestly, the speed of her recovery was admirable.

’Would’ve been funnier if I used the girlfriend excuse.’

Sophia forced a soft smile.

"You’re... quite humorous."

"I hear that a lot."

Cassien stretched lightly before continuing down the hallway.

"I mean, you can walk with me since we share the same periods."

Sophia’s expression brightened slightly as she stepped closer.

"Thanks a lot." She leaned forward subtly, trying to press her chest against his arm. "You’re sweeter than the rumors say."

Cassien immediately stepped away.

"Yeah... not happening."

Sophia blinked innocently.

"Hm?"

"I know who you are, Sophia Desend. I know exactly what kind of person you are."

Her smile weakened slightly.

"I’m allowing you to walk beside me. I never said you could cling onto me."

"What are you talking about?" she asked softly, pretending confusion.

Cassien sighed.

"No need to play dumb. I’ve dealt with girls like you before. More annoying than ever."

Then he glanced at her calmly.

"Accept what I said and move on."

"B-but..."

He ignored her completely and continued walking.

Sophia remained standing there for a moment, her expression twitching once the hallway cleared slightly.

Her fingers slowly tightened on the locker beside her.

"Who does that faggot think he is. I’ll kill that piece of shit side-character if it’s the last thing I do."