“…What?”
“Actually, I was just joking. I was thinking of our ‘Summon and Battle’ professor’s thrilling love story…”
“Stop spouting nonsense.”
“Oh my.”
“A love story?”
The Rankers, especially the female ones, began to murmur.
The Pharaoh, who had been quietly standing behind them, stirred up a sandstorm in the auditorium.
Rather than seriously creating a wind, it seemed more like a mischievous gust.
“Oof!”
“Ah! Sand!”
“…It’s annoying.”
Of course, even that felt somewhat intimidating to the Ranker students.
It wasn’t life-threatening, but they had to pay decent attention to keep their places.
Whoosh!
Even Yena, who had made some progress, was staggering, while someone emerged through the sandstorm from the stage.
A grayish cloud emanating from her countered the sandstorm.
“I am Birang Brennis.”
“Congratulations, Birang student.”
As I gestured, the ‘Power and Supernatural’ professor Lasty nonchalantly arrived with a pristine white trophy.
It was a rather elegantly decorated trophy.
The inscription below read ‘3rd place in entrance exams.’
“Congratulations. You didn’t see it properly, so we’ll have to check your skills later.”
“I won’t disappoint you.”
“Birang student recorded 31 minutes and 15 seconds under the condition of ‘defeating all Vampires.’”
[31 minutes?]
[31 minutes, what the hell]
[That’s crazy levels]
[Wow]
[This is the Empire, right?]
[No kidding]
[Yena didn’t even stand a chance]
[And that was under the condition of defeating them]
[OMG]
[Didn’t she catch the Progenitor?]
[Yena’s not included, right?]
“…Damn world.”
“Next is the second place…”
The next one up, Beriard, stepped onto the stage looking darker than before.
He walked up quietly to receive his award, just like always.
“Congratulations.”
“Yeah.”
This was probably the most questionable rank.
He wasn’t stronger than the few Rankers, and though he was an unofficial Ranker, he didn’t overwhelm everyone.
Just like the audience, the Rankers sent him looks of confusion and suspicion, but the rank didn’t change.
“Why am I…?”
Well, there were some changes, but.
“By the way, why haven’t you shown up until now?”
“Things happened.”
“What kind of things?”
“…Nothing worth worrying about.”
Really?
I stared at Beriard intently.
“……”
I stare more intently.
I stare and stare even more…
Understanding!
As the darkness covering my face begins to fade, Beriard hurriedly steps off the podium.
If only I had stayed a bit longer. What a shame.
[?]
[Oh, you dislike rewards?]
[Is this guy insane?]
[Penalty hahaha]
[Looks like he’s the only one who doesn’t want to make eye contact with Lily]
[Me too! Match me too!]
[So jealous]
After that, the ceremony wraps up with Leo, the top student in the entrance exam, and the dim auditorium suddenly lights up.
Now everyone’s appearance is clearly reflected in the camera.
All the rankers who hold a position in Deoen, and countless others who can listen to my lecture but are not here.
I slowly grabbed the microphone towards them.
“Okay, everyone.”
[Yes]
[Yeah]
[ㅇㅇㅇㅇㅇ]
“First of all, I sincerely welcome the 28 students who have enrolled.”
[Applause]
[Congrats]
[What do we do now?]
[Are we doing introductions?]
“What you will learn in the academy is not a special ability. It’s not a mysterious skill that creates something from nothing.”
Neither I nor the special and mysterious powers of Lasty and the Pharaoh will grant you something from nothing.
I will simply teach you.
How to use the abilities you have in a more ‘meaningful’ way.
“You might be a little disappointed. Perhaps you think all of this is pointless. After all, you already possess strong abilities.”
“Well then, I should leave.”
“…Professor Lasty.”
“Why?”
[hahahahaha]
[That’s true though?]
[If you’re upset, just leave]
[hahaha]
[Everything Lily teaches is special]
[She says what she wants, Shikole!]
[Lasty, oppa…]
Suddenly pushing back the protruding Lasty.
“But there is no power without a price.”
Except for the two races that have unreasonable power from birth, everyone is affected by a price.
Even they must pay a price when they exceed their limits.
“If you gain something truly special, it will come with a price, and you will also suffer the consequences of that price.”
A white spear is summoned from the tips of my fingers.
As I lightly strike the white guardian I hold in my hand, dozens of pre-drawn holy magic circles begin to spin.
The spinning magic circles emit light, creating white bracelets on everyone’s wrists.
[Jealous]
[Are we not getting one?]
[So envious]
“The bracelets I hand out are a warning of the dangers of the price mentioned earlier. If this bracelet changes color or if something seems off, I recommend you stop using whatever it is.”
“Then I recommend stopping the use of something.”
“What if it’s a situation where I can’t stop?!”
Leo looks at me with sparkling eyes.
If it’s a situation where I can’t stop…
“It’ll feel painfully unbearable, to the point of wishing to die. Yet, you’ll do it hundreds of times anyway.”
“Then I’ll have to accept it. No matter what price comes my way.”
Sometimes, there are things you need to obtain even if it means taking risks.
■
The entrance ceremony has concluded.
After the entrance ceremony, the previously distributed student IDs and the academy system determined each student’s ‘major,’ and the students moved to lecture halls that suited their respective majors.
Having around 28 students attending a single class isn’t a problem, but each possesses different talents.
For example, the Pharaoh’s subject is ‘Summon and Battle,’ and entering ranked 25th, the Druid ‘Dinosaur is Alive’ finding it more efficient to learn from the Pharaoh than from Lily or Lasty.
In contrast, the fire mage Redberry has almost nothing to learn from the Pharaoh.
Thus, due to the classification according to each student’s talents and characteristics, some subjects end up being quite crowded.
“…This cannot be.”
And among the students ‘crowded’ into one of those subjects…
Ranked 3rd, Birang Brennis was engulfed in thought while looking at the student ID issued after the entrance ceremony.
First, successfully entering the academy under Duke Huangyeol’s order.
Although Lily referred to it as a mistake, it can only be seen as a blatant interference that almost prevented her from making it on time, and she entered using force.
It was quite a risky gamble, but she managed to get in safely…
“Points for punishment?!”
Birang Brennis, who has never even received a reprimand in her life.
While attending the Imperial Academy in her childhood, she always received praise and admiration from everyone.
Even after being taught by the Spirit Lord, she had never received a reprimand regarding her ineptitude.
If it wasn’t the name itself, she’d be confronting it immediately…!
“…Calm down.”
It’s humiliating, but those scores are not important.
Her purpose is solely to check on Lily’s movements.
To do that, she must take Lily’s class.
However, her assigned major is a completely different subject, not the magic Lily teaches.
It’s the ‘Summon and Battle’ taught by the bizarre statue known as That Guy Uncle.
Though she cannot currently acknowledge it, it’s true that she can’t say the major was set incorrectly.
‘The subject most suitable for me is indeed Summon and Battle.’
But she can’t just step back like this.
‘So…’
■
Knock, knock, knock.
“Come in.”
Creeeak…
The door to the dean’s office opens.
In the elegantly decorated room, Lily is at a desk covered with countless papers, furiously scribbling something down.
I heard that they were supposed to temporarily halt the transmission magic and give the students a break, but I still don’t understand why the transmission magic is still running.
What does transmission magic have to do with this?
“Is there a problem?”
“I saw the notice. My major is summon spirits and battle.”
“Seems like you’re suited for that field. The professor is skilled enough to be a great help.”
“Is it possible to major in something even if you’re not suited for it?”
A pause.
Lily stopped the mana pen she was writing with.
Her bright blue eyes, shining even in the bright daylight, fixate on me.
“Majors are determined solely by talent and aptitude.”
“Isn’t there another way?”
“There is.”
“Then that method…”
“They say if you’re reborn, your aptitude changes. I haven’t seen it myself, but it’s probably true.”
“…….”
She has no intention of changing it.
Lily smiled lightly.
“Are you already thinking of changing it before you’ve even started?”
“I know my talent well. It’ll be impossible forever to major in a subject I want.”
“Who is the professor you wish for?”
“Professor Lily.”
“My subject is magic, you know?”
“It doesn’t matter. I can handle magic, albeit poorly.”
“Hmmm…”
Lily casually twirled the mana pen.
After turning it a couple of times, she fell into silence.
Is it truly impossible?
But I can’t back down like this.
If I fail Duke Huangyeol’s command, it would also affect the Spirit Lord…
“…Is it really impossible?”
“Usually, it is. Academy rules take priority. No matter how much of a professor you are, it’s not changeable.”
“…Usually?”
She laughs.
With a more playful smile than before, she finally sets down her pen completely.
“Yes. Usually that’s the case, but…”
Tap.
“If you get the approval of a dean-level official, most issues can be resolved.”
“…So you’re saying it’s effectively up to Lady Lily?”
“That’s right.”
Everything here belongs to Lily.
“…What do you want?”
“That question was misguided.”
It’s not about what she wants.
“You need to tell me why you’re here.”
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