Episode 11. Young and fresh…
The professors’ unique building where professors work.
Once you pass through the corridor on the first floor, there is a spacious reception room with a round table.
It’s usually a place prepared for long meetings, and currently, I was being escorted there under the guidance of Professor Radiant.
“Don’t you worry about being taken to the Unique Building?”
You know your own sins. It seemed like he was saying that.
In fact, from the perspective of the professors who were observing the test, they couldn’t help but feel suspicious. My sudden rapid growth seemed no different from cheating during the test.
“It seems like you had a big showdown with Jenny.”
“And more.”
“Because you’re called a cheater troublemaker.”
“You’re surprisingly frank.”
Radiant, making a face as if he were wondering if this was the kind of person he was originally.
I was a little surprised, but soon corrected myself with a taciturn attitude.
“I see. You too become honest in a crisis. From now on, falsehoods won’t work in the seat you’re about to take.”
“I’m well aware of that. Professor Radiant, who is smart.”
“Hmph. Flattery won’t get you anywhere.”
“It doesn’t matter, I’m just grateful that you’re taking care of a cute student like me.”
“Hmm… You’re a more stubborn one than I thought.”
Finding it an amusing expression, Radiant’s foot was standing in front of the door to the reception room of the Unique Building. Upon opening the door, a spacious and immaculate space was revealed.
No matter how prestigious the Imperial Magic Institution is, the structure is very simple.
There is a vice principal under the principal, a department head under the vice principal, and professors under the department head.
Among them, one department head, one vice principal, and the rest of the professors were gathered and seated in a circular formation.
Even though the principal wasn’t present, the fact that such a group had gathered because of me alone was a worrying aspect.
“Stella Professor isn’t here after all…”
That’s understandable. Her main job is not guiding students but treating them. She would probably have returned to the infirmary as the chief physician by now.
“Welcome, Radon Crawler. We are the professors who have witnessed your performance during the exam.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Radon Crawler.”
As the magic and professor ‘Kerix Legigolla’ spoke, I greeted politely.
When students step into spaces like the Unique Building, they should always show proper etiquette.
Regardless of whether there are rules about it, it’s a fundamental rule.
“We’ll get straight to the point from now on, can you excuse us for a moment?”
“Of course. I also want to finish as soon as possible.”
“Then I’ll ask you directly. You showed remarkable progress in this exam. So we’re considering whether to change your class.”
Enzo Eismir, the alchemy and composed professor, said.
Even though he’s not from the combat department, during the process of becoming a professor, he stored various fields in his mind.
The same goes for other professors.
Students who have shown a rapid increase in skills compared to before can be proposed for class change. With the eyes of the professors, they can judge the suitability.
“So, what I mean is, the strength you showed during the practical exam. Can you demonstrate it in front of us?”
The demands of such professors were simple. It was like asking to solve a problem in front of them to confirm whether there was any cheating during the exam.
Of course, it wasn’t a difficult request. Since I still had the fishing rod I used during the exam, it was straightforward.
[Fantasia Swordsmanship – Spinning Lv2]
I immediately took out the fishing rod and swung it. As I did, a gust of wind blew, so strong that it couldn’t be said to have come from a mere stick. The professors who witnessed it expressed admiration.
“Wow… Quite an unusual swordsmanship. It’s difficult to measure since it’s not my field, but Professor Radiant, what’s your opinion? As a combat department professor.”
Enzo subtly pointed to Radiant.
Although it wasn’t his subject, it was intuitive that it had tremendous power for a Class C.
“No matter how you look at it, it seems to be a swordsmanship that can only exert power by wielding a specific weapon. When that kid first grabbed the fishing rod, I was surprised, but after seeing the battle with Jenny, I’m convinced.”
As expected, it was Radiant who had crossed countless battlefields. It was impossible for him not to recognize all sorts of swordsmanship to survive.
However, swordsmanship utilizing a fishing rod was also new to Radiant.
“But I’m curious where you learned swordsmanship. Can you tell us?”
Radiant’s question flowed naturally like water.
Honestly, I was curious too. How could I provide an answer that would satisfy them…
“I’m not sure myself. I had an occasion to wield a fishing rod recently, and I acquired it afterwards.”
It wasn’t a wrong statement, but it wasn’t the whole truth either.
It would be difficult to explain from the beginning. I couldn’t possibly say it was a skill I acquired by breaking Jenny’s rib!
“It’s not a lie, right? There’s also the possibility that you used tricks we couldn’t even recognize.”
Kerix said so, and he presented a palm-shaped metal plate in front of me.
It was a magical device commonly referred to as a lie detector, the ‘True Mail’.
“Can we use such a valuable item recklessly? You don’t even know how many times you can use it.”
“It’s not originally for this purpose, right? Since time is limited, let’s get started quickly.”
As a valuable magical device, it had a usage limit.
Radiant pointed it out, but Kerix quickly passed it over, citing haste as the reason.
“If it’s true, an ‘O’ will appear above your head, and if it’s false, an ‘X’ will appear. Let’s ask.”
“……”
“Did you engage in a duel with Jenny using only your own strength?”
“Yes, I did.”
– O
“Then how did you acquire that swordsmanship?”
“I acquired it while fishing.”
– O
“Hmm….”
Most of the professors were silent. It was so absurd that they wondered if the True Mail had malfunctioned.
Swinging a sword is easy, but creating such a technique is not. And to think one could acquire such skill just by holding a fishing rod? Where could such nonsense exist?
It was an awkward moment, my neck tingling with discomfort.
“Perhaps everyone should consider their thoughts lightly.”
A man seated a bit apart spoke. With a round and kindly face adorned with a bushy beard, he was Kayji Revolla, the head of the combat department.
He had the friendliest face among them.
“For now, there seems to be nothing wrong with the True Mail. Of course, the results might be disconcerting, but humans inherently change depending on what they grasp.”
Kayji seemed quite relaxed as he spoke. He was twirling a pen in his hand, playing with it.
“There are cases where one shows the skill of a master without ever having learned it. I myself, for example, picked up a kitchen knife for the first time and could cook well, or picked up a pen for the first time and could draw well…”
Kayji drew a line in the air with the pen he was twirling. And then, something unexpected happened.
“Just by holding a stick once, one can wildly swing a sword. That’s how it goes.”
“Huh?”
Crack! The fishing rod I was holding split in half and rolled to the floor. It was as if, with just a pen, he had performed a trick that surpassed space.
“Perhaps, like I once was, this Radon student might be the same. Perhaps he’s a talent we should encourage instead.”
Though not fully convinced yet, the situation revealed that Radiant’s words were not lies.
Moreover, they weren’t inclined to waste time on just one student.
“So, any further remarks about this Radon student?”
The audience remained quiet. Even if they were inclined to push Radiant, there was no pretext, no evidence. Stretching it would only be a waste of time.
“Oh, and Radon student. That fishing rod, it’s not something precious, is it?”
“It’s not, but…”
“Then we’ll compensate you several times over soon. And feel free to visit the department head’s office once you have the chance.”
“Thank you very much.”
Though Kayji was in his forties, he felt solid like an elder brother.
It seemed easy to be charmed by his warm and friendly demeanor.
“But that doesn’t mean we can promote Radon to Class A.”
A voice poured cold water on the atmosphere. Estimated to be ten years older than Kayji, his name was ‘Heidern.’ He was the vice principal of the academy.
A real old-school disciplinarian who had annoyed players in the game and would later turn into a villain.
“Radon himself knows the reason well enough. Isn’t that so?”
As long as the skills were sufficient, a class change could happen anytime. Even if one were a troublemaker, it wouldn’t matter.
That’s why strange characters like Travell and Maryd were also in Class A.
There was no reason I couldn’t move up.
But my skills hadn’t been firmly proven yet.
“Radon is still immature. It’s safe to say that fighting Jenny student on equal terms was more of a facade.”
“A facade, Vice Principal? I’ve been observing the exams, and I haven’t seen any cowardly acts from him, though?”
Kayji, who had been quite blunt until then, furrowed his brow for the first time and defended me. Seeing this, Heidern looked at Kayji with disdain and spoke.
“Head of the department, Kayji. Can you proudly call yourself the head of the combat department after defending someone like that?”
“What do you mean…?”
A few sincere words from Heidern made the atmosphere flicker. His anger seemed to create a strange phenomenon, weighing down the mood.
“You just heard, didn’t you? The fishing rod that student wields turns into a deadly weapon. In other words, it means he’s armed with a real weapon, not a training one!”
“….”
“As someone who oversees the combat department, didn’t you see through something like this? If the principal were here, he would undoubtedly be disappointed.”
Kayji couldn’t refute Heidern’s justified criticism. In the end, keeping quiet was the only action Kayji could take.
Though Heidern seemed sharp, one couldn’t forget that he was a character with no way in or out.
“But for now, let’s apply it favorably.”
If I join Class A, I’ll get closer to Jenny and Raimon. But climbing up there now would be like jumping into a tiger’s den.
There are too many guys who shouldn’t be messed with yet.
If I get tangled up with them for no reason, I might end up being frozen again.
“So I can’t go up there?”
“Of course not! Engaging with Class A students practically amounts to cheating. I’d like to fail you, but your growth is too evident, so I’ll just deduct points.”
In other words… back to Class C. As long as it’s not Class A, there’s no harm.
“And reflect on this incident!”
Heidern lashed out as if to kill. Despite his fierce demeanor, I shouted with a relieved expression.
“Thank you very much! Vice Principal, you’re so youthful and energetic!”
“What? Youthful…?”
Heidern was taken aback by the sudden compliment.
“Cough…!”
It was a rare compliment. Although he seemed pleased, he stifled a cough and tried to contain his embarrassment.
‘Youthful, my foot.’
Still, thanks for this time, Vice Principal.
* * * * *
A girl was looking at a mirror in her room.
Strangely, the mirror didn’t reflect her appearance or the room. It only showed a different screen.
She was watching the recording of this practical exam. By attaching the borrowed magic plate to the mirror, she could watch its contents.
On the screen, a scene of a girl with blue hair and a boy with a fishing rod clashing was displayed.
The boy succeeded in breaking the girl’s neck sword, but he was ultimately defeated by the girl’s ace card without a countermeasure.
Snow Age.
The ability of the girl with blue hair to freeze the forest was astonishing.
But her gaze was on the boy with the frozen fishing rod.
“Radon Crowler.”
As she looked at the boy in the mirror, the girl had a thought.
While pushing back her disheveled pink hair, she revealed her lovely features.
“Perhaps he is the one…”
A first-year A-class student of the magic department, the beloved of White Tower, also known as the lunatic, Maryd Ryudsiehl, observed the frozen Radon intently.
