<188 - You Will Regret It>
The students listening to the Fundamentals and Understanding of Imperial Magic Studies gathered in the closed Old Campus.
“Is it true? Professor Raeb is doing special training for us?”
“Given that we received a silent message spell telling us to come quietly and not to talk to anyone, it must be true.”
“That’s right. He scheduled a faction competition against the border students just to give us extra points. Who else could be so generous but Professor Raeb?”
Although he was considered the worst professor by students from the border region, he was regarded as the best by those from the Empire. The students accepted his warm kindness without question.
“Brr, it’s cold. When is the professor coming?”
“I’m wasting time… I’m sleepy. I think I’m going back now.”
As the students were about to leave the empty classroom in the Old Campus due to their impatience, one student’s face turned to surprise.
“Ouch, it’s freezing!”
“What’s wrong?”
“The door is extremely cold! I thought my hand was getting stuck!”
“What the… does that mean we’re trapped?”
“I’ve got it! This must be the professor’s test!”
“Hmm. It wouldn’t be surprising in this Academy.”
“Alright, let’s blow the door open with magic!”
“Wait, we can’t do that! Did you forget about the message spell?”
The students’ faces turned to puzzlement.
[You will receive additional points for special training to earn extra scores in the lecture on Fundamentals and Understanding of Imperial Magic Studies. Gather in this place after curfew time.]
[If anyone finds out, you’ll face fines due to rule violations, so be extra careful in your actions.]
They had learned from seniors how painful the penalties in the Academy were. Conversely, they understood how many points extra points could mean for students on the verge of failing.
Just a little longer. Just hold on a bit more.
They realized something had gone terribly wrong amidst the rising cold, driven by greed for scores or fear of penalties.
“Professor, this is beyond our capabilities!”
“My mana is too great; I can’t melt the cold properties of the door!”
“Please let us out! Okay?”
Thud-dud-dud.
The door vibrated.
The students’ expressions brightened.
Maybe the professor is about to open it.
Desperate to get out, they gathered at the door.
But the state of the door was strange.
Crack-crack.
The icy door was closer to the concept of ‘breaking’ rather than ‘opening.’
By the time they realized what that meant, it was already too late.
Boom!
Ice door shards exploded into thousands of pieces, crashing into the students’ bodies.
*
“That was not my doing.”
“What? We thought it was your test, and we kept our mouths shut until the end!”
Professor Raeb glared at the student with a look of disbelief, thinking that even he, if he were a first-year, could easily mistake something like that in this Academy.
“Regardless of the reason, closing your mouths was a wise decision. If it had been proven that you were caught in a crime scene for irreverent purposes, it would have resulted in point deductions.”
At the moment when many students gathered in pursuit of an unfair advantage, their evaluation score had already plunged into the abyss. It was fortunate that they didn’t receive any deductions because they kept quiet.
“Come in.”
“What are you saying?”
“They were training for the faction competition and accidentally got injured, apparently.”
“Oh dear. Without informing the instructors, getting injured in a restricted area after curfew is going to lead to a hefty fine for the students.”
“This incident falls partially on me as their professor. If I had recognized the students’ enthusiasm and arranged for appropriate training facilities and supervising instructors at the right time, this accident could have been avoided. I will cover the point deductions with my points.”
“Professor Raeb, you are truly an uncommon individual. You are the living conscience of the Empire.”
Respect and admiration shone in the students’ eyes.
“Well then, I’ll leave the treatment to you.”
“Leave it to me.”
While the students kept quiet for the wrong reason, it was wise to keep silent even aside from point deductions.
Message spell. Rapid freezing magic. Either way, all evidence has neatly evaporated.
Upon visiting the scene in person and examining where the door was, he became even more convinced.
The steel door the students mentioned was nonexistent.
They hadn’t frozen the original door. There had never been one in the first place.
It openly hinted that the students had been led into a trap, but the exploded ice door had vanished without even leaving moisture behind.
So, they must be confident.
He implied that he knew the method of ‘rapid freezing’ he had used, and even if caught, there would be no evidence left—his plan was perfectly executed.
In an even bolder and more lethal manner, it threatened his reputation as well.
Oknodie… is this your response to this revenge?
Unaware of anything, Ppyoi, and the extraordinarily fortunate Isabel suffered from the same pain.
The two students and Oknodie traveled different paths.
From this incident, he learned that the magic used was [Temperature Conversion] magic.
The specialization used was [Rapid].
The additional techniques were [Detonation], [Volatility].
As a result, the magic cast was 4th circle [Detonating Ice].
It was executed with an enormous amount of mana, yielding a freezing power greater than that of Professor Raeb himself.
This level of mana was definitely not that of a first year.
Neither was this the level of magic studies knowledge one would expect from a first year.
And certainly, the magic control of a first-year didn’t even begin to match.
Everything far exceeded the level of a first year.
-True assassins, unlike you, do not get caught even when they explicitly threaten.
As though to say this, Oknodie had ensnared countless students without leaving a shred of evidence behind.
His hands clenched tightly.
A rough chill emanated from within his fist.
The professor who oozed a lethal cold that could freeze reptiles to death stared with eyes that sank deeper and colder.
Good. Next, I’ll deal with you directly, not as a bystander. You won’t be able to act so arrogantly then.
*
Irene looked at the warrior who had come to find her with a puzzled expression.
“Hello. You must be Northern Grand Duchess Irene?”
“…What about it?”
“Surprised by my sudden visit? Sorry. Can I take a moment to ask for advice?”
The warrior Ishtar wore a refreshing and confident smile, flaunting a defining sense of justice that dampened the spirits of passing female students.
Irene, aware of her own relatively meek presence, shrank her shoulders and took a small step back.
“Don’t want to stand close.”
Whether she recognized the sentiment or not, the warrior quickly approached and reached out to grab her hand.
Chills radiated from the lightly brushed-off hand.
“Don’t touch me. That’s not proper etiquette for a cryomancer.”
“Oh! If I was uncomfortable, I’m really sorry! I just wanted to look good because there’s something I’d like to ask you.”
Cryomancers have the ability to freeze everything that approaches unconsciously. Recklessly reaching out can lead to accidents for both the person touching and the cryomancer. Thus, it’s natural to take defensive actions…
I felt resistance.
The warrior sent the cryogenic magic away into thin air before it could reach her palm.
A person possessing the qualification to approach anyone without hesitation had no fear of getting hurt, not even hesitating to make physical contact with a mage.
She was a woman so blatantly confident that both her demeanor and her attitude were irritable.
“Actually, I heard that students were affected by freezing magic en masse and needed to visit the medical building. I estimate it was magic of at least 3rd circle, and in our batch, you are the only expert in freezing magic, Irene.”
Irene struggled to suppress her annoyance.
Yearly co-valedictorian. A competent individual who distanced herself from faction conflicts. Someone possessing an unpleasant degree of boldness.
Such thoughts were momentarily sidelined.
In the harsh North, she needed to present herself well to gain assistance from a warrior like this someday.
Human relationships often start with the person in need making sacrifices.
“Alright. I’ll help you. But only as far as I can. If it interferes with my assignments or exams, I’ll stop immediately.”
“That’s more than enough.”
The warrior had a mission bestowed upon her.
Though tasked with eliminating the greatest threat of her time, she needed the support of many to accomplish her goals.
Where else could she find the funds to equip herself for slaying the Demon King?
Securing sponsors with deep pockets is essential.
And this kind of sponsorship requires a process to prove the warrior’s qualifications.
-This guy isn’t going to skip out with the cash, right?
-What’s the point of getting pricey gear to slay the Demon King if it’s all stolen by muggers?
To avoid such absurd situations, sponsors often place extermination commissions to check the abilities of the warrior, who in turn must prove their worth.
Additionally, this includes verifying that the warrior won’t betray their sponsors, their sense of responsibility, and their capacity for positive influence.
The chosen warrior is different from fake ones in the world.
People who are self-proclaimed warriors try to imitate the quests of real warriors, yet they seldom mimic the benevolent impact these real warriors have.
Because it’s not profitable, and it doesn’t contribute to their career; it’s dangerous, yet the compensation doesn’t match.
This current situation is no different.
The warrior received no payment from anyone.
Yet, she was worried about the injured students, seeking allies to track down the culprit.
Irene’s frozen heart softened slightly.
“The traces of destruction suggest the explosion power of the ice door was considerable. However, the explosion path didn’t lead toward the neck. It was a thoroughly calculated performance.”
Irene conducted an earnest investigation of the incident.
“The additional spell technique used here was [Path Limitation]. It’s quite contradictory to combine both power and non-lethal actions, and that requires a great deal of effort.”
“Does that mean the culprit is a master of freezing magic?”
“I’m certain they have received high-level professional training for an extended period. If their proficiency is lacking, the power would be reduced due to the path limitation. Otherwise, there would have been fatalities despite the restrictions.”
“Where could someone receive that level of training?”
“Regular mages from the Blue Magic Tower. Instructors above academy level. If they were a student, they would need to be an upperclassman approaching graduation.”
“…Why would someone like that target a first-year?”
“I have no idea. But given that there were no casualties, this can be viewed as a ‘warning.’”
Warrior Ishtar gained a hint from Irene’s assumption.
“The injured students were all attending Professor Raeb’s [Fundamentals and Understanding of Imperial Magic Studies] lecture. And… the only lecture those attending could have grievances toward would be the upcoming [Fundamentals and Understanding of Mana Usage] class for the faction competition.”
“That’s great. We found it quickly. Well then, I’ll step back here.”
As Irene was determined to cleanly withdraw and disengage from this matter, a warrior’s words followed behind her.
“One of the students attending that class is Oknodie.”
“…!”
“Doesn’t that concern you?”
Irene’s feelings grew complex.
Could that child really have committed such a deed?
And if so, what would it matter?
“If it was that child’s doing?”
“Then they wouldn’t be eligible as a candidate for comrades. And…”
“And?”
“Then they would need to be held accountable.”
The warrior’s blade of words began to target Oknodie.
Now, Irene had to make a choice.
Should she assist the warrior?
Should she inform Oknodie about this fact?
Or should she turn a blind eye and draw a line, saying it has nothing to do with her?
-You’re turning red again. Look at your palm. My magic is more likely to cause frostbite if you’re close by.
-Shouldn’t I punish you?”
-Haven’t you already gotten a beating all over your body? You shouldn’t approach a cryomancer recklessly.
Suddenly, an episode from Professor Plato’s past lectures came to mind, recalling Oknodie’s bold behavior clinging to her back while she exerted her power.
Normal people couldn’t approach the lethal cold, and even if they could, the thought of accidentally unleashing their own mana might cause them to freeze to death just from the distance.
While hanging perilously close, Oknodie had penetrated layers of sensing tools installed to avoid potential safety hazards.
Despite his audacity, he still looked like a child caught scolded.
If that child demonstrated some resistance to the cold…
Perhaps Oknodie could really be the culprit.
What should she do about that child?
Irene suddenly found herself weighing the warrior and Oknodie against each other.
And she realized.
A talent that could help the barren North in the future.
It didn’t necessarily have to be a warrior.
It could be Oknodie, a powerhouse on par with a warrior; perhaps a warrior wasn’t even needed.
“…I don’t think Oknodie did it.”
What enveloped her was nearly an instinctive determination.
She had subconsciously made her choice.
She believed Oknodie would be more helpful.
A more trustworthy being.
No, perhaps a being she wanted to trust.
“Why lie? You thought it might be possible.”
“…!”
And now the warrior had realized the truth.
“How unfortunate. I thought we could become friends.”
“…”
“I appreciate your help. As a reward, here’s a piece of advice.”
A threatening hue flickered in the warrior’s golden eyes.
“I hope you’ll let go of that child.”
“If. If I say I can’t?”
The warrior smiled brightly.
“Then you will regret it.”
