Buzz buzz
In the Academy’s Magic Engineering Building, Room 1.
This is where the orientation for the class I decided to take, “Understanding Magic Engineering,” will be held.
Perhaps because it’s a highly enrolled class, it’s on the 5th floor and can accommodate over a hundred people—a massive lecture hall, like a mall’s atrium in my past life.
And yet, the place is overflowing with students. As expected of her.
Sunny and I settled into decent front-row seats.
In my previous life, I preferred sitting in the back to avoid getting caught by teachers or professors… but this class is one I enrolled in because I like the professor.
I mean, it’d be such a pity to sit in the back when I can finally see her in real life.
“Oh? Sunny? Is that Luke too?”
While waiting for her to arrive, I heard a familiar voice from behind.
“Oh? You idiot Andre.”
As I turned around, I spotted Andre, responding to Sunny’s voice.
“Andre? You’re interested in this class too?”
“Ah, I came because I was curious about the professor’s golem. It’s said to be a rare golem.”
Naturally, Andre sat right next to me.
Even though we’ve only known each other for two days, his manner was like that of a close friend.
Not as sociable as Amy, but not bad.
By the way, a golem, huh.
Right, the golem. It was like her trademark.
An ancient golem. It symbolizes her.
“You guys too? You came to see the golem?”
“Of course. I’m curious about the ancient golem that Professor Cronia handles.”
To be precise, I just wanted to see her, the professor from [Deus Ex Machina] whom I liked.
Just as I finished speaking, I felt the entrance getting busier.
Clack clack
As I looked towards the entrance, I saw her walk in.
With red hair that seemed ready to ignite at any moment and an elegant appearance akin to an intellectual career woman.
The professor for today’s class, “Understanding Magic Engineering,” is the one and only, Cronia Mesene.
She’s the only wizard capable of handling the golems of a long-lost ancient civilization. Other wizards can manage them too, but none can handle them as perfectly and freely as she does. Only her bloodline can truly control them. Moreover, no one from the Mesene family has her level of talent, making her even more amazing.
Interestingly, her ‘gift’ isn’t related to golems.
Anyway, she comes from a noble family, the Mesene family, and is quite the aristocrat supremacist.
Because of this, in [Deus Ex Machina], she bullied Dia, a commoner, who showed outstanding abilities.
Initially, she appeared as a villain, but later reformed due to Dia and became a beloved character.
In the chaos caused by ‘Chaos,’ she showed the most professor-like behavior at the Academy and gained immense popularity by sacrificing herself for her students in the final act.
Her ‘final class’ was an episode that couldn’t be watched without tears. That’s why I liked her, and she was the professor I was most looking forward to in this Academy semester.
And here I am, meeting her in reality like this.
Clack
As Professor Cronia stood at the front of the class, the previously noisy lecture hall fell silent.
To make the upper-class Academy students, who lived with no regard for others, fall silent just by her presence—what charisma!
Gluck
In the silence, a sound of someone swallowing could be heard.
Well, considering she’s a woman who rose to war hero status as a magic engineer—threat level zero—it’s understandable that even Academy students would feel intimidated.
“Nice to meet you, newcomers. I’m Cronia Mesene, in charge of the class ‘Understanding Magic Engineering.'”
As she opened her mouth, a stiff tone that didn’t match her beautiful appearance came out. Maybe it’s because of her personality that doesn’t enjoy mingling and her military background.
Dressed in the uniform of an Imperial Army general, she looked… well, how should I put this? Impressive.
Oh? Does this mean I’ll get to see that appearance in reality someday?
“The Empire has asked me to teach the future leaders like you the subject of Magic Engineering. I hope all first-year students will have the chance to learn about magic engineering. Well… don’t expect too much. If even one of you understands ‘magic engineering,’ it’ll be a miracle.”
Her openly dismissive remarks had several students clenching their fists. Yet, not a single student voiced their discontent or openly protested.
About ten years ago, there was an invasion by barbarians.
A massive number of barbarians invaded, putting the Empire in a precarious situation.
While the Empire could defend itself, moving troops to prevent the barbarians took way too long.
And a few strong warriors couldn’t possibly hold back that quantity, so the shining solution that appeared was Cronia.
The only magic engineer capable of leading a legion of golems alone.
She quickly deployed herself to the front lines, completely stifling the barbarians and preventing a breach in the Empire’s defenses.
If the barbarians had broken through the Empire’s borders, it would have resulted in massive damage.
Just like when the Roman Empire’s borders were breached by foreign tribes, shocking its citizens.
So, even though it was merely an invasion by barbarians, it was a matter that could reduce the Empire’s lifespan by ten years.
Because of this, Cronia’s existence became imprinted in the minds of all the people of the Calandra Empire, leading to the Academy focusing on nurturing the subject of Magic Engineering. They even invited her as a professor.
Is that why students flocked to the first class in numbers that nearly overwhelmed the lecture hall? Even though they were openly dismissed, not a single one spoke up.
It must be a mix of respect, fear, and awe for her.
Ah, come to think of it, I heard about a first-year student last year who brazenly challenged Cronia and got absolutely wrecked. Is that why they’re like this?
In [Deus Ex Machina], this kind of atmosphere led to the commoner Dia making a clueless remark and drawing Cronia’s ire, leading to a duel…
So was it like this even in the game? That would explain why Cronia quickly went to duel Dia.
But Dia has changed a bit now, so that probably won’t happen. Did Dia even come here?
“Over the past few years, I’ve taught students like you. But I’ve never seen a student who truly understands magic engineering. They all just want to handle mechanical servants while lacking even a proper understanding of ‘magic.’ I just hope among you, there’s one unlike those foolish ones, a proper magic engineer. Now, today is just orientation, so I’ll introduce what my class is about.”
Kabang
“Crazy!”
“Is that… an ancient golem?”
As soon as Cronia finished speaking, a huge spatial hole appeared in front of her.
And from the hole emerged the ancient golem—towering like a Spartan warrior from my past life, with a shining blue eye and made up of countless clockwork mechanisms, about three stories high.
Shiiiiiing
The golem fully revealed itself and puffed out smoke.
That’s Cronia’s main golem, the model soldier, said to be on par with a Sword Expert.
Seeing it up close is incredibly imposing.
“The first class is a demonstration. I’ll show you what magic engineering is. Is there a volunteer willing to share a turn with my ‘magic engineering’?”
Silence.
Despite this huge lecture hall being packed, not a single person volunteered.
“Not a single one? How strange. There’s never been a time without volunteers. Are the new students just a bunch of cowards?”
Cronia frowned at her beautiful brows.
Even with such provocative remarks, no one stepped up.
“Hmm… Do I have to point someone out? I didn’t expect this to happen. Who should I pick?”
Suddenly, students began looking elsewhere or lowering their heads, avoiding eye contact with Cronia.
Occasionally, a few students had the courage to meet her gaze, but most couldn’t look directly at her.
Those not avoiding her gaze probably had confidence in their abilities, the main characters from [Deus Ex Machina].
“Disappointing. I didn’t dream there would be so many cowards avoiding eye contact. Is this batch just a bunch of no-ones…? Hmm? Sky Blue Hair. Could it be?”
The eyes of the golem in front of me gleamed. A chill ran down my spine. It was as if something was scanning my body…
“I see now. Is she that girl’s younger brother? Pulsreino! Step forward!”
Cronia looked directly at me and spoke.
Me?
Out of all these students, why me?
Ah. Seiren sister.
That’s when I remembered.
The fact that when Seiren sister caused a ruckus at a previous Academy, Cronia’s golem legion suffered severe losses trying to stop it.
Could it be that my older sister Seiren, who has already graduated, is here to dump trouble on me?
“I’ll teach you ‘magic engineering.'”
Cronia flashed me a smile.
Um… I had plans to catch Cronia’s attention, but I never expected it to happen like this.
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