Chapter 246: 2nd Semester (4)
Chapter 246: 2nd Semester (4)
"Iona has arrived!"
It had been a while since I’d heard that.
I wasn't the only one who felt that way; as Iona struck a bizarre pose, small chuckles erupted from various spots around the classroom.
Enjoying the reaction with a satisfied look, Iona waved her hands exaggeratedly in greeting.
"Hello! Hello! It’s been a long time, everyone! Well, maybe not for some of you, but for most, I haven't seen you all break! Anyway!"
Iona shot a meaningful glance in my direction.
However, the fact that I officially provided blood to Iona was fairly well-known within the Academy, so everyone just took it in stride.
Smacking her lips as if disappointed by the students' lackluster reaction, Iona continued.
"The second semester starts today, right? I’ll give you a brief explanation of the classes! They’re a bit different from the first semester!"
As she spoke, she lightly scattered her mana, carving letters into the air.
‘A Joyful Start to the 2nd Semester!’
The handwriting was rounded and strangely cute. In the corner, there was even a chibi-style drawing of Iona.
What on earth is that?
With a proud smile at the snickers breaking out around her, Iona waved her hand again, transforming the manifested image.
This time, it was a well-organized table showing the changes for each subject… though a Mini Iona was still drawn in the corner.
"First, first! In my class, Magic Combat Studies, there won't be any more duels amongst ourselves!"
The Mini Iona pitter-pattered over, took the hand of another Mini Iona she had been facing off against, and helped her up.
"Instead, you’ll be dueling with the Knight Department. We’ll be doing both individual and team matches, so look forward to it! The battles will be completely different from what you’ve experienced so far!"
Beside the two Mini Ionas shaking hands, two black Mini Ionas with wicked smiles appeared.
Judging by the toothpick-like swords they were brandishing, they were meant to represent the Knight Department. It was quite cute in its own dainty way.
However, the original Mini Ionas didn't seem to think so; they looked incredibly tense, conjuring fire and ice above their hands.
Wait, why is she so good at making these?
While I was busy being impressed, the Mini Ionas, who looked ready to fight at any moment, suddenly vanished, and new text floated up.
‘Let’s Join Forces with the Production Department!’
Along with that phrase, two newly drawn Mini Ionas shook hands with serious expressions.
One held a staff and the other a hammer, clearly representing the Magic Department and the Production Department.
"Everyone, everyone! You know the Production Department exists, but you don't really know what they do, right? Take this chance to get close to them! Whether you're a mage or a knight, equipment is important!"
The Mini Iona holding the staff tilted her head, spun around in place, and then pulled out a potion bottle with a triumphant look.
"You know you’ll be choosing your majors starting from the second year, right? The Magic Department has a surprising amount of overlap with the Production Department. Things like Enchanting or Alchemy, for instance. Who knows? You might find your true calling, so don't neglect your cooperation with the Production Department, okay?"
Iona continued her explanation, accompanied by easy-to-read text and cute drawings.
Pure academic subjects like Mana Manipulation or Formula Theory weren't much different from the first semester.
However, most other subjects had expanded in a way that linked them to other disciplines or opened up such possibilities.
As Iona said, it was likely intended to give us various experiences before we had to choose our majors in the second year.
Well… I was planning to major in Magic Combat and minor in Elemental Magic anyway, so I didn't need to worry myself over it.
I listened intently for a while to see if anything had changed for me, but since it matched my memory, I eventually started tuning out Iona's explanation.
Instead, I couldn't take my eyes off the Mini Iona, who was constantly bickering, cheering, despairing, smirking deviously, or just staring blankly with a silly grin.
I wonder if I can do that too? Simply writing letters or drawing pictures might be possible, but making them move so realistically might be a bit much.
Still, I should give it a try.
The magic itself was just basic magic. Probably Light. The problem was the control over the mana and having a vivid image…
I stealthily reached under the desk and projected my mana.
Wuuu—
As expected, succeeding on the first try was impossible. The image I created looked fine when stationary, but as soon as it moved, it would inevitably distort somewhere.
How many times did I repeat this, focusing on creating a Mini Yandel while pretending to listen to Iona’s lecture?
Dong— Dong— Dong—
Before I knew it, the bells rang throughout the Academy, signaling the end of class.
"Good, good! Right on time! It was great to see you all again, and let’s work hard starting tomorrow! Go and get some rest today! Oh, and Student Yandel, stop by my office for a moment before you head home!"
"Yes, Professor."
I nodded nonchalantly at Iona's words.
She probably just wanted her daily dose of blood.
*
"You know, you know. Student Yandel, you weren't really listening to my explanation today, were you? I… I prepared so much for that."
"…You didn't call me here for blood?"
"Of course I’m going to drink your blood too! But it makes me so sad that Student Yandel didn't pay attention to my class, even if it was just the opening ceremony! Sniff, sniff."
Iona covered her eyes with her hands and let out a fake sobbing sound that anyone could tell was forced.
Scratching the back of my head awkwardly, I sat down right next to Iona.
We were close enough for our shoulders to touch. In other words, from a distance where I could clearly see the corners of Iona's mouth twitching into a grin, I extended my index finger into the air.
"It was because of this."
As I lightly drew up my mana, a small light bloomed from my fingertip. Using it, I drew the Mini Yandel I had been practicing earlier. The afterimage remained, forming a drawing in the air.
It was still difficult to perfectly capture the shape with a single wave of the hand like Iona did.
"Huh? This is…"
"Hup."
I flicked my finger toward Iona, who had stopped her fake crying and was looking on with interest.
The Mini Yandel, though distorted as if someone had punched it, trudged forward and looked up at Iona's face from below.
Then, as if shocked, it made a big fuss before standing on its tiptoes and mimicking the motion of wiping away the tears from Iona's eyes.
Hmm… the movement is still awkward. And I haven't fixed the distortion in the shape yet.
Still, for something I only practiced briefly today, wasn't this pretty good? I didn't know how it would look to Iona, the original user.
As I waited with the nervous feeling of someone about to have their exam graded, Iona stared blankly with her mouth open, looking back and forth between me and the Mini Yandel.
"Student Yandel… did you perhaps copy me?"
"Yes. It looked kind of fun."
"You, Student Yandel, showed interest in magic that isn't lewd and has absolutely nothing to do with combat?"
"??? You make me sound like some guy obsessed with nothing but blood and women."
I was so dumbfounded that my jaw dropped, but Iona shook her head as if she were the one being wronged.
"But, but! Think about the magic Student Yandel has used and known until now!"
"Isn't it normal?"
"No, it's not! You're so well-versed in combat magic that you were firing off multiple Intermediate spells as soon as you became an Intermediate Magician, yet you're a total novice when it comes to lifestyle magic."
"I can use Clean, you know!"
"That Clean is the only one you can use! And you even modified it into that bizarre variation called Anal Clean!"
"It's not bizarre! I'm telling you, it's an incredible spell!"
"I'm sure, I'm sure. I heard about it from Iris, so I have an idea! But besides Clean? Do you know any other lifestyle magic?"
"Tele—"
"Don't say Telekinesis! That was originally created for multipurpose use, including combat and daily life."
"……."
Then what else was there? I thought about it for a moment, but I couldn't easily come up with an answer.
"Oh my, oh my. You really don't know? Not even one? Like Plant Growth Magic or Charming Magic?"
"Ah, if it's Druid or Tamer techniques, I might not know how to use them, but I know the basic principles and where the Arcana are hidden."
"How do you know those things?! No, those two spells are different from what you're thinking! They're just for making crops grow well or for hitting on the opposite sex!"
"Ah."
But those kinds of spells never appeared in H&A.
Thanks to my Excellent Memory trait, I could recall countless spells, but not a single one of them fit the criteria.
There were spells classified as non-combat magic, sure. But those were only non-combat in the sense that they weren't used directly in a fight; they were used indirectly all the time.
Enchanting was ultimately a magic learned to blow enemies away with overpowered magical tools, and spells like Sleep or Paralyze were meant to make combat easier by inflicting status ailments.
Thinking about it, it made sense. H&A was a game that was faithful to combat content but had zero lifestyle content.
The closest thing was the Production Department route… but even that was ultimately a route where you reached the ending by arming your party members or spamming various consumables to win through sheer gear advantage.
No matter how you looked at it, you couldn't call a "bomber" playstyle "peaceful." So that was out too.
…Actually, there was a reason for this.
The Academy was an educational institution created to completely wipe out cultists and dungeons. Naturally, it focused on teaching things related to combat.
Since this was implemented in H&A as only being able to learn combat-related skills, I had no memory of anything else.
Above all, what the person who brought me here—and the person who created H&A—wanted was for me to reach a Happy Ending and avoid the guaranteed destruction of the future.
To achieve that, they must have deemed combat power the most important and intentionally withheld other "useless" information.
For example, the hidden piece in Cassis Valley that only existed in the code was exactly like that.
"……."
The thought that I was moving in a direction intended by someone else, regardless of my own will, suddenly sparked a surge of irritation.
My face hardened involuntarily. Misinterpreting my expression, Iona pulled me into a hug with a much softer look on her face.
"It's okay, it's okay. You can just learn from now on. That's what the Academy is for, right?"
"Professor Iona…"
Those were touching words, but wasn't she actually just treating me like a pitiful child?
I accepted Iona's embrace with complex, subtle emotions, but it didn't last long.
"Now, now! I'm going to drink your blood now!"
"At this timing?"
Despite my hollow laugh, I pulled my collar down to my shoulder.
Iona didn't hesitate and bit into my neck immediately.
Crunch.