Chapter 45
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: The Chancellor's Sudden Appearance
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Partner?
"Hohohoho..."
There stood the chancellor, accompanied by that creepy laugh that dredged up nightmarish memories.
My heart sank the moment I laid eyes on the old lady.
"Chancellor?"
"Hohohoho. Student council president. How are the preparations coming along?"
"Yes, they're going well, Chancellor."
As if my shock meant nothing, the chancellor brushed past me and addressed Harisha instead.
And so, the chancellor and the president chatted briefly about something.
It was about the banquet coming up this Friday.
They always held an opening banquet at the start of the semester for welcoming new students and building camaraderie.
Most mages came from noble backgrounds.
Which explained why banquets—such a staple of noble culture—were commonplace at the academy too.
Chancellor hag shows up fml
President and I are at the student council room. She said let's eat here.
Suddenly she shows up behind me out of nowhere.
Then she starts talking to the president about next week's banquet.
Lunch?
President was waiting for the chancellor?
Nah, she looked surprised too.
Then just wait it out. Unless the whole student council is in on it with her, she won't pull anything here.
And that silver-haired beauty president is from one of the Eight Archmage Dukes at the pinnacle of spatial magic, right? She shouldn't be involved with taboos. Probably nothing will happen.
Plus, she thinks your memories are wiped, right? Panicking will just make you more suspicious. Stay cool.
I hurriedly checked the gallery while their conversation wrapped up.
Right. The chancellor doesn't know I've recovered my memories.
I forced my expression to stay neutral.
"Hohohoho... And Cadet Ian Isaac. Fancy meeting you here."
"Ah, yes. Long time no see."
"Do you know Junior Ian, Chancellor?"
"Hohohoho. During the class placement exam, I owe Cadet Ian Isaac an apology for what happened."
"Ah..."
Harisha let out a sigh, clearly thinking it was just a scoring error.
"Let me apologize once more, Cadet Ian Isaac. I'm glad to see you're thriving at the academy."
"Yes. Thanks to you..."
Thanks to you, my life's been absolute hell, you old hag.
I nearly died for real yesterday.
Wait... does that mean she was involved in yesterday's incident?
Did she come back to finish me off herself?
"Hohohoho. I saw you went out to the city center yesterday. Nothing eventful, I hope?"
"...N-no, nothing happened."
Shit. I'm screwed.
Does she know everything about yesterday?
I hadn't expected her to ask so directly, and in my panic, I fumbled my answer.
If she knows about the fight, she'll see right through the lie.
My head pounded with tension as I swallowed hard.
"Is that so? You're at the age to have fun, but don't neglect your training as a proper Merhen Academy cadet. Hohohoho..."
But contrary to my fears, the chancellor just said that, chuckled, and left.
What? No suspicious glare at all. Does she really not know?
I quickly asked the gallery.
This is weird. She really doesn't know?
Maybe she can't grasp the situation since you killed the taboo mage. Could be why she came herself.
It was an attack targeting the top student to begin with, so they might not even know you were involved. Could have nothing to do with the chancellor. Stay calm—the student council seems normal.
Stick to main roads lol. Don't follow anyone offering candy lol.
Only after reading the galrum comments could I finally calm down.
I had no idea what the chancellor's intentions were, but things seemed fine for now. She couldn't start anything inside the academy anyway.
"Phew... Come on in, anyway?"
Harisha had been tense dealing with the chancellor too, it seemed.
She wiped the sweat from her forehead and invited us inside.
"The chancellor showing up out of nowhere on a weekend threw me off. I've been swamped preparing for the opening banquet lately. Anyway, what do you want to eat?"
And so, we ended up having lunch.
"Anything the president likes is fine by me!"
Elrim snapped to attention and shouted the moment Harisha finished speaking.
This girl was a total sycophant. She really wanted into the student council that badly?
"Hehe. What about you, Junior Ian?"
"Me..."
I'd planned on spicy pork for lunch, but after yesterday, it didn't appeal.
In that case, tonkatsu it was.
"I'll have tonkatsu."
"Great. I'll order some."
Someone once said there was no such thing as a woman who hated tonkatsu.
Men weren't immune either, so this was a stellar menu choice.
"Um... Secretary?"
I thought she'd order delivery, but Harisha suddenly called out to the secretary zombie-ing away in the corner.
"Yes, President?"
"Three tonkatsu. Make it quick?"
"?"
"Huh?"
Did I hear that right?
The command was so casual yet shocking that even Elrim—who'd been pledging undying loyalty—went "Huh?" in surprise.
So this was what she meant by delivery?
"B-but President, I have banquet work right now..."
"Secretary?"
"I-I'll be right back!"
The secretary bolted out with a miserable look on his face.
This was... the student council's reality? Total black company vibes.
Elrim—who'd been brimming with enthusiasm moments ago—froze solid at the sight.
"Ahem. Mind waiting a bit?"
"Y-yes."
Harisha then skimmed through the papers the secretary had left behind.
And with a flurry of motions, she finished it all in seconds.
Right around then, the secretary came panting back with steaming tonkatsu.
I was amazed he'd delivered so fast, but Harisha clearing that stack in the meantime was even more impressive.
"Let's eat."
"Y-yes! Thank you for the meal, President!"
Watching that, Elrim's loyalty surged back, and she bellowed her response.
Then she tore into her tonkatsu like it was a battlefield.
"By the way, Junior Ian, have you decided on a partner for the banquet?"
"Partner?"
Turns out, the banquet required pairing up as guy-girl couples.
When I asked why, she said it was tradition.
The guy was supposed to escort the girl? I'd never done anything like that.
"Never thought about it... Can I just skip it?"
"Attendance is optional, of course, but it's great for networking. And there's delicious food. No partner yet? I could go with you if you want?"
"Pardon?"
Student council president as my banquet partner?
Was that even allowed?
There was no real reason not to go, and every reason to attend.
I was curious about the food too.
But I couldn't read Harisha's intentions...
I pondered for a moment before speaking up.
"Ugh, you're such a scrub. Turning down the president? Do you have any idea how many partner offers she gets, you scrub?!"
The next day, Elrim hounded me from morning till classes ended over yesterday's events.
All because I'd turned down Harisha's offer.
Honestly, partnering with Harisha for the banquet? Kinda awkward.
Being glued to someone like the student council president would draw massive attention.
For a shut-in loner like me, that kind of spotlight was a nightmare.
"So what're you gonna do about the banquet? Who'd go with a commoner scrub like you? If you're desperate, I could—"
"I asked Hisenna."
"W-what?!"
I wanted someone comfortable, and Hisenna fit the bill perfectly.
She'd draw some attention as an Archmage Duke family member, but no one was easier to be around than her.
And above all, she was the one who'd bought me meals back when I was broke—I could trust her completely.
I'd asked during break earlier, and she'd accepted without hesitation.
Hisenna didn't like rowdy banquets either, so we'd just dip after a bit.
Perfect. We'd enjoy some food, get familiar with faces, and bounce.
"That's right, Elrim. I'm Ian's partner now."
"H-Hisenna! How could you..."
"I'm the one who can help Ian the most. He'll feel at ease with me. And I can guide him properly since it's his first banquet."
Sweet-hearted Hisenna even offered to teach me banquet etiquette.
"W-what did you say...? I was going to offer to be Ian's partner...!"
"But you're a guy."
Thanks to that, I could sideline Chayuri too.
Dude was a guy—what kind of banquet partner nonsense was that? Strictly against the rules.
Somehow, the three of them bickered it out among themselves.
And in the end, Elrim and Chayuri decided to pair up for the banquet.
"Scrub... I'll punish you."
"We can go together as a group of four."
No clue what kind of truce they struck.
Anyway, classes were over, so time to head to the club.
I'd applied last week and gotten into the Flying Magic Research Club.
I was dead set on showing them broomstick flight.
I headed to the club sub-room with Chayuri.
"Alright, guys, we have new members."
Chayuri and I exchanged simple greetings with the existing members.
Not everyone was there, so just the ones present.
"Oh? So, newbies, ever flown before?"
A senior named Roer—who'd been tinkering with a flight device in the corner—asked.
Both Chayuri and I admitted we'd never flown solo.
I'd figured Chayuri, from an Archmage Duke family, must have at least once. Surprise.
"Really? So what kind of flying are you here for? You've probably done ride-alongs, so if it's your first time solo, start with something heavy. That thing'll take ages to master."
Roer thumped the flight device he'd built.
It looked like a small canoe, symmetrical front to back.
Felt like a vehicle, but way sleeker than the brick from orientation.
Sitting in that and zipping around did sound fun.
But no way it could match a broomstick.
There was romance only a broomstick flight could deliver!
"I'm gonna fly on a broomstick."
I boldly declared my "broomstick intent."
No matter what, I'd fly a broomstick here.
And win the periodic mage flight tournament on one too.
Mages had to ride broomsticks.
"...What? Broomstick? Puhahahahaha!"
And sure enough, canoe guy Roer burst out laughing.
I'd expected that much—the club leader laughed during orientation too.
But Roer took it further.
"Hey, Ian, was it? How do you even ride a stick like a broomstick? You need to be at the level of those esteemed Archmage Dukes for that! And you're a commoner? It'll take forever to even fly properly! First-years are stuck on bricks! Hahaha!"
"...Pardon?"
Snap—something in my forehead twitched.
A barrage of rude remarks, no breather.
His smirk from the start... he'd been looking down on me all along?
"...Flying seems easy enough. Riding a broomstick might be tricky, though."
"Yeah? You don't get it—flying ain't easy. Lots to manage beyond just magic skill. Start practicing on a brick. It's scary up there."
Roer shoved me toward the storage shed dismissively.
Then cozied up to Chayuri next to me.
Obviously, getting dissed out of nowhere pissed me off.
I might not be able to fly yet, but Roer's reaction was straight-up mockery and disdain.
Maybe classism, or resentment at my broomstick talk.
Either way, it enraged me just the same.
Guys. Think flying on that thing would be hard?
(Photo of canoe-shaped flight device)
Structure looks stable, but seems light on mana stones or artifact assists.
Think I could hop on and fly that if I tried?
Canoe shape = high stability flight device.
That's beyond kid level? Sure, tough for cadets lol.
Obviously hard for newbies who've never flown. Flight magic varies per person anyway. Flight devices can be customized tons of ways. That one needs at least 4th circle magic.
4th circle? Isn't that easy peasy?
Big talk lol.
A first-year could handle a single 4th circle, though most can't.
4th circle as the minimum means exactly that: minimum. Higher circles let you fly with fewer spells.
Cadets can't, so controlling that with low circles requires juggling multiple spells at once. If 4th is the baseline, it's pretty tough for cadet level.
Summary: Snap a high circle and you could fly that easily. But you scrubs can't cast 7th circle stuff, so you cover with multiple low circles.
Even then, that needs at least 4th + lower ones. Tough for cadets.
I was a flight prodigy back at the academy. Nostalgic.
Flying ain't just one spell and done. Don't start with that or you'll plummet to your death. Take it step by step.
Flying does take more focus lol.
Low-circle flying needs physical prowess too lol.
Muscle it out.
Rough flight magic setup here. That's the minimum. Posted a thread.
I checked out ExtremeEfficiencyFanatic's thread.
True to form, it efficiently broke down the optimal spell combo for flying that device.
I studied it seriously. Definitely needed to juggle multiple spells at once.
Flying was worlds apart from how I'd cast magic so far. But,
'Seems doable?'
I didn't think it was impossible.
Couldn't do it right now, but a little practice and I'd manage.
Thanks, gonna try it. Gotta show some senior who talked smack.
??
Fall mid-flight and you're dead, idiot.
I didn't post that for you to try it. Just explaining. Stop.
You crazy bastard!! You'll die!!
Flying's different, you moron.
How the hell you gonna ride that as a total newbie?!
I ignored the galrum frenzy and turned back.
I could do this.
Above all, getting dissed pissed me off to no end. Dare to mock my broomstick?
"Hey, Senior."
"Yeah? Need brick-riding lessons too?"
This jerk was doubling down on the disrespect.
That sneering face was infuriating beyond words.
Shut-in loner trait: fine to diss me, but diss my hobbies and I snap.
Glad I'd picked up Elrim's needling technique.
Knew how to flip the script on annoying types like this.
"That's your flight device, right, Senior?"
"Yeah. Not fully perfected yet. Newbies couldn't ride it anyway—don't even dream."
"Oh, you haven't succeeded with that? I figured a senior like you would've nailed something that basic ages ago. Guess club activities weren't a priority..."
"...What?"