The Golden Dace Jumps In Again
Alice's vision went dark.
It had happened once before. Back in her original world, she'd gone freshwater fishing. Nothing grand—just that she wanted to catch one specific fish. A dace. She couldn't remember why it had to be a dace specifically. Too much had happened since then. Anyway, she'd bought a rod, lures—fake bait—line, and all sorts of other fishing gear.
With her equipment ready, she'd settled into a prime spot and cast her line with all her might. Just as she was about to sit in the chair she'd prepared—
Splash! A golden dace suddenly leaped from the water and plopped right into the bait bucket beside her.
She must have stared blankly for a good ten seconds. That mix of bewilderment, delight, and utter anticlimax. And now, without realizing it, she was feeling that exact same sensation.
"......"
"......"
"...Another dace jumped in."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing. Just talking to myself. Ignore it."
He ignored the odd look she was giving him.
Alice Hayes. A cadet who wielded mana lifeforms—spirits—entities that were utter mysteries in every way.
He'd always planned to keep her close. She'd caught his eye from the first class, and her performance yesterday had been surprisingly impressive. Dismal now, sure, but with clear potential for growth. All around, she seemed like a solid prospect. Overcome a few hurdles, and she had more than enough promise to become a powerhouse.
And yet, out of nowhere, she shows up asking to be his assistant? Voluntarily?
What the hell changed in her head?
He'd figured he'd ease her into it after the volcanic region trip. Never imagined it'd happen like this.
Now he could lavish even more "attention" on her going forward.
...Can't smile. Don't smile.
He quickly clamped a hand over his mouth, but he couldn't hide the ascending clown.
They said a pumpkin rolls in with the vine? This was the whole damn field rolling in.
Perfect timing too—he was just about to head out on the expedition.
"Alright, Cadet Alice Hayes. You want me to make you strong? Sure about that?"
"...On second thought, maybe it's too rash. Can I have a little time to—"
"What? You're in? Willing to do anything? Great. I accept your resolve!"
"Y-Yes? Wait, hold on! I didn't say I'd do anything...!"
Where did she think she was going? Easy to come in, not so easy to leave.
He patted Alice's shoulder and headed down the hall. When she tried to put distance between them, he instantly blocked her retreat with a tentacle.
"Follow me. Full-body training starts today."
"...Huh? Right now? Full-body training? Wait, where are you even going?!"
"You came to me to get strong. So obviously, you follow where I go. I'll handle your class absences, so don't worry."
Leaving the flustered, flailing Alice behind, he shot a quick glance at Rena. She nodded with an expressionless face. She'd already grasped the situation. Sharp as ever.
"P-Professor! I haven't even packed...!"
"No need for luggage. Just bring your body. I'll handle everything."
He turned back with a grin. Alice's face twisted like she'd seen the grim reaper himself, but that wasn't his problem. He dragged her straight to the main building.
"You're going on a trip? For a week?"
"Yes. Iris asked, and the timing works out. I'll be back before Monday next week."
Wibel von Rosenberg, the academy director, leaned back in his chair and took a sip of coffee. Han Seongjin leaving on a trip just two weeks after starting must have seemed odd to him.
"A trip's fine, no issue there. Where to?"
"The volcanic region. Need a high-rank demon beast core."
"Volcanic region? You mean the volcano called Kargas?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"Hmm. Hold on a sec."
Wibel's eyebrow twitched at Seongjin's answer. He rummaged through papers on his desk, picked up a report, and flashed a peculiar smile.
"Talk about fate. Did you hear? Last night, an emergency support request came from the Piros Autonomous Region, where the Kargas volcanic region is."
"Support request?"
"Yeah. Demon beast numbers have exploded there these past few months. The local guard can't handle it, so they've been asking for reinforcements everywhere. The academy got one too, and we were debating who to send."
Wibel pulled a crisp document from his drawer, jotted something on it, and slid it over to Seongjin.
"Since you're going anyway, make it official academy support. Way easier for supplies and transport than solo hunting. Plus, full backing from the region."
"Official support? Hm..."
Seongjin pondered. Worth it compared to going alone?
It is. Might be a hassle, but...
He hated bureaucratic red tape, but as Wibel said, the "official" label had massive perks. He knew better than anyone the gulf between having a pretext and not.
Especially with the trembling dace—no, Alice—tagging along. An official reason made it smoother.
"No downside. I'll take it."
"Good. Grab this and head to the department office. Oh, but..."
Wibel's gaze shifted to Alice behind Seongjin, who looked ready to burst into tears.
"Who's the pretty young lady? One of our cadets?"
"H-Hello, Director! I'm Alice Hayes, first-year in the Heroics Department!"
Alice jumped at the sudden question, bowing 90 degrees. Facing Wibel von Rosenberg—an S-rank hero and the academy director—up close, when she'd only seen him as a dot from afar, had her plenty tense.
...He chats casually with the director? What the hell is he?
That a mere professor like Seongjin was on close terms with the Wibel von Rosenberg only muddled her already chaotic mind further.
"So why's Cadet Alice standing there with that face? ...You planning to take a student to that place?"
"She wants it. Came to me herself, begging to get strong. Appointed her my assistant, so taking her for field training."
"What?! I didn't agree to be—"
"Quiet."
Wibel let out a disbelieving chuckle at Seongjin's brazen reply. Alice shot desperate pleas with her eyes but couldn't voice them.
"Haha, classic Professor Han. Nothing beats real combat for a teacher. Cadet Alice, come back alive, and I'll throw in some extra credit. If you come back alive, that is."
With Wibel's joking send-off behind them, Seongjin hauled the dazed Alice out, dispatch papers in hand.
"Hear that? Extra credit. Let's go, Cadet Alice Hayes."
"This is a dream... Gotta be a dream... It has to be..."
Seongjin lightly grabbed Alice by the scruff and headed downstairs.
A short while later, the department office.
Some incomprehensible paperwork flew around at top speed. Seongjin was filling something out at a staff desk. And in the middle of it all.
"Ah."
Noble Academy first-year cadet Alice Hayes sat there, soul utterly departed.
How the hell did it come to this?
Full-body training. To a volcano. She'd just wanted to learn how to properly use her abilities.
Staring blankly at the ceiling, the letter from last night resurfaced in her mind.
Cadet Alice Hayes recorded bottom-tier scores in the first-semester practical and duel evaluations, falling below the required threshold.
Pursuant to Article 14 of the academy regulations, failure to achieve a top 70% ranking in the second-semester practical and duel evaluations will result in immediate expulsion, regardless of written exam performance.
Expulsion... Expulsion!
Alice rubbed her dry face and groaned. She'd entered Noble Academy amid the whole village's expectations and blessings.
If she bombed the second-semester practicals and got booted back home?
...Unthinkable horror.
But coldly assessing herself, her current skills wouldn't even survive basic conditioning, let alone duels.
So she'd resolved: Seek someone who could actually make her stronger.
And among those she knew, the strongest was Han Seongjin.
"......"
She'd come, alright. But this was overkill.
[A volcano, eh? Perfect. That's a prime spot where the Fire Spirit King Kasadante might slumber. Could snag a new spirit maybe.]
"...Can you shut up? Alferion? I don't want sunflower seeds anymore?"
[...Ahem.]
This oblivious spirit king had no sense of timing. She was dying inside.
Seongjin's back loomed ahead.
"Professor. I meant, like, extra lessons here at the academy in our spare time. Not... an expedition to a volcano."
Alice made a final, whimpering stand. But Seongjin finished signing, set down the pen with a clack, and turned.
"Cadet Alice. What do you think I'm gonna teach you?"
"Well... How to control familiars... Efficient mana circulation..."
"I don't know that stuff."
"Huh?"
"I'm a physical enhancement superhuman. No clue about mana circulation."
"B-But those tentacles..."
"They're part of my body. Hard to explain."
"......"
Alice instinctively knew: Wrong address.
"Enough spacing out. Take this."
She snapped to at the bundle of documents thrust her way. Seongjin dangled an airline ticket and dispatch confirmation in her face.
"Special charter to the Kargas volcanic region. Leaves in three hours. Straight to the airport."
"Ahh..."
Was that her fate?
Alice's vision went dark.