Chapter 125
Chapter 125
Chapter 125
Lately, I've noticed something.
How much affection do I truly hold for my dormitory?
A question I'd never considered before suddenly popped into my head.
Well, it's understandable.
"I don't even know where my home is anymore."
"Lord Oz... I think that's a problem, no matter what."
Once again, I found myself in the disciplinary committee's cell.
Have they become so accustomed to it that they no longer feel any reluctance to put me in a cage? It's simply lamentable.
"Arietta, I feel stifled being confined in this cramped space."
"Even if you say so... Then shall we go for a walk later?"
I meant, "Let me out," but it doesn't seem to work that easily, does it?
"The Headmaster hasn't returned yet, so this is all I can do on my own."
"Ah, that's true."
"Even the professors are in a frenzy. There are things the Headmaster needs to handle, but the system isn't organized, apparently."
[Scientia] belongs to Tia.
Yes, as Tia's presence is central, the void left during her absence often caused problems.
It might not be the first time she's been away for so long, but it must be confusing.
"Normally, Professor Prudence Loa would have acted as a proxy during that absence..."
"..."
Prudence Loa was dead. That's why this confusion had arrived.
I hadn't known that, but it seems there was such a credible reason.
The core of Main Story Chapter 6 is about rectifying this chaos.
Eleanor, following the professors who set out to find the Headmaster herself, begins it. It sounds funny even as I say it.
"Still, I think you'll be released before the semester starts."
"...If I were still in a cell after the semester began, that would be surprisingly different."
Even though I'm stuck here, I am still a student.
Of course, I did commit an act close to terrorism. It was on a scale similar to blowing up the entire examination hall during the entrance exam.
However, unlike then, [Sacred Flame] didn't destroy its surroundings.
There were no casualties. If there had been, I wouldn't be here like this, but...
"Oh, I'll help you with course registration. It would be nice if we could take the same classes."
"Ah, yes..."
It's a thoughtful gesture, heavily laced with ulterior motives. But this much is endearing.
What does it matter? It's not like Eleanor, secretly stealing my timetable.
Same classes? I can take them. More than that, I don't know how many classes Arietta, who was held back a year, can take, but we might be able to take one or two together.
"Here's the list of classes."
"Thank you, Arietta."
Arietta happened to have the class list.
What an amazing coincidence.
It must be a document that hasn't been distributed to students yet.
"Hmm..."
Anyway, except for a few subjects, most are just to fulfill credit requirements.
The parts I need to deliberate on would ultimately be magic and martial arts, I suppose?
If I followed the original curriculum, I would take Intermediate Magic 2.
But my current skill level is too high to learn that.
Ha, it's difficult to say this, but because I'm such a hard worker, the classes can't keep up with my abilities.
"Then it's Advanced Magic 2..."
It's ambiguous.
I could certainly say that I've mastered intermediate magic by now.
The knowledge I need right now would also be advanced magic, which teaches higher-level magic.
Beyond that, supreme magic and transcendent magic vary greatly depending on individual values, so I have no choice but to self-study them, but the gist of advanced magic can be resolved through education.
However, there's a problem with choosing advanced magic right now.
Of course, there's the point of skipping 1 and going straight to 2, but there was a more fundamental problem.
Education at [Scientia] usually has one professor continuing through a subject line. This is because each has their own color.
It's like how Gerard's martial arts are closer to traditional martial arts, and Discreet's martial arts are military combat.
Supreme magic and transcendent magic also follow such individual colors. But the values for that are built up from the previous stages.
The core of my magic right now is heavily influenced by Professor Aira.
If that's the case, should I go back and learn intermediate magic here?
"...Well, taking it step by step wouldn't be bad."
Let go of the impatience. Anyway, I've already self-studied two advanced spells.
If I only keep running, I'll stumble before even reaching the destination. I probably need a moment to review my experiences.
"Professor Aira will have another fit."
"Is that perhaps famous?"
Was the fact that Professor Aira had a fit just by making eye contact with me during class known even to students who weren't mages?
"By the way, Lord Oz. Aren't you taking alchemy classes?"
It was around the time the course registration list was complete. Suddenly, Arietta brought up that topic.
"Alchemy, huh..."
I have no intention of learning it. Haven't I already tasted the bitter flavor in the first semester?
But I'm curious about why she's bringing up this topic at this moment.
"Are you perhaps thinking of taking alchemy? Arietta, I can't really recommend it. The alchemy lecture was a demanding subject that required considerable expertise.”
"No, that... that's not it."
"No, it's fine, Arietta. Student Oz is right."
"..."
I finally understood why Arietta had suddenly brought up the topic of alchemy.
We had a visitor.
A man with a plump physique, a plaid shirt, horn-rimmed glasses, and a somewhat untidy beard, looking more like a scholar than a mage.
"Professor En..."
"Nice to meet you, Student Oz. Is this our first personal meeting?"
I must have been too relaxed.
Perhaps because [Contemplation] wasn't usually active when I was with Arietta, I was slow to perceive his presence.
"The thing I just said wasn't meant to disparage alchemy..."
"Hmm..."
Professor En, as if not caring about my excuse, approached naturally and checked my course registration list.
What a rude person.
"I understand you also took alchemy classes in the first semester, Student Oz. Is that correct?"
"Ah, yes..."
I felt suffocated.
Naturally, having had a hard time in the first semester, I hadn't applied for alchemy classes this semester.
I hadn't done anything wrong, but it would be difficult to state that boldly in front of Professor En, who seemed to have considerable pride in alchemy.
No matter how arrogant and self-righteous Oz might be, there's a limit. There's a line even when putting on a brazen face.
"How was the alchemy class in the first semester?"
"Quite interesting..."
"You don't have to give such empty compliments, Student Oz."
"...It was difficult."
"As I thought."
What is this? Seriously, what is this? Why do I feel like I'm being scolded?
Is it because he's the most professor-like person I've met among all the professors so far? I feel strangely intimidated.
"I used to think of teaching students as just a job."
"...?"
Isn't it?
If it's not a job, then what on earth is it? Is this person perhaps trying to work for free out of passion?
"Just meaninglessly laying out knowledge for the purpose of raising money for research."
It's natural for many professors to be like that.
For them, holding various degrees and expertise and conducting research, teaching students is a secondary matter, not their main job as school teachers.
No one would question that now. But...
"But now I don't think that way. Last night, I encountered Noah and realized how fiercely Noah is living."
Humans influenced by Eleanor.
There were quite a few such people. If one were to count, most of the characters appearing in [Broken Sky] were like that.
"So what is our role as professors? That's right. We should have bestowed more upon them."
"That's a wonderful thought."
It's a little unsettling that the catalyst for such thoughts was Eleanor, but what's good is good.
If he's not trying to scold me, then it's fine. He'll do well, I suppose.
"Student Oz. The level of education at our Scientia is quite high."
"Ah, yes, I know..."
"And since the barrier to entry is already high, it was considered natural to provide that level of education until now. But no, it's not. It needs to change."
"..."
Prudence Loa's flame.
The burning passion in his eyes is now visible in Professor En as well.
I started to feel a little uneasy.
"So I wanted to ask, Student Oz. I understand you entered through a special admission for mages."
"Yes, it was through the Headmaster's consideration."
"But now you're showing interest in martial arts too, aren't you? Why is that?"
"...Because I thought it would be helpful?"
"Exactly!"
Professor En nodded repeatedly, seemingly pleased with my answer.
This person is quite overbearing.
"Many students show interest in other subjects. However... it's too difficult to learn a major in another subject that isn't their own."
"Like alchemy?"
"Exactly. That's why I find it regrettable. Student Oz also showed interest in alchemy, but... didn't you eventually give up due to our unaccommodating class system?"
"..."
It wasn't an elective? I thought it was until now.
But looking at it now, it seems everything except common subjects was a major.
No wonder it was difficult.
"Thank you, Student Oz. Thanks to you and Noah, I was able to realize what's truly important."
"Please don't say it's because of me, Professor En."
"You don't have to be modest."
"No, really..."
In my experience, nothing that was said to be "thanks to me" didn't come back like a boomerang to attack me.
Even just thinking about the incident with Professor Aira sends shivers down my spine.
"Haha, I see. Very well. Then I'll be going. I hope I haven't taken up too much of your resting time."
"It's fine, it's not like I'm resting because I want to."
"Is that so? Haha."
It's strange that he's approaching me, who's in a cell, so kindly in the first place.
"Then I should go see Noah as well... Do you have any recommendations for a get-well gift?"
"Well, Noah has a boyish side, so how about a glow-in-the-dark dinosaur?"
"Hahaha! I'll keep that in mind. Here, I don't know if you'll like it, but it's a gift for you too, Student Oz."
"Ah, yes. Thank you."
Professor En chuckled, handed me a book, and then left.
[Introduction to Basic Alchemy (Revised)]
It seems what he said earlier was quite sincere.
"Well, good is good, I guess."
Thus, the second semester began.
I didn't expect to be confined until just before the semester officially began.
Among all the students gathered for the second-semester orientation, I saw the familiar hair I hadn't seen in a long time.
"What are you doing?"
"Look, Master. Professor En gave this as a get-well gift. Isn't it amazing that there's such an innovative toy as a glow-in-the-dark dinosaur?"
"Uh... yeah, I'm glad you like it."
The one who gave it was absurd, but the reaction of the one who received it was equally preposterous.
I somehow had a feeling she'd like it, but I didn't expect it to be this much.
Honestly, it's a bit humiliating.
Eleanor, who used to gaze at me with such an overwhelming, puppy-like intensity, wasn't even looking at me now.
Did I lose to a glow-in-the-dark dinosaur?
"Did you get the results about Lucia? I was in a cell, but you were hospitalized where people could come and go."
"Yes, Professor Discreet surprisingly handled it well. Lucia can continue to attend Scientia. Though it's a shame she didn't defect to our Chrysos Kingdom."
"Defect? What are you talking about?"
What kind of stream of consciousness led to that?
"Master, do you know? Lucia was surprisingly cool-headed. To think her usual clumsy demeanor was an act... honestly, it's a bit shocking."
"No, well... I found the clumsy demeanor even more shocking."
"That's true too."
At the same time, Eleanor finally tore her eyes away from the glow-in-the-dark dinosaur.
She said with a somewhat sly smile,
"With this, I've taken a step closer to my goal. It's all according to plan."
Considering her objective is the reconstruction of her kingdom, it's not wrong. Through this incident, she would have been able to build relations with the Empire.
She gained a connection.
"Plan, what plan? You just did it, and it happened to turn out that way."
She was lucky. That's all.
But it was Eleanor's will that brought about that luck.
Of course, I wouldn't tell her that, or she'd get conceited...
"More importantly, is there a need to gather all the students for orientation? I don't think it was like this in the first semester."
"Hmm... you're right. Oh, by the way, I heard all course registrations have been put on hold?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
As I expressed my doubt, Eleanor handed me a small booklet.
Did they hand these out? I should have checked when I came in. I must have been so engrossed in acting arrogant that I didn't notice.
"Hmm..."
Reading the booklet Eleanor handed me, I understood the general outline. It seemed there would be a revision of the curriculum.
"No, this..."
A sense of unease washed over me. I knew a professor who was discussing this very thing not long ago.
"Ah, Master! It looks like it's starting!"
"..."
At Eleanor's urging, I turned my gaze and saw a professor standing at the podium. It seemed that since Tia was absent, the next highest authority was taking her place.
And that next highest authority would normally be Prudence Loa.
But he is dead. So, who possesses the ability and experience to replace him?
"What a nightmare."
En Drode.
Professor of Advanced Alchemy.
Behind him, the array of professors I could feel sending murderous glares at me and Eleanor.
"I knew this would happen."
I knew this inexplicable malice would fall upon me.
As I sighed and casually brushed off the professors' murderous stares, Professor En finally opened his mouth, as if to explain.
"This suspension of course registration was intentional.”