First Lesson Is Practical Combat
The first class for the Magic Department took place in a vast clearing, guided there by Professor Lucia. The Magic Department had a total of 98 students. Among them, 71 were female. Out of the 96 first-year girls, 71 had joined this department, which meant over 70 percent of them.
Professor Lucia stood in the center of the clearing, her light blue hair swaying gently in the breeze. It was a class taught by a beautiful, well-proportioned female mage professor, yet few students looked excited.
"Ugh, I'm so hungry…."
"Ugh, I can still taste that coarse black bread in my mouth."
They still seemed detached from reality, trapped in a nightmare. But regardless of their condition, Professor Lucia stepped forward with a smile.
"Looks like everyone's here. My name is Lucia Tinel. I'm one of the professors in the Magic Department, and I'll be overseeing all of you first-years as a whole. There will be quite a few classes, so I look forward to working with you."
Her voice was soft, but it carried a subtle trace of mana that gave it an imposing weight. She too was a grand mage who had suffered in this place for decades. Moreover, she had been exceptionally talented from the start, and it was here that she had reached the realm of a grand mage.
When she raised her hand and drew up her mana, even Kael—who hadn't even reached the First Circle—could feel the overwhelming power radiating from her. Soon, a blue light began to swirl around her body.
"As a professor of Tartaros Academy, I command thee—"
"Create twenty beginner gates required for the lesson!"
⟨ Gate Creation ⟩
With her shout, massive magic circles spread across the clearing, and twenty gates rose from the ground. The gates looked like portals swirling with blue mist, and an ominous energy emanated from within.
After creating the twenty gates, Professor Lucia pointed to the nearest one and continued her explanation.
"Once you step inside, a beginner dungeon will unfold. Weak monsters like goblins are waiting inside. They'll come charging at you with the intent to kill, so work together and do your best to survive. You need to learn how to use magic, but most of you probably learned the basics at home, right? This is the place to put it into real practice."
A murmur spread among the students. At the mention of goblins, several of the girls looked like they were about to scream.
"The monsters are going to try to kill us? What are we supposed to do if we actually die?!"
One male student shouted in protest. Professor Lucia let out a small chuckle and waved her hand. A bracelet materialized in front of each student.
"Put these bracelets on. If you're attacked, a barrier spell will automatically activate to protect your life. But don't rely on them too much. If the barrier is used more than five times, you'll be treated as a failing student and it will be reflected in your grades. I won't tolerate any cheap tricks that depend solely on the barrier."
The students put on the bracelets with visible relief. At least they wouldn't lose their lives.
Once everyone had their bracelets on, Professor Lucia asked, "Now, are there any students who don't know how to use magic? Be honest and raise your hand."
Kael raised his hand without hesitation. Mocking laughter leaked out from those around him, but he ignored it. Professor Lucia's gaze turned toward him.
"Very well. Then Student Kael will accompany me for this lesson. I'll teach you safely."
Kael nodded and asked, "Professor Lucia, would it be possible for Ling and Ming to come along as well?"
There was no way the commoner sisters could have learned magic systematically at home with the same level of support and resources as the nobles.
"U-us too?"
"Kael-nim…."
The Ling and Ming sisters looked at Kael with flustered faces. But Professor Lucia smiled and answered immediately.
"How could I refuse a request from our dear Kael? Of course. All three of you will come with me."
Out of 98 students, three would be accompanying Professor Lucia. Yet there was no open objection. While it was clear favoritism, no concrete special treatment had been given to Kael yet. Still, when Professor Lucia openly spoke in such a doting tone toward him, Irina's expression darkened.
"Alright, let's divide into teams."
Professor Lucia split the remaining 95 students into 19 teams of five each.
"Now, everyone go inside. Try to survive for one hour inside the dungeon or reach the destination."
The students scattered into the nineteen gates. Afterward, Kael entered the last gate together with Lucia, Ling, and Ming.
Stepping through the gate revealed a dark cave. The dungeon interior was filled with damp air and an ominous aura. From far away, the cries of goblins could be heard.
"Professor, are monsters really going to appear?" Ling asked in a trembling voice.
Professor Lucia nodded with a smile. "Yes, they will. But don't worry since you're with me."
Soon, a group of goblins appeared. With green skin and sharp teeth bared, they let out grotesque laughter.
"Kikikikik!"
"Kihihihi!"
Their gazes toward Professor Lucia, Ling, and Ming were filled with lust. Kael clicked his tongue at the sight.
They really do go into heat at the sight of human women.
Though they were monsters, goblins surprisingly shared the same aesthetic standards as humans. Unless a human woman was uglier than a female goblin, she would appear as a heavenly beauty to them. And the three women, who possessed outstanding beauty even by human standards, would be intensely stimulating to the goblins.
"Kyaaaak!"
Ling and Ming screamed and looked ready to cast spells. But Professor Lucia was faster.
"Fire Ball."
⟨ Fire Ball ⟩
The sphere of flame she hurled caused a massive explosion, incinerating the goblins. They couldn't even scream before turning to ash and vanishing in an instant.
Professor Lucia stepped forward lightly and said, "As you can see, I'm an Eighth Circle grand mage. I can handle monsters like these with basic spells this easily, so please be at ease."
As she spoke, she winked at Kael.
"Ooh~"
Kael was impressed by her magic. The power of her Fire Ball was truly on another level, as expected of a grand mage.
Starting with the goblin pack, the deeper they went into the cave, the more varied the monsters became. This time it was translucent slime masses. As the slimes slid across the floor toward them, Professor Lucia extended her hand.
"Ice Arrow."
⟨ Ice Arrow ⟩
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Ice arrows flew simultaneously, piercing the slimes and rapidly freezing their bodies. The frozen slimes then shattered and crumbled apart.
Next, from the cave walls poured out small, dwarf-like monsters with gray skin—deros. With pale gray skin and flashing red eyes, they charged bare-handed at Professor Lucia, Ling, and Ming.
"Grrrrr!"
The deros' gazes were also filled with sexual desire, just like the goblins'. Professor Lucia calmly extended her hand.
"Thunder Bolt."
⟨ Thunder Bolt ⟩
Crack!
Bolts of lightning poured down, instantly charring the deros. Their bodies dried up and turned to ash in the blink of an eye.
Watching the scene, Kael muttered, "With so many female students, goblins, slimes, and deros seem like a terrible matchup."
Ling and Ming nodded in agreement. Professor Lucia also nodded and said, "That's right. The other teams will probably have a hard time. Goblins and deros will charge with the intent to rape, so their attacks might not even trigger the barriers properly. Slimes only try to melt clothing, so the barrier might not activate at all. Even if the monsters are weak, the trauma could remain strong."
Kael clicked his tongue inwardly. The very existence of these gates was one of the malicious aspects of Tartaros Academy. The monsters' behavior patterns were perfectly optimized to target female students.
The person who created this academy must have been filled with pure malice.
Of course, they were still just goblins and deros.
"Still, even if they manage to overpower the girls, the barrier will activate and stop them the moment they try to insert during rape. And I've heard there hasn't been a single case where five students together couldn't handle such weak monsters. Slimes have such low magic resistance that even simple spells can take them out."
"That's true."
Professor Lucia continued advancing, smashing through monsters one after another. During this relentless charge, Kael secretly slipped a strawberry candy into her hand where Ling and Ming couldn't see.
"Professor, have this."
Professor Lucia's eyes sparkled. She quickly popped the strawberry candy into her mouth before the sisters could notice.
"Haaang♥~"
Her cheeks flushed as she made an ecstatic expression from the sweet-and-sour flavor melting in her mouth. Rolling the candy around inside, Professor Lucia smiled happily and said, "Thank you, Kael. I'll work even harder now!"
After that, Professor Lucia pressed forward with even greater enthusiasm.
A grand mage whose motivation explodes over a single strawberry candy.
It was a bizarre sight that could only be seen in the hell that was Tartaros Academy.