Blatant Favoritism
The team led by Irina Rosengart chose to push forward with the goal of clearing the dungeon rather than simply surviving. Her long pink hair whipped through the air as she moved. Despite her pure, almost doll-like face, Irina’s emerald eyes gleamed with cold calculation. The same young noblewoman whose soft, crescent-moon gaze had once stirred the hearts of countless men in high society now stood as a mage, displaying her power without hesitation.
“Everyone, maintain your formation! I’ll take the lead—follow closely!”
It was hardly standard for a mage to stand at the front. Yet when an entire team of five consisted solely of mages, it was only natural for the most capable one to lead.
“Yes, Your Grace!”
Irina’s skill far surpassed that of her followers.
“Fireball!”
Though it lacked the overwhelming force of the one Professor Lucia had cast elsewhere, the spell proved lethal to the swarm of goblins. With a thunderous boom, three goblins were instantly engulfed in flames and reduced to ash. Alongside Princess Elenora, Irina was considered one of the most talented first-year students. She had already reached the third circle and stood on the verge of the fourth—a realm that transcended apprenticeship and entered the domain of a true, certified mage. At only twenty years old, she was already on the cusp of being treated as a full-fledged magician anywhere in the empire.
“As expected of Her Grace!”
“Your Grace, you’re incredible!”
Her followers gasped in admiration.
“Stay focused!”
In social circles, Irina Rosengart was famous for her graceful, gentle speech. But with lust-driven goblins constantly pouring out of the shadows, her tone had sharpened into something far more cutting. The endless tide of monsters threatened to overwhelm the entire team. Irina quickly shouted, “Ice Ball!” freezing several goblins solid in their tracks.
“Don’t let your guard down! Watch your surroundings!”
Irina grit her teeth. Her team was composed entirely of her usual followers—noble girls who had spent their lives flattering her and giggling behind fans in high society. None of them had any real combat experience. Irina herself had at least observed real battles from the side of the Rosengart Duchy’s knights and mages. But the goblins were staring at the all-female party with blatant, filthy lust. And Irina, the most beautiful of them all, was their primary target.
“Fire Arrow!”
“Fi—ack! My tongue tripped!”
“Ice! Kyaa! Don’t come near me!”
The girls’ screams echoed as the repulsive goblins approached with clear sexual intent. Their clumsy, poorly coordinated spells exhausted Irina more with every passing minute. If not for Marina and Juliana—two of her four followers who at least provided some marginal support—she might have already given up on advancing.
In contrast, the team led by Third Princess Elenora Caldria advanced through the cave without hesitation. Her golden hair swayed with each step, and her ruby-red eyes shone with noble dignity as she commanded her group with practiced ease.
“Follow me. Maintain the positions I taught you and advance while guarding all directions!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Elenora’s followers moved with disciplined vigor behind her.
“Fireball!”
She too had reached the third circle and was approaching the fourth. Goblins vanished into ash beneath her magic. When slimes came sliding across the floor, she instantly cast “Ice Ball,” freezing them solid. When dero appeared, “Ice Arrow” pierced their foreheads with deadly accuracy.
“Good! Magic Missile!”
“Magic Missile!”
“Fire Arrow!”
Under Elenora’s leadership, the four girls following her unleashed spells with genuine enthusiasm. Monsters fell cleanly and efficiently. Though Elenora’s expression remained proud, elegant, and refined, the constant lewd gazes from the monsters left a deep look of disgust in her eyes.
“Keep moving. We have fifteen minutes left.”
Her team reached the end of the cave in just forty-five minutes. After clearing the gate and stepping outside, they found Professor Lucia’s group already waiting.
“Oh my, Elenora, you finished first. Excellent work. You’ll receive bonus points. Congratulations.”
Professor Lucia smiled warmly. One of Elenora’s followers, however, frowned in displeasure.
“Professor, no matter your position, addressing Her Highness so casually as ‘excellent’… isn’t that rather rude?”
Another follower quickly agreed. “That’s right! It’s disrespectful to Her Highness!”
Professor Lucia let out a small laugh.
“Have you all forgotten that at Tartaros Academy, students must obey their professors in all matters concerning classes? External status holds no influence here. And even if you returned to the outside world, do you truly believe you could punish a grand mage simply because she taught according to academy regulations? How adorable, little ladies.”
Her voice grew icy, and a chill spread through the air. The overwhelming pressure of her vast mana made the followers’ faces turn deathly pale. Elenora spoke calmly.
“The professor is correct. Right now, I am nothing more than a student. Do not be rude to her.”
“Y-yes… We’re sorry, Professor.”
“Good. Be more careful next time.”
Watching the princess, Kael smiled inwardly. Still so dignified. But I wonder how much longer that poise can last in this hellish environment?
Irina’s team emerged next. She looked quite exhausted, stepping out just after the fifty-minute mark.
“……”
When Irina saw Kael, her face twisted with open displeasure and she ignored him completely. Kael showed no reaction, yet the slight only deepened his irritation. Good. Keep showing me that attitude. Soon enough, you’ll regret it from the very depths of your soul.
After a full hour had passed, the remaining students finally staggered out. A few had torn clothing, but none appeared to have come close to being raped. Goblins and dero were physically weak; desperate struggling alone would have been enough to shake them off. With five mages in each group, at least one of them must have managed to use proper spells.
“Well done, everyone. I’ll keep the scores of Kael, Ling, and Ming—who moved with me—confidential for now. First place goes to Elenora’s team, second to Irina’s. Individually, I estimate Elenora is currently in first and Irina in second.”
The students accepted the results as obvious. Irina looked slightly bitter about losing to Elenora but offered no protest.
“Also, your bracelets have recording functions. Your actions today will be reviewed and reflected in your grades.”
The students panicked.
“What? Shouldn’t you have told us that beforehand?”
“Exactly! What if embarrassing moments were recorded?!”
At their complaints, Professor Lucia’s smile vanished.
“It is a professor’s prerogative. Any objections? If you wish to complain, you may challenge me to a duel. Is there anyone who would like to issue a challenge?”
As she raised her mana, the air filled with biting cold. The students fell silent. Her teaching style was nothing short of tyrannical.
“Right, then. Class is over. Hurry along to your next lesson~”
As she spoke, Professor Lucia gave Kael a secret wink.
The second morning class was Magic Theory.
“Kael, come in, come in! Seeing you makes me look forward to today’s lecture even more!”
The professor in charge of Magic Theory was an elderly mage, younger than the headmaster but still quite advanced in years. He greeted Kael with noticeable warmth.
“Thank you, Professor. I’ll be in your care.”
At Kael’s polite greeting, Professor Broad burst into loud laughter.
“Hahaha! Having a student like you gives this old man new energy! Everyone, take your seats. Today we’ll begin with the fundamental principles of magic.”
The spacious lecture hall featured desks arranged in a large circle. The students, fresh from battle inside the gate, looked visibly exhausted. Some still had dust on their clothes, and the girls shuddered from time to time, clearly remembering the monsters’ leering gazes.
Ling and Ming naturally sat on either side of Kael. He had told them to always sit beside him from now on. Professor Broad began drawing a magic circle on the blackboard.
“Magic is the art of distorting reality through mana. The basic principles are the circulation of mana and the concentration of will. There is even a saying that magic is the act of turning thought into reality.”
He continued explaining complex mana manipulation techniques.
“Kael, what do you think about this section?”
Kael answered honestly.
“I’m sorry, Professor. I don’t understand it yet. But I will study hard.”
“Hahaha! I like your honesty! Such a sincere attitude is truly admirable!”
Professor Broad laughed heartily at Kael’s response and moved on to the next theory. This time, he called on Lyle—one of the former bullies who had chosen the Magic Department unlike his two comrades who went to Swordsmanship.
“Lyle. Do you know what kind of error occurs when mana circulation becomes tangled like this?”
“I’m sorry, Professor. I don’t know.”
Having seen Kael’s example, Lyle answered confidently without shame. But in that instant, Professor Broad’s face twisted into something demonic.
The kindly old scholar from moments ago had vanished completely.
“What did you say?! You don’t know?! You brainless fool! What exactly did your family teach you?! You absolute idiot! Is your head made of stone?!”
“H-huh?”
Lyle’s pupils shook violently at the sudden change in attitude. The gentle demeanor the professor had shown Kael was nowhere to be seen.
“Professor, please calm down. Getting angry isn’t good for your health.”
Kael stepped in. The students were surprised that he would speak to such an enraged professor, but they were even more shocked by what happened next.
“Oh, Kael! How thoughtful you are! Hehehe! Lyle, you should be grateful to Kael! If not for him, I would have used a fool like you as an example and punished you on the spot!”
The instantaneous change in attitude was so blatant that Lyle looked as if his mind had gone blank.
The favoritism was simply too obvious.