Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Entering Prynar Academy
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A few hours before I stood in the Prynar Academy auditorium.
"For now, only the auditorium is available."
"I see."
I gave a vague response to the kind staff member's explanation and looked around.
This place, said to be at the center of the vast Prynar Academy grounds, gave off an intensely sacred vibe.
Sculpted stones floated around nearby, their numbers increasing the closer you got to a certain point.
And at the spot with the most stones stood a pillar of intense light.
The light pillar stretched up to the sky, scattering crystalline specks of light—like snow falling.
Beneath it loomed a massive monument.
Even from dozens of meters away, I could feel the crackling, overwhelming energy.
"What's that?"
"Ah. It's a monument honoring the graduates who achieved great feats."
Feats, huh.
The aura it gave off felt more like a tombstone.
"Hahaha. It does have a bit of a gloomy feel, doesn't it?"
The staff member seemed aware of it and gave an awkward laugh.
"But it makes sense. They say this light pillar was emitted when the gods personally punished the 'True Demon King' long ago."
"True Demon King?"
There it was again. The True Demon King.
Kept coming up like this, so he must be someone special.
Something similar lingered in my memories too.
I'd seen it in the setting documents—Demon God or True Demon King, I couldn't recall exactly.
If asked how I could forget, I'd say honestly that demon kings are just boss-level foes in every game, so I hadn't paid close attention.
To be even more honest, I was just fucking sleepy.
Right as I was about to ask what the True Demon King was exactly, the staff member spoke up.
"I think I know why they built the monument here, where this myth began. They want the students who achieved feats to receive the gods' blessings from the light pillar. Ah... Our principal has such deep faith..."
"?"
His eyes weren't just sparkling—they were gleaming.
Something was off about him.
Looking closer, his attire was close to that of a priest.
Having only seen mages, I'd assumed he was one, but this guy was a priest?
I wondered what reaction a cleric would have if asked about the Demon King.
Would he rage about blasphemy? Or rant about the Demon King?
Either way, it'd suck.
Better to ask Asita or Gold later.
I was alone right now.
Gold and Asita had preparations for enrollment, so it was natural.
Repelt had gone to guard Gold today too.
Getting into the academy was simple.
Verify your identity at the gate and walk straight ahead.
There was quite a distance from the gate to here—perfect for a jog.
But did students use this path for their daily commute?
The Combat Faculty kids sounded like athletes, so maybe, but the others must hate it.
Well, it was an academy gathering the highest status or top talents, so probably full of stamina monsters.
One regret was not using the transparent track elevator connecting the floating island and academy that Gold mentioned.
This time, as a special exception, they'd linked the warp gate directly to the floating island, so I'd come that way.
Disappointing, but I could ride it plenty later.
Anyway, it felt surreal.
Being in the place I'd heard about endlessly was emotional enough, but the location itself was something else.
The Great Tree.
The massive tree that had left my jaw on the floor when gazing up from the ground below the floating island.
Now I stood atop it.
Higher even than the floating island—the sky above the sky.
Building the academy on the Great Tree was probably to emphasize they were on another level from everyone else.
Noble types always want to stand out.
Source: games.
Up close, it didn't even feel like a tree.
Just like solid ground.
So massive, I'd thought it might be the world tree from typical settings, but no.
The staff boasted it was just as sacred, matching that level, and recommended I look into its history myself if interested.
Just tell me already.
Still, since the school had assigned him because my freelancing was causing issues, I couldn't complain.
As I silently stared at the light pillar, the staff spoke up.
"Yedre, shall we go meet your colleagues?"
"Hmm."
Colleagues.
Meaning the faculty.
I had to meet them eventually, but not now.
Forcing smiles, greetings, and "let's get along" bullshit was poison.
Today's just the opening ceremony anyway.
The school was repaired, but adjustments meant classes started in a month.
No need to meet now.
"Hahaha. Getting to know faces and exchanging knowledge wouldn't hurt, right?"
"Exchanging, huh."
I replied soullessly, but the priest pushed.
"Yes. I'm sure they have much they'd like to hear from you, Yedre."
"......"
This guy had been nudging me toward the faculty since earlier.
Bribed by someone?
Meeting now might be smart for the future.
But right now, I wanted to explore this bizarre place—even more fantastical than typical fantasy.
"Can't I meet them after the ceremony?"
"Well, um..."
Clear distress.
Someone needed to see me urgently?
But sending someone else instead of coming themselves rubbed me wrong.
"I'll wander alone for a bit. See you later."
"Eh? Wait? That's..."
"You said not to set foot toward the Great Tree's branches. I'll be sure to follow that."
I walked off before he could respond.
He moved to follow, so I emitted Lunarr pressure—he froze.
Good. Peace at last.
Now I could leisurely tour the grounds.
Even from the central auditorium, I could survey Prynar Academy.
Those buildings visible in the distance must be the campus.
Wished I could see from higher up...
Spotting a tall hill, I dashed up the slope—reached the top quick.
The campus below was magnificent.
"Whoa..."
Shiny platforms dotted the buildings.
Those crystals—ice? Magic? Or some metal I didn't know?
What would walking them feel like?
But slightly disappointing, honestly.
Hearing nonstop hype, I'd imagined a monstrous scale beyond dreams.
Not quite surpassing imagination, but matching it.
Bigger than that prestigious university campus I'd seen with Dad.
Not a huge student body, so this was more than enough.
Anyway, that was the place I'd attend from now on.
Second time at school...
.....
'Please! Forgive me!'
'You're a retard, you little shit!'
'Spare me! Please!'
'You're trash, Yedre.'
School brought back nothing but bad memories.
Learning environments just weren't for me.
"Whatcha doin'?"
"......"
What the hell.
Someone lay in the bushes.
Problem: I hadn't sensed their presence again.
These incidents were piling up—desperately needed spec upgrades.
This one was barely detectable, though.
Probably lower Lunarr utilization than heroes or witches.
"Aigoo. When folks ask ya somethin', ya oughta answer, right?"
"Hello. I'm the new instructor who just..."
"Huh? You're Yedre?"
The dialect suddenly switched to standard as he sprang up.
Deep voice had me unsure of gender, but his face looked definitely male.
"Figured. Sightseein' the school?"
"Yes, but... feel free to speak comfortably."
"Huh? What?"
"If dialect's more natural, go ahead."
"Ah, I suck at dialect. It's just my shtick."
"?"
What kinda fresh weirdo is this.
"But didn't they say you're sword strike instructor?"
"I heard swordsmanship instructor."
"Nah, swordsmanship—not that. Anyway, you probably won't go there much... or maybe you will, as a student too. Man, that's rare~"
He grinned broadly, but his earlier words bugged me.
"Won't go there much? Isn't that the campus?"
"It is, but that's the Crafting Faculty area."
"Crafting...?"
"Whoa. Ya really came blind, huh?"
Dialect again.
But his next words made that irrelevant.
"That area's for Crafting Faculty students."
"Crafting? Area?"
"They bring in geniuses from kingdoms—hell, the world. Can't teach 'em all satisfied with one campus, ya know."
"...So there are other areas? That size?"
"Yup. Three more ya can't see from here. Magic Faculty for magic and sorcery, tiny Priest Faculty next door, and the Warrior Faculty you'll teach. Warrior's my term—official's Combat Faculty, call it what ya want."
.....
Holy shit.
Scale beyond imagination.
This visible part was huge already, and three more like it?
What was the main campus even for?
"No main campus?"
"Course there is. Where us faculty work."
"......"
"Can't go today. Still under cleanup."
"Cleanup?"
"Said don't enter anywhere but the conference room."
Cleanup from what?
Had to ask directly.
"Cleanup for what?"
"Yeah. Vice Principal brought some weird shit, wrecked the whole campus. That old fart..."
Weird shit.
Prostia, probably.
Still felt her energy everywhere.
What'd that dragon come for?
Clause about retaliating if harmed by humans, so not forced.
Followed Vice Principal willingly?
...Not here to kill me, right?
"Thought they were setting up some ritual across the whole school... Aish, not getting fired shows he's connected."
"Seems fully repaired now."
"Dunno. Thought it'd take months, but... White Tower Master did somethin'. Progress is smooth now. Whew... Dialect's tough."
"Speak freely."
"Yeah, will do."
After that, mostly complaints.
His name was Yaplno—odd—and he was a martial artist; beyond that, just gripes I let in one ear and out the other.
Damn, Prynar Academy was huge.
Slightly disappointed? Bullshit. Earlier me was a cocky frog in a well.
Scale beyond imagination—couldn't help but marvel.
No time now; next chance, tour the other campuses leisurely.
Not just sightseeing, though.
Sighting nobles gave EXP, so mapping geography and leveling up.
But didn't get EXP from the queen last time?
What were the criteria?
"Classes are a pain too. Ya listenin'?"
"Yes. Worried about that myself."
Hadn't listened at all, but caught the gist.
Classes hard... meaning kids don't listen.
Teachers' usual gripe.
"Ain't teacher material, thinkin' up lessons kills me. If we suffer, regular teachers... Ugh."
"......"
Right. Lesson plans.
Had buried it, but as instructor, I'd teach kids.
What to teach?
Basics like Severing Sword or Space Sword—my unique skills, trained via old game senses.
To others, nonsense.
'Incomprehensible sensation.'
Focus, and I sense, grasp, wield things invisible before.
My unique privilege.
This skill enabled my techniques.
But couldn't teach this sensation.
Basic swordsmanship only? Complaints incoming...
Exams and grading on me too?
Fuck.
Suddenly a hassle.
Shouldn't have taken instructor role.
"But kids listen well, so that's nice."
"I see."
My assumption wrong.
"Yeah. Other schools pander to nobles; here, meritocracy—noble or commoner, unless ultra-noble, irrelevant. Low enrollment means light workload."
"Enrollment?"
"Don't know that? Unlike professors, instructors just handle applicants."
"Ho..."
Good info.
Tank my rep so no one signs up—problem solved.
"Can't sabotage low turnout though; show subpar skills, academy sanctions. Don't get ideas. Jerks skipping's unavoidable."
"I see."
World-class school—bound to cover loopholes.
He mentioned professors earlier?
Instructors vs. professors—what's the difference? Professors exactly?
"Kids beg so cutely to teach... But our noses are to the grindstone first."
"Pardon?"
"Lucky or unlucky—you're in. Faculty skill verification every few years; this year's it."
"I see."
Skill verification—what exactly?
Reading my eyes, Yaplno added it varied yearly.
"This test's special. Stubborn Blurt, who never shows even if weirdo Glus begs—first in over a decade. Tough for instructors."
What was it?
Genius-of-geniuses teaching geniuses—what stumped them?
Yaplno answered quick.
"Been ages since dragon corpse viewing."
"...Dragon?"
"Yup. Not just any—adult dragon corpse. Meaningful changes to it: the test theme."
Change an adult dragon corpse? Damage or whatever?
...That sounded easy as fuck?
Thought of Prostia.
Tough and strong, but Severing Sword cut her.
Maybe pulverize to dust?
"Test in a month or week—close enough. Ugh, annoying."
Month vs. week—not minor...
Didn't show it, asked:
"Why annoying?"
"Why? Gotta give opening speech to over a thousand kids. Headache figuring what to say this year."
Ah, speeches too.
Others prepped, forgot the key part.
Whatever, wing it.
Then—
Quest alert rang.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Emergency Announcement] 'Almiraz' has appeared in the Entiaer Kingdom, Sers. ......?
What's Almiraz?