Monster Season (1)
In the conference room at Tianis Academy, professors from each department had gathered. One professor picked up his teacup. The faint aroma of tea wafted up. He took a sip. The warmth of the tea slid down his throat and into his stomach, chasing away the chill and warming his body.
"It really gets cold once winter sets in."
"Heh, tell me about it. And this is just the beginning— this year's winter feels especially harsh."
The other professors nodded in agreement. The winter weather had just begun, but it was brutally cold. Without using mana, no one could last more than two hours outside.
"Enough chit-chat. Let's get to the main topic. We'll be busy for a while if we want to prepare on schedule."
"Yeah. It's already hard to muster motivation in this cold— better wrap it up quick so we can rest."
"Heh, and here I thought someone from the northern continent wouldn't mind winter."
"You try living somewhere that's cold and snowing all year round, and see if you say that. Ah, look at that. Trash is falling from the sky."
At that moment, white flakes drifted past the window outside. It was the empire's first snow of the season.
"Ugh, so annoying. When am I gonna shovel that crap again?"
She stared at the falling snow with a face full of disgust.
"Lucky us. I was wondering when it'd come this year."
"Right? Last winter, the first snow came so early in the season that it ruined the whole vibe."
Of course, she was the only one who felt that way; the other professors forgot about the meeting entirely and gawked out the window. Snow wasn't something you saw often in the empire's capital, where the four seasons were so distinct.
Anyway, after a brief snow-watching session, the professors refocused on the meeting.
"How should we handle this year's first-year joint practical for everyone?"
"Well, whatever theme we pick, the location is the real issue..."
"Exactly. The venue's the biggest headache. With all the setbacks piling up, we barely had time to prepare."
It was something they should've planned right after the break. But various incidents had cropped up midway, delaying everything while they dealt with them.
"The General Department won't have issues since location doesn't matter much for them."
"They've always done group projects anyway."
The General Department's joint practical usually grouped students into teams of about ten for projects. Handing them the library would suffice.
"What about the Craft Department?"
"We just need materials. We have plenty of contracted sites, so we can use those."
Conducting the practical in unfamiliar places was good experience too. The joint practical was a test to showcase what they'd learned over the past year— a way to boost student skills.
"Then, last but not least..."
"The Magic and Knight Departments are the problem."
As expected, those two were the trickiest. They had to do the practical together, so the numbers were substantial.
"Where do we send 1,200 students...?"
Since they were combat-focused departments, the theme should ideally tie into that. With so many aggressive students, keeping them active was key— otherwise, who knew what trouble they'd stir up. There were precedents in Tianis history.
Knights made sense, but mages loving fights that much? More of them hung out in training halls than labs.
"What about the hunting fields?"
"Too inactive lately. The students would hate it anyway."
It was a past practical site, so they'd be bored.
"A tournament, then? Ah, no, that won't work."
The joint practical required full participation. They couldn't just continue with a subset.
"Hmm..."
"What could work...?"
The professors pooled their heads, tossing ideas around. Then one pointed outside.
"How about that?"
The others followed her finger. There loomed the massive mountain range visible even from Tianis.
"The Thousand-Year Mountains."
"Perfect as a venue."
"But it'll be tough on the students. And with the snow..."
The Thousand-Year Mountains had treacherous terrain and were so vast even the empire hadn't fully conquered them. Add snow, and it was a nightmare.
"No, we won't go deep. With proper precautions, it'll be fine."
"Hand out a few magic tools for the cold and snow, and we're good."
Besides, first-years or not, students from those departments weren't weak enough to falter in such conditions. They'd suffer a bit, sure.
"Then it's settled."
And so, the venue and theme for all four departments' joint practical were decided.
"Ugh, mountains suck..."
"It's not even been a day— cut the whining."
"You live in the mountains and talk to me."
"Enough griping. Let's discuss what we need for the practical..."
The professors continued their preparations meeting afterward.
Winter had arrived before long, blanketing the academy in deep snow. Everything was a sea of white, wrapped in biting cold. They'd enchanted their winter uniforms for protection, but the chill pierced right through.
This winter was record-breaking cold for the empire. From what I recalled, it rivaled the northern continent's weather.
Anyway.
"Hyungnim~!"
Evan came sprinting from afar, panting white clouds into the frigid air.
"What's up?"
"Well, it's like... Huh? Where's Rana sunbae?"
"Professor called her over for a bit."
"Professor Ratral? Your grandpa, right?"
Evan nodded as if it made sense.
"So, why're you here?"
"Hyungnim, what's this first-year joint practical? They say it's replacing the finals..."
Come to think of it, it was nearly year-end. Time for the next episode to kick off.
I smirked inwardly and replied to Evan.
"No idea. Ask someone else."
"Aw, hyungnim... Why even you? Other professors and sunbaes dodged me too."
He looked dejected at my teasing tone. But I had nothing more to say. Instead, I explained why.
"Anyone else you ask will say the same."
"Huh? Why?"
"'Cause that's how it is."
They had to solve it with their own strength, no outside help. That was the point of the first-year joint practical. In a few months, they wouldn't be freshmen anymore— too old to rely on others. So students and professors alike kept it secret. Tradition.
'Though honestly, it's mostly to mess with them.'
Tianis Academy was still run by humans. A little prank like this was fair game.
"Ah, gotcha."
Evan took it seriously and nodded along. In that way, he was as pure as Rana.
"I'll give you a helpful hint instead."
"Huh? You can?"
"Anything but the core details is fine."
And no one got in real trouble for spilling that much. At worst, they'd gripe about spoiling the fun.
"Evan. What's the weather like right now?"
"Weather? Freezing. Snowing too."
"Right, freezing. And practicals are usually outdoors."
"Uh... So we gotta bundle up?"
"Nope."
I shook my head at his guess. Wrong answer.
"Evan."
"Yes, hyungnim."
I called him in a serious tone. He tensed up accordingly— I could see him swallow.
I paused dramatically, then murmured gravely.
"Never—ever—pee outside."
"Hyungnim!"
He yelled, thinking it was dumb.
"You'd be wise to remember that."
He'd learn the hard way, probably.
"Quit joking and give me real info."
Unaware or not, Evan just clung and begged.
The day of the joint practical. 600 Magic Department students and 600 Knight Department students gathered at the Thousand-Year Mountains.
The range stretched from the empire's north all the way to the northern continent— massively huge. The peaks before them were colossal; even craning their necks fully, the summits were out of sight. Students wondered just how tall they were.
And snow blanketed everything knee-deep, turning the world monochrome white.
"We really going in there...?"
"Professors said it's fine, so probably...?"
They said it, but deep-seated fear lingered. The uniform whiteness was eerily intimidating, like the dead of predawn night.
"Brr, it is cold."
But Evan just shivered, unlike the others. The mountainside was unmaintained unlike Tianis— snow up to the knees, bone-chilling winds howling. Far harsher than at the academy.
"Definitely... cold."
Veil felt it too. Unused to real winters, he couldn't adapt even with time, magic tools from professors, or mana shields.
"Cloi, you okay?"
"Cold doesn't faze me much. Mana's enough to tough it out."
Cloi, lounging against a tree trunk, replied nonchalantly— a stark contrast to the pair. Then she yawned boredly.
"Yawn... So boring..."
Evan commented on it.
"How come you're not hyped for the practical? Everyone else is tense."
"You're not tense either, Evan."
"That's 'cause it's fun for me."
Evan found everything at Tianis fun. Even after a full year, that hadn't changed.
"Must be nice. Everything's a blast for you."
"You could show some enthusiasm. How do you lose interest outside your hobbies?"
If uninterested, she ignored it completely. That was Cloi, in Evan's eyes. Same with studies— she'd sleep through lectures without passion or curiosity. Yet she aced top ranks every time. Incredible.
"You only care about hyungnim anyway."
"Sunbae's special~."
See that? She perked up at "hyungnim." Made it even more frustrating. She was obsessed with hyungnim; he was obsessed with learning. The gap never closed.
Of course, he acknowledged her talent. Hyungnim did too— said normal effort couldn't catch up.
"Is this what talent looks like...?"
"Pfft!"
Cloi burst out laughing at Evan's slump. Meanwhile, their surroundings had gone quiet.
"......"
"......"
How audacious, discussing talent like that. Coming from top students in both departments.
"Ugh, you trash mobs!"
Right then, a professor's voice rang out. She'd cleared the snow instantly with magic. Students watched her eagerly.
"What's with those looks? Ah... Achoo!"
The professor sneezed from the cold, scowling.
"Ugh, think I'm catching a cold. Better wrap this up and head back."
She cast another spell while addressing the students.
"You've heard the basics from the other profs, so no need for me to explain. Now roll around in this trash and work hard."
With that, she unleashed magic. Following it, the students were transported into the mountains.
The practical had finally begun.
But.
— Get off this mountain NOW! —
"Huh? What does that...?"
The mountains soon plunged into chaos.