Third Year (1)
“Ramon! Fetch!”
Evan hurled a massive bone. Infused with mana, it arced through the air and soared far into the distance.
The wolf Ramon gave chase. He’d grown quite large now. Unlike his puppy days, he was full adult size, and his speed was blistering.
Once he vanished from sight, Evan collapsed right there on the spot. Sweat poured off him as he heaved ragged breaths.
“Huff… huff… This is rough…”
“How long did you play with him to be wiped out already?”
“Ramon’s so hyper. He was manageable when he was little, but now that he’s huge… ugh, what a handful.”
“Tsk tsk. You call that responsibility while raising him?”
“Ah, hyungnim! That’s not what I meant!”
Evan shot him an aggrieved look.
I had no intention of teasing him further, so I dropped it. And honestly, Evan tiring out like this was only natural. He’d been playing with the wolf for over five hours straight.
Back when Ramon was a pup, an hour sufficed. But now? Even five hours barely winded him.
As a demigod, the beast grew by leaps and bounds every day.
“More importantly, did you register him?”
“The summoner contract? Wrapped it up yesterday. With Rana sunbae’s help, it was a breeze.”
Ramon was classified as a monster, so for safety and public perception, a formal contract was required. A lord-servant bond eliminated any worries.
Rana was a pro at that stuff, so it’d gone smoothly.
“Anyway, school starts next week already.”
“Yeah.”
“Starting two weeks early… feels like such a rip-off.”
Evan, human as he was, clearly hated Tianis Academy’s early start for second- and third-years. That was the normal reaction. Nobody liked cutting into vacation time.
I wanted more rest myself.
“What can you do? That’s the Tianis rule.”
No matter what anyone said, second- and third-years always started two weeks early. Unchanging fact.
“Ugh, now it really hits that I’m a second-year.”
“Second-year or not, it’s nothing… Nah, just go grind it out.”
“Cutting me off like that makes me nervous, hyungnim.”
“Can’t argue with facts.”
Right after opening ceremonies, two weeks later, an entrance exam awaited Evan. And that was just the start. The second-year gauntlet had tons of incidents lined up for him.
He was tangled in so many plots, he’d be running nonstop.
“But hyungnim, what’re you up to now? Third-years get tons of free time, right?”
Evan had a point. Third year meant senior status—graduation class. It was February now; ten months later, after finals, we’d graduate Tianis Academy. Just like Ruina sunbae.
That’s why they gave perks on attendance and credits for self-study. Events were minimized too.
Unlike second year, time was plentiful.
“I’ll hit a few lectures casually and chill. Nothing pressing.”
Credits were solid, no side gigs. My part-time at Ruina sunbae’s workshop ended with her graduation.
Financially comfortable too—no need to work.
Free as a bird.
“Hyungnim.”
“What.”
“Saying it like that makes you sound like a total bum…”
“What the hell, you little shit?”
“Ow, hyungnim! Kidding, kidding…!”
I yanked his ear for crossing the line. Then the white sword at Evan’s side trembled, a voice echoing in my head.
-Don’t bully my partner!
A distinctly feminine tone. It was Raman, Evan’s sword—now awakened with an ego.
“Hey, shut her up. She’s yapping in my skull.”
“Haha, Raman, I’m fine, really…”
She went quiet once Evan chimed in. That was the hassle with egos. Weapons throwing tantrums like this.
I got it, sort of. To a swordsman, the blade was half their soul. No way it’d sit idle while someone messed with its other half.
“Sigh… Similar names, total opposite personalities.”
Wolf Ramon was mature beyond his wild looks. He’d lived centuries, after all—immaturity would’ve been weirder.
Though mind follows body sometimes. He had childish moments, but rare. Only during play.
And having observed humans for ages, he knew us inside out. He shrugged off spats with his owner, Evan.
Sword Raman? Whole different story. Ego fresh—mere months old. Barely one in sword years.
Full kid mode.
“Reign her in properly. She’s always stirring crap.”
“Haha, can’t help it, hyungnim. She’s still learning.”
“Tch.”
Like I said—understandable. I let it slide.
“Oh yeah, hyungnim. Professors have been MIA lately. Where’d they go?”
“Where else? Entrance exams.”
Not the ceremony-linked one—the real deal, where profs handpick talent.
If Tianis faculty was scarce, that was it.
“You took it yourself. You know.”
“Still, too many gone.”
“Ah, they’re recruiting profs too. You wouldn’t know about that.”
Tianis professor gigs were prestigious, coveted. But not the dream job.
Student kindness came from prof sacrifices. Required a service mindset—or you burned out fast.
Yearly turnover, hence recruitment. Monster season overlap meant extra physical/mental casualties.
“Outsiders everywhere lately. That’s why.”
“Oh, news to me.”
No surprise. It wasn’t publicized.
Thinking prof exams brought Ruina sunbae to mind.
Mid-boss extraordinaire, she chose professorship for her Philosopher’s Stone quest.
Probably testing now.
‘Hope she’s crushing it.’
Most schools hired on skill alone. Personality? Barely checked.
Teaching demanded prowess.
But Tianis was picky. Skill baseline, then multifaceted student-fit scrutiny.
Exams for a reason.
‘No real worry, though.’
Ruina’s communication was iffy, sure. But otherwise stellar.
She’d ace it, show up as prof.
“Yawn…”
Sleep hit hard. Clock read 11 p.m. Bedtime.
“Evan, head home. It’s late. Gotta build that early-riser habit.”
“Whoa, this late already? Ramon! Let’s roll!”
The wolf bounded from the shadows at his owner’s call. Fur gleaming—prime condition, well-fed and thriving.
“See ya next time, hyungnim.”
“Beat it.”
I sent him off and crashed.
A few days later, school began.
No seismic shift in routine despite classes resuming. Wake, train, cafeteria breakfast, then Knight Department building for lectures.
Rinse and repeat, same as always.
Prepped and left the dorm. Still in the Lowest Dormitory, trek was long—but easy now. Frail old body long gone.
Tianis commute unchanged. First lectures in months? Everyone dragged zombie faces.
Spotlight stayed glued on me amid it all. Overwhelming stares—but the good kind.
No more punk image post-incidents. I was the hero who saved Tianis Academy.
Never loved the attention…
But perks: no image-policing caution. That alone made it bearable.
Arrived at the Knight Department building. Sniffed that classic lecture-hall must, sat in, absorbed.
Nothing special. Standard fare.
Shift: less lecturing, more Q&A.
Made sense for third-years—they’d self-assessed enough to have burning questions.
Profs were the “been there, beyond” vets.
Didn’t concern me. Monster season exposed my chops. Everyone knew.
Profs left me be. Sparring invites only.
Training nonstop, though. Corner spot, low-key.
Curious peeks now and then.
Lectures wrapped. Off to Magic Department building for lunch with Rana.
At the Student Council Hall, someone blocked my path.
“Sunbae, long time no see?”
Ruina Lindel—Tianis Academy grad. Casual clothes now, no uniform.
“Yeah, long time.”
“You’ve been well?”
“Yep.”
We’d met often first two weeks post-grad, then nada.
“What brings you? Work done?”
“All finished. Came back.”
Her flat tone unchanged, she approached.
“Kyle Arden. My one and only disciple.”
“Graduated or not, still your disciple.”
“Exactly.”
She nodded, ruffled my hair.
“So… wanna work under me?”
She flashed a badge from her pocket.
“I’m a professor here now.”
Tianis prof insignia. Freshly minted, gleaming in her grasp.