Chapter 251
Chapter Title: The Mentor's Test
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251
“This is unreasonable, Professor Sedjen!”
“That’s right! The first-years are the ones being advised to withdraw, so why should we have to leave school too?”
“There was nothing like this when we were first-years!”
Protests erupted from all corners.
It was only natural.
Even as second-years, their academic lives hadn't gotten any easier.
Students in the middle and lower ranks were still struggling just to keep their own heads above water.
And in that situation, they were being asked to become mentors to first-years?
Moreover, it wasn't just about being a mentor.
There was a penalty attached: if the first-year they were in charge of was advised to withdraw after the first semester's final exams, they would be held responsible and have to leave the academy as well.
It was an incredibly unfair measure.
Eliza, looking completely uninterested, sat at the very back of the large lecture hall, trimming her nails.
The Summoning Department students who followed her were seated around her.
It was a stark contrast to Abad and Duran, who were sitting in the very front row.
In truth, while Duran’s arrogant personality was a problem, he was a model student who took his classes very seriously.
And Abad was, of course, beyond reproach.
Eliza, on the other hand, was famous for her poor attitude in class, regardless of her grades.
Of course, a poor attitude didn't mean she wasn't listening.
But if she thought the material was something she already knew or was unnecessary, she would often openly do other things, barely pretending to pay attention.
The same was true now.
Having finished with her nails, Eliza covered her mouth and yawned, her expression listless.
‘Lumerne is up to some useless nonsense.’
In the end, those who were meant to survive would survive, one way or another.
Whether by talent or by effort.
‘Will it really change anything if we become their mentors?’
Scoffing inwardly, Eliza crossed her legs and happened to glance at a Noble student sitting in a front seat.
It was Karl, the student with the lowest grades among the Nobles.
Although he was the first dormitory student that Abad and Duran had highly praised and accepted, Eliza still found his presence in the Nobles rather distasteful.
“This assignment is the most disadvantageous for you, yet you seem so calm. Have you already given up?”
Eliza said with a chuckle.
“…”
But Karl showed no reaction.
“Hey. You.”
“…”
“Karl Thomas.”
“Hm?”
Only when she called his name did Karl finally turn around.
He looked up at Eliza, his eyes wide as if he hadn't expected to be called.
“Were you talking to me?”
“Yes. You should feel honored.”
“Wow. What’s the occasion?”
“I just found it strange that you had no reaction to an assignment so unfavorable for you.”
“You called me just to ask something like that?”
Any other student would have been provoked, but Karl brushed it off with a sly grin.
‘Just like Leo Flove’s best friend. He’s just as sly.’
Eliza’s expression soured with boredom.
“Well, it’s a very unfavorable assignment for me, sure. But my grades have always been hanging by a thread anyway.”
Karl shrugged.
“Besides, even though our school likes to torment students out of the blue like this, they never do it without leaving a way out.”
Karl grinned.
“Are you saying there’s a way out for you, too?”
“You know what they say, crisis is an opportunity, right?”
“Hmph.”
Just as Eliza narrowed her eyes, Sedjen spoke.
“My dear second-years. So inelegant. You should hear the whole story first.”
Sedjen wagged his finger with a click of his tongue.
The students who had been voicing their complaints fell silent.
“I’m not saying you must unconditionally become mentors to the first-years.”
Sedjen smiled faintly.
“Students who don’t wish to take on a mentor role don’t have to. Becoming a mentor is, in the end, a choice.”
At those words, the students’ complaints began to subside.
Watching them, Sedjen smiled meaningfully.
“However.”
After sweeping his gaze over the second-years, Sedjen continued.
“There will be benefits for the students who become mentors.”
“Benefits?”
“What could it be?”
“Maybe they’ll give us extra credit?”
The students began to murmur amongst themselves.
“This year, no first-year student will leave the academy until the end of their first semester. Whether they stay or go will be decided after the final exams are over.”
The entire second-year class was dumbfounded.
The current second-years, as well as the third, fourth, and fifth-years, had all been fighting for survival since they were freshmen.
But they were being told it was different for this year’s freshmen.
From the second-years’ perspective, this was an enormous perk.
Sedjen spread his arms wide.
“It would be strange if the mentors had to leave midway, wouldn’t it? Therefore, any student who takes on a mentor role will also have their withdrawal deferred until after the final exams, regardless of their grades!”
“Gasp!”
“No, that’s…!”
It was an unprecedented benefit.
For the students in the lower ranks, it was literally a chance to have their eyes opened wide.
Just then, Celia raised her hand.
“Professor, in that case, do mentors get to stay in the academy unconditionally as long as their mentees remain?”
“No. That could potentially hinder your own growth, so that’s not the case. Any student who fails to meet the cutoff line based on their final exam scores will be advised to withdraw.”
It was merely a deferment.
Still, it was an incredible opportunity.
By caring for a mentee while intensively preparing for the finals, they could remain at Lumerne as long as they passed the cutoff.
Not only the low-ranking students but also those in the middle ranks wore intrigued expressions.
They had already survived one year at Lumerne.
They couldn't afford to be complacent just because they were in the lower ranks.
Many students had been forced to leave during their first year due to unexpected variables.
“And, depending on how much the first-years have grown, additional evaluation points will be awarded.”
Sedjen looked around at the second-years.
“This isn't just for the sake of the first-years. By guiding your juniors, you will surely gain something for yourselves as well.”
This was a system that hadn't existed when the current second-years were first-years.
‘The change in headmaster certainly had an effect.’
It was unlikely that such a drastic academic schedule had been decided by the headmaster alone.
It was clearly the result of numerous faculty meetings.
“How will the mentor-mentee relationships be decided?”
This time, it was Abad who raised his hand and asked.
“We intend to leave that to the discretion of the second and first-year students.”
Sedjen crossed his arms.
“If you offer to be a first-year's mentor and they accept, the relationship is established. The reverse is also true.”
In other words, whether initiated by a first-year or a second-year, if both parties agreed, a mentor-mentee relationship would be formed.
The students’ eyes glinted.
‘It’s a scramble!’
It went without saying, but the better the student they took on, the more advantageous it would be.
“Hmph.”
Eliza, who had been listening to the explanation, wore an indifferent expression.
“It turned out just as you said.”
At Eliza’s words, Karl grinned.
“Abad’s assessment of you was certainly accurate. You’re quick-witted when it comes to things like this.”
After saying that, Eliza promptly lost interest in the assignment.
If it was an assignment she didn’t have to do, she wasn’t particularly interested.
Although it was said to affect her grades, it was unclear by how much.
‘It would be much better to focus on training in the time I’d spend worrying about first-years.’
Eliza’s thinking was sound.
For a student of her caliber, there wasn't much of a merit.
“Eliza, what do you think about this assignment?”
“I’m not interested.”
Eliza gave a curt reply to her followers who had asked cautiously.
At her words, the faces of the other Noble students in the Summoning Department brightened.
The Summoning Department had fewer students compared to the Knight and Magic Departments.
Therefore, if a student like Eliza lost interest in the mentorship assignment, their chances of getting a more outstanding junior as a mentee would increase.
‘Woreden probably has no interest in this kind of assignment either!’
The Summoning Department students rejoiced inwardly.
Just then, Leo raised his hand.
“Yes.”
“There are more first-year students than second-year students. Can one student take on multiple juniors?”
“Yes.”
There were decidedly fewer second-years than first-years.
It was only natural that one second-year could take on multiple first-years as mentees.
“What happens in that case? If even one mentee is advised to withdraw, does the mentor get expelled along with them?”
“That would be too harsh. In that case, Halind will make the decision after reviewing the final grades of the first-years under your charge.”
The mention of the name of Lumerne's Wailing Wall made the second-years gulp.
At the same time, they felt that the evaluation would be fair.
‘Given Professor Halind’s personality, he wouldn’t just expel a mentor if two out of three mentees fail.’
‘He’ll probably judge based on how much the students have grown compared to the beginning of the semester.’
‘Depending on the abilities of the students I take on as mentees, taking on several could be advantageous. Of course, I can’t just accept them blindly.’
The students mentally organized their thoughts.
Meanwhile, Sedjen concluded his speech.
“The process of choosing a mentee will take place for one week, starting today.”
Sedjen grinned.
“I hope you will all be good seniors to your juniors. That is all.”
***
After the monumental assignment that would dictate the entire first semester was given, the second-years returned to their respective dormitories.
Classes were over for the day.
The assignment began today.
As it was a sudden assignment, the students were given some time to prepare.
In the lounge of Glory, the first dormitory, students were busy discussing among themselves.
“Who on earth should we pick?”
“It’s tricky to just offer mentorship to someone famous or with good entrance exam scores.”
The Glory students glanced at Leo, who was standing by the lounge window.
“Kids like that will want top-ranking second-years to be their mentors.”
“Besides, Leo is an All-Class.”
“He can take on a mentee regardless of their department.”
“Ugh. It’ll be a huge burden if Leo takes just one from each department.”
While the Glory students were lost in thought, Leo approached the dormitory window, opened it, and stretched out his hand.
A small, red chick flew toward him with a flutter of its wings.
The fact that Leo was the contractor of a phoenix was already a well-known fact.
As a result, since the start of the second year, Piora had begun to strut around the Glory dormitory openly.
“Peep! Peep!”
Piora flapped her wings, demanding something from Leo.
“She wants a snack the moment she gets here.”
Leo let out a disbelieving chuckle and took a piece of chocolate from his pocket, placing it on his palm.
Flutter-!
Piora flew onto Leo’s palm and elegantly pecked at the chocolate.
Peep! Peep!
But soon, as if dissatisfied, she pushed the chocolate with her foot, letting it fall to the floor.
“You want something better?”
Leo wore a dumbfounded expression as she suddenly rejected something she had been eating just fine until recently.
“Piora~”
“Come here! Big sister will give you something tasty!”
As the female students of Glory approached with snacks, Piora abandoned Leo without a second thought and flew over to them.
Peep-! Peep-!
Piora chirped happily as she ate the snacks the girls gave her.
The girls squealed at the sight of Piora.
“Look how cute she is!”
“She follows me like this! Do I have a talent for being a summoner?”
Piora had become the mascot of the Glory dormitory.
—That little piglet of a chick. Getting tasty treats from the female students has made her palate unnecessarily refined. She’s bringing shame to all summoned beasts.
—P-piglet of a chick…? Master! Please call me a piglet of a colt!
—That's enough, Ati.
Kiruan grumbled, Ati panted, and Elsie heaved a deep sigh.
“Leo. Do you have any first-year juniors in mind for your mentee?”
Chloe approached and asked.
“Not really. I haven't gotten a full grasp of all the first-years yet.”
“That’s true.”
Chloe fell into thought.
Just then, Iliana shot up from her seat.
“Alright! Let’s just go to the first-year classroom building and talk to the juniors!”
At her words, the Glory students nodded and got up from their seats.
After all the students had left the dormitory, Leo remained alone.
—Leo.
“What is it?”
—Let’s pick one who’s easy to order around!
Leo let out a hollow laugh at Kiruan’s words.
***
That evening.
The second-years who had gone to meet the first-years returned to the dormitory.
“It’s not easy.”
“Yeah. The ones with some skill are picky about everything. And the ones who aren’t picky are too weak.”
“This assignment is going to be tough.”
The Glory students wore troubled expressions.
It was then.
“Class Rep! Class Rep!”
Iliana ran up to Leo.
“What is it?”
“Someone’s here to see you.”
“Who?”
“Aina Veydean.”
At Iliana’s words, the Glory students let out sounds of admiration.
“I guess when you’re on Leo’s level, the first-year representative comes to find you.”
“Come to think of it, she boldly declared at the entrance ceremony that she would earn Leo’s recognition, right?”
“She must really admire Leo.”
Leaving behind the murmuring Glory students discussing Aina, Leo got up and went outside the dormitory.
Aina spotted Leo and bowed her head deeply.
“What is it?”
At Leo’s question, Aina looked up at him and said.
“Leo. Please be my mentor.”
Aina spoke with a voice full of determination.
“I am the best among the first-years. Taking me as your mentee will surely be a benefit to you as well, Leo.”
To Aina’s words, Leo replied calmly.
“I’m not necessarily looking to pick a mentee based on skill.”
At that, Aina bristled.
“If not me, then who is qualified to be your mentee?”
“Anyone can be qualified.”
Leo let out a small smile.
“That’s why I’m going to hold a test.”
“A test?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of test?”
Leo considered for a moment, then nodded.
“Hmm. Yes. That should work.”
Leo grinned.
“For the next week, I’ll accept any first-year who can land even a single successful attack on me as my mentee.”
At those words, Aina bit her lip.
“Starting now?”
“Yes.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a golden aura erupted from Aina’s body.
Seeing this, Leo said.
“I knew you’d do that.”