Blood-Red Skies of the Inner World
The sky was a blood-red hue, reminiscent of a fading sunset. The mana of the Inner World now felt somewhat familiar as it entered his lungs with each breath, leaving behind an unpleasant sensation akin to inhaling a foul stench.
"Last time I saw you, your personal skills had already matured quite a bit," Professor Karlsen, the master of this Inner World, remarked with his characteristic gloomy yet feeble smile.
"So starting today, I'd like to combine individual training with occasional team sessions. Would that be acceptable to everyone?"
Four students sat before a neatly rectangular desk, nodding in response to Professor Karlsen's words.
"Heh. At last, the time has come for me to take the stage."
At the same moment, Marily Raymond, who had been sprawled across the desk, sprang to her feet, her golden hair fluttering dramatically.
"Yes, I have faith in you, Miss Marily."
Professor Karlsen clapped his bony hands together enthusiastically, further lifting Marily's already raised shoulders. Then, gazing at her with his characteristically hollow, sunken eyes, he asked, "You've read through the tournament event list and rulebook, haven't you?"
"Of course!"
"Excellent!"
Asking someone with perfect memory whether they had properly memorized the rules was, of course, a pointless question.
"From today onward, Miss Marily, I would like you to observe the other students during their training and prepare an entry list indicating which events each of them should participate in."
While this might seem like placing all responsibility on a student, Professor Karlsen had no intention of denying it. It was simply the truth.
'She would do a far better job than if I decided arbitrarily.'
Though still young, she was royalty of the Ellemental Kingdom. Even among the brilliant geniuses gathered in the royal palace who governed the nation's affairs, she was hailed as a prodigy of the century. From an even younger age, she had personally selected her own attendants, honing her skill in judging people and placing them in suitable roles. She would surely see the children more clearly than Professor Karlsen, who was awkward with human relationships.
'Moreover, if any issues arise, she could adjust the strategy on the spot.'
This was an advantage that other academies, where professors made most decisions, could never replicate.
With that thought, Professor Karlsen turned to the other three students and spoke again.
"Honestly, I said 'teamwork training,' but it's nothing that grand."
It was simply repeated practice of the events that would take place in the upcoming Academy Tournament. Other academies had already selected their main players during the first semester and spent time building coordination and familiarity, but those who had only begun preparing in the second semester had no time to start from such basics.
'Besides, there's no real need for that sort of thing anyway.'
The reason others did such exercises was because they were still awkward and unfamiliar with one another. But this group was different. They were already close friends who got along better than anyone.
'Of course, Miss Marily and Mr. Jeon do bicker quite often.'
Even arguing verbally was proof of closeness, after all. Having no friends to even argue with aside from Professor Bivaldi, Professor Karlsen understood this fact all too well.
"May I ask a question?"
"Yes, Mr. Jeon. What would you like to know?"
"You mentioned practicing the tournament events in advance. Do you have a specific plan?"
Other academies often used golems as practice opponents. Occasionally, different academies would gather for mock matches, but such events were rare because the magic academies were geographically too far apart.
"An excellent question!"
At Jeon's question, laced with anticipation that Professor Karlsen might have received some golems from the headmaster, the professor suddenly stood up and shouted. Then, pointing his bony finger at the somewhat bewildered Jeon, he declared, "Mr. Jeon! Plus one point!"
"……."
Just what are those points even for? Jeon wondered, though the professor's triumphant expression made him less inclined to ask.
"In truth, I was considering raising some undead as practice opponents."
However pleased he was, his bony joints creaked alarmingly with his animated movements, enough to instantly dampen the mood of anyone watching, in direct contrast to his own good spirits.
"Though my main specialty is curse magic, my necromancy alone is more than sufficient to provide you all with a decent challenge."
It wasn't that he looked down on them. The gap in skill between them and Professor Karlsen was simply that vast. If he were to casually raise undead and cause a disturbance, it would result in chaos far exceeding the zombie incident at Grant Department Store half a year ago.
"But then I discovered something. To create undead in the Ellemental Kingdom, one requires royal permission."
It was an obvious statement, but raising the dead without prior consultation was illegal. It was akin to organ donation—unless there had been prior agreement with the deceased or consent from their family, a dark mage could not arbitrarily desecrate a corpse. Furthermore, one had to submit a detailed written explanation of why the undead were necessary, item by item.
"Permission would eventually be granted, but it seems it would take quite some time."
This explained why the only legally active dark mage in the Ellemental Kingdom, Professor Karlsen, specialized in curse magic rather than necromancy, and why those who studied necromancy either raided communal graves without permission or purchased corpses through the underworld.
"Well, when it comes to public safety, having too much is far better than having too little. The fact that incidents involving undead are far fewer here than in other countries is proof of that."
Still, it hadn't always been this strict in the past. Professor Karlsen glanced at Jeon, thinking that the Dark Wave incident had likely fostered a stronger caution toward undead.
But he quickly looked away and spun around with exaggerated flair once more.
"Honestly, I was troubled. I even considered buying a few corpses from the underworld."
If only his bank account had been sufficiently funded, Professor Karlsen chuckled slyly, there might have been a headless dullahan standing beside him right now as he openly confessed his near-criminal intent before the kingdom's princess.
"But, um, did the academy not offer any support?"
When Arina asked cautiously, Professor Karlsen shook his head.
"It simply didn't occur to me to make a request. If I had asked in advance, they might have provided a few golems."
"……."
Just how does his mind work? If one needed supplies, wasn't the first thing to do requesting them from the appropriate department? Why had he immediately considered committing a crime instead? Was this what it meant to be a dark mage? Their way of thinking was fundamentally different from that of ordinary mages.
"Anyway, while I was pondering what to do, a brilliant idea suddenly came to me."
Ignoring their reactions, Professor Karlsen placed his hands on the desk. Perhaps it was from spinning around earlier, but his complexion had grown even paler, as if dizziness had suddenly struck.
"Sir, you really don't have to force yourself to sound energetic."
Concerned for Professor Karlsen's health, Togun spoke up worriedly. He poured a glass of water from the paper cup on the desk and placed it before him.
"Ah, thank you."
After downing it in one gulp and calming his excited heart, Professor Karlsen steadied his breathing and continued.
"Where was I?"
"You said a brilliant idea came to you……"
"Ah, yes, that's right."
It had been pure coincidence. Benedict Academy, the finest magic educational institution in the Ellemental Kingdom, had not only the four students before him but another team participating in the Academy Tournament.
"There are two main reasons why mock matches between students of different academies are avoided."
One was the distance between magic academies, as previously mentioned, making travel inconvenient. The second was the risk of exposing strategies they had prepared.
"But if it's a match between students of the same academy, the first disadvantage doesn't apply. And we don't have any strategies that could be exposed anyway."
Strategy was something Marily would have to devise from now on in her mind. Therefore, there was no need to worry about exposure.
"Additionally, since the opponents are also an Academy Tournament team, there's no concern about disrupting classes."
Just like them, the opponents also had no penalty regarding attendance days. It meant they could help without burden.
"So recently, I went to see the student council president and made the request myself."
Student Council President Aaron Dice. The strongest student at Benedict Academy. He was also the leader of the representative team participating in this Academy Tournament—the greatest obstacle standing in the way of those aiming for victory.
At the same time, surprise appeared on their faces upon hearing this. They had guessed why Professor Karlsen was speaking with such uncharacteristic high tension and pride.
"Upon hearing my request, he readily agreed to help his juniors."
And when Professor Frankhorn, who had received the request from Aaron Dice, heard it, he also readily granted permission, saying it would be a good opportunity for both sides. Though he knew that sparring with first-years wouldn't be of much help to them, he was an educator. No one present doubted that his permission was a consideration for the first-years.
"My personal hope is that you won't just receive one-sided instruction from your seniors. After all your hard work, it would be a shame if your pride were hurt, wouldn't it?"
At first, they might be overwhelmed. No, they definitely would be. But there was still plenty of time until the Academy Tournament. If they could surprise their opponents during that time, aiming for victory at the tournament wouldn't remain a mere pipe dream.
"Well then, I'll go ahead and call them in. They've actually been waiting outside because we're running a bit late from our original meeting time."
Seeing the determination in their eyes at his words, Professor Karlsen added playfully. At the same time, the blood-red atmosphere surrounding them began to distort. Space split apart, parting left and right, and from within, a total of four men and women slowly stepped into Professor Karlsen's Inner World, approaching their location.
"……."
Jeon, the most serious about this tournament among them, observed their faces one by one. A beautiful woman with bright golden hair similar to Marily Raymond's, reaching down to her waist. Beside her stood a massive man with an imposing build so large it was hard to believe he was a mage. As expected of fifth-year graduating students, unlike themselves who still retained traces of childhood, they already showed some adult qualities after nearly completing their secondary sexual characteristics.
'In contrast, that senior looks rather young.'
Unlike the others with calm expressions, a girl with somewhat sunken eyes, as if she had just finished handling some urgent matter. Though her actual age was unknown, she looked younger than the others—bluntly speaking, she seemed around the same age as Jeon himself.
"Is this the professor's Inner World?"
"Yes, but you don't seem particularly surprised. Usually, anyone encountering an Inner World for the first time would be taken aback."
"I couldn't show an unseemly appearance in front of my juniors. After hearing that we would be competing inside the professor's Inner World, I asked Professor Frankhorn for a magical tool and came here after experiencing the mana of the negative dimension in advance."
"As expected of the student council president, your preparation is thorough."
And finally, the man leading them, conversing with Professor Karlsen. His hair was a vivid red, rippling like flames, and his distinctive crimson pupils within black eyes shifted from Professor Karlsen toward the four students behind him.
"So, are the juniors behind you the ones we need to face?"
Student Council President Aaron Dice. The moment the greatest obstacle to victory in this Academy Tournament first stood before them.