A Sincere Apology
Togun bowed deeply to Silvia at a perfect ninety-degree angle. His eyes were red from all the tears he had shed, yet his face burned even redder, perhaps from the belated wave of embarrassment. "I'm truly sorry."
"No need. As long as you've calmed down, that's enough." Silvia waved her hand dismissively, as if no apology were necessary. After all, what fault did this child really have? If anything, the real unforgivable villain was that hulking mage who had dumped all the blame on her while she was crying and then slipped away at the first opportunity.
Thinking this, Silvia casually kicked Baraki in the shin. He frowned and shot her a look that clearly asked what she was doing, but she merely snorted in response.
Now that I look at him, he's actually quite cute.
She hadn't noticed it during the fight. He had clung to her stubbornly, slashing away every spell she cast and glaring at her with fierce determination. But once the mock match ended, he revealed himself to be nothing short of an innocent, straightforward boy. Even when she told him it was fine, he kept apologizing, asking over and over if she was hurt despite having taken the worse of it himself. If she ever had a younger sibling, she thought she would want one just like him.
"Junior, do you like cola?"
"Y-yes?"
Silvia's internal fondness for Togun was rising rapidly. As she reached out to pat his head while speaking, Togun froze, his eyes darting around in panic as he tried to decide what to do. She's too close. Should I step back? But what if she misunderstands and thinks I'm avoiding her? His brain overheated from the flood of thoughts, and the world in front of him began to spin as if smoke were pouring from his ears.
Seeing that reaction as even cuter, Silvia leaned in closer.
"Huh?"
Professor Karlsen, who had come looking for the students long after the match had been declared over, tilted his head at the scene unfolding in the distance. Why has the atmosphere suddenly turned like this? Just moments ago they had been fighting like sworn enemies, yet now everything felt pink and fluffy. It must be spring.
Well, it didn't really matter. Outside it was autumn, but for these youths in the prime of their lives, spring could arrive at any time and place. If that was the case, then his duty as a professor was simple: to make the students face reality and realize that it was still autumn, not spring.
"Is everyone all right? No injuries?"
With his usual lack of tact, Professor Karlsen deliberately shattered the mood as he approached Silvia and Togun. Behind him, Baraki Nepiri let out a quiet sigh, his eyes saying, Does this professor have no sense at all?
The mock match had left a positive impact on both sides. Each had dealt the other a shock of an entirely different nature. Yet if asked which side had been more shaken, the answer was obvious: the juniors.
"So, have you roughly confirmed their abilities?"
Once all the exhausted students had left and only the two of them remained in the club room, Professor Karlsen asked Marily with a sly grin. His smile looked even more sinister against the night sky visible through the window. Though he stood beneath bright fluorescent lights, the space around him alone seemed to linger in an Inner World, utterly gloomy.
"More or less."
Marily answered indifferently while propping her chin on one hand and jotting something in her notebook with the other.
"At the very least, it's clear that with today's level of skill, we have no chance of winning the Academy Tournament."
The gap between the two teams was simply too vast. It wasn't just a matter of their strategy failing at the start. Even if the plan had succeeded, they still would have lost.
This isn't a virtual world.
The first-year students had gone all out against their seniors at every moment. The seniors, however, had not. Especially Student Council President Aaron Dice—he had constantly held back, worried they might suffer serious injuries. But on the day of the Academy Tournament, inside the virtual world where no one needed to worry about hurting their opponents, the seniors would be able to fight without restraint. In that case, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the juniors had no chance of victory.
"Well, I suppose you could see it that way."
"Does the professor think differently?"
"No. I agree completely."
Of course, there was still room for hope. Arina had only just begun to master what could be called her signature magic, and Togun was growing stronger by the day thanks to Jealousy's training. Though barely a month remained, if one considered their potential, they wouldn't suffer such a crushing defeat again.
"That said, Aaron Dice is far too extraordinary to be treated as a mere student."
A monstrous talent aiming for the expert realm before even turning twenty—he had already transcended the level of a student. Silvia or Baraki might stand a chance, but Aaron Dice was someone they could never defeat in a head-on clash.
First, I need to thoroughly divide the events we can afford to give up on and the ones we must win at all costs.
By avoiding direct confrontations with him as much as possible and steadily racking up points elsewhere, they could maximize their chances. That was the best path to victory available to them right now.
"Still, I believe in my students."
While Marily was lost in thought over her notebook, Professor Karlsen's voice reached her ears. She looked up and met his gaze. He answered with a genuinely serious expression.
"In all my time as a professor at the Academy, I've never seen students who possess both such talent and such passion. They will surely grow beyond even my expectations."
"You've only been a professor for a little over half a year."
Marily let out an involuntary chuckle at his words—an unusual sight for her, as she normally showed respect to every professor at the Academy except the delinquent school nurse.
"Oh dear. Was I found out?"
Professor Karlsen scratched the back of his head shamelessly, showing not the slightest offense.
"But I meant it when I said I believe in the students. Every one of them is too good to be learning from a professor like me. That includes you, Marily."
"Quite the pleasant empty words."
Her tone was curt, yet her eyes told a different story. She stared at him with her blue eyes, clearly surprised. Then she turned her gaze back to the notebook and began scribbling with her pen once more.
"From now on, we'll hold mock matches like this regularly. Marily, keep watching those matches and confirm the students' growth with your own eyes."
"Sure, whatever."
"It might be good if you decide the match formats yourself starting next time."
"If you're offering, I won't refuse."
Even though she herself had spoken of giving up, unable to guarantee her own future, this unpleasant professor believed in possibilities she didn't even trust and continued to cheer them on without giving up. Logically, it was impossible. It was closer to an unrealistic wish than anything else. Yet the fact that someone was rooting for them was more than enough motivation to work harder.
Well, I suppose I should give it my all for now.
Jeon, Togun, and Arina had all done their best in today's mock match, even if it wasn't anything special. How could she be the only one to half-heartedly go through the motions? In this world, it was always better to try and be disappointed than to do nothing and regret it later.
I should pay Legacy a visit after so long.
There were almost no one in this world who surpassed the Royal Mage Corps Commander when it came to tactics and strategy. Even if she was knowledgeable about spell formulas, Marily, who had never experienced real war, inevitably lacked in the tactical aspect.
As she tapped the tip of her pen against the notebook while thinking this, Professor Karlsen suddenly turned toward the club room door.
"Ah, he's finally here."
Right on cue, a knock sounded. The doorknob turned, and Jeon, his entire body wrapped in bandages, slowly entered the room.
"Did you receive proper treatment?"
The nurse was probably furious. Everyone else had gone home and she had been enjoying a quiet evening in the infirmary when injured students suddenly flooded in. She must have been smiling on the outside for the children's sake while cursing him out in her heart.
I'd better avoid running into Professor Clara tomorrow if possible.
If they met, she might actually hit him. With that thought, Professor Karlsen smiled lightly and stared at the approaching Jeon.
"There's something I'd like to test. If it's all right, could you help me?"
"Of course."
At Jeon's words, Professor Karlsen nodded readily, as if he had already known what the request would be.
"The thing you want to experiment with is obviously that technique you used at the end to stop Aaron, correct?"
It was certainly capable of creating various variables. That was why he had deliberately constructed the field with rocks rich in iron content—to encourage its use.
"So you set up the field that way on purpose."
Jeon nodded as if he had expected this. There was no need to ask why the professor hadn't explained it directly; the answer was obvious.
"It's better to realize these things on your own. Besides, I wasn't even sure if it would actually work since I'm not a mage myself."
Professor Karlsen chuckled at Jeon's words. Then he slowly rose from his seat.
"Well then, since the student wishes it, I'll lend you my assistance."
"Thank you."
"Save your thanks. I have no intention of going easy on you just because you lost to Aaron. You'll be spending tonight with a swollen face as well."
After all, he was a vicious dark mage who didn't care about his students' circumstances. This time he deliberately put on a sinister smile, yet somehow his usual forced bright smile felt even more gloomy and unpleasant. Was that just an illusion?
"……"
Marily closed and opened her eyes for a brief moment. In that exact instant, Jeon and Professor Karlsen vanished without a trace. It was likely a transfer into an Inner World. Knowing this, she wasn't surprised by their disappearance. She simply closed the notebook spread out on the desk.
"I wonder if Arina received proper treatment."
Unlike Jeon or Togun, Arina hadn't suffered any major injuries. At most, she might have a few scratches from when Jeon had carried her while rolling across the ground. Even so, Marily had forcibly sent the girl to the infirmary like an overprotective parent.
I thought she'd be back faster than Raydel.
Even she hadn't expected this particular outcome. The professor who always guarded the infirmary was currently treating Arina's minor scratches with the utmost seriousness and care—far more attentively than the perfunctory bandaging the other children had received.
It wasn't only Marily who overprotected Arina at Benedict Academy.
I suppose I'll have to go myself.
She was tired of waiting here. Since Professor Karlsen had disappeared with Jeon, there was no reason to remain alone in this place. Going to the infirmary at this hour would be far better.
Unable to bear the boredom any longer, Marily abruptly stood up. She walked slowly toward the door Jeon had entered through, opened it, and stepped out of the club room.
"……"
After Marily left as well, the club room—now free of the earlier commotion—fell into a long, quiet silence that would last until Jeon and Professor Karlsen returned.