The Dispatched Evaluation
After the grueling 3rd BMAT, Kizen finally paused to catch its breath.
The students' fatigue had piled up from months of relentless running, so rather than physical drills or field assessments, the professors stuck to textbook-driven lectures for a while.
The academy had deliberately created this breathing room — but moments like these were also a golden opportunity for each student to sharpen their own skills.
Once or twice a week, Simon received private tutoring from Farahan in holy magic. After each lesson, he headed to the library to study the Four Great Curses that Bahil had devised. He refined the efficiency of his hemomancy techniques, from Cloud to the Blood Golem, and focused his Martu training on physical conditioning.
He also drilled his Summoning fundamentals. The number of undead Simon could now control simultaneously had grown to a maximum of eight — a head count that came close to the very best in the first year.
Day by day, Simon built his strength with quiet diligence. His goal wasn't merely surviving Kizen; a decisive confrontation with Legion Commander Magnus loomed ahead of him. His motivation was more certain than anyone's.
Somehow, another day's routine is done.
Back in Room 409, Simon dropped into his chair and stretched long and hard. The pressure of exams had lifted and free time had multiplied, yet somehow he felt busier than ever.
He gazed at the darkened window for a moment, then turned his head to the calendar.
Is it that late already?
More than half of the Integrated Second Semester had slipped by. Simon picked up a quill and made a small mark on the calendar.
His mother Anna's birthday was coming up soon. Since he couldn't leave Roc Island, he planned to at least send a letter and a gift.
"I'm baaack!"
The door clicked open and Rick strolled in with a cheerful grin.
"Welcome back, Rick."
"What are you up to?"
"Studying Curse Magic. I'm gonna hit the bathroom real quick."
Simon left the room, and Rick shook his head slowly.
"This guy's turning more into Meilin by the day. How do you study even in the dorm?"
He was pulling off his outer coat and heading for the coat rack when —
"Hmm?"
Rick's gaze drifted to Simon's calendar.
There was a running joke among the students that Kizen and peace could never coexist.
And sure enough, the peace didn't last long this time either.
"Now then, everyone. Next week's schedule for the Dispatched Evaluation has been finalized."
Jane made the announcement during Basic Dark Magic class.
Dispatched Evaluation?
Yet another new system. While Simon and Camibarez tilted their heads in confusion, Rick, seated behind them, was letting out a knowing chuckle.
"Heh heh heh... So the day has finally come!"
"What is it, Rick? Do you know?"
"Heard a bit from the upperclassmen. They'll explain it in a second."
Just then, Jane, who had been absent-mindedly tidying the lectern, spoke up.
"Dick Hayward. The one who's apparently already heard the explanation?"
How does she hear EVERYTHING?! Dick shot bolt upright in horror and sprang to his feet.
"Explain the difference between a Mission Assessment and a Dispatched Evaluation."
Meilin snickered with undisguised delight, and even Simon and Camibarez couldn't hold back their laughter.
"Ah, yes! The difference between Mission Assessments and Dispatched Evaluations! Um...!"
Dick broke into a cold sweat, wracking his brain before finally opening his mouth.
"Mission Assessments are solo, and Dispatched Evaluations are... you go out into the field in 'teams of four'? Something like that?"
Jane gave a cool wave of her hand, as if to say sit down. Only then did Dick slump back into his chair, the soul draining from his face as he exhaled in relief.
"That's not all. You will each seek out an active, professional necromancer outside Roc Island, take them on as your mentor, and carry out real missions together."
At the words real missions with a professional, a murmur rippled through the classroom.
"Kizen is well aware of how your Mission Assessments have been conducted so far."
She began reading down another stack of documents she'd set on the lectern.
"Missions within Roc Island get fobbed off with half-hearted chores — taking out the trash with the residents' cooperation, catching rats, planting trees."
A few students flinched.
"Or parading around in full Kizen uniform on bodyguard jobs for merchants."
Meilin's shoulder twitched.
"Or throwing Kizen's name around to strong-arm clients into accepting a job — and in some cases, intimidating the client outright just to get their stamp of approval."
Dick was glancing sideways, laughing a strained 'haha' under his breath.
"And for students with famous names, nobles issue Designated Requests, whisk them off to their mansions, wine and dine them — sometimes even handing over the completion certificate and the payment for free."
By now it had somehow become a session of public penance, students hanging their heads all around the room. Jane went on.
"I do understand."
People of the Dark Alliance trembled at the mere mention of Kizen's name. Even if the student in question was a first-year with a mayfly's lifespan, Kizen was still Kizen.
In other words, an equal footing between client and student was nearly impossible to establish during a Mission Assessment.
Of course, far more students carried out their missions in good conscience — but the very fact that an easy loophole existed, trading on Kizen's name to skate through an assessment, was the problem.
"Ordinarily, warnings would have gone out to the students involved... but there's a reason we let things devolve into this mess. The Integrated Second Semester curriculum is exhausting enough as it is, so we deliberately left it alone as a kind of vacation period."
Jane rolled up the documents and clapped them lightly against her palm.
"BUT! This Dispatched Evaluation will be different."
Jane laid out the details of the Dispatched Evaluation.
Just as Dick had said, students would freely form 'teams of four' and seek out a professional necromancer, who would then become their mentor.
While carrying out genuine missions alongside the students, these mentors would hold the direct authority to evaluate them.
Simon nodded along as he listened.
So it's a Mission Assessment where the four team members get a supervisor added on top.
Just as he was mulling this over, a hand shot up somewhere in the lecture hall.
Jane pointed at it with a look of weary familiarity.
"Something to say, Class President?"
By now even Jane had taken to calling Jamie the Class President.
"Yes ma'am, Jamie Victoria! I'd like to know what kinds of missions we'll actually be performing with these professionals!"
"Assume you'll be taking on the exact workload a professional necromancer handles on any given day."
"S-sorry, but could you give us an example?"
"An example."
Jane's icy voice rang through the hall.
"Assassination of a key figure."
Jamie's pupils trembled.
"Combat against a High Priest. Espionage in the Holy Federation. Transport of extreme criminals. Gang elimination operations."
With every word that left her mouth, the students' faces grew paler.
"Let me say this up front: over ninety percent of this Dispatched Evaluation will take place in the Neutral Zone. And the sort of simple monster-hunting missions you've grown accustomed to?"
She swept her gaze across the tense faces before adding:
"There are none."
A low, rolling murmur washed over the room.
"During this mission, you may be required to kill someone. Naturally, I trust the professionals will handle that in your stead under normal circumstances — but if a situation turns desperate and a professional gives an order, you are to obey it without question."
Jane looked each student in the eye, deadly serious.
"If you defy a professional's orders or act carelessly and receive a zero, or fail to complete your mission, you will be placed on provisional expulsion proceedings. If you cannot adequately defend the circumstances of your mission before the Disciplinary Committee, expulsion will follow. Any further questions?"
Hands shot up across the room.
"Scott Snyder! It seems like who our mentor is will matter most this time — how are mentors assigned?"
"Randomly. That said, we account for students' backgrounds and family affiliations, selecting necromancers with as few ties to you as possible. Next."
"Cindy Vivace! What if a mentor maliciously gives us a zero? Are we just outright expelled?"
"First, your own conduct matters most in ensuring that never happens. Second, prove your innocence before the Disciplinary Committee. Next."
Given the gravity of the matter, questions flew back and forth, and Jane answered each one without missing a beat as always.
Just as she was fielding a few more, the bell signaling the end of class rang out.
"Tomorrow is Foundation Day. Use the holiday wisely — I'll see you the day after."
"Thank you for your hard work, Professor!"
Jane and the TAs filed out of the lecture hall.
The instant the door closed, the students' voices exploded like a bomb.
"They're putting us on professional-grade missions?"
"We barely survive one brutal thing and another brutal thing shows up right behind it."
As the remaining students traded anxious words with stiff faces, a TA who everyone had assumed had followed Jane out peeked her head back in and surveyed the room.
Then she hustled up to the podium in quick little steps.
"Now, now. Students. There's really no need to worry so much."
She drew everyone's attention with a warm smile.
Jane's Head TA was exceptionally popular among the faculty assistants thanks to her gentle, honeyed personality and the friendly way she treated the students.
"TA-sshi!!"
"Are we seriously gonna fight Priests and kill people?!"
The students, still cowed by Jane's presence, poured out their questions and anxieties. The TA smiled brightly.
"Honestly, it felt like Professor Jane was trying to scare you into taking it seriously. Just listen to your mentors and do exactly as you're told, and you'll be fine. You all know the drill, right? Greet them properly every time, answer loudly and clearly, seniors show proper respect to those above them, and be pleasant and obliging throughout."
"Yes ma'am!!"
"It's nothing special. Just think of it as your usual four-person Mission Assessment with one guardian tagging along. Go have fun."
The cold Jane and the warm Head TA. The balance between the two was rather effective.
In the meantime, the members of Group 7 huddled together, putting their heads close.
"I wonder what kind of necromancer will end up as our mentor!"
At Camibarez's words, Rick rested his chin on his hand.
"Hmmm, a necromancer in the Neutral Zone, huh. I can't even picture it. Simon, anyone you're hoping for?"
"Me?"
Simon turned it over in his head for a moment before speaking.
"You think anyone from the Vanilla faction would take us? I'd love to learn more about summoning magic circles."
"Not gonna happen."
Meilin answered crisply.
"Professor Jane said ninety percent of it is in the Neutral Zone, remember? Counting on a craftsman mentor is a long shot."
"...Haha, going to the Neutral Zone is a little scary, honestly. Have you three ever been there?"
Meilin and Dick shook their heads — and Simon, without thinking, nodded.
All three pairs of eyes snapped to him at once.
"Wha— wait, you've BEEN?"
"Whoa! When?! When did you go?!"
"Is it true Priests just walk around the city streets out there?!"
A late oops crossed Simon's face.
He had passed through briefly when crossing the Holy Federation's border, but that wasn't exactly something he could admit.
"Just when I was really little... I went with my parents. I barely remember it now."
"Aw, what, that's it?"
Meilin let out a deflated laugh.
"So this'll basically be your first real time in the Neutral Zone, then?"
"It's scary, but honestly a little exciting too! I heard it's all great desert and wasteland. They say there are cacti as far as the eye can see!"
"Oh, but that place is lawless, you know. Everyone knows that, right? Make eye contact with the wrong person and boom — dark magic first, questions later..."
Watching the topic drift off somewhere yet again, Simon slipped into the conversation with a smile of his own.
The cathedral.
Mass hour.
"Now then, everyone. Your parish dispatch locations have been decided."
With a great many Efnel students seated before her, Professor of Holy Mechanics Rahel stood at the pulpit and began to speak.
"Lethe. Eyes front."
"Yesss."
Lethe, sprawled in the very front row, answered as she unfolded her crossed legs. Rahel pressed a hand to her throbbing temple and turned to the other students.
"The heart of your parish work is the Neutral Zone. And your primary mission is one."
Her lips parted.
"The acquisition of Saintess Candidates."