The Last Seat
"Mind if I sit here?"
Simon nodded with a smile. "Be my guest."
Lorraine settled into the seat beside him, her ebony hair swaying as she adjusted her tie with eyes calmly lowered.
"Crawled all the way over here because she scented some scraps to steal again~" Serne spat from across the table, her face twisted in a scowl.
"I intended to major in Summoning from the very beginning," Lorraine replied, folding her collar neatly, her tone composed. "Unlike you, who came sniffing around for leftovers."
"Is that so~?"
Sparks practically crackled between the two girls as they glared at each other, and Simon, wedged squarely between them, was breaking out in a cold sweat.
I'm going to lose my mind.
Simon fidgeted anxiously, terrified that a fight might actually break out with the seniors watching — but the second-year students at the other tables were gazing at the scene with undisguised envy.
The Student Council President of Kizen. Nephthys's daughter. The heir to the Ivory Tower.
It was a combination almost no one would dare approach.
What could they possibly be talking about? the onlookers wondered. The future and vision of the Dark Alliance, no doubt. A fierce shadow war to carve the continent's power structure in two.
"This guy is honestly hilarious! He puts on every aloof, haughty, too-cool-for-you act in existence, but I just know he showed up today wearing underwear with cute little pink bunnies printed on it!"
"That's sexual harassment, Serne Aindark."
"Nooo~ I like cute things too, that's all. So what's your type, Simon? Lacy? Or something see-through?"
"......I am begging you. Do not drag me into conversations like this."
In truth, it was nothing but pointless, trivial chatter.
Time slipped swiftly by as they talked. Perhaps because the overwhelming heavyweights had all flocked to Summoning, the notoriously unpopular department was barely on track to reach fifty students, with Toto — ranked 382nd — joining its ranks.
And then.
"Rank 391, Soen Barus. Toxicology!"
"Rank 394, Grast Rein. Toxicology!"
The color was draining from Dick's face in real time.
Jet-Black Mechanics and Curse Magic had already filled to capacity, and Toxicology stood at fifty-nine of its sixty seats. If even one of the five students ahead of him chose Toxicology, it was all over.
"Nnnghh! PLEEAAASE!"
Dick, waiting below the podium, flailed about in a frantic, mindless panic.
"I was wrong! I'll study this year! I really, truly will study hard this year, so please, just leave me one spoooot!"
The broadcast henchman quietly asked him to keep it down, but the desperate Dick couldn't hear a word of it.
"Rank 397, Lilari Anr. Hemomancy."
"Rank 398, Guillaume Mariros. Magic Combat."
Dick stepped up to the podium. The final student was drawing their card from the flame.
"Rank 399, Abolla Rodfield. Spirit Magic! And finally......"
"WOOOOOOOOO!"
With a sudden, wild roar, Dick came sprinting over, tears of gratitude streaming down his face.
"Professor Byeolya! Thank goodness! Thank goodness! Wahahaha!"
And then, without warning, he threw his arms around the presiding professor. Byeolya's face contorted in disgust.
"Hey! What the hell do you think you're—?!"
"Gwahk!"
Dick took a smack to the forehead and crumpled to the floor. Red welts were already rising across his body.
"I just got sweaty 'cause it's hot. Idiot."
Byeolya's constitution caused toxic compounds to seep out with her sweat and other bodily fluids.
"I don't care!"
Despite the rash blooming across his face, Dick scrambled upright, beaming from ear to ear.
"I, Rank 400 of this year, Dick Hayward! My choice is—!"
Before the presiding Byeolya could even speak, he bolted to the Toxicology altar and thrust his hand into the flame. The fire flickered, dangerously close to guttering out, and the instant Dick drew his card, it snuffed out entirely.
The department's enrollment was full.
"Heheheheh!"
Dick held up his student ID with a smile. On its back was emblazoned a shattered potion bottle and a skull — the emblem of Toxicology.
"Never thought I'd live to see a bigger lunatic than I was as a kid."
Byeolya snorted, then continued.
"Rank 400, Dick Hayward. My final student!"
"YEEESSSSSSSS!"
His face now blooming with welts like flowers, Dick sprinted back to the podium, dropped to one knee in a grand ceremony, and wailed with emotion.
......
The students seated at the tables could only wear expressions of stunned disbelief.
"What is wrong with him?"
"Anyone would think he placed first on the exam."
Just then, the man seated at the very front of the Toxicology table rested his chin on his hand.
[Look at that.]
Overall Rank 2 among the entire third year. From beneath the mask of Balak — said to be Eisel's one and only rival — came a low, sinister voice.
[That one is part of our family now.]
At those words, the third-year Toxicology students shot to their feet and roared.
"Welcome! Dick-whatsit!"
"Here for the last train at rank 400! Welcome to Toxicology!"
WaAAAAAAA—!
Hearing the thunderous cheers, Dick waved toward the Toxicology table with eyes brimming with gratitude.
"Thank you! Thank you, seniors! Dick Hayward is on his way!"
Watching him bound off in his flurry of commotion, Meilin, seated at the Jet-Black Mechanics table, quietly covered her face with her palm.
"......God. The most embarrassing person alive, no matter where you put him."
At the Hemomancy table, when the seniors asked about Dick, Camibarez just giggled and said, "Still, he's got such a bright, cheerful personality!"
And at the Summoning table.
"Isn't he your friend?"
At Serne's question, Simon snickered and nodded.
"Yep. My best friend."
And so, the Department Selection Ceremony came to an end.
With no room for any surprises, Curse Magic and Jet-Black Mechanics filled their sixty-seat quotas the fastest.
Summoning posted the lowest enrollment at fifty, yet its pool of talent was judged to be sturdier than any other department's.
Hemomancy had seen its popularity dip in the wake of the recent Silaje and Blood Sky Cult incident, while Byeolya's Toxicology reaped the reflexive benefit, hitting its full quota of sixty.
"Alright, let's head to the dormitories!"
With the department representative Leonard at the front, the third-year seniors led the second-years off to their new lodgings. From the second year onward, Kizen students lived in their department dormitories — generally, the lower floors belonged to the second-years and the upper floors to the third-years.
"Huh, the Curse Magic kids are heading that way."
"Must get to use that big building over there."
The Curse Magic and Jet-Black Mechanics students were moving into enormous new buildings close to the main campus, but the Summoning Major's dormitory sat in what was practically the deepest valley on the grounds.
The second-year students muttered among themselves in hushed voices.
"How much farther does this go?"
"Feels like we're walking straight into the Forbidden Forest."
"Yeah, they weren't kidding about the department's circumstances being rough—"
"Hey. You three."
Will, the discipline captain, glowered at them.
"Got a problem with that?"
Their mouths snapped shut. From then on, not a single second-year dared open their lips, all of them watching the seniors for cues.
"Eeek! Bugs are scary, Simon!"
All except one, of course. Serne had plastered herself against Simon's side, playing the most delicate damsel in the world. Simon, reading the room perfectly, peeled her off.
"Then cast a barrier or something. You're good at that."
"I already did?"
"Huh? Where?"
The moment Simon glanced around, Serne smacked right back into him with a cheerful thwap.
"Right here! In Simon's arms!"
Simon's cheeks went hopelessly scarlet, and Serne burst out giggling at the sight.
"Stop it."
Lorraine said flatly. "Simon doesn't like it."
"Oh, please~ You only say that. There's no way he actually hates it. A man who'd turn down luxury like this isn't a man — he's a eunuch."
Serne stuck out her tongue.
"Besides, honestly, you're no fun either~ The second anyone does anything, it's 'Stop it!' 'Don't do that!' Are you our teacher or our mom?"
"Are you trying to get on my nerves?"
As the two began to square off, Simon sighed and stepped in to mediate. The other second-years, who had been tiptoeing around the seniors, let out quiet laughter at the spectacle, and the atmosphere loosened considerably.
And then—
......
Will ground his teeth, his fists trembling. But with Nephthys's daughter standing right there, there was nothing he could say about it.
"Will. Don't do anything stupid."
Leonard, walking ahead, offered the advice before trouble could start. Will flinched and straightened up at once.
Leonard's attention wasn't on the rear of the column, though. He turned to look at the dependable junior walking beside him.
"That armband suits you, Hector."
Hector was walking with the armband marking the second-year Summoning Department representative fastened around his forearm.
"Thank you, Senior."
"What do you think matters most in an organization?"
Leonard asked the question, then answered it himself before Hector could open his mouth.
"Discipline."
......
"Our department this year has the Student Council President among its second-years, and irregulars besides. That makes things a little hard to control — but within the department, your orders as its representative come first. No exceptions."
"Understood."
"You're the face of the department. Your instructions are my instructions, and the will of the department itself. Those students, as long as they belong to this organization, will follow your orders. That's how the system keeps turning."
"Yes, sir."
"We third-years will push hard behind you, so make it count. Getting the kids firmly in hand, and quickly — that's the key, wouldn't you say?"
"Yes."
"Then, as department representative, here's the first mission I'm giving our second-year representative."
Leonard clapped Hector on the shoulder as he continued.
"There's a department welcome party tonight. Attendance is technically optional — but if you intend to take department life seriously, then obviously you'll be there. Gather every last one of them. Not a single one missing."
Kizen's department welcome parties were infamous.
Particularly notorious for their bizarre initiation hazing: Curse Magic liked to curse its juniors into becoming animals and play with them, while Toxicology was famous for dunking fresh faces straight into bowls of poison.
Hector bowed his head.
"I'll give it everything I have."
They arrived at the Summoning Department's dormitory.
It stood with its back pressed against the Forbidden Forest, in the most secluded corner of the entire campus. Yet Simon found the location quietly satisfying.
The distant chirring of grass insects, the soft babble of a stream winding past — it felt a little like Leshill, and it would make visiting Pier that much easier.
"Bit of a hike, isn't it?"
Department representative Leonard looked back at the juniors. Naturally, not a single fool answered "yes," and an immediate chorus of "Not at all, sir!" rang out.
"If you don't want to be late, either wake up early or prepare a mount-type summon for the commute."
Thud.
"Waaah!"
Toto, who'd been walking up front, tripped over a bone lying in the path and went sprawling. Laughter rippled up from all around.
"Careful."
Leonard said with an easy smile.
"The yard can be a bit hazardous — leftover materials from undead construction do tend to roll around. Ah, which is to say: clean up after yourselves when you use some."
One of Leonard's third-year classmates chimed in.
"That's rich, coming from the guy who torched half the forest building a Fire Golem."
"HAHAHAHA!"
The surrounding third-years dissolved into a sea of laughter. Leonard, looking sheepish, scratched his head.
"Ah, come on. Spare me the roasting in front of the juniors, will you?"
"There it is! That sulky face again!"
"Heads up, juniors. Once Leonard gets in a snit, it lasts three weeks."
The second-years didn't laugh outright, but small smiles bloomed among them.
Simon watched Leonard in silence.
As a leader, he was the archetypal charismatic type — the kind of man everyone gravitated toward. Well-loved, friendly with all, comfortable with anyone. Here was a student ranked fourth overall serving as department representative, yet he showed not a trace of awkwardness at his friends' teasing, shoving, and backtalk.
Besides, only twenty Summoning students had survived the leap from second year to third.
They would be bound together like family, thick as blood. Whatever manner of challenge came at them from outside, those twenty would close ranks and meet it head-on.
"Alright, let's head in!"
Leonard led the way forward.
At last, the dormitory of the Summoning Department came into view up ahead.