The Summoning Department Rises
Simon's eyes went round as saucers the moment Toto finished explaining.
"The 3rd-years called a mandatory assembly for the entire class?"
"Y-yeah!"
Perhaps the terror of the 'Initiation Ceremony' from the start of the semester still lingered, because a deep shadow hung over Toto's face.
"Everyone who was sleeping, everyone who was out — not a single person was exempt! Even Hector looked upset…"
'He looks upset all the time, though.'
Thinking that, Simon smiled wryly and asked, "But what about you, Toto?"
Toto hung his head low.
"The 3rd-year seniors said to bring you… I was actually on my way to the Student Council Room anyway."
"Hmm."
They had summoned the entire second year publicly. An assembly of this scale was almost certainly on the orders of Leonard, the Overall Class Representative of the Summoning Department.
'But why?'
Ever since the Initiation Ceremony incident, Benya Vanilla — one of the true powers among the 3rd-years — had been keeping her classmates under vigilant watch. She was even the one who shut down every heavy-handed scheme Will tried to pull as Disciplinary Head.
And yet the assembly had still been called. That left two possibilities to consider.
Either Benya was away on outside business and the disgruntled 3rd-years had decided to take matters into their own hands with the 2nd-years…
…or the assembly had been called with Benya's full approval.
"I don't think there's much to worry about. Let's go."
"Y-yeah!"
The two of them walked toward the clearing behind the dormitory, at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
The surroundings were hushed, broken only by the occasional chirp of crickets and the distant call of an owl. Toto stuck close to Simon's side, glancing nervously around every few steps.
'Found them.'
Simon spotted the 2nd-year students lined up at rigid attention.
Perhaps because this was their first assembly since the Initiation Ceremony incident, not a single face managed to hide its tension. An almost funeral silence hung over the crowd.
"What's going on?"
Simon whispered the question to Eshu, who stood in the very back row. She shook her head, on the verge of tears.
"…We don't know either. M-maybe someone messed something up?"
Simon set Toto down beside Eshu and kept walking. At last, past the rows of 2nd-years standing at attention, the 3rd-years came into view.
Dead center of the 3rd-year group.
There sat the Overall Class Representative of the Summoning Department, Leonard, planted squarely in an enormous chair.
Wavy ginger hair falling just past his brow, a sharply defined nose and cheekbones that commanded attention, and a warm, easygoing smile to top it off.
Anyone would call him handsome — the very picture of a storybook prince.
"Ah."
Leonard, who had been snickering at a joke from Will on his left, raised a hand.
"There you are! Student Council President."
Simon returned a light nod and scanned the area around Leonard.
Behind him, the 3rd-years stood about freely, chatting among themselves — a relaxed air that stood in stark contrast to the coiled-up 2nd-years.
On Leonard's left stood Will Douglas, ranked 12th overall and the terror of the department, and beside him Hector, the 2nd-year Class Representative, standing at attention with a look that could have been a scowl or a grin — impossible to tell.
And on Leonard's right stood Benya. She caught Simon's eye and waved, greeting him with a look alone.
"Now then — is every 2nd-year here?"
Leonard asked. Hector ducked his head with an ambiguous expression, as if he couldn't decide whether to frown or smile.
"My apologies. One person is still missing."
"Who?"
"Serne Eindark."
As if he'd expected exactly that, Leonard waved a hand and laughed.
"Haha! I wasn't holding my breath, to be honest."
"I'm sorry."
"Forget it. The successor to the Ivory Tower isn't the sort to listen to us anyway. Notify her separately later."
"Yes, sir."
At last, Leonard rose from his seat. Simon stopped at a reasonable spot and watched him.
"Hmm, this atmosphere is far too stiff. There's no need for all of you to be so tense."
Leonard spoke in a gentle voice, but the 2nd-years' expressions didn't soften one bit. Whether he was about to berate them or drive them through drills, they just wanted him to get it over with already.
"Alright, let's get straight to the point. There is exactly one reason I've gathered every student in the department."
Leonard spread his arms wide.
"We've received word that in three weeks' time, the Dark Festival will begin."
Only then did a low murmur erupt among the 2nd-years.
Simon had already known, but since there had been no official announcement yet, it was only natural the students were hearing it for the first time.
"That's right, isn't it? Student Council President."
Leonard looked at Simon as if to confirm.
The whole school would know by tomorrow morning anyway, and there was nothing to hide — so Simon gave a straightforward nod.
"Yes."
The Student Council President's confirmation.
The murmuring spread in every direction.
"It surprised me a little too. Apparently they're holding the event this year, after it was postponed last year over the Saintess incident."
Leonard shrugged.
"Since some of you 2nd-years may not know what the 'Dark Festival' is, would you explain? Benya."
"Of course."
Benya stepped forward.
"Hello, everyone. Has life been treating you well?"
She greeted them with a kind smile, and at her mere appearance, the tension in the air melted away almost unbelievably.
Somewhere along the way, Benya had become something of a hero to the entire 2nd-year class.
"The Dark Festival is an inter-department competition."
The 2nd-years and 3rd-years of each department formed teams, and seven departments in total competed in a ferocious, event-by-event contest.
It resembled a sports festival in many ways, but with massive performance evaluation points and departmental funding on the line, it was an event of enormous importance to Kizen students.
Simon, who had already heard Mayrin's explanation, listened through it again like a review.
"What a burden, honestly."
When Benya's explanation ended, Leonard complained half-jokingly.
"Of all the years for the Dark Festival to land on mine. The weight of it is crushing."
He smoothed the department armband on his right shoulder, then shrugged with easy nonchalance.
"Messages have been flooding in from seniors older than I can count. One hundred-year-old alumnus swore he'd curse us to death himself if we lose to the Curse Department."
Laughter burst out here and there at Leonard's easy manner. Then his face grew a touch more serious.
"For the honor of our department — and above all, for our own sake — we have to come out of this Dark Festival with results we can be proud of."
Every student nodded.
"Honestly, you all know how poorly our Summoning Department is treated around here, right? Since the topic's come up, let's lay our shortcomings out on the table. The dorm is a bit shabby, for one."
The 2nd-years raised their hands as if they'd been waiting for exactly this.
"The hot water cuts out every evening!"
"It leaks sometimes when it rains!"
"Exactly!"
"The breakfast tastes terrible!"
"Right. I couldn't agree more. I hear the Dark Dynamics Department gets steak in the morning."
Leonard moved around the crowd, actively engaging the 2nd-years. They, too, had finally let go of their nervousness and were speaking freely.
'Well, of course.'
Simon smiled faintly.
'He acts like he isn't, but he's a born leader.'
After compiling the underclassmen's grievances, Leonard returned to his place.
"If we take first place this time, we can change all of it. A dorm remodel, hot water, better meals, a bigger undead materials budget — heck, why not just move out entirely while we're at it? Our dorm is the only one that far from campus. We could relocate to one of the brand-new buildings nearby."
Ohhhhh!
The 2nd-years cheered.
"But I like our current dorm! It's got sentimental value!"
"Me too! I've grown attached to it!"
There were dissenting voices as well. Leonard gave them a wink.
"Honestly, me too. Of course, anything as big as a move will be decided after hearing everyone's opinion."
The 3rd-years, who had been listening quietly, poked holes in the plan.
"Listen to this guy, getting ahead of himself."
"The Dark Festival hasn't even started yet. Setting off the fireworks already, are we?"
Leonard laughed cheerfully and returned to his classmates' side.
"Mm, fair point. Actually, do you know what our Summoning Department's recent Dark Festival record looks like?"
The students fell quiet, and Leonard continued.
"Sixth. Fifth. Seventh. Seventh. Seventh."
"…"
"We have always ranked at the bottom of the Dark Festival, and in the end, we were pushed out to this remote corner of campus next to the Forbidden Forest. We became the department that costs the most money — and the one that receives the least funding from the school."
A heavy silence settled over the clearing.
"But this year will be different."
Leonard thrust out his arm.
"Our 3rd-year class holds two seats in the Top 10. The rest of us are all firmly upper-middle tier and above — the elite of the elite."
Waaaaah!
The 3rd-years pumped their fists and roared their answer.
"Meanwhile, where is 'Eisel', supposedly the strongest 3rd-year in the school? Not only has she not returned — there's been no word at all. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opening."
This time the cheers erupted from both the 2nd-years and the 3rd-years alike.
Leonard swept his bangs aside and looked toward the 2nd-years.
"And above all — how about our 2nd-years this year? Aren't they the greatest class in the entire history of the Summoning Department? Three of you in the Top 10!"
Simon Polentia, ranked 1st overall.
Hector Moore, ranked 3rd overall.
Aseraz Mikel, ranked 5th overall.
It was a frankly absurd lineup.
In fact, seeing those three names clustered in one department had driven plenty of upper-middle-tier students to give up on choosing the Summoning Department altogether.
"And on top of that, the next Master of the Ivory Tower — and Kizen's next Headmaster!"
The cheers swung toward Loraine. She, who had been listening quietly from the middle rows, jumped in surprise and scratched her cheek, at a loss.
"The rest of the 2nd-years have been doing outstanding work too. I hear our department took 1st in the field evaluation return rate, with a dropout rate of zero percent. And…"
Leonard strode over and placed a hand on Simon's shoulder.
"I don't even need to say it, do I?"
The loudest roar of the day shook the clearing.
Pat, pat.
After giving Simon's shoulder a light couple of taps, Leonard walked off, jacket flaring.
"I'll say it again — this year is our chance."
Back at his seat, he clenched his fist.
"There were a few ugly episodes at the start of the semester, but when it's time to join forces, we join forces. Let's give it everything we've got, and put some real muscle behind our professors' shoulders."
"Yes, sir! Senior!"
Energetic answers poured in from all around.
Simon, picturing Aaron's weary face for a moment, felt his own resolve harden a little more.
"That said!"
Thud!
Will, ranked 12th overall, swaggered forward with a loose, thuggish gait.
The festival mood on the 2nd-years' faces froze solid. Toto shrank at the shoulders at the mere sight of him, fear written all over him.
"'We'll work hard!' 'We'll do our best!' If first place were something you could win with that kind of talk, everyone would have done it already! We need concrete change in behavior — not just words!"
'Change?'
Step!
"Starting now, your sleep is under departmental control! Don't even think about sleeping until we take the department championship!"
"…Will."
Benya stepped forward this time. At her pointed glance, Will smacked his lips.
"My classmate has said something rather easy to misunderstand. For the period leading up to the Dark Festival, we'll be holding department training sessions twice a day. Participation is entirely voluntary, of course — not mandatory. We don't plan on taking attendance, either."
Only then did relief show on faces here and there. Will grumbled 'coddling them' under his breath, but Benya brushed it off lightly and added:
"You'll lose a little of your morning and evening sleep, but I'm confident the results will match the effort. If you join us, the 3rd-years will personally coach you and offer whatever advice we can."
The 2nd-years' eyes sparkled.
Since their grades were on the line anyway, everyone had to prepare for the Dark Festival regardless. But with the 3rd-years volunteering their own time to supervise their training? There wasn't a single reason to refuse.
It was, if anything, an enormous opportunity.
"Yes — we'd like as many of you to take part as possible."
Leonard stepped forward again.
"For this period, we 3rd-years will cut our outside commitments to a minimum and focus on the Dark Festival. Let's give it our all, so that none of us has regrets."
The 2nd-years answered with everything they had.
"Yes, sir! Senior!"
Fsssssshhh—
A chamber thick with green vapor.
Submerged in a seething cauldron of poison, a man soaked in it up to his waist, lounging in a half-bath as if he owned the place.
The skin across his entire body swelled up and sank down in grotesque waves, and blisters of corrupted pus burst across his flesh — horrors that would have sent anyone else screaming. The man himself remained utterly composed.
[…]
Even soaking in the cauldron, he refused to remove the one thing he never took off — the peculiar metal mask that covered his mouth.
"B-Ballack! This really isn't the time!"
Behind that horrific bath, a 3rd-year student wearing a gas mask paced in frantic circles.
[Is the information accurate?]
The man was none other than the 3rd-year class's rank 2 overall.
Ballack — the only rival said to be capable of standing against Eisel, the top student in all of Kizen. Green breath hissed steadily from his mask.
"It's nearly certain! The Dark Festival is happening this year! We even have someone from our department on the Student Council, and that's exactly what they said."
[…]
"The other departments are already moving! We need to hurry too—!"
Fsssshh.
The poisonous breath flowing from his mask melted a chunk clean out of the concrete wall. The 3rd-year behind him flinched and staggered back a step.
[There has only ever been one opponent worth my attention.]
Ballack's massive frame rose slowly from the cauldron.
[The one and only 'Eisel' — who will return soon!]