Chapter 40
Chapter 40
“Hey, what are you talking about like you saw it yourself without even looking? What do you even know to state so confidently whether I used the Formless Sword or magic?”
Karl openly showed his displeasure at Lorenzo’s protest.
“So. Was I wrong? Then I’ll apologize.”
“No, well… it was the Formless Sword. But the point is, you’re going on and on as if you saw everything without actually seeing anything—that’s what’s annoying.”
Karl did not deny that he had used the Formless Sword.
When he was confined in the punishment chamber, a monster suddenly appeared and attacked him. Rather than using unfamiliar magic, he chose to fight with aura he was accustomed to, specifically the Formless Sword, and eliminated the monsters.
[“Of course, since he responded with aura instead of using magic, it cannot be said to fully align with the academy’s curriculum. However, even so, a case where a student confined in the punishment chamber encountered and dealt with escaped magical beasts has only occurred three times in the academy’s history. We cannot help but recognize his courage and devotion to the academy.”]
Everyone clicked their tongues after hearing Baroness Willem’s words.
‘This has already happened three times?’
‘Wait a second. They said three cases where students handled it. That means there were cases where they didn’t.’
‘What happens if a student trapped in the punishment chamber fails to handle a monster that breaks in?’
‘No wonder academy graduates are so expensive. This is how they maintain scarcity.’
The students now realized just how difficult it was to graduate the academy in one piece.
And also why, within the Empire, those who held an academy diploma were treated with such high regard.
With this incident, the Boreas dormitory instantly rose to the top in standings.
And the five members of Boreas who were originally supposed to remain in the punishment chamber until that afternoon were quickly released.
“Now, young master. These are the lessons you missed. We’ve organized them.”
“This is spirit summoning magic and shield magic. We summarized the key points we learned from the assistants and took notes. These are magics you can already use, young master, but the advanced material taught by the academy assistants certainly has depth.”
The Boreas students gathered in the dining hall, sharing their notes and insights with one another, moving as though the entire dormitory was a single unified group.
They diligently supported Karl and his subordinates as well, in case their time in the punishment chamber had caused them to fall behind in their studies. To outsiders, their behavior appeared extremely formidable.
Other dormitories also had many students loyal to their ducal or elector families, but none of them were as tightly united or as systematically organized as Boreas, which functioned almost like a military unit.
Ironically, the dormitory most similar in behavior to northern Boreas was southern Notos, the very dormitory that most frequently clashed with Boreas.
“Good! Let’s earn points quickly and secure facilities as soon as possible!”
Having come out of the punishment chamber, Karl energetically led the students of Boreas dormitory and began to approach their studies with a combative spirit.
In the alchemy class, a mountain of willow wood had been prepared.
“Now then, wasn’t the issue last time that I underestimated all of you?” Nailie, the dryad instructor, said.
“Pardon? Underestimated us?”
At Nailie’s words, everyone doubted their ears.
It felt like just the other day that most of the students collapsed from mana exhaustion after attempting extraction magic.
No, it had only been the other day—and yet this dryad had brought even more willow wood than before and was rubbing her hands together.
“This time, we’ll hold a dormitory-versus-dormitory extraction competition.”
“A dormitory-versus-dormitory extraction competition?”
“Yes. Each dormitory will compete based on total extraction output. The winning dormitory will receive four flexible allocation points.”
“Flexible allocation points?”
“Yes. These are points assigned to the dormitory. You can discuss among yourselves how to distribute them. For example, you could concentrate them on someone who needs to go out, allowing that person to leave campus over the weekend.”
“Wait a moment. In a dormitory-versus-dormitory extraction competition, are we talking about the total output of all students combined? Not the average?”
Idnia raised her hand in protest. If that were the rule, Eurous dormitory, with fewer students, would have no chance of winning.
“Professor, if that’s the case, our Eurous dormitory will be at a disadvantage due to our low numbers.”
“……”
“Pardon?”
“Ah, no—‘professor’ is a bit… I am an instructor. An instructor.”
Nailie made a complicated expression. The difference between a professor and an instructor seemed, within the academy, to be a position that could not be casually bridged.
“Ah, yes. My apologies.”
“Hmm, very well. In any case, Eurous has you, Idnia. Your extraction output is quite substantial, so it will surely be a good competition. Or perhaps, hoho, you haven’t been secretly wasting mana at night without sleep, have you?”
“……”
Upon hearing that, Idnia realized that the instructor knew.
Well, considering she had already finished extracting the willow wood, then split it apart and attempted to extract vanillin from it again, it would have been obvious.
‘We thought the assistants would handle the cleanup, but it seems she found out.’
Idnia decided not to argue further.
“Now then, shall we begin with the Eurous dormitory, since it has fewer students? From now on, extraction output will be measured in real time and displayed on a chart. Do your best, everyone. This is absolutely not for my personal gain—it is entirely for your growth.”
“If this extraction activity truly helps magicians, why don’t other magicians do it?” Senda asked.
“Well, of course… because the mana of magicians capable of higher magic should be used for far more valuable purposes.”
“……”
A matter of proper allocation. After hearing her explanation, everyone accepted it.
Even Senda, who had stood up to object, quietly sat back down.
The dormitory-versus-dormitory extraction competition began.
Students from Eurous stepped forward and began extraction.
However… all of them wore reluctant expressions.
Since defeat was already certain, they had no choice but to approach it like cattle being led to a slaughterhouse.
Each of them cast the extraction spell once and then set down their magic wands.
The extraction meter projected by illusion magic on the workstation flickered weakly before dropping sharply.
Anyone could see they were merely going through the motions.
From the start, Eurous dormitory, due to its small numbers, had already given up, believing they could not win such a contest.
They did not want to exhaust their mana in a hopeless battle only to spend the rest of the day in misery.
“Ah… this is a mistake. Everyone lacks motivation… this won’t do.”
Instructor Nailie immediately realized her mistake.
She had intended to force competition among students to extract large quantities of materials by pushing their potential—but that only works when there is something to compete for.
If victory is impossible, as with Eurous dormitory, they would simply give up.
“Hmm, I suppose individual records must also be evaluated. Everyone, I will record each student’s extraction amount individually, calculate the average, and assign penalty points to those below the average.”
“W-what? You should have told us that in advance.”
The students were shocked.
Watching in real time as the criteria for rewards and penalties changed at the instructor’s whim was absurd.
“This is unfair! Changing the conditions like that?”
“Yes! It’s unfair! We’re already at a disadvantage in numbers, and now we’ll receive penalties as well?!”
The students protested fiercely, but Instructor Nailie pretended not to hear them, even covering her ears as if to shut them out.
She made it clear she had no intention of listening.
“Everyone. The world is not always fair. And as an instructor, I am not perfect either. With a busy academic schedule, flexibility in assigning rewards and penalties is unavoidable. From the outside, that flexibility may look like I am abusing my authority. However, I assure you that my ultimate intention is your development, your improvement, and your growth as magicians.
And if the students of Eurous dormitory feel wronged, then in the future, you should send more students to the academy when you go out into society.
We could even consider transfers right now to address the shortage of numbers.”
“What nonsense…”
The students were stunned.
Midway transfers into Dunaise Academy were extremely rare—typically occurring through exchanges with other magic guilds, or via recommendations from adventurer guilds.
All of these were exceptional cases. What the dryad instructor was essentially saying was: if you think it’s unfair because of low population, then use your connections, bring in talented people you know, and transfer them in.
In the worst case, hire adventurers to fill the numbers.
It was a completely unreasonable argument.
“Now then, students who have just put down their extraction wands… would you like to try again?”
“…Yes.”
Those who had only attempted extraction once and stopped now picked up their wands again. This time, they pushed themselves to their limits, extracting until their mana was completely depleted.
In the end, as the instructor wanted, all students squeezed out every bit of their mana and completed the extraction.
However, their morale was low, and the total output was not high.
Magic is influenced by mental state; when one’s mind is unsettled, results naturally suffer.
“The current average extraction is 0.89 grams per person.
Hmm. At the end of the first semester of the first year, students typically reach about 2 grams per person.
Still, considering this is the beginning of the term, there seem to be quite a few talented individuals among this year’s students.”
Instructor Nailie admired the Eurous dormitory’s results. Now it was Idnia and Marie’s turn.
“Idnia, Marie. I have high expectations for you.
I even brought a large supply of willow wood just for you.”
Idnia and Marie were considered the ace members of Eurous dormitory—Idnia for her exceptional spell activation responsiveness and compositional analysis, and Marie for her strong mana.
Marie took a deep breath and reached for her wand, but Idnia stopped her.
“Before that, Instructor.”
“Yes, Idnia student. What is it?”
“If I extract excessively, wouldn’t the average increase and cause my dormmates to receive penalty points?
I’m concerned that working too hard alone might actually harm my peers.”
It was a somewhat arrogant statement, but also one that struck at the core of the issue.
If Idnia extracted a large amount, raising the dormitory average, those below the average would receive penalties.
From Idnia’s perspective, there was no reason to expend herself extracting excessively on her own.
Since Eurous had no chance of winning the group competition anyway, even if she used all her mana, she would not gain any points.
“…Oh? So what is it that Idnia student is proposing?”
“Please allow my dormmates to be exempt from penalty points if my extraction exceeds the average, so that I may fully devote myself to extraction.”
At Idnia’s request, all the students were astonished.
The students of Eurous were moved as they watched Idnia negotiate with the instructor to protect them.
‘She’s negotiating with the instructor… to protect us.’
‘As expected of a noble lady of a premier elector house.’
‘Even if the House of Betelgeuse has declined, she is still honorable and righteous. Their decline must simply be due to misfortune. Truly admirable.’
Even the upper-class students, accustomed to criticizing others, could not bring themselves to speak ill of Idnia as she worked to protect her peers.