Chapter 42
Chapter 42
Marriage Proposal?
“Alright, let’s begin!”
One of the Boreas dorm students stepped forward, clasped his hands behind his back, and stood in front of Karl.
Karl extended one hand toward the student.
An invisible force flowed from the student into Karl, and the student, suffering from mana dizziness, collapsed to the ground.
“W-What?!”
“M-Mana absorption?!”
“How?!”
As everyone panicked, Karl cast his extraction spell again.
He was absorbing mana from the student, and using that absorbed mana to cast another extraction.
“Next!”
Another student stepped forward and had their mana absorbed by Karl.
“…No way…”
“Is he out of his mind?”
The students from the other dorms were left speechless by the madness unfolding before their eyes.
The Boreas dorm students walked forward one after another, offering their mana to Karl, and Karl continued extracting using the mana he absorbed from them.
Absorbing mana is no easy task.
In games, one can easily absorb an opponent’s mana, but here mana is a kind of byproduct generated from one’s spirituality and spiritual activity.
To absorb that and convert it into something usable is a highly advanced technique, classified as a great magic.
“So it’s an application of the Unseen Blade.”
Idnia compared it with game data and realized what Karl Gustav Ansbach was doing.
The Ansbach ducal house’s inherited secret technique, the Unseen Blade, was in the game one of the strongest unique close-combat skills.
Even at just level 1…
It had a defense reduction effect that lowers the opponent’s defensive level.
It had a ghost touch effect that allows it to hit intangible beings, ghosts, and aerial targets.
And it had a mana absorption effect that absorbs mana to reinforce the user.
Karl had removed the parts that inflicted dual harm and focused solely on enhancing the mana absorption effect, using the Unseen Blade to strike his allies and absorb their mana, which he then used to cast extraction.
However, such mana absorption techniques can never be perfect.
When absorbing an opponent’s mana, there is inevitably conversion loss during the process of turning it into one’s own mana. Moreover, using the Unseen Blade to absorb mana required tremendous concentration.
In other words, most of the students’ mana was being wasted, and only a small portion was recovered for extraction.
And yet…
“Yongchuul-hara!”
Karl cast his spell with a smile.
He repeatedly deployed the Unseen Blade, cast magic, and absorbed and converted mana, to the point that blood began to pour from his nose due to the strain.
But Karl was smiling.
His eyes gleamed with a strange light, and he was already suffering from the pain of mana depletion.
Even so, he continued casting spells regardless of whether his body was damaged, and with each attempt, his efficiency gradually improved.
His extraction magic proficiency was increasing.
The gains from improving his proficiency exceeded the mana lost during the mana absorption process.
‘Isn’t this against the purpose of education? Taking away other students’ opportunities to train while improving his own proficiency alone?’
Idnia thought this, but apart from that, she was impressed by Karl’s courage in undertaking such a dangerous act, as well as the unity of the Boreas dorm students who trusted and followed him completely.
To increase mana absorption efficiency, they willingly exposed their hearts, necks, and heads in front of Karl’s Unseen Blade. Had Karl not maintained perfect control, a single mistake could have cost them their lives, as those were vital points.
The Unseen Blade, true to its name, forms aura into the shape of a blade. If Karl made even the slightest mistake, it could have pierced a vital point like a sharp sword.
Given that Karl had once been confined in a disciplinary room yet still managed to cut down an Invisible Stalker, his Unseen Blade would undoubtedly possess enough power to kill an ordinary human.
“Th-this is incredible… So this is the black iron of the north…”
Percifier, Athos, and Dupont, Boreas dorm students who had some familiarity with aura, were astonished by Karl’s capabilities as a warrior as he continuously deployed the Unseen Blade.
But even Karl was reaching his limit.
Blood flowed from his nose, his bloodshot eyes burst with ruptured vessels, and his eyes turned red.
Having already surpassed the limits of a normal human multiple times, Karl finally absorbed the mana of all Boreas dorm students and extracted 48g on his own.
He achieved an extraction amount 1g higher than Idnia.
However, the Boreas dorm students were effectively wiped out.
As a result, Boreas dorm ranked last with a total of 48g.
If that was the case, wouldn’t it have been better if everyone had just joined in and focused on extraction?
Such thoughts likely occurred to everyone, including the Boreas students themselves.
But no one laughed.
The unified resolve of the Boreas dorm students, willingly offering themselves for Karl, and Karl’s dedication in responding with full effort, dispelled any sense of ridicule.
“…Wait, but looking at the result, didn’t they just self-destruct and end up last?”
“….”
It should be corrected that there was indeed someone who could not hold back.
Cendia Aspinal blurted it out.
“Now then, as promised, we will award 4 merit points to the Euros dorm. In addition, merit points of 1 each will be awarded to Idnia and Karl for their remarkable achievements. Now, there are penalties remaining, correct?”
All the students tensed up.
Thanks to Idnia raising the average, a considerable number of students were subject to penalties.
The average extraction amount was a staggering 1.224g.
In Idnia’s case, the exemption rights she earned exceeded the total number of Euros dorm students.
In other words, the Euros dorm did not need to receive penalties.
In Karl’s case, by absorbing all the mana of the Boreas dorm and converting it into exemption rights, he had accumulated as many as 38 exemption rights.
With 47 total Boreas students minus Karl himself, only 8 Boreas students would receive penalties.
Students from the Zephyrus and Notos dorms were at risk of receiving large numbers of penalties.
‘Wait, is this kind of penalty system really okay?’
‘This extraction… no matter how you look at it, it’s a kind of productive labor. Being penalized for not producing enough is no different from being slaves whipped on a sugarcane plantation.’
Students facing penalties realized the unfairness and cruelty of the system.
But at that moment, the Dryad instructor Naili burst into laughter she could no longer suppress.
“I will waive all penalties.
You’ve gathered only top talents from various regions, so punishing those below average among them—such a barbaric educational method would be unacceptable, wouldn’t it?”
Most students, having been subject to penalties, breathed sighs of relief. However, students like Idnia, who had given their all, could not help but feel dissatisfied.
For the Euros dorm, where no one would receive penalties, and the Boreas dorm, where only a few would be penalized, it would not be strange for them to feel deceived.
“Understood. I appreciate the instructor’s decision to waive the penalties. However, if things continue like this, I fear we may lose trust in the instructor.”
Waiving penalties was fine, but if the rules were changed so casually, how could they trust her?
Idnia subtly voiced her complaint toward the instructor.
As a result, Euros gained 4 points and Idnia 1 point, bringing the Euros dorm’s total merit points to 5… while in Boreas, Karl alone received 1 point.
Looking at the current merit rankings…
Boreas stood in first place with 20 merit points and 25 penalty points.
Euros followed in second with 12 merit points and 2 penalty points.
Zephyrus was third with 10 merit points and 0 penalty points.
Notos trailed in last with 2 merit points and 20 penalty points.
In individual rankings, Karl of Boreas was first with 8 points.
Isolde of Zephyrus was second with 6 points.
Idnia was third with 5 points, though she currently had an additional 4 discretionary points that could be allocated as the dorm leader.
If she monopolized those points, she could instantly surpass Karl with a total of 9 merit points.
However, Idnia naturally did not monopolize those points.
“These points I will keep in reserve rather than distributing them immediately. I will use them to support students who need to go out for official dorm matters or personal reasons.
Even aside from that, I will retain them in case the school fails to reward those who have devoted themselves to the public good, so that I may compensate them myself.”
Idnia declared that she would hold onto the points rather than distribute them immediately.
Politically speaking, this was a declaration of strengthening her control as dorm leader, but students who saw her prioritize the public good, even in a situation where she could have monopolized the points without criticism, were once again moved.
‘Ah, Idnia truly is remarkable.’
‘My parents told me to treat the Duke of Betelgeuse and his family with respect and never act rudely toward them. I can see now why.’
‘I heard their principality has fallen, but she is someone worth serving.’
The academy students were all deeply impressed by Idnia’s dignity, spirit, and a level of maturity beyond their peers.
“Idnia Betelgeuse. May I have a moment of your time?”
As Idnia was about to leave the alchemy practice room, Karl called out to her.
“Yes. Are you feeling alright?”
“To be honest, not really.
I pushed myself too hard. Using the Unseen Blade like that in front of everyone… and yet I still couldn’t surpass you. It’s to the point where I feel ashamed of myself.”
‘He feels ashamed of himself… which means he’s usually overflowing with confidence.’
Idnia smiled, recalling Karl’s boundless self-assurance and his earlier self-destructive display.
“I happen to understand very well the medicine derived from willow trees. Your efficiency also continued to improve toward the end. Let’s just say… it was a matter of experience.”
Idnia replied modestly.
It was not an empty statement.
She had studied chemistry on Earth, and her past life had given her insight, wisdom, and maturity.
“So, what is it you needed?”
“I heard you broke off your engagement with Rudolf. Are you currently engaged to anyone?”
“Pardon?”
“If you don’t mind… would you consider becoming engaged to me?”
“…Ah.”
Idnia was taken aback by Karl’s sudden proposal.
“Of course, I understand that proposing like this is improper among nobles. If you are amenable, I will arrange a formal matchmaker and gifts and pay my respects to your father, Duke Betelgeuse. However, I wanted to confirm this before going through the proper procedures.”
“Let me ask you one thing first. Why are you proposing to me?”
“Why? Your house is prestigious, you are beautiful, and your magical ability…”
Idnia’s background, her inherent talent, and her extraordinary magical ability were undoubtedly among the highest values in noble society.
If they were to have children, those children would inherit both the Northern and Eastern Elector Houses, along with tremendous magical talent.
Of course, the Betelgeuse principality being an Elector House meant it could not be easily controlled as a marital alliance, but…
Karl believed Idnia’s personal value surpassed even her house.
A very noble way of thinking indeed.
Idnia let out a faint smile.
Karl’s reasoning for proposing to her was so transparent that she could read it at a glance, which made her smile naturally.
“Then let me ask you in return.
Your house is prestigious, you are handsome, your magical ability is excellent, and you are even the heir apparent to the throne… so why did I break off my engagement with Rudolf?”
“Ah, well…”
Perhaps he had not considered that far, as Karl fell silent, unable to respond.
“Please, propose to me after winning my heart, not based on conditions, family background, or superficial value. I am not someone who moves for such reasons. That is all.”
Idnia bid farewell to Karl and stepped away.
“…Ah, I see. That was my mistake.”
Karl covered his face with his hand, realizing his error.
Yet the corners of his mouth were lifted, contrary to his words.
“She truly is an extraordinary person… Idnia. As expected, someone worthy of turning down Rudolf.”