Presidential Knuckle Sandwiches and a Rival's Challenge
Course registration 2, what the hell... Why's the atmosphere like this? Where'd that open-minded next-door uncle go who said to drop by whenever I felt like it? He's got so much heat that his pores must be terrified into evaporating.
"Everyone out except Sera."
That line... it's straight-up a death flag. Nah, it's fine. The next-door baldy uncle's someone Mom met up with pretty often. So he's spent tons of time with me on casual terms too, and as the eldest daughter of the Ascentrius family, I totally have the right to chat with him boldly.
"What brings you here, little Sera from next door?"
Uncle cleared some papers aside, sat me down, then crossed his legs and settled in across from me. Lame☆ as it might be invisible to normie eyes, my eyes could see dozens of magic circles zipping right over that wig of his. Still... gotta say what I came to say.
"Course registration."
"Is there a problem with it?"
"Can't sign up for 32 credits. Said to drag my advisor professor here."
"Drag him here...? Did I say that? Anyway, just find an advisor professor and you're good, right?"
Does this uncle guy seriously not know why I'm here? I folded my arms and stared him down, and he let out a defeated chuckle, pointing at his own face with a finger.
"Me? Hohoho, you're such a jokester. The president can't be an advisor."
"Isn't the president a professor too? Next-door baldy uncle's got nothing but the baldness, total lame-o~☆ Lame☆ Lame☆ Pfft...! Ouchie!"
That rotten president went and gave me another bump on the head. Baldy! Dummy! Lame-o! Not even a professor!
"Our Kesera, didn't we agree not to say stuff like that?"
"Hehe~☆ When did I!?"
"We said no calling it 'baldness' outside, remember? Who was the little girl who said let's talk like civilized folks? Think back on it, ho ho..."
"That's why I came here to say it, right? Eung~☆ Bald~ Bald~☆"
Baldy uncle let out a deep sigh. Then... his hand went up again. I dodged quick, but somehow the knuckle sandwich nailed the exact same spot.
"Ow!"
"Listen here, you brat! The president can't be anyone's advisor, and can't just approve stuff like this willy-nilly. I'll introduce you to a good professor, so go get their signature."
"Hiiing...☆ Baldy uncle."
It's not that I wanna cry... it legit hurts so much tears are gushing out. Stars flashed in front of my eyes, damn... why does it hurt this bad?
The president stood up, headed to the file cabinet, and fetched something. The title read Professor Recommendation Letter. The professor's name: Joshua Le Jerna Ashanterieur. Kinda feels like I've seen that face before...? Where was it?
"Go see Professor Joshua. He's the one who knows you best, at least."
"What, does the president hate me? Even if I invent a baldness-cure spell, you won't like me~?☆"
I said it in my cutest, most cajoling voice—not that I like him or anything—and Baldy uncle's pointy ears twitched. But he still heaved another deep sigh, like it wasn't happening.
"What can't happen won't. This academy's had a thousand-year history with no precedent. Aren't all those past presidents in the portraits watching right now?"
The president pointed to one corner of the office, lined with portraits of former presidents. The moving portraits were eyeing me with curious gazes... Something I'd only seen in movies in my past life, and it creeped me out for no reason.
"Fine, I'll go to this professor. Pores, hang in there~ Fight~☆ Grow! Grow~☆"
"That brat—!"
The president raised his arm for another strike. This time I used spatial compression magic to stretch the distance to infinity... but—
Whack. Stars flashed in front of my eyes again.
Th-that... Baldy uncle☆ is a legit archmage.
"Think I'll fall for it once? Twice?"
"Tch... Hmph, bleh—"
A president who can't protect students at his own academy but sure knows how to smack 'em. In the end, all I got from grilling the president was three bumps in a row on the same spot and an intro letter to some professor I'd never heard of.
Tears were welling up from how bad Baldy uncle's hits hurt when his secretary, the one who'd given me the tea, approached.
"Don't just barge in like this next time without the president's permission, got it?"
"That next-door uncle's the bad guy."
"He might be next-door uncle at home, but here at the academy, he's the president—the top dog."
Some top dog who won't even do what I ask. But I didn't spit it out loud, 'cause it'd sound like a tantrum. My body's still small, so emotions sweep me up easy. Plus, didn't wanna get another bump from the secretary.
"So, you're heading to Professor Jerna's office?"
"Yeah..."
"Want me to come along? I've got some documents to deliver to him anyway."
Eh, I don't even know where the professors' building is, so maybe that's better.
Usually addressed as Professor Joshua. A mustachioed gentleman, he's the dean of academic affairs at the Imperial Academy and one of the most respected professors of this era.
Occasionally floated in the press as a potential next academy president, but the current one's relatively young compared to predecessors, and he's no archmage himself with zero ambition for the post.
He just focuses on research and hopes the world flows by its proper laws—which is why his specialty is Void Magic studies on space-time.
But... the academy's first-ever examinee dueled a 4th-year top student. And that top student just had to be his advisee, who he even mediated the duel for.
Then a string of weird incidents followed. And now he's counseling that advisee, Gail.
"Professor, I'm challenging the new freshman Kesera to a ranking battle."
"Gail, you're challenging a freshman to a ranking battle?"
"Yes. To restore my fallen honor, I'll prove that incident was a fluke."
Professor Joshua pondered, hands on his staff propped against the floor from his seated position. His specialty was Void Magic, so he knew the level of what Sera had used. If it were basic Void Magic, sure, maybe a kid picked it up from watching—but that pristine surface? Only someone who fully grasped Void Magic could pull it off, and even he needed his cherished staff to manage it.
Yet Kesera did it barehanded with a stick wand. A monster. He'd sent letters to her family asking why, but got nothing but those evasive noble rejections.
After the examinee beat the 4th-year topper, professors started a quiet tussle that evening over who'd be her advisor. In the end, since students choose, he as dean mediated to cool everyone down...
"Why not cancel it? If you keep up your studies, grade-skipping's right around the corner with your scores—and that's huge honor here, isn't it?"
Frankly, Joshua figured Gail couldn't win. Separate them, and the entrance exam thing becomes a blip; Gail gets a bright future, maybe even a colleague prof someday. But a ranking battle with a freshman? The grade gap means massive penalties, huge score concessions—top spot's at risk. And if he loses... the fallout's nightmare fuel. He didn't want his advisee tagged as the academy's first defeat twice over.
"But losing to a pre-enrollment freshman breeds suspicion. Few saw it, so I need to show my real strength. I know it's tough even for me."
"I don't know your thoughts, but reconsider once more..."
That's when it happened. Outside, President’s secretary Seryen and Sera arrived. Seeing the professor's door plaque at [IN OFFICE], Seryen knocked without suspicion.
Knock knock.
"Professor, may I come in?"
"I'm in a meeting right now, a bit later—"
"Ugh, you lame-os☆ why so hung up on procedure!"
Joshua's ears perked. That shrill voice—wasn't it from the entrance ceremony? Gail, mid-counsel, let out a baffled chuckle.
"Haha, yeah, I'll wait, so see that friend first."
"Gail... you sure? There's procedure, you know."
"She won't listen anyway. I can wait."
Gail seemed totally chill, so the professor had no choice but to open the door.