Chapter 95
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: The Cultured Archmage (1)
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Like any other academy, Elterion Academy's course registration day was a battlefield.
Classes like Professor Tarvin's, who handed out credits like candy.
Or Professor Raunel's, which got canceled whenever he felt under the weather.
And topping the must-take liberal arts courses at Elterion Academy for ten straight years: "Proper Understanding of Sex."
These popular classes filled up in under a minute.
Waiting for the freshmen who lost the registration war were unpopular courses like the Economics Department's Chief Professor Howard's Introduction to Economics—a notorious credit killer.
With a whole semester of comfort on the line, students had no choice but to be extra cautious.
However, the burden was somewhat lighter for Elterion Academy's first-year freshmen.
That was because first-years had almost all their required courses predetermined.
It was a systematic curriculum that not only laid out the meal but even handed you the fork and knife!
Mondays were for common foundational theory and practice courses.
Wednesdays were for core major subjects.
Thursdays were a bit unique: Elterion Academy semi-forced personalized courses on its first-years.
For example, a Magic Department student with high fire-affinity mana would get "Understanding Fire Elements."
An Economics Department student from a port city would get "Maritime Trade and Economics."
It wasn't for nothing that the entrance exam was split into one written test and two interviews, conducted with meticulous care.
This level of attention was what made Elterion Academy the continent's top educational institution.
They'd even created a new course last semester using the department head's privileges: "Special Archmage Course" for that ridiculous freshman dubbed an Archmage candidate.
Of course, after she actually became an Archmage in just one semester, there were no students left enrolled, but it had served its purpose.
That said, students weren't entirely deprived of choice.
Tuesdays and Fridays were for liberal arts electives, where they could sign up for anywhere from a minimum of two to a maximum of six courses based on their tastes.
With smart scheduling, taking three in a day was no problem.
Most students, though, stuck to the minimum of two.
Even the most eager learners rarely exceeded four.
Friday afternoons were for club activities, and fresh-faced new admits usually wanted to enjoy their youth.
There were no maniacs here willing to hunt down time-reversal artifacts just to squeeze in extra classes.
The problem was, there was one student from last semester who hadn't even taken the minimum two liberal arts courses.
*
"Excuse me! Among this year's incoming Magitech Department first-years, there's one who only took a single liberal arts course last semester?!"
The administrative staffer's sharp voice echoed through the faculty office.
She stood before the partition where the Magitech Department professors were gathered, waving a thick stack of documents.
"Hmm? Is that so?"
An old professor, in the middle of reviewing his slave... er, research assistant's paper, replied indifferently through his magnifying glass.
His half-hearted attitude made a cross-shaped vein pop on the staffer's temple.
"'Is that so~'? Personal schedules are one thing, but you still have to manage your department's students!"
From the administrative office's perspective, Magitech Department professors topped the list of troublemakers.
They were always whining for more research funds.
Yet they completely ignored academic admin duties, forcing staff to chase them down every time.
Budget approvals and broken equipment were one thing they'd gotten used to.
But a student missing required credits with no repercussions? That was a whole different level.
Forgetting the graduation issues for the student themselves, it could spark fairness complaints.
"And this student is registered as a full-ride scholarship recipient at Linea Hall?!"
Since grades were relative, Elterion students were hypersensitive about scores.
A student who hadn't properly completed courses making the top ranks on the transcript?
How many students would stay quiet after learning that?
Visions of "polite protest letters" from noble families piling up like mountains made the staffer clutch her head without realizing it.
"Ding— What's the big deal? It's not even their major, just some liberal arts fuss... So, what's the student's name?"
"How should we know? Admin only gets the data as numbers. You have to look it up in the Magitech Department."
"Ugh, what a hassle. Let's see, credit shortfall..."
The Magitech old professor frowned, shoving aside the red-ink-splattered paper (ink, not assistant blood) and flipping through the student records.
He found the name right away.
At the top of the grade-sorted list: that name stood out boldly.
"Here it is. Evermoon... Lunaris."
The staffer's shoulders twitched at the name from the old professor's lips.
Other department professors mid-sip of coffee jolted too.
Someone even choked and coughed.
"..."
The heavy silence lasted only a moment.
Soon, murmurs rose from all around.
"That student again...?"
"Feels like we hear that name every day lately."
If the Magitech Department was admin's headache, Lunaris Evermoon was the academy's calamity.
Just half a year since enrollment.
She'd racked up four or five times the demerits a normal student got over four years, making her the worst troublemaker in history.
"Man, if it were up to me, I'd call a disciplinary board and expel her right now..."
"The chairman and higher-ups would never allow it."
Ironically, the glory Lunaris brought to Elterion far outweighed her demerits.
The first student Archmage in history.
The hero who saved the academy from an ancient magic golem.
The pioneer opening new horizons in magic with natural mana utilization.
Even those haughty Mage Tower wizards they'd long wanted but couldn't recruit were now volunteering as adjunct lecturers—all thanks to Lunaris.
"You know inquiries for next year's admissions are flooding in already, right?"
"Well, chances to see an Archmage up close don't come often."
"Projections say enrollment will hit an all-time high. Next year really might be a golden generation."
So neither professors nor admin could touch her lightly.
There had even been talk of kicking her out early under "accelerated graduation."
—Shouldn't we accommodate her during enrollment unless she quits herself?
—Special treatment for one student is absurd, but for an Archmage, it's right.
—We have to milk that prestige for at least four years! Don't you know how valuable the 'Archmage's mentor' title is?!
With Magic Department Head Raymond leading a chorus of martial professors in fierce opposition.
And lately, subtle pressure from the Imperial Mage Corps too.
They wanted Lunaris Evermoon to stick around until Third Princess Celestina Belhart graduated.
With the imperial succession tangled in it—a super-sensitive issue—even assistant professors and mere admin staff were powerless.
"Haa..."
So, what could they do?
Just handle it on-site.
"Does Lunaris know she needs to take one more liberal arts course?"
"Probably not? I'm surprised she took even one last semester. Thought she'd skipped registration entirely."
"Ah, that was handled by Head Raymond. Heard he even did the registration for her."
No wonder bundles of incident reports and apologies came under his name.
"She still found her way to the classrooms fine, though."
"Linea Hall maids had it rough."
Memorizing the schedule for her and escorting her to lectures—tough job.
Maids: extreme occupation confirmed.
"Still, why only one elective? If he was signing her up anyway, might as well have done both. Tsk."
"Imagine that calamity in your liberal arts class."
"...I misspoke. Horrifying just to think about."
One "your responsibility" line and manners were instantly instilled.
"By the way, who was brave enough to take that natural disaster last semester? Must've been rough."
The Magitech old professor asked with genuine curiosity.
Then, a female professor from the Political Department, sorting papers in the corner, raised her hand.
"I did."
"Mrs. Dornier?"
"Yes. She was in my 'Imperial Court Etiquette and Socializing' course."
Professors' eyes widened.
Free-spirited, wild Lunaris and "etiquette" didn't connect.
"W-Was teaching her... inconvenient?"
"Didn't she wreck the classroom?"
"No? Not at all."
Professor Dornier shrugged.
"She slept through the entire class."
Of course. Professors chuckled wryly.
"Actually easier. No chatter, just kept to her corner—no hassle. And she aced the exam."
"Aced... it?"
"Memorized the entire textbook."
Come to think of it, Lunaris Evermoon was the only perfect scorer (minus one point) in Elterion's infamous entrance exam history.
Easy to overlook because she spent most days lounging and caused incidents when awake, but her talent wasn't just in magic.
"Ahem! Then no issue having her take two liberal arts this semester!"
The admin staffer, who'd been listening quietly, suddenly raised her voice.
"Even with Head Raymond covering for her, this can't continue."
No grit, no long-term admin career.
"What if students complain about fairness? Like, 'How's a student short on minimum credits topping the year?!'"
"Doubt that'll happen."
A Magic Department professor snorted at her words.
"Who in this academy—student or staff—would challenge Lunaris Evermoon as top of the year?"
Other professors nodded.
"Evaluating an Archmage, honestly..."
"Haha— ridiculous."
Why worry about the obvious? Laughter erupted.
"Rules are rules! Better not spark needless controversy."
Still, the by-the-book staffer held firm.
"Make sure Lunaris signs up for two liberal arts this semester. Got it, Magitech professors?"
"..."
Magitech professors exchanged glances.
"So, we have to tell that Lunaris..."
"To attend lectures...?"
Like mice hanging a bell on the cat.
As everyone avoided eyes and whistled innocently,
"Huh? Hold on."
A young professor checked the whiteboard, then widened his eyes.
"Lunaris already signed up for two liberal arts properly this semester."
The faculty office buzzed.
Some sighed in relief; others prayed it wasn't their class.
"Let's see: 'Ancient Language Deciphering' and... 'Magical Ecology'?"
One professor enjoying tea went pale.
"M-Magical Ecology?"
The Magical Ecology liberal arts instructor.
"Wh-Why...?"
Disaster response team: drawn.
"D-Does she plan to make a chimera or something?"
"Eek—!"
The professor knocked over his teacup.
"Wh-What horrific nonsense!"
"But with Lunaris, who knows... she might."
Professors' minds filled with visions of her "pet" turning the classroom into a wasteland.
...Good thing they didn't know yet about the magic beast egg in her hands. Might be a mercy.