-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next morning.
First-year common subject class.
"Nice to meet you all. Did you all have a good vacation?"
"Yes!"
Perhaps it was the pride of having completed the first semester, but the students' replies were more energetic than before.
"Good. Judging by your confident voices, you all must have done well on your group projects. Submit your group project reports to the teaching assistant after class."
"Yes!"
Bellum looked back at Liber and whispered.
"Did you finish the report?"
Liber grinned and took a thin book out of his bag.
"I even had it bound. How is it?"
"Impressive, Chatterbox. You even made a cover? The contents inside must be flawless. After all, it's organized by Bookworm Chatterbox."
"Of course. The part explaining the justification for leaving the 12th trace was the most difficult, but I managed to organize it well."
"Good job, Chatterbox."
Professor Matteo's voice echoed through the lecture hall again.
"Next Monday, we have a friendly match with the Kanzar Academy in the capital city of Kanzar. You all know about it, right?"
"Yes!"
Elton Academy in Elton City.
Kanzar Academy in the capital city of Kanzar.
In terms of history, Elton Academy is much older, but Kanzar Academy is also growing every year with the full support of the royal family.
From the very beginning, the goal was to create an academy in the capital that surpassed Elton Academy.
While Elton Academy, with its long tradition, maintains close ties with the royal family and operates independently.
Kanzar Academy was operated almost like a direct academy of the royal family.
But a prestigious name doesn't change so easily.
In the distant future, their positions may be reversed, but not yet.
"As you all know, since the friendly match between the two academies began, Elton Academy has never lost to Kanzar Academy."
Professor Matteo smiled gently.
"In fact, the skills of our Elton Academy students are far superior, so it's almost embarrassing to even discuss victory and defeat. This year will be no different, so don't be too nervous. Think of it as an opportunity to showcase your abilities."
Some students whispered.
"Hey, they've been losing for decades. Why do they keep challenging us?"
"My cousin entered there two years ago, and he said there's a reason why they continue the friendly match even though they know they'll lose every year."
"So, what is it?"
"They say it's to celebrate the day the status of the two academies is reversed more grandly... or so they teach the students there."
"That's ridiculous. All the top talents in the continent apply to our academy. This year, and the same will be true next year. Isn't Kanzar Academy just a place for those who get rejected here?"
"That's true."
Davian looked back at the whispering students.
Well, they're not wrong.
However.
The problem is the president of Kanzar Academy, who was reappointed last year.
The 'Victory in the Friendly Match with Kanzar Academy' quest, which will take place next week, is a quest I have never succeeded in during either the 2nd or 3rd playthroughs.
In other words, this friendly match will go to Kanzar Academy.
'It was a huge mess. Everyone said that the status of the two academies had finally been reversed.'
That's how the world evaluated this friendly match.
But the Elton Academy side, sensing something was wrong, formed a separate investigation team.
Before long, the president of Kanzar Academy, who had been overly ambitious, was arrested, and the incident was closed.
Kanzar Academy, which had briefly been regarded as surpassing Elton Academy, fell completely into ruin as a result of this incident.
So much so that more than half of the students dropped out due to the ruined reputation of the academy.
'I don't care about their circumstances.'
What's important to Davian.
Is to clear the friendly match victory quest this time.
'I've only watched and missed out on that sweet reward twice.'
During the last two playthroughs, I didn't get any rewards.
I just got beaten up badly every time.
The failure penalty wasn't 'death' or 'disability,' but it was still a quest that left only scars.
On both the body and the mind.
Davian, who had experienced the friendly match once in the 2nd playthrough, tried to persuade his classmates to prepare for the match in the 3rd playthrough.
But no one followed Davian's lead.
"We have to practice separately for a friendly match with Kanzar Academy?"
"What? We might lose? Davian, did you eat something wrong?"
This was the most common reaction.
'I wonder how it will be this time.'
I've been the male student representative since the entrance ceremony.
And the achievements menu was unlocked sooner than expected.
But my Leadership and Dignity stats are still too low.
Even the professor is telling us not to feel pressured and just play the match, so there's no way all my classmates will listen to me and train for the match.
'If my Leadership and Dignity stats were both over 80, I might have been able to train all my classmates.'
But Davian wasn't one to just feel sorry about something he hasn't achieved yet.
Davian turned his head back to his friends.
The Gray Bear Expedition.
At least these guys will listen to Davian.
The picture of victory in the friendly match began to form little by little in Davian's mind.
Three days later.
Monday.
The first-year area of Elton Academy became more crowded than ever.
The main gate was wide open, and a grand welcoming ceremony began.
For this welcoming ceremony, managers and staff from other areas were mobilized throughout the weekend.
A huge red carpet was laid from the main gate to the main stadium.
Golden embroidery was sewn into the red carpet.
Dozens of military bands began to play a splendid march.
Elton Academy first-year students stood in a line on either side of the red carpet, ready to welcome the Kanzar Academy students.
The first to appear through the wide-open main gate was the president of Kanzar Academy, Probito Magia.
Despite being a wizard, his broad shoulders and dignified appearance made him look like a well-trained swordsman.
The wrinkles on his face and long white beard indicated that he was an elder wizard.
Some students recognized him.
Mainly students who had grown up near the capital.
"Isn't that President Probito?"
"Yeah! I've seen his face too. The president is coming in person for a first-year friendly match?"
"Our president doesn't come to watch the games, does he?"
"Of course not. Would he come to a first-year event?"
The first-year faculty members walked in behind the president.
And.
Finally, the first-year students of Kanzar Academy began to enter in a line.
"How long are they going to keep coming in?"
"How many are there to keep coming in like this?"
"But why do they all look so sour?"
"Do you even need to ask? They've come all this way to play in a friendly match they're sure to lose. Aren't they all just students who wanted to get into Elton Academy in the end?"
"I guess so. That's why they all look so sour."
In any case, it was a meeting of the two academies representing the Kingdom of Alkancia.
Elton Academy students welcomed the Kanzar Academy students with loud applause and cheers.
It wasn't until after more than 300 Kanzar Academy first-year students had passed that the Elton Academy students followed behind them.
The red carpet led to the main stadium in the first-year area.
The main stadium had been transformed into a space for today's friendly match.
The Elton Academy students, seeing the changed appearance for the first time, were also bewildered as they looked around the changed stadium.
A large rectangular arena was drawn on the main stadium.
Inside the arena, dozens of large and small circles were drawn, and a flag was planted in the center of each circle.
Based on the center line that accurately divided the rectangular arena in two, the west was the territory of the away team, Kanzar Academy, and the east was the territory of the home team, Elton Academy.
The first-year faculty members of Elton Academy were already seated in the VIP seats located north of the center line.
The professors all stood up to welcome the faculty members of Kanzar Academy.
The Elton Academy professors looked quite surprised, as if they didn't know the president would be coming in person.
Professor Matteo stepped forward to greet President Probito.
"Thank you for coming all this way. I didn't expect you to come in person, Mr. President."
President Probito, ignoring Professor Matteo, looked around.
"It seems Professor Sirims is not attending today?"
"Yes. He was urgently summoned to the royal palace yesterday."
Probito openly showed his disappointment.
"To miss such an important event. How unfortunate."
"It can't be helped since it was a royal summons. Please, take a seat over here."
Probito was about to sit down when he looked at Professor Kinesis.
"Kinesis, it's been a while."
"It has been a while, Probito."
Kinesis, the oldest professor at Elton Academy, and Probito knew each other well.
The two of them, who were the same age, had spent their school days together at Elton Academy.
Probito only exchanged a brief greeting with Kinesis before plopping down into his seat.
He hadn't even accepted Matteo's greeting yet.
Probito, sitting in his chair, pointed at Professor Stella with his finger.
"Who is that beauty?"
This was the VIP seating area for the faculty members of both academies.
Being here meant that you were a professor at the academy.
Which meant that it wasn't a position where you would be pointed at and asked, "Who is that beauty?"
Professor Stella's brow furrowed.
But the opponent was the president of Kanzar Academy and one of the longest-serving wizards in Alkancia.
Forcibly lowering her head, Stella introduced herself.
"I am Stella Cloud. I teach swordsmanship."
"Is Elton Academy now choosing new professors based on their looks? It seems the day their sky-high arrogance is shattered is not far off."
"What are you...!"
Professor Matteo stepped forward instead of Stella, who looked ready to jump out at any moment.
"Professor Stella is an outstanding individual whose skills have been recognized by the Royal Guard."
Kinesis, watching the scene, frowned openly and clicked his tongue.
Kinesis plopped down into his seat.
"You're still the same, Probito."
"You haven't changed either, Kinesis. Your appearance as a loser clinging to psychokinesis magic hasn't changed from then until now. Isn't that why you're still holding onto the lowest-ranking professorship at the academy even at your age?"
Kinesis took a deep breath.
There's no point in getting worked up.
Especially after living to this age.
"How about you these days? I heard you bribed quite a bit to get back the presidency you were fired from ten years ago? I'm worried your family's foundation might have been shaken."
Probito jumped up.
"What did you say?"
"You're still the same, getting worked up over small things even at your age."
"Kinesis... how dare you."
Professor Matteo spread his arms and tried to manage the situation.
"Now, now. Please sit down, Mr. President. The students are already entering the stadium."
Probito, with a displeased look on his face, sat back down.
Matteo asked to change the subject.
"I heard this year's first-year class is a bit special. I heard you've been accepting pre-enrollment students and guiding them separately since a year ago?"
Comments
Post a Comment