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Monday.
Common class time.
Professor Mateo is lecturing on dungeon grades and monster types.
"...Therefore, depending on the size of the core, more powerful monsters are drawn into the dungeon. As you all know, in our Alkancia Empire, dungeons are graded and managed according to the size of their cores. The lowest grade is E, and the highest is S. S-grade dungeons are very rare, and it hasn't been hundreds of years since their existence was revealed and the new dungeon grade S was created. Of course, before that, A-grade was the highest grade. A representative monster inhabiting this S-grade is the Hydra."
Hydra.
It was a monster that Davian and Luna defeated in the entrance exam.
Its entire body is covered with strong scales, and its only weakness is its neck, but if that neck is cut off, two new necks instantly grow back.
"You all know the Hydra well, right? Even more shocking is that this Hydra is a common monster in S-grade dungeons. In other words, S-grade dungeons are teeming with these guys, and a much stronger boss monster is guarding the core. However, not all the monsters living in S-grade dungeons have been identified yet. S-grade dungeons are so rare and too dangerous to easily enter."
Professor Mateo flipped through the textbook on the lectern.
"Now, turn to page 423. The monsters living in A to E-grade dungeons are recorded here in detail, so memorize them well. I'll be testing you on them in the final written exam next week."
The third week of July is the first semester final exam period at Elton Academy.
Unlike the midterm exam, which was the first exam after admission and lasted for two weeks, the final exam is held in just one week.
The exam content and process are also much simpler.
One written exam and one practical exam for each detailed subject.
The exam content is simpler than the midterm exam, but the weight is much heavier.
"After the final exam, the expulsion list will be released. I don't need to say more about what that means, right? Students who didn't do well on the midterm exam should prepare with extra care."
Lunchtime at the student cafeteria.
The place is bustling with talk about the final exams, which are just a week away.
The same goes for Davian's group's table.
Liber opened his mouth.
"Is there anyone dangerous among us? I mean, for this first semester expulsion."
Bellum pointed at Liber with his fork.
"Isn't that you, chatterbox? I heard all your practical exams for the detailed subjects were a mess."
Luna took Liber's side.
"Hey, I don't think so. Liber seemed to do well on the written exams, though?"
"Hey, Luna. Don't you know that our academy puts a much higher emphasis on practical evaluations?"
"Oh, is that so? Then I'm not the only one in danger..."
Bellum asked, surprised.
"What? In danger? Luna, is it that bad?"
"Yeah... Actually, I'm not very good at anything other than healing magic."
"Again? Who else is there? Shouldn't we really come up with a plan?"
Liber looked around at his friends.
"So, is it just Luna and me who are in danger? Davian, Latia, and Bonita are completely safe. Nubes and Bellum are at least average, right?"
"I guess so."
"Wow... I, the genius Liber Specula, was a candidate for expulsion. Unbelievable."
"Genius, my foot. This isn't a place where you get called a genius for memorizing textbooks. Buckle up if you don't want to get expelled, chatterbox."
"Bellum, you're worried about me right now, aren't you? You're not just scolding me, are you?"
"Of course! You idiot."
"You, Bellum Armandria, are the first person to call me, the genius Liber Specula, an idiot..."
"Shut up! You idiot! How can you call yourself a genius when you're about to get kicked out of the academy after just one semester?"
"Ahem..."
Bonita asked.
"What are you going to do? You two. You're not just going to get expelled and call it quits, are you?"
Luna's shoulders slumped.
"I thought I could do it before I got in, but I was wrong... I didn't know everyone else was so talented. I guess I can't say anything even if I get kicked out like this. I can't even properly handle the four elemental magics yet..."
Liber seemed to be in shock, repeating the same words to himself.
"It wasn't enough to just ace the written exams... It wasn't enough to just ace the written exams..."
Davian opened his mouth.
"There is a way."
He met Luna's eyes, who was now on the verge of tears.
"You can get a Super Pass from the professors in charge of the detailed subjects."
"Super Pass?"
"Yeah. It means, 'This student is an exceptional student in my subject and cannot be expelled. I guarantee, with my position as a professor, that they will become a talented individual in my subject.'"
Bellum made a fuss.
"There was such a thing? Oh. Why didn't my sister tell me about that?"
"Because almost no students actually receive a Super Pass."
"Ah..."
Luna's eyes briefly sparkled, but then she looked sad again.
Liber was the same.
"But you two can do it."
"How?"
"Luna, you're better at healing magic than anyone else. Prepare something amazing to show in the final practical exam, starting today. Something that will surprise Professor Medium."
"Professor Medium? That's impossible... Professor Medium is my role model, but she's a really amazing healing mage."
"Who said anything about surpassing Professor Medium? I'm saying, prepare something that will surprise her as an academy student."
"Ah..."
This time, Davian's gaze turned to Liber.
"And Liber."
"Huh?"
"You just need to cast mental magic on a person. Even something very basic is fine. If you can make someone's finger twitch with mental magic, Professor Billian will somehow prevent your expulsion, even if you do nothing else."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Latia slowly shook her head.
"That won't be easy. I admit Liber is smart, but mental magic on a person? And the final exams are next week."
"Liber might be able to do it."
Liber, who had been resting his chin on his hand in thought, looked up.
"I can do it. No, I have to do it. I must."
"I, I'll definitely try to prepare a healing magic that will surprise Professor Medium. Thank you, Davian."
Davian looked at Bellum.
"I'll help Liber with his mental magic, so Bellum, you need to help Luna with her healing magic."
"Me? How? I don't know anything about magic."
"Get hurt."
"What?"
"Get hurt. So Luna can practice her healing magic."
"W, what does that mean..."
"Then are you okay with your roommate getting kicked out of the academy like this?"
"That's not what I mean..."
"Luna will heal you quickly anyway."
"Davian, are you telling me to be a lab rat?"
"Well, kind of."
Nubes raised his hand enthusiastically.
"I'll help too. We're friends. If either Liber or Luna need my help, just tell me."
Davian looked at Nubes.
The timid and kind Nubes Arbo.
I'll have to remove 'timid' now, won't I?
"I'll help Liber with his mental magic too."
It was Latia Meridiem.
Everyone was surprised and looked at Latia.
'She wasn't this kind of person, was she?'
Latia, feeling the stares, stuttered awkwardly.
"N, no. I'm just getting really interested in the Gray Bear Expedition, and if Liber gets kicked out of the academy, the expedition and everything else will be over."
"Latia."
"What? What? Davian."
"You can just say you're helping because you're friends in situations like that. You don't have to hide your true feelings to look strong."
"...Okay. I'll help because we're friends. Ah! But that doesn't mean I'll be the subject of Liber's mental magic experiments. I'm just saying I'll help if there's anything I can do."
Finally, Bonita opened her mouth.
"I'm short on time for sword training, but... well, tell me if you really need my help."
A few days later.
The empty lot behind the gymnasium.
"Yes, I did it!"
Liber shouted and cheered.
In front of Liber, a large boar was doing a somersault.
Davian and Latia shook their heads and clapped.
"Amazing. You cast mental magic on a boar."
"How can he do that just by reading books in the library?"
"Hahaha. Amazing, right? This is the power of me, the genius Liber Specula!"
Davian infused magic power into the magic circle under the somersaulting boar.
With a bright light, the boar returned to the forest.
"It's amazing, but you're not there yet. You can't get a Super Pass from Professor Billian with something like that."
"...Tch. I know. Okay, next is the monkey. No matter what, I'll succeed in casting mental magic on a person before next Thursday, just you watch."
It was then.
"Ughhhhh."
"Hold on!"
"Ughhhh... Aah!"
"Just hold on a little longer!"
Nubes's and Bellum's voices could be heard from one corner of the empty lot.
Bellum kept telling him to hold on, and Nubes kept screaming.
Davian and Latia turned their heads.
Liber, not paying any attention to them, sat back down on the floor and started reading a thick book he had brought from the library.
Latia let out a small sigh.
"Oh my god."
Bellum was branding Nubes's arm with a torch.
"Aah... Isn't it enough now, Bellum? My skin is all burned now."
"No. Just hold on a little longer."
"Aaaaaah! Stop, stop it!"
"Nubes! Are you going to let Luna get expelled like this?"
"Ughhhh. I can't let that happen... I'll try to hold on!"
"That's right! That's the spirit! Nubes! You can do it!"
Latia asked.
"But I don't see Luna? Why are those two doing that?"
"They can't do that where Luna is. Luna cries and throws a fit, telling them to stop..."
"So they came outside to do that?"
"Yeah. He'll probably run back to where Luna is soon."
"They're amazing too."
Nubes's screams still echoed.
"Aaaaaah!"
Latia tilted her head.
"But Davian."
"Yeah?"
"Does Bellum seem to be enjoying it a little? Or is it just my imagination?"
"I don't know... Maybe?"
"Hold on!"
"Aaaaaah!"
"You can do it! Nubes!"
"Aaaaaah!"
At the same time.
Clink
The door of the magic ingredient shop opened.
"Welcome... Oh? Welcome, Hero."
Mons waved his hand.
"Hero, my foot. I told you, just call me an attendant. Stop being so polite."
"No, no. How can I not be polite to my savior... But what brings you here? Do you need anything?"
"I need you to give me all the magic ingredients needed for a prospective new student to study magic at the academy. The highest quality stuff."
The owner of the magic ingredient shop, Fabius, looked puzzled.
"Isn't Davian already enrolled in the academy?"
"Someone else will use them."
"Ah, I see. I'll set you up with the highest quality full set."
"Thank you."
Fabius started gathering magic practice materials from a nearby shelf.
"By the way, what kind of magic will the person receiving these items be primarily using?"
"Let me see... What did the young master tell me? Ah! I think he said spirit magic."
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