Book 1 Chapter 15

【15】14

"What do you think you are?"

"Yes?"

"You are students of Rumern. That is, hero candidates! Don't you think it's your priority to think about overcoming it yourself if you're in danger?"

The students trembled at Ain's scolding.

At that moment, Ain's eyes caught Leo moving without hesitation.

"There's a decent one."

The raised kraken's legs attacked at high speed.

Skerg-!

Leo, drawing his sword, cut off a leg.

Splash-!

Leo, who kicked away the wriggling kraken's tentacles on the floor and pushed them into the lake, shouted.

"Don't be afraid of its size! You can handle it with your abilities!"

Leo's gaze was fixed on Celia and Chloe.

"Hmph! Who said they were scared?"

Chloe, bristling, scoffed, and Celia drew her sword as if she wouldn't back down.

"What do you take me for, Leo?"

Flare-!

The symbol of Zerdinger, the aura of flame, bloomed from her sword.

"Do you think I'd be scared of a squib like this…!"

Chaaak!

"Kyaaahk!"

A water cannon shot out from the tip of the kraken's tentacle and doused Celia.

Although she defended with an aura armor, Celia instantly became a drowned rat.

"It's a kraken's habit. It shoots water cannons in response to heat."

Leo, suppressing his laughter, tapped Celia's forehead.

"You seem to lack experience?"

"Ugh! We're the same age! Don't talk about experience!"

Celia shouted back, rubbing her forehead with a flushed face.

Meanwhile, the kraken attacked again.

Celia's eyes widened fiercely.

"You damn squid! I'll make you into dried squid jerky!"

Whoosh-!

Celia's sword drew a flamboyant trajectory.

Pabababat!

The finely chopped kraken tentacles scattered.

"How's that!" Celia turned to look at them, and Leo, smiling, swung his sword.

Boo-ang-!

With a mighty gust of wind, the kraken's tentacles were shredded even finer than Celia had cut them and scattered.

"Hmph! I won't lose!"

Stimulated by the sight, a fire ignited in Celia's eyes.

"Your swordsmanship is amazing?"

Meanwhile, Chloe raised her magic staff and chanted runes.

Jjeojeojeong-!

"Icicle."

Ice crystals gathered in the air and formed a giant icicle.

When Chloe released the spell, the icicle flew.

Poong-! Jjeojeojeong-! Jjing-!

As the magic erupted, the frozen kraken tentacles shattered into pieces.

"Hohoho! Why do knights have to go out and sweat? Like this, smart from behind… Eeek?!"

Chloe, with a smug look, became the kraken's target.

As she panicked at the kraken's unexpectedly fast attack, Leo grabbed Chloe by the scruff of her neck and pulled her back.

"Mages don't charge from the front."

Skerg-!

Leo swung his sword and cut off a kraken tentacle.

"Krakens react to mana, so use magic carefully."

"Ah, I understand."

The freshmen, who had been in a panic from the attack, also came to their senses and counterattacked.

Although the kraken was a high-ranking monster, the students of Rumern were not so easy as to be defeated without resistance.

Ain, watching from behind, curled his lips.

'This year's freshmen are very excellent.'

Professor Ain, who had been scolding the freshmen, was now very satisfied.

This lake is famous for being inhabited by all sorts of aquatic monsters.

Therefore, attacks by aquatic monsters were almost an annual event.

All new students at Rumern are exceptionally talented.

And they have proven their abilities by enrolling in the best prestigious school, Rumern.

Ability, background, academics.

The freshmen, who were second to none in any aspect, were all bound to be arrogant.

'With that state of mind, they can't keep up with Rumern's classes.'

The freshmen don't know.

The fact that they have merely met the minimum standards for learning at Rumern.

Therefore, there was a need to instill a sense of vigilance, which was the reason Rumern allowed attacks by aquatic monsters.

Of course, they weren't forced to fight monsters defenselessly.

As evidence, the destruction of the hull, which would have been the biggest problem during the kraken attack, did not occur.

Of course, the freshmen didn't notice that and were busy fending off the kraken in front of them.

'As expected, the top students' performances are outstanding.'

Ain's gaze, measuring the freshmen's abilities, landed on Leo.

'Impressive.'

A glint appeared in Ain's eyes.

His swordsmanship was clean and without any unnecessary movements.

Moreover, as if he could predict the kraken's movements, he was cutting off the kraken's tentacles with light footwork.

'I should remember this.'

Looking at how he handled his sword, he was clearly aiming for the Knights Department.

Ain smiled with satisfaction, thinking he had found an excellent student.

***

Although the freshmen barely defeated the kraken, underwater monster attacks continued thereafter.

The monster parade unfolded as if the previous ship party had been a dream.

After about an hour, the freshmen were all in a mess.

Their school uniforms were soaked, their bodies were covered in sweat, and their faces were etched with fatigue.

They were desperately fighting the onslaught of monsters.

"I can't fight anymore! My magic is also depleted!"

Chloe, lying sprawled on the floor, shouted.

"Ugh… Does anyone have mana potions left?"

Kale looked around and asked, but no one answered.

"Hoo- hoo-"

Celia gasped for breath and glanced at Leo.

'You cheat with stamina!'

Leo was still watching the water's edge without any sign of fatigue.

Where does he get such unyielding stamina at the same age?

"Hoo-!"

Celia gritted her teeth and took a deep breath, then stood next to Leo.

At that moment.

"I see the pier!"

"This tedious fight is finally over!"

"Woooahhhhhh!"

A cheer erupted from the deck.

There was no happier news for the students exhausted from the long fight.

A moment later, the ship docked at the pier, and the students disembarked as if they were tired of it.

At the pier, a small woman with glasses in a suit was waiting for the freshmen.

"Thank goodness! It seems there were no major incidents!"

At her words, the students felt a surge of indignation.

'No major incidents! We were attacked by monsters!'

Of course, no student protested carelessly.

It was highly probable that she was a professor from Rumern who came to greet the new students.

"Professor Ain, thank you for escorting the new students! I will take over the escort from now on."

"Understood."

Ain nodded and said to the freshmen.

"I am in charge of the first-year Knights Department class this year."

The Knights Department students looked startled.

"Some of the Knights Department students will take my class."

Ain smiled slightly, looking at Leo and some other students.

"Those who want to reach a higher level, come to my class!"

"Yes!"

"Understood! Professor Ain!"

The Knights Department students responded loudly.

Professor Ain, with a satisfied expression at their response, gave a meaningful look.

"And listen carefully to what the escort teacher says."

He left after saying that.

"My name is Artian Nier. I will be in charge of the first-year Summoning Department class."

She adjusted her glasses and introduced herself with a friendly smile.

"Artian Nier? I've never heard that name before."

Celia tilted her head.

Anyone who holds a professorship at Rumern is usually a very famous person in their field.

However, she had never heard the name Artian Nier.

"Artian Nier is quite famous in the central region."

At that moment, Kale said.

"What kind of person is she?"

"They say she's an ancestral spirit summoner."

"Ancestral spirit summoner?"

Celia's expression turned surprised.

Summoning is broadly divided into three fields.

Spirit summoning, which involves contracting with spirits.

Beast summoning, which controls mythical beasts.

And finally, ancestral spirit summoning, which summons ancestral spirits.

Among these, ancestral spirit summoning, which calls forth fragments of beings called ancestral spirits, was a very rare ability.

'It was one of Lisina's specialties.'

Ancestral spirit summoning is a realm of innate special abilities, so it was an ability that even Kyle, who was all-class, couldn't learn.

"Then shall we go to the entrance ceremony?"

Artian said with a soft smile.

Then the students protested.

"Professor! Is there no place to change our clothes?"

"That's right! We can't attend the entrance ceremony looking like this!"

The students, who had been obedient to Professor Ain, shouted out one after another.

They were all noble students.

During Professor Ian's time, they were intimidated by the name "Knight of the Frozen Sea."

However, to Artian, who was not famous and had a delicate appearance, they immediately voiced their dissatisfaction.

"Ah, no! I mean, we have to stick to the schedule…"

"Our families will never allow us to attend an important event in this state!"

"That's right! We entered Rumern with pride! To be treated like this! It's absurd!"

"That's right! We will officially protest through our families!"

"W-well, everyone?!"

In fact, Artian, who had a gentle personality, could only shrink back in distress at the students' protests.

The students, emboldened by her reaction, raised their voices further.

"We should stop her."

As Celia frowned, Leo chuckled.

"I don't think we need to."

"What?"

Artian lowered her head.

And then…

"You damn brats! You think I'm a pushover because I'm being nice?! How dare a mere freshman talk back to a professor?!"

Artian, who had suddenly raised her head, let out a fierce cry.

Contrary to the gentle atmosphere just moments before, a chilling glare shot from her eyes.

The students who had been raising their voices were startled.

A stunned male student quickly shouted.

"Even if you're a professor, such abusive language is unacceptable…"

"Look at this guy? Still haven't figured out the situation?"

*Thump!*

"Huh? Uhh?"

Artian grabbed the male student by the collar with a chilling smile and lifted him.

The male student was a head taller than the other freshmen and was quite large.

However, Artian, who was holding him by the collar, showed no signs of strain.

Instead, a golden aura emanated from her body.

"Gasp? O-aura?"

"Dual class?"

The students were horrified.

The male student, held by the collar, also turned pale.

Artian threw the male student towards the lake.

"Aaaahhh!"

Splash-! Splish-! Splosh-!

The male student, who had fallen into the lake, thrashed about.

Artian warned chillingly.

"If anyone dares to resist again, I won't hold back…!"

Before Artian could finish her sentence, her expression changed.

"This is inconvenient."

This time, with a cold demeanor, she sighed and waved her hand lightly.

Then, golden mana erupted.

Artian rescued the student who had fallen into the water with magic.

The students' eyes widened in disbelief.

She was supposed to be a Summoning Department professor, but she used aura and magic!

"As expected."

"Do you know about that ability?"

Celia, who was surprised, asked urgently after hearing Leo's mumbling.

"She's letting the souls of ancestral spirits inhabit her body. Her personality changes because of the contracted spirits."

"Necromancy? That's something I've only heard of!"

Celia exclaimed in admiration at the extremely rare ability among ancestral spirit summoners.

As expected, Professor Ain wasn't just telling them to listen carefully for no reason.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. My contracted ancestral spirits have short tempers!"

Artian, who had returned to her original personality, apologized in great distress, but the students just watched cautiously.

They immediately realized that the professor in front of them, though not famous, was a formidable figure they couldn't handle.

Meanwhile, Artian said with a wide smile.

"Anyway, everyone! Let's go to the entrance ceremony!"

"Yes…"

The students answered weakly, watching their reactions.

------------------==