Book 1 Chapter 332
The day after the midterm exams ended.
Even though the exams were over, the department’s schedule did not leave the Lumern students alone.
The students were, as always, pushed into a tight department schedule.
However, even so, the sense of liberation from the end of the exams seemed irrepressible.
The students wore expressions of relief.
Except for just one year.
“Ughhhh.”
Iliana, slumped over her desk, opened her mouth and let out a groan of pain.
Iliana wasn't the only one.
Most students had expressions of their souls leaving their bodies.
“My mom and dad are really on my caseeee!”
“I’m going to be cut off from my allowance for a month. I’m going to have to get a part-time job in Lumaria City on weekends…!”
“It seems like our professors are only thinking of tormenting us.”
Wails and cries erupted from here and there.
It was true that the second-year students had become generally lax about their written exams, as the mentor system meant they wouldn’t receive recommendation for withdrawal until the end of the first semester.
Of course, they had their own reasons, claiming they had used the time they would have spent studying for written exams to ‘hone their practical skills.’
But to their parents, that was just an excuse.
The magic department students, in particular, suffered heavy losses.
As their parents were sensitive to exam scores, most students were tormented by their parents yesterday instead of enjoying the party.
It was inevitable that the parents of magic department students, who had generally shown academic excellence, would be even more sensitive to written exam results.
Kal clicked his tongue as he watched his friends wailing.
“That’s why you should have studied hard for the exams.”
“Ugh—! You flunked the written exam too!”
“Hahaha! In my case, my parents’ expectations were already at rock bottom! They praise me just for surviving! Hahaha!”
Kal burst into hearty laughter, then his expression turned gloomy.
“This is somehow pathetic, too.”
Of course, there were souls who were free from this disaster.
They were the top honors students of the department.
“Chloe and Abad got perfect scores again, right?”
“I’m so envious.”
The envious gazes of their classmates turned towards the two.
Chloe, who had not looked up from her grimoire, lifted her eyes and tilted her head, while Abad offered his usual gentle smile.
Just then, Leo entered the lecture hall.
As Leo entered, all the students fell silent for a moment.
The shocking sight of Leo from yesterday was still etched in the minds of the students.
Leo sat down as usual next to Chloe and Kal, who were in the front row.
As an awkward atmosphere filled the room.
Chelsea entered the lecture hall.
“Ah, Leo-oppa! Good morning!”
Chelsea greeted Leo with her usual lively face.
“Did you sleep well, Kal and Chloe?”
“We slept like logs because the exams are over.”
“I slept well. You?”
Kal answered casually, and Chloe, who answered next, smiled faintly.
Chelsea smiled back at them.
“I slept well too.”
Chelsea had not attended the party yesterday.
“Leo-oppa, how was I yesterday?”
“You were amazing. You look like you’re ready to be called a full-fledged wizard now, don’t you?”
Chelsea giggled at Leo’s words.
“See you at lunch later!”
She then greeted them cheerfully and went to Abad.
Chelsea always took her magic classes with Abad.
Kal chuckled, watching her.
“It’s a relief that she’s as energetic as usual.”
“Chelsea is stronger than you think.”
“I know she’s strong. Very strong. Annoyingly so. Like a cockroach that pops up no matter how much you try to suppress it… Kkuh!”
“You’re comparing me to a cockroach?”
Chelsea, who had flown over unnoticed, delivered a dropkick to Kal’s side.
Chelsea’s appearance slightly eased the tense atmosphere in the classroom that had been caused by Leo.
Students from other dormitories approached Leo and spoke to him first.
Some even asked about the dragon language magic Leo had used.
Leo briefly explained that it was the effect of his unique magic, ‘Bible.’
Chloe also seemed interested and joined the discussion on dragon language magic.
As they were engaged in lively discussion about magic.
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
“Amazing! Gentlemen! That passion for magic! It’s the right attitude! A very right attitude!”
The lecture hall door opened, and Ren appeared.
Ren, clapping enthusiastically and with an expression of deep emotion, went up to the lecture hall podium.
“A wizard, indeed! They are most beautiful when they discuss with passion for magic! Now! In that spirit, behold! Assistant Professor Anna, preparing for the magic academy in Seyrun, in all her beauty!”
Ren pointed at Anna.
Anna looked at Ren with tired eyes.
Her eyes clearly held a murderous intent.
“Now! I hope you will send a warm round of applause to Assistant Professor Anna, who will soon attend the magic academy in Seyrun and bring honor to our Lumern!”
As Ren clapped, the students reluctantly joined in.
The murderous intent in Anna’s eyes deepened with each clap.
“I think someone should go and stop her?”
Leo muttered, resting his chin on his hand, while Chloe and Chelsea, along with some other female students, went to Anna’s side.
Ren’s outbursts about magic had already become familiar to the second-year students.
While they were flustered in the early days of their first year, after experiencing it countless times for about a year, everyone had learned how to deal with it.
When Ren had an episode, the male students, led by Leo and Abad, were in charge.
However, since entering the second year, after Anna began to have episodes because of Ren, the female students also became responsible for calming her down.
Fortunately, Anna’s episodes had warning signs, so they could be prevented.
Chloe, who had calmed Anna down, raised her hand.
“Yes, student Chloe.”
“Professor Ren, can students also accompany us as assistants to the magic academy presentation?”
Ren smiled faintly at Chloe’s question.
“Of course, it’s possible, but.”
“We do not plan to take students to this academic presentation.”
Anna sighed and answered Ren’s ambiguous statement.
Many students, including Chloe, showed disappointed expressions.
Anna smiled wryly at the students.
“In other academic conferences, I would have accepted your help… but I don’t want to take you to this one. It’s highly likely to be a bad experience for you students.”
The students looked flustered at Anna’s words.
“Gentlemen! Let’s leave this academic conference to the experienced Assistant Professor Anna! And now, let’s begin the class!”
At Ren’s words, the students hurried back to their seats.
Ren spoke to the students, watching them.
“First, we will select the outstanding student for the magic department’s practical exam.”
At Ren’s words, the students’ gazes were drawn to Leo.
It was clear that Leo, who had shown overwhelming presence and was called the ‘Demon King,’ would receive the highest score in the magic department’s practical exam.
However, the student who came out of Ren’s mouth was not Leo.
“The first place in the familiar section was none other than student Chelsea Lewellyn.”
Everyone’s eyes widened, and they stared at Chelsea.
Chelsea also pointed at herself with a bewildered expression.
Leo, as if he had expected it, rested his chin on his hand.
“Professor! I want to know why Chelsea, not Leo, is the top student!”
Iliana shot her hand up and asked.
“I will explain that on behalf of Professor Ren.”
Just then, the lecture hall door opened, and Tina entered with dark circles under her eyes.
Tina, who went up to the podium, looked at the students and said.
“The assignment for this magic department practical exam was about how well you created a familiar magic. In that sense, Chelsea Lewellyn has completed a familiar magic that deserves a perfect score.”
She had summoned a familiar of her suitable attribute and used the familiar to compensate for her shortcomings.
And its power was also outstanding.
“The highest score was obtained because she designed a magic circle that could strengthen magic itself through her unique magic. Excellent. She created a more wonderful familiar than I had anticipated.”
Tina smiled faintly and looked at Chelsea.
“It is true that Leo showed an overwhelming performance. However, he did not demonstrate the assigned task of creating a familiar.”
‘Well, it’s true that it wasn’t necessary, but he’s right.’
Tina glanced at Leo.
For Leo, who could summon the three great beasts, familiars were practically meaningless.
Leo knew this well.
That’s why he was so nonchalant about this magic department practical exam.
Of course, he didn’t bring it up just to further discourage the other students who were already down.
“After student Chelsea, the next best familiar was probably student Chloe?”
What Chloe created was an ice slime using magical bio-engineering.
It was a slime specialized in defense, boasting overwhelming defensive power.
It was a familiar that would cover Chloe’s openings while she fired powerful spells.
“Student Abad is in third place by a narrow margin. Do you know why?”
“Because I didn’t create a familiar, I created a contract magic.”
“Yes. I think it’s a truly amazing magic. However, it slightly deviated from the purpose of this exam, so points were deducted.”
“I made it with that in mind, so it’s fine.”
Abad smiled charmingly, and several female students blushed.
Tina nodded.
“Thus, these are the students who took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in the magic department’s practical exam.”
As Tina finished speaking, Ren crossed his arms.
“And we have also selected students who greatly contributed in combat.”
“Kuh! This must be Leo, right?”
Kal said, resting his clasped hands behind his head.
“It’s a joint award. Leo student and Kal student.”
“What? Me?”
Kal looked bewildered.
The other students also looked disbelieving, but Abad smiled faintly as if he had expected it.
“You received high marks for your tactical planning ability.”
Ren gave Kal a knowing smile.
“Wow! This is my first time receiving an outstanding award.”
Kal looked excited.
“Now that the midterm exams are settled, it’s time for a fun lecture!”
Ren spread his arms wide.
“Today, continuing from last time, we will study the magic of stars!”
***
After the class, Ren and Tina came to his professor’s office.
“It was a splendid lecture today as well, Professor Ren.”
“Not at all. All of this is possible thanks to Professor Tina’s help.”
Ren smiled faintly.
Although she was an invited professor, Tina’s passion for magic was genuine.
Therefore, she actively helped with Ren’s lectures, and Ren also felt that student satisfaction had greatly increased since Tina’s arrival as an invited professor.
‘Inviting Tina-nim was indeed not a wrong decision.’
Ren was praising his past self with a satisfied smile when.
“Professor Ren, there is something I would like to discuss.”
“What is it? I will do my best to help if it is within my capabilities.”
Ren smiled gently.
“It is about student Leo.”
“Hmm? Student Leo?”
Ren looked puzzled.
“Yes.”
Tina nodded and said.
“I want to send student Leo to Seyrun as an exchange student.”
For a moment, Ren thought.
‘Did I lecture too passionately? I must be hearing things.’
Thump!
Just then, Anna, who had been organizing documents with a haggard face, dropped a pile of papers on the floor.
Anna’s face had turned pale.
“Assistant Professor Anna. You dropped your thesis. You seem very tired. Please bear with it a little longer.”
Ren, who encouraged the assistant professor with a gentle smile, asked again.
“Professor Tina. I think I was tired and didn’t hear properly just now. Could you repeat that?”
“I want to send student Leo to Seyrun as an exchange student.”
Seeing Tina repeat the same words, not a single syllable different, as before, Ren’s face turned cold.
He hadn’t misheard.
“I must have misheard?”
“I want to send student Leo to Seyrun as an exchange student.”
Seeing Tina repeat the exact same words for the third time, Ren thought.
‘What in the world kind of idiot brought this damn pointy-eared creature to the school?’
Ren, his reason numbed, cursed and swore at his past self.