Chapter 331
Aron's long-awaited "Skeleton Mage" crafting class had arrived.
From the very first crafting session, both Aron and the teaching assistants were swamped.
"Take out your darkness sheets first! darkness sheets first! Put everything else away!"
"Lightning attribute will be handled individually later! For the class, we'll be unifying under the ice attribute!"
Since this was the students' first time attempting such a high-difficulty undead creation, they struggled greatly.
From the very start, countless hands shot up for help. The assistants barely managed to handle the first phase before moving to the second, only for just as many hands to rise again.
On top of that, students causing mishaps began popping up all over the place. The assistants had to run around until they were out of breath.
"You have to start with the circuits. Why are you already touching the master recognition formula? Reset it to the beginning."
Aron also had to stop his explanations to personally check on students.
"The first-year term is almost over, and you're still making base errors? Pathetic. Start over from scratch."
"S-sorry!"
It would probably take a day or two before they found their footing. It was an unavoidable trial-and-error process, a sight Aron saw every year, so he was used to it.
Amid all that chaos.
One student stood out in particular.
Among those who didn't even know what Bone #1 was, and those confusing series circuits with parallel circuits, there was a student who had already completed three "Skeleton Mages" on his own, standing tall, staring expressionlessly at the blackboard.
'…Lunatic.'
From the staffs held by the three Skeleton Mages radiated the energies of fire, ice, and wind.
He had succeeded in producing three different attributes.
Standing there with them in place, doing nothing else, and simply staring at the board, it almost felt like a silent protest.
"As expected of a genius."
"He's just different from us~"
"He's Special Admission Number 1, after all."
Aron heard the murmurs of the surrounding students.
"You think he was lying when he said he didn't study ahead of time?"
"Of course!"
"Then him fumbling with skeleton assembly during the first class was just an act?"
"What a joke."
"I admit he's a genius, but he's acting a bit full of himself."
'No.'
Aron quietly denied the voices he heard.
Simon truly had not studied ahead of time.
Far from it, he had entered the school with "zero" necromantic knowledge. He had ranked at the very bottom of the entire student body, starting from a position more disadvantaged than anyone else. In that state, he had even been given the honorific-yet-empty title of Special Admission Number 1td4efj,kkk;.
A single misstep would have completely ruined his school life.
But now,
'No one can deny that Special Admission title anymore.'
Even now, the Skeleton Mages standing proudly at Simon's side were indisputably the fruit of his blood, sweat, and effort.
The dark circles under his eyes and his rough, dry hair spoke of the hardship he'd endured, while his eyes still shone with keen intelligence.
"Simon Follentia."
Aron approached him.
"Is your body holding up?"
It was a question asked after catching a glimpse of Simon's struggles. Simon smiled.
"Yes, Professor."
"Why would you do something this reckless?"
"Because I—"
In Aron's eyes, Simon's bright, intelligent gaze reflected back at him.
"—wanted to."
Fwoooosh—
A fresh breeze blew in from outside the window.
Aron's pupils widened as the scenery around them changed.
It was still the same classroom, but the world turned a shade of gray, and the students wore old-fashioned uniforms.
And there, brighter than anyone else, a young boy raised his hand high.
—Forget about trivial things like Island Ratmen!
Beside him stood a freshly assembled skeleton, striking a proud pose just like its master.
—Professor, when can we make a Lich?
The Summonology professor let out a small laugh.
—Don't get ahead of yourself, Aron Deia.
Fwoooosh.
The wind blew again, and the scenery changed once more.
The boy had grown a little taller.
—You've chosen a hard road.
The professor spoke.
And the lines on his face had deepened.
—You're telling me you're working part-time all night just to afford the materials?
—Yes.
—Why go that far?
Aron laughed as he replied,
—Why else? I love doing it!
Fwoooosh.
A third gust of wind blew.
Simon was now standing before him.
This boy, like his younger self, had eyes that shone brightly, filled with the confidence that he could accomplish anything in the world.
Aron sighed and spoke.
"…What is it you want, Simon Follentia?"
The reason he had singlehandedly made Skeleton Mages for the class they'd be working on for weeks starting today, and was now simply waiting like this.
"Please teach me the formula for the Lich's 'Life Vessel'."
It was to equip himself with the conditions to advance ahead of others.
Aron's First Rule of Teaching.
Every student who attended his class must leave having learned something.
That's why, if a student already knew everything that would be taught, he would prepare a personalized lesson for them.
Simon had used this to learn "Bone Armor" from Aron, then "Blood Golem".
"I read the book you gave me, Professor, but I couldn't grasp anything about the Life Vessel."
Simon lowered his head as he spoke.
"I need your guidance."
Aron swallowed dryly. His hand, buried in his pocket, trembled as sweat formed on his palm.
"Are you truly planning to make a Lich for this performance evaluation assignment?"
"Yes."
The boy's eyes were serious.
"I regret speaking so casually about making a Lich in front of you, Professor. But my determination for it is real, and of course, it hasn't changed."
Youth is—
"Whether I can make it or not doesn't matter anymore. I will, no matter what."
—too precious a thing for a young person to have.
It doesn't question.
It doesn't measure everything.
Because I like it.
Because I want to.
The courage to boldly challenge and endlessly crash against the wall.
Something he himself once had, but no longer did.
Aron envied Simon's youth.
"You said earlier, 'because I wanted to', didn't you?"
Realistically, he wanted to stop him.
This genius kept reminding him of his own younger self.
"In this world, there are far more people doing things they don't want to do."
He had experienced countless failures.
Not only had he suffered, but those around him had as well.
His family had declined, precious people had turned away from him, he had been rejected by the academic community, and the personal disciples he had painstakingly selected had transferred away in a group.
'Simon Follentia, as you grow older, responsibilities will weigh on you. The more you pursue what you want, the more you may ruin those around you. Countless practical reasons will hold you back.'
The boy who had once been a genius among geniuses, brimming with drive in everything he did, full of life in every endeavor, was now…wearing a stretched-out turtleneck, suffering from chronic fatigue, shuffling along in slippers, a professor who, from the very first class, would discourage students from majoring in Summonology.
—We can't let a heaven-sent genius like Simon, turn out like Senior Aron.
A junior who had witnessed Aron's downfall closer than anyone else, had urged him to give up the right to teach Simon.
But strangely, he couldn't give up.
'Was it that greed, that unshakable desire, still remained inside me? Even so, I couldn't bring myself to choose Simon, as if it were some kind of sin.'
In that vague state, time simply passed.
"…Simon Follentia. Soon you'll have to choose your second-year major."
But.
I can't stay like this any longer.
For this kid, and for myself as well.
"If you choose Summonology again in your second year,"
Aron opened his trembling lips,
"I want to take you as my direct disciple."
* * *
Sniff, sniff.
On the lively walk to the next lecture room after Summonology class had ended, one of the few happy moments in a Keyzen student's day, the sound of someone sniffling could be heard.
"Stop crying."
Maelyn forced a smile as she looked at the owner of the tears.
"Kami."
"Hic, but… Simon and Professor Aron! It was so moving!"
Kamibarez wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"When I saw Professor Aron in first year only listing the flaws of Summonology, I thought Simon must have gone through so much mental hardship! But I'm so glad he opened his heart like this first…!"
"But why are you crying…"
Dick's joke was swiftly cut off by Maelyn's chop to the top of his head. Simon only smiled faintly.
"Brother! You look relieved!"
Dick grinned, nudging Simon in the side.
"You've been turning down offers from other professors and waiting all this time!"
"Yeah, because it's against etiquette for a student to request to be a direct disciple first."
Simon was desperately holding down the corners of his mouth from curling upward.
Truthfully, if there hadn't been people around, he would have been swinging his fists in the air and screaming in joy. But he was holding back to maintain his dignity.
"But Professor Aron is sooo—"
Maelyn placed a slender finger on her lips.
"Since Simon wants it too, he could've just agreed right away, but he insists on waiting until second-year promotion. So stubborn."
"I get it."
Simon smiled and replied.
"Professor Aron's the type who's cautious about making hasty choices for direct disciples."
Currently, in Keyzen, the prevailing strategy was to aggressively secure top talents early with direct disciple offers.
In contrast, Aron believed students should carefully choose their majors and direct professors only after fully discovering their talents and aptitudes.
"I was so moved seeing Professor Aron and Simon! I want to become someone's direct disciple soon too!"
Kamibarez said,
"…I wish Professor Walter would offer it to me."
'!'
Simon's expression twitched at those words.
"Don't get too anxious, Kami."
Maelyn smiled kindly, patting her head.
"Professor Walter hasn't taken a single direct disciple yet. If he does, you'd be the first choice."
"Ah, of course!"
Dick nodded vigorously in agreement.
Only Simon wore a grave expression, anxiously stewing inside.
'…Kami, becoming Walter's direct disciple?'
"Ah~ Ah~ Professor Bahil, are you listening?!"
Dick raised his arm and shouted,
"If you don't quickly take this genius disciple, he might go to Professor Belya instead!"
"Could you just go to some far-off planet or something?"
Maelyn scolded him, and Simon and Kamibarez burst into laughter.
"Ah, more importantly, guys. I just got some fresh, important info!"
Dick snapped his fingers, looking at the three of them.
"Important info?"
"Yeah! We're taking this weekend off, and next week we'll have the third BMAT game right after school!"
"The third game already, huh."
Once the after-school BMATs were over, it meant the performance evaluation season was nearing its end.
When that happened, only one trial remained for Keyzen first-years. The final trial, and the worst of them all, the promotion exam that included the Fifth BMAT, looming right ahead.
"Keyzen's promotion exam has a notorious reputation."
Maelyn, with a serious expression, raised her index finger.
"The gap in power and status between first-years and second-years in Keyzen is like heaven and earth, so the exam's supposedly really tough. And with the final BMAT included, I can't even imagine how hard it'll be."
"Yes. The HQ simulation said that out of 797 students, 500 would fail… It's terrifying."
"We'll think about the promotion exam when the time comes!"
Dick slung his arm around Simon's neck and grinned.
"You promised to do the siege battle with me in this BMAT, right?"
Simon nodded.
"Of course. I'm looking forward to it."
Of course, what he was looking forward to was something else.
Simon planned to field-test his Skeleton Mages in this siege battle.
'What kind of new techniques could be possible with Mages?'
Just imagining it filled Simon with an extreme sense of excitement.