The professors at the academy are busy in many ways.
Basically, the students who have entered the academy are talents gathered from all over the world.
As a result, most of them tend to have strong pride and are often immature.
At least commoners are better off, but that also varies by case. It’s easier to think of it as a matter of personality.
Managing such students is already a burdensome task, but thankfully, professors are not disregarded in terms of skill.
If they are ever disrespected, they are immediately taken to the Dueling Arena. After that, it’s just a matter of discreetly relieving the stress.
Every so often, an exceptionally talented individual surpasses the professors, but in such cases, the professors don’t concern themselves too much.
That’s something the country should handle. If the student is a commoner, they’ll do anything to recruit them; if they are a citizen of their own country, they’ll step in front as a face to manage things.
Therefore, professors usually feel little stress regarding managing students. Usually, that is.
“Is there really no other way?”
“What else? Got a better idea?”
“The problem is, there isn’t. This is the best option, but even that seems ridiculous.”
At the sharp criticism of Malboro by the professor from the Eastern Empire, Yeonhwa, he forced a smile.
It was a case of doing your best, yet still feeling it was ridiculous. A perfect reflection of the current situation the professors found themselves in.
“You told me to watch my mouth, but look who’s using the worst language here.”
“Be quiet, Sara. To be honest, don’t you think this is right too?”
“…”
At Yeonhwa’s clear rebuttal, Sara also clamped her mouth shut. She had been thinking the same thing.
But the problem is that there’s no other viable alternative. With a sigh, Malboro opened his mouth.
“We can’t find another option. Let’s be blunt. Is there anyone here who can take Sivar one-on-one?”
“…”
“…”
No one answered Malboro’s question. They all knew well.
There are hardly any people who can take Sivar one-on-one. Even if there are, it would only be Rod and Rize.
The realization hit when they first met Sivar. The incident where Godin tried to prank him and almost got into big trouble.
Did Godin know this? He merely wore an awkward expression. In the meantime, Malboro spoke.
“It took the three of us to manage to slow down Sivar’s attacks, which means his strength is absurdly high.”
“Since then, I’ve learned skills and obtained various techniques… so if he has gotten stronger, he must have become even stronger.”
“I watched Usuk catch a blade with his bare hands. With my sword, I could barely leave a scratch.”
“Magic probably wouldn’t work under normal circumstances, either. I took a direct hit from a bomb during the midterm exam, and I was just singed.”
Like the professors’ evaluations, Sivar had moved beyond being a point of concern to a major point of interest.
The balance-breaking menace and a mutant—or an ecological disaster. It wouldn’t be strange to attach all sorts of modifiers to him.
“At least he listens in class and has good friendships. If he didn’t have that…”
“I would have handed in my resignation and returned to my hometown.”
“I can’t help but agree.”
Originally, what stressed professors the most was political strife.
As seen in the case of Delphoi, professors often find themselves entangled politically as the face of their respective countries.
Moreover, with the tensions intensifying lately between nations, it would often lead to discomfort among them. They almost fell prey to it too.
But with Sivar’s presence, all of that was rendered meaningless. As long as they manage Sivar, other problems become moot.
“When assessing, it would be appropriate to exclude Sivar. I’d rather he was just not bright; at least then he wouldn’t do anything weird.”
“Usually, if one has a good body, they’re not bright, right?”
“It’s not that he’s not bright; it’s that he doesn’t use his head. Otherwise, if learning abilities or intelligence dropped, he wouldn’t survive in the wild.”
Sara said it perfectly. When judged purely on physical ability, humans are among the weakest creatures in the wild.
Except for their endurance and throwing abilities, they are weak animals. What compensates for that is tool usage and intelligence.
“When I washed Sivar before, he had scars all over his body. He must not have been strong from the start. He’s gotten strong.”
“Since his body has become strong, I guess one could argue he doesn’t use his head.”
“If it weren’t for that, there’s no way he’d commit such insane acts.”
The behaviors Sivar exhibited during the midterm exam shocked and horrified the professors.
It was the moment Delphoi’s crafty maneuver backfired and proved his intelligence.
He even demonstrated exceptional dexterity. He was fiddling with bombs, making a vest, and charging forward.
And to top it all off, the firebombs and the meteor storms he used. They realized his ability to adapt was astonishing.
“Is this really the only way? I thought of this myself, but it seems ridiculous…”
“If you have a better method, don’t hesitate to share. I don’t mind.”
“To be honest, it seems like there’s no better method.”
“What we lack isn’t brains, so don’t feel self-pity.”
Godin was right. It wasn’t that the professors were lacking in intellect.
The real problem was that an unexpectedly, unreasonably talented student suddenly enrolled.
Malboro sighed as he looked at the paper detailing the final exam process. He then pressed his forehead as he opened his mouth.
“Now I have to report this to the dean… I’m really curious about what he’s going to say.”
What can he say?
“Really… what a dumb idea. This is genuinely entertaining.”
“…”
“Even after going through all this, if something strange happens, a single written explanation won’t be enough.”
There was no doubt he would be grilled. At least it was a relief that Rod understood.
Given how strong Sivar was, they had no choice but to proceed this way for the sake of balance.
“Still, if you look closely, it’s not that bad. After all, it follows the high-risk, high-return format.”
“Haha. Y-yeah?”
“The students will be able to understand it sufficiently… let’s just hope for the best.”
Rod also didn’t press the professors any further. In fact, they too had some grievances.
After all, it was Rod who had originally pushed for Sivar’s admission. Last time had been so unfair, but considering all the effort they’d put in, they had no grounds to complain.
“The final exam will take place over a week, right?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
“I hope it goes smoothly. Good luck.”
The professors bowed to Rod before departing. Naturally, Rod was left alone in the dean’s office.
He sighed at the mountain of work piling up and began inspecting the papers. It was the plan the professors had just handed him.
“It’s not too bad… treating people like weapons isn’t that rare.”
Rod casually flipped through the plan and checked other reports. There was still much to be reviewed.
[Abnormal signs continuously detected at the outskirts of the Chaos Forest. Presence of corpses of higher-ranked and gigantic monsters. There are always droppings on top of these corpses. Given the regularity of the droppings, it is highly likely that a new predator has emerged.]
[It is assumed that there are not one, but two predators. Presumable that each constitutes its own ‘region’.]
[Requesting direct intervention from the Dean. The predator is likely to be very strong, so a hunting party should be organized for the students’ safety.]
“…”
They were doing quite well. The dean nodded at the contents of the report.
‘There are certainly many capable individuals.’
He thought this as he lightly folded the report.
*****
When the days follow an unchanging routine, time flies by quickly. My current situation is just like that.
Ever since I sold Jane to Godin to raise my favorability, I haven’t had much to do.
I train martial arts with Kara every Wednesday, and on weekends, I spar with Rize to improve my skills.
Aside from that, I merely pass the time attending classes taught at the academy. I occasionally buy stocks too.
“Sivar! Please bless me! I lost again!”
“Get lost.”
“Please! At this rate, I’m going to get scolded again!”
On Friday morning, I pushed away Antonio who was whining about losing money in stocks and took my seat.
Like I said, he shouldn’t invest in the stocks I do! Why does he have to put his money in strange places?
Worse yet, he still complains that he’s anxious and pulled out early, even after I told him.
“I’ve never seen Sivar tell anyone to get lost before. Just how bothersome has he been?”
“True. There was only one person other than him.”
That was Kara speaking to Luna. They frowned, watching me push Antonio away.
“There was one person? Who was that?”
“The Saint.”
“Oh.”
Back then, I had sensed a crisis. But since it was true, I couldn’t even make excuses.
It was noisy from the morning, but it wasn’t a big problem. Whether Antonio despaired or not, it wasn’t my concern.
“Is finals starting next week? Once it’s over, it’ll be vacation.”
“It probably won’t be vacation. I heard there’s a freshman banquet.”
“Oh, right. The banquet. Is it necessary to attend? It sounds annoying.”
Usually, vacations follow the finals, but the first semester is a bit different.
As mentioned before, it’s a freshman banquet where dignitaries from each nation gather. It’s a unique event.
‘Plus, I might get to see some new skins as a bonus.’
Originally, it’s during the banquet that Kara wears her dancer’s outfit. It’s less revealing than the outfit she wore during the rites, though.
Also, we could see the protagonist, Luna, in her banquet dress. If I remember correctly, she wore a pretty standard dress.
“You’re a princess of Tartar, so you should attend, Kara.”
“Ugh. Only when it’s convenient to call me a princess? You’re going, right?”
“I’ll just be observing. If it gets uncomfortable, I’ll slip out.”
Having said that, Luna directed her gaze toward me. Now it was my turn.
“Sivar, are you going too? There’ll be a lot of people, and it might be uncomfortable, so you don’t have to come.”
“Candy.”
“Hmm?”
“Is there gonna be a lot of candy?”
The event itself is important, but there’s something I’m concerned about. That’s the sweet desserts from each nation all in one place.
Not only can I get a justification, but if something happens, I can burst in midway. It’s a preparedness method.
‘Should I call it a build-up?’
In fact, it’s a build-up, but I’ve eaten too many sweets so far. They were just too delicious to resist.
“Candy… there should be a lot, right? Maybe even a huge cake? Do you know, sis?”
“I’m not sure either; this’ll be my first time. Maybe you could ask Grace?”
“Why was I called here?”
At the perfect timing, Grace approached us.
Next to her was her beloved stuffed animal—no, her friend, Lee Yeon-joo, standing side by side.
Kara seized the opportunity of their arrival to bring up the topic of the freshman banquet.
Grace listened quietly to the explanation and then replied with her usual confident tone.
“Of course. There will be desserts you couldn’t even imagine, Sivar. So I recommend attending.”
“Yep.”
I replied while glancing at Lee Yeon-joo. I wondered what she was thinking, but her expression was almost blank.
Certainly, Lee Yeon-joo would attend the banquet too, and there was a high chance she would clash with guests from the Eastern Empire.
It wouldn’t be a clash so much as an incivility on the guests’ part, but of course, it was all prearranged just to stir the pot.
‘Lee Yeon-joo wouldn’t know that…’
Just when I was caught up in those thoughts.
“It’s a good opportunity to fit Sivar with some clothes as well. When attending the banquet, one needs to wear formal attire.”
“Formal attire?”
“Yes. I’ll prepare a splendid outfit for you. Shall we go together this weekend?”
I didn’t mind. I had plenty of money and time.
Nodding my head brought a more prominent smile to Grace’s face. She seemed genuinely pleased.
“Then shall I go as well?”
“Huh?”
“I also want to see Sivar in formal attire.”
But her smile didn’t last long. Kara naturally stepped in, shattering their moment.
“Since we’re at it, we could get him other clothes too. I mean, he walks around in oversized t-shirts and shorts all the time. His face and body are too good for that. Don’t you agree?”
“Mm… I’d be fine just going by myself.”
“I’m just curious. I’d like to see if there’s anything else I want to buy too.”
All you need to wear is that dancer’s outfit. That’s more than enough.
While I was thinking that, a fierce verbal battle continued between Kara and Grace.
Grace tried to go on only with me, while Kara seemed intent on intruding.
But eventually, Grace, who couldn’t find a reason to have them both, surrendered, satisfied only with meeting me on the weekend.
“You’re quite transparent, you know?”
“…”
Ignoring Kara’s remark, I figured Grace didn’t hear it since it was in Tartar language.
“Alright, everyone, pay attention. As previously stated, finals will begin next week. Today, I’ll briefly explain the contents so that everyone can focus.”
As the roll call began, Malboro started announcing the exam content.
Despite the disaster that occurred during the midterm exam, the content hadn’t changed much.
But “not much” doesn’t mean it’s unchanged; there will still be slight changes.
“This exam will take place over approximately 5-6 days. The theme will be Siege Warfare. The aims are to hold a castle for a long time or conquer all enemy points to finish.”
The final exam’s content was very similar to what comes up in numerous games.
First, the teams would be divided into two, and the responsibility for dividing squads would fall to each team leader.
In contrast to the last exam, there’s no such thing as elimination, and the barrier will still activate when someone is knocked out.
However, once the barrier activates, they will immediately be transported away. After that, they’ll receive simple treatment and can resurrect.
“There will be three capturing points in total. At each resurrection point, there will be one capturing point nearby, and in between is a ‘castle.’ You can supply at the capturing points and create weapons. That’s your responsibility.”
“Supply? Wait a minute. Does that mean we have to manage our own meals during this?”
“That’s correct. You will need to sort your meals during this exam.”
So basically, if the supply route gets cut off, they’re telling us to starve. Hearing this, one might think the strategy is simple.
The problem lies with the castle. The longer it takes to capture the castle, the exponentially higher the score becomes.
Therefore, you can choose whether to dominate the other two capturing points and let the people in the castle starve or engage in a conventional siege.
“Lastly, there will be weapons available to breach the castle. Numerous weapons, including cannons, are scattered all throughout the examination ground. The farther you stray from a capturing point, the stronger the weapons become. Of course, they will also be heavier.”
He also emphasized the importance of scouting. Before the opponent can bring the weapons, they need to either stop them somehow or intercept them during the process.
While it seems straightforward, there are various strategies to establish. That’s the beauty of siege warfare.
‘But what am I supposed to do?’
Certainly, all of that becomes useless in front of overwhelming strength. The moment I step in, the priority becomes to survive, not to capture the points.
I imagine others are thinking alike. I wonder when they’ll voice that.
“Now, I will announce the teams. Team A is Luna Estelle, Grace Del Berchet…”
Malboro began to read out the roster one by one. I listened in silence.
Given that I wasn’t in A team, it seemed likely I was in B team. Perhaps because of that, the people belonging to A team were already buzzing with activity.
“Team B is Kara Meyer Hectorsdotir, Antonio… (omitted)… and that’s all.”
“?”
What? Where’d my name go?
I wasn’t in A team, let alone B team. For a moment, I thought I must’ve misheard.
But far from being a misunderstanding, Kara raised her hand and expressed her doubt.
“Professor? You didn’t mention Sivar’s name.”
“I was just about to address that.”
Malboro gave me a peculiar glance. He looked as if the situation was complicated.
He then took a long breath and quietly spoke.
“Sivar will not participate as a student. Instead…”
The thought that popped up upon hearing that was singular.
“He will participate as a siege weapon or as a mercenary.”
So, balancing things out was indeed quite a challenge.