Chapter 25

(4)

8.

The auditorium of Arsen Academy.

Today, it’s the venue for the New Student Entrance Ceremony. The first floor is seating for the students, while the professors occupy the second floor, where they have a clear view of the auditorium.

However, there was something peculiar about the seating arrangement. The professors were divided into two groups, but it wasn’t based on their department or age.

No, the criteria were much clearer.

It was all about nationality.

Professors from the Rubens Empire.

And professors who weren’t from the Empire.

As if to prove that relations between their countries were tense, the two groups of professors refused to even glance at each other.

They simply stuck to small talk with their respective groups. That was when their gazes gradually shifted down to the first floor.

The new students had arrived.

Among them, one individual caught the attention of the Empire’s professors.

“Oh, that young man is…”

“The eldest son of Deorg, as I’ve heard.”

With light brown hair and green eyes, he was a tall young man striding along with a stoic expression. The professors exchanged various comments as they watched him.

“Isn’t that Himel Deorg?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“He apparently entered with the fourth highest score on this exam. Especially impressive in swordsmanship and the Great Duel, they say.”

The Deorg family had a long and illustrious history of raising renowned knights.

Moreover, Himel was particularly noted as a genius in swordsmanship. It was only natural that the professors’ interest was piqued.

Meanwhile, the opposing group’s professors ignored Himel completely. Instead, they had their eyes fixed on a petite silver-haired girl.

Delia Arpen.

A genius mage, proudly representing the Duchy.

“Is that the famous hope of the Duchy?”

“She looks much younger than expected…”

“Eh, who cares about age?”

“What matters is that her magic skills are top-notch.”

Various conversations flew around, and the professors’ eyes sparkled with curiosity and expectation.

The Empire and the Kingdom Alliance.

As the two promising talents entered, the professors resumed their petty chatter. That is, until Ulan made his entrance.

“…”

Suddenly, the auditorium fell silent.

Both students and professors were momentarily glued to Ulan. No matter how hard they tried to look away, his presence was too striking.

Standing nearly 2 meters tall.

A muscular upper body on display.

And even holding an axe.

Huh? Wait a second. An axe?

“You can’t bring weapons inside!”

“Weapon possession is prohibited during the entrance ceremony!”

The guards quickly blocked Ulan’s path as they grasped the situation. Fortunately, Ulan didn’t resist and set his axe down in an appropriate corner.

As they watched him stride confidently forward, the professors wore expressions of disbelief.

“Ha! To think I’d live to see a barbarian wandering around the academy.”

“I saw them brought in as test subjects about forty years ago, but this is my first time actually seeing one as a student.”

“For such a barbarian to be the top student… there’s definitely something wrong! Unless he cheated, that is.”

Condescension, disregard, and mockery.

The professors looked at Ulan with icy glares. It was a rare moment of consensus between the two factions.

Of course, there were some who thought differently.

“Tsk, this is why old farts are useless.”

“Exactly. Stuck in their prejudices, they can’t even recognize real talent.”

Edith and Stella from the Military Department.

The two professors who had seen Ulan’s true potential clucked their tongues. To them, Ulan was a far more impressive talent than Deorg’s swordsmanship genius.

A moment later, the entrance ceremony began.

As the acting president delivered a formal welcome address, Edith stifled a yawn. Then, as if something caught his attention, he glanced down at the first floor.

Young men sporting blue armbands whispered to each other, their faces twisted into slimy grins; they looked like they were plotting something.

“Hey, what are you looking at?”

“The Student Council folks.”

After responding in a bored tone, Edith squinted.

“Looks like they’re planning something again.”

“Huh? Planning something? What do you mean?”

“Trust me, you’ll know when you see it.”

As his answer finished,

Stella’s expression subtly changed.

“…Now that you mention it, I’m feeling a bit uneasy. Shouldn’t we intervene?”

“No need. Arsen’s policy is to avoid interfering in student matters as much as possible.”

Unless it escalates to something bloody, they leave the students to handle their own affairs. That’s the Arsen way.

“Besides, if it’s that guy, he should be fine.”

He had a feeling.

Edith smiled.

A smile tinged with peculiar expectation.

9.

“Congratulations on your admission to Arsen Academy once again. From now on, you are expected to uphold the character and behavior befitting an Arsen student…”

As the acting president droned on with the welcome speech, the students stifled yawns. Even the new students weren’t exempt; boring was boring.

Meanwhile, Noa held it together relatively well.

She had to.

Today’s entrance ceremony was an important event for her and a new turning point in her life.

While she anxiously watched the stage,

“Hah!”

A loud yawn resounded.

It was her first time witnessing such open yawning, causing Noa to reflexively turn her gaze.

And her eyes widened.

She recognized the familiar face.

‘The Sword Princess, Ivella Elea’ad.’

Ignoring the torrent of gazes, she yawned again. There was someone else similar to her, and even more so.

While Ivella at least paid attention to the speech, the silver-haired girl next to her had completely drooped her head and was dozing off.

‘The Witch of Stars, Delia Arpen.’

Both were prominent members of the hero party.

They would eventually become Ulan’s companions.

‘I want to befriend them, unlike the others… but how…?’

Maybe I should dye my hair first?

Sighing as she adjusted her black hair, Noa waited through the dull moments until the time she had been anticipating finally arrived.

“Now, we will begin the congratulatory speech from the Student Council for the new students.”

The Student Council’s speech.

This is where the event kicks off.

Shaking off her drowsiness, she brightened her eyes as she gazed at the stage.

Moments later, Noa’s expression narrowed.

‘This is totally different from the script.’

The content was entirely unlike the congratulatory speech Ulan had received. But there was no need to worry; she had anticipated this and had prepared a response that would suit anyone’s ears.

“…This concludes the congratulatory speech. Once again, welcome to Arsen!”

After the Student Council’s speech ended,

Applause erupted, almost as if on cue.

“Next, the representative of the new students will respond to the Student Council’s congratulatory remarks. We would appreciate your attention.”

Finally, it was Ulan’s turn.

As he stepped forward from behind the stage, suddenly, the surroundings became overwhelmingly noisy.

Students were loudly chatting away.

Among them, the third-year students were particularly rowdy. They were likely those who had been influenced by the Student Council or were already on the same side.

‘This is just like what I saw in the strategy guide.’

The Student Council’s interference had multiple patterns.

One included deliberately breaking the overall atmosphere as they were doing now. Or they might even sabotage the Voice Amplification Device.

Regardless, there was no need to worry.

‘It’s alright. My script is perfect.’

All he had to do was read it properly.

Then he could wrap up the entrance ceremony smoothly, and perhaps even catch the eye of the next Student Council president.

But in that moment, an unexpected event occurred.

Whoosh!

A burst of flames suddenly erupted from the podium.

The scorching flames engulfed the podium in an instant.

So far, everything seemed fine.

Ulan was beside the podium, but he wasn’t caught in the flames. The problem was that the script was sitting on the podium.

‘My script…!’

The script instantly engulfed in flames.

At that moment, water poured down from the air, dousing the podium. Someone must have cast a water-based spell due to the sudden fire.

Fortunately, the flames were quashed quickly, and no one was hurt.

The auditorium was abuzz with the unexpected situation.

Moments later, the presenter bowed to apologize to the students and professors.

“We apologize. It seems there was a small incident. However, determining that it wasn’t serious, we will proceed with the entrance ceremony as planned.”

What do you mean, not serious!

My script’s completely burned up!

He felt like shouting that out.

‘Ugh, how could this happen…’

A fire breaking out on the podium wasn’t a pattern from the guide. While there had been strategies for sneaking scripts out, this was not one of them.

Noa’s expression turned sour.

It wasn’t just the unexpected variable ruining her plans; it was also the sheer waste of the script she had spent an entire day crafting.

‘I struggled so hard to write that!’

If she ever finds out who did this, she’d cast a curse on them!

Grinding her teeth in frustration, she knew the issues weren’t over yet.

“What’s going on? Why isn’t he moving?”

“Right? It feels like quite some time has passed.”

Even when the presenter mentioned resuming the entrance ceremony, Ulan merely stood frozen. At that moment, the third-years smirked.

“Is he frozen because he doesn’t have a script?”

“Haha, that makes sense.”

“With a barbarian’s head, remembering would be tough.”

“Honestly, I’m more surprised that a barbarian can read at all.”

A loud laugh echoed across the auditorium.

Noa frowned.

“…That’s really childish.”

This was definitely one of the Student Council’s interfering tactics to sabotage the ‘Voice Amplification Device’.

No, this wasn’t the time to analyze the problem.

She had to find a way to assist Ulan. Just as she was racking her brain,

*Thud!*

Ulan finally moved.

Towards the center of the stage.

10.

After the Student Council’s speech ended,

Ulan walked to the stage.

Instantly, countless gazes poured onto him. While it was natural to feel a bit daunted, his expression remained unchanged.

As he approached the podium,

Someone suddenly jumped out.

“Hi there! Fancy seeing you again.”

It was a voice she’d heard before.

An equally familiar face appeared—none other than Mond, a member of the Student Council.

“I figured this would be your first time in a situation like this, so I came out to help.”

With a characteristic friendly smile, he approached Ulan. His eyes, however, showed no hint of humor.

“First off, just place the script on the podium. The crystal orb here will amplify your voice, so you can speak normally without worry.”

He followed the instructions, thinking surely no one would pull any tricks with so many eyes on them.

But that assumption swallowed Ulan whole.

Whoosh!

Specifically, the podium and script.

“What?! What’s going on?!”

“Step back! I’m transforming!”

Panic gripped the presenter as Mond hastily stepped in. He struck the air with his staff studded with transparent gems, and cool water soon enveloped the podium.

Splash!

The flames were extinguished in an instant.

However, in the process, the script became completely unusable. Ulan, standing nearby, looked as if he had just drowned.

Just after the situation calmed down somewhat,

Mond wore a serious expression.

“Who on earth would do such a thing…?”

Yet despite his grave demeanor, his mouth couldn’t stop twitching.

He couldn’t help but find amusement in the whole situation.

After all, the one who had done this was none other than Mond himself.

‘Damn barbarian.’

The reason behind such mischief was simple.

A barbarian who should be grazing in the Empire’s outskirts dared to show up in a situation like this without knowing his place.

‘If you’re going to show off, at least know your limits.’

The title of top student had to be rigged, there was no other explanation. Mond twisted his mouth into a cold, derisive snarl.

‘Let’s see you humiliate yourself.’

He had plenty more prepared for him.

As he silently cackled,

Ulan’s brows twitched.

An unpleasant emotion flickered in his eyes. There was only one reason for this.

Mond.

Moments after the podium caught fire,

As Mond reached for his staff to quell the flames, he had emitted a whiff of burning.

Which meant he was the one who set the script ablaze. It was a direct insult to Ulan. He glared at Mond with icy eyes.

‘Should I smash his head?’

If Ulan hadn’t reincarnated and was still the seventeen-year-old Ulan, he would have surely smashed Mond’s head without hesitation. Not having an axe didn’t mean he couldn’t.

‘But…’

That wouldn’t do.

That would only lead to troubles.

Ulan swallowed his anger and found his calm.

He could always take revenge later.

“We apologize for the slight incident. However, it hasn’t been deemed serious, thus, we will proceed with the entrance ceremony as planned.”

With the apology made, the entrance continued uninterrupted.

But then a new problem arose.

“Wait, this is strange. It worked well in the morning.”

The Voice Amplification Device was malfunctioning.

Mond mumbled with a troubled look.

“What now? If I go fetch another one, it might take quite a while…”

Of course, he didn’t mean it at all.

Regardless of the student’s reactions, the mayhem surrounding this chaotic situation should lose its chill.

The silent laughter in his heart echoed.

Yet, Ulan’s response was anything but what he expected.

“I’m fine with that.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t need it.”

After answering, Ulan stared into the auditorium.

Despite the chaos around them, it was quite noisy and disorderly. The professors showed no intention of stepping in.

That’s when a familiar face caught his eye.

Ivella was watching with a worried expression.

Delia, looking half-asleep.

And then there was Noa, grinning sinisterly as if she had found her target for a curse.

Amidst the ruckus, only those three were focused on Ulan. In response, Ulan began to recite the first line from the script Noa had given him.

“Greetings.”

A weak voice slipped out.

The reason was obvious. He was awkward.

Noa might be offended, but the script was extremely formal.

In other words, it lacked sincerity.

Ulan recalled the moment he first set out for a hunt in his past life. His father had given a rallying speech to boost the morale of the warriors, saying this:

‘To move the hearts of your listeners, you must shout with sincerity.’

So this wouldn’t do.

After coming to that conclusion, Ulan stepped forward. He was here to move hearts.

“Huh? Wait a moment.”

“That’s not the presentation area…”

As the presenter and Mond reached out,

Ulan had already reached the center of the stage. He inhaled deeply and raised his foot slowly.

Then, with all his might, he stomped down.

Crash! Boom!

A thunderous sound emanated as the stage collapsed.

And in that moment,

The auditorium hushed like it was splashed with cold water.

The previously boisterous students and disinterested professors alike had their focus on the stage where Ulan stood.

“Now, they’re looking this way.”

Meeting the gazes of everyone,

Ulan grinned smugly.

All preparations were finally complete.

He activated the Spirit. It quickly circled throughout his body, moving up to his throat and beginning to condense.

This was a technique he had crafted in his past life.

Named ‘Warrior’s Roar.’

‘After stabilizing the highly condensed Spirit at the throat, amplify the volume to its fullest.’

If infused with killing intent, it becomes a roar that intimidates enemies, but if infused with Spirit, it can restore allies’ magic power or encourage them.

And in this moment,

Ulan’s intent was singular.

To convey his heartfelt sincerity.

Next, a mighty voice.

Taking a deep breath,

Ulan poured his emotions into a mighty roar.

“Nice to meet you────!”

As the resounding shout echoed through the auditorium,

WUUUUUUM! KA-BOOM!

An invisible shockwave swept across the auditorium.

It was an insane force, enough to shake the auditorium. As Ulan’s greeting crashed over the room like a wave, screams erupted from all around.

“Aaaah! My ears…!”

“Wha, what is happening?”

“Suddenly, I can’t hear anything?”

What? They can’t hear me?

That’s not right. Ulan’s eyes lit up.

To shout louder,

“I AAAAAAM—! A PRAIRIE WARRIOR—! ULAAAAAN—! OF BATOR—!”

The succession of Warrior’s Roars shattered the once noisy and chaotic atmosphere in the auditorium. However, that wasn’t the only thing to break.

Crash! Clang!

One by one, the windows shattered.

It wasn’t just because Ulan’s voice was loud; the real reason was the Spirit.

“This time—! I am the REPRESENTATIVE—! OF THE NEW STUDENTS—!”

It wasn’t just the windows that broke.

Students sitting close to the stage and professors exposed on the second floor were likewise hit. The proof was the blood running from their ears.

“Kyaaaah!”

“Professor, pull yourself together! Professor!”

“Quick! Get a stretcher!”

“No, let’s drag that guy off first!”

Had they finally realized how serious things were?

The guards rushed over hastily.

Yet they couldn’t stop Ulan. He was too absorbed in his greeting, veins popping in his neck as he kept shouting.

“Friends────!”

A resounding shout resonated.

The auditorium had become utter chaos. Students covering their ears and struggling mingled with those who had completely fainted.

But the biggest victim was someone else.

Right next to Ulan.

It was Mond.

“Grahhh! Kyaaaah!”

Mond, bloodied and reeling from his ears, rolled around on the stage. Ever since Ulan’s initial greeting, he hadn’t heard a single sound since.

Not just that.

His head was swimming, and blood poured from his nose.

Had he felt death closing in?

Mond gripped his staff with shaky hands, ready to cast a protective spell.

But a problem arose.

‘What spell do I need to block that?’

The answer was a silence spell, but Mond couldn’t easily deduce it.

“`

“It wasn’t there. Maybe because of the shock, my head wasn’t working properly.”

And at that moment, Ulan took a deep breath.

“······!?”

Something felt off, a bad premonition creeping in.

Mond’s eyes widened, and he waved his hands frantically, shouting,

“No, no······!”

For the love of all things good, just shut it!

I wanted to plead with him.

But his voice faded into oblivion, drowned out by Ulan’s battle cry.

“Let’s get along─!”

Ku-gu-gu-gu-gu!

The auditorium shook as if an earthquake had struck.

The few remaining windows that had managed to survive shattered into pieces. Naturally, Mond didn’t escape unscathed either.

“Gah! Gahhh!”

Mond lay on the floor, eyes rolled back, foaming at the mouth.

The auditorium was in ruins as if it had been bombed. Ulan lowered his head as he looked upon this destruction.

“That concludes the inspection.”

His tone was polite, like that of a gentleman, but no one seemed to care.

It clearly wasn’t the time for it.

Forty-eight eardrums burst, and if you included the fainted students and professors, the number likely exceeded one hundred.

This place was a complete mess.

As I gazed blankly at the scene,

“He’s shut up!”

“Grab him now!”

Ropes had ensnared his body.

On the day that would go down in the history books as the most unprecedented entrance ceremony,

Ulan was dragged off to the Student Council.

A moment later, Count Dermore was just about to sip his freshly brewed tea. But hearing the recent report, he lost all desire to drink.

“What? He failed?”

“Yes, that’s what I heard for sure.”

The housekeeper of the Count, Alond, replied with his head bowed. The Count, who had been silent, suddenly burst out laughing coldly.

“Ha, it seems I overestimated my brother-in-law. He can’t even handle something this simple.”

The request he made to Professor Dirck, the Count’s brother-in-law, wasn’t particularly challenging.

It was simply to give an F grade to a barbarian unworthy of the Arsen Academy and kick them out.

After all, Dirck was the exam supervisor.

If he wanted to, he could easily give an F. How could he not manage even that? The Count felt a laugh bubbling up at Dirck’s incompetence.

“Yet, it seems there’s a reason.”

“A reason? Right. What excuse did he have?”

By this point, his curiosity was piqued.

What kind of lame excuse could he possibly come up with, his eyes glinting with disdain. But the answer that followed from Alond tightened the Count’s expression.

“Diplyn Cernio got involved.”

“······What?”

His eyes widened.

A name he never expected popped up.

“That woman? Why?”

“I didn’t hear the detailed reasons.”

Alond bowed his head apologetically.

The Count closed his mouth, staring out the window.

Diplyn Cernio.

The head of the Magic Department at Arsen Academy.

It was well-known that she and Count Dermore had never gotten along. Most decent mid-level mages were aware of it.

As the Count sank deep in thought, Alond, in a cautious tone, asked,

“What should we do?”

“Just let it be. There’s no need to draw that crazy mage’s attention by taking out a troublesome barbarian.”

The Count frowned.

He didn’t want to get entangled with Diplyn just to eliminate one bothersome barbarian. It’d be better for him to ignore it.

“By the way, what happened to that girl, Noa?”

“She was confirmed to have passed.”

“I should write her a congratulatory letter.”

Noa Darshen.

She was a talented individual who would assist with the Count’s future plans. Thus, the Count decided to maintain a connection with her.

“What should I tell Baron Dirck?”

“As much as I want to kick him out right now······.”

However, if Diplyn was behind this mess, it was somewhat understandable. The Count clicked his tongue.

“Just send him back with a few gold coins. Tell him I’ll call him again soon.”

“Understood.”

The Count’s statement about seeing Dirck again wasn’t a mere formality.

Because soon enough, he would need his help. After Alond closed the door and left, the Count sat back down.

He took a sip of the now-cold tea.

Then, he pulled out a photograph from a drawer.

In it was a girl with golden hair and brown eyes, resembling the Count.

“······Yurpe.”

His gaze held a flicker of longing.

He gently caressed the girl’s face in the photo, no longer wearing his usual stern expression, but instead whispering softly with wistfulness.

“Soon, all preparations will be complete. Just a little longer, wait a bit more. Your father will find a way to save you.”

By any means necessary.

The Count’s eyes quietly burned with determination.

It was a look of unwavering resolve, cultivated over many long years, focusing solely on one goal.

2.

Noa had a dream.

A landscape from a world she longed for but felt uneasy about.

A desk defaced with shooting stars’ magic. Bags flipped over, accompanied by the smell of sour milk.

A memory from her middle school days.

The memory of the collective bullying she faced.

A terrible nightmare that had trapped her in her room for three long years.

When she realized this scene was a dream, Noa thrashed around with all her might.

Desperate to wake up from this nightmare.

A little while later,

Her closed eyes shot wide open.

What greeted her was an unfamiliar ceiling.

Thinking it resembled a hospital’s ceiling, Noa looked around.

‘Where am I?’

Curtains blocking her view and the pungent smell of disinfectant filled the air. She sensed a somewhat hectic atmosphere with hurried footsteps.

After a moment, she realized she was in a hospital room.

As memories began to surface,

‘That’s right. It definitely happened during the entrance ceremony······.’

The last sight she saw before losing consciousness.

It was Ulan crashing onto the stage, roaring with enthusiasm. Recalling the tumultuous uproar that shook the auditorium gave her a headache.

‘······It was horrible.’

The auditorium shaking as if it were about to collapse.

Students collapsing amidst the screams.

It was truly a scene close to utter chaos, making Noa tremble once more.

‘I was curious about how to deal with the Student Council’s antics, but I never expected them to escalate to this level.’

At this rate, it would have been better to suffer under the Student Council’s shenanigans instead.

The situation had spiraled completely out of control.

Noa sighed heavily.

‘For now, I should head to the classroom.’

Once the entrance ceremony is over, they begin assigning classes.

Since these would be the friends she would be with for a year, she thought it best to avoid attracting too much attention.

Of course, being recognized due to her black hair made that nearly impossible. Still, it was better than lying here while missing the class’s atmosphere.

With that, she tried to get out of bed.

No, she intended to.

But the blanket wouldn’t budge an inch. What the heck? Noa tilted her head. It wasn’t until she turned to the side that she understood why.

She wasn’t alone in the bed.

There was another person there.

Light blonde hair scattered messily around the pillow. It seemed the girl was clutching the blanket tightly.

“Excuse me, could you let go of the blanket?”

No response came.

She must still be asleep.

It can’t be helped. I’ll have to get out by myself.

Noa carefully pulled the blanket off.

In the process, she accidentally caught sight of the girl’s face and was taken aback.

“······! That’s, Gyeonghee?!”

She shouted without realizing it.

Covering her mouth reflexively, Noa blinked her wide-open eyes in shock. She couldn’t believe Gyeonghee was lying next to her.

As her racing heart settled down,

“Mmm.”

The future Gyeonghee, Ivella, stirred, as if roused by Noa’s loud voice.

After a moment, she opened her eyes, glancing around with a groggy expression.

“Huh? Why am I in bed······.”

As she mumbled with sleepy eyes,

Ivella and Noa’s gazes tangled mid-air.

“······.”

They fell into a moment of silence.

Ivella quickly turned her head with a startled expression. Then in the blink of an eye, she returned to her usual neutral face.

Seeing this scene triggered memories from Chronicles of Arsen Continent, specifically Ivella’s character story.

『Ivella Elea’ad’s school days were incredibly lonely. She never trusted or let her guard down with anyone, never having friends. Therefore, Ivella spent her school days wearing a mask of indifference. Although even that didn’t last over a year.』

Based on this, Ivella’s unemotional demeanor was probably a defensive mechanism.

By always maintaining a blank expression, it’d deter anyone from casually striking up a conversation. Yet suddenly, Ivella broke the silence and spoke.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you tell me what happened?”

“Huh? Oh, no. That is, um······.”

The unexpected situation flustered Noa.

But it was only a momentary surprise.

She quickly regained her composure to explain the events from the auditorium.

After a while, Ivella wore a dazed expression.

‘I guess it must be outrageous.’

It wasn’t something you would commonly faint over.

Meanwhile, Ivella bit her lip.

Then, she began to twitch at the corners of her mouth as if trying to stifle a laugh.

But in the end, she couldn’t hold it back.

“Puhuh! Ahahaha!”

Ivella burst into laughter.

She laughed so heartily that tears began to form in her eyes.

Noa was flabbergasted at this spectacle.

What was this? Was there something funny about what just happened? More importantly, was Gyeonghee really this kind of person who could laugh so much?

However, the greater surprise was yet to come.

“Really, he’s so manly.”

After wiping her teary eyes, Ivella murmured, as if she knew Ulan.

Noa’s astonishment was palpable.

And it was justified. As far as she knew, Ulan and Gyeonghee had never met.

More than anything, the first time they would meet wouldn’t be at the academy, but rather on a battlefield some 16 years later.

‘But······.’

Why did Ivella speak about Ulan as if they were acquainted? Had they perhaps met at the exam? Questions began to crop up.

Just then, the curtains blocking their view parted.

What emerged was a woman in a white gown with short hair. She spoke with a haggard face.

“You two, if you’ve woken up, it’s time to go back.”

Upon the third-party’s arrival, Ivella’s face returned to its usual reserved demeanor. After getting up from her seat, she slightly bowed her head.

“Excuse me.”

It was hard to believe that just moments ago she had been laughing heartily. Ivella’s tone was once again dry and formal. With that, she quickly vanished from sight.

However, Noa deliberately delayed her departure.

She had something to ask.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry to bother you.”

“Hmm? Oh, don’t worry too much. My eardrums are a bit damaged, but since I applied a potion, I should be fine soon.”

“No, that’s not it. Do you happen to know what happened to Ulan?”

“Ulan? Who’s that?”

What should she say to explain?

Noa pondered for a moment before speaking.

“The one who caused all this.”

“Ah, that terrorist?”

“Te, terrorist?”

She was bewildered but soon understood.

From the perspective of someone working in a hospital, it might look that way.

“He’s probably being examined in the Student Council room. I don’t know why he did it, but I’m sure they won’t let it slide. His admission could be canceled.”

Hearing the reply darkened Noa’s expression.

Canceled admission wasn’t acceptable.

She felt uneasy without Ulan.

With a worried look, she gazed out the window.

‘Please let nothing happen to Ulan.’

She clasped her hands and prayed fervently.

3.

Arsen Academy hosted several sub-organizations. The ‘Student Council,’ associated with the academic affairs office, was one such body.

The role of the Student Council was straightforward.

To take students who broke the rules or committed wrongdoings, and correct or guide them.

Currently, the lead of the Student Council was Philip Ernoc, a veteran among veterans who had been handling these matters for over twenty years.

He had seen all sorts of troublemakers, and most could be rectified with just his intervention.

However, this one was different.

‘Ulan Bator.’

A peculiar individual hailing from a remote barbarian tribe.

This already gave him a gut feeling.

This kid must have created quite the scene; Ulan’s series of misdeeds soon flooded Philip’s mind, making his expression twist in disbelief.

“During the entrance ceremony, over a hundred students and professors lost consciousness and shattered all the windows alongside part of the stage?”

What on Earth did he do?

Moreover, during an entrance ceremony, there were guards present. Why were they just watching as things escalated to this point?

A flurry of questions surged through his mind.

But just for a moment.

Philip soon regained his composure. After all, what he needed to do now was set out to discover Ulan’s motives for his actions.

“Never thought he’d pull something like this at the entrance ceremony. He’s got some guts.”

In a small, dimly lit room.

Only a single candle on the table banished the darkness of the room. The walls were painted a dull gray, and the entrance was sealed with a heavy iron door.

This was one of the most secluded rooms in the Student Council’s quarters, meant for investigating serious offenders.

“Why did you do such a thing? What was your aim?”

Philip fixed a glare on Ulan.

Currently, Ulan was bound tightly with thick ropes. His hands were tied behind his back, leaving only his legs and head free.

Upon the inquiry, Ulan opened his mouth.

“I merely gave a speech.”

“What? A speech?”

Philip’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Because of what you did, the auditorium is now under major renovation. Furthermore, over a hundred injured have been transferred to the hospital!”

What kind of speech could lead to such chaos? Philip slammed his hand down on the table.

“And that doesn’t spark any thought in you?”

He glared at Ulan, expecting some form of apology or at least a smidge of regret. However, the unexpected words that tumbled from Ulan’s mouth took him by surprise.

“They all seemed weak to me.”

“······What?”

“They need to train their bodies more.”

His audacity had no limits.

Philip’s face twisted in frustration. But he didn’t let his composure break just yet. Instead, he sighed and took a seat in the chair across from him, speaking.

“It seems like you don’t understand the situation. The council has reported this incident to higher-ups.”

He said this to apply some real-world pressure.

“Once the upper authorities issue a directive, you’ll not only get expelled, but an international trial will ensue according to the law. A potential ruin of your life.”

“······.”

“However, if you cooperate with our investigation, we might consider some leniency. So start by explaining why you acted this way.”

Having said that, he assumed Ulan understood by now.

What precarious position he was in and how he could possibly ease his sentence.

But little did Philip know.

Ulan was, in fact, an incredible blockhead.

‘International law? Leniency?’

He didn’t understand a single word.

Thus, he decided to change the subject.

“More importantly, when can I leave?”

“Leave? What do you mean?”

“Class assignments will start soon.”

“That’s no longer your issue!”

“Why isn’t it?”

“Aaaaaaaargh!”

Philip snapped.

What kind of individual was this?! Pretending not to understand, this was beyond reasonable!

He was overwhelmed with the desire to slam Ulan’s head against the wall. If it weren’t for the rule to not harm students, he would have done so immediately.

As they wasted time in the meantime,

Clank! Creak!

The iron door that had been tightly closed suddenly swung open.

Philip furrowed his brow.

“What’s going on? I clearly instructed not to open the door until the investigation is finished!”

Just as he finished speaking, Philip’s mouth closed immediately. It was because of the attire of the man who entered through the door.

A uniform reminiscent of military garb. A silver star emblem shone on his chest. Upon seeing it, Philip’s eyes trembled slightly.

‘······An inspector from the Military Department.’

The status of the man who appeared before him.

At Arsen, there were five deans in total.

Just beneath the principal, they held tremendous power. Each oversaw their respective direct organizations.

The man before him belonged to the inspection unit under the authority of Bergé, the dean of the Military Department, effectively the second most powerful figure in the academy.

With purposeful strides, the inspector looked at Ulan and asked,

“Ulan Bator, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“You’re free to go. Step outside.”

“What? Huh?!”

At those words, Philip was undeniably taken aback. It was unexpected for someone to waltz in and simply announce a release.

But the inspector remained resolute.

“The class assignments for the new students are currently underway, so please head to the Lion’s Chamber on the second floor and follow the instructions.”

“Wait! Who said you could decide······!”

“This is an order from above.”

Just as Philip was about to argue, the inspector abruptly shoved a piece of paper into his hands. Clearly embossed with a seal—the signature of the dean of the Military Department, Bergé.

Philip read the letter with tension in his eyes.

How long had it been?

His expression grew progressively more frozen.

A moment later, he bit down hard on his lip and said,

“······Untie him.”

“What? Bu-but······!”

“Untie him. That’s an order for immediate release.”

Observing the panicking guards, Philip reiterated his command. As a result, the formerly-bound Ulan shot to his feet.

“No need for that.”

With an abrupt reply.

The ropes that had been restraining him unraveled like threads.

No, did he just break them with sheer strength?

Everyone, including Philip, stared in disbelief as Ulan effortlessly tore apart the thick ropes as if they were made of silk.

“But where is the Lion’s Chamber?”

“It’s the large building next to the auditorium. You can find it easily; there’s a lion statue in front of the building.”

“And where is the auditorium?”

“······Follow me. I’ll guide you.”

With a sigh, the inspector turned to lead the way.

He must have thought Ulan would lose his way if left to roam freely. As Ulan left the room alongside the inspector,

the guards began to question one another.

“What did the letter say?”

“What could it possibly say for him to leave so easily······?”

“They say he’s a figure connected to the empire’s military.”

“······What?”

“That terrorist?”

Philip nodded silently.

And once more, he recalled the contents of the note that was attached to the directive.

『The actions of Ulan Bator during the entrance ceremony were deemed to lack malicious intent, hence no charges will be pursued. Furthermore, he has been designated as a ‘Level One Managed Individual’ by the empire’s military, and should any similar occurrences arise, he must be reported to the Military Department prior to any arrests.』

Level One Managed Individual.

It was extremely rare.

This status was reserved for individuals who the higher-ups in the military believed to possess significant importance.

Philip, having once worked within the empire’s military, knew this all too well.

‘I don’t know what the military’s objectives are or why that kid was designated as managed, but······’

Philip squinted.

“······This year, Arsen is going to be quite tumultuous.”

For various reasons.

He gazed quietly at the spot where Ulan had just vanished. Somehow, it felt likely that their paths would cross again soon.

Chapter 9. Source of Magic

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