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◈ Surviving in the Magic Academy

Chapter 186

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186.

There was only one assignment I had given the students. Somehow, they had to persuade a treasure and receive permission to use its power. Over the past two months, until that assignment ended, many things happened.

Still, by the end, no accidents occurred that were serious enough to turn the tower upside down. It was probably because the other treasures came to their senses a little after watching other treasures get dragged off to prison.

The students and treasures slowly reached agreements as they compared each other's desires. In that process, two months passed quickly. And with that, the lecture ended as well.

I quietly headed out. It was now a short while after the lecture had ended. The surroundings were filled with the noise of people bustling around. When I glanced over, I saw a few people packing their things.

They were preparing to leave the tower now. In that sense, this could be called the process of tidying up the tower after the lecture had concluded. Most of them were scheduled to leave today.

I saw the person I was aiming for in the distance. It was Luciella, the woman located at the edge of the third floor where so many rooms were placed. I approached her and slowly bowed my head. When she saw me, she smiled faintly.

The lecture being over also meant that the successful and unsuccessful applicants had been divided. I took out a piece of paper from my chest and held it out to Luciella. The magical power contained within it was extremely intense.

"Good to see you, Miss Luciella. Please accept this."

Luciella accepted the paper with a smile. Then she quietly stroked the paper. A satisfied smile appeared on her face.

"I was wondering when you would come. Thank you."

"Not at all. If anything, I can only apologize for being late."

What I had handed Luciella was an acceptance certificate. Ever since this lecture first began, she had continued to hold second place. Other than Cassian, she was practically the best.

Thinking about it, I had not interacted that much with the students in the tower during this lecture. It was probably because I had paid more attention to the treasures. After all, the ones causing trouble were the treasures.

Even so, there were a few students who stood out among them. This Luciella was one such case. It was not simply because she was a member of a great family. Facing that confident expression of hers, I shook my head.

She had sufficient skill, so of course she deserved to receive an acceptance certificate. That was why I was personally delivering it like this. Though, as I had just apologized, it had become a little late.

Originally, I had planned to hand out the acceptance certificates when the assignment ended. But then something came up, and only now, when they were about to leave, had I barely managed to make the time. I glanced to the side.

There, Cassian, who had followed me, was looking at Luciella while smacking her lips. Luciella narrowed her eyes as she glanced at Cassian. Then, as if ignoring that gaze, she met my eyes.

"This lecture was satisfying. The same goes for you, Mr. Evron. I hope we can meet again next time. ...More than that, it is a little disappointing. That I will not be able to see your previous appearance, I mean."

Cassian, who was beside me, nodded with a gloomy face. Then I felt a hand quietly linking arms with me. It was a very familiar touch. The only one who would approach me like this was Mira.

With her arm linked with mine, Mira looked me up and down. Then she shook her head with a slightly regretful expression.

"Exactly. I find it disappointing too."

At those words, I let out a bitter smile and lightly clenched my hand. Then I felt strong power. It was a sense of control that I had not felt before in the immature body of a child.

After the lecture ended, my body had also returned to normal. Since my promise with Mira had ended, there was no longer any reason to take the form of a child.

And once I returned, I could feel that the gazes looking at me had also changed. When I was a child, I could feel clear goodwill, but now, as Luciella said, I could only feel a somewhat cool air from them.

In that sense, the past two months had also become a period for studying their attitudes. And I had managed to understand the reason for it a little. The form of a child might be the most optimal vessel capable of containing me.

The immaturity of a child could be called a symbol that meant incompletion. That was why young children often became objects of many rituals. There was that much more lack to fill in them.

I quietly placed a hand on my chest. Then I felt the soul fragments flowing beyond it. In that sense, the form of a child also contained the structure of my imperfect soul within that body.

Because it was immature, it instead revealed the qualities of my soul clearly. I glanced down at Mira, who was leaning against me. In that sense, their goodwill toward my childlike appearance could be called a kind of pity.

It was almost like an instinct that rose from a soul facing something incomplete. It was clear that such an instinct appeared in the form of goodwill.

That could be called quite an interesting characteristic. It also had enough potential to research in the future. So I needed to think about this a little more.

Also, I knew one person who had a similar quality. Hao, that is. The scent coming from them might have a structure similar to this.

Of course, it was not something to research right now. I saw Cassian approaching Luciella. Her eyes were sparkling as she fiddled with her scabbard.

"Miss Luciella, let us fight one last time. If you leave like this, we may never see each other again."

A deep sense of regret could be felt from Cassian. Luciella looked fed up as she gazed at Cassian. She shook her head as she was.

"How barbaric. Are you only thinking about crossing swords until the very end? Calm down a little. I am busy, so please look for someone else. Mm... Choose that person."

Luciella quietly gestured downward with her chin. Following that motion, I turned my gaze downward.

The place we were on was the third floor, and all the rooms were arranged in a terraced structure. Since those with higher rankings could be seated higher up, the others were visible at a glance.

The direction Luciella pointed to was roughly where the upper ranks were located. Hao was there, packing up. Perhaps noticing the gazes gathering on them, Hao looked at us.

I felt Hari seeping in beside Hao. Hari lightly shook the ring of magical power engraved on Hao's body and urged them to move. Then Hao began packing again.

A clear will could be felt from Luciella as she narrowed her eyes. It meant that she did not want to be bothered anymore. At that, Cassian looked dejected.

I understood Luciella's attitude as well. She was already sick of fighting. Sparring had continued fiercely until the very end of the lecture.

Those in the passing range could not refuse a duel request without a valid reason. Because of that, Luciella, who was ranked second, had received many challenges.

Of course, Luciella had never been in danger. When facing others, she would show an overwhelming difference in skill. I was impressed every time I saw the magical power rippling from her like flames.

Perhaps because of that, she received Cassian's interest like this. Cassian said there was a lot to learn the more they sparred. Through those many sparring matches with Cassian, she suffered countless defeats.

And through that hardship, the rankings had already been decided. That acceptance certificate could be called proof of it. So from Luciella's perspective, it was obvious that she no longer wanted to bother fighting.

Luciella's face as she looked at Cassian was blunt, yet also somewhat soft. She took out a piece of paper from her chest and let magical power flow into her fingertip. It seeped straight into the paper and emitted a clear light.

"Well, I do think it was fun. It was helpful too. This is my contact information, so please accept it. I suppose there will come a day when we meet again."

Luciella sent it flying to Cassian. Cassian looked bewildered as she accepted it. The magical power contained in that paper was drawing a few letters.

Luciella took out another piece of paper and handed it to me as well. I carefully accepted it, and warm magical power was transmitted to me. This could be called a kind of business card. I slowly read the letters written on it and nodded.

"The Aether Development Group. It seems you have been confirmed. Congratulations once again."

Luciella gave a small laugh and waved her hand. Then she slightly bowed her head to me.

"I suppose I should say it is thanks to you, Mr. storehouse keeper. Without the power of this treasure, it would have been difficult for me to enter so soon."

She placed magical power at her fingertips and lightly scattered it. I glanced at the strongly rippling magical power. Within that magical power, I seemed to feel a familiar sense of power. It originated from a treasure.

To think she had become familiar enough with it to melt it into her magical power like that. That meant she had handled the treasure's power that deliberately.

The powers she had received numbered around ten. Of course, there had been far more treasures that said they would give her their power. Even if she was not as good as Cassian, she was still someone overflowing with talent.

But Luciella did not accept all of them. It was a different attitude from the others, who accepted powers indiscriminately. She chose only those that could suit her and constructed the optimal combination.

It could be called the exact opposite choice from Hao's. Using the power of the treasures she had obtained as a foundation, she entered the Aether Development Group.

I glanced at Cassian. Cassian was still looking at Luciella with yearning eyes. It was probably because there was no opponent quite like her. Like Cassian, Luciella had also taken the fourth floor evaluation.

Since she had come to our tower already at a transitional stage, it was only natural for her to take the fourth floor evaluation. And she, too, had failed to ascend to the fourth floor.

Still, perhaps it was fortunate that I heard she received a recruitment offer there. I quietly stroked my chin. That must have been an entrance that had been planned. After all, she was a member of a great family.

The Aether Development Group was also an organization that ruled an entire city. So, just as Hwaryeong had done, she must have entered the organization when the proper time came.

However, even if the power of the family behind her had acted in that way, the mere fact that she belonged there could be called impressive. Had Hwaryeong not explained it before? That there were restrictions on members of great families entering organizations.

So I needed to keep this carefully. Who knew when we might meet again one day? I quietly smiled and put the business card into my chest.

"No."

Luciella spoke strongly to Cassian again. At that, Cassian looked dispirited and hugged the bear puppet. The bear puppet patted Cassian's back and slowly moved toward Hao.

The bear puppet grabbed Hao by the nape and began dragging them away. As Luciella had said, it seemed Cassian intended to make Hao their sparring opponent. Hao might be weak in strength, but they had plenty of toughness.

Hao was flustered, but could not resist the bear puppet's strength. Hari also seemed interested, and I felt her follow after them with sparkling eyes. Luciella watched Hao like that before opening her mouth.

"Is that person going to remain in the tower?"

"Yes. It is the Professor's punishment."

How Hao had ended up tied to the tower had already been announced after the Blood Axe incident. That announcement had also been made to make the treasures and students restrain themselves. Of course, it had not been very effective.

"From that person's perspective, staying here might actually be better. The way they accumulate magical power was very strange. Well, I also think you may have deliberately caught them for that reason."

Luciella narrowed her eyes and looked at me. At that, I had no choice but to shrug.

"Surely I would not have done that."

"Hmm. What a shame. If they had not been bound here, I was going to take them with me. They have research value."

I looked at Hao as they moved farther away. I knew why Luciella was aiming for that. Hao's peculiarity was something anyone could feel.

Hao was ranked around thirtieth. That was why they had not passed either. But aside from a few treasures, the powers were not taken back. They had succeeded in persuading every treasure except for the ones sleeping in prison.

It could be called a case completely different from the others. On top of that, they had caused a few accidents during the lecture as well. So it was only natural for interest to go to them.

The dense scent directed toward inhuman beings that originated from Hao was endlessly fascinating. Until now, I had not been able to grasp a clue, but now I felt like I understood a little. So of course I could not hand Hao over.

I smiled as I looked at Luciella. There was nothing I could do even if she was disappointed. That had already become my research subject. Was it not the case that the first person to pick up something that fell on the ground became its owner? I quietly bowed my head as I was.

"Then I will take my leave. I cannot interfere while you are clearing your place. I also have to distribute acceptance certificates to the others."

I shook the other acceptance certificates in my hand. Luciella stroked her chin, then nodded.

"Yes, then I will see you next time. Though I do not know when that will be."

Luciella lightly waved her hand. Leaving her behind, I headed to the next person. Since the seats were connected in order anyway, I only needed to go down right below.

Because of that, handing out the acceptance certificates did not take very long. After handing the acceptance certificate to the last student, I dusted off my hands. When I glanced at that student, I could see an overwhelmed expression.

It was only natural. Under normal circumstances, that student would not have been able to receive this acceptance certificate. That was an item prepared not for him, but for Cassian.

However, Cassian refused to accept it. She said that since she had already received an acceptance certificate in the previous lecture, a second one had no meaning. She smiled faintly and said she hoped the opportunity would go to someone else rather than her.

It truly was a swordsman-like mindset. In that sense, he was quite lucky. Since Cassian, who had been first place, gave up, the student in twenty-first place was able to pass.

Even so, this kind of luck could also be called a result he had won for himself. Holding the twenty-first place must have been his skill as well. Opportunities were given to those who worked hard.

After handing out all the acceptance certificates, I quietly watched the people packing their things. They would now leave the tower. The grace period after the lecture had also come to an end.

Now it was time for them to scatter, heading to other lectures and other cities. Just like the people after the previous lecture had done. In that flow of time, they would grow.

The magical power rippling from them proved that. That amplified magical power could be called proof that this lecture had helped them greatly.

I quietly smiled. Since they had achieved that kind of growth, their reviews would naturally be good. Quite a few of them had also obtained the powers of treasures.

Including those who did not pass, roughly fifty students had succeeded in resolving my assignment. They had won the hearts of treasures. I scratched my head lightly.

That was something even I had not expected. Treasures possessed desires, and their powers were the result of those desires piling up. So naturally, tearing power away from them was very difficult.

It was not for nothing that I had trapped treasures and ripped away their powers. The fact that the students had obtained power from such greedy treasures also meant that they had given them that much in return.

I had earned so many points merely by mediating the transactions between them that nothing more needed to be said. Of course, because they had paid such a high price, they could not take many powers with them.

At most, it was only one or two. Even so, the students were satisfied with just that. If they raised them well, they would be able to use them more usefully than what they had paid.

Like that, as time flowed, the students began leaving their seats one by one. I went down to the first floor and saw off those leaving, quietly bowing my head. Then I wished for them to grow further.

I owed them at least a little. Besides, the further they advanced, the higher the evaluation of the lecture would rise. So it was natural for me to pray like this.

As I saw off those leaving, the number of people coming out soon began to decrease. And in the end, except for those who could stay in the tower, everyone had vacated their seats.

I entered the first floor and looked around. I spotted the bizarre puppets No. 0 had brought over. It was also an area the students avoided that much.

As if proving everyone had left, the first floor was filled only with silence. At that, I quietly stretched. I felt something that could be called a small sense of accomplishment, a kind of pride, soaking into my chest.

At that moment, I felt someone approaching me. I heard Mira, who had been linking arms with me, click her tongue lightly. There was only one person she would react to like this.

[Master, all the preparations are finished, so I think you can move whenever you wish to depart. I handled everything as you requested.]

I felt soft letters rise before me. The will contained inside them seeped into me. They were words left by Isabella.

She stood in front of me, slightly bowed her head, and gave a faint smile. At that, I nodded lightly. To think she had already finished the preparations. Her work was truly excellent.

To think she had prepared everything like this when I had not said anything. It had definitely become very comfortable after Isabella appeared. Even things that originally would have been possible only if I ran around myself were finished by her hand.

I had not known that having one capable person would make things this convenient. I quietly closed my eyes and thought of Ugo for a moment. According to the last news I heard from those who had chased him, he had hidden in his own city.

Inwardly, I sent him my thanks. If not for him, someone like Isabella would never have been bound to me. It would not do to fail to thank someone who had given so generously.

And there was one more person I had to thank. I was planning to go find that person now, too.

"Then let us move right away. We do not have much time left, after all."

I smiled at Isabella. At that, she looked back at me and smiled with her eyes. Mira saw that and clicked her tongue again. When I glanced over, I saw Mira narrowing her eyes.

At that, I gave a small bitter smile. Although the relationship between the two had improved somewhat during this time, a little friction still remained like this. Still, it was fortunate that they were not raising magical power like before.

They would get along better from now on. Isabella met Mira's eyes, smiled lightly, and stepped backward. Then she placed magical power into the air and drew letters again.

[Then I will be waiting outside, so please contact me when you come out.]

Isabella headed outside the tower as she was. In her arms, she was holding the turtle. It let out a bleat, and I felt the creature give a sly smile.

"Then let us prepare quickly as well. This will be the last time."

I said that while looking down at Mira. At that, Mira hugged my arm even more strongly and laughed.

"Hmm, I wonder what sort of evaluation you will receive, Mr. Evron. I am very curious."

At those words, I lightly shrugged. What sort of evaluation I would receive was something I could not know. It was an area even I could not grasp.

I quietly looked out the window. Then I saw Isabella preparing to leave. Beside her was No. 0, looking extremely regretful.

I understood that one's regret well enough. Just as the lecture in our tower had ended, Professor On's lecture had also reached its final stage. We were planning to head to Professor On's tower to attend that final lecture.

I quietly laughed with my hand placed over my chest. With this lecture as the last, the results of who would pass would come out. And I could say with confidence that I had worked hard enough to obtain that fruit.

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