Chapter 43 (1/2)
Chapter 43
The Dotun Mountains ran along the southern outskirts of the empire.
In the uphill road of its dense forest, Charlotte traveled with Maho.
“… Anyone can have mana, but its quality and amount accumulated vary from person to person. That’s why the ‘mana quality’ can theoretically be divided into ten different classes.
The princess from the royal palace had many things she was curious about. Fortunately, her knight happily answered her questions with sincerity.
“An average person’s mana falls under class 9 or 10. A little better than that, and they’d be in class 8. People belonging to class 7 and above can try to be a knight or a wizard. Those who fall within class 6 can become a Professor of Magic or even a Guardian Knight, depending on their background and personality.”
“Aha~ I see! Interesting~ How do you measure class, then? Can I also have the quality of my mana identified?”
They had been walking for two days and nights without a break. Maho’s unwavering vigor made Charlotte smile a little.
“There’s still no definite method to identify one’s class. It’s just a gut feeling among masters. That being said, it’s rare for people to reach class 5 and above due to their high requirements. In fact, those belonging to class 4 and 3 are already so powerful… most of them have important positions in the continent.”
“Woah. If class 4 and class 3 are that good, what about class 1?”
“I’m not even sure if anyone’s strong enough to belong to that class, but if there are, then they’re probably gods. As far as I know, class 2’s members are…”
Bercht’s Great Elder Dzekdan.
The empire’s Guardian Knight Gefrid.
The Great Wizard Demakan.
And the Imperial University Tower Chairman Adrienne.
“Those four are the only ones in class 2.”
“Wow… Even I know those people’s names. What about Professor Deculein?!”
“I’m not sure. That guy might be class 4 or 5.”
Deculein’s mana quality, in the beginning, was class 6, but now it had gone up to class 5, just as the knight said.
“Anyway, hang in there a little longer.”
“Don’t worry!” The princess diligently followed the rugged mountain path.
Charlotte was worried since she was small and beautiful, like a doll, but her perseverance made her wonder if she secretly underwent extreme workouts.
Nevertheless, she smiled proudly.
“We’re almost at our first destination.”
“Got it. You hang in there too, Charlotte!”
The two moved forward without problems. However, compared to them, their subordinates, Ron and Gedo, looked somewhat unreliable.
Ron whispered low enough to make sure the princess wouldn’t hear their conversation.
“Captain. Trusting Deculein and choosing Crebas is a bit…”
“It’s already been decided, and we can’t back out from this now. Even if we could, our enemies clearly didn’t even consider we’d take a route as dangerous as this. We haven’t been attacked even once on our way here, have we?”
“That’s true, but…” Ron bit his lips tightly.
Whiiiiing—!
A dagger flew in from an unknown direction. Charlotte immediately hugged the princess and released strong energy.
Ron and Gedo pulled out their swords swiftly.
“Captain! Go ahead! We’ll follow you!”
“We’ll handle this!”
Daggers thundered quickly from seemingly random places, but several arrows flooded in from the mountaintop and intercepted them.
It was the support of the adventurers they hired using their entire fortune. They escorted the Princess from a long distance.
“I trust you! Come back alive! That’s an order!”
“Got it!”
Leaving their back to them, Charlotte sprinted with Miho.
*****
Hadekain, a city where affluent minds and colorful cultures coexisted.
With its mild climate all year round, the Yukline capital was known for being an entertainment spot and a food hub. Recently, the Magic Department had chosen it as the location of the debutantes’ MT.
“Why in the world did they make the station so complicated…”
They were to go there by train, but Epherene wandered from the station.
She had only ever been on a train once, which was during her one-way trip from Juhalle to Iliade.
“Ifi, here!”
“… Whew. I almost got lost.”
Fortunately, her fellow club members managed to find her. They got on the train together.
Everyone riding it was robed, almost as if they rented the entirety of it.
“Wow, we’re all really going to Hadekain on an MT.”
“I know. I was going to go there for vacation.”
Julia and the others looked very excited. Epherene, who wasn’t a native of the continent, couldn’t relate to them.
“You all seem to like Hadekain that much.”
“Naturally. You’ve never been there, have you, Ifi? Not only the tower but almost every department of the university requested for it yearly, but the thesis arsonist kept rejecting them.”
She referred to Deculein, who gained many other nicknames like burning executor, fiery wraith, and many more. Due to Drent’s thesis defense incident, he gained many horrifying titles, ultimately turning him into a symbol of terror for the wizards at the tower even though the student involved in it had been going around, saying he was actually rather grateful to the Head Professor.
“Why?”
“I don’t know much about that, but there are lots to do in Hadekain. It’s really amazing.”
“… Oh. So that’s why the others were saying they were going to go shopping and try out new things.”
“That’s not all. That city’s filled with good-looking men and women as well.”
Well, nobody at the tower could compete against Deculein in terms of appearance. The same went for the entire university, the only exception being from Lawayne of the Knight Department.
Epherene asked. “Is Professor Deculein coming with us, then?”
“Yeah. I thought he wasn’t, but that thesis arsonist is apparently on this train too.”
Deculein sat in the VIP carriage with professors from each department.
Relin from the Assistive Studies Department, Letran from the Spirit Department, Ciare from the Destruction Department, Kamel from the Medical Department, etc.
Normally, this many professors didn’t attend a debutante MT, but its location made them come.
They all avoided Deculein’s eyes.
“Everyone.”
Deculein, who had been silent, finally spoke. The professors listened carefully. “I heard you attended Madoho the other day.”
“……”
Silence permeated the carriage.
“Are you not going to answer?”
“Oh, yes. Hahahaha… We did. But, well, it was uneventful.”
“I doubt it.”
Relin waved it off with his hands and shook his head while the other professors just smiled at him.
“It is. Only the discussion about Head Professor Deculein’s mindblowing midterm exam was noteworthy.”
“… Haha. That’s right.”
“Right, right.”
Relin, Letran, and Ciare took turns answering.
Despite their flattery, however, Deculein was as brutal as ever. “You can just laugh now and move on, huh.”
His tone was as dreary as the winter wind that stung one’s skin. “The day you’ll be able to choose between us will come.”
Louina was softer compared to Deculein and also had excellent skills.
Her family and her supporters could also blend in, but not as much as the Yukline.
Therefore, the professors naturally preferred Louina, but…
“… But the truth is, I find it hilarious you think you even have a choice.”
Deculein looked at the other professors. His sharp gaze alone already stabbed several professors to death.
“Let me be clear. You guys won’t even be given the opportunity to choose.”
His words proved the most terrifying for the professors, who felt like they were endlessly getting smaller.
Choo choo—
The train departed. Deculein, who stunned and shocked the other professors, read a book in silence.
*****
Hadekain was breathtaking.
It wasn’t hot even in the summer, and its wind’s scent was therapeutic.
Its streets were full of life, and there were people who busily came and went with smiles on their faces.
It was certainly a city that offered a high-quality lifestyle.
The specific location of the MT was the luxury hotel [Hadekain Romance], which was on the outskirts of Hadekain. It had a riverbank and a forest nearby, making it suitable to hold the MT in.
“… Four debutantes will share one room. If you prefer to be alone, you are allowed to rent a cabin at your own expense. Student representative?”
After I explained the matters at the hotel lobby, I called the student representative. The two representatives of the Magic Department hurriedly came.
“After this, I’ll leave everything to your discretion. There’s a forest in the back, but whenever you do anything, make sure you use support magic first.”
“Noted!”
I didn’t care if they drank alcohol or not. I didn’t even have to care if they died. That was the charm of the MT. However, there shouldn’t be any casualties.
“Unpack first.”
I came out of the hotel as the debutantes went up to their rooms while whispering among each other.
I found Yeriel waiting in a car after I had gone out.
“At least try to save our face in the tower. You’re being recognized more these days.” Yeriel spoke as soon as I got into the car.
“How did you set it up?”