Chapter 7
Professor of the Magic Department at Eternia Academy.
When it came to Eternia, there was only one word—no name—I could think of.
I struggled to suppress the urge to ask about Lisa. Whether she was doing well or not, hearing news about her would only trouble my heart.
Silveryn looked closely at my face and asked, "What’s with that expression?"
"It's nothing."
"What is it? Ask."
"...Isn't Eternia still in the middle of the semester?"
It would take at least two weeks to get from Eternia to here.
For a professor who should be busy, this place is too far to come and go.
"That's right. I'm on a break for about a year due to some circumstances."
"When do you return to work?"
"Next semester."
Then, there was a high possibility that she didn't know Lisa, who was currently in the second semester of her first year.
"Then does this bond of master and disciple mean you're going to take me to the academy?"
"That would be better for your safety. I can't keep you with me forever."
"Safety... what do you mean?"
Silveryn made an expression as if asking why I was asking about something so obvious.
"I mean your sword."
"...?"
Silveryn sighed deeply and said, "Your sword is too dangerous. It’s not a threat to others but to yourself. If your sword becomes known to the world, many will come after it. Don't expect them to chivalrously challenge you to a duel. Most will use any means necessary. You're in a perfect position to die right now."
This sword actually puts my life in danger?
It feels like I've been hit on the back of the head. Having never had power in my life, I had no idea what kind of ripple effect this power would bring. I had been living in a safe city and had forgotten how many dangerous things there were outside the city.
"..."
"I'll need to train you to the point where you can take care of yourself. The academy comes after that."
"I understand."
There was no reason to refuse her offer to teach me.
"Where were you planning to go after finding the star fragment?"
"I was planning to go to Haman, where my workshop was."
"I'm sorry, but give up on that now and forget it. Don't even send letters. Go only when you think you can protect all the people in Haman who know your name with your own hands. Otherwise, they'll all become hostages to draw you out."
That meant I had to abandon my identity and live a new life. It would be a long farewell to Haman, where my childhood memories remained. My heart felt heavy.
"Yes."
"And that sword. Don't take it out unless it's a life-or-death situation."
I nodded.
"Alright then? Let's go. The ghouls will swarm again soon."
When Silveryn put her fingers in her mouth and whistled, a horse came running from beyond the crater. The horse stopped in front of us and snorted. It seemed uncomfortable with the crater that was a scene of carnage with ghoul corpses.
Silveryn soothed the horse, stroking it with her hand.
"Get on quickly."
"Just a moment."
I picked up my backpack and headed towards the meteorite. Silveryn saw me and said:
"Don't tell me you're looking for Benemaril?"
"What?"
"I mean what's written in the Great Sage Lutavis' book."
Silveryn seemed to know about the herb that supposedly allowed one to look into the future.
"Not all meteorites have Benemaril seeds. That's just an ordinary meteorite, so don't expect too much."
"Then can I scrape off some meteorite iron?"
It was something I heard from the master craftsman who mentored me. Meteorite iron wasn’t very popular among humans because it hadn’t been researched yet, but it was treated more preciously than gold by dwarves. Although it was practically impossible to sell because human and dwarf exchanges had been cut off for hundreds of years, I wanted to collect it in advance when possible because it was so hard to obtain.
"Sure. But don't take too long."
My equipment was a bit inadequate to directly detach it from the meteorite. Fortunately, due to the impact when the meteorite fell, there were many fist-sized meteorite iron fragments around. I picked out usable ones and collected them.
I quickly filled my bag with enough to make around three or four ingots.
Silveryn took the bag containing the meteorite iron, secured it to the back of the saddle, and said, "Get on."
As I mounted the horse, Silveryn immediately climbed up behind me.
Although I wasn't particularly short compared to my peers because Silveryn was about the same height as an adult man, when she grabbed the reins, I ended up nestled in her arms.
When I tensed up too much, Silveryn, feeling something strange, said, "What are you doing? Relax."
"Um... can't we just walk?"
"Then I'll just leave you behind."
"..."
As she shook the reins, the horse started walking. As the horse moved, Silveryn's body swayed, and I closed my eyes tightly because of the soft sensation touching both my shoulders.
***
Dunkel laid out the documents he had received one by one on his office table.
These were all “recommendation letters” from those whose qualifications were recognized, such as honorary professors, top graduates of the academy, chairs of magic societies, and so on. Additionally, they contained special notes about the admission candidates. As these were analyses from those boasting the highest authority in each field, there was little chance of exaggeration.
Dean Dunkel smiled contentedly as he glanced over the documents. The new semester had a bountiful harvest, so to speak, with many recommended admission candidates, each with distinct talents and personalities.
Among them, the ones that particularly stood out were:
Azelis, who was a candidate for sainthood, was seen as a talent that only came once in a millennium and the very incarnation of the goddess herself.
Sion, a disciple of the Sword Master who conquered the Zion continent.
Cecil, a genius enchanter who could turn ordinary stones into magic stones.
Luna, a spirit mage blessed by the Spirit King.
Gale, the son of Margrave Varianne who guarded the northernmost defense line of the empire, and a Weapon Master who had achieved merits by subjugating magic creatures multiple times at a young age.
These were the five.
Most of those recommended in the recommendation letters had shown prominence from a young age and were widely known for their names and abilities, so there was no need to examine the documents in detail.
Thump thump thump
Dunkel, who had been stroking his beard contentedly, closed his eyes tightly at the sudden sound of an uninvited guest.
Thump thump thump
A Stitch was violently headbutting his office window.
It was Silveryn's Stitch. No other Stitch flew like that except Silveryn's.
When Dunkel raised the window, the Stitch flapped its wings, creating wind and messing up the documents. Then, it only calmed down after ramming into the pen holder on the desk and throwing it to the floor.
Dunkel shut his eyes and sighed softly.
There was a mailbox specifically for Stitches, but Silveryn always ignored this and set it to always break something inside the office.
It was with the intention of having her letter read as the top priority, bypassing all others.
Conversely, Stitches sent by Dunkel were set by Silveryn to jump straight into the flames, designating her mansion's fireplace as the mailbox.
Dunkel recalled the memory of bringing Silveryn to the academy in the past and shook his head.
"I shouldn't have accepted that outcast. I was foolish."
A letter was clutched in the Stitch's feet.
As Dunkel snatched the letter, the Stitch flapped its wings again and flew out the window with a noisy sound.
"...”
The reason he couldn't dismiss such an insolent disciple was purely because of her ability. Although lazy and disrespectful to others, she produced results superior to anyone else when it came to her assigned tasks.
He took two deep breaths and unfolded the letter.
It was Silveryn's recommendation letter.
"Hmm."
Written in ancient characters, at that.
This one, although a bit extreme, had some room for consideration. It was the first recommendation letter she had written since gaining the authority.
Dunkel's expression became complex after reading her recommendation letter.
The recommendation letter written in ancient characters was different from ordinary recommendation letters.
Ancient characters were used for security reasons when the potential of the recommended child could affect the survival of a country or group or when there was a possibility of a great threat to the child or the academy if the child's abilities became known to the world.
Moreover, if admitted for such reasons, the student's abilities or original identity would be kept strictly secret except to the dean and a few professors, and even if they ranked first, their grades would always be treated as middle-ranking when announced to prevent drawing attention.
And that child would receive intensive classes for special ability development called the “Masters Class”.
However, as the Masters Class was a special system that poured various resources from the academy, the qualifications were quite strict.
Even at Eternia, where geniuses from all over the continent gathered, very few met the qualifications for the Masters Class. There was not a single Masters Class student among the current 3rd and 4th years, and only Amy Fontar of the 2nd year and Lisa Pascal of the 1st year met the qualifications.
Discussions were also in full swing with the religious order regarding the Masters Class for Azelis, the candidate for sainthood who would be entering next semester.
The Masters Class was not something that could be granted simply because Silveryn requested it.
No matter how excellent a mage Silveryn might be or how influential she was, this matter had to go through several internal reviews within the academy.
Moreover, as Silveryn had a strong rebellious nature and a history of ignoring the academy's procedures and customs as needed, even more thorough verification was necessary.
Dunkel wrote a summons message on parchment and sent it via Stitch.
Shortly after, someone knocked on the office door and entered.
It was a woman with long hair tightly tied back, showing smooth and firm muscles. She was drenched in sweat as if she had just finished training.
You called for me, Dean?"
It was Gael, the associate professor of the Combat Department, as well as Silveryn's fellow alumni and rival. Although Silveryn was now far ahead, and Gael also acknowledged that she was behind Silveryn, Gael's competitive spirit still flared up when it came to matters concerning Silveryn.
If it was Gael, who was always upright and principled by nature, she would evaluate the child chosen by Silveryn more objectively than anyone else.
Dunkel gestured towards the office chair and said, "Have a seat."
Gael plopped down in the chair and, seeing the messy office, said, "Silveryn again?"
Dunkel nodded and said, "This time, it's a bit special. Silveryn requested the Masters Class in her recommendation letter."
Gael's eyes widened with interest.
"That Silveryn?"
Dunkel calmly nodded again.
"I'd like you to verify Silveryn's child as an examiner."
Gael shook her head.
"If it's a child chosen by Silveryn, they'll likely have talent in magic, but I, from the Combat Department, am not a suitable person for the examination."
"Silveryn's recommendation letter says the child handles a sword."
At the mention of handling a sword, Gael's eyes changed meaningfully.
"...I understand."
"As it's a dispatch duty, it will take quite some time. Clear your entire schedule for next month. I'll handle all the necessary work. Let me know if you need any support."
"Understood. And Dean."
"Yes, what is it?"
"May I bring my disciple to the examination?"
Noticing Gael's competitive spirit flaring up again, the corners of Dunkel's mouth turned up slightly.
"As long as you don't reveal that it's a Masters Class examination."
"...Thank you."
As Dunkel nodded, Gael stood up.
"Then I'll be going."