Chapter 16
Magnus Academy prides itself on a thorough meritocracy worthy of its name.
Every student enrolled at the academy is ranked within their year, and only those who place among the top twenty are promoted to the highest tier, known as the “Practical Class,” upon advancing to their third year, allowing them to complete the apprentice knight course.
And even within the Practical Class, known as the elite of the elite, the rankings are divided once again.
Rather than distributing students from first to twentieth place evenly, they are divided from the top down, with four students per rank bracket, into five classes.
In other words, it was only natural that the four classmates who had been known as the so-called ‘Golden Generation’ since their middle-school days several years ago would all end up in the same class.
Ranked first: Crown Prince Maximilian Markard.
Ranked second: Ayla Lucilante.
Ranked third: Karen Gatling.
Ranked fourth: Igor Ivanov.
They were geniuses considered to stand a level above the other Practical Class students ranked fifth and below—elite among the elite among the elite.
Who, then, would shoulder the important responsibility of teaching these four who were in no way undeserving of being called the pinnacle?
This was such a famous topic of conversation—both within and outside Magnus Academy—that Magnus Academy’s principal, Ludwig, answered the question with an appointment more perfect than any other.
Rex, the White Flame Knight, one of the four heroes who saved humanity from the flames of the Seven Years’ War.
He had installed him as Class A’s instructor.
Although some people did take issue with the fact that he was a newly appointed instructor that year, even they could not answer the question, “Then who else would be suitable?”
Even the students of Class A themselves raised no objection to the decision.
“The White Flame Knight, of all people. As expected of you, Principal.”
Karen muttered in a satisfied voice as she swept her vivid red hair behind her ear.
“Personally, I expected Sir Pascal.”
“He would have been fine too, of course, but I heard he turned it down himself.”
At Igor’s words, Karen shook her head and replied.
Ayla murmured quietly.
“Even Sir Pascal must have felt inadequate as an instructor for Class A. Personally, I had hoped Sir Estelle would return to teaching, but….”
“Ayla.”
As she let the end of her sentence trail off, Maximilian spoke in a low voice.
“Enough about Sir Estelle.”
“…Your Highness.”
“We all know what happened to her….”
Maximilian muttered with a low sigh.
“That was thoughtless of me.”
“You needn’t apologize to me.”
Maximilian replied calmly to Ayla’s apology.
“At any rate, he’s late. It’s already been quite some time.”
“Shall I go find him, Your Highness?”
Karen sprang to her feet and called out cheerfully.
Igor, seated behind her, stopped her.
“What if you miss each other?”
“What? I’ll be back in no time, so it’ll be fi—”
-Rattle.
Before Karen could finish speaking, the door flew open.
A short-haired blond man walked in through it.
The White Flame Knight, Rex Tenil.
The first impression that came to the students who saw him up close was, without a doubt, “big.”
‘B-big…!’
‘He looks 180, no… he has to be at least 190 centimeters tall.’
He was tall, with strikingly heavy facial features. Moreover, despite not intentionally releasing any mana, he exuded enough pressure to be felt against the skin. His first impression alone was overwhelmingly intimidating.
“Nice to meet you.”
Rex stood in front of the blackboard and began speaking in as gentle a tone as possible.
“I doubt any of you are unaware of my name… but since we have the opportunity, I’ll give a formal introduction anyway.”
Holding a piece of chalk, Rex wrote his name in a single line across the blackboard.
“I’m Rex. You may simply call me Instructor Rex….”
“Instructor Rex!”
Karen shot her hand into the air and blurted out a question.
“If I may, I understand that your full name is Rex Tenil!”
Hearing this, Rex glanced at her and asked,
“What’s your name, student?”
“Karen Gatling.”
“Good, Miss Karen.”
Rex nodded and continued.
“As you said, my full name on official documents is indeed Rex Tenil, but—”
“On official documents…?”
“My original full name was simply Rex. Tenil is a surname I ‘received’ later.”
Rex said in an utterly matter-of-fact voice.
“You see, I’m an orphan.”
“….”
After saying that, Rex watched Karen’s expression.
‘Now, how will she react?’
Rex thought.
He felt sorry to put the students through this, but it was a test in its own way. If they learned that Rex was an orphan and a commoner and tried to change their attitude toward him, he might have to completely revise the policies he had planned.
As soon as he finished speaking, Rex watched Karen and the other students for their reactions.
“I-I’m sorry! I had no idea, and I just—”
Fortunately—or so he supposed—Karen waved her hands with a slightly startled expression, visibly flustered.
Mentally crossing out the words character education in his notebook, Rex spoke.
“It’s all right. I only thought it better to mention it beforehand to prevent any awkwardness later.”
Rex then looked around at the students and said,
“If you don’t mind, may I ask all of you to introduce yourselves as well?”
The students nodded silently. Rex nodded back and said,
“Good. Let’s keep it brief, starting from first place and moving down the ranking.”
Rex turned his gaze toward the male student seated on the right side of the front row, whose hair was as vivid a gold as the sun.
Maximilian Markard.
The crown prince of the Magic Kingdom, and a genius among geniuses who had maintained the number-one spot in the year rankings for two straight years with skills that stood out even among those in Class A.
“I’m Maximilian Markard. I use the royal family’s solar magic.”
Maximilian then quickly continued,
“I have no intention of denying that I am a prince, but I hope you will not feel excessively distant from me. His Majesty has promised to show as much tolerance as necessary toward any slight impertinence that may arise as part of your instruction.”
His tone was relaxed and unaccented, as though he were truly telling them not to worry about it. He bowed his head briefly, completing his introduction.
“I look forward to working with you.”
Rather than answer, Rex silently bowed his head in return. Before they were instructor and student, they were knight and prince. It was basic etiquette in a monarchic nation.
“Thank you. Next, Miss Ayla?”
“Yes.”
Ayla slowly rose from her seat, carefully sweeping her long silver hair behind her ear.
Unlike Prince Maximilian, the other three were children of ordinary noble families. As a high-ranking magic knight and their instructor, Rex was someone they were expected to address respectfully.
Knowing that, Ayla Lucilante began her introduction with a more courteous attitude than Maximilian’s.
“I’m Ayla Lucilante. The magic I use is cold magic, a derivative of standard water magic.”
Derivative magic was a form of magic that straddled the line between standard magic and arcane magic.
It was based on standard magic but newly constructed to reflect the founder’s personal differences in opinion or interpretation—in other words, an improved version of existing standard magic.
Many derivative magics originated in long-established noble families. That was because derivative magic was usually standard magic specially refined, inherited, and further developed within a particular distinguished family.
Rex’s White Flame magic was also a derivative of standard fire magic.
“Over the next two years, I hope to build a harmonious relationship with all of you. I look forward to working with you.”
Ayla slowly looked over the other students and Rex before giving a brief bow.
“Good. Next, Miss Karen.”
“Karen Gatling!”
The moment her name was called, Karen sprang to her feet and shouted at the top of her voice, in a manner entirely her own—unlike both Maximilian and Ayla.
Strictly speaking, it could be called the Gatling family’s way, but never mind.
With her arms folded across her chest, Karen shouted as her vividly red twin tails, tied below her ears, fluttered behind her head like a cape.
“You all know the magic I use, but it’s barrage magic, a derivative of standard fire magic! Leave any mission requiring intense firepower to me. That’s all!”
Then, without even bowing, she raised her chin stiffly and dropped back into her seat.
She did not even unfold her arms.
Thinking that it was truly a forceful introduction, Rex nodded.
“Thank you. And finally, Mr. Igor?”
“…Igor Ivanov.”
His long black hair fell below his shoulders and was tied back at the nape of his neck in a conspicuous ponytail. Pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, Igor gave his introduction in a dry tone.
“The magic I use is standard earth magic.”
However, despite his stiff, emotionless tone, Igor glanced toward Karen and added quietly,
“If you ever need a sturdy barrier that not even some muscle-brained woman’s magic can pierce, do rely on me.”
“Hey!!”
As expected, Karen shouted and leaped to her feet.
“You done talking, you pretty-boy bastard?”
“I have.”
Igor answered curtly, bowed silently to Rex, and dropped back into his seat.
“That concludes my introduction. Even my closing greeting was perfect. Unlike a certain someone who cooked and swallowed her manners along with her common sense.”
“Yaaah…!”
Hadn’t she said she was a fire-magic user? Ayla quietly tipped Rex off, gesturing toward Karen, whose face had turned as red as the blazing fire magic she wielded.
“Those two are almost always like that, so you don’t need to pay it much mind.”
“Are they rivals?”
“Who knows? Rather than such a refined word, bad friends would be more accurate.”
Maximilian added a word of his own with an indifferent expression.
“They’ve known each other since middle school. They’re the heirs to two great families representing absolute firepower and absolute defense. Expecting them to get along would be the rude thing, if anything.”
“Hmm, I see.”
“Well, they do shape up when it matters. There’s no need to take it too much to hea—”
As he muttered, Maximilian suddenly opened his eyes wide.
“…Good heavens. Everyone, I recommend covering your ears.”
Then he raised his hands and firmly covered both ears.
“…?”
At this unexpected behavior, Rex blinked in confusion.
“Everyone──!!”
A scream-like shout rang through the entire building.
The roar was so loud that Rex wondered how the windows had not shattered, and he winced before he even had time to react.
“Eek…!”
“Aaaagh…!”
“Ugh.”
The three students other than Maximilian also grimaced and muttered in unison.
Immediately after the roar passed, Igor grimaced and muttered toward Karen,
“…What the hell was that, you muscle-brain bastard?”
“I didn’t do anything, you lunatic!”
“I’m afraid Karen is telling the truth this time, Igor.”
Ayla added awkwardly as Igor glared suspiciously at Karen,
“It seems to be the voice of another instructor assigned a classroom in this same building….”
“…Haru?”