Chapter 36 - Entrance Ceremony (5)

After hearing Lacey's words, Acel moved towards the headmistress' office first, leaving Grace behind who said she would wash up before coming.

On the way, he met new students excited about the entrance ceremony. There were some familiar faces, but many more he was seeing for the first time.

Most were non-combat department students. The non-combat department was for those from prestigious noble families, those aiming to enter politics, or those interested in alchemy and magical engineering.

Acel glanced at them briefly, then proceeded to the principal's office.

Perhaps because the entrance ceremony was about to start, unlike outside, there were no students inside the main building. Since the entrance ceremony itself was an event for both new and current students, it seemed they had all moved there already. Thanks to this, Acel could comfortably reach the front of the principal's office.

He checked once to make sure his tie wasn't disheveled, then knocked on the principal's office door.

Knock knock.

"It's Acel. May I come in?"

"Come in."

The answer came immediately. Acel carefully opened the door and entered the room.

The elf, Fride, sitting on the sofa was the first to catch his eye. Acel bowed to her in greeting.

"It's been a while, Headmistress."

"Yes. It's good to see your face again. First, have a seat," Fride said, pointing to the opposite sofa. 

Acel nodded and plopped down in a suitable spot.

Next to him sat guests who had already arrived. Like him, they were top students selected from each department. Since the combat department was divided into two, there were only two top students, Acel and Grace, but not for the non-combat departments. With many divided departments, there were many top students.

"Since Grace hasn't arrived yet, feel free to chat comfortably until then," Fride said while sipping her tea. 

That was the signal. Those who had been silent until now started to open their mouths cautiously.

"Olivia Familion. Top student in the Alchemy Department and eldest daughter of the Familion family. And you?"

"Rando Lumil. Top student in Theoretical Martial Arts."

"If you're from the Lumil family, isn't that the count family guarding the frontlines? It's an honor to meet you here."

"I'm also glad to meet the young lady of the Familion family."

A woman with blue hair and a man with a cold impression exchanged greetings. Acel eavesdropped on their soulless conversation while taking a sip of tea placed on the table. As he did so, he recalled what a Wyheim mage who had graduated from the Academy had said and let out a thoughtful sound.

They said the academy was a political arena for young nobles, and it seems that wasn't wrong.

Acel knew something about how nobles spoke. Since becoming a mage, he would inevitably get entangled with nobles at some point. Ena had personally taught him to accurately understand what they said. Thanks to this, he was skilled at speaking in roundabout ways and catching hidden meanings.

However, that didn't mean he liked their way of speaking. Like most mages, Acel preferred direct conversation. He wasn't keen on hiding what each other wanted and wielding tongues like swords.

The nobles he was already acquainted with, including Grace, didn't use such old-fashioned and pretentious speech. Perhaps they too use similar speech to the Alchemy Department top student when necessary. Acel imagined Ellen, who was so stiff, smiling and chattering with laughter, and chuckled.

Somehow, it seemed she would never be able to do that in her lifetime.

"May I come in?"

While he had such thoughts, Grace, who had arrived in the meantime, knocked on the headmistress’ office door and spoke. As soon as she received Fride's permission, she flung the door open and naturally sat down next to Acel. Everyone's gaze turned towards her, but she placed the sword she was wearing beside the sofa without any change in expression.

Fride looked at this and opened her mouth, "Well, it seems everyone is here, so I'll start the explanation."

Clank.

She placed her teacup on the table.

"As you know, everyone here is the top student from each department. First, I'd like to offer my congratulations. I sincerely congratulate you all on entering Luminus Academy based on your excellent grades."

"..."

"Now, let's get to the main point. At the entrance ceremony that's about to start, all top students will enter as soon as the commendation ceremony begins. Until then, you can just wait. When the commendation ceremony starts, I will give each of you a certificate of commendation."

"..."

"After that, one new student representing the top students will give a speech, and that's it. After that, you can act freely. Any questions?"

Olivia cautiously raised her hand. Fride turned her head towards her.

"Speak."

"Who will be the representative for the top students?"

"We'll take volunteers first, then select based on overall grades among them. Since you brought it up, let's proceed right away. Is there anyone who wants to do it?"

At her words, more than five students immediately raised their hands. Acel watched this scene while quietly sipping his tea.

He had already been the protagonist at two banquets this year. He didn't dislike it, but he didn't particularly want to stand out and receive attention again. He wasn't the type to thoroughly enjoy banquets either, and he didn't want to be stuck in the banquet hall for long in his current state of fatigue from studying and researching magic for the past few days.

Unless there's something to gain from being the top student representative, there's no need to step up.

Tomorrow was the start of the academy's first semester. It was right to shake off all fatigue after today and focus on classes from tomorrow. Acel thought this as he put down his teacup.

As he slightly turned his head, he saw two people who hadn't raised their hands. One was Grace, and the other was a girl eating a cookie.

She was definitely the top student in the Magical Engineering Department, right?

Due to its nature, the Magical Engineering Department was bound to be frequently entangled with the Magic Department. So Acel kept her face in mind as he watched those discussing the top student representative. After a while, it was finally decided that Olivia would go up as the representative. She smiled with satisfaction and looked at Fride.

"Then should I prepare right away?"

"That's right. The rest of you move, too," Fride said as she stood up and started walking towards the banquet hall where the entrance ceremony was taking place. 

The top students, including Acel, followed behind her.

They arrived at a makeup room prepared behind the banquet hall. A room with an entire wall turned into a mirror, and all kinds of cosmetics and clothes strewn about. Acel frowned immediately upon seeing this familiar space. 

He immediately approached Fride and declared, "I won't put on anything."

"Hmm? Wouldn't it be good to at least apply something lightly?"

"I have a condition where I convulse if I put anything on my face."

"There's no such ridiculous disease—"

"My master vouches for it."

"—there could be. Then just wait quietly."

Fride patted Acel's shoulder with a smiling face. Acel nodded with satisfaction and sat down on a chair in the makeup room, waiting until the commendation ceremony started. The nobles, including Grace, seemed used to this kind of makeup and quietly received it. Only the Magical Engineering Department top student whined.

"Ugh, why do you put this on your face? It's stuffy."

"You have to endure. This is how you steal men's hearts."

"Isn't it bad to steal with something like this? You should do it with your usual appearance. Seems like you're not confident."

"..."

The makeup was done quickly in about 30 minutes. Grace, who finished first, briefly checked her face in the mirror, then approached Acel with an excited face. 

She asked with a shy expression, "H-how is it, Acel? Does it suit me?"

"You're beautiful."

The answer came not from Acel but from Rando. He nodded with a smile that anyone would perceive as favorable.

"You're more beautiful than any young lady I've seen. With looks that would shine even more if you danced with me in the banquet hall."

"...What are you saying, you crazy bastard?" Grace muttered while glaring at Rando with a look as if she had seen something disgusting. 

Acel let out a hollow laugh at her attitude that changed like flipping a coin.

"...Which is your true nature?"

"Huh? What did you say?"

"No, I said you're pretty."

"R-really? Hehe. Hehehe."

Grace made a stupid sound and laughed. There was no falsehood at all in that appearance. She was genuinely happy at Acel's words. But there was no lie in the words she had uttered while looking at Rando either.

Acel's face became confused.

Meanwhile, everyone's makeup was finished. Around the same time, Fride entered the room.

"Let's start entering soon."

Olivia nodded.

The group stood in front of the door prepared at the back of the banquet hall, waiting for Fride's signal. Fride turned off the magical engineering machine controlling the light in the banquet hall and nodded to the group. Then Rando and Olivia opened the door as if familiar with it and strode through.

I thought they would move us with magic, but they're using a rather barbaric method.

Acel thought and smiled bitterly.

If this were Wyheim, mystery would naturally arise and all kinds of miracles would fly through the sky. However, such a flow of magical power wasn't felt here. There were occasional traces of magic, but even those were faint. Only the magic contained in magical tools shone clearly.

A completely different scene from Wyheim. It's a sensation he should get used to now.

Acel entered the banquet hall right behind Olivia.

A dark hall. Only the stage placed at the end of the hall shone brightly. The group climbed up there and stood in a row. Silence fell over the banquet hall, and soon Fride came up onto the stage.

Plum, who was assisting her, followed with rings and certificates of commendation. She brought a voice amplification device to her lips and opened her mouth.

"Now we will have the awarding ceremony for the top new students. Olivia Familion, please come forward."

The awarding ceremony began. Starting with Olivia, the top students lined up in front of Fride to receive rings and certificates of commendation. Eventually, it was Acel's turn. He walked towards Fride in sync with Plum's call. Fride met his black eyes and opened her mouth.

"Acel."

"Yes."

"You have achieved the highest grades among students in the academy's Magic Department based on your combat ability, magic skills, magical power sensitivity, control, and innate spell manifestation speed, so your skills are more than enough to take the top position. Therefore, we appoint you as the top student of the Magic Department. Any objections?"

"None," Acel answered with a smile. 

Fride also twitched the corners of her mouth and handed over the certificate of commendation.

"Congratulations on being top student."

He received the certificate and returned to his place. After that, he waited until the awarding ceremony for the other students ended.

About 5 minutes passed like that. With Bianca, the top student of the Magical Engineering Department, as the last, all events were concluded. The group left Olivia, who would give the speech as representative, on the stage and all came out through the door they had entered the banquet hall from.

"I want to go back..." Bianca grumbled while walking behind Acel. 

Although he didn't answer, Acel inwardly agreed with her words.

He wasn't particularly tired. Both his body and mind were fine. However, he had no desire to stay in the banquet hall. He just wanted to quickly return to the research lab and resume the experiments he had planned.

Simultaneous manifestation of magical power, creation of interception formulas, engraving formulas on jewels, recreating cold magic based on simultaneously manifested magical power, etc. These were just the ones that came to mind immediately. There was a good possibility that this would increase tenfold as he continued his research and inspiration struck.

I'd like to finish a few before the midterm exams.

To do that, he needed to diligently frequent the research lab starting today. He would have to pour in time like crazy, and it seemed he would have to live with shadows under his eyes for a few days. At the same time, to keep up with academy classes, he needed to maintain a minimum amount of sleep.

About 3 hours should be enough. If it's not enough, I can add another hour. 

Acel organized his thoughts like this.

At the end of the corridor stood one of Fride's assistant professors. He looked at the group and smiled.

"Good work with the awarding ceremony. From now on, you're free to act as you please."

"Yes. Thank you for your hard work."

Acel answered as soon as he heard the assistant professor's words, then quickly started to leave the banquet hall. 

Rando, who had been looking for an opportunity to talk with the archmage's disciple, tried to stop him, but Acel brushed him off with the excuse of being tired. Grace also followed behind him. As a result, Rando's face became somewhat distorted.

"...Does a commoner-born mage think he's something just because he has an archmage as a master? His arrogance reaches the sky."

The moment he uttered this, magical power rapidly condensed right in front of him. There was no time to perceive it. The magical power instantly changed form, becoming dozens of lightning bolts connecting the ceiling and floor.

[Lightning Division]

Crackle!!!

The split lightning flashes madly and bursts with a roaring sound. Although the power was minimized and the number of split lightning bolts reduced, it was still a threatening lightning formula. The moment it touched, lightning that necrosed all cells in the body starting from that part spread along blue electric currents.

Just standing nearby made the skin tingle. Hair stood on end, and fingers twitched involuntarily. The instinct of life screamed to leave this place immediately. But Rando couldn't move an inch. His legs wouldn't follow his will, and his head was completely blanked by the pressure of this lethal magic he was seeing for the first time.

"...Ah."

In the end, Rando collapsed in place, his pupils trembling and drool dripping. Acel soothed Grace, who was glaring at Rando with murderous eyes, and waved his hand towards Rando.

"See you next time."

With those words, Acel turned around. At the same time, the electric currents blocking the corridor disappeared as if they were a lie.

"What a cool guy? I like him."

Bianca, the top student of the Magical Engineering Department, grinned as she watched this scene.

On the other hand, Rando couldn't say anything.

For a long time, he just sat there, his lips quivering.