Necromancer Academy and the Genius Summoner

Chapter 463: Episode 463

"May I sit next to you?"

At Simon’s question, Lorraine gave a small nod. "Yes."

’Scrape.’

Simon pulled out a chair, set down his bag, and sat. He felt a little warm after the intense ride on the golem board. He took off his school jacket, draped it over the back of his chair, and loosened his necktie. The slender line of his neck, dotted with small beads of sweat, was revealed.

Lorraine, who had been watching from the corner of her eye, shifted her gaze back to the front. "What’s in your bag?"

"Oh, this?" Simon lifted the bag he had placed on the floor. "I brought it out of habit, but honestly, there’s nothing in it but a quill and ink."

"There wasn’t any notice about which textbooks to buy."

"Yeah, the professor will probably tell us today."

This time, Simon turned to look at Lorraine. He could see her long eyelashes and ruby-like eyes as she spoke, her gaze fixed forward. She had a flawless composure, even during a break.

Though Lorraine herself didn’t particularly like hearing it, she really did seem two or three years older than her age—far more mature than even Benya, a third-year. She was a girl who seemed better suited to a quiet, jet-black suit than the lively school uniform.

Simon’s gaze shifted from her face to the necklace she wore. A silver lock dangled from the end of the choker like a charm. The design was a bit odd for a simple accessory.

’There are plenty of other pretty charms she could have chosen, so why a lock? I wonder if there’s a reason.’ He was reminded of the necklace Lete had worn in the Holy Federation—the one that sealed the power of the Saintess. It had been a choker as well, though without a lock.

What could have happened between Lorraine and Nephthys over the break?

"Simon."

Startled, he snapped his head back to her. "Ah, yes!"

"Congratulations on becoming the Student Council President."

Simon smiled sheepishly. "Thanks. Though, it should have been you."

"No. It suits you better than it would me." It didn’t sound like a mere pleasantry. Her tone was calm and straightforward; she genuinely seemed to believe it. "Where’s your student council armband?"

"In my bag." He took the armband out to show her. "Professor Jane told me not to make a point of showing it off during class. She said I should approach my studies with the pure attitude and mindset of any other student."

She nodded. "Yes. Professor Jane is wise, as always."

"I agree."

Simon remained silent.

Perhaps it was the first day of class, but an awkwardness still lingered between him and Lorraine. Even speaking to her in the same classroom felt surreal. This time, Simon decided to break the silence.

"Lorraine, there’s something I’m curious about."

Lorraine looked at him expectantly.

"Why did you choose the Summoning Department?"

She was a classic ‘innate ability-focused’ necromancer, relying more on her unique power than on pure black magic in combat. He had assumed she would join the Jet-Black Dynamics department.

"My innate ability is a summoning type to begin with," she replied.

"Oh, is that right?"

"Yes. I either enhance a summon by applying my ability to it, or I summon a creature composed entirely of my ability."

’Come to think of it...’ He remembered how she had imbued her skeletal horse with her power, transforming it into a much larger, crimson steed. Even her signature attack—the red flash fired from a portal—wasn’t cast by her directly, but by some unknown creature lurking within the portal itself.

"I decided the Summoning Department was the most logical choice, if only to broaden the spectrum of my innate ability."

"That certainly makes sense."

"Then aren’t you curious about this, too?" a sly voice purred from behind him.

He turned to see Serne, the ivory-haired girl, offering a tantalizing smile.

"Why ’I’ chose the Summoning Department."

The warmth vanished from Lorraine’s expression, replaced by a guarded stillness. Simon managed a tight smile.

"You already told me yesterday."

"Oh, did I? Remind me, what was it?" Serne pressed, as if she’d been waiting for this exact opening.

The reason surfaced in Simon’s mind, but he could only mumble, his voice thick with embarrassment.

"Uh, um... something about your standard for judging value..."

She glided a step closer, her fingers gripping the back of his chair.

"Let me make it perfectly clear."

She leaned in slowly, a faint scent of roses washing over him as her face drew near. Her voice was a conspiratorial whisper that tickled his ear.

"My standard for judging value is—whether I want something... or I don’t. That’s all."

A crimson flush spread across Simon’s face. Looking immensely pleased with his stunned reaction, Serne straightened up.

"Understand now?"

With a sly, fox-like smile, she claimed the empty seat to Simon’s left. She immediately crossed her legs with an air of arrogance, resting her arms on the armrests and tilting her chin up. Her posture, a stark contrast to Lorraine’s prim demeanor, radiated the aura of someone who marched to her own beat.

’Here we go again.’ Simon closed his eyes. Lorraine was glaring daggers at Serne, who remained perfectly still, as if to provoke her further. The students seated nearby glanced between the two girls. They truly were a pair that commanded attention no matter where they went.

Just then, Toto, having finished his urgent business, hurried into the classroom. He scanned the room, searching for Simon, whom he’d walked to school with.

"Toto, over here," Simon waved kindly.

"Ah, Simon! There you were—!"

His words died in his throat as his body went rigid. Lorraine and Serne, flanking Simon on either side, had turned to look at him.

Lorraine had only glanced over because Simon had waved, but to Toto, who was terrified of girls, it felt like a cold, piercing glare. Serne’s gaze was even more unnerving.

She looked at him as if he were an insect.

’S-So scary!’ His encounters with Meirin had only intensified his phobia, and he began to tremble. Simon, completely oblivious, urged him to hurry over.

’Ugh... He’s incredible. How can he just talk to such terrifying girls?’ Toto shuffled forward and sank into the seat behind Simon, feeling as if he were sitting on a bed of nails. The two girls, one with hair as dark as night and the other as pale as ivory, sat directly in front of him.

"Hello."

The black-haired girl, Lorraine, turned her head to greet him. There was a loud ’clatter’ as a startled Toto tumbled out of his chair. A flustered Lorraine started to get up, but Toto scrambled to his feet in an instant.

"G-Good day!"

’Nephthys’s daughter is speaking to me!’ As Toto bowed obsequiously, Lorraine waved her hands, looking troubled.

"Please, don’t do that. We’re both second-years."

"Yes! I mean, okay!"

"Ugh, you’re so loud."

Serne glanced back, her eyes still filled with disgust.

"Want me to turn you into a monkey?"

Toto was suddenly very glad he’d already used the restroom. If he’d had to go, that glare alone would have been enough to make him wet his pants.

"That’s enough, Serne," Simon chided gently.

In an instant, she turned back to him, a sweet smile gracing her lips as her voice became a playful lilt.

"Simon, Simon, want to go to Rochest this weekend? Or Langerstine would be fun, too."

Toto marveled at how a person’s voice could change so dramatically. Lorraine, however, reacted as if she’d heard a forbidden word.

"Langerstine? Are you planning to leave the island without school permission again?"

"Geez, are you my teacher? Why do you have to interfere with everything between me and Simon?"

Just as the two were about to clash again, a student dashed in from the hallway.

"The professor’s coming!"

Students scrambled back to their seats. A moment later, the distinctive ’scuff’ of dragging slippers echoed down the hall. The door slid open with a screech, and Professor Aaron entered, his shaggy hair as messy as ever. His teaching assistants followed, snapping to attention behind him.

"Welcome," Aaron said, his voice a lazy drawl. "Some of you know me, some of you don’t. I’m Aaron Deia, and I’ll be your Summoning professor for the year."

Applause broke out across the room. Aaron ambled to the blackboard and slowly began to write ‘Second-Year Summoning’. With one hand shoved in his pocket, he scrawled the words with an expression of profound boredom, the very picture of the man they remembered.

"Relax," he announced, letting the hand holding the chalk go limp. "Today is just a simple orientation. We’ll be done shortly."

The announcement landed with the force of a cannon blast. Cries of "Woooah!" erupted from every corner of the room. Aaron added the word ‘Orientation’ beneath the heading on the blackboard.

"As is the Kizen way, we should be hitting the ground running, but the school has... some circumstances." He tapped the board with his chalk. "Tomorrow is the entrance ceremony, which is a big deal, so you’ll have the day off. Consider your real classes to begin the day after tomorrow. But don’t get too comfortable."

"Yes, sir!" the students replied.

Aaron gave the chalk a lazy twirl before adding to the board.

"There are three required major courses in the Summoning Department for the first semester."

Intermediate Major Summoning

Summoning Thanatology

Summoning Materials

Aaron stopped writing and faced the students.

"All major courses in your first semester as second-years are required. The professors for the other courses are veterans whose careers make mine look like a joke. They are masters with absolute authority in their respective fields, so make sure you learn as much as you can from them."

It seemed Aaron’s ‘Intermediate Major Summoning’ would be the core class, following the textbook, while the other two would delve into more specialized, advanced topics. To further enhance their skills, there would also be frequent lectures from professional necromancers and visiting scholars.

"To give you a brief overview, the first creature we’ll be covering in my class is the ‘Skeleton Knight’."

A Skeleton Knight! Simon’s eyes lit up at the mention of a new undead. Toto and a few other second-years grimaced, their expressions screaming, ‘This is gonna be tough.’

"You are all now specialists in your field. I trust you can handle something like a Skeleton Knight with ease. For more details, check the handout."

The TAs moved swiftly, placing the papers on each student’s desk. Simon skimmed the pages, his jaw dropping slightly.

’The list of required materials is...’

The page was crammed with supplies. Beyond the textbook and the components for a Skeleton Knight, there were countless other items like mana oil, bone adhesive, and slime byproducts.

’The initial cost is pretty steep.’ While some items were a one-time purchase, the consumables would need constant replenishing. The faces of several other students darkened as they read the list.

"Let me be clear: securing materials is a vital skill for any necromancer," Aaron continued in his languid tone. "Establish a steady source of income. Secure supply routes to acquire materials cheaply. Don’t just waste your time fooling around; build this infrastructure now. The status and credit that come with being a Kizen second-year are more powerful than you think."

A student raised a hand.

"What do you mean by a steady source of income?"

Aaron gestured across the room.

"Take Simon Polentia, for example. At the end of his first year, he registered a paper with Pentamonium and has been receiving consistent royalties ever since."

Suddenly, every eye in the room was on him. Simon, flustered, turned his head away slightly.

"As Kizen students, you can seek patronage from nobles, submit your work to exhibitions, or sell your creations directly to the merchants in Rochest. Whatever you choose, establish yourselves quickly. Don’t fall into debt trying to keep up with classes only to end up broke. And for God’s sake, stop mooching off your parents."

A heavy silence fell. Aaron’s eyes narrowed.

"To your parents, having a child at Kizen is their greatest hope. They can’t bear the thought of you being held back by a lack of funds. They’ll never tell you they’re short on money, but I’ve seen plenty of cases where a student graduates, returns home, and finds their family mansion being sold off to cover a mountain of debt."

The students swallowed hard.

"I’ll say it again. Your status and credit as a Kizen second-year are more powerful than you think. If you truly can’t find a source of income, come see me. That is all."

Simon felt a wave of relief. Thanks to the mission for Israfil, he still had ten thousand gold.

"I’ll have to get a part-time job tomorrow," Lorraine sighed from the seat beside him.

It seemed her allowance wasn’t going to be enough.

"That’s pocket change," Serne scoffed with a nonchalant smile.

Toto, on the other hand, looked like his world was ending. Simon turned around.

"If you’re short on cash, I can lend you some."

"N-No! It’s fine!"

Toto waved his hands frantically.

"I couldn’t possibly impose like that! I think I can manage this somehow!"

"Hmm, alright."

And with that, the orientation was over. Though burdened by the sudden financial pressure, the students couldn’t suppress their joy at being dismissed. With a day off tomorrow, they were ecstatic.

Simon was walking out of the classroom, chatting with Lorraine and Serne, when a voice cut through the crowd.

"Hey!"

A hand shot out and seized his wrist. Lorraine and Serne stopped short.

"Meirin!"

Meirin, a student council armband fixed to her right arm, tugged him forward. She glanced back at Lorraine and offered an apology.

"Hi, Lorraine! Sorry! This is urgent, so I’m borrowing Simon!"

"Oh, okay."

Lorraine waved awkwardly.

Serne pouted, her voice laced with disappointment.

"Oh my, Meirin! You can’t even see little Seri?"

"Seri my ass, you psycho! Get lost!" she retorted, breaking into a run and dragging Simon with her.

He stumbled along, caught off guard.

"Meirin! What’s going on?"

She shot him a grin over her shoulder.

"What do you think? Student council meeting! Hurry up and put on your armband!"

---

The Student Council Room.

"Welcome, Simon!"

As he opened the door, Kamibarez looked up from the stack of documents she was organizing and greeted him with a bright smile.

"Hey! You made it," Dick called out from the sofa, where he was looking over an exhibition list.

Both wore student council armbands.

Meirin followed Simon inside, clapping her hands together.

"Alright, let’s get to work! We have to finish all the entrance ceremony preparations today."

"Right!" Kamibarez chirped.

"Okay," Dick agreed.

As they all rose to gather their things, a sharp knock sounded at the door.

"Excuse me, members of the student council."

It was Jane’s head teaching assistant, peeking her head in.

"Ma’am!" Meirin exclaimed.

"Professor Jane was supposed to come herself, but she was called into an emergency meeting. Could you all please follow me for a moment?"

The four of them left the room and followed the head TA down the hall.

"Ma’am, where are we going? We have a lot to do today and we’re short on time," Meirin said.

The head TA just smiled brightly.

"It would be impossible for just the four of you to handle everything, wouldn’t it? We’re going to meet the student council’s direct subordinates."

At the word ‘direct,’ everyone’s eyes widened.

"Wow! We get our own subordinates?" Meirin asked, her voice filled with excitement.