novelraw Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Chapter 32
“Artel, did you see the notice?”
Hei also seemed to have just checked it, same as us.
“Yeah.”
I gave a curt, cold reply and walked past Hei with Banshi.
“Where are you going?”
“I have something I want to check.”
Hei tilted his head as he looked at our backs, then followed behind us.
We arrived at the auditorium entrance.
Just as the notice said, there was a large bulletin board next to the entrance.
[1st Class Point Rankings]
Artel (186,200)
Hei (165,300)
Soller (163,900)
Nohill Hapert (163,800)
Kudin (162,700)
Keros (162,500)
Filtes (162,200)
Banshi (161,800)
‘I had way too many points, overwhelmingly so.’
All the top ranks were monopolized by the fire-element students.
This happened because of the points we received for placing first in last week’s weekly sparring.
From 9th place onward were students from the darkness-element class, which had placed 2nd in the weekly sparring, and before that, students from the earth-element class that had placed 3rd.
And at the very bottom of the list was a heartbreaking name.
Kiena (-1,400)
Still, because she had achieved tremendous growth in a short time thanks to Banshi’s help, I believed she would recover her points soon enough.
‘Anyway, if you think about it, now there are only two chances a month to earn points.’
Because of the newly changed rules, the sparring subject had become monthly, and the teacher’s discretionary evaluations were also monthly.
The real question was how to control the pace and maintain a top-5 rank right before winter break.
If you kept a top rank continuously, the facility usage fee became ten times higher, which was actually a loss.
So a new graduation requirement had been added—one that demanded careful adjustment of effort.
‘This is kind of a headache.’
Even I felt this way just looking at the point rankings alone. How would the younger students take it?
I looked at Hei, who was standing beside me.
Hei simply stared blankly at the ranking board without a single thought in his head.
‘Right, kids that young wouldn’t have the faintest idea how to plan ahead.’
Just then, a message came from Draco Walfis, the teacher in charge of the darkness element.
–Artel, starting today, return to class.
‘It really looks like they have no intention of leaving me alone.’
At this timing, the Dark Space lesson he introduced during the first class couldn’t possibly be finished yet.
It was obvious he just wanted to restrict my range of movement.
‘Well, I should go first and think from there.’
“I’m going ahead. I have class.”
“Must be tough being a Double Caster, huh? Always busy.”
“Artel! What are we supposed to do from now on?”
Unlike Banshi, who answered indifferently, Hei clearly wanted me to tell him something right away.
“No idea.”
I had no immediate answer either, so I replied a bit coldly and went to prepare for the darkness-element class.
Skipping breakfast.
At the same time, Former was in the headmaster’s office with Etar.
On the small table between them lay the sheet of paper containing the rule changes Former had drafted.
Etar carefully examined each clause and raised a question.
“We only sent the notice to 1st Class for now, but do you really think we can expel Artel within the year? He’s a Double Caster—can we really push him into the negatives by winter?”
The two were no longer acting as father and son, but had returned to their usual roles as headmaster and vice headmaster.
And from 1st Class onward, the points students held were effectively a numerical representation of magical talent and skill.
A Double Caster, born for the first time in 500 years—could he truly fall into the negatives?
That was what weighed most heavily on Etar.
From what he had already heard from Professor Nide, the boy clearly had the talent to overwhelm even the 4th Class of his branch school if they were to face him.
“I’m well aware that Artel has considerable talent. But the changes I have planned aren’t something you can simply bypass with magical ability alone.”
Former immediately pointed to clause number 2 and continued speaking.
“To graduate from the class, one must be in the top 5. But maintaining a top rank makes the usage fee ten times higher. That kind of pressure will surely unsettle young students, won’t it? Artel is still a young student too.”
“Wisdom and magical talent are separate, then?”
“Exactly.”
That was the part Former aimed for.
He too had recognized Artel’s magical talent long ago.
He had personally observed him in 1st Class under Etar’s orders, after all.
So he concluded there was no way to restrict Artel by targeting his magical ability itself. Instead, he created a host of constraints—ones that even an adult mage would find troublesome—and dumped them onto a child.
“But isn’t there also the possibility that other students besides Artel could end up in the negatives? Wouldn’t that make the plan meaningless?”
Etar was still full of worries.
“The headmaster’s goal is Artel’s expulsion. As long as that’s achieved, nothing else matters, does it?”
“That’s true.”
“I have a plan prepared for that scenario as well.”
Former reassured Etar with a voice and expression full of confidence.
“Very well. I’m looking forward to it.”
There were still many concerns on Etar’s mind, but he thought it was a fine plan regardless.
“Dark Space, as I repeatedly emphasize, plunges your opponent into darkness….”
Walfis taught with his arms crossed, holding the textbook with just one hand.
‘I knew it.’
My expectation was spot-on.
The darkness-element class hadn’t even finished the first lesson, Dark Space, yet he had called me in.
Not that I questioned him about it.
I already understood exactly why he wanted to tie me to class.
It was obvious that orders had come from his superiors—Nide above him, Former above that, and finally Headmaster Etar.
Right now I was a student, and in appearance too, so no matter how much power I had, it was better to act cautiously inside the school.
Within these walls, anyone of teacher rank or higher was an absolute authority.
‘Still, this is something I can use to my advantage.’
The class was conducted entirely by Walfis alone.
Every word he spoke, every glance he threw.
I considered all of those things as clues and opportunities I could use to strike back, and I simply stared at Walfis.
While conducting the class, Walfis naturally kept glancing sideways at me.
Since I wasn’t focusing on the textbook and was only observing Walfis’s condition, our eyes met every time he looked over.
Thup.
Walfis abruptly closed his book and spoke to me.
“Why are you only staring at me instead of focusing on the lesson?”
Was that something to overreact about?
Or was he just itching to pick a fight?
Either way, as expected, Walfis and I just didn’t get along.
No, the entire Draco Family was incompatible with me.
To smooth things over as peacefully as possible, I deliberately widened my eyes a little as I answered.
“I thought looking at the teacher was also a way to focus on the lesson. Shouldn’t I be listening closely to what you say?”
“…….”
“And I already passed Dark Space….”
Walfis glared at me for about three more seconds before finally responding.
“Repetition is an important part of learning. Just because you passed once, don’t get cocky.”
“Ah, sure.”
As expected, he was as annoying as Russel.
I had been an Archmage until 300 years ago, so by that standard, Walfis was nothing more than a kid who couldn’t come close to me.
“Lower your gaze and look at your book.”
‘Would it kill him to speak nicely?’
For a moment, the irritation boiled up, and the words almost burst from my mouth, but I barely swallowed them back.
I simply nodded and fixed my eyes on the textbook open on my desk.
Of course, it was all material I already knew, so I couldn’t concentrate at all. It was just boring.
Naturally, I started thinking about something else.
How to adjust my pace and still maintain a high point ranking right before winter break.
That was the problem I began to consider.
‘My only ways of earning points are the teacher’s discretionary evaluations during class and the monthly sparring subject.’
And even then, if you stayed in the top ranks, the usage fees became ten times higher, meaning more loss than gain.
On top of that, I currently had the highest number of points among the 1st Class students.
If this were the end of the term, I wouldn’t have to worry about graduating 1st Class at all. But the issue was that it had only been one week since the term began.
‘Hmm, even for me, I doubt I can control my pace exactly as I want.’
This was a situation that required a battle of wits between 1st Class students.
Students who were fairly sharp might intentionally make the subject they wanted their opponent to face take first place in sparring.
At the end of the term, there would be all kinds of variables—attempts at last-minute reversals, exploiting the drawback of top-tier usage fees becoming ten times higher, things like that.
But that was only possible if you had far superior magical talent to your opponent.
At least from what I’d observed in sparring, there was no student with such overwhelming talent in 1st Class.
Banshi didn’t count—she was a mage who had lived 250 years. So the candidates were the mages from various families.
For the fire-element class alone, there was Nohill Hapert.
A family I’d never heard of.
Which meant it was a newly risen family formed during the 300-year gap when I had vanished from this world.
Lamic Vir of the water element?
The family was impressive, but his skills fell short of the family’s reputation.
As for Mihael Russel of the light element, no need to even mention it.
If I excluded the family mages as well, there was only one person in all of 1st Class who could possibly do it.
Heh.
Without realizing it, the corner of my mouth curled up on its own.
‘When former Archmage Archis Eimer is right here, what’s the problem?’
The plan ahead became clear.
Besides, didn’t everyone think I was a Double Caster?
I planned to take advantage of that fact.
I momentarily lifted my eyes from the book and scanned the darkness-element students.
‘You all can sacrifice yourselves for me, okay?’
“Artel, daydreaming again? Focus.”
Right on cue, Walfis’s nagging flew at me as he continued watching me.
“Ah, yeah, yeah.”
By lunchtime, the four of us were standing in front of the cafeteria.
Since Kiena was still in the negative point range, we had to go inside and bring food out for her.
But maybe because of the newly changed school rules taking effect today, Kiena spoke with a face full of guilt.
“I’m not hungry… I don’t want to eat.”
Kiena had skipped breakfast as well.
So that was an obvious lie born out of guilt.
“You didn’t even eat breakfast. We don’t mind, so come eat with us.”
“……No. I’m really fine.”
Hei tried to persuade her, but she still didn’t look well.
I headed into the cafeteria first.
“What are you trying to do?”
Banshi followed immediately behind me and asked.
“No need to convince her. If we just bring it to her, she’ll eat it. She already spent points, so she can’t skip eating.”
“That’s true.”
Since it was lunchtime, many students were around.
Kiena glanced about as she answered.
“By the way, how was Kiena during the weekend outing? I wanted to ask on the day you got back, but you looked too tired.”
“I just felt like, ‘Ah, so that’s what the word genius means.’ Something like that?”
Kiena was indeed a genius of understanding, one I acknowledged.
“Oh, and Banshi.”
“Yeah.”
“You didn’t forget what I told you before we went out, right?”
“Of course not.”
“I think it’ll probably happen tonight.”
While filling a tray with food for Kiena, I looked at Banshi meaningfully.
Banshi simply nodded slowly.