Chapter 59
At the same time, in Bahil’s lab.
Crash!
Kaang!
With bloodshot eyes, Bahil hurled anything he could get his hands on.
Statues, trophies, research tools—all smashed to pieces as they hit the floor.
“Huff! Huff...!”
In an instant, the room descended into chaos.
Bahil leaned against the wall, panting heavily. His chief assistant, Chehekle, seemed all too familiar with the scene and stood with her back pressed against the wall, eyes closed.
Once the room quieted, she opened her eyes.
“Finished venting, Professor Bahil?”
“......”
Bahil strode over and collapsed onto the sofa. He reached out to the table, grabbed a smoking pipe, lit it with black magic, and took a long drag.
Fwooo...
A long stream of smoke trailed out. Chehekle frowned at the sight.
“Professor, no smoking indoors...”
“Just ignore it this once, Chehekle.”
But Bahil suddenly threw the pipe he had been enjoying.
The moment it hit the wall, it shattered into pieces.
“...Why!”
Bahil shouted.
“Why won’t you acknowledge my sincerity, Simon Follentia!”
He nervously swept back his bangs and let out a deep sigh. But still not calmed, he suddenly sprang to his feet.
“You’re a genius! The kind that appears maybe once every few centuries! Why are you wasting that insane talent on summonology? I just don’t get it! Summonology is an outdated, musty discipline! Even if you excel in it, you’ll just end up like Aron, why can’t you see that!!”
Unable to suppress his frustration, Bahil began scratching his body as if it were unbearably itchy.
“Your peak potential is Aron! The first special admission student of Keyzen, a man of legendary talent! Think about how he’s treated now at Keyzen!”
His arms trembled violently like they were convulsing, and then he collapsed to the ground.
His gaze turned toward an old, faded picture frame.
“......”
In it, a younger Bahil and Aron, both in Keyzen uniforms, stood arm in arm.
The two boys had smiles on their faces, free of worry.
Probably the brightest time of their lives.
But Bahil knew better than anyone.
He had come too far to ever return to that time.
“They’re all pathetic, I can’t stand it.”
“...Professor.”
“To see such radiant talent plunge itself into the abyss! I won’t watch it happen again! Only I can revive Simon! Only I can polish that rough gem and craft it into the brightest jewel in this world!”
“...Why don’t you just be honest, Professor?”
“Honest? Fine, then.”
Bahil suddenly stood up.
“I want him.”
A strange smile crept onto his lips. The veins on his clenched fists bulged.
“I want Simon Follentia like mad! I absolutely must make him mine!”
Here we go again.
Chehekle’s face turned resigned.
“I’m ready to sacrifice my soul for him. I’ll do whatever it takes! I’ll unleash his ultimate talent and create the second Neftis!”
Bahil spread his arms wide.
“My devotion! My effort! My care! My soul! I’ll stake my life to elevate him to godhood, and in return, I ask for only one thing!”
He smiled with a twisted expression.
“That he recognizes me alone as his teacher.”
“...Good grief.”
“When someone asks Simon how he reached the top, he’ll answer like this: ‘It’s all thanks to my mentor, Professor Bahil!’ Ahhh...! Just the thought gives me chills...!”
As Bahil quivered with madness, Chehekle shook her head and turned away.
“I’m leaving.”
“Chehekle.”
Bahil approached her.
“I’m the kind of person who has to possess what I set my sights on.”
He grabbed her arm forcefully, then lifted her chin as she stumbled into his arms.
“Just like you.”
“......”
His eyes were those of someone admiring a masterpiece.
Chehekle, on the other hand, stared at him in disgust and kicked his leg hard with her boot. Bahil winced and stepped back.
“That’s workplace harassment, Professor Bahil.”
“You were like this even as a student. Still so unadorable, Chehekle.”
Bahil straightened his shirt collar.
“A talent like you should be less rigid if you’re to succeed me.”
“Didn’t you change your mind and decide Simon Follentia would succeed you?”
“Oh, hardly.”
Bahil’s lips curled upward.
“Simon Follentia isn’t just my successor, he’ll one day surpass me! He’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with Neftis! I’m simply expressing a proper desire as an educator! No—if someone doesn’t feel stirred by seeing such talent, that’s what’s unnatural. But are you really going to keep calling my desire vulgar?”
“What else is it but vulgar to monopolize the right to teach a student?”
“Oh my, not letting a single word go unanswered.”
Bahil tilted his head back and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“I just had a brilliant idea.”
“...Now what.”
“Right now, Simon Follentia is moderately satisfied with his summonology. He even triumphed in Professor Jane’s Cyclops combat class. That’s the problem!”
His eyes once again gleamed with madness.
“What Simon needs right now is a bitter defeat. Only then will he reflect on himself, question what’s wrong, where he went astray and reconsider which path he should walk!”
“...That does make sense. So how do you plan to make such a genius taste defeat?”
Bahil’s mouth stretched into a demonic grin.
“Oh, that’s the easiest part.”
* * *
Classes continued at a grueling pace, naturally because of the upcoming duel evaluations.
Even Eric Aura, the professor of Darkness Dynamics, a staunch theorist who taught all the way from the origins of runes, had shifted to combat training.
The same went for the other professors.
Whether it was to meet the students’ expectations or because they didn’t want to see future majors fail, most professors focused on combat black magic this week.
Thanks to that, the repertoire for the duel evaluations had become far more diverse. And this was true for all first-year students at Keyzen.
Today, too, after finishing his morning class and grabbing an early lunch, Simon was walking with Dick to their next class.
‘Second and third period are both Haematology, huh.’
Due to the professor’s circumstances, haematology had been delayed, and now they had it scheduled for the entire week. Since many professors were active necromancers, these kinds of extreme timetables weren’t uncommon.
And at the same time...
“There’s no Summonology at all this week.”
Simon let out a heavy sigh. Dick shrugged beside him.
“Professor Aron’s apparently on a business trip.”
It was disappointing. Given the duel evaluation season, Aron would’ve definitely taught offensive magic, which would’ve been a big help to Simon.
Even aside from that, it would’ve been a good chance to ask how to fight other students on equal footing using only summonology.
“Huh?”
Dick, munching on a sandwich for dessert, suddenly stopped walking.
“Simon! Look over there!”
“Hm?”
“The duel evaluation matchups are up!”
Where Dick was pointing, a large bulletin board stood, already swarming with students.
The two of them quickly ran over.
‘My first official opponent at Keyzen.’
Simon, heart pounding, scanned the list for his name.
‘As long as I avoid a few monsters, I should be fine.’
Neftis’s daughter, Loraine Arkbold.
Heir to the Ivory Tower, Serne Eindark.
Half-giant, Shatel Maer.
These three were absolutely to be avoided. Aside from them, he figured most matchups were at least doable.
‘Ah, found it.’
[Second Arena – Round 1, Match 12]
Class A, Simon Follentia vs. Class G, Haren Koak.
‘Who’s Haren Koak?’
It was a name he’d never heard before. Dick seemed to feel the same, chuckling.
“Ligang Chopra? That’s a weird name. Is he from Shahed?”
“Dick, you don’t know him either?”
Dick nodded, then looked at Simon’s opponent.
“Haren Koak from Class G... want me to find out about him? Like his specialty or intended major?”
Simon scratched the side of his head.
“That’s kind of asking a lot.”
“Nah, Ligang’s in Class G too, so I was gonna check anyway. And it’ll be helpful for you to know about your opponent, right?”
“Yeah. If you could, I’d really appreciate it.”
Simon turned his attention back to the bulletin board.
Haren Koak. What kind of dark magic would he use? The duel evaluations didn’t just feel like a brawl.
It was the most direct stage to compare one another’s accomplishments by exchanging black magic.
It’d be a lie to say he wasn’t nervous but at the same time, his heart pounded with excitement.
“I hope class ends quickly.”
Hearing Simon mutter to himself, Dick blinked.
“Eh? Why the sudden change? You like going to class.”
“I’ve got personal training planned for tonight.”
Dick chuckled.
“This guy, gonna go stomp on the weak again? What are you training this time? Honestly, how many people can even handle your Magical Combat and that killer kick of yours?”
“...Don’t call it a killer kick. And that’s not even the focus this time.”
“Then what?”
“I’m planning to fight using summonology.”
Dick widened his eyes in surprise, then broke into a grin.
“Should I do it in the Maelyn version? Or the Kami version?”
“...What are you talking about.”
“Come on, pick one.”
“Maelyn?”
Dick crossed his arms and turned his head with a sulky expression. Then, in a deliberately exaggerated voice, he said,
“I told you, didn’t I? Fight using Magical Combat.”
“Pfft!”
Simon laughed so hard he drooled.
Pleased by his friend’s reaction, Dick grinned proudly, right before a flying schoolbag smacked him in the face and knocked him down.
“Just die already!”
Maelyn stood there, her face bright red with fury. Next to her, Kamibarez was desperately trying to stifle her laughter, her mouth covered by her hands.
“Ah, come on! Even you can’t deny that sounded exactly—owww!”
“Dieeeee!”
* * *
The moment classes ended for the day, Simon used Kevin’s stable route to sneak over to Rochest.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen Rochest at night.’
The streets that were so lively on weekends now felt dark and quiet, almost unfamiliar.
He wore a robe over his uniform to avoid standing out as a Keyzen student, and it looked like plenty of other robed boys and girls were doing the same.
‘First, the necromancer shop.’
Simon headed to the necromancer shop he had visited a while ago.
“Welcome~”
Last time, Rowen had been manning the counter as a part-timer. This time, a young man with a monocle was sitting there.
‘So this is the owner.’
Dick had mentioned him briefly.
A necromancer who made it to second year at Keyzen but couldn’t keep up with the competition. Now he had settled in Rochest, running a shop.
Simon bowed politely.
“Hello! Senior!”
The shop owner gave an awkward smile.
“Ahaha, no need to call me ‘senior’. A proper Keyzen student like you doesn’t have to do that.”
Simon looked up.
“But you made it to second year...”
“I’m a dropout. A washed-up old student is nothing compared to a current first-year at Keyzen.”
Still, his smile seemed genuine. In truth, many of those who had settled in Rochest and were now running businesses were former Keyzen students.
Maybe they couldn’t forget their dazzling days at Keyzen, or perhaps they were clinging to some lingering attachment or nostalgia. They couldn’t re-enter Keyzen, but they lived nearby, in its shadow.
These people were the reason why even high-ranking noble Keyzen students didn’t dare to cause trouble in Rochest.
“Anyway, what can I help you with, student?”
At the shop owner’s question, Simon’s eyes lit up, and he answered without hesitation.
“I want to make a Skeleton Archer.”
Superb.