Chapter 699
That afternoon.
The regular class schedule had all finished. Most of the students were on their way home, but those who had been dispatched outside for the ‘special classes’ were the exception.
They still had supplementary lessons left.
Checking the timetable, Kamibarez fluttered her wings with an excited look.
‘I’ll wait and go with Simon.’
Both Simon and Kamibarez had attended Bahil’s general Katarology class, and this supplementary lesson was also scheduled for them to take together.
As she was waiting in front of the Katarology building for Simon to arrive.
“Student Kamibarez.”
The chief teaching assistant of Katarology, Chehekle, approached. Kamibarez, startled, quickly bowed her head.
“Ah, hello! Chief assistant sir!”
“I’ll be the one conducting today’s supplementary class. What are you doing out here? Let’s go in together.”
“Pardon? Ah, it’s just that—”
Kamibarez glanced back nervously. Seeing this, Chehekle spoke.
“I also wanted to talk about your multiple-choice answers from the last practical evaluation, so it works out.”
“Ah, y-yes! If that’s the case….”
Chehekle led Kamibarez toward the classroom.
And then.
Wooong!
At the far end of the hallway, hidden from sight, another figure of Chehekle was casting black magic. This one was the real one.
‘I don’t know what I’m even doing right now. I’m sorry, student Kamibarez.’
She let out a deep sigh.
The moment she sent Kamibarez into the classroom, timing worked perfectly—Simon was walking into the Katarology building. Chehekle quickly went forward to greet him.
“Student Simon.”
“Ah, assistant Chehekle!”
Simon returned the greeting warmly as he approached.
“I heard you returned safely from the special class dispatch. That’s a relief.”
“Thank you. I trust nothing happened to you either, assistant?”
“Thanks to your concern. Shall we go up together?”
“Yes!”
The two of them climbed the stairs, chatting here and there.
Since they were already acquainted due to the incident with Bahil at the beginning of the semester, they spoke comfortably with each other.
“Hm?”
But Chehekle was heading somewhere other than the classroom announced in the timetable. Realizing this, Simon asked,
“Isn’t the supplementary class supposed to be on the third floor?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
She sighed deeply.
“The truth is, Professor Bahil said he would personally instruct you.”
Simon blinked.
“Professor Bahil himself?”
* * *
And soon after.
“???”
Entering the classroom he had been guided to, Simon looked around in bewilderment.
‘What is this place?’
It wasn’t a classroom at all, but a luxurious fine restaurant. With extravagant interior design, fragrant aromas, and instruments floating in midair performing classical music without musicians.
The place looked like a noble’s grand banquet hall, yet here Simon sat at a solitary desk, taking out his textbook and quill. There was even a blackboard in front, as if this elegant venue truly were to be used as a classroom.
“Water.”
A man dressed as a waiter approached, set a glass on Simon’s desk, and filled it with water. Simon stiffened and thanked him politely.
While Simon sipped the water in confusion.
Step, step.
At last, Professor of Katarology, Bahil Amagar, appeared.
Dressed in an immaculate high-class suit that suited the atmosphere perfectly.
“Welcome to my classroom, Simon.”
Bahil, smiling broadly, stood before the blackboard.
Simon gave an awkward smile.
“…Professor Bahil. What is all this?”
“As you can see, a supplementary class.”
It hardly looked like the atmosphere of a supplementary class, which was why he asked.
Simon moistened his dry lips with water. But the moment he took a sip, the waiter instantly returned, whispering “Water”, and refilled the glass.
“Well then, let’s begin the lesson.”
Bahil gestured, and the waiter left. He seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood today.
Dragging over a blackboard on wheels, he opened his textbook.
“Turn to page 145.”
* * *
Surprisingly, the class proceeded normally.
“Explain the Rotos formula.”
It was something he had studied in advance back in the north.
Simon’s eyes gleamed intelligently as he answered.
“It designates the range of a weakening magic circle, and prevents corrosion on the circle’s outer layer.”
“Then the Pantera formula.”
“…Ah, that one.”
He couldn’t recall.
Simon rubbed his forehead, thought deeply, then lowered his head.
“Apologies, I don’t remember clearly.”
He was sure he’d be scolded.
It was already a problem that he’d missed regular classes due to the special classes, and now even his preparations were shaky.
But.
“It’s fine.”
Bahil, usually strict when it came to curses, unexpectedly smiled.
“For a learner, ‘memorization’ is the simplest form of labor. Your true worth lies elsewhere. Anyone can memorize with effort, so there is no reason for me to be upset just because you failed a few.”
Why was this professor so lenient today?
As Simon blankly stared at Bahil, he gestured.
“Still, since it’s in the textbook, be sure to memorize it all by next time.”
“Yes! I’m sorry!”
“More importantly.”
“?”
Bahil closed the book, set it on the desk, and his eyes gleamed.
“You seem to be troubled about something.”
Simon flinched and opened his mouth, but Bahil nodded knowingly.
“Come to think of it, I heard that third-year student Aizel has returned. How is the matter of the Student Council President going?”
It was as if he could see straight into Simon’s heart.
Simon swallowed nervously and answered truthfully, saying they had decided to settle it with a duel after the finals.
“That hardly sounds like a serious problem.”
Bahil truly looked unconcerned. Twirling the chalk in his hand, he struck a point at the center of the board.
“I can make you win.”
Simon’s eyes widened.
“…What?”
“Third-year strongest, Aizel Bringer. I can make you win against him. Such a thing is simple.”
Simon was flustered.
Did this man really understand what he was saying?
“But there’s a condition.”
Bahil, watching the board, curled his lips into a smile.
“Major in Katarology, Simon Follentia.”
Simon’s face froze.
“P-professor, forgive me, but are you suggesting I change my major—”
“I.”
He turned fully, pressing both hands against the board, and looked straight at Simon.
“As an educator, I find you, Simon Follentia, regrettable. Ah, of course, I don’t mean to disparage the brilliant achievements you’ve accomplished in Summonology. It is undeniable that Senior Aron’s Summonology created the Student Council President Simon Follentia of today.”
Tak.
Tak.
He picked up a white chalk and a pink chalk, marking two dots at the bottom of the board. Then, slowly, he drew them upward.
Jiiiiiiiik—
“Without doubt, you are moving forward. In truth, you would have risen no matter what you majored in. Even if you had chosen something foolish like Magical Combat, or something lowly like Toxicology, you would still have risen. But if you look back on your accomplishments far in the future—”
Tak.
Tak.
Bahil lifted the two chalks he had been dragging across the board.
“I am certain, there will be a difference.”
What was drawn on the board were two lines.
The white one went straight upward.
The pink one slanted slightly to the side.
“These two lines started at the same point, and moved upward for the same length of time. But the difference is clear.”
Bahil extended the pink line at its end until it touched the white line.
Then it became obvious, that the white line had risen higher.
“As time goes on, you will feel it more bitterly. Summonology has a decisive limitation. It is not a matter of being old-fashioned or trendy. It is this.”
Bahil curled his lips into a smile.
“That one must ‘depend’ on a summoned creature.”
“!”
“The limitation of a summoner is that they must rely on another being. And the performance of a summon is, once created, mostly fixed. That reliance weakens a necromancer. It sets their own boundaries. A powerful necromancer is one who transcends limits and changes everything.”
Bahil’s eyes flashed.
“Summonology, a study of how to better use toys that already have limits the moment they are created, how far do you think you can go with that?”
“P-please calm down.”
Simon forced a smile, raising his hand.
Bahil’s points weren’t all correct, but perhaps some of them held weight.
But.
‘I can’t exactly say I’m a Legion Commander.’
Bahil chuckled, reopened the textbook he had set down, and lifted it.
“This is not a decision to be made hastily. Think on it slowly. Let us continue the lesson.”
* * *
The class of Professor of Katarology, Bahil, was more dazzling than ever.
This was no longer the level of a mere supplementary lesson.
In particular, Bahil gave Simon advice after advice on the curse he was most confident in, and most interested in—‘Sleep’.
“Now. Straight on.”
Bahil set up a table, and Simon dashed forward, slamming his palm down upon it.
<Phantasus Original – Sleep>
Just by striking the table with his palm, the Sleep pierced through it and affected the target behind.
“Excellent, next.”
The next was an applied version of Sleep.
Simon seized the Sleep and scattered it into the air. Sleep spread in every direction, affecting every target.
“Wow!”
“By adding the rotating formula, Chetini, you can create this effect.”
Bahil clapped, laughing.
“The bending formula Pantera, the curving formula Abiso, the rotating formula Chetini. You must learn them all, yes?”
Simon answered firmly.
“Yes! I’ll learn them all!”
Then, regaining his senses.
‘???’
He found his arms loaded with all sorts of books and scrolls of formulas.
“Before the next class, have all three mastered. That will be all.”
With that high-intensity assignment bomb, Bahil slipped on his gloves, smiling brightly.
Since he had declared it himself, Simon could not object, and there was no room for Senior Aron to interfere.
“I look forward to next time.”
“Th-thank you for your hard work, professor.”
Bahil strode out first, leaving the luxurious classroom.
Step, step.
Once outside, Bahil’s eyes moved. Waiting with hands folded politely was Chehekle, who had already finished the other students’ supplementary lessons.
“You worked hard, professor.”
She bowed deeply.
“You as well, Chehekle.”
“How was the class with Student Simon?”
Bahil’s lips curved so far it nearly reached his ears.
“It was the best time I’ve had in recent years.”
No more need to trudge through textbooks, slowing pace to match the level of foolish students.
This was a class solely for Simon Follentia.
If only Senior Aron didn’t exist, these would have been blissful days to enjoy every single day.
Days now impossible.
Yet, days that could be possible in the future.
“Thanks to Lady Neftis sending Simon out on special classes, I was able to enjoy myself thoroughly.”
Bahil was wholly satisfied with this legitimate one-on-one supplementary class.
“More importantly.”
Chehekle frowned in concern.
“You really didn’t mean that offer about helping him defeat Aizel, did you?”
“I did make the offer. Of course, it wasn’t accepted immediately.”
“Professor Bahil!!”
Bahil’s lips curved with meaning.
Everything was moving quickly. Jane, and Hongpeng, were already in motion.
“Let’s just wait a little longer. One way or another, a reaction will come.”
* * *
Supplementary class.
A class meant literally to supplement students who missed regular lessons.
But Bahil wasn’t the only one using it for another purpose. The very next day, a similar situation arose.
‘……?’
This time, Darkness Dynamics supplementary class.
Simon had been told to change into his training uniform before coming, and arrived at the designated location.
While all the others went to classrooms in their uniforms to study, only Simon was led to the arena.
‘It’s been a while since I came here.’
It was the indoor arena used during duel evaluation season.
As Simon looked around, the teaching assistant of Darkness Dynamics approached, silently helping him into a barrier-imbued protective suit.
“P-please receive the lesson well, Student Simon.”
The assistant bowed, then hurriedly scampered away as if fleeing.
Left alone in the vast, empty arena, Simon stood dazed for several minutes.
And then.
Wooong—!
Woom!
Lights lit up around the arena. A barrier spread, and he could feel the protective suit activating.
Tok-tok— tok-tok—
The sharp rhythm of high heels echoed through the arena.
Professor of Darkness Dynamics for second-years, and vice-chancellor of Keyzen, Jane Olivia, was approaching.
“P-professor Jane?”
Somehow.
The atmosphere was ominous.
“Then let us begin the supplementary lesson, Student Council President.”
She snapped her fingers.
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