Chapter 474: Episode 474

The Student Council President’s inauguration ceremony was a resounding success. Now, it was time for the final event: the ‘Department Introduction Corner,’ a segment newly established by the student council for the end of the entrance ceremony.

The response was nothing short of explosive.

“Hello, freshmen! My name is Jamie Victoria, and I’m a second-year in the Department of Cursology!”

With Jamie taking the lead, the second-years stepped forward. They explained each subject, the pros and cons of choosing it as a major, and shared anecdotes from their own first-year experiences.

“Look, Simon!” Kamibarez exclaimed, tugging on the hem of his coat with an excited look on her face. “Everyone is paying such close attention!”

“Yeah,” he replied, just as surprised as she was.

Not a single student was fidgeting or dozing off. Perhaps it was the stark contrast to the adults’ tedious speeches, or maybe their focus was at its absolute peak right before their very first class as Kizen freshmen.

Everyone listened to Jamie as if they couldn’t afford to miss a single word. Some even had notebooks out, scribbling furiously. The emcee, Seiwyr, used his illusion magic to illustrate Jamie’s points, and she even demonstrated a few of the powerful curses that represented her department.

“That’s all from me! It was an honor to introduce Cursology to you all! I hope that when you become second-years a year from now, you’ll consider joining our department! Thank you!”

Jamie’s presentation was a perfect start, earning a wave of enthusiastic cheers from the freshmen. She walked back with confident strides, but the moment she passed through the curtain behind the stage, she collapsed to the floor, letting out a long, shaky breath.

“Ugh’, that was so nerve-wracking! So, so nerve-wracking!”

“You were amazing, Class Rep! The absolute best!” Meirin shrieked, grabbing Jamie’s shoulders and shaking her wildly.

Simon approached them. “You did a great job. You’re a natural speaker.”

“I practiced all day yesterday!” Jamie said, looking up at Simon with a grin. “And that emcee was great at playing along, too. Thanks, everyone. For letting me stand on that stage. It was a really great experience.”

Just then, Seiwyr’s voice boomed through the auditorium. “Next, let’s welcome the student who will introduce Jet-Black Dynamics! Second-year Meirin Villenne!”

It was Meirin’s turn. She jogged onto the stage confidently and, as expected, showcased her full capabilities as Vice President.

“Let me guess, you all think this is the easiest option, right?” she began with a playful smirk. “The safe, boring choice you pick when you’re not sure about your talent?”

A ripple of knowing laughter spread through the freshmen. Meirin spread her arms wide.

“Well, I’m here to shatter that perception! What can you really do when you master Jet-Black Dynamics? Please, look at the screen.”

She made no mistakes, never fumbled a word. Her posture was dazzling as she confidently moved through her prepared material, never getting swept up by the cheering crowd and even showing the composure to interact with the audience.

Simon felt a renewed sense of pride, certain he had chosen the right Vice President. Meirin’s presentation was another massive success.

“Next up is the student representing the Department of Summoning, Simon Polentia!”

A deafening roar erupted from the crowd, so loud that the student council subordinates waiting backstage had to cover their ears. Simon did the same, a sheepish smile on his face.

“Wow, you’ve become a superstar,” Cindy Vivace remarked with a smirk.

Soon, Simon was on the platform, holding the amplifying crystal sphere as he began his explanation of the Department of Summoning. Much of his speech was influenced by Aaron’s teachings. He didn’t sugarcoat it or claim the department was perfect. He frankly acknowledged its practical challenges and admitted it might not align with current trends.

“However,” he said, a glint in his eyes, “while I can’t speak for other things, I have never heard of a necromancer who couldn’t perform a summoning.”

Laughter erupted from all corners of the hall, with the adults on the third floor reacting most enthusiastically. Though it was considered old-fashioned, the older generation of necromancers still held a deep affection for the art of summoning.

“As necromancers, I believe it is only natural to hone our summoning skills. You will command your own army, and you will never be alone, no matter the situation.” Simon’s eyes shone as he stretched an arm toward his juniors. “I admit there are risks. But I am certain there are people who, like me, will come to love this field of study enough to embrace those risks. That concludes my presentation. Thank you!”

A cheer louder than any before erupted through the auditorium. With a senior like Simon Polentia leading the way, the Department of Summoning was destined to be incredibly popular again next year.

—

Following Simon, Cindy introduced the Department of Necrology. Next were Kamibarez and Claudia. Kamibarez, in particular, was met with incredible enthusiasm.

“O-Our Hemomancy is, uhm…!”

This was her first time presenting in front of so many people. She twisted her legs together nervously as she continued. “You might feel some resistance because it consumes blood, buuut… in fact, it’s a department that, more than any other…!”

It wasn’t a flawless presentation, but she was mustering her courage and doing well. The freshmen listened with encouraging smiles.

“You can do it, Kami!”

Someone shrieked with excitement.

“I think I’m going to cry!”

Behind the stage, Meirin, Jamie, Cindy, and Claudia were kneeling in a row, peeking out from behind the curtain to watch their friend.

“…What are those four doing, all lined up like that?” Dick asked with a dry laugh as he returned from dealing with the VIPs.

“Kami is introducing the Department of Hemomancy right now,” Simon explained.

“Ah, I see.” Dick chuckled, waving a small notecard.

“What’s that?” Simon asked.

“Heh heh! It’s the card Kami dropped while she was practicing! Any second now…”

“Simoooon!”

Kamibarez, who had been presenting just fine a moment ago, suddenly came running toward Simon with a tearful face. “I-I…! One of the pages I wrote my notes on is gone…!”

“Ah, in times like these, you have to ad-lib, Kami,” Dick said mischievously.

But Simon silently used his Cloud to snatch the card from Dick’s hand and return it to Kamibarez. Realizing what had happened, she glared at Dick and shrieked, “You’re the worst, Dick!”

She spun around and scurried back to the platform, a sight that made the female students in the audience practically melt.

“Hah…”

“I really miss our days in Class A.”

Dick laughed sheepishly, scratching his head. “It was just a joke. Maybe I was too harsh on her.”

“Yeah,” Simon said flatly. “Apologize properly later.”

“Yessir. I’ll start by bowing my head to the ground.”

—

After Kamibarez and Claudia, it was time for the Combat Magic presentation. Simon had been in charge of finding a speaker for this department.

Seiwyr’s voice echoed through the hall. “We’ve already reached our final segment! Are you all sad to see it end?”

“Yeees!!” the freshmen roared back.

“But it’s time for you to head to your classes! The glares I’m getting from the broadcast team are getting quite sharp. Anyway, for our final presentation, let’s welcome the student who will introduce Combat Magic, Kajan Edvalt!”

Kajan strode forward without a hint of nervousness. Taking the amplifying crystal sphere from Seiwyr, he habitually scratched the scar above his right eye. With the scars covering his body and the bandages visible beneath his uniform, his appearance was so impactful that the freshmen seemed slightly tense.

“I came at the president’s request,” Kajan began, his voice calm and even. “But there is nothing special to introduce about Combat Magic.”

A murmur went through the freshmen. Behind the stage, Meirin grabbed Simon’s shoulders and shook him. “Hey! What happened with your recruitment?!”

Just then, Kajan clenched his fist and threw a light punch forward.

A powerful gust of wind erupted from his fist, sweeping through the auditorium. The hair of the seated freshmen whipped about wildly, and a few small belongings were sent flying.

Having created the blast, Kajan slowly lowered his fist. “Trivial words are unnecessary. Combat Magic symbolizes pure power.”

After that captivating display, Kajan’s detailed explanation began.

“I assume you all have preconceived notions about Combat Magic. However, the general consensus is that a Combat Magic major can respond in the fastest, most direct manner in any situation and can exert consistent power against any opponent. I want you to note that according to Pentamonium statistics, Combat Magic majors are the most sought-after companions among professional necromancers. They protect their allies while they prepare their black magic, and they can suppress powerful enemies with preemptive strikes. That is not to say their follow-up firepower is weak. Instead of using magic circles, a Combat Magic major…”

Not only the freshmen, but all the second-years waiting backstage were gaping. With both feet planted firmly on the ground, without so much as a gesture, he delivered a captivating speech with extreme restraint.

“H-He’s even a good speaker… Senior Kajan,” Meirin murmured, a dazed smile on her face.

“That’s my former roommate for you!” Dick declared excitedly. “Think about where Kajan comes from! He’s not someone you can compete with using student-level presentation skills!”

When Kajan finished and returned backstage, Simon and the others greeted him with a storm of enthusiastic cheers.

—

The Department Introduction Corner, born from a student council idea, was a massive success. Meirin had conducted a simple survey at the entrance, and the segment received the highest satisfaction rating of the entire ceremony by an overwhelming margin.

“At this rate, don’t you think this will become a permanent part of Kizen’s entrance ceremony?” Meirin mused, indulging in some wishful thinking.

Dick’s handling of the VIPs had also been a success. “Heh heh! You can expect that one drink to pay dividends. The elders will surely put in a good word for us at Kizen headquarters.”

It was an entrance ceremony that had satisfied everyone, from the newest students to the most esteemed guests. Professor Jane, the student council’s advisor, even came to congratulate the four of them on a job well done.

With the ceremony concluded, the first-years left for their classes. Simon and the student council members, along with their subordinates, cleaned up the grand auditorium before finally returning to their dormitory.

After a full night’s rest, it was the next morning. It was time for the second-years to begin their first semester in earnest.

Aaron arrived at the classroom with a relaxed saunter. The students had already neatly arranged their textbooks and Skeleton Knight materials on their lab desks.

“Did you all rest well?” he asked.

“Yes!!” they replied in unison.

Aaron nodded and stood at the lectern. “It seems you’ve all prepared your materials. From today, I want you to discard the clumsy first-years you once were. I expect you to approach this class with the attitude of a specialist.”

He picked up a piece of chalk and slowly wrote on the blackboard.

「Skeleton Knight」

Lowering his arm, Aaron turned to the students. “Can anyone tell me the difference between a regular Skeleton and a Skeleton Knight?”

As the students glanced around hesitantly, one young woman confidently raised her hand.

“Aseraz Mikel.”

Ranked fifth overall and first in written exams, she stood from her seat. “Cost, speed, armament. There are various differences, but the most distinct one can be summarized in a single phrase.” She continued, her eyes serious, “Strength that doesn’t require control.”

’Strength that doesn’t require control,’ Simon mused. ’What does that mean?’

“Well said.” Aaron nodded and gestured for her to sit. Then he waved his arm through the air.

A ’clatter’ of bones filled the classroom as scattered remains flew up and swirled in the air, assembling into three Skeletons and one Skeleton Knight before the students. The stage was set in mere seconds. The students gasped in admiration at his flawless, efficient control. Simon felt a swell of pride as he saw the surprised reactions from the back-row students.

“From this point, I will not interfere with my will. I will let them have a pure fight.”

With a ’clatter’ of bone on bone, the three regular Skeletons drew their swords and charged. The Skeleton Knight, though an undead, was clad in armor and wielded a sword and shield.

’Clang! Clang!’

In the initial clash, the Skeletons used their superior numbers to relentlessly pressure the Knight. The Skeleton Knight held a defensive posture, keeping its shield forward.

’That’s unusual,’ Simon thought.

While the other students simply enjoyed the spectacle, Simon’s eyes were gleaming with curiosity. ’An undead with defensive tendencies, even without being controlled by a caster’s will.’

Undead, being monsters crafted from corpses, had no hesitation in throwing their bodies into the fray. Violent, mindless, and cruel were the words that usually came to mind. But this Skeleton Knight was different.

And then, with a sharp blow, it slowly began to counter the Skeletons’ attacks, using its shield and sword to strike their legs and chests, breaking their stances.

With another two blows, it reduced their number from three to two.

Finally, with a sickening impact, it succeeded in cutting down the last remaining Skeleton.

“As you can see, a Skeleton Knight has the combat power of three regular Skeletons,” Aaron explained.

As the Skeleton Knight raised its sword in a victory pose, the Summoning students laughed boisterously.

“If there had been four Skeletons, the Knight would have been overwhelmed. Next—”

With a clattering sound, another regular Skeleton assembled before the celebrating Knight. The two undead held identical swords and assumed identical stances.

“The difference in available skills.”

The Skeleton used ‘Dash’ to charge forward with a thud. The Skeleton Knight simply swung its sword.

A black light shimmered on the Skeleton Knight’s equipment, and Simon’s eyes widened. The two skeletons swung their swords at almost the same time.

The charging Skeleton’s body was pulverized, shattering into hundreds of pieces that flew through the air.

“A Skeleton Knight can use the offensive skill ‘Bash’, not the charging skill ‘Dash’,” Aaron stated.

A wave of cheers and applause swept through the room.

“This is fun!”

“This is what class should be like!”

As the Summoning students, especially those in the back, cheered, Aaron calmly continued. “Now, having seen that, I’ll ask again. Besides Aseraz, can anyone explain the meaning of ‘strength that doesn’t require control’?”

This time, as if he had been waiting, Simon’s hand shot up. Aaron nodded, and Aseraz shot him a wary glance.

“Simon Polentia.”

Simon stood up confidently.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep