Chapter 315 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 315
Chapter Title: Time to Choose
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"It's Lumeria City!"
On the ferry that ran between Lumerne and Lumeria City.
Iliana shouted with a bright voice as she stepped onto the dock.
Following behind her were the other students who had been in Class 5 during their first year.
"We're out to have fun today. So, no spying on each other's dorms, okay?"
Nella said with a grin, and Iliana smirked back.
"Why state the obvious!"
"Right. Right."
Karl nodded in agreement.
"You're the most suspicious one here."
Iliana narrowed her eyes and poked Karl in the side.
"By the way, these departmental assignments. Aren't they a bit too brutal?"
Dade muttered in an exhausted voice.
Yura, the professor in charge of the second-year Summoning Department, had given her students an incredibly difficult challenge.
"For Beast Tamers, it was strengthening mystic beasts with spirits. And for Spirit Users, it was strengthening spirits with mystic beasts, right?"
Chelsea tilted her head.
"How was it? The Summoning kids were staying after class and struggling a lot."
"...How was it?"
Dade's face filled with horror as he recalled yesterday's events.
***
"Fundamentally, if you have a talent for summoning, you can handle both mystic beasts and spirits. This means you have two potential paths dormant within you."
Yura smiled sweetly at her disciples.
"Of course, once you get older and become an adult, that potential closes off. Being able to make your latent talents bloom is a privilege of your teenage years."
As she spoke, Yura effortlessly summoned a high-ranking wind spirit.
For the Summoning students, seeing Yura, who commanded multiple highest-ranking mystic beasts, so easily summon a wind spirit was a surprising sight.
Although she had taught summoning for a full year, there was a separate professor who specialized in spirit arts.
"Professor Yura, if you're that proficient in spirit arts, couldn't you have taught that as well?"
A spirit arts major asked, his voice filled with shock. Yura replied with a look that said, *what kind of nonsense is that?*
"What are you talking about? To teach spirit arts at Lumerne, you need to have a contract with at least a highest-ranking spirit."
Her words made the Summoning students realize anew the greatness of Lumerne's professors.
Though Yura's daily routine involved getting into childish squabbles with Professor Ain of the Knight Department or Professor Ren of the Magic Department and getting scolded by Halind, she too was a graduate of Lumerne.
And not just any graduate—she had been one of the best of the best, with skills comparable to the year's representative during her school days.
The rank of a mystic beast or spirit was a measure of a summoner's talent.
Of course, commanding a high-ranking summoned creature didn't automatically make one a strong summoner.
Even among the Lumerne second-years, a few students could handle high-ranking summoned creatures.
But Yura could easily subdue them with just a low-ranking mystic beast.
That was how much a summoner's own skill mattered, beyond the rank of their summons.
To develop this skill, a summoner needed experience handling a variety of summoned creatures.
Yura wanted to remind her students of this fact.
"Professor. I don't think we have the same talent as you!"
"I'm trash… Utter trash!"
"...It's no use. We're probably not cut out for this."
However, many students hit a wall when trying to handle summons outside their area of expertise.
Even if they had the latent ability for both spirits and mystic beasts.
For students who had spent their entire lives summoning only one type of creature, suddenly using another was an extremely difficult task.
Among them, the one who received the biggest shock was Eliza, who had always been at the top of the second-year Summoning Department's theory classes.
Eliza's shock was particularly great because not only her rival, Woreden, but also Jureden, the third-ranked student who was considered a step below them, had easily summoned both mystic beasts and spirits.
And there was no need to even mention Leo.
Leo had been able to use both mystic beasts and spirits with ease from the beginning.
"Hmm, hmm! It's certainly a difficult task to suddenly ask a Spirit User to handle a mystic beast, or a beast summoner to handle a spirit."
Yura, who had nonchalantly given the assignment, nodded as if in understanding.
"But don't worry! I have some special training just for you!"
"W-What is it!"
At Yura's words, a male student named Jester, who specialized in fire mystic beasts, asked in an excited voice.
"It's nothing much. Student Jester, step forward."
Jester stepped forward without much suspicion.
"For a fire-attribute summoner, the special training is…"
Yura summoned a fire mystic beast.
*Fwoosh.*
"Huh?"
"You just have to burn."
*WHOOOOSH.*
"Aaaaaaaah?!"
"Burn! Become ashes! Become ashes and feel the spirit of fire! Ahahahahahaha!"
Watching the burning student, whipping her whip like a madwoman and bursting into crazed laughter, Yura was the very image of a witch.
Horrified, the other Summoning students tried to flee.
*CRACK—!*
A sharp whip cracked in front of the fleeing students.
*PAK—!*
Yura, holding the whip taut, licked her upper lip.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"P-Professor. Class is almost over."
"Yes, I know. Today is a supplementary class."
Yura, backlit by the setting sun, smiled alluringly with her eyes.
Normally, it was a smile that would make the male students swoon, but right now, it was pure terror.
"Now, everyone, line up according to the attribute of the summons you specialize in."
***
"...So what happened?"
At Karl's question, Dade shivered, hugging his arms.
"The kids who handle the light attribute cried throughout the entire supplementary class because they had to stare at the light with their eyes wide open until they went blind. The ones who handle the dark attribute had to stumble, roll, and bang their heads while lost in a dark maze. The water-attribute kids were drowned, and the wind-attribute kids were thrown into a gale and sent flying."
"You're an earth attribute, right? What was it like for the earth attribute?"
Iliana tilted her head, and Dade clutched his.
Leo, who had watched the situation unfold, burst out laughing and said.
"The earth-attribute kids were buried alive."
"Wow…"
"T-That's harsh."
"So that's why the Summoning kids looked like they'd been through hell."
Chelsea clicked her tongue, Iliana broke into a cold sweat, and Nella let out a small sigh.
"So that's why Eliza came back so dazed yesterday."
"Right. Eliza handles mystic beasts of all attributes. She got the full course."
Dade clicked his tongue in sympathy.
The ever-arrogant Eliza had apparently returned yesterday staggering, her hair and clothes a complete mess, and had gone straight to her room to sleep without even washing up.
"What's the midterm assignment for the Knight Department?"
"We have to learn a secondary weapon. We're having a sparring test with it."
"A secondary weapon?"
"Yep."
Nella smiled faintly.
"Nella, what's your weapon?"
Chelsea asked, her eyes sparkling.
As Nella gave an awkward smile.
"A morning star."
Iliana answered for Nella, giggling.
Nella shot Iliana a glare.
"A morning star?"
"A morning star, isn't that a blunt weapon? The one with a heavy ball on the end, with spikes on it?"
Chelsea and Dade looked puzzled.
Looking at the two of them, Iliana said.
"Nella was looking for a weapon that was much more optimized for close-quarters combat than a sword. It's handled similarly to a sword, but its purpose is completely different, and it has a destructive power unlike a sword. So, on the class president's recommendation, she chose the morning star. As for me, I chose the elegant spear."
Iliana puffed out her chest and chuckled.
"Yeah. Not interested."
"Same here."
"Class preeez! They're being so cold to me!"
Iliana whined to Leo with a tearful face.
"But it doesn't really fit her image."
Karl said with a dry laugh, and Iliana giggled.
"We thought so too. But the first time she used it… Oof!"
Nella, with her characteristic languid smile, punched Iliana in the side.
As Iliana clutched her side and collapsed to the ground, the other three looked on with puzzled expressions.
Watching them, Leo chuckled and said.
"She smashed the head of a training golem with the morning star. She had such a blissful smile on her face then. It suited her well."
The other Knight Department students who saw it were horrified.
"Stop teasing me."
Nella pouted and hit Leo's shoulder.
Watching them, Karl and Dade muttered.
"Scary."
"I know, right."
"It's always the quiet ones who have a great destructive instinct lying dormant within… Oof!"
Iliana laughed at Karl and Dade's words, only to get hit in the side again and collapse.
After the commotion died down, the group finally began to wander around Lumeria City.
"By the way, what happened with the fairy?"
"I don't know, they said it vanished after that day."
"It's obviously a baseless rumor. A fairy at Lumerne? Does that even make sense? Not on the Isle of Mystic Beasts, but on campus. Do the Summoning kids actually believe that rumor?"
"But did you hear? Someone broke into the food storage."
"What kind of gutsy bastard did that?"
"And I heard the Magic Department's class materials were messed up. I heard Assistant Professor Anna shouting that she wouldn't let the culprit get away with it."
"In the Knight Department, someone scribbled on the teaching aids. Assistant Professor Claria said she'd find the culprit and tear them limb from limb."
Ominous rumors were circulating around the school.
Hearing them, Iliana clapped her hands.
"You know, what if it's all the fairy's mischief?"
"Is a fairy a child? To pull such pathetic pranks?"
"What do you think the Three Great Mystic Beasts are! Apologize to the Summoning Department right now!"
The Summoning students shouted at Iliana.
Listening to the conversation, Leo thought.
'The fairy *did* do it, though.'
Leo's Three Great Mystic Beasts consisted of a phoenix with a history of obesity, an immature fairy, and a perverted pegasus.
Leo looked at the Summoning kids, who held a romanticized view of the Three Great Mystic Beasts, with a sense of pity.
As they were enjoying their peaceful weekend to the fullest.
They arrived at a famous restaurant in Lumeria City for lunch.
"Hm? What brings all of you here as a group?"
"This is unusual. To think you'd all come out to have fun together."
Sedzen and Halind were having a meal at the restaurant.
Seeing the students from Class 5, whom he had considered his rival class during their first year, all gathered together, Sedzen flared up at Halind.
"My Class 1! We get together like this often too!"
"...That's none of my business."
"My Class 1 has great unity tooooooo! We just haven't come out to Lumeria City is all!"
Sedzen, relapsing into his first-year fit, roared with a burning sense of competition.
Looking at him, Halind said coldly.
"Your year's head professor is making a scene. What are you all standing around for?"
"Um… what should we…"
"Drag him away."
At Halind's icy command, the male students hurriedly took Sedzen to one side.
"Professor Sedzen, please calm down."
"We know Class 1 has great unity."
"Let me go! Are you mocking me! You dogs of Halind! Your professor is me, not Halind!"
"Yes, yes."
"We know that very well."
The male students from the former Class 5 faithfully followed Halind's order.
And so, a commotion ensued.
After Sedzen had calmed down, a few students approached the two professors and spoke sweetly.
"Professor."
"Please buy us lunch! Huh?"
Watching Iliana, who was batting her eyelashes cutely with sparkling eyes, Sedzen sneered.
"Aren't they your beloved students? You can treat them."
To that, Halind said nonchalantly.
"I entrusted my students to you, Sedzen. Because I trusted you. I didn't realize they still needed me to look after them."
"Don't be ridiculous! I'll buy it!"
Sedzen, falling for Halind's simple provocation, snapped.
'…Professor Sedzen is surprisingly easy for Professor Halind to manipulate. Well, for us, it doesn't matter who pays.'
Iliana smiled slyly to herself.
Afterward, the students naturally joined the two professors for a meal.
Sedzen was a professor who preferred a free atmosphere, and Halind didn't stand on ceremony in such settings either, so the mood naturally became cheerful and friendly.
Sedzen gave the students plenty of advice for their midterms.
Halind also listened to the students' concerns while they ate.
After the meal was over.
"Professor Sedzen! Thank you for the meal!"
"It was so delicious!"
"Professor Sedzen! You're the best!"
The Class 5 students cheered for Sedzen as he paid the bill.
"Hmph, cheer a little louder."
Lost in self-admiration, Sedzen spread his arms to encourage the cheers.
As the students cheered even louder.
"Chelsea Llewellyn."
"Yes?"
Chelsea, who had been shaking her head at the scene, approached Halind with a quizzical look at his call.
"What is it, Professor Halind?"
Looking down at Chelsea, whose eyes were shining brightly, Halind spoke.
"How is school life these days?"
"I'm an excellent honor student, just like in my first year!"
Chelsea puffed out her chest.
"Was there ever a time in my first year that I disappointed you, Professor Halind?"
"There were many."
"That's just because your standards are too high, Professor Halind."
Chelsea pouted.
Looking at her, Halind let out a small smile.
"Yes, you were an excellent honor student."
"See?"
Looking at the smug Chelsea, Halind said.
"But today, Sedzen came to me for advice about you."
"What?"
At the unexpected words, Chelsea's eyes widened.
"He seemed a little worried about you."
"Why would Professor Sedzen…"
Chelsea looked a little flustered at the news that the head professor for the second year was worried about her.
"Of course, Sedzen's worries are nothing more than his own groundless fears. In my eyes, there is no problem with you as you are now."
"Me as I am now?"
Chelsea blinked.
Looking at her, Halind spoke with his typical expressionless face.
"Yes. It doesn't matter if you don't have a goal. Your school years are the time to find one."
At Halind's words, Chelsea's eyes widened slightly.
The talk of goals that had come up with her friends not long ago.
Hearing it mentioned by Halind, Chelsea was a little taken aback.
"You are an outstanding student. You will likely graduate from school and gain great fame as a combat mage."
Halind said calmly.
"A person with a large vessel naturally develops the capacity to match it."
Halind looked over at Sedzen.
"I demanded that students act within their means. I've seen many students who dream beyond their station fail to last long. I'd rather have them drop out than die a pointless death. That is my educational policy."
The Wall of Wailing of Lumerne.
The professor the upperclassmen feared most.
The core of Halind's educational policy was the result of choosing his students' lives over their dreams.
"But Sedzen always wants his students to dream big."
Sedzen wanted his students' potential to fully bloom.
He wanted them to be able to go wherever they wished.
He wanted to give them a push and laugh with them once they achieved their goals.
That was why, to the upperclassmen, he was as strict as Halind.
No, in some ways, he was even harsher than Halind.
Because to achieve one's dream, one must first survive.
To challenge one's limits, one must be properly prepared.
"For students who dream of becoming heroes, he is likely the better professor."
Halind's gaze shifted from Sedzen back to Chelsea.
"It's no wonder you look worrisome in his eyes."
"Why is that?"
"Because you only ever follow in the footsteps of Leo Flove and Abad Llewellyn."
Chelsea was taken aback by Halind's words.
"That's why, on the one hand, I wanted to say this to you, Chelsea Llewellyn."
Halind narrowed his eyes.
"Will you follow in their footsteps? Or will you walk your own path?"
Chelsea clenched her fists tightly.
"The privilege of youth is not as long as you think. If you do not choose, you will, whether you like it or not, become content with merely following those you admire."
Will you follow someone else who is chasing their dream?
Or will you find a dream of your own?
"It is time to choose, Chelsea Llewellyn."
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