Chapter 22
The recruitment targets, prioritized from No.1 to No.10, were decided for tomorrows group class.
The No.1 target was Jamie Victoria.
She was a student aspiring for Curses and had excellent grades. Having a cheerful personality and the ability to take the initiative were favorable factors too.
No.2 was Claudia Menzies.
She was the ideal talent who was mainly good at hemomancy and pretty good at poisonous alchemy. If they could recruit her, things would be comfortable throughout the 1st semester.
Other than her, theyve created a list up to 10th place.
Even if we cant recruit Jamie or Claudia, its important to let go of them and move on to the next students quickly. Ah! When recruiting, Im going to appeal that you, the special admission No.1, is in my group. Would that be okay with you?
Yeah. Its okay.
The two lay down on the bed after making a lot of plans.
Simon was feeling somewhat proud.
Would there be any other group that prepared this strategy like us?
He was inwardly looking forward to their class tomorrow.
* * *
The next morning,
A new week at Kizen had begun.
When Simon entered the lecture room for the first period, Beginner Dark magic, it was completely different from last week, where it was deadly silent. Now people were babbling with the ones they knew.
When Simon sat quietly and pulled out his textbook, Rick placed his hand on Simons shoulder.
Just came back from talking to Jamie!! I guess Im done making everyone remember my face.
Simon gave a look of admiration.
Youre really good at this.
Hehe. Managing personal connections is essential for business. This was originally my job.
Just then, footsteps were heard outside the lecture room. The students ran and sat on their seats.
It was finally the moment where theyd find out who the professor in charge of Class A was.
Please be Bahil!
Muttered Rick. Simon also thought that it would be nice if Aaron of Summoning became the professor in charge of Class A.
Other than him, Hong Feng from Combat Magic was fine, and Eric seemed like he could teach dark magic in a kind and caring way.
In the moment when the door opened
Ah!
Everyones jaw dropped.
Y-You gotta be kidding me, right?
Ricks eyes were shaking too, as if there was an earthquake.
The professor broke through the silence and stood in front of the platform.
A cold and sharp impression, short hair giving a highly restrained feeling, and charismatic purple eyes.
Kizens deputy president and a person who held the title of vice-president.
Im Jane Olivia.
She was Kizen's second-in-command.
I have the title of vice-president, but during class, you can freely address me as Professor.
The closest confidant of Nefthis, and a big shot who wielded the power of Kizen on her behalf.
She was close to the pinnacle when compared to the professors that theyd seen.
Why is that person in the 1st years class?
Silently muttered Rick.
As he said, she didnt usually teach students by herself as she was the deputy president, and even if she did, it was mostly the 3rd year classes.
Well as you go through life, you may encounter unexpected situations, Rick Hayward.
Rick got startled and stiffened, as if he had seen a frightening image.
H-How does she know my name?
The back of Ricks head was drenched in a cold sweat. Jane turned her head to look at the students.
Ill be in charge of Class As Beginner Dark Magic class for one semester. As Rick mentioned earlier, Ive only been in charge of 3rd-year classes, so
Her eyes narrowed.
I want you to give enough effort so I wont feel much difference in level.
The sound of students gulping was heard all over the place.
Actually, it was great luck to attend a class of Kizens vice president, but they couldnt just smile. Not with the rumors about her.
Jane was the person most suited to the slang term commonly used among students of Kizen-ish.
She was famous for daringly expelling students from school if they didnt show any talent or if she didn't like their attitude.
Even the powerhouse of Kizen, the 3rd years, couldnt avoid the blade of expulsion, so it was understandable that the Class A students were already in fear.
Then, Ill be beginning the class.
Through the silence, Jane opened her mouth.
As everyone probably knows, Beginner Dark Magic is a class that oversees eight subjects and supplements the basics of Necromancers that those subjects cannot teach.
As she signaled, the assistants took up a thick bundle of papers and handed them out to the students.
Before that, you must know what your skill levels are in the eight subjects.
Simon and Ricks shoulders trembled.
A test for all subjects from the first class! It was a completely unexpected situation.
The test duration is 22 minutes per subject. Well first take four subjects, then take a 4-minute break to take the remaining four subjects in succession. If I catch someone cheating, Ill remember the name and expel the student from school when the student protection period ends.
They didnt even have time to take a breather.
Jane, who had simply put the students under pressure, declared with her arms crossed,
Then, well begin the test.
* * *
* * *
It was the first-ever school test for Simon.
At the same time, it was one of the toughest and most painful three hours in his entire life.
Of course, it was more mentally painful than physically exhausting.
[7. After the paralysis curse was cast, the targets body showed symptoms of muscular stiffness and myotonia before becoming petrified 20 minutes later. Assuming that the targets internal mana loss rate is 0, which of the following is the correct jet-black value to add to the targets curse resistance and paralysis magic circle?]
I cant solve it at all.
The black parts are letters, and the white ones are paper. It was also clearly written in a continental language. However, Simon couldnt understand the questions at all.
He was frustrated.
It mustve been a solvable problem, but the situation where he had to sit spacing out while other students were moving their quills was frustrating.
A feeling of helplessness that he had never felt took over his body.
It was arrogant to think that he would adapt to Kizen well just because things had been going well recently or he had acquired his fathers undead Legion.
Yeah, this is the reality.
As he hadn't done any prior learning, he had to work harder than others.
Simon didnt give up and became more desperate as he faced problems beyond his reach.
The three hours passed, feeling like an eternity.
Euuuu.
Its so hard.
After the tests were all over, the expressions of the other students werent that good either.
Rick turned his head as he passed his test paper to the student behind him.
How was it, Simon?
Simon put on a bitter smile.
I guess I really have to study hard.
Same.
After retrieving all the papers, Jane spoke, looking at the students.
Good job with the test. Enjoy your lunch, and Ill see you in two hours.
Thank you!
No matter how terrible their moods were, their body standing up when hearing the word lunch was the same.
As the Class A students ebbed away from the lecture room
Let us begin.
Yes!
Jane and her assistants work had just begun. They divided and distributed the test papers, scoring in their own seats.
Among them, Jane was the absolute fastest.
Her hands were moving so fast that it couldnt be seen with the naked eye. Her quill went all the way down and straight to the next page.
But at some point, a girls face appeared next to Janes desk.
She was placing her cheeks on the edge of the desk and blinking big blue eyes.
You must be busy, why did you come here, Nefthis?
Hearing Janes cold question, the girl smiled innocently and said,
To play!
Jane ignored her and went back to scoring the papers.
As Nefthis got annoyed, she played pranks, grabbing onto the desk, and waving her legs. Jane struck Nefthis on the top of her head with the edge of her hand, unable to take it anymore.
Ouch!
Please dont disturb.
Waaaaaaah! You always hit me, Janeee!
Holding the crown of her head, she burst into tears, ran, and grabbed the hem of a nearby assistants robe.
At the sudden appearance of the ruler of Kizen, the color of the assistants face also turned white.
Phew.
Jane sighed.
Please dont bother my poor subordinates and come this way.
No! I dont wanna! Youre gonna hit me again if I go!
Hurry up.
As Jane spoke coldly, Nefthis approached, pouting her lips.
Everyone, please go to the empty lecture room next to this and finish scoring.
Yes!
As if waiting for it, the assistants took the test papers and evacuated out of the lecture room in a hurry.
Nefthis put tension on her eyes and inflated her cheeks.
Jane! I think youre too cold towards me these days!
Im the same as usual
Hmph. You really have changed! When I picked you up from the slums, you were an innocent child holding my hand tightly with frightened eyes while trembling!
This is what happened to that innocent child suffering from overwork and work-related stress 24/7.
Jane told her flat and passed half of the test papers to Nefthis. She blinked her eyes.
Hm? Whats this?
What do you mean by what? While youre here, help me score these papers rather than disturbing me.
After grasping the situation too late, Nefthis stepped back while laughing. She turned her back to try to run, but Jane, who moved faster, grabbed Nefthis and wrapped her arm around Nefthis waist.
Uwaaah! No! Let me go! I dont wanna work!
Jane calmed down the struggling Nefthis with one more strike to her head, then made her sit properly and handed her the test papers and a quill.
Jane, do you know that this is child abuse and violation of the labor law?
Who the hell is the damn child here? Stop complaining and do it.
Okay.
And for a while, there was only the sound of the quill moving in silence. Jane, who had finished five test papers at once, glanced at Nefthis.
Nefthis, scoring the test paper with her cheeks inflating, wrote Dumb on the wrong question.
What are you doing? Please stop fooling around.
Once again, a merciless attack on the head was made.
Nefthis covered where she was hit with both hands and teared up.
Buuuut hes actually dumb! He got the Question.2 component problem on Poisonous Alchemy correct but made a mistake on the comparison problem right beneath it!
Hm.
Jane looked at the problem and smiled.
He solved Question 2 using a formula, and Question 3 was solved with only common sense, without passing it through the brain. Its a common mistake students make.
What a dumb! Whats his name?
Nefthis turned over the paper and looked at the front side.
Hm?
The name was hidden.
Its a blind evaluation. If you grade by looking at the name, it might become biased.
Youre going this far for just a test? How thorough.
Even if its just a test, there are a lot of interesting specimens.
Jane pulled out a sheet of paper from which she had finished scoring.
And this is the opposite of what you graded, Nefthis.
What is it?
From Question 1 to Question 15, they got all the basic questions wrong, which are basically free points. However.
She turned over the test paper.
Question 20. He challenged the most difficult problem.
Question 20 on the last page.
The whole test paper was filled with formulas that could make someone dizzy.
What are all these?
Ancient runes of the Mechanics of Jet-Black, formulas of an instant skeleton from Summoning, and exhaust calculation method from Curses.
Dont tell me?
Yes. This student hasnt prepared any lessons in advance. He deduced the answer by carefully combining only the contents of last weeks class.
Nefthis read through the test paper.
What? He used a summoning formula when its a problem that requires calculating the amount of jet-black? So he solved it by assuming that the resistance is proportional to the jet-black loss rate.
Yeah.
So did he get it right?
Using the Theron formula, the answer is 1,200,000.
Then what answer did this student write?
1,200,146.
Janes expression became frighteningly serious.
It wasnt the answer that was intended by the question, but he gave an answer that was closer to the correct answer.
Nefthis glanced at the test paper.
She could see that the strict Jane had marked Question 20 correct.
Nefthis, theres something I want to ask.
What is it?
Why did you assign me to the 1st years class? And
She tore the white paper covering the students name.
[Simon Polentia]
In Class A, where is this boy?
Nefthis rested her chin on both hands and smiled softly.
Hehe. I dont really understand what youre talking about.
Jane sighed inwardly.
Youre like a 300-year-old fox after all.