chapter 4
4 – Entrance Ceremony 2
The man in the mask stood out from the very beginning.
“Who is that guy?”
It was the start of a professor’s words, before the principal’s speech. A professor who had been lagging behind was checking if the auditorium was being displayed properly on the monitor screen, and it was then that he noticed the man in the mask.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing, there’s just a strange guy here.”
There was a strange guy, according to the professor’s words, and the other professors around looked at the monitor. And indeed, there was a really strange guy.
“A mask?”
“What’s with that crazy guy?”
“Coming like that to the entrance ceremony.”
And the commotion grew as Lucas conversed with the guy in the mask. No sound could be heard, but Lucas seemed to enjoy talking to the guy in the mask, laughing as they conversed.
“What kind of conversation is the prince having with that guy?”
“Seeing him talk like that with the prince, he’s definitely not normal.”
“Can’t you tell he’s not normal just by looking at his appearance?”
Suddenly, all the professors were looking at the guy in the mask and Lucas. To think there was such a strange guy among the students who just enrolled.
“Ahahahaha! Look at those noble folks over there! They can’t even come close because there’s a guy like that nearby! It’s amusing to see the nobles in such a situation!”
And looking at the laughing female professor, they all had the same thought.
“Oh right, there was a strange one among the professors too.”
“You’re also a noble. Hydra.”
“hehehe, Professor, I’m not Hydra anymore, I should be called Professor Hydra now. Try it. Hy-dra-Pro-fes-sor.”
Hydra had various exploits, born with many talents as an author, but her innocent and free-spirited nature often caused headaches for the Hydra couple.
In reality, she graduated top of her class at the academy and immediately left for adventures, becoming an S-rank adventurer. Despite that, the Hydra couple suggested she settle in the capital by taking up a professorship.
“So, are those professors called professors by those professors?”
Hydra said this and indeed became the youngest professor at the academy. As a result, the professors who had taught Hydra found it strange to meet her as their equal.
Yet, not a single professor genuinely disliked Hydra.
Even during her student days, Hydra’s peculiar behavior often troubled the professors, but they both disliked and liked her for her commendable actions, like standing up to the nobles who troubled the commoners.
“I like that guy. The student, what’s his name?”
The professors felt a contradictory mix of pity for the student in the mask, and a sense that it didn’t matter since he was dressed strangely anyway.
A professor older than Idra but with less experience tried to find out the name of the masked student, but there was no need to, as the voice that spoke revealed it.
“Roki.”
Everyone turned to look at the person speaking from behind. It was Johanna Freya, the head of the academy’s student council, with her platinum hair and blue eyes.
“Johanna! When did you get here?”
Idra saw her and ran to hug her. Despite being older, Johanna was taller, making her seem like an older sister.
No one expressed surprise at seeing student Johanna there. In fact, representatives from other famous clubs were also present.
“By the way, Roki? Do you know each other?”
“On the way here.”
“You met on the way here? Strong?”
In response to Idra’s question, Johanna remembered Roki.
“I’m actually glad he told me about my unique magic. If I take his advice, I can become even stronger.”
“Strong?”
“Yeah. How strong?”
“Quiet down. Idra, it’s the headmaster’s speech.”
“Call me Professor Idra. By the way, it’s been a while since the headmaster’s speech. In other academies, the headmaster’s speech takes about 30 minutes, but our headmaster’s speeches are short, so I like it.”
.
.
.
[Show me your worth.]
After the principal’s speech concluded, the mascots surrounded the students.
Many students fell victim to the mascots, while others managed to defeat them.
Most professors and club representatives focused on the struggles of the Spirit Corps and the Isar lack, concentrating on Lucas and Clara.
Only two individuals, Idra and Johanna, paid attention to Loki.
They ignored the other students and silently fixed their gaze solely on Loki.
Idra, usually boisterous, seemed quiet. Professors, taken aback, couldn’t help but be surprised. Her usual laughter was replaced by a serious expression, her hand supporting her chin as she watched intently.
“Professor Idra?”
The astonished professors followed Idra’s gaze. When their eyes finally reached the monitor’s screen, all the professors were shocked.
There, a masked male, Loki, was massacring the mascots.
Indeed, there was no other way to describe the scene than a massacre.
There were no grand attacks like the other students, just Loki swinging his staff as he passed by. Yet, with just that, numerous mascots were cleaved in half.
What made it peculiar was not just that.
While other students with different weapons kept their distance, considering the possibility of hitting each other, Loki raced through the midst of the entangled students, wielding his staff.
“If he keeps doing that, he’ll collide with other students!”
Contrary to the professors’ concerns, however, Loki never collided with other students, and his weapon never struck any of them.
Like oil and water not mixing. He rushed through the students, swinging his staff, and as a result, the blood of mascots couldn’t dry on his staff.
Even some of the students didn’t even realize when Loki walked past them.
Even the professors with their impressive and dazzling movements couldn’t take their eyes off Loki.
“It’s like he’s in a different dimension.”
“His speed keeps getting faster.”
Loki’s speed was increasing, yet his movements showed no signs of hesitation or unnaturalness.
He sliced through the demons as if he knew exactly where they were, moving on to strike another demon.
Even the professors who should have been grading exams were amazed by Loki’s movements.
“He definitely collided with another demon.”
The old swordsmanship professor spoke up. He was a veteran who had been teaching for over 20 years.
“There were even times when his staff missed.”
His name was Gedra, the former commander of the Imperial Knights.
“But the outcome was different. He didn’t collide with other demons, and his attacks hit the demons instead.”
The demons were clearly hit by the attacks.
But it didn’t land.
His attacks didn’t hit the demons.
Yet the demons were cut down.
If it weren’t for Professor Gedra saying this, no one would have believed it.
“Now other students are starting to notice.”
As the number of demons decreased, the students started to look around with a bit of relief, all of them sighing when they saw Loki.
Although the voices inside the auditorium couldn’t be heard by the professors, they could tell what the students were whispering about.
“Jenna.”
After Mars appeared, Johanna, who had not said a word until now, spoke up.
Her close friend and the leader of the student council, Jenna, responded belatedly.
“Uh?”
“I want to recruit Loki into the student council.”
Upon hearing those words, Jenna was taken aback. This was the first time Johanna had ever asked for something.
The leaders of other clubs felt disappointed but thought it might be better that way. Some even thought it would be difficult for Professor Idra to handle Loki, who had caught their attention. Moreover, if the student council took Loki, it would be easier to recruit other promising students.
“That’s not possible.”
The voice was so chillingly cold. Everyone looked for the owner of the voice, and there stood a man who seemed to have embodied ice.
If Johanna Frey was ranked first in the second year, this man was ranked first in the third year.
Academy Student Council President. Joden Adelian.
“What’s the matter?”
It was an unusual, impatient voice, unlike Johanna’s.
“I also intend to scout that man for the student council.”
Joden’s voice was as cold as ice.
The leaders of other clubs, including Johanna and Joden, found it hard to even breathe.
“Heh, the enthusiasm is great, but the exam isn’t over yet.”
When the principal appeared, both Johanna and Joden straightened up.
All of a sudden, all the students inside the auditorium had disappeared. Thus, the club leaders couldn’t understand the principal’s words. The exam wasn’t over?
“The professors should prepare ‘it’ quickly.”
“Principal, are you really going to bring that out?”
“Now that even the strong student Loki has appeared, if we do well, we might be able to catch it.”
“hahahaha, what is everyone talking about? Since an unexpected strong student has emerged, let’s increase it to two.”
“Excuse me?”
“If we increase it to two, the students could be greatly injured!”
“Well, I trust them. If I, as a teacher, can’t trust my students, then what’s the use of being one.”
One of the club representatives who couldn’t follow the situation asked cautiously.
“Student council president, what is that?”
“…You’ll understand when you see it.”
The club representatives looked at the monitor screen and were shocked.
There were two giant golems over 10m tall and over dozens of evil spirits had newly emerged, threatening the students.
All the students in the auditorium were shocked and began to step back.
“Principal, two golems are too much! It could only discourage the students!”
“hahahaha, I don’t think so. Look, there are three students who are not despairing.”
As the principal said, while everyone was stepping back, only three stepped forward.
A boy with a sword, Imperial Prince Lucas Leonhardt.
A girl chanting a spell with a staff, Clara Adellian, the only disciple of the Tower of Magic.
A boy with a staff and a fluttering cloak, the jester Loki.
These three were not afraid of the golems and were confidently ready to fight them.