Episode 34: The Fate of Academy Stories (2) Fin
Joshua's worry over whether he would have to betray his rivals and friends to gain greater power and become a runaway academy student fortunately did not last long.
—Originally, once you become an upperclassman at the academy, you are often assigned missions that take you outside to accumulate real combat experience. Although Tian had only enrolled a year ago, his skills were exceptionally outstanding, so special permission was granted.—
Tian had not been expelled from the academy; he had been recognized for his abilities and sent to carry out an external mission.
"What the. So that's what it was.
Well, there's no way the academy would expel a talent like Tian.
That would truly be a foolish thing to do."
Of course, it was the first time he had heard of academy students carrying out such external missions, and a brief doubt had flashed through Joshua's mind about why one would come to learn only to be assigned real combat missions, but.
"Is that how it originally works? Well, if you've learned something, you do need time to accumulate experience by using it in practice.
Just growing up in a greenhouse means you can't survive outside the greenhouse.
The academy seems quite serious about teaching its students, doesn't it?"
His doubts quickly vanished, and he simply accepted it as the way things were.
After all, Joshua himself had heard similar things since he was young.
Rather, he found himself admiring the academy's educational system, which provided appropriate real combat experience, and felt renewed anticipation for it.
"And if you're receiving this much expectation, you must respond to that expectation!"
Moreover, in the story, it wasn't even something he was simply assigned—it was a kind of grade-skipping opportunity obtained thanks to Tian's overwhelming genius.
The dopamine hit from that was one thing, but.
Since Tian, whom he had subtly been regarding as his own role model, was being acknowledged, there was also a sense of vicarious satisfaction, as if it were happening to himself.
And so, having brushed aside the trivial doubts in his mind, Joshua continued reading.
—Huh?! Tian?! What are you doing here?
You got assigned a mission? But you're still a first-year already?!—
—What, Elise noona. You don't want to go with me?—
—Ah, no! It's definitely not that I don't want to...!—
At the part where his childhood friend Elise was surprised to see Tian going out on a real combat mission together already despite being a first-year and their affectionate bickering, a pleased smile spread across his face.
—He's only a first-year? Don't lie!
His magic power and completeness are several times greater than mine, and I'm a third-year. How is that a first-year?
It would be more realistic to say the Headmaster joined in using transformation magic to make fun of us!—
—Damn it! Are all first-years these days monsters?
When I was a first-year, I was groaning and struggling just to complete the 2nd Circle...—
—This is a first-year's magic...?
Then what exactly have I been learning all this time...—
"Fuhaha. That's right! No matter how much they are his seniors, they can't beat Tian's genius!
A true genius isn't bound by something like grade level."
In the middle of subjugating the chimera monster that was the target of the real combat mission, displaying magic skills far superior to the seniors who went along with him.
When he left the seniors stunned and shocked, he felt a thrilling catharsis once again.
Look at those senior bastards who subtly looked down on him, asking what a first-year was doing here just because their grade level was a bit higher!
The frustrating feeling that had been building up in his chest every time he saw scenes where Tian was ignored was, with this one scene, pop! completely blown away—to the point it even felt like seasoning for the exhilaration.
"Didn't that Lena girl call something like this sweet potatoes and cider?"
He didn't really know what sweet potatoes and cider were, and Lena herself had seemed not to know either, saying it was an expression she heard from someone else.
But anyway, the thrilling feeling of washing away the accumulated sweet potatoes with cider was truly the best.
"As expected, grade level isn't everything at the academy.
Just because you've attended the academy a few years longer, you shouldn't look down on and bully underclassmen from commoner backgrounds."
Joshua, now convinced that his own actions of challenging those seniors to a duel and beating them to a pulp were absolutely not wrong but proper "cider" actions, nodded in satisfaction and began focusing on reading the book again.
Because a new threat had befallen the party, who had quickly finished their assigned mission feeling thoroughly refreshed and were trying to take a brief rest.
—Hoh. To think I'd encounter academy students in a place like this.
Did you lot take down that chimera? It was something of a masterpiece, yet to think it would fall to mere academy students.
Or perhaps, there was an exceptional one mixed among you?—
—Who are you?!—
—I am the creator of that chimera you killed.
Very well, I've decided. It's a bit troublesome, but I suppose I should kill you all here.
If someone of your caliber dies, it should cause some damage to that damned Headmaster as well.—
"A high-ranking black magician suddenly pops out here?!
Elise had gone to get a professor after they took down the chimera, but she said it would take 30 minutes to return...
Can they hold out until then?"
With a high-ranking black magician who had created the chimera making a surprise entrance and pressuring Tian's party during a mission he had thought ended with the chimera's defeat, tension began to mount to the point he could hear himself swallowing dryly.
—Haa, haa.—
—Hmph, you blocked this too? Truly tremendous talent!
It's a shame to kill you like this... Have you considered becoming a black magician?
You could throw away all those ethics and taboos and see the end of magic.—
—Fuck off. I have no twisted hobby of rolling around with stinking, filthy corpses.
I've seen enough of that in the slums.—
—It's amazing you still have the strength to answer back like that.
It's a waste to kill you, but if I let a talent like you live, you'll surely become a great threat later.
Regrettably, I shall kill you and take only your corpse.
—A threat? No. You should be afraid starting right now, not later!
—...Could this be?! You madman!
You're creating a new Circle in this situation? You're a proper monster brat!
Very well! I shall deal with you right this instant with my full power!—
"To not give up in the face of death but rather take another step forward!
This is the resolve of a true genius...!"
And at the awakening scene where he reached the 6th Circle through enlightenment prepared for death in the middle of the fierce battle, a spine-chilling sense of awe and thrill.
—You held out well, Tian.
Now that I'm here, leave the rest to me and rest.
—...No one died, right?
—Yes. It's thanks to you. You really worked hard.—
At the part where, having somehow endured the black magician's attacks and succeeded in protecting his seniors, he finally entrusted the rest to the arrived professor and fainted.
"You held out in the end!
Damn, if I were in this situation, could I have done the same as Tian?
To catch up to Tian, I need to hone not just my body, but also this noble and indomitable will."
Clap, clap, clap!
He couldn't help but burst into applause at that greatness and nobility.
—An unfamiliar ceiling...
Where is this...?—
—Tian! You're finally awake! How dare you rush off and come back injured like this!
Don't try to run away without giving me a chance to beat you! You idiot!—
—Tian! Are you okay?! Thank goodness...
I thought you were going to die while I wasn't there and *hic...* waaah!—
To finish it off, seeing the illustration of Tian waking up in the academy infirmary bed.
And tearfully hugging Noah and Elise, who had stayed up all night nursing him by his side.
Hoooo—
Joshua, who had quietly taken a deep breath and closed the book.
"Gwoaaaah! Damn it! You're too cool this time too!
My goal was already high, yet it rose even higher this time.
But that's fine! The protagonist that I, Joshua Grandle, aim to become must be at least this level!"
Finally letting out the emotions he had been holding back all at once, he began running wild in a frenzy.
And it was the moment when, in Joshua's mental academy life bucket list, going out on real combat missions through grade-skipping like Tian was added.
This was something happening not only to Joshua, but to others as well.
***
Because of the influence of her older brother Wade, Lena had gotten entangled and twisted up at the start of her academy life with some rather strange fellows, but.
She was still spending a fairly fulfilling and enjoyable school life.
The Saintess, Joshua, and the Bay trio—whom she had initially thought were absolutely those special supervision targets she didn't want to get involved with—
As she gradually talked with them, her perception began to change to thinking they were pretty decent people.
"Hello, Young Master Grandle. I am..."
"You foolish fellow! Do not use honorifics with me.
Do you not even know the basic common sense that academy students are equal regardless of status?"
"What?"
"Surely you haven't read Author Wei's books since enrolling at the academy?
This won't do. I must gift you one of the missionary books I have right this instant."
"Ah, no! I have read them... rather.
I've read them! Because I've read them, you don't have to!"
She had thought Joshua was the typical arrogant and insolent noble young master.
But surprisingly, he did not ignore those of lower status than himself, and took maintaining equality at the academy for granted.
"My, my! Lena! Look at those couples over there!
They just *smooch*! Did you see? *Smooch*! Aren't they so cute and fresh?"
"Um... Saintess? Is it alright to secretly watch such scenes hiding like this?
Isn't it somewhat inappropriate behavior as a cleric..."
"The Goddess has also said that love is foremost among all things.
Therefore, wouldn't warmly watching over such love also be the will of the Goddess?"
The Saintess, whom she had thought would unconditionally be holy and pure, was someone with sides several times more eccentric and lively than other girls her age.
"Kyaaah! Bay! What are all those rats?!"
"What? I was going to catch them to use as food or sell to others?
Such precious meat was wandering around, yet everyone was avoiding them without catching any.
So I caught them all!"
"It's not something to be proud of?!
There's no need to eat such things at the academy, and you can't sell them to others either!
Hurry up and throw them away!"
"How could this be...! At the academy, this precious meat is just trash?
...Is this heaven?"
Bay, who was from the slums, perhaps because of that did have some eccentric sides when it came to common sense.
But his personality was very kind and diligent.
Not only were they eccentrics with such firm convictions that they would never bend, but.
All three kept praising her brother Wade and recommending his works, which was annoying too.
They caused this and that incident, so it was already a headache, and on top of that, her classmates' gazes that bundled her together with them as the same troublemakers stung—but!
Still, all three were fellows not bad to have as friends.
...Actually, lately the incidents they caused had started to feel a bit fun too.
But.
No matter how much of a Lena she was.
"Yes...? You're telling me to go on a mission with them as their controller?"
"Well... yes, that's how it is, Student Lena.
Our side has determined that those three are uncontrollable unless it's you, Student Lena...
S-so, is there any way...?"
At those words telling her to go on a real combat mission together with them as the controller of the three, she couldn't help but see darkness before her eyes.
Hoo—
Hoo—
Lena tried her best to control this shock and made a firm resolution inwardly.
'I'm somehow going to land a magic hit on my brother Wade!'
The next time she met Wade, the cause of all this, she would start by firing off a spell without a word!