The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 237

The brooches that the first-year students dropped were said to be items stored in the underground training equipment storage.

‘Another underground location.’

The basement of the Palace of Versailles.

A secret passage leading underground from the back alley of the shopping district.

And the storage warehouse in the school’s basement.

The places where Ignis’s energy was detected were all underground.

‘If that’s the case, it means all three locations are passages, and there’s a high probability that there’s only one laboratory.’

A laboratory doesn’t necessarily have to be built underground to be secure.

In a complex school site like this, it might actually be safer to build it above ground.

‘Of course, it’s possible that they built it underground because of the circumstances…’

Since all three locations have the commonality of being underground, it’s best to assume that there’s only one laboratory.

I need to keep the possibility that it might not be the case in mind, but for now, it’s more efficient to plan in that direction.

‘Whatever the case, I was lucky. To catch such a big fish on the first day.’

The training brooch that the first-year students dropped.

It was a type of artifact that had the property of ‘absorbing’ the surrounding mana [magical energy].

It must have been absorbing the energy of Ignis that was leaking from the warehouse with that power.

It’s possible that it could have absorbed it from somewhere else, but Stella said that the brooch is only used for special training, at most a couple of times a year.

The last time it was used was at the beginning of this year, so there’s no chance it was absorbed from somewhere else.

‘Now, the key is how to sneak into the storage warehouse.’

It’s good that I was lucky enough to detect Ignis’s energy.

That’s all well and good, but the problem is that there’s no way to get into the underground training equipment storage.

The training equipment storage of such special educational institutions is not open to just anyone.

Since it’s a place full of all sorts of specially treated valuables, security has to be thorough.

For reference, the first-year female students from earlier didn’t go into the warehouse themselves to find the items, but rather received them from the warehouse manager and just moved them.

I casually asked if the storage warehouse of the knight school wasn’t that secure.

As expected.

‘How should I get into the warehouse?’

Sneaking in will be difficult.

I heard that a manager is stationed in front of the warehouse 24 hours a day.

Bypassing the security itself wouldn’t be a big problem, but bypassing the security while avoiding the manager’s eyes is close to impossible.

‘I can’t just knock out the manager and go in either.’

What I’m trying to do now is a preliminary investigation.

In a situation where nothing is decided yet, I shouldn’t push myself.

Unless it’s a situation where I have to push myself, I should refrain from such forceful actions for now.

‘Then, I have to enter the warehouse through legitimate means…’

I don’t need to go in for long.

Just for a moment.

Enough time to sense Ignis’s energy inside the warehouse is sufficient.

‘Ten minutes should be enough. How do I secure those ten minutes?’

If the warehouse is small, five minutes would be enough, but judging by the fact that a manager is stationed there, it doesn’t seem like a small warehouse.

That’s why I need a good ten minutes.

“A way to enter naturally…”

A way for me, as a temporary instructor, to enter the training equipment storage with confidence.

A way for me, an outsider, to stay in the warehouse for about 10 minutes without being suspected.

‘Is there such a convenient way…’

There’s no way there would be.

I was frowning while thinking that when it happened.

“Ah.”

Something flashed in my mind.

‘There is one. A way to enter the warehouse legitimately.’

A way to enter the storage warehouse with complete confidence came to mind.

* * *

The next morning.

I entered the school confidently as a temporary instructor.

I arrived at the instructor’s office 40 minutes before the start of class, greeted the instructors, and had a light conversation with the principal, who was late for work.

I thought there would be at least a few people who were displeased with my presence.

But there wasn’t a single one.

Everyone welcomed me sincerely.

I was genuinely surprised.

It seems that the rumor that I fought evenly with the big shot, Sein Vinoche, had spread.

Even so, for there not to be a single person who was displeased with me.

It was shocking.

This is something that can’t happen in the magic world.

Even if an instructor who is rumored to be on par with Sophia were to come, 2 out of 10 would be displeased.

They would have scoffed at the rumor and tried to assert their seniority.

‘This aspect is really different.’

If the magic school is calculating and cold, the knight school is human and warm.

That was the feeling.

Of course, it’s possible that only the French National Knight School is like this.

Anyway, I got a generally warm feeling.

‘I wonder if the students are like this too.’

Just looking at the two students I met by chance yesterday, it seems like the students wouldn’t be much different from the instructors.

But it’s a bit much to make a judgment based on just two people. I’ll have to meet other students to know for sure.

‘Well, I’ll find out soon enough.’

I’m heading to the classroom now.

The purpose is class.

I don’t know if I should be grateful for this or feel burdened.

On the first day, from the first class, they assigned me to teach.

Moreover, they’re leaving all the class content up to me.

What a heavy trust this is.

‘I have to do well.’

I’m a human being, so I want to reciprocate the kindness shown to me.

And I want to live up to expectations.

I was going to work hard anyway, but I think I need to work even harder.

‘Not just to live up to expectations, but also for the warehouse entry plan.’

As I was thinking about this and that while walking, I arrived at my destination.

Class 1-B.

The class I’ll be teaching for the first time.

I stood in front of it for a moment.

‘I’m strangely nervous.’

For me, an 18-year-old, to enter a classroom as an instructor.

It’s a strange feeling.

I’m also nervous.

“Hoo.”

I took a small deep breath in front of the classroom door.

Three times in total.

After shaking off all the tension with the last breath.

Screech-!

I opened the classroom door.

The students were chatting in groups of three or five.

Everyone had question marks floating over their heads at the appearance of me, an unidentified person.

“Sit down. It’s class time.”

I said that and slowly headed towards the teacher’s desk.

And I stood in front of the teacher’s desk and opened my mouth, looking at the students who were still staring blankly at me.

“Suddenly, I’ll be in charge of the three morning classes today.”

The students were standing there blankly, with expressions that said they didn’t know what was going on.

Looking at their dazed faces, even the last bit of tension I had seemed to disappear.

“Then, everyone, change into your training clothes and come to the Second Auditorium.”

“The Second Auditorium?”

“Yes.”

Since it’s the first class, I need to properly show my worth.

And there’s nothing better than practical training to prove my worth.

“I heard that everyone likes moving their bodies more. If you don’t like it, I’ll proceed with an indoor class.”

“Ah.”

“No! We’ll go outside!”

At the mention of conducting an indoor class, the students immediately took action.

Everyone gathered in groups of three or five and ran somewhere.

They’re probably running to the changing room.

“There will be a special gift for the first person to arrive, so keep that in mind.”

“A gift!”

“I don’t know what it is, but I’ll take it!”

At my words, their already quick movements became even quicker.

Soon, the classroom became quiet as if a storm had passed.

Standing in front of that classroom, I chuckled.

I had a feeling that the next two months would be interesting.

* * *

6 PM that day.

All regular classes were over.

The students were chatting about the events of the day and heading home in groups of three or five.

“The new instructor who came this time. He’s totally awesome.”

A pair of a boy and a girl.

They were a duo who looked like they were close from the start.

“New instructor? Was his name Ruan Palatia?”

The boy replied casually to the girl’s words.

“Tsk. Can’t you use honorifics?”

“What’s with you all of a sudden?”

“I won’t say it twice.”

“…Ruan Palatia-nim. Is that okay?”

“Hmph. You should have done that from the start.”

The girl smiled as if she was satisfied.

The boy frowned, looking at her with a strange expression.

“Are you a believer? Why? That Ruan Palatia or whatever…”

Glare.

The girl glared at the boy.

It was an expression that said, ‘Say that again.’

“…Was Ruan Palatia-kyo-gwan-nim’s class that good?”

The boy slightly averted his gaze and corrected his honorifics.

She was scary to begin with. But she’s even scarier today.

“Good? Don’t even get me started. It wasn’t just good.”

Starlight poured from the girl’s eyes. It was so sparkling, it could put the Milky Way to shame.

She’s been my friend for 10 years, but I’ve never seen her with that kind of look.

She’s not the type to express her emotions so intensely. Was today’s class that good?

“What was it like?”

The boy’s listening attitude changed.

If she’s making such a fuss, it means something really happened.

“First of all. Ruan-kyo-gwan-nim. He’s strong. Really strong.”

“Strong? How strong?”

“I don’t know exactly. But, I think he’s much stronger than our school’s head instructor.”

“Stronger than the head instructor…?”

“Yeah.”

“How do you know that? Did the instructors fight or something?”

“No. It’s not that.”

The girl recalled what happened in the morning with a distant look.

“He said he was going to check each student’s style, so he had a short sparring session. I could tell just by looking at that. He’s really strong.”

“How can you tell just by looking at that?”

“Normally, you wouldn’t know. But. Ruan-kyo-gwan-nim is different. You can just tell at a glance that he’s strong, you know?”

“…?”

The boy frowned, with an expression that said he couldn’t understand what she was saying.

“I don’t know what I’m saying either. But it’s true. It’s just a feeling that his existence itself is strong?”

“…”

I got an additional explanation, but I still don’t understand.

“It’s true. You’ll know as soon as you see him, right?”

“Okay. Well, they said we have class tomorrow. I’ll know when I see him.”

“Yeah. You’ll know right away what I mean. Your eyes are better than mine, right?”

“Yeah. Not just my eyes, but my swordsmanship is better than yours too.”

“Yeah. That’s not true.”

“Yeah. It is true.”

The two glared at each other with their eyes wide open.

“Okay. Let’s just continue with what we were talking about.”

The girl smiled brightly with an expression that said, ‘I won.’

“Anyway, he’s a very strong person. But it’s not like he’s just strong.”

“Then?”

“His eyes are really good. I don’t know if I should call it an eye for detail or insight.”

“What’s that? All excellent swordsmen have good eyes.”

“Noooo. It’s not just that level, you know?”

“What’s not that level again…”

The boy sighed deeply with an expression that said, ‘Not again.’

Nothing is being explained.

I don’t know why she’s so excited.

“I said earlier that he sparred with each of the students, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I thought that sparring was a kind of power struggle?”

“Ah. To show that he shouldn’t be ignored just because he’s a temporary instructor?”

“Right, right. It was also a situation where there were rumors that he fought evenly with Sein-nim. So, it was like a power move from the start!”

“That makes sense.”

That was a plausible guess.

“But that wasn’t it.”

“…It wasn’t?”

“Yeah. Not at all!”

The girl’s eyes became like those of a devout believer.

“He didn’t spar for such a trivial reason like a power struggle.”

“…”

The boy looked at the girl with an expression that said, ‘Is she really crazy?’

“The sparring was for us, you know?”

“…Did you get hit in the head or something? Try to make sense.”

The boy finally blurted out a word at the increasingly incomprehensible words.

“No. Why can’t you understand this?”

“Would you understand it?”

“It’s frustrating.”

“I’m more frustrated.”

The two made frustrated expressions at each other.

“Explain in more detail. What do you mean by the sparring was for you? Are you saying it was a sparring session to check your skills?”

“It’s not just that…”

The girl paused for a moment to think.

How can I make him understand how amazing Ruan-nim is?

‘Ah, right.’

I got it.

A way to make him understand the greatness of Ruan-kyo-gwan-nim at once.

“I have a bad habit of sometimes having my sword path go astray, right? That’s been fixed.”

“Suddenly? It’s a good thing, but…”

The topic is too sudden.

“And you know my friend Selly, right? She also fixed her sword energy imbalance.”

“No, I mean, what’s with the sudden change?”

“Selly’s boyfriend, Tommy, had his cutting power increased by 1.2 times.”

“…Huh?”

“And that Tommy’s friend, Vera, changed her sword from a heavy sword to a light sword. As a result, she won a match against Tommy.”

“Vera beat Tommy?”

In a match between the two, Vera should lose all 10 times.

She won against Tommy with a light sword for the first time?

“…What happened in your class?”

“You still don’t get it?”

The girl smiled brightly.

It was an expression that said, ‘You still don’t get it even after I said this much?’

“Could it be…”

The boy’s eyes widened.

“That all those changes were due to Ruan-kyo-gwan-nim’s advice…?”

“Bingo! You got it right!”

The girl clapped her hands excitedly.

“It’s not just us. All the kids in our class have overcome one of their fatal weaknesses. There are even kids like Vera who have a new future unfolding.”

“…”

“How is it? Isn’t he really amazing?”

“If that’s true…”

The boy trailed off with a serious expression.

“He’s not someone who can be described with the word ‘amazing’ …”

An instructor who can identify each student’s weaknesses with just one short sparring session and give perfect feedback accordingly.

He’s not someone who can be described with the trite word ‘amazing.’

“Right? So, how can I not be excited?”

“I understand.”

The boy nodded slightly.

That was an acknowledgment.

“Then tomorrow, I…”

“Look forward to it. You’ll see something beyond what you imagine. He’ll even fix your bad habits that you don’t know about?”

“That’s… I’m really looking forward to it.”

The girl became excited again, and the boy’s eyes lit up with an expression that said he was already looking forward to tomorrow.

“Hey, the Ruan Palatia-kyo-gwan-nim who came today, you know…”

“Today, I finally…!”

“Thanks to Ruan-kyo-gwan-nim…”

Such stories were constantly heard everywhere on the way home from school.

Everyone was preaching about the greatness of the new instructor, Ruan Palatia, and smiling brightly.

“…Heh heh.”

The instructors chuckled as they heard those stories.

“I knew he was an amazing person from what Sein-nim told me… But to this extent in just one day…”

Ruan Palatia, who became a star instructor overnight.

One might feel a little jealous of him, but no such emotion could be found in the instructors’ eyes.

“I’d like to have a sparring session with him sometime, whenever it’s convenient.”

“Yes. Me too.”

Only passion could be seen in their eyes.

“I asked him, and he said he wanted to focus on the students for two months.”

They want to gain new insights from the new teaching material, Ruan Palatia.

That kind of passion, that is.

“Oh, right, speaking of which. There’s something that Ruan-kyo-gwan-nim asked me to check.”

“What is it?”

“He asked if he could go into the training equipment storage.”

“The storage warehouse?”

“Yes. He said that after grasping the students’ conditions, he needs to check what kind of training materials are available to do customized training. Is it possible to issue an access card to a temporary instructor?”

“Hmm. Well, it’s usually impossible, but if it’s necessary for the students’ customized education… a permit might be issued. I’ll look into it separately.”