Genius Wizard Hides His Sword Skills [EN]: Chapter 31

31. What Happened During the Test (6)

A hush fell over the hall. The woman’s presence was so commanding that no one dared to make a sound.

As if the world had turned monochrome, the surroundings darkened. Only the figure of the Master of the Magic Tower, standing on the platform, was highlighted, etched into everyone’s eyes.

‘Hoo…’

Even I had to regulate my breathing due to the intense pressure.

‘The Master of the Magic Tower is on another level, huh.’

It wasn’t the sharp charisma that Stenos displayed, nor the domineering image that Rakshon possessed.

‘She’s gentle, yet powerful.’

One step at a time.

Elegant, yet with a spirit that rivaled any knight of yesteryear with every step she took.

[How much good stuff did she eat?]

The Master of the Magic Tower’s face looked so young that she could easily pass for someone in her early twenties.

‘She must have swept up every elixir there is.’

She was clearly consuming elixirs to continuously prevent aging.

[Greedy old hag. Trying to cover the sky with her palm [an idiom meaning trying to hide the truth]. She won’t be able to extend her lifespan anyway.]

‘There were always those kinds of people a thousand years ago.’

Even knowing that immortality and eternal youth are different, there were always those who strived to look young in every era.

‘Even as the Master of the Magic Tower, she seems to care a lot about her appearance.’

Her lips slowly parted.

“Everyone, thank you for your hard work. I am the Master of the Magic Tower, Phaidon.”

A clear, melodious voice.

The voice that dominated the quiet room was delivered precisely to everyone’s ears. But soon, everyone’s eyebrows twitched.

“To think that the Magic Tower’s family members were almost harmed! I had no choice but to come and see for myself!”

It was because of her somewhat frivolous tone.

‘How can the Master of the Magic Tower be so lacking in dignity?’

[Is she deliberately using a youthful tone because she doesn’t want to look old?]

Her eyes curved like crescent moons as she looked down at the students.

“Still, I’m so glad that none of you were hurt! I heard the associate professors on site handled it well? Thank you all for your hard work.”

Although one associate professor had lost his life, fortunately, all the students had returned safely. The associate professors bowed lightly at her praise.

“Those wicked fellows! Senior Magician Stenos, who is here, will interrogate the captured ones himself, so don’t worry. Isn’t that right, Mr. Stenos?”

“Yes. I will do it myself.”

“Please make sure those cruel guys confess everything, Mr. Stenos! Aja aja! Fighting! [Aja aja is a Korean phrase used for encouragement, similar to ‘fighting!’]”

It was Stenos who blushed at her gesture of clenching both fists.

“We must also thoroughly search for other spies within the Magic Tower! Isn’t that right, Mr. Stenos?”

“……Yes, Master of the Magic Tower.”

The Master of the Magic Tower smiled at Stenos. Her gaze turned somewhere.

“Ah, right. And there’s something else we need to address, isn’t there? I heard that a friend named Ian Delema captured one of those bastards?”

It was the direction where McDuff was standing.

[She seems to have mistaken the troublemaker for you?]

McDuff was flustered as the attention turned to him.

“Eh… Eh?”

Instead of the stammering guy, Stenos whispered something to the Master of the Magic Tower. His hand was pointing directly at me.

“Oh my! I’m sorry! I mistook you for the red eyes. I didn’t realize there were two Delemas in this class!”

This time, the Master of the Magic Tower was looking directly at me.

“Are you Mr. Ian Delema?”

“Yes.”

“I will personally give Ian 10 achievement points! Professor Andrei? Please take care of it!”

The Master of the Magic Tower looked at me, seemingly excited.

‘Achievement points…….’

A point system for graduating from the Magic Tower.

‘10 points is quite high.’

That level of points was something you could only receive by making a significant contribution to the Magic Tower. It was close to the highest score you could receive for a single incident.

‘The Outer Circle guys are being helpful in their own way.’

The corners of my mouth twitched involuntarily. Of course, Andrei looked like he had eaten a turd [looked extremely displeased].

“Now! Let’s leave the rest to the adults, and you all can rest easy!”

The Master of the Magic Tower cheerfully wrapped up the commotion until the very end.

* * *

“Umm.”

On the way out of the auditorium and towards the dormitory, Drew’s expression was unusual.

“What’s wrong? Are you still worried?”

Drew was almost directly hit by the swordsman’s attack. He might have been traumatized.

‘He’s still just a kid, after all.’

No matter how much the blood of a warrior boiled within him, it wouldn’t be easy to handle at this age.

“No, that’s not it…….”

However, he shook his head.

“Then what is it?”

“It would be impossible to eat out for dinner today, right?”

I couldn’t help but doubt my ears at the absurd words.

“……What?”

“I want to go to the restaurant we often go to, but the Magic Tower’s security has become strict. If we go out again today and come back, I feel like Professor Andrei will definitely have it out for us [be angry with us].”

Drew’s values were making me dizzy.

‘Should I be relieved that it’s not a trauma from the battle?’

[He’s a cute guy.]

He seemed to have already shaken off what happened during the day.

“Let’s go to the Magic Tower cafeteria today. As you said, just wandering around outside is a sure way to get on the professors’ bad side.”

“……Okay. I guess there’s no choice.”

Woo-oong!

I immediately got on the transportation orb. The destination was the cafeteria on the second floor. It was a restaurant used jointly by all the students, professors, and researchers of the Magic Tower.

“I’m okay! The cafeteria food is delicious enough! I’m going to pile it up and eat a lot!”

Drew clenched his fist, trying his best to look determined. He entered the cafeteria with a resolute look in his eyes.

“Oh? Ian? Drew?”

There was someone who greeted us there.

“Senior Noah?”

Noah Grentel was picking up a tray right in front of us.

“You guys are eating cafeteria food today too?”

“Yes. It’s a bit difficult to go outside today. There was an Outer Circle attack during the freshman test during the day.”

“What? Huh, the Outer Circle? Dare to attack the Magic Tower? No wonder the professors told us not to go outside the Magic Tower today. Are you guys okay?”

“Yes. Fortunately, none of the freshmen were hurt.”

We naturally ended up having a meal with Noah Grentel. When we told her about Associate Professor Midran, her brow furrowed even deeper.

“Then, there might be more people who infiltrated the Magic Tower by hiding their identities.”

“Probably. The Master of the Magic Tower said she would thoroughly search for them.”

“Bad guys! They must all be caught…….”

Suddenly, Noah nodded.

“Ah! That’s why the professors did that because of today’s incident.”

“What is it?”

“They were selecting freshman mentors around the end of the lecture.”

“Mentors?”

“Yeah. Because of your field practice.”

Numerous cases are requested from the Magic Tower from all over the continent. Among them, low-difficulty missions were the subject of freshman internships.

“They told us to go with the freshmen.”

I nodded.

‘Professors can’t be with them in every place.’

The purpose was to send 4-star students along as guardians for the freshmen. Beyond simple achievement, it would be much safer if there were experienced seniors.

“It would be fun if we went together.”

At Noah’s words, Drew stopped eating and widened his eyes.

“Did you apply to be a mentor too, Noona [Korean term for older sister used by males]?”

“Yeah. They said they’d give me 2 achievement points just for going along. There was no reason not to.”

“Oh! What kind of case did you take on?”

“They told me to go to the Apate Kingdom. There was a missing item incident there. It’s a bit of a hot place, but it’s a simple request to just find the lost item.”

“That’s so cool!”

Noah’s eyes sparkled at Drew’s enthusiastic reaction.

“Ah, right! Why don’t you guys apply for this too? Let’s go together.”

I couldn’t rashly say yes.

‘She’s a bit uncomfortable.’

I was unnecessarily bothered by being with the Grentel family. I stopped Drew, who was about to nod.

“We’ll think about it.”

“Tch. Acting all high and mighty.”

Noah, who had finished her meal, got up from her seat first.

“Then get some rest and think about it carefully.”

“Yes. I understand.”

The peaceful evening at the Magic Tower was as if nothing had happened.

“Let’s go too, Drew.”

That’s how the commotion caused by the Outer Circle seemed to be settled for the time being.

* * *

The rumors spread like wildfire overnight.

– People wearing black masks targeted the Magic Tower!

– They were trying to kill all the children!

– They were monsters who covered their faces!

– The Master of the Magic Tower stepped in herself?

– Then isn’t that a complete disaster?

The students of the Magic Tower were spreading stories while trembling with anxiety.

“That’s him! The guy who fought the swordsman!”

“I heard he responded very calmly?”

“I heard he fought better than the professors!”

The next day, even on the way to class, I had to face countless children who recognized me.

“Hmph!”

Drew was unnecessarily shrugging his shoulders next to me.

[Cute guy. He’s the one who’s excited.]

‘It’s commendable that he didn’t wet his pants.’

I entered the classroom with the elated guy. Originally, it was Associate Professor Midran’s class time, but.

“Everyone went through a big event yesterday.”

Professor Andrei took his place at the podium instead. Nevertheless, the children’s murmuring did not stop.

“I heard that Professor Midran was a member of the Outer Circle?”

“Don’t even call him a professor. It’s terrible.”

“Seriously, it’s shocking.”

Professor Andrei dismissed the commotion.

“All the stories about Associate Professor Midran are just rumors. I will severely punish any student who talks about him in the future, so take care of yourselves.”

Only then did the classroom become quiet. Andrei’s class continued.

“For the subjects that were not tested yesterday, the professors of each subject have decided to randomly select teaching assistants. It’s an unusual method, but please understand that it’s because we can’t delay the selection of teaching assistants.”

The children were filled with expectations at those words. They were hoping that they might be selected.

“Yes!”

With the children’s loud answer, Andrei’s mouth opened again.

“Still, since my exam was properly administered, I will select the teaching assistant according to the score.”

Hundreds of gazes were focused only on Andrei’s mouth.

“The first place is not in this class, but a guy named McDuff from another class. He wrote the answer considering the most diverse variables.”

Sighs leaked out from everywhere at Andrei’s following words.

[Oh, that troublemaker! Did he beat you too?]

Only Oberon was smirking as if it was funny.

“Still, most of you will get good grades, so don’t be discouraged. But…….”

The old professor’s bland consolation, as if comforting the children, was only temporary.

“Just one guy. This is the first time in my Magic Tower professor life that I’ve seen someone write such a bizarre answer.”

That sharp gaze was directed at me.

“Ian Delema!”

He raised a test paper above the podium. It was the answer sheet I had written.

“How dare you submit such an answer? There is no correlation between attributes? Are you saying that my question itself was wrong!”

The children’s gazes all focused on me. I calmly opened my mouth.

“That is not the case.”

“If that’s not the case, are you mocking me?”

In the end, his anger summoned me forward.

“Come out immediately and explain this answer. If you cannot explain a reasonable reason, I will convene a disciplinary committee.”

I got up without hesitation and headed to the podium.

‘Yeah. After all, the last-minute comeback is the most fun.’

My real test was just beginning.