The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 100

100

The headmaster’s office of , created by Emissa Page, the originator of magic, is a place where light streams through arched windows on all eight sides.

When I visited during the day, the radiant sunlight filled me with a sense of grandeur, but coming here in the evening, I felt a bit eerie, perhaps due to the heavy moonlight.

No, it wasn’t just the moonlight.

It had to be Headmaster Madelia Page, sitting in that chair and glaring at us sharply.

“You know perfectly well why you’re here right now, don’t you?”

The third-year trio, who always acted arrogantly, were shrinking powerlessly before Madelia Page.

“……”

Why were these four people, including Rain, dragged into the headmaster’s office, still wearing their sweat-soaked athletic clothes?

To explain that, we need to rewind time by thirty minutes.

* * *

As the whistle blew and exactly three heartbeats passed, an intense roar that threatened to collapse the gymnasium swept through the hall.

“Wow, crazy!!!”

“Is this real? The invincible Griffin Valor lost?”

“To a team that’s only been formed for ten days?”

Logan rushed over to Rain and Hubert, who were panting and silently staring at each other, and threw his arms around their shoulders, bursting into laughter.

[Wow, they actually won, lol]

“That was really fun★”

Nora and Kaden were exchanging smiles next to him.

‘As expected, there’s always laughter around this guy….’

Lilian, who glanced at the scene from afar with envy, looked up at the gymnasium ceiling and dreamed of the distant future.

‘Will I ever become someone like that in school or at the academy?’

At that moment, a smile also formed on Valencidi’s lips as he applauded along with the other spectators.

‘If it were a typical aristocrat, they would have dismissed that hand as rude….’

His attitude of treating everyone like friends, regardless of their status, was genuine….

‘That guy, he really did it.’

Krista, who watched this situation from beginning to end with a hollow laugh, was convinced when she saw her fist clench without her knowing.

Yes, that’s right.

I came here to support that guy, not Griffin Valor….

“See, I told you Rain would win!”

Casena shouted excitedly as she turned to Doran, but….

Huh?

Doran was gone. He appeared without a trace and disappeared without a trace.

“This can’t be….”

“No way….”

Unlike the Griffin Valor players, who expressed their embarrassment by resting their foreheads on the bench or muttering blankly, Elin Ludwick couldn’t express her feelings right now.

‘In the end, that idiot caused an accident….’

With this, Griffin Valor, which boasted a long history, will be abolished in my generation… but why does a sense of pride precede my resentment?

– Hey, did you hear? Professor Elin’s six-year-old nephew is completely hopeless?

– No way.

– It’s true. That’s why his nickname is the Genius Disaster! They say he can’t use magic at all?

That guy, who had been like that, now takes the top spot in the first-year exams twice and now wins against 2nd and 3rd graders in magic volleyball?

‘I’m such a failure as a coach….’

It was right then that she silently wiped away the dew that had formed in her eyes with a hollow smile.

“Who on earth gave you permission to do such nonsense?”

It was a cold voice filled with the power to freeze the heated hall.

A wave of overwhelming magical power that made bodies tremble swept through the hall, and the commotion subsided in an instant.

There were only two people in the school who could unleash such terrifying magic power that made their hair stand on end.

Everyone watched, forgetting how to breathe, as a heroine with dignified, fluttering light purple hair entered the hall.

“H, Headmaster…?!”

Professor Iban, who was the referee, barely managed to speak, but Madelia Page’s eyes flashed coldly.

“Tell me, why is a professor like you acting as a referee without thinking of stopping this ridiculous situation?”

“Y, yes? Th, that is….”

“Elin Ludwick, the same goes for you. You two have nothing to say even if you are suspended. I’ll see you separately in the headmaster’s office later.”

Then, Casena, wanting to explain the situation, stepped forward urgently, leaning on her crutches.

“Mom, this is, well!”

Madelia lightly dismissed her daughter’s protest by raising her hand.

“I know the situation. So there’s no need to explain.”

Madelia pointed her finger at Rain, Maya, Yors, and Rowenbelt in turn.

“So, the four of you who are the ringleaders, follow me. Right now.”

* * *

“The three of you abused the regulations created for the self-regulation of clubs to ruin this seasonal festival. Is that correct?”

Madelia looked at them in turn as if daring them to protest, but no one dared to meet her gaze.

“Headmaster, I was just trying to maintain the dignity of the nobles.”

When Maya Snark weakly voiced her protest, Madelia let out a cold snort.

“The dignity of the nobles? You should be ashamed to even utter such words.”

“……?”

“You should have remembered the humiliation of not taking the top spot against someone without noble roots for the rest of your life and used it as motivation to move forward. Are you concocting this kind of thing because you can’t accept the result?”

Eventually, Maya also closed her mouth and avoided her gaze.

Then, Madelia’s gaze turned to Rain this time.

It was a much softer gaze compared to when she was dealing with the three of them, but her voice was just as cold.

“And Rain Ludwick, what qualifications do you have to make such a big deal out of this?”

“Yes?”

“There must have been other ways. Above all, you can’t just withdraw from the student council as you please. You need the headmaster’s approval.”

Is that so? But how come everything went smoothly without anyone saying it was impossible…?

Madelia sighed and placed a piece of metal on the desk with a thud.

It was a badge, the symbol of a student council member, with a delicately embossed three-headed dragon Asura in gold on a silver plate.

“In short, you haven’t withdrawn from the student council.”

“……?”

“Therefore, according to the regulation that ‘student council members cannot interfere in disputes between clubs during the festival period,’ your application to Griffin Valor for a disbandment match by forming a team is also invalid.”

It may seem like she is completely denying Rain’s achievements, but in fact, this was the best solution Madelia could give Rain.

Rain is a noble. Moreover, he is the heir to the powerful Ludwick family.

Such a person not only quit the student council but also cooperated with the disciples of the Eight Great Factions to disband Griffin Valor?

‘Griffin Valor is a royal club with tremendous solidarity among its alumni [OBs] even after graduation… A huge wave of antipathy will be directed at Rain.’

If that happens, it will inevitably be a fatal blow to Rain, whose support base consists almost entirely of nobles.

The position of the Ludwick family, which Scalz and Caveon had firmly built, will also be shaken.

I hope he understands this intention, as he is smart enough to be considered as a son-in-law….

“Of course, that doesn’t mean that what those three did didn’t happen. I will impose a five-month suspension on them for this incident.”

The eyes of the three nobles trembled with fear.

Five months…?

That was the highest level of punishment given to students at . Saying five months was the same as saying they would fail a semester, which was the same as saying they would be held back a year.

“H, Headmaster?!”

“I was wrong. I was really wrong!”

The fact that they, as descendants of the Ten Great Clans, were held back a year at was an indelible stain that would completely undermine their position as heirs.

That’s why they desperately pleaded for mercy, but Madelia shook her head firmly.

“This is already decided. We need to set a clear precedent for this kind of thing to prevent problems in the future.”

But ironically, the person who defended the three at that time was Rain Ludwick.

“Thank you for your words, but if you make such a decision, the meaning of me playing magic volleyball for ten days will disappear.”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t have any intention of punishing those three or disbanding Griffin Valor in the first place.”

Madelia tilted her head as if she was embarrassed by the unexpected answer, but it was the third-year trio who looked at Rain with even greater embarrassment.

What are you saying now…?

Then why did you bet on the disbandment match even while withdrawing from the student council? Rain smiled and gave the answer.

“I just wanted to show the true meaning and potential of magic.”

“Magic…?”

“True meaning…?”

“Potential…?”

“You guys, if you’ve seen my team, you’ll know that there’s no high or low in magic. There’s no noble or lowly either. Commoners can use magic as well as you guys.”

Magic is like that.

It doesn’t matter what kind of person you were originally. It doesn’t matter if you were an orphan, a commoner, a merchant, or a noble. It doesn’t matter at all.

As long as you have the will to learn, it allows you to become the person you want to be. That’s the meaning of magic that Rain saw and learned.

“So, from now on, don’t look down on others just because you’re nobles or because you’re a little better at magic right now. What is a magician? Isn’t it merit-based? You have to compete with your magic skills, and if you start looking at things like status, you’ll never become a great magician in your life.”

The three exchanged glances blankly, not knowing the reason for the strange resonance in their hearts.

It was strange.

In a normal situation, they would have resented that someone younger than them was lecturing them as the son of a powerful family….

“Okay, promise.”

Rain smiled and reached out his hand.

This is…?

Maya raised her eyes, unable to understand the meaning of the gesture, and Rain grabbed Maya’s hand and shook it.

“Are you promising?”

“……You’re not angry?”

“I wasn’t angry in the first place. Thanks to you guys, I also found out how fun magic volleyball is, so let’s just say we had a good experience.”

Rain chuckled and raised his thumb, and Rowenbelt laughed in amazement with an astonished expression.

Is this the dignity of a true noble?

How can he continue to encourage us, who dared to revolt, to keep practicing magic? If I were in the same situation… I felt a little emotional, and my eyes got a little hot.

‘He stirred up this situation to teach those three the true mindset that a magician should have….’

A faint smile appeared on the face of Madelia Page, who was watching the progress of the conversation with her arms crossed. No one saw it because of the backlight.

“I understand your intentions, Rain Ludwick. But if there is no punishment as an example, many people will continue to make light of the school’s rules in the future.”

“……?”

“Therefore, I will impose a one-month probation on you three. Stay quiet during the festival period.”

Then, Rowenbelt and Yors’ faces brightened, and they repeatedly bowed their waists and sobbed, still young.

“Thank you, thank you!”

Even Maya, who had a blunt personality, bowed her head to Rain, so you can see how generous this disposition was.

“I won’t forget what you did this time….”

What’s with all the fuss again?

There was nothing to be angry about in the first place. In this era, 300 years later, most magicians were just cute juniors to Rain.

After the three left, Madelia handed Rain the student council badge and said in a regretful voice.

“You still have to become the son-in-law of our family. I don’t think I can be satisfied unless it’s you now.”

Is it this pattern again?

I’ve become immune to it now. Rain smiled and glossed over the topic, as Brim had taught him before leaving.

“Hahaha….”

“Didn’t your heart change a little after seeing the power of Black Sheep Rin? You have to let your children see that power too. Are you going to monopolize it and use it alone?”

“Um… Can I go now?”

He couldn’t leave.

Because Casena Page stormed into the headmaster’s office as if she had been waiting for the three to leave.

“Mom, I properly punished those bad guys, right?! And Rain didn’t do anything bad!”

“I know. Don’t worry. I was just strict because there were eyes watching earlier.”

“Rain really gave them a good beating today! Every time he just shot the ball with a pang, everyone’s expressions were a sight to behold!”

“Um, so I was strongly recommending him to become my son-in-law again.”

“Wh, what?! Rain is sixteen years old! His status is much lower than mine! I’m too good for him!”

“That’s true, but the Ludwick family is not a bad family to marry into. He’s not lacking at all as a son-in-law.”

“Th, that’s right?! Not that it’s right! Anyway, I don’t like it!”

Taking advantage of the gap where the Page mother and daughter were chattering, he was able to slip out of the headmaster’s office. An unexpected person was waiting outside.

Krista Warden.

She was taking a deep breath with her hand on her chest, and when she ran into Rain without being prepared, her eyes widened.

“What? Do you have business with the headmaster too?”

“Ah, no? It’s not like that?”

“Then what are you doing here?”

Krista hesitated for a moment, but when she saw the student council badge in Rain’s hand, she let out a sigh of relief.

“Seeing that… it seems like it worked out well.”

“It just turned out that way somehow.”

Just when it seemed like the conversation was over, Krista, whose face was flushed red, stuttered badly and rolled her eyes around, unlike usual.

“Th, the last time… I mean, at the executive committee meeting! I, I… that is, well….”

She had to convey her apology clearly, but Krista, who was not immune to this situation, only felt her whole body burning up.

“Ah, that time?”

But suddenly, Rain smiled and ended the painful situation.

“Don’t worry about it. I didn’t really care that much either.”

“Wh, what, why, how…?!”

“Why do I have to explain everything one by one? Anyway, now that it’s like this, let’s work hard together again in the student council starting tomorrow.”

As Rain waved his hand and walked away, Krista’s hand, which had been wandering aimlessly in front of her face when she was listing the circumstances, came down to her chest.

It was that simple…?

And soon, with a comfortable smile that completely cleared away the worries that had been plaguing her face for the past ten days, she clenched her fist tightly.

“Yeah…!”

Then, she ran to his side and started walking in step, starting to pick a fight (?) that she hadn’t been able to do for the past ten days.

“What was that serve just now? If it were me, I would have aimed for the net side more perfectly?!”

“You’re so good.”

“And your receive was completely messed up?! That one just now, wasn’t that a receive that interfered with the spiker?”

The girl’s face, who was walking side by side down the hallway where the moonlight was shining beautifully and constantly throwing playful jabs, was full of a smile that hadn’t appeared in the past ten days.