chapter 27
27 – External Lecturer (3)
An unexpected moment of awkward silence flowed in the lecture room.
Kael quietly looked at Silpheed.
And then, he thought.
‘How the hell does this guy know who I am?’
He definitely used magic of perception hindrance last time.
So, how did he figure out his identity?
At that moment, when Kael was questioning.
-“Hold on, isn’t Spirit King the champion who was summoned in the arena last time?”
-“Oh? That’s right. I also heard the rumor!”
-“But as I recall, the professor was on a security mission with the S-rank students, right?”
-“What? So, was the spirit mistaken?”
-“Must be. A lot of people have seen Professor Kael, the timelines don’t match.”
-“Indeed.”
The students conveniently imagined it for themselves.
‘I did well to use clone technique.’
If not, it’s certain that he would have been doubted.
At that moment.
-“Thinking that I am mistaken now…”
Silpheed tries to argue against the students’ conversation carelessly.
Silpheed, who looked at Kael, tightly shut his mouth.
He didn’t seem absolutely tactless.
‘I will get suspected if I unnecessarily do this.’
Thinking so, Kael quickly changed the subject.
“From now on, let’s practice what tutor has taught. Ms. Seria.”
“Ah, yes! Please, proceed as instructed earlier. If you have any questions, raise your hand.”
And so, the practical lecture began.
In the meantime, Cael quietly approached Silphid.
And asked him a question only he could hear.
“How did you figure out my identity?”
-Well, um, beings of our rank, not only can we see, but we also possess the ability to discern the source of a person’s magical power. That’s how I figured it out.
Is that so.
Even if one manages to impair their recognition with a mask, a person’s magical source does not disappear.
Therefore, it was not unusual for Silphid to recognize him.
‘I’ll have to improve on this later.’
Cael thought to himself.
-Did you summon me?
He heard a majestic voice in his ear.
When he looked sideways, a small Azure Dragon had appeared.
Everyone was taken aback by the appearance of the Azure Dragon.
It only made sense since the Azure Dragon was among the highest-ranking spirits, much like Silphid.
‘The summoner… just as I thought.’
Unsurprisingly, the summoner was none other than Maria.
Well, it wasn’t strange for the daughter of the tower master to summon such a spirit.
Considering her talent, it was only natural.
Right then.
– I was looking forward to this, but she seems rather plain.
The Azure Dragon started ignoring Maria.
The highest-ranking spirits had a tendency to be quite picky.
The Spirit King, a being even higher than the highest-ranking spirits, was no different.
‘It wasn’t too bad with Silphid at first, given that he wasn’t initially a high-ranking spirit.’
For a moment, Cael thought to himself.
“Uh, how do I make a contract?”
Maria asked with a puzzled expression.
Cael came forward and answered in her stead.
“It’s simple.”
“?”
Cariel exudes his magic power to its full extent.
At the same moment.
-What the hell…?!
-BAM!
Without a moment’s hesitation, he gives the Azure Dragon a full-powered smackdown.
Struck by the full brunt of the smackdown, the Azure Dragon was driven straight into the ground.
He might look like a tough case but he won’t die that easily.
Unsurprisingly, there was a lump on the creature’s head.
Cariel looked at the fallen Azure Dragon and opened his mouth.
“If you don’t want to receive any more punishment, you should yield and make a contract.”
At his words, those around him all had the same thought.
‘No, this is just a threat. Plain and simple.’
Everyone had the same thought, but no one dared to voice it.
And so, that day, Maria effected a contract with the Supreme Elemental more easily than anyone had expected.
***
A day has passed since Seria’s lecture came to an end.
Naturally, as soon as the lecture was over, I immediately left.
There’s no more to discuss with Seria, sharing anything further would be of no benefit to either of us.
More importantly.
‘A Chaos Elemental.’
I had only heard of these through rumors.
These fellows, unlike ordinary elementals, have unique personalities.
Typically, elementals use magic power to exercise their abilities.
By contrast, a Chaos Elemental possesses a range of different powers within its body.
Magic, divinity, and mana.
A being that possesses these three is a Chaos Elemental.
They’re not something you normally come across.
Yet, Elaine is said to be able to manage such an elemental.
‘I didn’t expect there would be someone who could handle the sprite of chaos.’
Something known to appear once in a thousand years, if that.
‘I should probably consult about this later.’
Because it’s dangerous if misused, the sprite of chaos.
Anyway, that’s that.
‘The second was Libia.’
Healer and buffer in the hero’s party, it’s Libia.
The lady referred to as the saint in the holy alliance.
Now, it’s her turn to be helped.
“Ka, Kael!”
Then someone stammered his name.
When he turned to look, Libia gazed back with a shy expression.
“You’re helping me this time, right?”
“Indeed.”
When he nodded in response to her question, her eyes shone as if seizing an opportunity.
“Then let’s go quickly!”
She, who takes the lead, says this.
He’s known her for a while, but he realizes once again.
There is no one as innocent as she is in front of him.
***
The second lecture began.
Naturally, there were numerous students for this session as well.
It was none other than the saint’s lecture.
Almost all who take the divine study attended.
‘Rowe is here too.’
The son of the paladins’ captain, Rowe was also in attendance.
Libia, looking at the seated students, wore an expression full of anxiety.
‘Th-there’s so many people.’
She was timid, more than any other person.
Having so many people in front of her made her heart race.
-Thump. Thump. Thump.
Seeing her stiff expression, Cael breathed out a shallow sigh.
‘It’s just the same as before.’
With that thought, Cael advised her while looking at her.
“Saintess. Regulate your breathing.”
“Ah, yes!”
She inhales, then exhales, repeating the process.
Cael opened his mouth to talk while gazing at her.
“I will cast a spell.”
Cael slowly pulled up his magic power.
The magical symbol materialized before him.
Remembering how he used to do it made Olivia’s heart ache.
– Are you nervous, Saintess?
– Ah, yes. Actually, I am a little timid.
– Then this will help a little.
He slowly outlined the magic mark.
The lines of magic power twining together, completing the magical formula.
Cael applies magic power to the completed magic.
Eventually, he started chanting the spell.
“Wind down.”
The next moment, magic power emanated from the magic mark and draped over Olivia.
Feeling the tension in her body melt away, she exhaled a sigh of relief.
“Ah….”
A feeling she hardly experienced since Cael left.
Since he left, she had been unable to speak properly in front of people.
And she realized.
How much help Cael had given her.
‘Why didn’t I realize then?’
Why did she take Cael’s magic for granted?
Why did she think his magic was nothing special?
Thinking about it now, it seems utterly rash.
It certainly was a greater help than I could’ve been.
Regret and guilt now reside within my deepest feelings.
And to think, I must have been so unjustly accused at that time.
It was then.
“Sister, it’s time for the lecture.”
Kail speaks in a tone colder than before.
Seeing him like this, Livy struggled to hide her feelings and nodded her head.
“Ah, yes!”
With that, Livy left and ascended to the stage.
And thus, unlike the first day, the second lecture ended safely.
Of course, guilt had only grown in Livy’s heart.
***
And so came the third day.
The last of the external lectures.
Normally, all the students would be upset.
However, all the students wore expressions full of anticipation.
It’s only natural, as this is no different from a highlight.
– I wonder what kind of lecture the hero will give.
– I agree. The other two lectures were said to be extraordinary.
– What did they do?
– It’s said that Silvia gave a lesson on how to make a contract with a spirit.
– Insane! Had I known, I would have attended. And the holy lady?
– Livy reportedly taught how to effectively handle the sacred arts and holy power.
– Is that all?
– Not at all. She also gave blessings to all the students.
-What? Dammit, why didn’t I take it? I should’ve put my major aside…
It was the holy lady’s blessing.
It was a once-in-a-life opportunity and I missed it.
I regret it so much that I could hit the ground.
-“By the way, have you heard the rumor?
-What?
-That Professor Kael is associated with the Hero’s party?
-Really? No, who on earth was he before to be associated with them?
-That’s what I’m saying. And there’s also a rumor that he made a contract with the Spirit King.
-Ah. That’s far fetched. The person who won the previous arena tournament was rumored to have made a contract with the Spirit King.
-Well, yes. But it’s a rumor. But don’t you wonder?
-About what?
-Who would win in a fight, the Hero or Professor Kael?
-?!
The male student who heard this widened his eyes.
Surely, the Hero must win.
How could a mere teacher beat the Hero?
However, he can’t imagine it.
Kael losing to someone.
As the male student puzzled over how to respond.
“That topic seems rather interesting.”
Someone naturally inserted themselves into the conversation.
Curious about who it was, they looked up and it was none other than Elly, known as the third princess.
A Hero who lost to a party member he used to chase.
“It would be really interesting.”
With that, Elly ended with a meaningful smile.