NOVEL NEXT Chapter 44
A mock battle was set to take place, but a disadvantageous condition was imposed instead.
“An outstanding professor should also be able to teach students from other academies, right? So, how about we include one student from another academy among our participants?”
Class S didn’t need the professor’s guidance; they would automatically fulfill their roles.
On the other hand, Class F could only barely form a connection if I knew the students well.
Thus, Professor Makulam’s proposal was a setback for me.
How could he suggest a disadvantageous condition to the opponent in such a overwhelmingly favorable situation?
It was good to know he wasn’t completely devoid of conscience, but I was pleased he was careful enough not to become overconfident.
There’d be no ugly excuses to pick apart after the results were announced.
If he couldn’t accept the outcome, his own image would suffer.
So, all I had to do was secure the win.
“Sounds good.”
“Well then, let’s have a sufficient training session this morning and go for the real deal after lunch.”
Professor Makulam set the schedule as a mere notification before turning back to his students.
I felt an impulse to give him a light smack on the back of his head.
But I held back for now; I could do that after winning the bet.
“That’s settled then.”
“You say that as if it’s very obvious?”
“Sorry, I should have asked for your opinions first before making the decision.”
“It’s fine! Professor Daniel, you’re just standing up against an unfair decision, right? I would’ve done the same in your shoes.”
“Did you find the comments about us disregarding you especially impressive?”
“Professor, did you see the expressions on Class S’s faces?”
“I didn’t quite catch that, what were they like?”
“They looked utterly miserable!”
Paul added that he wanted to make them suffer from collective food poisoning.
The original Paul wasn’t this cruel.
But with a witch as a mentor, it was unavoidable that his disposition would lean towards the dark side.
Moreover, if I revealed my true intentions, I found joy in tormenting others.
If things went sideways, it could be worth considering.
“How do you plan to select the three that will compete in the group mock battle?”
“If Ailey actively participates, we’ll win handily, but…”
The lazy genius had confidently skipped training and vanished somewhere.
It didn’t matter. Putting faith in someone without enthusiasm would just result in passive observation and perhaps withdrawal.
It would certainly be better to choose any enthusiastic student from Class F instead.
“That seems unlikely, so I’m thinking of definitively sending Rynelle and Nina.”
“Well, that’s an obvious choice, but why Nina?”
“It’s a team battle. Do you think anyone can handle healing magic better than Nina?”
“Ugh… I can’t argue with that.”
“Since they’re Class S students, they’re going to want an extended fight. Therefore, Nina, you’re a key member for the long game.”
“Yes! I will undoubtedly meet the professor’s expectations!”
The dealer and healer roles were settled.
Originally, I had planned to place Paul in the rear and Nina at the front.
During the previous duel, Nina proved her worth with a mix of healing light and martial arts.
However, an unexpected proposal derailed the original plan.
Reluctantly, I had to pick a student from Florence who could take a hit, which wasn’t easy.
Everyone was avoiding my gaze and showing signs of shrinking back, already dispirited.
It seemed Florence Academy had engraved a sense of inferiority into Class F students.
Despite the massive honor that would follow if they could just defeat Class S, no one was willing to take up the challenge.
“Professor, I have a good idea.”
“What is it?”
Paul gestured for me to lend him my ear for a moment.
I bent my knees to match his height before leaning in.
“I’ve brought along some excellent drugs that are great for situations like this.”
“O! What kind of drugs?”
“Berserk, physical enhancement, pain resistance, skin hardening, skeletal strengthening.”
“Are you trying to turn them into berserkers?”
“I heard there are many students with physical builds here, and I thought it would be perfect for a clinical trial. Giving drugs to peers from the same academy carries too much risk.”
Paul was turning into an outstanding mad scientist.
The choice to bring him together with Celestia had completely transformed his future.
I was slightly worried, but as long as we could maintain the current collaboration, it should be fine.
“What about the side effects?”
“There are no life-threatening side effects. Generally, once the effect wears off, they might feel a wave of exhaustion or heightened sensitivity.”
“Is it okay to take them together?”
“There are no conflicting compounds, so it’s fine to take them all at once.”
“What about drug tests?”
Since we hadn’t established a separate rule regarding drugs for the mock battle, consuming any before the match wasn’t an issue.
However, there was a possibility the opposing side would raise a complaint based on drug use.
They could make a fuss about having given a forbidden substance to a student to win.
In the end, it would likely be revealed as a misunderstanding, but it’s always better to avoid getting caught at the outset.
Paul gave a meaningful smile as if he had been waiting for that question.
“The drugs were made in collaboration with Lady Celestia, so there’s no chance we’ll get caught. Feel free to test away!”
“Alright! I’ll handpick the subjects for dosing.”
“Hehe! I’ll be counting on you.”
If the students from Florence lacked confidence, we had no choice but to create that confidence ourselves.
The method might be a bit twisted, but who cares?
With just one blink, they could become the F-class students who defeated Class S.
In the future, a girl with the potential of a saint, the rightful heir of the Agail Ducal Family, and the partner of a millennium witch.
It raised an eyebrow as to how such a lineup existed at the bottom of the Academy.
It was no surprise that I felt concern for the Class S students I would face in the afternoon.
Surely, since it was a mock battle, there wouldn’t be any significant issue.
*
After a hearty lunch, we welcomed the afternoon joint training session.
As the time for the mock battle between Class S and Class F approached, the arena at Florence Academy became lively.
Students and professors from both classes gathered to watch the fight.
Professor Makulam and I met and found seats together in the spectator area.
Earlier, I had been in the waiting area, but now I was in the position of a thorough spectator.
“You really showed up? I thought you’d find some excuse not to be here.”
“Unlike some academies, all our professors at this academy feel a strong sense of responsibility.”
“That’s rather unpleasant to hear.”
“I didn’t say Florence Academy; are you feeling guilty?”
“Not at all. I just question whether it’s appropriate for a professor to slander another academy.”
“Slandering? I merely spoke critically. Pointing out errors is also part of an educator’s duty, isn’t it?”
Professor Makulam’s expression was turning sour, as if he had eaten something unpleasant.
It seemed he wanted to win me over with trivial banter, but I had no reason to lose.
If there was any fault, it was solely on Florence Academy’s side.
The justification resided solely with me.
“Let’s just watch the match.”
Having no further retorts, Professor Makulam finally turned his head.
I could easily tell he planned to repay all the insults he had endured after the mock battle.
Whether that went according to his wishes would be revealed shortly.
“Entrants, step forward!”
True to form, Professor Masker was the referee again.
His booming voice summoned the protagonists from the entrances on both sides.
Rynelle stepped out with a hesitant expression, Nina wore a determined face, and then…
“Huh? Did we have such a student in our academy?”
“Who knows? But isn’t that kind of dangerous? She’s drooling everywhere!”
“No, even more than that, she’s wearing a collar, which is already a no-go!”
The strongest-looking female student from Florence Academy was picked and handed over to Paul, who then turned her into a massive gorilla.
With a body that could flip a tank, rippling muscles bulged beneath her slightly torn uniform.
Her eyes were entirely white, suggesting a lack of reason.
Lastly, the growls coming from her while grinding her teeth sounded like a wild beast.
“What… what is that?!”
She was currently wearing a collar connected to a chain, and I noticed blood dripping from Nina’s hand that was gripping the chain tightly.
I had a hard time noticing it since she was already healing her wounds.
It meant the chain couldn’t be held loosely; otherwise, she would become uncontrollable.
I had underestimated the effects of the potion made by Celestia and Paul.
Moreover, giving her not just one but five doses simultaneously meant it was strange if the ultimate life form didn’t emerge.
“Professor Daniel! What on earth have you done to our student?!”
“It seems my training methods are receiving the acclaim they deserve.”
“Training method? No matter how much you call it special training, there’s no way she could change this much in such a short time!”
“Seeing you so flustered only assures me of my victory. It seems Professor Makulam can’t replicate my methods?”
“Cough, cough! I’m not flustered! I was just worried about giving her incorrect training!”
“Well, you’ll soon find out as the match unfolds.”
By showing my complete composure and gently prodding Professor Makulam, he instinctively shut his mouth.
Having a strong ego leads to such cases.
If I were him, I would continue pressing for answers, but given how absurdly transformed the Florence students had become, I couldn’t help but laugh.
I thought I would only need to support Nina and Rynelle, but the roles had reversed.
They had become mere spectators, instilling fear in the Class S students who had come to compete.
After all, who wouldn’t be scared faced with the ultimate life form?
Even Professor Masker, who had always bragged about his muscles, was lowering his gaze in front of the female student.
“Y-Your match starts!”
The typically composed Masker was stuttering for the first time while taking on the role of referee.
And thus began the three-on-three group mock battle.
Though, it was embarrassing to call it a group match given the actual match’s dynamics.
The moment Nina let go of the chain, victory or defeat had already been decided.
The mock battle had turned into a perfect one-woman show featuring Florence’s F-class female student.
“I have unleashed poison upon this world…”
What Celestia and Paul had instigated may have been something that could actually benefit the world.