The Genius Tamer of the Academy

Chapter 66

“What?”

“What did you just say?”

The courtroom erupted into chaos.

Sensing an opportunity, Louis Maxwell scoffed and sharply questioned Ernest.

Murderous glances were exchanged across the room.

“So, at Ardel Academy, do they teach students to steal?”

“Apparently so.”

“What kind of nonsense is this?”

The courtroom buzzed with discontent.

Naturally, the murmurings were unfavorable toward Ardel Academy.

At that moment, Ernest’s next explosive statement completely flipped the atmosphere.

He spoke in his usual kind but serious tone.

“It was my property.”

“Wh-What….”

“What did you just say?”

The room fell into stunned silence.

Adela and Lee Han exchanged bewildered glances.

‘That’s right.’

Only Han Siha quickly grasped the situation.

‘Dean Ernest was the one who initially collected and sealed the cubes.’

He hadn’t realized they had been stored in the Magic Department’s vault.

If they had been a step slower, they might have really lost it.

It was fortunate that the original owner of the cube turned out to be Dean Ernest.

“What exactly did you just say?”

Louis Maxwell, who had been the most aggressive in his questioning, stood up abruptly, frowning.

Ernest smiled gently, trying to calm him down.

“I meant exactly what I said. I had them follow the proper procedure to retrieve my belongings, but it seems the students took a more direct route.”

“You should come up with a more believable excuse. The investigation will reveal everything… what?”

Louis Maxwell’s hand, which had been angrily flipping through the list, froze.

It turned out that the listed owner of the missing item was indeed Dean Ernest.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Who in the world missed this detail and submitted the report?

Louis clenched his fists tightly, his expression twisted with frustration.

It had been the perfect chance to bring down Ardel Academy.

Yes, he had been particularly relentless because of the noble family background, but also because Han Siha was from Ardel Academy.

Ernest.

They had both graduated from Ardel Academy, constantly being compared to each other, which only fueled Louis’s sense of inferiority.

He had worked tirelessly to become a professor at the Magic Department, but Ernest’s calm and unaffected demeanor always grated on his nerves.

Unlike him, a commoner who had struggled his way up, Ernest seemed to have walked an easier path, always adopting an understanding stance as if sympathizing with Louis.

It was infuriating.

Even now, Ernest’s relaxed attitude, trying to persuade him, was sickening.

So, Louis didn’t back down and continued to press.

“Even if the missing item issue is resolved, how do you explain the property damage? Surely you’re not going to make excuses for them being thoughtless, Headmaster? They damaged the sturdy underground vault of the Magic Department. How do you know they weren’t there to steal something else?”

“Does the Magic Department pass judgment based on assumptions?”

“Watch your mouth!”

“Now, now, everyone calm down!”

The judge, who had been watching the situation, sighed and intervened to de-escalate the tension.

Louis Maxwell was letting his personal feelings drive the situation.

“What are you waiting for? Lock them all up! Were you all bribed?”

“You’re going too far.”

Ernest continued to smile as he spoke.

“We at Ardel will compensate for the property damage. I apologize for the incident. It seems our students were a bit careless. I hope for a favorable judgment.”

Ernest’s words carried weight.

He was not only extremely capable but also highly respected, with a reputation built over many years.

His statement shifted the atmosphere in the courtroom.

“Aren’t these the winners of the recent Magic Department event? Talented students. Let’s be lenient.”

“That sounds reasonable.”

Louis Maxwell’s frustration was palpable, but his voice was quickly drowned out.

“Han Siha, Adela, Lee Han. The three students from Ardel Academy are sentenced to write a letter of reflection and complete 30 hours of community service as per the Magic Department’s seventh disciplinary measure. Any objections?”

“….”

“If not, the ruling will stand.”

Bang, bang.

The judge banged his gavel, finalizing the ruling.

Clap.

Adela raised her hand to give Han Siha a high-five.

Han Siha smiled and lifted his hand to meet hers.

“Phew, we made it.”

Han Siha let out a sigh of relief, realizing how close he had come to facing a life of “academy life” rather than “prison life.”

* * *

Adela slumped over her desk, grumbling.

“The sun is shining so brightly, and I could be outside having fun. But instead, here I am, stuck in a classroom writing a reflection letter. Care to explain why?”

Lee Han, after filling a page with his reflection, stretched his arms above his head.

The handwriting was a mess, but at least it was sincere… or not.

Does that even look like something written by a human?

“Hey, do you really think that counts as a reflection letter?”

Adela, clearly thinking the same thing, frowned in disgust.

The reflection letter looked like something that would get them sent straight to prison if the Magic Department saw it.

To summarize it briefly:

[While I did nothing wrong, if I were to pinpoint my mistake, it was being too strong. I was agile, strategic, and successfully escaped.]

“It’s supposed to be a reflection letter, not an autobiography.”

But would telling him that even make him understand?

Regardless of what else, his confidence was sky-high.

Lee Han scratched his head and asked us,

“Should I rewrite it?”

Instead of answering, I continued writing my reflection letter.

Curious about what I was writing, Lee Han leaned over to take a look.

“What are you writing so much about?”

His grumbling quickly turned into astonishment as he gaped at my work.

“Wow, you’re good at making things up.”

“It’s in my blood. We’re a nation of self-reflection experts.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It’s just a thing.”

I pushed my reflection letter aside and patted Basilus’ head.

He had recovered remarkably quickly.

As expected of a dragon.

It seemed he’d be ready to resume training by next week.

However…

“We’re still weak.”

“koo!”

Basilus protested, but it was true.

Both of us were weak.

If you can’t apply what you’ve learned at the academy in real-life situations, it’s meaningless.

I learned that dealing with humans can be several times harder than dealing with monsters.

I had exhausted all my mana early in the fight, leaving me unable to launch a proper counterattack later on.

My skills were far from adequate.

If Lee Han had been there, the situation would have turned out differently.

“Basilus, let’s train after this.”

“koo….”

We need to get stronger.

More powerful opponents will come, not just like Professor Divert Grunui.

And as part of that, perhaps…

[You have unlocked the skill ‘Light of Healing.’]

The skill that Solia had. I don’t know why it appeared to me.

I stared blankly at the message window, blinking in confusion.

‘Light of Healing.’

Up until now, the only ability I had after possessing this body was the ‘Empathy’ skill from the Taming line.

Honestly, that was more than enough.

Typically, secondary characters don’t unlock multiple primary abilities.

[A power to heal those bound to you.]

The description was short and concise, but I roughly understood what it meant.

It was different from Solia’s version.

I could only heal those bound to me, and the restriction would likely apply to Basilus alone.

If I wanted to stretch it, I might be included as well.

I would need to check the range and extent of this power.

Mana: 45

Health: 15

Intelligence: 30

Perception: 17

Charm: 15

Alignment: Neutral Good

[Empathy] [Light of Healing]

As I closed the window and rubbed my throbbing head, Lee Han tapped my shoulder.

He wanted to talk about the cube.

“The cube is sealed with a temporary barrier. No one cared much about it before, so it was just stuffed into the Magic Department vault, but now it’s dangerous. Honestly, even holding onto it is risky.”

“Have you thought about where to seal it?”

“That’s what I’m asking you.”

I blinked in surprise at his unexpected question.

I hadn’t anticipated Lee Han seeking my input.

He was the type who didn’t easily rely on others, not even the main characters like Adela, Won, or Solia from the academy.

I was already surprised when he agreed to take Adela with us, but I never thought he would mention the cube’s location to me.

Well, considering that I helped retrieve the first cube, it made sense.

I smirked and shrugged.

“You probably know better than I do.”

He definitely knew more than me.

I only had a rough idea of the geography, but the precise location would obviously be known only to him.

I gave him a bit of a hint.

“Hmmm, wouldn’t a cave be a good spot?”

“Oh, that place—wait, how do you know?”

Lee Han nodded, then looked at me with wide eyes, demanding an answer.

“Hah, maybe I should have studied divinity. I’m starting to think I could be a fortune teller.”

“Hey, how did you know?!”

“Ahh! Stop! I’m a patient, okay? It was just a guess! What do you mean, you have a cave too? Wow, you’re rich.”

“Stop changing the subject!”

Just then, a commotion erupted.

Won came barreling in, screaming as he stumbled and fell forward.

“Han Siha!”

What is it today? Why is he acting like this?

I frowned and stood up.

“Is there a war or something?”

“No, it’s not that. Dean Ernest is looking for you.”

“…The Headmaster?”

* * *

“I won’t ask.”

Dean Ernest smiled as he shook his head.

He must know we stole the cube, but he didn’t even ask about its whereabouts.

His words carried a certain authority that made me feel like I should confess everything.

Ernest handed me a cup of hot coffee and nodded.

“Try it. I bought these beans in Seinen; they’re supposed to be good for recovery. I paid quite a bit for them, and they’re effective. Not just quackery.”

“Thank you.”

I took a sip and looked up at Dean Ernest.

He said he wouldn’t ask, but calling me here meant he had something to discuss.

I set the cup down and took a deep breath.

“Professor Divert Grunui is alive.”

“You never actually killed him.”

“I used magic as well.”

“Hmm…”

Ernest frowned and turned his head.

“That’s surprising.”

“….”

“How did he survive?”

His voice was calm as usual, but his expression was anything but. He seemed both impressed and intrigued.

After all, this was Professor Divert Grunui we were talking about.

He wasn’t someone a mere second-year student should have been able to face and survive.

So, I understood Ernest’s reaction.

Honestly, I found it surprising too.

Looking back at that chaotic day, it’s a miracle I’m still breathing.

Ernest sat back in his creaky chair and spoke again.

“You have talent.”

“Thank you.”

“That’s not just a compliment; I mean it.”

I pressed my lips together, staying silent.

He shifted the topic again.

“How did you know they were after the cube?”

“Lee Han figured it out.”

“Seems like something you would have figured out.”

His gaze was heavy as he looked at me. I shrugged and smiled.

“I think you’re overestimating me.”

His sharp eyes made me flinch, but I tried not to show it.

Ernest chuckled and stood up.

He walked over to a cluttered shelf, dragging his feet on the floor, and pulled out a bundle of old papers.

“Heh. Whether it’s an overestimation or not, we’ll see once you look at this.”

“What is that?”

“A problem I haven’t been able to solve.”

A problem even Dean Ernest couldn’t solve?

I frowned and lifted the old papers.

“I found this in Professor Divert Grunui’s library. It looks like it’s been interpreted using a mathematical code, but I couldn’t make sense of it. It’s neither a magical formula nor runic.”

“It looks like a cipher.”

“I wondered if you might be able to solve it, Han Siha.”

I wanted to brush it off as another overestimation, but I was intrigued.

As Ernest said, it was clearly a valuable document.

Could it be the location of the cube?

There were lines of code, resembling Morse code or ancient text, dotted across the paper.

If this was a cipher left by Professor Divert Grunui…

It was definitely something useful.

Better in my hands than someone else’s.

Without hesitation, I accepted the papers Ernest handed me.

Ernest asked,

“Do you think you can solve this puzzle?”

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