We Are a Newlywed Couple Who Entered the Academy

I debated how far to take the decimal places and rounded to five digits. I was worried that if I answered too extensively, I’d be seen as showing off, and if I stopped too short, I’d get scolded for not trying hard enough. I didn’t know if I made the right call.

“……”

The professor slightly parted his lips and stared at me blankly. Silence filled the lecture hall. Why did he look so stern? Could it be that I saw something wrong? I widened my eyes and looked at the chalk again.

I measured it based on the longest points of the piece, but should I have considered the center of the chalk’s cylindrical shape instead? Or maybe I should have simply answered from my perspective as the observer? My heart pounded wildly.

“……”

Professor Ronan suddenly spun around with a swishing motion, opened a book on the podium, and began scribbling rapidly. The sharp, rough scratching of his pen echoed for a few minutes before he let out a deep sigh and lifted his head.

“You were wrong. But that was quite a sharp mental calculation. The actual length is about 21.3139mn.”

21.3139mn. That was a bit strange. It was slightly different from the length I calculated as the observer… oh, I see now. The professor had clearly said, ‘The length of this chalk is 9.5mn.’ He gave us that as a hint, expecting us to base our calculations on it. But foolishly, I used the actual length of the chalk as it was.

I feel mortified.

“Still, that’s quite impressive. I’d wager no one else here could make even a rough estimate like that in such a short time. Occasionally, there are students like you — ones with astonishingly quick mental calculations. You should be proud of yourself.”

Even though I made an embarrassing mistake, the professor looked at me with a warm smile. I was sure I was going to get scolded, but his unexpected response warmed my heart. Perhaps his initial stern impression was just my misunderstanding.

He was an incredibly gentle and kind man. Thanks to him, the other students were looking at me with awe.

To think I went from being on the verge of ridicule to being perceived as a gifted student with just a few words of cover from the professor.

Though I really knew nothing about the theory. Or was measuring the length of this chalk harder for most people than I thought?

… no. I almost let myself get conceited. The professor must have the kind of character that encouraged and uplifted weaker students. It was an ideal teaching method.

“But even a talented student like you can make a slight calculation error that results in a significant deviation. In real magic applications, such errors can be critical. That’s why magic can’t be used spontaneously.”

The professor smoothly transitioned back into his lecture. The thick book titled on the cover was written by Professor Ronan himself and was reportedly sold in the Academy’s bookstore.

Today, we covered the first chapter.

Professor Ronan seemed to be in a particularly good mood while teaching. A cheerful elderly professor passionately guiding his students — it was inspiring. Despite decades of teaching, his expression brimmed with vitality, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. It was no wonder that elders who retained their fervor earned respect.

At last, the three-hour lecture ended. I set my pen down on the desk with a sense of satisfaction. Taking thorough notes and paying attention for three hours straight — I felt quite accomplished.

… even if I understood almost none of the content.

“Well, that’s all for today. While we took it easy since it’s the first day, don’t expect such leniency in the future. See you next class. Oh, and you, there.”

The professor was calling on someone again. Now that I knew he was a kind person, I didn’t feel so sorry for whoever it was.

I began packing up my bag to head to Venisha when—

“Samuel Azyan.”

“… yes? Me?”

“Yes, you. It seems I always need to say things twice for you to get it.”

Hearing my name startled me. I had suspected it when he called on another student earlier, but could it be that the professor memorized all our names before the first day of class?

He truly embodied passion — a genuine educator. My respect for him deepened.

“Yes, Professor.”

“Do you have another class after this?”

“No, not at the moment.”

“Then come with me for a moment. To my office.”

Several students glanced at my way as he spoke. A male student with light blue hair sitting far in the front also looked over. Now that I thought about it, he’d been sneaking glances at me for a while.

But why? Was it because of my earlier answer, or was this unrelated? In the worst case, could it be about Venisha? No, that seemed unlikely right now.

The professor exited the lecture hall, his robe fluttering, and I quickly followed.

From inside the lecture hall came a sigh, ‘Oh no…’

Someone must have spilled water or something.

***

The professor climbed to the fourth floor of the same building. Arcoa was said to be the most modern facility in Arwitch Academy, equipped with elevators. Yet the professor chose to take the stairs.

In front of a plaque that read 4401, he opened the door and entered, and I followed.

The inside was quite a mess. Bookshelves lined both sides, crammed with thick tomes, and his desk was piled high with papers filled with scrawled equations.

The room was so cluttered it was hard to find space to step.

Did he do research in this kind of environment?

“Take a seat.”

At his instruction, I cleared some space and pulled out a chair to sit. The professor studied my face for a moment before breaking the silence.

“You’re different from what I expected.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant. Different how?

“How long have you been exposed to magic?”

“How long…? Hmm, a little over ten years.”

The real answer was , but even with my limited common sense, I knew not to say that. Yet, the professor seemed surprised, his eyes widening.

“Heh-heh. Ten years? How old are you?”

“I turned twenty-two this year.”

“Twenty-two, huh? So, you’ve been studying magic since you were twelve.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

The professor smiled at me with what seemed to be genuine satisfaction, his eyes filled with warmth.

“I think I misunderstood you.”

“Misunderstood… me, sir?”

What on earth could he mean by that? This was our first meeting — what could he have misunderstood in such a short time?

“Samuel, I’ve seen your entrance exam answers.”

Those words made every muscle in my body tense. A jolt of nervousness climbed my spine and reached my head.

Could it be…

“Your answers were quite amusing. You did something peculiar, didn’t you? You know what I’m talking about.”

Professor Ronan chuckled deeply as he took a sip from the glass of water on the table.

“To be honest, your answers reminded me of an arrogant little brat who thought too highly of himself. But here you are — a diligent young man. Ten years, you say… ten years.”

I let out a small sigh of relief as I watched the professor, his gaze soft and relaxed.

I had feared that my… unconventional approach to the test had been uncovered, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case. It seemed more likely that my cobbled-together answers had merely struck him as odd.

“What’s your goal in joining this academy?”

The professor asked a question that might seem vague to most people. After all, how many individuals entered the academy with a clear and specific objective in mind? Most would probably respond with equally abstract answers.

But I had a concrete and unmistakable goal.

“My goal is… Ohms First.”

Was that answer so unexpected? The professor raised an eyebrow and stared at me intently.

“… Ohms First, you say? Ha-ha-ha, now that’s interesting. So, you’re not just diligent — you’ve got ambition too…”

Judging by his use of the word , it seemed he might have misunderstood me slightly. But I didn’t bother to correct him. I couldn’t very well admit, “Actually, it’s to marry my wife,” now, could I?

“Have you ever thought of aiming higher?”

The professor’s eyes gleamed with intensity, the kind of brilliance that came with age and experience. That commanding gaze made me sit up straighter without realizing it.

To aim higher? Was there something more prestigious than Ohms First?

“What do you mean by ?”

“Exactly what I said. A level of skill and honor that would make Ohms First seem trivial. Why not pursue that?”

“Does such a thing even exist?”

“Of course. If you study with me and my team, Ohms First will be child’s play for you. I guarantee it.”

His words struck me like a bolt of lightning. If I wasn’t mistaken, the professor was offering me personal guidance and mentorship.

And not just mentorship — he was promising to elevate my abilities beyond the realm of Ohms First.

To receive such a proposal on my first day, right after the first class? Surely, the heavens were smiling upon me. Though my exam answers were a patchwork of borrowed ideas, luck seemed to have placed them in the professor’s favor.

A golden opportunity had landed in my lap.

“So, what do you think? Would you like to join the group I lead and collaborate on a project with me?”

The professor extended his hand. It was weathered and wrinkled, with a thick callus on the middle joint of his middle finger — a testament to years spent wielding a pen.

Without hesitation, I bowed slightly and clasped his hand.

“Of course. It’s an honor to have this opportunity. I’ll do my best.”

Personal tutelage from the professor — Ohms First was as good as mine.

***

“Azyan, that’s not it.”

Venisha cut me off abruptly, deflating my excitement.

“… what? What do you mean?

“Haa… I should have told you earlier.”

Venisha pressed her index fingers to her temples.

“What’s wrong? Did I do something wrong…?”

“It’s not that you did something wrong, but… I should’ve explained this to you beforehand.”

Venisha looked troubled, massaging her temples in circles with her fingers.

“Venisha?”

“What the professor offered wasn’t personal tutoring — it was a research project.”

“A… ?”

“Yes. Professors in the Faculty of Magic often take on government-sponsored projects or conduct personal research, and sometimes they involve undergraduates in those projects.”

Undergraduates? Research students? Words I didn’t know came up. Venisha seemed to anticipate my confusion and continued explaining before I could ask further.

“Undergraduates are people like us — students enrolled in Faculties of Magic or Combat. And research students are.”

She paused to take a sip of her drink. We were sitting in a café during a shopping break.

The evening twilight settled over the world outside. It was already late.

“Research students are.”

Venisha repeated the same words to get my attention, and I turned my head to meet her eyes.

“It’s a concept unique to the Faculty of Magic. They’re students who stay at the Academy after completing three years of undergraduate studies to dedicate themselves entirely to academics. They usually study under a professor for eight to ten years before graduating.”

“Whoa, that’s impressive — dedicating ten years to academic pursuits.”

That was something I could never do. They must be remarkable individuals.

“So, when undergraduates participate in research assignments, it’s usually a pathway to becoming a research student under that professor.”

… huh?

“Essentially, it’s a declaration of intent to continue studying under them.”

Venisha spoke word by word as if explaining something difficult to a child.

“And here’s the thing, Azyan — research students cannot become Ohms First.”