A short while later, in one of the rooms of the Old School Building:
Squeak.
The door, which had been tightly shut, creaked open as the woman, Esta the White Sword Saint, entered and removed her coat, sitting at the desk.
Click.
She picked up a palm-sized object from her belt and placed it on the table in front of her, like a magic crystal ball.
Wiiing.
As Esta channeled her mana, the square object began to absorb the mana and started to glow with its light.
It was a Magic Communication Device, a remote communication tool successfully developed by magic engineers funded by Silverstar about three years ago.
Esta gripped the device with both hands and, with familiar motions, pressed the button at the bottom. Soon, light began to flow from the signal emitter pulled from the device.
Beep beep beep.
Accompanied by the sound of something sending a signal.
[Ah, Instructor Esta. You’ve answered the call.]
The voice of Dean Ederson emerged from the device.
“Did everything go well with the envoy mission?”
[Well, somewhat. Thanks to His Majesty the Emperor taking the chest manipulation seriously, we were fortunately able to smoothly pass the special admission part.]
“Really?”
Esta responded with a relieved tone.
“I was concerned that the Emperor might storm into the Academy.”
[I’m right next to him.]
“…”
Another ‘woman’s’ voice emerged from the Magic Communication Device.
[It’s been a while, Esta.]
“…Ahem.”
[Were you worried that if I barged in, you’d have to deal with me? Hehe, still as cute as ever. Should we have a serious spar? Sister has gotten a bit stronger since before.]
“That won’t be necessary, Your Majesty. I will end the call now.”
[Oh, are you trying to discuss something I shouldn’t hear?]
Esta clicked her tongue briefly.
“…I’m simply reporting on Academy matters. I wouldn’t want to trouble the Emperor.”
[Oh? Is it just a coincidence that you called Lionheart at this hour?]
[It’s fine. You can speak. I’ll take responsibility.]
“…Hah. It’s a report on the two special admission students.”
A voice on the other end sounded intrigued, but Esta sighed briefly and continued.
“The female student side doesn’t seem to have major concerns. According to the Academy’s Student Affairs Department, she is likely a descendant of the [Gray Witch].”
[Hmm….]
[The Gray Witch. Surely she’s not a blood relative or successor?]
The Emperor’s voice grew eager.
[Whether a disciple or a relative, if she’s connected to that person, her potential should at least be expected to be A-rank, right?]
“Personally, I think she might reach S-rank by graduation.”
[The White Sword Saint has already made such a judgment? Isn’t it a bit early for that?]
“…Because she has a larger chest than I do.”
[…]
The Emperor paused for a moment, and the sound of Ederson clearing his throat was heard from the device.
“The problem is with the male student.”
[A male. Yes, I’ve been waiting for this.]
Ederson’s voice became serious.
[I checked with mercenaries I know, but no one knew of ‘Red Sol Phoenix.’]
“Does that mean he is not a mercenary?”
[It’s hard to say. At least he’s not one of the ‘famous mercenary groups’ I know.]
[What? Did a dangerous individual get admitted? Is he possibly an imperial citizen?]
“Not at all.”
Esta drummed her fingers on the table and remained silent.
“The only thing we know is… he seems to have a strong sense of pride in his abilities and a confidence that he can overcome any crisis.”
[Not arrogance?]
“It felt different from simple arrogance.”
[Specifically, how so?]
“Despite knowing about Mana Drain, he is sleeping in the same room as the female student who went to find him.”
[What.]
Ederson’s voice turned stern.
[He hasn’t already done something inappropriate with the female student, has he?]
“Not at all. If that were the case, I would have intervened long ago.”
[Then…?]
“To put it simply, the female student went into his room to protect him from potentially being ‘Mana Drained’. He knew about it and opened the door for her.”
[Hmm… Does that mean he trusts her that much? This is difficult.]
Ederson groaned.
[The world has changed so much. In our time, just being near a female dormitory would get a male student demerits. Now, it’s a world where male students need protection from female students.]
[It’s not strange. Even I’m under suspicion right now, right? The reason the Emperor looks so young at that age is because he preys on men who are v*rgins. Hohoho.]
“What are you talking about…”
Esta squeezed her eyes shut at the Emperor’s words.
[What do you mean? It’s because my political rivals say such things. Hehe, should I also contract a unicorn like you? That way, my rivals might think I don’t drain men’s vitality with Mana Drain, right?]
“Your Majesty. If you were to ride a unicorn, people would…”
[What’s wrong with a 17-year-old riding a unicorn?]
“…”
Esta struggled to suppress the rising frustration within her.
“…Understood. Anyway, there don’t seem to be any major issues at the moment. As soon as the special admission students arrive at the Old School Building, I’ll report on their activities.”
[Good. Do your best. Lead the other instructors well. If this special admission process goes well, you might truly become a ‘Professor.’]
“…Yes.”
Esta responded calmly and reached for the magical communication device.
[Oh, Esta.]
Just before ending the communication, the Emperor asked.
[What about your cherished student? Will they not be admitted through special admission this time?]
“They’ve already passed the general exam, so there’s no need to move them to special admission separately.”
[Hmm, is that so? Will it be okay? Even though I’ve been teaching them closely, seeing how other instructors take charge of students at the Academy…]
“I don’t think it will be a big concern. And although it’s called special admission, it’s actually a ‘special purpose class’…”
Esta glanced at a photo on her desk, featuring herself along with two other girls.
“Among the current students, there are those with excellent grades who have the opportunity to transfer in. If they want, they’ll likely aim to enter the special class by achieving excellent grades.”
In the photo, the two blonde girls, flanking Esta, were linking their arms with her and making V signs with their fingers.
Seeing them, who looked somewhat like sisters, Esta smiled faintly.
“The special class isn’t called a ‘special class’ for nothing.”
* * *
Morning.
“Did you wake up?”
“…Did I fall asleep?”
“Yeah.”
Yunia lifted herself from my bed, averting her gaze.
“Uh, well…”
“You must have been very tired. You fell asleep quickly after lying down without talking much.”
“About that.”
Yunia turned her eyes toward me.
It seemed like she had something she wanted to say, but I winked lightly and pointed outside.
“Shall we go have breakfast? It’s about that time.”
“Breakfast time?”
“Every morning starting at 7 a.m.”
“Ah.”
Yunia immediately rose from the bed, extending her hand towards herself to activate her magic.
Swoosh—
Clean magic.
In an instant, Yunia’s hair was neatly arranged.
‘Seeing things like this, magic is really convenient.’
How long do women spend washing their hair, washing their face, and getting ready?
All those processes are resolved with just a flick of magic.
For those who can use magic, it’s a fundamental skill they all master.
Of course, one might not get the mental satisfaction from the actual washing process, and it does consume quite a bit of mana, but if it saves time, some might maintain their cleanliness with mana every day.
“Let’s go. Uh, um, where do we go?”
“Just follow me.”
I stepped outside with Yunia.
Since it was morning, there didn’t seem to be much activity from other staff members inside the Old School Building.
I walked down the corridor towards the dining hall.
“Did you know the way?”
“It seems similar to the academy dormitory structure.”
As we descended the stairs to the first floor, the savory smell of bread tickled our noses.
‘Actually, the academy dormitories are modeled after the structure of the Old School Building.’
Though the building style could be different, the basic layout is the same.
On the first floor, there’s the dining hall and lounge.
On the second floor, the boys’ rooms.
On the third floor, the girls’ rooms.
On the fourth floor, the instructors’ offices.
The Old School Building’s ‘residential area’ is separated and built as the dormitories within the academy.
The difference is that the Old School Building has the residential and lecture buildings connected as one structure.
‘Not a huge difference, really.’
If the Old School Building feels like a high school with dormitories attached to it, the academy buildings resemble a university with a relatively large campus.
‘In fact, it is a high school.’
The students’ ages range from 17 to 19 years.
Over the course of 500 years, the admission age for the Academy has gradually increased, and even adults attend the Academy. Originally, it was run more like a dormitory-style high school.
It was a place where, after filming youth high school romance dramas at the Academy, graduates were immediately guided into successor training and cultivation programs.
Thus, it is a place hoping to increase the number of talented individuals capable of fighting and defeating demons that might one day emerge from the depths of the Old School Building.
Therefore.
“Over there.”
This dining hall, like most other places here.
“…Aren’t the tables a bit too close together?”
“Yeah, I suppose.”
Unless the interior is updated to the latest standards, every place in the Old School Building is filled with elements that make it easy for romantic feelings to develop between men and women.
“Do you want to sit separately?”
“No, I’ll sit… with you.”
After I took my seat, Yunia sat across from me.
“…Hmm.”
With our legs tucked in, our toes were almost touching.
And since the table is designed to be unobservable from the sides.
Even if someone were to stretch their feet out playfully, it might go unnoticed if one isn’t paying close attention.
“…So.”
“It’s a buffet. It feels like a hotel breakfast.”
Food is prepared so that anyone can freely take what they want, and since there’s no one else here right now.
“…What’s going on?”
“After we eat, the staff will start eating from 8 a.m.” “Oh, I see. I thought it might be food waste…”
Yunia wriggled her fingers and looked at me.
“So… it’s just the two of us eating again?”
“Excuse me.”
“…”
Beside me.
“Esta… Instructor?”
“Ah.”
Instructor Esta pried a table that was stuck to the floor and moved it next to Yunia and me.
“Good morning, both of you.”
Esta placed a chair next to me and sat down.
“Why are you here?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Yunia gave Esta a bright smile.
A saintly, friendly smile.
“…”
It felt as though the atmosphere in the dining hall was dropping.
– Remember, you.
The voice of Changyeom echoed in my head.
– If you’re flirting with each girl separately and then end up dating both, it’s considered cheating on two fronts.
In the Demon World, we made plans.
– It’s a different story if you’re dealing with someone who is openly aiming for a harem from the start.
“It feels like this is actually becoming a harem.”
“…What?”
“Excuse me?”
“Oh, it’s fine.”
– You’ll become a harem-obsessed fool as soon as you enroll. Openly.
“Eating breakfast with these beautiful girls from the morning already feels like a wish fulfilled. Huh? What’s wrong? Instructor, why are you acting like this?”
Yunia looked at me in disbelief, and Esta blushed slightly and cleared her throat.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“…Hah, it’s nothing.”
Yunia sighed deeply, then stood up.
“Let’s just eat.”
With a somewhat already enlightened look in her eyes.
