There was a brief warning from Instructor Esta, but it can’t simply be dismissed as her acting out of instinct due to being of marriageable age in this world.
‘It was more like serious teaching from a serious instructor.’
Esta needs to achieve excellent results with this special admission group and the special class.
Only then will she be able to secure the position of “Professor” she desires and earn the opportunity to teach her own studies at the Academy.
There is a difference between an instructor and a professor.
Even Esta, who possesses S-rank power, must follow the established curriculum when giving lectures.
Why?
Because the curriculum, or “educational program”, is a tradition that has been passed down for 500 years at the Academy.
“While we wait for the one who’s supposed to arrive, let’s have some tea and talk. The special admission students, like all the other students, are required to take the common courses.”
Instructor Esta sat across from me, sipping lemonade as she began to explain.
“Didn’t you mention this before?”
“Yes, but there are some points that require more attention.”
“Like what? Other than attending separate classes?”
“Practical training.”
Instructor Esta pointed at me.
“The Academy has included combat practice in the curriculum from the first semester of the first year. It’s necessary for the monthly field training.”
“You’re talking about exterminating monsters in the [Great Cavern], right?”
“Correct.”
Instructor Esta opened a booklet and pointed to a certain area of the Greenbelt, a bit away from the southern terminal.
“Do you see this black region?”
“Yes. It’s an incredibly large area.”
Beyond the 10 km Greenbelt, to the southeast, there was a region even larger than the Academy’s domain, marked in black.
“You understand what this place is, right?”
“It’s Demonic Land. A place teeming with monsters.”
“That’s right.”
Coincidentally…
“This is also the site of a horrific incident that happened ten years ago, in one of the monster zones adjacent to Esdinas Academy.”
To the south of that monster zone, there was a certain Count’s family.
“A horrific incident…”
felt a slight chill but tried to act unconcerned, not wanting to reveal anything.
“Is that so? I haven’t heard much about it.”
“Of course. It was officially covered up.”
“Covered up…?”
“The Church came and concealed the incident.”
I understood.
After all, those who descended from Heaven were none other than Angels.
“Is it alright to tell me such things?”
“There were so many witnesses that it doesn’t really matter. The Academy isn’t influenced by the Church, but it’s still something we should be cautious about.”
“If it was serious enough to be concealed, it must have been a grave issue.”
“It was concealed because the Church was of no help at all. And how the incident was resolved… remains a mystery.”
Even if they were the lowest-ranked Angels clad in winged armor, the fact that the Goddess, who normally did not respond to human prayers, sent a large number of Angels ten years ago would surely be a rare moment in history.
“…”
“What’s on your mind?”
“Nothing. Just reminiscing a little.”
Instructor Esta gazed for a moment, somewhat nostalgically, at the Demonic Land—’Northern Habsderk’.
“…I don’t like seeing not only my students but also those connected to them meet untimely deaths.”
Instructor Esta stared directly at me.
“It may be a little disheartening to hear, but Ludmila… Cutting Wind will protect Yunia in dangerous situations. Unconditionally.”
“Unconditionally, you say?”
“Yes.”
“Is … it because she’s a woman? Or because her magic rank exceeds 100 and she’s exceptionally talented?”
“…”
Instructor Esta remained silent for a moment.
“I was just joking. Regardless of gender, if Cutting Wind would go out of her way to protect Yunia, there must be a valid reason.”
She’s the disciple of the Grey Witch, after all.
“What you’re trying to tell me, Instructor, is that I should be prepared to fend for myself in case you, too, cannot protect your student in a crisis.”
I traced my hand along the vast Demonic Land stretching southeast from Northern Habsderk to Esdinas Academy.
“If such a crisis arises, I may have to find a way to survive on my own. Is that it?”
“…Yes.”
Instructor Esta extended her finger toward the area I had pointed to.
“This place has produced the most seriously injured individuals over the past ten years.”
That made sense.
In the original story, this was a late-game area where the average monster level was around 80.
Of course, that was in the game, and this is reality. The deeper you go, the stronger the monsters, while those on the outskirts were weaklings of about E-ran or D-rank. But even those were generally stronger than the monsters in other regions.
However.
“Is this really a safe place for practical training?”
In the original story, this was a “late-stage subfield”, not a practical training ground that was part of the main story.
“This area wasn’t originally used by the Academy for practical training. Usually, students were sent elsewhere for training.”
Instructor Esta ran her hand across the Greenbelt.
“Let me tell you a bit about the Greenbelt. Even now, monsters tend to creep towards it. Do you know why?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because there’s tasty prey in the Academy?”
“That’s a plausible theory. I think the same.”
Inside the Greenbelt. As Instructor Esta fiddled with the magic panel on her left wrist, a holographic-like magic screen popped up, displaying various scenes.
“Goblins, orcs, drakes, harpies, slimes… all sorts of monsters are crawling towards this Academy, as if their sole purpose is to conquer Esdinas, the land on which the Academy stands.”
Monsters were seen lurking throughout the Greenbelt.
“Have you ever played roulette in a casino?”
“What?”
“The layout of Esdinas Academy is quite similar to that of a roulette wheel.”
Instructor Esta displayed another chart.
“If the central area represents the Academy, then the black and red zones are interspersed like this. The red zone is where people live, and the black zone is where the monsters reside.”
“Hmm…”
“You may wonder why the monsters don’t attack the residential areas but instead cross the Greenbelt to target Esdinas Academy.”
Instead of drawing a circle to illustrate how the black zone invades the red zone, Esta pointed her finger directly at the center—Esdinas Academy.
“Many scholars have written papers and conducted research on this issue for 500 years. The most likely theory is that there’s a large-scale magic spell installed here at Esdinas Academy that attracts monsters and demons.”
“A spell that lures monsters?”
“Yes. The Academy’s walls have remained intact for 500 years without fading or wearing down, and a magic barrier repels external attacks. This was all made possible by the legendary Great Witch…”
Instructor Esta lowered her voice.
“The [Grey Witch]. Many speculate that she left behind such a spell.”
“…”
I sipped my tea quietly.
Knowing the truth, I couldn’t afford to speak carelessly.
The truth.
Does such magic exist?
Yes, it does.
But that spell is just a smoke screen, a disguise.
The real purpose is to conceal the barrier leading to Hell, hidden beneath the Old School Building’s library, in the Great Cavern.
“And about ten years ago, following a massive incident in this Habsderk region, one new hypothesis emerged.”
“A hypothesis…?”
“That monsters and demons might be gathering in places where a ‘very powerful demon’ is present.”
“…Hmm.”
That’s correct.
All monsters and demons tend to form groups, drawn to stronger beings like magnets.
“Ten years ago, I witnessed a great demon that had been sealed here and then released.”
“A great demon, you say.”
“Yes. Back then, I struggled to face it alone… No, I couldn’t even predict a 5-to-1 match against it.”
Instructor Esta spoke softly, her tone slightly humbled.
“And now?”
“I would win. Without letting anyone die.”
How much of a difference is there between the Esta from ten years ago and now?
‘Maybe a difference between level 90 and 95.’
A mere five-level difference, but considering how difficult it is to level up once you reach S-rank or higher, it’s a significant improvement.
She’s at the stage where someone who just entered the Sword Master level has honed their experience, reaching a point just before they can be called a Grand Sword Master, or ‘Sword Saint’.
In martial arts terms, it’s the difference between the early stages and nearing the peak of mastery.
“The monsters gathered in a place where such a strong demon existed, and after it was slain, they began to spread out.”
“Instead of scattering everywhere…”
“They started advancing northward, toward Esdinas. Toward the Academy.”
Instructor Esta traced a line from the Demonic Land in Habsderk straight toward the Academy.
“And the reason I’m telling you all this is because… the location of our special class’s practical training is in this very area, ‘The Old Habsderk Plains’.”
“The Old Habsderk, huh.”
The land where Regif Habsderk once lived.
“So, is this place in ruins now?”
“Hmm?”
“If there was such a massive incident ten years ago, then by now—”
“Oh. I suppose you wouldn’t know.”
Instructor Esta pointed toward the Habsderk territory.
“After the incident ten years ago, Habsderk actually entered a period of prosperity.”
“What?”
“The great demon killed the count and his son, effectively ending the Habsderk family, but they were reborn in a new form.”
Instructor Esta’s hand swept over a much larger expanse of the Habsderk land than I had remembered.
“The Marquisate of Ludvecia.”
“…”
“It’s now the territory governed by the Marquis of Ludvecia. Before I came to the Academy, I briefly served as a knight for their household.”
“Uh….”
“Ah, and it seems she’s just arrived.”
Step, Step.
“Let me introduce her.”
In the distance.
A woman dressed entirely in black approached. She wore a sleek black dress, a sheer black cardigan, and a pair of sunglasses, with long, black hair cascading down.
All black.
But the woman’s appearance is familiar to me…?
“The Marchioness of Ludvecia. Once the Countess of Habsderk…”
“Oh my, hello!”
“She will be providing all the support for our practical training in the old Habsderk Plains.”
“…Oh my.”
Regif’s mother.
“Excuse me, have we met before?”
A beauty with mana pockets that could rival Esta or Yunia, perhaps even surpassing them.
“Your gaze… It seems very familiar to me….”
She looked much younger than she had ten years ago, appearing no older than her mid-twenties.
“Shall we get along well from now on?”
