Academy’s New Guard is Unusual - Chapter 45

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 45
“Then about today’s shift—. Squad leader?”
Evelyn vanished the moment Hanswell brought up the subject of duties.
Her movements were so swift she became a blur for an instant.
“She’s done it again…. Well, let me start distributing the assignments. Hmm, we have more support requests than usual today.”
Hanswell’s mouth twitched. He seemed pleased by the increase in requests.
“Squad 9, which oversees the Male Dormitory; Squad 10, which handles the Main Building; and Squad 13, which guards the Back Gate—all three have sent in support requests, and they’ve all specifically requested Grave. Seems you did a fine job. Since you’ve got three nominations, pick whichever you prefer. The Male Dormitory, the Main Building, or Back Gate security. Those are your three options.”
Hanswell looked at me and asked.
Today was the day of Evangeline’s introductory Swordsmanship orientation.
Evangeline had been through an Aura Attribute Rift, so her Aura Stat should have improved. I needed to audit the class to confirm it.
“I’ll take the Main Building.”
“Understood.”
“Um, what about me?”
Mylo raised his hand urgently. Hanswell frowned and glared at him.
“Squad 10 requested Grave specifically. You, Mylo, will go to Squad 9, which oversees the Male Dormitory.”
“I don’t want to! That’s where we clean the bathrooms!”
“What? Did you just say you don’t want to?”
“Oh, no, that’s not what I meant—”
“If you only do work you feel like doing and refuse what you don’t, that’s not work—that’s a hobby. Mylo, you’re on a job right now.”
Mylo’s face twitched under Hanswell’s lecture.
Then he suddenly pointed at me urgently.
“What if something goes wrong?”
“What trouble could Grave possibly cause? Just worry about yourself, Mylo.”
Hanswell openly clicked his tongue and dismissed him.
Mylo looked at me with an aggrieved expression, but I ignored him too.
* * *
The Main Building grounds were radiant. Warm sunlight poured down, and youths in school uniforms laughed and chattered, creating a scene straight out of a youth film.
‘They’re not studying when they’re supposed to be.’
When people struggle with studies as if their lives depended on it, romance seemed almost absurd.
I held back the urge to shave all their heads clean.
Unlike the leisurely students, the security personnel darted about as if their feet were on fire. No one paid attention to me.
‘The Swordsmanship Classroom was on the third floor, wasn’t it.’
I moved naturally through their midst.
Upon reaching the third floor, I found the Swordsmanship Classroom.
The Swordsmanship Classroom had no chairs or desks. Instead, the floor was thickly padded with grass, and training equipment and wooden practice swords stood scattered about.
It resembled a training ground more than a classroom.
Elysium Academy’s classrooms varied entirely by discipline. Dark Magic looked like a butcher shop with blood, bones, and flesh piled everywhere, while Holy Magic resembled a monastery.
Magic was the only classroom that came close to normal, but even Magic was packed with Magical Tools, making it difficult to call it simply a classroom.
The Swordsmanship Classroom, being practice-focused, took the form of a training ground.
Security personnel rushed about busily in the spacious classroom.
“Did you water the grass?!”
“Yes! We did!”
“That area’s dug up over there! Fix it quick!”
The grass in the classroom was so verdant that it naturally appeared to be maintained by Magical Tools, but in reality, the security personnel managed it directly. The reason was obvious.
‘Security personnel are cheaper than Magical Tools.’
Unlike Magical Tools powered by expensive Magic Stones, security personnel cost less. It made sense for them to handle the upkeep directly.
In the game, I’d only seen the classroom after maintenance was complete, so watching the security personnel manage it directly was a novel sight.
“Hey, what are you?”
Just then, the commander glanced at me askew and asked.
“I’m here for support.”
“Then hurry up and go pull the grass! What are you doing standing there?”
The security officer barked. I nodded casually and went to pull the grass.
“Hey!! You need to match the height! How can you just yank it out like that!!”
A sharp order came down.
So the grass height had to match too.
Then the front door opened, and a familiar face appeared. Hans, the teaching assistant who’d trained me.
“Instructor Hans!”
The officer, who’d been shouting just moments ago, snapped to attention and saluted smartly. The other security personnel sprang up and saluted as well.
Hans merely nodded his head. His manner was distinctly arrogant.
“Still not done with prep?”
“We’re almost finished with the setup!”
Hans clicked his tongue and began surveying the classroom.
Soon his gaze fixed on a particularly protruding patch of grass. It was the section I’d pulled.
“The grass height is off here. If someone trips and falls during class, you’ll be responsible, won’t you?”
“I apologize. The thing is, the support personnel who came out just yanked everything out recklessly—”
The officer glanced sidelong at me as he spoke. Hans’s gaze turned toward me.
The moment he saw me, Hans’s face went pale, and his shoulders trembled.
“I’ll have him redo it right away. Hey, come here—”
“No, that’s fine! Don’t worry about it!”
“But sir, the grass height—”
“It’s fine! You’re not needed, so everyone clear out!”
Hans shouted desperately, turning away from me. The bewildered officer gestured to the others.
“Understood. Everyone out!”
The security personnel filed out through the back door.
I remained still.
The officer squinted at me.
“Hey, why aren’t you leaving?”
“I’m here for class support.”
“Class support? Get out of here right—”
“I said he’s here for class support!”
Hans bellowed.
“But sir—”
“Just leave already!”
Under Hans’s harsh command, the officer left the classroom, bewildered.
I stepped beside Hans. His eyelids twitched visibly—he seemed to be lacking magnesium.
“…What brings you here—”
“Why? Is there a problem with me coming?”
“That, that couldn’t be! Ha ha! I’m just so happy to see you!”
Hans forced a smile, his corners of his mouth lifting awkwardly. Sweat beaded on his nose.
“I was curious.”
“Curious about what—”
“The Knight of Radiance.”
“Ah! Of course! The Knight of Radiance is truly impressive!”
Hans brightened and began rattling on about how exceptional the Knight of Radiance was.
His intent was transparent.
He hoped I’d be intimidated by the Knight of Radiance’s name and back away.
Of course, that wouldn’t happen.
The Knight of Radiance was a card I had to use.
Then the back door opened and students began filing in.
“Wow, a lecture from the Knight of Radiance! I’m so excited!”
“I couldn’t sleep last night!”
I stepped back quietly toward the back door. Hans visibly relaxed.
Soon the classroom filled with students. Just as it reached a comfortable capacity, the front door swung open.
“Evangeline, this is the front door! Only instructors use the front door—!”
“How am I supposed to tell? They look the same!”
“Just come out!”
It was Evangeline and Andy. As they hurried out, the back door opened.
A man with narrow, serpentine eyes entered.
Killian—the Magic Tower Association heir and one of the male lead candidates.
The moment Killian appeared, the classroom fell silent.
For good reason.
The Magic Tower Association was thriving to the point of being called a new form of empire. Killian was the heir to such a power.
Killian surveyed the classroom slowly.
Students bowed their heads reflexively—like sheep cowering at the arrival of a wolf.
I clicked my tongue and spoke.
“Come in faster. Don’t block the door.”
Killian looked at me. His eyes held defiance.
“Move aside.”
I tapped the baton against my palm, and only then did Killian take a step forward.
Simultaneously, the back door opened and Evangeline entered.
A moment later and Evangeline would have headbutted Killian from behind—just like in the game.
Killian, having glanced at me, headed toward a seat in the back.
Shortly after, the front door opened and a middle-aged man appeared.
Deep eyes as if harboring some story, a thick and straight nose, a sturdy build—he was a man who looked like he’d stepped out of an epic saga.
Rockswell, the Knight of Radiance.
Rockswell was knighthood incarnate. He was the very template of the chivalrous ideal.
His character was second to none among those in the game.
And that was the problem.
Rockswell was too righteous. Whenever danger arose, he’d cry out without hesitation, ‘Leave this to me and go!’
That’s why he always dies young.
It was why Rockswell was worthless as a male lead.
“Welcome. I’m Rockswell, your instructor for Introductory Swordsmanship. Now, before we begin the lecture, I’d like to first check your Aura compatibility.”
Rockswell produced a case fitted with multiple layers of locks. Despite its grandiose presentation, all the case contained was a plain sword covered in fingerprints.
“This is the Desant Sword, which can confirm Aura compatibility. When you hold it, it glows according to your Aura affinity. The brighter the glow, the higher your compatibility.”
Rockswell tapped the case as he explained.
“Ah, so that’s the sword that reveals Aura talent.”
“They say the Crown Prince held it and it gave off an incredible light!”
Students chattered excitedly.
“When your name is called, come forward and grip the sword.”
Students came up one by one and gripped the sword. Their eyes sparkled with anticipation, hoping they’d prove to have Aura talent.
Of course, no surprises came.
All of them produced disappointingly faint glows.
Just as the anticipation was beginning to wane—
“Killian.”
Killian strode forward with an air of nobility.
Killian was the Magic Tower Association heir and widely regarded as the next Arch-Mage—a prodigy of magic.
Surely he couldn’t also have Aura talent.
Everyone stared at Killian with skeptical eyes.
Killian savored their gazes as he slowly grasped the sword.
The sword erupted in brilliant light.
The classroom brightened instantly.
“What, he’s talented in Aura too?”
“That can’t be fair. He’s overdoing it.”
Killian had an S+ in Magic and an A in Aura.
For students unaware of his stats, the only response was that it was unfair.
The reason Killian possessed such overpowered stats was simple.
‘He’s a male lead candidate.’
No prospects, but exceptional ability—the basic trait of a web novel male lead.
“Evangeline.”
Evangeline shot to her feet and strode forward. Her movements radiated confidence.
She’d been through an Aura Attribute Rift, so her Aura Stat should have improved.
She was excited at the prospect of showing it off.
“Hyuuuah!”
Evangeline cried out loudly as she grasped the sword.
But no light emerged from the sword. Not even the faintest glimmer. It was anticlimactic enough to leave viewers speechless.
‘That’s strange.’
True, Evangeline’s base stats were all C at the minimum—I didn’t call her trash-tier for nothing.
But she’d just returned from the Aura Attribute Rift.
She should’ve gained an Aura Stat increase as a reward, yet no light appeared at all. Something felt off.
“What’s with her? Why’d she yell?”
“Did she just have an accident?”
Students broke into open ridicule.
As Evangeline’s face reddened to the point of bursting, Rockswell offered her reassurance.
“You may simply lack talent for Aura. Not everyone needs to become a knight.”
Under normal circumstances she’d give up, but this was Evangeline.
Evangeline’s hand shot up as she cried out:
“Let me try again!!!”
I shut my eyes tightly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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