Academy’s New Guard is Unusual - Chapter 50

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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 50
‘So being the majority shareholder is everything?’
Bella fixed the man with a pointed stare.
In truth, it was everything.
Even if Bella and Lira combined their shares, they only held forty percent. But this man possessed over forty percent.
It meant he could bring down the Twin Towers if he wished. Put plainly, if he sold his stake to Bellogium Tower, the Twin Towers would be finished.
This was why Bella and Lira had no choice but to grovel before the man in security uniform.
However, that was only true for the Twin Towers.
This was Elysium Academy. More importantly, that orb could only be used by students.
Asking for it crossed the line of authority.
Of course, she couldn’t refuse, but she still needed to deflate his arrogance.
“I’ll show you how to use it, sister.”
Lira looked at Bella. Her eyes seemed to say, don’t do anything pointless.
Still, she didn’t actually stop Bella.
“This is a Prol Orb that reveals your magical talent……”
Under Lira’s sharp gaze, Bella added a soft note of politeness to her voice.
“It reveals the magical talent of whoever holds it……. The more exceptional your magical talent, the thicker the mist that emerges from the orb……. You use it like this……”
The Twin Towers’ rapid growth owed something to Lira’s outstanding business acumen, but at its core lay Bella’s magical talent. She meant to seize the upper hand with it.
Bella quickly grasped the orb.
At once, thick mist poured from the orb. A fragrant haze that smelled crisp and cool as dawn filled the lecture hall. It was so dense that you couldn’t see even an inch ahead—the thickest concentration imaginable.
Bella turned her gaze toward the man with confidence.
Back in her academy days, this mist had earned her an evaluation as having the qualities of an Archmage. The man must have been thoroughly impressed.
Then, through the thick mist, the man’s eyes appeared.
The man’s eyes were—.
“Is that all?”
For some reason, he looked distinctly angry.
“……What?”
“I asked if that’s your best effort.”
“O-of course it is! ……”
“No, that’s not your best. There’s no way it is.”
The man shook his head firmly. It was an odd reaction.
Without thinking, Bella took a step back. Then the man seized her wrist roughly.
“Do it again. Concentrate.”
“This is just to check the Mana Adaptation Rate. Trying again won’t change the result! ……”
“Do it again.”
Frustrated, Bella looked at Lira. Lira nodded.
Bella had no choice but to grasp the orb again. Without realizing it, she concentrated harder this time.
But the result was the same.
“See? It’s identical!”
“I see.”
Only then did the man release her wrist.
Bella shook out her numb hand and glared at the man.
The man wore an expression of profound disappointment.
So much so that it made onlookers deeply uncomfortable.
“What’s with that look——”
“It’s not your fault that your talent falls short.”
“What?”
Bella could take no more and seized her staff. This time, Lira didn’t stop her either.
“How exceptional are you, to speak of my talent as insufficient? Try holding it yourself.”
“I was going to anyway.”
As Tower Master, Bella couldn’t directly challenge the man who was majority shareholder—it clearly violated the Tower Guild’s contract.
But mockery and ridicule were fair game.
Bella fixed the man with a gaze brimming with disdain.
Then the man grasped the orb.
The orb began to vibrate.
‘……The orb is trembling? What is—’
At the same time, mist poured from the orb.
Or rather, could you even call this mist?
Beyond mere density, moisture condensed in the air itself.
It was as though the lecture hall had become submerged in water.
Bella stared at the man in shock.
The man stood holding the orb with serene composure.
No trace of triumph on his face. As if this degree of power was merely expected.
‘How……how exceptional is his talent——’
Then the mist pouring from the orb gradually subsided, and soon vanished entirely.
As if it had never existed in the first place.
“Are you……an Archmage?”
Lira asked, her voice faltering—a rarity for her.
Instead of answering, the man lifted one corner of his mouth.
It was answer enough.
“Well used.”
The man extended the orb toward Bella.
Without thinking, Bella extended both hands to receive it—a posture far more respectful than Lira’s had been.
She couldn’t help it. What the man had displayed was far too overwhelming.
Very carefully, Bella took the orb and gazed down at it.
But then——
‘Why……why isn’t any mist coming out?’
The orb, which should have immediately released mist when Bella held it, produced nothing whatsoever. It was unprecedented.
Bella shook the orb frantically. But it remained unresponsive.
This time Lira snatched it in a panic. Still no response.
‘It’s broken!’
The Prol Orb was a tradition that every Elysium Academy first-year had to experience.
For it to be broken——. The thought of the fine the Magic Department would impose made her vision swim.
And more than that, she was alarmed.
Just how exceptional was his talent that merely holding the orb would break it?
Then the man asked.
“Something wrong?”
The Prol Orb was broken.
Obviously there was a problem. And the culprit was clearly the man.
But Bella and Lira’s answer was already determined.
“Not at all.”
“Good.”
The man nodded with satisfaction.
His expression was deeply infuriating……
“I’ll have you two students placed under special supervision.”
“Special supervision, you say——”
“Special supervision, as the words imply.”
At his vague answer, Lira’s brow furrowed. The man continued without concern.
“Andy and Evangeline. Manage them with special attention.”
“Yes, understood.”
Just then, a sharp sound echoed from somewhere.
The bell signaling the start of class.
“You’re late. If you have anything to report, find Grave of the Elite Guard Unit 42.”
“……Should we really go there?”
“Something wrong with that?”
“No……thing, sir.”
“Then we’re done here.”
The man turned and disappeared as though his business was concluded.
Lira and Bella stood blinking stupidly.
Nothing about the situation made sense.
“So——our benefactor was actually a security guard……”
“And in fact a secret Archmage?”
“No, he was an existence even higher than an Archmage.”
“Was he……a Pioneer?”
Bella couldn’t bring herself to answer. The idea was too absurd.
Instead, she deftly changed the subject.
“But did you say you’re investing thirty percent in Count Herail’s Mana Stone Mine?”
“I had a feeling.”
At Lira’s reply, Bella felt a start.
Lira possessed a remarkable talent for business. When Lira said she had a feeling, it always meant substantial profit.
The problem was that Count Herail’s Mana Stone Mine was a played-out operation from twenty-five years past.
“What, hoping for a vein to turn up? If an actual mana vein appeared, that would be huge.”
Bella murmured with a hint of amusement in her voice.
Mana stone prices had risen even higher than when Huuren, the continent’s wealthiest, had discovered a mana vein in ages past.
If a mana vein were discovered now——
“The richest person on the continent might change.”
Just then, the door opened and the man entered again.
The two quickly bowed their heads.
“Do you have any Mana Stones?”
“……Yes? How many do you require?”
“As many as possible.”
“Very well.”
Lira hurriedly produced the Mana Stones she had. The man took them with the casual attitude of someone claiming his own property.
Watching the two from a step behind, Bella felt an odd sense of discomfort.
It looked exactly like watching someone extorted by a thug.
“You there.”
At those words, Bella had no choice but to frantically search her pockets.
“Hand over everything. I’ll repay you later.”
Bella and Lira were thoroughly cleaned out.
* * *
“……Did you perhaps skip meals, sir?”
Mailo asked with a wry expression. I swallowed the bread I’d been chewing, squinting slightly.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Then how can you find that bread palatable?”
Mailo grimaced at the bread in my hand.
“What’s wrong with bread?”
“They say the ration bread is so hard it could serve as a shield in place of the real thing.”
A bit stale, but it softened nicely when you let saliva dissolve it. Compared to what I’d eaten in the field, this was a feast.
And they didn’t even appreciate it——
“If you’re not going to eat it, give it here.”
“Yes, sir, have it.”
I took Mailo’s bread along with mine and ate. It melted smoothly on my tongue. Very satisfying.
“So what’s the next plan?”
Mailo asked carefully. His expression was deadly serious.
Next plan, he said——
I kept chewing bread and considered.
I’d already established the remedial class for Evangeline and secured the Demon Knight Order beforehand. With the twin witches recovered, the foundational work for the academy was complete.
I had a bit of breathing room now.
“I need to train the Elite Guard.”
“Aren’t you yourself a newcomer, sir?”
“Can’t newcomers train others?”
“……Usually they can’t, can they?”
Mailo scratched his head vigorously.
I ignored him and chewed my bread while organizing my thoughts.
What kept me from acting freely was Hanswell. Hanswell is the Headmaster’s hot button. Touch him wrong and the Headmaster could appear.
But if it aligned with Hanswell’s wishes? There’s no way Hanswell would object to the Elite Guard becoming more sound and conscientious.
The problem was the method of training.
Going to them one by one to pick a fight was something Hanswell likely wouldn’t tolerate. The cleanest approach would be to provoke them first——
Boom!
Just then, someone slammed their fist down on the table in front of me.
I grabbed the bread that had flown into the air and looked up.
A brutish-looking fellow stood staring down at me.
“I’m the captain of Unit 18. My name is…… what was it?”
“Kuren. Are you Grave?”
“Kuren? That’s a strange name.”
“It’s Kuren, not whatever you said!”
Kuren bellowed. Mailo moved to rise, fists clenched.
“Mailo, sit.”
At my word, Mailo sat back down at once.
I looked at Kuren and asked.
“What do you want?”
“I heard you’re Evangeline’s boyfriend.”
“It’s a rumor.”
“Denying it won’t help! Let’s duel for Evangeline! Man to man! Fair and square!”
“Ah, an interesting proposition. So what will you wager?”
“Huh? Wager?”
Kuren blinked dumbly. He clearly hadn’t thought it through.
“Bold of you. If I’m risking my claim to Evangeline, you ought to put something up too.”
“I-I’ll wager my salary!”
“What’s the Elite Guard salary worth? Put up something else.”
“Something else?”
“You said you were captain of Unit 18?”
“I did!”
“Then wager Unit 18.”
“……Unit 18? What kind of absurd demand is that?”
“Absurd? Wager Duels are a time-honored tradition. Are you chickening out?”
“Chickening out? Fine! Let’s go right now!”
“Spirited.”
I shoved the last of the bread into my mouth and stood.
“We’ll count to three and start.”
“Here? Right now?”
“What, were you thinking of renting a duel hall? Do we need to? Two men and fists are enough.”
“Fine!”
“All right, I’ll count. One.”
Kuren began rolling his shoulders and loosening up.
Despite his appearance, he was an earnest fellow.
“Three.”
The next moment, my fist drove straight into the center of his face.
Boom!
Kuren crumpled to the ground.
Those watching stared at me in shock, mouths hanging open.
I planted my foot on Kuren’s back and asked.
“Anyone else want to challenge? I’ll wager Unit 18 and Evangeline.”
Hands went up all over.
The unit captains’ purge had begun.

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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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