Academy’s New Guard is Unusual - Chapter 77

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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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Chapter 77
Bella laughed hollowly as she stared at the closed door.
“I made it through the academy without losing a single Mana Stone, and now I’m getting shaken down by a security guard as a professor.”
What made it worse was that the amount of Mana Stone he’d given her was precisely what she needed—no more, no less.
Lila was examining a contract. Bella’s eyebrows shot up the moment she saw what Lila was holding.
According to the document, a Mana Stone Mine that had been dormant for twenty-five years contained the continent’s greatest vein.
It was obvious fraud. The problem was that Lila had fallen for it.
“You actually believe there’s a vein larger than the Empire’s?”
“……The odds are overwhelmingly against it.”
“Then why didn’t you sell when he offered to buy?”
“What if we did?”
Lila’s voice was tightly controlled as she posed the question.
“If we sold, sure, we’d solve the Mana Stone shortage immediately. But then what comes next? Our opponent is a corporate-class Magic Tower. They’ll keep sabotaging us, and this money alone won’t be enough to survive. It’ll just be a holding action.”
Bella knew full well how dire the Magic Tower’s situation had become. She also understood that Lila was fighting tooth and nail to save it.
But no matter what—
“And there’s a real possibility here.”
“……A possibility?”
“The Eastern, Western, and Northern Regions each discovered a massive Mana Stone vein. Only the Southern Region hasn’t found one yet. If a genuine vein appears here, it could be the continent’s largest.”
“You’re saying the continent’s largest Mana Stone vein might actually emerge?”
Bella found herself laughing despite it all, asking the question. The idea was too absurd.
But Lila wasn’t laughing.
“What we lack is Mana Stones. If we solve the supply problem, we can ascend to corporate-class. And if this truly is the continent’s largest vein, we wouldn’t merely surpass corporate—”
Instead of answering, Lila’s lips curved upward. Bella swallowed hard.
As demand for Magical Devices increased, Magic Towers were advancing at an ever-accelerating pace.
Mages were now called Rising Nobility.
Corporate-class Magic Towers were already treated as superior to most ducal families.
A Magic Tower that surpassed even corporate-class—that was called a National-class Magic Tower.
However, National-class Magic Tower was still just a joke mages told among themselves.
“Bella, how is Andy?”
Lila changed the subject.
Bella recalled Andy.
Andy was a boy with strikingly beautiful features. She hadn’t yet properly assessed his talent.
That was because Grave had shattered the Orb before her last class.
“Assess him properly. And teach him thoroughly.”
“Got it.”
“Teach him with care.”
“I said I got it.”
Bella grumbled even as she responded, then moved to find the student named Andy.
From what Bella remembered, Andy was somewhat above average among the freshmen.
Her attention had been divided because one of the first-year students was the successor to the Magic Tower Coalition, and she’d been watching that student instead.
The Magic Tower Coalition made her skin crawl, but that successor’s talent was genuinely impressive.
‘He was hiding his ability?’
Every freshman naturally wants to show off their skill and catch attention.
Yet this freshman had actually concealed his strength instead.
It made no sense.
But what could she do about it.
Orders were orders.
Bella summoned Andy and waited outside.
Soon a small boy emerged. Beside him was pink hair she hadn’t summoned.
Bella looked at Andy and issued a command.
“Show me your magic.”
“Pardon? All of a sudden?”
“Use your strongest one.”
“Ah, understood.”
Andy, looking flustered, recited an incantation.
“Ice Spike.”
It was just an ordinary Ice Spike.
Clean and without waste—that was its strength, but aside from that, there was nothing—
‘……Wait. Too clean?’
Ice Spike was low-rank magic.
For Bella it was merely foundational, but for a freshman who’d just enrolled, it was fairly difficult magic.
Yet Andy’s Ice Spike was far too clean.
As if a high-ranking mage were casting low-rank magic—
“What’s your Magical Rank?”
“I’m at Intermediate Rank, ma’am.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not, really!”
Bella grabbed Andy’s wrist and poured Mana into him. The Mana coursed rapidly through his body.
He really was Intermediate Rank.
For someone at Intermediate Rank to have this level of understanding?
Bella stared at Andy and sighed.
“You’re a genius.”
Andy’s expression hardened. His face showed no pleasure whatsoever.
In fact—
Just then, a hand suddenly thrust itself in front of Bella.
“Check me out too!”
Pink hair gleamed with excitement.
“And who are you?”
“I’m Evangeline!”
Bella’s eyes narrowed at the audacious request.
Normally she would have told this girl to get lost, but after just assessing Andy, something felt off.
‘There must be something there if she’s confident enough to demand an evaluation.’
Bella grabbed Evangeline’s wrist. The wrist was covered in countless scars.
Ignoring them, she poured Mana inside to assess.
She felt nothing.
Bella’s eyes squeezed shut as she spoke.
“You’re trash.”
Pink hair shot back just as boldly.
“No way! I’m Evangeline!”
* * *
“The Administrative Office, you say?”
Milo asked hesitantly.
“Is there some kind of problem?”
“Well, it’s just that—the staff in the Administrative Office are rather… um… quite…”
“What are you trying to say.”
“In any case, it’s… well… rather unpleasant. The Student Affairs Office would be much better.”
Milo spoke with clear seriousness.
The Student Affairs Office was located in the basement. It even had a prison inside.
For Student Affairs to be considered better than Administration—
What on earth could the Administrative Office be like to elicit such a reaction?
The Administrative Office had never been specifically described in the game.
The only description was that the Administration Department was made up of “money-obsessed people.”
“Do you absolutely have to go to the Administrative Office?”
“I have to.”
“Sigh… I understand. I’ll guide you.”
Milo stepped forward with a determined expression.
“You don’t really need to come along.”
“No, I should. I must guide you to where you’re going.”
“But why do you keep saying that?”
“Because I’m your first brother.”
Milo grinned and emphasized the word.
“Are you really going dressed like that?”
“What’s wrong with my clothes?”
“Faculty don’t disrespect security. The Administration Department staff are especially bad about it. They won’t even acknowledge you and will just tell you to leave.”
Milo spoke seriously. I looked down at my outfit.
The shirt was a mess—strange proportions and an awkward blue that made it look absolutely ridiculous.
Anyone would dismiss me on sight.
But I had no intention of changing.
“Let’s just go.”
“Yes, well, what does clothing matter. You’re faculty after all.”
“Tone it down.”
“Yes, sir.”
Milo quickly fell silent.
And so I headed to the Administrative Office with Milo.
The Administrative Office was located on the first floor of the Main Building.
“Originally the Administrative Office was on the second floor, but they said they didn’t want to waste time commuting, so they moved it to the first floor.”
“That’s a peculiar joke.”
“It’s true.”
Upon arriving at the Administrative Office, I could see that Milo wasn’t joking.
If the Student Affairs Office felt like a criminal interrogation room with a basement prison, the Administrative Office resembled a bank.
Sharp-featured individuals sat working intently at their desks, yet there was barely any conversation.
The atmosphere was cold and barren, like one’s hands might bleed from the sterility.
“You’re requesting additional budget for Training Ground maintenance?”
“Yes, the frequency of Training Ground usage has increased recently—”
“Have you prepared a formal request form for additional Training Ground maintenance budget?”
“I haven’t prepared one yet—”
“Here it is.”
A bespectacled man presented an enormous stack of documents.
The man across from him squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them, dizzy.
“The Training Ground is a vital facility for our students. How could I possibly complete all this—”
“Does our academy have any facilities that aren’t important to students?”
“But the Training Ground is particularly—”
“If it’s particularly important, then prepare the forms.”
The bespectacled man lowered his head as if done listening.
The man across from him wore an exhausted expression as he stood.
“Do you see? The Administration doesn’t acknowledge professors or anything. So why have you come to the Administrative Office?”
“To request Security Corps reinforcement.”
“……What?!”
Milo let out a sharp cry. Suddenly all eyes turned toward Milo.
Milo quickly lowered his voice urgently.
“Absolutely not, absolutely not, absolutely not! You’d be better off begging the Security Corps Commander!”
“Is that so?”
“Yes! The Administration is so petty. They’re especially sensitive about expenses.”
“I’m different.”
“Different? How exactly?”
Instead of answering, I walked toward the vacant desk.
It was the seat where the man had just been rejected.
As I sat, the bespectacled man looked me over from head to toe. When he saw my security uniform, his gaze became noticeably colder.
“Your business?”
His words grew even shorter.
I chuckled and replied.
“I’m here to request Security Corps reinforcement.”
“Security Corps matters go to the Security Corps Commander.”
“The Commander probably won’t agree to it.”
“Denied. Next.”
The bespectacled man looked away.
It was a dismissal.
Of course, I didn’t stand up. Instead, I placed a bundle on his desk. A brilliant light spilled from within.
The bespectacled man lifted his gaze again. His eyes now gleamed with life, completely transformed.
“I’d like to make a donation.”
“Security Corps reinforcement is beyond my authority. Speaking directly with the Director would be fastest. Please, come this way.”
The man stood abruptly and escorted me inside with utmost courtesy.
I was ushered into the Director’s office with exceptional hospitality.
Knock, knock.
“What is it?”
Before the answer could even fully register, the man opened the door immediately.
Inside sat a bald man.
It was Bendel, the Director of Administration.
Bendel suffered from male pattern baldness. He’d gathered what little hair remained on both sides and pulled it up, but the baldness was still visible.
Still, Bendel was quite handsome—like a middle-aged actor.
Though that changed nothing about the baldness.
Bendel narrowed his eyes and asked.
“What’s this?”
“A guest has come to make a donation, sir.”
“Ah, a distinguished visitor then.”
Bendel’s sharp eyes instantly curved upward in a smile.
I got straight to the point with Bendel.
“I want to increase the personnel allocation for Security Corps Unit 42.”
“Hmm. The Security Corps is technically under the Administration, but it’s essentially a separate organization, so it’s difficult for me to intervene.”
Bendel looked troubled, smoothing his forehead.
Without a word, I placed the bundle on the table.
It held the Mana Stones the twin witches had given as a gift.
Mana Stones here were more precious than jewels.
As the Stones spilled out, Bendel’s eyes curved into a deep smile. It was quite an attractive eye smile.
Though again, baldness was still baldness.
“You want to increase the Security Corps personnel? Is mere expansion all you’re after? Have you not considered becoming Security Corps Commander yourself?”
Bendel even recommended the position of Security Corps Commander. I shook my head lightly.
“Why would I?”
“True. A Security Corps Commander is ultimately just an employee anyway. It only means more work. So you’re truly only interested in expanding the personnel?”
In truth, there were more Mana Stones than necessary just to expand Security Corps personnel.
The reason I’d deliberately offered them all was one.
“Can I make the Hall of Patronage with this?”
“Yes, that’s more than sufficient.”
Bendel slowly nodded as he looked down at the Stones.
The Hall of Patronage was a roster of those who had donated a certain amount or more to Elysium Academy.
It had no practical function—it was purely an honor.
However, there were some ancillary benefits.
The first benefit was goodwill from the Administration. Those on the Hall of Patronage received unlimited favor from the Administration.
I could see that just from how the Director was looking at me now.
It was almost love-struck.
The truly important benefit was the second one.
Being inscribed on the Hall of Patronage—
‘I could establish a favorable relationship with the Director of the Academy.’
It was the essential condition for securing a private audience with the Director.

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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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