Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner - Chapter 623
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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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The Summoning Genius of the Necromancer School – Episode 623
Simon and Kassan had spent the entire day combing through Rocksum, but found no further leads on the fanatic.
The street vendor who had fallen into that strange state recovered completely within an hour. He had no memory of what had happened to him at all.
‘The clues are too thin.’
Whether the fanatic had used an anomaly or an artifact, they were moving about under a false identity with their holiness carefully concealed.
In this situation, the only reliable way to confirm whether the opponent was a Priest was with the help of the Holy Defense Magic professor Parahan and several instructors under his command.
They were all Priests who had defected from the Sacred Federation and still possessed the ability to wield holiness.
Whenever Kizen’s agents apprehended a suspicious person and brought them in, Parahan and his instructors would use detection-type holy magic to verify whether the target was a Priest with holiness.
But there weren’t enough of them. A report had come in that all of them were exhausted from casting detection magic constantly.
I’ll resume the investigation tomorrow.
As darkness fell, Kassan said as much. Simon parted ways with him and returned to campus.
First, he stopped by the Student Council Room to handle Dark Fest business, but found it difficult to concentrate.
‘A fanatic has infiltrated Kizen.’
Simon tapped the quill pen in his hand absently, lost in thought.
‘Could that strange feeling I had back then really have been…?’
The thought that he might have crossed paths with the fanatic once while investigating sent a chill down his spine.
How could they arrest him before he caused trouble? The method of catching “suspicious-looking people” one by one and having Parahan verify them had its limits.
‘What am I supposed to do?’
He couldn’t focus on his work.
The Dark Fest ran for five days, and tomorrow was the third day. Even being optimistic, there wasn’t much time left.
“Simon?”
Simon looked up. Kamibarez, holding documents in her arms, tilted her head in concern.
“Are you all right?”
“Oh, yeah. I’m fine.”
Simon pressed his forehead and managed a bitter smile.
“I think I’m just a bit tired.”
Worry was plain on Kamibarez’s face.
“Would you like to head back to the Dormitory early? We can handle the rest of the work…”
“No, no.”
All the members were equally exhausted from competing and working.
Simon picked up a nearby teacup, drained it in one go, then deliberately made an exaggerated gesture of brimming with energy as he rolled up his sleeves.
“Let’s finish up quickly!”
* * *
He finished the Student Council work earlier than usual and returned to the Dormitory.
Just as he arrived, his classmates who had finished evening training in the courtyard were heading back inside, chattering loudly with laughter. Despite the sweat pouring down their faces, their cheerful voices rang out so freely that the atmosphere seemed to be at its peak.
‘That’s fair enough.’
Simon looked up and saw a wooden board hanging in the Dormitory. Words had been carved into it with black magic, and they gleamed brilliantly even in the darkness.
[Dark Fest Day One – Summoning Department First Place!]
[Dark Fest Day Two – Summoning Department First Place!]
“Hey there, President!”
A squad leader from Team Four, unusually high-spirited, passed by while casually bumping Simon’s arm in a friendly manner.
“You were incredible today! When you landed that hit on the Curse Department rep in the train battle, it felt so satisfying! Haha! I’m counting on you tomorrow too!”
Simon’s shoulders twitched slightly, but he forced himself to smile.
“Yeah.”
Without exception, the Summoning Department students brightened and greeted him whenever they saw Simon. He returned their greetings politely, but somehow couldn’t bring himself to smile back.
With an uneasy feeling, he entered the Dormitory. In the Lobby, students excitedly recounted their heroic deeds.
“Man, you should’ve seen the faces on those Combat Magic kids when I landed my shot!”
“The Dark Runic Studies Department seems to have internal conflict going on.”
“Yeah, the atmosphere there is completely chaotic.”
He felt a twinge of envy for his classmates who could simply enjoy the Dark Fest without worrying about anything else. As Simon turned to climb the stairs and head to his room—
“Simon, wait a moment.”
Fitzgerald called him back.
The two of them left the noisy Lobby and entered a quiet Break Room.
“You performed remarkably today as well.”
Fitzgerald, holding a document folder, adjusted his glasses with his other hand.
“Now then, let me explain tomorrow’s schedule—”
“Fitzgerald. There’s something I need to tell you.”
Simon spoke calmly. A flicker of concern crossed Fitzgerald’s face as he listened.
“You’re saying it will be difficult to compete tomorrow?”
“Yeah, probably.”
“……Hmm. I didn’t account for a variable like this.”
That was when Fitzgerald looked over the schedule, rubbing his temples in frustration.
Footstep. Footstep.
From the shadows behind the Break Room came the sound of footsteps. Then, with a soft thump, a large, thick hand pressed against the wall.
“Right now.”
A moment later, Hector’s brutally contorted face emerged from the darkness.
“What are you two going on about?”
Hector Muir, 2nd Year Department Representative.
Of all people, he was the one Simon least wanted to know about this.
Footstep. Footstep. Footstep.
Hector approached with a heavy, deliberate tread and stopped directly in front of Simon. Every time they faced each other like this, it felt as though a massive hill was blocking his path.
“Explain yourself properly. Simon.”
“…It’s like I said before.”
But Simon couldn’t simply tell Hector the truth—that a fanatic with terrorist inclinations was wandering around the Dark Fest.
-Disclosure is forbidden to outsiders. That includes Student Council members, professors, the ravens, and even headquarters.
-It’s a weakness of the Dark Alliance structure. You never know who might be the spy leaking information.
He could only give a vague explanation here.
“There’s school business to handle. I won’t be able to participate in the Raid Event for a while.”
Veins bulged instantly across Hector’s forehead.
“You think a unilateral announcement the day before makes any sense?”
“I’m sorry, Hector. And Fitzgerald, too. I’ll make it up to you both—”
Bang!
Unable to contain his anger, Hector slammed his fist into the Break Room wall. With a cracking sound, debris fell away and the wall cracked in a jagged mess.
“Speak straight.”
Hector drew a ragged breath, like a beast growling.
“It’s not school business. It’s Student Council business.”
“Hector.”
“If you drop out, the whole plan falls apart. You know that, don’t you? Just like you competed alone in the Raid Event, the whole strategy hinged on you taking on one event completely while we concentrated the others’ strength on the events that disadvantage us. You agreed to it, and it was even your suggestion!”
“…….”
Simon bit down hard on his lip.
“We prepared the schedule and strategy around that proposal. If you pull out, someone else who isn’t prepared has to fill the gap, and everything falls to pieces!”
“……I know.”
“We’re on the verge of claiming the department championship! Even causing the department this much damage—tell me what could possibly be so important!”
Simon’s mouth had gone dry.
“I can’t say. It’s classified.”
“Of course it is.”
Hector’s mouth twisted into a bitter smile.
It was contempt.
“I never liked how you swaggered around calling yourself Student Council President, clinging to that position instead of focusing on department work. Not even the official one—just a temporary substitute until the senior gets back. You pulled off a few successes and suddenly the department didn’t matter anymore, did it?”
“I never treated it lightly.”
Even Simon, who’d been listening quietly, felt anger beginning to rise.
“If dragging the department down because of Student Council work isn’t treating department members lightly, what is it?”
“I’m just as angry about how things have turned out, Hector.”
“Then make a choice.”
Hector’s eyes flashed dangerously.
“That pathetic temporary Student Council. Or the department…….”
“Don’t force that on me!”
Simon shouted, his voice cracking.
As the two began to fight, even Fitzgerald’s face had gone pale with alarm.
“I’m not giving up either one, and I’ve never looked down on either! Whatever task I take on, I give it everything I have! But not this time—I can’t! The school is——!”
Dangerous.
He couldn’t say those words, and because of that, he couldn’t convince Hector.
And because of that, this could only become an argument of pure emotion.
And because of that, the conversation went nowhere.
Realizing this truth, Simon let his arms fall limp at his sides.
“…….”
Hector, too, said nothing, his face twisted. The two boys simply held their silence.
“……Damn it.”
Finally, Hector turned away, his footsteps heavy—thump, thump—as he walked out.
‘Hah.’
Simon covered his forehead with his palm.
As Hector walked toward the Lobby, he heard classmates scurrying about in every direction. Hector’s sharp voice cut through the air.
“Finished gawking? Get out of here. Before I kill every last one of you!”
Clang!
The festive atmosphere of the Dormitory froze solid in an instant, and Hector’s footsteps echoed up the staircase.
Thud.
Simon slumped into a chair in the Break Room, letting his head fall back.
His heart still hammered against his ribs. The wall Hector had smashed with his fist loomed in his mind’s eye.
“Are you all right?”
Fitzgerald approached carefully, reading the situation. Simon nodded wordlessly.
“I’m truly sorry, Fitzgerald.”
“There must be circumstances behind it.”
Fitzgerald adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat awkwardly.
“…Which is why I’d like to make a delicate proposal.”
“Hmm?”
* * *
The next morning.
Simon left the Dormitory early. Kassan and a Carriage were already waiting.
“Kassan!”
“Good morning to you.”
Simon climbed into the Carriage and explained the situation to Kassan right away.
They’d decided Simon would participate in just one event per day, given his heavy workload elsewhere. Kassan took it in stride.
“We’re the ones who pulled you in when you were already doing well. Just helping out is enough to thank you for.”
“I’m sorry. But where are we headed?”
Kassan closed his eyes tightly and activated all the soundproofing Magic Circles in the Carriage once more.
“The scale of this incident keeps expanding.”
“Really?”
“The Sacred Federation has proposed cooperation.”
Simon’s eyes went wide.
Did I just hear that wrong?
“The Sacred Federation?”
He’d naturally assumed they would distance themselves, claiming this crisis was none of their concern, and silently hope something catastrophic befell Rocksum.
“It seems there are people on their side who believe we must prevent war, at least.”
At those words, Simon immediately thought of Israphel.
The aide to Anna, his mother who had been a Priest, and the Saint of Harvest of this age—his aunt, as it were. He’d heard that the wars and tragedies she alone had prevented were beyond counting.
“They’ve apologized for their followers’ poor oversight and offered to send Priests to help detect fanatics. Neftis accepted it readily.”
At that news, Simon perked up. Priests being dispatched—no less!
“That’s wonderful!”
“Of course, this isn’t a formal proposal from the Sacred Federation. Within the Dark Alliance, only Neftis and her closest circle know about it.”
As Kassan said, this wasn’t a negotiation between the Sacred Federation and the Dark Alliance.
It was a transaction between the factions opposing war—between Israphel and Neftis.
Beneath the surface of the Dark Fest, enormous things were unfolding.
“And right now, we’re heading to meet the Priest who came from that Sacred Federation.”
“What? They’re already here?”
Simon jumped up from his chair.
How was this Dark Fest supposed to unfold?
Shortly after, the place Simon and Kassan arrived at was a Cave—the base of operations for Grerion, a Professor of Summoning Material Studies.
Kassan explained that Professor Grerion and his Instructors were on holiday during the Dark Fest, and since permission had been granted, they could use this place freely.
‘This should work out fine.’
If the Priest were to cross over here, a Teleportation into the depths of the Cave would be good for concealing her identity.
Simon and Kassan rode in a mine cart and traveled deep into the Cave.
After thirty minutes, Simon passed through several layers of rigorous security Magic Circles and entered.
“…What is this?”
Whoosh—
In the middle of the Cave, an unexpectedly lush wheat field stretched forth. The stalks rose to chest height, their grains heavy and full.
He’d visited a few times for Summoning Material Studies classes, but he’d never seen anything like this. More than that—this was an environment where wheat couldn’t grow at all.
Rustle—
Simon and Kassan pushed through the wheat field, moving forward.
And at the center of that wheat field.
A woman sat at a table with a canopy overhead, lifting a teacup with the grace of a painting. Her very presence cast light into the darkened cave and set the wheat rippling in invisible winds.
Whishhhhh—
She wore the white vestments of a Saint, tailored into a dress, and a wide straw hat that could shield her face. Crossed behind her back were a scythe and a rake.
She turned her head and looked at the two of them.
‘What on earth is this person?’
The air grew heavy.
Simon grasped at once that she was no ordinary figure.
Clink.
She grasped the brim of her straw hat and lifted it. Straw-colored hair, pale as wheat, tumbled free, and beneath it her face was revealed.
Her bare face was not what Simon had imagined.
Eyes sliced wide at the corners were sewn shut with crude stitching, and two X-shaped scars, white-hot as if branded, were carved across them. One side of her face bore burns that stretched down past her lips, creating a voice with an eerie, whispering quality to its breath.
“……So you’re the Student Council President.”
“W-who are you?”
She crumpled her facial muscles into a sinister smile.
“The Saint of Harvest. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
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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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