Ch.112Chapter 112 – Disciplinary Committee

The Demon Cult suffered significant damage once again due to a massive explosion caused by “excessively pure mana,” the only drawback of the highest-grade magic stones created by Pathos’s ability.

Regina Blasteria, the chancellor of Glesius Academy, was one of the few people who knew that excessively pure mana causes repulsion against other forces.

This was because she was the very person who had written a thesis titled “Research on the Repulsion Phenomenon of Ultra-High Purity Mana at Its Extreme Against Other Energies.”

Of course, her thesis became a hot topic of debate in academic circles as soon as it was published, but soon no one could refute her work.

It wasn’t that everyone acknowledged the fact because Regina’s thesis was so excellent.

There was a prerequisite needed to understand the thesis she had written.

That prerequisite was that one needed to have the talent of an archmage like her, receive magical education from a young age, and master various magical theories.

The only person who could understand the thesis she wrote was her mentor.

Regina’s mentor reportedly said this after reading her thesis:

“Whoever can interpret this thesis will become a new archmage.”

At that time, Regina’s mentor was already an archmage, so what he meant was, “You need to be at least an archmage to understand this, so don’t even try if you’re not at that level, you fools.”

Thanks to that, her thesis was stored in the Imperial Palace library, and no one could access it.

But this turned into a blessing in disguise, as one branch of the Demon Cult was destroyed, and the resurrection of the Demon God was postponed for quite some time.

With the biggest problem resolved, all that remained was to determine the level of disciplinary action for Jesse Elister.

“I would like to ask the professors gathered here for their opinions. We will impose disciplinary action on student Jesse Elister, who violated academy rules by engaging in secret communication with someone outside the academy.”

The professors who had gathered earlier for the meeting nodded at Regina’s words.

They were the attendees of the regular meeting.

All of them knew that Jesse Elister had been communicating secretly with someone outside the academy.

“It is a fact that student Jesse Elister breached the security magic circle to communicate with the outside. Therefore, in accordance with academy rules, I propose the expulsion of student Jesse Elister.”

The first to step forward was Professor Decart, who habitually patrolled various parts of the academy.

“Professor Decart has requested the expulsion of Jesse Elister. Does anyone agree with this opinion?”

Regina asked if anyone agreed with Professor Decart’s opinion advocating for Jesse Elister’s expulsion.

The disciplinary meeting had to follow meeting rules because all conversations were recorded.

“I agree.”

“I also agree.”

“I concur with that opinion.”

“Opinions in agreement have been expressed. Is there anyone who seconds this opinion?”

When people agreed with Professor Decart’s opinion, Regina, as the person in charge of the disciplinary meeting, asked for a second.

“I have an objection to this opinion. May I have permission to speak?”

At that moment, one of the professors who taught magic to the academy students stood up and raised an objection.

“Professor Decart. Will you accept Professor Zerben’s objection?”

Regina looked at Professor Decart, waiting for his response to the objection.

“I will hear the content of the objection.”

Professor Decart readily accepted the objection from Professor Zerben, who had challenged his opinion.

“Thank you. First of all, I oppose the expulsion of student Jesse Elister.”

Zerben, who taught magic at Glesius Academy, thanked Professor Decart for accepting his objection and proceeded to present his argument.

“What is your reason for opposing expulsion?”

Regina was curious about what Zerben was trying to say.

“First, everyone here knows that if someone is expelled from Glesius Academy due to disciplinary issues, readmission is impossible. And the student we are currently discussing, Jesse Elister, is considered a genius in alchemy. The subject she is currently researching is how to solve the side effects of potions.”

“And what does that have to do with anything?”

“If student Jesse Elister discovers a method to eliminate the side effects of potions produced through alchemy, Glesius Academy will have the right to exclusively use that method first, according to our rules.”

“But what if student Jesse Elister fails to develop that method? Moreover, it was Jesse Elister who broke the academy’s rules.”

Professor Decart, who had presented the initial opinion, refuted Professor Zerben’s argument.

“I am aware of that. So, I have been thinking carefully about how to make student Jesse Elister pay for her crime of leaking a top-grade magic stone to a dangerous individual.”

“Judging by what you’ve just said… have you found a way to hold student Jesse Elister accountable?”

Professor Decart listened to Professor Zerben’s words and realized what he was thinking when he objected to his proposal.

“Indeed. You are all well aware that the rate of graduate school enrollment has been decreasing recently, aren’t you?”

“That’s a fact all professors gathered here know well.”

The professors at the meeting, including Professor Decart, nodded at Professor Zerben’s words.

As he mentioned, the current graduate school enrollment rate at Glesius Academy was low.

There were various reasons for the low enrollment rate, but the most significant factor was the various unreasonable aspects that came with the position of being a “graduate student.”

“We all went through the graduate student process, earned master’s and doctoral degrees, worked in the field, and only then earned the qualification to be professors. How was it for all of you during your time as graduate students at Grand Glesius Graduate School, beyond the knowledge repository that is Glesius Academy?”

Everyone at the meeting remained silent at Professor Zerben’s words.

They understood what Zerben was saying.

Or rather, they had all experienced firsthand that their graduate student days were not particularly pleasant.

“Wasn’t it difficult to even have one proper meal a day? Didn’t we burn our youth solving research problems assigned by professors, not to mention the countless exam papers and assignments we had to grade every day?”

“Ahem, I’d appreciate it if you could stop there… and get to the main point.”

It was Professor Decart who interrupted Professor Zerben’s words.

He too was someone who had endured a difficult time as a graduate student before reaching his current position.

“I apologize. Anyway, graduate students rarely receive proper treatment. The reason is that their graduation depends on the professors.”

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to make Jesse Elister a graduate student?”

Professor Decart frowned at Professor Zerben’s words.

“Not just any graduate student. A special status graduate student who cannot even complete the program, let alone graduate, unless she produces research equivalent to her successful research, even if she succeeds in her research.”

“…I’m curious, Professor Zerben. Are you truly human?”

Professor Decart thought that his proposal of expulsion was more humane.

Being expelled from the academy versus being a graduate student who can never graduate.

Neither option was easy, but at least with expulsion, one could seek opportunities outside the academy. In contrast, being a graduate student for life was like putting one’s head in a wyvern’s mouth.

“This is because student Jesse Elister bears great responsibility. Despite being a third-year student, she deceived the academy, so I wish for her punishment to be ongoing rather than a one-time penalty.”

“That’s a good opinion. Does anyone agree with this?”

“I agree.”

“I second that.”

Agreement and seconding happened in an instant.

Regina then opened her mouth and declared:

“Since the objection has received agreement and a second, we will follow Professor Zerben’s method for the current agenda. Professor Zerben? Please summon Jesse Elister under the pretext of a scholarship and make her a graduate student for life.”

“Understood, Chancellor.”

With Regina’s order, Jesse Elister became a graduate student that very day.

“Eh…?”

And Jesse Elister, now a graduate student, could only gape in confusion, not understanding what had happened to her.