Ch.15Chapter 15. First Week at the Academy (2)

# The ‘S Class’ System at Crescen Academy

The ‘S Class’ system at Crescen Academy was essentially a special class that existed under different names at other academies as well.

While academies fundamentally claimed to be educational institutions, their ultimate goal remained unchanged: to cultivate talented individuals.

The talented individuals raised at academies in each country eventually become national assets. Therefore, it was an inevitable progression to give special treatment to students who stood out from the academy.

Investing more resources in talented students to develop them into even more exceptional individuals was, in a way, natural and completely reasonable.

In that sense, the S Class was… quite exhausting.

‘This is so different from the academy life I imagined.’

Whether I liked it or not, after learning that the Arcaria Continent I’d arrived in was actually the setting for an academy story, I decided to enjoy it as much as possible.

The academy I was familiar with felt similar to a modern university, and I thought I’d enjoy the university life for a change.

I wanted to escape from being the Black Shadow Corps leader for a while, become an ordinary academy student, attend classes, make friends, enjoy leisurely time, and experience a true “academy” life.

And if possible, enjoy the highlight of school life—romance—as well.

But the schedule in front of me was completely shattering those expectations.

“Isn’t this too intense?”

“First-year students actually have more free time comparatively. I’ve heard the second-year S Class is even more rigorous.”

“Huh…”

If you were to ask about the biggest difference between university and high school, there would be several, but surely it would be the ability to ‘personally’ create your schedule by selecting the classes you want to take.

I had vaguely heard yesterday that there was a special curriculum just for the S Class, but I didn’t know that curriculum would take away the freedom of course registration to this extent.

The schedule Professor Amillion handed out this morning was truly one with hardly any gaps.

The only consolation was that classes consistently ended at 5 PM.

“First-years have to take this many classes…?”

“…Sometimes, Ryuyeong, you don’t seem like a commoner.”

“Where did that come from?”

“Usually, commoners consider it an honor just to receive education at the academy. And if you can take more classes for the same tuition, it’s actually financially beneficial.”

“Ah…”

That’s true, but this wasn’t what I had in mind.

Money wasn’t the issue at all.

“Anyway, class starts soon. Our first class is ‘Fundamentals of Magic.'”

“Fundamentals of Magic…”

I almost got a headache recalling the unpleasant memories of poring over magic books by myself in the past, but at the same time, another thought cleared my mind.

Come to think of it, I was an ‘Academy Novice Mage.’

‘Right. I haven’t checked my skills yet.’

Around this time yesterday, I chose the ‘mage’ profession in response to a forced system message, received a title, and got a skill window, but I completely forgot about it.

I did have a status window, but I hadn’t really needed to check it until now, so its presence in my mind was faint, and yesterday had been quite eventful.

With an excited heart wondering what kind of magic I might have acquired, I checked my skill window despite Elaine being right next to me.

<Skills>

You haven’t learned any skills yet.

‘…Oh come on.’

I’m sure I selected mage yesterday and saw a message that the skill window had been activated.

But when I actually checked the skill window, there was no information except for the message saying I hadn’t learned any skills yet.

By now I was used to this unfriendly and rude status window and didn’t expect much from it, but this time I felt a bit of anger rising.

If I’ve changed jobs to become a mage, isn’t it common courtesy to provide at least some basic skills?

‘Sigh.’

As always, I calmly assessed the situation.

The message that I haven’t learned any skills yet means I need to learn skills somehow.

And I’m guessing this doesn’t mean I have to ‘actually’ read magic books, design circuits, arrange mana, and go through those processes to learn.

If that were the case, I already know a few magic spells, but nothing showed up in my skill window.

‘Is there some kind of condition for this too…?’

“Ryuyeong?”

“Oh, yes?”

“The Fundamentals of Magic class is held in the training room.”

Elaine had already packed her things and stood up from her seat, waiting for me as if suggesting we should leave together.

It seems checking my skills took longer than I thought.

“Ah, right. Let’s go.”

I put my thoughts aside and got up from my seat.

I probably couldn’t figure it out right now anyway.

For now, let’s see just how amazing this special class for the S Class is.

**

“Hmm.”

Landgar shook his head in frustration as he examined the traces of mana that had already dispersed into the air.

The 7th branch, where the hourglass theft had occurred, was in complete disarray.

Not only were the buildings destroyed, but when he entered after breaking through the barrier he had designed himself, he found that the hourglass had indeed been stolen.

‘They didn’t even take the box.’

Landgar was shocked to see that the hourglass, which should have been inside a specially designed box that only he could open, was missing.

The fact that the culprit had only taken the hourglass from the box was quite shocking.

He had guaranteed that no one except the Great One could remove the hourglass from the box in such a short time.

“So Shen and Max were in this space?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Hmm.”

Landgar felt sick to his stomach, but he took his eyes off the box where the now-missing hourglass had been and looked around.

For a battle involving Shen, who specialized in lightning magic, and Max, who typically devastated his surroundings during combat, the area was suspiciously clean.

There wasn’t a single sign of damage anywhere, and it seemed they hadn’t even used much mana, as all traces had already disappeared.

It was the perfect crime.

‘Well, well.’

After examining the situation, Landgar thought his subordinates’ reports about the Black Shadow Corps being involved in this incident must be correct.

There were very few people on the continent capable of stealing something so cleanly and perfectly.

‘Did the Black Shadow Corps leader really come here? I thought it was just a rumor that they could nullify any barrier, but it seems to be true.’

Moreover, the current method was similar to how Black Shadow, the leader of the Black Shadow Corps, had stolen the Dragon Heart from the O’Neil Kingdom a few years ago.

A scene where someone had entered without leaving any traces of mana or battle and simply stolen the item.

The disappearance of Shen and Max was just a bonus.

“Haaa.”

Landgar let out a deep sigh.

Last night, the news of the hourglass being stolen was shocking, but Landgar had already thought of a way to resolve it within a day.

The transparent box where he had kept the hourglass for double security.

Landgar had prepared a way to trace his mana using the box, which had magic cast on it containing his blood and mana.

But the box, which should have been the medium for tracking, was still here.

His misjudgment was assuming the culprit had taken the hourglass with the transparent box.

‘Now I really… have no options.’

“Damn it!”

*Flinch*

When an angry curse burst from Landgar’s mouth, the subordinate guiding him beside him momentarily trembled.

He couldn’t help it.

Mana was now seeping out of Landgar’s body.

‘At this rate, the plan… Ugh. Why did the Black Shadow Corps have to…’

Landgar became even more furious at the thought that all the ritual preparations that had been in place since the moment the hourglass was found were now useless.

How much effort had the organization put into this ritual?

This time, even the Great One had given direct instructions, and the entire organization had been looking forward to the ritual.

If this ritual had succeeded, the “Nameless Organization” might have found its name.

If all the sacrifices needed for the ritual had been prepared, they could have broken the Demon’s Hourglass and heard the voice of the “nameless” one.

And that voice would have been the cornerstone of revolution and salvation.

But from the very first step, they had been significantly hindered by some thieves called the Black Shadow Corps.

Landgar knew intellectually that the Black Shadow Corps must have acted on someone’s request, but emotionally, he couldn’t accept it.

After all, it was by the hands of the Black Shadow Corps that the hourglass was stolen and the plan ruined.

*Boom*

“…Eep!”

After standing still for a while, Landgar took just one step to the side, but heavy and hot mana burst out from him.

It was so heavy and hot that it instinctively made the subordinate beside him scream and run away.

Landgar was so angry because there was nothing he could do right now.

If he could at least track it, there would be a way to recover the hourglass even if it took time, but after coming to the scene and checking, that too was impossible.

It was the situation Landgar hated the most—being helpless without any means to act.

“Damn it…”

*Crash*

Realizing that the subordinate who had been following him had already fled outside, Landgar no longer hid his anger and expressed it freely.

With each step Landgar took, mana spread in all directions and the ground shook, but that was all.

Looking at the traces of the stolen hourglass and stomping his feet in anger—that was the only action Landgar could take.

‘Sigh, I’ll have to… report this.’

Landgar finally decided he had no choice but to report to the Great One.

He had tried to resolve it on his own as much as possible, but now this matter had gone beyond his hands as an elder.

“Aaaaargh!”

In the empty building, Landgar’s howling scream echoed.