Ch.259Side Story: Group Project – 1

The aftermath of the school trip didn’t subside easily.

Most students had spent the entire week playing with all their might, excited by this novel experience. So naturally, even the cadets of Bellium Academy with their iron-like physiques couldn’t help but feel exhausted.

This was especially true for the female students who pretended to be uninterested during the regularly held barbecue times, only picking at one or two pieces of food while trying to show off their figures, and the male students who got stomach cramps from flexing their muscles all day long.

Of course, it remained an undeniable fact that these were enjoyable memories worth dismissing such trivial discomforts.

“Sigh, at this rate, we won’t be able to have a proper class. Didn’t you all have a bit too much fun?”

Jeina with the sword tapped the rock with the tip of her blade. It was already an uncountable repetition of the same complaint.

Apparently, students had regained their focus in most other classes, but the dungeon practicum she was in charge of remained uniquely chaotic. Jeina with the staff clicked her tongue disapprovingly beside her.

“If you played that hard, you should study even harder. Don’t you agree?”

Well, to be fair, it wasn’t completely incomprehensible. Recently, the number of battles at the frontlines had rapidly decreased, naturally reducing the need to enter dungeons, the fortresses of demon-kind.

Students at this level could easily access information from the frontlines. Having noticed that something in the flow had changed, they inevitably questioned the fundamental purpose of the class.

‘Perhaps I should incorporate gates into the curriculum as the Director suggested?’

She had been studying gates diligently anyway. After all, being a professor at Bellium Academy meant constantly developing oneself to avoid falling behind.

“…It feels like all my energy has been drained.”

A student who was dragging their feet after clearing just two dungeons complained. Jeina with the sword gave them an incredulous look.

“Drained? If you keep this up, I’ll suggest to the Director that we cancel the trip next year.”

“But Professor, I heard you had a lot of fun too?”

Both Jeinas—with sword and staff—simultaneously averted their gaze, feeling caught. Since she herself had been among the professors who strongly advocated for the beach, she had no comeback.

Having paraded around the beach in a bikini, there was no denying it.

“Ahem… This won’t do. I have no choice. Extraordinary measures are needed, you brats! The remaining curriculum will be conducted as group projects, so take note!”

Group project. As that infamous phrase escaped from sword-wielding Jeina’s mouth, the students collectively screamed in horror.

Mira’s expression also changed to one that seemed to say “what a demon,” though her reasons differed from the other students.

Unlike group projects on Earth where human issues predominated, at Bellium Academy, with the level of skill and status required for admission, deliberate sabotage was practically nonexistent.

The probability of such a person entering was extremely low, and even if they did, if they were nobility, rumors would spread instantly, utterly destroying their family’s honor.

What about commoners without honor to lose? Well, in Bellium Academy’s 130-year history, no such commoner had ever been admitted.

“It’s too late! This will boost your motivation!”

The infamy of group projects stemmed from the terrifyingly inflated workload.

Most professors believed that 1+1 could equal 3 or even more, and in practice, this was true. The combination of swordsmen and mages produced synergy beyond simple addition.

For this reason, the workload for group projects was often multiplied several times. For a group of 2, it became 4 times; for 3, 8 times; for 4, 16 times.

“Oh right. Future valedictorian over there? You should step out. What are you doing mixed in here? Have you no conscience?”

Mira, whose expression had soured at the mention of group projects, moved away with a slightly embarrassed face. The other students, knowing they couldn’t overcome this insurmountable wall, no longer even paid attention.

Having already taken an alternative exam and scored perfectly on the midterms, she didn’t need to attend lectures, but she insisted on fulfilling her duties as a student and had squeezed herself into the most secluded corner.

As a professor, Jeina highly appreciated such an attitude. It was just that she found it complicated—not wanting to completely ignore Mira, yet unsure how to teach her the same as other students.

“Let’s see, the numbers… Right. With one person missing, it works out perfectly. Should we make groups of 5?”

“What?!”

“Why?!”

The students collectively gasped at the unprecedented number of five. Based on previous examples, simple calculation suggested that with 5 people per group, the workload would increase 32-fold. And what if other variables were added?

Even for the honor-driven cadets of Bellium Academy, this was enough to make them panic. They would manage somehow, but the process wouldn’t be smooth.

“I’m joking. I just wanted to motivate you since you all seemed so listless. How about it? Are you wide awake now?”

Jeina with the staff cackled.

The students exhaled in relief, though their eyes still held many unspoken words for Jeina.

‘Professors don’t understand the human heart,’ or so the saying went on Earth’s internet.

Reflecting on Jeina just now, it seemed this saying would apply equally well in this world.

The students were placing their hands on the magic circle Jeina had drawn to be randomly assigned to groups. I had just confirmed that Ciel and Leona had drawn the same number and were joined by one female student when the staff-wielding Jeina approached me.

“You’re getting special treatment, any objections?”

“None whatsoever.”

Stories about me had spread quite widely, and professors were no exception. Jeina herself had delivered the midterm alternative assignment to me.

Jeina smiled with satisfaction.

“Very good. What you’ll do is help me. Remember when your club created an artificial dungeon during last summer’s festival?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“You’ll be decorating gates in a similar way. I’ll specify the location and scale. The Director said we could switch from teaching dungeons to gates if I wanted. Besides me, there’s no other class preparing for that shift.”

Although Rosaria still gave lectures occasionally, with only about two sessions per month, they lacked practical application. I nodded.

“How many should I make?”

“As many as there are groups.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m kidding, just kidding. No need to look so scared.”

Jeina with the staff rested her elbow on my shoulder. Due to our height difference, she had to stand on tiptoe, making her posture somewhat awkward.

“Minimum 6, maximum 12. Once you’ve created them, I’ll handle copying and entry. You don’t need the summer festival quality, just make them challenging enough for the students. I’ll lend you the materials I use for dungeon creation, so come by later to pick them up.”

“Will do.”

“Oh, and since we don’t want to discourage students with difficulty miscalibrations, I’ll limit my mana and test them first. That okay?”

“I don’t mind.”

“Great, great. I’m counting on you!”

Jeina with the staff patted my back a few times before walking away. The sword-wielding Jeina had just finished sorting the groups.

‘Six to twelve, huh.’

Without practical experience, one would have to rack their brains to come up with non-overlapping concepts. But at least I didn’t need to worry about that.

Something had already come to mind.

Jeina stared in amazement at the gates marked on the Bellium Forest map. Twelve in total. She had expected just the minimum, but he had actually created the maximum number.

And in just one week, no less. This was skill that even seasoned dungeon professors couldn’t match. Jeina lavished praise without restraint.

“You’ve done an incredible job. Thank you for your hard work. It must have been difficult to create all these. Wasn’t it tough?”

“It was nothing. Imagining you floundering inside actually made it quite enjoyable.”

“Haha, you’re good at jokes too.”

Jeina patted Mira’s back repeatedly. Despite Mira’s protest that it wasn’t a joke, Jeina paid no mind.

No matter how much her mana was restricted to student levels, a professor was still a professor. Years of practical experience and discernment couldn’t be taken away. And whether for gates or dungeons, such discernment was crucial for teaching.

“Well, let’s see how well you’ve made them, shall we?”

Saying this, Jeina put on a mana-measuring magical tool.

It was becoming an increasingly indispensable item for teaching. Far more useful than estimating power restrictions by eye. She wondered how anyone had thought to create such a thing.

“You won’t tell me the internal structure, will you?”

“If I told you in advance, it wouldn’t be fun. And it wouldn’t align with the purpose of group projects.”

“Very good. You understand well. Extra point for you.”

“Not like I have any use for points, so stop trying to look good and just go in.”

Despite being incredibly disrespectful for addressing a professor this way, somehow it didn’t feel disrespectful. Instead of getting angry, Jeina laughed and patted Mira’s back before entering the gate.

Though she had been teaching dungeon practicum for a long time, the world was constantly changing. This was Jeina’s way of studying too.

‘Left is blocked, right is a cliff. A single path, then.’

An underground cave with a cliff barely wide enough for one person to pass, combined with skeletons appearing here and there. Rather than being designed for skeleton encounters, it seemed structured to focus on the cliff itself.

She carefully advanced along the single path. As Jeina had guessed, the bone skeletons attacked by throwing themselves at her, aiming to make her lose her footing. One misstep while fighting and she would fall.

‘Even if the fall wouldn’t be fatal…’

Though there was water at the bottom and the height wasn’t too great—precautions against potential accidents—falling was clearly meant to be fatal according to the design intent.

Jeina decided to faithfully follow that design intent. Being careful not to exceed the set mana limit, she methodically dispatched the skeletons.

“Oh, that one’s quite large.”

After proceeding some distance, a giant skeleton archer, easily 3 meters tall, began shooting arrows from afar.

‘Yes, it was too easy until now.’

It might be fine for a solo run, but for three people, the structure was too simple. This level of challenge was more appropriate. Of course, she’d have to face it directly to know for sure.

Blocking the arrows with defensive magic, she cast a detection spell. There was a section of floor with a different color a short distance from where the skeleton archer stood, and no other enemies were detected.

‘Not bad at all.’

That differently colored section was probably a trap. It was concealed just enough that while visible to the naked eye, one might miss it without careful observation.

Blocking arrows with her barrier, Jeina approached the end of the path and leapt over the differently colored floor. Now to deal with that big fellow—

“Huh?”

Just as she was about to engage, something powerfully kicked her shoulder. Her body flew into the air and fell toward the cliff beside her. There had clearly been nothing there, so what on earth—? Bewildered, Jeina looked up.

Next to the skeleton archer, in a corner that had been invisible from the path—another 3-meter skeleton was kneeling on one leg with both arms raised dramatically.

—You died.

And red letters appeared in the sky.

“What is this—”

Splash! Jeina couldn’t finish her sentence as she plunged into the water.