Ch.4848 – First Practice

<48 – First Practical Exercise>

Unlike what the professor had said about the “Developing Insight” lecture being available to both first and second-year students, there were very few second-years actually sitting in the classroom.

Isabelle felt an ominous warning from her adventurer’s intuition.

“Why are there so few second-years?”

“It’s still time to choose lectures, isn’t it? I’m sure more people will come when the lecture starts.”

As Giselle said, the number of students visiting the classroom gradually increased as time passed.

However, the vast majority of newcomers were first-years, and not a single additional second-year appeared.

“As I thought, they’re not increasing.”

Perhaps Isabelle’s anxiety was contagious.

Unable to hide her uneasiness, Giselle walked over to a second-year and asked.

“May I ask you something, senior? I noticed there seem to be unusually few second-year seniors taking this lecture.”

“Are you concerned that there are only three of us second-years compared to the many first-years?”

When Giselle smiled kindly and tried to brush it off, the second-year senior Bigstone fiddled with the emblem on his uniform that symbolized his second-year status.

Senior, huh.

Since they too had been first-years until last year, the unfamiliar title felt both strange and desirable, making him delay his answer out of a desire to show off a bit.

“I think I know why.”

“Huh?”

“Could it be because the lecture has a bad reputation?”

Oknodie joined the conversation between Giselle and the second-year senior with a curious expression.

“Ah, no! Don’t say such dangerous things. The professor is here, what are you saying…”

“But why are you sweating?”

“Who says I’m sweating?!”

“You are, senior.”

“N-no, I’m not!”

“Could it be that only three people are taking this class because you’re retaking it after getting an F last year?”

“No! The professor doesn’t give stingy grades, the assignments aren’t difficult, and there are no rumors about him being dangerous!”

Several first-years who had been eavesdropping with interest left the classroom with disappointed faces.

“And I’m definitely not trying to hide this from first-years hoping to have more people below me to boost my grade!!”

About a dozen students glared at the senior before leaving the classroom.

“And there’s absolutely no risk of being treated as a potential thief or getting a bad reputation because the professor used to be a righteous thief in the Holy Central Empire!!”

Half of the remaining students hurriedly followed the first-years who had already left.

Most of them were Group B freshmen who lacked the courage to take a forbidden lecture that could block their path to success.

“Hooh. Bigstone. I never knew you were attending my lecture with such impure intentions.”

“Aaaagh! I’ve been caught!!”

He could have just kept quiet.

Why did he suddenly self-destruct like that?

Isabelle thought to herself that this senior was strange.

Giggle giggle.

Finding his behavior amusing, Oknodie laughed while covering her mouth with her hand, just as Arcadia usually did.

Since Arcadia’s gesture was itself an imitation of imperial noble ladies, Oknodie was essentially imitating imperial nobility, but it looked cute regardless.

“Sh-should we leave too?”

“Oknodie is staying.”

“If the Group A top student can handle it, why should we care what the imperial folks think?”

“Central Empire.”

A freshman sitting in the corner of the classroom corrected with a solemn voice.

“The term ’empire’ refers to both the Central Empire and the Eastern Empire simultaneously. It’s unpleasant to be treated as the same, so please make the distinction clear.”

It was Sing, the Eastern swordsman who had shown a remarkable presence since the entrance exam.

“Wow, look at his expression. He seems really angry.”

“Sorry. I’d be upset too if I were lumped together with Central folks.”

“Of course we meant the Central Empire.”

Sing closed his eyes again and lowered the hand he had placed on his scabbard.

Only then did the tension that had filled the classroom subside.

“Don’t misunderstand, everyone. Bigstone isn’t mentally ill; he just accidentally inhaled some potion vapors during preparation and is suffering from the <Honest Confession> status ailment that lasts for a week.”

“That’s not true! Actually, this guy isn’t my secret crush, and I never confessed because of a potion effect and got rejected! I don’t feel suicidal, and it’s not awkward to make eye contact with him!”

“…He’s in this state.”

This senior is seriously confessing everything.

But more importantly, could there be a possibility?

He rejected the confession but they’re still hanging out together.

The first-years’ gazes were filled with curiosity.

While questions poured in about when he confessed, what kind of exams would be given for the first semester midterms, and where hidden safes were located, Isabelle checked on Oknodie.

“What do you think, Oknodie? Does this lecture seem okay?”

“Of course! The lecture might be difficult with stingy grades and terrible reputation, but as long as it’s fun, it’s fine!”

“……”

Should she escape from the classroom for the sake of her own future, not just Oknodie’s?

While seriously contemplating this, Isabelle realized that too much time had been wasted because of the second-year senior.

Ding-a-ling…

“That’s enough chatting. It’s time for the lecture to begin.”

The lecture started.

* *

The professor began with his self-introduction.

Bronze de estrada.

The name was written in elegant cursive on the blackboard.

“Bronze De Estra. That is my name.”

Ding-a-ling…

“As Bigstone mentioned, before being invited as a professor at the Academy, I was active as a righteous thief in the Central Empire.”

Ding-a-ling…

“Some may doubt my qualifications, but a righteous thief is a profession that adventures through the empire’s night streets. I am more than qualified to be a professor in the Adventure Department, so rest assured.”

Ding-a-ling…

“Professor, the bell keeps ringing.”

The bell that had announced the start of the lecture continued to ring without stopping.

Unable to bear it any longer, a freshman raised his hand and spoke.

“Ah. That’s the way to escape from this lecture.”

“Pardon?”

“While discernment can be cultivated by reading books, it can also be developed through intuitive practical exercises. Moreover, a righteous thief is a class that works on the ground. I plan to conduct a light practical exercise for you students taking this lecture.”

Professor Estrade rhythmically waved the baton in his hand through the air.

Oknodie tugged at Isabelle and Giselle’s collars.

“?”

At the puzzled gazes of the two, Oknodie grinned mischievously and raised both hands to cover her ears.

Was she asking them to follow suit?

Perhaps she was in a playful mood typical of children.

But covering one’s ears during a lecture seemed too disrespectful.

Just as Isabelle was about to scold her, Professor Estrade spread his hands like an orchestra conductor and smiled playfully, resembling Oknodie.

The next moment.

A commotion that one could never imagine happening in a classroom of the world’s premier academy began.

Beep-beep-beep.

Ding-dong-ding!

Wake up. It’s morning! Wake up. It’s morning!

Riiiiiiing. Riiiiiiing.

Screeeech!

Wheeee-. Wheeee-. Wheeee-.

Ding-ding-ding in your ears.

Beep-. Beep-. Beep-. Beep-. Beep-. Beep-. Beep-. Beep-.

Ding-a-ling…

“Aaaah!”

“My ears!”

“I’m going crazy!”

A flood of bell sounds attacking from all directions!

Faced with this auditory terrorism, Isabelle and Giselle also panicked and covered their ears.

“Now, students. Let me explain the practical exercise for our first lecture. Students who demonstrate ‘discernment’ by finding and deactivating the hidden bells in the classroom can immediately escape.”

“Of course, students lacking discernment will remain in this bell-filled classroom with me.”

“For reference, if all bells are found, everyone can escape immediately. If you all work together to deactivate all the bells, I’ll give extra points. But only to those students who stayed until the end to find the bells together.”

The first-years instantly understood the meaning behind senior Bigstone’s words.

“Isn’t this pure sadism?!”

“No wonder the second-year seniors don’t take this lecture!”

“Wait, we have second-year seniors with us! They must know how to escape…”

The second-years grabbed emergency axes, emergency lights hanging above the classroom exit, and chairs, shouting:

“Objects, return to your original form!”

“Return to original form.”

“Found it, this damn alarm clock.”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

First-years were shocked at the sight of second-years pressing buttons on alarm clocks that had returned to their original form.

“The clocks even have shape-shifting magic on them!”

“Good grief. This is cheating!”

“Those things, we haven’t learned about those yet!!”

The professor received the alarm clocks submitted by the second-years and nodded with an “Hmm” sound.

“As expected of second-years, not as sluggish as the freshmen. You pass. Your retaking efforts were worth it.”

“Thank you. We’ll be going first, juniors.”

The first-years looked at their seniors with betrayed eyes.

“Seniors! How can you escape and abandon your juniors?!”

“We were abandoned just like you last year.”

“!!”

The malicious tradition passed down through generations, transcending academic years!

Among the dumbfounded first-years, only Isabelle and Giselle had different expressions.

“Oknodie. How did you know about this?”

“Does your family also inform you about practical assignments, Miss Oknodie?”