Side Story 11. The Story After (11)

Victoria Academy is the world’s best educational institution.

As long as the dungeons and gates in this world do not disappear, it is an absolute premise that will never crumble.

The graduates pouring out from the academy every year occupy key positions in various countries, and the talents who see this are increasingly drawn to Victoria Academy.

Most of the people who performed tremendously in the recent demon attack and the great war were also graduates of Victoria Academy.

Not to mention the genius mage Lee Hoyeon, even the cadets who haven’t graduated yet made numerous contributions.

For various reasons, Alice also knocked on the doors of Victoria Academy.

Since she had already graduated from an academy in Italy, she applied not as a cadet but as a professor.

Alice’s specialty is magic.

Victoria Academy has an untouchable magic professor named Surin, but no matter how you look at it, Surin cannot conduct all the classes alone.

Alice was confident in her teaching abilities.

Although she had experienced tremendous events like attacks, terrorism, and even the Demon King War shortly after her appointment… Alice eventually settled in as a proud professor of Victoria Academy.

Today was her first practical training class.

Originally, practical training was Surin Professor’s specialty, but since Surin went to the Wizard Association, Alice stepped in.

For Alice, today was an opportunity.

‘I’ll definitely become close with the cadets. I want to become a cool professor like Professor Surin…!’

The class proceeded as she intended.

It was a class with a warm atmosphere, filled with ‘hahaha’ laughter, praising and pointing out the cadets’ magic.

While many cadets liked Professor Surin because her magic was so overwhelming, there were also cadets who liked the kind and gentle Alice’s classes.

Alice was truly happy.

Before Lee Hoyeon used magic…

“Ah….”

The magic cannon forming in Lee Hoyeon’s hand.

The magic, gathering with the momentum to swallow space, seemed poised to destroy the entire building, not the dummy target which was the goal of the practical training.

“L-Lee Hoyeon cadet. Please control your strength a little…”

“Yes? Professor, what did you say?”

“No. It’s nothing…”

Alice unconsciously hunched her shoulders.

There’s no one in this world who doesn’t know how strong Lee Hoyeon is.

Anyone who saw him tear demons apart and kill the Demon King wouldn’t dare talk back to him. It was natural, as Alice was there too.

How did it turn out like this? My class was supposed to be a warm, ‘hahaha’ bustling session…

Is this a dream…?

Kugugugugung-!

The magic cannon created by Lee Hoyeon surged towards the dummy.

He had a face that showed no signs of strain, even after using such monstrous magic.

The cadets behind him were all gaping.

Just then.

Ttok-tak. Ttok-tak.

From behind the despairing Alice, light footsteps could be heard.

Alice turned her head and her eyes widened.

Because someone who shouldn’t have been there was present.

Ttak-.

As she snapped her fingers, the magic cannon, which had been charging with the force to erase the dummy from existence, vanished.

Alice couldn’t read any of the magical effects that occurred in that instant.

Instead, she unconsciously ran towards Surin.

“Professor Surin!”

“Alice?”

“P-Professor… I, I…”

“… Go sit over there and rest.”

Haa.

Surin sighed and patted Alice’s back.

She’s a new professor, and she’s already so intimidated.

The work at the Wizard Association finished early, so she came straight to see her students; the timing was good.

“Professor Surin?”

Lee Hoyeon could be seen waving his hand from the other side, looking pleased.

While she was grateful that he welcomed her so warmly… as a professor, Surin noticed the slumped shoulders of the cadets behind Lee Hoyeon.

Surin slowly approached them and slowly opened her mouth.

“Lee Hoyeon.”

“Yes. Professor Surin.”

“… You should have held back a bit. What were you thinking using that kind of magic here.”

Surin dispersed the magic still lingering in the air.

Judging by the traces, it looked like he had even deployed a sky-piercing formation.

“I did control my strength enough to just break the dummy.”

“It wasn’t made to be broken in the first place. It’s a magic demonstration, so just firing a fireball would have been fine.”

“I thought practical sense was important. It was meant to encourage everyone to try harder after seeing my magic…”

Surin looked at Lee Hoyeon with distrust, but he genuinely seemed to think that.

What’s the point of boasting to the cadets?

Even without demons, dungeons and gates are still dangerous places. It was meant to instill a little caution.

“… Was it a bit excessive?”

“Yeah.”

“I apologize….”

Seeing Surin’s eyes sharpen, he quickly backed down.

Let’s admit it. I might have gotten a little carried away.

Unlike the written lecture class, which he was kicked out of, the magic practical training was at least an opportunity to actively participate in class.

However, he overlooked Surin’s absence. If Professor Surin were here, she would have stopped anything, but today’s class was handled by Professor Alice.

“I apologize to Professor Alice as well. I tried to do my best, but I guess I got carried away.”

“No, no. It’s alright. Cadet Lee Hoyeon. I should have acted more like a professor myself…”

Alice took a breath and straightened her chest again.

She was flustered, which was unlike her.

Lee Hoyeon isn’t a bad person, and if she, as the professor, had clearly stated her request, he would have definitely weakened the magic.

She realized she was lacking as a professor.

“Lee Hoyeon.”

“Yes. Professor Surin.”

“Starting tomorrow, don’t come to the magic practical training classes. You don’t need them anyway.”

“……”

At Surin’s words, Lee Hoyeon gaped with a look of utter devastation.

He was kicked out of here too. Was his connection with Victoria Academy truly over?

“Professor. I do want to graduate, though.”

“You’re taking special classes with me, aren’t you? All your magic classes, written or practical, will be replaced by that. If you want to attend classes, you can choose to take liberal arts courses like Korean, English, or Math.”

“……”

“Victoria Academy, the world’s best institution for hunter education.”

To be told to take Korean, English, and Math classes here.

I always wondered who took those subjects, but I guess people like me do.

“Everyone, pay attention. We’ll stop the dummy striking here, and from now on, the class will proceed as usual: demonstrate your magic, and I’ll provide feedback. Don’t think about Lee Hoyeon’s magic; just use yours confidently. It’s not you who’s strange, it’s him.”

“……”

I have a lot I want to say… but if I talk any more, it’ll disrupt the class.

Even though I’ve been kicked out, I shouldn’t disrupt the class.

Lee Hoyeon quietly returned to Lucy and Lumi’s side.

*

Surin and Alice walked around the training ground, checking the cadets’ magic.

It was a class where each student used their confident magic and received feedback from the professors.

Of course, Lee Hoyeon didn’t need feedback, so he was watching Lucy and Lumi’s magic.

“Hwacheon-u (Fire Rain)!”

Lucy’s magic exploded in the air, and a thousand fire arrows bloomed in the sky.

All the numerous fire arrows turned their tips towards one person.

“Lu, Rune Shield!”

Tang- Tang- Tang-

Simultaneously, a blue barrier unfolded.

Lumi’s shield, imbued with her full power, blocked Lucy’s magic without even a scratch.

Seeing this, Lucy stomped her foot as if frustrated.

“No way! Why isn’t it breaking?”

“Normally, defense has the advantage against magic of the same level. You two have astonishingly compatible magic wavelengths.”

“Does that mean I can never beat Lumi?”

“That’s not necessarily true. Lumi can’t inflict significant damage on you either. Lucy, your magic was good this time, but I think there’s no need to focus on so many arrows…”

Lee Hoyeon recalled Lucy’s magic and pointed out areas for improvement.

The surrounding cadets also perked up their ears, trying to catch any tips they could.

While the professors’ feedback was naturally important, opportunities to hear magic advice from the aspiring genius mage Lee Hoyeon were rare.

“… Student. I told you not to attend class, so what are you doing teaching it yourself?”

Surin, having finished checking on another cadet’s lesson, looked at Lee Hoyeon with disbelief.

She acknowledged Lee Hoyeon’s magical prowess, so teaching wasn’t the issue… but Professor Alice behind him looked sad, as if her job was being taken, so she couldn’t just let it be.

“Lucy. You go to Professor Alice. Lee Hoyeon, you take care of Lumi.”

“Please take good care of me…. Hoyeon-ssi.”

At Surin’s words, Lumi skipped over to Lee Hoyeon’s side, while Lucy pouted slightly, looking disappointed.

“Lucy. Do you have a complaint?”

“N-No, I don’t! I’ll learn diligently from Professor Alice!”

While Lucy received guidance from Professor Alice, Lee Hoyeon taught Lumi.

Lumi, who had created the magic called Rune Shield from a rune barrier, focused on Lee Hoyeon’s words with a giggle.

It wasn’t much, but it felt like a special private lesson for the two of them, which made her feel good.

A little later, Lucy approached after finishing her guidance with Professor Alice.

“Hoo. I’m exhausted. Lumi, switch with me now!”

“What switch? We’re done, so you should rest too if you’re done.”

Since Lee Hoyeon and Lumi were already resting, she came over and sat on a chair next to them.

“Ugh. This is unfair. Right! After the special class today, let’s go to the club room together! You said all the busy work is done, so you have plenty of time, right?!”

“Yeah, yeah. … Huh? Wait, are you waiting for me to finish teaching?”

“What do you mean waiting? We have to go together when it’s over.”

“…?”

“?”

Lee Hoyeon tilted his head.

The flow of the conversation felt strange.

Could it be that what Lucy is talking about isn’t the special class I know?

“Hoyeon-ssi, Lucy. What are you two talking about?”

“No, um… Isn’t it a bit difficult to wait for the special class? You could go to the club room first.”

Lee Hoyeon’s special class is for middle schoolers.

There’s no need for Lucy and Lumi to wait.

“We have to attend the special class too, so how can we go first?”

“Huh?”

“This afternoon, the entire student body is attending your special lecture in the Victoria Auditorium. It’s about the lessons learned from the war against the Demon King and the future direction of Victoria Academy.”

The entire student body for a special lecture…?

Lee Hoyeon couldn’t properly process the information that entered his head and asked again.

“Lucy. Is it true that I’m conducting that class where the entire student body gathers? That I’m the lecturer?”

“Of course. They announced it this morning too. How could you not know?”

“Announcement? I didn’t hear anything like that this morning.”

“You got a group message from the academy. You idiot.”

“My smartwatch blocks everyone except people I know…”

“And you say you’re going to attend the academy diligently despite that?”

Seeing Lucy narrow her eyes, Lee Hoyeon casually turned his head.

“… No, if I didn’t do that, I’d get thousands of calls and messages a day.”

Honestly, Victoria Academy sends way too many unnecessary messages.

From job information to the mindset of a cadet, introductions to the faculty…

It’s all information Lee Hoyeon doesn’t need at all.

Besides, Moon Surin tells him the really important stuff, so there was no need to find out directly.

‘I don’t think I heard anything like that from Surin noona.’

I should probably stop by the student council president’s office too.

I need to ask how things ended up like this.