The Summoning Genius of the Necromancer School
Suddenly, interest in Simon's "tutor" surged, leaving Simon with an awkward smile, while the doppelganger of Pier, hanging as an accessory on his school uniform, seemed to relish the situation, grinning widely.
"Ha ha ha ha! It seems I am quite popular with the little ones!"
"Please be quiet, Pier. You're making my head hurt."
"Convey that I am willing to teach! If they die and become part of the legion, that is!"
"Making the living into the undead is forbidden in Kizen."
Simon forced a smile and spoke.
"I'm sorry. They are hesitant to reveal their identity. And they are so busy that, honestly, having them teach me is quite a disruption."
Meilin pouted.
"So you won't tell me? How stingy."
Dick chuckled, resting his head on his hand.
"It's not being stingy; it's just common sense. If your summoning grades go up, Simon might have to attend school! Would you tell if you were Simon?"
"Well, that's true..."
"It's not that; it's just that they are genuinely busy."
"Alright, alright!" The mediator, Kamibarez, always stepped in at such moments.
She jumped up, fists clenched.
"We've had a ten-minute break! Let's resume practice!"
"Oh, has it already been that long?"
"Let's go for another round!"
The practice for the performance evaluation continued late into the night.
After the weekend, a new week dawned with the Cyclops performance evaluation scheduled.
At the same time, a significant change in Kizen life began this week, which was that...
"Scott Snyder. Ten points deducted."
The student protection period had completely ended.
Now, professors could officially evaluate and grade students, and it was possible to punish or discipline them.
"Is this what you call an assignment?"
"Slow! Slow! Everything is so slow! TAs! Deduct twenty points from all students who can't keep up!"
"Get out of my class right now."
The professors of Kizen revealed their true colors as if they had been waiting for this moment.
The professors who had been friendly with the students now showed a completely different attitude.
Classes became harder, and students who couldn't keep up were mercilessly penalized.
Those deemed below standard were kicked out of class.
The students were dismayed by the changed attitudes of their professors, but they could finally feel that they had truly arrived at Kizen.
The weak were not needed in Kizen.
To prove this, just two days after the student protection period ended, twenty students packed their bags and left the school.
Even though midterms, performance evaluations, and duel evaluations had not yet taken place, the dropout rate was significant.
Simon struggled to adapt to the changed atmosphere during the two days since the student protection period ended.
If there was still a professor treating students the same way as before, it was...
"Come on, run!"
"Yes!"
Hong Peng from the martial arts class.
To be precise, she had never cared about the student protection period, making students hang on to running hippos or cursing them to crawl up hills, and even recklessly throwing them into a herd of hippos.
So, unlike the increased difficulty of other professors' classes, Hong Peng's class remained the same.
Students began to feel that the martial arts class was relatively comfortable.
Of course, Hong Peng was not the type to penalize students or mentally pressure them.
"Huff! Huff! Still, it's better to run like this without thinking!"
Dick, who was running beside Simon, gasped for breath.
"I can still see the glare of Professor Bahil, who deducted ten points from me in a row! Huff! Huff! Long live the martial arts class!"
Simon chuckled.
"Hah! Hah! You guys are so relaxed!"
Simon and Dick turned their heads.
"Oh, Meilin?"
Meilin, who always lagged behind during running sessions, was now catching up to the two.
She was panting heavily but was determined to keep running.
"Huff! Hah! What’s with you? Can you really raise your pace like that?"
Instead of answering, Meilin bit her lip and managed to pass by the two.
Dick's eyes widened.
"…She’s really fired up. Huh! But why is she like that?"
"Tomorrow is the Cyclops performance evaluation."
As the leader of Group 7 and a participant, she felt a strong sense of responsibility for this Cyclops performance evaluation.
Meilin's biggest weakness was her lack of stamina.
She was slow in movement and couldn't properly dodge the Cyclops's attacks.
So, she focused more on stamina training than on Dark Flare during the remaining time.
'She’s really impressive.'
First in the written exam scores for the entrance exam.
First in Class A.
The only one to score an average of over 90 in Jane's test.
Simon thought Meilin was just a genius, but in reality, she was a relentless hard worker.
According to what he heard from Kamibarez, Meilin didn't even sleep properly because she was studying.
Studying late into the night in the girls' dormitory lounge, she would take a short nap and return the next morning, only to find Meilin still studying with a tissue stuck in her nose.
It was said that she overcame the fatigue and drowsiness that came with studying by using medication.
From morning until the moment she fell asleep, it was all about studying.
Simon couldn't understand what drove her to be so relentless.
"Alright, now break time!"
As soon as Hong Peng gave the order, the students sprawled out on the grass.
The TAs walked around distributing stamina recovery drinks.
"Ugh."
Dick lay flat after downing his drink in one go.
"Regardless of anything else, if I take martial arts classes for three years, I’ll be a muscle man by the time I graduate. That much is certain."
"……"
Hearing Dick's joke, Kamibarez rubbed her legs.
Simon chuckled at the sight.
"Just running a bit in martial arts class won't build muscle, Kam."
"Y-yes? No! That's not it!"
"Kam is so delicate that it wouldn't hurt to bulk up a bit."
"That's not what I mean!"
At that moment, a cheerful laughter lingered among the three when Meilin approached them quickly.
"Simon! Look at this!"
"Huh?"
"That thing where you step on the pitch-black!"
She bent her knees and jumped up from the spot.
To a height greater than expected, a proper pitch-black formed beneath her legs.
Swoosh!
As she landed, she looked back at Simon with shining eyes.
"How is it? How is it?"
"Uh, um."
Simon scratched his head.
"You're doing well? Really."
"Really, really? Hehe! I practiced a lot for tomorrow!"
"That's amazing, Meilin!"
To overcome her weakness in such a short time was a remarkable achievement, as Kamibarez had said.
Of course, behind the scenes, she must have put in unimaginable effort.
Looking at the state of her feet when she landed, it was clear that they were not in good shape.
"Don't overdo it, Meilin."
Simon said with concern.
"We caught the Cyclops during the simulation, right? Success in the performance evaluation is within reach."
"……Yeah. But I can't be satisfied with just success."
Fire ignited in Meilin's eyes.
"First place. I’m aiming for first place no matter what."
Just as Simon was about to say something, the TAs clapped their hands.
"Alright, everyone up! We will run to the next destination all at once!"
"Yes!"
Now accustomed to Hong Peng's class, the students quickly got up and lined up.
"Go!"
At Hong Peng's shout, everyone enjoyed the refreshing breeze as they ran down the beautiful hillside.
The yellow rapeseed flowers bloomed abundantly in this place, making it look as if gold covered the entire mountain.
Simon couldn't help but admire Hong Peng's eye for choosing such beautiful natural scenery for the class.
"Simon!"
At that moment, Hong Peng suddenly popped out.
Simon was startled and replied.
"Ah, yes! Professor!"
"Are you practicing the pitch-black technique I taught you well?"
"Of course!"
Hong Peng had taught Simon the technique to activate the pitch-black within the body, temporarily enhancing physical capabilities.
"Oh, you really learn quickly! No matter how you look at it, Simon is perfect for martial arts!"
"……Ahaha."
"Professor!"
At that moment, the martial arts TA, Brad, rushed over.
Brad glanced at Simon and quickly turned to report to Hong Peng.
"We have an injury in the rear. A student seems to have slightly sprained their ankle."
"Oh, I'll go take a look."
Hong Peng patted Simon's shoulder and ran after Brad.
Another TA led the students down the hill and declared a break.
Everyone sat on the grass and drank.
"Kam, where did Meilin go?"
At Dick's question, Kamibarez shrugged.
"I don't know. I thought she was with Simon since I kept lagging behind."
At that moment, a murmur was heard from behind.
Simon quickly stood up, and Kamibarez covered her mouth with her hands.
"No way..."
Dick's complexion turned pale.
Among the murmuring students, a female student was being carried on a TA's back.
A bandage was wrapped around her ankle.
"Meilin!"
Kizen Central Hospital.
Meilin lay on the bed, staring blankly as if her soul had left her body.
Around her stood Simon, Dick, and Kamibarez with serious faces.
"Meilin Villeneuve."
A doctor in a white coat flipped through a file.
"You've severely sprained your ankle. For the time being, you will need crutches, and while attending classes is fine, you will have to skip all practical classes involving physical movement for a week."
It was a thunderous declaration.
Meilin raised her upper body with bloodshot eyes.
"No, I can walk just fine with this injury!"
"Student."
The doctor smiled gently and tapped the profile.
"This is not a recommendation; it's an order."
"……!"
Meilin bit her lip.
"I know you are passionate about your studies, but some things just can't be done. All classes that require walking will be excluded."
This was precisely why Kizen students avoided the hospital even when they were injured.
The doctors prioritized the recovery of the patients, while the students prioritized surviving in Kizen.
These two values always clashed.
Doctors believed that if students were seriously injured in class, it was natural to give them a few weeks of rest, but that gap in time tightened the noose around the students' necks.
If you got hurt, it was your loss.
"……"
After the doctor delivered the unilateral notice and left, a heavy silence fell over the hospital room where only the four remained.
Everyone had worked so hard to prepare for the performance evaluation, and now, on the eve of the actual battle, a team member had injured her leg.
But no one blamed Meilin.
It was an unfortunate accident, and they all knew how hard Meilin had worked on this group project.
"……Meilin."
"I'm really sorry. Just leave me alone."
Meilin said, lowering her head.
"I want to be alone."
"……"
Her face was completely devoid of spirit.
It seemed that no words of comfort would reach her now.
Dick and Kamibarez exchanged glances and nodded.
"Si-Simon."
Kamibarez called Simon in a small voice, gripping his sleeve.
But Simon did not move.
"Even if you sit here crying, nothing will change."
Kamibarez and Dick were taken aback.
It was a cold remark that was unlike Simon.
Meilin bit her lip and raised her head.
"……Then what should I do?"
"We need to find another way."
"Another way?"
She let out a laugh.
It was a self-deprecating and hysterical laugh.
"You know, right? This is a tactic and position we've worked hard on for a week! We've practiced to the death according to this position, and tomorrow is the real battle with a living Cyclops! What other way is there? Ah— I see! You're mocking me, right? Yes, yes, it's all my fault! Even if you guys get the lowest score in the performance evaluation! Even if this score ends up getting us kicked out of Kizen! It's all my fault! I got too carried away and hurt my leg...!"
"Enough."
Simon's eyes glimmered.
The three felt a chill run down their spines.
Was this really Simon? He felt like a completely different person.
As the surroundings quieted down, Simon let out a light sigh and said,
"If you all are fine with it, I will step up as a participant tomorrow."