After dinner, they headed over to their party office .
Desir picked up the schedule from his desk and distributed it to the party members . Everyone read through the schedule that would dictate whether their semester as would be heaven or hell . Their schedules seemed to differ a lot from the first semester . Pram was carefully looking at his schedule and his lips ended up forming a smile .
“We have three courses together, Desir!”
Pram shouted out in delight .
Desir was a magician . Pram was a swordman . As they had different foundational curriculum to follow, they barely had a chance to share the same class .
Starting this second semester, they had a couple of mandatory common classes . As a result, Desir and Pram would be taking quite a few classes together .
Romantica narrowed her eyes as she checked out her schedule .
“Look at this . The previous sparring class professor is sick, and they hired a new professor for the class . Their name is… Essenblanc Tistachia? It doesn’t sound like he is from Hebrion . What do you think?”
“You can tell when you hear his accent . ”
“I don’t care who that is, but I just hope he’s better than the Magic Engineering professor . ”
The professor of the Magic Engineer class was Pugman .
* * *
The next day, the full schedule of Hebrion Academy academic curriculum began .
Botany Class lecture .
The professor of Botany, for the Alpha Class, was Prof . Katweek . She was in her mid-50s . Her voice was slow and calm . Her lecture was mainly theoretical . Romantica was already bored while sitting in this lecture .
“Perhaps, she’s going to focus on Mandra Gondra . I don’t even know why we need to know that Mandra Gondra’s scream is closely related to abdominal pain and all of that . ”
Harrumphed Romantica .
“There will be times when you need to act based on all of your knowledge . ”
Desir responded .
History Class lecture .
The professor of this class was a young man, Prof . Kevin . He has had a very sharp nose and wore rectangular glasses with sharp angles on their edges . He always assigned a tremendous amount of homework to his students as he felt that History Class was the most important class of all .
“Professor Kevin thinks that we only have History Class in this school . ”
Romantica criticized as she dumped the history textbook in her locker . So far, there was no class that she really liked and felt positive about .
“Plus, we have Rune class next . I don’t know how I will be able to fix myself to a seat for those long dragging hours . ”
Romantica sighed deeply, as if trying to sink into the ground . Prof . Banquick had the longest lecture of them all .
Surprisingly though, the lecture wasn’t boring at all . It was fantastic . Prof . Banquick was an old man in his 60s with thick glasses . His lecture today ended 10 minutes earlier than it was supposed to . Students screamed, bursting out into the hallway when they found out the lecture was over .
“I can’t believe that he ended his lecture early . Why do you think he did that?”
“Maybe he had something to celebrate?”
They tried to guess how this miracle occured .
“I think it’s you, Desir . ”
Adjest pointed out .
“Me?”
“Yeah . It’s because… um…”
“Because that professor is also a commoner like you . ”
A strange voice jumped into the conversation . It was a tall boy with dark eyebrows . He was wearing a blue coat that represented the Blue Moon Party . Grade 1, single ranker top 3 . Donetta Hadune . His tone was pretty haughty .
“Commoners have a barbaric misconception that they will be successful if others of their kind are successful . They are like parasites living off of each other . Don’t you think so?”
A frown crept onto Romantica face . Just as she was about to say something, Desir turned his head away .
“Not worth it . Ignore him . ”
What just happened was going to be nothing in comparison with what was instore for them in Magic Engineering class . As soon as Desir and his friends entered the lecture room, all of the attention spotted fell onto them .
It was anything but warm, welcoming attention . Most of the students in this lecture were Blue Moon Grade 1 and 2 single rankers who were outright hostile to Desir and his party members .
After Adjest changed party from Blue Moon to Desir’s, they were more sensitive and harsh towards Desir’s party .
The director of Blue Moon Party is was Professor Pugman . He hates hated commoners . He disliked Desir in particular since during the promotion period, he involved himself in the problem of the transfer of Adjest from Blue Moon to Desir’s party . He had even managed to somehow become meaner than he was in the last semester . One day, during a practical lesson on building a First-Circle magic sequence using a Class Six magic stone, Desir submitted a complete sequence before everybody else . However, he got a minus mark on his grade . Prof . Pugman said that Desir didn’t check his work carefully, but everyone knew it was just an excuse .
“That was a ridiculous nitpick . ”
Romantica said as she poured salt into her soup .
“You did build it perfectly . You didn’t even have to review it . ”
“He just needed an excuse to deduct points . ”
Said Adjest as she shrugged her shoulders as if it were no surprise .
Things have always been like this . It’s always been a Blue Moon Party member who gets the top score . Desir’s party always had something less than them .
“What’s next?”
“Magic Theory . ”
“Is it Prof . Bridget?”
After the lunch was over, Desir, Adjest, and Romantica headed over to the lecture room for Magic Theory class .
“It is a beautiful day to talk about magic theory!”
Prof . Bridget was always calm . She was well-known as a Hollow Witch through out the continent . She was a magnificent sorcerer, and her lecture was just so great and that nothing else could compare .
Unlike other lectures that emphasized theories and were filled up with rambling discussions and tangential tirades, her lecture was more skewed towards practical exercises based on real situations . Therefore it was easy but contained so much useful information .
After explaining a concept, Prof . Bridget spoke to the students .
“Okay, we are now going to practice alternating the magic we already know . Make groups of three, and after you practice performing it, give feedback to each other . Today’s lecture and practice will be applied to the final evaluation . ”
The students spread out to practice magic on their own .
Prof . Bridget was busy walking around the lecture room and helping students cast magic correctly, giving feedback on how they invoked their magic . After the lecture was over, Prof . Bridget walked up to Desir .
“Please follow me to my office, Desir . ”
“Yes . ”
He answered as he nodded . It was a surprise to Desir, but he tried not to show any awkwardness .
* * *
Her room was full of well-organized books and references, just like a library . Among them there were unique and antique references . Desir had been to this office a couple of times already, but every time he came here, he couldn’t help but be astonished at the scale of it .
Prof . Bridget brought out two cups of hot tea . She placed them on the table, then signalled Desir to come over with her hand . As soon as Desir had a seat, she started talking .
“Desir, do you remember when we first met?”
“Of course, I do . ”
Desir nodded quickly .
“The Royal Library that all citizens are allowed to visit freely . You were reading a book there . Even though you were so young at that time, you were so thirsty for knowledge and eager to read more . ”
“It was my only learning place and I was pretty desperate at that time . ”
Prof . Bridget made a bitter smile .
“I felt bad for you because I knew that you had so much passion for learning, but you couldn’t due to the limited environment you were in . That’s why I gave you a recommendation for Hebrion Academy . ”
Desir nodded his head as the memory of his past was still so vivid .
Without her help, it was impossible for Desir to enter Hebrion Academy to begin with . Desir already had excellent skills . With her help, he could create First-Circle spells and was accepted by Hebrion Academy with Bridget’s recommendation .
Bridget was a savior to Desir .
“Desir, you were someone beyond what I could imagine . And honestly, I couldn’t ever imagine you reaching where you are now . ”
Then, her face darkened .
“You again saved so many people in a foreign land . I am truly proud of you . But… I wish you would take care of yourself more…”
Desir couldn’t say anything to her .
“I know that you didn’t have a choice, but I still think that this is way too dangerous To sacrifice yourself all of the time to save other’s lives . ”
Bridget’s voice betrayed her worry on this matter .
“You must be so sick of hearing this from other people . I want you to remember that there are so many people who think about you . Do you know what I mean?”
“… Yes, I do . Professor . ”
“Alright, you should go now . ”
When Bridget finally heard Desir’s response, her face regained its smile .