Chapter 18 - The Nail Which Sticks Out, Will Be Hammered Down

***

Basil looked in front of him. A bunch of kids were looking at him in puzzlement, while some in bafflement. None of them were wary of him. All of them wore a look of curiosity, infatuation, or jealousy.

'Naive.'

Only one person who kept his vigilance, that was Chester Cowdray. He had been Basil's teacher since the beginning of his academy year. He knew Basil well. It could be said that he was the only one who regarded Basil highly.

Both of them were highly intelligent people, they were attracted to each other, not in the wrong way. Basil was Chester's favorite student, therefore upon seeing him, he was extremely befuddled.

'He looked like Basil, however he is not the Basil I know.'

He could tell at one glance that something was amiss with Basil. It wasn't about his height or appearance, but his aura. He usually put a poker face to hide his insecurity. Although he had never given up, his aura was depressive.

However, at this moment, Basil was the embodiment of confidence. He was radiating might, that a teenager at his age shouldn't have. The way Basil looked at him in the eyes, made his heart beat faster, not in the wrong way. He felt like he was stared by a legend.

At this thought, he tightened his guard.

'Is he...?'

"I am not possessed," said Basil with a faint smile

Basil answered his thought even before he finished it. He gulped wordlessly.

This student of mine, isn't he fearsome?

He scrutinized Basil from top to bottom. It was at that moment that Basil released the Mana his heart contained that he had hidden.

"Ah..."

A gasp of admiration unconsciously escaped from his mouth. He felt proud and awe at the same time. He felt proud that his student had finally realized his dream, and he felt awe by the sheer amount of Mana Basil exuded.

'It is comparable to the peak stage of a Second-Circled Mage can control. Meanings, none of the students could beat him in terms of Mana Capacity.'

It was all thanks to Mana Heart. Although it might seem amazing that the Mana he could contain was comparable to the peak stage of Second-Circled Mage could control, it was nothing amazing.

The Mana Heart was still in its infancy, therefore it still couldn't contain much Mana. Normally, someone with Mana Heart had at least three times of the Mana Capacity a normal person had.

However, his Mana Heart was different. It wasn't as great as Dragon Heart right off the bat, he needed to cultivate it gradually. When it reached the highest stage of cultivation, even Dragon Heart would be nothing in front of it.

"Welcome back, Basil. It has been days since your absence."

"The wind is strong, however I wanted to sway along."

"Ah! The bark is strong, and sway you did."

"Hm."

A poetic yet cryptical words were thrown out of their mouths back and forth. No one understood what they were saying.

Basil had loved literature ever since he had laid his eyes upon it. Coincidentally, Chester was the same. Therefore, these two made a perfect duo of literature enthusiast.

They used sophisticated words and connotations, that not many people used. However, the exact conversation went like this.

— I got a few difficulties in my way, however I wanted to challenge myself.

— You managed to do that, and came back stronger.

— I very much enjoy it.

— That is one of an experience!

They shared nothing important, however they liked to speak with their own language. It was to prove their existence, and to show the difference between them and the others.

The whole class looked at them in awe. They didn't understand the content. However, listening to their exchange felt awesome. It felt like they were watching two Spellcasters reciting a chant!

Surely, not all of them thought of it this way. There were also some people who had different thoughts.

'Oh, my God! Is that the rumoured Forever First Year? He is so handsome!'

'Kyaa! I don't mind to take him as my husband. He is too handsome to be left alone!'

'Hmph! Showing off something we don't understand. What's the point?'

'Oh, no. What should I do, I didn't know that my brother Basil is this handsome.'

'Darn! I need to control myself. I am a straight young man! How could a man be so attractive?'

"!!!"

Basil became alert suddenly. Although he didn't show it on his face, his eyes rapidly scanned the room. He was assaulted with a sense of foreboding just then.

His eyes particularly landed on a lean and quite attractive male student. When he made eye contact with the student, the student dodged his gaze while blushing.

Basil's heart sank. It wasn't his first time getting this reaction. However, it didn't mean he could get used to it. This was the reason why he wanted a manly appearance. His face was too attractive that it attracted both genders!

He lamented faintly, "Ah.. what should I do? I live in times where my life is in due."

Chester quickly nodded his head and answered, "Fear not, you have to live the times, and life you keep."

Basil looked at Chester silently. It seemed he misunderstood what Basil had said. However, he didn't plan to rebuke it. He merely nodded and took off his robe. It was Robe of Infiltration. A robe exclusive only to the second year.

Although he had never managed to advance to the second year, he received it from Chester as a token of his hard work. When he finally took off the robe, everyone gasped in surprise.

His neck was wrapped by two little furry hands, and a cute dog face with two little fangs protruding out of his mouth could be seen.

"Saberwolf?"

"Yes."

"You made a contract with it?"

"No, I bound him with myself."

"You.. tamed him?"

Basil nodded faintly and it left Chester dumbfounded. Saberwolf was a second class magical beast. A First-Circled Mage shouldn't normally be able to kill it, let alone tame it.

However, an academy student, even before carving his Circle no less, managed to tame it. It was simply unprecedented.

It was thanks to Basil's skills, however Chester didn't know it, and Basil had no plan to explain it to him. No one had the right to know everything what he could do.

The Saberwolf dropped down to the floor and sat in front of Basil. He looked so obedient and cute. However, none of the people knew the history between these two.

It was the same Saberwolf who chased Basil for an entire day in Vyres. He had encountered it once again on his way back. The Saberwolf chased him once again, however Basil didn't have any intention to play with it anymore.

Therefore, he trampled upon it. Just when Basil was about to pierce its heart, barehanded no less, it pledged its loyalty to him. Basil had only two criteria for a companion. They were smart and obedient. The Saberwolf got these two quality, and thus he bound it to him.

It was a special technique that was only known by Beast Tamer, one of the branches of Knight. The bound had been quickly established, and the Saberwolf was reborn anew. He was named Deacon.

Deacon looked at the people in front of him and then looked up at his master expectantly. It was a cute gesture, however the meaning wasn't so.

— Should I massacre them?

Basil looked at him silently and shook his head in the next moment.

Not yet.

Deacon nodded and remained silent as he sat on the floor. Chester who was looking at the brief exchange, felt a chill on his spine. It was instinctual, he had no explanation for it.

"Kuhum.. due to the interruption, I almost forgot that we are supposed to practice Magic today."

"Ah.. that's right."

As if on cue, the classroom became rowdy once again. They had been finally awakened from their half dazed state.

"Basil, you are going to join us?"

"Sure."

"Alright, everyone. Let's move to the field!"

While stealing glances at Basil, the whole class went to the field with Chester in the lead. Well, almost everyone. There was someone who remained in the classroom.

"I-it has been a long time."

Shirley confronted Basil before he exited the classroom. Basil was puzzled, while Deacon's eyes glinted in an incomprehensible way.

'Darn! Why did I stutter?!'

She had planned to say it with dignity, however she couldn't do it in the end. She was nervous for some reason.

"It has been a long time, Shirley."

She could only nod dumbly. She was elated that Basil responded her. Basil didn't pay her anymore attention, as he quickly exited the classroom.

She was quickly awaken from her trance and chased Basil's back. Without her realizing it, she was already walking side by side with him. She was strangely happy today.

Basil too felt a quite good mood today, at least before it was ruined by someone.

"Psst. Darling, I think she had a thing for you."

Basil merely shook his head, and shouted indignantly in his head, "Stop corrupting me!" Who was he to joke? He, Basil Pacifer, wasn't a lolicon!

...

Everyone had finally arrived at the field. Although it was called a field, it looked like a stadium. There were seats for people to watch. The field was also called with another name, Battle Ground. Thus, the seats for people to watch.

Everyone was standing in line, however Basil wasn't a part of the line. Although he had already introduced his name in front of these kids, it had been just to announce his presence.

Therefore, he had no thoughts of mixing himself with them. Fortunately, Chester didn't seem to mind it. He was explaining the procedures to cast the three spells which these kids would learn for the whole year.

Basil didn't pay any attention to it. Why would he? He had even mastered a Magic Art that no one had learned. Listening to an explanation of an imperfect technique was no more than wasting time to him.

"Alright, Daniel! You will be the lucky number one."

"Very well."

Confidence was radiating out of Daniel. He extended his hand and chanted, "[Zil edenz adz utracht, Gale]!"

A swirl of wind was shot out of his palm. The wind was shot to the front and swirled horizontally, it wasn't very big however it was already an impressive size.

Daniel cut the flow of Mana and the wind quickly subsided. He looked at his classmates and was satisfied seeing the majority of them gaping in awe. When he looked at Basil, he was instantly irked.

Basil had no reaction or whatsoever. No, it even looked condescending.

"Hmm... It was fairly good for the first time. However! [Gale] should emerge vertically not horizontally!"

"Oh!"

Everyone except Basil nodded in understanding on Chester's comment. Even Daniel nodded his head and accepted his mistake. When he noticed Basil's lack of response, he got and idea.

"Mr. Cowdray, as the oldest out of us, shouldn't Mr. Cobham show us his skills too?"

He had expected an awkward expression from Chester and denial from Basil, however he got the response he hadn't expected.

"Of course, he will do that. Basil, will you be so kind to show your classmates?"

"I will not mind. However, I am going to take my advancement test too."

Silence. No one dared to utter any words. Everyone was aware of Basil's identity. He was an untalented student with a high intelligence. His knowledge in magic theory was so advanced it was comparable to the academy's teachers. Sadly, he couldn't use magic. Therefore he remained in the first year.

This time he was saying he would take his advancement test, which was none other than Magic Casting. Did it mean he had finally able to use magic?

Everyone looked at him and Chester expectantly. Only Daniel whose look remained the same. He was ridiculing Basil inwardly.

At that moment, Chester opened his mouth.

"Of course. If you ace the test, you will be a second year student immediately."

Thus, the test begun.