The first day of the new semester was not only a day of crushing workload for the staff but also a whirlwind of busyness for the freshmen.
After finishing the entrance ceremony in the grand auditorium, the new students first headed to the Academy headquarters.
There, they verified their personal information against the pre-registered data and received their student IDs.
Next, they moved to a storage facility under the Finance Department, where they had their measurements taken and were issued uniforms.
They wouldn’t have to wear these uniforms often except for official events, but they were neat and stylish.
After circling the storage area and stocking up on various supplies necessary for campus life, the next step was dormitory room assignment.
The excitement of finally seeing the place where they would live for the next four years filled the new students’ hearts with anticipation.
Jacqueline was no exception.
“I’ll never forget this moment for the rest of my life. I’m finally going to live in Langbart! I’ve made it, Jacqueline. You’ve made it big!”
Even if she would be stuck in the dormitory 365 days a year, Langbart was still the capital and greatest city of the Lorencia Kingdom.
Shops full of the latest fashions, artist streets where the lights never went out, even at night!
Imagining herself walking along such streets, Jacqueline straightened her back, her chin rising almost to the point of staring at the sky.
The girl walking beside her grew concerned and asked,
“Why are you acting like that all of a sudden, Jacqueline?”
“Huh? Oh, it’s nothing. I was just… thinking about what a proper city lady should do first. Maybe I should buy a pretty handkerchief. You know, to ‘accidentally’ drop it while walking.”
“Haha. That’s quite an idea.”
The girl responding was Rita Ridge—Jacqueline’s first friend at the Academy.
Rita, like Jacqueline, was a freshman in the Magic University. She had lent Jacqueline her copy of the guide leaflet after Jacqueline missed the entrance ceremony briefing, and that’s how they had started talking.
Rita had her hair neatly braided into two plaits and wore round glasses—a perfect model-student look.
That impression made Jacqueline think Rita must be the smart, studious type.
“Rita, what electives did you pick?”
“For one, Magical Horticulture.”
“Huh? I thought first-years couldn’t take that.”
“Yeah, usually not. But I said I wanted to major in Witchcraft Crafting in my second year, so they allowed me to take it early.”
“Wow, you’ve got everything planned out, huh? But how do you even know all this stuff? I can barely remember the things they explained today.”
“My older brother graduated from the Academy. He told me a lot.”
“You have a brother?”
Jacqueline had a younger sister, one year apart. Her sister was steadier and more responsible than she was, though a bit nagging.
Right now, that sister was probably learning pumpkin farming from their father in Jacqueline’s place.
Feeling slightly guilty, Jacqueline changed the topic back.
“We get two elective slots. What about the other one?”
“Latest Magical Theory and Practice.”
“Eh?”
Jacqueline let out a strange noise.
Because…
“Latest Magical… wait, isn’t that taught by that professor? The one who gave that insufferable speech at the entrance ceremony?”
“Yeah. Professor Winter Winslet’s class.”
“And you still want to take it after hearing that speech? Everyone else is cursing him.”
“So what? Aren’t you curious how someone can be so confident that he talks like that at an entrance ceremony? Besides…”
“Besides what?”
“…He’s my type.”
Rita pushed her glasses up with one finger as she said it.
Jacqueline revised her first impression of Rita. Maybe she wasn’t just a meek model student after all.
Then Rita asked,
“But didn’t you register for that class too, Jacqueline?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“You didn’t seem the type… So you’re secretly into pretty faces too, huh?”
“What?”
“Well, why else would you register for the class of a professor you just called insufferable? Must’ve been for his face.”
“It wasn’t for his face!” Jacqueline jumped, flustered.
“I registered for that class purely for revenge.”
Rita looked at her, incredulous.
“Did he kill your father or something?”
“No. But that bastard called me ugly.”
“…?”
“I’m going to become a better mage than him and crush that arrogant nose of his flat.”
Rita opened her mouth, then closed it again, seeming to swallow back her words three times over.
“Well, I hope we can keep up with the class. Both of us. I wonder what kind of lessons Professor Winslet will teach.”
Chattering away, the freshmen finally arrived at the dormitories.
Four large apartment-like buildings stood in a row with a small lake behind them.
Each of the four buildings was assigned to different year groups in rotation, meaning the freshmen would be living in the same building as the seniors graduating four years later.
The supervising instructor led the freshmen into the building on the far left, labeled “Spring Hall.”
Rita said,
“Let’s hurry and unpack. My brother said all the dorm beds are bunk beds. If we’re late, all the bottom bunks will be taken.”
“I want a top bunk.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. It’s fun. It’s higher, and it has a ladder.”
“That’s good. I prefer bottom bunks, so we can share one.”
“Deal.”
Before letting them inside, the instructor addressed the freshmen sternly.
“Do not enter the forest northwest of the dormitories. Do not try to go around it by the lakeside either. Understood?”
Jacqueline immediately raised her hand.
“Why? Is it a forbidden forest? Are there unicorns or werewolves there? Right?”
“No. There are staff residences beyond that forest. People wandering around would damage the lawn. Unauthorized entry will result in demerits.”
After hearing the explanation, Jacqueline turned to Rita.
“Did you hear that? Let’s sneak there tonight.”
“What?”
“Or maybe tomorrow?”
“Jacqueline… did you even listen to what he just said?”
“Oh, look! That blonde over there is gorgeous. She looks like a doll! What’s her name, I wonder?”
Rita sighed deeply.
***
By the time I finished planning my first lecture as an Academy professor—deciding what to teach and how—the sun was already setting outside.
I had an evening appointment, so I left work and headed to a high-end restaurant in downtown Langbart.
Three people were waiting inside. I had reserved the entire place, so they were obviously here for me.
“Ah, Professor Winslet.”
“You’ve arrived.”
“We’ve been waiting.”
These were Academy officials who had close ties with Winter Winslet.
To put it crudely—they were lackeys.
One was the Vice Head of Academic Affairs, another the Vice Head of Administration, and the last the Head of Research Support. Their positions said enough about how much influence Winter Winslet wielded at the Academy.
“Wow, Professor. Thanks to you, I get to dine in a place like this for the first time in my life. Truly moving.”
“We should meet like this more often. Makes cooperation so much smoother.”
“Nothing’s more important than teamwork when we’re all in the same boat, right?”
What a bunch of sycophants.
As with most people living off royal salaries, their power far exceeded their income level. No wonder their eyes sparkled at the sight of such a luxurious restaurant.
“Sit.”
“Thank you, Professor.”
The reason I had called them here was for information gathering.
I wanted to fish for anything about the Academy that might lead to the Heptagram Society.
And, of course, enjoy a good meal while at it.
As soon as I sat, the staff began serving.
The aperitif was champagne mixed with peach purée.
Sweet and fizzy to whet the appetite, followed by simple appetizers, soup, fish, and meat dishes.
The three lackeys didn’t bother hiding their gluttony, devouring lobster bisque, grilled sea bass fillets, and beef tenderloin.
All the while, they conveniently brought up Academy gossip I might be interested in, giving me a clear picture of the current situation.
“Have you heard? The royal family is awarding a medal to the Academy chancellor. Definitely a royalist.”
“They should give bonuses to the staff instead. That would be far more helpful in the long run.”
“Exactly. We’re the ones doing all the hard work, after all.”
I almost laughed out loud.
The thing these three were best at was laundering money.
Every year, the Academy’s budget was shuffled around under the guise of various “investments” or “support programs,” eventually funneling into Winter Winslet’s secret accounts.
The more gold piled up in Winter Winslet’s vault, the more scraps fell their way. No one worked harder than they did to steal royal funds.
By the time dessert arrived, the Vice Head of Academic Affairs was scraping the bottom of his ice cream dish and said,
“I happened to hear that a new dean will soon be appointed to the Magic University.”
At the last faculty meeting, I had confirmed that the position of Dean of the First Magic University was vacant.
The previous one had been dismissed late last year for offending Winter Winslet.
“What kind of man is this new dean?”
“He’s from the Royal Magic Department’s Welfare Bureau. Word is he was quite the schemer there. But… his personality is said to be a bit difficult.”
“Difficult how?”
“He clashed a lot with other departments, bullied subordinates… lost a lot of favor, though he did produce results. Probably knows how to manipulate people.”
“Well, no matter who he is, he’ll know how to behave in front of Professor Winslet. Unless he’s insane or stupid.”
“Still, maybe we should grease the wheels a bit beforehand. The new semester’s starting; you’ll be busy, won’t you, Professor?”
“Good idea.”
“By the way, I heard a lot of students signed up for your class. Do you need anything? Just say the word, and we’ll arrange it.”
Their “just say the word” gave me an idea.
When I told them, their faces stiffened.
“Excuse me? You want healers on standby in case of injuries during class?”
“…All the Academy’s medical staff?”
“What exactly are you planning to do in this class…”
I saw no reason to hide it.
“It’s just a skill test. A simple one.”