Chapter 5.2
* * *
“Thesis?”
“Yes. There’s a provision in the academy regulations that allows students to bypass classes with the professor’s consent if their thesis is accepted for publication in the Ivory Tower.”
There was.
But it was an obscure rule.
It was extremely rare for a current student of the academy to write a thesis worthy of publication in the Ivory Tower, and even if there were, there was a subject called the graduation thesis, so there was no need to substitute a specific subject with a thesis.
Even in the senior-level classes where most students submit their graduation thesis, if a thesis was published in the Ivory Tower, they would automatically receive an A+, so it wasn’t particularly difficult.
“Are you saying that even perennial underachievers will give it a try?”
Shreilmer said with a sympathetic tone.
“It won’t be easy.”
“I know. If I fail, I won’t be able to complete the Magic Taxonomy course and will be graded as failed anyway. If I’m going to fail anyway, I want to give it one more shot.”
“That’s a good approach. I admire Aden’s spirit of challenge.”
On the other hand, Phaedon quickly accepted the proposal.
If things escalate and become widely known, it could become a joke for the professors. If we can settle it at this level, there’s nothing more to hope for.
Without realizing it, Platinum mumbled.
“What challenge? It’s reckless. And I don’t intend to agree—”
“Quiet down. What’s wrong with doing well?”
“Chairman!”
“Shouldn’t a teacher be pleased when a student achieves? Didn’t you say he memorized the entire Magic Taxonomy textbook? Let’s encourage that.”
He grasped all of that in such a short time?
Phaedon’s ears seemed to be attuned to everything around him.
Platinum, refraining from deliberately bringing up anything favorable to Aden, turned his head slightly.
The girl who was quietly standing there caught his gaze.
While Platinum was still angry, another topic of contention crossed his mind.
“All right. I agree to that as well. But how are you going to handle that student?”
“That student? Ah, the one who locked the practice room and staged a sit-in protest.”
“Aden was indeed inside the practice room, but since he didn’t respond, well, let’s assume he was asleep. But that girl… no, that student, despite understanding my orders, refused to open the door. Isn’t this clearly a violation of authority?”
Now, Phaedon’s gaze turned towards Izein.
Platinum may have been quite reckless today, but he’s still a professor.
Izein’s actions did indeed violate the rules.
“Izein Caddock. Is it true?”
“…Yes.”
Izein didn’t offer any excuses.
If Aden were to mention that he couldn’t be disturbed during an extremely focused training session, questions would arise about the nature of the training.
They couldn’t tell them that.
Aden was free from disciplinary action. It would have been a relief if the matter ended with him being disciplined.
“I’ll accept the punishment gracefully.”
“Izein, why?”
However, Aden approached and took hold of her arm.
“Izein only helped me. It was my ‘awakening’.”
His words caused everyone’s eyes to widen.
“Awakening?”
“No, you see—”
“Could it be… you succeeded in raising your level?”
Aden grinned and nodded.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Shreilmer was the first to rise from his seat.
“Congratulations!”
“Thank you, Professor.”
“You’ve been striving for so long without achieving success, but now your hard work has paid off. Congratulations, truly!”
Circle promotions were common at Hibernium.
It was a place packed with the young talents of the empire. On any given day, two or three would advance to the next level.
However a mage could not simply dismiss promotion as just a process.
For a mage, promotions were events that could happen anywhere from six times to as little as once or twice in a lifetime.
Even after staying up all night absorbing knowledge and practicing day after day, one couldn’t leap to the next level without enlightenment.
Even Phaedon, who was meeting Aden for the first time, extended his hand.
“Congratulations.”
“Yes.”
“Since I was in the middle of awakening, even the slightest disruption couldn’t be permitted. Izein’s actions to protect Aden are commendable, and no one can blame him.”
Platinum’s complexion had now turned somewhat pale.
“But why didn’t you say anything? If you had mentioned that Aden was in the process of enlightenment, it would have naturally been overlooked.”
“Uh… I…”
Izein was too confused to answer.
Not only had he succeeded in the extreme attempt to change the nature of internal mana, but he had also achieved a circle promotion?
The genuine talent of his master, which he newly realized, took her breath away.
Aden spoke up instead.
“Although it was something done for my sake, she intended to take responsibility because it was her own decision. That’s the kind of friend she is.”
“That’s virtue,”
Phaedon nodded.
“Damn it!!”
While everyone exchanged warm compliments, Platinum’s sense of inferiority was raging.
He was ignored by students, had been humiliated in front of the Magic Taxonomy class.Even though his shattered pride couldn’t be restored, he still wanted to drag his opponent down and pound them into the ground.
But his opponent was laughing with their superiors, completely unaffected.
It was agonizing to have his score tarnished in front of the authority figures he needed to impress.
‘How could that jerk…!’
As he glared at Aden, grinding his teeth, a memory surfaced.
As I was confronting Izein over the door, when the door opened, the smell of air rushed in.
Density of mana.
‘Yeah. He was always stuck at the 2nd circle.’
He must have used some trickery.
Why did Izein go in with him? To help?
There’s not much others can do in the realm of enlightenship. So, what was the reason she needed?
“If it’s the 2nd circle, the training room settings should be at level 2. That would’ve been barely noticeable to me.”
Bingo—
Platinum raised his hand abruptly.
“T-They were up to something dangerous.”
“What else?”
“Aden trained in a room set to the standard of Izein’s, meaning level 4. That’s right? And he succeeded in promotion like that. Such a perilous act!”
“What?”
Even the senior professor was perplexed at this statement, quickly turning his head.
“Is that true?”
Phaedon’s expression turned grave as well.
Aden smiled inwardly.
‘I was quite excited. Thankfully.’
He spoke, locking eyes with Phaedon.
“I have something to discuss separately.”
“Separately?”
“Yes. I request a private meeting with Professor Phaedon.”
Platinum shouted.
“What else are you trying to pull? Don’t you know there have been deaths from overexertion during advanced training? This is serious. How dare you, within Hibernium—”
“Enough. Aden, come with me.”
Phaedon decided to listen.
The decision was not too late to hear.
And that judgment proved effective.
“So, what’s your point?”
“It’s true that I was promoted today.”
“But?”
“It’s not to the 3rd circle, but to the 4th circle.”
Phaedon was rendered speechless.
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