Chapter 6
***
"D-Don't be ridiculous! Contact Nephtys right now! How dare you treat me like this...! "
Poof.
Lucius vanished from existence.
A few drops of what appeared to be blood splattered onto the ground.
That was all.
Everyone stared, mouths agape, blinking in disbelief.
"There's no time. All enrollees, board the ship."
Silaji said, turning around with his hands clasped behind his back.
"You too."
"...."
Simon nodded silently and headed towards the ship.
The atmosphere among the enrollees was frozen in silence after the incident.
However, some students, unable to contain their excitement, whispered among themselves.
"That was Hemomancy dark magic!"
"I'm aiming for Curseology, but I was momentarily tempted."
"First-years can take that professor's class, right?"
As Simon walked towards the ship, he glanced at Silaji.
Silaji was also looking at him.
Their eyes met, and Silaji smiled.
"Don't worry. I didn't kill him."
"...Ah, yes."
As Simon boarded the ship, Silaji said,
"Everyone, fasten your seatbelts."
Silaji waved his hand in the air.
A reddish, bubble-like membrane expanded, enveloping the entire ship.
Simon watched curiously.
'How are we going to get to Kizen on this ship?'
The bow was pointed towards the land, not the sea.
He wondered if they were going in reverse, but then a minion, who had been communicating with someone, reported to Silaji.
"Professor, we'll arrive in five minutes."
"Guide it as planned."
The murmuring among the students grew louder.
A massive spray of water was approaching from the horizon.
Whoosh!
The spray grew larger and larger, and a moment later, an indescribably enormous whale emerged.
"Whoa!"
The whale opened its mouth wide, swallowed the ship whole, and descended into the ocean.
***
The 'Abyssal Whale,' an aquatic undead that obeyed Kizen's commands.
It roamed the world's oceans, devouring the ports of cities designated by Kizen.
However, once a year, it performed the task of transporting Kizen's new students, who weren't permitted to teleport, to the school.
Simply put, it was Kizen's high-speed 'transport.'
Despite being inside a whale's belly, the interior was quite warm and comfortable.
Kizen minions residing within the whale boarded the ship, attending to the new students and providing them with food.
The atmosphere soon lightened, and everyone chatted excitedly about their future school life.
"You were amazing earlier."
Simon was talking to the student next to him.
The green-haired boy with a prominent forehead introduced himself as "Rowan Oscar."
He was so sociable that he had already made friends with several people before approaching Simon.
"You know, it was a tense atmosphere, and you ran over there and grabbed his wrist like that!"
"It was nothing special."
Simon replied nonchalantly, cutting his fish steak.
The flesh sliced easily, and he drizzled lemon juice over it.
As Rowan chattered and Simon nodded along, Rowan suddenly clapped his hands and asked,
"By the way, what did you take for the entrance exam?"
"Entrance exam?"
Simon tilted his head, puzzled.
"Was there such a thing?"
"Of course! Everyone takes it to enter Kizen! I, for instance, did shape-shifting with Jet Black..."
As Rowan seamlessly transitioned into talking about himself, Simon remained lost in thought.
An exam? He had no recollection of taking any such test.
'If I mention this carelessly, won't it cause problems with fairness?'
He had already received an item worth 5,000 gold coins; he couldn't burden Nephtys any further.
Rowan, having finished his exaggerated heroic tale, asked excitedly,
"What about you?"
"Uh, um... Mine was similar to yours. Jet Black shape-shifting."
"Oh, what a coincidence!"
"Everyone, take your seats. We'll be arriving soon."
Silaji's voice echoed.
The students, who had been gathered in noisy groups, quickly returned to their seats.
Arriving so soon after departing?
A wave of nervousness washed over him.
Simon fastened his seatbelt and straightened his clothes.
Silaji, who had come up to the deck, spread the reddish membrane over the ship, just like before, and then the whale's belly began to fill with water.
"Hold on tight if you don't want to fall."
Since Silaji said this with a chilling smile, Simon gripped the handle of the seat in front of him with all his might.
Whoosh!
Like a dam bursting, the water, having filled to the brim, erupted with tremendous force.
The students screamed as the dizzying speed made them feel weightless.
A bright light appeared at the end of the dark tunnel, and the ship shot out of it in an instant.
Whoosh!
They were outside.
Thousands of meters above ground, where the land looked like a toy.
The ship was riding the water spout propelled by the Abyssal Whale.
The force of the water spout gradually weakened, and the bow pointed downwards.
The students screamed in terror.
Now, they were falling.
"Gasp!"
Simon clung to the seat in front of him.
The surroundings whizzed past as they plummeted downwards.
His clothes flapped wildly in the wind.
Scratch.
Silaji nicked his index finger with his fingernail.
A drop of blood was absorbed into the membrane surrounding the ship, and their descent gradually slowed.
When Simon cautiously opened his eyes, the ship was descending slowly, like a hot air balloon.
"Whoa...!"
The students gasped.
Beyond the blue horizon, the sun, painting the world in orange hues, presented a breathtaking sunrise.
Below the ship, the landscape of 'Locke Island,' where Kizen was located, unfolded.
A lush jungle, a smooth expanse of wilderness, a waterfall cascading with fallen leaves, and snow-capped mountains.
All four seasons could be seen at once on this island.
"Rowan! Wake up!"
"...."
Of course, most of the students, including Rowan, were still huddled in their seats or retching.
The ship, slowing its descent like a deployed parachute, finally landed safely on the ground.
Sighs of relief erupted from all around.
Some students immediately ran to nearby trees and vomited.
"Disembark and form four lines."
After a quick headcount, Silaji led the students away.
Kizen was an enormous castle, its scale difficult to comprehend.
A giant gatekeeper opened the castle gates, and they entered after passing through several layers of security dark magic.
Besides Simon's group, who had arrived via the Abyssal Whale, there were other enrollees who had arrived through different routes.
They all looked exhausted, suggesting their journeys were also dynamic.
"We'll be moving quickly. This way, please!"
Minions waiting inside the castle swiftly guided them.
The students were immediately led into a nearby building, where they received their uniforms and were separated by gender into changing rooms.
"Please change into your uniforms within five minutes and gather outside."
Everything here was swift.
Simon, swept along by the atmosphere, quickly changed into his uniform.
'Even Kizen's uniforms are stylish.'
The sleek black pants, tailored to fit perfectly, resembled a suit more than a uniform.
It fit snugly but didn't hinder his movements at all.
He put on a white shirt and a reddish tie, then donned a stylish jacket with the Kizen emblem.
He approached the mirror.
'Wow.'
Was this what a good suit fit felt like? He looked incredibly dashing in his new attire.
The design was a mix between a uniform and a suit, stylish enough to attend a banquet.
Elated, Simon turned around, admiring his new look.
"Look! The jacket is enchanted!"
"The uniform doubles as combat gear. They say it's tougher than most armor."
Hearing the voices from outside the changing room, Simon ran his hand over the jacket.
A faint magical power emanated from the fabric, confirming it was indeed enchanted.
Just how expensive was this? It was practically like wearing gold.
"Two minutes until assembly!"
At the minion's urging, Simon quickly put on his shoes and went outside.
The students, changed into their Kizen suit-uniforms, were admiring themselves in the mirrors with beaming faces.
"Please come out now! We'll be moving!"
Simon and the male students emerged from the changing room, and the female students emerged from the opposite side.
Both groups paused almost simultaneously, as if on cue. Simon was no exception.
'...The girls' uniforms are prettier.'
A stylish black jacket with the Kizen logo, a white blouse and a thin tie peeking from underneath, and a skirt that reached just above the knee.
The female uniform was also a blend of school uniform and suit, tailored to fit each student perfectly.
It gave them a slightly more mature look.
"Male and female students, please form two lines and proceed to the main auditorium."
Perhaps because they were all impressed by each other's appearances, a strange atmosphere flowed between the two groups as they walked to the auditorium.
They stole glances at each other's attire while walking, quickly averting their gaze when their eyes met.
Whispers about who was handsome and who was pretty already filled the air.
Simon thought, so this was what school life felt like.
They descended the stairs and finally entered the main auditorium where the entrance ceremony was being held.
Many students were already seated, and Simon's group was among the last to arrive.
"Simon! Is this real? We're at Kizen! Wow, I can't believe it!"
Rowan, who had somehow found him again after they separated at the changing rooms, started chattering.
Simon looked around and asked,
"Are all these people enrollees?"
"Of course! There are 1,000 first-year enrollees!"
Simon's jaw dropped. It was far more than he had imagined.
"And there are about 300 second-years, and less than half that number of third-years, I heard."
"...What?"
"You know what that means, right?"
Rowan chuckled darkly.
"Only the top 30% of these 1,000 students can advance to the second year. That's how fierce the competition is."
A survival competition at school?
It didn't make sense to Simon.
Just how intense could it be for 700 students to be forced to leave school?
While he was pondering this, the minions directed all the students to their seats.
Rowan quickly scanned the surroundings and began pointing out various individuals to watch out for.
"Serene Aidark! She enrolled this year, as expected. The official heir of the Ivory Tower."
In the direction Rowan pointed, Simon saw a girl with platinum blonde hair and a cold demeanor.
"All the promising figures from renowned families are here! Darwin Carradine! Jay Sanders... Wow! Who's that?"
"Where?"
"Look behind you."
Simon turned around and saw someone particularly striking.
A massive male student, over three meters tall.
The unfortunate students sitting behind him were craning their necks with pained expressions.
"Chatel Maer. A giant hybrid."
"...He's big."
"He'll probably go for the Magical Combat major. Who can stand up to that physique?"
Rowan shook his head.
"And... Heh."
Rowan's lips curled upwards as he looked to the left.
Not only Rowan, but many others were looking in the same direction.
A girl with black hair and crimson eyes, sitting calmly.
"Without a doubt, she's the top student this year. Lorain Archbold."
Simon flinched but nodded nonchalantly.
"I thought she'd be a 'special admission' since she's Lady Nephtys' only daughter, but I heard she took the entrance exam with decent scores and got in normally."
"Really?"
"She might not be the valedictorian or salutatorian, but I think everyone knows. She's the best among this year's enrollees."
Simon agreed.
He had witnessed her skills firsthand, so he knew better than anyone.
Just then, a man's voice echoed from the podium.
"We will now begin the entrance ceremony! All students, please rise from your seats."
A man who appeared to be the emcee proceeded with the event.
As expected of Kizen, the proceedings were brisk, efficient, and to the point.
The vice-principal's speech and the administrator's explanation of the rules were also concise and informative.
It was quite convenient for the listeners.
The biggest cheers erupted when the faculty members appeared.
Top-class necromancers, like Silaji, who were still active in the field.
They were such prominent figures that even Simon, who was unfamiliar with continental affairs, had heard of them.
The students' reactions were almost fanatical as their idols appeared before them.
While Rowan beside him was foaming at the mouth and shouting, Simon carefully observed the faculty members.
"Lady Nephtys isn't here."
Rowan chuckled at Simon's murmur.
"Would that great necromancer appear at a mere first-year entrance ceremony? You'll be lucky to even catch a glimpse of her when you're a third-year."
"...Is that so?"
He doubted Rowan would believe him if he said that very person was wandering around Langerstein lost, with ice cream smeared on her face.
"Next, we will have the student representative oath. All students, please rise from your seats."
Finally, the last part of the entrance ceremony.
Simon rose from his seat.
According to Rowan, the student representatives were supposed to be the top male and female students from the first-year class.
"The students whose names are called, please come to the podium."
The emcee said, unfolding a document.
"Special Admission Number 2. Serene Aidark."
A huge cheer erupted.
The girl with platinum blonde hair rose from her seat and walked forward.
Whispers of "Ivory Tower heir" rippled through the crowd.
"And Special Admission Number 1."
As the emcee spoke again, the murmurs abruptly ceased.
"Simon Polentia."
***
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