The Second Provision (6)

“Lord Kern, do you happen to have a partner...?”

“Already got one.”

“Ah, yes. Understood.”

Perhaps because he had demonstrated so much, offers came pouring in. Any mage would naturally be delighted to have a dependable swordsman on the front line.

Even...

“... Excuse me.”

Dolores approached him too.

“Yeah?”

“D-do you have a partner?”

“Wow. You really are something.”

After all the commotion today, she was asking him to team up?

He was genuinely impressed. Apparently taking it the wrong way, Dolores bit her lip and glared at him.

“Don't misunderstand. I'm not putting you down. I mean, I cut your hair off.”

“... That's one thing, and this is another. Besides, teaming up with me would benefit you too, wouldn't it?”

He nodded. If he really were just an academy student, he would certainly have teamed up with Dolores. Whatever else she might be, she was the Magic Department's top student. Judging by her behavior today, she hadn't maintained that position for nothing.

“Sorry. I don't think that'll work.”

“... You're going to partner with her?” Dolores asked, pointing at Merhen.

“Yeah.”

“Why on earth? There's absolutely nothing in it for you. Besides, you came last on the previous exam too. Don't you need the grades?”

“I can take first place all by myself.”

“... Do you actually like her or something?”

“Hold on, Dolores.”

When he lowered his voice slightly, Dolores flinched.

“W-what is it, sir?”

“Since when were we close enough for you to talk so casually to me? You weren't doing that earlier.”

“Y-you talk casually to me too. Besides, we're the same age...”

“That's true. Then you can be casual from now on too. Just don't keep switching back and forth.”

“... That's what I was planning to do.”

“Right. Anyway, I can't party with you. I already have a teammate.”

“No, I'm asking if you like her.”

“Does that matter?”

“Yes, it does. I've taken a bit of a liking to you.”

“...?”

He tilted his head. Where had that come from all of a sudden?

Beside him, Merhen was also staring at Dolores in utter bewilderment.

“Why?”

“D-do you need a reason to like someone?”

“No, but there's nothing for you to like about me.”

“Wh-what do you mean, nothing? You're the first person who's ever treated me like that, Kern... I-it made my heart race.”

Dolores's face flushed bright red as she spoke.

MURMUR!

At the unexpected public confession, the students around them began whispering furiously.

This was driving him crazy. Seriously.

“Sorry. I've already chosen my partner.”

“S-so are you two dating?”

“No, it's nothing like that.”

“... Then I have a chance too, right?”

“Dolores. How about considering other people's feelings, instead of only your own?”

“Do you dislike me?”

“Think carefully about what you've shown me of yourself. Then ask yourself that question.”

“B-but I'm still pretty, even with short hair!”

Had she actually thought he meant her physical appearance?

He saw her eyes trembling.

'Apparently not.'

Judging by her embarrassment, she seemed to have understood him. She was simply shutting her eyes and charging blindly ahead like a rhinoceros.

Kim Minwoo chuckled. At the very least, Dolores seemed extremely proactive when it came to romance.

It was nice to see someone giving their all, whatever the field. Someone trying this hard deserved a sincere response from him too.

“I don't dislike you. But I don't think I can date you. Sorry.”

“...”

“I'll be going now.”

He signaled to Merhen with his eyes and walked outside with her. As though the matter were already settled, he asked her,

“You'll team up with me, right?”

“... If you'll have me.”

Perhaps their previous conversation had given her something to think about, because she accepted his offer immediately.

“... But why are you doing all this for me? It's not as if we have any particular connection, Lord Kern.”

Why else?

He needed to earn some points with her now so he could put her to work when she became his underling later. Besides, helping her might earn him some kind of bonus when the provision ended.

If there was such a thing as a completion score, shouldn't he start steadily building it up now?

Naturally, he couldn't tell her that.

“You know my nickname was 'the Blockhead,' right?”

“... I've heard it.”

“My grades were the worst in the Swordsmanship Department too. Maybe that's why I couldn't stop thinking about you, Merhen. You were in the same boat. I felt sorry for you, and it bothered me. That's why.”

After a long silence, her lips moved hesitantly.

“... Thank you. For helping me.”

“I'm doing it because I want to.”

“But were you hiding your abilities, Lord Kern?”

“Something like that.”

He had actually been superimposed onto Kern's body, but he couldn't tell her that, so he had to settle for that explanation.

“We're the same age. Doesn't it feel awkward to keep being so formal with each other?”

“... Does it?”

“There's no need to stand on ceremony. Let's just be friends. Everyone's equal at the academy, right? Sound good?”

“Uh, sure...”

“Great. Looking forward to it.”

He offered his hand, and she took it.

* * *

There was still some time before the practical exams. In the meantime, Kim Minwoo had decided to try something he'd been considering.

He went to see Professor Wellington.

“Oh! Kern! What brings you here? Have you finally decided to take classes with the School of Death?”

“Professor, there's something I'd like to ask first.”

“What is it?”

“Does the School of Death have no summoning magic at all?”

“... Summoning?”

“Yes. Summoning undead, for example.”

“No. Nothing of the sort.”

“Why not? Since you work with corpses, I doubt it's something no one has ever thought of.”

Wellington nodded.

“It's certainly a subject that would occur to us. Quite a few death mages have attempted it. The problem is that no one has ever succeeded.”

“Then what if someone capable of summoning undead appeared?”

“If someone appeared?”

“Yes. Would a religious organization hunt them down or something?”

“Ha ha, you jest. If that were the case, would other mages have attempted it in the first place?”

Kim Minwoo nodded. Wellington certainly had a point.

'It matches what my research turned up too.'

He had scoured the academy's literature. In doing so, he'd learned that they weren't refraining from summoning because of outside pressure or anything like that. They simply couldn't do it.

'Nothing strange about that.'

Was creating undead easy in the first place?

It might be simple with the necessary expertise or insight, but starting in completely uncharted territory could make it an incredibly difficult subject. Even he wouldn't have been able to produce skeletons if he hadn't learned a summoning skill.

“Then someone who could summon undead might be treated quite well?”

“Hmm. I imagine so. At least to us death mages, that person would be nothing short of a hero. They would be living proof that it really is possible.”

“Wouldn't it impress mages from other schools?”

“Ha ha. Sadly, I doubt it. Those fellows avoid our school because they dislike disgusting, foul-smelling things to begin with. Summoning undead? They might just snort at it.”

“I see.”

“Well, perhaps it would be different if you summoned a high-ranking undead like a lich or death knight... In any case, that's my opinion. Why do you ask?”

His conversation with Wellington had given him certainty.

The conclusion: he could summon undead without worry.

And this knowledge would be especially precious to death mages. Hadn't Wellington said that other mages avoided death magic because they disliked disgusting things?

But death mages?

They would go wild with joy even if he summoned a single skeleton. It would mean reaching uncharted territory where no one had ever succeeded.

'Enough that they'd teach me magic just for showing them that much...'

From what he had seen, the School of Death's magic was quite useful. Spells that used corpses. Spells that used bones for offense and defense. Spells that used poison, and more.

There were plenty of advanced spells.

'Perfect for my mages.'

The mages could already use a few spells, but they were all basic ones. Against high-level monsters, their attacks often simply bounced off. They needed a heavy-hitting attack that consumed more mana.

“Professor. I know how to summon undead.”

“...?”

He summoned a skeleton mage before him.

At that moment, shock filled Wellington's eyes.

“I-impossible!”

His hand shaking as though he were having a seizure, Wellington seized the mage's face.

“H-how is this...! How did you do it? How on earth!”

“I just imagined it, and it worked.”

“Y-you can do this just by imagining it?”

Wellington's gaze grew even more serious.

“Could you describe that process of imagination?”

“I just pictured an undead and held out my hand. Then my mana moved on its own.”

“Hmm... True. Your aptitude was beyond anything I've ever seen. Since this is uncharted territory, perhaps you really can make the impossible possible...”

Then Wellington desperately clasped his hand.

“... Help me. Let me study this undead! I'll give you anything, so please...!”

“Professor, wouldn't more samples be better for your research?”

“O-of course!”

“I can summon quite a lot of undead like this. I'll let you study them.”

“Oh! Truly? Thank you, thank you! You're a treasure to our School of Death!”

“In return, I'd like to ask one favor.”

“Name it!”

“Teach the mages the School of Death's magic. As much of it as possible.”

“Very well. I'll teach them. I'll gather every professor in my school! But... can they actually learn magic?”

“We don't know, so we'll have to try.”

“Wait right here!”

Wellington promptly called in every professor in the School of Death. There were five in total, including him. The professors hurried inside, and their eyes widened at the sight of the skeleton mage.

“S-summoning undead!”

“This was actually possible?”

“I-if we just teach them magic, you'll really let us study this undead?”

He nodded.

“Perhaps our School of Death will enjoy a glorious resurgence.”

“Ha ha! Exactly! If we can summon undead like this, it really could happen!”

The professors' eyes shone.

If summoning undead became possible, the School of Death's potential would soar far beyond what it had been before. Skeletons were only the starting point. If they could unravel the mechanics of summoning, there was no reason they couldn't summon higher-ranking creatures as well.

Enormous possibilities would open up for every mage in the School of Death. From its place at the very bottom, the school might leap straight into the middle ranks or higher.

The five professors' eyes gleamed. Soon, they booked an entire spacious lecture hall.

“S-summon them! Hurry!”

[1,628 Skeleton Mages are summoned!]

CLATTER!

The professors gazed in rapture at the mages filling the vast hall.

“Ah...”

“Is this heaven...?”

“Let's teach them magic first! That will be part of the research process too!”

“Excellent! Let's make history! Summoning research! That's our research topic for this year!”

Soon, the five professors began delivering passionate lectures to the skeletons.

['Miles' is learning 'Corpse Explosion' from 'Professor Hemerson'....]

[Skeleton Mage 523 is learning 'Bone Shield' from 'Professor Sdal'....]