Chapter 41 ~ The last step before the talent festival


    Ragandarok Academy, with its elegant wooden architecture, stood grandly among hundreds of rooms and dozens of corridors. Tonight, on the eve of the Talent Festival, the academy was bathed in a quiet yet expectant atmosphere.


    Through the dimly lit hallways, faint voices echoed, guiding the way to the headmaster''s office. Inside, the warm glow of lanterns mounted on the walls cast flickering orange-yellow hues across the room. The air carried the subtle scent of aged wood and parchment, mingling with the faint traces of ink from the documents spread across the heavy wooden desk.


    A polished glass sphere rested gracefully on the desk, cradled by an elegant wooden stand that blended seamlessly with the refined decor. It was filled with luminous Menma particles that drifted lazily like fireflies in slow motion, releasing a soft, golden light. Unlike electricity, which had faded into near obscurity in this era, the world now relied on Menma—particles with a natural luminescent quality that illuminated their surroundings without straining the eyes.


    Electrical studies had long been forgotten, regarded as ancient knowledge lost to time. The very idea of harnessing electricity felt like a distant myth, and whether anyone still possessed such knowledge remained a mystery.


    The headmaster, a man with light brown hair and matching eyes, sat in his polished wooden chair, flipping through several documents presented by the three individuals standing before him. Dressed impeccably in his usual brown suit, he exuded a calm yet authoritative presence as he spoke.


    "Most second- and third-year students show little interest in participating in this year''s festival. They only joined last year because it was the first event of its kind. This is quite disappointing, as the people of the kingdom were hoping for this festival to become an annual tradition.


    As for the first-year students, let''s see... First, the Exploration Corps class. Six out of ten students are participating—more than half?"


    His gaze shifted to the teacher responsible for that class. She was a woman with jet-black hair tied into a ponytail, brown eyes framed by glasses with a matching brown frame, and she wore loose black clothing that gave her an air of composed professionalism. This was her second appearance in the story. With a calm voice, she responded:


    "I spent the past month trying to convince all of my students to participate. Unfortunately, I couldn''t get my best students to join. These six are strong, but the remaining four are... exceptional. It pains me that the audience won''t get to witness their talents."


    The headmaster regarded her with a measured look before lowering his gaze to another document.


    "Understandable. You did well to get more than half involved. The real issue is with the Adventurer class—only four out of ten students are participating? I expected more from them."


    The man responsible for the Adventurer class was also appearing for the second time in the story. A man in his thirties, he had disheveled blond hair and tired brown eyes with dark circles beneath them, clear signs of sleep deprivation. His clothes—an unkempt mix of brown and yellow—suggested he had little concern for appearances.


    He ran a hand through his messy blond hair before responding in a lazy tone, "I didn''t bother convincing them. I simply explained the festival and left them to decide. If there were rewards that interested them, they would''ve joined without hesitation.


    That being said, two of the four participants are quite strong."


    The black-haired woman turned to him, her brown eyes sharp.


    "''Quite strong'' in your terms usually means they''ll be formidable opponents for my students. But you should''ve at least tried to persuade the others. Adventurers are often the most talented ones. The people of this kingdom look forward to seeing their fights the most because they know they surpass students from other divisions in strength."


    The blond teacher smirked lazily, his voice carrying an air of indifference.


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    "You should focus on training your scouts to explore the unknown regions. Lately, explorers have been dying in increasing numbers."


    A brief silence fell before the woman''s expression darkened, her voice dropping to a near whisper.


    "At least some of them return alive to tell us what happened. What about adventurers? They leave and never come back."


    The adventurer teacher''s gaze remained unfazed. "Adventurers are born to be free. For all we know, they might still be alive—somewhere out in that mysterious world."


    Before the conversation could escalate further, the headmaster intervened. His voice was steady, final.


    "Enough. Let''s set this aside for now. Moving on to surprises… The Knight class. Ten out of ten students are participating. How did you manage that, Makoto?"


    The other two teachers turned toward the third figure in the room—Makoto, a man with silver-gray hair that matched his perfectly tailored suit. His emerald-green eyes remained closed for a moment before he finally opened them, his voice breaking the momentary silence.


    "The knights are the foundation of this kingdom. Unlike adventurers or scouts, my students are weak. I want them to understand their true standing. Suffering a crushing defeat is the first step toward self-improvement and progress."


    A stunned expression crossed the black-haired woman''s face. Her brown eyes widened as she stammered,


    "Wait, are you saying...?"


    The headmaster finished her sentence.


    "You forced them all to participate? Makoto, you know that''s unacceptable. My policy is to allow students freedom in their choices."


    Makoto didn''t hesitate with his reply.


    "I don''t plan on forcing them in future years, but this year is an exception. With all due respect, Headmaster, I ask that you not interfere in how I train my students. This festival, which you created for entertainment, I will use as a means to refine them. If you have any objections, speak now, because I won''t break your rules once they''re set."


    A silence hung in the air before the headmaster finally broke into a small smile.


    "Very well. While I prefer to uphold the students'' freedom, your method may prove effective as well. Now, tell me—do you have any particularly noteworthy students?"


    At this, Makoto shifted his gaze toward the two other teachers standing beside him. Without speaking, he merely stared at them until the black-haired woman sighed.


    "Fine, fine. No need to look at us like that. We''ll leave."


    The blond teacher ruffled his already messy hair, giving Makoto a silent look before heading toward the door.


    Once the two left, the room fell quiet, save for the soft hum of the Menma particles drifting in the air. The door clicked shut, and Makoto finally spoke.


    "There are three students I believe will steal the spotlight."


    The headmaster intertwined his fingers, leaning forward with interest.


    "First, Fayrouz. She has the ability to manipulate the particles that make up any substance. She can even cause tremors with her power. Additionally, she possesses the rare ability to detect and track Menma cells."


    The headmaster''s eyes widened slightly. "That... was unexpected. What is her lineage?"


    Makoto exhaled. "Unknown. I asked her once last month, but she remained silent. I won''t pry into her family issues."


    The headmaster nodded. "What matters is the student, not their origin. That is one of my policies."


    Makoto smirked slightly. "Your policies—will they lead this academy to greatness or ruin? I still can''t tell."


    The headmaster chuckled. "You''ll see the results with your own eyes during the festival."


    Ignoring the remark, Makoto continued, "Second, Fulan. He possesses the ability of a rare beast—possibly not even his original power. It''s the ability of the White Tiger."


    The headmaster''s brow furrowed. "Did you just say White Tiger? That''s unusual. I''ve never heard of a human wielding a beast''s power—except for one person."


    Makoto''s lips curled into a knowing smile, making the headmaster raise an eyebrow before mirroring the expression.


    "I see… You''re thinking what I''m thinking."


    Makoto added, "Lastly, the one who intrigues me most—Kazuki. I haven''t seen his ability yet, but his breathing, his composure, his physical condition... Everything about him suggests he has spent his entire life honing himself. Mentally and physically. I''d wager he''s already at the level of a Golden Knight—even without seeing his ability."


    The headmaster''s smile widened. "Then perhaps, in a few years, we might see the rise of the tenth Crystal Knight. This festival is shaping up to be quite interesting, despite the low number of participants."


    Makoto turned to leave. As his hand rested on the door handle, the headmaster spoke one last time.


    "Makoto, your students sound impressive, but many nobles and prodigies have joined the adventurer and scout divisions. I hope your students don''t suffer too great a shock tomorrow."


    Makoto opened the door, stepping out as he uttered his final words.


    "That''s exactly what I want them to experience."


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