A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 139

The Academy professors are busy in many ways.

Students who enroll in the Academy are essentially talents gathered from all over the world.

Therefore, most of them naturally have strong pride and are often immature.

Commoners are somewhat better, but even that varies by case. It’s easier to just see it as a difference in personality.

Managing such students is already a daunting task, but fortunately, professors are not disrespected for their skills.

If they are disrespected, they immediately drag the offender to the training ground. After that, they subtly relieve their stress.

Very rarely, a student with overwhelming talent surpassing the professors appears, but in such cases, the professors don’t bother.

The nation takes care of it. If it’s a commoner, they do everything to recruit them, and if it’s a citizen, they manage them as a national representative.

Thus, professors don’t experience much stress managing students. Usually, that is.

“Is this really the only way?”

“Or what? Do you have a better idea?”

“That’s the problem. This is the best option, but even the best feels like crap.”

Professor Yeonhwa from the East sharply criticized, making Marlboro give a bitter smile.

Doing their best but still feeling like crap—this perfectly described the professors’ current situation.

“You told me to watch my language, yet you’re the one using the harshest words.”

“Shut up, Serah. Honestly, don’t you think this is ridiculous too?”

“··· ···”

Serah clamped her mouth shut at Yi Yeonhwa’s clear rebuttal. She was thinking the same thing.

But the problem was that they couldn’t find any alternative. Marlboro sighed and opened his mouth.

“We can’t find another alternative. Let’s be honest. Is there anyone here who can take down Sivar one-on-one?”

“··· ···”

“··· ···”

No one answered Marlboro’s question. They all knew it well.

There were almost no people who could defeat Sivar one-on-one. Even if there were, it would only be Rod and Rize.

They realized this when they first met Sivar. There was an incident where Godin tried to sneak up from behind as a joke and nearly got into serious trouble.

Godin, knowing this, only wore an awkward expression. Meanwhile, Marlboro spoke.

“It took all three of us to barely slow down Sivar’s attacks. That means his strength is absurdly overwhelming.”

“Since then, he’s learned techniques and acquired various strategies······ If anything, he’s only gotten stronger.”

“I saw him catch the Usque Blade with his bare hands. My sword would barely leave a scratch on him.”

“Magic won’t work either. During the midterm exam, he took a direct hit from a bomb, and only his clothes got singed while he remained fine.”

As the professors assessed, Sivar was beyond just a person of interest; he was a primary focus.

Balance Breaker, Mutant, Ecosystem Destroyer—any number of modifiers could be attached to him, and it wouldn’t be strange.

“At least he attends classes well and maintains good relationships with others. If not for that······”

“I would’ve resigned and gone back to my hometown.”

“I can’t help but agree with that.”

What usually stressed professors the most was political battles.

As seen in the case of Delphoi, professors often served as national representatives and were entangled in political matters.

Moreover, with recent intensifying conflicts between nations, tensions among them have grown. They themselves almost experienced it firsthand.

But with Sivar’s sudden appearance, all that became meaningless. First, they had to manage Sivar to prevent further issues.

“When evaluating, we should exclude Sivar. If only he were at least not smart, but he seems likely to cause some bizarre trouble again.”

“Usually, if someone is physically strong, they’re not very bright, aren’t they?”

“It’s not that he’s not bright; it’s that he doesn’t use his brain. If his learning ability or intelligence were low, he wouldn’t have survived in the wilderness.”

Serah spoke accurately. Humans in the wilderness, when judged solely by physical ability, rank among the weakest.

Aside from exceptional endurance and throwing ability, they’re incredibly fragile creatures. What compensates for that is their use of tools and intelligence.

“When I bathed Sivar before, his entire body was covered in scars. He wasn’t strong from the beginning. He became strong.”

“So, he stopped using his brain because his body became strong, huh?”

“Otherwise, he wouldn’t have done such insane things.”

Sivar’s eccentric acts during the midterm exam were shocking and terrifying from the professors’ perspective.

It was a moment when Delphoi’s scheming backfired and also proved Sivar’s intelligence.

Even his dexterity was exceptional. He fiddled with a bomb, made a vest, and charged forward.

The finishing touch was the Molotov Cocktail and the Meteor Storm he created with it. They realized even his adaptability was astonishing.

“Is this really the only way? I came up with it, but it feels so damn stupid······”

“If you have a better idea, feel free to share. I don’t mind.”

“Honestly, I don’t think there’s a better alternative than this.”

“It’s not that we’re lacking, so don’t blame yourself.”

Godin’s words were correct. It wasn’t that the professors were incompetent.

The issue was an unexpected, unprecedentedly extraordinary student suddenly transferring in.

Marlboro glanced at the paper detailing the final exam plan and sighed. Then, pressing his temples, he spoke.

“Now I have to report this to the Headmaster······ I wonder what he’ll say.”

What could he possibly say?

“Truly······ what a ridiculous idea. It’s genuinely amusing.”

“··· ···”

“Even after all this effort, if something strange happens, one written apology won’t suffice.”

They were bound to be thoroughly scrutinized. The only relief was that Rod understood.

Sivar’s overwhelming strength necessitated this approach to maintain balance.

“Still, if you look closely, it’s not that bad. We’ve adopted a high-risk, high-reward structure.”

“Haha. Y-Yes, that’s right.”

“The students will likely accept it······ Anyway, do your best.”

Rod no longer pressured the professors. After all, they had their own grievances.

It was Rod himself who admitted Sivar into the Academy. The last time was unfair, but with this much effort, he couldn’t complain.

“The final exam lasts for a week, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“I hope it proceeds smoothly. Good luck.”

The professors bowed to Rod and left the room. Naturally, Rod was left alone in the Principal’s Office.

He sighed at the mountain of work piling up and glanced at the paper the professors had just handed him.

“It’s not too bad······ though treating someone as a weapon is rare.”

Rod skimmed through the plan and moved on to another report. There was still much to review.

[Consecutive anomalies discovered at the outskirts of the Forest of Chaos. Presence of corpses of upper-level and giant monsters. On top of the corpses, excrement is consistently found. Judging by the uniform shape of the excrement, a new predator is highly likely to have emerged.]

[It is presumed there are two predators, not one. Each seems to have established its own ‘territory.’]

[We request the Headmaster’s direct approval. Given the predators’ potential strength, please form a subjugation team for the students’ safety.]

“··· ···”

You’re doing quite well. The Headmaster nodded as he read the report.

‘Indeed, there are many capable individuals.’

He folded the report lightly, thinking to himself.

*****

When each day is the same as the last, time flies quickly. My current situation is no different.

After earning some affinity by handing Jane over to Godin (?), nothing significant happened.

Every Wednesday, I learned martial arts from Kara, and on weekends, I sparred with Rize to improve my skills.

Other than that, I spent my time attending the Academy’s classes. Occasionally, I bought stocks.

“Brother Sivar! Please bless me! I lost again!”

“Go away.”

“I’m begging you! At this rate, I’ll get scolded by my brother again!”

Friday morning. I pushed Antonio, who was whining about losing stocks again, aside and sat down.

Why doesn’t he just invest in the stocks I pick? I don’t understand why he insists on putting money into strange ones.

Even recently, I told him, but he still ended up like this. He claimed he pulled out early because he was too anxious.

“It’s rare to see Sivar telling someone to go away. Just how much did he bother you?”

“Exactly. Before this, there was only one other person.”

That was a conversation between Kara and Luna. They looked displeased as they watched me push Antonio away.

“There was one other person? Who was it?”

“The Saint.”

“Ah.”

Back then, it was because I felt a sense of urgency. But since it was true, I couldn’t even make an excuse.

Anyway, despite the noisy events that occurred since morning, there were no major issues. Whether Antonio despaired or not was none of my concern.

“Is the final exam starting next week? And after that, it’s straight into vacation.”

“It won’t be vacation. I heard there’s a freshman banquet.”

“Ah, right. The banquet. That’s such a hassle. Do I really have to attend?”

Normally, vacation begins after the final exam, but the first semester is a bit different.

As mentioned before, the freshman banquet is an event where dignitaries from various nations gather. You could call it a unique occasion.

‘And I can also take the chance to see some new skins.’

Originally, Kara’s dancer’s outfit makes an appearance during the banquet. However, it’s less revealing compared to the one she wore during the ritual.

Additionally, you can also see the protagonist, Luna, in her banquet dress. If I recall correctly, it was a fairly modest dress.

“Kara Unnie, you’re the Princess of Tatar, aren’t you? Don’t you think you should attend?”

“Ugh. I’m only a princess at times like this? What about you? Are you going?”

“I’ll just go to look around. If it gets uncomfortable, I’ll leave.”

Saying so, Luna turned her gaze toward me. It seemed it was now my turn.

“Sivar, are you going to attend too? There will be a lot of people, so if you think it’ll be uncomfortable, you don’t have to come.”

“Sweets.”

“Huh?”

“Will there be a lot of sweets?”

While the event itself is significant, there’s something I’m particularly interested in. That is the gathering of sweet desserts from various nations.

Not only can I justify my attendance, but I can also intervene if an incident occurs. It’s a precautionary measure.

‘Should I call it a build-up?’

Honestly, build-up or not, I’ve already eaten way too many sweets. They’re just too delicious to resist.

“Sweets… There should be a lot, right? Do you think there’ll be a huge cake? Do you know, Unnie?”

“It’s my first time too, so how would I know? Maybe we should ask Grace?”

“Why did you call me?”

Just then, Grace approached us at the perfect timing.

Beside her stood her companion, or rather, her friend, Lee Yeonju.

Kara, seeing their arrival, took it as an opportunity to bring up the explanation about the freshman banquet.

Grace listened quietly to the explanation and then responded with her characteristic confident demeanor.

“Of course. There will be desserts there that Mr. Sivar couldn’t even imagine. So I recommend you attend.”

“Okay.”

Answering that, I glanced at Lee Yeonju. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking, but her expression was close to emotionless.

Surely, Lee Yeonju would also attend the banquet, and there was a high probability of a clash with the dignitaries from the East.

Rather than a clash, it would be more like the dignitaries being rude. Of course, it’s all prearranged.

‘Lee Yeonju doesn’t know that…’

While I was briefly lost in such thoughts,

“We should also get Mr. Sivar’s outfit tailored. Since you’ll be attending the banquet, you’ll need formal attire.”

“Huh? Formal attire?”

“Yes. I’ll prepare a very splendid formal outfit for you. Shall we go together this weekend?”

I didn’t mind. I had more than enough money and time to spare.

When I nodded, Grace’s smile deepened even further. She seemed genuinely delighted.

“Then, should I come along too?”

“Huh?”

“I also want to see Sivar in formal attire.”

But that smile didn’t last long. Kara naturally interjected, breaking the moment between the two of us.

“Since we’re at it, why not buy him other clothes too? He’s always walking around in shabby T-shirts and just pants. It’s a waste of his face and body. Don’t you agree?”

“Hmm… I’m fine going alone, though?”

“I’m just curious. Plus, I want to see if there’s anything I need to buy too.”

You only need to show up in your dancer’s outfit. That alone is enough.

While I was thinking that, a fierce argument broke out between Kara and Grace.

Grace wanted to go with just the two of us, while Kara seemed intent on tagging along.

In the end, Grace, unable to find a reason to exclude Kara, raised the white flag. She seemed satisfied enough with just meeting me over the weekend.

“It’s so obvious, so obvious.”

“… …”

I decided to ignore Kara’s muttered comment. Since it was in Tatar Language, Grace probably didn’t understand it.

“Alright, everyone, attention. As announced, the final exam will begin next week. Today, I’ll briefly go over the content so that everyone can focus.”

As homeroom time began, Marlboro started explaining the exam content.

Despite the disaster during the midterm exam, the content hadn’t changed much.

However, while it hadn’t changed “much,” there were still slight modifications.

“This exam will be conducted over approximately 5 to 6 days. The theme is Occupation Battle and Siege Warfare. It ends when you either occupy the castle for a long time or take over all of the opponent’s points.”

The final exam’s content was very similar to what appears in many games.

First, the teams would be divided into two, and it was up to each team leader to split their team into squads.

Unlike last time, this exam didn’t have the concept of elimination, but the protective barrier system was the same as before.

However, once the protective barrier activated, you would be immediately sent back. Afterward, you’d receive simple treatment and could revive again.

“There are a total of three occupied territories. Each revival point has one nearby occupied territory, and in the middle of them is the ‘castle.’ You can resupply or craft weapons at the occupied territories. That’s up to you.”

“Resupply? Wait a moment. Does that mean we also have to handle meals separately?”

“Exactly. During this exam, you’ll need to take care of your meals on your own.”

In other words, if the supply route was cut off, you’d have to starve. Hearing this alone, one might think the strategy seemed simple.

The problem was the castle. The longer you occupied the castle, the more exponentially your score would increase.

Thus, you could choose to dominate the other two occupied territories and starve out the personnel in the castle or engage in a straightforward siege warfare.

“Lastly, the weapons capable of breaching the castle. Cannons and numerous other weapons are scattered throughout the exam hall. The further they are from the occupied territories, the stronger the weapons, but they’ll also be heavier.”

The importance of reconnaissance was also emphasized. Either block the enemy before they could bring weapons or intercept them midway.

Though it seemed simple, there were countless strategies and tactics to devise. That’s the charm of an occupation battle.

‘But what will I do?’

Of course, in the face of overwhelming power, everything else becomes meaningless. The moment I step in, occupied territories and all, survival would become the priority.

Others were likely thinking along similar lines. I was curious about when they’d bring it up.

“Now, I’ll announce the teams. Team A consists of Luna Estelle, Grace del Berche…”

Marlboro began reading out the list one by one. I listened silently.

Judging by the fact that I wasn’t in Team A, I was probably in Team B. Perhaps that’s why the members of Team A were already murmuring.

“Team B consists of Kara Meyer Hector’s Daughter, Antonio… (omitted)… That’s all.”

“?”

What? Where’s my name?

My name wasn’t in Team A or Team B. For a moment, I wondered if I had misheard.

However, Kara raised her hand, voicing her question, as if to confirm I hadn’t misheard.

“Professor? You didn’t mention Sivar’s name.”

“I was just about to address that.”

Marlboro looked at me with a peculiar expression. His face seemed to carry a complicated mix of emotions.

Then, he let out a long sigh and quietly spoke.

“Sivar will not participate as a student. Instead…”

One thought crossed my mind as I heard those words.

“He will participate as siege weaponry or a mercenary.”

Balancing this must have been incredibly difficult.