Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner

Aaron's highly anticipated skeleton-mage-making class had arrived.

From the moment the students entered the doors, Aaron and his assistants were frantic.

"Take out the mana sheet first! Take out the mana sheet first!"

"For anyone using the lightning element, that will have to be discussed outside of the lesson! For this class, everyone is required to use an ice spell!"

The students were quite lost, as this was their first time creating an advanced undead.

From the very start, countless hands were raised, asking for help. And once the assistant teachers managed to get this first portion under control and move on to the second part, just as many hands were raised.

On top of that, there were students making accidents everywhere. Assistant teachers had to run around desperately.

"You need to make the circuit first. Why did you touch the Ownership Modifier already? Start from the beginning."

Aaron also paused his discussion to take care of the students.

"It's almost the end of the first year, and yet you're still making mistakes in your bases? How pathetic. Start over."

"I-I'm sorry!"

It would probably take them a day or two to get properly starting. It was inevitable. Every year was like this, so Aaron was used to it.

But, in the midst of them all…

There was one student who stood out.

Among students who didn't even know how to identify what 'bone #1' was and confused series circuits with parallel circuits…

One student had three completed skeleton mages, letting them stand upright and stare at the blackboard with blank faces.

'…Crazy bastard.'

The power emanating from the staffs of the three skeleton mages were fire, ice, and wind.

He had succeeded in channeling the three elements.

Having done this, Simon seemed to almost be silently displaying his skeletons with pride.

"As expected from a genius."

"He's barely even human~"

"I mean, he's the S.A.1, right?"

Students could be heard gossiping around him.

"He must've lied about the fact that he hadn't learned anything before Kizen, right?"

"Of course!"

"Then you're saying he was acting when he was stuck building a skeleton in the first class?"

"How ridiculous."

"I'll admit he's a genius, but he seems too gallant for me."

'Nope.'

Aaron silently denied the students' voices ringing in his ears.

Simon really hadn't done any prior study.

He enrolled in the school with zero knowledge as a necromancer, let alone doing any advanced studies. He'd been at the bottom of all first-year students, starting at a disadvantage to anyone else.

All the school gave him was the title of S.A.1, which made him stand out immediately and placed a target on his back.

One wrong step and his school life would've been ruined.

But now?

'No one can deny this guy is deserving of being the S.A.1 anymore.'

And it was always the same. The skeleton mages next to Simon were the culmination of his blood, sweat, and tears.

The bags under his eyes and his mangled hair spoke of the hardships he suffered to make this happen. Yet his eyes sparkled with wonder.

"Simon Polentia."

Aaron approached him.

"How's your body?"

Asked Aaron, knowing what Simon had been through.

Simon smiled.

"I'm feeling good, Professor."

"Why did you do something so reckless?"

"Because…"

The sparkle in Simon's eyes was infectious, and Aaron couldn't help but grin.

"Because I wanted to."

Swiiiish…

A gust of fresh air blew into the window.

Aaron's pupils dilated, and the world around him changed.

It was the same lecture room, but everything had turned gray, and the students wore old uniforms. He was in a memory.

In that memory, a boy, more colorful and detailed than anyone else in the room, raised his hand.

"We don't want boring island rat men anymore!"

Next to him was a freshly assembled skeleton in an arrogant pose, mimicking its master.

"When can we make a lich, Professor?"

The Professor of Summoning at the time laughed reflexly in surprise.

"Don't cross the line, Aaron Deia."

Whiiiiiiish.

The wind blew once more. The classroom shifted.

The boy was a little taller.

"You've taken the tough path."

Said the professor.

More wrinkles were present in his face.

"I heard you've been working overnight to pay for the materials?"

"I have!"

"Why are you going that far?"

Said Aaron with a smile.

"There's no reason! It's what I love to do!"

A third wind blew.

Simon was in front of him once more, and the world had returned to its full color.

The boy looked just like his old self, the eyes sparkling with intelligence and the confidence that he could accomplish anything in this world.

Aaron sighed.

"…What do you want? Simon Polentia."

The reason why Simon waited like this after completing the skeleton mage, which Aaron would have taught him over the next few weeks already.

"Please teach me about the 'life vessel' formulas for a lich."

It was to meet the conditions to get ahead of everyone else.

Aaron always held the philosophy that every student who walked into his class should learn something.

So, if a student knew everything there was to learn in the class, he would give them personalized lessons.

Simon benefited greatly from this, learning 'Bone Armor and 'Blood Golem' from him.

"I've been reading the books you gave me, but I couldn't even scratch the surface above the surface when it comes to life vessels."

Simon bowed his head.

"I need your guidance."

The boy's eyes were serious.

"I realize I was too arrogant spouting out about making a lich in front of you, Professor. But that desire was from the bottom of my heart, and of course, I still feel the same way."

The fervor of the youth.

"It doesn't matter if I can make it or not anymore. I will definitely pull it off."

It was a power that was often overlooked.

They don't calculate.

They don't weigh things against each other.

They do what they do because they like it.

They do it because they want to.

The courage to challenge the world endlessly. To make the most of every option they had.

It was something Aaron had in his past, but not anymore.

Aaron was envious of this youth that Simon possessed.

"You said, 'I wanted to', did you not?"

Realistically speaking, Aaron wanted to stop him.

This genius reminded him too much of his younger self with every turn.

"There are more people in the world doing things they don't want to do."

Aaron had experienced countless setbacks.

It wasn't just him who suffered, but the people around him, too.

His family entered a sharp decline, his loved ones turned their backs on him, scholars were disappointed in him, and his carefully selected direct disciples all changed their majors.

'Simon Polentia, as you grow older, you get more responsibility. The more you want to do what you like to do, the more you may destroy things around you. Many realistic reasons will hold you back.'

The child prodigy, who was always motivated and energized with everything he did, was now…

Was now a dingy professor who wears stretched-out shirts, suffers from chronic fatigue, drags his slippers with every step, and begs that students give up on this major in their first class.

"I can't let a Godsent genius like Simon turn into something like you, Senior Aaron."

His junior, who had seen his downfall up close, demanded that Aaron relinquished his right to teach Simon.

But strangely, he couldn't give up.

He wondered if he still had the same greed, the same unquenchable desire left in him.

But he still couldn't properly choose Simon because of the guilt. Stuck in this state of ambiguity, time moved on. It was getting late into the year, and still, nothing had changed.

"…Simon Polentia. You'll be choosing your major for the second year soon enough."

This frozen state—it couldn't last.

For Simon's sake, and for his own.

"If you still choose Summoning in your second year."

Through quivering lips, Aaron declared,

"I'd like to take you as my direct disciple."

* * *

* * *

Sob, sob…

After the Summoning lecture, amid a bustling crowd headed to lunch, a student could be heard crying.

This was one of the few times that students were able to be free, so it was quite unusual for students to be anything but rejoicing.

Meilyn tried her best to smile and looked at the source of the tears.

"Stop crying already, Cami!"

"Sob, sob… But… But Simon and Professor Aaron! It's so touching!!"

Camibarez wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

"When I saw Professor Aaron talking about all the disadvantages of Summoning in the first semester, I thought he must've been through a hard time! But I'm so glad he opened up like this…!"

"But why are you the one cr—?"

Rick's attempt at a joke was cut short by Meilyn slapping him across the crown of his head.

Simon just laughed softly.

"Brother! You seem like a heavy burden has been lifted off your chest, my guy!"

Completely ignoring the bump that joined the array of injuries left by Meilyn's fist, Rick sidled up to Simon and elbowed him in the ribs.

"You've been waiting all this time, turning down offers from all the other professors!"

"Yeah, it's not polite for a student to ask for direct discipleship first, so I've had to wait."

Simon was desperately holding down the corners of his lips, which were trying to rise.

In fact, if there weren't people around him, he would've pumped his fists in the air and screamed with joy. But he was trying his best to hold it in and keep his dignity.

"But man, professor Aaron…"

Meilyn raised a slender finger to her lips.

"I mean, you wanted it too, right? Why is he insisting on waiting until he's promoted to second year?"

"I'm not taking it personally."

Simon smiled.

"Professor Aaron is wary of selecting direct disciples too hastily."

In Kizen, as it is now, encourages aggressively seeking students out for direct disciple offers to acquire key talents quickly.

On the other hand, Aaron believed that students should choose their majors and professors carefully after fully discovering their talents and aptitudes.

"I was so impressed by Professor Aaron and you, Simon! I can't wait to be someone's direct disciple, too!"

Camibarez continued,

"…I'm hoping Professor Walter might offer me one."

'!'

Hearing that, Simon flinched.

"You don't have to get impatient, Cami."

Meilyn smiled gently and stroked her head.

"I heard Professor Walter hasn't taken anyone as a direct disciple yet. And if he's looking for one, you'll be at the top of his list, Cami."

"Oh, of course!"

Rick nodded vigorously in agreement.

Only Simon looked nervous. He no longer had to work to keep his lips from rising, and a small scowl formed on his face.

'…Cami becoming Walter's direct disciple?'

"Ah~ Ahem~ Professor Bahil, are you listening?!!"

Shouted Rick, raising his arms in the air.

"If you don't claim me, the genius disciple, anytime soon, I might just head to Professor Belya!"

"I'm sure Professor Bahil has an opinion of you."

Scoffed Meilyn.

Simon and Camibarez burst out laughing.

"Oh, other than that, guys! We've got some fresh, important information!"

Rick snapped his fingers and looked back at the three of them.

"Important information?"

"Yeah! I heard that, after this weekend, we'll be having the third game of BDMAT next week right after school!

"The third game already…"

Soon, when all the after-school BDMATs were over, the performance assessment season would almost be over, too.

After that, there was only one trial left for the first-year Kizen students. The final test, and the worst test of all.

The promotion exam.

Included in that was the fifth BDMAT.

"Kizen's promotion exams are quite notorious."

Meilyn stoically lifted a finger to add,

"Since the difference in power assumed and the treatment of first and second years as a Kizen is as far apart as dungeons and the sky, the exams are quite rigorous. I can't imagine how difficult it would be, with the final BDMAT also being integrated."

"Yeah. They also mentioned that HQ ran a simulation where 500 out of 797 failed… I'm so scared."

"You can think about the promotion exam when it comes!"

Rick smirked, wrapping his arms around Simon's neck.

"You promised to do a siege with me on the next BDMAT, right?"

Simon nodded.

"Of course. I'm looking forward to it!"

Although what he was looking forward to wasn't quite the same as what Rick might be excited about.

He was going to put the skeleton mages into practical use during the siege.

'I wonder what new techniques I can perform with the mages?'

Just thinking about it made him giddy with excitement.

——