Genius Wizard Conceals His Origins

The mock duel had ended.

However, no one was willing to accept the results.

While conflicts often leave splinters regardless of how fair they are, this incident had a more fundamental problem.

The outcome of the match had become uncertain.

At sunset.

Both the Black Shield faction and the Silver Arrow faction had come down from the hill, and not long after, everyone present had roughly grasped the situation.

Of course, grasping didn’t necessarily mean understanding.

While quite a few students were tilting their heads in confusion, Wilhelm, the representative of the Black Shield faction, opened his mouth.

He summarized the situation concisely.

“So… in a situation where if your king eliminates our king, you win, and if he fails, we win due to the point difference. …But you’re saying both of them deserted midway?”

It was accurate.

An eyewitness who had been part of the Silver Arrow’s special team added.

“That’s the situation. To be precise, our king, Eugene, saw Julia Müller collapse and immediately transported her to the infirmary.”

“Huh.”

“This has become troublesome.”

Johannes heaved a deep sigh.

If this had been a one-sided claim from the Silver Arrow side, it might have been different, but many from the Black Shield faction had also witnessed the scene.

The credibility was likely sufficient.

If so, a problem arises.

Which faction’s victory should it be counted as?

This naturally led to an argument between the two representatives.

Johannes was the first to speak.

“Eugene Oslo was just about to eliminate Julia Müller. At that moment, he confirmed that Julia Müller was injured and took appropriate action. Wouldn’t it be reasonable to consider this a technical victory for the Silver Arrow faction?”

“That’s nonsense.”

Wilhelm let out a dry laugh.

“There’s no evidence that he was ‘just about to eliminate’ her. The basis for an elimination is when there are traces of [Shoot] magic impact on the body. Whether she was injured or not is a secondary issue, and if we go by points, it’s clearly our victory. What are you trying to overturn?”

“Point calculation is done after complete elimination or king elimination. It’s absurd to discuss points when the duel wasn’t properly concluded.”

“Enough with your sophistry.”

“Look who’s talking.”

The atmosphere instantly turned hostile.

The nature of the duel had long since changed the moment two people were injured in a mock duel using only low-powered magic.  [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

As both factions stood up and were about to start tearing into each other, a staff member hurriedly intervened.

“Stop it, stop! As I said during the duel, from now on, if anyone slanders the other side, I will issue a forced disbandment order to that faction, regardless of the reason!”

“Then you make the judgment.”

“…Pardon?”

The students paid no heed to the stern warning.

When emotions run high, logic loses its power.

Wilhelm, who had sprung to his feet, approached the tired-looking staff member and shouted in his face.

“I said, you hurry up and make a judgment on the winner. Then we’ll accept it without complaint. Right?”

“I-I’ve called someone, so if you could just wait a moment…”

“You make it.”

The staff member froze with his eyes wide open.

He was intimidated by Wilhelm, who stood six feet tall and was raising his voice pressingly, and as a mere student affairs staff member, he didn’t have the confidence to take responsibility for the aftermath if he carelessly declared a winner.

Therefore, the staff member kept his mouth shut and remained still.

This made Wilhelm’s mood even worse.

A vein popped on his forehead.

“Hurry—!”

As Wilhelm shouted loudly, Johannes heaved a deep sigh.

At the same time, someone casually put an arm around the staff member’s shoulder and spoke.

“Hold on. I understand you’re angry, but let’s not shout, shall we?”

It was the voice of a casual woman.

Wilhelm, whose vision had been narrowed by anger until just now, slightly turned his gaze to look at the owner of the voice.

A woman of almost the same height as himself, dressed in a suit.

And red hair.

“…Who are you?”

It was an unfamiliar figure.

Wilhelm frowned again.

The red-haired woman widened her eyes as if slightly surprised, then smiled awkwardly.

“Oops. I guess upper-year students might not know me. The woes of a new professor.”

“What, a professor?”

“I made an unnecessarily cool entrance. Well, stay put. Our professor will be here soon.”

The woman said this and then patted the staff member’s shoulder.

Meanwhile, unlike Wilhelm, there were those who recognized the woman’s identity.

“That’s Professor Louise Ehrlich, isn’t it?”

The new professor with distinctive red hair.

Her paper published a few months ago had attracted attention in academic circles, or so they said. Because of that achievement, quite a few upper-year students recognized her.

Soon, some of them opened their eyes wide.

Our professor?  [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

Louise Ehrlich is said to have obtained her bachelor’s degree in Berleu and completed her doctoral course at the Frauzen Federal University of Magic.

Therefore, her advisor must be one of the professors at the Federal University of Magic.

And one student from the Black Shield faction knew who Louise’s advisor was.

“W-Wilhelm!”

“Why are you calling me?”

“Come back for a moment. We need to talk.”

The student gestured, but Wilhelm ignored him. Instead, he continued to glare at the staff member with his eyes wide open.

It was then.

Fwoosh—!

The dimly lit surroundings suddenly brightened.

The sun had set. Normally, the night would have fallen, but the magical lamps installed throughout the University of Magic did not allow darkness to settle on the center of magical studies.

The view cleared up.

Right after, everyone gathered here, nearly a hundred people, could see several people approaching from afar.

Including the man at the front.

Wilhelm saw him.

His attire was gloomy beyond compare.

Despite the warm summer day, the jet-black coat and suit draped over his shoulders made observers mistake the season, and his obsessively trimmed beard and monocle on his right eye were revealed under the light of the magical lamps.

Wilhelm muttered reflexively.

“P-Professor.”

Step, step.

A few more steps followed.

Finally, the large figure standing at 6’ 8” stood before the students.

“…”

As Klaus Müller’s stern gaze swept over the crowd, the confusion naturally subsided, and silence fell over the hillside.

His mouth opened.

“Professor Louise.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Where is Julia?”

“She’s in the infirmary bed next to the main hall. The examination results show she just fainted, and there’s no major problem.”

“I see. I’ll be going now.”

“Yes! I’ll stop by the infirmary once more before heading home!”

Louise lightly nodded her head and then retreated with light footsteps.

The only source of liveliness in this place had disappeared.

The only people left here were Professor Klaus Müller, a few student affairs staff members, and 98 students, and a chilling silence naturally descended.

“Representatives, step forward.”

It was both a request and an order.

Who could refuse the request of the Federal University of Magic’s de facto leader, second only to the chancellor?

Wilhelm, who was already at the front, took another step forward, and Johannes quickly jumped out to stand beside him.

Even the two who were confident in their physique had to tilt their heads up to meet his gaze.

Professor Müller continued speaking.

“Explain the circumstances in detail. From the inception of the mock duel to the reason why Julia Müller was taken to the infirmary. Speak only facts.”

Cold sweat ran down Wilhelm’s cheek.

Explain the circumstances?

Was he supposed to explain in detail to Klaus Müller himself how he had threatened the professor’s daughter to participate in the mock duel, resulting in her fainting?

It couldn’t be done.

Explaining the circumstances truthfully meant the end of his life as a magic scholar.

He swallowed hard.

But the situation wasn’t entirely hopeless.

He was a member of the Black Shield faction.

A member of the faction that strongly supported Klaus Müller.

If he spoke well, he could not only cover up the circumstances but also secure victory in the mock duel. Yes. He just needed to speak well.

Therefore, Wilhelm took the initiative.  [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

Before Johannes could open his mouth, Wilhelm, standing directly in front of Professor Müller, pretended to be respectful and spoke.

“How have you been, Professor Müller? I’ll explain the circumstances first. First—”

“Wait.”

“…Pardon?”

His words were cut off.

As he looked up, Professor Müller was looking down at him.

“State your name first. Who are you?”

“Ah, I’m Wilhelm Winn, a fourth-year undergraduate student from the Black Shield faction.”

“The Black Shield faction.”

Wilhelm confidently stated his name.

He believed without a doubt that the Black Shield faction and Klaus Müller had a friendly relationship.

However, Professor Müller replied with an unchanged attitude.

“You come to my research lab separately in two days. It seems there’s a need to explain about that faction of yours.”

Amidst the commotion, Julia opened her eyes.

“…?”

She felt a sense of dissonance. The last time she closed her eyes was in a grassy clearing in the forest, but now she was lying straight with a blanket over her.

It was a space Julia knew.

The infirmary.

She tried to turn her head this way and that way to check her surroundings and the time, but immediately, a headache and extreme weakness took over her entire body.

The symptoms after collapsing from overexertion. A familiar feeling…

…Just much worse than usual.

In the end, she gave up and just blinked her eyes.

Only then did she see the students crowding in front of her.

“Oh, are you conscious?”

The students also noticed that Julia had opened her eyes.

Seven or eight students surrounded the infirmary bed, each expressing words of concern. Are you okay, are you dizzy…

She wanted to tell them truthfully, ‘You’re the ones making me dizzy,’ but quickly gave up. She didn’t have the strength to open her mouth, and the students were children of relatively high-ranking families.

Right then.

Bang, the door opened.

“Huh? Why are there so many people here? Anyone who’s not a guardian, stop bothering the patient and get out quickly!”

A person with red hair fluttering entered, pushing away the students.

She looked familiar. Was it Professor Louise Ehrlich?

Her booming voice made Julia’s head spin, but soon, she was able to regain her composure as the students left.

After sending all the students out, Louise crouched down beside the bed.

Julia felt her stroking her forehead.

Her hand was warm.

As her eyes were about to close drowsily, Louise suddenly started talking.

“Is it you?”

“…?”

“Hmm. The cute-looking ones always have quite a temper. You’re going to have your hands full.”

“…?”

“Rest well.”

Wasn’t she talking to me?

After saying all she wanted to say, Louise stood up abruptly and left the infirmary.

After the storm had passed, the infirmary was now enveloped only in darkness and silence.

The sun must have already set as it was dark outside the window, and there were no voices to be heard as she was the only person. She was alone.

The dizziness simply wouldn’t subside.

It seemed the symptoms would only improve after a good night’s sleep.

Julia closed her eyes. And then.

“…?”

She was surprised to hear someone else’s breathing near the bed.

All the students should have just left.

Is it a staff member or a ghost? She couldn’t fall asleep before reaching a conclusion on this unpleasant choice.

Julia painfully turned her head towards the sound.

“…”

She found Eugene asleep in a crouched position on the right side of the bed.

Not a staff member and not a ghost.  [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

It was a moment when it became clear who had moved her to the infirmary.

His breathing was long. It seemed he wasn’t just ordinarily deeply asleep. The fatigue accumulated from walking practice and preparing for final exams must have caught up with him.

“Ugh.”

Soon, a piercing headache overwhelmed Julia.

She returned to her original position and closed her eyes with a more comfortable mind.

Then, for no reason, she recalled the touch of Professor Louise Ehrlich stroking her forehead.

Yes. Her hand was very warm.

The light seeping in made my eyes sting as I regained consciousness.

“Ugh…”

A groan involuntarily escaped my lips.

I had a nightmare for the first time in a while. A dream where a yellow-eyed viper coiled tightly around my right arm, rendering it immobile forever.

I must have had sleep paralysis due to my very bad sleeping posture.

Anyway, I remembered where I had fallen asleep. The infirmary.

I turned my head to check on Julia’s condition.

And discovered my right hand tightly gripped by Julia’s left hand, as if she would never let go.

What’s this?

Flustered, I tried to pull my right hand out from under the white blanket. But whether it was cramped or not, only a tingling pain ran up my arm.

It was then.

“Mmm…”

Julia stirred, and then her amber eyes opened.

She looks at me.

“Did you sleep well?”