The Genius Tamer of the Academy

Chapter 50

“It’s a relief that everything was resolved safely.”

Professor Grint stood by the window, arms crossed, staring out.

Ardel Academy had been in an uproar since the disappearance of Usher from the Divinity Department, causing unrest not only there but also in the Magic Department. Rumors spread among the students that the Black Mages might be behind it.

And as it turned out, those rumors were correct.

“They’re waking up. Those parasites.”

Grind.

The memories of the war from decades ago were still vivid in Grint’s mind. He remembered how many innocent lives were lost to the greed of the Black Mages.

For a while, things had been quiet, but now, they were starting to crawl out of the shadows again.

Grint clenched his teeth and let out a sigh.

The only hopeful aspect was that this incident had been handled by the second-year students of the Magic Department—promising talents who would one day add strength to the coming war.

Lee Han and Han Siha.

A faint smile tugged at Grint’s lips as he murmured to himself.

“They never miss out on these things.”

Han Siha.

He was one of the most promising students in the Magic Department, someone Grint had been watching closely.

There was something special about him—a talent that was far above average.

Until last year, it had been so faint that it was barely noticeable, but now it was blossoming rapidly.

Even though his abilities had awakened later than others, Han Siha was growing at an impressive pace.

Grint was certain that Han Siha would cause quite a stir in the upcoming midterm evaluations.

“It’s about time you showed the world your talents.”

Imagining his student soaring to new heights, a smile spread across Grint’s face.

He turned to his assistant, Selene, and asked, “Have the midterm evaluation notices been posted?”

“Yes, Professor.”

“This time, it’s something special, isn’t it?”

“Absolutely. I’m sure things are heating up right about now.”

Tap, tap.

Professor Grint ran his hand over the printed midterm evaluation notices, a satisfied smile on his face.

* * *

At the same time…

“What?”

Students crowded around the midterm evaluation notice posted in the hallways of Ardel Academy, their eyes wide in shock.

“Wh-what? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“No way. That’s insane.”

“Hey. Is this for real?”

This year, the professors of the Magic Department had put up quite a reward for the midterm evaluations.

The prize was an invitation to a field trip hosted by the most prestigious Mage Society—an event highly regarded among all Mages.

Even with a recommendation from a professor, it was incredibly difficult to attend this prestigious event.

It offered not only practical knowledge about magic but also the chance to attend lectures from top-tier professors, the so-called “one-hit wonders” of the field.

Participation in this event would give a significant advantage to anyone aiming to join the Magic Tower later on.

And they were inviting the top three students from each grade to attend.

“I’m going to study now.”

The eyes of the Magic Department students began to burn with determination.

* * *

Solia blinked her golden eyes and silently stared at Lee Han.

Her lips were tightly pressed together as she bit down on her lower lip—her usual sign that she had something to say.

Lee Han, trying to avoid her gaze, could tell she wasn’t going to let this go.

Finally, Solia asked the question that Lee Han couldn’t dodge.

“Where were you last week?”

The rumors had already spread throughout the school, so there was no point in lying.

Lee Han forced a smile and answered awkwardly.

“The construction site.”

Solia had been watching every word and action of his closely since he arrived.

It was her habit.

Unlike Adela, who had grown up rough, Solia was the youngest daughter of the Arkenent family and had been raised with all the love and care in the world.

However, the more someone has, the more others try to take it from them.

Having seen her family crumble, Solia had lost her ability to trust people.

She was kind to everyone, but that didn’t mean she trusted them.

Lee Han was someone she trusted more than most, but she hadn’t given him her complete trust yet.

‘He’s hiding something.’

It wasn’t that Lee Han was outright lying, but he was definitely holding something back.

Sensing that unease, Solia asked in a calm voice.

“So, you found Usher there? You could have told me if you felt the presence of dark magic…”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Was it Han Siha who saved Usher?”

The unexpected direct question caught Lee Han off guard, and he turned his head.

Solia smiled serenely, her expression unreadable.

“You weren’t going to lie and say you saved him alone, right? I know you’re not good at lying.”

“…Yeah. He saved him.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Do you still not trust him?”

Lee Han struggled to find the words.

Solia was right.

He had noticed that Han Siha was changing, and lately, he had felt like he was seeing a completely different person from the one he remembered.

It was as if Han Siha had become a stranger.

But it was just a suspicion. He wasn’t ready to say anything for certain.

As always, those dark magicians infiltrate organizations, pretending to be clean, gathering information, ensuring their safety, and then betraying others.

Just like Professor Divert Grunui had done.

Who knew what Han Siha might turn into…

Solia interrupted Lee Han’s thoughts.

“Or… are you worried he might change again?”

“Human nature doesn’t change that easily.”

“Maybe. But I don’t think he’s a bad guy.”

Although he can be a bit of a know-it-all at times…

“He’s annoying, but… he’s not a bad guy,” Solia thought, smiling softly.

When he saved her from the Demon Tree, that moment left a strong impression on her. But it wasn’t just that.

Han Siha had been gifted with talent since childhood.

However, that talent, which was like a small spark ready to ignite into an explosive force, had been something even he didn’t realize.

He was afraid of it, suppressing it, and nearly burying himself in darkness.

In his first year, Han Siha had almost thrown himself into that darkness.

But Solia believed that deep down, he wasn’t a bad person.

“He has a great partner, enough magic to control a dragon, and even strong strategic abilities. If he wants to, he could become the best Tamer.”

As she spoke, a smile naturally formed on Solia’s face.

Lee Han looked at her and couldn’t help but smile as well.

It had been a long time since he’d seen her this interested in something, her eyes shining with excitement.

And so, he decided to agree with her.

That guy, who used to be such a pain and nothing but trouble…

When he faced the cursed doll, he showed a completely different side of himself.

There was a resolute determination in his eyes, a fierce commitment to defeating the evil puppeteer.

It didn’t feel like an act.

And most of all, the perfect synergy between him and his dragon, which had almost overwhelmed Lee Han, lingered in his mind.

As he replayed that scene in his head, Lee Han muttered to himself, “Maybe this midterm… there could be a wild card.”

* * *

“Throughout our practical magic classes, I’ve emphasized one thing repeatedly. All advanced magic stems from basic magic, and all basic magic originates from the four fundamental elements.”

“Yes, Professor!”

“Air, water, earth, and fire. By visualizing these four elements in your mind, you lay the foundation for the first stage of magic.”

Air symbolizes the east, water the west, earth the north, and fire the south.

Visualizing the elements involves drawing the directional symbols and the unique colors of each element within the magic circle.

Magic is both an intuitive and theoretical discipline.

Depending on how you position and utilize the elements, the resulting magic can be entirely different—or it can fail altogether.

Or so they say… but it’s really difficult.

I had no idea what he was talking about.

I groaned inwardly, trying my best to absorb Professor Grint’s explanation.

Scratch, scratch.

Professor Grint drew the runes for an advanced spike spell on the blackboard.

It looked complex at first glance, but when broken down, it became clear that the energy was concentrated in the central triangle.

He pointed to the triangle formed where the three lines intersected.

“Here, where air, earth, and fire meet, you can see that the energy ignites most rapidly.”

Electricity embodies the properties of air, earth, and fire.

Zap-

As soon as he finished speaking, a small spark crackled at the exact spot.

This was where the fuel was added.

You didn’t need to shove a blazing torch into it; just a small spark to amplify the magic was enough.

“The key to creating a solid magic circle that won’t collapse, and further, advancing to a higher level of magic from these basic elements, is what I’ve taught you over the past two months.”

Clap, clap, clap.

Applause erupted from the back of the room.

Though Professor Grint was known for his strict grading and tough demeanor, his lectures were undoubtedly valuable.

His explanations were clear—it’s just that the material was incredibly advanced.

“It sort of makes sense…”

I sighed deeply, reading over my hastily scribbled notes a few more times.

When in doubt, the best strategy is…

Just memorize everything.

I highlighted the confusing parts with a bright marker.

“Now then, I’ll proceed with the details of the midterm evaluation. Have you all checked the notice?”

“Yes, Professor!”

Professor Grint smiled warmly as he moved on to discuss the midterm evaluations.

The significance of this midterm was something the students were well aware of.

The chance to be invited to the Mage Society’s event.

Naturally, the students’ eyes were filled with fierce determination.

I wasn’t the only one.

The only sound in the quiet classroom was the scratching of pencils as everyone took meticulous notes, not wanting to miss a single detail.

“You will have a total of four hours. During this time, you will face extreme conditions of the four elements. If you can survive using magic for one hour in each scenario, you will pass the test. We will evaluate your mental strength, physical endurance, and the efficiency of your magic use. The student who survives most efficiently will receive the highest score.”

Mental strength, physical endurance, and efficient use of magic.

The evaluation would be based on these three criteria.

A notoriously tough midterm from Professor Grint.

I remembered reading about that exam in the text.

One student raised their hand to ask a question.

“Is it advantageous to use as little magic as possible?”

“It is, as long as your physical and mental strength can endure.”

So I can’t just pour out my magic recklessly.

Maybe I should ask Adela to help me with a few more practice duels.

Getting beaten up seems to be the most effective way to train, but saying that makes me sound crazy.

Either way, I needed to break the habit of using magic wastefully.

“If your physical strength drops below a certain threshold, the system will automatically eject you from the test site.”

That meant you’d be booted out just before you passed out.

A brutal evaluation method, true to Professor Grint’s style.

Groans of frustration echoed throughout the classroom.

Top three, huh?

That’s a tougher goal than I thought.

The top three students that came to mind were Adela, Solia, and Lee Han.

Was there even room for me among them?

Even if I did another round of practice duels with Creek, I wasn’t sure if I’d make it.

But…

“I have to do it.”

This was a test I absolutely had to ace.

Now that I had chosen the path of strength, the Mage Society’s event was an opportunity that every Ardel Academy student coveted.

If the opportunity presented itself, I had to seize it.

That was my rule.

Gritting my teeth, I packed my notes into my bag.

“Then, I wish you all the best of luck.”

Professor Grint left the classroom with a meaningful smile.