After buying their formal wear, Simon and Lorraine teleported back to Kizen together. Neither had officially received their mission assignment yet, nor had they been issued the request forms. The moment they arrived, Vice-Principal Jane summoned them. The two made their way to the building that housed her research lab. "So..."
Lorraine, walking beside him, studied Simon's face. "This was all to repay a debt to Serne, and you were acting friendly with her in Langerstine to put on a show for the Ivory Tower."
"Yes, that's exactly it!" Simon explained earnestly, desperate to clear up the misunderstanding. "She's a nasty piece of work." After hearing the full story, Lorraine squeezed her eyes shut. "She didn't even use her feathers. It seems she can't be satisfied unless she's manipulating people one way or another."
"Haha..."
As they talked, they arrived at Jane's lab. Lorraine stepped forward to knock. "Professor Jane. We're here to receive our mission." Before she could finish, the door swung open on its own, revealing Jane seated at a distant desk. Even on a weekend, she was buried under a mountain of paperwork. "Come in."
The two walked over and stood before her. "This is the designated request for you both. The client is Princess Molly of the Dresden Kingdom." Jane's briefing was concise, but it was nothing they didn't already know. They both accepted the mission and tucked the letters away. "You will be attending a royal function as representatives of Kizen. Be mindful of your conduct and speech, and do nothing to tarnish Kizen's honor. That is all." They both bowed. As Lorraine turned to leave, she glanced at the mountain of documents and remarked quietly, "You have your hands full because of my mother, don't you, Professor?"
"It can't be helped," Jane said with a small laugh. "It has been my destiny since Lady Nephthys took me in. And Simon Polentia." Simon straightened up, tense. "Yes, Professor!"
"Your health."
She paused her quill and looked up. "Are you all right?"
That was unexpected. The cold Professor Jane was actually worried about him. A warmth spread through Simon's chest as he replied, "Yes! I'm fine!" "That's a relief. You should look forward to the briefing in our next Basic Black Magic class."
"Pardon?"
"Dropping from first to tenth place... even considering the theme was disadvantageous for a Summoning major, the discrepancy is too large." The corners of Jane's lips curled into a smirk. "I intend to analyze your performance thoroughly and tear it apart next week. Consider this a heads-up warning." Despite being indoors, Simon felt a chill run down his spine. "I-I'll make sure not to disappoint you next time!"
"Of course. You may go." Jane returned to her work, and Simon and Lorraine exited the lab. After the students left and the door closed, Jane set down her quill. She tapped the mana projector on her desk, and the video she had been watching resumed. It showed Simon advancing, sweeping away kobolds with his 'Royal Guard.' As the cheers of the crowd echoed from the recording, a smile touched Jane's lips. She had lost count of how many times she'd replayed it. 'This is a first.'
She was the Vice-Principal of Kizen and their supervising professor, but for the first time, she felt a pang of envy for the subject professors who could take on direct disciples.
The next afternoon, dressed in his tuxedo, bow tie, and formal shoes, Simon headed for the hill where the large teleportation circle was located. But, being new to school life, he had overlooked one crucial detail. 'I'm attracting so much attention.'
When everyone else was in uniform, wearing something different made him stick out like a sore thumb. Students had been staring since he'd stepped into the dormitory hallway, and now, out on the school grounds, he was the target of countless gazes. "Wow, look at that first-year's tie. It's cute."
"Is he going to a party or something?"
His face burned. If he had known, he would have worn his uniform and changed after teleporting. He'd been in too much of a rush to think it through. Every murmur around him felt like it was about his clothes. Simon quickened his pace, left the grounds, and started up the hill. 'I'm screwed.'
He reached his destination. He had assumed most students would have left for their mission evaluations yesterday, but there were quite a few heading out today as well. Naturally, their attention immediately zeroed in on him. "Ooh! Going to your childhood friend's birthday party?" "Hey, country bumpkin! Don't you know a pocket square goes on your head, not in your chest?"
"Bwahahaha!"
The openly mocking voices sounded familiar. Sure enough, it was Hector's faction. Hector himself was nowhere to be seen. "A tuxedo during the mission evaluation period? Must be nice."
"What do you expect from Special Admission No. 1? He's probably off to some designated mission to suck up to noble ladies for cash."
"Truly amazing. He's on a different level from us." The taunts grew sharper. In turn, the gazes of some of the other students turned cold. 'Give me a break.'
It hadn't been this bad in Class A. He even started to wonder if Hector had been a restraining force for them. Just as Simon was about to speak-
"It's a relief you know he's on a different level."
A sweet voice cut through the air. Every student who turned their head widened their eyes. A girl in a beautiful ivory-colored dress that matched her hair approached Simon and naturally rested a hand on his arm. "My apologies for having to suck up to noble ladies during the mission evaluation period."
Serne let out a chilling laugh, and the pupils of Hector's cronies trembled violently. 'This is insane!'
'H-H-He's going with Serne?'
No matter how much protection Hector's faction offered, Serne Aindark was a monster on a completely different plane. They had just made an enemy of the worst possible person. "You're early."
This time, a black-haired girl was approaching. Both male and female students stared, mouths agape, at the sight of her in a dress that shimmered like the night sky. 'Lorraine Archbold!'
'That's Nephthys's daughter, right?'
'Sh-She's gorgeous.'
Lorraine came to a stop beside Simon. "Simon, what's going on?"
"Ah."
Serne tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and answered for him. "Some people over there were getting jealous of Simon for going on a designated request they couldn't get."
Hearing this, Lorraine fixed Hector's faction with an icy glare. 'Ugh.'
'I can hear my school life going down the drain.'
The boys looked as if they were about to cry, having managed to get on the bad side of those two in such a short time. The other students who had subtly sided with them had long since fled, pretending they hadn't seen a thing. "Alright! We will now depart!" Just then, the teleportation administrator's shout rang out. "Students heading to the Geron territory, please enter first!"
"Yes!"
The activation of the teleportation circle saved them at the perfect moment. Not daring to even make eye contact, Hector's faction scrambled away. Watching them, Serne laughed loudly. "Don't mind them, Simon," Lorraine said. "Okay."
Simon looked at Lorraine's dress and added, "But that dress really suits you."
"Thanks. The tuxedo suits you, too." "Me? I've been getting jeered at the whole way here."
"Well now," Serne chimed in from the side, a slight smile on her face. "Were those really jeers, I wonder?"
The three of them teleported directly to the Dresden Royal Palace. Carriages were pulling up to one entrance, depositing luxuriously dressed nobles who were then politely guided by royal butlers. Simon, escorting the two girls, was about to enter when a man in a royal butler's uniform hurried over. "You must be from Kizen. The princess is waiting for you." They were led along a different route from the regular guests. 'Well, our official purpose here is to be Princess Molly's bodyguards, after all.'
Simon took in his surroundings. As expected of a royal palace, it was vast and magnificent. A plush red carpet stretched across the floor, and the walls were covered in ornate gold decorations. There wasn't a single empty space left unadorned; it was the very definition of splendor. A short while later, they stopped before a set of doors. No sooner had the butler opened them than a girl in a white dress ran out, beaming. "Welcome, all three of you!"
It was Princess Molly, the client for this mission, and a necromancy enthusiast so passionate she was nicknamed the "Necromancer Doctor." The three of them bowed respectfully, and she jumped up and down with delight, looking like a fangirl who had just met her favorite actor. After greeting Lorraine and Serne, she approached Simon. "I must apologize for my brother's behavior during the first semester."
Her words flustered Simon, who waved his hands dismissively. "Ah, not at all, Your Highness!"
"I heard you performed spectacularly in the recent БМАТ exam, too! Her Majesty the Queen forbade me from leaving, so I couldn't watch in person, but I've been keeping up with the news! I'll be cheering you on from the palace in spirit!" Princess Molly was so excited that she was talking a mile a minute, but Simon didn't mind her enthusiasm. He smiled and eagerly engaged with her.
"I was especially surprised to hear you passed the test using a Blood Golem! Isn't that a third-year technique? It's truly amazing! If someone as incredible as you were to come to our kingdom...! Ah, I'm sorry! I shouldn't be talking about this here! Ahaha! Please pretend you didn't hear that!" Behind them, Serne and Lorraine, who had been standing with pleasant smiles, both felt their eyebrows twitch. The two of them were already on high alert about talent recruitment; they hadn't expected the Dresden royal family to make a move.
Princess Molly's excited chatter continued. "Actually, I'm sixteen, and I'll be seventeen next year! I've been nagging Her Majesty to let me open my Core because I want to go to Kizen!" 'Huh?'
The surprising news made Simon blink. The thought that a royal might become his junior crossed his mind. "But Her Majesty is strongly against it. She says it's difficult for women to have children if they open their Core." "Ha! That kind of nonsen-" Serne caught herself mid-sentence. "It's a shame such baseless superstitions are still so widespread."
"Right?"
Princess Molly whirled back to Simon. "I've already decided which subjects I'll take and what I'll major in when I get to Kizen! I was originally going to do Venomology, but after watching your duel evaluation, I changed my mind! I want to major in Summoning, too!" Simon grinned. "I think it's a worthwhile field. If you enroll at Kizen next year, I'll be happy to help you learn!" Princess Molly clasped her hands, her expression ecstatic. "I'll look forward to it!"
A small jolt went through Simon. He thought he'd be a first-year forever, but the idea of being a senior made his heart flutter. Of course, that was still a long way off. For now, his only thought was surviving his first year. "Ahem."
Just then, Lorraine cleared her throat. "Your Highness. Shouldn't you be getting ready?" "Ah! You're right! I'll show you the way. Please, come this way!"

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