A woman in a severe business suit, her black hair cut in a neat bob, stood with a clipboard tucked under her arm, an expression of clear disapproval on her face.
Bahil clicked his tongue before forcing a smile. "It’s nothing, Vice Principal."
"I’m quite sure I heard that, but I’ll let it slide," she said coolly. "The event is about to begin. Please return to your seats."
Bahil stalked off toward the Grand Auditorium. Byulya let out a hearty laugh and disappeared into the crowd of students heading inside. Jane was about to turn and follow when Simon called out.
"Professor Jane! We made it back safely!" he said with a bright smile.
Jane glanced over her shoulder and gave a curt nod. "Yes. I’m glad you returned without incident."
As he watched her walk away, Dick muttered under his breath, "Professor Jane is like a block of wood. Her personality never changes. I thought she might soften up if we got to know her."
"You think so?" Simon smiled. "To me, it seemed like she was really happy to see us."
"...That was her being happy?"
"Simon!"
Hearing his name, Simon turned. "Ah, Kami!"
Kamibarez, wearing her school uniform for the first time in what felt like ages, was hurrying toward them. The small bat wings on her back fluttered with excitement.
"Hey! What was that about? What did Professor Jane say?" Meirin followed close behind, her sky-blue hair shimmering like a flowing stream.
"She just said she was glad we made it back safely."
"Professor Jane said that? How unexpected," Meirin remarked.
Kamibarez beamed as she reached them. "A new schedule is starting! Let’s all do our best!" She pumped her small fists in the air, her enthusiasm infectious. A wave of comfort and warmth washed over the group.
"You bet!" Dick declared. "We’ll survive this fourth BMAT and make it all the way to the fifth—!"
"Still not dead yet, trash?"
Dick’s head snapped around. The hulking figure of Hector Moore stood nearby, his hands stuffed in his pockets and a sneer on his face.
"What a shame." His infamous cronies snickered behind him. Hector’s gaze fell on Simon, his expression turning serious for a fleeting moment before he turned away. "Let’s go."
His entourage trailed after him.
"Hector! Hurry up and tell us about fighting three priests at once in the Neutral Zone!"
"Wasn’t it five?"
Watching the boisterous group depart, Meirin sighed. "When will those guys ever grow up?"
Dick just chuckled. "I’ve started thinking of them as kids desperate for attention. It doesn’t even piss me off anymore."
Kamibarez gently pushed the three of them forward. "Come on, let’s get inside!"
The moment they stepped into the Grand Auditorium, Simon’s group gasped.
"Wh-What is all this?"
An unbelievable scene lay before them. The usual tiered seating was gone, replaced by elegant round tables draped in white linen. A magnificent buffet stretched across the center of the hall, laden with every luxurious dish imaginable. Chefs bustled about, constantly replenishing the platters with freshly cooked food, while a string quartet played classical music near the podium.
"Is this... a banquet?" Dick stammered.
"Unbelievable."
The students were ecstatic. Simon and his friends quickly claimed a table near the front, draping their uniform jackets over the chairs to save their spots before heading for the food.
’I’ve never seen half of these dishes before.’ Growing up in the countryside, Simon felt his eyes widen at the sheer opulence. He never quite got used to these grand events. He filled his plate with a few familiar items and headed back to the table, where his friends were already chatting away.
Their plates were a study in contrasts. Dick’s was piled high with carbs and fish, Meirin had selected a delicate salad and pasta, and Kamibarez had gone straight for the meat dishes.
"A glass of wine?" a slender waiter asked as he approached their table.
"W-We can drink alcohol? On school grounds?"
"Lady Nephthys has granted special permission for this occasion," the waiter replied smoothly.
"Wow!"
It was clear Kizen had spared no expense for this banquet.
"Well, I guess they felt a little guilty sending us all out to suffer in the Neutral Zone," Meirin mused, elegantly sipping her wine as she swept her hair back. Though she could be down-to-earth, in moments like these, the grace of a high noble’s daughter shone through.
"Mm!" Her eyes lit up after a sip. "This isn’t cheap swill! This is expensive!"
Simon took a taste and nodded, pleasantly surprised. Kamibarez, meanwhile, was contentedly sipping her orange juice.
"I-I’ll clear your plates for you."
A young woman in a maid’s uniform approached their table, timidly pushing a cart. Meirin popped the last mushroom from her plate into her mouth and handed over the empty dish.
"This one too, plea—Wait a minute!" She gasped, pointing a finger at the maid. "Chief Assistant! What are you doing here?"
The woman in the maid outfit was none other than Professor Jane’s chief assistant. Her face turned beet red as she frantically shushed them. "Quiet! This is so embarrassing!"
As Simon, Dick, and Kamibarez all stared, she looked as if she might burst into tears. "H-Have a little decency! You’re supposed to pretend you don’t see things like this!"
"Pfft." Meirin stifled a laugh behind her hand, which only made the assistant’s face burn brighter.
’This is so awkward.’ Simon discreetly stood to place his own plate on the cart, but she waved him off, gently pushing him back into his seat.
"Why are you here, Chief Assistant?" Kamibarez asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
"Ahem. A girl’s gotta make a living," she mumbled.
The assistant shook her head wearily. "You youngsters, in the vibrant prime of your lives, wouldn’t understand. Life is just a series of small, soul-crushing humiliations that slowly forge you into an adult."
As a somber silence fell over the table, she quickly added, "Oh, it’s nothing, really. They were short-staffed and requested support. The assistants played rock-paper-scissors for the five spots, and, well... here I am." Tears welled in her eyes. "Me, a maid... at my age."
"You can do it," Kamibarez offered quietly.
"Chief Assistant," Dick chimed in.
Knowing his personality, she looked at him with a whimper. "If you make fun of me, I swear I’ll cry."
"No, no, that’s not it!" Dick insisted, pointing to a nearby table. "At least you’re not him."
Over at the next table, Brad, the burly Combat Magic assistant, was also clearing plates in a maid outfit. His bulging muscles strained against the fabric, and the sight of his hairy legs beneath the frilly skirt was actively ruining appetites across the hall.
"Hm." The chief assistant managed a dry laugh. "Okay, I feel a little better now."
"You got this!" Dick cheered.
The banquet continued in high spirits. But as anyone knows, when happiness feels too good to be true, suspicion is sure to follow.
"I’ve got a bad feeling about this!" Dick suddenly slammed his palm on the table. "Why is Kizen being so nice to us? What are they planning that requires fattening us up like this?!"
"Maybe it’s something like this?" Simon offered, taking a sip of wine. "‘Well, we hope you enjoyed the feast. The fourth BMAT will now begin.’"
Meirin and Kamibarez both shrieked.
"Hey! Don’t jinx us!"
"That’s terrifying because it’s exactly what Kizen would do!"
In truth, they weren’t the only ones. Similar conversations were taking place at tables all around them.
Just then...
’Flick.’
The lights in the Grand Auditorium dimmed. A single spotlight hit the podium as the musicians quietly packed up their instruments. Broadcasting minions scurried to set up a standing amplification crystal.
’Thud. Thud.’
Every eye in the hall turned toward the sound of approaching footsteps. Simon’s own eyes widened. It was Professor Aaron, but instead of his usual shabby attire, he was dressed in an immaculate formal suit.
A heavy, expectant silence fell over the students. Aaron approached the podium with a blank expression, adjusted the amplification crystal, and then swept his gaze over the assembly.
"Now," he began. Seeing their tense faces, a small smirk touched his lips. "It’s not what you’re thinking, so you can relax."
A collective sigh of relief swept through the room.
"First, you will fill out these documents."
As if on cue, minions moved with swift efficiency, distributing documents and quill pens to every student.
’What’s this all of a sudden?’ Simon unfolded the paper and read the form.
> Name:
> Gender:
> Major:
> Minor:
> Usable Black Magic & Proficiency:
> Chronic Illnesses:
> Traumatic Experiences:
"Chronic illnesses? Trauma?" Meirin crossed her arms, frowning. "Why are they asking for this now?"
"This is... a little suspicious, isn’t it?" Kamibarez added quietly.
"I don’t know if I should be honest on this," Dick muttered, already trying to figure out an angle.
"Don’t try to be clever," Aaron’s voice boomed. "Write the truth. This is for your own good."
A hand shot up from the crowd. By now, Simon could recognize the posture and the bracelet on the wrist without even seeing the face.
"Professor! We’re first-years! We don’t have majors yet!" said Jamie Victoria.
"For your major, write the subject you are most confident in," Aaron replied without missing a beat. "It does not have to be the subject you chose for your group project. I’m aware that many of you selected a subject that wasn’t your specialty for the sake of group composition. Write down what you are best at."
At those words, Simon saw Meirin, who had initially written ‘Cursology,’ decisively strike it out and replace it with ‘Jet-Black Dynamics.’
Another student raised their hand. "Will this information be shared with other students?"
"It will only be accessible to Kizen officials. You have no cause for concern on that front."
The once-raucous auditorium fell silent, filled only with the soft scratching of quills on parchment. Simon confidently wrote ‘Summoning’ for his major but hesitated at his minor.
’A minor is my second-strongest subject, right?’
Cursology, Combat Magic, and Hemomancy all came to mind, but the one he used most often and felt most confident in was Combat Magic. Since this wasn’t set in stone, he wrote it down.
’For some reason, I can picture Professor Bahil’s furious face... but it should be fine.’
After the paperwork was collected from all the first-year students, Aaron returned to the podium.
"I will now begin with the important announcements. There will be significant changes starting with this fourth BMAT, so I suggest you pay close attention."
Hearing this, Dick jabbed a thumb at his own chest, his face alight with excitement. "See! I told you! I was right, wasn’t I? I said there’d be a change!"
"We get it, now shut up," Meirin hissed, blushing as she glanced around at the other tables. He was an embarrassment.
Simon turned his attention back to Aaron on the stage. The professor picked up the amplification crystal and walked to the very edge of the podium.
"First," Aaron began, unfolding a new document, "I will introduce the necromancer who will be supervising this fourth BMAT."
Simon’s eyes widened. ’A guest necromancer? Not someone from Kizen headquarters?’
Things really were changing.

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