Episode 152. Outdoor Class (2)
Professor Gaizen, along with Palant, the administrative director of Capotini School of Magic, were looking for a place to hold outdoor classes.
“Whoa, Whoa! It’s humid, it’s humid.”
Palant frowned. He picked a rock on the trail and sat down on it.
I tried hard to move my hands like a fan, but it was no use. The discomfort that clung to my whole body did not go away.
“Right, hehe.”
Palant, who suddenly remembered something, narrowed his eyes and smiled. The middle-aged balding wizard gave a secret nod to Kaizen, who was sitting across from him.
“…What does that mean?”
“Once you leave Capotini, your magic usage is extremely limited. Even creating ice in this humid weather is a bit tricky.”
“Because the principal gave special instructions.”
The reason why Administrative Director Palant is here.
Principal Keegan simply approved the request for outdoor classes, but left the location up to the administrators to decide.
This is near the northeast of Capotini, but it is clearly beyond the border of Capotini.
In fact, as soon as we crossed the mountain, the climate changed. It was humid and muggy. It was no longer Capotini.
Fumbling around.
“… … .”
Kaizen watched silently as the administrative director rummaged through his backpack.
“I can’t use magic, but… I prepared something that should save you from this damn feeling of earthworms crawling all over your body.”
“Did you bring the magic stone?”
“Yes, I brought one from the storage room. It’s been sitting there since I finished my Design Magic class last semester. It’s for educational purposes, so the magical effect will be weak. Where is this?”
Whew.
A cold air began to spread from the 4th-grade magic stone placed on his palm. A satisfied smile appeared on Palant’s face as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
In fact, using magic casually on the street was something that was only possible in Capotini. I had only crossed a mountain, but from now on, it was better not to reveal that I was a magician.
After all, to the general public, wizards were considered something of a different species, and they often caused unnecessary fear. In some cases, they could be misunderstood unintentionally.
“Professor Kaizen, have we looked at all the candidate sites?”
The administrative director, who felt much more refreshed, asked.
“Yes. I think I can choose one of the three places I visited. What do you think, Director?”
“Well, everything is fine for me. First of all, it’s not a monster habitat. All three are located relatively far from the village, so it shouldn’t be too bad.”
After wandering around all morning, three candidates were narrowed down.
As soon as you leave Capotini, you come across a natural forest, each with its own charm.
The first candidate site had a cave, the second candidate site had a pond, and the third candidate site had a small swamp.
“Are all the plants there magic plants? And they’re not the typical plants?”
“Yes, these are plants that have been influenced by the climate here. They look different, so they will be a good study for the cadets.”
Palant crossed his arms and placed the cold-radiating magic stone on his shiny crown. A chill ran down his spine and through his entire body.
“Well, like I said, I’m fine with everything. The most important thing the school cares about is safety! Safety! Safety! Because the final decision is made by the professor in charge.”
“Hmm… Then, sir, can I go back to just one place?”
Going back in this hot weather? To Palant, whose eyebrows furrowed involuntarily, Kaizen quickly added.
“Of course I will go alone. The administrative director should go down to the village first and quench his thirst.”
“Anyway… All the professors are meticulous. Our school’s future looks bright. If that’s true, I’ll go down now. I’ll wait for you in the village. Come back soon.”
Then, Palant started to go down the mountain path while humming. Gaizen, who was watching his back, turned around with a bitter smile.
‘I was worried that you might follow me, but luckily you didn’t.’
Soon he climbed the mountain again.
I turned around halfway up the mountain and headed down. As I continued along the foot of the mountain, a small cave entrance appeared.
That’s right, it was the first candidate.
Clap clap clap.
Because of the unique climate, water would often drip from the cave ceiling. The inside of the cave was dark, but Kaizen did not bother to use magic to create light.
‘There’s no need to do that.’
Just as I was thinking that, the fluorescent frogs on the cave walls all started croaking in unison.
Croak croak-
Croak croak-
Dozens of frogs began croaking in unison, revealing their fluorescent skin. In an instant, the cave lit up.
As the administrative director was impressed, the inside of the cave was filled with various types of plants, including fluorescent frogs. Although there was no sunlight, these plants grew using the light from the fluorescent frogs as nutrients.
Vines in the cave.
Flowers and moss.
Even mushrooms of all colors.
All of them have the properties of a magical core. This is because the giant mana stone of Lake Capotin has an effect on them.
‘Here it is.’
Purseok.
Kaizen found a mushroom growing between the bricks and picked it off with his hands.
After that, his footsteps quickened. He hurriedly headed towards his final destination.
‘The first fork, the second fork… the third, the fourth… … .’
This cave had many forks in the road.
It may be an interesting element for the cadets, as if they were going on an adventure, but the repeated forks in the road will eventually cause them to scatter.
If you look at it that way-
‘Opportunities will arise naturally.’
That’s when Per and I are left alone.
Kaizen smiled bitterly again. On the surface, it seemed like a very safe and beneficial activity, but that wasn’t necessarily the case.
On the day of the collection, no one would have expected that one of the cadets would disappear in an unexpected accident.
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“Was it here?”
A familiar scene finally appeared. The place where Kaizen’s footsteps stopped was a dead end passage that he had reached after passing through many forks in the road.
Thud thud.
Nevertheless, Kaizen continued walking towards the blocked wall. Standing in front of the wall, he straightened the cave mushroom he had been carrying.
Then I rubbed the wall with it.
Phew.
Phew.
At that moment, with a sound like a match being struck, light began to rise from the cave mushroom. And then-
Knock knock.
Suddenly the wall started moving.
No, strictly speaking, this isn’t a wall. It’s a giant root that looks like a wall, the root of a tree that is particularly sensitive to cave mushrooms.
Drumroll.
There was a small vibration.
Immediately after, the tree roots twisted, creating a small gap large enough for a person to pass through. Using the mushroom as a key, the thick root door of the tree was opened.
Kaizen knew very well that a peculiar space awaited him beyond this. He had come with the administrative director, but it was a space that the foolish bald man had not noticed.
A space that Kaizen discovered years ago, and where he will capture Per during this gathering.
Kaizen walked into the gap in the trees. A narrow passage awaited him. If he walked along it, he would come across a cliff so steep that the bottom was not visible.
‘If Luden were standing here… … .’
Gaizen imagined a situation. Luden was standing on the edge of a cliff, and the fearsome unmanned man who had arrived and been hiding in advance began to attack. The two would fall down the cliff like that.
The fierce battle between the two will continue in a deep, dark pit beneath the cliff.
No matter how talented you are and how well you perform in the selection test, it won’t be easy to deal with a warrior. After all, he’s a warrior who has reached the 5-star level.
‘I’d rather that bastard Luden die there.’
No, no.
‘I wish not only Luden but also that uninhabited island would die.’
That was Kaizen’s honest wish. He no longer wanted to be swayed by an unknown organization. He no longer believed that they would make him the youngest principal.
‘It’s not like there’s no way at all.’
With that thought in mind, he stood precariously on the edge of a cliff.
The next moment, he opened his subspace pouch and took out a magic stone from inside.
I didn’t tell the administrative director earlier, but he also brought a 4th grade magic stone. The magic stone he brought had a cold energy built into it.
Click.
Kaizen activated the magic stone. Then, a cold air was released. It was only a weak cold air that could cool down the midsummer heat, but depending on how it was used, it could be a deadly weapon.
‘And I know how.’
Kaizen threw the magic stone he was holding down the cliff.
Wheeeeee, thud!
“… … .”
In fact, the lower pit was filled with a peculiar plant community. It was similar in size and shape to a sunflower, but its petals were dark red instead of yellow.
‘What were these guys’ names?’
I suddenly became curious, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was that the bottom of the pit was filled with those plants.
‘If I drop this magic stone up there… … .’
At room temperature, they are just ordinary plants, but the moment they feel the cold, they are no longer ordinary plants. They become plant-type monsters, which are rare even among monsters.
Krrrrrr.
As expected, a strange cry rose from down there.
Kaizen shivered without realizing it. Even though he was far away, it was creepy.
Kaizen took a step back, recalling the gloomy memory of almost losing his life when he had collected a flower that he thought might be useful as experimental material. Then he calmed his pounding heart.
The annoying magician and the fearsome 5-star warrior. Whether they fight, bite, or form an alliance, it doesn’t matter.
With just this one magic stone, the area down there will be transformed into a hunting ground for those bastards. Kaizen smiled with satisfaction.
‘They’re both going to die.’
* * *
The next day.
As soon as Kaizen arrived at school, he heard the good news.
“What? Say it again, Thompson.”
“Cadet Luden Poinen said he was interested in ‘that book.’”
“A collection of school alumni conversations? Enzo Lorenzini’s edition, is that it?”
Gaizen asked naturally. Assistant Professor Thompson nodded without any doubt.
“Should I tell Cadet Luden that the professor has returned?”
“Yeah. I have something to ask too.”
I somehow didn’t feel like meeting Rubin face to face, but I couldn’t skip the confirmation.
I had to ask him why he wanted Enzo Lorenzini’s book, and I had to find out if the guy was really Perez.
Besides, there was a chance that things would work out easily. He might just confess first without Kaizen having to ask.
‘At first it seemed like he was being stubborn, but now it seems like he’s secretly relying on me.’
Kaizen waited for lunchtime. He expected that the guy would come to him during lunchtime.
Knock knock knock
It was as expected.
It was lunchtime, and while Thompson was away, there was a knock on the lab door. Gaizen swallowed.
“Professor, this is Luden Poinen.”
