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After rescuing the freshmen and eliminating Cooper Caron, a mid-level executive in the spy organization, the remaining winter vacation months of January and February passed without major incidents.
We dealt a more significant blow to the spy organization than ever before, so unless they launch a full-scale attack on Elton City, things should be quiet for a while.
'At least, that's what I think.'
Mons and Sara, who went to investigate the X-7 base, still hadn't reported back.
I told them to tear the business card if anything happened, so they must still be safely gathering information about them.
I was leaning back on the sofa when Bellus returned.
Bellum and Latia, who had gone out together, followed behind.
"Davian, oppa!"
Bellus ran into the living room with a bright smile.
Bellus, who even refused when Davian offered to buy her nice clothes, and continued to wear the rag-like clothes she brought from home.
Today, she was neatly dressed in Elton Academy's uniform.
As her country girl appearance completely disappeared, her cute face became even more prominent.
"How is it, oppa? Does the uniform suit me well too?"
"Yeah, it suits you."
"Really?"
Bellus grabbed Latia's hand, who was standing next to her.
"Latia, unnie! Thank you so much."
In fact, there was an incident that greatly surprised Davian.
It was the fact that Latia had bought Bellus's uniform.
We were just having a conversation about needing to get a uniform, but Latia readily offered to buy it for her.
And she visited the uniform store twice with Bellum to gift her a custom-made uniform.
It didn't seem like she was particularly close to Bellus usually.
'She definitely wasn't like this.'
Actually.
Davian was so focused on graduating and completing quests that he wasn't considering something.
For a growing teenager, one year is enough time to influence personality changes.
Especially if it's such an impactful year like this one.
Not only Latia but also all of Davian's friends around him were growing and changing in their own ways, experiencing various things.
It was only natural since they had gone through more than any other classmate during their freshman year.
The three female students came and sat on the sofa around Davian.
Bellus put her hands together and made a deeply moved expression.
"It's unbelievable that the entrance ceremony is next week. I can't believe I'm becoming an Elton Academy student..."
"Don't get too excited already. If you fail the entrance exam, you'll be kicked out that day."
Bellus's expression turned drastically dark at Davian's words.
Of course, it was just a joke.
But Bellus's face quickly crumpled.
"Ah... the entrance exam."
Bellum lightly nudged Davian's shoulder.
"Hey! Why are you killing her spirit even as a joke? Don't worry, Bellus. The entrance exam is nothing. If you're really worried, should unnie tell you how to pass?"
Bellus's eyes widened.
"Really? There's a way to pass?"
"Yeah. There's a surefire strategy."
"Yes! Please tell me!"
Bellum jumped up from the sofa.
Then, she spread her index and middle fingers and covered her own eyes.
"First, the eyes. The eyes are important."
"The eyes?"
"Yeah. A confident look that says, 'I've got something. I'm an amazing person.' But you can't look too arrogant either. A confident but not too obnoxious look."
Bellus, who had already grabbed a pen and paper, muttered Bellum's words and wrote them down.
"Okay, next is the smile."
This time, she covered her mouth.
"You have to give off a smile that says, 'I'm nice. I'm good. I'm not someone who would harm others.' Like this."
"Smile...? Smile. I am good..."
Bellus, after finishing her notes, continued to ask.
"What's next?"
"That's it."
Bellus looked up at Bellum as if she was dumbfounded.
Davian and Latia also looked at Bellum with dumbfounded expressions.
"...That's it?"
"Yeah. That's it. The entrance exam's foolproof strategy. Oh, should I tell you one more thing?"
Hope reappeared on Bellus's face, who was about to make a look of despair, thinking, "Is that all?"
"Yes!"
"Okay, then, the last tip! While maintaining what I told you earlier, go and stand where many people are gathered."
"Yes. Yes?"
Bellus's fingers, which were writing, stopped.
Bellus now realized that something was off.
"Th, then what happens?"
"Then they'll ask you to take the entrance exam together. A confident look and a kind smile. You'll be someone everyone wants to be in the same group with."
"Ah..."
Latia finally nodded.
"Good strategy. I didn't need it though."
Davian also nodded.
"Good strategy. I didn't need it either though."
Bellum, after confirming Latia's and Davian's reactions, smiled brightly and sat back on the sofa.
"See? That's what I'm saying? The fact that there are already many people gathered means that there's probably someone good among them. If you join such a group, you won't fail the entrance exam unless something really bad happens."
"That's right."
"Good strategy."
Bellus, who had been watching Latia and Davian agreeing, put down her notepad and grabbed Bellum's shoulder.
"Unnie! Show me again. The confident eyes and kind smile! I'll do whatever unnie tells me to do!"
Bellum giggled, looking satisfied.
"Watch closely. Like this. Confident eyes! I've got something!"
"I've got something!"
"No. You can't put too much strength in your eyes, or you'll look arrogant. Then people might not approach you first."
"Ah... Like th, this?"
"Good. Perfect. Remember that look now. Next! Smile!"
"Smile!"
"No. You can't smile like a fool like that. People might think you're actually a fool."
"Ah..."
Pfft.
Latia, who was watching the two of them, burst out laughing.
Bellum's lecture continued until Bellus wore a satisfied expression.
Elton Academy, where the law of the jungle, endless competition, and winner-takes-all prevail.
The first meeting with about three hundred classmates.
The first group evaluation will take place in a situation where they are ignorant of each other, awkward, and wary.
Bellum's rapid-fire lecture on human sociability was the most necessary lecture for Bellus right now.
Davian thought Bellum was amazing once again.
As someone who had experienced the entrance exam, he had never even thought of giving such advice.
Bellum was literally putting her fingers on Bellus's lips and determining the size of her smile.
'She probably won't fail anyway, but it wouldn't be bad for her to pass the entrance exam more easily like that.'
Monday, the first week of March.
The day the new semester of Elton Academy begins.
The freshmen should be gathered in the first-year auditorium, receiving information about the entrance exam.
Davian and his friends passed through the second-year space gate for the opening ceremony.
"Wow, we're entering the second-year space. It's really a novel feeling."
"I know. It feels like it was just a few days ago that we were trembling while taking the entrance exam."
"The atmosphere of the buildings is completely different!"
If the buildings in the first-year space had a majestic and neat atmosphere.
The second-year space mainly used buildings that gave off a more antique feel using a lot of bricks.
The trees along the roads were also more lush, and ivy covered the walls of some buildings.
"Is that the auditorium?"
Looking where Luna was pointing, there was an auditorium with huge doors open.
Students were already gathering in groups of twos and threes and entering the auditorium.
"I wonder which professors are left?"
"My sister told me that about half stay the same every year, and about half change?"
"Then some of our professors from our first year will be there too?"
"Probably?"
Even Davian, who had already attended the second year twice, was curious.
Because even in the first year, two professors had changed during the fourth playthrough.
Professor Sirims Andrian, who was in charge of the gifted class, was in charge of the first-year magic basics class.
And Medium Frill, who was just a nurse, took on the temporary professorship from the middle of the year.
So there was no guarantee that the second-year faculty would be the same as in the previous playthrough.
'Will there be any changes this time too?'
Davian and his friends entered the auditorium where the entrance ceremony would be held.
The size of the auditorium had become a little smaller than in the first year.
It was only natural, as the number of students decreased as they went up the grades.
The number of students who gathered in the first-year auditorium last year was over 300, but now there were only 188 left.
After everyone sat down on the chairs prepared according to the number of students.
The door at the back of the platform opened, and the second-year faculty entered.
First of all, the faces of familiar professors could be seen.
Psychokinesis Kinesis.
Healing magic Medium.
Summoning magic Wendy.
Mental magic Billian.
The four professors were the same as in the first year.
Some male students in the swordsmanship department wore gloomy expressions.
"Professor Stella must have gone to another grade."
"Ah... Professor Stella..."
Davian also tilted his head.
Her story proportion in the first year was not small either.
Originally, she was in charge of swordsmanship professors up to the third grade.
In the fourth playthrough, the second-year swordsmanship professor had changed.
'That person is...'
Among the students who were regretting that Professor Stella had not appeared.
Some students let out exclamations or gasped.
"Huh! Isn't that Professor Leo Martiang?"
"The head of the swordsmanship department who's supposed to be in the capital?"
"It's Professor Leo Martiang for sure!"
"Has he returned?"
Davian looked at Leo Martiang, the head of the swordsmanship department.
'Something else has changed again.'
Originally, he was scheduled to return next year.
He takes charge of Davian's grade, who became a fourth-year student the year after he was in charge of the first year.
But suddenly, he returned as a second-year professor.
It was a shame that Professor Stella Cloud, who taught the basics of swordsmanship well, had gone to another grade.
'But as the head of the swordsmanship department, I'll have more to learn.'
Such changes are welcome.
And.
There was another change.
Davian checked the face of the professor who would be in charge of the four elemental magic.
Camilla Lucia.
A female professor of similar age to Professor Stella Cloud, who was the object of envy for male students in the swordsmanship department.
If Professor Stella had a neat and upright beauty, Camilla had a slightly disheveled and free-spirited beauty.
Her carelessly loose blonde hair was fluffy.
She wore a loose t-shirt inside her carelessly draped mage robe.
A stark contrast to Professor Stella, who always had neat hair and attire.
It was too different in style to argue about who was more beautiful.
One thing was for sure: the majority of the male students here were already gaping at Camilla Lucia.
Her tousled hair did not hide her beauty, and her loose t-shirt did not hide her curves.
"Wow... that beautiful professor must be from the magic department, right?"
"Magic department guys. Lucky you!"
Leo Martiang, the head of the swordsmanship department, stepped forward.
His dignified baritone reverberated throughout the auditorium.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Leo Martiang. I am the head of the swordsmanship department at our academy. Originally, I was supposed to meet you all last year, but I was summoned by the royal family, so I'm only meeting you now."
Leo Martiang looked around the second-year students sitting in the auditorium.
His gaze stopped at one male student.
The male student also did not avoid his gaze and met Leo Martiang's eyes.
'As expected. He has a good spirit.'
It was Davian Naone.
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