The Genius Tamer of the Academy

Chapter 20

I hummed a tune as I walked out into the hallway.

I was in a fantastic mood.

I had successfully been assigned to the Magic Department, there was a chance I could secure some funding from my family, and I had managed to avoid Lee Han’s radar.

Ah, is it really okay for things to be going this well?

Feeling light-hearted, I tapped Adela on the shoulder and spoke up.

I was in such a good mood.

“Adela, how about stopping by the market after this?”

“The market?”

“Let’s grab a hearty meal.”

Adela thought for a moment before nodding.

Last time, when I’d offered to buy her something, we got sidetracked at the food stalls and didn’t have time to eat properly.

So, this would be our first time eating together. Judging by her expression, she didn’t seem to dislike the idea.

But then—

“…There’s a problem.”

“What?”

“I’m broke. You know, the whole ‘tragic youngest son kicked out of his family’ thing.”

The look Adela gave me was one that screamed she wanted to punch me.

But it was true, after all. I was just stating the facts.

“So, how about you treat me?”

Smack.

She ended up hitting me.

“Ow!”

It seemed it was one of those things I shouldn’t have said.

Rubbing my sore shoulder, I scratched my head.

The money I made from selling the glowstone was running low, and I was wondering how I’d survive until I could move into the dorms.

As those ominous thoughts crept in, a loud voice echoed from the end of the hallway.

“How dare you! Are you all mocking me together?”

A red-faced figure was flailing his arms.

I frowned and muttered under my breath.

“What’s going on now?”

It was Fabian Den Edwin, that annoying royal.

Of all people, he was causing a scene right in front of me.

* * *

What’s that jerk doing now?

“Argh!”

Though he often sneered like a snake behind people’s backs, he wasn’t the type to raise his voice in public.

Fabian, his face red with anger, was shouting at the students who were whispering in front of him.

It didn’t take long to figure out why.

“Did he… get assigned to the Necromancy Department?”

“A royal in the Necromancy Department?”

The current Ardel Empire was a nation built by those who had driven out the dark magicians.

The white magicians had been the ones to unite the fragmented and war-torn kingdoms.

As a result, the Magic Department naturally held the most power.

For a royal to be assigned to the Necromancy Department was a significant disgrace.

Especially given the history of revolts led by necromancers.

He must be humiliated and furious.

But what could he do about his rotten nature?

“Those worthless scum! Not a single one of you is worth anything!”

“What did he do to get so mad?”

“The student council probably just asked him what department he was assigned to…”

It seemed he had overreacted to a simple question for the attendance check, causing a scene by himself.

Isn’t it too noisy to be making such a fuss in a shared hallway?

I frowned and pushed my way through the crowd.

“Hey.”

“…?”

This was the same coward who had been pulling the strings behind Creek’s back, only to slip away when things got tough.

I didn’t like Creek either, but I hated cowards like this even more.

Those who cause trouble in front of everyone at least face the consequences, but cowards like him never take responsibility for anything.

With my hands in my pockets, I spoke casually.

“You’re the one who sounds like a worm. I was listening over there and thought a dog was barking.”

“What?”

The hallway buzzed with murmurs.

As the heavy bomb was dropped, students began to back away, leaving just the two of us facing each other. Fabian tilted his head as if he couldn’t believe what he’d heard.

“Did I hear that right?”

“Cut it out. Half the people here don’t care what department you’re in. Aren’t you bragging a bit too much?”

“Han Siha!”

“I heard this is the first time a royal’s been assigned to Necromancy. Congratulations on making history.”

“You… you…”

Fabian raised his fist in anger… then lowered it.

Huh?

“…”

I expected him to start a second tantrum, ranting about his royal status, but he suddenly went quiet.

Students began whispering in surprise.

“Is Han Siha too much for him?”

“I think he’s scared. If you mess with him, he’ll actually bite.”

“What are you talking about?”

“That guy really bites. With a dragon.”

Fabian trembled, biting his lower lip hard.

Is that really what’s going on?

Are you actually scared of me?

Unbelievable.

Did he sense, from how I manipulated Creek, that I was someone who would go up against him, royal or not?

Of course, it seemed his pride wouldn’t let him back down entirely, as Fabian glared at me fiercely and spoke.

“Show some respect.”

“Because you’re a royal?”

“…If you keep being so rude, it’ll come back to bite you someday.”

The words might have sounded like they came from a vengeful protagonist, but…

“I heard your family already abandoned you. You’re still not getting any support, right? If you think you’re something special… you’re going to get burned.”

“Ah.”

“I-I’m warning you.”

He kept glancing at me as he spoke, so pathetically that I could hardly stand to listen.

If you’re going to be angry, be angry.

If you’re going to leave, then leave quietly.

Somehow, he even knew that I wasn’t getting any financial support, which made the students start whispering again.

At a time when rumors were spreading, thanks to Creek, that I was starting to thrive again with my family’s backing, Fabian’s unnecessary comments had stirred up doubts.

Doubts that would become prime fodder for those who didn’t like me.

“Is that true?”

“Judging by his reaction, it seems like it.”

Should I nip this in the bud?

Fabian Den Edwin.

I stared at him for a moment before a smirk crept onto my lips.

“I was wondering why your name sounded so unfamiliar, so I thought about it.”

“What?”

It wasn’t a name I had never heard before.

It has been mentioned briefly in Slakadami.

After racking my brain, I remembered who he was.

There was a reason Fabian, a second-year royal, didn’t need much mention.

Other than graduates, there were no royals enrolled in the academy—except for the crown prince.

His status as a royal was flimsy at best, with little support or power.

The other students might be too young to grasp the complexities of adult affairs, but…

They should have sensed that something was off.

“You keep going on about being a royal.”

It was said that the royal family had an adopted child.

A disposable substitute to replace the crown prince who had been lost for a time.

When the crown prince, who had been captured as a prisoner of war, returned, the substitute was no longer needed.

They couldn’t just throw him out, so someone from the royal family must have taken him in.

If that’s true, then…

“You’re not even of royal blood, are you?”

I whispered the words into Fabian’s ear.

His face went deathly pale.

Fabian looked at me with eyes full of shock, as if asking, *How did you know that?*

His lips trembled as he tried to grasp the implications of what I’d just revealed.

If this rumor were to spread, it would spell disaster for him, already disgraced by being assigned to the Necromancy Department.

He was someone who had lived comfortably, relying solely on his status.

He had strutted around Ardel, lording over others. But while commoners might turn a blind eye, nobles who learned the truth would never let him live it down.

If this got out of hand, would the royal family even bother to protect him?

To the crown prince, Fabian would be nothing but a troublesome burden.

Finally, that arrogant expression of his began to fade.

People really do change their tune when the tables are turned.

This guy who kept harping on about being disowned and poking at my insecurities started trembling the moment his own status was questioned.

But then—

“Sniff… Sniffle…”

What the?

“So that’s why… why I couldn’t even make it into the Magic Department… and ended up in Necromancy…”

Is he crying?

Is he actually crying?

Hey, what am I supposed to do if you start crying?

The other students, clueless about what was going on, turned their surprised gazes toward me.

“Hey, did Han Siha make him cry?”

“No way.”

“Is he really crying?”

Why are they looking at me like that?

Well, I guess I did make him cry, but…

Fabian, head hung low, quickly fled the scene.

“Hey, Fabian!”

“Hey, you bratty royal!”

“Where are you going?”

And so, the next day…

I was given a new nickname.

*The Royal Killer.*

The crazy guy who made a royal cry.

“Oh, how did this happen?”

There goes my plan to become a model student.

Is this okay?

* * *

The long-awaited day of dorm assignments had arrived.

I walked down the hallway, thrilled at the thought of finally being able to eat at the school cafeteria.

I had successfully been placed in the Magic Department, secured a spot in the dorms, and made a royal cry.

A lot had happened, but I had made it.

Here I was.

In Ardel Academy’s top-tier dorms!

I’m still enrolled!

“Hey, over here!”

“Oof, my back.”

“Ugh….”

I squeezed my way through the crowded entrance, carrying a heavy box full of belongings.

Many students were already blocking the entrance.

No wonder the hallway was packed.

A guide was frantically checking names on the list.

“Magic Department students, please head to Dorm A!”

“What’s your name?”

“Seymour Parker.”

“You’ll be going to Dorm C. Next student!”

…This is total chaos.

After the advancement ceremony, students are formally assigned to their respective departments, and the dorms are reorganized accordingly.

The Magic Department dorm is in Building A…

That glassy, extravagant building over there must be the one for the Magic Department.

They said it was newly built, and the exterior was no joke.

With a visual rivaling that of a luxury hotel and state-of-the-art facilities, it even had underground areas for training and practicing magic. I could see upperclassmen in the front yard lightly warming up with magic spells.

This was an entirely new world compared to the dorms I was used to.

Struggling with my heavy box, I approached the guide.

“Han Siha from the Magic Department.”

“Room 203 for you.”

The guide responded hurriedly without even looking up.

I was just as busy, but it seemed they had no time to spare.

“Next person!”

As soon as I got my assignment, I was pushed back by the crowd.

Hey, don’t push me!

Jostled by the throng of students, I made my way up the stairs.

“This is madness.”

After taking a deep breath, I looked around the hallway.

This should be the right place.

“Is this it?”

I checked the room number and muttered to myself.

The dorms were supposed to be comfortable two-person rooms, so I wondered who my roommate would be.

With the heavy box in hand, I grabbed the doorknob, feeling like I was starting my second round of college life.

Room 203, located right by the stairs.

Without hesitation, I opened the door.

And the first thing I saw was…

“….”

A brown-haired person sprawled out comfortably, fast asleep.

Did they knock out as soon as they moved in?

As I quietly set my box down, trying not to wake them, they suddenly sprang up from the bed like a spring, staring at me with wide eyes.

Whoa, that scared me.

“…Uh?”

“….”

“Uh, uh, uh?!”

This is the strangest greeting I’ve ever received.

Could you not look at me like you’ve seen a ghost?

The person stammered for a moment, seemingly flustered, before finally speaking.

The words that came out were completely unexpected.

“You’re Han Siha, right?”

“That’s my name.”

“…!”

A second-year?

I gave the brown-haired person a curious look as they continued with a nonchalant tone.

“Wow, the superstar of the advancement ceremony. I can’t believe you’re that Han Siha!”

“….”

“The one who made Creek bark and made a royal cry—is that really you?”

My reputation is in shambles.

Even a complete stranger remembers me like this!

I looked at him with a flustered expression, but he simply bowed lightly.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

He had a round, friendly face, always smiling. His gaze, warm and cheerful, was directed at me.

He didn’t seem like a bad person.

Considering all the rumors he must have heard about me, it would be natural for him to be cautious, but he didn’t show any sign of that.

Instead…

He seemed to be treating me like some sort of curious phenomenon.

“Your bed’s over here. You can put your box… Oh, wait, that spot’s still dirty. I haven’t cleaned it yet. But man, you’re really something. This is the first time I’ve seen you up close.”

Uh, okay.

“Did you just know that the Magic Department was for you? Or did the die just land in your favor? I mean, I really thought you’d end up in Necromancy. Not that you seem like a Necromancer, just—”

…Aside from being a bit talkative, he seems like a decent guy.

The brown-haired guy, who had been rattling off questions at lightning speed, suddenly stopped and clapped his hands together.

“Oh, I haven’t introduced myself yet. Not sure if you’ve heard of me, but I’m Won, newly assigned to the Magic Department. Nice to meet you!”

“Won?”

“Oh, I guess you wouldn’t have heard of me.”

Well, I have heard of that name.

“….”

Ironically, it was a name I knew.

___

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