The Genius Tamer of the Academy

Chapter 34

As the saying goes, “The best days are often the busiest.”

Today, a grand market was being held in the square next to Ardel Academy.

Although most supplies could be obtained within the academy, I decided to take a break and brought Basilus along for some fresh air.

With the last warning from Professor Divert and Dean Ernest’s dangerous proposition still lingering in my mind, it felt like there wasn’t much time to be leisurely shopping like this…

“What should I buy first?”

But sometimes, today’s snacks are more important than anything else.

After purchasing a bundle of snacks perfect for sneaking into the dormitory, some emergency rations, and a magical refrigerated bag that keeps things cold, I headed out of the alley.

But the shopping didn’t end there.

Since I was already out, I decided to fully stock up.

I carefully examined items that might be useful for the upcoming combat training.

“I’ll take the Needle of Antidote and the Mirror of Concealment. Oh, do you have a beginner’s combat set too?”

“You’ve got a good eye. Are you a student at Ardel Academy?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Ah, then I should give you a discount. My son used to go to Ardel Academy… until he got kicked out.”

Ah, that’s unfortunate.

“Every time I think of him, it just makes me sigh… But you, make sure to advance safely.”

“Oh, I will.”

“But what are you going to do with the Mirror of Concealment? The beginner’s combat set should cover most of what you need.”

Ah.

Well…

Because the protagonist is slacking off, and I have to pick up the slack.

—But I couldn’t say that, so I just smiled and lowered my voice.

“You know how they don’t let us out after ten these days?”

Given that her shop was near the academy and frequently visited by students, she seemed to know the situation well. The shopkeeper nodded knowingly.

“I heard something’s been going on there lately.”

“Yes, so I’m planning to sneak out. It’s been so suffocating.”

“Well, there’s nothing better for skipping school, is there? Here, I’ll throw in something extra. This is a new product called a Weakness Capsule. Swallow it, and you’ll feel so sick you can head straight to the infirmary. It’s a huge hit, so take it with you.”

Wow, such a new and useful invention?

At this point, it feels like she’s encouraging students to skip classes.

I tucked the precious capsule into my pocket and completed my purchase.

“Whew, what a shopping spree.”

I’ve almost got everything I need.

Just as I was about to leave, Basilus clung to my leg, rubbing his face against me.

He looked up at me with his big, pitiful eyes.

“Kuu…”

“Oh, so you’re upset that I didn’t get anything for you?”

“Kuu!”

Yeah, he’s been through a lot too.

With some emergency funds from the Demon Tree incident and increased support from my family, I could afford to spend a little more.

“Maybe I can splurge a little… just a little.”

“Kyyaang!”

Basilus was so thrilled that he flopped onto the ground in excitement, and I led him into a nearby flashy shop.

“Pet Supplies for Tamers”

As soon as we entered, a woman with a bright smile rushed out to greet us.

“What are you looking for today?”

“Just something that looks like it’d make him happy.”

“Kyuung!”

A… dragon?

The clerk, who seemed taken aback by the sight of a dragon, quickly disappeared, only to return with a shiny fishing rod a moment later.

Basilus’ eyes sparkled as he spotted the dangling toy at the end.

“This is a new product that’s selling really well. It improves agility, and when you give it to a dragon friend… they shred it!”

“…Hmm.”

No matter how I look at it, this is for cats. As I hesitated, the clerk began pitching another product.

This time, it was a maze that looked a bit too small for Basilus.

“This is a mini maze that improves intelligence, and when you give it to a dragon friend… they break through it!”

“Just give me five slime orbs.”

Whack—

Basilus immediately grabbed my collar and began pulling on it.

I held on to the wriggling Basilus and checked his stats.

A perpetually angry red dragon. Really dislike slime orbs. Currently sulking.

“Ah, you’re sulking.”

“Kyaa!”

Level: 8

Mana: 57

Strength: 66

Agility: 41

Intelligence: 16

[Flame Breath Lv 3] [Mana Shield Lv 1] [Poison Resistance Lv 3] [Flame Vortex Lv 3]

He’s growing steadily, but there’s still room for improvement.

Alright, let’s go all in.

After a moment of contemplation, I looked up.

“Just give me everything that’s good for him.”

“…!”

Wow, I bought a lot.

In the end, I even got the fishing toy that Basilus had begged for. It felt like I went a little overboard, but…

Well, sometimes it’s okay.

With my bags full, I headed back toward Ardel Academy.

It’s funny how things work out sometimes.

Today, as I mulled over recent events, Dean Ernest’s words suddenly came to mind:

‘You’re the only one I trust with this task.’

Do I believe him?

Of course not.

This is the same guy who sweet-talked the protagonist into doing all sorts of tasks in the original story, to the point where I wondered if his main skill was manipulation.

But if you flip it around…

If the protagonist isn’t going to do it, then I’ll have to.

Given the unpleasant future ahead, it’s only logical that I start building my strength bit by bit.

“The world doesn’t let you live in peace, does it, Basilus?”

“….”

“Hey, are you asleep?”

I pulled out the crumpled note from my pocket.

Seymour Parker hadn’t just talked about the club when we met in the hallway last time.

“He slipped this into my pocket.”

The note bore a complex symbol: a black snake coiled around with a sword stabbed through its head.

Clearly, Seymour was testing whether I recognized the symbol of the dark magic society.

“Well, isn’t this a lovely plan?”

* * *

“Are you really joining?”

Seymour Parker’s face lit up.

Why was he so obsessed with Han Siha, who had been assigned to the magic department? Was it some pull to follow the original storyline?

Either way, here I was, entering this club.

“You know what this place is about, right?”

“I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t.”

I tossed the note back to Seymour, who had handed it to me before. The necromancy students laughed.

“You figured it out right away?”

“I told you Han Siha would know.”

“Looking forward to working with you.”

Seymour extended his hand with the familiarity of an old friend, and I played along, shaking it with a fitting smile.

Anyone watching might think we were blood brothers.

Even the villains have their own touching stories, I guess.

After the grand welcome from the necromancy students, they led me to their base.

“This is your first time here?”

Following Seymour and his group, we descended into a damp underground cave, hidden from outside view.

It was tucked away in a secluded corner of the academy’s underground chamber.

It was surprising that they managed to conduct dark magic research in such a small, confined space.

But the sight of the cave gave me a mild sense of PTSD. I frowned as I looked around.

“Squeeeeal!”

Is that sound standard in places like this?

I grimaced at the sight of a poor pig impaled on a spit. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen something like this, so I suppressed my disgust and kept moving.

Eventually, we reached several bookshelves.

Seymour introduced them to me.

“These are the books we’re currently studying.”

“Dark Magic Grimoire of the 6th Century”

“Classics. Most of these spells are banned now.”

“Introduction to Cursing”

“This one’s probably banned too.”

“We went through a lot to get these.”

Seymour looked at me with pride, resting a hand on my shoulder.

It was a harmless gesture, but it felt heavier than it should have, and I forced an awkward smile.

This was where the real acting began. After a moment’s hesitation, Seymour Parker got to the point.

“I’ve heard a lot about your research. They say you were particularly interested in demon summoning.”

This was likely their way of testing me.

Fortunately, my shallow knowledge from the original story came in handy.

Demon summoning had been Han Siha’s primary focus. I was confident I could mimic it.

I began to recite the method calmly.

“That’s right. It doesn’t require many tools. Just some straw and matches, and it’s not too difficult. Though to summon a proper demon, a setup like this wouldn’t be nearly enough.”

“…Can it harm people too?”

His eyes changed as soon as the conversation shifted to this topic.

He might only be fifteen, but a villain is still a villain.

The curiosity in Seymour Parker’s gaze sent a chill down my spine.

I couldn’t let it show, though. As I slowly ran my hand over the cover of the curse book, I smiled.

“Absolutely.”

“Have you done it before?”

“When I was thirteen.”

A villain right from the start. If my memory serves me right, Han Siha had already dabbled in dark magic before entering Ardel Academy.

It was something as common as a séance or a possession spell by modern standards, but the problem was that it involved Han Siha.

With his innate talent for dark magic, the amplified dark energy had overwhelmed a servant, driving them completely mad.

The incident was brushed off as an accident, and his family covered it up.

But instead of deterring him, it only deepened Han Siha’s interest in dark magic, leading him further down the path of darkness.

Knowing the villain’s backstory comes in handy at times like this.

When I mentioned one of the many evil deeds Han Siha had committed, the necromancy students laughed, just as I expected.

Dealing with these lunatics is exhausting.

I suppressed my rising discomfort and shifted the conversation.

“But am I the only magic department student here?”

I asked, curious if Dean Ernest had somehow managed to bring the protagonist into this as well.

“I thought there’d be more—”

Seymour Parker chuckled and shook his head.

“But there is one more.”

Could it be Lee Han?

As I turned to look, an unexpected face came into view.

“Huh?”

A bright, cheerful face that was just naturally heartwarming. With her blonde hair gleaming, she walked toward us with a spring in her step. Definitely not Lee Han…

Where have I seen her before?

Wait, hold on!

“Is that…?”

She looked just like the character on the cover.

Adela had been hard to recognize, but this girl was so identical to her in-game image that even someone like me, who isn’t the most observant, recognized her instantly.

There aren’t many people in Smart Academy who smile that brightly.

One of the sub-heroines of Smart Academy, she was the ultimate ideal type for many, holding the top spot in the magic department despite her mediocre talent and skill.

“Natalie?”

…But what on earth are you doing here?