The Genius Tamer of the Academy

Chapter 4

Gasp… gasp.

I almost didn’t make it.

Panting heavily, I hurried to sit in the back of the classroom. As soon as I sat down, all the eyes of those who were already seated turned towards me.

If I had known today was the first day of the semester, I would have rushed here faster.

I unintentionally became the center of attention.

Well, considering I had nearly died in some unknown cave, even if I had known, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference.

I quickly took a sip of water and leaned back against the hard chair.

I wasn’t the protagonist, but I was someone who received just as much of the spotlight as one.

The blatant murmurs reached my ears.

“Isn’t that Han Siha?”

“Yeah, that’s him, right?”

“Looks like him.”

Hmm.

“How did that guy manage to get promoted?”

“Did he beg his way through?”

“Wasn’t he failing?”

I expected this level of interest.

I shrugged and nonchalantly met their gazes.

They were probably right in assuming that Han Siha was on the verge of being expelled.

Whether he had bribed the school with his family’s wealth or showed a glimmer of potential due to his overwhelming magical power, he had somehow survived the first year through the professors’ recommendations.

But that was a one-time deal; there would be no such luck in the second year.

I didn’t want to let desperation consume me.

I took a moment to look around the room.

The wooden blackboard and the well-polished desks.

The atmosphere perfectly captured the original world’s blend of modern and medieval aesthetics.

With this pathetic body of mine.

To survive on this high-class and perilous stage, what should I do?

There was a lot to think about, even if I wanted to admire my surroundings.

I needed to remain composed but not complacent.

“Leave him be; he’ll probably fail the opening exam anyway.”

“Ugh… He’s not going to be in the same department as us, right?”

“Maybe he’ll end up in the Necromancy Department?”

“He probably won’t even get that far; he’ll just fail right away.”

Judging by their idle chatter, it seemed the second-year opening exams, which determined one’s department, were approaching.

So, my top two priorities were clear.

First, survive.

Second, graduate.

Even if Ardel Academy was a brutal battlefield of competition, I had to graduate from this place.

Why?

Because I needed to make a living.

Han Siha might be a worthless fool born into a wealthy family, but he had been cast out due to his countless blunders.

If I slacked off and flunked out, it was obvious I’d be disowned without a trace.

I couldn’t rely on my family.

In fact, having a diploma would be my ticket to a secure future.

Graduates of Ardel Academy were so highly regarded that they were welcomed with open arms almost anywhere.

Given my situation, where I had been thrown into an unfamiliar world, this diploma was as good as a professional job that I couldn’t afford to lose. I needed to graduate without failing, even if it was by the skin of my teeth.

Instead of getting involved with the main characters and getting caught up in their wars,

I needed to live quietly.

Please, quietly.

I needed to ensure that Han Siha didn’t die by any possible means.

“Why did he die?”

I muttered softly, tapping my fingers on the desk.

A line from *Academy* crossed my mind.

Han Siha did die after committing a series of wicked deeds.

That much was true.

But it felt too simplistic to end it there; there were clearly unresolved hints left hanging.

“I should be careful.”

The passive skill “Live Cautiously” was added to “Live Quietly.”

Since I still didn’t know exactly why or how Han Siha ended up dying,

I needed to identify the unresolved variables from the unfinished original work.

The reason I was already racking my barely functioning brain was simple.

“…”

I don’t want to die.

Selfish, violent, and even incompetent.

Han Siha, a third-rate villain extra, was buried alive in excruciating pain.

I’d rather die of overwork twice than meet such an end.

I forced myself to lift my head calmly.

The sound of the professor’s shoes echoed in the hallway.

Bang.

The classroom door swung open.

* * *

“Good morning, professor!”

There was an odd pressure that commanded the students’ attention the moment he entered.

The professor, whose stiff suit and artificial demeanor made his walk seem unnatural, made his way to the podium.

The smile on his face was calm to the point of being unsettling. Even that seemed artificial.

Dark navy hair paired with such an eccentric outfit—he looked like someone trying to imitate a British gentleman from the medieval era.

His sharp gaze, cold enough that it seemed like not a drop of blood would spill if he were pricked with a needle, swept over the students.

I recognized him immediately.

“Isn’t that Professor Grint?”

“Yeah, it is. I heard he’s really strict.”

“If he’s here, does that mean he’s in charge of the second year?”

“Wow… His exams are no joke.”

That’s right, Professor Grint from the Magic Department.

He looked strict just from his appearance, but he really was that strict.

It wasn’t that he was genuinely a mean person….

He was just so passionate about his students that he was overly demanding…?

His exams were notoriously difficult, so much so that even the protagonist, Lee Han, had a hard time with them.

If I remember correctly, Professor Grint was also the one who designed the opening exam in the original story.

“Alright, focus.”

His low voice instantly silenced the students.

Clomp, clomp.

Professor Grint walked to the center of the podium, the sound of his shoes echoing through the room.

“This year’s incoming students are quite impressive.”

“…”

“I found your promotion files very interesting. Some of you are already standing out….”

He rambled on, sounding proud.

Well, of course.

The author had likely packed this year with lead characters.

However, the fact that this year’s class was so exceptional was not good news for me.

It meant my position was precarious.

Ardel Academy was a six-year program with a rigorous curriculum, accommodating students aged 14 to 19.

It claimed to be a school, but in reality, it was more like a brutal survival arena.

Out of all the students, at best, only about 10% would graduate with meaningful grades.

The higher the level of my competitors, the more my standing would shrink.

“This is ridiculously tough.”

Seriously, how…?

Seriously, how am I supposed to compete with the main characters?

According to the original storyline, the corrupted Han Siha would have rapidly grown and aimed for the position of an early villain, but I need to stay under their radar and live quietly, so that’s not realistically possible.

I need to grow stronger purely and without shortcuts.

That’s an insanely tough condition, almost as difficult as just surviving.

Professor Grint’s calm voice continued.

“Of course, there are many students who fall below the standard.”

Cough.

Professor Grint’s gaze subtly shifted in my direction. Then came his harsh words.

“As you know, from the second year onward, students who lack ability will not be able to continue.”

Han Siha had barely managed to survive the first year, but from the second year onward, there would be no more chances.

The upcoming opening exam.

Even if I failed that, it would shake the foundation of my academic standing.

This wasn’t a message aimed solely at me. More than half of the students here were likely to fail their second-year promotion.

Looking around, I noticed a few students nervously biting their nails.

Professor Grint withdrew his gaze from me and raised his staff.

“Now, I will announce the schedule for the opening exam, which will be the first to determine your qualifications.”

As soon as he finished speaking.

*Poof!*

An illusion projected from Professor Grint’s staff as he raised it.

“What… what is this?”

The room buzzed with surprise.

The method of evaluation for the opening exam that would determine my first chance at survival was displayed.

* * *

“Huh… huh?”

“Wow, what’s this now?”

The announcement was projected as a magical image.

It floated in the air like a transparent holographic window, displaying the details of the upcoming opening exam.

How intricate the spellwork must have been to create such a detailed illusion.

This wasn’t just a flat image. It was the first time I’d seen such a sophisticated, densely packed announcement projected like this.

Is this the level of Ardel Academy?

Seeing in person what I had only read about in the novel felt different.

I smirked and quickly started reading the announcement.

“So, it works like this….”

You had to choose three subjects you were confident in.

However, there was a limit on the number of students who could choose each subject, so you couldn’t just pick any subject you wanted. Other than that, there didn’t seem to be anything particularly noteworthy.

The announcement seemed ordinary.

But I swallowed hard, knowing that the exam content would be anything but ordinary.

Wasn’t the first opening exam known for its extreme difficulty?

I remembered the written part being particularly hellish. I was worried about how I would manage to pass when my magical abilities were still nearly nonexistent.

Just then, Professor Grint spoke again.

“Once you’ve reviewed the announcement, we’ll move on to subject selection. The selection is first-come, first-served. However, the order will be random.”

Poof.66

With a simple gesture, the announcement floating in the air disappeared without a trace.

“…!”

The students turned their startled gazes towards Professor Grint.

The extreme difficulty of the opening exam was well known, but landing in a subject you weren’t confident in could spell disaster.

Over the past year at Ardel Academy, or even before entering, most students had already chosen a major.

By this time, everyone usually had a subject they felt confident in.

“Please.”

“Ah. I just hope I don’t get the theory.”

“I just want herbology….”

“I’m not confident in necromancy.”

Some students were praying with their hands clasped, while others bite their nails nervously.

Professor Grint surveyed the students and then reached into a large wooden box.

“….”

It was clearly advantageous to select subjects quickly.

Expectant eyes sparkled as they focused on the wooden box. My gaze followed suit.

It was obvious that over 80% of the subjects listed were beyond my current abilities.

I hadn’t gone through the regular curriculum at Ardel Academy; all I’d ever done was push a pen around in South Korea.

How could I possibly hope to cast spells properly in just a few weeks?

Luck plays a significant role in life.

And I was generally pretty lucky.

Ah.

Maybe if I were luckier, I wouldn’t be in this situation.

Anyway,

I just hoped for the best this time.

With an unreadable expression, Professor Grint drew a ball from the wooden box.

“Hmm.”

Professor Grint’s eyebrows arched as if he had found something.

His calm voice slowly broke the silence.

“The first opportunity goes to….”

I remember this scene.

“Student Han Siha.”

All eyes turned towards me.

***

The second-year opening exam episode.

I had read this scene in text before.

The opening exam was mercilessly difficult.

Still, having the decision in my hands gave me a significant advantage.

“Have you made your choice, Student Han Siha?”

Professor Grint looked at me with an expectant gaze, as if he wanted me to hurry up and get it over with.

The other students’ reactions were similar.

“Does it even matter what he picks?”

“Yeah. He’s just pretending to be thoughtful.”

I’m not pretending; I’m just reading, you jerks.

Ignoring their blatant disregard, I quickly scanned the subject names.

[Principles of Magic and Experimentation]

[Understanding Basic Herbology]

[Healing and Care Studies]

I immediately ruled out any subject names that I didn’t understand.

“Hmm.”

Nothing that looked easy caught my eye.

Even the subjects that seemed simple by Ardel Academy standards weren’t for me.

Maybe it would be better for Han Siha to come back and take the exam himself?

Even that idiot managed to pass the opening exam!

Since I was still unfamiliar with the workings of magic, I ruled out any subjects focused on practical skills.

Anything requiring heavy physical activity was also out.

I also skipped over subjects that weren’t mentioned in the original story.

As I quickly scrolled down, I began to see a few familiar subject names.

[Hydrology and the Study of Runes]

This subject name looked intimidatingly difficult. But it was one of the few subjects that was considered easy during the first opening exam.

That was because it wasn’t one of the subjects for which Professor Grint set the exam questions. Since it was a theory-based subject, I figured I could manage it if I studied.

I kept that one in mind.

“Phew.”

“Is he really choosing Hydrology? Didn’t we not cover that in the first year?”

“Just let him. He’s setting himself up for failure.”

Perhaps because I was the first to choose, the amount of attention I was getting was overwhelming. I shrugged it off lightly and looked away.

If I didn’t choose the remaining two subjects wisely, I was keenly aware that I’d be at risk of expulsion.

I had to be careful.

If I lacked the ability, I needed to have a solid strategy.

“Hmm….”

Now, for the remaining two subjects….

As I rested my chin in thought, a few subjects caught my attention.

Oh?

These might actually be doable.