Necromancer Academy and the Genius Summoner-Chapter 260: Episode

Fortunately, the students who had barged into the Class A classroom didn’t stage a violent protest. While Claudia appealed for signatures from the podium, the others simply scattered near the exit or along the walls, their silent stares creating a palpable pressure. It seemed to be enough; two students shuffled forward as if pushed and signed the petition.

"Hey, guys!" The class president, Jamie, couldn’t stand it anymore and stepped forward. "Could you please leave? You’re making our classmates uncomfortable."

Despite her protest, the students from the other classes pretended not to hear, loitering or looking away.

"Forget it, Jamie," Meirin said, standing up. "They’re not worth our time. What are they going to do, anyway?"

She strode out of the classroom, and taking her cue, the other hesitant students followed in a rush.

"Please, everyone!" Claudia’s voice grew more desperate from the podium. "You all admit that Professor Byulya’s class is abnormal! So why aren’t you trying to change it? I want you to take action with us!"

At that moment, Simon signaled to Dick with a glance. Dick nodded and amiably spoke to Kamibarez. "Let’s get out of here too, Kami! Aren’t you craving something crispy for lunch today?"

"Ah, yes! Something crispy..." Dick even made conversation to ensure she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable as they left together.

Just as Simon, the last to pack his things, was about to leave, a voice called out.

"Simon!" Claudia had jumped down from the podium and grabbed his sleeve. "Have you changed your mind at all?"

Currently, the support for the boycott in Class A hovered in the high thirties. To get that number over fifty percent, Claudia believed there were three key figures she had to win over: Hector, Jamie, and Simon. Hector, of course, was a lost cause—he wasn’t the type to be persuaded. Jamie was friendly with everyone and respected as the class president; Claudia was determined to get her signature one way or another. And then there was Simon.

He represented not just their class, but the entire school, and he was the linchpin of Team 7. Though Meirin was the official leader, Claudia knew Simon was the team’s true center. If she could persuade him, the others would surely follow.

"We have to stop this vicious cycle," Claudia pleaded. "This isn’t just about me; it’s about protecting the human rights of all Kizen students. If we give up here, Kizen will never change. I thought someone as smart as you would understand!"

Simon was taken aback. He wasn’t particularly close to her, but the Claudia he knew wasn’t like this. Aside from being the best at Venomology, she was just an ordinary girl you could find in any classroom. Yet in just one week, she had transformed. She now firmly believed the fate of all Kizen students rested on her shoulders and was resorting to extreme measures to uphold her principles. She had changed so drastically that he almost wondered if she’d fallen under Serne’s mind control.

’So this is the power of belonging.’

Voicing a personal thought was easy. You could say things lightly, free to change your mind without consequence. But the moment people with the same thoughts gathered and a majority spoke as one, their influence grew exponentially—perhaps even enough to drive out a Kizen professor. Of course, with greater power came greater responsibility.

"I’m sorry, Claudia." Knowing that nothing he said would get through to her right now, Simon turned his back.

"Why on earth won’t you help?!" She wouldn’t let go of his clothes. "Everyone knows it! Feeding students poison is wrong! Demanding it be corrected is just and right! That’s why we stepped up for all of you. So why won’t you lend us your strength?!"

When Simon didn’t answer, her voice trembled. "Are grades that important to you too—"

"Claudia."

"...Ah, yes."

"If you could turn back time," Simon continued in a calm voice, "you don’t really want to do this, do you?"

A tremor ran through Claudia’s pupils. That question, that single phrase, shook her to her core. Because she couldn’t deny it. As she stood there, flustered, the other boycotting students stared at her.

"N-no!" she answered quickly.

It felt as if her true feelings had been exposed, and she screamed even louder to cover it.

"Even if I turned back time, I’d fight the same way over and over again! I’m not wrong! You’re the cowards for just watching the professors and not taking action! You hear me?"

Simon gave her a pitying look and turned away. The strength had already drained from the hand clutching his sleeve.

---

After the afternoon Venomology class ended, the day’s schedule was finally over. For a change of pace, Simon went to the men’s public bathhouse with Dick.

’Haaaah, this is so nice. So this is what the comforts of civilization are like.’

His mood had been unsettled all day, but just soaking in the hot water was a great refreshment. After his body was thoroughly relaxed, he went out to the changing room and dried himself with a fluffy, neatly folded towel. As he was changing, Dick, who was already waiting, grinned.

"Wow! This is seriously amazing."

"What is?"

"I just came back from the bathroom. I took a purple shit."

The two snickered at the silly exchange.

"Let’s go up. Is Kajan back?"

"He was already asleep."

The moment Simon opened the door to the public bathhouse, feeling refreshed, all hell broke loose.

’Th-th-th-thump! Thud! Bang! Bang!’

A group of students was stampeding down the hallway like a herd of angry bison.

"What, is it lunchtime?" Dick pretended to check a watch.

Even now, doors were flying open as students, some not even wearing their shoes properly, scrambled downstairs. Shouts and squawks echoed from all directions.

"Wow, it’s like a zombie horde," Dick said with a dry laugh. "Why do we even go to Rochest and pay for zombies? We could just pick one from here!"

Simon, who had been watching the students pour down the stairs, turned his head. "Dick, do you have any idea what’s going on?"

"I don’t know either. Maybe the dorm is handing out snacks for the first time in a while... Ah!" Dick clapped his hands. "That’s right! Professor Jane said the opponents for the Dueling Evaluation would be announced today!"

"Ah!"

The two joined the zombie horde and ran down to the first floor, but they had to stop before long. The stairs were packed with a line of students starting from the third-floor landing, and the entire first-floor lounge was so crowded there wasn’t an inch of room to stand.

Dick shook his head. "It’s always the bad ones who act like that. It’s not like checking your opponent a little earlier will raise your squad’s rank."

"But we’re in line too," Simon pointed out.

Dick wagged his index finger with a confident expression. "Nope! We’re going to use a different method."

"Huh?"

Dick led Simon to a window. He skillfully tied a rope from his Subspace to a pillar, then carefully rappelled down. "We’ll get in trouble if the supervisors catch us, so clean up after me, Simon!"

With that, he was gone, sliding down the rope to the first floor.

’Cleaning up is always my job.’ Simon sighed softly and summoned a skeleton. He climbed down the rope himself, then mentally commanded the skeleton to cut it. After retrieving the rope, Simon raised his arm. The skeleton disassembled into bones, flew down from outside the window, and re-entered his Subspace.

"You always know what to do!" Dick smiled with satisfaction.

Having safely made it to the first floor, the two quickly crossed the garden.

"But where are we going?"

"We’re taking a little detour to the dorm duty office!"

They passed the crowded front desk and slipped into a quiet, empty hallway. Dick lowered his voice. "This is a secret, but the duty office bulletin board also has the duel list. It seems they get the official notice first."

"But are students allowed to just go into the duty office?"

"It’s fine if you have business! From here on out, acting skills are key!" Declaring he would demonstrate, Dick threw open the door to the duty office and clutched his stomach. "Ouch, my stomach! My guts are gonna burst!" he squawked, hobbling inside. "Professor Byulya! What on earth did you feed us in class! Owww!"

As he shouted, Dick winked and gestured for Simon to follow.

’Why is the embarrassment always my share?’ Simon thought, feeling his face flush as he entered.

"Oh my, what’s wrong?" the duty office supervisor called from behind a curtain, her back turned as she searched for something.

"Ouch! My stomach! The stomachache...! For some reason, I feel like taking some digestive medicine might help...!"

While Dick gave his passionate performance, Simon quickly scanned the room for the bulletin board. ’Found it...! Huh?’

He found it, but some unwelcome faces were already there.

"He does all sorts of things. Trash," the large-bodied Hector sneered, staring at Dick with cold eyes. The two students from his faction snickered beside him. Soon, Hector’s gaze shifted to Simon.

As the two stared at each other in silence, one of the faction members said in a small voice, "Hector! I found your name here!"

A sinister smile spread across Hector’s lips. "This time, I’ll definitely settle who’s superior, Simon Polentia."

"Why don’t you see who your opponent is first?" Simon retorted.

His face crumpling in anger, Hector spun around to look in the direction the student was pointing. Simon discreetly glanced over as well.

[Arena 3 - Round 2, Match 6]

Class A, Hector Moore vs. Class L, Malcolm Randolph.

"Damn it!" Hector’s face flushed red, then went pale.

Dick, still clutching his stomach, shouted, "AAAAHHHH! MY STOMACHHH! There are hundreds of people in the top squads! Expecting to get matched with him is so funny, my stomach hurts!"

’Pfft!’ Even Hector’s followers couldn’t hold back their laughter and covered their mouths.

Hector strode up to Simon. He approached with such a murderous look that Simon braced himself, but Hector just spat out, "I’ll postpone our match until the third BMAT."

With only those words, he walked past Simon and left.

Simon scratched the side of his head. ’For some reason, a lot of people are targeting me in this exam.’

"Wait up, Hector!" his followers called, quickly scrambling after him.

Just then, the supervisor’s voice was heard. "Oh, Hector! I found the disinfectant!"

But Hector slammed the door shut with a bang and was gone. A moment later, one of his followers opened the door a crack, peeked his head in, and said quietly, "H-he says he doesn’t need it anymore. Haha!" Then he quickly shut the door and fled.

"What a temper," Dick clicked his tongue. "That guy will probably have ’It’s a match, Simon Polentia!’ written on his tombstone. Tch."

"What business do you students have here?" the dormitory supervisor asked, popping her head out.

Snapping back to his senses, Dick clutched his stomach again. "Owww! My stomaaach! I resent you, Professor Byulyaaa!"

While Dick drew her attention, Simon quickly checked the Dueling Evaluation list. He found and memorized Dick’s opponent, then spotted his own name right next to it.

’I just have to avoid Serne, Chatel, and Lorraine. I’d rather not fight Meirin either, if possible...’

With that thought, Simon checked his opponent’s name.

’Ah, damn.’

An awkward smile appeared on his lips.