The Beginning After The End

”I trust that you will handle this fairly, but just know that, if it wasn ’t for Arthur, you wouldn ’t be handling this professor ’s ethic case but a student ’s injury case.
MY injury case.
I bid you good day, Director. ” She turned around, completely ignoring Professor Geist, who was taken aback by her last statement.

_____________________________________________

Recalling the testimonies I received, it seemed like Arthur completely overwhelmed Professor Geist.
While this professor ’s personality never did sit well with me, his skills were more than enough to teach a basic mana manipulation class.
Even while being a light yellow core augmenter, and a quite capable one at that, he had been completely defeated by a twelve-year-old.

I let out a sigh in regret that I didn ’t measure the level of the boy ’s core while he was just here.

A twelve-year-old defeating a veteran adventurer using only his wind and earth attribute mana, which I remembered him mentioning were his weakest, and who also had a bond with a dragon.
What more was there to him? If I asked, would he tell me?

ARTHUR LEYWIN ’S POV:

”Art! Over here! ” I saw Elijah waving at me across the dining hall.

I noticed he was sitting with a girl when I came over.

”This is Charlotte! Charlotte, this is my best friend and roommate, Arthur Leywin. ” He stood up, gesturing the both of us to shake hands.

”Hi Arthur, I ’ve heard a lot about you. ” She gave a coquettish smile while twiddling her hair.

”Mmm… It ’s a pleasure, ” I responded brusquely before focusing my attention on Elijah.

”How were your classes? ” I asked my friend while I fed Sylvie a piece of broccoli.

”Kyu! ” ’Noo! ’

”Aww~ your little mana beast is so cute! Do you mind if I pet it? ” Charlotte got awfully close to me, almost leaning on me while she reached for the top of my head.

But before she got the chance to pet the growling Sylvie, I grabbed her wrist.

”Sorry, she doesn ’t like strangers touching her. ” I looked her dead in the eye, making her blush by how close her face was to mine.

”O-Oh, I ’m sorry! ” She shrank back, focusing back on the food.

Seemingly ignorant of what was happening, Elijah responded, his mouth full of food.
”Classes were great! I especially like my basic chain-casting class and mana utilization class.
Although for mana utilization, I feel like the professor that ’s teaching is going over the exact same thing that you told me to do.
By the way, I met Charlotte in my chain-casting class! She ’s really good! ”

”Haha, please, you ’re making me blush. ” Charlotte put on a bashful face as she squirmed in her seat.

”… ”

”Anyways, how were your classes?! I heard you already beat up a professor! What happened to keeping it cool, man? ” He gave me a smirk while he pointed his fork at me accusingly.

”Yeah, about that, so I ended up becoming a professor for that class, ” I responded coolly, shoving a piece of meat in my mouth while avoiding Sylvie ’s attempts at trying to steal it.

Elijah spluttered the food he was chewing towards us as I instinctively leaned back, trying to get out of range.

The girl named Charlotte screamed as received the brunt of my friend ’s attack.

”Elijah, that ’s gross. ” I wiped some of the stray food particles that I couldn ’t manage to avoid from my face.

”Sorry, sorry…what? You ’re going to be a professor? ” He wiped his mouth before trying to wipe Charlotte ’s face, but Charlotte rejected the offer.

”Mm… I ended up replacing the professor that was teaching the class.
So you may now call me Professor Leywin. ” I smirked at my friend.

”Professor, my ass.
But maybe I should ditch my class sometime and go to yours.
It ’d be interesting to see you teach, ” he retorted.

As we continued talking, I grew annoyed at the flirting attempts from Charlotte, and even more annoyed at the fact that Elijah was clueless about it all.

”Oh yeah! Charlotte and I were going to go to Downtown Academy to do some shopping.
Do you want to join us? ” he asked nonchalantly.

”Yes! Arthur, you should join us. ” She leaned in closer again.
There was a small strip on the corner of the academy where fancy restaurants and cafes, along with shopping booths were located for the rich nobles to spoil themselves.
With that, you could imagine how enormous the academy was.

”I have three more classes, remember? I ’m taking the upper division classes after lunch. ”

Elijah just shrugged at this.
”Oh yeah, I forgot.
No big deal! I guess it ’ll just be me and Charlotte. ”

Charlotte smiled awkwardly at Elijah ’s happy-go-lucky face and responded, ”Ah, sorry.
I totally forgot that I had other plans today.
I ’m so sorry! We should definitely go next time, though! All three of us! Bye. ”

With that, she walked off, leaving my friend and I alone at the small dining table.

”I guess she was really busy. ” Elijah looked a bit disappointed.

Oh, Elijah…

Leaning close, he asked me in a serious voice.
”So, what did you think about Charlotte? She ’s pretty, huh?! Do you think I have a shot with her? ”

Oh, Elijah…

”I think you can do better, buddy. ” I patted my clueless friend on the back as we walked out of the dining hall together.

Elijah decided that he wanted to go to the library after his plans suddenly washed away, so after walking him there, I made my way to my first upper division class, Team-Fighting Mechanics I.

The classroom, or should say field, to be more accurate, was on the other side of the academy, where all of the upper division classes were held.

The ”room ” consisted of a huge grass field with several obstacles placed randomly, encased by high walls with runes engraved in them.
On top of one of the walls was a separate little room protected by a glass encasing.
I assumed that the room was used as a viewing platform for the rest of the students.

I saw some students had arrived before me, talking to each other, and I immediately noticed some familiar figures.

”Ah! I didn ’t know you ’d be in an upper division class, Arthur. ” Curtis Glayder waved at me as soon as he realized who I was.
Grawder, Curtis ’ bond, was lying with his eyes closed right next to him.

”Yeah, I didn ’t think I ’d have a class with you.
Please take care of me. ” I grasped his hand.

”Good to see you again, Arthur! ” Claire Bladeheart put her arm around my neck while smiling brightly.
”We have to do our best not to embarrass the disciplinary committee, right? ”

”Haha, I ’ll do my best.
Is this everyone that ’s going to be in the class? ” I replied, turning back to Curtis.
I heard that this class had a fairly small number of students, and that it was one of the most popular classes.

”Hmmm, there should be a few… ah, there they come! ” Looking back, I saw several more students and I couldn ’t help but smile wearily.

”Princess Tessia is as beautiful as always, isn ’t she? ” I heard one of the students murmur.

Walking this way amongst the small group of students was Tessia Eralith, my childhood friend, and Clive Graves, the student vice president.

She noticed me and I could tell she was about to greet me but she noticed that I had an older woman ’s arm around my neck, so instead, she shot me a glare before snapping her head away, pouting.

Clive, oblivious of why she got angry, straight up gave me the death glare as his narrow eyes became even sharper.

”Good afternoon, Princess Tessia! ” Not bothering to remove the arm around my neck, Claire smiled and waves at Tess.

”Pleasure, ” she responded, her expression fierce.

After she walked past us, she secretly snuck in a pinch to my side, jolting me up.

”Hmm, I wonder if she ’s in a bad mood today, ” Claire pondered.

It ’s because of you!

As Claire removed her arm from my neck, I turned to see someone behind us in the back of the group.
As soon as I recognized who it was, my face started burning in anger while my clenched fists turned white.
It was Lucas Wykes.