# Chapter 46
—
Arthur’s explanation continued.
Imitating Professor Chizzy’s languid tone, he went on:
“The concept of magi-engineering was first… established on May 21st of the Continental Calendar Year 521… in the hands of the great sage… Dorias Kin, who with magistone….”
The jaws of the listening students gradually dropped.
At first, they thought he was just stretching out his words because he was nervous.
But Arthur kept dragging his words for the entire explanation.
That made it impossible to dismiss as a mistake. Inevitably, the students recalled Professor Chizzy.
Wasn’t that languid tone *exactly* the same as the one Chizzy had just been using in his lecture?
Most of the students were shocked, but at the same time, some were impressed—Arthur was reciting Professor Chizzy’s lecture word for word without a single slip.
‘How… do you even explain this?’
‘Should I call it… amazing?’
‘He isn’t even looking at anything, so how can he not miss a single word?’
Caught between those mixed feelings, the students began whispering among themselves.
But Arthur, too tense from having been singled out by Professor Chizzy, didn’t notice their stares.
In this way, he recited everything from beginning to end—the very content Chizzy had asked about, without missing a single word.
“This… is magi-engineering.”
“……”
“That’s everything you explained, Professor.”
Chizzy’s half-closed eyelids dropped shut again.
Scratching his own head with a piece of chalk, Chizzy finally spoke.
“An extraordinary… memory, student. I’ve seen many geniuses… but one who can recite without missing even a single word… this is the first time.”
Arthur flinched at the praise.
But then came the rebuke, and he realized he had made yet another mistake.
“However… the fact that you even imitated my tone… was that an act of defiance, because you resented being singled out?”
A sharp gaze swept over him.
Arthur sighed inwardly and muttered to himself.
‘Ah… damn it. I wasn’t supposed to copy the *tone* too?’
After thinking for a moment, he groaned.
Of course it wasn’t acceptable.
But in his nervousness, he had just assumed it was.
‘He told me to recite it exactly, and without realizing it, I….’
Arthur trailed off, searching for an excuse—but none came.
In the end, he answered honestly.
“I didn’t imitate your tone out of defiance, Professor.”
“Then… why?”
“Because you told me to recite it exactly, I must have unconsciously copied even your tone.”
Chizzy’s eyes opened wide again.
“…Because I told you to recite it exactly, you copied… even my tone?”
“Yes. I was nervous from being singled out… I’m sorry, Professor.”
Arthur bowed his head, and Chizzy fell silent.
After staring at him for a moment, the professor suddenly burst out chuckling.
“I don’t even… know how to describe this.”
“……”
“To think you copied my tone just because I told you to recite it exactly….”
Chizzy trailed off again, deep in thought.
As the students watched him with wide eyes, he suddenly declared:
“In any case… Arthur Bayern has answered my question correctly.”
“……”
“So, +10 points. These points… will go into the attitude evaluation… and will also reflect in your grades.”
Arthur’s eyes widened.
The other students watching were no less surprised.
But then came the next words, and Arthur had to lower his head.
“However… failing to grasp the professor’s intent… that is a mistake. Therefore, -5 points.”
“……”
“Arthur Bayern’s total points… come to +5. Any objections?”
Arthur quickly replied.
“No objections, Professor.”
“Good… then let us proceed with the lecture.”
With that, Chizzy resumed class, while Arthur, back in his seat, let out a sigh.
‘Professor Chizzy… you really are broad-minded. To forgive a blunder like that….’
At last, though belatedly, he took out his writing tools.
As Arthur began jotting down the lecture, Yenika slipped him a note.
\[*As expected, Young Master, you’re really funny ^0^*]
Arthur glanced at the note, then scribbled back:
\[*Do you have a death wish, Yenika?*]
—
—
After Magi-engineering class, Arthur attended three more lectures before the first day finally ended.
Fortunately, the rest of the classes passed without incident, and Arthur returned home in good spirits. But the true ordeal was only about to begin.
“Wow….”
“All of this is homework?”
“Are they insane?”
From the second day onward, the lectures began in earnest.
And with them came the flood of assignments—truly murderous in volume.
For example, Professor Chizzy demanded that they submit a summary of the thick tome he had distributed—by the very next day. That tome contained no less than 500 pages.
Summarizing something akin to an encyclopedia was practically impossible, but the professors at Arcane demanded the impossible.
And so, once again, the students realized:
‘No wonder this is the school with the highest dropout rate….’
‘They say it’s hard to get in, but easy to leave….’
‘They gave us this because they think we *can* do it, right? …Right?’
And so, Arthur and the other freshmen struggled to keep up with the relentless assignments, shuttling between dorm and lecture hall.
Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye, and a holiday approached.
It was Founding Day, one of Arcane’s rare official holidays.
“Tomorrow, all lectures are suspended. It’s one of the few holidays here at Arcane, so everyone, enjoy your time.”
At those words from Schneider Berlein, who taught the compulsory subject Imperial Studies, the students erupted in cheers.
“A break! We finally get a break!”
“Damn, this is real?!”
“No homework either, what should I do?”
“Wanna go shopping? I hear the Arcane General Store is huge!”
Students rose from their seats, unable to contain their excitement.
Watching them, Arthur stretched.
He wasn’t about to cheer at the top of his lungs like the others, but even for him, Arcane’s murderous assignments had been exhausting.
Especially summarizing Chizzy’s massive tome—it was difficult not just because of its length, but because the subject matter was unlike anything he’d ever studied.
‘Still… it’s fun. To explore facts and knowledge I never knew—it’s so refreshing, so exciting.’
Smiling faintly, Arthur stood up.
But as he prepared to leave alone—unlike the students gathering in groups—Ellin, who sat beside him, called out.
“Arthur! What are you doing on the holiday?”
“…The holiday?”
“Yeah. Since it overlaps with the weekend, we’ve got three days off. What’ll you do?”
Arthur stroked his chin in thought.
‘Hmm… come to think of it, I don’t have plans. I already finished all my assignments, so my time’s free.’
He could always train with the sword again, but it felt inefficient.
He was already training daily in his swordsmanship class, and physical training alone would no longer advance him much.
As he mulled it over, Arthur recalled Willet’s words:
*If you have time, come with me to the orphanage.*
At the same time, Julie’s face came to mind, and Arthur smiled.
“I think I’ll go to an orphanage, with someone I know.”
“…An orphanage?”
“Yes. Someone I’m close to has ties to one, and we agreed to go together when I had time. So I’ll probably be there over the weekend.”
Ellin forced a smile, hiding her disappointment.
“Ah… I see. You already have plans.”
“Yes. But why do you ask, Ellin?”
“Well… if you didn’t, I thought we could do homework together, or maybe grab a meal….”
“A meal? But we eat together every day at lunch. In the dining hall.”
“T-That’s true… but it’s different when you eat outside, isn’t it?”
Arthur tilted his head.
In his view, Arcane’s dining hall was top-class.
The food was delicious, and nutritionally balanced; it was hard for even most fine restaurants to surpass it.
So he didn’t really see the point of eating outside.
But when he saw Ellin’s lips tremble, he realized there was a hidden meaning behind her words.
‘The meal’s just an excuse—she must have something she wants to talk about.’
After a moment’s thought, Arthur nodded.
He had wanted a proper conversation with Ellin anyway.
‘Not to mention Sir Holan… I’m also curious why Ellin treats me so warmly.’
Decision made, Arthur proposed:
“Alright, Ellin. Then how about this Sunday?”
“…Sunday?”
“Yes. Let’s meet then, have a meal, and maybe visit a café.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I’ve been meaning to treat you to a meal sometime.”
Ellin beamed, her smile so bright it reminded Arthur of Irene.
He chuckled softly.
“Then I’ll visit your estate on Sunday. See you then, Ellin.”
She smiled back, unable to hide her anticipation.
“Yes, I’ll be waiting, Arthur. There’s so much I want to tell you.”
—
—
The next day.
Arthur set out to meet Willet.
Wearing casual clothes instead of his uniform for the first time in a while, he felt unusually at ease.
Relaxed, he strolled down the bustling holiday streets, where people’s faces shone with leisure.
Arthur smiled faintly, sharing in that atmosphere.
‘Not bad. If I didn’t have my past life’s memories… would I have been able to enjoy this peace forever?’
Blood vengeance.
The resolve to take the heads of the enemies who destroyed his family and house.
Those vows were branded into his mind and body, in his past life and in this one.
And sometimes, he regretted it.
If only Cain Dormund hadn’t ruined his house.
If only Khan Madrid hadn’t killed his mother.
Maybe then, he could have lived as an ordinary boy.
‘Going to school, learning new things, making friends… going out on holidays… just like this.’
Arthur pondered, then murmured to himself:
‘Yes… maybe such a future could have been. But it’s too late now. So I can’t stop.’
Blood for blood.
Steel for steel.
The old, worn saying came to mind, and Arthur erased the laziness from his body.
‘Now that it’s begun, it won’t end until someone dies. And this time… it won’t be me. It’ll be them.’
He smirked at the thought.
And the peaceful world around him warped ever so slightly, unnaturally.
Arthur nodded.
Yes. For who I am now, this is what fits. It’s not yet time to leave this world.
With that, he pushed open the door to *Manners Make the Man.*
“…You again.”
“You told me to come when I had time, Sir Willet.”
At his words, Willet sighed.
“And your free time just happens to be on a holiday? Even mercenaries take the day off, you know?”
“Uh… should I come back another time, then?”
Willet shook his head and stood.
“No, this works out. I was going to the orphanage anyway. Let’s head out. The children have been waiting for you.”
—
