It was uncommon even in a magic academy to receive such recognition as a first-year student.
The magic academy was more liberal than one might expect. The institution didn’t object if a student left during the academy year to continue their family lineage or chose to work in a field unrelated to the magic they learned.
As such, being evaluated as a ‘core talent responsible for the future of the magic academy’ was an exceptionally high praise.
A talent who would stay at the magic academy even after graduation, collaborating with the empire's brightest minds to explore the profound and mysterious field of magic!
For a mage, there was no higher honor than this.
Had Professor Rosine received such an appraisal, she might have remained a mage instead of becoming a bureaucrat.
‘I must remember this moment. Perhaps I am witnessing the early years of a great archmage with my own eyes.’
Unlike Professor Alphen Knighton, who came from an imperial high official background and was driven by a mission to nurture students into mages, Professor Rosine, summoned hastily, lacked such a sense of mission.
She worked only as much as she was paid in gold coins!
Naturally, she had no intention of pushing her students to their limits like the other professors did.
Why would she bother, when she might meet them again once they became successful?
Stirring up enmity was a fool’s errand.
She focused on teaching diligently, encouraging heartily, and providing counsel for various concerns...
Later, if the students returned to say, ‘Thank you, Professor, for those times,’ that would be rewarding enough.
Of course, the boy from the Wardanaz family, who flawlessly pointed out errors in contracts, seemed unlikely to ever say such a thing.
He was doing exceptionally well on his own.
‘Now I see why he receives so much praise.’
While other students stumbled, Yi-Han read flawlessly, his eyes burning with passion.
His demeanor radiated not just talent or cleverness, but a fervor for scholarship and inquiry.
Wasn’t it always the case that those who enjoy their work are the strongest?
Clearly, this boy genuinely loved studying.
“Well done. Let’s give him a round of applause!”
Receiving applause, Yi-Han felt a profound sense of achievement.
It was the first time he felt so strongly rewarded for his studies since joining the academy.
‘I'll leave a good impression like this, then seek advice when the opportunity arises. Like how to become a bureaucrat.’
‘I must be careful not to forcefully approach Wardanaz, or other professors might misunderstand.’
The magic academy was liberal, but the professors, especially those from imperial bureaucratic backgrounds, were not.
-How dare an auditor come to my workshop?-
-Well, you did receive His Majesty's gold, so it’s only natural I’m here to see how it's being used!-
-You’re thinking of luring my student into an official position again? I will never allow it!-
-It only happened once, 22 years ago! And besides, the student was interested in an official position from the beginning!-
-Be silent, you slave to corrupt gold. Do not set foot in the pure tower of magic!-
The moment a professor's favored student was taken for an official position, that bureaucrat became an enemy to not only the professor but to all the mages they were acquainted with.
For life!
So despised and petty it was that even bureaucrats refrained from taking a professor's favorite student.
Naturally, Professor Rosine, who disliked trouble, intended to do the same.
Taking just one student caused an uproar, let alone one who was a promising talent expected to shine in the entire magic academy.
‘But that’s unlikely to happen anyway!’
Why would a boy who loves scholarship be interested in an official position?
The other professors at the magic academy had nothing to worry about.
“Yi-Han. You seem pleased.”
“Do I look it?”
It was Friday.
The students gathered for a swordsmanship lecture.
Dolgyu noticed that Yi-Han's expression was softer than usual. Although it was almost the weekend, the faces of the other students were gloomy, a consequence of the ongoing cold.
Even Dolgyu himself felt his belly skin sticking to his back and his bones chilled to the core.
"I know the reason," said Anglago, who was passing by.
"What is it?"
Yi-Han was ready to scold Anglago if he spouted nonsense about Yi-Han solving the coldness soon.
He would not forgive such a misjudgment, whether in good humor or not.
"Looking forward to the snowball fight?"
"...What?"
"The snowball fight."
Anglago pointed behind them. Walking over was Professor Ingurdel, accompanied by students of the White Tiger, their hands filled with snowballs.
"...Professor. Is today's lecture about..."
"Yes. It's a snowball fight."
Yi-Han was dumbfounded.
A snowball fight?
But Professor Ingurdel was serious.
"It's important to learn how to deal with long-range thrown weapons in a fight, especially in many-against-many battles."
"That... makes sense..."
Yi-Han conceded. It was true after all. Attacks in battle did not come only straightforwardly. A stone thrown from a blind spot was more dangerous than a knight charging from the front.
Although seeing the White Tiger students throwing snowballs at each other's backs did make him wonder if it was just about the professor's love for snowball fights...
'Wait.'
Yi-Han sensed something sinister. The White Tiger students were whispering and looking at him with snowballs in their hands. Their intentions were clear.
'These rascals...'
Yi-Han promptly drew his staff. After all, a frozen water droplet wasn't much different from a snowball.
"Hold on, Wardanaz. Don't use magic. It will make it too easy."
"But... Professor. I'm not that skilled in magic."
Just like in the last midterm, Yi-Han, banned from using magic, appealed with the most aggrieved expression he could muster.
However, Professor Ingurdel was unmoved, and the White Tiger students looked at him incredulously.
'Wardanaz thinks he's not skilled in magic? What does that make us, worms?'
'Does he really think we'd fall for such a lie?'
"Still, no magic. This is a swordsmanship class, so please learn to fight without relying on magic."
"Yes, I understand."
Yi-Han agreed outwardly, but his inner thoughts were different.
'I'll smash them the moment the professor isn't looking.'
Professor Boladi wasn't wrong to emphasize the importance of speed in magic combat. It was definitely a lesson to act quickly in such situations.
"Also, I've brought a gift for the students."
"A gift?"
At Professor Ingurdel's words, the students looked puzzled.
What kind of gift?
-■■■■...
The fierce enhanced pig they had seen in Professor Uregor's alchemy class, tied to a tree.
"Today's winners of the snowball fight will receive it as a gift."
"Th... Thank you."
Objectively, the pig was a fitting gift for the current situation. Not a part of it was wasteful.
The meat was essential, and things like pig fat were useful in cold weather.
'But where did he get that?'
"Please take care of me."
Jijel Moradi, a blonde student from the White Tiger, looked at Yi-Han with a corner of her mouth raised in an unsettling smile that revealed her inner thoughts.
It was an opportunity to legally throw a snowball in Yi-Han's face. How could she not be delighted?
"Professor. Moradi is plotting with her friends to bully me."
Yi-Han reacted immediately. Jijel, caught off guard, looked at Yi-Han with a look of horror.
'That scoundrel...'
Unlike those from knightly families who couldn't snitch due to pride, Yi-Han didn't hesitate for a second to do so.
"It must be some misunderstanding."
"It's not, Professor."
"It's a misunderstanding, I tell you."
"??"
As Professor Ingurdel remained unshaken, Yi-Han was baffled.
What's going on?
Ingurdel was not a stubborn, closed-minded person. It was surprising he wouldn't even listen.
...Could it be that Yi-Han's previous trickeries had been discovered?
"Yi-Han."
Dolgyu whispered to him from the side.
"Why are you calling?"
"You, Moradi, and I... we're on the same team."
"..."
"..."
Both Yi-Han and Jijel looked at each other in shock.
That's right...!
Thudding footsteps echoed.
"Does Moradi not have any friends?"
Amidst the relentless barrage of snowballs, Yi-Han asked, as if puzzled. Yi-Han, Jijel, and Dolgyu were running energetically.
Even if the three of them were among the best in the class, they couldn't stand against the overwhelming number. All students, except them, were united in pelting snowballs at them. They had no choice but to retreat.
"It's not that Moradi has no friends, Yi-Han. We three are the top contenders for victory, so everyone's trying to take us down first..."
"Shut up, Choi. Don't respond to such nonsense," Jijel snapped sharply.
If only Dolgyu hadn't said anything!
Pounding snowballs.
"So, that's it. I wondered if everyone was targeting me."
"Don't you ever think about the grudges you've accumulated?"
"Honestly, shouldn't they have forgotten by now? What do you think, Dolgyu?"
"..."
"..."
Jijel and Dolgyu fell silent.
Not because they agreed, but because they were at a loss for words.
'It seems like too many kids have been hit to forget...'
"Yi-Han, die!"
The students, attempting an ambush, had circled around the hill they were climbing.
They emerged from behind the trees. Yi-Han skillfully dodged the magic - no, the snowballs- and threw the snow he had gathered.
Thump!
"Wait, Dolgyu. Isn't it over if you get hit once?"
Yi-Han paused as he saw a student, undeterred by being hit, gathering more snow.
"No? It's until someone declares surrender."
"..."
The rule was more primitive and brutal than expected.
'But this puts us at a disadvantage.'
If it were just about landing one hit, it would be different. But if the fight kept going despite multiple hits, the three of them were at a disadvantage.
A White Tiger student hiding behind a tree shouted.
"Yi-Han!!"
"I'm listening."
"I will definitely defeat you today!"
"Do you really need to do it today?"
"If I miss today, there will be no other chance!"
'That guy is shaming the White Tiger Tower.'
Jijel thought to herself.
Of course, Jijel also believed that it would be hard to win against Yi-Han when he wasn't magically bound, but saying it out loud was another matter.
"Should we just surrender?"
"No, no. That's... Yi-Han, we should try a bit more."
"We're being targeted by everyone. Persisting recklessly seems like a loss."
Yi-Han heard stealthy footsteps from behind. He leaned over a rock and threw the snowball he had prepared.
Smack!
A White Tiger student approaching them fell down. Yi-Han didn't stop and threw another snowball he had ready.
"Ow! I surrender! I surrender! Wardanaz, that really hurts!"
"What? You barely got hit. Anyway, thanks."
"You put a rock in it!"
"No, I didn't."
Yi-Han split open the snowball he was holding. Indeed, there was no rock or anything similar inside.
Hiding a rock in a snowball was a trick too easily discovered and thus a foul play.
The White Tiger student, with a flushed face, cocked their head in confusion.
'What? It really hurt though?'
They had felt a hard, solid weight, not the softness of a snowball.
"Did you really not put a rock in it? Tell me the truth."
Jijel whispered incredulously. The opponent had surrendered too easily for there to have been no rock.
"I didn't put one in. Why would I use such an easily detected trick..."
Swoosh!
Yi-Han hurled another snowball at an approaching student. Due to the distance, he unconsciously used his mana.
The experience of throwing marbles with full force under Professor Boladi's guidance had been quite beneficial.
That experience had stayed with him, aiding in the use of his mana.
Crunch-
"...?"
In that moment, Yi-Han distinctly felt it.
The snowball in his hand had hardened and frozen solid due to the coldness just before he threw it!
