Chapter 47 : Chapter 47

Chapter 47

As Eddie finished his meeting with Fred, the sun had set.

Step-step-step

Walking the darkened campus, his steps led not to the dormitory but elsewhere.

The academy’s Mana Training Grounds.

Not the spacious ones he usually trained in alone, but the innermost Ninth Training Ground.

Smaller than others, it was rarely used.

There, Eddie warmed up with light 1- and 2-star spells.

Swish- Boom-!

Whoosh- Crack-!

After a while, he sensed someone approaching.

‘She’s here.’

The presence and footsteps stopped near the entrance.

The person realized someone was inside and paused.

“If you want me to move, come say it. Or find another training ground today.”

Flinch.

Startled by Eddie’s voice, the figure appeared.

It was Joy.

The Ninth Training Ground was where she came to relieve stress.

She was dumbfounded that Eddie not only preempted her spot but acted as if he knew she’d come.

“What are you? Did you stalk me or something?”

“Not stalking, but I knew you’d come here and waited.”

“How’d you know if you didn’t stalk?”

“Your meeting with Professor Showman must’ve been unexpected, and this place is quiet with puppets perfect for stress relief.”

Joy was speechless at his unnervingly accurate prediction.

His observation was uncanny, knowing things she hadn’t said.

“You went to Professor Showman for advice on navigating the election as the only commoner candidate.”

“…Yeah, that’s right.”

“What’d he say?”

“…”

“If you think I’m trying to sabotage your strategy…”

“He said, ‘With that mindset, you can’t win, nor should you.’”

“…And you understood what he meant?”

“…”

Without answering, Joy stepped into the training ground.

She activated the puppets and swung her wand, striking them with mana.

Her venting was answer enough for Eddie.

Swish- Boom-! Bang-!

Like Eddie earlier, Joy recalled her conversation with Powell.

“What… do you mean, Professor…?”

“Exactly what I said. If you truly want to win, stop thinking of yourself as ‘the only commoner candidate.’”

“But it’s true. Everyone else is…”

“Joy, you’re running for first-year class president, not ‘first-year commoner president.’ Will you only care for commoners if elected?”

“…!”

“Ninety percent of first-years are upper-class. It’s a tough reality, but it’s the truth. And the first-years need a presidency suited to that reality.”

“…Then…”

“You need to open your heart to the upper-class students first. As a candidate, not the only commoner one.”

Swish- Bang-!

Joy’s wand struck the puppets with a thick arc.

‘Open my heart to the upper-class first.’

Her mind understood the advice.

But her heart couldn’t follow.

Pretending not to notice, Eddie asked:

“That’s the best advice you could get. What’s not to like? Just follow it.”

“It’s not that I don’t like it. My heart just can’t keep up.”

“That’s what not liking it means. Seems you forgot the advice I gave here before too.”

Whoosh- Bang-!

A stronger mana blast hit the puppet.

Frowning, Joy turned to Eddie.

“Is it easy for a commoner to open up to the upper-class?! They do vile things constantly and treat us like ants to crush!”

“They’ll do worse and treat you worse.”

“Exactly!”

“So you need to change your attitude.”

Cutting off Joy’s emotional outburst, Eddie’s voice was firm.

“Why do you think Alexein framed Ruben instead of you during the theft?”

“…What?”

“Because his target wasn’t just you but all commoners.”

“…!”

“Would they go that far to expel one commoner? No. Alexein aimed to overwhelm all commoners, making them feel powerless.”

And he succeeded spectacularly.

Joy clenched her fists so hard her veins stood out.

Crunch-

The harsh sound from her fists couldn’t deny Eddie’s words.

Alexein’s punishment was carefully set to allow him to run for president.

Everyone knew senior professors close to the Dickens family pressured for it.

‘And that damned group got even tighter. We can’t even go to the lounge freely.’

The commoners’ timidity was evident in the election.

Three other commoners had planned to run, but they gave up after the theft incident.

Eddie stepped closer to Joy.

“I know why you’re at the academy. ‘No matter the persecution or scorn from the elites, if my skills shine, I can become a great mage from Lieferden Academy,’ right?”

“…Yeah. And that’s how it should be…!”

“Of course. But…”

Step.

Lowering his voice, Eddie took another step toward Joy.

Looking at her wand, he said:

“Was reality so sweet and kind that you got scammed twice for your wand?”

“…!”

Joy’s eyes trembled.

She realized he was right.

She’d been scammed over five times by black-market dealers.

And a voucher from a commoner professor led to false theft accusations.

She thought undeniable skill was the path to success in the conservative magical world.

But reality wasn’t so kind.

‘It’s not just about being good…?’

“Staying rigid won’t let you survive this harsh reality. You and your friends will break.”

As he spoke, Eddie slowly moved his wand.

With one swish, he disabled the puppets.

He didn’t stop, conjuring shimmering mana at his wand’s tip.

Piling Silent Shell, which traps sound, with Invisibility, which hides presence.

A transparent barrier instantly concealed them from the outside.

Humm- Humm-

“What… what are you doing?”

“What I’m about to say can’t reach anyone else’s ears.”

The lecture was over.

Eddie returned to his normal tone, looking at Joy.

She met his gaze, tense but with an inexplicable anticipation.

“What’s this about?”

“Your ultimate goal. I’ll help you achieve it.”

“What?”

“It starts with teaching you the strategy for this election.”

“…”

“Don’t give up, and do your best to the end. In return, help me when I need you. That’s the deal.”

Like flowing water.

Or pouring rain, the offer came.

Tempting words, but Joy, sharp as she was, didn’t fall for it easily.

She asked pointedly:

“What can you do that I should help you?”

“I’m trying to reclaim my lost power and family.”

Eddie answered without hesitation.

Not just his tone but the content was bold.

For the first time, he shared his goal, previously only told to Palamedes members, with someone else.

“Lost power and family… What does that mean?”

“You’ll find out gradually. It’s the ultimate purpose of everything I’ll do. And I’ve chosen you as a companion for that journey.”

Sharing this secret placed Joy on the threshold of Palamedes.

The choice was hers.

Faced with his profound ambition, Joy recalled Eddie’s extraordinary actions.

She’d thought he wasn’t ordinary, but this felt like involvement in something massive.

‘But…’

Something stirring strongly within her kept swallowing her refusal.

She wouldn’t make a risky choice based on a strange feeling.

“I’ll hear your strategy first, then decide.”

At Joy’s cautious reply, Eddie smiled with satisfaction.

***

As the election campaign began, many first-years skipped classes.

One candidate benefit was three excused absences.

Meant for campaign support, but for most candidates planning to withdraw, it was free time.

Eddie sighed, seeing over 40 students absent from Fred’s class.

It wasn’t surprising.

Fred, a commoner professor with little influence, was a safe target for skipping.

The repetitive basic practical lessons were also starting to bore students.

But the absent candidates didn’t know.

The practical lessons were about to enter a new phase.

Step-step-step.

Fred entered the classroom and stood at the podium.

Behind him, a massive object, covered in cloth, loomed grandly.

“You’ve worked hard on basics. From today, we’ll move to advanced training.”

With a grand wave of his wand, the cloth fluttered and was sucked into its tip.

The revealed object caused students to gasp in excitement.

“The… Wall of Ether…?”

It was the non-attribute S-grade item, Wall of Ether.

A giant black wall that visually displayed the power of absorbed magic, a training tool.

Its durability matched its S-grade status, withstanding most 9-star spells.

But the students’ shock had another reason.

“Wasn’t that item discontinued shortly after release?”

“Yeah, I heard an anonymous mage bought it for a fortune to keep privately…”

The Wall of Ether had appeared publicly only once before, at its release.

Its whereabouts were unknown after being sold for double the price five days later, with the buyer’s identity undisclosed.

That buyer was ‘Mana Prophet’ Leodimir Duke Devens.

That morning, on Leodimir’s orders, Mercury and Fred had moved the Wall of Ether to the classroom.

Students mistakenly thought Fred was the mysterious buyer.

Their view of Fred shifted.

From a boring commoner professor to a wealthy figure who could procure the Wall of Ether.

‘This will change Fred’s influence in the academy.’

Eddie exchanged a subtle smile with Fred.

This wasn’t all.

An S-grade item wasn’t brought for such a minor purpose.

Fred continued the lesson as planned with Eddie.

“Each of you will launch your maximum mana at the Wall of Ether. No spells or wand movements—just pure mana.”

The students’ murmurs grew louder at Fred’s explanation.

Launching raw mana without spells or wand control.

A basic attack relying solely on mana’s power, excluding spell comprehension or wand mastery.

Excited, students lined up.

“Pfft, the absentees missed out. Seeing the Wall of Ether in person!”

“How’d he get it?”

“Is he really the anonymous buyer?”

“No way, a commoner with that kind of money? The academy probably rented it.”

“Even renting something that expensive means he’s highly regarded internally.”

Hearing the students’ delightful misconceptions, Eddie drew his wand.

In front, Marcel stood with a slightly tense expression.

‘Is he ready to face reality, Furas’s son?’

This grand setup was all for him.

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