Yi-Han's shock was so great that Professor Ku was taken aback, as if he had misheard the score.

"One point is really nothing. Why are you reacting like this?" Professor Ku asked.

"...You're right," Yi-Han replied, but his expression was far from agreeable. He looked like a mage whose mistake had led to the downfall of the empire.

"Thank you, Professor."

"Wardanaz, are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine."

"Wow, you lost one point!" the skull principal exclaimed, floating over to Yi-Han.

"..." Yi-Han was dumbfounded. It hadn't even been 30 minutes since the test.

"It's possible to lose one point," he said.

But was it really? If not for that one mistake, he could have gotten perfect scores on all the tests.

The skull principal was trying to shake Yi-Han's resolve and provoke his anger. Yi-Han, knowing the principal's intentions better than anyone, maintained his composure. Although it stung to lose a point due to a mistake, it didn't change much in the grand scheme of things.

'Don't let it get to you,' he told himself.

Isn't that mistake still nagging at you?

"Yes. I think there's a misunderstanding. I never had the arrogant thought of getting perfect scores on all the tests," Yi-Han said.

It wasn't a lie. Unless he was crazy, Yi-Han wouldn't have set a goal of getting perfect scores in all his classes. His goal was simply to do his best. The sting of losing a point was just due to his personality...

Aren't you enraged or hateful towards the professors who dare to test someone like you?

"What kind of crazy freshman would think like that?"

I did.

"..." Yi-Han decided not to answer anymore and ignore the principal.

Realizing that Yi-Han wouldn't take the bait, the skull principal seemed disappointed.

Needlessly pretending to be humble

"I have never been arrogant, Principal," Yi-Han said.

Few things are as arrogant as trying to take all branches of magic from freshman year.

"..." Yi-Han made a face as if he had been hit. The skull principal, noticing this, was pleased.

Have you realized it now?

"No?"

Denying it will only make it harder on yourself. Are you preparing well for Professor Verduus' test?

After the enchantment magic test and the transformation magic test, the grueling first semester would essentially be over.

The transformation magic test didn't seem too difficult, so the enchantment magic test was the biggest remaining challenge.

"I'm doing my best."

It doesn't seem to be going well.

The skull principal astutely guessed Yi-Han's inner thoughts. Realizing there was no point in denying it, Yi-Han asked in return,

"How did you know?"

Because Professor Verduus' test is to take what you made and upgrade it to the next level. Since you completed such a thing in the first place, of course it won't go smoothly.

The skull principal answered as if it was an obvious question. Yi-Han had no choice but to agree.

'Well, that's true.'

It was amazing enough that he had created an autonomous iron shield, but to upgrade it further in less than a month was asking for the impossible.

It was only natural that it wasn't going well.

"Then will you tell me the answer instead, Principal?"

No? You should blame your past self for doing too well in the beginning. There's a saying that battle mages should hide three-tenths of their abilities for a reason. Let this be a lesson to you.

"That saying is meant for when you're fighting..."

I'll give you one piece of advice.

The skull principal interrupted, and Yi-Han stopped and waited.

What kind of advice would the skull principal give?

'It probably won't be very useful.'

You made the autonomous iron shield, right?

"Yes."

An iron shield that floats around the caster and automatically blocks incoming attacks.

Although it borrowed the power of various magic circles, creating it in the first place was close to a miracle.

What's your goal?

"I'm thinking of adding reflection..." Yi-Han said.

That's right. Get rid of all the other magic circles and just put in reflection.

"!"

Yi-Han was surprised by the skull principal's words.

So right now...?

"Then it will just become an ordinary shield that only reflects?"

Yes. That alone is enough. It's still an upgrade in performance, right? Even if some other functions are reduced.

The skull principal was serious.

No matter how much a student wanted to take all branches of magic, there were limits.

Sometimes choices and sacrifices were necessary.

And in the first place, Professor Verduus was someone who gave tests arbitrarily, so there was no need to take his tests too seriously.

The student could just insist on doing what they wanted.

Focusing solely on the reflective property was already challenging. Completing it would be an achievement to speak of proudly, so there wouldn't be any deductions for reduced functionality.

It should have been 'impossible', but considering Yi-Han's track record, the skull principal deemed it 'barely feasible'.

"But I think Professor Verduus will be disappointed..."

What does it matter if you disappoint Professor Verduus? How is that wrong?

"!"

Huh?

'That's true.'

Yi-Han felt himself being persuaded by the skull principal's logic.

Professor Verduus...

It's okay if he's a little disappointed, right?

In the first place, since he was the one who set such a goal, it was almost his own fault if he was disappointed.

"I'm glad you want me to disappoint Professor Verduus rather than torment me, Principal."

You really have a talent for illusion magic.

"No, I don't."

Well, you did lose one point.

"..."

Professor Verduus had put down his equipment and tools and was waiting for the students.

Anyone who knew the professor would know how astonishing this sight was.

Who was Professor Verduus?

He was a natural craftsman who, despite being a professor who had to teach, would throw a few books at the students in the classroom and tell them to study on their own, while he immersed himself in creating the artifacts he was interested in.

For such a Professor Verduus to be waiting without doing anything...

The merchants who had been called to the school by Professor Verduus felt uneasy and asked,

"Are you alright, Mage? Why aren't you working on your creations..."

"It's the students' test," Professor Verduus replied.

"That's... true."

The merchants cursed Professor Verduus in their minds.

It was even more annoying that someone who usually only responded with "yeah" or "uh-huh" when the merchants tried to talk to him, and only spoke when it was convenient for him, was acting like this.

Regardless, Professor Verduus waited while humming a tune.

It was because of what the skull principal had told him.

-Wow. This year's freshmen are quite something. They made some good stuff.-

-No way? They must have only made trash.-

-...Well, if we look at it objectively, there may be some points like that, but some of the works are quite impressive.-

-That can't be?-

-If it weren't for your test, I would have thrown you in the punishment room. What a shame.-

-Why?-

-You can think about that later when you're in the punishment room... And there really are some excellent works. Like the one Wardanaz made.-

-Ah. He completed it?-

Professor Verduus was delighted.

He had advised adding a reflection property to the autonomous iron shield, and it seemed Wardanaz had successfully completed it.

-...Don't you think that was a bit difficult?-

The skull principal asked, trying his best to contain his disdain.

Of course, Professor Verduus answered confidently as if asking what he was talking about.

-No? Why?-

-My mistake for asking. Anyway, since he completed the reflection property, evaluate it objectively.-

-Wow! I'm looking forward to it!-

Thanks to that, Professor Verduus was excited.

Of course, in Professor Verduus's eyes, Yi-Han's enchantment magic still had many shortcomings (the fact that Yi-Han was a only freshman had not remained in Professor Verduus's genius brain).

However, if there was one special strength that covered dozens of weaknesses, it was interesting enough.

Yi-Han's enchantment magic, which skipped several processes of enchantment magic with his characteristic enormous mana, was endlessly fascinating despite its many shortcomings.

Knock-

As the door opened and the students entered, Professor Verduus exclaimed with delight,

"Submit as soon as you arrive!"

"H-here it is, Professor."

Seeing Professor Verduus in an unusually good mood, the student submitted with a glimmer of hope.

If he looks so happy, maybe the assignment...?

"It's still trash. What has improved?"

"...The, the speed has increased a little, hasn't it?"

"Next!"

The students came up one by one, got scolded by Professor Verduus, and were chased away.

Seeing that, Yi-Han felt at ease.

'Even if I fail, at least we'll all fail together.'

It's more reassuring to fail with friends than to fail alone.

When it was Yi-Han's turn, Professor Verduus was delighted.

"You're here? I was looking forward to it! Come on, show me!"

Yi-Han carefully took out the iron shield and set it down.

All the previous magic circle techniques had been erased, and a new reflection property had been engraved on the shield.

Clang!

As Yi-Han picked up a pebble and threw it, the pebble bounced back in the direction it came from with a lively sound.

It was an elasticity that seemed to defy the laws of physics.

"!!"

"It reflects?!"

The students were surprised.

They knew Wardanaz had outstanding magic skills as the top student of the year, but to complete a reflection shield following the autonomous shield...

'This...'

'...might work!'

The students who had just been scolded and chased away unconsciously looked at Professor Verduus with hopeful eyes.

No matter how strict the professor was, they thought he would have no choice but to say 'well done' at this point.

Really!

"Where's the autonomous defense?!"

Professor Verduus exclaimed in surprise.

"..."

"..."

The students glared at the professor with contempt.

If a freshman had completed the reflection property in such a short time, he should be praised. How could he say such a thing?

'He's not human.'

'Even a mountain range monster would be more merciful than him.'

"I removed the autonomous defense," Yi-Han said.

"Why?!"

"To complete the reflection."

"You could have done them together?!"

"There wasn't enough time."

"Why?!"

Instead of answering, Yi-Han just smiled faintly. He didn't want to argue with a crazy person.

"Should I give you more time?"

"Next week is vacation."

"There's a room in the Artifact Hall. Do you want to stay there and complete it?"

Unable to stand it any longer, the students rose up at those words.

"Wardanaz has plans with us, Professor!"

"If you keep this up, we'll really send a petition to His Majesty the Emperor!"

"Why, why?! What did I do?!"

Yi-Han was moved by the friendship his friends showed. The effort he put into making sure they ate meals wasn't in vain after all.

After the transformation magic test (where they had to turn one of their clothing items into iron) and the enchantment magic test, Friday night arrived, and the students of the Blue Dragon Tower began to shout in frenzy.

"It's over! It's over! It's over!"

"The grades too!"

The friends gagged the prince who was pouring cold water on the mood.

Bang! Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang!

Looking out the window, beautiful fireworks of all patterns were exploding in the dark night sky.

"The seniors must be shooting them!"

"Let's answer back!"

The freshmen ran to the window and fired magic at random.

It was nothing compared to the magic shot by the seniors, but thanks to the dark night sky, it was clearly visible.

"The fireworks are moving!"

The fireworks adorning the night sky wriggled and moved, turning into letters.

The freshmen's hearts pounded as they turned their eyes to the message the seniors were sending.

What kind of praise would the seniors, whom they had never even seen, give to their juniors?

Be quietand have funquietly

Seeing the first-years so excitedshows they still have much to learnThe real challenge is the second semester

"..."

"They're just jerks..."