Chapter 251

251

“This is unfair! Professor Sedgen!”

“Yes! We didn’t do anything wrong, so why do we have to leave the school too just because some freshmen are on probation?”

“We didn’t hear such stories when we were freshmen, right?”

Protests erupted from all corners.

It was inevitable.

Even though they had advanced to their second year, there was still no ease in department life.

Students in the lower ranks still struggled to keep up.

And now they were being asked to act as mentors to first-year students?

Even worse, if the freshmen they were assigned to receive probation during the first semester exams, the mentors would also face expulsion from the school.

It was an incredibly unreasonable measure.

Eliza, seemingly uninterested, sat at the very back of the lecture hall, filing her nails.

Around her were other students from the Department of Summoning who followed her lead.

In stark contrast, Abad and Duran sat in the front row.

To be fair, Duran, despite having an arrogant demeanor, was a diligent top student who approached classes very seriously.

Abad was an exception to none in this regard.

Conversely, Eliza had a reputation for being lackadaisical during lessons, despite her grades.

Of course, being disinterested doesn’t mean ignoring the class entirely.

But Eliza often neglected lessons she found too basic or unnecessary, instead openly doing other things.

At that moment, she was doing the same.

After finishing her nail care, Eliza stifled a yawn and looked bored.

‘Rumeran is wasting effort on these useless things.’

In any situation, those who survive, do so either by talent or effort.

‘Will anything change just because we mentor others?’

Eliza smirked to herself while crossing her legs, then glanced at a noble student sitting in the seat in front of her.

Kal, a noble student who had the lowest grades, sat there.

He was the first student Abad and Duran took in for the dormitory, but Eliza still wasn’t thrilled about Kal being there.

“You seem quite calm about this assignment despite it being so disadvantageous, have you given up already?”

Eliza chuckled and asked.

“…”

But Kal didn’t respond.

“Hey, you.”

“…”

“Kal Thomas.”

“Huh?”

Only when addressed by name did Kal turn around, his eyes wide with surprise as he looked at Eliza.

“Are you talking to me?”

“Yeah. Consider it an honor.”

“Yo. What’s up?”

“You seem awfully calm about this disadvantageous task. I’m surprised.”

“Are you seriously calling me out just to ask that?”

If another student had said this, it would have been provocative, but Kal brushed it off with a sarcastic smile.

‘Guess someone’s trying to live up to being Leo Flove’s close friend. His sarcasm is spot on.’

Eliza looked unimpressed.

“Well, this is quite a disadvantageous assignment for me too, after all, I’m always teetering on the edge when it comes to grades.”

Kal shrugged.

“Besides, our school may suddenly h*rass students, but it doesn’t give you no way out.”

Kal smirked.

“Is there a way out for someone like you?”

“There’s a saying that ‘every crisis is an opportunity,’ isn’t there?”

“Hmm.”

As Eliza lazily blinked her eyes, Sedgen clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

“Second-year students, how ungraceful. You should listen to the entire story first.”

The students who had been venting their frustrations stopped.

“It’s not mandatory for everyone to be mentors to first-years.”

Sedgen smiled.

“If you don’t want to be a mentor, that’s fine. It’s up to you to choose.”

The complaints from the students began to diminish as Sedgen continued with a meaningful smile.

“On the other hand…”

Sedgen swept his gaze across the second-year students.

“There are privileges granted to those students who do become mentors.”

“Privileges?”

“What kinds?”

“Are there extra points involved?”

The murmurs among the students began.

“This year’s freshmen will not leave the school until the end of their first semester. Whether they continue or leave will only be determined after the final exams.”

The entire second year was speechless.

Not to mention the 3rd, 4th, and 5th years who had all survived through cutthroat school competitions since they were freshmen.

But it was said that this year’s first years would be exempt from such trials.

From the second year students’ perspective, it was quite a substantial privilege.

Sedgen spread his arms wide.

“It would be strange for mentors to leave midway, wouldn’t it? Therefore, even if you’re a mentor and you don’t perform well on the final exams, your resignation will be suspended until the final exams are over!”

“Huh?”

“That’s insane…”

It was a drastic benefit.

Especially for the students struggling at the bottom, it was an eye-opening opportunity.

At this point, Celia raised her hand.

“Professor, so the mentors will definitely stay in school as long as the mentees do?”

“Not exactly. To prevent any hindrance to your personal growth, mentees who do not pass the final semester exams will still be advised to leave. This is just a delay.”

However, it was still an incredible opportunity.

If you cared for your mentees while focusing on the final exams and managed to pass, you could stay in Lumeran.

Not just the bottom-tier students, even the middle-tier students began to perk up.

They’ve already survived a year in Lumeran.

One can’t afford to be complacent just because they’re in the bottom tier.

There were also many students who unexpectedly found themselves leaving the school during their freshman year due to unforeseen circumstances.

“Also, depending on how much the freshmen grow, additional evaluation points may also be awarded.”

Sedgen glanced around.

“It’s not merely to support the freshmen; guiding underclassmen can also provide you with opportunities for growth.”

This was a new system that wasn’t implemented when the second-year students were freshmen.

‘This is surely the effect of the new principal.’

The principal couldn’t have made such a drastic change solely on his own.

No doubt this was a decision reached through countless professorial meetings.

“How are the mentor-mentee relationships determined?”

This time, Abad raised his hand and asked.

“They’ll be decided by the autonomy of the second and first-year students.”

Sedgen crossed his arms.

“If you ask a first-year student to be your mentee and they accept, the relationship is established. The reverse applies too.”

In other words, whether you’re first or second year, if you can agree with a counterpart, the mentorship will be established.

The eyes of the students lit up.

‘Fierce competition!’

Undoubtedly, the more academically proficient students you could take on, the more advantageous it was.

“Hmm.”

Eliza, who had been listening, wore an aloof expression.

“Well, your plans seem to have come to fruition.”

Eliza’s words made Kal smirk.

“Definitely following Abad’s assessment, you’re quick on the uptake.”

With that said, Eliza promptly lost interest in this assignment.

If she didn’t have to do it, she wasn’t too interested.

Even if this task affected her grades, she wasn’t sure how much it would really affect her.

“Eliza, what do you think about this assignment?”

“I don’t care.”

Cautiously asking followers, Eliza simply answered.

At her words, the faces of other noble summoning students brightened.

Given the fewer numbers in the Department of Summoning compared to the Departments of Knights and Magic, the chance of a competent rookie being assigned to mentor duties would increase if someone like Eliza dropped out.

‘Warden probably has no interest in this assignment either!’

Summoners celebrated inwardly.

At that moment, Leo raised his hand.

“What’s up?”

“Can a student mentor more than one underclassman, given there are more first-years than second-years?”

“Sure.”

It was obvious that a second-year student could take on multiple first-year mentees, as there were significantly fewer second-years compared to the first-years.

“In such cases, if one of your mentees gets a withdrawal notice, does the mentor have to leave as well?”

“That’d be too severe. Halind will review the final grades of the mentees you are responsible for and make a decision.”

With Halind’s name invoked, the second-year students gulped nervously.

But at the same time, they felt assured of a fair evaluation.

‘Given Professor Halind’s nature, if you’re in charge of three students and two fail, he won’t arbitrarily cause you to fail.’

‘He’ll evaluate and judge by considering how much the student grew compared to the beginning of the semester.’

‘Given the capabilities of the mentees, receiving multiple mentees could be advantageous too, provided one doesn’t take in too many mindlessly.’

The students sorted out their thoughts.

At that moment, Sedgen concluded,

“The selection of mentees will take place over the next week from today.”

Sedgen grinned.

“Let’s hope you all become great mentors for the younger students. That’s all.”

That evening.

The second-year students, who had met the first-years, returned to their dormitories.

“This isn’t easy.”

“Right. If you’re somewhat talented, you’re picky, and if you are not picky, your skills are subpar.”

“This task, it’s not going to be easy.”

The Glory students wore expressions of confusion.

At that moment,

“Class leader! Class Leader!”

Illiana approached Leo.

“What?”

“Someone’s looking for you.”

“Who?”

“Aina Bayduna.”

With Illiana’s words, the Glory students were impressed.

“Indeed, someone of Leo’s standing would attract the representative of the freshman year.”

“Now that I think about it, during the opening ceremony, Aina declared she wanted Leo’s recognition boldly.”

“Seems like she respects Leo a lot.”

Amid the murmurs about Aina, Leo got up from his chair and went outside the dormitory.

Aina greeted Leo with a respectful bow upon spotting him.

“What brings you here?”

At Leo’s question, Aina looked up and said,

“Senior Leo, please be my mentor.”

Aina delivered her words with determination.

“I’m the best among the freshmen. Taking me on as your mentee will definitely benefit Senior Leo.”

Aina’s statement prompted Leo to calmly respond,

“I don’t necessarily intend to handpick skilled juniors.”

At this, Aina flared up.

“So who besides me has the qualification to be Senior Leo’s mentee?”

“Qualifications are something everyone possesses.”

Leo smirked.

“Hence, I’ll conduct a test.”

“A test?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of test?”

At this question, after pondering it, Leo nodded.

“Hmm. Yeah. That seems good.”

Leo grinned.

“Within the next week, any freshman that can successfully land an attack on me will be accepted as my mentee.”

Aina clenched her lips upon hearing this.

“Right now?”

“Yes.”

As Leo spoke, a golden aura surged from Aina’s body.

Upon seeing this, Leo remarked,

“I expected as much from you.”