NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 100
Inside the carriage, the children were boisterous, their excited chatter filling the air.
As was customary, the liveliness was expected, but this year, the commotion was particularly extreme. And the reason for that was—
Tristan turned his keen eyes toward a particular boy.
Erik.
A prodigy who had taken the entrance exam for the Royal Integrated Academy through a special recommendation and passed with flying colors.
According to the examiners, not only had he survived the notoriously grueling uninhabited island trial unscathed, but he had also led the other examinees to success through his command.
His profile marked him as a mere commoner, yet he seemed to have formed strong bonds with nobles, including none other than Princess Angelica.
Even now, he was engaged in friendly conversation with Serene, the current student council president of the academy and a priestess at the temple.
Moreover, the other selected candidates—many of whom were known as troublemakers—were already smiling at Erik.
(He just looks like an ordinary child to me…)
The vast capacity of his item box had indeed been surprising, but his youthful, carefree smile was that of any other boy his age. It was hard to believe that a princess or a marquis’s heir would hold him in such high regard.
“Professor Tristan, may I have a moment?”
As these thoughts ran through his mind, a female teacher addressed him.
“What is it, Professor Merida?”
The one who had spoken was Merida, a teacher responsible for magic studies.
“I used my Blessing, [Scope], to check ahead, and there are monsters gathering on the path.”
With the rising temperatures of this season, wildlife became more active. It was not uncommon for travelers to lose their lives to attacks by monsters that had expanded their territory.
“We’ll encounter them in about ten minutes. I was hoping you could take the vanguard, Professor Tristan.”
Before becoming a teacher at the academy, Merida had been a top-tier adventurer—a skilled mage.
She was more than capable of handling C-rank monsters alone. If she was requesting his help, the enemy must be of considerable scale.
Tristan was about to accept the request when he suddenly had a thought.
Turning to the lively students, he observed them for a moment and then spoke.
“This is a good opportunity. Let’s have them fight.”
“Tch, and here I was looking forward to this trip.”
One of the students, a third-year named Ark, stepped off the carriage, gripping his spear.
“Oh, come on. Let’s just take them down quickly and get back on,” said Leila, another third-year, and an exceptional magic user.
“Alright, everyone, listen up. In about ten minutes, a swarm of Killer Ants will pass through here. A single one is only D-rank, but in a group, they move in an organized manner and can be as strong as a C-rank threat. This will serve as both an extracurricular lesson and real combat. Stay sharp and focused.”
Tristan planned to use this situation to snap the students out of their relaxed travel mood.
After all, half of the students at the academy had never been in real combat. Some of the more experienced ones might manage on their own, but working as a team would inevitably expose gaps in coordination.
Both Tristan and Merida intended to use this battle to teach the students the true dangers of monsters, the importance of teamwork, the necessity of protecting their allies, and the value of rear support.
“Professor Tristan, please ensure that no student is left isolated in a dangerous situation.”
“Leave it to me. Professor Merida, I’ll rely on your magical backup.”
“You can count on me.”
Merida responded without hesitation. Given their skill levels, watching over the students while dealing with these monsters was well within their capabilities.
Both instructors smiled, anticipating the challenges the students would face and the lessons they would learn.
“Ark, handle those two over there. Leila, keep the Killer Ants hiding behind the rocks in check. Serene, be ready to reapply blessings when the frontliners return.”
The battle began, yet the students did not hesitate for even a moment.
Ark was skillfully engaging multiple Killer Ants, each individually D-rank in strength. Meanwhile, Leila fired a Fireball at the rocks, cutting off the ambush attempt of the hidden ants.
Even the most crucial task—managing the buffs—was executed flawlessly, with impeccable timing as if measured by a clock.
“Th-this is…”
Merida’s voice wavered with disbelief. It was understandable.
“…It looks like we won’t need to step in.”
Before them, Erik stood with a beautifully crafted staff in hand, expertly directing the students.
His commands were flawless. Even Tristan admitted that if he were in charge, he would have given the exact same instructions.
However, despite his perfect leadership, the students still had weaknesses in their execution. Occasionally, a misstep would create an opening for the Killer Ants.
And yet—
“Again… his magic lands at the perfect moment.”
Whenever the balance of the fight wavered, Erik’s staff glowed, and a Stone Shoot spell would strike precisely, disrupting the approaching enemies.
“He’s deliberately staying in the background, ensuring that the students win with their own strength?”
Had he wanted, he could have increased the power of his spells and taken down the enemies himself.
Was he choosing to use his magic for support because he understood their intentions?
“Come to think of it… when I turned back earlier, he was the only one who wasn’t making a fuss.”
Tristan recalled how, when he had looked back inside the carriage to consider training the students, Erik’s eyes had met his. Could it be that Erik had already anticipated a monster attack?
“No… that’s impossible. Professor Merida’s [Scope] is an excellent Blessing. There’s no way he could replicate it.”
Still, Erik’s ability to land spells with such precision and maintain control over the battlefield was nothing short of remarkable.
With the battle now entirely in their favor, there was no doubt about their victory.
Unconsciously, Tristan found himself captivated by Erik’s leadership.
“This kid… really is a genius.”
Murmuring under his breath, Tristan smiled as though he had discovered a rough diamond waiting to be polished.