The Genius Tamer of the Academy

Chapter 182

The faculty meeting at Ardel Academy.

Today’s agenda was centered on the incident at the interrogation room.

It was a matter that everyone took very seriously.

Professor Wigor of Mana Occurrence slowly began to speak.

“This is a… grave matter.”

“That’s right. A dark mage infiltrating the first-floor interrogation room? We need a thorough investigation to get to the bottom of this.”

Ever since the revelation of Professor Divert Grunui being a dark mage, the professors’ vigilance had skyrocketed.

Their wary, darting eyes showed a clear distrust of everyone but themselves.

Dean Ernest tried to calm the anxious professors as he spoke.

“Professor Han Si-hyuk has agreed to take charge of the investigation.”

Professor Han Si-hyuk, a renowned talent from the Ministry of Magic and a distinguished seer.

Even those who had scoffed at the idea of a seer teaching magic and lectures had largely disappeared. His skills spoke for themselves.

This was evident in his investigative work too.

It was said that he resolved most investigations within a month.

While there were those who felt confident leaving the case in his hands, others were less certain.

Professor Lothar of the Magic Department cautiously spoke up.

“Just a moment.”

Even bringing this up felt like a heavy burden.

Professor Lothar was just a commoner-born professor with no strong backing. His opponent was a former committee member of the Ministry of Magic, so even hinting at suspicion was a delicate matter.

However,

“Isn’t this… strange?”

Professor Lothar glanced at Han Si-hyuk, who sat stiffly with his shoulders hunched.

“The incident happened right in front of the interrogation room… so why is Professor Han Si-hyuk completely unharmed?”

“There were traces of two different mana signatures.”

“Wasn’t it said that the dark mage fled after the fight?”

Supportive voices immediately came to Han Si-hyuk’s defense.

These were the same people who had bad-mouthed him behind his back when he was first hired but had recently been sticking to him, trying to build connections.

Professor Lothar closed his mouth under the strong opposition, but he couldn’t shake the sense that something was off.

The battle had been intense enough to leave the hallway in ruins.

Yet Han Si-hyuk was unscathed.

If he had overwhelmingly defeated his opponent, there should have been some evidence, like bloodstains at the scene. But everything was too clean.

That was why Professor Lothar harbored doubts about Han Si-hyuk.

‘Did he let them go?’

The thought crossed his mind that Han Si-hyuk might be in league with the dark mage. He stared at Han Si-hyuk suspiciously.

Han Si-hyuk, however, remained impassive, maintaining his posture as if unaffected.

“If you don’t trust Professor Han Si-hyuk, then perhaps you’d like to suggest another investigator.”

At Professor Han’s words,

“I’m fine with someone else handling the investigation.”

Han Si-hyuk replied calmly. Dean Ernest, sensing the escalating tension, quickly intervened.

“There have been issues in the past… but let’s not turn on each other.”

Professor Lothar, having reached his limit, clenched his lips shut.

Meanwhile, another professor quietly mulled over Professor Lothar’s words.

‘He’s got a point.’

A professor who, like Han Si-hyuk, had been attentively observing the proceedings with a keen, unwavering demeanor.

Professor Grint, recalling the mana traces he had seen earlier in the day, became lost in thought.

He remembered the dark mage’s mana trace being imprinted first.

Following that, Han Si-hyuk’s mana signature was distinctly present.

‘The earlier trace was clearly more dominant….’

Just in terms of mana output, it was obvious.

Moreover, something else stood out.

‘Why was there a time gap?’

Professor Grint’s main specialty was mana analysis, as he taught Magic Practical Studies.

He had an excellent eye for analyzing the way mana was released, the types of magic used, and the characteristics of mana traces.

There were definitely suspicious aspects.

However, it was better to keep quiet unless he was certain.

‘I need to keep a close watch.’

Professor Grint fixed his gaze on Han Si-hyuk, who maintained a composed expression.

As if sensing Professor Grint’s scrutiny, their eyes seemed to meet across the room, even from a distance.

* * *

A week had passed since the attack on the interrogation room.

Although the faculty had pledged to uncover the truth, progress was slow.

The investigation seemed to be led by Han Si-hyuk along with another official dispatched from the Ministry of Magic.

While the academy remained in a state of turmoil, Han Siha arrived at the library with Basilus.

“Kuu! Books!”

Beside them were Adela, struggling to carry a stack of books in both hands, and Won, who never missed these gatherings.

Thud.

The moment the books were set down, Won excitedly started talking.

“Oh, right! Did you guys hear?”

Given the current circumstances, the only topic that would cause such excitement was the interrogation room incident.

Han Siha replied nonchalantly.

“Did they figure out who was behind the attack?”

He had tried visiting Han Si-hyuk a couple of times since, but all he got was a dismissive “Don’t worry about it.” There were no concrete answers.

Han Siha had intended to leave the matter to Han Si-hyuk, who was directly involved in the incident, thinking he would handle it.

There were countless other pressing issues to deal with beyond the mysterious dark mage who had attacked the interrogation room.

But that wasn’t what Won had come to talk about.

“The Imperial Decree has been issued.”

With dark mages infiltrating the central building of Ardel Academy, which was essentially its heart, and with various disturbances occurring across the Empire, including the attack at the engagement party, it seemed that strict measures had been put in place.

“What does it say?”

Won’s face turned serious as he relayed the contents of the decree.

“If you have a dark mage in your family or among your relatives, you must report them. If you fail to do so and are caught, your entire family will be wiped out.”

“All of a sudden?”

Won lowered his voice, glancing around warily.

It wasn’t like he was saying anything particularly risky, but given the tense atmosphere, it was understandable to be cautious.

“You never know who might be around. Sure, no one’s got a dark mage in their immediate family, but if it’s someone nearby, you’d better turn them in fast if you want to survive. Even in Necromancy, kids are subtly watching each other.”

There were a few students from dark mage families, so it was inevitable that there was some distrust among them.

Necromancy students were under the most scrutiny, as it was seen as the department most likely to harbor hidden dark mages.

“No one wants to do anything that might get them accused.”

“Yeah. Makes sense.”

Won clicked his tongue in frustration, while Adela half-heartedly responded as she skimmed through her lecture notes.

None of the three had any connections that would link them to this.

If anything, their role would be to find and capture dark mages.

However,

As Han Siha listened quietly to Won’s explanation, he frowned and straightened his back.

Reporting dark mages made sense, but threatening to wipe out families?

“The collective punishment is insane. That’s outright tyranny.”

Han Siha’s offhand comment.

But the impact of those words was anything but light.

“…!”

“Uh, huh?”

Adela instinctively closed her lecture notes.

“….”

Han Siha, on the other hand, blinked in confusion, unable to understand the reaction.

“What’s the problem?”

Ah.

He realized a moment too late.

“Right, the Emperor is a dictator….”

Adela laughed as she massaged the back of Han Siha’s neck.

“I’m surprised your head is still attached after all the things you’ve said.”

Han Siha’s neck, which had miraculously survived calling the Emperor disgusting, was likely to stay intact for the time being.

Realizing his latest comment was borderline treason, Han Siha glanced around nervously and spoke in a playful tone.

“Whoa, that was almost it for me.”

Won, who was used to seeing this side of Han Siha, simply shook his head, unfazed.

Then he gave him a thumbs up.

“You’re a real nutcase.”

Han Siha shrugged in response.

“Not denying it, am I?”

“At least you’ve got some conscience left.”

Won sighed in relief, clutching his chest as if his heart had just plummeted.

It was fortunate no one had overheard. Though Han Siha himself seemed unfazed, his remarks were enough to send shivers down everyone else’s spines.

Han Siha reassured them, continuing casually.

“From what I’ve seen, he may be a tyrant with a messed-up personality, but he’s also flexible. It’s not something to worry too much about.”

“Seriously… You’ve got some nerve, don’t you?”

“I’m telling you, it’s fine!”

“Should we just shut his mouth?”

Adela slapped a hand over Han Siha’s mouth while Won clutched a heavy book, ready to hurl it at him.

Breaking free from Adela’s grip, Han Siha muttered under his breath, looking bewildered as if he didn’t understand their overreaction.

“How do you guys expect to catch dark mages with hearts this tiny…?”

“If you keep living like that, you’ll end up in the Empire’s dungeons before you catch any dark mages.”

“Agreed.”

It wasn’t that the two were scared.

It was just that Han Siha, clueless as ever, was utterly fearless.

Han Siha scratched his head, glancing at the fountain pen in his hand.

It had been scratched from being dropped on the floor so many times.

The pen bore the Emperor’s ornate crest, prominently engraved.

Now that he thought about it, this was a gift from the Emperor himself.

Hmm.

“It’s so ugly.”

Han Siha clicked his tongue in distaste.

* * *

Marcel Sylvester Edwin, the prince enrolled in his fifth year at Ardel Academy, wandered around the first-floor library with his hands clasped behind his back.

He was someone who received respect wherever he went, a person who felt a sense of superiority over the common folk yet had the generosity to extend his grace to them. At least, that’s how he’d been trained.

Marcel strolled through the library with graceful steps, passing by students deeply engrossed in their studies.

Normally, when he walked through this place, there would always be a few students who recognized his face and followed him.

But with final exams just around the corner, hardly anyone glanced his way.

Marcel, too, was here to prepare for the finals.

Even a prince received the same education and took the same exams as everyone else.

Marcel consistently held the top spot among the fifth years.

This wasn’t due to any special privileges—it was purely his own skill.

Marcel took immense pride in being a member of the royal family, and he admired those who shared his ambition.

He particularly respected the top students who clung fiercely to their rankings within the academy.

“Hm?”

Today, Marcel’s eyes landed on some students who fit his criteria.

The third-year class, known for having an exceptional number of talented individuals.

Among them were two of the top students, Adela and Han Siha.

He didn’t care much for the cheerful-looking kid sitting next to them, but the other two had piqued his interest.

Especially Han Siha. Wasn’t that his name?

The scion of Castica, who had nearly failed his classes not long ago.

Marcel had thought him a pathetic figure, unable to leverage his noble heritage, yet in less than two years, Han Siha had achieved a great deal.

Though they were in different years, Marcel had heard plenty of rumors about him, and his curiosity was undeniable.

Marcel slowly approached Han Siha.

The boy appeared deep in conversation, likely discussing something serious with the other top students in his year.

Meanwhile, Han Siha twirled a pen in his right hand, seemingly lost in the discussion.

Was he stuck on a problem?

Or perhaps he was solving something for the cheerful kid next to him.

Marcel stopped just within earshot of their conversation.

Han Siha’s voice was clear and audible.

“…Basilus’ been getting picky lately.”

“Really?”

“He’s been eating nothing but cheese, so I gave him a sandwich, and he got mad, calling it ‘grass.’”

“Not a rabbit!”

Now Marcel noticed the dragon sitting next to them.

Han Siha raised both hands mockingly.

“You heard that? He says he’s not a rabbit. More like a pig, then.”

“Not a pig!”

“You don’t think you’re heavier than a pig? You vicious reptile.”

“Kuuu!”

Thud—

The dragon headbutted Han Siha’s calf.

Marcel had expected a deep, intellectual discussion, and he was left stunned, his mouth hanging open.

“What… am I even looking at?”

Meanwhile, Adela nudged Han Siha in the side, chiding him.

“He’s cute. Why are you picking on him?”

“Would you say that if someone knocked over the special meal you spent hours preparing? Would you? Hey, get over here.”

“Not eating carrots!”

“Oh, this brat’s got to be in his rebellious phase.”

“Not eating!”

“Fine, starve then! Go ahead and starve!”

“Kuuu…?”

“Yeah, make that cute face all you want, you little punk. You need to appreciate your food before you start complaining. Small fry.”

“Kuu?”

“Oh, wait, you’re not that small. You’re huge.”

Basilus pouted and sulked, resting his head on the floor, while Han Siha shook his head as if unimpressed.

Marcel, having accidentally witnessed this bizarre scene, couldn’t believe his eyes.

‘Is that… how are you supposed to tame a dragon?’

But more than that…

Was this really the same person he had heard so much about?

Unable to watch any longer, Marcel stepped forward and addressed Han Siha.

“Are you Han Siha?”

He hoped he had mistaken him for someone else.

The promising students of the third year…

One of them fawning over a dragon, calling it cute, and the other chastising it for being overweight.

‘This can’t be right.’

Marcel had believed the future of the Ardel Empire was bright, but…

“Yes, I’m Han Siha.”

Marcel was at a loss for words at the confident response.

‘Does he not even recognize my face?’

More importantly.

Marcel glanced at the pen Han Siha was twirling with obvious skill.

Swish, swish.

Han Siha spun the pen habitually, only to drop it.

Thud.

The pen didn’t just fall; it bounced off his foot and rolled away, prompting Han Siha to sigh as he sluggishly got up.

“Ugh, I dropped it again.”

He grabbed the pen and casually wiped it on his clothes, treating it as if it were just another mass-produced item.

It was an ordinary action, nothing special.

But Marcel, recognizing the pen, couldn’t hide his discomfort.

The pen bore the distinct crest of the Emperor.

It was unmistakably a gift from the Emperor himself…

And he was using it to… twirl?

“Is he insane?”

Marcel’s face turned ghostly pale.