Ep 27. I Tend To Pick Favorites. (3)
“Examination…annou? ‘Advanced Curriculum Summary Exam’? What the heck is this?”
A whole crowd of first and sed years were gathered around one of the institute’s hallways, right by the bulletin board that now had a brand-new annou attached to it. The news iably attracted tons of students; after all, there had never been an exam that allowed the junior years to skip entire years of education. The first and sed years were busy reading and talking amongst themselves about how to succeed, while the third and fourth years were disappoihat such policies haded when they were in junior years themselves. Fifth years? They’re probably busy writing papers.
But in Karas’ office, there was oudent who had absolutely no i at all. A very peculiar student who was more ied in the coffee offered by the professor than skippiire years of mandatory courses.
“So, ’Zion.’ You really haven’t heard of anything regarding the new exam?”
Serenis’ eyes looked over to the uneasy professor sitting across the table. She slowly emptied her cup of coffee, taking over a full minute before she’d answer him.
“How would I?”
“Well, there’s an annou on the bulletin board…and I do believe it’s currently the hottest topic among students.”
“I don’t look at such things, and I don’t listen to such things.”
“…Right.”
The professor shook his head, taking the dragonlord’s emptied cup and filling it back with the fresh brew. Serenis was clearly more ed with the drink than whatever this exam was.
“But since you know now…you do pn on taking it, yes? If you’re ed about your current csses, fear not, for only the mandatory courses are skipped. Electives will stay intact.”
As Serenis received her new cup of coffee, she held it at her lips and spared a brief moment to look Karas to question him ba her usual ung tone.
“…Why would I?”
That was the st thing she’d say before relishing in her sed cup of the rich coffee taste. Karas attempted to get her attention back, but found himself g a pusible method to do so.
“Why? That’s…”
‘…A good point, actually.’
The professor trailed off as he began to realize the dragonlord actually had no reason to take the exam. Her purpose here was to learn of the deities and the star’s history, which she was already aplishing by being in his css; advang to third-year level of mandatory csses would affect her little. Karas doubted that the magic lectures here would be able to teach the dragonlord anything, whether it was first- or third-year level; it wasn’t like Serenis needed a graduatioificate, either. What would a dragon do with human-issued certification? As things stood, Karas had no logical excuse to persuade Serenis in taking this exam.
And if there was no logic to rely on, then it was time to use illogic.
“Hm…you see, there’s actually a story that’s kept retively secret throughout the institute.”
Serenis once again put down her cup, this time only half-finished.
“A secret?”
Karas had at least partially perked her i; now, it was his job to seize it with the most pusible story he could offer.
“Yes. It’s rumored…er, it’s said that the deity of mana, Felicis, walks amongst the students. Of course, it’s said that the deity keeps herself hidden at all times, pretending to be a student like any other. Upon graduation she ges her appearance, enrolls again, and thus the cycle repeats. The deity only reveals herself to the most exceptional of students who dispy a high aptitude in magic.”
“…The point being?”
“Simply, if a studeo aplish a feat her were able to in the institute’s history, perhaps even a deity will be intrigued.”
“And you’re suggesting that this test fulfills such ditions.”
“Precisely. While it may not be suffit of its own, it will surely be a step forward.”
The dragonlord’s gaze dropped to the steaming drink. Her own refle stared back at her from the cup.
What Karas was saying made logical sense – assuming that it was all true. Whether it was true or not was a different matter altogether, and bluntly put, there weren’t many leads to go off of to begin with regarding the divine’s whereabouts.
But on an ued note, something else guing the dragonlord’s thoughts.
Patrick was her family, at least in part. It made sehat he would care after his kin, just like how Serenis would after her own.
But what about the professor across the table?
Ever siheir first meeting together, his i in the dragonlord had been quite evident even though they should’ve been plete strangers at the time. If his i only lied in her soul, then his i should’ve subsided after the initial reading he’d performed on her – a he tio assist Serenis in her ventures.
‘Why?’
“…I uand your point, but there is something I must ask.”
“By all means.”
“Why is it that you assist me so? I only sought to partake in your lecturing services, but it seems that you’re eager to press for more than what kindness would warrant.”
“…”
At the professor’s initial silence, Serenis began to eborate.
“Once upon a time, the dragonkied with mankind. We sought each other for support, and our retionships would iably grow close; at first, I, too, thought you no different from such men. However, after a visit to the kin’s prese, I’ve e to realize that such coexistence is a relic of the past. So I’m failing to see your reasons for helpihus.”
The professor remained silent for a while longer as he began to collect his thoughts. He’d expected the dragonlord to find his behavior odd sooner or ter; it just happeo take pce soohan he’d imagined.
“It seems an ho answer is long overdue. Very well.”
With a deep breath, Karas began his answer.
“As I once mentioned during our first meeting, I am deeply ied in phehat surrounds the soul. But to be specific, I admit that what is me most about your case is your process of reination. Supp your enrolment was also from my desire to observe your state myself; I aim to research the phenomenon of the soul and dissemihe very ws of your reination process. In doing so, it goes without saying that subjects such as yourself make for an invaluable asset.”
“Research, you say…”
“Ah, that isn’t to say I pn to pce you in any harm, nor use you as a subje any experiment. I simply wao further observe and deduce the causal factors of your return. For example, I’ve since removed variables such as age, race, gender…”
The dragonlord furrowed her brows at the mention of cause. It was a question that she, too, had been remaining ignorant to.
How did she e back to life?
During their first meeting, Karas had given her a mildly satisfactory expnation: that her reination was an error in the sing process by the deity of life. However, that was the only expnation he could think of; in other words, expnations beyond the professor’s knowledge yet remained.
Was it really just a mistake? That she just so happeo be the ohat was mistakenly chosen by fate to be reinated? Not as a dog, or a tree, or a flower, but as a human being? By her than the divihat she’d strived to eliminate from her star?
Serenis, too, had wao know. It wasn’t that she disliked her sed opportunity; it simply left an ill taste to remain uain about how she was brought back to life. And the initial expnation seemed far too uo be the truth.
In the end, she had but one ao give.
“So be it then.”
“Hm? I’m sorry?”
“So be it. Do your research. While I do not uand your methods too well, returning your favors is the least I could do.”
“…Truly? Are you certain?”
“It appeared to me that you were taking your time with imparting knowledge of the divine. If I were to guess, I would assume that’s due to your ck of trust in me. Is that not so?”
“That’s…”
Karas sidered using his curriculum schedule as an excuse, but he couldn’t – not when they were chatting in private like this. The fact that they could chat privately meant the professor could impart all the knowledge he wanted outside of css, if he wished so.
He did ime – if he were to truly and properly uhe phenomenon he was beholding.
And by now, Serenis, too, had e to realize this.
“I, too, have been far too ful of the kin’s current standing with mankind. Expeg trust from a stranger of the current era would be foolish. Do what you will with your research. In exge, I ask that you do not hide what you seek from me.”
Karas leaned ba his seat. It wasn’t quite the turn of events he had been expeg, but a pleasant one heless; to have a reinated individual agree to his research was the biggest step he had ever taken in his endeavors.
“Very well. Then, there is something that I must admit to first.”
“And that is?”
“The true reason I am reending your participation in this exam is because…I do not teay mandatory csses for the junior years. But it’s a different story for third years and beyond.”
“…So your entire purpose was to observe me for longer periods of time.”
“Additional lectures trao additional opportunities in sharing knowledge, so it shouldn’t be pointless on your part, either. Ah, but that isn’t to say I made up the starding the deity of mana.”
‘I’ didn’t make it up. Someone else probably did.
