Chapter 139 — The Thrill of the Underdog Bet is Always Right
1
“What is this? The match is going completely off the rails!”
“A real monster is a monster, I guess. Is this even real?”
“Get ready to lose all your gold, everyone.”
In the audience, cheers of joy and cries of frustration mixed together.
Whenever the league began, a trend always spread like wildfire.
The exhilarating thrill of predicting the outcome.
Betting wasn’t just a gamble—it required precise analysis of the data.
Though it went by many names, sports and gambling often went hand in hand.
With B Team being comprised of top-tier third years and D Team having a second-year mixed in, it was no wonder that most of the third-year students put their faith in Santo Leo and Nia.
“Hey!! I bet my entire allowance this month! Santo Leo, show them what you’ve got!”
“Believe in the power of the underdog! We can do it! Show them the rebellion of the second years!”
“Let’s show them who the top of the academy really is!”
For most of them, it was just a small amount of money.
A few gold coins.
For some, a few dozen.
The sight of people putting their hearts on the line for what was practically pocket change was almost innocent.
Yes, innocent in their frenzied, wild excitement as they screamed at the top of their lungs.
Think about it.
In terms of academics, a year was a huge difference.
Even in physical activities, a year of training could create a noticeable gap in ability.
Especially when talents were similar, the time factor became even more critical.
And yet—
“Why is the second-year winning? Why can’t anyone stop Caesar—!”
“Manus! Manus! Manus! Manus!”
The situation started to take a strange turn.
Elena’s unconventional movements bound the mage and the guardian, while Manus single-handedly held off the warrior and kept the others in check.
Santo Leo, though not losing his ground even when facing two opponents, was eventually cornered when Elena, who had taken down Katarina and Nia, joined forces against him.
For ten minutes, they held the upper hand.
Eventually, Professor Kaiser, who had been watching the clock, called for the match to stop.
“That’s enough—! The match is over here!”
“Phew…”
“Argh! This is so unfair!”
Nia, who had been ejected from the arena after her safety barrier’s mana was depleted, cried out in frustration.
The result came down to points.
The losing team would be awarded 100 points, while the winning team would earn 300.
Each team would face off five times, and based on the scores, they would be ranked into different tiers.
Afterward, losing a match would deduct 100 points, while winning would continue to earn 300 points.
Professor Kaiser turned toward Manus and said,
“I see now why Professor Jennifer was so impressed. Well done.”
“Thank you.”
“The winning team is D Team. Individual evaluations will be recorded separately, as they will factor into the second semester’s class assignments. Keep that in mind.”
Santo Leo let out a sigh, a mix of disappointment and exhaustion.
The role of a warrior was to subdue both the mage and the guardian.
But even against second years, he hadn’t been able to fully achieve that.
He clenched the hilt of his longsword tightly.
There was a bubbling frustration inside him, but he let it go with a deep breath.
“Well played. In a direct fight, I would have won, though.”
“I agree.”
Manus nodded without hesitation.
If they had fought head-to-head, he would have lost without much of a fight.
The reason he was able to mess with Santo Leo was largely due to Aiden’s role.
To block a sword, you needed to raise a shield, and the shield was connected to the body.
Aiden had absorbed dozens of Santo Leo’s powerful strikes, leaving him utterly exhausted.
“I’m going to have muscle pains tomorrow, that’s for sure.”
“I owe you one.”
Manus gave a faint smile.
And with that, the first match came to an end.
It was a perfect victory for the underdog.
2
After class, Professor Kaiser called Manus aside.
How far could his abilities go?
Had he decided on his future path yet?
Did he have plans outside of the academy’s standard schedule?
The pride of a Caesar was immense.
No matter how much respect a professor commanded within the academy, out in the real world, they were just another mage who had to bow before the prestige of a noble house.
Especially for someone like Kaiser, who had risen from commoner status to noble rank through sheer skill and talent, this sentiment was even stronger.
Was that unfair?
Of course, but the world always ran on unfair principles of power.
“I’m not sure what your plans are for the upcoming break—”
The break.
From the end of June to the end of August—a brief period.
Although they hadn’t even taken midterms yet, time flew by quickly.
Professor Kaiser had a clear need for Manus.
She also had a particular interest in Kael’s peculiar magic and wanted to research it further.
Knock knock.
A sound came from the door.
Suppressing her excitement, Professor Kaiser cleared her throat, trying to maintain a composed demeanor.
She was, after all, a professor, and had to greet her students with dignity.
The last thing she wanted was to be seen as unprofessional.
“It’s Manus.”
“Come in.”
Her study resembled a library, filled with the smell of old wood and paper, a slightly musty yet somehow intoxicating scent that wafted through the open door.
It was a room that spoke volumes about how deeply immersed she was in her magical research.
It’s often said that a room reflects its owner’s heart.
That was why Manus’s mother had always insisted he keep his bed made, his room tidy, and everything in order.
Looking around the somewhat cluttered yet cozy space, Manus greeted Professor Kaiser.
“You called for me?”
“I hope I’m not taking up too much of your time.”
“Not at all. I don’t have any other classes today.”
“Well, you don’t need to attend unnecessary lectures anyway. You know I’m not mocking you, right?”
Professor Kaiser winked playfully, and Manus simply nodded in acknowledgment.
She wasn’t particularly good at traditional etiquette like tea serving, so she opted for something simpler.
Surprisingly, even in this world, there were frozen products.
Including ice, of course.
She rummaged through her magical storage—a refrigerator of sorts—before offering Manus a chilled fruit juice, with ice cubes floating in it.
It was identical to the drinks sold at the academy’s convenience store.
“It’s a bit embarrassing that this is all I can offer.”
“Thank you, I’ll enjoy it.”
“Haha, you’re kinder than I expected. People say you’re a tyrant.”
Manus didn’t respond, simply sipping the sweet juice.
Professor Kaiser tried to gauge his thoughts.
Her mouth was quicker than her brain sometimes.
Right now, she was the one seeking help.
There was no need to provoke him unnecessarily.
Clearing her throat to shift the atmosphere, she continued.
“Could you pretend you didn’t hear that last remark? I tend to speak freely… Do you have any plans for the break?”
“Apart from visiting the Buckley family, no.”
“The Buckley family, hmm… Do you know when exactly?”
“No, not yet.”
Hmm…
Professor Kaiser propped her chin up and thought for a moment.
A noble visiting another house was considered quite a significant matter.
Even if it was just a casual visit, they often stayed for an extended period.
It would be considered rude to leave before enjoying all the hospitality that had been prepared.
Still, wasn’t the relationship between the Buckley and Caesar families rather tense?
Suppressing her curiosity, she got to the point.
“There’s going to be an academic conference at the Central Magic Tower this summer. Would you like to come with me?”
“An academic conference?”
“Yes, mages from various families’ towers gather for discussions. This year’s topics are ‘Installation Magic’ and ‘Magic Synthesis.’”
Manus’s eyes lit up.
He’d heard of this before.
In the game, it had been mentioned briefly by the headmaster.
Ultimately, the conference didn’t yield anything concrete in the story.
The protagonist had kept his special skill, Cadenza, a secret, only using magic synthesis when ascending the Ziggurat.
But now…
‘Kael might have a hard time.’
The curiosity and drive of mages could be overwhelming.
Some mages, in their obsession with research, even dabbled in black magic or sought immortality.
If Kael didn’t build her strength and insight, she would likely struggle.
Even now, at Mythos Academy, she was probably the target of much attention.
Whether that attention was good or bad, only time would tell.
An academic conference…
‘It’s a great opportunity.’
Manus could understand almost any magical theory just by observing it once.
At the conference, he would be exposed to various perspectives and knowledge beyond what was written in books.
A deep desire stirred within him.
If he attended, how much stronger could he become?
Suppressing his excitement, Manus gave a composed nod.
Professor Kaiser thought his demeanor exuded great poise and elegance.
“Will you be the supervising professor for this?”
“Me and Professor Trail, along with the student council presidents from each grade.”
“I’ll participate.”
A broad smile spread across Kaiser’s face.
Perfect.
Professor Jennifer might complain, but so what?
In the end, it was Manus’s decision, so there was little she could do.
Kaiser handed Manus a document she had prepared.
It was a paper she had been working on about Installation Magic.
She vividly remembered Manus creating an original spell during the last month’s practical exam.
“Here, this is my paper on installation magic. Have a look.”
“Thank you.”
“And don’t show this to any other students. Especially not my assistant. Got it?”
“Understood.”
Sharing a paper in the world of mages was akin to offering one’s knowledge.
Many disputes among high-level mages were sparked by their academic papers.
It wasn’t uncommon for apprentices to scheme against each other to become the disciple of a prestigious professor.
Manus receiving the paper before her assistant did was a sign that she valued Manus’s intellect more.
Her assistant would probably be crushed if they found out.
Manus could only silently wish the assistant well.
“I’ll read it and come back.”
“Good. Take care.”
“Thank you for the juice.”
Manus stored the paper in his pocket dimension and left the office.
As he stepped out, he noticed the assistant standing outside, gazing absentmindedly out the window.
When the door closed, the assistant turned to look at him and walked over briskly.
“You’re Manus, right? Could you tell me what you and the professor talked about?”
“She asked if I was interested in attending the academic conference.”
“Oh… is that all?”
Manus gave a small nod and turned away.
The assistant stared after him for a long time before turning back to the window.
Their eyes held an emptiness to them.
“Damn it…”
Their hollow gaze swept over the grand landscape of the academy.
The assistant wasn’t foolish.
The name Caesar.
The duel that had taken place today.
And the many other shocks that had come one after another.
Caesar.
In the face of such a monumental name, the assistant couldn’t help but feel utterly insignificant.
They remembered the way Professor Kaiser’s usually indifferent eyes had sparkled today.
If only those eyes had been looking at me.
If only that smile had been directed at me.
How happy I would have been.
Maybe then I could have found a reason to keep going.
“Caesar…”
A name so high, it seemed unreachable.
Click.
A sudden sound interrupted their thoughts, and they turned their head.
A small mouse was poking its head out from a tiny crack.
The academy’s buildings were constructed with a strength that ordinary methods couldn’t damage.
Yet, this small mouse had managed to carve out a hidden hole in the solid wall, discreetly gnawing away at the structure.
The assistant stared at the tiny creature for a long while.
The hole through which the mouse slipped was deep, dark, and wide.
–TL Notes–
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