Chapter 179 — The Midterms Begin!

1

When Manus finally arrived back at the academy, quite a bit of time had passed.

Two weeks, almost half a month had been spent at the Caesar family estate, and now everything felt strangely unfamiliar.

The scenery at the academy was as beautiful as ever, and the air was different from where he’d been.

It was hard to believe that the horrific Tower of Calamities was hidden here.

He arrived at the dormitory and began unpacking.

Aden still had official leave until tomorrow, so she would stay by his side for at least another day.

Magic was truly convenient.

Instead of physically organizing his belongings, a few flicks of his hand sorted everything.

“Thank you for your hard work, young master.”

“It was nothing. You worked harder than I did. Becoming a master still feels so distant for me.”

“From my perspective, that path doesn’t seem so far for you, young master. I’ve never met anyone who grows as quickly as you do.”

Aden smiled slightly as she spoke.

She wasn’t one to give empty compliments, especially when it came to ability.

Manus smiled faintly in return and gazed out the window.

How much progress had they made climbing the tower? Were they studying well?

There were so many things he was curious about.

When the sun rose and they met at the academy, perhaps he would get his answers.

“I’ll be fine on my own now.”

“Ah, if it’s an order for me to leave, I’ll take it gladly.”

“Or you could stay and have a drink?”

“Hehe… I wouldn’t mind that either.”

Aden poured Manus his favorite drink from the fridge.

The two clinked their glasses with a quiet clink, drinking in silence.

There wasn’t much to say to each other.

They had already discussed everything thoroughly, and each knew what the other had seen and experienced.

And so, they simply savored their drinks, the moment, and the atmosphere.

After emptying a couple of glasses, Aden finally broke the silence.

Her gaze was fixed on the pitch-black night sky, her eyes reflecting something distant and unreadable.

“Young master.”

“Hm?”

“Once everything is resolved… what will you do?”

“Maybe I’ll go traveling.”

Aden turned her head to take in the sight of Manus’ face.

His blue eyes shone brightly, his face peaceful.

Though it was calm now, that face would one day be marred with pain and sorrow… undoubtedly.

The higher one climbed the tower, the more frequently such things would happen.

Aden didn’t want to see him suffer.

These were people living in a harsh world, constantly competing with one another, barely surviving.

Was there really much difference between her life, raised as an assassin, and the lives of those being trained here as warriors, mages, and guardians?

“If it becomes too difficult… would you consider stopping?”

“It’s not even that hard yet. The kids are growing well, too.”

“Hehe, sometimes you speak like an old man, you know that?”

“…I suppose it’s not far off.”

In truth, he had once been just another cog in the wheel of society.

Aden caught a brief glimpse of something in Manus’ expression—a face that bore the weariness of a hard life.

It was only for a moment, but Aden was sure of what she saw.

“As I always say, worrying too much isn’t good for you.”

“Perhaps it’s because I live my life watching over you, young master.”

“In three years, I plan to travel freely. You could join me then.”

“Oh my, what an honor. I’d be more than happy to.”

“Tomorrow, the Emperor is coming.”

Aden nodded gravely.

It was a face she didn’t want to see.

After all, he was the one who had caused those dark, wandering days of her past.

But what could she do?

“It’s fine. It’s all in the past now.”

“You won’t have any issues?”

“No, young master. My home is wherever you are now.”

[Intervention has begun.]

Beyond Aden’s faint smile, an old message flickered before his eyes.

What direction would Aden’s path take now?

It seemed that she had become someone Manus would have to guide from now on.

“The night’s grown late.”

“Come to think of it, the midterms start tomorrow, don’t they? I’ve been quite the bother.”

“It’s fine. I’ve been studying in my spare time.”

“Hehe, make sure to rest well and keep your spot as top student. I’ll take my leave now.”

Manus nodded.

Aden vanished into the shadows, her presence completely erased.

The Emperor.

What was his reason for coming to the academy?

So much had changed that it was hard to guess.

Every action had its cause, after all.

There must be a reason for this sudden shift in the flow of events.

And Manus knew that much of that reason revolved around him.

“There’s only one answer, as always.”

When things got complicated, there was only one clear path forward.

---

2

The morning had come.

Manus woke before dawn and ran a lap around the academy.

He had become so fast that he could now cover the massive academy grounds in less than an hour.

After a quick shower, he stepped outside and saw students already heading to their classes.

He took the magical elevator down from the dormitory.

Just before the door closed, Guillermo, who lived on the same floor, stepped in.

The elevator shook briefly under the weight of his heavy armor, but it soon resumed its smooth descent.

“I heard you returned. I also heard the Caesar family won.”

“It wasn’t much of a battle.”

“So, we’ll be able to climb the tower again.”

At that moment, Manus felt something strange.

Guillermo’s comment made it sound like they hadn’t climbed the tower even once in the past two weeks.

So Manus asked.

“Have you not climbed the tower at all in the past two weeks?”

“Apparently not. Without you, we were short on people… and everyone was busy with Student Council work.”

“…That’s concerning.”

“Why?”

Manus let out a small sigh.

There was Alano. There was Nia. Kael and Anais were also there.

Despite all of them, why hadn’t they climbed the tower?

Sure, everyone had their own circumstances.

But still…

“It seems everyone thinks of climbing the tower as just another training exercise…”

For the first time, he found himself dissatisfied with their behavior.

Manus didn’t want to become a nagging elder, but if necessary, he would be.

Guillermo, noticing the intense look in Manus’ eyes, spoke quietly.

He seemed to have sensed something was off as well.

“Maybe everyone’s just gotten used to it. After all, there was the Chesthip incident.”

“The tower is not a place anyone should ever get ‘used to.’”

“If that’s the case, maybe we need to remind them. Don’t you think?”

Guillermo was right.

In the original story, Guillermo had played the role of keeping the group on track when they strayed or became complacent.

Manus agreed with his approach.

The tower wasn’t a place for leisure.

It was a place to gain something, to accomplish, to grow stronger, and ultimately to save the world.

It was a place that demanded constant vigilance, where every moment mattered.

At least, that was how Manus saw this world.

“These guys are slipping…”

Had he made them too reliant on him?

Yes, they had grown significantly stronger.

They had reached levels and mastered unique magic they wouldn’t have otherwise.

But that didn’t mean they should grow complacent.

What he had wanted for them was confidence, boldness, and the courage to face enemies without shrinking back.

He had never intended for them to grow arrogant or lax.

“Right… this is my fault, too.”

Mistakes must be corrected.

And today, Manus was ready to step up and play the role of the strict leader, if necessary.

3

Midterms!

For any student, midterms were a major event.

At Mythos Academy, it was even more so.

Midterms were a competition, a chance for students to showcase the knowledge and skills they had learned over the first half of the term.

But this wasn’t just a contest between students of similar age or skill level; they were being evaluated by those far stronger.

It was a chance for students to demonstrate their abilities to those who could become their future mentors—assistants, professors, and more.

The exams were split between practical and written assessments.

“This year’s monster hunting exam is supposed to be the toughest yet.”

“Really? You think someone’s going to die?”

“Maybe. If things get out of hand…”

Mythos Academy took student safety seriously, but accidents still happened.

Fighting monsters was always a matter of life and death.

Dying because of carelessness or weakness in front of a monster was a disgrace.

If you couldn’t keep up with the academy’s curriculum, you were simply left behind.

People might mourn your loss for a moment, but in the end, you’d be forgotten.

To avoid such tragedies, students pushed themselves to their limits.

“They’re all here now. Congratulations on your victory, Manus. We heard the news.”

“Thank you.”

“I hope you do well on the midterms and finish strong. Now, let’s begin the briefing for the exam.”

Professor Trail started the briefing.

There wasn’t much to say about the written portion of the exam.

It was a standard test where students had to write about what they had learned—just like the exams everyone was familiar with.

The real focus was on the practical exam, the core component of their grades.

The theme for this year’s practical exam was competition.

Coincidentally, this time there would be important guests observing the midterms, so the students would have a chance to show off everything they had learned at Mythos Academy.

Since the entire week was set aside for the exams, after the practical and written portions were over, there would also be time for social gatherings.

“Many esteemed guests will be attending the midterms. As members of the Empire or Kingdom, you must learn to engage with them and practice the art of diplomacy.”

“Yes!”

The students responded enthusiastically.

This was the first time they had experienced a midterm like this, and they seemed excited.

The rumors had already spread, and everyone was determined to use this opportunity to showcase their family’s strengths.

Manus, however, was more interested in other matters than the midterms.

He caught a glance from Nia, who looked at him with concern, sensing the tense atmosphere around him.

Had the war’s aftermath not yet left him?

With his arms crossed, he sat stiffly, as if something were bothering him.

“…That concludes the briefing. The first period of midterms will begin shortly, so please take your seats and wait.”

“Yes.”

With a brief break in the schedule, Nia couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer.

She stood up abruptly and approached Manus.

Sensing that something was off, the other students seemed to be keeping their distance from him as well.

When their eyes met, Nia asked,

“Are you… okay?”

“I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong.”

“Then why do you have that ‘everyone back off’ vibe?”

“I’m just not in the best mood.”

“Huh? Why?”

Manus closed his book and looked directly into Nia’s golden eyes, which blinked innocently back at him.

She truly seemed unaware of the situation.

He knew that she had been busy with other responsibilities recently.

But how could he explain things in a way that acknowledged their hard work while still expressing his concerns?

This was the tricky part.

They had undoubtedly worked harder than most, and yet if all they received was criticism, it would feel unjust.

“Is the Student Council finally done with their tasks?”

“Not really~ We haven’t even been able to visit the tower. Everyone’s been a mess lately.”

“I honestly thought you all would climb the tower without me.”

“Well, we did go once…”

Her words made it clear that Manus had completely misunderstood something.

–TL Notes–
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