Chapter 1046 – (Side Story)24. A Witch’s First Love (21)
“…”
The evaluation hall, which was once bustling with noise for submission, organization, and review of evaluation materials, now remains static.
No one has any intention of breaking the silence.
A sinking silence, as if cold water had been forcibly poured on it.
There is no room for anyone to argue that the sight of everyone focusing their attention on one place is a very abnormal situation.
Everyone’s eyes are focused on the huge sack that caused the silence.
Students who also need to submit evaluations for credit.
The evaluation center professors are also responsible for receiving the evaluation materials and grading them.
I look at it with a mixture of tension and astonishment, as if I were looking at a dangerous substance thrown into a peaceful world.
“…”
It was the same in Aden.
The situation unfolded without any time to blame the disciple’s foolish behavior, as if he had thrown away a huge monster.
She let out a small sigh and stretched out her hand towards the huge sack in front of her.
“Do you want me to help you?”
Another evaluation professor nearby asked cautiously.
No matter how hard we tried, it was simply not big enough for one person to carry.
“… Please.”
Aden could only nod her head slightly.
Even though she is a high-ranking wizard, the number is too many to take out and grade the contents of her bag one by one.
In the end, some of the wizards of the Blue Tower, like Aden, nodded and stood up.
When the enormous size of the bag was unzipped and its contents revealed, the people in the evaluation room were once again surprised.
“This is… !?”
“Oh, ogre skin…”
“That’s not all. This shell… “It’s the shell of an ironclad spider.”
“It’s very hard and has strong resistance to magic, so most attacks don’t work…”
All the by-products contained in the bag were parts of the corpses of the defeated demon beasts.
The corpses of demonic beasts have many uses.
In particular, hard shells and leathers are often used as materials for making powerful weapons and armor, and some are in demand to the point where they are widely used in everyday life.
The reason why the Magic Tower is recognized as an independent authority by the entire continent and can enjoy such honor and power is because it acts as an intermediary between suppliers and consumers, processing the materials of this magical beast well and distributing them to the outside world.
That’s why the evaluators could see at a glance the value of the evaluation items brought by Iliana.
It is impossible for them not to know, as they have also once processed the corpses of many demonic beasts since their youth.
“Hey, hey! This color and smell… It’s the venom of the Swarm Serpent!”
“This is crazy! “How much does this cost? A student got this!?”
The static interior of the evaluation center becomes increasingly noisy.
The reaction of the evaluators who recognized the value of Illyana’s evaluation items became increasingly intense.
“The leather, as well as other things, are in very good condition.”
“It wouldn’t have been easy to separate it without causing this much damage…”
“A student really separated the material this neatly?”
This is nonsense.
Without the help of veteran adventurers with considerable experience, it would be absolutely impossible.
“Quality is quality, but does this make sense for quantity? “It’s not the quantity or quality that an individual can bring.”
“Aren’t you crazy?”
As the wizards of the Blue Tower were talking about Illyana’s evaluations, other evaluators who came to their senses too late joined the conversation.
The evaluations submitted so far by other students were not important.
In their minds, they had to see with their own eyes the materials Illyana had brought to them to be able to solve their problems.
The intellectual spirit of inquiry and curiosity that wizards possess was strongly stimulated.
“This… “Shouldn’t I give this much?”
At some point, the topic of conversation turned to how many points should be given to Illyana’s evaluations.
“Nonsense! Your eyes must be rotten! Look at this state of preservation! How can this only get that level of score! “I have to give you at least this much!”
“Hmm, I think that’s too salty too.”
It’s not just the magicians of the Blue Tower.
All the evaluator wizards are having a serious discussion about Illyana’s evaluation.
Even though she gives her high scores, she doesn’t get any benefit in return, let alone making these precious materials her own.
It would be unacceptable that these materials in front of us, which shine with a strong halo as if they were just emitting light, are evaluated only at that level.
Haha…”
Arden couldn’t help but let out a bitter smile mixed with her disappointment.
She wanted to throw this mess away and say something to her student who had disappeared, but she couldn’t do that anymore.
Illyana’s expression was so tired that she wanted to sleep as soon as possible. She couldn’t hold on any longer after seeing the face of her student who had no idea what kind of hardship he had gone through.
I just hoped this commotion would go away quickly.
Of course, not all the evaluators in the evaluation room were having such a heated discussion.
“…”
“S, Master.”
The next Red Elder and his disciple, a noble male wizard, could not keep up with this rapidly changing atmosphere.
The value of the materials brought by Illyana was immediately recognized by the next Red Elder, but he could not help but feel dissatisfaction with the situation.
Of course.
It was his student who had to become the main character by graduating at the top of his class and proudly receiving the highest score in this external evaluation.
In this way, he will be able to raise his reputation as a teacher and further solidify his position in the Red Tower.
That’s why I can’t help but feel dissatisfied with this situation where the protagonist’s place has been taken away, and this atmosphere.
“… What happened? “Didn’t you say you definitely told the Adventurer’s Guild?”
“Yes, it is true.”
The noble man was taken aback by his teacher’s urging.
He couldn’t help but feel unfair.
I definitely asked for a favor by bequeathing a large amount of gold coins to the Adventurer’s Guild of the Magic Tower branch.
I want you to find something to blame and interfere with Illyana.
In fact, when we met her once in the adventurer’s guild, she went all the way to the snowy mountain and suffered, but she was not properly recognized for her achievements.
The noble man protested with as much resentment as possible.
“Obviously, there was no way we could have achieved any good results after that!”
“There’s no way he paid it? “Didn’t you check it yourself?”
“Well, that…”
“… Tsk.”
The next elder clicked his tongue in annoyance and withdrew his gaze from his disciple.
Seeing that he couldn’t answer properly and hesitated, it was expected even without asking.
Apparently, upon her return, she was so busy drinking and lusting after her woman that she didn’t even bother to check how Illyana’s situation was.
The authority and wealth of the nobility of a great country that his background possessed were clearly great.
Therefore, even though he had no talent for magic and was prone to debauchery and laziness, he accepted him as a disciple for the sake of his status.
I never thought that his debauchery and lazy nature would catch up with him now.
“Going back.”
“S-Master…” .”
“Get out! I don’t even want to see your face today! “I will tell you the policy on what to do tomorrow, so come see me at lunch.”
“All right…”
The noble man blushed and lowered his head at the scolding of his teacher, the next elder.
◆ ◆ ◆
“Whoa…”
Inside the dormitory of the Magic Tower.
As soon as she entered her assigned room, Illyana collapsed on her bed.
The air in the room, which she felt for the first time in a very long time, seemed to melt away the fatigue in her body.
Once I lay down, I didn’t want to do anything.
When I close my eyes, my whole body feels weak, as if I’m about to fall asleep.
Yet, her mind was very clear.
Regardless of her physical fatigue, Illyana’s mind recalled a man.
“… “I miss you.”
It’s been less than half a day since she broke up.
As if she was playing some kind of trick in her mind, the silver-haired man flashed in her mind.
The words she mumbled out of her mouth were also words that came out of her mouth without any awareness.
However, this confirms once again that her heart is infinitely honest.
Illyana slowly recalled her experiences over the past few months.
“Damn you… “How can you still treat people like this?”
‘If you just follow along, I will make you number one.’
What Eunhyeon said was not a lie.
In fact, Eunhyeon took Illyana with her to her many places.
We looked through the list of monster sightings and subjugation requests reported to the Adventurer’s Guild and made the best schedule by considering various factors such as subjugation grade, reward, loot, and efficient movement.
Thanks to this, Illyana had to be dragged around by Eunhyeon, with her body’s rest time reduced to the minimum of two days.
Following the experience in the snowy mountains, a desperate fight against poisonous snakes and lizardmen species living in humid swamps.
Insects in a jungle full of dizzying ecosystems.
Hunting by a group of wyverns flying in the sky.
A settlement of orcs that periodically raid human villages.
Engagement with a rampaging ogre.
Illyana was confident that it was literally a murderous schedule.
It was only when I returned to the Magic Tower after completing my schedule that I realized that an average adventurer would have at least a week of rest after completing one subjugation mission.
“Should I have at least slapped him in the face?” .”
It was so unfair and disgusting that I couldn’t stand it.
Eunhyeon smiled bitterly, saying she was sorry for tricking her, and tried to give herself a punch.
Illyana couldn’t hit Eunhyeon.
First, I got evaluations at a completely different level than other students.
She was confident that of course she could score the highest score.
Of course, this could be said to be her biggest goal, but unexpectedly, Illyana was able to achieve many other great achievements.
“If this is enough…”
Illyana felt her magical power becoming increasingly refined and sharpened through her numerous battles.
She absorbed all of her enormous magical energy that had been dissolved in the ice cap without wasting any time.
She was able to completely control her magic, which seemed to overflow from her vessel like a waterfall.
That means only one thing.
‘Congratulations on getting into the top digits.’
Second, rapid growth into a top-digit wizard.
No one knew, and no one would have known.
Eunhyeon immediately recognized her remarkable growth and congratulated her with a pure smile.
At that time, Illyana realized.
The reason why Eunhyeon dragged herself into a series of subjugation of demonic beasts with a murderous schedule was to quickly develop her capabilities as a magician through the series of battles.
“You can’t even complain like this…”
I want to at least slap him, but I can’t.
But more than these two things, there was something else that was the biggest thing in Illyana’s heart.
Illyana muttered once again.
“I miss you.”
Third and finally, meeting Eunhyun was the greatest luck of his life.
Illyana thought.
The next day, the external evaluation schedule was completed and the evaluation scores and rankings were revealed.
1st place: 157,000 points.
2nd place, 24,660 points.
Illyana proudly took first place with an overwhelming score difference from second place.
