Extra Of The Magus Academy-Chapter 51: Humiliation

[One Week Later…]

Every Apprentice gathered on the Assembly Grounds for the new announcement.

Ash was one of them.

Both hands were in his pockets as he calmly raised his gaze to the elevated platform where their Head Of Student Affairs stood. The entire atmosphere was buzzing with curiosity, but Ash felt no such thing.

He already knew what the woman was going to say.

"Do you have any idea what she’s going to announce?" Dustan snuck up behind him to ask, a question that Ash shrugged aside the same way he shoved the boy’s face away from himself.

"Just be patient and listen."

Sometimes, Ash had to wonder if Dustan really read the original novel at all.

"Greetings, students." Beatrice Lampshade began, and in the same curt manner that she displayed in the past, she cut right through the pleasantries and got to the central issue.

"I am here to inform you about the Academy Exchange, an event that will be taking place in a month. Students who are interested will need to register and an In-House Selection Event will be held to thin out participants so that only ten from each Stage will be able to compete."

In essence…

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

"Only ten out of all of you will be representing the Akashic Academy against the other schools."

The students were stunned to hear this, but none of them were particularly surprised.

The Akashic Magus Academy had always been about hardcore competition, and so it was no surprise that only a few would be chosen among over fifty students.

Her next statement, however, would deal a shocking blow to the entire audience.

"Due to a new policy change, Beta Class will be excluded from participating in this year’s Academy Exchange, and—"

Just as expected, the audience went into an uproar.

Alpha Class Students were practically jumping in excitement, glad to see that the Academy was finally coming to their senses and preventing the weak dregs of Beta Class from competing on the same level as them.

However, for the Beta Class Students, they had bitter frowns and frustration oozing from their varied expressions.

They weren’t as loud and obnoxious about the news, but it was clear that they hated it.

’Looks like some things never change…’ Ash smiled as he observed all of this. ’Glad to see that I can always count on the Academy Board Members to keep on being douchebags.’

He cast a sideways glance to a particular student in Beta Class who seemed the most annoyed.

It was none other than Arius Inkwell.

Unlike the others who bottled their rage and tried to hide their frustrations, he got very vocal about both.

"Excuse me, Head of Student Affairs, but this isn’t fair!" Arius yelled, his eyes burning with pure anger. "This goes against the ethos of fairness that the Akashic Academy was built on."

As he said this, Arius cringed a little.

He never once thought that he would find himself in a situation where he would have to defend Beta Students and their inclusion in such activities.

He knew for a matter of fact that he wouldn’t bother if he had remained in Alpha Class.

’But what choice do I have? If I let them do this, that means… that means I won’t be able to participate in the Academy Exchange!’

He went on, his gaze fixed on the Head Of Student Affairs as he laid his complaints bare.

Several Alpha Class Students glared at him for his articulate expression of many solid rebuttals against the new policy, and the Beta Students—many of which detested Arius Inkwell—found themselves in awe of his actions.

Even if it was for his self-interests, he was standing up for all of them.

Before they knew it, they were raising hands in support of his assertions, backing him up with their cries and combined declarations.

"Let us be included! Let us be included! Let us be—"

"No."

VWUUUUM!

Beatrice Lampshade released a sudden pressure that caused every single protester to tremble, instantly quelling the little rebellion they had begun to make. The students felt crushed in their Souls, and even though the pressure only lasted a few seconds, they felt its effects long after.

"Haa… haa…?" Arius, in particular, was sweating buckets as he slowly raised his head after feeling the intensity of Beatrice’s suppression.

"You’ve offered a lot of reasoning, but it doesn’t do anything to change the primary reason why you were not even considered for the event’s roster."

"A-and… and why is that?"

"Because students in the Beta Class are too weak."

Arius felt his eyes widen as soon as he heard those words from Beatrice’s lips.

Weak? Him?

"We need our very strongest to represent us in the Exchange, which is why Beta Class has been excluded." She added. "I encourage you all to take this in learning stride and train harder so you can participate next year."

As one would expect, this enraged Arius.

However, seeing as his protests would do him no good but attract further embarrassment, he said nothing more on the Assembly ground.

Ash watched him keenly from the sidelines and sighed.

’Once this event is over, I’m sure you’ll be happy you never participated in it… so be grateful, Arius.’

Unfortunately for Arius Inkwell, he did not have the benefit of hindsight.

*********

[Later That Night]

"Those bastards… that bitch!"

Arius fumbled around in his small Beta Class room, pulling out several junk from his drawer in order to retrieve a small box hidden underneath them.

The box was completely black, like ink, and had an oily sheen that served as a blurry mirror.

Within it was a gem—bluish green in color—and upon opening the item, Arius grinned.

’Those fools… they think I’ll just let this slide? No way!’

If no one in this Academy would give him the justice he deserved, then he had no choice but to reach out to the only people who could.

’My family!’ His eyes gleamed brightly as he stared at the gem.

Normally, communication to anyone—including family—outside the Academy was prohibited, so students had to go through the Academy’s process and get their message approved by the school before they could send a message to anyone in the outside world.

But this process was too restrictive, and there was no privacy involved.

’Once they know the nature of my message and who I want to send it to, they’ll most likely try to stop me from reaching my family… which means I have no choice but to use this!’

In his hands was a contraband device by the Akashic Academy Standards.

It was a Secret Communication Device!

BZZTTZZ!

The device buzzed the moment Arius injected an ounce of Magia into it.

Then—

"Arius… is that you?"

—A voice emerged from the warbling gem, as it filled the room with a bright green hue.

"Dad! Yes… yes it’s me!" He yelled. "I’ve called you for something of grave urgency, and I’m hoping you can assist me with it."

If there was anyone who could get him out of his current mess, it was his father.

"What is it, son?"

Arius promptly explained every single event that happened ever since he got demoted to Beta Class, intentionally excluding the humiliating defeat he suffered at Dustan’s hands. Once he was done explaining, his voice turned squeaky as tears streamed down his eyes.

"Can you help me… daddy?"