The Academy's Terminally Ill Side Character-Chapter 51: Basic Magic Class [2]

She was pointing at me.

Wait.

Me?!

I blinked, confused, then looked around to double-check—maybe someone was behind me? Nope. All eyes were on me now.

What the hell did I do?

I had fully expected her to point at Ryen. Maybe someone else with top grades or glowing recommendations. Not me.

"Me? Are you talking about me, Professor?" I asked, sounding like I’d just been accused of a crime I didn’t commit.

Alice Draken smiled brightly and nodded. "Yes, you. Don’t be so surprised."

Okay, now I was really lost. What the hell did I do to get noticed?

Then, for a brief moment, she glanced at Ryen before returning her gaze to me.

"That student’s good," she said, casually nodding toward him. "He’s aware of his surroundings. He knew better than to laugh along with the crowd. But you?"

She tilted her head slightly, her smile sharpening just a bit.

"You were better."

I blinked again.

"You didn’t just sit quietly—you watched. You observed me. My entrance, my demeanor, my movements. You paid attention. That shows not only respect, but caution. And in our world, whether you’re a hero, a hunter, or even a mercenary... caution and observation can mean the difference between life and death."

The classroom was silent.

Alice’s voice softened just enough to sound almost warm, though there was a steel edge to it.

"You didn’t laugh like the others. You were cautious. And that, Cadet, is a skill more valuable than raw talent or flashy magic."

I stared at her, stunned.

That was... a lot.

And totally unexpected.

I mean, yeah, I had been analyzing her. Not because I was trying to show off, but because I knew what she was capable of. Still, to have her call it out like that? It meant she’d seen right through me.

Damn... she’s sharp.

She gave a little nod, then moved on like nothing happened—like she hadn’t just dropped an entire monologue about survival instincts in front of the whole class.

Meanwhile, I just sat there, still trying to process the fact that—for once—I’d been called out for doing something right.

Weird feeling.

Not bad, though.

"Alright! Let’s get started with today’s lecture," Alice said, hands on her hips as she spun around to face the class. "We’ll begin with the basics, since this is Basic Magic Control. So, let me ask you all—what is magic?"

Just like that, she slipped into full professor mode, snapping the atmosphere into something more academic and focused. No more jokes, no more pressure—just a teacher ready to teach.

Some students were a little thrown by the sudden switch, but most quickly adjusted, leaning forward in their seats and trying to look attentive.

There was a beat of silence... and then someone in the front raised a hand and said, confidently:

"Uhh... it’s a mysterious power?"

The room collectively winced.

Alice blinked.

Then smiled.

A little too sweetly.

"Haha. You," she pointed at the unfortunate soul, "write your name and student ID on the board before you leave. I’ll be giving you an F."

Dead silence.

"...Anyone else?" she asked, scanning the room. "Anyone who can give a better answer than that?"

Her tone was light, but her smile was getting thinner by the second. The silence stretched longer. Students glanced at each other, quietly begging someone to step up.

Her expression twitched.

"No one?"

Just when it felt like the air might freeze—

Ryen raised his hand.

Of course. The golden boy, always saving the day.

I could’ve answered. I knew the answer. But this part belonged to him. The story was written like this.

He stood up, voice clear and steady. "Magic is a general term for the supernatural powers that appeared after the dimensional collision around 200 years ago. While the way people perceive and use it can differ slightly depending on region and culture, the term ’magic’ became the universal label over 70 years ago, unifying what were once separate systems."

Perfect delivery.

That was the answer straight from the academy’s textbook—and the novel’s lore.

Alice’s eyes lit up with delight. "Correct! See? That’s how you answer a question. Not vague nonsense like ’mysterious power.’"

She winked at Ryen and clapped her hands. "Well done."

At the same time, I leaned back a little and let my thoughts wander.

According to the setting, everything started with the dimensional collision.

Two centuries ago, a crack appeared in the sky—small at first, like a shimmer in the air. But it grew. And eventually, it shattered. A massive energy surge followed, and reality itself warped.

The collision brought chaos: dungeon breaks, strange phenomena, and creatures that defied logic. But it also brought something else—an unknown energy that began seeping into the world.

At first, people called it all sorts of things: chi, chakra, spiritual energy, mana—whatever fit their beliefs or traditions.

But after decades of research and standardization, the world agreed on a single name: magic.

Seventy years of magical development, research, and breakthroughs had brought the world to where it stood today.

And yet, here I was—trapped in a classroom, listening to a lecture I’d already read in a novel.

I mean, come on. The irony of it all was practically poetic.

Just a few months ago, I was sitting in bed, flipping pages and thinking, "This story’s fun, but who would actually want to live it?"

Well. Apparently, me.

Lucky me.

Anyway, after showering Ryen with praise like he’d just solved world peace, Professor Alice Draken turned back to the rest of the class, her usual cheerful expression slipping back into place.

"As Cadet Ryen mentioned," she began, "there were many names and theories in the early days to describe the energy that appeared after the dimensional collision. However, after decades of research, a unified term was finally adopted under the Laws of the Hero Association. That term is... ’Magic.’"

As she spoke, she waved her wand and began to draw something midair using glowing blue particles. The drawing shimmered into existence—what looked like a dog... probably.

It had lopsided ears, a tail that resembled a noodle, and a face only a mother could love.

It looked like something drawn by a child who had never seen a dog before.

Giggles tried to escape from a few students.

But one glance from Alice—just a look—and those giggles died instantly. Their faces went pale like they’d just seen the Grim Reaper knock on the classroom door.

Everyone remembered what had happened earlier. Nobody wanted to become the next joke-with-an-F.

"The answer Cadet Ryen gave was correct," Alice continued, now casually floating her cartoon dog in the air beside her, "but not quite complete. Anyone else want to give it a shot? Add something?"

Silence.

Dead, suffocating silence.

No hands. No volunteers. Not even a nervous cough.

Alice’s cheerful smile started to twitch. Her eyes narrowed, just slightly.

A few cadets shifted in their seats. One girl bit her lip and looked away. Even Ryen, who normally looked like he had all the answers in the world, kept his mouth shut.

And then... her gaze swept across the classroom.

I felt it before I saw it. That creeping chill crawling up my spine.

And then her eyes landed on me.

Me.

Of course.

With a smile far too sweet to be genuine, she tilted her head, looking straight at me like I was the star of the show.

"Why don’t you try, Cadet Rin Evans?" she asked, in a tone so pleasant it practically screamed trap.

A trap with no escape.