Jake mounted his high horse.
'Behold, this is the real battle of adults. In this world, dirty, cheap humans will always end up winning. Kekeke. Goodbye, Amy. Even if I fall into hell, I'll make sure to bring you with me.'
"Don't get cocky, Jake."
Siena narrowed her ice-cold eyes and spoke.
"I've already heard from Sharelle before coming here. You won't be able to attend this academy anymore."
"Don't make such assumptions. You're a teacher who teaches students. You're not a part of the management team, correct?"
"What did you say?"
"You know how much the Ardius family donates, don't you? It's more than 10 first-class aristocrats combined. You think you can expel me?"
Most aristocratic academies ran on a donation system. It was for the maintenance of expensive equipment. If the equipment was underdeveloped or outdated, students would not be able to reach their highest potential. If their grades drop, the title of being one of the top prestigious academies would be taken away, and the vicious cycle of talented students being reluctant to enter would repeat.
If there was history and tradition to back up an academy, it would at least be able to hold out to some extent. However, that was not the case for Alpheas Magic Academy as it was an emerging one that was only 30 years old, it needed support from the nobles.
It was Thadd, a graduate of Alpheas Magic Academy, who knew this better than anyone else. If the money from Jake's family disappeared, they would be financially damaged.
"Ms. Siena, I think you're being a bit too hasty regarding the talk of expulsion. Wouldn't that matter be for the disciplinary committee to decide?"
"No. Jake is expelled. If we don't expel him from the academy, how will we be able to face those who dropped out? If Jake stays, I will take responsibility as a fellow instructor and resign."
Thadd imagined an academy without Siena and immediately stamped out the thought. Much to Thadd's displeasure, she was a woman with a cold personality… But he knew she had great magical qualities. Her quitting the academy was a different matter from Jake's expulsion.
Jake's shoulders shook as he laughed.
"Hahaha! You'll quit? I'm down for it! Let's see if it will be the teacher or me who leaves first."
Frost materialized on Siena's shoulder. Since she was an ice mage, even her boiling anger manifested through cold ice.
"Where do you think your salary comes from? How do the libraries buy their books? What about the money to open a training ground? Expensive magic devices? At the end of the day, the world revolves around money! Money! There's nothing in this world that can't be achieved through money!"
At that moment, Siena raised her hand. Jake looked around at the ground around his feet in bewilderment. The moment he felt his surroundings get chilly, cold air whirled above ground in a vortex.
"Keuk!"
Realizing that it was an Ice Tornado that would drop the temperature of the air on call, Jake curled up and covered his face.
CRRAACKKK!
The whirlwind of frost ascended and trapped Jake. Hundreds of icicles revealed themselves as the air froze over.
"Ughh!"
A sharp icicle scraped past Jake's face, shoulders, sides, and legs. Jake couldn't move an inch. It was as if he was trapped in a mold.
'Wow! That's amazing.'
Shirone genuinely admired Siena's work. Even if a mage was omnipotent, it was difficult to control the freezing phenomenon at a molecular level. The rumor that she was a genius mage coveted by the royal palace was no exaggeration.
"How dare a student lecture me, an instructor? Unlike what that minuscule brain of yours might think, there are many things in this world that money cannot buy."
Jake scrunched up his face. There was nothing in this world that money could not buy. He grew up watching countless nobles turn into mindless beasts when faced with the gold he would at times present to them.
"Something you can't buy with money? What the hell is that?"
"Talent."
Jake flinched. Siena stabbed where it hurt most.
"Quality. Personality. Faith. Intelligence. Trust. Effort. True willingness. Should I continue?"
Jake wanted to scream. Why was this woman bothering him? As long as he could shut that blabbering mouth of hers, he didn't care about how much money he'd have to give. He just wanted her to shut up.
The Ice Tornado shattered into pieces when Siena flicked her finger. The ice shards smacked Jake in the face with no remorse.
"Eeeukk…"
Jake didn't even have the courage to open his eyes. He was terrified. He was worried that his face might get ruined by the sharp ice shards.
"Now you understand, Jake? Money can't buy everything… And that is why you don't have anything."
Siena, who had grabbed Jake by the collar, pulled him hard and looked him dead in the eyes.
"Urgh!"
"So, I'm telling you, don't get too full of yourself. The Academy is the only place that teaches you things that money can't buy… And you just took that for granted. When you leave this academy, no one will teach you these things… Because no one outside of this place truly can."
Jake had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had never thought about that. A situation wherein he would not be attending the academy.
Siena would definitely expel him. If that happened, he wouldn't be able to challenge anything. That's how he would become a loser and stay one for the rest of his life.
The son of the Ardius family labeled a loser…
'It's over. I'm…'
An appearance of a young juvenile boy gradually began to emerge from his pale-stricken face. Jake, with a scrunched-up face as if he was about to cry, knelt at Siena's feet and burst into tears.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Olifer. I was wrong. Please, don't kick me out of the academy. Give me a second chance. I won't do this again. I'll really study hard from now on."
Shirone's company became solemn. They understood how scary it would be for a student if they were to get kicked into the real world.
Siena bent her knees and pulled Jake.
"When the disciplinary committee is held, sincerely apologize. That's the bare minimum you need to do in order to put everything back in place. I will be on your side, so let's do this one step at a time."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Shirone realized again that there were so many things that money couldn't buy. Many students here also had to work their butts off in order to advance and achieve their goals.
So what if you were a commoner or an aristocrat? Not all dreams could be achieved with money.
Members of Black Magician were confined to a punishment room and treated.
The disciplinary committee was scheduled to be held around tomorrow, and Shirone's group had a separate meeting with the instructors.
As Thadd wrote the affidavit, Shirone detailed how he suppressed Black Magician. As expected, the instructors' eyes widened.
"What? You overpowered Anti-Magic with your Spirit Zone?"
"Yes, I heard from Ms. Romie that Anti-Magic is a magic that requires high mental fortitude, so casting it recklessly is dangerous. I guess I tried to hold out with the Defense Form without realizing it."
Everyone, except Amy, was speechless.
Of course, if one did not specialize in Anti-Magic, it was difficult to achieve full efficiency. However, even taking that into account, it was a simultaneous attack by five people against one.
This kind of result would have been impossible if Shirone's Spirit Zone was not stronger than all of the five Black Magician members combined.
Siena leaned her face close to Shirone's. She lifted his eyelids around to observe his pupils, and when no abnormal findings were found, she sighed in relief
"Never do that again. Anti-magic is a much more dangerous magic than you might believe. We made it through safely this time, but if things had been different, someone could have ended up crippled with no way to use magic."
Even Shirone, who had nerves of steel, felt a sinking feeling when he heard such a possibility directly from Siena. At the time, all that was going through his head was 'protect Amy'.
Amy avoided his gaze. Since she was the one who put Sirone in danger, it was natural for her to have a guilty conscience.
Siena rested her chin on her hand and got lost in thought. To be able to subdue Anti-Magic meant that you had great talent. She knew from the beginning that he had excellent durability, but she didn't expect it to be this splendid.
Thadd, on the other hand, scowled in disapproval. He got annoyed that Shirone could do something Amy couldn't.
With that in mind, Thadd said.
"Shirone, why didn't you tell us right away? The first thing you should have done was report it to us, not fly over and then report. I can't understand why you, by yourself, went to go save a senior who is in a much higher class than you."
Shirone and Amy felt that the time had finally come.
For once, Siena did not step in to stop Thadd. Since they were in a situation that involved Black Magician, an organization that has forced multiple students to drop out, she wanted to get at least this cleared up.
Shirone smiled and nodded to Amy who had a questioning look. Even if the secret was revealed, he wouldn't resent her.
Amy sighed as if she could not do it.
"Okay. I'll tell you the truth."
Sharelle was more curious about Shirone's secret than anyone else. How long have they known each other? No, rather than that, why was Amy covering for him?
"Actually, Shirone is…"
As everyone waited in anticipation, Amy scratched her head, and with a big smile, she said…
"My lover."
"WHAT?!"
The unexpected answer shook the room.
Despite his disbelief, Thadd pressed her for answers.
"Since when? You were never interested in dating. Besides, Shirone is a freshman who just entered the academy."
"I met him when I was young, haha! This is common, is it not?"
Amy made a fuss on purpose.
'This should do it.'
After all, she would soon graduate to the Advanced Classes anyways, and she wouldn't run into Shirone much if their class time was different.
It would be noisy for a while, but it wasn't a bad thing. If students found out that she had a lover, there would be fewer boys chasing her around.
It was an excellent improvisation, she thought.
On the other hand, Shirone, who had to accept this new announcement, had a pounding heart. Amy was a higher-than-high upperclassman and was the object of envy for quite a lot of students. He knew this was just something to solve the current situation, but to say it was a huge burden was no lie.
"Right, Shirone?"
Amy looked back, smiling with her eyes. It was obvious it was forced. Shirone felt like he could hear her voice threatening to kill him if he did not answer quickly.
"Oh! Yes, yes that's right."
"KYAAA! How could this happen? I'm shocked, no, I'm moved! My heart's throbbing with emotions."
Sharelle slapped herself and spoke quickly.
"Hoho, I thought so from a long time ago! No wonder this girl always turns nice whenever she sees you! When did you guys start dating?! Who confessed first?!"
Since Amy's friend, Sharelle, believed the story, even the instructors could not help but suppose it was true. If they actually were a couple, Shirone chasing after Black Magician with such vigor was not surprising.
Thadd wrote the affidavit as he tore out his hair.
"The victims of this incident, Shirone and Amy, have a relationship…"
The rumor spread quickly.
There was no student at Alpheas Magic Academy who did not know that Shirone and Amy were lovers. The news became so big partly because of the shocking behavior of Black Magician, but it was mainly thanks to the saga delivered by the chatterbox Sharelle.
Shirone infiltrates the enemy's camp alone to protect his lover. Black Magician fought back with Anti-Magic, but he overcame it with the power of love and rescued Amy.
The villain boss Jake was overwhelmed by the gleam in Shirone's eyes and shed tears. And with a runny nose, he begged for forgiveness. After everything was done and dusted, the two kissed each other amidst the moonlit mountains.
"SHARELLE!!! You wanna die?! Why the hell did you run around spreading such a baseless rumor?!"
"KEKEKE! Why? It's all facts! roughly."
"Roughly? Roughly?! That also means not everything is true! When the hell did I kiss Shirone?!"
"Oh my, don't act so coy. You said you guys were dating. And since you two have been dating each other for quite a while, you must've already kissed. Don't you think you need this much to dramatize things?"
"Are you some kind of a playwright? Why are you dramatizing other people's stories on your own?"
"Well, isn't this better? The boys who were bothering you won't dare to come close now! Hahaha!"
"SHARELLE!"