by : BlackbeardtheBear
After the midterm exams, the school announced a new system for teaching. Instead of traditional classroom learning, students would now engage in practical tasks outside the classroom to earn points. The central hall of the school became the place where students could pick up their missions. Missions were categorized by stars, ranging from 1-star to the highest level of 10-stars. The difficulty of the missions was aligned with the ten levels of magic users, though even the most challenging 10-star mission was only equivalent to a level 6 mage, as the school's director was also a level 6 mage. Most other faculty members were level 4 mages, which was exceptionally high compared to other schools, but still not comparable to the Imperial Academy where the average level of faculty was 5.
Largas and Myla arrived at the central hall on the first day of the new system. A large number of students gathered there to see which missions were available.
"What level should we start with?" Myla asked Largas as they looked at the mission board.
"I think we should begin with a 1-star mission," Largas replied. "It will help us get familiar with the new system, and then we can gradually take on more difficult ones."
Myla nodded in agreement. "Sounds good to me."
They decided to take on a 1-star mission involving helping a village that was being threatened by monsters from a nearby forest.
Upon arriving at the village, Largas and Myla met with the village chief, who explained that many monsters emerged from the forest every night, destroying crops and homes.
Largas and Myla planned their approach. Largas used his ice magic to set up ice traps around the village, while Myla utilized her water magic to scout the area around the village, as her water magic allowed her to reach distant places.
As night fell, the monsters began to emerge from the forest. Largas and Myla worked together to fight the monsters, using their skills and magic to full effect. The battle was not particularly challenging, as their abilities were equivalent to third-year students, or level 2 mages. The 1-star mission felt more like a practice field for them. Nonetheless, it was a valuable opportunity for them to practice teamwork for the first time.
The next afternoon, Largas and Myla went back to the central hall to report their mission results. They felt proud of their successful first teamwork experience. Even though the 1-star mission wasn't particularly challenging, it was a good start to get acquainted with the new system. As they were filling out their reports, they noticed whispers and excitement among the students around them. Turning around, they saw Princess Astra standing by the mission board.
Despite being a first-year student, Princess Astra was known for her exceptional magical talent and had gained significant fame within the school. With her fiery red hair and golden eyes, she attracted everyone's attention and admiration as she walked in.
"That's Princess Astra!" Myla whispered excitedly. "She was ranked first in the last midterm exams."
"So, we have a princess studying at our school?" Largas asked quietly, intrigued. If Astra was truly a princess, she would typically be attending the Imperial Academy, not their school.
"It seems Princess Astra dislikes the Imperial Academy's staff, so she chose to study here instead," Myla explained.
As if on cue, Princess Astra turned to them, offering a smile before approaching.
"Good afternoon to both of you. I believe your names are Largas and Myla, correct?" Astra's voice was smooth and gentle, contrasting with her fiery red hair and confident demeanor.
Largas and Myla quickly greeted her respectfully.
"Yes, Your Highness," they replied in unison.
"I heard about your mission in the village," Astra began. "I was impressed by how well you worked together. I've just completed a level 3 mission and am looking for a strong team to assist with a more challenging task."
Myla looked at Largas with excitement before turning back to Astra. "What kind of mission do you need our help with, Your Highness?"
"My mission involves a level 4 task to explore the Forbidden Zone in the Moonwood Forest," Astra explained. "That area is full of danger and monsters with lethal toxins."
"And it seems the monsters in the Forbidden Zone have become more aggressive since the midterm exams ended. The deputy headmaster requested assistance through the mission board," Astra added, resting her hand on her chin.
Largas felt both challenged and excited. "We're ready to assist you with this mission, Your Highness."
Astra smiled. "Excellent. We will start our journey tomorrow. For now, we need to prepare and gather more information about the Forbidden Zone."
"Understood," both Myla and Largas responded.
The next day, Largas, Myla, and Astra gathered at the central hall to receive details and prepare equipment for the mission. Astra had prepared maps and information about the Forbidden Zone, including advice on dealing with the monsters they would encounter.
"We will set out for the Forbidden Zone tonight, so we can reach our destination by morning," Astra said. "During our journey, we must be cautious as the area is prone to rapid changes and often has Dryads lurking to attack us."
"Since this is a dangerous mission, we will also have one of our professors accompany us for added safety," Astra added, gesturing to a man standing nearby.
"Hello everyone, I'm Syrus Fello, a level 4 mage. It's a pleasure to meet you," said Syrus, a middle-aged man with gray hair and glasses, wearing a silver robe.
"Mr. Syrus is the professor for the fourth-year class, and he's a mage from the Silver Tower," Astra introduced him further.
After everyone got acquainted, they dispersed to prepare and rest before meeting again in the evening to begin their journey.
As they set off in the evening, Largas and Myla found they didn't need to prepare much additional gear since Astra had already taken care of most of it. Whether it was maps, supplies for several days, or camping equipment, Astra's thorough preparation demonstrated her excellent leadership.
However, traveling to the Moonwood Forest without teleportation took several hours, and during the journey, they were frequently attacked by small monsters. This delay was unusual as these small creatures normally avoided attacking carriages. It seemed as though they were being driven to attack, as if controlled somehow.