Music echoed through the air around the garden near the lake where Oz had fallen earlier.
Nearby, a simple party with Saturn Dorm students gathered together. They sat on the soft grass, enjoying the grilled fish Oz had caught.
The rich, smoky aroma of the fish filled the air, making everyone's mouth watering.
*Munch* *Munch*
"Mm, magical beast meat is always so good!"
Sam, grinning, held two large pieces of fish in his hands, switching between them with every bite.
"Hahaha, the broom race record now belongs to House of Saturn!"
Nathan, his hair buzzed short like a soldier's, laughed proudly. His eyes sparkled as he looked at the flying chair that Oz had used during the race.
Around the chair, several boys from Saturn Dorm gathered, some crouching down to examine it closely, marveling at its design.
The chair now had some parts broken or dented, remnants of its crash into the lake when it hit the water at top speed.
Because of this event, every student in Saturn now knew who he was. In fact, it wasn't just Saturn, practically everyone who had witnessed the race that morning knew Oz's name now.
After swimming ashore with the massive catfish he had caught, Oz had immediately used a drying and cleaning spell to rid his clothes. However, the strong, lingering fishy smell refused to leave, clinging stubbornly to his skin and clothes.
*Sniff* *Sniff*
"Eww, the smell just won't go away."
Oz covered his nose with one hand and pulled out a small vial of perfume. He sprayed himself entire vial, hoping to mask the pungent scent of the fish that still clung to him.
Several students continued to approach Oz, curious and excited. Feeling overwhelmed by all the attention, he decided to slip away toward the edge of the garden, where he could sit by himself.
[Hahaha. You should have seen your face when you were flying. It looked absolutely ridiculous!]
A playful voice echoed in Oz's mind. Startled, he quickly scanned the area, but there was no one near him. Oz, however, instantly recognized the voice.
It wasn't coming from around him, it was inside his head. Clearly, it was a telepathic message.
"Oh, darling? We just met yesterday, and already you're missing me?"
Oz replied in a mockingly sweet tone, addressing Professor Goldilock, who had clearly decided to communicate telepathically with him again.
[… Let's skip the part where I get angry at you. Aside from your talent for annoying me, I have to admit you're also quite skilled at collecting HP.]
Professor Goldilock, who had been on the verge of losing her temper during her previous interactions with Oz, seemed to have developed some tolerance. After dealing with him on several occasions, she had grown more accustomed to his antics.
"Darling, you always keeping an eye on this ugly face of mine. Now I feel shy, Muehehe."
Oz dramatically reenacted the expression he had made while flying at high speed in the magical flying chair, his face twisting with exaggerated effort.
[You little brat! I wasn't paying attention to you! Your face was plastered across every screen!]
It seemed Professor Goldilock still had a long way to go in terms of controlling her temper toward Oz.
[I wanted to ask, which house are you giving the HP you earned from the broom race? You earned 12 HP for finishing first in each lap, and an extra 10 HP for breaking the all-time speed record.]
Hearing this, Oz's playful expression faded, replaced by a look of deep thought.
He weighed the pros and cons of giving his HP to Saturn Dorm.
After a moment of consideration, he made his decision and responded with confidence.
"Give all of it to House of Nibiru."
If he had chosen to give the HP to Saturn Dorm, his leaderboard rank would have jumped from 58 to 80.
Any student familiar with the points system could easily deduce that the anonymous student was Oz. He preferred to keep a lower profile for now.
[Heh, poor Saturn students, missing out on the PP rewards from the HP you earned. But, not my problem.]
There was a pause on the telepathic connection, and for a while, Professor Goldilock's voice went silent. It seemed she was busy with something else.
[Spending too much time around you is starting to erode my sanity. At one point, I even considered sending you to another Dark Lord. I'm sure they'd give up on being evil rather quickly.]
—What a coincidence, my master once said the exact same thing.
[Hahahaha.]
"Muahahaha."
Because Professor Goldilock was using telepathy, her laughter was inaudible to everyone else. However, from a distance, several students froze, frightened by the menacing sound of Oz's evil laughter echoing across the garden.
[*Bzzt*]
Without saying goodbye, Professor Goldilock instantly cut the telepathic connection. She clearly had no interest in saying farewell when ending their conversations.
"Ah, she must be in a hurry."
Oz pulled out his point card from the inner pocket of his robe. He had accumulated a total of 80 HP, with 30 AP remaining. As for PP, he still had a balance of 79,890 PP.
He blinked in surprise at the large figure 70,000 of those PP seemed to have come out of nowhere. After asking the academy staff, he learned that he had unknowingly won an old, 50-year-old bet. The rest came from PP he had earned himself.
"Hmm, your laugh could scare a magical beast."
This time, Oz was startled by the voice of another woman.
From the direction of the party, a tall, graceful figure walked toward him.
The woman had long platinum-blonde hair, tied loosely at the ends with a blue ribbon that matched her strikingly deep blue eyes.
Her hair cascaded down her back, with the tied section resting on her right shoulder.
Her skin pale as if she were a vampire who had never bathing the sunlight.
"My name is Miranda De Tempest. Just call me Miranda. It's nice to meet you, Oz."
She said, her voice sweet and smooth, almost melodic.
Her bright, wide smile stretched across her face, exposing perfect white teeth.
It was a smile full of warmth and charm that would undoubtedly make any man's heart race.
But, of course, Oz wasn't affected in the slightest. His taste in women was… different. He preferred those who were just as crazy as he was.
"Hmm, Tempest... Ah, what's your relationship with Professor Prospero?"
Oz asked, raising an eyebrow as he tilted his head in curiosity.
He knew that Professor Prospero's full name was Prospero De Tempest. However, he didn't know much about the professor's personal life or his family.
"Professor Prospero is my father."
Miranda replied nonchalantly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"He said that this year, there's a insane student who caught his attention."
With a bright, innocent smile, Miranda called Oz insane. But her tone was far from insulting, she was simply stating a fact.
She was the kind of person who spoke her mind with a simple honesty that could seem naive. In short, she was a bit clueless, not realizing how her words came across.
—Well, she's not wrong,
Oz thought with an amused grin.
"Hahaha, I'll take that as a compliment from Professor Prospero."
Miranda giggled softly before taking a seat beside Oz. She sat close, perhaps a little too close for someone she had just met, and began studying him with a curious gaze, her eyes scanning him from head to toe.
"Hmm, have we met before?"
She asked, tilting her head slightly as she rested her index finger on her cheek. Her brow furrowed, as if she were trying to remember something important.
"Strange, like déjà vu. You know that feeling? Like you've experienced something before but can't quite place it."
Oz had been in this world for three years. Three long years spent hidden away in his master's secret lair.
His visit to the outside world had been limited, and he had only left the hideout for specific tasks.
If Miranda had seen him during that time, it wasn't a memory Oz wanted her to recover.
"Maybe it's just your imagination."
Oz replied, his voice calm but with a subtle edge, hoping to dissuade her from digging any further.
"Hmm, maybe you're right."
Miranda said, her finger still resting thoughtfully on her cheek.
"I'll think about it later. Anyway, I came to invite you to this event. Tada!"
Miranda pulled out a colorful pamphlet from her sleeve, holding it up in front of Oz.
The pamphlet was adorned with illustrations of students firing spells at each other, explosions of magic lighting up the scene. It depicted an exciting battle royale-style game called "Wizzarding Rumbling."
Oz's eyes widened as he examined the pamphlet more closely.
According to the details, the game would take place in the basement of Stellarkeep, covering a massive area of 10 kilometers by 10 kilometers.
A minimum of 100 players and a maximum of 500 would participate, all battling for survival. Only specific spells would be allowed during the game.
—Heh, this is one of the games I've been waiting for!
Oz thought, feeling a rush of excitement.
A wide grin spread across his face, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. It had been too long since he'd participated in a battle royale game.
"Mmm, so how about it? Want to join my team?"
Miranda asked, her eyes sparkling with hope. She leaned in a little closer, her hands clasped together in front of her chest. It was clear from her expression that she really wanted Oz on her team.
To join the game, one needed a noble's recommendation. Since each noble could only recommend up to five people, this invitation was a rare and valuable opportunity for Oz.
Even though it was called a team game, in reality, all the players would be competing against each other.
Furthermore, each player's starting location would be randomized, making it nearly impossible to regroup with teammates quickly.
"Muehehehe, how could I refuse?"
Oz replied, his grin widening into a mischievous smirk.
"But if you don't mind me asking, why are you offering this to me?"
Although Oz was eager to join, he remained cautious. He had no connection to the Tempest family, so such an unexpected offer made him suspicious.
"My father said you're a commoner who scored the highest on the entrance exam."
Miranda explained, her voice sweet but direct.
"And the skills you demonstrated during the exam were impressive. That's why."
Her honesty and airheaded nature made it difficult for Oz to figure out if there was anything more to her offer.
But he had a feeling that this invitation wasn't as simple as it seemed. Oz sensed it was a manipulation by Professor Prospero.
—Hmm, maybe the noble family that wins gains some prestige or a reward.
Oz speculated silently.
So far, Sarah had only provided Oz with tips and tricks about the game mechanics of Wizzarding Rumbling.
There was no mention of the nobles' political agendas tied to the game.
Perhaps that information was outside of Mistheaven Academy's domain, which is why Sarah hadn't included it.
"Oi, Miranda! Where are you?"
A female voice called out from the party area, breaking the moment.
"I'm coming!"
Miranda shouted back at her friend, her voice cheerful.
"Come on, Oz, let's continue our conversation over there."
She standing up and grabbing Oz's hand. Without waiting for his response, she pulled him toward the party.
Her friends were already gathered, waiting for her, and it was clear from their smiles and waves that Miranda was popular. Her easygoing personality naturally drew people to her.
"Hey, hey, Miranda, Oz. Why are you two hanging out by yourselves over there? Come on, tell us."
One of the girls, with a mischievous grin, teased Miranda in a playful tone, laughter bubbling up as she spoke. Her friends immediately joined in, giggling and teasing Miranda.
"I was just inviting Oz to join Wizzarding Rumbling. What's the big deal if we were alone?"
As expected, she didn't realize she was being teased, her airheaded nature completely unaware of the hints in the conversation.
"Pfft, nothing at all. We were just surprised, thought you were finally making progress."
One of the girls, barely able to hold back her laughter, responded with a teasing smile.
"Hey, what do you mean by that?"
Everyone burst into laughter, enjoying the sight of Miranda's confused and slightly frustrated expression.
All except for Miranda, who remained as bewildered as ever, still trying to decipher the meaning behind her friends' teasing remarks.
"By the way, Miranda, isn't Class C in the middle of a Charm Magic lesson right now?"
"Ah… Oh no! I forgot! What should I do!? What do I do!?"
Miranda's face instantly turned pale and panic. She had completely forgotten that her class had started ten minutes ago. The excitement of the party and her focus on recruiting Oz had distracted her entirely.
"Bye! I'm heading out first. Hopefully, I don't get scolded!"
In a flash, Miranda hopped onto her broomstick. Zooming off into the sky as fast as her broom could carry her.
"Um, Miranda! You forgot your bag! Ah, she's already gone."
One of the girls held up a small, bag that likely belonged to Miranda.
"Is she always like that?"
Oz asked the group, watching Miranda fly off with a curious expression.
"Yep. Always."
In perfect unison, they responded, confirming that this was nothing out of the ordinary for Miranda.
"Um, by the way, why did she fly to the north? Mistheaven Castle is to the west..."
When Oz pointed this out, all the girls sighed in unison, visibly deflating as they took deep breaths.
"Sigh… Miranda."
***********
After the lively garden party, many students from Class C and Class D made their way back to Mistheaven Castle to continue their lessons.
For Class D, they were now heading to Lecture Hall No. 17, known as Columba Lecture Hall, named after the constellation The Dove. The hall's ceilings were adorned with stars and doves, reflecting its constellation namesake.
The effects of the earlier feast could still be seen among the Saturn students from Class D.
Most of them were sleeping in the "Sleeper Row" a section notorious for its lazy students, half-asleep and too stuffed from the meal.
"Zzzz"
*Snort*
Sam had managed to snag a seat in the very last row. With his head slumped against the desk, he was hoping to sleep through the lesson.
However today's lesson was Transfiguration, infamously the toughest subject on the curriculum.
Transfiguration was far more practical than theoretical, which meant that even the back row wouldn't offer much of an escape for those trying to relax.
Adding to the tension, the professor teaching the subject was none other than the feared Professor Glyde, known among students as a "killer professor" for his uncompromising teaching style.
[Good afternoon, students. My name is Professor Glyde. I will be teaching Transfiguration. This is a difficult subject that requires your concentration. If anyone fools around… you will face the consequences yourselves!]
Professor Glyde's reputation preceded him. He was known for his harsh, objective grading.
A student who failed would receive no mercy from him, not even a second chance.
His fairness extended to all students. Even nobles couldn't bribe or intimidate him into giving a better grade.
He was utterly serious, never smiling, never laughing… except for one thing.
[Hiahiahia.]
Oddly enough, Professor Glyde only laughed whenever he recalled Oz and his peculiar poem.
—Um, why do all the professors always laugh when they look at me?
Oz wondered to himself, feeling a growing sense of unease.
[Ehem, excuse me. Now, does anyone know the difference between Transfiguration and Transmutation?]
A few eager students immediately raised their hands, hoping to catch the attention of Professor Glyde.
Though it was widely known that gaining favor from him wouldn't grant them any special treatment, many still sought his acknowledgment.
[Miss Everhard, please explain to the class.]
This time, Avis, seated in the front row, was given the opportunity to answer.
She stood gracefully, her expression one of pure confidence, glancing briefly toward Stella as if to flaunt her superiority.
"Transfiguration is magic that temporarily alters the appearance of an object, changing it into something else. However, once the spell's duration ends, the object reverts to its original form."
The Transfiguration only affects the outward shape of the object, leaving its core essence unchanged.
[Good, good. And what about Transmutation?]
"Transmutation, on the other hand, is magic that permanently changes the object into something entirely different. Not only its appearance but its essential properties and characteristics are altered."
In other words, Transmutation is magic that transforms an object in its entirety, permanently and fundamentally, into something else.
[Once again, an excellent explanation, Miss Everhard. You'll study Transmutation in your fifth year, as it is a more advanced and challenging subject. But don't be mistaken, Transfiguration isn't easy either.]
Of course, even basic Transfiguration posed a challenge to most students, let alone the complexities of Transmutation. But for Oz, as he is an apprentice of Transmutation Dark Lord, both subjects were mere child's play.
"Muehehehe."
As other students troubled with the complicated theories of Transfiguration, Oz couldn't help but smirk to himself, finding the material absurdly easy.
—Ah, finally, no screaming, no punishment. This is how a class should be conducted.
For three long years under his master's brutal teachings, Oz endured a harsh treatment where yelling and physical discipline were his daily routine.
[In front of each of you is a brick. I want you to transform it into something else!]
At the front of the class, Professor Glyde began his demonstration, waving his wand ans casting a spell. A thin stream of light flowed from the tip of his wand and struck the brick before him.
[Transfiguro!]
Slowly, the brick began to morph and reshape, eventually becoming a beautifully crafted teapot.
"Whoa!"
Many students gasped, their eyes widening as they witnessed the transformation. Eagerly, they attempted to replicate the spell.
"Transfiguro!"
*Poof*
Of course, simply memorizing an incantation and magic formula wasn't enough to cast the spell successfully.
Many students found themselves frustrated as their attempts at basic Transfiguration failed miserably.
"Transfiguro!"
The first student to achieve success was, unsurprisingly, Avis. Her brick elegantly transformed into a delicate glass cup.
[Well done, Miss Everhard. Flawless execution!]
*Clap* *Clap*
Most of the students, especially Avis's loyal followers, burst into applause. Meanwhile, those from rival groups stayed quiet, watching as Avis smiled proudly.
[Miss Havisham has also succeeded.]
*Clap* *Clap*
Now it was Estella's faction that clapped, as she had skillfully transformed her brick into a porcelain plate.
*Bawk* *Bawk*
But the applause abruptly stopped as the entire class turned to witness something utterly bizarre.
A "fried chicken" was now flying through the lecture hall, flapping its crispy wings while making a clucking noise.
[Who transfigured this flying fried chicken?]
All eyes turned toward Oz, who, with an innocent grin, raised his hand.
"It was me, Professor. Since we already had a teapot, a cup, and a plate, I figured out we need a food."
The entire class stared in bewilderment as the fried chicken continued to circle the room, clucking like a confused chicken.
Meanwhile, Oz sat back in his seat, clearly satisfied with his work.
The thought of fried chicken had been on his mind since the party, where he'd resisted the urge to eat the catfish dish.
Naturally, when it came time to perform Transfiguration, his hunger had guided his imagination.
[…]
Professor Glyde was briefly shocked after seeing a fying fried chicken.
Transfiguring an inanimate object into something that mimicked life required not only high levels of skill but also a vivid imagination.
Even though the creature wasn't truly alive, achieving something like that is considered an advanced technique. It was an impressive feat for any student, especially for a first year student.
But fried chicken wasn't supposed to fly. Or make clucking sounds.
"Hmm, smells good!"
Sam, who had been dozing off in the back of the classroom, suddenly awoke as the fried chicken flying past him. His nose twitched, and his stomach rumbled.
He grabbed the fried chicken in one quick move. A big grin appeared on his face as he got ready to take a huge bite.
"Kyaaa!"
However, the moment his teeth sank into the fried chicken, it reverted to its original form… A brick.
Sam yelped in pain, clutching his mouth as he realized too late that his snack had transformed back into solid brick.
[When a transfigured object is physically damaged, the magic maintaining it dissipates, causing it to revert to its original state.]
Professor Glyde's explanation echoed through the lecture hall, but most students were too busy laughing at Sam to pay attention.
Sam, on the other hand, looked bewildered, still holding the brick.
[Mr. Twist, your work is impressive.I must say, well done.]
Professor Glyde's rare compliment didn't go unnoticed, and the air in the room shifted. Jealous glances were cast in Oz's direction from students who were used to vying for the professor's approval.
—Why are you all looking at me like I just stole your crush? Honestly, if you want him, you can have him. Take the old man!
[Very well then, since Mr. Twist has shown great proficiency in transfiguration, let's have him demonstrate once more for the class!]
Now all eyes were on him, and there was no escaping. Professor Glyde had effectively thrown him into the center of the room, and Oz had no choice but to comply.
—Ah, standing out can be such a curse sometimes.
Though he didn't mind being in the spotlight, Oz was wary to Professor Glyde.
According to Pino, Professor Glyde is a dark wizard and the creator of morrowghast. There wasn't just one person responsible for its creation. There was another dark wizzard involved.
[I want you to transfigure this podium into a living creature. Anything will do, just make sure it's not food this time.]
"Anything at all? And you're sure I won't get into trouble for this, right, Professor?"
Oz asked, wanting to be absolutely certain. He knew that with the right conditions, he could pull off something... memorable.
[Yes, anything you choose is fine. I assure you, no harm will come to you.]
With those words, Professor Glyde unknowingly gave Oz permission to unleash a chaos upon the lecture hall.
"Muehehe, I hope you won't regret that, Professor. Transfiguro!"
A beam of blue light shot out from Oz's hand hitting the podium.
The wooden podium shimmered for a moment before it began to warp and twist, its shape morphing into something entirely different.
The class held its breath in anticipation as the podium transformed before their eyes.
[What exactly did you transfigure the podium into?]
Professor Glyde squinted at the strange, furry creature that now sat in the center of the room. It had the body of a giant toad, but its fur was black and white, resembling that of a skunk.
"Oh, this? This is a skunk toad. I read about it in a book."
[A skunktoad… a skunktoad you said!?]
*Blooorp*
Before anyone could react, the skunk toad puffed up its cheeks and took a deep breath. Its eyes bulged, and when it exhaled, it released a thick cloud of green gas.
The gas had a smell so terrible that within seconds, the entire lecture hall was filled with the strong scent of a skunk's spray.
"Kyaaa!"
"It stinks!"
Chaos erupted as students rushed for the exits, eager to escape the overwhelming smell. Some covered their noses with their robes, while others were too busy coughing to get away.
—Ah yes, to get rid of the fishy smell from earlier, I've replaced it with something much worse. Now the whole room stinks, not just me! Muahahaha.
His classmates had no idea he had used all his remaining starlight on the spell, making sure the skunktoad's smell would stick around until tomorrow.
In the end, Professor Glyde was forced to dismiss the class early, as the lecture hall was no longer usable.
The professor kept his promise that Oz wouldn't be punished, even though the rest of the class had to face the consequences.