Necromancer Of The Black Bible (97)

The Valkyr Empire was founded about a thousand years ago.

At the center stands a golden stele bearing a single proclamation.

“Powers of the Continent! If you bear children, enroll them in the Valkyr Empire Academy. Otherwise they shall remain forever at the borders.”

The <Sigmund Empire Academy> was founded by the first emperor Sigmund, who defeated the Demon King and united the continent.

This place is not a mere school.

Sons and daughters of magic nobility who dictate the continent, heirs of famed sword clans, shadows of the royal family, and foreign prodigies with mysterious blood.

It is a fierce arena gathering and training the most talented children in the world.

Those who are weeded out often struggle to survive, but victors of this competition are given a chance to stand at the pinnacle of the Empire.

The academy stands in the heart of the imperial capital, Edelmund, alongside a magical structure called the Tower of Flame.

It stands on the very land where, three thousand years ago, the first emperor Sigmund forged a pact with a dragon.

Although Sigmund’s empire later vanished, the founder of the Valkyr Empire, Emperor Valkyr, established an academy bearing Sigmund’s name here.

It was born from the resolve never to let this land fall to the Demon King again.

When the Tower of Flame, ruined during the wars, was restored by the dragon-house Eckhart, the academy regained its former grandeur.

Afterward, the Eckhart family added their own inscription beneath Sigmund’s golden stele.

<This is not a place of learning.

This is a hall of war to gain power.>

Imperial Year 1023, final month of the autumn term.

At the Valkyr Empire Academy’s Department of Magic, third-year students in the Elemental Magic, Fire specialization, were in the midst of practical exams.

A training field where fallen leaves scattered.

It was late autumn with a chill in the air, but the aspiring fire mages felt no cold.

A faint warmth emanated from their bodies.

The 1st-circle spell ‘Inner Flame’.

Among the third-year students, no one had failed to master this body-heating spell.

Thanks to that, the training ground was filled with sweltering heat.

They all watched the instructor standing on the platform with serious expressions.

“Today is the exam. As announced last week, today’s test will determine whether you are held back.”

When the word ‘held back’ slipped from the instructor’s mouth, the room filled with tension like a battlefield.

His name was Rascal Bram.

He was former commander of the Empire’s Magic Legion 2nd Immortals and a 6th-circle archmage.

He had lost an arm suppressing a civil war six years ago and was assigned to the academy; he was notorious for being the strictest instructor.

His training was harsh because his educational goal was to prevent students from repeating his mistakes,

and the promotion exams at the end of term were especially exacting.

“The test is simple. Destroy the target using magic. For reference, the target is protected by a fire barrier at the level of a 3rd-circle master.”

The test was not as simple as the explanation suggested.

Third-year magic students typically remained at the 3rd circle level.

To break a 3rd-circle master’s fire barrier, they would have to reach the 4th circle or use special amplification magic.

But magic other than elemental magic could not be used here.

Thus this exam served as a basic criterion for becoming a fourth-year — whether one had reached the 4th circle.

Fwrr-

The first examinee boldly cast a ‘Ignition’ spell, but the target did not budge.

Instructor Rascal declared without mercy.

“Failed. Next!”

As the order progressed, failures mounted.

Normally the failure rate in promotion exams was around 60%, but far more were failing now.

Still, Rascal continued his assessments indifferently.

“Failed. Next!”

“Pathetic. Next!”

“Failed! Next!”

.
.
.

Sparks ricocheting off the target sometimes landed in the students’ waiting area, but Rascal paid them no mind.

Instead, he shouted at a student whose clothes had caught fire and who was causing a commotion.

“Number 51! Is a fire mage going to make a fuss over that little flame? You’re permanently disqualified from the exam. Go home at once!”

Under the cutting command, Number 51 left the ranks with a hardened expression.

Everyone knew.

That he had no chance of re-enrolling at the academy.

So the students waited for their turns with sharp gazes.

Then a particular name left the instructor’s mouth.

“Erisia von Eckhart.”

Called by name rather than number, she strode slowly to the center of the field, and all the students watched her.

A black uniform with a red cloak embroidered with flame patterns.

It was the family cloak of the Eckhart house, symbolizing the ancient dragons.

Her blazing red hair fell past her shoulders, and a mysterious crimson mana shimmered around her.

A leading heir of her house, her beauty was so striking that even Instructor Rascal briefly averted his eyes.

Having captured everyone’s attention, Erisia asked the instructor.

“Do I have to use the magic taught here?”

“It doesn’t matter. This is a battlefield.”

On a battlefield, there are no constraints.

There are only winners and losers.

Remembering Rascal’s usual words, Erisia smiled faintly and raised her hand.

In a movement that recalled a goddess, mana gathered instantly in her elegant palm.

Holding that posture she stared at the target for a moment and murmured the incantation.

“Ignis.”

At that moment the target glowed red, then soon smoldered and melted away.

The target, which had not budged until then, was instantly dissolved by Erisia’s magic.

“Wow—”

Low murmurs of admiration escaped from the watching students.

The target had completely lost its form and began to melt the floor, and Instructor Rascal spoke.

“That’s enough. Pass.”

The students, unconsciously, applauded.

Rascal did not stop them.

What Erisia had just shown was worthy of it.

“Everyone, remember that spell well. Magic that can be cast with only an incantation is rare.”

Ignis is a word-of-command magic.

Being a vision of the Eckhart house, they might not be able to learn its use, but they could recognize that one should not mess with someone who uses such magic.

“Survival is also important on the battlefield. Remember that.”

After speaking, Instructor Rascal wrote this on Erisia’s student card.

<Pass.>

After Rascal’s exam ended, most students bowed their heads and headed back to their dorms.

Only one passed.

Erisia von Eckhart.

She left the training ground with light steps.

Then she casually kicked the heel of a male student walking in front of her.

Thud-

The male student’s name was Valen von Kastren.

He was the heir of the Kastren count’s house.

“What the hell are you doing…!”

Valen couldn’t continue.

Because the one who had kicked his foot was none other than Erisia.

Erisia raised her head with an arrogant look and looked down at him.

“Promises must be kept, Valen.”

“Ugh!”

Valen lowered his head in humiliation.

In truth, Valen and Erisia were rivals.

They had passed the promotion exam in their second year with the highest scores and had competed fiercely ever since.

Even in the summer midterms they were indistinguishable in ability.

But this autumn term was different.

Because of the style of the newly assigned instructor, Rascal.

To him, who valued actual combat, the curriculum was merely a means, and he removed the restriction that only magic learned in class could be used on the exam.

Thanks to that, Erisia could use her family’s vision magic and thus beat Valen in competition.

Erisia curled one corner of her mouth and spoke.

“What did the loser in this test agree to do for the winner?”

“……”

When Valen fell silent, Erisia raised one hand.

Red mana gathered between her delicate fingers.

Seeing this, Valen widened his eyes and glanced around.

Before he knew it, many students had gathered around.

Among them were friends who had once rallied around him.

He looked to them for help, but they averted their gazes slyly.

Erisia spoke to Valen.

“Will a man go back on his word? Should I just kill you here?”

Valen gritted his teeth.

Never before, even as the eldest son of a count’s family, had he felt such humiliation.

Was it a mistake to underestimate her because she was a woman?

Or was it a mistake not to have known from the start that she was an Eckhart?

When Valen could not speak, Erisia strode up to him and stamped on his right foot.

Crack!

“Aaaah!”

The scream echoed, but no one came to his aid.

That was because his opponent was none other than an Eckhart.

The Eckhart family ranked first above all other nobility.

Even the emperor would yield to them.

Their prestige was that great, and it extended into the academy.

Moreover, only one person here could lay hands on Erisia, who had secured her heirship by skill alone.

The crown prince, Eric.

With bright blond hair symbolic of the Valkyr Empire bloodline, he was Erisia’s lover.

Whenever Eric appeared, Erisia would immediately smile brightly and such incidents would stop.

But Eric was a fourth-year.

Unlike the third-years, he would be in class at this time.

There was no one here to save Valen.

Erisia smiled darkly and braced her foot.

Crunch crunch crunch-

With the sound of bones being crushed, Valen’s scream rang out.

Meanwhile, a faint flush colored Erisia’s pale face.

Erisia soon lifted her foot and whispered softly into Valen’s ear as he clutched his foot in pain.

“Just say one word.”

The wager they had made was absolute obedience.

The loser had agreed to obey the winner until graduation from the academy.

In fact, Valen had announced this wager before all their classmates at the start of the term, so everyone knew it.

Erisia whispered again with a sweet expression.

“If you won’t keep your promise, should I just kill you here? Or maim you?”

The tips of her fingers glowed red.

Valen realized what she was capable of today.

Hadn’t she nearly melted solid iron armor — even under resistance enchantments — into molten metal in an instant?

Given Erisia’s usual temperament, making him a cripple would not be difficult.

So far, more than ten people had opposed her and left the academy maimed.

Valen finally adjusted his posture.

Bearing the pain, he painfully dropped to his knees and bowed his head to Erisia, saying,

“I-I lost, My Lady.”

Erisia smiled faintly and stood.

Then she asked everyone in a clear voice.

“What? Your voice is too quiet; I can’t hear you.”

“I! Lost! My Lady!”

At that moment Erisia put her foot on the back of Valen’s head and stamped down.

Wham!

A dull thud accompanied a scream and groan, and soon blood gushed from his nose onto the floor.

Erisia spoke to the bleeding Valen.

“This is how you bow, Valen. Understand?”

“Ah, yes, I understand.”

“From now on, come to my door every morning before the wake-up signal. Bring some warm water for washing up too. If the water is cold when I open the door, I’ll break off one of your fingers. Understand?”

Valen answered without hesitation.

“Yes! Ah, understood!”

“Very good. That’s the way. Beginnings are always hard, but once you start it’s easy. Right?”

“Yes, yes! Y-yes!”

Erisia smiled broadly and removed her foot from his head. Enjoying the gazes of all the gathered students, she returned to her dormitory.

Erisia von Eckhart.

It was the new name Emma had received three years ago after being adopted into the empire.