Chapter 9
“The criteria for classification are a secret, so no one knows them. But they say it has never changed since the academy was founded. The method of assigning students changed every year, though.”
Because of that, the Spellmore dormitory assignment had become such a big event that the entire empire looked forward to seeing what new and creative method the academy would use each year.
“A hat? That’s the first time I’ve heard of that.”
Before they started changing the method every year, they had once used a magic catapult.
Students would climb onto it, and it would whoosh!—launch them straight to the tower of the dormitory that suited them.
But about 450 years ago, several students from one class were bitten by wyverns that had been waiting in the sky with their mouths open.
After that incident, the catapult was permanently retired.
“Th-that’s terrifying.”
“If they did that in this era, the school would probably be shut down.”
“Don’t worry. Nothing like that happens anymore.”
…Then why do both of you look like you think those were the good old days?
“The tradition of the four great dormitories disappeared five years ago.”
“Ah… I wish I had been born six years earlier.”
At Selly’s muttering, the second-year students nodded sympathetically.
“But why did they get rid of them?”
Before answering, the seniors glanced around and motioned for her to come closer.
Was it something people shouldn’t overhear?
“In truth, there wasn’t much difference between the dormitories. But because they were competing with each other, a culture developed where everyone said, ‘Our dorm is the best!’ That gradually turned into ranking people…”
“And among prospective students and parents, some dorms became popular while others became ones people tried to avoid…”
“Ah…”
“Six years ago, a parent actually filed a lawsuit against Headmaster Lexarion.”
“…What?”
“They demanded the academy reveal the criteria for dorm assignments, saying the fairness of the system was questionable.”
Apparently, complaints from parents whose children were placed in unwanted dormitories had been increasing for about ten years. Eventually, things escalated until someone finally filed a lawsuit.
In this unfamiliar Western fantasy world, it somehow smelled like the same kind of troublesome behavior from her old country.
Enraged by this, the headmaster—who was a government official—and the vice-principal—who valued extreme efficiency and cost reduction—rarely agreed on something and decided to abolish the dormitory tradition entirely.
So now, first- and second-year students only have male and female dormitories.
Third- to sixth-year students still have dormitories by major, so the atmosphere from the old days still remains there.
Even in this world, schools shut down troublesome behavior quickly.
Thanks to the academy’s decisive action, Selly felt a lump in her throat over the dream she couldn’t fulfill as an Earthling.
Sob… I came here excited about the dormitory system.
Still, at least they didn’t shut down the magic academy itself because of angry parents.
“Thank you for explaining everything so kindly.”
“See you around.”
After saying goodbye to the seniors, Selly started climbing the stairs toward the east.
Thinking about the girls’ dormitory she had seen on the tapestry made her excitement return.
A tower floating in the sky… that’s so cool.
The dormitory tower, called the Dreaming Tower, was connected to the main tower by a single bridge and floated in the air.
Since it’s so high up, the view must be amazing.
But that thought changed after she passed the fifth floor.
“Ha… ha…”
This is a world where ships fly through the sky and people verify their identity with fingerprints, but there’s no elevator?!
Thankfully, she had built up physical strength in the forest.
Otherwise, she might have ended up like the student she saw on the 11th floor, lying flat on the stairs like a rug while sucking on a lollipop to recover energy.
“Finally… the eighteenth… floor!”
At last, she reached floor 18.
When she opened the heavy wooden door, a stone bridge stretching across the sky spread out before her.
At the end of it floated another tower in the air.
The breathtaking sight instantly made her forget the exhausting climb.
“Wow…”
Following the number engraved on her key, Selly found her room.
Her eyes widened again.
It’s exactly like the medieval magic-school dormitory I imagined!
The room had a high arched ceiling and a fireplace, giving it a classic atmosphere.
It was designed for two people, so it wasn’t huge, but it felt cozy.
What about the view?
Selly walked straight to the window, where thick black velvet curtains were tied back with golden cords.
Outside, she could see a dense forest dyed by the sunset and a city lighting up for the night.
“A half-and-half view. Perfect.”
Now it was time to inspect the room.
On both sides of the large window stood identical sets of furniture.
Each side had a desk, bookshelf, storage cabinet, and a bed above it.
“A bunk bed!”
Selly’s eyes sparkled with excitement at fulfilling yet another dream.
There were two sets of furniture, but only Selly was there.
Seeing luggage on the other side, it seemed her first roommate had gone to dinner.
“Huh?”
As Selly moved to place her belongings on the other side, she paused.
There were already neatly arranged items there.
For a moment she thought the dorm supervisor had mistakenly given someone else’s room to her.
But the items looked completely unused.
The school must provide them.
New textbooks lined the bookshelf, and inside the wardrobe hung brand-new clothes.
The uniform!
“They give uniforms for free?!”
What a wonderful world to live in.
But then again…
Why is there no elevator?
And wait—what if the size doesn’t fit? They didn’t even check.
…But that worry turned out to be unnecessary.
The moment she thought the uniform looked too big, it shrunk on its own, adjusting perfectly to her body.
A size-adjusting spell.
This world might actually be even better than Korea.
Still—
Why is there no elevator?
Selly stood before the full-length mirror inside the wardrobe door.
She tied the dark green striped necktie bearing the school emblem over her white shirt and pulled on the sweater.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she sniffed.
“I’m finally wearing a school uniform…”
The middle school she attended in her previous life didn’t have uniforms.
Her high school uniform was supposed to be her first—but she died before ever wearing it.
“Actually… this is even better. A science high school wouldn’t have something like this.”
With the long robe reaching her ankles draped over her shoulders and a pointed wizard hat on her head, she looked like a real magician.
“Whoa! A magic wand!”
Selly excitedly pulled the wand from its box and swung it.
“….”
Nothing happened.
“Guess I’m not a wizard yet…”
But what about the other symbol of witches?
The broom.
After flying through the sky earlier, she had been looking forward to it.
Don’t they teach flying here?
Selly glanced over the first-year first-semester schedule on her desk.
Magic Fundamentals
History of Magic
Introductory Magical Flora and Fauna
Basics of Combat Magic
Understanding Magical Engineering
There was no class like Flying Lessons, but just reading the course titles made her excited.
I wish tomorrow would come already.
Selly quickly unpacked her small amount of luggage and tidied up.
Then she grabbed the thin book lying next to her schedule and climbed onto the top bunk.
“Wow, it’s so soft.”
Maybe the school beds were just that good—or maybe she was simply exhausted.
The mattress and blanket felt like marshmallows.
She was melting into them like cheese between two slices of freshly baked bread when the book slipped from her hands and fell onto her stomach.
Only then did she snap back to her senses.
No. If I don’t want to get expelled on the first day, I need to read this.
The purple leather-bound cover gleamed with gold letters.
Spellmore School Rules and Dormitory Regulations
The moment she opened the book, a terrifying warning appeared in bright red letters.
The Spellmore rules are written with someone’s blood.
If writing new rules with your own blood is not your ultimate life goal, memorize and follow these rules carefully.
If a situation not covered by the rules occurs, use your common sense.
The academy is not responsible for incidents caused by your lack of common sense.
“…That’s not actually someone’s real blood, right?”
Careful not to touch the ominously red letters, Selly cautiously turned the page.
Rulebooks were supposed to be like sleeping pills, weren’t they?
“What kind of incident happened for them to add a rule like this?”
But instead of making her sleepy, the book only drove the sleep away.
During Professor Crowley’s class, do not nod your head.
The last student who nodded is still unable to leave the professor’s laboratory.
“…What kind of person is Professor Crowley?”
