The Academy's FFF-Class Summons are SSS-class Hunters

Magical powers.

The power within the people of this world drawn from their hearts.

The properties of a magical power depends on one’s personality, and how it’s used in combination of the person’s talent.

Jinhyuk retraced each of the magical powers he felt so far.

First his summoner, Lilil.

He was the only one who can feel her power, as such is the relationship between the summon and a summoner. It was very careful, delicate, yet warm. It felt good to fight using Lilil’s magical power.

Next was Jonathan.

His had a heavy weight to it. And that weight behind his magic was proof that Jonathan’s sense of responsibility wasn’t for nothing, and his trustworthiness is what earned him to Excalibur.

Leira and Mokidi were exceptions. Magical powers mixed with the Cruel One’s powers, it was ghastly. Of course, Leira’s was more of an outrage, and Mokidi were more of a greed, but the unpleasantness of it didn’t make them feel much different.

However, the magical powers that seeped out of Erina was something beyond just unpleasant.

‘It’s terrifying.’

Jinhyuk has never found anything to be expressed as such ever since he became a hunter – But at this moment, terror was exactly what he felt.

‘It’s not that she has high amount of magical powers.’

She could be hiding them. But at the very least, the amount of magical powers he felt wasn’t a considerable amount. Not enough to induce fear and pressure in him.

‘But it’s terrifying nonetheless.’

The aura of the magical power was what terrified him. Aura so chilling that would make anyone collapse in fear – so freezing that it’d put even the midwinter storm to shame.

‘Who is this person?’

Magical powers and their talents reflect the life in which the person has lived. Erina’s magical powers did not fit her personality – at least, of what we’ve seen so far. It was necessary to be vigilant towards someone who’s acting different than the inside.

Vigilance wouldn’t cause anyone harm.

Jinhyuk did not show, but he continued the conversation while keeping a distance with Erina.

“Some stupid pigs, huh? You must be confident in your skills?”

“Huh? Of course!” Mere orcs would instantly freeze in the face of my icestorm! ”

“Hmm…”

Freezing orcs was not very difficult. Jinhyuk himself could use freezing magic and orcs especially was a piece of cake.

But for Erina to say so with such a ghastly aura in her magic, it was something that caught his attention. If you can freeze an orc, you could freeze other monsters as well. Jinhyuk saw that Erina may be able to do so.

“Erina, let me ask you a question.”

“Oh what’s up, what’s up?”

“You’re already so strong. Why did your family fall?”

The moment he asked,

Erina’s face froze with the smile.

The stiff smile wasn’t emitting any magical aura, but it alone gave its unique, strange terror. Jinhyuk wasn’t someone who’d dig in to other’s past. But this was something he had to go over. He had no intention to back down.

“You’re crossing the wrong line…”

The problem was, Erina had no intention of sharing.

“There are questions you can ask, and ones you shouldn’t. Perhaps it’s a difficult concept for a monkey to comprehend?”

Magic began to rush into Erina’s hands. Jinhyuk couldn’t understand. Was it so wrong to ask why they have fallen? Looking over at Lilil, she seemed to be shocked at Erina’s abruptly fierce reaction.

“Would you like a taste of my ice stars?”

A playful, yet murderous tone.

But alongside the tone was a hint of sadness, with a teardrop in her eyes.

Jinhyuk’s heart weakened. Perhaps he was suspicious for nothing, unnecessarily provoking her.

But besides all that, Jinhyuk was not confident to handle her ghastly magic. Now with Lilil’s magical power. Jinhyuk quickly bowed his head.

“I’m sorry. I’m not from this world, so I’m not aware of the boundaries very well. I’ll be careful next time. ”

 “……”

Erina’s magical power receded. Her frozen smile melted and returned to a playful expression.

“Hmph! You are lucky it’s me~ If it was anyone else, you’d be on an express wagon to the Grim Reaper, you know? Be careful next time ~ ”

She’s mysterious, but like he thought, she was definitely going to be bothersome. Jinhyuk prayed to a god he didn’t even believe for him to avoid being in the same class as Erina.

“Student Lilil come into the lab.”

The trainer assistant called Lilil the moment she calmed down from the conversation settling down. Jinhyuk and Lilil got up and went into the lab.

The inside of the lab was full of flowers. Flowers there and flowers over here – there was not a place without flowers. And amongst the flowers sat the trainer, gleefully smiling.

Student Lilil, right? Have a seat here ~ ”

Following the trainer’s instructions, Lilil sat in front of her with Jinhyuk standing by her side.

“My name is Orori. I’m just going to briefly interview you to get an idea of who you are~”

“Ye-yes, yes.”

Lilil had hard time relaxing despite Orori’s gentle and gleeful mood. Lilil always got nervous no matter who she met. Jinhyuk patted her shoulder to relax.

Only then Lilil’s tensed up shoulders relaxed down. Orori noticed.

“Student Lilil, your talent seems to be summoning, is the one next to you your summon?”

“Ye-yes, he is. This is Mr. Jinhyuk, my summon.”

“Hmm, a title for your summon’s name? That’s unusual. ”

“Y-yes, but Mr. Jinhyuk is an incredible person.”

“How incredible? Is it a dragon polymorphed as a human? A Spirit King? Or perhaps a God, or Demonic origin? ”

“He’s just a human. Just a human, but… He was the strongest man in the world he came from. ”

Orori turned to Jinhyuk. She definitely couldn’t feel any magical power from him. He seemed like someone who could never learn magic no matter how hard he could try. But that only proved that he wasn’t from this world. Orori nodded.

“Strong despite being unable to use magic. I can’t wait to see how that goes. I’m curious how you’d perform in the future. ”

“A-about that…”

“A little difficult, right? According to my judgement, you have very little magical strength. You can’t utilize him properly despite his strength. ”

Lilil’s magical strength increased significantly since the first day. Yet Orori’s assessment was harsh, despite all the past efforts. Lilil’s magical strength was still on the low end.

“Which brings me to ask, aren’t you afraid?”

“Afraid?”

“Correct. After this interview, you’ll be entering the orc forest. It’s normal for summoners to be weak at start, but in your case, you can’t even utilize your summon properly. I’d be scared if I were you.”

Orori swayed Lilil’s mind. Not just Lilil’s – she shook every student before her. Half of the students already left the academy after the interview, unable to stand the fear.

Just as the principal intended, they were being interviewed and shaken up at the same time. ‘Just think about it’ ‘Are you sure you are being rational about this?’ ‘Orcs are scarier than you think.’ ‘Are you strong enough to fight an orc?’  ‘I don’t think you are.’

Everyone so far at least second guessed their decision by then. All students showed visible worry. They showed fear, and trying to force themselves to endure the fear to remain in the academy.

But Lilil showed none of that.

“It’s scary. I’d be lying if I said otherwise. But running from your fears gets you nowhere.”

Lili’s parents turned in to evil spirits by the Cruel One, and her family name fell with them. Lilil could no longer reveal her family name anywhere. She was insulted by those who knew her origin regardless.

‘Her parents were a noblemen origin, right? And yet they became evil spirits?’

‘How pathetic.’

‘Has she no shame?’

‘Noblemen are to be honorable, not leave such gap in your heart, let alone become an evil spirit!’

‘I’d have killed myself if I was her.’

A world filled with such ridicule and contempt. Yes – for Lilil, the world was pure horror.

And despite that horror, she did not let it get in the way of her vengeance. She honed her mind for revenge, again and again, and stepped in to the world filled with horror.

Ishizu lent her magical powers to Lilil knowing this, and she attempted a summon. That’s how she was able to meet Jinhyuk and enter the academy safely.

Fear? Afraid? Of course she felt those emotions. She always have.

And that never stopped Lilil from moving foward.

“I don’t run from my fear. I’d rather die than to run from it.”

Lilil must’ve mustered up a lot of courage. Jinhyuk felt her shoulders stiffen up as she spoke.

However, Lilil knew what she must do, and separate personal matters from others. Jinhyuk smiled, proud of his summoner.

“Hmm, really… You’re a student who moves forward even in fear, Lilil. I see. You may head out. ”

With that, Lilil bowed her head and tried to stand up. In that moment, her legs gave out. Before she could fall to the ground, Jinhyuk supported her up.

“Well done, summoner lady.”

 “…Hehe.”

Lilil smiled weakly and left the lab with Jinhyuk’s help. Normally, Orori would call the next student, but she instead stared in to the documents in her hand. It was the notes she wrote regarding the interview with Lilil.

“What do you think, assistants? That student just now… ”

“Whatever it is, she can probably make it.”

“I agree. Anyone who knows how to move forward in their fear can achieve anything. ”

“That’s what I think as well, as a trainer.”

Orori wrote in Lilil’s interview notes: “potential to leave a mark in the world.” The assistants commented that that was exaggerated, but Orori dismissed them and called in the next student.

And so the interviews continued. The student count decreased further from an already lower number as each busted out of the lab moments after they entered. The number of students seated in corridor chairs gradually decreased.

Meanwhile, Erina rambled on with Lilil. She’d go on about how bingsu was her favorite snack, especially strawberry and melon flavor – but also that all bingsus were good, and so on.

Lilil had never tried bingsu as she never spent much on food, so she simply nodded awkwardly. Time passed as students were called in to the lab.

Eventually Orori walked out of the lab. That was all for the interview, she said. The students were told to wait for a while.

Erina jumped up.

“Wh-what are you talking about, ma’am? I haven’t done my interview yet! ”

“What’s your name?”

“It’s Erina, ma’am.”

“Erina…? I don’t have that name. ”

Orori read the list again several times. Erina was not onl the list.

If you think about it, Erina came late for the admission ceremony for taking the wrong path. She might be at the wrong spot again.

“Erina, maybe you were supposed to go see a different trainer?”

“Ah, is that the case?”

It was a reasonable doubt.

“There was a student named Eria. You may have mistaken Eria as your name.”

“Well shit! Pronounce names properly, damn it!”

Erina exclaimed as she quickly ran out of the hallway. She seemed like she would go grab any trainer and asked if they were in charge of her.

‘Really bothersome…’

Hoping that alone becomes an issue enough to reject admission. Jinhyuk prayed desperately.

But if prayers ever worked, there would be no misfortune in the world.

“To those who still remain, I, the principal, declares your formal admission to the academy!”

As Rikal declared the formal admission, Erina stood next to Lilil, smiling softly. And such was a damn shame for Jinhyuk.