I Need the True Ending to Graduate - Chapter 99

【 Desire 】

After that, as Jeran taught his classes, he occasionally observed Lucia.

It wasn’t that he was being uncontrollably drawn to her, as Isabella had warned.

It was simply that, unlike the other students whose names he’d heard for the first time that day, he’d heard her name several times, and without realizing it, she felt familiar to him.

Just like her ordinary first impression, Lucia was extremely ordinary within the lecture hall as well.

The only things that stood out were that her concentration was exceptionally good, and that he almost never saw her looking disheveled or bored.

And perhaps because she sat there with an expressionless face, she felt less like a living person and more like a mannequin audience member placed there for show.

That impression might have been even stronger because she didn’t take notes at all and simply sat still.

Jeran’s impression of Lucia Even changed when he checked the answers written on the exam paper she submitted during the midterm exam.

As he graded answer sheets late into the night in order to submit the students’ scores by the deadline, one answer sheet caught his eye.

As if possessed by something, Jeran grasped the answer sheet in his hand.

The biggest problem when designing a large-scale magic circle was that it was extremely difficult to arrange the many elements that made up the magic circle so that they didn’t conflict with one another.

Because of its vast scale, parts that hadn’t been considered during design were bound to clash, and the most critical point was how well those elements could be integrated to achieve perfect harmony.

However, the magic circle drawn on the answer sheet was perfectly designed without a single margin of error.

There wasn’t a trace of a mistake anywhere, nor was there any need to mark anything on the answer sheet.

It was already complete as it was. It was of a level of completion that could be used immediately without issue.

‘How on earth is this even possible?’

Unless the exam questions had been leaked and the answers written and memorized in advance, it was impossible. But the exam questions had been announced verbally on the day of the exam while blank paper was handed out.

There was absolutely no possibility of leakage.

‘This was completed entirely by a single student’s ability….’

Although there was a time limit and he’d given relatively easy questions, the level of skill was still unbelievable.

‘I need to check this right now. Just who on earth is the owner of this answer sheet?

There, Jeran came face to face with a familiar name.

“…Lucia, Even.”

The moment that name entered his eyes, a shiver ran through his entire body, and emotions beyond description surged over him.

‘So this is why… this is why Professor Cornell told me to be careful.’

This was a level of talent that anyone who possessed mana, had received even a little education as a wizard, or had learned magic even once would immediately recognize as truly extraordinary.

The moment any professor encountered her ability, they’d undoubtedly become desperate to hold onto her.

Just imagining how dazzlingly she would develop if she honed her skills further here, accumulated knowledge, and built experience made his chest swell.

She would surely grow into an outstanding wizard who far surpassed him.

He understood why Isabella had fallen for that talent at first sight.

But at the same time, the advice she’d given him began to churn in his mind.

“Don’t be too drawn to that child’s dazzling talent.”

“Unless you’re prepared to devote everything you have and take responsibility for all of her, or for her entire life.”

‘But how can you not be drawn in after discovering a student like this, Professor….’

Jeran stared at Lucia Even’s answer sheet, letting out a deep sigh inwardly, unsure of what to do.

No matter how he looked at it, it was a truly beautiful magic circle. It was balanced, with nothing lacking and nothing excessive. It was an answer sheet that felt a shame to grade.

Jeran hesitated for a moment, then with effort, steadied his heart and assigned her score.

It was the highest score possible, with no deductions.

From that day on, Jeran began to observe Lucia Even even more closely.

Before the midterm exam, he’d perceived the outwardly visible elements about her, such as her ordinariness and unremarkableness. Now, however, he projected his own desires onto her.

To be precise, he looked at her with eyes desperate to ask questions like calling Lucia Even to his laboratory and asking what she was currently interested in, what she was researching, what she planned to do in the future, whether she had any intention of changing her advisor, whether she would consider becoming his disciple….

It was the first time in his life that he’d felt this impatient and desperate to want something.

That was because he’d always obtained what he wanted through effort, and had never desired something he could not have no matter how hard he tried.

‘Would it be all right to bring it up just once, at least to talk?’

Whenever Jeran made up his mind to call Lucia to his laboratory, unable to suppress the urge to talk to her, the advice Isabella had given him would stop him at that very moment.

‘But Professor Cornell told me to be careful of Lucia Even…. She said not to get close unless I was prepared to take responsibility for her entire life….’

Whenever he recalled her words, he would hesitate just as he was about to call Lucia.

Jeran was interested in Lucia’s talent and had the desire to raise her well as a researcher or a wizard, just as any teacher naturally would upon discovering a student talented in a particular field.

However, that was different from being prepared to take responsibility for someone’s entire life.

He had neither the resolve nor the preparation to shoulder all of Lucia Even’s existence, nor did such determination come easily to him.

He had become a professor to help students and support them so their talents could bloom, not to become someone’s parent.

While he wavered back and forth in hesitation, unable to say even a single word to her, time passed, and before he knew it, the day of the magic demonstration exam arrived.

It was an exam that replaced the final exam, and once this exam ended, his connection with Lucia Even would also come to an end. That was, unless she applied for his class again.

Jeran evaluated the students lined up in the practice hall in the order listed in the attendance register. And at last, he stood face to face with Lucia Even.

Unlike the other students, who were clearly tense, she wore an expressionless face. In fact, throughout the entire semester, he had never seen any expression on her face other than that.

‘She has a face that would be pretty if she smiled. Why doesn’t she ever smile?’

Jeran felt regret over that fact, but he didn’t show it outwardly.

Just as he had done with the other students, he met her eyes and spoke gently with a soft smile.

“Miss Lucia Even. Don’t be too nervous. The grading will proceed according to the criteria announced in yesterday’s class.”

“….”

“You’ll have a total of three attempts, and even if the magic doesn’t activate perfectly, there will be partial credit, so please do your best until the end.”

“….”

“Then, begin.”

At Jeran’s signal with a glance, Lucia Even activated the magic circle as if she’d been waiting for it.

The magic circle spread out from around her all at once, soon enveloping the entire practice hall. And before anyone even had time to be astonished, a golden pillar of light as large as the practice hall itself shot up toward the sky.

The control of mana was perfect, there was no waste, and the magic circle activated properly without even the slightest gap.

To activate a magic circle of this size would undoubtedly consume a considerable amount of mana, yet Lucia Even didn’t look exhausted at all. Rather, she looked relaxed.

It was clear that she could’ve made it even larger, but had adjusted it to fit the space.

The desire to take her in as a disciple, which he’d thought he’d half given up on, began to stir once more.

‘If only Lucia Even weren’t a commoner….’

If that were the case, he would’ve mustered the courage to call her to his laboratory and at least tried to say that he wanted to take her as his disciple.

The fact that she herself had no right to choose her advisor was truly regrettable.

It was lamentable that he didn’t even have the opportunity to take as his disciple a student who possessed such ability and such an amount of mana.

At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel intensely envious of Karl Evenhart, who had discovered her and taken her in as his disciple.

‘Just where did he find a child like this?’

Sticky emotions he couldn’t tell whether they were jealousy or possessiveness boiled up inside him, when someone called out to him.

“…Professor.”

At the cold, emotionless voice, Jeran snapped out of his sunken thoughts and lifted his head.

Lucia Even’s large brown eyes were staring straight at him.

“…Yes? Did you call me?”

“When should I stop?”

Jeran was about to ask what she meant, not understanding at first, when he realized that the students were currently taking their exam in the practice hall and that he was grading them. He quickly composed his expression.

“You can stop now. I’ve finished grading. Sorry for making you go on for so long.”

“….”

Feeling embarrassed that he’d been lost in thought in front of a student, and on top of that had felt jealousy toward Karl Evenhart, Jeran gave an awkward smile and apologized.

At that, it felt as though a faint light settled in Lucia’s eyes as she looked at him.

It seemed like she’d reacted to something, but he had no idea what it was that had prompted her reaction.

The light in her eyes quickly faded, and the golden mana that had filled the practice hall was withdrawn.

Lucia Even’s exam was over.

Now the class was completely finished, and there was no longer any reason left for him to speak to her.

He would probably remain nothing more than a professor she’d taken a class from once.

Of course, she wouldn’t become his disciple, and he wouldn’t become her advisor.

The only words he could offer Lucia Even were no more than this.

“Thank you for your hard work this semester, Miss Even.”

Jeran gave his final farewell with a gentle smile. And without anyone knowing, he made a decision.

He would no longer covet Lucia Even.