Necromancer Academy and the Genius Summoner-Chapter 350: Episode

In the Mutants club room.

"My boy, how about this one? It’s my recommendation," Benya Vanilla said, clearly in a good mood. She chattered away enthusiastically, holding a ’List of Lich Materials’ that she had personally selected.

"Hmm, the skeleton isn’t urgent, so I’d like to look at the hearts first," Simon said.

"Oh, really?"

Simon’s preparations for creating the lich were proceeding smoothly. He planned to use the ’Crystal Skeleton’ he had obtained from the last BMAT for the lich’s frame and intended to make do with the self-acting staff, ’Areldelu’, for its weapon. The problem was the ’heart’.

Simon looked at the item on the list Benya recommended.

> 「Heart of Adeka」

> - Registry Number: LSY-BA-55-70

> - Positive Conversion Type

> - Specialization: Jet-Black Flame

> - Weight: 450g

> - Max Jet-Black Conversion: 5,000 PD

> - Max Output: 500 Rcm

> - Durability: Medium

> - Freshness: High

> .......

There was a lot to consider—weight, output, conversion rate. But what mattered most to Simon was at the very bottom.

> - Price: 8,000 Gold.

’Eight thousand gold.’ Simon’s entire fortune, even after selling the Gwoegong’s organs, was only about 3,000 gold. While that was a considerable sum, it was nowhere near enough to buy a heart for a lich. There was a reason Summoning was known as a money pit.

"What’s wrong?" Benya asked.

Simon deflated.

"...It’s, uh, more expensive than I thought."

"Really? This is about the usual market price," she said casually.

There was a good reason why hearts for ’Life Vessels’ were so expensive. Of course, not just any heart could be used. As the very ’core’ of a necromancer’s creation, the heart had to possess powerful magical properties. In fact, hearts suitable for becoming ’Life Vessels’ were treated as ultra-luxurious artifacts.

"I’ll take a look at the others," Simon said, turning the next page of the list.

He didn’t understand the finer details, so for now, he focused on two things: the name and the price.

> 「Hobl’s Heart」

> - Price: 12,000 Gold.

>

> 「Berit’s Heart」

> - Price: 14,000 Gold.

’The prices just keep going up.’ The 8,000-gold heart was practically the cheapest option; most were in the low 10,000-gold range. And the most expensive item on the list was...

> 「Herseva’s Heart」

> - Registration Number: LVT-CP-10-91

> - Reverse Conversion Type

> - Specialization: Unique Abilities

> - Weight: 900g

> - Max Jet-Black Conversion: 10,000 PD

> - Max Output: 2,000 Rcm

> - Durability: Highest Grade

> - Freshness: Highest Grade

’I want it.’ 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Just looking at the sample picture on the list made his mouth water—as a necromancer, of course. The heart, resting on extremely luxurious packaging and emitting a vivid blue glow, looked like it could create the strongest lich imaginable no matter how you used it. But without the funds, it was an impossible dream.

Unable to let go of his lingering attachment, Simon spoke.

"Is there any way to make a lot of money quickly, Benya?" I asked.

She immediately held up an index finger.

"Mission evaluations!"

But that was out of the question; the fees from mission evaluations would be nowhere near enough. I needed at least five thousand gold just to buy the cheapest heart, and who would pay a student that much for a single request? Even when Princess Moli had summoned me to the Langerstine royal family, I had only received two thousand gold.

’Should I ask Dick for advice? Or maybe get a loan?’ I wondered, racking my brain.

Suddenly, Benya slapped her knee and exclaimed, "I have a great idea!"

I looked up, intrigued.

"What is it?"

"It’s the Pentamonium Academic Conference season!"

The Pentamonium Academic Conference was a massive event held once a year, a gathering where the continent’s most renowned necromancers presented their research, published papers, and shared information. Professor Walter, the very man I’d been watching, had also left Roc Island to attend.

"If you have a unique idea, you can write a paper, have it evaluated, and register it with Pentamonium," she explained excitedly. "Then you can sell it to other necromancers or collect royalties! In fact, Kizen will be sending students over soon!"

"You mean I can sell my idea at the conference?"

"Of course! If it’s a brilliant idea, they don’t care if you’re a student or a complete unknown."

A spark of interest ignited within me. While studying liches, I had developed several original techniques. Of course, whether professional necromancers would actually buy my ideas was another question entirely.

"Are you going to the conference too?" I asked.

"Naturally! I go every year," she said proudly. "Last year, I went as Kizen’s first-year Summoning representative and earned about four thousand gold on the spot for a simplified formula for a Skeleton Knight."

"Four thousand gold?" My jaw dropped.

"I’m still making a decent amount from it," she added with a grin. "Altogether, it’s probably around six thousand gold. What do you think?"

I looked at her, my expression turning serious. My most pressing goal was to create a lich, and I was prepared to do whatever it took to achieve it.

"How can I participate?"

---

The next morning, the students of Class A gathered in the Introductory Black Magic lecture hall, their faces buzzing with excitement.

"We finally get to see Professor Jane after so long!" one student cheered.

"I know, right?" another agreed.

Jane had been called away on various assignments, and the students of Class A hadn’t seen their homeroom professor in over a month.

"She’s here!"

Everyone scrambled to their seats. A moment later, the clear, sharp click of heels echoed down the hallway, and a woman with a bob cut entered the lecture hall.

’It’s been a while, Professor Jane!’ I thought, a flicker of excitement in my eyes. She wore the same characteristically indifferent expression as always.

"Professor! We’re so glad you’re safe!"

"On behalf of the kingdom, thank you!"

A group of students who had been waiting by the door rushed over, handing her a bouquet of flowers. They were all from the Kalos Kingdom, and this was a token of their gratitude for her handling of the recent ’Forest of the Colossus’ incident, where Grade 7 colossal monsters had invaded.

After accepting the bouquet, Jane returned to the podium.

"Class A."

The students beamed.

"Yes!" they answered in unison.

"I see I have no choice but to nag you," she began, already scanning a document in her hand. "To think that while I was briefly away, ten of you still haven’t secured five BMAT cards. This is disappointing."

There was no warm greeting, no mention of how long it had been.

"And why is the Venomology evaluation such a mess? You should all be ashamed of falling so far behind Class B."

A storm of her signature criticism followed. As she unleashed the torrent of nagging she had clearly been holding back, the students couldn’t help but smile to themselves. Only after thoroughly crushing their morale did Jane move on to a new announcement.

"You are all aware of the Pentamonium Academic Conference, I’m sure," she began. "This year, Kizen has once again decided to send students to present their papers. The topic is open, and two students from each first-year subject will be chosen. Are there any volunteers?"

The classroom fell silent. Representing Kizen at Pentamonium was a great honor for one’s family, but the pressure of presenting one’s own paper before a crowd of authorities was immense. Besides, everyone was already swamped with preparations for their other evaluations.

As everyone exchanged cautious glances, a hand shot into the air.

All eyes turned toward it.

"Simon Polentia," Jane said, her gaze finding me. "Will you be participating?"

"Yes!" I answered without hesitation.

"If your preparations for your evaluations, final exams, and graduation exam are insufficient, the school will not force you to participate," she warned. "Surviving at Kizen is more important than any external event."

"Of course. I’ll make sure my school preparations don’t fall behind!"

Jane nodded, satisfied.

"Will a paper on Summoning be sufficient for your category?"

"Yes! That would be perfect."

She checked a box with a quill pen and handed the document to her assistant.

"You’re really going?" Dick leaned forward from the back seat, his eyes wide. Meirin and Kamibarez also turned to look at me.

"That’s amazing, Simon!" Meirin exclaimed. "Presenting a paper at the conference as a first-year!"

"Are you sure you’ll be okay with your busy school schedule?" Kamibarez asked, her voice laced with concern.

"I’ll be fine," I replied with a relaxed smile. "I already have an idea, so I just need to write it down."

All I had to do was present the paper and collect the money. It was only a three-day, two-night trip, including the weekend, so it wasn’t much of a burden. I felt I had far more to gain than to lose.

’If I can get the heart from this trip, I’ll be set! I’ll create a lich before the second year, no matter what!’

The feeling of sprinting toward my goal was always exhilarating.

---

Time flew by. I didn’t spend much time preparing the paper for the conference. It was based on a technique I had already tested, and it was highly polished. All I had to do was put it into words.

Now, only the final hurdle remained. The paper had to be reviewed by the subject professor. If Professor Aaron deemed it subpar, my trip to the conference would be impossible.

After my morning classes, I made my way to Aaron’s laboratory.

’Oh, right. Someone else is coming today.’

There were at least two presenters for the first-year Summoning paper. It seemed we would be spending the entire three-day conference together.

’Toto and Fitzgerald said it wasn’t them,’ I mused. ’Who could it be? They would be coming for a review as well, so I’ll meet them soon enough.’

A moment later, I arrived in front of Aaron’s familiar laboratory and knocked lightly with the back of my hand.

"Professor Aaron. It’s Simon Polentia."

A voice from beyond the door granted me entry. I opened it and stepped inside.

’Huh?’

Someone was already here. I could only see her back, but the long hair and skirt told me it was a female student.

"You’re right on time. Come in," Aaron said, though I barely registered his voice.

’No way.’

A slender girl with beautiful, ivory-colored hair cascading down her back stood with her hands clasped behind her. She turned, her eyes widening as a smile bloomed on her face.

"Oh my, fancy meeting you here, Simon!"

It was none other than Serne Aindark. A mix of surprise and confusion washed over my face.

"W-What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? Obviously—" She held up a paper in her hand with a flourish. "As a Summoning prospect, I’m going to the conference to present my paper." She punctuated the statement with a cute wink. "What a coincidence, right?"

Somehow, I doubted this was a coincidence at all. I forced a stiff smile and waved.

"Do you two know each other? Good," Aaron said, glancing at his wristwatch. "Wait a moment. One more person is coming."

"What? Three of us are going together?"

"Yes, that’s how it turned out," Aaron replied, his expression somewhat displeased.

Just then, a sharp knock echoed from the door.

"Right on time. Come in."

The door clicked open, revealing the third participant.