SRS 130

Because the school was in an uproar over the doppelgängers appearance, Professor Shinbi taught countermeasures against doppelgängers instead of the regular major lesson during Spirit Studies class.

“Doppelgängers copy all of an opponent’s abilities and memories, but they can’t replicate abilities that come from external creatures. In short, it’s hard for them to mimic tamed monsters, spirits, or summons. So, if you suspect your spirit tamer, summoner, or beast tamer friend is a doppelgänger, ask them to show their abilities.”

Yohan summoned his water spirit for no particular reason after the kind explanation. Professor Shinbi sensed the ripple and looked at Yohan with proud eyes.

“Just like student Yohan over there.”

“Ooh.”

The Spirit Studies students showed constant interest in Yohan’s spirit even though he’d summoned it many times before. Yohan stroked his spirit amidst envious, jealous, and curious eyes. He felt he’d have to keep the spirit summoned for a while even if it cost him his stamina to avoid complications. The first-years shared the same opinion.

“Yohan, I’ll give you stamina recovery potions, so please keep your spirit summoned from now on.”

“That’s right. You’re the one among us who shouldn’t be copied the most.”

“We’ll follow you without much doubt if you ask us to do something, so we’ll be helpless if a wicked doppelgänger turns into you and betrays us.”

“No, that’s a bit much…”

“It’s exactly that much.”

“Yohan, do you think you’re a joke?”

“This is for our safety, not yours.”

The friends with the wild ideas poured various potions they had onto the desk before he could stop them. Yohan couldn’t take their request lightly since he’d received so much. He could only leave the classroom after he promised his monitoring friends with a pinky swear that he wouldn’t unsummon the spirit until the incident was resolved.

“Yohan! I heard the news. You decided to keep your spirit summoned from now on?”

As always, rumors in Fantasiademia were as fast as a flash of lightning. It hadn’t even been an hour since he’d talked with his friends, but Suhyeok already knew and asked about the promise.

“…That’s how it turned out. They said doppelgängers can’t copy spirits. How about you? Was the atmosphere alright in the Hunter Studies classroom?”

“Would it be alright? Everyone’s excited and in a fuss. They spent the whole class making plans to catch the doppelgängers. What’s more surprising is the professor didn’t say much. Instead, he said he’d give extra points to any hunter who brings in a doppelgänger, so everyone went crazy.”

Suhyeok shook his head and clicked his tongue.

“Extra points?”

Yohan’s ears perked up at the tempting info and looked back at Suhyeok.

“…Do you think I could get those too?”

Suhyeok stared at him with a look of disbelief, he was so stunned that he couldn’t find anything to say. Yohan backed off and said it was a joke, but Suhyeok didn’t seem to believe him. Yohan changed the subject instead of feeling wronged.

“Then did you decide to catch a doppelgänger too, Suhyeok?”

“If I can? There’s nothing bad about getting extra points. But I don’t want to risk my life just to catch one. I just want to catch it by luck while living my daily life.”

“That’s sneaky.”

“You’re a fast learner. Someone might think you’re Korean.”

He replied in disbelief as Yohan used the words he’d taught him. Yohan puffed out his chest.

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

Yohan’s shoulders slumped again after the correction. Yohan and Suhyeok talked about the doppelgänger until they reached the Herbology classroom.

“Is there still no news from Mikael?”

“Yes. I haven’t seen him since he was taken away at dawn.”

“It’s taking a long time.”

“…True. I hope nothing’s wrong.”

Yohan looked out the window worriedly. Mikael already seemed uncomfortable with the headmaster, so he didn’t know if it was alright for them to be together.

Yohan didn’t know his own future back then. He wasn’t in a position to worry about Mikael.

Dong, dong, dong.

“Hello, everyone.”

The elf professor entered the classroom as if he’d been waiting once the bell rang. It was the moment he opened his textbook to explain today’s lesson.

Slide.

“Hello, everyone.”

The closed door opened, and another elf professor appeared.

“……?”

“……!”

The students inside were shocked by the two identical professors. Professor Will, who’d just entered, looked surprised, too. He immediately pulled a bow from his robe and aimed at the professor who’d entered first.

Twang!

An arrow shot out quickly. The professor who’d entered first tilted his body and avoided the arrow, then he pulled out his own bow. Soon, the two professors began to fire dozens of arrows at each other.

“Aaaah!”

The victims of the disaster caused by the stray arrows were the innocent students.

“The wall’s collapsing! Get away!”

“Get away from the mirror! It’s about to break because of the wind!”

“Ack! Professor! Don’t cast tracking spells on the arrows! I’ve become the target!”

“Oh no, the lock’s broken because an arrow hit the door! The door won’t open!”

“Argh! The, the arrow…!”

Someone was hit by an arrow, someone’s skin was cut by the wind from the arrows, and someone else fainted after being hit by the debris of the damaged building. Yohan watched the classroom scene that’d turned into a mess in an instant, and he snapped out of it when Suhyeok shook his body.

“Yohan, what are you doing! Let’s go!”

The students were escaping through the window since the door was locked. Yohan was about to leave with them but stopped and looked back at the two professors. A thought suddenly occurred to him. If Professor Will received disciplinary action for this incident, then as a substitute for the Spirit Studies professor…

“The headmaster might come.”

“What?”

Suhyeok asked with a wrinkled nose. Yohan broke free from Suhyeok’s hand and ran in the opposite direction.

“We shouldn’t leave! Let’s subdue the professors!”

“What?”

“Undine!”

There wasn’t time for a long explanation. Yohan ran and made the water spirit recognize the two professors.

“Please help the professors regain their calm!”

Then the water spirit spun twice and threw two giant water droplets over each professor’s head.

Thud!

A huge amount of water soaked the elf professors with a dull noise that was hard to believe came from water. Yohan didn’t miss the moment the professors hesitated and placed his hand on the floor. His divine power, which was now shaped like hands, grabbed and restrained the two professors’ feet.

“Argh, I don’t know anymore. You’d better take responsibility with me if a problem happens!”

Suhyeok followed and joined the fight as he pulled wires from his sub-space to tie up the two professors. But a professor’s a professor. The elf professors regained their senses and didn’t go down easily. They cut Suhyeok’s wires immediately and fired arrows at the floor to destroy it so Yohan’s divine power wouldn’t work.

“W-we’re falling! Hold on tight!”

Crack. The marble floor broke easily, and a giant hole opened around the two professors and swallowed the students and professors. Yohan fell down with Suhyeok as they held onto each other tightly.

“So, the nature of a wraith is… Dammit! What’re you doing, you pointy-eared bastards!”

Professor Dervanto, a summoner who was teaching a Necromancy class on the floor below, got angry at the unannounced disturbance. The two professors were busy attacking each other and didn’t care if he raged while he swung his wooden staff set with gemstones.

“I-I’m sorry!”

Yohan apologized instead since he had no choice. He suddenly remembered the seniors who’d apologized on behalf of the professor who’d broken into the dormitory. It seemed they hadn’t cleaned up after the professor because they’d wanted to.

Yohan’s face flushed as he touched the wall and used his divine power again. The extended hands tried to grab the professors, but the elves made Yohan’s divine power useless with their dazzling movements and archery skills.

“You rascals!”

The furious Professor Dervanto joined in and slammed his staff on the floor. Black wraiths surrounded the elves.

“From now on, I’ll name any student who catches even one of these two elves with Necromancy as a top student until the next monthly evaluation!”

The eyes of the students in the summoning class sparkled at Professor Dervanto’s unconventional offer. The classroom’s interior became suffocatingly gloomy as each of them used necromancy at the same time. Negative energy filled the air, and the wraiths from it rushed toward the elf professors. The quarrel soon reached the level of a war and turned the building into a wreck.

The elf professors fought fiercely and cooperated at some point, but they were caught by Professor Dervanto and Yohan because they checked each other at a critical moment.

“Ha, ha…”

Yohan caught his breath as he felt exhausted from using divine power without rest. He felt like a rag both mentally and physically because he’d used his spirit too, but he felt proud that he’d caught the professors. Then Professor Dervanto looked at Yohan and shouted.

“You there! You’re the top student for Necromancy until next month!”

Yohan was startled by Professor Dervanto’s generous reward and felt regret.

I should’ve signed up for a Summoning class instead of Herbology…!