Chapter 160: The King Of The Undead
The first practical session was their initial dissection, and not many stood out.
Ray understood this and moved on.
After all, dissection isnt everything in medicine.
After both classes at the medical academy finished their practical sessions, the usual medical lectures resumed as before.
Over time, the students medical knowledge steadily grew.
This allowed Ray to prepare special lectures for the magic academy with ease.
However, a problem emerged in the meantime.
Sharing the same building, the magic and medical academies often found themselves at odds.
There was a subtle rivalry between the two schools.
As both academies housed many young students, conflicts, often driven by pride or romantic interests, were frequent.
Three young men in reddish-brown robes confronted two medical academy students.
If you bump into someones shoulder, shouldnt you apologize?
It was you who bumped into us intentionally
A female student in a white medical coat stepped in.
Derian, lets just ignore them and leave.
The robed youths, not taking the situation seriously, shot back,
Dont you understand the situation? Apologize, I said apologize.
As they spoke, they surrounded their hands with mana, leaving no room for defiance.
Most medical academy students were ordinary people with little strength.
Some were transfers from other schools, but they were the minority.
Moreover, they already knew these students, so altercations were rare.
Ultimately, it was the ordinary students who suffered the most.
Furthermore, these students were not nobles, so they felt no need to tread carefully. The mere presence of commoners in the same space was enough to annoy them.
Eventually, the student named Derian apologized.
I was careless. I apologize.
The three young men sneered at him.
Hahaha. Well, Im in a good mood, so Ill let it slide this time. Be more careful next time.
As the young men departed, Derian clenched his fists tightly.
If only he had the power, could he have avoided such irrational situations?
The female student, her expression hardened, said to Derian,
Weve only heard rumors about this, but now weve experienced it too This is tyranny! We cant just sit back and accept it!
Derian sighed.
What can we possibly do about it? Theres not much we can do.
Thats true, but
They occupied the lowest rung of the academy hierarchy.
Without power, titles, or wealth, they felt utterly helpless.
The girl hesitantly suggested an idea.
What about talking to the professor?
Derian shook his head.
Its useless. You know professors dont really care about student conflicts. Wed be lucky if we dont get scolded for bothering them.
That was indeed the truth.
Professors generally disliked involving themselves in troublesome affairs, preferring not to be held accountable for any issues.
Therefore, they steered clear of mediating conflicts between students.
Even the professor who was considered a saint would likely be no different.
It seemed improbable that they would take on such an annoyance voluntarily.
The girl held her head, overwhelmed with frustration.
Phew studying is really tough.
Lets just endure it for now
We have to stay strong.
In the end, their sense of solidarity only intensified.
After concluding his lecture and strolling through the garden, Ray sensed a somewhat peculiar atmosphere.
Whats this?
The students, treating each other almost as if they were invisible, displayed no sense of togetherness.
They only exchanged greetings with students from their own academy, creating a widening divide rather than fostering unity.
No, it wasnt that greetings were entirely absent.
Hey.
Yes?
If you make eye contact, shouldnt you greet each other? You ungrateful brat.
Expecting unilateral greetings among students was ridiculous.
Rays expression darkened immediately upon hearing this.
However, the student in the white coat bowed his head promptly.
Hello.
Thats right, know your place. Next time you see students from our academy, greet them like that.
Giggles echoed from around.
Despite this, the student kept his head bowed and responded again.
Yes. Understood.
Get lost.
Their exchange had the air of a conversation between a master and a slave.
Rays face, already grim, darkened further as he drew near the students in robes.
Then, he insisted on a greeting himself.
Hey, you brat.
Yes?
When you make eye contact, shouldnt you greet each other, you ungrateful brat?
The students in robes lowered their heads at his words.
Oh, Professor we see you now!
Perhaps the arrival of the professor caused the students in white coats to focus on the unfolding scene.
What kind of polite suggestion is that, making students greet each other?
Th-that is
Ray gauged the situation from their hesitation.
Theyre asserting dominance, arent they?
Sharing the academy held great significance for them.
Since even the dormitory buildings were communal, clashes were inevitable.
Yet the present circumstances were far more severe.
Students were establishing a hierarchy, starkly delineating superior from inferior.
Within the academy, internal rules mandated equality among students, irrespective of status or wealth.
However, the current events flouted that principle.
But for now, Ray had no intention of intervening hastily.
He would bide his time, choosing the optimal moment to step in, as that would bear more fruit.
The situation was regrettable for the students, yet they had to endure a little longer.
Tracking the subtle trace of mana with flight magic, Ray found himself crossing a snowy mountain en route to a particular destination.
The Lich wore a look of astonishment.
The Holy Kingdom?
Given the mages caliber, affiliation with the Lesian Empire seemed more plausible.
The Holy Kingdom, of all places.
Several points bewildered him.
After passing several remote villages and numerous cities, he reached the end of the mana trail.
It was a place he knew well.
This time, its the academy.
The academies in the Holy Kingdom were famous across the continent.
They rivaled the size of the academies in the Lecian Empire and were renowned for their advanced lectures.
But the Lich had no interest in that.
To him, human byproducts were of no consequence.
His only target was the mage who had killed him.
With Proxia destroyed, dreams of a continental conquest were useless.
He contemplated seeking a higher Lord to serve and to build a tower of magic.
Upon his arrival at the academy, he didnt recklessly search for the Lord.
First, he needed to evaluate the situation.
Watching their behavior would help him refine his plan by determining the Lords whereabouts.
The Lich was perplexed by the white coats many students wore.
What are these garments? Theyre so conspicuous. Is there really a necessity for such attire?
He concluded his observations of the students there. After all, they were merely academy students.
Learning more about them would not be particularly useful.
Instead, he thought about blending in to infiltrate the building.
Torn between choosing robes and white coats, he ultimately settled on a white coat.
For a 7th-circle No-Life King, stealing a coat from the dormitory was a simple feat.
Donning the academys uniform and a white coat, the Lich stepped out into the garden and blended in with the crowd.
However, his striking appearance was difficult to hide.
His body, which had transformed after reaching the Lords realm, had become youthful again.
He looked the same as when he was human, with dark hair that was nearly black and piercing, cold eyes.
This endowed him with a charm distinct from that of elves.
Even without any notable actions, he drew attention.
Have they recognized an unfamiliar face? The students here are quite perceptive.
He attempted to behave naturally, sitting on a bench and scanning his surroundings.
The more female students gathered around, the more hostility he perceived.
His body immediately reacted to the hostility.
He struggled to suppress his mana and control the urge to eliminate those exuding hostility.
In Proxia, no one dared show him hostility.
Those who did not wish to die avoided such behavior.
But these students were different.
They probably did not recognize him and still harbored hostility.
Given the nature of the academy, the arrival of new students would not be unusual.
So what was the cause of this animosity?
Particularly among the male students, those in robes harbored an unimaginable resentment toward him.
I dont understand.
This was a somewhat refreshing feeling.
He had not experienced such overt hostility for hundreds of years.
Two young men in robes approached him, their posture unmistakably confrontational.
Hey.
There was a strange refreshment in the rudeness of their tone.
Are you addressing me?
The Lichs expression seemed to say, Did you really dare to speak to me?
The two young men stiffened at his mocking demeanor.
People are talking to you, and you remain seated? You must lack education, as you have no manners. Stand up.
His biting remarks caused the Lichs expression to harden.
He found their words repulsive, like annoying turtles.
He stood from the bench, his icy gaze bearing down on the two young men.
He detected a mere 2nd-circle mana from them, beneath a true mage of Proxia.
It was hardly worth a chuckle.
Ive stood up.
His face appeared to question, May I eliminate you now?
He genuinely desired to finish them.
But he held back, uncertain of the Lords standing in this place and not wishing to create a spectacle just yet.
The young men instinctively retreated under his intense scrutiny.
They stood before a Lord, the apex of magic they esteemed. His 7th-circle mana could effortlessly annihilate 2nd-circle mages.
Their instincts as sensitive mages responded to this power.
However, they were surrounded by many people.
Realizing he had stepped back, a young man felt a wave of shame.
An academy of no power dares to disrespect me, a noble Unforgivable.
His pride took over in front of the onlookers.
How dare you, a mere medical academy student, look down on us!
The young man took off his glove, signaling a duela traditional way of resolving disputes among academy students.
He threw the glove at the Lichs face with flair, as though he were a knight.
Understanding the gesture, the Lich caught the glove with a loud laugh.
Hahaha! Truly amusing!
The duel began without anyone intervening.
The young man drew a wand with a small crystal embedded in it from his robe.
Follow me right now. Ill personally teach you manners.
The Lich found himself in a duel upon arriving at the academy.
He would not flee from such a situation, understanding the atmosphere all too well.
The challenger had no idea he was facing a Lich, the pinnacle of all undead, and a seventh-circle Lord.
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