Chapter 115: What Exactly Is the God of War's Sister Like?

"I have called you all here today for a specific reason: one month from now marks the two hundred and twentieth anniversary of the Rhine Magic Academy. As your principal, I am honored to witness yet another milestone..."

Inside the faculty meeting room, Principal Harvey’s calm voice drifted through the air. Although it was mostly standard administrative jargon, the teachers present feigned attentive interest.

"Principal, what exactly happens during the anniversary celebration?" Ruby raised his hand to ask. Among those present, he was the only one who had never experienced the event, and he was quite curious about how a school anniversary was celebrated in this other world.

"In truth, there is nothing special to it—usually, it is just a day off. However, I feel that simply closing the school to celebrate its birth is somewhat inadequate. I would like to ask you all for suggestions on how to make the students feel a sense of joy and pride for the Academy."

Principal Harvey offered a faint smile at Ruby. After the assassin incident, he had come to value this young man even more. Although he appeared to be asking the entire faculty, everyone knew he was looking for input from this incredibly capable young teacher.

"Principal, I—" Swart was eager to impress in front of his beloved, having long ago received word that the principal intended to reform the anniversary celebrations. He had racked his brains for quite some time to come up with several decent ideas.

"Swart, wait until Teacher Ruby has finished speaking."

Principal Harvey cut Swart off. It was not that he looked down on this descendant who shared his own bloodline, but it had become a conditioned reflex to turn to Ruby for solutions first. If Ruby didn't have a good idea, it wouldn't be too late to listen to the others.

"Celebrating with a day off is indeed lackluster. In my hometown, students typically celebrate by taking initiative themselves. For example, they might personally write messages of blessing to their alma mater on display boards, or use their own hobbies and interests to create food, daily necessities, or magic items to sell. Once they see their own creations being bought by others, they truly begin to enjoy the event."

Ruby shared the school celebration methods popular on Earth without a second thought. While such things were unremarkable on Earth, to the people of this world, they seemed incredibly innovative and bold.

"That’s all well and good, but if the students are the ones selling, who will be the buyers?"

"Ordinary people. Invite those who are not part of the Academy to join in. On one hand, they can act as customers; on the other, it allows them to learn about the Academy. This way, ordinary people will also share in the joy of the anniversary. The Rhine Magic Academy has never been open to the public, has it? This would satisfy the curiosity of the common folk as well."

As Ruby finished speaking, the meeting room fell into an uproar. They could not help but marvel at his audacity. A mere newcomer teacher who had only been here for a few months dared to suggest that the Principal let outsiders in. Was he unaware of the Academy's uniqueness? Even a single breath of air inside these grounds could accelerate one’s cultivation.

"Your proposal is outrageous! What if criminals infiltrate the school and pose a threat?"

Swart was the first to stand and object. The mana concentration in this region had always been an unsolved mystery to the world; opening the gates would be the perfect opportunity for enemy spies to slip in.

"The anniversary isn't just for the students; the teachers must play their part as well. Can it be that you, teachers of the elite, are unable to handle a few petty thieves? Surely a secret that has remained hidden for so many years won't be cracked by outsiders?"

Ruby knew his proposal might bring trouble to the Academy, but taking a step back, even if someone came whom the Principal couldn't handle, there was still that human-shaped nuclear bomb (a certain magic god maiden suddenly sneezed) around. Dull, repetitive study would never lead to student happiness. Since this is an academy, the students must come first.

"Shudol, what is your opinion?"

Principal Harvey stroked his increasingly graying beard and turned to his drowsy old partner. The Academy was not his dictatorship, and the opinions of others were important.

"I agree. The Rhine Magic Academy has been established for so long; it is precisely change that we need. If we don't try, how will we know if it works?"

The Vice Principal, who had been dozing off, felt the flesh on his face twitch slightly. He immediately adopted a stern expression and nodded in agreement. Just kidding—it was obvious that the Principal was leaning toward the idea. As a career fence-sitter, how could he possibly voice an objection?

"Then it is decided. Teacher Ruby, if it is convenient, please detail the particulars of these activities here."

Since Principal Harvey had made the final decision, the other teachers could say no more. With both the Principal and Vice Principal in agreement, what could they, as employees, add? Ruby then outlined the details: limiting the number of guests entering the Academy, converting classrooms into cafes or haunted houses, and allowing a high degree of freedom so that students could celebrate in whatever way made them happiest.

Listening to these details, Swart gritted his teeth and crushed the magic paper in his hand in frustration. Compared to Ruby’s organized and well-structured plan, his own scheme—having students from various classes form teams for magic performances—seemed like child's play. He could not help but wonder if Ruby, who could come up with all this on the spot, was even human.

"Excellent. I am handing full responsibility for the anniversary celebration to Teacher Ruby. Now, we must discuss our annual headache."

Principal Harvey wore a satisfied smile. This young man had managed to pack ten thousand details into a single suggestion; he was truly born to be a teacher. After settling the anniversary matters, the Principal shifted the topic.

"A headache?"

"Teacher Ruby, are you familiar with the Beiana Fighter Academy?"

Seeing Ruby’s puzzled look again, Bai Yu, sitting beside him, began to explain with great enthusiasm.

"If I recall correctly, they are the top academy in the Black Stone Empire, right?"

Ruby had learned a bit about the national conditions of other countries. Both the Beiana Fighter Academy and Rhine had the reputation of being their respective empires' premier institutions. Following the usual tropes, mutual rivalry was inevitable.

"Exactly. Ever since the Holy Empire and the Black Stone Empire formed an alliance, those guys have been acting strangely. Every year during the Rhine Magic Academy’s anniversary, they send people to stir up trouble under the guise of celebration."

"What do you mean by 'stir up trouble'?"

"They call it 'magical exchanges,' but everyone knows their side is full of Battle Mages. Team battles are fine, but in individual duels, once our students are closed in upon... sigh."

Bai Yu’s tone was filled with sorrow, and the other teachers wore regretful expressions, perfectly illustrating a disaster film called *When Mages Get Close-Quarters*.

"Teacher Bai Yu, I hope you will keep your eyes open this year and not stand with the opposing team of teachers shouting 'go' like you did last year."

At the mention of that incident, the Principal had to call Bai Yu out for criticism again. The scene of Bai Yu standing on the other side, hoarsely cheering for the Battle Mages, was still fresh in everyone's memory. It was quite merciful of the Principal not to have frozen this turncoat into an ice sculpture.

"Ugh, that’s ancient history. I am a completely different person this year. If you want to know why, Principal, there is a magic fly on your shoulder."

The bespectacled lady turned bright red with embarrassment, but she quickly adjusted her mood, pushed up her slightly sliding glasses with her finger, and pointed at Principal Harvey's shoulder.

The Principal was surprised to find a bothersome low-level magic insect truly perched on his shoulder. He quickly used ice magic to freeze it into tiny shards of ice.

"I have been reborn, because I received the best gift in the world from Teacher Ruby."

Bai Yu happily touched the glasses on her face, a remark that only fueled the flames of jealousy in her admirers.

"That is good. In any case, the Academy’s anniversary faces major reforms this year. If you lose as miserably as you did last year, none of you should expect your year-end bonuses."

The Principal’s words left the teachers with bitter expressions. His meaning was clear: go and diligently teach the students how to fight Battle Mages, or lose your salary.

After the meeting, Ruby went to the school library to research information on the Beiana Fighter Academy. If they were coming, knowing only the name was clearly not enough. As it turned out, the reading was quite interesting.

Beiana the Fighter was one of the few deities who, along with the God of Light, bestowed blessings upon humanity. However, unlike the elusive and rarely seen image of the God of Light, she had appeared before the people quite openly.

Legend had it that before the Black Stone Empire was founded, the people there lived in dire straits. The cause was the local specialty: the Steel-Backed Beast. While this magical beast lacked offensive power, its defense was terrifyingly high. Its back, armored like an iron plate, could withstand magic two levels higher than itself—meaning a level three Steel-Backed Beast required level five magic to break through its defense.

These beasts inherited the traits of gluttons, devouring everything in sight, whether edible or not, leaving humans in a state of constant starvation. How could people have the strength to cultivate when they couldn't even fill their stomachs? Just as those pitiful humans were on the verge of being wiped out by the gluttonous beasts, a young girl descended from the heavens. With dazzling combat techniques, she obliterated the attacking Steel-Backed Beasts. At the time, the people did not know she would later become the continent-famous Beiana the Fighter.

She used no magic; she simply used her physical strength and the war halberd in her hand to pierce the beasts' defenses. Seeing this, the people followed suit, using weapons to fight the beasts. The girl was happy to share her techniques, but the physically frail mages could not exert such power.

Thus, she worked with them to research how to combine combat techniques with magic, creating the magic known as "Chasers." These small spheres of mana that followed behind the master would grow in number as mana was replenished. Once the weapon in hand struck a target, one could freely manipulate these spheres to strike any part of the opponent.

If the Steel-Backed Beast's back was hard, it didn't matter; wasn't its belly soft? As long as the staff in hand struck its back, the Chasers behind could curve around and hit its abdomen. Relying on such powerful techniques, the people drove all the Steel-Backed Beasts out of their territory in just fifty years and established their own empire.

The young lads who learned from the girl grew into withered old men as time passed, yet the girl remained as young as ever. When questioned, she revealed her true identity: she was one of the deities living in the Heavenly Realm, and having come down to play out of boredom, she discovered the suffering people and lent a hand—incidentally spreading her proud combat techniques, much like the God of Light.

After her identity was exposed, Beiana the Fighter returned to the Heavenly Realm, but the weapon she used remained in the Imperial Plaza of the Black Stone Empire for people to worship. In the years that followed, the people of the Black Stone Empire combined the Fighter's techniques with mana, creating the profession known as the "Battle Mage."

It is worth noting that the Fighter Church in the Black Stone Empire split into two factions. Because the recorded descriptions of Beiana the Fighter’s appearance had become blurred, one faction firmly believed that the Fighter was a tall, mature woman, adhering to the creed: "If she isn't busty, how can she gather the hearts of the people?" The other faction believed