Dumas had been endowed with exceptional talent from a young age.

There was a time when the seas were haunted by an unstoppable monster, the Kraken, which caused merchants to cease their trade routes. While everyone despaired over the sudden disaster, only Dumas managed to discover an old shipping route from ancient records and successfully imported tea and spices from the East.

This achievement earned him great fame and fortune, marking him as a rising star in the mercantile world.

With his success as a merchant, Dumas proposed to his childhood sweetheart, Mercedes, who tearfully kissed him in joy.

But the happiness Dumas enjoyed, both in his career and in his engagement to his first love, was soon shattered, like an unexpected thunderstorm appearing on a clear day.

Dumas lived in the western part of the empire, in Stolbar, under the rule of Baron Haxen, who had a son named Schwein.

Schwein had always harbored resentment toward Dumas. The reason was simple—women.

Dumas, with his handsome appearance and exceptional abilities, had captured the interest of not only the women of the barony but also the daughters of nearby nobles, causing Schwein to feel a deep sense of inferiority.

Were Dumas just an ordinary commoner, Schwein might have been able to lash out, but as a highly successful merchant, Dumas was not someone Schwein could easily touch.

Consumed with jealousy, Schwein’s hatred grew, and when he heard that Dumas had proposed to Mercedes, the very woman he had intended to make his concubine, he crossed a line that should never have been crossed.

• "This man is a traitor! He’s been colluding with Sylvanians! Here is the evidence!"

It wasn’t just Schwein who envied Dumas—other merchants who had seen their profits diminish because of Dumas’s growth also conspired with Schwein to set a trap for him.

They took advantage of the ongoing war between the Borus Empire and the Sylvanian Kingdom, accusing Dumas of treason, using falsified evidence and false witnesses to label him as a collaborator.

Although Dumas vehemently denied the charges, no one was willing to listen to his pleas during wartime. His cries of injustice fell on deaf ears.

Years later, when the war finally ended, Dumas’s innocence was proven, and he was released.

But when he returned home, he found nothing left.

His once-prosperous household had collapsed while he was imprisoned.

His trading company’s assets had long since been seized by his former employees, greedy nobles, and rival merchants.

Most painfully, Mercedes, his fiancée and the reason he had been able to endure the horrors of imprisonment, was gone.

"Mercedes? It’s tragic. Schwein and his men came to her every day, pressuring her to become his concubine."

In the end, when Mercedes continued to reject Schwein’s advances even after Dumas disappeared, Schwein, in a fit of rage, killed her.

Schwein avoided punishment for the murder by giving Mercedes’s family a generous sum of money.

Upon hearing this, Dumas wept tears of blood, howling like a wounded beast.

Dumas fought a long legal battle against Schwein and the accomplices who had framed him.

But by then, too much time had passed. Evidence had vanished, and no one would stand against Schwein, who wielded wealth and power.

Having lost everything and failing to bring the guilty to justice, Dumas resolved to kill Schwein.

He couldn’t bear to live under the same sky as that pig of a man without cutting his throat.

As he prepared to take Schwein with him in death, he happened upon a book.

The Iron-Blooded Alchemist, by Rupert Somerset.

It was given to him by one of the few remaining friends he had left, a companion who, concerned for him, suggested he read it instead of wallowing in alcohol.

By the time Dumas finished reading the comic book, he found himself strolling through town for the first time in ages, rather than heading to buy more alcohol.

That’s when he saw the notice.

"The Strongest Comic Contest?"

The poster announced a miraculous opportunity: a prize of 100 gold and the chance to become a published comic book author.

In that moment, Dumas realized something.

The trials he was facing would only make him stronger, as long as they didn’t kill him.

He vowed to seize this opportunity, rise again, and exact revenge on Schwein and all those who had wronged him. He wouldn’t rest until he had ground them into dust.

With that resolve, his hands reached for a pen and paper.

"Group One, please bring out your items."

Before long, the midterm exams for the academy’s first semester were upon them.

Many students despaired, feeling that they hadn’t learned enough to take exams so soon. But among the worried students, a few stood out, showing exceptional performance as if they had been well-prepared all along.

In the Military Department, rumors were spreading that Third Prince Edric had not only aced the practical exams but also achieved top scores in the written tests.

Meanwhile, Amelia was shining in the Magic Department. With only the Magitech midterm left, she had already distinguished herself.

For the Magitech course, the sole assignment for the semester was to create a functional item by the end of the term, so the midterm exam was more of a progress check than a traditional test.

Students were required to present their project items and compare them to their submitted plans, receiving direct feedback from the professor.

However,

‘She’s really strict.’
‘Careful, remember when that one student got taken out on a stretcher for speaking out of turn?’

Professor Nicola Howard, who originally taught Magitech, was away on business, so the midterm evaluation was being conducted by Zennia, an assistant professor in the Magic Department.

Initially, the students doubted whether someone as young as Zennia, even if she was Yustaf’s apprentice, could properly assess the items they had worked so hard on.

But she quickly dispelled their doubts, delivering cutting and precise critiques that shattered the confidence of many students.

"Next, Group Six, please bring out your item."

As the disheartened members of Group Five left, having received harsh feedback on their circuits, it was finally Amelia’s group’s turn.

"A magic pen?"

Zennia’s expression became slightly curious as she took the product and the project proposal from Group Six.

She examined the prototype pen, and the other students couldn’t help but feel indignant.

She had only glanced at their projects, but now she was showing real interest in something as simple as a pen?

"An interesting concept. However, it seems like you’re trying to use illusion magic?"

"Yes, Assistant Professor Zennia. We plan to combine illusion magic with telekinesis magic."

When Amelia answered, Zennia shook her head in disapproval.

"While it’s possible to use illusion magic, it would place a great strain on the user."

• Only someone like my master or the principal could use this safely.

The method they had proposed, using illusion magic to synchronize the user’s mind with the device, posed significant risks.

The brain was the most delicate and vital organ, and even a slight misfire in signals could lead to catastrophic consequences.

Using illusion magic to forcibly sync with the device could easily destroy the user’s mind.

Amelia and her group members felt dejected after hearing Zennia’s explanation.

They had focused solely on connecting the magics and hadn’t anticipated such severe side effects. Now, they faced the daunting task of finding a new approach.

Amelia, who had suggested the project, felt guilty toward her teammates, while also regretting that they might not be able to complete their idea.

"It would’ve been so helpful for him."

"For who?"

When Zennia asked, having overheard Amelia muttering to herself,

"Oh, Professor Rupert. He always struggles when drawing, so I wanted to help him out."

Zennia’s eyes widened at Amelia’s response.

Amelia quickly reviewed her words, wondering if she had said something wrong, but there didn’t seem to be anything out of place.

"You… know Professor Rupert?"

There was an odd tremor in Zennia’s voice, though it was subtle enough that Amelia didn’t notice.

"Yes, I’ve met him a few times before, back when he was making his picture books."
-And since joining the academy, I’ve ended up in his classes and joined his club, so I keep running into him.

Of course, "ending up" wasn’t exactly accurate, as Amelia had deliberately applied for all the classes and activities Rupert was involved in. Still, there was no lie in her words.

Amelia was, without a doubt, the noble lady Rupert had met with most frequently.

"I see."

Zennia paused for a moment, before quietly concluding her assessment.

The evaluations for the remaining groups felt harsher than ever, though the students couldn’t figure out why.

• Zennia, emotional disturbances can be dangerous for you.

Zennia recalled Yustaf’s recent words when he had noticed a change in her.

He had seen how her emotions had surged when she recalled the student who had insulted her benefactor, Rupert.

Zennia hadn’t realized it herself, but at that moment, Yustaf had noticed her appearance changing.

Yustaf had never seen such a phenomenon before, but he speculated that it was caused by the dragon’s blood flowing within her.

‘Rapid growth can cause your body to break down. You must never let your emotions get the better of you.’

After hearing Yustaf’s warning, Zennia had examined herself in the mirror.

The difference from when she had first met him was clear—she had grown visibly.

At first, she had attributed it to the high-quality meals and adequate rest she had been receiving, but upon reflection, those alone couldn’t account for such rapid growth.

Where once she had been quite petite for her age, she now appeared closer to a fully grown adult woman.

‘If he saw me now, he wouldn’t mistake me for a boy.’

When the image of Amelia Bluewell flashed through her mind, the air around Zennia stirred with mana.

The girl had been dazzlingly beautiful.

With her blue hair, so unlike Zennia’s own red locks, Amelia had been a striking presence.

Hearing Amelia speak so familiarly of Rupert had almost caused Zennia to lose control of her emotions.

‘Once I grow a bit more, surely….’

For a brief moment, Zennia allowed herself a dangerous thought, but she quickly pushed it away, slapping her cheek to dispel any sordid fantasies.