Lily recognized that the wand had been crafted from a precious tree known as the origin tree. That great tree was a giant found only in a certain island nation. It grew in any climate, and no matter how harsh the environment, its trunk never withered nor decayed. Its leaves remained forever radiant, and its branches were replaced in cycles after several decades.
Lily was shocked to see a wand made from a branch of the origin tree, because it was known as the finest material there was and considered a rare treasure. Rod was impressed that she knew her craft, and he let her know that the wand could withstand an enormous amount of mana. Out of all the many virtues of that wand, this was the only one that interested Oscar.
Before he could celebrate, though, Lily reminded him of how they had fled from several shops because of their meagre budget. Oscar's excitement vanished the moment he remembered it. Nonetheless, Rod pressed the wand into his hands and told him that it was not for sale. He explained that it had been crafted as a gift for his late son. He had planned to give it to him when he returned from the front lines, but the boy never made it home.
Oscar took the wand as carefully as if it were a fragile egg, while Rod went back to his station. He assured them that he did not need payment for it. When they remained silent, Rod repeated himself firmly, telling them that he had no intention of selling Oscar a different wand. He explained that this was because no other wand in his shop suited him.
Convinced, Oscar held tightly to his new gear and humbly thanked Rod for the gift. Rod quickly dismissed the thanks and told him to test the wand. Oscar held it properly and closed his eyes to channel mana into it, while Rod watched him carefully. As the mana poured in, Oscar felt a strange sensation. Even though it was his first time holding the wand, the feeling made it seem as though he had wielded it for years.
The moment Oscar finished, Rod barked at them both to get out of his store, claiming that he needed to open it to actual paying customers. Before leaving, Oscar decided to ask about Amon's appearance there, and he asked Rod whether the professor came to the shop often.
A few days later, Oscar's classmates were staring at him and Lily as they gossiped about the incident in the fifth graveyard. The school had already chalked the accident up to a faulty teleportation circle. Everyone was amazed that Oscar and his group had made it back in one piece. They also gossiped about how Levin had acted like a complete coward, and they gritted their teeth as they roasted him for being a wimp.
Suddenly the sound of a whip cracked, and the class fell silent as Amon arrived. He scolded them for ignoring his esteemed presence and whispering during his class. Terrified, the students all apologized in unison, while Oscar calmly stared at the professor.
Rod had told him that Amon was the captain of his late son's squad. Amon had been there on the battlefield when Rod's son died, and he was also the one who brought the news to Rod. After the boy's passing, Amon had brought back the old wand as a memento. Lily had been emotional when she heard the story. Rod had even praised Amon for being a good man, and had told them how kindly Amon had treated his commoner son despite being a noble himself. Oscar's eyes had widened at that, and he had pointed out that Rod's son must have been more remarkable at magic than any noble, since his wand looked so heavily used.
Rod had been stunned to hear it, and had wondered how Oscar could possibly know that his son had been an exceptional mage.
After hearing Rod's story, Oscar finally had the answer he had been looking for. He also noted that Amon had been one of the professors in charge of the field training, which made him a suspect. After much thought, Oscar concluded that Amon was definitely the mastermind behind the attack on his life.
Oscar stayed calm. Since Amon had not realized that his cover was blown, Oscar decided to use this as his chance to strike first.
Later, Amon checked in with his organization through a communication magic circle. The sinister voice on the other side praised him for successfully completing his mission on the battlefield. They commended him for performing exceptionally and going beyond their expectations. The voice also reminded him that they expected him to accomplish the same result at the magic academy. Amon was visibly uneasy as he replied that he would do as expected.
As if sensing his hesitation, the voice asked him whether the school mission was harder than the battlefield. Amon hurriedly replied that it was not, and the voice let him know that they required quick results. After the transmission ended, Amon remained standing in the same spot, clearly worried.
Meanwhile, in the headmaster's office, Oscar revealed his findings to Balsamus. The headmaster was shocked to learn that Amon had been the one behind the attack. He found it hard to believe, because Amon was considered a hero, a man who would risk his life for his comrades. Oscar told Balsamus that he knew all about Amon's heroic deeds, but that he was certain he was the culprit.
Seeing how determined Oscar was, Balsamus decided to take him at his word. However, he let Oscar know that he could not make any move without concrete evidence. Oscar calmly declared that he was going to be the evidence. Balsamus was puzzled, and Oscar explained that he was going to bait Amon into striking, exactly as he had during the training.
He wanted to create a situation with few witnesses, one that would tempt Amon into moving again. Oscar was certain that he would never let such an opportunity pass. As Balsamus considered the idea, his eyes fell on a note lying on his desk. The note detailed an escort mission for the Imperial Princess, which made it the perfect opportunity to lay the trap Oscar had suggested.
The Imperial Princess, Ariel, had been meant to enroll in the first class. Her enrollment had been delayed, however, because of a backlash from the hereditary magic passed down through generations of the royal family.
During class, Ruth told the students about Ariel's situation and announced the mission to escort her back to the school. A group would be sent to the Imperial capital to bring her back.
Ruth had gathered the most exceptional students of the first class for the mission, including Oscar, Zazan, and the quiet girl who did nothing but bury her face in a book all day. Oscar noted that this mission was truly perfect for baiting Amon into targeting him.
After briefing them, Ruth asked whether they had any questions, and Zazan raised his hand. As usual, he decided to pick on his favourite commoner. Since everyone chosen for the mission was considered exceptionally talented, Zazan asked Ruth whether Oscar's power truly matched theirs. To his shock, Ruth replied that it did, and she added that Oscar's power had even surpassed the rest of the class, based on his performance during the field training. Zazan was both shocked and confused to hear it, while the bookish girl showed no reaction at all.