Book 1 Chapter 24

【24】23

“Ahahahaha!”

Laughter echoed through the cafe terrace in the Hall of Beginnings.

Celia, who had been laughing, holding her stomach, hiccuped and convulsed, then wiped away the tears from her eyes.

“So? You barely solved one problem and walked out of magic class?”

“Are you done laughing?”

Leo, with a sullen expression, drank his fruit juice.

“See? What did I tell you? I said majoring in magic wouldn't do you any good, didn’t I?”

Celia, having calmed her laughter, lifted her teacup and said.

“If you’re a Gerdinger, you should focus on swordsmanship.”

“I’m not a Gerdinger.”

“What else could a person who is mastering Phoenix Breath be, if not a Gerdinger?”

Celia, giving Leo a bewildered look, sipped her tea.

“Anyway, you’re free until the afternoon class, right? Want to train with me?”

“Then how about some physical training?”

“…!”

Celia's face turned pale.

For anyone else, it might have been different, but Leo’s physical training was close to torture.

Recalling the hellish week at the Flobe family estate, Celia gave an awkward laugh.

“I’ll do swordsmanship training…”

“You wouldn't back out, would you?”

Leo smiled sweetly.

“How disappointed would Uncle Jace be if he heard you ran away because you were scared of physical training?”

“Hey! Is this your revenge for me teasing you about going to magic class, you sneaky jerk!”

Celia shivered, looking at her cousin's wicked smile.

“Come on, let’s train hard.”

“No. Let go.”

It was then, as Leo grabbed her by the nape of her neck and dragged her towards the training grounds, that Celia shrieked and struggled.

“Hey! Leo!”

Kyle came running, panting.

“What’s wrong? What about class?”

“Professor Ren is looking for you.”

Celia's face brightened.

“The professor is looking for you, Leo. Go quickly.”

“Why is he looking for me?”

“You got first place on the magic theory exam.”

“What?”

Leo and Celia looked surprised.

Kyle, gasping for breath, hurried to continue.

“Class is in chaos right now! The professor is incredibly angry because the student who got first place didn’t come to class!”

***

When Kyle returned with Leo to the large lecture hall, the atmosphere in the room was chilly.

The gaze of the students who had passed the exam fixed on Leo as he entered through the lecture hall door.

Leo flinched at their stares.

'Why is the atmosphere like this?'

“Student Leo, where did you go instead of coming to class?”

Anna, Professor Ren’s associate professor, asked quietly, and Leo replied with an awkward smile.

“I was at the cafe.”

“I told you class would start right after the exam, didn’t I? Why at the cafe…”

Clap- clap- clap- clap-

Suddenly, applause broke out.

Professor Ren approached, smiling.

“Student Leo! I am truly impressed by your genius. To not even touch the easy problems, pick out only the most difficult one, solve it, and then leave class. Hahaha! Well, I suppose for a genius, the exam I set might have seemed trivial. Especially for a knightology major, that could definitely be the case!”

His face was smiling, but his eyes were utterly chilling.

Knights and mages had formed a competitive relationship since ancient times.

Just looking at the Rodren Empire, one of the strongest human nations, politics were divided between knight factions and magic factions, led by Gerdinger and Rwalin respectively.

Among Lumen students, there were even extremists who regarded their own field as supreme.

Therefore, it was enough to create a misunderstanding that the freshman representative, known to aspire to the Knightology department, came to a magic major class, submitted a blank paper except for the most difficult problem.

Moreover, Leo did not return to class after leaving.

Leo said urgently.

“Professor, I think there's some kind of misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding?”

“I thought I had failed the exam. I didn't even know I got first place.”

Professor Ren, narrowing his brows at those words, stared intently at Leo's face.

Professor Ren was certainly among the younger professors at Lumen, but he was not an easy person to fool for a newly admitted freshman.

'It doesn't seem like a lie. But why didn't he solve the other problems?'

“I need to have a brief interview with Student Leo. Associate Professor Anna, please take over the class for me.”

“Understood, Professor.”

Associate Professor Anna bowed her head and stood at the podium.

Professor Ren took Leo to the preparation room behind the lecture hall.

“Why didn’t you solve the other exam problems?”

“Well…”

Leo hesitated.

“Did you think the problems were too easy and not worth solving?”

“It’s not that… it’s…”

Leo, rolling his eyes around, muttered to himself.

'Oh, how embarrassing. Do I have to say out loud that I, who was an archmage in my previous life, couldn't solve something even teenagers can?'

But he couldn’t lie.

If things continued like this, his school life could get complicated.

Finally, Leo replied in a barely audible voice.

“The problems were too difficult, so I couldn’t solve them.”

“What did you say?”

He solved the most difficult problem, but couldn't solve the others because they were too hard? What kind of preposterous talk was this?

“I studied magic formulas by myself at home, but there were only very old grimoires in my house. So I only studied old formulas. I didn’t realize modern magic formulas would be so complex. As the professor said, I think I took the magic major with too complacent a mindset, and I was too embarrassed to come to class.”

After saying that much, he asked with a puzzled expression.

“But what does it mean that I got first place? I barely solved one problem?”

'So, he didn't know the structure of the activation formulas, so he couldn't touch the combined problems… and in the end, he gave up and only solved the last problem?'

After hearing the explanation, it made some sense.

Indeed, if he had self-studied with old magic books, he might not know the activation formulas.

Activation formulas are considered the latest trend, but they are not deeply rooted in history.

'If he's only studied formula interpretation, it's not an impossible story.'

Professor Ren picked up a piece of chalk and wrote a magic formula on the makeshift blackboard in the preparation room.

“Solve this. Then I'll believe Student Leo's words. And I'll tell you why Student Leo got first place.”

Once his anger subsided, curiosity took over.

The younger generation is sensitive to trends.

It’s no exaggeration to say that activation formulas are already deeply embedded in young mages, becoming a mainstream rather than just a trend.

In that sense, Leo could be considered outdated in some ways.

But he possessed a strength not found in today's generation of mages.

'That's a solid foundation. The basis of magic is, after all, formula interpretation ability.'

A tree with strong roots, even if it grows slowly, will eventually grow large.

Professor Ren expected Leo to already be building 'his own magical world'.

For formula interpretation, there is one correct answer, but multiple paths to reach it.

He was strongly curious about how such a rare type of student in the current generation would approach solving a formula.

By observing the formula-solving process, one could also understand the mage's magical philosophy.

'Let's see what kind of interpretation method he has.'

He watched Leo's back as he stood before the blackboard, eyes gleaming.

Leo silently looked at the problem given by Professor Ren and reached out his hand to the blackboard.

Tap-! Tap! Tap!

Every time the chalk sound echoed, Professor Ren couldn't help but feel a thrill.

Leo, having finished writing the answer, turned his head.

Professor Ren couldn't see Leo's solving method.

“I’m done solving it.”

Because Leo had solved the complex magic formula through mental calculation.

***

'Why isn't this old man coming out?'

Associate Professor Anna looked towards the lecture preparation room with a puzzled expression.

Either a warning or an expulsion.

She had expected a quick conclusion, whatever the outcome, but it was taking longer than she thought.

Among the Lumen magic professors, Professor Ren was the most passionate about magic.

Although not widely known publicly, he was praised as a genius in the magical community.

Anna, too, had read his magic thesis and came to respect him, leading her to apply for an associate professorship.

'Though my image was shattered after becoming an associate professor.'

Normally a dignified gentleman, he would perform all sorts of eccentric acts when it came to magic.

Bang-!

And as if in response to Anna's worries, the door to the lecture preparation room burst open roughly.

The students were startled.

Associate Professor Anna, having seen Professor Ren's face, sighed, looking up at the ceiling.

'His fits are back again. I really hope he doesn't make a spectacle of himself in front of the freshmen.'

But fortunately, Professor Ren immediately exited the lecture hall.

Leo slowly emerged from the lecture preparation room.

“What did the professor say, Student Leo?”

“He told me to attend class.”

“Alright, please take your seat. I will resume the lecture.”

Associate Professor Anna picked up the chalk, completely unconcerned.

The students' faces became strange.

A professor who suddenly dashed out of the lecture hall on the first day of class, and an associate professor who seemed completely unfazed by such a professor.

Something felt off.

Unlike the other students, Leo reacted indifferently.

Of course, Leo also didn't know why Professor Ren was acting that way.

'But it's not like mages acting crazy is anything new.'

Leo understood the creatures known as mages better than anyone.

***

Bang-!

The door to the Magic Department faculty office burst open roughly.

The professors who were working raised their heads.

Upon seeing Professor Ren’s face, they gave a 'just another day' expression and refocused on their work.

“Senior!”

Professor Alby turned his head with an expressionless face.

“Thank you! Senior! You have given me an incredible gift!”

Professor Alby grabbed the face of his rushing junior and shoved him aside as if clearing away trash.

And then he left the faculty office without regret.

Because he knew that getting involved with Professor Ren only led to fatigue.

Professor Ren, who had fallen to the floor, quickly got up and followed Professor Alby out.

“Why’s he like that today?”

“Leave him be, it’s not the first time.”

His fellow professors also reacted indifferently.

“Senior! I’ll treat you to a meal soon.”

“I’d like to hear the reason for your fuss, at least.”

When Professor Alby asked his junior, who was expressing unexpected gratitude, Professor Ren grinned.

“Leo Flobe, the one you recommended as class representative.”

“What about him?”

“Student Leo is a magic genius.”

“…? But he’s in the Knightology Department?”

“No. Student Leo must come to the Magic Department.”

Professor Ren spread his arms wide.

“Such a magic genius in the Knightology Department? Oh. Oh. There’s no joke like that. That child is not meant to wield mere iron. Sending such a student to major in Knightology is an insult to magic, senior.”

After that, Professor Ren explained what had happened during the first class, spitting with enthusiasm.

After hearing the whole story, Professor Alby also wore a surprised expression.

“Senior! That Student Leo acquired fifth-year level formula interpretation skills through self-study! If this isn't genius, then what is it?”

“What do you want from me?”

Professor Ren, asked directly, smiled meaningfully.

“Please use your influence, senior, to ensure Student Leo chooses the Magic Department.”

“Department choice is up to the student’s freedom, and if he’s such a talent, he’ll choose magic even without me saying anything.”

“I suppose so.”

Professor Ren showed an understanding expression.

“If he possesses such talent and still doesn’t choose magic, then he must be an eccentric.”

“That’s rich coming from you.”

***

Time flew by after the freshmen enrolled.

Before long, the temporary class period was also on its last day.

After school.

The students sat in their respective classrooms.

Now, students would choose their majors and officially begin their classes.

Unbeknownst to the students, homeroom teachers had already been assigned to each class.

The assistant instructor, who had been in charge of student guidance during the temporary class period, began his explanation.

“We will now begin major selection and course registration. As already explained, for the first semester of the first year, there are no elective general education courses. All schedules are filled with compulsory subjects.”

From essential courses for heroes like Combat and Heroics, to Language, Mathematics, History, Etiquette, and Morality.

There were a total of seven subjects the class would take together, and the timetable was fixed.

In between these, they had to register for major courses.

The students of Class 5 quickly filled out their major application forms and course registration timetables.

The assistant instructor stood at the podium, meticulously checking the documents students brought to him.

And after receiving the last document, he paused for a moment.

“Student Leo?”

“Yes, Assistant Instructor.”

“You’ve written down the wrong major. You’ve written three majors.”

The assistant instructor smiled kindly and handed the document back.

Leo pushed the document back to the assistant instructor and said.

“No, I registered correctly.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m going to take all three majors.”

At that moment, the gaze of his classmates turned to Leo.

Leo said calmly.

“Because I’m an all-class.”