Book 1 Chapter 340

340

'Surely there are some wizards specialized in dispel spells.'

Laura looked at Leo with surprised eyes.

'But Rail didn't use Dispel.'

It is not impossible to undo an opponent's magic without a dispel spell.

In fact, any skilled wizard can do it.

The problem is time.

Even for the same magic, the structure of the spell formula and mana control can differ depending on the user.

To interfere with and undo an opponent's magic, one had to perfectly understand even those detailed spell structures and mana control.

The time it takes to get to that point is enormous.

To achieve it instantaneously, like Leo did a moment ago, is practically impossible.

As far as Laura knew, there had only been one wizard in history who could perfectly interpret and undo an opponent's magic.

'Lady Luna.'

"Where are you employing such crude tricks?"

At Leo's words, Othran flared his mana as if provoked.

Flash-! Qwa-ga-ga-ga-gak-

A flash of light erupted from Othran's hand.

A powerful storm of magic raged.

High-output mana blew away all of Leo's doppelgangers.

Mirage was, literally, magic that created illusions.

No matter how indistinguishable real and fake were, an illusion was an illusion.

It was inevitably vulnerable to powerful area attacks.

"Do you think you're special just because you're good at mirage magic? What about your star magic?"

Sparks flew from Othran's eyes.

"Terrible! Your score is 0!"

Hundreds of flashes liberated from Othran's hand illuminated the sky.

Leo's red eyes tracked the path of the flashes.

'It's magic I don't know.'

Luna created star magic 5000 years ago.

The comet wizard Seyrune re-established star magic as the unique magic of the Elf race 3000 years ago.

Throughout those long years, countless derivative magics were born based on the magic system Luna left behind.

It was natural, in a way, that there were as many spells Leo didn't know as there were stars in the night sky.

Pa-ba-ba-ba-bat-!

Just before invisible particles of light struck Leo.

The magic evaporated as if it had hit an invisible wall.

"Wh-what in the world…"

Othran's face was stained with shock.

'Well, the outcome doesn't change though.'

Star magic ultimately converged to one thing.

The original magic spell system left by Luna.

And only one person besides Luna.

Magic derived from star magic had no effect on Leo, who was the only one to perfectly master that magic spell system.

What the current elves called pure star magic was nothing but 'incomplete' to Leo.

No matter how sturdily built a building was, if the ground beneath it collapsed, it would fall apart helplessly.

As long as their magic was based on 'star magic,' Leo could easily dismantle it.

'If it were fused with another magic system, even I wouldn't be able to do it.'

Star magic was compatible with other magic systems.

What Leo fully understood was only 'star magic'; if spell formulas from other magic systems were mixed in, even he couldn't interpret them in such a short time.

'Well, elves don't like such magic, saying it's not pure.'

In a sense, such development was the progress of magic that Luna had hoped for.

Seeing Othran's face stained with shock, Leo opened his palm.

'It's fun imitating Luna too.'

Interpreting and undoing others' magic was Luna's specialty.

'What makes her great isn't that she created star magic.'

The reason Luna was great wasn't because she created star magic.

She was truly great because she was a grand mage who learned and mastered all the magic available in her era.

Considering that she eventually created the fatal magic 'Innocent' for Erebus and passed it to Kyle.

Luna was as good as having created magic that could even kill gods.

Flash-!

A magic circle appeared above Leo's palm.

Othran's eyes widened.

"How can that magic…!"

The magic Othran had used a moment ago.

It was Othran's self-created 'unique' magic.

"What in the world is happening…?"

Othran's jaw trembled.

He, too, had dedicated his entire life to star magic.

Born into an elven noble family, he had walked a path of glory as an elf who graduated from Seyrune.

That's why he knew.

How absurd what the human in front of him was doing.

To elven purists like him, this reality was like a nightmare.

"What… what is it, seriously?"

Seeing Othran ask himself, barely audible, Leo unleashed the magic.

Not only did it perfectly replicate Othran's unique magic, but it was also a magic with even greater completeness.

"What do you think it is?"

Leo answered with an expressionless face.

"It means your methods are wrong."

Flash! Qwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gang-!

***

After Leo and Othran's duel ended, the magic combat class finished as well.

Othran, the homeroom teacher of the first-year advanced class 1, seemed shocked and ended the class right away.

The lower class also couldn't continue the lesson in such an atmosphere, so Laura led the students back to the classroom.

'Everyone seems depressed.'

After school.

Leo sighed, watching the lower-class students leave the classroom with drooping ears.

It couldn't be helped.

It had become clear in the magic combat class a while ago.

That Seyrune had no intention of treating the lower-class students as actual students.

That they were merely considered stepping stones for the advanced-class students.

'They must feel despair.'

At least if they were given equal opportunities and could compete properly, they wouldn't feel so unfairly treated.

But not even that opportunity was given.

It was when the entire lower class was about to leave the classroom in a gloomy mood.

"Um… Rail."

Anri approached Leo.

"Can we talk for a bit?"

It was when Leo was about to nod, seeing Anri ask hesitantly.

"Anri student, I'm sorry. Rail student, I'd like to have a private interview with him first."

"Oh, yes."

Anri nodded with a flustered face and then said to Leo.

"Let's talk again later."

After saying that, Anri left.

Laura entered the consultation room next to the classroom with Leo.

Laura offered Leo a seat, sat opposite him, took a deep breath, and asked.

"I'll ask you directly, Rail student. What is your true identity?"

Laura had brought the student records.

"I looked at the intermediate class student records, but Rail student's name wasn't there. The advanced class was the same."

Laura looked at the student who had suddenly appeared in the lower class today with a serious expression.

"Moreover, the magical ability you showed in the duel with Teacher Othran earlier, that wasn't at a first-year level. No. It would be more accurate to say it wasn't at a student level."

Othran was also a star mage whose achievements were by no means low.

Such an Othran was defeated without being able to do anything.

'He was like Lady Luna from the stories.'

Laura also genuinely respected Luna.

As such, she was well-versed in Luna's anecdotes.

It was a famous story that Luna often showed genius abilities in her childhood, according to historical documents.

At Laura's question, Leo smiled slightly.

"You're not a Seyrune student, are you?"

"Indeed. Then who are you?"

"My name is Leo Plov. I'm the student council president of Lumern."

"What?"

Laura was startled by the unexpected identity.

Laura had expected Leo to be an elven hero whose name was already on the Hero Record.

But that expectation was pleasantly proven wrong.

'To think he was a student from Lumern… and that he was the Leo Plov!'

Laura, too, had already heard Leo's name.

Leo's influence on elven society had been immense since his first year.

Laura herself had been moved by the magic spell formula of the flower-blooming magic that Leo had interpreted.

He had obtained Polium as a reward in Luna's World and performed remarkably in the Luseran.

More recently, he even tackled the conquest of Dwenno's world.

Laura was at a loss for words when a hero candidate she had hoped to meet in this Seru War suddenly appeared before her eyes.

"Are you, are you really Leo Plov? Why are you in Seyrune…?"

"I came through the newly established exchange student program."

"Ah!"

Laura gasped.

And she could understand why he had come to the first-year lower class.

"…Seyrune has committed an immense disrespect towards Rail… no, Leo student. As a teacher of Seyrune, I apologize."

Laura bowed her head and apologized to Leo.

"It's not something you need to apologize for, Teacher."

Leo dissuaded Laura with a bitter smile.

Laura smiled bitterly, looking at Leo.

"I'm only showing embarrassing sides. Seyrune wasn't originally a school like this."

Laura's face darkened.

"My class students are not children who should be in the lower class either… They are all excellent children, but…"

Seeing Laura, who genuinely worried about her students, Leo spoke.

"In their current state, they'd probably struggle to even cross the threshold of the intermediate class, let alone the advanced class."

"…Yes."

At Leo's words, Laura nodded with difficulty.

"If this is the case… it might be better not to be in Seyrune at all. Seyrune's current methods are wrong."

Laura raised her eyes and said.

Just as the lower-class students had strived.

Laura also struggled, using all means possible to somehow help her students.

She continuously submitted petitions to the Seyrune upper echelons, requesting opportunities for the lower-class children.

She sought help so they could blossom their abilities as knights and summoners.

But now she realized it was useless.

'At this rate, the children will be ruined.'

Laura gritted her teeth.

The position of a Seyrune teacher she had wanted was not like this.

"Teacher."

"Yes?"

"Would you like to try changing Seyrune with me?"

Laura's eyes widened.

"If we fail, you might be expelled from Seyrune. But if we succeed, you'll be able to change Seyrune."

For an elf, becoming a teacher at Seyrune was an immense honor.

Second only to having one's name on the Hero Record.

At Leo's words, Laura smiled.

"I have no desire to be a teacher at a Seyrune like this. Do you have a plan?"

***

The next day.

At Laura's call, all the lower-class students came to the classroom.

Laura spoke, looking at the students whose eyes were somewhat dazed.

"Everyone."

Laura took a deep breath.

"As you all know, Seyrune has abandoned you."

At those words, the students' eyes widened.

"Keugh!"

"…Damn it!"

Expletives poured out from here and there.

Some female students covered their faces and shed tears, and even the male students choked up.

Just a few months ago, they had entered Seyrune with great dreams as hero candidates of the elves.

But they were abandoned by the school even before taking midterms.

Of course, everyone had felt that fact.

They had just been denying it.

Anri also had a dazed expression.

"If you remain in this school, you'll probably only be treated as stepping stones for intermediate and advanced class students."

Laura said with an expressionless face.

"I cannot tolerate that. Because as your homeroom teacher, I know better than anyone how excellent you all are."

"Then… what should we do?"

Anri asked with a trembling voice.

Laura spoke, looking at Anri.

"You'll have to make a choice. Rail student."

At Laura's words, Leo entered the class.

Leo held a grimoire in his hand.

"I believe everyone saw Rail student's star magic skills yesterday."

That was true.

Leo's magical skill was outstanding, enough to defeat the teacher in charge of the advanced class 1.

Because of that, one question arose.

'Why is he in the lower class?'

"Aren't you curious why Rail student is in the lower class?"

At Laura's question, the students looked flustered.

"What's the reason?"

When Anri cautiously asked, Leo said.

"Because I read a forbidden book designated by Seyrune."

Thud-!

Leo placed the grimoire on the teacher's desk.

He stood it up so the lower-class students could see the title.

Anri, sitting in the front row, read the title.

"Introduction to Star Magic…? W-wait! Isn't this a thesis written by a professor from Lumern's Magic Department?"

"What?"

"Why is that here?!"

The first-years hastily stood up from their seats and backed away to the rear of the classroom.

Leo had a strange expression, seeing them act as if they had seen a plague.

Holding the book, Leo approached the students who had fled to the back of the classroom.

"Hieek!"

"Oh, don't come!"

The students fled from Leo with fearful expressions.

'This is interesting.'

Leo, with a mischievous smile, grabbed the fleeing Anri and forcibly placed the grimoire in his hand.

"Read it once."

"Hieek!"

Anri, who was terrified as if he had touched something scary, whimpered and threw the grimoire away.

If Wren had seen it, he might have foamed at the mouth for throwing away the grimoire he had written.

Leo snatched the grimoire floating in the air.

Laura smiled wryly at the sight.

"That grimoire is a first-class forbidden book designated by Seyrune. You all know that merely mentioning it incurs severe punishment, and bringing it in would lead to a major penalty."

At Laura's words, the students nodded.

"Rail student was demoted to the lower class because he possessed that grimoire."

"Ah…"

"As expected…"

The students sighed.

"I also heard the reason from Rail student and read the contents of [Introduction to Star Magic]."

"Huh?"

"No!"

"T-then Teacher Laura might lose your teaching position too!"

The students looked startled.

Laura smiled faintly, looking at the students who worried about her.

"I don't want to teach at a Seyrune like this."

Laura, who spoke gently but firmly, continued.

"As a result of reading the grimoire, there is nothing wrong with the content, no. Rather, I strongly felt that this grimoire should be widely spread among the elves as well."

[Introduction to Star Magic] written by Wren and Anna.

Because it could potentially destroy the 'specialness' of 'star magic' that only they possessed, Seyrune condemned it as heresy and designated it as a forbidden book.

'But the effect is certain.'

Most of the second-year magic students at Lumern who read the grimoire had entered the path of star magic.

Soon, Lumern planned to expand the class, which had been a pilot program for second-year students only, to all years of magic students.

Star magic was the unique magic of elves.

This book, which allowed anyone, even non-elves, to enter star magic, was literally a tremendous innovation.

If one couldn't keep up with innovation and progress in magic, there was only one word for it.

'Regression.'

Leo clicked his tongue.

'At this rate, star magic will no longer be the magic symbolizing elves.'

Tina must be worried about that point too.

No, any elf with foresight would be feeling a sense of future unease.

'Naturally, elves will adapt much better to this magic system created by Wren and Anna.'

Star magic was originally heavily influenced by mana properties.

That's why even among elves, wizards who achieved outstanding results in general magic sometimes had low achievements in star magic.

"If you master the contents of this grimoire, your achievement in star magic will greatly improve. Then Seyrune will realize it too. The fact that this grimoire shouldn't be designated as forbidden and shunned, but actively embraced. If that happens, the current Seyrune will also change."

At Laura's words, the students swallowed dryly.

"Instead, if Seyrune doesn't change, it will be expulsion. In that case, I will also leave Seyrune without regret. You will probably also be expelled."

Laura looked at the students.

"I won't force you. The choice is yours."

Would they remain in the lower class as they were?

Or would they challenge themselves to change Seyrune, even at the risk of expulsion?

The eyes of the lower-class students, faced with a binary choice, wavered.

Anri, who had been acting as the class representative in the lower class, spoke with a trembling voice.

"We…"