Book 1 Chapter 13
Episode 12
Professor Owen, the gorilla, seemed to possess considerable skill in magic, not just in rhetoric. As befits a professor.
Huber and his partner, who went to get their papers graded before anyone else, had successfully produced the answers for the assignment.
Owen quickly skimmed the answer sheet, then placed his hand on the drawing paper and channeled magic power. As he did, light filled the rings of the magic circle drawn on the drawing paper, and at the moment the light peaked, it created a hazy vapor inside the classroom before suddenly disappearing.
"The runes of 'Steam' (蒸) and 'Vanishing' (逝) are working perfectly. This is a good performance in such a short time."
The drawing paper, on which a complex magic circle had been drawn, was now a blank sheet. This was because, as the magic activated, the magic circle had transferred from the tangible world to the psychic world.
"Don't puff up your shoulders, you monkeys from the Eight Great Schools. You are from the Eight Great Schools! And from the Rohwinnum School that controls wind! You should have solved this in two minutes. That's why it's a C grade."
Huber narrowed his eyes.
"Why C? I was the fastest in the class, and the mathematical formula was probably perfect."
"You should know the hidden answer best, my monkey friend."
Feeling stung, Huber closed his mouth.
"I don't know? Why on earth?"
Just as Melanie, his partner, was about to start protesting, the boy let out a voice mixed with a yawn.
"If the evaluation's over, could you move along now?"
Huber's eyes, turning back this way, wavered. He also felt the attention of other students focusing on the podium. After all, it was unbelievable that they had already finished after such an incident.
Professor Owen also raised an eyebrow, as if intrigued.
In Kristal's hand, a sheet of drawing paper fluttered in the spring breeze. The strong scent of ink, which formed the written magic circle, spread out.
"Now please evaluate ours, Professor."
Constructing a written magic circle was a battle against time. No matter how talented one was in magic, unless they had the talent for 'writing numbers quickly,' they were bound to take a similar amount of time as others. Therefore, in contrast to mental calculation, it was famous as a method of magic use where the gap in talent between geniuses and ordinary people narrowed.
- For that reason, most of the mages in the Empire are written mages.
Of course, its limitations were as clear as its advantages. This was because its ability to create and handle variables was overwhelmingly inferior compared to mental calculation mages. Therefore, to reach the level of an Archmage or the position of a Sage, one absolutely had to become a mental calculation mage. Excluding unique magic that individuals manifested themselves, they could select from common magic created by adults to suit the situation.
Miranjo's Great Blue Dominion, Orvos' Heavenly Flame Strike, Lin's Thunder Field Defense, and so on…
Written mages were called Remidier-type mages because they would collect pre-drawn magic circles like books and take them out to suit the situation. This means "those who read."
The reason for telling this story is to explain that most Remidier-type mages spend a similar amount of time constructing magic circles.
"Did you really complete it? How unpleasant! Your Magus House was beaming with joy, thinking of expelling these rookies!"
"If we can't use magic just because of a bit of wind, we wouldn't be able to call ourselves mages anywhere."
"I like your ambition! Though it's barely the size of my mother's booger."
Professor Owen accepted the drawing paper submitted by Kristal.
Huber, who had stepped aside to watch, clearly showed signs of doubting his eyes. Watching that would have been interesting, but the assignment wasn't over yet.
"Hmm?"
As Professor Owen examined the answer sheet, his eyes suddenly wavered.
"The magic circle… it's different from what I presented."
He knew what he was talking about. The magic circle Owen presented was a double fan-shape, meaning a magic circle with only wind magic properties.
"Yes. One is a fan shape, and the other is a circle (圓)."
It was a magic circle in the form of a large circle embracing a fan shape. A circular magic circle bestows water properties upon magic. In short, this was a dual-attribute magic circle, possessing both water and wind properties simultaneously.
"The reason?"
"The rune of 'Steam' (蒸) has good compatibility with water-attribute magic. We utilized the fact that if water-attribute magic is used as the basic foundation, the mathematical formula for constructing this rune becomes considerably simplified."
"That's right, in that case, the answer required by the rune of 'Steam' (蒸) can be found with just a linear equation."
Then Kristal looked at him with an incomprehensible expression.
"What? That doesn't even come up in middle school classes. Where did you learn something like that?"
"That just means middle school classes are strange. You can't say you're using magic perfectly until you've accurately mastered the runes."
"So you shortened the time to the minimum based on your understanding of runes?"
Owen placed his hand on the drawing paper, as if amused.
"But whether this is skill or an eccentricity, I'll only know by seeing it directly."
"Please check it."
"You're so confident I almost want to punch you! As a dual-attribute magic circle, the difficulty of the formula that must be used for 'Vanishing' (逝) would have actually increased, wouldn't it?"
While the mathematical formula required by the rune of 'Steam' (蒸) might have been simplified, the overall difficulty had jumped several times. If there was even one mistake in the mathematical calculations when casting magic, the magic would not activate properly.
"Magic power infusion."
The magic power flowing from Owen's palm breathed life into the magic circle on the drawing paper. Light began to permeate the boldly extending curves, straight lines, and numbers drawn in ink, and the next moment, with a dazzling explosion, it overlaid the unreal onto reality.
Steam (蒸).
Droplets, hazy vapor rose in the wind dancing in the air.
The next moment, Vanishing (逝).
The vapor spread in all directions as if unfurling white wings, then suddenly vanished.
"……!"
"……!"
"……!"
A magical feast that was somehow different from the textbook solution presented by the Rohwinnum School duo, even conveying an artistic sense. In fact, it was written that he experienced three confusions, but to list them accurately, there were four confusions. It seemed not only the boy but also other students were confused.
The gorilla, no, Professor Owen, who had been arrogantly sitting on the podium… wasn't he smiling contentedly and clapping?
"It's been almost 13 years since I started teaching, and I've met countless geniuses, but you two are the first to show such an innovative solution to this problem."
He later found out that Owen was a gorilla who had never once praised his own disciples.
"It truly infuriates me, but I will give you an S grade. The highest grade I have never once given for such a pop quiz."
Then a cheerful light returned to Kristal's eyes, which had been dark with despair. She couldn't believe the situation at all and kept looking alternately at Owen and the boy.
The boy lightly greeted first.
"You flatter us."
Kristal, clenching both hands tightly, also shouted.
"Thank you!"
That scene brought a faint smile to his lips, accompanied by an inexplicable shiver. Because it brought to mind Lin clenching his fists when he was praised by the Dean Auntie at some point in the past. For some reason, it felt like he had helped his past self at that moment.
Of course, there was still an unresolved issue, so his gaze on Kristal was quickly withdrawn. He approached Huber, who was watching the situation as if dumbfounded, so closely that their foreheads almost touched, and silently stared into his eyes. For a few seconds.
I know everything you did.
This time I'll let it slide, but there won't be a next time.
* * *
The rumor that Owen, the gorilla, gave an S grade from the very first class seemed to be quite extraordinary. The entire school was already abuzz before the first day's class ended at lunchtime. When descending the stairs or walking through the corridors to eat lunch at the cafeteria, these stories could be heard:
"Huber, that idiot, got a C? Hah, I knew it!"
"It's not surprising. Kristal probably did it all by herself anyway."
"Oh, what a shame. If I had been in the same class instead of Huber… they'd both be unable to show their faces by now♪"
They were disciples of a famous school, yet it was not surprising that all the credit for the S grade went to Kristal. Kristal, Owen, and Huber probably knew the truth. That was enough.
All day that day, Kristal, the dullard, was acting strangely. She didn't say anything until school was out, then suddenly spoke up when Owen finished his closing remarks and left the classroom.
"Hey, Rain Ludwig."
"Why?"
"Today… what was it, thanks."
The last words were mumbled in a creeping voice, so they weren't heard clearly, but the meaning was certainly understood. He thought, she's similar again. To his past self, who was shy even about saying 'thank you.'
After mumbling that, she seemed to quickly dart out of the classroom, but then turned back and said:
"I'll repay this debt when we meet again, so don't make a big deal out of it. Got it? You and I are rivals, and helping each other once is enough."
If they had parted ways for a long time like that, it might have been cool… but life is truly full of interesting things.
Today was the opening ceremony, and dormitory assignment time awaited. The dormitory, Twin Dragon Hall (雙龍殿). It was said to be named that because two identically-shaped dragons each coiled around twin towers.
The left tower was [Truth (眞)].
The right tower was [Reason (理)].
Dormitory assignments were primarily divided according to social status. Nobles went to [Truth], and commoners to [Reason]. It was said that they used to be mixed randomly, but conflicts became frequent, so they were divided in this way.
Next, they were divided by academic performance and year. It was a simple structure where the higher the year and the higher the entrance exam scores, the higher floors they occupied.
"What floor are you on? Kristal Warden, who said she'd definitely repay her debt when we meet again."
"The highest floor among the first-years, I suppose. And I told you not to make a big deal out of it!"
Kristal, meeting him again, pinched his side with a flushed face and went up the stairs. Gertrude gave a light nod and followed behind her.
Students admitted through the supplementary exam were said to be on the lowest floor. Since it was the lowest floor, there was no need to climb stairs. He liked that.
"Look at that, first floor. The eldest son of the Ludwig family."
"Hah, unbelievable. Hey, I don't know why the young master took the supplementary exam, but if he had taken the regular exam, he would've been in the room next to Kristal Warden."
"Who'd believe that? If he really had the skill, he would've taken the regular exam."
The murmuring voices of commoner students, who were peeking in from outside, could be heard.
Would a typical noble get offended? But Rain had no inclination to, nor did he feel the need. Such treatment was familiar from Lin's life.
He held his student ID, a dragon ring, received from the dormitory warden, to the door. A magic circle brilliantly rose on the surface of the door, resonating with the ring. The magic circle rotated like interlocking gears, then with a *clunk*, the latch of room 107 disengaged and the door opened.
'The dormitory is a single room…'
There were also double rooms, but descendants of prestigious families were assigned single rooms. Facilities necessary for study, such as a desk, bed, bookshelf, and magical lighting tools, were perfectly provided.
"Hah, what is this, a magic tower experience…?"
Magic towers were the homelands of each school, in other words, the towers of mages. They were generally built in nature, far from urban centers, to distance themselves from worldly commotion, and where Lin had been was no exception.
Interesting. Perhaps to help them quickly adapt to magic tower life later…?
'Even in the past, I was cooped up in a room like this, solely dedicated to studying magic.'
Recalling the magic tower of the Osarius School, the home of his soul, an uncontrollable sadness welled up, and he quickly shook his head to dispel the memories.
- Lin, will you promise me?
He flopped onto the bed, stuffed with fluffy feathers, and as he reached out his hand to the magical lighting tool on the ceiling, a shadow fell across his face.
Long, pale fingers. The hand of a noble, who had never experienced any hardship in life. A hand he couldn't have imagined as Lin, a first day at university he couldn't have imagined as Lin.
'It still doesn't feel real.'
The first day's class was interesting but not beneficial. There was nothing to learn. It might have been better to just raid the Papal Court and search through Lin's corpse. The problem was the status and abilities of this body. If he caused such a ruckus, the family's collapse would be effortless, and more importantly, he didn't yet have enough ability to do so.
'And my physical talent seems definitely inferior to when I was Lin…'
A magic circle was born on his palm and flared up like a flame. One, one, and another. A total of three layers of magic circles interlocked and rotated harmoniously. The moment a fourth magic circle was about to be added, a sharp pain shot through the scapula where the main seal was located, and the magic circle scattered into mist and disappeared.
'Still lacking magic power, so I can't use 4-star magic… Hmm.'
I'll have to find a way to diligently follow the school curriculum and also ensure thorough magic training.
─Flap.
Then, a sound of flapping wings came from the wide-open window. He looked up to see an owl perched on the windowsill.
"An owl?"
Mages used owls, the only birds with magic-sensing abilities, as a means of communication. On its leg was tied a wooden box the size of his own torso. Wondering who sent it, he took the wooden box to check it, but the owl flew outside.
[Rain Ludwig, Student of Delaiten Class 1388.]
It was a strange wooden box with no sender's name, only the recipient's. Was it his father?
"Oh?"
Inside the wooden box were two books. The larger one was clean, as if newly bound, while the smaller one's leather binding was so old and terribly corroded that pieces of leather were falling off.
His heart began to pound like crazy. His breathing grew ragged with intense déjà vu, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
『The Life and Achievements of Archmage Lin.』
The bigger problem was not the new book with that title, but the old book. Even without opening its pages, Rain knew what it was.
This was Lin's diary.
Not Rain, but Lin.
Not a diary from this life, but from his past life. The diary he always carried during his five-year expedition, recording the magic he devised and the spells he found in other regions. And which he entrusted to Rista at the very last moment…
"What, no, who is it?"
He muttered blankly, then ran to the window and looked out, but the owl was already gone.