Book 2 Chapter 8
Episode 32
“Teams 1 through 20, you will have 10 minutes to strategize, so please enter as soon as you are ready. Please note that after 10 minutes, your time will be measured even if you haven't entered the labyrinth yet.”
A labyrinth (迷宮) is, literally, 'a house that makes you lose your way.'
Although it has one entrance, once inside, it branches into many paths, making it virtually impossible for students to perfectly conquer the labyrinth in a short time.
Of course, Professor Kyle was well aware of this, so he created a total of twenty routes and used a method of deploying one team per path.
“What kind of magic, what kind of magic should we use?”
“Lighting magic! We’ll probably have to maintain it throughout the entire exploration time.”
“Idiot, we can’t use magic infinitely. What if we run out of magic power using lighting spells?! We should find branches to use as torches first!”
Students, steeped in confusion, engaged in heated discussions by team, but most of it was meaningless. The situation inside the labyrinth could only be known by entering it.
“Professor, you insist on this test every year for the freshman midterm exam. Is there a reason?”
Professor Kyle, who had been observing each murmuring student with interest, answered the assistant’s question.
“It is precisely when thrown into an adversity never experienced before that one can truly see a mage’s talent.”
“……?”
“In situations like this, one’s mind tends to go blank, so to speak; judgment deteriorates unlike usual, and movements become sluggish.”
“Ah, yes, that’s right.”
“However, unlike others, there are those who distinguish themselves even amidst such adversity.”
The first quality required of a mage is composure (沈着). One must be able to maintain coolness in any situation.
“This is merely a basic assessment to identify that aptitude… Mages who only study theory at a desk can never become first-rate.”
It would be correct to say that the Mage Alliance’s educational methods thus far lacked this sense of urgency and tension. That might be why the development of magic has stagnated.
“……”
As he spoke, Kyle’s gaze turned towards Krista Warden and Logan, who were called the Golden Generation.
‘Allowing these children to expand their thinking from a young age, that must be my duty now.’
Standing next to Logan, a handsome boy with black hair and red eyes opened his mouth.
“What should we do, Logan?”
“First, we enter the labyrinth, and wouldn’t it be over if we just beat everything we see?”
“Son, your way of thinking is so simple, I like it. Still, it’s better to properly plan a strategy for things like this.”
This is truly an interesting evaluation method. If we enter the labyrinth, we’ll have to use magic efficiently.
Lighting, defense, attack… If one doesn’t clearly understand their own limits before formulating a strategy, the chances of failure will be high.
As he squatted on the floor, organizing his thoughts with a twig, Krista approached and snorted.
“Lighting magic and the distribution of offensive and defensive magic, huh… Do you really think you can secure the top spot with such an ordinary method?”
At that, Logan, who was nearby, bristled.
“The magic that can be used in a labyrinth is pretty much all the same; how much different can you make it, and why are you showing off?”
“It would be faster to see that for yourself. If you’re curious, watch closely. Rein, you said earlier you were aiming for top honors, didn’t you?”
“……?”
“I’m sorry, but I’ve never yielded the top spot to anyone. Today will be no different. This time, I’ll definitely teach you. The difference in skill between you and me.”
As Krista toughly swept her hair back and stepped towards the labyrinth’s entrance, a timid-looking man, who appeared to be her teammate, followed behind her.
“Team 2, the test will now begin!”
When Krista boldly shouted, Professor Kyle nodded, and the assistant manipulated the magical device on his wrist.
ㆍTeam 2 - Passage No. 2.
ㆍTime - 00:00.
ㆍTargets - 32.
A contest to quickly and accurately annihilate the targets present in the assigned passage, faster than the competitors. Krista spread her palm.
“Arise, soldiers!”
The magic circle constructed above it was a double-layered rectangle, and the runes carved were Sa (使) and Jong (縱). It inscribed the traits ‘Sa (使: to obey commands)’ and ‘Jong (縱: to unleash for a long time)’ into earth-attribute magic.
Sss-ss-ss… Chwaaaak!
As soon as the magic circle shattered above her palm, sand soldiers clad in earth-colored armor majestically surged forth from the soil.
“Wow, what kind of casting speed is that?!”
“How many summoned creatures are there?”
“Over ten, no less!”
Oh… Kyle’s eyes sparkled.
The Warden family’s bloodline limit, created by the 2nd Sage, Riot Warden. It’s a 2-star magic, and the casting speed is incredible, but to be able to control twelve at once at that age is astonishing.
Beside him, the assistant’s mouth hung open.
“Is she indeed Professor Caroline’s star pupil? It’s truly admirable.”
In front of Kyle and the assistant, a window (窓) was open, showing the overall progress of the labyrinth. It was Kyle’s specialty, 3-star detection magic, Clairvoyance.
“Anyone can increase the number. The key lies in how perfectly one can control each of them individually.”
But that too was perfect.
When Rumlow, the other team member, located targets using lighting and detection magic, the sand soldiers rushed to that location and annihilated the caster’s enemies.
Her skill was so overwhelming that students even forgot to formulate their own strategies and focused on the window Kyle had conjured.
“Crazy, she moves twelve summoned creatures so freely…?”
“Those summoned creatures all seem like real living beings…?”
“Warden’s summoning magic was inorganic, wasn’t it…?”
To explain simply, summoning magic is divided into organic summoning and inorganic summoning.
Organic summoning is a method of forming a contract with a living spiritual being (靈物) and summoning it, while inorganic summoning was a method of creating and controlling non-living entities, like Warden’s sand soldiers.
Naturally, the latter demands the ultimate in magic power control from the caster.
“The amount of magic power needed to maintain all those must be no joke… She’s really something, isn’t she?”
When Rein unconsciously whistled, Logan made a dumbfounded expression.
“Isn’t that obvious? Krista, that person, is the most promising magical genius of our generation, you see.”
“She was that good?”
“No one doesn’t know. Even the elders of our faction strongly advised us to be careful of Krista.”
“Then what about me?”
“……”
“……?”
“Are you and I enemies? Aren’t we comrades who both love muscles?”
Oh, this guy’s trying to be clever, isn’t he?
When Rein chuckled, Logan also giggled. They had only chatted for a moment, but the situation was already concluding.
“Remaining targets: 3.”
“Remaining targets: 2.”
“Remaining targets: 1… Team 2, situation concluded. Time taken: 4 minutes 13 seconds.”
And as the assistant spoke in an astonished voice, the students gasped and exchanged glances.
“Crazy, she’s too fast!”
“Other teams haven’t even finished strategizing yet…”
“She already finished the test…?”
Such overwhelming test results came as a considerable surprise not only to the other students but also to Logan, a latecomer from the Eight Great Factions.
‘To handle twelve summoned creatures so freely… Now I clearly understand why the elders were so wary.’
And also why Wiebert, that insolent but clever fellow, had never once managed to defeat Krista in a test.
‘There was a reason she was considered a candidate for the next Mage Alliance leader since she was fifteen…!’
While other teams hadn’t even formulated a strategy on how to conquer the labyrinth, Krista Warden was already exiting the cave with light steps.
“Since I started teaching, your team is the second to pass this test within 5 minutes.”
At Professor Kyle’s high praise, she smiled as if such a result was only natural.
“‘With overwhelming power.’ That is our family tradition. This much is only natural.”
Professor Kyle also smiled gently. In the East, where the Warden family took root, 80% of the land is mountainous.
‘Members of Eastern families like Warden or Fenton, who grew up in such high-altitude regions, always possess vast physical strength and magic power as their strengths.’
But Krista Warden, this child, is completely different in caliber even when compared to other Wardens. Is she a genius and a hard worker at the same time?
‘But… she’s not a talent capable of changing the horizon of thought. Not yet.’
Swallowing a sigh of regret inwardly, what came out of Assistant Professor Kyle’s mouth as he scribbled on the evaluation sheet with his fountain pen was high praise.
“Krista Warden, Rumlow Beasley. I don’t know if I even need to say you’ve passed. I think it’s safe to say Team 2 will take the S grade, wouldn’t you agree?”
Krista Warden, with a gesture imbued with aristocratic arrogance, slightly lifted the hem of her skirt, performing a noble courtesy.
“Hmph, you flatter me!”
However, her gaze was directed not at Kyle but at Rein Ludwig… That provocative gaze was speaking volumes.
‘This is me.’
‘This is I, Krista Warden.’
‘I will not yield the top graduation spot to anyone.’
That silent shout, that gaze filled with non-hostile fighting spirit, Rein, who had been receiving them expressionlessly, finally saw the corners of his mouth curl up.
“This ‘test’ thing, it might be more interesting than I thought?”
* * *
The Eastern part of the Holy Human Empire.
The magical noble family that serves the Electors of the East, the Royal House of Thyslia, is none other than the Warden family.
“Our family has the shortest lineage among the magical noble families, but it’s the only family, besides the Page family, whose founder was a Sage.”
Producing a Sage was originally the pride of the bloodline, but from a certain point, it began to turn into a shackle.
“Did you hear? The head of the Warden family barely managed to achieve the Limitless (2-star) rank this time.”
“Are they really a magical noble family? Only dullards are coming out of it; I wonder if they shouldn’t just hand over their position to another family now.”
“Heh heh, where did the Sage’s genes go?”
The family’s rise was faster than any other family in the empire, but its decline was also faster than any other. It was in such circumstances that Krista Warden was born.
Her father was a mage who barely reached the Limitless (2-star) rank at forty-two, and her two older sisters were dullards who barely acquired the Bandoran (1-star) rank.
She felt pity for her family, who received all kinds of scorn from the world.
Every time they went to public events, every time she saw her family being subtly ignored, her fury surged.
“Why are Mom and Dad ignored by people?”
“……”
“Is it because they’re not capable mages? Then if a great mage emerges from our family, will such things disappear?”
“Krista…”
“If that’s the case, I’ll become the pinnacle of magic. I’ll become a great mage. So that a day can come when Mom and Dad won’t be ignored.”
Therefore, she vowed to restore both her parents’ tarnished honor and the family’s prestige, all by her own hand.
Thus, she would not lose to anyone. She would become the best in every environment. In school, in university, and in the Mage Alliance.
When she set such a goal, the girl was merely six years old.