The Grand Festival — Interlude (2)

Gastric fluids refluxed, and I poured the vomit into the bag I had prepared in advance.

My body shivered, fatigue swept over me, and my head ached. It definitely felt like overexertion.

"I'm really going to die."

I cleaned up the bag and gulped down water.

One more time.

Ignoring the strong aversion arising throughout my body, I devoted myself to training 7-star elemental magic.

It seemed like I was called a public enemy among the male students.

It was because of what White and Dorothy said during the contest. The rumor that "Isaac is a player" was highlighted again.

It was a dishonorable rumor for Princess White, so it seemed that rumors involving her were restrained.

However, the rumors between Dorothy and I were spreading wildly.

The Dorothy fan club guys glared at me with anger. I challenged them to a duel if they didn't like me, but none of those guys actually accepted my challenge…

…Instead, it was accepted by people like Tristan Humphrey, who had no interest in my love life, or those who just wanted to fight for the fun of it.

It seemed like I had to endure uncomfortable stares for a while. I intended to live quietly until the rumors died down.

Suddenly, a squeaking noise rang in my head, and a strange sensation flowed through my entire body.

The moment I sensed trouble, I was immediately struck by a sharp pain that made me writhe on the ground without mercy.

"Ugh...! Aaagh...!"

A symptom that could suddenly occur from overusing mana.

A pain that covered my entire body occurred briefly, feeling as if my flesh was being torn apart.

I hit my body hard several times. That made it a bit better.

I caught my breath and lay sprawled on the floor.

It felt like I was going to die.

***

"Is my approach wrong? It doesn't feel quite right..."

"..."

Lately, 7-star magic has been the main focus of my daily routine.

In the library, I occupied half of a table large enough to occupy several people with the books I had prepared. Behind me, Luce, on her tippytoes, rested her chin on my shoulder.

At first, she was a distraction, but since she helped with magic circle construction practice and formula modification, I now found myself relying on her.

If someone asked why she was there, I honestly wouldn't have known. She just appeared beside me at some point. It seemed like her ability to erase her presence was getting stronger by the day.

It wasn't the exam period, and the aftermath of the Grand Festival was still in the air. Fewer students were roaming the library than usual.

Therefore, occupying half of a large table wasn't considered a nuisance. Nonetheless, my conscience made me take the most isolated spot available.

"It's Senior Isaac."

"Can he even read like that?"

"Seems like a show-off."

Occasionally, students glanced over as they passed by, due to the many books sprawled across the table.

A total of 13 books. Elemental Studies, Intermediate Elemental Specifics, Advanced, and higher-level stages, among others.

I had all the books open, speed-reading through the necessary parts to aid in the composition of formulas. Without constructing proper formulas, one couldn't use magic.

That was my routine lately.

First, familiarizing senses. To handle 7-star magic, it was necessary to practice harmoniously blending the sensations of using various spells. It was essentially groundwork. It felt like my head and mana circuits were going to explode, but I was repeating that dreadful task countless times on the training grounds every day.

Second, constructing formulas. From 7-star magic onwards, my mana circuit conditions must also be considered when devising formulas. That was hard enough, but the process of devising and mastering the basic formulas, which are the foundation of magic, was incredibly difficult.

I repeated the task of drawing magic circles or creating formulas that needed to be calculated on the parchment I brought in abundance. Given the number of books, it wasn't a task that could be done sitting down.

Since the maximum number of books that could be borrowed at one time was 3, there was no helping it here. I wanted to master 7-star magic as soon as possible.

It was all to defeat the Evil God and survive.

I couldn't afford to care about the students' stares, now could I?

"Is it hard?"

"It will take some time to figure this out on my own. Mastering it is another issue."

Similar to someone trying to obtain a certification by attending online or academy lectures, it was a moment when the help of someone became crucial.

There were various reasons why talented individuals attended academies.

Psychological stimulation through competition, networking, and acquiring a diploma that would set one up for life, among other reasons.

Among these reasons, there was also for purely learning proper and efficient methods of mana usage and spell casting. That was precisely why I was so focused on my classes.

At that time, I gained a lot by learning various operational methods for each elemental magic and acquired crucial magical knowledge. Self-teaching and developing incorrect habits would virtually be a waste of quality talent.

Here, a drawback of the academy became apparent. Students of similar levels received the same education. This was the biggest reason for the division between those who favored private tutoring and those who supported the academy. The only solution seemed to be receiving private tutoring during the vacations.

Even the high-level Class A currently had a curriculum specialized in training 5 and 6-star magic.

My current situation was akin to someone who scored a top grade in the social studies section of the high school entrance exam deciding to tackle a law exam problem set. No, it was even more absurd than that.

But if only I could grasp the direction of the operation.

Perhaps I, with my maxed [Magic Training Efficiency] and [Learning Efficiency], could manage the rest on my own.

Luce took her chin off my shoulder, looked at the parchment, and sighed softly.

"If only I had the ice element, it would have been better. I'm not of much help."

"You've been a lot of help. Sorry, but stay by my side a little longer. I'll repay you later."

"I won't say no to that."

Luce smiled gently, then fell into thought.

After a while, she said…

"Isaac."

"Hmm?"

"I just thought of a good idea."

***

Crash!

"Ugh?!"

Luce barged into the Professor's office in Orphin Hall, dragging me along.

As soon as we opened the door, it looked like a zombie was there. No, not a zombie, but the graduate student Marco.

I was shocked at his dreadful appearance, but he seemed just as surprised, falling over in his chair.

Luce glared at the fallen Marco, maintaining a poker face, and uttered just two words.

"Professor."

"Wha-?"

"Location."

"T-the..."

Overwhelmed by the ferocity of the second-year top seat, Marco, with a face full of fear, pointed towards the office.

Luce, holding my wrist, walked towards the inner office.

Luce began turning the doorknob even before knocking. Disregarding etiquette, she brazenly swung the door open.

As the door abruptly opened, Professor Fernando Frost, a handsome silver-haired man working on documents at his office desk, came into view.

"Is that Luce Eltania? And behind her... Isaac, I see."

Without replying as if to say, "What about it?" Luce dragged me towards the office desk.

Standing in front of the desk, Luce looked at Professor Fernando and got straight to the point.

"I need a teacher."

Though still lacking in manners, she had made significant progress.

This was Luce, who used to avoid even the slightest conversation with others unless it was an official occasion. This much was considered a great leap forward for her.

The process might have been somewhat radical, but it was, nonetheless, a bittersweet development.

"So, Luce Eltania, you're telling me you barged into my office without permission because you wanted to see me, your teacher?"

"Just a moment."

Still, manners should be minded. That was too brash of us. It would be best if I made amends now.

The plan Luce suggested would be really beneficial for me if it worked out. Now that things had come to this, I couldn't just be indebted to her.

I stepped in front of Luce, pushed up my glasses, and put on a friendly smile.

"Professor, it's been a while since I've become a second-year. Have you been well?"

"Unfortunately, it's too late for formalities. State your business."

Professor Fernando was calm, but I could tell he was upset through [Psychological Insight].

I needed to get straight to the point.

"I would like to meet Aria Lilias, the Tower Master of Hegel Magic Tower."

Aria Lilias.

She was the mentor of Professor Fernando Frost, a person not easily accessible under normal circumstances. However, she was someone who always made time for the professor.

I already knew this through my knowledge of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, and Luce said she found out by chance during her internship at the magic tower.

Professor Fernando frowned.

"Why?"

"Because, to my knowledge, she's the most proficient in magic theory on this island, and she specializes in the ice element."

To be precise, she specialized in both ice and water.

"Who told you that?"

When I subtly gestured towards Luce, who had undergone apprenticeship at Hegel's Tower, Professor Fernando quickly understood.

"I wish to master 7-star magic. I'm having trouble finding the right direction and was hoping for your assistance. Could you possibly help me, just this once, out of goodwill for being a Class D student of yours last year?"

"..."

Most students graduate from Märchen Academy having mastered up to 5-star magic.

While they did learn 6-star magic, academy students were still at a student level. Very few manage to master 6-star magic before graduating.

Even the 7-star magic was something that only the seniors in their third year, the final year, specifically those in Class A, barely managed to grasp in theory.

Initially, those proficient in handling and teaching 7-star magic were in such high demand that they wouldn't settle for merely being professors at an academy.

However, the story changed with Aria Lillias.

Her mana mastery, as seen in various exams, was unparalleled. Moreover, it was hard to find a tower master who couldn't handle magic of 7 stars or higher, even in a smaller-scale tower like Hegel's.

"Last year, you were a poor student in Class D, and now, you want to learn 7-star magic, which even elite wizards might barely manage to master after thirty years... Are you out of your mind?"

Professor Fernando, seemingly incredulous, let out a chuckle of disbelief and leaned back in his chair.

He was well aware of the fact that I was considered a genius; I was known as someone whose talent blossomed late due to circumstances.

Perhaps for that reason, no one at the academy, including Professor Fernando, doubted my talent anymore.

"Privately providing unequal educational opportunities is something I, as a professor at the academy, could be censured for. Were you aware of this when seeking my help?"

"Isn't it the duty of a professor to extend educational opportunities to students who wish to learn in-depth?"

I wasn't suggesting becoming a graduate student.

"I'm sorry for barging into your office without permission and being so direct with my request. But I really do need your help, Professor Fernando."

I bowed. Luce looked taken aback, but after I nudged her, she smartly bowed her head as well.

Though Professor Fernando might seem indifferent on the outside, he was actually quite generous and took great pleasure in seeing his students grow. So, there was a chance he would help.

A sigh from Professor Fernando followed.

"That comment wasn't meant to spark a debate about the responsibilities of a professor, you know."

Professor Fernando tapped his pen against the desk.

"Why go to such lengths? You've already achieved so much in such a short time. With your rate of growth, you'd be able to master 7-star magic much faster than most students. Wouldn't it be better to hone your skills up to the 6-star level according to the academy's curriculum?"

Professor Fernando's point was valid.

For example, knowing how to use [Frost Explosion] didn't mean you had mastered everything about it. 5-star spells could be utilized in various forms, and their applications were plentiful.

Moreover, there were many spells up to 6-star that would have been beneficial to learn.

In essence, graduating after thoroughly mastering spells from 1-star to 6-star meant one had truly made the most out of the academy.

The problem was, that the enemy I must defeat was the Evil God. Within the three years, or rather, less than three years of my academy tenure, I had to reach a significantly higher realm.

"Well, my reasons are…"

I straightened up and met eyes with Professor Fernando.

"...I aspire to reach an even higher realm, Professor."

There was no better excuse than the desire for improvement.

After making eye contact with me for a while, Professor Fernando blinked slowly and then turned his gaze back to the documents.

"In that case—"

Bang

[It's not a bad idea.]

Suddenly, a small magic tool, a messenger, hidden under the wardrobe, flew towards us.

Given the pretty decorations, it seemed to belong to someone of high status.

When Aria Lilias's voice was heard, Professor Fernando was the most shocked. His poker face collapsed as he widened his eyes.

"Teacher?"

[Student, bring these children to where I am in a week.]

"More importantly, why did your messenger pop out from there? This is almost like stalking..."

[There's no need to ask such useless questions.]

I remember reading in the setting of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ that Aria Lilias cherished all the students she had ever taught.

But that... As Professor Fernando said, it seemed almost like stalking. She had been listening in on how the professor had been in his office, right...?

[Student, your name?]

The messenger approached right in front of my face.

"I am Isaac."

[If you wish to become my student, passing a test is mandatory. Everything else comes later. In a week from now, I will test whether you have the capabilities to become my student. Be prepared in advance. You too.]

The messenger also glanced at Luce and spoke.

Why her?

With a click, the messenger's transmission ended, and it went back under the wardrobe.

Professor Fernando abruptly stood up and created an ice rod using [Ice Generation].

He rummaged under the wardrobe with it, picked up the messenger, and headed towards the window.

The messenger activated again, and a voice flowed out.

[Ungrateful bastard. Do you dare to cast me aside so disrespectfully? Cease your actions this instant and reconsider…!]

Whoosh.

Bang.

Professor Fernando threw the messenger out the window and immediately shut the window firmly.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he returned to his original place.

"...Is she always like that?"

"Haa. It's nothing new."

Professor Fernando's sigh reverberated throughout the room.