Chapter 53

Epherene and Sylvia, who were trying series applications, were now damp with sweat. Sylvia somehow succeeded, but Epherene was one step behind.

"Beck. Lucia. Come."

I asked other debutantes to apply the series as well.

Confused, the next duo just drew formulas. There was more intuition than logic in their magic and only intuition.

"… Enough."

I turned off the crystal protecting the classroom. It dismantled its barrier and reverted the scenery around us to a regular lecture room.

"This shows where your levels are. It's my fault for overestimating you. Sit down."

The debutantes did as instructed.

"I was going to teach you to see magic as logic, not intuition. Without a theoretical framework, intuition is bound to get lost."

Of course, this was an unfamiliar method, making it difficult for them to comprehend it. It was even more annoying since they would probably go back to square one.

"…"

I didn't spare any efforts to teach them. In fact, there was probably no professor more faithful to education than I was.

For it, I scoured all methodologies, the game system, and even books from ancient theocracies, which was rumored to be more magically prosperous.

Logic was emphasized in the past, and even I thought it was 'systematically correct,' but in reality, only five or six people could embody this teaching.

In short, reality hit me in the face.

"I will explain it in detail again."

There were several 'bonus systems' in the game.

Attribute bonuses, series bonuses, combination bonuses, harmony bonuses, etc…

Attribute bonuses, of course, meant boosting performance and reducing magic consumption when using attributes that matched the character's talent, and series bonuses were no different.

However, harmony bonuses were a little more complicated.

To start with, this game's system made learning magic much more complicated than just reading magic books.

It required practical proficiency in magic and the process of 'internalizing' it, which the people at our company called [Understanding]. That process took a reasonable amount of time, even within the game.

Harmony bonuses were activated when the resonance between one's [Understanding] and practical proficiency was perfect.

I wanted to teach the debutantes how to activate them.

"Observe closely."

I picked up the chalk with [Psychokinesis] and drew [Wildfire]'s formula on one column of the blackboard and the formula of the auxiliary series on the other column. I then wrote down the process of connecting them in detail.

This lecture had turned into an analog class.

"[Wildfire] has a special effect when applied to an 'auxiliary series.' Memorize the entire connection between this formula and the circuit."

If it was difficult to understand, then they should start at memorization.

Debutantes were required to be at a certain level to enter the Imperial University Tower, considering there would be many cases where they would have to memorize difficult information and, more often than not, understand it afterward.

"When applied to the 'Destruction' series, [Thundercloud] has a special effect. Memorize this too."

I wrote about the 'logic' of transplanting each pure element into its appropriate series.

Scratch—

Six pieces of chalk moved at the same time. In consideration of readability and understandability, the colors of the core circuits were also different.

I hoped this level of detail would help the students.

"[Metal Rust], which treats metal like a blade, unexpectedly exhibits a special effect when applied to the 'summoning' series. You do not yet know its mysterious depth, so just memorize it."

I wrote ceaselessly, stopping not even for a moment until the blackboard was filled with geometrical objects that seemed like patterns. There were almost thousands of lines and circles applied in a total of eight magical series.

It was a two-hour class.

"Time's up."

There was no answer.

Half of them looked exhausted, and the other half was still taking notes.

A little later, I looked at the blackboard.

The huge, nearly-5-meter-high blackboard was covered in formulas.

"Feel and bask yourselves in the sense of helplessness that cannot be solved by intuition alone. You have to experience that to know what you lack and need."

They would keep thinking their plan was plausible until they hit a barrier that it couldn't break.

Once they did, they'd change their mind.

"I am going to give a simple exam right away next week. Be sure to prepare for it." I added coldly.

Looking at the clock, I noticed it was already 11 seconds past 6 o'clock.

I left the classroom feeling very uncomfortable.

* * *

As soon as the class was over, Epherene headed to the library. Today's class was quite complicated and difficult.

['Logical' application of [Wildfire] to support series.]

['Logical' application of [Thunderclouds] to destruction series.]

['Logical' application of [Metal Rust] to summoning series.]

[★Important★ Efforts must be made to look at it 'logically,' that is, 'magically']

According to Deculein, in magic, if intuition was walking, logic was paving the way. Intuition alone could get one lost.

Of course, basic magic and problems could be solved by intuition alone. Rather, it might actually be more efficient to do so. The knowledge they had accumulated thus far would help them gain insight anyway.

However, when faced with difficult magic that couldn't be controlled by intuition or when delving into the magical unknown for the first time, the 'path' called 'logic' would prove far more useful.

"… This is hard."

It was great information and could prove extremely functional in the future.

The problem was its difficulty.

At first, it started with something as simple as 1+1.

She felt like she just closed her eyes for a moment and opened them to a blackboard full of geometric formulas and mathematical operations that explained the circuit.

"How the hell did Deculein know about this…"

No matter how much she thought about it, so many things contradicted her father's letter.

If so, did he also have some degree of theoretical competence?

Or did he learn from her father?

Or did he hire another person to take her father's place?

"… Let's just study."

After learning and familiarizing herself with it, she decided to try again later.

Professor Deculein seemed to be openly challenging them.

[12:00 PM]

She started at noon, but by the time she finished studying like crazy, it was already past midnight.

Epherene put her thick notebook in her bag and stood up.

On the way back to the dormitory, she passed an alleyway.

"…!"

Finding people holding an interesting conversation in it, Epherene instinctively hid.

She identified the round silhouette to be Professor Relin. The thin silhouette was Professor Ciare.

"… What do you mean Louina is missing? Is that really true, Professor Ciare?"

"Yes, it is. I even watched her leave after completing Her Majesty's lessons, but her whereabouts became unknown after that."

"Why now of all times… No way, no way! Head Professor Deculein?!"

"Shh. Shhhhhhh."

Epherene's eyes widened.

"The Magic Association has more information. Her disappearance is still a secret. There is fear that the tower will fall into chaos if it leaks out."

"Yes. But this is an odd time. The countersigning is coming soon…"

Epherene, who had shut her mouth and held her breath, gasped as soon as they left.

"… Kidnap? Missing?"

Even Epherene knew about Louina.

Not only was it the name she read in her father's letter, but it was also one of the special, talented people of the current magic world.

"No way."

The professors' words weren't always true, and she couldn't give herself the luxury to worry about others.

What was her current bank account balance?

She received support worth 100,000 Elnes at the beginning of the semester.

Of these, 85,000 Elnes were spent for magic books, writing instruments for wizards, departments, and events, and 5,000 Elnes were sacrificed for food, so her remaining money was only 10,000 Elnes…

"Miss Luna?"

As soon as she arrived at the dormitory, the housekeeper in the lobby called her.

"Yes?"

Epherene walked over to her as the housekeeper raised her pointed glasses with her fingers, but contrary to the impression she made, she was the most reliable person in this building.

"I have received several letters addressed to you. Take it. I didn't put them in your mailbox since the other kids might rip them."

"Oh, yes. Thank you for always keeping an eye out for me."

"You're welcome."

Epherene saw the letter as she climbed the stairs.

One was a letter from her hometown, and the other was…

Epherene's eyes became the size of a ping-pong ball.

It was a sponsorship certificate.

She hurriedly opened it and found it was worth 100,000 Elnes again this time.

"Wow…"

The deed shone like gold, causing her pupils to gleam.

'By any chance, did this person hear that I finished second in the midterm exams? Does this mean for as long as I maintain my grades in the future, he'll continue to support me?'

Epherene smiled brightly and put the certificate in her arms. Then she looked at the letter from her hometown.

"…!"

As soon as she finished doing so, she turned around and ran to the magistrate.

"H-Hey!" She yelled as she opened the door. The administrative staff who greeted people at night looked at her in annoyance.

"Yes."

"I received my sponsorship certificate today…"

The letter from her grandmother contained something that she didn't know.

300,000 Elnes was deposited to them in the name of 'donation money.'

She thought her grandmother was just saying, 'We're okay now. Thank you, and I'm sorry. You don't have to worry about our family anymore.'

"Is it anonymous again?"

"Yes. Anonymous."

The staff yawned and nodded.

Epherene urgently added. "Do you—"

"Just take it. You're not in a good situation. People don't usually reveal their names when they donate anyway."

"…"

It was a cold statement, but it was true. Rumors about the so-called 'crazy commoner' Epherene had emerged.

The staff glanced at Epherene and added a few more words when she found her gloomy.

"If you want to do something for the donator, write a letter."

"… A letter?"

"Yes. Even if it is an anonymous sponsorship, the letter will be delivered. If you're lucky, they'll reply. You already received 200,000 Elnes from them. That's a lot of money."

"Ah… Yes, that's right. Okay!" Epherene pondered and then nodded. That person might hate the letter, but if so, they simply won't reply.

There was nothing wrong with the act of sending a letter itself.

"Hey, what about the paper? Don't you provide one?" Epherene inquired.

"… You have to bring one yourself. We only take care of the letters themselves. It shouldn't be too much for you since you already received 200,000 Elnes anyway."

"… Got it. Thank you."

* * *

The next day. At the Imperial University Tower, where festivals and parties were in full swing.

♩♬♪♬♪♩~

With the parade music flowing in from the outside, the 'correlation between runes and circuits,' which I had been focusing on lately, was almost complete.

It was an accurate interpretation.

A total of 14 runes were used in question 6 of the Symposium. Among them, only three were usable as circuits.

It seemed that I could solve the Symposium based on this study.

I sealed the documents with magic and put them in my briefcase.

"… Hmmm."

Unexpectedly, it caught my attention again.

[ ─ ]

The untitled notebook.

What it contained wasn't visible even with my [Man of Great Wealth] and [The Villain's Fate].

"This…"

I took it, looked closely at its cover, and opened it up. I put my hand on a page that had no text written on it.

I couldn't just think about it.

"I'll know once I do it."

After preparing myself, I slowly imbued it with mana.

[… You disappoint me.]

A stern voice rang out. I raised my head. A man who resembled Kim Woojin, but more imposing, was looking down at me.

Deep contempt glistened in his eyes.

[… This is your last chance. Achieve results in 'Marik.']

I tried to answer, but the pressure of his magical power didn't even tolerate the movements of my lips.

When I opened my tightly closed eyes again, it was already dark inside the mine.

A slender back was carrying me.

"… Who are you?" I asked.

"It will be fine."

That voice was familiar. I opened my eyes wide and identified the person.

Julie.

*****

She was always beautiful, but she didn't seem to be doing well. Her blood was dripping from her rib.

"How did things go?" Deculein asked Julie.

He tried to retrieve 'something' from Marik on his father's order.

But there was a problem. A surprise attack caught them off guard.

"Yes. My colleague retrieved it. We will meet on the ground." Deculein let out a sigh of relief.

However, after a while, a terrifying magic wave rang out. His face was calm, but his heart was beating like crazy.

"Protect me."

"Yes."

"You just have to protect me."

"Yes."

"Only me."

She put him down on the road nearby, and he leaned against the wall in pain.

"Fulfill your duty as a knight."

His useless words showed no impatience. Julie replied to his will in a tone that assured him she would save him even if she sacrificed herself.

"Yes. I will protect you." She turned around, clutching her sword, and Deculein looked at her back.

At that moment, from the other side of the mine, a powerful magic force rushed in like a wave.

"…!"

*****

My whole body returned to reality with the sensation of being swept away by a tsunami. The memories and emotions of that day flowed clearly.

It was Deculein's past.

I pressed my temples with my fingers. It wasn't mine, but the anecdote settled as if it had always been my memory.

[Completion of Independence Quest: Deculein's Diary]

◆ Store Currency +1

◆ [Yukline] Attribute Growth

Apparently, this notebook was Deculein's diary.

"Damn…"

I didn't want to suffer from those memories again, so I left the tower and wandered aimlessly around the university's grounds.

[… This is your last chance.]

The voice's identity became clear.

It was his father's voice.

It wasn't my father.

No, it was mine.

Was it because I reconstructed Deculein's memory? His father looked like my father…

Push—

My shoulder collided with a passerby.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

He went away with just one word of apology. I didn't like that unnamed guy.

However, thanks to him, my turbid heart calmed down to some extent.

"Watch the play~ We're running out of tickets~"

I noticed a theater nearby.

"Oh, will you watch it? We have tickets left!"

A soliciting college student handed me a ticket. I nodded and went inside.

As I sat blankly in my seat, the play began.

—Dad. Dad. I'm sorry, I…!

Not a single part got into my eyes and ears.

"Sniff… Sniff."

The person next to me seemed quite moved, though.

"… Sniff."

With her occasional sniffling bothering me, I glanced at her and was slightly startled.

"Ugh…"

It was Epherene.

I handed my handkerchief to her without a word.

"Huh? Oh, thank you, sniff…"

She wiped away her tears with it and gave it back. I threw it on the floor.

─You can't kill him like this! Too many people will die if that happens! My father suffered that same fate!

I began to hear the lines a little too late. I didn't know what it was about, but it seemed like a revenge play, and the actress's acting was actually pretty great. It was also very good in terms of aesthetic sense.

Not long after, they announced a short break.

Epherene ran away, covering her eyes, and came back shortly after the second part started.

"… Thank you." She glanced at me, whispered, and offered me some popcorn. With my robe's hood, she couldn't seem to see my face.

—I love you, but if you stay by my side, you'll experience far too much difficulty. I am the criminal who killed him. I'm the murderer.

The play reached its climax.

She bent forward as tears streamed down between her fingers that gripped her face.

"Ugh! Sniff! Sniff!"

She seemed to be more emotional than she looked.

I took another handkerchief from the inside pocket of my suit and gave it to her.

"Oh, Sniff. Thank you, sniff… sniff…"

She sounded like a boiling kettle. Unable to stand it anymore, I got up and went outside.

I then walked back to the campus, sat on a bench, and closed my eyes in the dark to clear my mind.

I didn't know for how long I stayed like that.

[Main Quest: Fetal Movement]

◆ Completion Reward: +2 Store Currency

Suddenly, a message about the main quest appeared.

* * *

11:00 PM.

As soon as the play was over, Epherene came out, finding magic fireworks exploding in the sky. It looked like there was going to be a party, but she wasn't interested.

"Sniff. Oh, I cried too much."

She walked back, wiping her tears with the handkerchief a gentleman gave her. She tried to return it because it seemed expensive, but when she got back to her senses, he had already disappeared.

"Eph!" Turning around, she found Julia calling out to her.

"Something happened!"

"What?"

"At the beginning of the semester, that formula in the dormitory… No, just come with me!"

Julia grabbed her hand and ran.

After they arrived at their destination, Epherene was horribly surprised.

"What's this…?"

A part of the dormitory was covered with a dark red barrier, including the area frequented by commoners.

"At the beginning of our semester, there was a red formula on the wall of the dormitory! Isn't that it?!"

Wheeeeeeeeeeing— Booom—!

Fireworks constantly lit the sky. From afar, the people's cheers echoed loudly.

"What? What's going on?!"

The professors who received the report late came running. Relin, Ciare, Letran, and Kamel were having a meeting at the magic tower when they heard about it. As soon as they saw it, their eyes widened in astonishment.

"What kind of magical force is this…"

"This is why I didn't want to reopen the Mountain of Darkness!"

"… The chairman… Where is the chairman?" Relin asked Letran.

"Probably on the floating island. Why did it have to be today…"

"…."

The professors didn't even dare enter the barrier.

In a situation where they didn't know what awaited them inside, they shouldn't act hastily. What made matters worse was that the concentration of magic force that Epherene could feel from the outside right now was unusual.

A gas mask was mandatory. At the very least, they should at least be accompanied by an active duty knight to maximize safety, considering even the professors' magic would be persistently disrupted by the dark magic.

They were just being reasonable.

"Professor! What are you going to do?!"

Epherene shouted to them. Relin was startled, but he soon closed his eyes.

"Why are you asking me that, kid?!"

"There are people inside!"

"…"

At Julia's reply, Relin bit his lip and looked inside. He seemed worried, but already in middle age, he had a lot to lose.

"… Who discovered this situation first?!"

"That's not the problem right now!"

"Not a problem… Oh, Professor Ciare! Aren't you from the Destruction Department?"

"… My body is weak. Wait. The knights will come soon."

If they waited, they might get here early.

He knew what was going on inside there.

"…"

With a sigh, Epherene handed Julia her bag and handkerchief.

"Eph, why is this—?"

"I will go."

"What? No!"

At that moment, a voice thundered through the place, slicing through the people like a cleaver.

"What's going on?" His gelid tone seemed to freeze the muggy air.

Everyone turned to him.

"…"

Deculein.

He appeared behind the crowd, relaxed. There was a chill in his gaze as he made his way through the area, his posture remaining so upright he seemed arrogant.

Soon, however, he wore a faint frown when he discovered the barrier that even the professors were frightened of.

"This commotion has gone too far."

That was it. That was all Deculein had to say about the situation.

He walked silently, replying to no one and waiting for nothing, the sounds of his footsteps domineering the area as he proceeded towards the barrier.

The professors looked at him as he moved without hesitation or fear.

He was the embodiment of aristocracy.