3
“According to the family regulations, you must become a professor at one of the four prestigious academies.”
Perhaps to emphasize the setting of an ‘academy,’ the empire was truly a country of academies.
There were numerous academies throughout the empire, and nobles, as well as some affluent commoners, inevitably enrolled in an academy.
Among them, the four prestigious academies were the places where ‘talented’ individuals, specially recognized, pursued education.
“The place where the 16 protagonists of the game enroll is also one of these four prestigious academies.”
The Hero Academy has a total of 16 playable protagonists.
Each of the four prestigious academies has a system where four playable protagonists are assigned.
Each academy has its own unique characteristics, and the advantage of the ‘Hero Academy’ is that you can choose to play according to your preferences.
“…In reality, I’d rather go to an academy on the brink of ruin where no one visits, rather than such an impressive place as the four prestigious academies.”
There was no choice.
The only academy acknowledged by the Eclesia Duchy was the four prestigious academies.
“Still, being a professor is a hundred, a thousand times better than military or bureaucratic positions.”
First of all, the hardship of the profession.
Being a soldier or a bureaucrat was a hundred times more difficult.
There, soldiers and bureaucrats soon found themselves confronting the forces of impending evil head-on.
Ironically, the academy was a relatively safe zone.
‘Well, the forces of evil might extend their reach to the academy, but the protagonists will fight on their own. I’ll just quietly mind my own business.’
As someone who would become a ‘scholar’ type professor, I wouldn’t get involved in fights.
‘Anyway, let’s think about that later. Let’s focus on studying first.’
Now, due to the recent reincarnation, my knowledge of magic was like a blank slate.
No matter how much aptitude I had as a high-ranking mage, I had to study to fill in the content.
However, there was a problem.
“Master Kong, are you really going to study magic? Are you serious about it?”
The bald middle-aged man frowned deeply.
He was a magician employed by the duke.
A superior mage with a ranking of 5 stars.
‘Even though I have the duke’s bloodline, I can’t treat him lightly.’
This magician managed all the duke’s magic books and magical items.
It would be good to establish a smooth relationship, but the magician already seemed full of hostility towards me.
“Do you think you can just wave away magic with your mana numbness and act recklessly? Are you planning to steal and sell magical artifacts like last time? When on earth do you think Master Kong will grow some sense?”
Growling like a dog seeing a cat, he seemed to have accumulated a lot of grievances against me.
‘Still, isn’t he being a bit too harsh? I’m still Master Kong.’
Despite that, I concealed my true feelings and gently spoke.
“You’re quite audacious.”
“!!”
Oh no.
Another transcendental translation.
– ‘The Wrath of the Black Flame Dragon’ has manifested!
– When your opponent harbors enmity towards you, your demeanor becomes even more domineering!
“This is a complete lack of social grace! You should know when to yield!”
For a moment, I hesitated.
“…But do I really need to grovel like I used to?”
Yes, I was no longer a pawn.
I was the king of kings, the diamond fork among forks!
“I didn’t live my life groveling just because I wanted to!”
In a situation like this, I could be as domineering as I pleased.
“Whose property does this nobleman’s estate belong to?”
“…It belongs to the nobleman.”
“But why are you begging so arrogantly, no matter what it is?”
“Well, that’s…”
A chilly voice followed.
“If anyone sees this, they might think you’re the owner of the nobleman’s estate.”
“Oh, no!!”
The magician Hans bowed his head in confusion.
No matter how successful a 5-star magician might be, they couldn’t compare to the authority of a duke.
“I advise you to be cautious in your actions. If you want to keep your neck intact, that is.”
“I-I apologize.”
“Please, come inside.”
Hans hastily led me inside.
“This is my research lab. Feel free to look at the magic books as you wish. And use the potions and mass-produced materials as you need.”
He lowered his head obsequiously, but it was not a genuine gesture of respect towards me.
**Arrogant brat. You think you can study? Let’s see how you do it for once.**
It was clear that he was thinking like this.
I could just ignore him, but could it be an opportunity in disguise?
The vile black wyvern wriggling inside me finally left a word.
“You’re pitiful too.”
“…Pardon?”
“You don’t realize what a tremendous opportunity is right in front of you.”
“…What do you mean?”
The corner of my mouth quirked up as if in a smirk.
“Watch closely. Just by peeking at my studies, you’ll gain an incredible opportunity that you’ve never experienced in your lifetime.”
* * *
I opened the magic books with determination.
“Having the Grand Adept’s traits, acquiring magical knowledge should be simple.”
To ‘Ban,’ there was a fatal flaw as a magician.
Mana insensitivity.
“It’s not impossible to accumulate mana, but the casting speed is unbelievably slow.”
In this world, anyone can sense and accumulate mana.
However, the casting speed varies drastically depending on one’s aptitude.
If an ordinary person has a speed of 10, someone with the aptitude to become a magician has a minimum speed of 100.
On the other hand, mana insensitivity has a speed of only 1.
It’s only one-tenth the level of an average person.
In reality, it could be said that becoming a proper magician was impossible.
“It doesn’t matter. After all, what I aim to be is a ‘magic scholar.'”
Becoming stronger as a magician would only lead to forced labor and suffering during times of crisis.
“A magic scholar has the best compatibility with the characteristics of a grand master!”
-Penetrates the essence of magic!
Accumulating magical knowledge is a piece of cake.
However, I soon realized a significant problem.
“…What is this?”
It was an hour after I unfolded the book.
Cold sweat formed on my forehead.
There was a problem.
A very serious one.
‘Why is it so difficult?’
The title of the book I’m currently reading is ‘Fundamentals of Astrology.’
The foundation of all magic.
-Magic is the manifestation of phenomena through the arrangement of mana. This arrangement of mana is called a star, and studying this star can be considered the foundation of all magic.
The sentences weren’t hard to understand.
After all, this book was written for beginners who are encountering magic for the first time, truly the basics of basics.
The problem lay in the content of the star, the arrangement of mana.
-For the element ‘fire,’ the star should be drawn like this.
-This star serves as the fundamental arrangement applicable even to advanced fire-based magic….
‘…Why draw a star for fire?’
I couldn’t comprehend it at all.
‘There can’t be anything wrong with the content of this book, right?’
I tilted my head.
This is the magic world’s bible that came out a whopping 300 years ago.
For 300 years, every magician has studied the basics through this book.
‘It’s not just the arrangement for fire. I don’t understand water and earth either. And what’s with the star of lightning?’
I wore a perplexed expression.
‘…Even if you have the qualifications of a grandmaster, do you really have to build from the basics?’
No matter how much of a future mathematician you are, you need to first learn the existing formulas, that’s the priority.
But still, I shook my head.
“If that’s the case, it’s better to just get rid of it.”
Even the most basic fundamentals were difficult to grasp, so how could I possibly study the vast existing magic?
“…Can’t I just learn it my own way?”
The lingering question since earlier.
– Why draw the Star of Fire like this?
– Why bother?
– Isn’t it awkward?
In the end, these questions led to one conclusion.
– I wouldn’t do it this way.
The image of a ‘star’ kept popping up in my mind.
It was similar in shape to what I had seen in books, yet it was a completely different star.
“I think comparing it to the traditional methods might show what’s better.”
Then, I heard a dry cough.
“Well, it seems difficult as expected. I understand. You’ve been building a dam against magic all this time. After all, you barely graduated from the Academy of Magic with the lowest grades, thanks to the Duke’s intervention.”
It was the magician, Hans.
Perhaps still embarrassed by bowing to me earlier, he was now stammering with a pitiful face.
“It’s alright. For someone with mana insensitivity like you, becoming a magician was always a stretch. Instead, even if you’re not a magician, you come from the noble lineage of the Duke. There are plenty of other things you can do, aren’t there?”
What kind of magic is there for a mana-insensitive person like you?
Just find something else with your ‘noble lineage.’
That’s what it meant.
I crossed my arms.
“You keep picking on me from the side.”
Having experienced all sorts of absurdities on Earth, I could tell.
With that kind of style, you have to come out strong once.
“But how can I compete against a 5th-rank magician?”
At that moment, one method suddenly came to mind.
“It seems you need some education.”
“…What did you say?”
“If someone thinks they’re the best in the world, you have to show them how high the sky is.”
Hans blinked for a moment.
Just a moment.
Soon, his face turned slightly red.
“…Even if you are Confucius, your words are excessive.”
“Excessive? I don’t see what’s wrong with a superior educating an inferior.”
I stood up from my seat.
“Let’s do this. Let’s have a showdown with a 1st-rank fire magic right now.”
“!!”
Hans growled as if bewildered.
“Are you serious? Do you really think you can beat me, even with 1st-rank magic?”
The same magic can have completely different power depending on who uses it.
Even the most basic fire magic, when wielded by a high-level mage, would manifest tremendous power.
But I shook my head.
“I need to see how effective my own creation is compared to existing ones.”
It seemed like a perfect opportunity for a test.
What if I fail?
From Noble mtl dot com
“…Somehow, I don’t think I will.”
An outrageous thought.
To think I wouldn’t falter against a 5th-tier mage?
Yet it was no lie.
“Just competing is boring. Let’s make a deal. If I win, you’ll become my practice assistant for future magic studies.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Studying from books is fine, but observing magic unfold right beside you is more effective. Show me what I ask of you as a demonstration.”
Hans looked as if he might faint from anger.
“Fine. But if I win, don’t you dare show your face here again!!”
Fwoosh!
Flames erupted from his hand.
It was basic magic, but the aura it exuded was extraordinary, just as expected of a 5th-tier mage.
I, too, unleashed a fire spell.
Sizzle.
It was a small flame.
Compared to what he had displayed, it was embarrassingly modest.