-chapter 80-
“Go away!”
Seri turned her head sharply with an incredibly sulky expression, clearly noticing that she was pouting as she shuffled around in front of me, repeatedly whipping her head back and forth.
She must have learned the worst things from her aunt…
When I looked knowingly at Elin, who could be called the pioneer of such behavior, she tilted her head slightly.
“What’s wrong? What?”
“Nothing, really.”
I had only said, “Can’t we just not watch the decisive match?” and yet she reacted like this. My mother asked in a worried tone,
“Just go back, you say… I don’t think Rain would say that for no reason. What’s going on?”
At that moment, I was at a loss for words. I couldn’t just say, “The black magician is targeting you,” could I?
If I did, an investigation would commence immediately, and would Valensidis really be captured, as he had managed to stay off the radar of both and the Special Operations Department until now?
No, I’d just be seen as the strange one. If that happened, the nickname “Liar Prince” would stick for sure.
“I just… I’m just not very confident, okay?”
So, I made something up.
Then Elin, with a look of disbelief, squinted her eyes and then smacked Rain on the head.
“You think a man from the Ludwig family has the right to say something so weak? You’re not just a member; you’re the proper heir! You’ll be the leader someday! And yet, you’re feeling unconfident?”
“Ugh, it was just a joke.”
As a result of this exchange, I had failed to send my family back to the mansion, and morning dawned the next day.
Starting today, the final exams for second years began, so the first years were required to attend their respective departmental buildings for self-study during the morning.
However, since I was a candidate for the top position, I was first summoned to the president’s office, together with the other two candidates.
“Rain Ludwig, Krista Warden, Kaiden. The reason I called you here is simple: to convey the theme of the top competition.”
As Madelia nodded, the associate professor Kyle, who was standing next to her, handed each of us an envelope containing documents.
[Beauty]
When I casually pulled out the document, it was just a rune scrawled white as snow on the parchment without any elaboration.
“…?”
When I lifted my gaze and tilted my head, Kyle smiled gently as he spoke.
“The theme is ‘Beautiful Magic.’”
“Beautiful magic?”
“During the turbulent times of 300 years ago, technical magic was temporarily scorned because it lacked practicality, but now, in this era of peace, its importance has resurfaced.”
That is certainly true.
It is well known that northern magicians were more welcomed than southern magicians among those stationed at the front lines back then.
Madelia continued with a gesture.
“It’s also called magical craftsmanship. Just by using magic craftsmanship alone, one can determine a sorcerer’s abilities—namely, creativity, computational skills, and the depth of magic power.”
Beautiful magic, huh…
Considering that Rain belonged to the northern magicians, who emphasized practicality from birth, it was indeed a perplexing task.
“The competition will begin on Friday morning. Until then, think hard about what kind of magic you will demonstrate to the world.”
Just as Madelia concluded her speech, she gave Rain a sidelong glance and smiled slightly.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
* * *
“What’s wrong? Why are you sighing?”
I was merely staring at the envelope resting on my desk with my arms crossed when suddenly an unbearably loud voice pierced my eardrums.
It was obvious who it was without looking.
Yet out of courtesy, I turned to the side. Kassena, possessing strikingly defined features, was glaring at me intently.
“I was just lost in thought.”
For the record, I had changed my seat. Helping transfer students was supposedly the duty of the top student or whatever…
Now, I was seated at the very end of the central row.
Even so, taking the window seat from Krista felt wrong, so I barely persuaded Kassena to compromise for me.
Now, Gertrude sat in the seat next to Krista in my place.
“What’s there to think about!”
“I don’t know what beautiful magic is.”
“Beautiful magic? What’s that?”
If I knew that, would I be sighing? Try using your brain a bit before you speak.
‘It’s not like I’m losing my mind over Valensidis…’
Why give such an obscure topic for an exam? My situation was serious enough that the exam felt bothersome.
“You don’t know something like that, yet you dare call yourself my rival?”
A shadow loomed over my desk, prompting me to look up and find Krista crossing her arms, looking down at me with that signature arrogant posture.
“What’s wrong? I can’t see the words because it’s too dark!”
At that, Kassena suddenly flared up. Krista glared at Kassena, baring her teeth.
“You didn’t even have your books open!”
“I was about to open them!”
“How’s that an excuse!?”
Oh, they sure get along well, regardless of their social standings. It seems same-gender friendships develop more easily than opposite-gender ones.
“Hm, by the way, Prince, you didn’t attend the magic school, so this topic might be a bit hard for you.”
Gertrude Panton, the only one capable of engaging in a normal conversation, spoke in a tone as if understanding the difficulty.
“Do you even know?”
“Who wouldn’t know? It’s a question that’s been asked at least once a year in magic school.”
“Oh… so what is it? Krista probably has a grasp on this test.”
Those mere words struck Krista as idiotic, leading her to click her tongue and shake her head.
“I don’t just have a grasp; I literally live and breathe the topic because of my school.”
An unfamiliar voice suddenly chimed in, belonging to someone who had never been in this room before.
“That makes sense, huh♪ The Warden family is renowned for summoning inanimate objects and their summon’s detailed appearance is all influenced by the sorcerer★”
The owner of the singing-like voice was Nora Redon from the Melleb faction, who had a reputation for being a late bloomer.
While the three noble ladies glared at Nora in confusion and embarrassment, Rain waved enthusiastically.
“Oh, Nora! You seem to know quite a bit?”
“Hehe, a hunter must know their prey, right?♪”
“Do you have any idea about beautiful magic?”
“Simply put, it’s about using similar magic but presenting it in a more vibrant and grand manner, I suppose? It’s not that hard♪”
What? When did they become this chummy? Was the phrase “a flirtatious prince” not just a saying?
‘While I was not watching, has she really been mingling everywhere?’
Suppressing the doubts surging from within, Krista shook her head.
“Being vibrant and grand isn’t the end-goal. The crucial part is precision. No matter how flamboyant your display, if the runic and mathematical constructs don’t mesh together perfectly, it’ll just come off as sloppy.”
“……!”
“And for beautiful magic, significant experience is needed regarding the combination of runes and math. Just listening to it once won’t lead to comprehension.”
A reconfiguration of runes and math?
If that’s the case, then that might just be one of my specialties. I began to get a slight sense of it.
“Like this, maybe?”
Several beams of light flowed from Rain’s palm, merging into a magical circle.
The form of the magical array was a combination of circle and fan, engraved with the runes: steam (蒸) and death (逝).
Following Nora’s appearance, even Ubeir, who had been discreetly glancing this way, seemed to flinch.
‘That magic… I used it on the first day of entry…’
Krista displayed a mixture of pleasure and wariness, folding her arms with composure.
“It’s accurate, but that alone won’t cut it. What kind of contest would that turn into?”
“Contest? How so?”
“Like this.”
Suddenly, beams of light erupted from Krista’s palm as well.
While the speed of constructing the magical array was about three or four times slower than Rain, she still managed to perfectly assemble the array without a single mistake—she could be called an excellent junior.
As a result, the top and runner-up were positioned face to face with magical circles orbiting above their palms.
“Let’s see who gets a higher grade. Fairly.”
The first to shatter the magical circle was from Krista’s side.
Steam (蒸), a mist rose and drifted about like cherry blossoms before vanishing suddenly like a silk layer, and death (逝), a pure white veil spread into all directions before it, instantly disappearing.
Rain shattered his own magical circle, realizing his abilities… but something was different. There was something inexplicably different.
“Krista’s display felt a bit more…”
“Lingering? Something like that?”
“Yeah…”
When the classmates murmured like that, Kassena wore an incredulous expression.
“What?! What difference can there be when the magical array and runes are the exact same?”
On the contrary to her confusion, Gertrude, emboldened by Krista’s victory, smirked confidently.
“That’s actually due to the different approaches in how to solve the mathematical constructs.”
“Different solutions for mathematics?!”
“One mathematical problem can be resolved using simple formulas like linear equations, but it can also be solved simpler using advanced equations like calculus or cubic functions.”
“……?”
“What does that mean? Depending on which formula you use, the visual results of magic will have slightly varied effects.”
For example, while Rain had just used the ‘Presen Matrix Multiplication’ in the critical solution of his magical circle, Krista utilized the ‘General Matrix.’
“The ‘General Matrix’ requires many more extensive and simpler formulas than ‘Presen Matrix Multiplication’.”
“I, I know that!”
“It directly applies to magic as well, causing the dispersed mist to spread wider and longer. That’s the difference.”
Ugh, I have no clue what all this means…
While Kassena gnawed on her nails in confusion, a sudden realization struck Rain, causing his eyes to widen.
“Ah, so that’s where the difference lies…”
This could turn out to be far more disadvantageous than expected. Lynn and Krista had lived in times that were incredibly different from one another.
‘Since I’ve always faced the practical side, I’ve only been trained to engage advanced formulas that could solve problems several times faster than basic ones…’
I’d undergone similar education from the very start. The northerners emphasized the practicality of magic.
“I know all of it. I’m aware of which math expressions would alter the visual effects of magic… how they vanish faster or last longer.”
“……!”
“Rain, your understanding of runes may surpass mine, but I won’t lose here. Because I have spent a lifetime mastering this.”
Krista fixed her gaze at Kassena and Nora, simultaneously glaring, then lightly flicked her hair as she turned her back.
“So, remember that for the exam, and be prepared properly to make your appearance. This isn’t a test you can take with unexpected variables, unlike the prelims.”
Once Krista left, Rain’s feelings became more complicated.
Nothing seemed easy at all…
At that moment, Nora looked back at Rain, grinning widely.
“Hehe, you seem to be in quite a pinch, should I introduce someone who might help you?”
“Who?”
“Kaiden.”
“Kaiden?”
“Yeah, the one who advanced alongside you in the competition, the late bloomer from the Harimun School.”
