-chapter 83-
There was no talent for magic whatsoever.
As clearly evident, it was apparent to anyone that I lacked talent to the degree that I could not even dream of extraordinary achievements like mastering equations at the age of six or becoming a Level 4 mage at thirteen.
“Hello, Miss Warden. My name is Caroline, and I’ll be your magic teacher from today onward.”
When I chose to pursue a path in magic, my father sought out this woman named Caroline and invited her as a magic teacher.
Her background was illustrious.
She had received her magical education from the renowned genius Madelia Page during her childhood, and last year, she graduated as the top of her class from .
“Now, Krista. It’s time to greet your teacher.”
I didn’t want to engage in meaningless introductions, as there was something much more important I needed to ask.
“Excuse me…?”
“Yes?”
“Is it possible to become a revered… genius mage, even without talent?”
Caroline, who had been smiling brightly, then gave Krista a few math problems and instructed her to solve them.
“If you get stuck, here are a few reference books you can look at.”
“Do I do this all by myself?”
“You must solve everything on your own, no matter how long it takes. Then I will provide an answer to your question.”
The problems were well beyond basic content; they could only be tackled in higher-level classes. I toiled over them for an entire two months.
I reduced my sleep, studying the foundational formulas and repeatedly tackling challenges equivalent to college-level problems.
I didn’t give up.
I wasn’t disheartened.
I knew I lacked talent, but the sheer determination to solve these problems fueled my spirit.
During this entire period, Caroline offered no advice, merely read books or honed her own magical powers beside me.
“Heh, it took a total of 72 days.”
“…….”
“The methods you used are interesting, but you got all five problems wrong.”
I had hoped for a surprised expression or even praise from my teacher, but in that moment, everything went dark in front of my eyes.
“Now that I am becoming your mentor, I will tell you plainly: Krista, you cannot become a genius mage. You were never a genius to begin with.”
“……?!”
“You cannot live like the geniuses who left their footprints in history. It might be quicker to give up.”
When I heard those words, it felt as if I had been struck with a heavy object. For a moment, I went blank, then soon I felt tears welling up.
I was furious.
And even more so, I was deeply saddened.
As I turned away, trying to hide my tears, Caroline seized my shoulder with a completely serious expression, devoid of her usual smile.
“But what if being a genius doesn’t matter?”
She approached Krista, kneeling down to match her gaze earnestly.
“I saw an infinite potential in you, Krista, that was far more splendid than any genius.”
I couldn’t comprehend her contradictory words. A sob broke free from my throat.
“You just said I’m not a genius! So what potential do I even have?!”
“Courage.”
“Courage?”
“Courage to not give up, courage to challenge to the very end… It’s also called perseverance and effort.”
“……That’s somehow better than being a genius?”
“No, it’s not. But you can catch up to geniuses.”
If a genius travels ten miles in a day and rests, we could travel ten miles without resting. If a genius sails across the sea on a great ship, what’s stopping us? We simply row along on a raft.
“In the end, the destination is set. It will surely be difficult and exhausting, but you will be able to catch up eventually.”
“……Really?”
“Of course. I’m living proof of that. I’ve been scolded countless times by my teacher for not having talent.”
Caroline suddenly hugged Krista tightly, patting her back.
“It’s okay, even if you are not a genius. You may not become a genius mage, but you will surely become the greatest mage. I will help you achieve that.”
It’s going to be okay.
You can become that.
The greatest mage who is revered by everyone. And your legacy will illuminate the way for future mages amidst despair.
Ah, we can do it too… shimmering light of hope.
A nostalgic gleam sparkled in Caroline’s eyes as she reminisced about a distant past.
In this present moment, far removed from the dark and desperate days of the past, assessments were in progress to evaluate the fruits of the girl’s efforts.
“Krista Warden’s magic is rated at Level 3.”
Head Professor Marhena first observed the magic circle and then passed on the chart for others to see.
“Krista’s magic circle is quite beautiful too. It carries a certain quality.”
“A combination of squares, circles, and octagons; a triple attribute mixing earth, water, and steel properties.”
“But essentially it’s still Level 3… Can Kaden’s Level 4 magic really be outdone? The volume alone makes it hard to compare.”
That was a valid point.
Elin Ludwig (excluded due to having a relation) also nodded in agreement.
“It’s not that higher-tier magic is inherently disadvantaged.”
Kaden faced disadvantages due to the challenges of perfectly executing aesthetic effects, but if successful, the gap created by lower-tier magic would be impossible to overcome.
‘While the child from Harimun potentially made mistakes attempting high-tier magic, all accomplishments right now seem to stand untarnished.’
At that moment.
“No, this isn’t simply Level 3 magic.”
Deputy Professor Kyle, intrigued as he closely examined the magic circle, began to channel magic into it to demonstrate.
“……?!”
“……?!”
“……?!”
First, a metallic ripple emerged on the ground, and countless iron beams shot up like snakes, creating a strong foundation.
As if flesh was being added, veils of gold and blue weaved and danced chaotically.
When that dazzling display of light concluded, a magnificent mansion suddenly materialized within the magic circle.
“I’ve conjured up my family’s mansion through magic.”
The audience stared blankly at the estate, then soon erupted into a chorus of astonished applause.
“Imposing! Magnificent!”
“I can already tell from a distance that it’s something extraordinary!”
“Is this truly something that can be produced through magic?!”
Even those well-versed in magic, alongside peers from the Eight Factions around Krista’s age, reacted in astonishment.
“What exquisite details… I would believe it’s a real mansion!”
Elegant curves spread throughout the walls of the castle-like mansion, flaunting aristocratic beauty abundantly.
A vast hall with a ceiling stretching high absorbed the mountain air, reflecting sunlight, while the wisteria vines wrapped around the exterior exuded fresh, verdant light.
Moreover, the emblem of the Warden family, the castle, was intricately engraved in key locations and shone brilliantly in gold. The professors showered their praises.
“This transcends the realm of magic. It rivals architecture itself!”
“The mathematical expressions used are planar coordinates, fractional functions, and… Lin’s infinite function? Is this masterpiece derived from such advanced mathematics?”
Lin’s infinite function…
A sigh of admiration arose from the audience. Was it truly possible to wield that function which was so infamous that it could drive one mad?
Famous literature regarding Lin’s infinite function read something like:
[The mathematician Hunise, who devoted his life to researching Lin’s infinite function, committed suicide in 1268. Following him, Willa Blado perished at age thirty-six due to a neurological illness. Now, it’s your turn to open this book.]
However, amongst the waves of astonishment, one person spoke differently.
“No, while the mathematical expressions are significant, the core lies within the runes.”
It was Deputy Professor Kyle.
As he captured everyone’s attention, he waved his hand to conjure light from the air, forming the glowing symbols:
[Ju(呪), Seon(嬗), Go(錮)]
As the professors recognized the meaning of these runes, mouths dropped open, one by one. Kyle nodded slightly.
“Every rune that Krista used in this spell is a double rune.”
“An astute observation. That’s correct. I utilized the rune for steel attribute magic, Ju(呪). Through its dual qualities of wishing and cursing, I could harness both the strength and durability of the reinforcement.”
As Krista explained with a proud expression, the cadets murmured among themselves.
“The rune from that preliminary round is…!”
“That’s it, the one used previously…!”
The one who expressed the strongest indignation was Kassena Page herself.
“What the hell! That’s the rune Rain told me about! That little brat copied it!”
Professor Caroline chuckled quietly.
“Don’t be so annoyed. Isn’t that just the way of our kind?”
Compared to those born with everything as geniuses, the average mage has nothing. One must turn to their surroundings and desperately seek instruments for battle.
“Did that silly brat… absorb all the performances Rain Ludwig showcased since joining our school and incorporate them into his growth?”
Owen, enjoying the spectacle greatly, smirked.
“During the semester’s start, he lectured on the significance of rune and magic circle compatibility; and at the end, he noted the boundless applications of dual runes!”
Without wasting a single experience of past failures! Did he not just grow, but rather, learn from those setbacks?
“What incredible material. That fool will soon become a leader in the magic realm.”
Krista continued her explanation.
“And for the earth magic, I used the rune Seon(嬗). It embodies the concepts of ‘connecting’ and ‘changing,’ serving as the key that raises qualitative and quantitative details of a single property magic.”
Then, Head Professor Marhena substituted for the last explanation.
“The rune Go(錮) used for water magic depicts traits such as ‘patching’ and ‘binding’… hence, it filled only the necessary parts with moisture, didn’t it?”
“Yes. And as a function of Lin’s infinite sequence, it’s possible to extend the formula as desired, which completed the details.”
Is that so?
All the visible aesthetics stem from the sorcerer’s overwhelming mathematical and magical knowledge—a true treasure house of thoughts.
‘Is this the potential that the young girl from the Warden family shows, destined to carry the future ahead…’
This magic’s volume cannot help but be plentiful. It’s akin to using two Level 3 spells, all while employing double runes across a triple attribute.
Eventually, Marhena nodded toward the other professors.
Each professor raised their brush to scribble his marks upon the drawing paper, then simultaneously lifted their hands.
[9]
[9]
[10]
[10]
[10]
[10]
[9]
[10]
[9]
[9]
The total score that emerged for the professors was… a staggering 95 points. A frenzy of cheers erupted from the audience.
“The head professor awarded 9 points! That’s unprecedented!”
“So, she beat Level 4 magic using Level 3 and achieved the highest score ever?!”
“By all means, this secures Warden’s victory!”
The Harimun faction’s Lorelei fell into a state of despondency, yet she could not dismiss the outcome either.
‘Art inherently has individual tastes, and… Warden’s magic stood as excellent compared to Kaiden’s.’
Krista too was unable to conceal her excitement, her cheeks flushed red, but soon bit her lip to regain her composure.
‘This isn’t an easy tale… as long as he remains.’
Since entering , Krista had always placed forth the finest performances.
Yet…
There had been a genius who effortlessly surpassed her each time.
‘Rain Ludwig…!’
Would I defeat you this time?
Or would I continue to chase after you yet again?
As if answering my question, the dark-haired young man stood before the judges, crossing the ground between Krista and Kaiden.
“I lack artistic sensibility, so I don’t feel too confident, but I’ve prepared as much as I could.”
And with a shy smile that seemed to cover his hidden treasure, he presented the drawing paper forward.
“This is my interpretation of beauty.”
