Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Introduction to Magic (3)
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Upon hearing Academy Chancellor Gilbert Macdalion's voice, all the deans within the academy hurriedly gathered in the conference room.
The deans of elemental magic, illusion magic, creature magic, summoning magic, enhancement magic, and various other departments—over twenty in total—entered the room and focused their attention on the chancellor.
"Chancellor, what prompted this emergency meeting?"
"Has a legendary magical beast invaded the academy? I haven't sensed anything like that."
"Or did the imperial family suddenly announce a recruitment for imperial mages?"
"Are you perhaps planning to retire?"
Bam!
"Retire? What nonsense! I'm still in my prime!"
Gilbert slammed the desk to quiet the deans, cleared his throat, and revealed the topic of the emergency meeting.
"A letter arrived from a member of the imperial family today."
"From the imperial family?"
"Are they asking to borrow a mage to use in the succession struggle?"
"Most imperial mages serve directly under the emperor, though..."
"Why should we get involved in that muddy fight!"
"Exactly! We already have plenty of research to do!"
"Hmm, should I go myself?"
"Stay put! You're just itching to test your magic! Save it for the beasts!"
"Quiet! It's not that. The letter came from the 9th Prince. He's looking for a tutor and sent the request."
A question mark appeared over every dean's head at the chancellor's words.
The deans were well aware of the 9th Prince's talents—or lack thereof.
"The 9th Prince?"
"Why is that 9th Prince suddenly..."
"Did all the stress after leaving the capital drive him mad?"
"Even if we send someone, there won't be any results. Why make such a request?"
"Isn't it more like he's looking for a housekeeper? Maybe he wants someone to do luxurious cleaning with magic."
"Could be."
Gilbert shook his head at the speculation from one of the deans.
"No, he's requesting an excellent mage to serve as a tutor to teach him magic."
"An excellent mage, huh."
"Maybe he means a mage excellent at smooth-talking? You know, to shut him up about his lack of talent and tell him to quit learning now..."
"You'll get charged with lese-majeste if you're not careful."
"But it makes sense, doesn't it? How old is the 9th Prince now? He's practically an adult! Starting magic at this point won't increase his mana!"
Mana has a limit for each person, but like muscles, it grows with use.
However, that requires consistent practice from childhood.
Starting later in life, when the body is accustomed to not using mana, yields drastically reduced efficiency in growth.
Even spirit arts users, who consume the least mana, must summon spirits in childhood to find a compatible one quickly—making early mana development essential for all mana users.
"What if he's been consistently using at least mana bullets? Maybe he has some mana built up..."
"If that were the case, word of his efforts would have spread."
"Even if he did, an imperial mage would have noticed and reported it while he was at the palace. It's already confirmed that the 9th Prince truly lacks even the talent to grow his mana."
"Sigh, then what the hell is this about?"
Forgetting their initial annoyance at being summoned, the deans began debating this bizarre issue.
The 9th Prince suddenly requesting a tutor was an enigma beyond their common sense.
But Chancellor Gilbert Macdalion cut the discussion short.
"The why doesn't matter right now! The issue is who to send!"
"......"
The department deans fell silent, deep in thought at Gilbert's words.
For an ordinary noble's request, sending a competent mage would suffice.
But this was for an imperial family member.
Sending a mediocre mage could be seen as insulting the imperial family.
In the end, it had to be a dean-level mage or their prized disciple.
Deans couldn't leave their departments unattended, so only disciples remained as options.
'I still have so much research for my disciple to do.'
'My prized pupil is just starting serious training.'
'I have tons of experiments left for them.'
Most deans were reluctant to part with their useful disciples.
"Chancellor, how much did it say the tutor's compensation would be?"
But one man—the Dean of Summoning Magic, Jeromos—asked about the amount no one else had considered.
"The compensation is this much."
The figure Gilbert revealed equaled a full year's research budget for a department.
The other deans' eyes were momentarily drawn to it.
"Paying that much for a tutor when there's no hope."
"Imperials are imperials, I guess."
"But if it prevents research, it's a huge loss even with the money..."
The allure faded quickly; their dilemmas remained.
Becoming an imperial mage brought honor, but tutoring a hopeless prince was just a waste of time. They preferred keeping their prized disciples.
However.
"If no one else objects, I'd like to send my disciple from our department, Amelin."
"What? Really?"
Jeromos nodded at the chancellor's question.
"Yes, my department's research can be handled by me alone... And as you know, summoning magic requires funds to care for the summoned beasts. At the prince's estate, at least the beast's meals would be covered, right?"
"Hmm, if that's your thinking... Any other opinions?"
He scanned for others willing like Jeromos, but the deans stayed silent.
"Looks like none. Then, sending a tutor to the 9th Prince falls to the Summoning Magic Department."
"Yes. Oh, how will the compensation be paid?"
"Naturally, directly to the mage serving as tutor."
"Understood."
With that exchange, the emergency dean meeting adjourned.
Jeromos headed straight to his lab.
"Amelin!"
She wasn't there upon entering.
Instead, another disciple informed him.
"If it's Senior Amelin, she's in the garden feeding Mikel, Dean."
"Got it."
Jeromos went to the garden immediately.
There, a red-eyed female mage with waist-length wavy red hair was giggling as she fed the griffon—a beast with an eagle's head and wings, and a lion's body—that belonged to the Summoning Magic Department.
"Hehehe. Tasty, right, Mikel?"
"Amelin!"
"Eek!? D-Dean? Ah, the report deadline you assigned hasn't passed yet, has it!?"
"That's not important now. You have a new task."
"Me? What task? I'm already working on the report..."
"More important than the report! You need to tutor a member of the imperial family!"
"Imperial family tutor? But Dean, even the youngest 13th Prince is 17, isn't he? No way they need a tutor now... D-Did a bastard son suddenly appear or something?"
"No, the prince you'll tutor is the 9th Prince."
"The 9th Prince? That adult who's rumored to have no talent?"
"Yes. He requested a tutor from the chancellor today. And I volunteered you."
"Me!?"
"Yes. Other mages would take time to travel, but you can ride this griffon and get there faster than anyone."
"Th-That's true, but what about the report you assigned? And the paper after that..."
"Amelin, I've already agreed. Backing out now would tarnish not just my face, but the department's. Even without talent, tutoring royalty is a great honor for you. And besides..."
Jeromos smiled and placed a hand on Amelin's shoulder.
"You'll have tons of free time since there's nothing to teach. You can write your reports there."
"Ah..."
Amelin realized arguments were futile.
"In return, the massive compensation means no worries about feeding your summoned beast. Oh, submit whatever's left after feed costs to me later."
"What!?"
"...You know who got you this position, right?"
"Y-Yes, Dean..."
Unable to properly retort, Amelin packed the next day and rode her summoned griffon Mikel to the 9th Prince's estate.
And then.
"......Can it be changed?"
"Huh!?"
The moment she arrived, the 9th Prince she was supposed to teach rejected her outright.