The Three Colors of Mana (1)
After the Founder's speech—which had been far too intense to call a simple welcoming address from the headmaster—a few more formal procedures followed in succession. As I sat there thinking that some things really were the same no matter which world you were in, the man acting as emcee finally spoke up.
"Ah— that concludes the prepared portions of the entrance ceremony. From here on, we will be providing guidance on academy life and various announcements, so those of you who are not students, please rise from your seats and make your way out."
One by one, the spectators began to leave. Soon, only the students remained in the auditorium. The figure who stepped onto the dais was a seductive woman with long, blood-red hair—Istal.
She took hold of a magic tool that had been enchanted with amplification and opened her mouth.
"Hello, everyone. This is our first meeting since the entrance exam at the end of last year. My name is Istal von Lebenstein."
Her unexpectedly friendly and gentle greeting left the students—who had been tense from remembering her behavior during the entrance exam—wearing puzzled expressions. In truth, her tone itself hadn't changed at all from then to now, but the first impression of suddenly knocking out one of the examinees had simply been too strong.
"From now on, I will explain what life at the academy will be like. If you have any questions during the explanation, please raise your hand to receive permission to speak before asking."
When everyone simply stared at the dais in silence, she continued.
"As students of the academy, you will all be living together in the dormitories. Each of you will be assigned your own room, and meals will be provided free of charge. There is also a shopping district in the outer area of the academy, so feel free to make use of it as you wish."
One of the students raised a hand. When Istal nodded, a student who appeared to be of noble birth spoke up.
"Must we really live in the dormitories? Living without even a single servant feels a bit..."
"Yes. Everyone must live in the assigned lodgings. There are no exceptions—at least, not yet."
She left a subtle hint that exceptions might become possible later and added,
"Ah, and we have absolutely no interest in what position any of you held outside these walls. Whether you were a noble, a commoner, or what you did in the past. Naturally, that also means there will be no special treatment based on those things. So it's best not to think you can throw around your family name and expect preferential treatment."
This was essentially a declaration that the class system would be completely ignored. This time, multiple students raised their hands at once. Some of them wore openly displeased expressions, but Istal silenced them all with a single sentence.
"It is an imperial decree."
In other words, if they had any complaints, they could take it up with the Emperor of the Empire—and by extension, the Founder who had essentially made him issue the order. Of course, that was impossible. Among the students were members of royal families from other kingdoms or high-ranking nobles of ducal level, but even to them, the imperial family that stood as the de facto ruler of the continent was an absolute existence.
Even if that weren't the case, the students who had personally experienced the Founder's terrifying aura just moments ago felt an instinctive burden at the very idea of voicing any objection against it. If they would hesitate to speak even with perfect moral justification, how could they possibly have the nerve to complain about something as trivial as wanting a different sleeping arrangement or the right to have servants attend them?
Watching the students quietly lower their raised hands, Istal smiled and continued.
"The first week will be a trial period. You will experience each of the three main combat subjects—Martial Arts, Magic, and Support—for one day each, then spend the remaining three days sampling seven different auxiliary subjects."
She added that Sunday would be a day of rest, then gave a brief overview of each subject. I listened carefully, comparing the information to my memories from my previous life.
No major differences from what I knew.
A curriculum built around practical combat. A structure where students chose one main subject and one sub subject. Most of the students reacted to the news that they would have one full day off per week and only study two subjects across the remaining six with a sense of that's more manageable than I expected.
Having barely survived that brutal entrance exam, they had been bracing themselves for an absolutely murderous schedule. Instead, they were being presented with a surprisingly relaxed one. Quite a few of those who had received strict heir education as nobles even smiled quietly, thinking this much is nothing.
It didn't take long for that happy delusion to shatter.
Monday.
The professor in charge of the Martial Arts subject was none other than Istal von Lebenstein. Since she had mentioned it herself during the entrance ceremony, none of the students were surprised.
The moment class began, Professor Istal—rather, Istal—opened her mouth.
"Among you, those who lack confidence in fighting by moving their own bodies, please step back."
Roughly a quarter of the students, including Fiore, stepped back. I did the same.
Fiore asked, "Brother, weren't you quite skilled with weapons? Wouldn't it be fine for you to stay?"
I answered, "The outcome is obvious. I don't feel like getting beaten for no reason."
"Huh?"
While Fiore looked puzzled, Professor Istal spoke once more.
"Among those remaining, those who do not know how to use mana, please step back."
This time, a much larger number stepped back. Only about fifty people remained around the professor. Most of them were nobles who had been taught mana manipulation from a young age. Those who weren't—including Ligret—numbered around ten.
Looking at the students who remained, she said,
"Then, all of you who are left—attack me first."
A look of bewilderment flashed across the students' faces. The golden-haired, blue-eyed, statue-like handsome youth, Alphonse, stepped forward and asked,
"So, you're saying we should take turns sparring with you, Professor?"
The gaze that turned toward him wasn't one directed at a beautiful man who could make countless women's hearts flutter, but rather at an idiot who couldn't understand a single word.
"No, I'm telling all of you to come at me at once. Are your ears blocked?"
Alphonse, who had apparently never received such a look from a woman in his life, looked momentarily flustered before quickly regaining his composure and shaking his head.
"I acknowledge that you possess outstanding skill, Professor, but no matter how strong you are, having this many people attack you all at once is—"
"Ugh, you talk so damn much."
The one who cut Alphonse off was a frivolous-looking young man gripping two blades.
"Hey, Professor. You're really okay with all of us coming at you at once? Don't regret it later."
"Your language is a bit rough, but your comprehension is good. It doesn't matter, so hurry up and attack."
The frivolous young man turned to Alphonse.
"The professor said it's fine. As students, shouldn't we do as she says?"
Alphonse frowned. "This is dishonorable."
"Ignoring the professor's words is honorable?"
"Don't twist my words. What’s so exciting about a bunch of men ganging up on a single woman to beat her?"
"Ha? Then what makes you so great that you're acting all high and—"
Watching the two of them argue among themselves while completely ignoring the professor, I thought,
Those idiots are playing with fire right in front of a powder keg.
And sure enough, the powder keg exploded.
Thud! Thwack!
Short, crisp sounds of impact rang out. The two young men spun like fluttering paper before collapsing powerlessly.
As the students' eyes widened, Professor Istal—though she was clearly smiling—spoke with a smile that somehow radiated killing intent.
The moment she took a step, the ground shook.
And then the massacre began.
Crunch.
An extremely expensive-looking, heavy suit of armor crumpled like paper from a single punch and flew through the air along with its owner.
Clang.
A blade brought down on her delicate-looking body failed to even pierce her skin, let alone draw blood, before snapping in half.
Thud. Thud. Thump!
A giant over two meters tall was sent rolling across the floor by a single kick. A skilled archer who had tried to snipe an arrow through the chaos was struck by a single returned stone and sank without a trace.
"Ugh!"
"Your physical ability and weapon techniques are decent, but your mana manipulation is severely lacking."
Even Ligret, who had held out until the very end, was neutralized with a single sweeping kick. Professor Istal looked at the heap of bodies sprawled across the floor and the students in the back trembling in terror, then spoke.
"Mana can be found anywhere in the world, and every living being possesses at least some of it. Those who specialize in close combat—knights, warriors, martial artists—have researched ways to strengthen their bodies with this mana or imbue it into weapons. Through that power, they have gained an overwhelming advantage over those who cannot use mana."
But, she continued while sweeping back her blood-red hair,
"Even these mana users were constantly pushed back in battles against those called the demon race. The problem was the purity of their mana. Unlike the demon race, who refined and held mana specialized for a single function, the mana used by us humans was chaotic and disorganized."
Each sentence was spoken clearly and distinctly, as if answering the glares of the students who, despite being knocked down, had not lost consciousness.
"To solve this problem, the Barhart Empire gathered the secret techniques that had been hidden within each prestigious family. Based on that, they developed a method to specialize mana for specific purposes, just as the demon race does. One of those specializations is this."
A visible aura began to surge around Professor Istal's body. It was a vivid red mana—like blood, like flames, like roses.
Mana specialized in strengthening, protecting, and restoring the user's body.
"Let me introduce myself once more," she declared to the students.
"I am the professor in charge of Red Light, Istal von Lebenstein. If you wish to learn the new 'Martial Arts' that will change the coming era, I sincerely hope you will choose this subject."