The Three Colors of Magic (2)
Neville Brix, the professor in charge of the Magic course, began his lecture.
"I assume you've already heard about the concept of 'mana colors' from Professor Istal."
He looked to be in his mid-thirties. With neatly combed black hair and a perfectly tailored suit, he gave off an extremely sharp impression. Unlike Istal's wild ferocity, Neville radiated a cold, intellectual pressure.
"Mixed Light mana possesses a wide range of possibilities. It can be used for enhancement, healing, attack, enchantment—pretty much anything with ease. It's the pure, natural state of mana, and unless someone is born with a special constitution, it's also the default form of human mana."
"However," he continued, "that versatility comes at the cost of efficiency. Because it can do everything, it lacks specialization. For example, if two users with identical proficiency and physical condition attempt enhancement using Red Light and Mixed Light respectively, the efficiency ratio is ten to three. Even with the same amount of mana, you can achieve more than three times the output."
One of the students, a green-haired girl, raised her hand.
"What are the strengths and weaknesses of each color?"
Professor Neville answered without hesitation.
"Red Light demonstrates overwhelming efficiency when it comes to enhancing the user's physical abilities or amplifying healing power. However, the moment mana is released outside the body, its output drops sharply. This makes it poorly suited for magic that requires creating 'formulas' outside the body. Long-range attack options are also quite limited."
"In contrast, Blue Light remains extremely stable even when projected externally, making it highly useful for casting spells. While its raw output is weaker than Red Light, it offers far greater versatility. It can handle attack, defense, enchantment—pretty much anything. The downside is its poor compatibility with the human body, so it's difficult to use for healing or physical enhancement."
"White Light lacks both the raw power of Red Light and the versatility of Blue Light. However, it is the only color capable of directly transferring mana to others. Thanks to this trait, its efficiency in healing and support is exceptionally high."
Professor Neville's pronunciation was crystal clear, so even though he spoke quickly, his words were easy to follow. Still, he had a habit of inserting his personal opinions and tended to explain things that hadn't been asked, which made his lectures rather long-winded. If Istal's classes felt like strict military training delivered in a deceptively gentle tone, Neville's felt closer to the university lectures from my previous life.
"Once you undergo 'coloring,' changing to a different mana type becomes an extremely difficult process. That's why we're giving you a full week to make your choice. Don't come to regret it later."
After finishing his explanation of mana, he moved on to the subject of Magic itself.
"The theory behind what we call magic is simple. You draw a 'formula' outside the body and manipulate mana according to that formula. Depending on what kind of formula you create, you can produce a variety of effects. With high enough proficiency, it's even possible to draw multiple formulas simultaneously. It's an incredibly versatile field with infinite potential depending on the caster's creativity. We call it Magic because it allows one to fully master these spells and forge entirely new paths."
Professor Neville swept his gaze across the students who were watching him intently.
"To be honest, both Blue Light and the study of Magic are difficult for those without a good head on their shoulders. Don't come to class just to cry about it later. Figure out your own compromises."
The students attending their first Support class were visibly flustered.
The person sitting at the professor's desk looked, at best, like a boy no older than thirteen. No matter how generously you tried to view him, he simply appeared far too young.
"Ah! Everyone's here! Welcome, everyone! I was truly impressed watching you all overcome that brutal entrance exam!"
The boy's eyes were as clear as a deer's, his voice bright and pure. The contrast between his snow-white hair and lively skin gave him an almost fairy-like mystique. A few of the female students instinctively covered their mouths or blushed at the sight.
"Is he the professor's son? Or maybe his little brother?"
"Could he be a page boy?"
"Maybe. But it's a bit unfair that they won't even let us have a single servant while the professors get to keep one, don't you think?"
Whether he'd overheard their muttering or not, the white-haired boy smiled gently and said,
"Oh, it seems there's been a misunderstanding. I am Emilio Lafer, the professor in charge of the Support course! Please take good care of me from now on!"
He gave a polite little bow, his expression so innocently adorable that not only the girls but even some of the boys broke into warm smiles. The instinctive reaction of finding small, wriggling creatures cute was apparently universal, regardless of gender.
Of course, there were still a few who weren't swept up in the moment and thought, Wait, isn't it weird for a kid to be a professor? But the atmosphere was such that they instinctively felt speaking up now would get them mobbed, so they kept their mouths shut.
"Unlike the previous two courses, the purpose of Support classes is to train personnel who will operate from the rear, supporting their allies rather than confronting enemies directly or standing on the front lines. It may not seem glamorous or flashy at first glance, but whether or not a party has a skilled rear support specialist can determine its very survival."
Some students nodded at Emilio's words. Most of them possessed a decent level of academic knowledge. The more they knew, the more they understood that simply defeating enemies wasn't everything—having people who could support allies and maintain combat effectiveness was incredibly valuable.
"White Light mana is inherently friendly to the human body. Conventional healing magic becomes several times more effective when channeled through this color. Although it hasn't been finalized yet, even the Star God Church's temples are considering teaching White Light to their priests."
Seeing the students hanging on his every word as if enchanted, Emilio suddenly made an exaggerated gesture as if he'd forgotten something important and quickly added,
"Those of you who find it difficult to wield weapons directly or feel averse to using magic to kill—please, I sincerely hope you'll join the Support course! I'll help you with all my heart and soul!"
As he stuck his tongue out cutely with a little ehehe, I almost forgot to say that expression, several students finally clutched at their chests and collapsed as if their legs had given out. Only the tiny minority who knew the truth watched him with eyes as dead as rotten fish.
"...That damn sly old bastard."
"Hm? Who are you talking about?"
On the way back after Wednesday's orientation, I waved my hand dismissively at Ligret's question, telling her it was nothing. Then I began thinking about the schedule ahead.
In Planetarium, several factors determined the protagonist's strength, but one of the biggest was precisely this choice of 'mana color.' If I were to compare it to another game, it was like selecting your main class.
Red Light suited close-combat physical fighters like warriors or assassins, and under certain conditions, archers as well. Blue Light was for mages and summoners, while White Light was closest to healers or buffers.
It was technically possible to raise a character without choosing a color and simply stay in the default state, but the mana efficiency difference in specialized fields was massive. The benefits of maintaining Mixed Light were so niche that 'coloring' was practically a required step.
I need to choose my auxiliary subjects—my sub-classes—carefully too.
Tactics. Hunting. Alchemy. Blacksmithing. Medicine. Literature. Basic Liberal Arts.
Some students wondered why a school focused on training forces to fight the demon race would teach such things, but in truth, these auxiliary subjects were deeply connected to combat courses.
When battles shifted from one-on-one duels to clashes between groups, someone had to take on the role of commander on the front lines, separate from the rear staff officers. That person needed to understand tactics.
In Hunting, students didn't just learn how to hunt—they gained knowledge about the monsters and magical beasts controlled by the demon race, tracking techniques, and methods to erase their own traces.
Knowledge of alchemy allowed one to create useful consumables for battle or develop the discernment needed to analyze enemy magic tools.
With blacksmithing skills, one could craft equipment specialized for mana users or perform emergency repairs on damaged ally gear during combat.
When medical knowledge was combined with healing magic, the efficiency became several times greater than having just one or the other. Literature helped with interpreting complex spell formulas and expanded the user's creativity, which in turn improved their mastery of magic.
The only one that truly served as a refuge was Basic Liberal Arts. It was essentially a place for students who genuinely couldn't read or write, or those so obsessed with combat courses that they neglected everything else. Still, it was a necessary subject to prevent students from becoming complete social rejects—people who rebelled against orders from above or acted purely on their own whims just because they were obsessed with fighting.
I've thought about it a lot, but for me, this really is the optimal combination.