Anomaly (1)
Having sealed his contract with Proveng, Ellen stepped out of the dungeon.
Rumble!
He smashed the mechanism that opened the entrance to the Harryford Dungeon.
Now no one will ever find this place again.
It had been discovered by guards repairing the city walls. With the entrance destroyed, the uproar that would have shaken Harryford over the dungeon's appearance would never come to pass.
-Having lived here so long, I find myself feeling a needless twinge of regret.
"It can't be helped. If this place were found, the entire royal court would be turned upside down."
-Just an old man's idle grumbling.
Ellen immediately secured a room at an inn. More than a week still remained of his suspension. He intended to pour every moment of that time into training—especially since he now had a grand mage who had reached the level of a 7th-circle master at his side.
"So when constructing the formula for Shockwave, if I just modify the Magic Missile equation like this, wouldn't it become even more efficient?"
-Exactly! Your comprehension is outstanding. I only just taught you that, and you're already adapting it.
Anyone who happened upon the scene would have taken Ellen for a madman. After all, he was muttering to himself while covering a large sheet of parchment with dense writing.
Wooooom.
When Ellen dispersed the mana he had inscribed on the parchment, the glowing characters vanished.
"Hearing these new methods of structuring magic is fascinating to me as well."
-These are the results of decades of my own research. Things no ordinary fellow could even begin to imitate.
Even as he said it, Proveng was quietly astonished. Ellen's rate of absorption was simply too fast.
Normally just grasping the concepts of these theories would be a struggle. Yet this boy understands them at once and applies them on the spot.
"Then to expand the range of Shockwave, what if we revised this part of the formula?"
Ellen was just as exhilarated. In his previous life he had learned magic entirely on his own after graduating from the academy. Whenever he hit a wall, he had read and re-read the same passages until understanding finally dawned. Now he could ask about anything that puzzled him the moment it arose. Beyond that, he could debate entirely new applications with Proveng.
At this rate, my skill will grow a great deal during the suspension.
When the suspension period ended, Ellen and the other students all returned to the academy. The moment their punishments lifted, Principal Door gathered every first-year student in one place.
"For the reasons stated, I hereby grant the promotion of Rick Chedleton of the noble class and Ellen of the commoner class to the Special Class."
Clap, clap, clap.
It was the promotion ceremony for Chedleton and Ellen to the Special Class.
"Ellen, that was seriously cool."
"Making Special Class means you're basically a proper mage already."
"Think any of us could ever get there?"
The commoner-class students all gazed at Ellen with open envy.
"Hey, you guys need to see what Ellen's like on a regular day. Nobody else could grind themselves that hard—the guy's a total monster."
Kinber shuddered. During the suspension he had visited the inn where Ellen was staying. What he had found there were parchment sheets packed edge to edge with formulas and Ellen himself with hollow, exhausted eyes.
"That insolent bastard."
"When is Chedleton going to smash that commoner already?"
"Honestly, doesn't it look like even Chedleton can't beat him?"
"In the sparring match Ellen blocked every spell Chedleton threw. If it had gone on any longer..."
Factions were already beginning to form among the nobles. The high-ranking houses that followed Chedleton still hated Ellen. In contrast, the lower nobles were starting to look on him with favor.
In my last life this was something that took so much struggle to achieve.
Ellen himself was no less moved. Special Class students were guaranteed entry into the Magic Tower without any further examination. For thirty years he had knelt again and again before the Tower gates as a mere Magic Assistant. Now he had finally done it.
"Even after you enter the Special Class, I hope you will continue to show us the same excellence you have demonstrated so far."
Door extended his hand to Chedleton.
"Thank you."
After shaking Chedleton's hand, Door moved on to Ellen.
"This is an exceptional case, yet you possess more than enough skill to justify it. Keep working hard once you reach the Special Class."
"Yes. I will do my utmost."
Having finished the handshake with Ellen as well, Door returned to the podium.
"I hope all of you will take these two students as examples. I will surely reward the efforts you show, so I ask that you in turn live up to my expectations."
Applause filled the hall at his words.
"One moment, Principal Door!"
A booming voice suddenly rang out from the rear. It sounded as though magic had been used to amplify it.
"That student standing there has a grave disqualifying factor."
The thunderous volume drew every gaze.
"Zack Chedleton. This is an academy ceremony. What is the meaning of this rudeness?"
Door was thoroughly displeased by Zack barging in without procedure and causing a scene. Even for a Chedleton, the Magic Tower had its own hierarchy.
"My apologies. However, the matter is urgent, which is why I have committed this discourtesy."
"I trust this will never happen again. What do you mean when you claim Ellen has a disqualifying factor?"
At Door's question Zack wore a thin, oily smile. Drawing a single breath to steady himself, he spoke in a voice that carried to every corner of the hall.
"Ellen. That student has learned black magic, which is strictly forbidden throughout the kingdom."
The crowd erupted in murmurs.
"Black magic?"
"Ellen learned black magic?"
"What is he talking about?"
"Black magic?!"
The effect of Zack's words spread like wildfire. Just as he had expected, the students' agitation only grew louder.
Boom!
"Silence!"
Door cut through the chaos. Even without magic, the sheer authority in his voice was overwhelming.
"Zack Chedleton. What exactly do you mean when you say Ellen has learned black magic?"
"Exactly what I said. That boy could not control his greed and laid hands on wicked black magic."
Zack pointed a finger straight at Ellen.
"I have never done any such thing!"
Caught completely off guard, Ellen could not manage a properly reasoned reply. In more than forty years of studying magic—including his academy days—he had never once touched black magic.
"How dare you speak falsehoods in this sacred place of learning! I know every detail of your deeds. Come forward."
Every eye turned to the figure behind Zack.
That... that bastard?
The man who stood there fidgeting was none other than Ellen's own teacher, Eugene.
"I personally witnessed my disciple, blinded by power, practicing black magic. I feel a profound responsibility for having failed to educate him properly."