Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Calculation Duel
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It's afternoon class time right now, and the subject is calculation studies.
But get this—the professor announced a one-on-one calculation duel.
Some kids had been trash-talking me from behind, saying stuff like, "How could a commoner score 910 points? Must've cheated."
And now, I'm going head-to-head with the biggest bully girl among them.
Winner makes the loser do a Grand Prostration lol.
Oh, and one of the people stirring up that trash-talk rumor mill was Red.
So I'm planning to give Red a proper schooling later too.
What the hell is going on now?
This guy's academy life has zero quiet days lol.
Kids who discriminate are just rotten! You gotta school them properly!!
Proper schooling go go.
But you confident in calculation speed? 2nd rank?
Yeah, it's a 2nd rank duel. Honestly, at 2nd rank level, I think I can win on calculation speed alone.
This dude just started magic and he's brimming with confidence for a calculation duel.
Baseless confidence is peak Muggle King lol. But fr, he might actually win.
Muggle's calculation speed is suspiciously fast...
Go school that bully girl...!
Why does this guy love Grand Prostrations so much lol.
Bully girl schooling ✧ㅗㅜㅑ
But Red already got schooled—why bring it up?
After posting the update to the gallery, I waited for my turn.
Honestly, after stirring things up, I felt a bit anxious, but bantering in the gallery restored my confidence.
I was totally confident I could beat a Hera-level opponent.
Even in [Precise Magic Studies] class, her test results had been pathetic.
I grinned to myself, imagining posting proof of schooling the bully girl to the gallery.
"Pfft. As expected, nothing special. You dared challenge me with that kind of skill?"
"Ugh..."
"Why don't you keep yapping like before? What were you saying with that trash magic of yours?"
Around then, Elrim had won her duel and was mocking the defeated cadet.
Is that what happens when you lose to Elrim?
The guy wasn't even that skilled, yet she humiliated him that badly after beating him.
Red really suits the Grand Prostration.
"Next up: Hera Orbis versus Ian Isaac."
"Show him what you've got, Hera!"
"Crush that commoner scum!"
My turn was next.
The bully gang cheered Hera on like third-rate villains.
All mediocre nobodies.
The truly skilled ones stayed quiet, while the half-assed ones always made a scene.
I had no desire to deal with their stress anymore.
This time, I'd win so overwhelmingly they'd be speechless.
"I'll make everyone see your score was cheating."
"It wasn't cheating."
"No way a commoner gets that score without cheating! Even we, trained by our families our whole lives, struggle for it!"
Hmm. Fair point, actually.
The gallery archmages had said magic skill scales with time and effort invested.
A commoner with no proper training suddenly hitting second place? Suspicious, sure.
But that's one thing. Doesn't justify discriminating by status.
If the academy preaches pure meritocracy but splits by birth, why bother attending?
"Get ready for your Grand Prostration."
I shut down Hera's nonsense with a sharp retort and stood at my position.
Hera huffed and took her place beside me.
"You've seen how it works, right? The first to calculate the formula on that screen gets a point. Eleven spells total. There's a low-rank absorption field up front, so no damage worries—just focus. Ready? Begin!"
The countdown started, and Hera and I focused on the upper screen.
The essential 2nd-rank spells CantDoThisEither listed in the gallery? I could handle them all.
But watching prior duels, unfamiliar spells popped up sometimes.
Other cadets seemed new to them too, by their reactions.
To test calculation skill, they included obscure, tough 2nd-rank spells.
"Begin!"
At Professor Fermat's call, the first spell appeared on screen.
[Overlapping Square Shield]
It was one I knew: the 2nd-rank defense spell [Overlapping Square Shield].
Just stacking two squares—nothing hard about the formula.
I drew the two squares without hesitation.
[Overlapping Square Shield]
Almost simultaneously as I finished, Hera completed hers too.
No—Hera was subtly faster.
A beep sounded, and Hera's score ticked up to 1.
"Heh."
She smirked at me like she'd won the whole thing over that tiny margin.
This girl calculated like a starving beggar scarfing food, yet now acted all smug.
"At least you can use spells? But when tough ones come, the gap will widen."
True to form as Elrim's friend, she scratched at me after just one point.
My fist itched, but I ignored it and refocused on the screen.
I hadn't expected her to score, but it wasn't panic-worthy.
I'd been too casual. Time to concentrate on raw speed.
Beep—
[Cumulus Cloud Ignition]
The next formula was clearly tougher than [Overlapping Square Shield].
Draw a puffy, winding circle like a cloud at the top.
Below it, lightning-fast zigzag lines crackling like bolts.
[Cumulus Cloud Ignition]
An immature thundercloud forms, sparks flickering inside.
The sparks are weak, no real damage.
But meeting a bigger bolt, it could boil over fast.
Low power alone, but disrupts vision/movement or setups chain spells.
[Cumulus Cloud Ignition]
Hera finished a beat late.
Tszzt... feeble sparks fizzled, her cloud scattering.
"Kh, ahem. You got lucky. First time seeing it, that's all."
She made excuses despite her shoddy calculation.
First time for me too. What was with the condescending tone?
[Rock's Parabolic Trajectory]
Next was a spell very familiar to me, etched in my hands.
[Rock's Parabolic Trajectory]
A rock arcs grandly, whoosh.
Beside it, another stumbles and plops down.
My point this time. Razor-thin margin, but I was faster.
And I figured it out.
How this sorry excuse for a mage snagged even one point.
Just like in Precise Magic Studies.
Strutting with spells this pathetic?
Ridiculous turned pitiful; I let out a hollow chuckle.
"E-easy spell, lucky."
I wanted to shut her yapping mouth even on this trash spell.
Ignoring a commoner with this skill?
I assumed basic competence at least. This treats magic like a joke.
'No wonder the archmages stress mastering basics.'
Seeing a negative example made their advice click.
Hera could "calculate" spells, but that was it.
Just slapping formulas together haphazardly.
Ignoring key elements: precise lines, formula balance, imagery-based manifestation.
Focused solely on speed, quality was garbage.
A flashy fraud, nothing more.
This isn't magic.
"...Ha."
I realized my prior opponents were on another level.
Hisenna's spells were impeccably clean.
Elrim's rough but explosive and complete.
Hera's? Devoid of essence.
Even simple [Rock's Parabolic Trajectory]—just sloppy lines.
Not a parabola; a stumbling rock.
A few more spells passed.
I won three more; Hera lucked into one.
That one? Rushed slop, not proper magic.
"Uh, ugh..."
One more point, and I win.
Sensing crisis, Hera clammed up mid-duel.
But my fire had died.
'Duel with magic to spark rivalry; what's the point vs. doodles?'
"This might be the last round. Then..."
Possibly final spell.
But I didn't want to win like this.
Before the next formula, I raised my hand.
"Professor."
"Ian?"
"I don't want to continue this duel."
"...What?"
I don't know why I'm this pissed.
Could just win and take the prostration.
Maybe righteous anger.
Fury at those invoking "magic" while treating it like trash.
What's the point posturing over status with this skill?
Normal to rage at idiots.
"Is this magic? Just frantic speed—where's the magic? I want a proper mage. That's just scribbles. Doesn't even know what spell she's casting!"
"...Wh-what? This tests calculation speed! Complete it, done! You uneducated commoner scum—!"
Clap—
Our voices clashed; Professor Fermat clapped thunderously.
Loud enough to silence chattering cadets.
"Hold on. Yes, this class focuses on 'calculation.' But speed alone means nothing for magic. Manifestations were awful. Hera?"
"Th-that's... yes."
"But no extra conditions today beyond speed, so duel valid. As professor, I won't promote this slop. Ian, what do you want?"
Hera ground her teeth but stayed silent.
Big talk to me; classic bully vs. authority.
"I want proper magic. I wanna school her, but winning like this feels dirty."
"Proper magic... Breaks rules a bit. So far, 2nd-rank, speed only for points. Adding conditions invalidates priors."
"How about this: Judge remaining calculations not just speed, but 'real' magic. Winner takes all 4 points."
"Ho."
"And bump to 3rd-rank. Worth the 4 points."
"Stricter criteria, 3rd-rank for 4 points. Fair math. Mages must calculate precisely. If opponent agrees. Hera?"
"I-I... ugh..."
Professor eyed Hera intrigued.
Cold sweat beaded; her eyes shook.
If Hera had any mage pride left, refusing here over noble pride means quit. Gross.
"3rd-rank spells: Hera picks."
"Oh? Duel on unfamiliar formulas?"
Professor asked surprised.
I hadn't practiced CantDoThisEither's 3rd-rank list.
No time: entrance, placement, headmaster mess.
Only gallery specials.
Unlikely anyway. New to all same.
Confidence even on first-sees vs. Hera.
And baiting her in.
Come on already?
I nodded, provoking once more.
"Yes. Barely any 3rd-rank I've tried. Have one 5th-rank though."
"...5th-rank?"
"Wait, he did 5th-rank on entrance exam?"
"Wasn't it not him?"
"Yeah, looked like him but I..."
"Elrim said definitely not."
"Uh, wait? Or was it? I dunno..."
Cadets whispered.
Satisfying seeing my mockers fluster, but focus elsewhere.
"Scared? Even with your best spells? Or no best spells?"
Scared? Unleashed Elrim-taught taunts.
Hera trembled, biting her lip, then spoke.