First Magic
"...Regarding that mysterious outsider..."
"Karnaroff. Is the grading done?"
"Written: 30 points. Practical: perfect score."
"...30 points on the written? Isn't that an excellent grade?"
The written exam had always been a domain where students scoring over 20 points could be counted on one hand. The solidity of theory that Karnaroff always emphasized. And the firmness of practical magic that dispelled his spells. She deserved to be called a student who possessed both.
Isabel, the potions professor, knew that he quite liked students of high caliber.
...Yeah. He should like her....
'Why's his face like that?'
Of course, it wasn't the first or second time that nasty-tempered man had made such an expression.
"So, are you taking that student? If you do, you'll have to take responsibility to the end. For someone whose origins we don't even know..."
"I'm taking her. No question."
"Didn't you say you don't take outsiders? I'm in favor, though."
Isabel said to Karnaroff, but he was resolute. He grinned darkly and said,
"I'll keep her by my side and personally discipline her. I'll definitely take her as a research student."
Isabel thought it had been quite a while since she'd heard him use such a 'crude' word. With that, she grabbed the dorm room key and school map for her, and lightly stepped away.
As I stood up from the written exam hall and watched the escape capsules from behind the building, someone spoke to me.
"Hey, kid."
"...?"
"Hey!"
"Gyaah!?"
"Ahaha! Did I scare you? Sorry. You were so focused, I wanted to see your cute reaction."
There had been almost no presence. Was this magic too? I turned my head to look at the person speaking to me. Aqua eyes and hair reaching her shoulders in the same hue. A curly hat and black robe. Unlike Karnaroff, she looked quite young. But she was definitely taller than me and exuded a mature air.
"...Who are you?"
"I'm Isabel, potions professor at Reinhardt Magic School. Normally, you'd pick up your dorm key and items yourself, but since you're a bit special, I came personally."
"Special?"
"Yeah. I've never seen that Karnaroff lose his composure like that."
She said lightly with a laugh. Did I do something wrong to that old man? I decided to just ignore it.
"Anyway, you know what this place is, right?"
"A magic school?"
"Correct. This is Reinhardt Magic School. The empire's top magic academy and a research institution where the nation's greatest talents gather."
"Hm. Sounds good."
"Good? It's great. Anyway, you've now been officially enrolled at Reinhardt Magic School."
"...Is that different from earlier?"
"Unless you've committed a major crime or broken a taboo, even the school won't abandon you. Not until you drop out yourself."
"I can drop out?"
"Well... it's a complicated process, but possible. I don't recommend it, though."
"Why?"
"Because there's no other place in this empire that can fully bloom your talent."
...Talent. I'd heard that a lot back at the training center too. Even though I didn't actually have any abilities and couldn't even clear the first floor of the Tower.
Whether she knew my thoughts or not, Isabel held something out to me.
"Here! Take it!"
The items handed over were a booklet, a key, and a jingling pouch. Inside the pouch were three silver coins and seven copper coins. And a glass bottle. A sloshing blue liquid.
"The booklet has all the info new students need. There are dangerous areas in the school, so read it carefully."
"And the key and pouch?"
"The key's for your dorm. A-rank dorm is that way."
"A-rank?"
"Your dorm rank. You'll figure it out when you get there. The pouch is a gift from me. Potion and imperial currency. Especially the potion—it boosts your personal mana above max for an hour. It'll help!"
She shrugged proudly. I could feel pure goodwill toward me. A-rank dorm, huh. Guess I did well on the practical.
"No other questions?"
She asked. Honestly, I wasn't planning to ask anything seriously. But something that had been nagging at me since hearing "magic school" crossed my mind.
I'd never had any abilities my whole life. Natural Affinity, Dragon Eye, Language Blessing—those could be called traits. But they weren't what I or the world demanded.
As a hunter, they were failing grades.
"...Can I really use magic?"
"...? That's an odd question. You sound like you've never performed any mysticism before."
"Well, if you've never learned magic, that's understandable! How about I teach you one myself?"
"Huh?"
"It's just a non-combat spell you'd teach a five-year-old, though. Give me your hand?"
She took my hand. And I felt something being pulled out from inside me. I could see it with my eyes. Or rather, feel it.
'...I had mana inside me too?'
It was a tiny amount, but it was mana.
"Looks like you don't even know how to draw out your personal mana. No way you jammed Karnaroff's magic by manipulating natural mana, right?"
Isabel held my hand and gathered the mana into a single point. Then she raised her other hand, gathered her own mana, and chanted,
"Star Platina."
"Star Platina"
⟨ Star Platina ⟩
Blue starlight popped out softly, pop, pop. It burst up like a fountain above her white glove.
I "saw" it all.
"Now watch my mana closely, gather yours like this, imagine sparkling stars dancing from your hand, and chant in two measures..."
[Dragon Eye] observed the mana, and [Archmage's Talent] instinctively made me understand how it worked. I chanted.
"Star Platina."
"Star Platina"
⟨ Star Platina ⟩
Unlike hers, multicolored lights popped out tap tap. Like shooting stars falling into a lake, they danced excitedly over my hand before vanishing.
I couldn't help but shiver in awe.
Isabel smiled warmly and said,
"See? It's your first time, right?"
"It... works?"
"What! I learned it at first sight too. Proof your talent's on par with mine."
She laughed. I looked her over carefully. Now that I could sense mana, I knew. She had mana too. Extremely dense and condensed.
'...A monster?'
Carrying that much power in her body and living like that?
She smiled slyly.
"No staff either, huh? If you want to borrow one, go to the reception desk. They lend them cheap to students who break or lose theirs."
"Is a staff necessary?"
Both Karnaroff and the staff at her waist. Everyone in this world carried or held one.
"You really know nothing? Magic beyond basic requires a staff, or efficiency drops sharply."
She waved her hand lightly.
"Well, that's it for my personal gifts. Basics aren't my specialty anyway. Learn well from Professor Karnaroff."
With that, Isabel left.
But it worked. For real.
The stars burst from my palm, briefly lighting up my face and hair before fading.
"Star Platina."
I cast the spell over and over right there, until all the drawn mana was gone.
I grinned, certain now.
This place wasn't some gate. It was just a golden opportunity. Like the secret martial arts manuals from China or the ridiculously overpowered artifacts from the Tower.
This was definitely one too.
As I reveled in that joy, her parting words poked at me.
'Learn well from Professor Karnaroff.'
Ugh. That professor's kinda unlikeable.
I headed straight to the dorm.
The central bulletin board. A magic board used for important events, final exams, or major announcements. Among the board-type magic artifacts crafted by the empire's mages, this one had particularly outstanding performance.
A crowd was gathering in front of it.
There were new students, but even more were upperclassmen from 1st to 6th year.
The dorm exam rankings had been posted.
Checking rankings, confirming if they knew people, chatting about it—it had become something like a tradition.
"As expected, top rank is that girl. Lenia Fernandez."
"...Second place overall... Yumia?"
"Who's Yumia? You know her?"
"How would I?"
"What, some hidden noble lady from a noble house?"
"Doesn't seem like it—no family name."
"Second place without unique magic?"
The petite girl with long golden blonde hair successfully pushed through the crowd to check her rank. Then she checked one more rank and looked slightly surprised.
After that, Aris applied for her dorm key at reception and stared incredulously at the golden key in her hand.
"...I'm A-rank!?"
She'd been worried about barely scraping by, but she was solidly A-rank.
"Yes. Here's your dorm key. Check the map."
The A-rank dorm was excellent. Great security, clean floors and bathroom, living room with attached bedroom, even a warehouse with temperature and humidity controlled by magic artifacts.
But what she looked forward to was people.
A-rank took the top 20%. Making good friends.
That was what she'd always hoped for.
And the fact she'd heard from her big brother.
'Actually, A-rank dorm roommates aren't random. They pair 1st with A-rank last, 2nd with one rank above last.'
She was 13th out of the top 20% 14 people.
Second place was famous. A mysterious genius whose family and status—noble or commoner—were unknown.
'I wonder what she's like...!'
She hoped for a nice person. Then she recalled the written exam.
A small thud, and in the fierce competition, a girl sleeping sprawled out.
Even the fair and strict Professor Karnaroff had glared at her like he wanted to kill her.
'Just not someone who'd drag me into trouble...!'
Still, it wouldn't be that girl of all people as her roommate.
'No way someone like that could be second place, right?'
...She thought.
Until she saw the beautiful white-haired girl curled up snoring colorfully in the room.
Staaar Plaatinaaaah!!!