Chapter 172: Mage (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 172: Mage (2)
What exactly is magic?
If fire comes out of your hand, it’s magic. If water comes out, it looks like magic.
But for mages, it seemed to be a rather philosophical question.
"First is mana. It’s absolutely essential."
Perhaps that was why, after being recognized as a mage, I was currently being taught by the Tower Master using a book called Fundamentals of Magic, which looked suspiciously like a standard math textbook.
"All magic begins with mana. However, just because something starts with mana doesn't mean it's magic."
Knights use mana, and most sorcerers use mana to minimize the price they have to pay.
It’s said that the only thing that doesn't use it is divine power, but even most clergymen tend to use mana for simple tasks.
Therefore, simply using mana doesn't automatically make it magic.
"What rules do you use to apply that mana? That is the second condition of magic."
This is what they call generalization.
It’s the reason magic is referred to as an academic discipline; any magic must be reproducible by anyone who follows those specific rules.
"Of course, there are variables like bloodline magic or limited magic that require specific conditions. But even those aren't without rules; they just have their own secret methods."
In short, just because the secret recipes of famous restaurants aren't public doesn't mean they don't exist. The spells used by Magic Spammers or Fire Spammers can be passed down through generations precisely because they follow unique rules.
"That’s probably why the mages at the Academy lost their minds."
Magic requires rules, but when told that those rules are weak and that just taking a pill makes everything work, mages feel like their entire existence is being denied.
"Wouldn't you feel wronged if you took a pill and suddenly started emitting sword energy?"
"Not really."
In fact, I’d love to take one. Who knows? Maybe if I take enough, I’ll become a Sword Master.
"...Anyway. Even if those conditions are met, not everything is considered magic."
Mana, rules, and finally, the last thing needed is...
"Consensus."
"Consensus?"
"Yes. An agreement among mages."
"......"
"Of course, it’s not official. Everyone uses different terms, but usually, they call it manifestation or maintenance."
Manifesting mana according to rules.
That was what the Magic Spammers called magic, but...
"To be honest, mages just agreed among themselves that things following those rules are 'magic.' Have you heard of the Four Principles of Magic?"
"No."
They usually call it the Three Principles, so why the Four Principles? It sounded like some kind of creepy urban legend.
"There is something that satisfies all the previous conditions I mentioned: dark magic. But have you ever seen mages treat a dark mage as one of their own?"
"Never."
They’re called dark mages to begin with, and most of them are people who switched jobs from being regular mages. It’s even known that they copied the Magic Towers to create their own version called the Black Tower.
However, mages never acknowledge them.
Why?
"Because of dark mages, the public perception of mages once hit rock bottom."
You didn't have to look far; the Elves' perception of Dale was already shattered.
In actual history, there were times when mages did things no different from dark mages. Even in modern times, news reports occasionally surfaced about mages conducting illegal experiments.
"That is why mages will never acknowledge what a dark mage uses as 'magic.'"
It was an absurd story.
But the mages had reached a consensus on it.
"Therefore, even if you manifest mana—the third principle—and discover its rules, and ultimately manifest it... if mages grit their teeth and deny it, it won't be magic. So, what should you do?"
"Crush them with power?"
"Exactly."
It was a truly Leon-style answer.
Through the Tower Master’s lectures and sparring sessions with the Captain and others, I perfected the abilities of my magic sword.
It wasn't that difficult.
To be honest, it was harder to handle before it was recognized as magic. Now, it wasn't much different from using sword energy.
All I had to do was focus on understanding and utilizing the characteristics of attributes I had never properly handled before: fire and ice.
In reality, the Captain only played the role of a stand-in for Prince Ellen.
The ones who actually taught me magic were Yerisha, the shut-in Elf I’d dragged out of her room, and Irin, the 'sinner' who had turned Ellen into a Sword Master.
"What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of fire?"
"That it's hot?"
"That’s obvious."
"That it's strong?"
"I think a five-year-old would give a longer description than that..."
With a deep sigh, Yerisha showed me the fire spirits before her eyes.
"Fire is hot. It is strong. But that’s not all."
"Then what is it?"
Stroking a massive bird made of fire, Yerisha said, "It’s not good for me to just tell you."
"......?"
Perhaps because of my 'what kind of nonsense is this' expression, Yerisha sighed again and explained.
"In magic, the moment an image becomes fixed, growth slows down."
"I heard that people who have personally experienced natural disasters grow faster, though."
"That’s because it’s a result they experienced themselves, not someone else’s image."
"Aha."
True, even if people experience the same natural phenomenon, one might feel the mystery of Mother Nature while another feels pure terror. But if you just listen to the results of someone else's experience, you’re only left with the image of the mystery or terror they felt.
"So, feel it."
At those words, I looked at the fire bird and realized something.
"......"
As expected, I have zero talent for magic.
"Ugh."
Just in case, Yerisha even summoned an ice turtle for me, but I didn't feel any particular enlightenment.
In contrast, our Ancestor’s explanation was simple.
"Fire."
Whoosh.
A blazing flame appeared.
"Ice."
The fire froze instantly, and a flame-shaped piece of ice took its place.
"This is magic."
"......"
Seeing my expression, the Ancestor nodded as if she understood everything.
"Yeah, I know what you want to say. But..."
She proudly thumped her chest and uttered a single sentence.
"My mom's a dragon."
"......"
"I just... use magic the moment I think of it."
"......"
They say a genius cannot understand the mind of an ordinary person. This woman was beyond a genius; she was a descendant of dragons, the progenitors of magic.
Because it was as natural to her as breathing, she found it even harder to explain.
"I'll show you instead."
Since she knew this well, the Ancestor explained in a similar way to Yerisha.
Except...
"First, try blocking this."
"......?"
It was just that she would send a massive tidal wave of fire or a giant ice storm my way...
"Wait, isn't this a bit much?!"
"Your girlfriend blocked it just fine!"
This woman definitely held a grudge over being teased about losing to Daisy.
And so, the day before returning to the Academy, I tested my completed sword against Ellen.
"......"
I lost miserably.
"Lost again, huh?"
Was this revenge for the Academy exam results? I couldn't do anything even as I watched Ellen’s unusually cheerful expression.
I was beaten by pure skill.
Even though I was a knight of Leon, I’d thrown away my pride and even switched jobs to become a Magic Spammer!
And yet I still lost. What could I possibly do?
"......"
Come to think of it, there was something.
"What did you say?"
A way to break that confident smile on Ellen’s face as he tilted his head.
That was...
"When I get back, I should go on a date with Daisy."
"...Huh?"
"I mean... it’s only natural for lovers to go on dates."
"Adam?"
It was a direct mental attack.
Nothing special happened on the way back to the Academy.
There were no dark mages trying to hijack the airship, no bandits riding wyverns.
"It has been a while, Brother."
There was a passing Heresy Inquisitor, but I ignored him easily.
"Adam. You're joking, right? You're not actually going on a date, are you?!"
I spent quite a while avoiding the Sword Master Prince who was filming his own internal melodrama.
When we finally arrived, the Academy was busy preparing for the Founding Festival.
"You're Senior Adam Smith, right? I'm Leah Asirans. Senior Violet asked me to come meet you."
Since my priority was getting a chance to stick it to that damn talented monster...
"You can just call me Senior."
"Yes, Senior. But... is it true?"
For some reason, I found myself facing a junior whose clear eyes were filled with a strange madness.
"That there's a secret dungeon in the library basement."
What on earth did that Boradori bastard tell her to make this noble girl's eyes look so crazed?
"Well, there is."
"I've only heard about it as a legend from the seniors! That there's a secret dungeon under the Academy, and the entrance is the library! It was literally just a legend to me!"
Violet had been caught by the Pope and would be stuck in the Holy Kingdom until the very last second. Instead, she said she’d ask a junior she knew to guide me.
I didn't know that junior would be such a fanatic.
Is there no one normal around Boradori?
"I've finished all the preparations."
As she said that, she emptied a small pouch.
The items falling out were far from ordinary.
Not only were there tools like shovels and pickaxes, but swords, spears, and even axes and maces came tumbling out.
"Do you know how to use those?"
"Yes!"
At my dubious expression, Leah casually lifted a mace the size of my torso with one hand.
"I'm surprisingly strong!"
"Uh, right."
Seeing her naturally circulate mana, it certainly seemed so.
I didn't know much about the Asirans family, but seeing the specs of that subspace magic tool—which looked as good as or better than the one I carried—they seemed to be quite wealthy.
Perhaps that was why I smelled a familiar scent from this junior I was meeting for the first time.
"Did you eat a lot of elixirs growing up?"
"I was stuffed with them!"
Not bad.
Having a lot of mana meant she could at least defend herself in a worst-case scenario. Even if she just wrapped herself in raw mana like a defensive aura, she’d be able to withstand most dungeon traps.
She wouldn't be a drag on me.
However, there was one thing I was curious about.
"But is there a reason you need to go to the basement dungeon, Leah?"
As a guide, her knowledge only extended to the library's exterior. Neither of us knew anything about the internal dungeon.
In other words, she was about to enter an unexplored dungeon with a man she’d just met—a man who, according to rumors, was a world-class trash two-timing the Saintess and the Imperial Duke’s daughter.
Yet she was acting perfectly normal—no, she was even humming to herself. I couldn't help but wonder.
"I heard there's hidden treasure there."
The junior answered, humming as she stuffed the items back into her subspace pouch.
"There's something I need to find there!"
As expected of Boradori’s acquaintance. This junior isn't sane either.
...I should have run away the moment that thought crossed my mind.
I realized it far too late.