Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: 072. Isolde - (Complete)
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The next morning.
The scene in the second-year magic faculty classroom was no different from usual. The classroom had grown a bit larger due to the merger of the Ashen Tower and Ivory Tower, but that was it.
"Pay attention. The honorary founder of the previous Mage Guild researched the dynamical flow of mana..."
The instructor's dull lecture on the history of magic continued. It was an incredibly boring class.
While the cadets dozed off or yawned lazily, Isolde meticulously took notes, capturing every word the instructor said without missing a beat.
"...Hmm."
But today was different.
Isolde rested her chin on her hand, staring out the window. Instead of lecture notes, her notebook was densely filled with intricate magic circles and diagrams of puppet joint structures.
'If I reduce the mana output here and increase the fluidity...'
Her mind was entirely consumed with thoughts of the dancing puppet.
She was surprised at herself. Never before had Isolde lost focus during a lecture to think about something else.
And she wasn't even aiming for a good evaluation in this joint research project.
"...Zolde."
'How can I make it move even more gracefully...'
The puppet's movements.
She planned to ignore efficiency entirely and focus solely on the flair.
To do that...
"Isolde!"
"Y-yes...!"
Isolde startled and lifted her head.
The instructor who called her pointed to a page in the history of magic book with a gentle expression.
"There was a mage who led the reforms of the 22nd Mage Guild. Who was that person?"
Every professor in the magic faculty always directed questions at Isolde whenever the class dragged on.
As the top student of the magic faculty, answering such questions was only natural.
However...
"I'm sorry. I don't know."
Isolde bowed her head and said so, causing the instructor and the cadets' faces to drain of color.
In truth, she knew the answer.
But she pretended not to.
She wanted to.
"*Ahem*... I see. That can happen. The name is a bit obscure, after all. Listen up, everyone. The head of the 22nd Mage Guild was... Alexios Free..."
The instructor's words faded into the distance again, like sounds from beyond the wall.
Isolde let out a big yawn.
She was tired.
She hadn't slept a wink last night.
But strangely... she wasn't sleepy.
Dong— dong—.
The bell rang, and the lecture ended. Isolde packed her bag and stood up as if she had been waiting for it.
"Isolde senior...!"
As she walked down the hallway, Charlotte approached. She pointed at the list of topics Isolde had given her earlier, her face scrunched up in distress.
"This is bad."
"What's wrong, Charlotte?"
"See this? I chose the topic on efficiency changes based on resonance frequencies of mana-sensing stones. But... when I plug in the resonance formula, it keeps overloading. To fix the mana backlash, I need to use reverse engineering formulas, but I just can't get the hang of it..."
"Is that so?"
Isolde shrugged. It was certainly a difficult topic for a first-year cadet. Reverse engineering formulas were one of the most convoluted parts of the second-semester curriculum.
"Yes. So I was wondering if you could maybe teach me..."
Charlotte smiled brightly. She seemed completely unconcerned about the possibility of refusal, her expression relaxed.
"..."
Just yesterday, Isolde had helped with Charlotte's assignment. The number of times she'd helped so far couldn't even be counted on one hand.
However...
"Charlotte, no... Charlotte."
Charlotte tilted her head at Isolde calling her without any honorifics.
"Senior, what's wrong?"
"Wouldn't it be better to do your own work yourself?"
"...Pardon?"
Charlotte's eyes widened round.
"Giving you the topic list was just a favor to keep you from getting lost. But spoon-feeding you isn't my duty. In a way, it's cheating."
"S-Senior...?"
"I'm busy too. Like I said before, if you don't know, go to the library and look it up in the books."
"...Y-Yes.... You're right....."
Charlotte seemed more shocked by Isolde's face than the rejection itself.
Isolde carefully turned her head to look at the window. Her reflection in the glass showed an icy blank expression that even surprised her.
"S-Sorry. I'll... do it myself.... Yes. I'll go now!"
Charlotte backed away with a pale face and fled down the hallway.
The commotion drew all eyes to Isolde.
Whispers spread.
A tiny blemish appeared on Isolde's flawless reputation.
"..."
What to say.
It didn't feel bad at all.
Isolde removed her glasses and hung them around her neck.
Without the non-prescription lenses, the world seemed sharper than before.
"So, this is the blueprint you've been working on?"
"Yes. What do you think?"
Isolde headed to Otilie's workshop.
To prepare for the midterm evaluation of today's joint research project.
"Hmm..."
Otilie examined the designs Isolde had created. No matter what, Otilie was more of an expert in puppets than Isolde. Naturally, Isolde was there to receive help and learn.
'This is surprising too.'
The one who always gave help was now receiving it.
The feeling wasn't bad. No, it sent a thrilling tingle through her chest.
"Looks like garbage you put effort into."
"Eek..."
That was Otilie's blunt assessment after studying the blueprints for a while.
Well, Isolde's design had no trace of efficiency. She'd twisted the mana circuits three times just to implement a slight tremor at the fingertips.
Academically, it was a failing design. Mana efficiency was the worst, and stability was poor.
"R-right? It really is... too inefficient? Ahaha... I was inexperienced since it's my first time. Sh-should I redo it?"
"You're a fucking idiot."
As Isolde's heart sank at the tossed-out words, Otilie's lips curled up slyly.
"So let's do it right now."
"...Pardon?"
"Inefficient, wastes mana, needlessly complex. But... it's fun. More than I expected."
Otilie looked at Isolde. Her eyes sparkled with delight.
"Not bad? I thought you only knew how to churn out stuffy, rigid things."
"..."
"We'll go with this."
"R-really? This one?"
"Yeah. Submit it now."
"L-let me come with you too."
Isolde hurriedly followed Otilie. Even if it seemed hasty without proper review, Otilie's resolve was firm.
And so Otilie strode confidently into the Ashen Tower guiding professor's office.
"...Well, if it isn't. The magic faculty top student and the failure student duo. What a sight. I thought they'd mix like water and oil."
Magic faculty guiding professor Everett Ruttinger smiled with interest as he looked at them.
"So, here for the midterm evaluation?"
"Yeah."
The second-year joint research project in the magic faculty underwent midterm checks via interviews with professors.
"This is our research plan."
Otilie tossed the blueprints down casually, even using informal speech with the guiding professor. Everett scanned them for a while.
Silence fell. Only the ticking of the second hand filled the office.
"...Ugh."
Isolde grew anxious.
It was undeniably cluttered with redundancies.
Sure enough, Everett spoke.
"Efficiency is truly abysmal. Mana conductivity is a mess too. From a textbook perspective, it's a zero."
"...I-is it?"
It was perhaps the expected evaluation. As Isolde forced a smile,
"But..."
Everett pointed to a part of the blueprint with his finger. The most complex and inefficient circuit controlling the puppet's fingertips.
"It's fun. Yeah. Could say it breaks the mold."
"...Breaks the mold?"
"Exactly. Great mages always have a few screws loose. To the point where some call them mad. That's why I rate you as great mage material, Miss Otilie."
"I'm not loose."
"No. Miss Otilie, you're definitely loose."
Otilie pouted as if wronged.
Everett looked away from the blueprints to Isolde.
His gaze was like a mother bird watching a chick hatch from its shell.
It was the first time guiding professor Everett had shown her such a bright expression.
"You've finally taken off the glasses, Isolde."
"Yes..."
"Give it a try. Just in case, even if you fail this evaluation, you won't lose your top spot. Do it your way without worry."
Everett handed back the blueprints and added,
"Of everything you've submitted so far, this is my favorite. I don't know about academic value, but artistically, it's perfect. I'll wait for the completion."
At those words, Isolde swallowed hard.
This blueprint was close to a wrong answer for the old Isolde.
But for someone, it could be the perfect answer.
Something suppressed in her chest snapped free.
"Ah..."
It wasn't relief—it was exhilarating liberation.
On the way back to the dormitory.
Isolde felt like she was floating in a dream.
Despite submitting a messy blueprint, guiding professor Everett had praised her—unprecedentedly so.
"Ha, haha..."
Her heart pounded as if it would burst.
Not because of the praise. It was the thrill of succeeding at something done purely for herself for the first time in her life.
That elation heightened all her senses.
"Amazing..."
Her conversation with Priest Leo had undoubtedly changed her mindset greatly.
A few words in the confessional had shifted her entire worldview overnight.
Until now, Isolde had been just a puppet. Reacting mechanically to external stimuli.
Worse than the blueprint she'd made overnight—a rigid piece of trash obsessed only with efficiency.
"Not anymore."
Isolde carefully picked up the glasses hanging around her neck and placed them on a bench.
It felt like taking her first wobbly steps.
She still had much 'self' to fill.
- 'Empty your heart completely, then fill it with 'you'.
Priest Leo's words.
Isolde gently placed her hand on her left chest.
- 'It doesn't have to be grand. Find what you like. What you want to do. What you enjoy. Start from there.
To that, Isolde belatedly replied,
"It's already filled."
Mana link.
Even now, her mana flowed through invisible threads into Leo's veins.
Isolde closed her eyes and focused on the sensation. Warm, firm, and... vulnerable.
If she willed it, she could seize control anytime.
'...You wouldn't know.'
How deep this connection ran.