A Man Who Can Be Bought for Ten Million Krona
My name is Ian Ash, a man who can be bought for ten million krona.
'...This doesn't make any sense.'
The Magic Tower Master was utterly dumbfounded. Naturally, no one could see him while he maintained his transparency spell, but if anyone had caught a glimpse of the man, they would have been shocked. It was incredibly rare to see the Magic Tower Master's eyes gleaming with such vivid life.
"Mana Orb Suppression"
This was the name the Magic Tower Master had given to a practical exercise he repeated every year. And this kind of outcome was unprecedented.
Standing on the auditorium's podium, the Magic Tower Master fixed his cool, deep blue eyes on the single mana orb floating idly in the air.
In truth, when a mana orb suddenly appeared, it was only natural for the students to flail desperately in an attempt to knock it away. The mana mass buzzed around like a swarm of flies, grazing their ears, cluttering their vision, and flying about with relentless noise. To novices who had only just awakened to mana, the orb wouldn't feel like a target to capture but an annoying obstacle. In reality, reading the trajectory of that wildly rampaging orb and striking it accurately to send it flying far away was indeed proof of considerable talent. Even by the standards of the "talentless," it required a delicate touch of mana control and decent dynamic vision.
But this? Perfectly pinning it to a single coordinate by clashing two completely different types of mana, physically restraining it in place? Not destroying the orb, not batting it away—just controlling the very space around it as if to say, 'Shut up and stay right there.'
The Magic Tower Master had only ever witnessed one person with such an arrogant way of thinking.
Lucy Blossom. That insane genius.
'Damn it.'
The Magic Tower Master swallowed a curse. Why did every talented person have a few screws loose? The one with the most screws loose of all bit his lip hard. That insolent second son of a viscount had already rejected his offer to become a direct disciple during the very first class. And yet here he was, boldly displaying this arrogant stunt and tempting him once again? Was this kid trying to drive him insane?
No. Judging by that indifferent attitude, the probability that he was even trying to provoke him was low. He had probably just done it because it was 'noisy and annoying.'
"Hoo..."
The Magic Tower Master took a deep breath to calm his surging emotions. It was quite familiar for his feelings to swing violently between displeasure, joy, and madness, but the amplitude had grown far too extreme in the face of the variable called Ian Ashy lately.
'Still, this year's students are quite the bumper crop.'
The Magic Tower Master shifted his gaze and glanced at the auditorium ceiling. In one corner, the clear traces of a mana orb launched by Princess Eiphrid's earth magic remained. The princess was the most outstanding talent among all past participants—she had struck the orb the fastest, the most accurately, and the most destructively.
And then there was Lena Youngstern, who had been absent today. Although she was under disciplinary probation and couldn't attend class, the massive water-attribute mana explosion she had unleashed across the entire academy was clearly a manifestation of talent. That was why, during the faculty meeting when the other professors had clamored for her expulsion or severe punishment, the Magic Tower Master had used every ounce of his influence to reduce her penalty to a slap on the wrist.
Lena Youngstern had already proven her worth by turning the academy upside down.
Princess Eiphrid and Lena Youngstern. The Magic Tower Master certainly held great interest in those two overwhelming talents.
But Ian Ashy was different. The boy had transcended the realm of mere interest or potential disciple. He was a being that sparked curiosity and intrigue.
'If I approach him clumsily, he'll slip away like a mudfish again.'
The Magic Tower Master's cold lips curled into a graceful arc. He had already prepared the most reliable trap to catch this unique prey called Ian Ash.
And right there, he could see Ian Ashy standing alone in the now-empty auditorium, staring blankly with no idea what was coming.
The Magic Tower Master walked straight toward him with precise steps.
With roughly a hundred students having poured out like the tide, the auditorium was now empty. In front of me stood the Magic Tower Master with his arms crossed.
'...I'm screwed.'
I should have just knocked it away like everyone else. Trying to be clever because it was annoying had backfired. Who the hell would have thought fixing the orb in place was the correct answer? What crazy bastard came up with this exercise?
"You displayed remarkable ability, Ian Ash."
The first words out of the Magic Tower Master's mouth were praise.
"Ah, no, that's not it, Tower Master. This is merely..."
The moment I raised my hand to wave it off and began making excuses—
"There is no need for excuses."
The Magic Tower Master coldly cut me off.
"I know full well that you were simply annoyed by that orb, without even needing to see it with my own eyes. Rather than precise mana control, it was likely just a coincidence born from irritation. You were simply lucky."
Huh? What was this guy? He was making excuses for me?
For a second I thought jackpot, but then goosebumps rose all over my body. How the hell did he know? Could he see mana or something? Like, I used mana because it was annoying but I still had to attend class. That kind of thing.
'...What kind of ghost sense is that?'
Whatever the reason, this development was something I could welcome with open arms.
'I can just roughly say it was luck.'
I cheered inwardly and carefully nodded.
"That's correct. It was entirely due to luck."
But at that moment, the Magic Tower Master's cool blue eyes sank low.
"Yes. That is the problem. I know your type very well."
"...Pardon?"
"Those who reach the essence of magic with nothing but instinctive senses and deception, without any effort or thirst for academic truth. The very definition of a blessed individual who shoves that blessing straight into the gutter... An arrogant genius."
For a moment I doubted my ears. What? Arrogant genius? He had just said it was nothing but luck! Why was the conclusion suddenly jumping to that?
"Tower Master. This may be rude, but I believe there is a clear misunderstanding. This is unfair."
I hastily denied it, but the Magic Tower Master simply nodded with composure and icy coldness, as if he had predicted even this.
"I know. I know that you extremely dislike getting involved in bothersome matters."
"If you know that, then why..."
"So do not worry. I will not be making you an offer to become my direct disciple right this moment."
Whew. I almost let out a huge sigh of relief. I barely held it in, afraid it might trigger this madman's rebellious psychology. Plus, there was that lingering unease in his wording.
He said 'right this moment'? Did that mean there would be a later? Looking at this guy's obsession, there was no way he would let it go.
The bomb dropped right then.
"A special scholarship system will soon be established targeting the students of Magic Theory 101."
"...A scholarship?"
"Correct. In the next practical class for Magic Theory 101, the team of students who demonstrate the most outstanding mana operation and cooperation will receive ten million krona as scholarship money."
"Ten million krona?"
Have you ever experienced your brain turning completely white from shock? That was exactly what happened to me just now. T-ten million krona? If I did well once in class, I got ten million?
Saliva began dripping from the corner of my mouth. I hastily wiped it away.
"Show me your best effort. For reference, teams will consist of three members. This information will be officially announced to all students this afternoon."
I stared at the Magic Tower Master with a dazed expression.
"...Why are you telling only me this in advance?"
In response to my question, a very faint smile spread across the Magic Tower Master's cold lips. It was the face of a scholar observing a lab rat freezing at the scent of cheese at the end of a maze—an extremely ominous expression.
"I wanted to confirm something before the announcement."
"Confirm what?"
"What the correct answer would be to make a lazy genius like you move."
The Magic Tower Master's blue eyes meticulously scanned my face.
"And judging by the blatant greed rising on your face right now... it seems my prediction was exactly right. This was the correct answer."
Goosebumps erupted all over me. This crazy bastard—did he even have the ability to see through people? Only then did my whitened brain snap back to attention.
'Ah, should I just say I won't do it?'
Since the team was three people anyway, the ten million krona would have to be split by three. Ten million divided by three. Roughly 3.33 million krona each. Of course that was still a huge sum, but the risk of getting entangled with the Magic Tower Master...
'Doesn't seem to exist.'
My reason suddenly interjected. It was just a scholarship. 3.33 million krona?
'No, calm down.'
The money would come in anyway once I printed the second edition of my childhood friend's book. Playing it safe was best. The person offering me money right in front of my eyes was the Magic Tower Master?
While I was lost in that internal conflict—
"Ah, that's right. I forgot one thing."
The Magic Tower Master, who had turned to leave the auditorium, suddenly stopped as if he had just remembered. He turned his head and spoke to me.
"...?"
"That ten million krona. It is not the total amount for the entire team."
The Magic Tower Master's chilly voice echoed through the empty auditorium.
"Per person."
"......"
"Each student will receive ten million krona individually."
This Ian Ash. In the next practical session, I will do my very best to pour out my mana.