Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Volume 10 - Graveda Academy (1)
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Kali?"
Of course, developing semiconductors from the early stages to computers in a proper sequence would take way too long.
But that's only if we're talking about circuits that use 'electricity,' right?
What if we used magic? It might make it easy to overcome the barriers that normally hinder computer development.
So, the reason I can have such hopeful thoughts about this is ultimately because I don't know much about magic.
"Kali!"
"Huh? Yeah?"
"What are you thinking so hard about? I asked you a question, and you didn't answer."
"I was pondering exactly that."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah."
Honestly, in this medieval world, they have refrigerators, free-flowing water at no cost, and even features to heat it up.
In some ways, the performance seems better than modern times, doesn't it?
If we make good use of this, maybe computers are possible too?
"Then, how about we give it a try?"
"For real!?"
"Yeah, but you gave up on swordsmanship, right? I want to learn magic."
"Oh, if it's that, I can teach you the basics needed for the entrance exam."
"But the entrance exam is coming up soon, isn't it?"
"True, and the reason I brought it up right after you arrived is because the application deadline is approaching too."
I heard that because of the request I made during that freelance job, Graveda Academy and the other imperial academies now have an admissions track based purely on artistic skill.
With my LD artwork, I'd pass immediately, but with SD, I wasn't so sure.
But if I submitted LD, it'd reveal that I'm 'Siu,' so that's tricky.
"So, Lia, you'll teach me magic?"
"Yeah! Oh, but first, do you have any drawings ready? We need to apply right away."
I had some SDs prepared just in case they asked if I had anything drawn within the semester timeframe.
I had some colored ones, sketches, and even monochrome ones for comics.
That should be more than enough for a portfolio.
"Just submitting drawings is enough?"
"For the magic-related exam, you pass the written test first, then get evaluated."
"What about mages who can't draw?"
"It's rare, but if they can, they submit a magic circle, and based on the knowledge level, they'll pass the first round."
But their art score would be low, so they'd need strong magic skills.
Still, the practical magic exam carries much more weight, so the first round is basically just for passing.
That's why commoners who can't learn magic can't even attempt admission, even if they can draw.
"Alright, then we can submit these tomorrow... For today, how about I teach you some magic?"
"I'm curious. I've only seen you use it, so I know nothing about magic."
The publishing industry developed because they needed to teach magic.
But magic books are restricted to academies due to safety concerns, so ordinary folks like me can't easily access them.
That's why even when researching, info on magic was scarce.
Of course, as a noble, you could ask a mage or bribe a student.
But I wasn't that interested.
Come to think of it, with Rozaria right next to me, I probably just asked her all the basic questions I had.
Rozaria pulled out a pen and began drawing something in the air with mana while explaining.
She usually used it to draw magic circles for spells.
But you could use it like a chalkboard too? Handy.
"Magic is broadly divided into three types."
"Three?"
"Yes. Low-level magic, high-level magic, and recording magic."
"I can guess low and high, but what's recording magic?"
She explained that recording magic imbues objects with magic using materials, whether low or high level.
Even low-skill mages earn money in factories by drawing simple recording magic.
It's all done by hand so far.
No wonder magical drawing tools are expensive.
"But aren't most items super cheap? Even commoner homes have refrigerators and such; it's widespread."
"They're big."
"Huh?"
"It's handmade, but a 'mage' controls a stamping tool to draw the shape in one second. That's why they produce at incredible speeds, making them cheap."
On the flip side, small drawing tools are harder, so they're pricier.
Packing all that function into a small size and weight requires a lot of manual work.
The more I hear, the harder miniaturization seems, and my computer dreams are fading.
Is this right?
"But is recording magic that different from regular? You still draw magic either way..."
"Mages are only needed to infuse mana during drawing to activate it. They're completely different. Recording magic uses 'mana ink' for the runes, supplied by 'mana stones' to trigger."
There's a special ink-like thing for recording magic called mana ink.
It can't even trigger a mage's personal mana spells—strictly for mana stones.
Clearly separated.
"So, for anything but small items, mage skill doesn't matter?"
"Yeah. Even complex ones can be done with stamps, as I mentioned."
Then why do we need mages at all?
Why are they treated so well?
With mana stones and ink, even unskilled mages could handle most things, right?
"Ah, Kali doesn't know... Recording magic's limit is about refrigerator level."
"Refrigerator level?"
Thinking about it, they have fridges but no freezers here.
You can have cold water, but no ice.
Is that because of recording magic's output limits?
"You can stack them to lower temps more, but lethal force or big effects are impossible. Its firepower is weaker than a novice mage."
Some spells outright fail due to mana stone and ink limits.
Basically, the advantage is autonomous operation without a mage, but weaker than average low-level mages.
Conversely, printing magic is high-level—hard for most to replicate—but low mana intensity, so workable with stones.
"Huh, but for drawing tools, don't I infuse my own mana? If there's a mana stone, isn't that unnecessary?"
"For very small mana stones, there's not enough mana to run the item. So you charge it directly in real-time."
Oh...
Everything has its own logic.
For combat tools, firepower demands a mage.
Spells impossible with recording need mages too.
"Of course, skilled mages design recording magic finely for great efficiency. Custom handmade tools by top mages are priceless."
"Ah, I see..."
Makes sense—with tight limits, optimizing within them is skill.
Different fields, but magic understanding correlates with both.
"Ah, we got sidetracked into useless stuff. That wasn't what I meant to say."
Recording and high-level aren't tested anyway.
She skimmed it to move to low-level, but then self-blamed for the long lecture.
"No, that's what I was most curious about. It was super interesting and informative, so don't worry."
"Really?"
"And even if not now, it's stuff we'll need eventually."
We didn't spend that much time.
Better to explain the next part than self-flagellate.
Convinced, Rozaria nodded and began on low-level magic.
"Low-level magic activates just by drawing 'magic runes' inside a 'magic circle'."
"I don't get that yet. Is that round thing you draw usually the magic circle?"
"Yeah, exactly."
The closer to a perfect circle, the better the efficiency.
But it's conceptual, not about the visual shape.
With tools, even perfect circles can perform worse than distorted freehand.
"You'll see when you draw mana in the air, but it's harder to get used to than you'd think. Mana bucks wildly, making your hand shake. Of course, I can do it perfectly now."
That's why magic circle drawing is the first entrance hurdle.
They grade how accurately you draw a circle freehand.
Rozaria got perfect, but it's rare.
"Even at Graveda?"
"At low-tier places, any circle that activates passes. Perfect is just hard—most draw near-perfect casually."
By first-year, most draw perfect like her.
Just tough for newbies; at Graveda, it's basic lib ed.
"This pen helps draw with mana. Want to try?"
"Hold on."
First time pulling mana in ages.
Indeed, as she said, the weird mana feel made my hand tremble.
Still, this seems doable.
No wonder it's called basic.
"Like this?"
Rozaria's face filled with shock at my near-perfect circle.
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