Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Alpheas Magic Academy (4)
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This time, Klumpf was the one surprised. He'd always known his friend was a master of messing with people.
“They say you gain foresight once you've mastered magic.”
“It's nothing like that. We had a brief connection, you see. Though, I must admit, it was quite intense.”
Alpheas recounted his meeting with Shirone when the boy was around twelve. In return, Klumpf told him the story of how Shirone had joined the Ogent family afterward.
“Arian Shirone, you say.”
Alpheas fell silent again. This time, however, he was truly lost in thought.
“Why not just accept him? This could be fate, you know.”
“Fate is nothing more than a play on words. Humans forge their own futures. If you try to connect the dots, is there anything that *couldn't* be called fate?”
It didn't work this time either. Klumpf clicked his tongue.
But on the other hand, his heart ached. He could guess how his friend felt, unable to make a decision despite discovering such a great talent.
“Are you still... unable to forgive yourself?”
Alpheas said nothing.
“Isn't that why you've kept the special admission track open, refusing to bow to the nobles' pressure? You've done enough. You've produced countless talented individuals. It's time to forgive yourself.”
“Hahaha, forgiving oneself is arrogance. I'm the one who threw a precious, god-given talent into the trash. It's not about being forgiven. It's a hope that no one like that will ever appear again.”
Klumpf sighed. Though he was a certified Grade 4 mage and the headmaster of a prestigious academy, his friend was not someone who should have ended up at just this level. He was a genius. If only that day had never happened.
“Hehehe. To be honest, even as your friend, I found you quite obnoxious back then. The light of the Mirh family. A once-in-a-century genius, now just an old headmaster. Life is truly fleeting.”
Perhaps with age, one comes to embrace pain like a child, for Alpheas felt good despite the biting words that pierced his heart.
“Gahaha! On the other hand, the heavens must have smiled on you. To think that talentless fool is now a certified Grade 3 swordsman. I worry for the future of the Tormia Kingdom.”
The two men burst into hearty laughter. In the battle between talent and effort, those natural enemies, one could say Klumpf had won. Alpheas was proud of and respected his friend for that.
“It's a thought that comes with old age, but genius is nothing more than a delusion. It's just being a little better at something. I wonder, could that boy truly comfort me?”
“You know the answer to that better than anyone, don't you?”
Alpheas chuckled and walked to the window. So, it comes to this. The talent he had to let go because of the barrier of status had bypassed five years of time to appear before him once more.
He believed there was no such thing as fate in the world. Only humans could forge their own futures.
But Alpheas suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Could it truly be... fate?
“I will admit Shirone.”
Learning Magic (1)
Spring had arrived. The garden of Vincent's cabin was in full bloom.
In the six months after his admission to the magic academy was confirmed, Shirone spent a joyful time with his parents.
Since he would be living in a dormitory once he started school, he wanted to do as much as possible with his family.
He went with his father to chop wood, and upon returning home, he chatted with his parents over the delicious dinners his mother prepared.
Vincent didn't tell anyone about Shirone's success. His lips itched to boast to the friends who had subtly looked down on him for having a weak son, but he didn't want to make unnecessary enemies and cause trouble for Shirone.
Shirone was grateful for his father's consideration. The reason he had flatly refused the Ogent family's offer of a house in the city was purely a parent's desire not to be a burden on their child.
The happy days flew by like an arrow, and finally, the day of his entrance to the magic academy arrived.
While the deputy butler, Temuran, waited outside with the carriage, Shirone shared a farewell with his parents.
“Father, I'm off. I'll write often.”
“Alright, my son! Work hard! Now, a kiss!”
Vincent puckered his lips, and the smile on Shirone's face froze. No matter how young he looked, kissing his father at the age of eighteen was a bit embarrassing.
“Father, no matter what, a kiss is a bit much now.”
“Nonsense! If you don't, I will!”
“Ugh.”
As his father approached with his thick lips puckered, Shirone flinched. But Vincent didn't kiss his lips; instead, he pressed a warm kiss to Shirone's forehead and pulled him into an embrace.
“Shirone, I'm so proud of you.”
Held in Vincent's arms, Shirone felt the last vestiges of anxiety in his heart disappear.
“I'll be going now.”
After leaving the house with the same farewell as always, he found Temuran waiting in front of the stables.
“Please get in. I have been ordered to escort you to the academy.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The two were silent until they reached the academy. It was true that their positions had reversed in just two years, which made things uncomfortable.
But Shirone hadn't forgotten. He remembered how Temuran had taken his side despite Head Butler Louis's attempts to keep him in check.
Arriving at the main gate of the magic academy, Temuran respectfully helped Shirone out of the carriage. It was a place attended by nobles, so he had to be mindful of appearances.
“The entrance fee and cost of textbooks will be paid through me. Please do not worry about financial matters, Young Master, and simply focus on your studies.”
Shirone treated Temuran with the same respect.
“Deputy Butler, thank you so much for everything.”
“I am only doing my duty.”
“But I haven't properly thanked you yet. Thanks to you thinking well of me, I was able to get into the magic academy. I will never forget this kindness.”
Temuran thought for a moment before speaking.
“No matter how talented a commoner is, they are still just a commoner. They cannot hope to surpass the nobility.”
As Shirone looked up, Temuran's strict gaze glinted as he continued.
“However, an opportunity like this is not given to just anyone. Many nobles will likely look down on you, Young Master. Even so, you must endure and endure again. If you can endure to the very end, there will eventually be an end to it.”
It was advice befitting Temuran, an orphan who had risen to the rank of deputy butler. The truth lies in simple things. If you can endure to the very end, there will eventually be an end.
“Thank you. I will become a mage, no matter what.”
Temuran smiled. It was the first time Shirone had seen him smile in the two years they had spent together.
“If you are prepared, please follow me. You are registered as a guest of the Ogent family and have been admitted through the special track. I will introduce you.”
At the main gate of the magic academy, guards stood just as they had six years ago. He couldn't tell if they were the same guards who had looked at him like an insect and chased him away, but even if the people changed, the philosophy of the position would remain the same.
“What is your business?”
“This is Shirone, who has just been admitted to the magic academy. Here is his certificate of admission and a document from the Ogent family verifying his status.”
After checking the certificate of admission, the guard didn't even dare to look at the identity verification document.
After all, it was clear that anyone who could cross this threshold was of a much higher station than them.
“Ah, I see. It is an honor to have you. I am Marco, in charge of the main gate security. I look forward to serving you.”
As the guard bowed at the waist, the guard standing next to him also placed his right arm on his stomach and gave a respectful salute.
Shirone was dumbfounded by the treatment, which was a world apart from six years ago, but he soon grasped the reality of the situation and smiled.
“Then I will be on my way. If you ever need anything, please seek me out.”
Taking the documents from Temuran, Shirone took his first step as a student of the magic academy.
The moment he crossed the threshold of the main gate, his heart swelled with emotion. Alpheas Magic Academy, known as the cradle of geniuses. What would he learn, and what kind of people would he meet?
The life of Shirone the mage was just beginning.
* * *
The magic academy occupied an entire mountain, with a site area of 75.425 square kilometers. It had a total of twenty-two buildings and over forty basic training grounds.
The total student body was 420, with 32 teachers. With a scale like this, it was truly worthy of being called the best academy in the kingdom.
Upon entering the building with the reception desk, he saw neat and beautiful students walking around in small groups.
Various maps, the academy's founding history, and the curriculum were posted on the walls. While waiting after submitting his documents, Shirone spent the time carefully examining them.
Alpheas Magic Academy employed a system called Class Ten. Classes Ten through Eight were the basic division, Seven through Four were the advanced division, and Three through One were the graduating division.
The graduating division, the only one to use relative evaluation, had a maximum of 30 students, of which only 10 would graduate.
Shirone was astounded by Alpheas's strict graduation method. Considering the graduation test was held only once a year, it meant that 20 talented individuals were expelled annually.
“You must be Shirone.”
The headmaster of the magic academy, Alpheas, had come to see Shirone personally.
Shirone was taken aback by his appearance, which hadn't changed at all in six years. However, considering this was a magic academy that shattered common sense, it wasn't all that surprising.
“Hello. I'm Shirone.”
“We've met before, haven't we? Do you remember me?”
How could he not remember? It was the event that had first made him dream of becoming a mage.
“Yes. Thank you so much for what you did back then.”
“Right. Well, we can talk later. For now, let's go. You need to take your placement test.”
Shirone was flustered at the mention of a test right after enrolling. What kind of test could he take when he hadn't learned anything yet?
“Nothing to worry about. It's just an assessment to determine your class. Can you use the Spirit Zone?”
“Yes, I can.”
“Oh! Is that so?”
He knew the boy was talented and smart. Even so, mastering the Spirit Zone on one's own was a difficult feat.
In truth, Alpheas himself had been the one to teach Shirone about the Spirit Zone, but he never imagined a twelve-year-old child would succeed on his first try.
That thought hadn't changed. That was why he had arranged for Shirone to be the last of the new students to be processed.
Since there were countless families who trained their children in magic from birth, many of the new students were not even ten years old. The oldest among them were no more than fourteen.
Therefore, he had adjusted the timing so that eighteen-year-old Shirone wouldn't lose face.
‘I'll have to teach him from the basics. It's partly my fault for being blind, but what a shame. If only he had started a little earlier.’
Alpheas guided Shirone to the testing area. His pace was unhurried, as he knew the other children's tests would be in full swing by the time they arrived.
He led him into a building with the intention of giving him a tour, and Shirone's jaw dropped. A completely different world from anything he had ever seen unfolded before him.
Countless students were using magic. Even though it was the basic division building, the children's extraordinary feats were dazzling.
A girl floating at the height of the fourth floor was chatting with a friend through a window, while another child had three books open in mid-air, reading them all at once.
Alpheas glanced at Shirone's reaction and grinned like a mischievous boy. From here on, things were on a different level.
As they entered the Class Seven area, the age of the students jumped up. They weren't using strange magic like the younger children, but their eyes were filled with intellect, and they were so engrossed in their conversations they wouldn't have noticed someone passing by.
“Convective energy sufficient to bring the atmosphere below freezing point? Wouldn't it be more efficient to just condense a refrigerant?”
“But that has the disadvantage of not being able to promote a reversible reaction. How about this? Instead of reversing the directionality of the energy, what if we rotate the time axis...”
Listening to the students' conversation, Shirone was suddenly struck with fear. He couldn't understand a single thing about the topic they were discussing.
At that moment, a loud noise erupted from the end of the hallway. A door was blasted off its hinges, and a female student came running out, covering her ears.
The other students only glanced over with surprised expressions for a moment before returning to their business. Judging by their reactions, this seemed to be a common occurrence here.
The girl covering her ears spotted Alpheas and called out happily.
“Ah, Headmaster! Hello!”
“Haha, yes. It seems you've run into a problem.”
“It was a sound amplification experiment, but I think there was an error in the output circuit. I'll have to redesign it.”
“Balancing the input and output is important. The key is to maintain a uniform electric force.”
“Yes, I'll try again.”
The girl adjusted her glasses and went back into the lab. Inside, children her age were gathered around a strange magic circle, deep in discussion.
Shirone realized just how small a pond he had been living in until now. Everyone looked like a genius.
On a status board, the grades of the 270 students in the advanced division were listed. Within that division, 42 students were listed in the top-tier Class Four, and the name in first place was Carmis Amy.
‘Wow. The Carmis family is in first place, as expected.’
Based on his experience working for the Ogent family, Shirone had memorized the names of the famous noble houses. The Carmis family had their main estate in the city of Creas and were a first-rank noble family.
But Shirone wasn't intimidated from the start. It was, quite literally, infinite competition. He wanted to compete. He wanted to challenge himself and see how far he could climb.
“Hey, Amy! Wait up!”
Shirone turned his head. He had definitely heard the name Amy. It was a chance to see the top student of Class Four in person. A beautiful, red-haired girl was hugging a book, waiting for her friend.
“Huh?”
Shirone's heart suddenly began to pound. Trauma. The emotion came before the memory. Only after a long moment did he remember who she was.
She was the girl who had bullied him in the back alley six years ago.