Chapter 329
Chapter 329
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 329
Chapter Title: The Philosophy of a Combat Mage (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As Shirone sewed with the air of a master craftsman, Dante spoke with a look of disbelief.
“Hey, do you really have to do your sewing here?”
“This is the only coat I brought. Besides, my hands will freeze if I do it outside.”
Shirone blew on his still-cold hands, then focused on his sewing once more.
Dante, having ordered tea from the counter, returned with Armag, which Shirone had left leaning against the wall.
Shirone lifted only his eyes to glance at Armag. The magic sword, which had been so temperamental, was now as quiet as a mouse.
As if to say someone of Dante's caliber was worthy of examining it.
Mindful of the people around them, Dante didn't draw the sword. He held it vertically and examined its exterior.
“Heh, so this is an S-class Object.”
He had heard a rough explanation on the way.
A magic sword equipped with the concepts of Static Control and Adamant Armament.
It was a flawless weapon, capable not only of amplifying magic power but also of maximizing one's physical offensive and defensive capabilities.
Dante tossed Armag toward the wall. Shirone, using Static Control, guided it precisely back to its original position.
Having witnessed it firsthand, Dante smiled and said,
“A fine weapon. Considering its rarity, I can see why it's worth over four billion gold.”
Amy, who had been warming herself by the fireplace, turned her head and remarked,
“You say four billion gold so easily. Then again, the Airhine family is a conglomerate, ranked in the top 20 of the kingdom's financial world. So why is the young master of a house like that getting free coffee?”
“Haha! Coffee made by someone else always tastes better. And coffee bought by someone else tastes even better. Besides, four billion gold for a single sword would make even my parents’ jaws drop.”
Having sewn the first button, Shirone threaded his needle through the second and said,
“Too bad. I was thinking of selling it for around three billion if you were interested.”
A low hum vibrated from Armag’s jewel.
“I’m not really interested in collecting things. I have a policy of not buying souvenirs when I travel, either.”
Dante, who called an S-class Object a mere ‘thing to collect,’ was clearly not a normal person.
But Shirone liked that about him.
After all, mages were a breed that saw nothing but what they loved.
While Shirone finished his sewing and put his coat back on, a waiter brought their drinks.
Shirone and Amy drank their juice and cocoa, a long silence stretching between them.
Just moments ago, they had been giggling and having a great time, but with Dante present, they had suddenly become reserved.
Dante, sitting askew with his legs crossed, sipped his coffee and watched the two of them.
Then, he gestured toward Amy with the hand holding his coffee cup.
“Anyway, how are you holding up?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Neither of you seem the type to be on a leisurely date. A trip to cheer you up, something like that?”
Shirone set down his glass and looked at Amy. This was the first time she would be talking about the graduation exam.
“Hmm.”
Amy rested her chin on her hand and gazed out the window.
“Honestly, I’m not sure. It’s not that I’ve lost my motivation, but… things just feel so vague, you know?”
Having had enough time to sort through her thoughts, Amy spoke with a composed expression.
“I did my best for six years and took the exam, right? But I failed. I don’t know what else I need to do. I also have a feeling that simply improving my skills won’t be enough. So, it’s like…”
Amy let out a breath and shrugged.
“I’m just trying to regroup for now. It’s probably a psychological thing, this being my second attempt. I need to find or create some kind of special trigger.”
Dante nodded.
Of course, he hadn't even considered the possibility of failing the graduation exam. But if he had, he would have faced the same dilemma as Amy.
“I see. But what exactly was the situation back then? I watched, of course, but it’s different from being on the field yourself.”
Shirone watched Amy with a tense expression. It must be a memory she’d do anything to forget.
But it was also true that he wanted to hear it.
Especially since he would have to face Fermi's group after the break, the more information, the better.
Fortunately, Amy didn't look particularly distressed. She seemed to have already overcome the initial stage of pain.
“The moment I was ganged up on… was one minute and thirty-two seconds after the battle began.”
Her Red Eyes glowed as she pulled up the information from that time.
“As soon as the interpersonal combat section began, Icheonbeon was activated, and all the participants started moving quickly. The first person I thought I should target was Sanuel. It seemed the other participants had the same idea.”
Shirone said,
“Because Sanuel is a Word Magic user.”
“Right. Word Magic takes time to activate. During training, Sanuel’s Choeumsul level was 148 syllables per second. It takes at least four seconds to cast an intermediate-level spell. But once the words are complete, its amplification power is immense, making him a top-priority target in interpersonal combat. But Fermi broke the flow.”
Amy’s expression turned serious.
“It was so strange. That feeling. That sense of wrongness. Of course, during the battle, I didn't have the presence of mind to think of collusion, but I think I instinctively decided to switch my target to Fermi. In the end, that was a misjudgment. Rykan’s plasma was spread out, so I couldn’t see my target clearly. I tried to engage in close combat, but it seemed like they had a coordinated play.”
Amy fell silent for a while, likely replaying the moment of her fatal mistake in her mind.
As if to shake off her regrets, she let out a deep sigh. Then she returned to the present and her shoulders slumped.
“After that, the tide turned, and as you know, I was pushed back one-sidedly and eliminated early.”
Dante, lost in thought, asked,
“But I heard Fermi’s group has always used tactics like that. That coordinated play thing, I mean.”
“That's right. It's not that I wasn't prepared. Once you enter the graduating class, you train by rotating through the six exam subjects. You can identify the factions and gauge everyone's skill level. But on the day of the exam, something was different. Even if you consider the coordinated play a part of their tactics, there was no need for them to shield Sanuel from concentrated fire. But the entire atmosphere of the battle shifted completely. I still don't know why that happened.”
“The atmosphere shifted…”
If they could change the atmosphere of the battlefield at will, it meant their skills were far greater than anticipated.
But there was no reason someone with Amy’s keen eye would fail to detect that they were hiding their true abilities. That was why she was so confused.
‘This isn’t a simple diversionary tactic. There’s something else that hasn’t been revealed. And the key player is probably…’
Fermi, the top-ranked student in the graduating class.
Either he could perfectly conceal his allies' abilities, or he could drastically improve them.
Whatever method he was using, he could clearly do one of the two.
“Hmm, so in the end, you were overpowered. In that case, there’s no room for excuses. No wonder Master Olivia didn’t step in.”
Amy shook her head.
Of course, she had no intention of making excuses for her defeat. But she hadn't been eliminated because she was less skilled.
If it had been a normal fight, if at least the neutral factions hadn't been swayed by Fermi, she would have easily made it into the final ten.
“If those are the rules, I don’t want to argue about it. But my skills were by no means inferior to the other participants. I’m not saying Sanuel should have been taken out instead of me. I’m saying that if Fermi can control the flow of the battlefield, then whoever becomes the target is bound to be eliminated.”
Dante blinked in surprise. Judging by Amy’s expression, she was being completely serious.
“I admit it might feel unfair. But that's how your opponents played, isn't it? So isn't saying you were overpowered the most accurate description?”
Amy set down her juice glass and sighed.
“Haa, you’re just not getting it…”
“No, I get it perfectly. Fermi’s group controlled the flow of the battle, and everyone targeted you.”
“Then are you saying it’s my fault? Why? Because I’m usually unpleasant? Or because I looked like the easiest target?”
“Don’t get so worked up…”
“How can you expect me not to get worked up!”
Amy slammed the table and stood up. The gazes of everyone in the cafe turned to her.
Conscious of their stares, Amy slowly sat back down. But her face was still flushed.
“Fine, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. But I fought tooth and nail in the graduating class for a year and participated in that exam. If you were in my situation, Dante, could you still say the same thing?”
Dante didn't answer.
Of course, his opinion hadn't changed.
But it seemed pointless to provoke her further when she was already agitated; he wouldn't get a rational answer.
‘…That’s what I think, but.’
Dante was a mage. And Amy was a mage, too. Hiding the truth because of emotions wasn't in either of their natures.
“Stop whining, Amy.”
Fury flared in Amy's eyes.
“Whining? Me?”
“Fine, then let’s ask Shirone. Let’s hear what he thinks about the results of this graduation exam.”
When Amy turned to him, Shirone swallowed dryly. No matter what he said, it wouldn't please her.
“Shirone, do you think so too? Am I whining, just like Dante said?”
“Uh, well… I don’t know. I…”
“Tell me honestly. I respect Dante’s skills, and I respect yours. If you both see me that way, then it must be true. What I want is the unvarnished truth.”
Amy was sincere.
As a student of magic, she wasn't weak enough to be consoled by sugar-coated lies.
Above all, she believed in herself.
She had not failed the graduation exam because she was weak or unskilled.
Shirone hesitated, but unable to bear the weight of the silence, he finally spoke.
“It’s true the exam was morally questionable. But no matter what situation arises… I believe a mage should be able to win.”
The strength drained from Amy’s body.
If even Shirone was saying it, then there was a high probability she was mistaken.
But in her heart, she couldn't accept it.
‘Whining? Me?’
She had never once been lazy in her study of magic. She prided herself on having fought more fiercely than anyone.
And now they were calling it whining?
What was most devastating was the high likelihood that their judgment, which she herself couldn't comprehend, was correct.
Dante spoke.
“Of course, you’re strong. The fact that you climbed to the 5th rank in the graduating class in just one year is undeniable.”
Amy’s gaze slowly shifted to Dante.
“But strictly speaking, that’s only because the talent you possess is so outstanding.”
“Talent… you say?”
“Right now, Alpheas Magic Academy is packed with kids who are as talented as any at the Royal Magic Academy. Iruki of the Servants, Nade of Alchemy, Arin of Super-Sight, Canis who handles magical creatures, Shirone the Unlocker, and me, who uses the Central Processing Magic Circle. Of course, Sabina and Kloser are formidable too. Boyle of Summoning Magic and Pandora of Scent Magic also possess their own specialized talents.”
Amy listened to Dante in silence.
“But if we were to rank everyone based purely on what they were born with…”
Dante took a sip of his coffee and pointed at Amy.
“It’s you. You, Amy, are the best at Alpheas Magic Academy.”
Amy did not feel happy.
She still couldn't grasp what Dante was trying to say.