Chapter 042
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The first-year students of the magic department had gathered in the Magic Building's main auditorium.
Seated on temporary chairs set up in the auditorium, the students nervously reviewed their notes.
“Ugh! I'm so nervous! My stomach's killing me!”
Karl tossed a few stomach pills he'd made himself into his mouth.
Seeing this, the surrounding students swarmed him to buy some of his stomach medicine.
“You've got a good head for business, even at a time like this.”
“I can already guess my test score, so I've got to work hard at this. Anyway, Leo, you're a top student, so I guess you're not nervous?”
“That's not it.”
“How can you be so calm if that's not it?”
Karl grumbled with a hint of envy, glancing at the back of Chloe, who was sitting in the front row.
Chloe had been a wreck during the exam period, but today she looked remarkably neat.
It wasn't just Chloe.
All the magic department students were dressed to the nines.
Today's unique magic presentation wasn't just an exam; it was an occasion for them to present their achievements as mages.
Having chosen the path of a mage, it was inevitable that they would often have to present magical theory papers.
Therefore, this was also practice for future presentations.
Just then, the auditorium doors opened, and three mages entered.
All impeccably dressed, they walked onto the stage with stern expressions.
“It's been a while, Associate Professor Ren. Ah, you're a full professor now, aren't you?”
“Hehe. It's good to see you all after so long, too. Yes. I'm a professor now.”
Professor Ren greeted them warmly before stepping onto the podium to speak.
“Alright, everyone, your attention please.”
Professor Ren drew the students' attention as he stepped onto the stage.
“I'll introduce them. From the left, Rilda Pedni, Eidmun Slack, and Shin Hujda. All three are your seniors who graduated from Lumerne's magic department three years ago. Today, they will be evaluating you not as your seniors, but as judges.”
At his words, the students' eyes lit up.
Professor Ren was popular among the magic department students.
It wasn't just his handsome looks and good personality; his teaching ability was exceptional.
However, he was also famous for having incredibly high standards.
Thus, as a judge, he was a very intimidating figure.
So, hearing that graduated seniors would be the judges instead of Professor Ren, it was only natural for them to feel a bit more relaxed.
Karl, too, cheered, thinking, ‘Oh! Lucky!’
“I don't think this is something to be happy about.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Professor Ren went out of his way to bring in these judges. Do you really think they'll be easy on us?”
“...”
At that, a flicker of anxiety crossed Karl's face.
Meanwhile, the three judges took their seats at the table in front of the stage.
As they took out paper and pens, signaling they were ready, Professor Ren held up a list and called out a student's name.
“Iliana Raden.”
*Screech-!*
At the call, Iliana went up to the stage.
“Hello, seniors. I am Iliana Raden from Class 5! It's such an honor to meet you.”
“It's a pleasure to meet you too, Student Iliana. We're looking forward to hearing a presentation from our cute junior.”
Rilda Pedni adjusted her glasses and smiled gently.
In response, Iliana squirmed slightly, putting on a bashful expression and smiling as cutely as she could.
She was playing the part of an adorable junior, as if to appeal, *You wouldn't say anything harsh to a cute junior like me, would you?*
“Leo, seeing that tomboy act like that is making me sick.”
“Endure it.”
“Well then, I'll be in your care.”
“My primary attribute is light.”
“Oh, you possess a rare magical attribute.”
Seeing her seniors show interest, Iliana cheered inwardly.
‘The mood is great~’
“...by adding a 'flame' attribute magic formula to the light attribute's magic system, you can emit a powerful 'heat ray' spell!”
Iliana gestured with both hands toward the blackboard where she had written out the magic formula system she'd created, looking at the graduates.
After making her appeal with a few wiggles of her eyebrows, Iliana hid her hands behind her back and smiled shyly.
“That is all.”
When the presentation ended, a round of applause erupted from the students.
Rilda, sitting on the far left, adjusted her glasses and spoke.
“It's true that many light-attribute mages choose a powerful 'laser' type spell as their unique magic. In the past, unique magic was, by definition, one's own original creation... but well, in a world where the succession of power has become commonplace due to the World of Heroes, the unique magic itself doesn't need to be special. However, the process of its completion must have its own originality.”
Suddenly, her eyes had turned emotionless as she looked at Iliana.
“Compared to existing laser-type magic, what's different?”
“Uhm... th-that... is related to my family's secret magic formula...”
“A formula related to secret magic. How complacent.”
Clicking her tongue, Rilda relentlessly pointed out every flaw in Iliana's magic formula.
The atmosphere having shifted drastically, Iliana broke out in a cold sweat and struggled to answer.
“Let me ask one last thing, Student Iliana. What tier have you envisioned for this magic you've designed?”
“Th-that... I haven't decided yet.”
Fidgeting with her hands, Iliana avoided Rilda's gaze.
“It's good to dream big, but a presentation should be about something you understand perfectly. Did you think we came here to watch our juniors' talent show?! C-minus! Next!”
“Eek!”
Rilda's demeanor had changed in an instant; she glared and shouted, and Iliana, terrified by her intensity, scrambled off the stage as if fleeing.
The other students' faces stiffened.
From the students' perspective, Iliana's presentation had been quite good.
But to get a mere C-minus?
Watching this, Ren crossed his arms.
‘They're doing well. It's about time they felt what a wall is.’
Ren had invited graduates he was close to during his time as an associate professor, specifically choosing those who were particularly strict about magical theory.
The reason was simple.
At first, the first-years struggle with the difficulty of Lumerne's classes.
But by the time midterms arrive, they start to get the hang of it.
Moreover, they had grown in skill to a level incomparable to when they first enrolled, all in a short time.
It was a time when the entire first-year class was prone to becoming cocky and complacent.
Professor Ren knew from long experience that if he didn't put them in their place now, they would neglect their studies.
‘Many professors would just let the ones who will succeed do so and not bother with the ones who won't... but leaving those with potential to stagnate just doesn't sit right with me.’
Ren believed it was his duty as an educator to provide new stimulation and make them aim higher once again.
‘In the first place, it's unreasonable to expect first-years to complete a unique magic.’
He had given them the assignment, but that was only to emphasize the necessity of having a unique magic.
No matter how talented the mages who entered Lumerne were, it was impossible for them to complete in a few months a unique magic that other mages spent a lifetime perfecting.
‘Well, there are geniuses who can pull it off.’
Ren glanced at a few students.
Meanwhile, the student presentations continued.
“I heard this year's first-years were special and had high hopes, but their level is quite disappointing.”
“In terms of originality, I'd say they're even worse than other years. Then again, when the higher-ups said they were special, they were only talking about 'combat ability'.”
Rilda and Shin Hujda spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.
They, too, had been told by Ren what their role was.
How could they not find their juniors endearing?
They very much wanted to pat them on the head and say "good job," but for their juniors' sake, they willingly took on the role of the villain.
They themselves had experienced great hardship after becoming complacent around this time in their first year.
As the first-years were being thoroughly torn apart by the graduates, Ren called the next student.
“Abad Llewellyn.”
At that name, the graduates' expressions changed.
The strongest nation on the Western Continent.
The heir to the Llewellyn Family, the pinnacle of magic in the Rodren Empire, had been called, so their expectations naturally rose.
“The name of my unique magic is Tempester.”
Abad, having stepped onto the stage, gave a short greeting and began his presentation.
Everyone who heard his presentation gasped in admiration.
Abad's magic was akin to a natural disaster, a spell that maximized the power of wind.
“The projected tier upon completion is the highest rank.”
The students began to murmur at his words.
‘It's truly a supreme magic that symbolizes him.’
“Ugh! He's so annoying, but he's cool! Which makes him even more annoying! But still, he's cool!”
“Pick one.”
Karl said, crossing his arms, and Leo burst out laughing.
Seeing Abad's refreshing smile, the female students let out sighs of admiration.
Chelsea's eyes sparkled, her expression clearly saying, *My brother is the best!*
‘Leo's magic formula is amazing, but my brother is just as incredible! Haa~ who should I root for?’
“Impressive. Just as expected from the heir of the Llewellyn Family.”
“It's a magic befitting the name 'unique magic,' one that incorporates the mage's personal values, philosophy, direction, and goals.”
The graduates praised Abad endlessly.
“Every year has a monster like this one. Abad Llewellyn, you get an A+.”
Abad stepped down from the stage to the applause of the graduates.
“Heh~ I pity whoever has to present next!”
“Next presenter, Karl Thomas.”
“Gasp!”
Karl, who had been snickering, turned pale.
A few students cast pitiful glances his way.
Karl, who had walked onto the stage like livestock being led to a slaughterhouse, returned to his seat in a predictably wretched state.
With a soul-crushed expression, Karl received condolences from the surrounding students.
Amidst this, it was Chelsea's turn to present.
If Abad had presented a magic of absolute destructive power as his original, Chelsea chose a field magic that could exert influence over the surrounding area with wind.
“This is surprising.”
“Even for a Llewellyn, it's hard to believe she's only fourteen. A!”
“Thank you.”
Chelsea bowed with a bright smile and left the stage.
After Chelsea, only two presenters remained.
“Next presenter, Leo Flove.”
*Screech-*
At the call, Leo stood up from his seat.
Every student's gaze turned to Leo.
Before stepping onto the stage, Leo's eyes met with Chloe's in the front row.
He smiled and gave a small wave, but Chloe merely stared at him blankly.
Looking slightly awkward, Leo stood in the center of the stage.
“The unique magic I have prepared is a non-elemental magic formula system.”
“A non-elemental magic formula system? What is that?”
Rilda asked, adjusting her glasses.
It was a concept she had never heard of before.
“It's simple. Existing magic formulas all have an attribute manifestation formula, right?”
“Of course. It's the minimum requirement to activate any kind of magic.”
Shin Hujda replied immediately, as if asking why he was stating the obvious.
Leo smiled at his words.
“A magic formula system that can make all attribute manifestation formulas compatible is my unique magic.”
“What?”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
The three judges wore looks of shock, and the students were dumbfounded.
Professor Ren's eyes widened as he stared at Leo.
“Leo Flove. So you're saying... you intend to create an entirely new magic formula system?”
Eidmun asked for confirmation, and Leo shrugged as he replied.
“Yes.”