Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Heating Water? “Depyo”? “Depa”? “Warm It Up”?
“Hmm?!”
Baroness Bulem was startled.
“Idnia… how did you wake up? How…?”
This illusion magic, cast directly by the Baroness using the crystal, normally trapped even the most talented novice mages. They had no choice but to endure it. Yet Idnia, with her incredible anti-magic resistance, broke free and stood up.
“Ah, um… could I, perhaps, quickly use the restroom?”
“Oh, that’s it? Yes, go ahead.”
Baroness Bulem dismissed it lightly.
‘If a novice mage urgently needs the restroom, it’s understandable they might break free from even strong illusion magic.’
Had Idnia relieved herself mid-illusion, it would have been an immense embarrassment.
‘Well, she is the daughter of that woman… so even if she suffered such humiliation, it would be her own doing. But still, one cannot humiliate a lady in such a vulgar way.’
Baroness Bulem, being a noblewoman, refrained from using such a crude method for revenge, even against the daughter of her enemy.
After Idnia returned from the restroom and sat down with a reluctant expression, the Baroness cleared her throat.
“Since you’re likely to finish later than others, I’ll accelerate the crystal playback to double speed.”
“Yes… please.”
Idnia nodded, and the Baroness reactivated the illusion crystal for her. But…
“Ugh!”
Soon after, Idnia again broke free from the illusion, rubbing her body as if she had seen insects crawling on her.
‘My hands and feet feel all tingly! What kind of senseless trick is this!’
The illusion crystal was absurd and cringeworthy. The content, in short, depicted a protagonist drafted into war: a farmer persuades lazy fellow soldiers, overcomes deserters, carries out the officer’s orders, earns merit, and returns to the village. Every scene was awkward and old-fashioned, causing Idnia’s sensitivity to spike, and she could no longer endure the illusion.
Baroness Bulem frowned at this.
“Restroom again, Miss Idnia?”
“No, um… it’s just… I got goosebumps suddenly.”
“Hmm… was it because the war scenes were too harsh? There shouldn’t have been anything like that…”
“….”
“Or perhaps you wished to test your anti-magic ability against my illusion? Are you questioning my skills as a professor?”
“No, not at all.”
Idnia broke out in a cold sweat.
To be caught in such an embarrassing episode in front of Baroness Bulem, whose opinion was practically set in stone, was nerve-wracking. And if she had to endure more of these cringe-inducing visions, she wasn’t sure she could.
Then the other students awoke.
“Oh, so moving!”
“Mother! I want to see my mother too!”
“……”
Idnia was astonished at how emotional the students were over such outdated, melodramatic illusions. Coming from 21st-century Earth, accustomed to modern media, she couldn’t understand their reactions. But these students were seeing such visions for the first time.
“Hmm. As expected, everyone seems to have gained considerable spiritual experience in just one day. Of course, mastery won’t happen in a single session, but over time, your mana will increase substantially.”
“I see!”
“Indeed, Dunais Academy lives up to its reputation. Worth every tuition coin! Entertaining, educational, and useful all at once!”
The students marveled at the utility, enjoyment, and educational value of the class.
Idnia, meanwhile, was aghast.
‘They’d get excited even watching public service ads! And if that boosts their mana, I’m doomed… it’s cringeworthy, not inspiring!’
She feared that her own magical aptitude might be lacking.
Baroness Bulem was equally unsettled.
‘Hmm. Even if she’s the daughter of my enemy, she must have paid a high tuition… oh, perhaps the church is funding her as a Saint candidate.’
The Baroness felt conflicted seeing Idnia struggle in class. If Idnia had intentionally tested her anti-magic resistance, it was her own fault. But if it was due to magical motion sickness or resistance conflict, the professor had a duty to assess and address it.
Then…
‘Huh?’
For a moment, the Baroness sensed a sudden orderliness in Idnia’s mana. Could it be that she had experienced something extraordinary during the vision?
‘Was it such a soul-shaking experience that she couldn’t endure it and was ejected from the illusion?’
If so, it meant Idnia possessed exceptional sensitivity. Highly sensitive individuals have immense magical potential, but their anti-magic resistance is weak. They are easily deceived by illusions or disrupted by mana-manipulating techniques. In other words, her magical depth is narrow—a well, not a pond.
‘High sensitivity isn’t ideal for a mage, but it’s unchangeable. I’ll just observe. She’s not an especially precious student, so I have no reason to fuss over her. But… the daughter of Flora is so sensitive. Had she been a magical prodigy, it would have troubled me. Ah, even professors are human.’
The Baroness concluded the crystal session fairly.
“Now, the illusion crystal viewing ends here. Overexposure doesn’t improve the effect. As you continue developing emotionally and in willpower, your mana will strengthen further. Hohoho.”
Seeing Idnia struggle, the Baroness couldn’t suppress a smile.
At the start of the semester, early classes aimed to rapidly and harshly solidify basic magic skills. Even after the restroom break, it was still Baroness Bulem’s class: Basic Magic Theory.
Idnia was shocked at her inability to manage the tasks. Other students found the crystal entertaining; for her, it was torture. She worried this meant she was unfit as a mage.
“Ah, please… I hope I can manage this. I’ve come all the way to Dunais, and if I fail and get expelled, what about my stipend…”
She feared not only losing financial support but also disappointing the villagers who trusted in her success.
The Basic Magic Theory class was also taught by Baroness Bulem.
“Hmph. Since I handle many basic courses, several of my classes are scheduled at the semester’s start. If you fail, you’ll continue to attend my classes.”
Students laughed, thinking it a joke. Idnia could not.
“Yet, for children of noble families, you appear quite disheveled. I suppose the water is too cold to bathe properly during maintenance?”
“….”
The Baroness cleared her throat, surveying the students’ messy appearance.
‘The headmaster intentionally set harsh Academy policies to humble noble students. I think this is unnecessary, but…’
Baroness Bulem enjoyed the comforts of noble life. Why endure hardship if unnecessary? Yet the Dunais Academy headmaster was one of the Empire’s Five Convicts—a terrifying figure she could not resist.
As the Basic Magic professor, she could control the class content.
“Today, you’ll learn what magic is. Judging by your appearance, many of you couldn’t wash properly yesterday. So, we’ll start with basic magic: heating water. While learning magic, you’ll understand hygiene at the Academy. Let’s begin.”
She placed a clear beaker on the table and cast a spell. Water appeared, filling it perfectly.
“To use magic, one must first have will. With will, mana naturally moves to realize it. You had basic mana training before; now use that mana in practice. Project your will from the crown of your head, through your hands, to the wand’s tip. Ah, not yet—watch my demonstration first.”
She focused her will and mana into her wand. Nothing was visibly happening.
“Huh? Nothing?”
A student murmured. She responded calmly.
“Amateur mages waste mana because it overflows. A skilled mage moves exactly the mana needed, no more, no less. This is the mastery that enables magical assassination.”
Everyone admired Baroness Bulem. Especially Idnia.
‘In the game, she wasn’t that impressive… but here, she truly is.’
The thought that this powerful mage considered her an enemy weighed heavily on Idnia.
The Baroness continued.
“To convert will into force, understand how the water heats.”
“The principle?”
Students questioned.
“Yes. Cold and hot water appear the same, but their properties differ. What distinguishes them?”
“Hot?”
“A fire spirit resides within the water spirit.”
A more advanced student suggested this.
“That’s one interpretation. But current theory says energy is infused into the water. ‘mul-depyo!’ Analysis shows that the activation word injects energy at the proper frequency into the water.”
“Activation word? What’s that?”
“The activation word is a pre-set magical invocation by the ancients. By saying it correctly, we summon the magic.”
“….”
Idnia clicked her tongue.
‘So this is like a function call in programming… infusing energy into water makes the molecules move. And the activation word… is it “mul depyo”?’