Chapter 87
Chapter 87
Arcane Astra
No, even so, being able to use magic just by seeing it for a brief moment is impressive, but…
“Isn’t that cheating? Baroness Willem called her out in the first place because she thought she wasn’t paying attention in class.”
It was hard to tell whether to call it cunning or clever…
At the very least, she couldn’t be a Demon King Awakener. She was the daughter of a Hero and a Saint.
The students struggled to hold back their laughter at Idnia’s blatant cheating.
Baroness Willem, noticing the strange atmosphere among the students and even the teaching assistants barely suppressing their laughter, felt something was off.
“Uh… hm. Ahem. Excellent. However, your first attempt…”
“Yes, I attempted it believing I understood the Source Frost magic, but it seems it was still beyond my ability. So I changed my approach.”
“I see. It seems you were listening to the lecture properly. Understood. Idnia Kache Betelgeus. Well done.”
Baroness Willem felt uneasy and trailed off.
Normally, she would award points even for correctly answering trivial quiz questions, yet she gave none to Idnia, who had just demonstrated magic.
“It seems Baroness Willem dislikes Lady Idnia.”
“Why?”
Students accustomed to high society could tell at a glance that Baroness Willem harbored ill feelings toward Idnia.
“Now then, other students, please continue practicing. The teaching assistants will assist you.”
Baroness Willem turned her gaze away from Idnia and walked toward the other students.
After class, the teaching assistants were tidying up the lecture hall while chatting about the students.
“How does this year’s batch look?”
“Is it because His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the princes of the Elect are here? They all seemed exceptionally talented.”
“Especially Lady Idnia. Did you see that?”
“You mean when Baroness Willem got distracted and she rushed to the board? I saw it. Wow. That was impressive. She’s experienced.”
“Yeah. She’s incredibly talented.
Can you believe she’s that skilled without even studying advanced magic?
But why didn’t anything happen when she cast the Source Frost magic?
Her activation phrase pronunciation was perfect.”
“Maybe she just said the activation phrase without actually channeling mana to trick Baroness Willem?”
“Cutting off mana while chanting the activation phrase?
And still making the wand glow? That’s not an ordinary technique. Hm?”
One of the assistants, who was about to clear away the frozen water bowl, frowned in confusion.
“Why?”
“No… the entire bowl seems slightly smaller. About one percent.”
The assistant picked up another bowl and compared it with the frozen one.
The frozen bowl had definitely shrunk a little.
“These two bowls are the same size, so they should stack perfectly… but they’re slightly misaligned?”
“Oh? Really? How could that be? Clarisse, what do you think?”
All the assistants turned to Clarisse, their leader.
Clarisse tilted her head.
“That’s the bowl Lady Idnia used magic on, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Have you ever heard the hypothesis that all matter is energy?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard that.”
“Then what about the theory that even spacetime itself is formed from energy?”
“Isn’t that going a bit too far?”
“The negative momentum of Source Frost magic can erase space if its domain is properly controlled. Have you ever heard of that?”
At that moment, the assistants froze.
“Then her Source Frost magic…”
“You’re saying it succeeded?”
“Right. As the space inside the bowl shrank, the surrounding space contracted slightly as well. As a result, the two bowls that should have matched perfectly can no longer align.”
As Clarisse presented her hypothesis, the assistants were left speechless.
Spatial annihilation magic…
Source Frost magic was already considered a grand spell, but spatial annihilation magic was on an entirely different level of terror.
It existed only in theory. No one had ever performed it.
No one had even attempted it.
“Haha… that’s impossible. Are you saying she not only succeeded with Source Frost magic, but even modified it?”
“So a first-year academy student cast a mythical grand spell?”
“Then she really would be a Demon King, wouldn’t she?”
No one knew who thought of it first, but they all recalled the concept of a Demon King’s awakening.
Clarisse spoke while observing the bowl.
“…that’s the worst-case scenario. Maybe the bowl was just worn out from long use?”
“Y-yeah, that must be it. I’ll file a damage report.”
The assistants collected the bowls as if nothing had happened.
“Idnia, you’re amazing. I couldn’t use that freezing magic at all, even after hearing the explanation.”
Marie was astonished that Idnia had learned the cooling spell just by glancing at the board once.
“The structure of the magic is similar to when I summoned the Flame Spirit. The difference is that instead of summoning a spirit, you open a gate to the Spirit Realm and draw in a raging cold wind. Still, it’s embarrassing to be praised for this. I originally intended to succeed with the Source Frost magic and earn 100 merit points.”
“Ah, that? Baroness Willem probably said that without expecting anyone to succeed. Even if you had, she might not have given you the points.”
“No, I don’t think she could have refused if I had succeeded.
I thought it might work… but it failed. Hmm.
Well, I’m still satisfied since I learned a safe cooling method.
Now then, Miss Marie, shall we head to the club room?”
“The club room?”
“It may not be much, but the Wizard Ball room is complete.
And I also have a vegetable garden where I harvested turnips.
There are a few things I want to take care of before the others arrive.”
Saying that, Idnia pushed the wooden cart loaded with turnips near the cafeteria and headed toward Buremheid’s faculty quarters.
Marie tried to take the cart from her, but her strength wasn’t enough to wrest it away from Idnia.
“Ugh… I thought I had decent strength from working in the fields and at the convent… but Lady Idnia doesn’t budge at all, like a deeply rooted giant tree. As expected of the daughter of Duke Betelgeuse, the hero—you must train in martial arts as well.”
Idnia, still feeling disappointed that her magic had seemingly failed without effect, continued toward the garden.
The vegetable garden was relatively safe.
Since Buremheid’s faculty quarters were located above his private cave, wild animals and monsters did not dare approach.
As a result, about half of the unharvested turnips remained intact.
“Wow… so these are turnips. Seeing them again, they really grew incredibly well. Not a single bite mark from insects…”
Marie, who had once been a farmer, admired their condition.
Even for her, it was the first time seeing such plump turnips.
The harvested ones were impressive, but even those still rooted in the soil, with their fresh leaves, looked lively.
“Well, that’s because they fully grew before any bugs could latch onto them.”
“Huh? What do you mean…”
“Now then, shall we harvest the rest? It’s about time to plant the next crop.”
Using telekinesis, Idnia pulled out the turnips and brushed off the dirt.
Marie, amazed, began helping her.
“Alright then, Miss Marie. Excuse me for a moment.”
Leaving the harvesting to Marie, Idnia moved to draw water from the mist.
“Oh?”
A hand-operated water pump had been installed next to the garden.
It seemed one of the professors—Buremheid, Lachias, Ludwig, or perhaps Sadia—had set it up.
Idnia worked the pump to draw water.
She then cast a cooling spell on it, freezing it into a large block of ice.
Placing the ice into the club room’s storage and lining it with sawdust, she stored the harvested turnips inside.
Thus, a makeshift refrigerator was created.
“The turnips taste good, but… eating only turnips would get tiring.
For the next crop, I’ll have to ask Heukrang for seeds or seedlings. I wonder if he has corn.”
Thinking about the next harvest, Idnia closed the ice storage.
However…
“Lady Idnia.”
Someone called out to her.
When she turned around, she saw students from Notos Dormitory and Prince Lorenzo.
“Ah, Prince Lorenzo, and everyone from Notos. I’m afraid you’ve caught me in an unsightly state.”
Brushing the dirt from her clothes, Idnia greeted them gracefully.
Even covered in dust from working, the daughter of a ducal house carried herself with elegance and confidence, without a hint of shame.
“Lady Idnia, is this the Wizard Ball room and its attached garden?
I thought a garden would just be bare soil, but this is like a greenhouse.
And this structure—there are barely any seams, even without plaster. That’s incredible.
The Academy’s construction techniques seem beyond common sense.”
Lorenzo marveled at the garden and facilities.
At that moment, Fiona bowed to him.
“Your Highness, I apologize, but may I step forward for a moment?
As an envoy of the Papal State.”
“Ah, here and now?”
“Yes. Please excuse my boldness. Now is the right time.”
Fiona stepped forward.
“Now then, Saint candidates, allow me to introduce myself again.
I am Fiona of Marcel.
Lady Betelgeuse, and Marie of Astraea—it is a pleasure to meet both Saint candidates.
It has been difficult to speak to you separately due to the number of students, so I am glad for this opportunity.”
“Ah, it’s a pleasure. I’ve heard Marcel is called the jewel of the southern sea.”
Marie, unsure why she was being addressed, simply responded politely with what she had heard.
“I will now deliver a secret message from the Vatican.
In addition to learning magic at Dunais Academy and refining your qualities as Saints, you are to locate the ancient artifact said to lie beneath the academy—the Arcane Astra.
If possible, you are to recover it for the prosperity of the Trinity Church.
Lady Idnia, you may already be aware of this, but I will inform you again.”
“Huh? Arcane… what?”
For Marie, it was the first time hearing of it.
But Idnia already knew.
Fiona approaching her like this was an event that existed in the original story.
“In the game, this event happened in the latter half of the first year… something must have changed. To think it’s happening already.
Is it because there are two Saint candidates?”
Idnia quietly waited for Fiona to continue.
“You didn’t know, Miss Marie?
There is a prophecy that the next Demon King will bring about the end of the world.
Despite this catastrophic warning, Dunais Academy refuses to cooperate with humanity, citing incomprehensible principles, and instead acts independently.
You’ve seen the power of the professors here, haven’t you?
Imagine how beneficial it would be if they used that power under the Church’s command.
And yet, they stand aside, merely observing the battle against the Demon King.
Even when the Principality of Betelgeuse suffered devastating damage, they did nothing.
That is why many people resent Dunais Academy.”
It was, undeniably, a convincing argument.