Chapter 117
Chapter 117
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Group Project Presentation (1)
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Belnoa, who had gone missing, returned.
The details of the incident weren't shared with the students. Given that the academy had shown some leniency... the students could only speculate that it wasn't a voluntary disappearance.
"Was she kidnapped or something?"
"Who would kidnap the prized disciple of the Black Tower Lord?"
"Is it connected to the Cardinac beast terror incident?"
Only baseless rumors swirled around.
Some guesses came close to the truth... but there was no solid evidence to confirm anything. Only a select few knew the real story.
"Belnoa."
"Present."
Belnoa acted as if nothing had happened. Since even she, the one who'd supposedly vanished, was so nonchalant about it... no one felt like pressing her.
In the end, the incident fizzled out unresolved.
The disappearance that had captivated everyone's attention eventually faded from interest as time passed. Besides, the students didn't have the mental bandwidth to dive deep into such drama.
Mana Trading Studies (Basics).
Group Project Presentation Guidelines.
The deadline for the group project loomed.
There was no time to look elsewhere. They had to put out the fire at their feet first. Each group's leader called a final meeting.
"...What do we do about this?"
"No idea."
"Got any ideas?"
"You?"
"Do I look like it? But why hasn't one person shown up?"
"......"
Some leaders shed bloody tears watching their silent teammates and deserters.
"Yeah, that should do it."
"Thanks to Resti. Good work!"
"I'll cover today. You did great, Resti."
"You all worked hard too."
Others finished their project and enjoyed a cheerful tea time, laughing and chatting.
"So... what do we really do now...?"
"Hm. Won't work. Guess we'll use the axe after all."
"Crazy! Someone stop Rak...!"
"Wait, hold on. Look at that, Rak."
"......? This axe?"
"Yeah, the enchantment on the axe. It actually looks pretty good..."
Yet another team found their answer at the very last moment. Countless others faced the looming nightmare in their own ways.
"Who's the bastard skipping the final meeting...?"
"Guess we gotta hunt them down. What else can we do...?"
Some chased down their runaway teammates.
"Is... this right?"
"Well, we somehow finished it, so maybe it's okay...?"
Others stared at their patchwork mess of a circuit, wondering if it was even correct.
"This is... the express train?"
"It's too comfy..."
"Are we allowed to be this relaxed?"
And of course, some basked in relief thanks to their beacon of a leader. Time flowed for everyone. It passed all too quickly.
The day of the group project presentations.
Some headed to the lecture hall with light steps, others dragged their heavy feet. It was time to wrap up the long yet short ordeal.
Ding, dooong.
A bell rang through the tense lecture hall. The students' eyes turned to Professor Lania at the podium. She clapped once and spoke.
"Let's begin class."
2.
"As announced, each group's leader, please come forward. Explain your circuit briefly and demonstrate destroying the resistance stone, in order."
After her brief instructions, Professor Lania stepped down from the podium. She sat in an empty front-row seat and set down her grading sheet.
"First presenter, please come up."
One student ascended the podium.
The first up was Mac.
Unlike most tense leaders, Mac strode up confidently.
'Project prep is perfect.'
Conviction gleamed in Mac's eyes.
Of course, he didn't trust his own skills. He was talented, but not enough to tackle this project with such confidence.
So.
'That's why I asked someone capable.'
Mac trusted the mage who'd solved it for him. A smile crept across his lips.
Honestly, he'd panicked at first when assigned the project.
'Shatter an intermediate resistance stone with basic spells?'
It seemed impossible.
No hope in sight. Mac saw no point in struggling with a dead end. He figured others felt the same.
Something beyond him.
Something seemingly impossible.
Some might search desperately for a way... but not Mac. He gave up quickly.
'If it's beyond me, no need for me to do it myself.'
Mac was from a prestigious family. His father had connections with capable mages, and Mac commissioned one for the circuit.
'A circuit crafted by a scholar perched at the top of the Ivory Tower.'
It looked flashy and beautiful at a glance.
Testing it on a resistance stone had yielded perfect results. Flawless.
Thud.
Mac, now on the podium, opened his mouth.
"I'm Mac, leader of Group F."
Confidence laced his voice.
With steady tone, he held up the circuit sheet. The magic tool projected it into the air.
Shhh.
Gazing at the airborne circuit, Mac continued.
"My group focused on the advanced spell 'Scorch.' We considered 'impact' and 'slash' types... but analyzing and adapting an advanced spell's structure felt more promising."
Of course, it was a lie.
He'd held no meetings with teammates, just handed them the outsourced result.
"The advanced spell 'Scorch' derives from the basic 'Fireball.' We concentrated the fireball's power into a single point."
He pointed at the circuit as he explained.
The explanation flowed smoothly. He'd memorized the scholar's notes verbatim. Memorization was his forte.
"Point and Certain..."
He covered every detail meticulously. His teammates marveled. Other waiting leaders stared, entranced.
It looked perfect.
Too perfect for a student's level.
"...That's all."
Mac paused briefly after finishing.
A satisfying explanation. Precise pronunciation. Perfect recall, no slips.
'Perfect.'
Anticipation building, he glanced over. At Professor Lania. He watched her with faint hope.
"......"
She said nothing.
Just stared coldly. Her grading sheet was still blank.
"......?"
Mac felt an inexplicable chill from her gaze. But he shook off the unease and spoke. The presentation wasn't over.
'She's just waiting for the demo.'
Showing results would change her reaction.
Mac tapped the circuit sheet.
"Now, the spell demonstration."
Exactly 1 Pi of mana flowed into the sheet. Mana traced the perfect curves, converging at one point.
Whoosh.
A small flame ignited.
Tiny for a fireball. But its maximally condensed power was no joke.
Snap. Mac flicked his fingers.
The condensed flame struck the floating resistance stone. It shattered on impact, flames spreading beautifully.
Crack!
Success.
Condensed for stillness, explosive on spread. Performance and beauty, both nailed.
"That concludes Group F."
Clap clap clap.
Applause followed the end.
Scattered admiration lifted Mac's lips. As he turned to step down.
"Group F leader, Mac."
Professor Lania, silent till now, spoke.
Mac froze mid-step, neither up nor down, and turned to her.
"One question."
She asked.
"The circuit you demonstrated—is it one you personally designed?"
His heart skipped.
Mac nodded without showing it.
"...Yes, it is."
"Impressive. High completion."
"Pardon? Th-thank you."
"Mind if I ask a few more?"
Mac nodded slowly.
Snap.
Professor Lania snapped her fingers. The vanished circuit reappeared identically. Mimicking it took no time.
"Simple questions."
Her pen tip jabbed the center.
"The spell's core is here. This is the basic 'Fireball' circuit you mentioned, right?"
"Yes."
"The curves and slashes connected to it—those are the constraint circuits you described?"
"Yes, correct."
Her pen moved boldly.
The circuit dismantled in seconds. Mac swallowed dryly at the scattered pieces. Unrecognizable now.
"Indeed, an excellent circuit. Constraints link cleanly, effects integrate well. Near perfect."
Near perfect.
Not quite perfect.
"Which makes this all the more glaring."
She isolated one curve. It stood out amid the clean lines. Jarring.
"What is this?"
"Pardon...?"
"Can't figure its purpose. No idea what this line does. Waited for your explanation, but none came. So I ask."
She sounded genuinely curious.
"What is it?"
"Th-that's..."
Mac stared at the curve.
He'd memorized the notes. But this? No clue. It hadn't even stood out in the finished product.
'What the hell is that?'
He checked his sheet.
Finding it was hard. After staring, he barely located it.
Where circuits connected.
A tiny gap from joining.
The curve filled that gap. What was it? No idea. Mac blurted desperately.
"F-for decoration..."
"Decoration."
She said flatly.
"Must've been a leisurely project. Finished the circuit and had time to decorate."
"I-it's..."
"Can you point out the other decorative ones?"
Her pen indicated the dismantled circuit.
"Looks like seven more."
Mac looked.
Dozens of lines floated chaotically.
'In there...'
Find seven specks.
He glanced at her. She gestured with her pen: go on.
Impossible.
Mac stayed silent. Time dragged endlessly.
Tap tap.
Only her pen tapping echoed. Urging him. Cold sweat trickled down his back.
Tap.
It stopped.
"Can't answer? Well, stage fright happens. Anyone from your group?"
No one could.
Teammates silent too.
One minute passed.
Felt like an hour. No answers. Professor Lania watched Mac, arms crossed.
"Can't find even one?"
Mac silent.
"Then reassemble it? If you drew it, you could manage a part."
Mac silent.
"Mac."
She called.
Her eyes narrowed. Icy blue gaze fixed on him.
"One more time."
She asked.
"Did you draw it?"
Mac silent.
Surrender. Professor Lania exhaled shortly, twirling her pen.
Scratch.
Her pen touched the sheet for the first time. It lifted soon after. Not a sentence, just one word on the blank page.
Disqualified.
Doesn't meet standards.
Not worth grading. Just that word.
"Next."
She said.
Chillingly cold voice.
3.
Crack.
"......"
Rosel eyed the dropped sugar cube.
He'd fumbled it from the tongs into his coffee. Seeing it shattered, he narrowed his eyes.
'Somehow... feels ominous.'
Not superstitious.
But unease stirred. Maybe from the worry nagging him since morning.
Rosel's worry was always one thing.
"Grading today, was it...?"
His disciple's unique group project.
As Rosel recalled, today was grading day. Presentations too.
"Presentations, huh..."
A memory surfaced.
Recalling when Raniel was the Ashen Next Tower Lord, Rosel smiled wryly.
"Bloodbath incoming."
......Ashen Mage, Raniel.
Back when she was Next Tower Lord, tower mages called her this.
Incinerator.
Dozens of papers, circuits built sleepless nights, any research... all turned to ash before her. Literally ash. Mages wept bloody tears over charred white remnants, muttering.
Ashen.
Ah, fearsome ashen one.