Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Looking for a New Job (2)
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Rosel van Trias.
The elder of the Ashen Mage Tower and a brilliant professor, Rosel thought back to events from long ago. It must have been ten years now—no, more like fifteen.
—The Demon King’s Army strikes again.
—Endless calamities.
—Refugees flooding into the Lutetia region...
An era overflowing with refugees driven by disasters. Amid that chaotic time, Rosel had encountered a young boy who looked no older than ten.
Rosel recognized the boy’s talent at a glance.
He was a child blessed with genius.
If he pursued the path of magic, he would become a grand mage etched into history. If he picked up a pen and delved into scholarship, he would have made an exceptional scholar. The boy was born with such gifts.
Rosel spotted that talent instantly, but what truly astonished him wasn’t that.
Even at just ten years old, the boy’s abilities were honed to perfection.
Rosel had caught his breath at the sight of talent sharp and refined like a well-forged blade.
This wasn’t some unbloomed flower bud you might stumble upon now and then. No, it had already blossomed fully, merely waiting for someone to take notice.
As if entranced, Rosel asked the child.
Did he have a master, by chance?
Had someone taught him magic?
And if so, who was it?
—I’ve never been taught.
In response to the question, the boy replied with one of his own.
—Will you teach me?
Chuckling at the boy’s boldness, Rosel took him on as a disciple. Even now, fifteen years later, Rosel had never once regretted that decision.
The child had been that exceptional.
And that wise.
But now.
Rosel’s steadfast heart was beginning to waver, just a little.
“...Am I understanding this correctly?”
“Yes...”
Feeling a dizzy spell coming on, Rosel pinched the bridge of his nose. What in the world was this?
Even if the world’s gone mad...
Rosel gazed at the girl kneeling before him.
...this can’t possibly be a sane story.
Ash-gray hair cascading down to her waist, now pooling on the floor as she knelt. Bluish eyes darting restlessly about.
Ash-gray hair and blue eyes.
Those were the only traits he could link to his disciple in this girl.
“I can’t believe it...”
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
“Keep quiet for a bit.”
Rosel let out a long sigh as he watched the girl sullenly shut her mouth.
“Hoo...”
Without a doubt, the ash-gray mana the girl had just demonstrated was Raniel’s. It matched perfectly with the mana he’d observed for over a decade while teaching that child.
Fine, that checks out...
Rosel narrowed his eyes.
You’ve changed a lot.
He wasn’t referring to her appearance as a girl.
Mana.
The mana of Raniel reflected in Rosel’s eyes was the same color, but the way it was wielded was worlds apart.
The fact brought joy, yet also a touch of bitterness.
She wouldn’t have survived unchanged.
With his eyes still narrowed, Rosel murmured.
“I’d heard rumors, but it still feels so foreign...”
“Pardon?”
“Word’s spread even to the capital. Some mage on the front lines has overturned the foundations of battle magic.”
“Oh? Who might that be?”
We must have met at least once on the battlefield.
Rosel gave a wry smile as he watched her mutter that.
Still as oblivious as ever.
“Nothing.”
“Huh?”
Rosel lightly swung his staff.
—Thwack!
“Ow!”
“You hopeless fool.”
A faint smile tugged at Rosel’s lips.
Raniel might not know it, but Rosel was well aware of how the world evaluated his disciple.
—Redefining the neglected concept of spell Stock.
—Establishing a systematic battle magic framework based on physical techniques and spell Stocks for striking spells.
—Model cases for efficient spell use on the battlefield.
He’d collected every article about his disciple.
Recalling them, Rosel smiled wryly again.
Do you know what they call you out there, Raniel?
The pioneer of Battle Mages.
The beacon of mages.
The greatest mage, and so on.
The list of epithets went on forever.
“Anyway.”
“Ow!”
“This disciple of mine, really.”
“Agh! Master, hold on! Ow!”
Thwack, thwack, thwack.
The staff rhythmically tapped the girl’s head repeatedly.
Really...
Rosel thought back to the past five years.
When she’d joined the Hero Party to slay the Demon King, worry had consumed him. But watching her stand alone and rack up achievements had been a joy.
He was proud.
When news hit the capital that she’d beheaded one of the Four Heavenly Kings—that vile black dragon Belial—his shoulders had squared with pride.
Yet this foolish disciple had no idea.
That a part of his heart had always been anxious.
That over those five years, he’d agonized with every scrap of news, his emotions swinging wildly.
“You always make your master worry.”
Thud.
The staff swung weakly, tapping Raniel’s crown. She cautiously lifted her head.
“...”
Rosel’s face looked a bit weary.
Gazing at it, Raniel bowed her head again.
“...I’m sorry.”
“You hopeless fool.”
Rosel reached out and ruffled Raniel’s hair.
“Get up. There’s much to do.”
“...”
“First, let’s go buy new furniture. You tossed everything without leaving a single piece, so we’ll have to start from scratch. Plenty of work ahead.”
“...Yes, Master.”
The room that had sat empty for the five years Raniel was away. Flinging open its door, Rosel said.
“Move it, you hopeless disciple.”
2.
A member of the Hero Party.
News of the Ashen Mage Raniel’s retirement rocked the capital.
As great as her renown, the ripples from her retirement were massive.
Knight Commander Heinkel expressed regret over Raniel’s retirement and petitioned for her achievements to be honored with fitting glory and rewards.
The king graciously accepted Heinkel’s request.
Upon the emblem proving her as a ‘Royal Mage’—already bestowed upon Raniel long ago—three stars were now adorned.
One star for a knight with distinguished service on the battlefield.
Two stars for a mage devoted to the kingdom.
Three stars signified a mage devoted to all humanity.
Raniel was recognized as the first mage to bear three stars. For now, with her absence, the emblem was delivered to her master, Rosel.
Of course, the aftermath didn’t end there.
—The Crimson Mage Tower Lord offers to cede his position to Raniel...
—The Blue, Green, White, and Black Mage Towers pay respects to the ‘Ashen Mage’ Raniel, promising an elder seat.
—The knight division’s mages recommend her for officer.
The moment her retirement became known, countless places scrambled to recruit her, eyes blazing.
And Aphria Academy was no exception.
The kingdom’s most prestigious academy.
The dream of countless young mages.
An institution established just four years ago, yet its reputation soared thanks to the exploits of its first graduating class.
“...”
Aaron, dean of that very Aphria Academy, eyed the stack of letters before him with a weary gaze.
A tower of paper that might topple at a nudge.
Knowing they were all petitions from students and professors made Aaron’s vision swim.
—Ashen Mage Raniel as academy professor.
—No one more suited for a Battle Mage class...
—A talent worth any fortune to recruit.
—Just one class with her...
Passionate letters.
Even alumni were sending them.
Of course, I understand...
Aaron knew full well what the Ashen Mage Raniel meant to today’s mages. The academy even had a class modeled after her—no need to say more.
I want to recruit her too.
There was no greater talent.
But the problem was how close to impossible it seemed.
Ten days since the retirement news broke, and not a peep about Raniel. She remained silent amid overtures from every mage tower.
Maybe vacationing in the elves’ great forest.
Or summoned by some noble ancient dragon mage.
Just rumors like that.
No solid news anywhere.
Even the mage tower lords can’t track her down.
No matter how renowned Aphria Academy was, Aaron was just a dean in the end.
If the tower lords couldn’t do it, how could he?
“Hoo...”
Aaron let out a long sigh.
He already needed to bolster the faculty. This year brought an avalanche of talented applicants.
Never dreamed the first class would shine so brightly...
When sending off the inaugural graduates, Aaron hadn’t imagined their success would cause such issues.
Reports of their deeds poured in daily from across the lands. That inflated the academy’s fame beyond its size.
How am I supposed to handle talents like these?
Aaron sighed as he scanned the new semester enrollee list on his desk.
—Rak van Grace, the Northern Duke’s only son, a natural-born Battle Mage with innate combat sense.
—Resti, next Ashen Mage Tower Lord, a Summoner commanding countless familiars.
—Belnoa, Battle Mage and Shaman who single-handedly crushed the ‘Twilight’ gang from the slums.
All born with talent to dominate the era. Even handling one would strain the current faculty...
—4th Princess Aila.
—Child loved by the stars, Stella.
At that final noble name, Aaron smacked his forehead.
“I’m going mad, truly.”
The current staff couldn’t possibly manage them. If only a talented professor dropped from the sky.
“Hooo...”
Aaron sighed.
3.
“Raniel.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Ever thought about visiting the academy?”
“Me? At my age?”
I’d be at least seven or eight years older than those kids.
“No, not as a student—as a professor.”
“Hmm...”
I nodded.
“Doesn’t sound bad.”
Author's Note
This chapter feels like an introduction.
Naming things is so hard...
Coming up with the academy name, upcoming characters, the master’s name, the dean’s name all at once has my head spinning...
*Raniel’s age is between 25 and 27.
Met Rosel around age 10, trained in magic for 10 years under him, then joined the Hero Party for about 5 years of adventure.