Episode 1032
Episode 1032
The students of Einrogard murmured among themselves at the magic that was far more esoteric and transcendental than they had anticipated.
Transforming soulless creations into living beings...
Among wizards, the most dangerous types were precisely those who immersed themselves in such difficult magic.
When one devoted their soul to mastering such demanding spells, it wasn't long before the wizard would go mad.
"He seems like a crazy wizard after all..."
"The Great Artist is not a crazy person!"
Bunarjo flared up in anger. How dare they insult the artist who had inspired so many Petrogard students like that.
"After I went out of my way to explain to outsiders...! Hmph! Get lost."
When even the most cooperative Petrogard student lost his temper, the Einrogard students hurriedly tried to placate him.
If this Great Artist truly was a mad wizard, they needed to calm the situation and extract information rather than just parting ways like this.
"Ah, no. Oh no. It was a misunderstanding. This prince here misspoke."
"That's right! Why did you say something so misleading! Apologize quickly!"
"Ugh. My bad. I was talking about some other crazy wizard."
"Who's this other person?"
"Um... Our headmaster?"
"......"
Bunarjo stared at Gainando in disbelief as he called his own school's headmaster a mad wizard.
"...Fine. I'll accept the apology for now."
"Thank you!"
The Einrogard students beamed with joy.
Then they immediately got to the main point.
"So tell us more about this Great Artist."
"If he has any weaknesses, tell us about those too. He's not preparing some magic that requires massive amounts of mana, is he? That would be concerning."
"......"
Bunarjo looked at the Einrogard students with slightly suspicious eyes.
Were they really asking out of genuine curiosity about the Great Artist?
"That seems fishy."
"W-what are you talking about? We just... developed an interest in art. Right?"
"Y-yeah, right. Art! We love art. Wow!"
"Then prove it."
"What?"
"I said prove it."
Bunarjo took out several more leather pouches and dumped their contents on the floor.
From painting supplies to sculpting tools, musical instruments, quill pens and paper for poetry or novels—the array of items was extensive.
"Pick something and create anything. If I feel your sincerity, I'll tell you more about the Great Artist."
"...Can't we just resolve this the Einrogard way?"
"Shh. This is Petrogard territory. Let's not escalate things."
As the less artistically-inclined students considered resolving things through force, their friends urgently stopped them.
"Ugh... The only time I drew was briefly as a child."
"Tutanta might be better off. He's naturally good at sculpting."
"Don't talk nonsense. I prefer making practical buildings."
Grumbling, they each picked up whatever tool they felt most confident with or that seemed easiest.
Yoner, who had planned to teach Nilia the flute during this opportunity, looked puzzled when Gainando grabbed a canvas and brush.
"You know how to paint? Why not just write a short story instead?"
Of course, any story written by Gainando would likely be terrible.
Yoner had already read multiple times the story Gainando wrote before entering school (a tale where a noble-blooded prince, respected by all, made criminals surrender just by meeting his gaze) that he submitted to an Empire mystery magazine.
Still, it would be better than the alternatives...
"No good. The reversal isn't complete enough yet."
"O-oh. Then are you confident in painting?"
"Not really, but can't I just slap some paint on?"
Gainando said this without noticing Bunarjo glaring daggers at him from behind.
Yoner shook her head vigorously.
Gainando was definitely out of the running, and it seemed the remaining students would have to somehow create at least one work that would satisfy that picky Petrogard student.
"Senior! Senior!"
Professor Garcia knocked on the door of the Great Artist's residence and called out.
She knocked so hard that the spatial magic surfaces around the door trembled. Alsicle thought to himself, 'Is she using knocking as an excuse to attack?' But that probably wasn't the case.
If that were true, they would've told Alsicle in advance...
Probably!
Creak!
The door opened, revealing the Great Artist.
Though he was disguised in completely different attire from when they'd last met, Professor Garcia could immediately recognize him as the Skeleton Principal's former disciple by his distinctive aura and mannerisms.
"Ah... I mean, Senior!"
Professor Garcia quickly corrected herself as she almost called him by name.
This was a mage who had abandoned both his disciple status and his name along with it.
There was no need to provoke him by using his real name.
But Professor Garcia had forgotten one crucial fact...
As someone holding the position of professor, anything she said was bound to rub him the wrong way!
"Who are you calling 'senior'? Get lost!"
Bang!
The Great Artist slammed the door shut and immediately cast eight layers of Spatial Distortion Magic over it.
"G-Great Artist...?"
Professor Garcia's belated realization came too late as she desperately called out, but the Great Artist ignored her.
"...Wasn't that Professor Garcia just now?"
"They were traitors."
As if nothing had happened, the Great Artist waved his arm again.
The walls of the chaotic residence collapsed inward, revealing the hidden paintings beneath.
Though all were covered with black cloth so their contents couldn't be seen, an extraordinary power emanated from them. These were clearly no ordinary paintings.
"Where were we in our explanation?"
"You mentioned wanting to breathe eternal life into artworks... Is that truly possible?"
"You're the Skeleton Principal's disciple and successor—what do you think? How would you do it?"
'He really holds a grudge,' Lee Han grumbled internally before cautiously answering:
"For temporary effects... I think it could be realized through Small World or Unique World techniques. Other magic would make the process too complex."
While animating inanimate objects was certainly possible, the method for temporarily granting actual life eluded him. In that case, violating natural laws through Small World or Unique World techniques seemed far more feasible.
However...
"But that's still far from being permanent, isn't it?"
"Correct. Clever boy. Whether through Word Magic, Small World, or even Unique World... achieving permanence is difficult with any method. That's why I'm approaching it differently."
The Great Artist drew a human-shaped symbol in the air.
Inside it, he drew the symbol for Unique World, then added a perpetually circulating symbol.
Understanding the meaning, Lee Han asked in astonishment:
"You plan to summon a Unique World within the artwork and sustain it indefinitely?"
"Exactly."
"Is that possible?"
If a Unique World could be maintained indefinitely, the artwork could truly live on like a soul-possessed lifeform.
The grand magic that twisted natural laws certainly had that capability.
But sustaining a Unique World indefinitely sounded even more far-fetched than breathing life into artwork.
How exactly?
Lee Han paused as something occurred to him. 'No way?!'
"You're not planning to use my magical power...!"
"By utilizing the essence of Primitive Magic contained in art... wait, what did you just say?"
"Nothing."
Lee Han coughed awkwardly to hide his embarrassment. 'This is all Professor Verdus's fault.' That professor's tendency to freely exploit students' magical power had given Lee Han this persecution complex.
Unaware of Lee Han's paranoia, the Great Artist continued his explanation:
"Perhaps... the reason mages can't surpass magic's limits is because they define those limits too quickly for themselves. Like a flea trapped in a glass jar that won't jump higher even after being freed."
"That's actually not true in reality."
"The truth doesn't matter. In fact, that observation strengthens the point I just made."
Though the example was incorrect, the Great Artist's words certainly held some truth.
The discipline of magic that twists reality was inevitably deeply connected to a mage's willpower.
If a mage subconsciously imposed limitations like 'this is impossible,' what was already near-impossible would become even more difficult.
"Certainly... I can relate since I also lack some confidence. Confidence is important when learning magic."
"Right?"
If other friends had been present, they might have thrown stones while joking about such a statement, but the Great Artist fell for it completely.
Because he wasn't a professor.
"I aim to break through these limitations using Primitive Magic. Though random and uncontrollable, those very traits might allow us to surpass psychological barriers."
'It sounds like nonsense, but there's a strange plausibility to it.'
The Great Artist's words sounded like he was saying that since conventional methods were too difficult anyway, he'd keep gambling on low-probability attempts until something worked.
Normally, it would have been utter nonsense, but given their goal, parts of it oddly made sense.
"Certainly... it seems like the most viable possibility."
"Right?"
Though the Great Artist was so thoroughly covered that not even a sliver of skin was visible, Lee Han could sense that the man had smiled for the first time.
"It's wisdom gained from escaping into art for so long. Had I stayed under that bastard's thumb, I'd never have realized it."
"......"
Lee Han didn't ask who "that bastard" was. Instead, he changed the subject.
"So, what kind of artwork are you trying to bring to life? An imaginary lover, perhaps?"
Recalling the tale of a sculptor who had carved his imagined lover and sought to give it life, Lee Han asked.
But the Great Artist looked utterly baffled, as if he couldn't believe such nonsense.
"Even back at Einrogard, I never heard such ridiculous drivel. Why on earth would I pour all this magic and art into creating something like a lover?"
"My... my apologies."
Lee Han felt deeply embarrassed.
Logically, that made no sense!
'I read too many fairy tales.'
"You'll understand once you see it. Look."
The Great Artist waved his arm again.
From somewhere, an ancient kingdom-era melody Lee Han had heard before began to play.
At the same time, the cloth that had concealed the painting earlier vanished, and a sculpture slowly rose from the floor.
To Lee Han's shock, it was none other than the Skeleton Principal—depicted as he had looked in his human form!
"......"
As Lee Han stared in speechless horror, the Great Artist began explaining, as if he had expected this reaction.
"Throw away that absurd speculation right now. You don't actually think I'm doing this out of respect for that man, do you?"
"Uh... I thought you were planning to inflict suffering on him after bringing him to life for revenge."
"...What kind of horrific thought is that?!"
The Great Artist was appalled by the junior's cruel imagination.
If revenge was the goal, it should be taken personally—why go to such lengths?
"I didn't prepare all this art and magic out of vengeance. I'm not that foolish of a mage. Why do you think the Empire's mages grovel before that man?"
"Well, the Headmaster makes people grovel even more—"
Perhaps not expecting an answer, the Great Artist continued speaking.
"The answer is because that vile man inherits an ancient lineage of mystery passed down through the ages. Conversely, if there were one more who inherited that same lineage, we could break free from his tyrannical oppression. Can you imagine? A mage with the same power as that wicked archmage—but with a kind and righteous heart?"
"Ah. I've actually met someone like that."
"...Are you out of your mind?"