Episode 190
Episode 190
"Enchantment Magic is really fun."
"......"
"......"
The students, still half-frozen from the cold, were slightly taken aback by the beaver beastkin professor's words.
What were they supposed to say to that?
"Now then, the enchantment magic to prepare against the cold is..."
"????"
"Professor? Uh, is that all you're going to say about Enchantment Magic?"
The students grew even more bewildered as Professor Vible immediately jumped into the main topic.
Until now, professors who came to teach new magic usually started with explanations like, "This field of magic is about such-and-such, it's used in the Empire in this way, it has this much potential..." and so on.
But Professor Vible skipped all that and went straight to the point.
Was this really okay?
"Why? I already said everything."
"Um... What kind of magic is Enchantment Magic? How is it used in the Empire, and how does it interact with other magics?"
One of the White Tiger Tower students raised their hand and asked.
Professor Vible answered kindly.
"Look that up yourself. Now then, about the enchantment to prepare against the cold..."
"......"
The students were more interested in Enchantment Magic than expected.
Especially the White Tiger Tower students.
Whether it was directly enhancing the body or reinforcing equipment, Enchantment Magic was an extremely useful magic for knights.
And it wasn't just the White Tiger Tower students—Enchantment Magic itself was so versatile that students from other towers were also very interested, but...
'This professor seems a little crazy.'
'To be fair, the other professors are like that too.'
'But we can't just not learn it... I was really looking forward to studying Enchantment Magic...'
—Lee Han. Lee Han.
Professor Garcia cast a telepathy spell and sent a message to Lee Han.
"?"
—Lee Han, could you help me out a bit?
'What...'
Lee Han was flustered.
I'm a freshman too!
'Honestly, shouldn't this be something the professor or the professor's apprentice handles?'
But Lee Han nodded anyway.
He had just caught sight of the corner of the lectern that Professor Garcia had smashed earlier.
'What a kind-hearted student.'
Unaware of Lee Han's fear, Professor Garcia was simply moved.
How did such a good-hearted student end up at Einrogard...
'Hmm. This won't be easy.'
Lost in thought after accepting Professor Garcia's request, Lee Han pondered.
To be fair, Professor Vible was the type who would be fine as long as someone answered well when questioned.
And, of course, Professor Vible Verdus was undeniably insane.
After some deliberation, Lee Han came up with a strategy.
"Professor. Can Enchantment Magic be cast the same way on living beings and non-living objects?"
"What? No! What kind of question is that? Of course not!"
Professor Vible reacted as if Lee Han had said something ridiculous.
"Why not?"
"Because of course—"
Professor Vible launched into a passionate explanation.
When casting Enchantment Magic on living beings, you always have to worry about the backlash, which limits the types of enchantments you can apply, and...
"I see."
"Why are you asking something like that? You should already know this."
"My apologies, Professor."
"Now then, about preparing against the cold..."
"But Professor, I've heard that if you learn Enchantment Magic, you'll starve to death..."
"What!? No! You won't die!"
Professor Vible jumped up in protest.
"Is that not true?"
"Of course not!"
As Professor Vible ranted passionately in rebuttal, Professor Garcia felt something akin to awe.
It was truly genius.
As if he was born to be a disciple...
'...Now that I think about it, that might not be a good thing.'
"Ugh! You made me waste time on nonsense!"
"My apologies, Professor."
Though Professor Vible grumbled, the students looked noticeably more at ease.
Ah, so this was what Enchantment Magic was like!
"Let's get into preparing against the cold. Originally, you weren't supposed to learn enchantments for the cold."
"Why?"
A student from White Tiger Tower asked.
Professor Bibré answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Because you're stupid."
"......"
"You freshmen should start with paper enhancement magic first."
"???"
Lee Han was taken aback—but for a completely different reason.
'But she made me create magic fireworks right away!'
Is this favoritism?
"Professor! Aren't you underestimating us too much?"
One White Tiger Tower student finally exploded in frustration.
Having survived the hellish midterm exam period, the students were brimming with a newfound, baseless confidence.
Still, this was far too impulsive. The students beside them gasped in shock.
"I'm not underestimating you."
"Huh?"
The professor's response defied everyone's expectations.
"I was just stating a fact. Wardanaz, isn't that right?"
"......"
Lee Han pretended not to hear Professor Bibré suddenly addressing him.
I don't know this person!
"Anyway, we need to prepare for the cold, so I'll teach you."
Professor Bibré swung her staff.
A well-prepared piece of leather materialized in midair. The professor cast a spell on it.
Pat!
"Here. Try it."
"...Professor Verdus. At least recite the incantation while you do it, please..."
Professor Garcia couldn't hold back any longer and finally spoke up.
<Lesser Frost Resistance>.
A spell that temporarily grants resistance to cold to a designated non-living object.
It was a fairly familiar spell to Lee Han.
Because last time, while making magic fireworks, he had been forced to learn <Lesser Flame Resistance> from Professor Bibré.
The problem was...
'...This is a 3rd-circle spell...'
First-years usually learned 1st or 2nd-circle spells—teaching a 3rd-circle spell at their first encounter was...
The perfect way to kill any interest in Enchantment Magic.
"O leather, repel the cold!"
"The leather repels the cold!"
But as always, necessity breeds competence. The harsh, freezing environment of Einrogard had toughened the students.
Surprisingly, a few of them succeeded in casting the spell.
Though, strictly speaking, it wasn't a perfect success.
Enchantment Magic was considered a failure if it didn't fully manifest the intended effect.
The leather enchanted by the students emitted only the faintest warmth.
Still, achieving this much on their first day of learning was impressive.
Especially considering the school was already freezing cold...
"Professor! How was that?"
"What kind of cold resistance is this?! If you wear this outside, you'll freeze to death!"
"......"
Lee Han saw Professor Garcia's fist clench tightly.
The professor took a deep breath to regain composure.
At this rate, every student with talent and interest in Enchantment Magic might flee.
"Lee Han. Sorry, but could I ask you for another favor? Can you help your fellow tower students?"
"Professor. I haven't even mastered <Lesser Frost Resistance> yet."
Lee Han stared at Professor Garcia in disbelief.
He hadn't even had the chance to swing his staff, too busy explaining the basics of Enchantment Magic to his peers...
"Just try."
"...O leather, repel the cold!"
Pat!
The spell landed perfectly on the leather. Professor Garcia nodded as if she had expected this.
"Good. Now, help the others."
"...Professor. This only worked because I already learned <Lesser Flame Resistance> first. It was pure luck—normally, it doesn't happen like this."
Lee Han protested meekly as he stood up.
For some reason, he felt deeply wronged.
An hour later.
Thanks to the combined efforts of Professor Garcia and Lee Han, by the time the lecture was ending, several students had come close to mastering the spell.
Of course, Professor Vible didn't offer even a shred of praise.
"It's fine if you can't do it. What can you expect? How could talentless idiots possibly do well? That would be stranger. It's fine."
"......"
The students, already feeling cold, grew even more sullen.
Professor Vible continued without a care.
"Enchantment Magic is fun, so anyone who wants to learn can come find me. Understood?"
"Yes..."
"Thank you..."
Lee Han wondered just how many students would actually visit Professor Vible's workshop.
'Surely I won't be the only one taking it.'
"Lee Han."
As the lecture ended, Professor Garcia hesitated before speaking.
"Would you mind if I asked you for one more favor?"
"What kind of favor, Professor?"
"Could you help the students from other towers, just like you did earlier? I'd love to do it myself, but the dog— I mean, the Headmaster—would never allow it."
'Did he just say "dog"?'
Lee Han stared at Professor Garcia's kind expression.
The thought of helping those troublemakers who trembled at his mere approach and spread ridiculous rumors...
He really didn't want to.
"Yes. I'll do that."
Lee Han answered immediately.
Professor Garcia looked at him with eyes full of gratitude.
The professor didn't notice Lee Han glancing at his fist.
'Hmm. That's the hand that crushed the lectern earlier.'
"Thank you so much, Lee Han! I'll find some way to repay you."
"After all the kindness you've shown me, how could I expect anything in return?"
"Lee Han, you're truly..."
Professor Garcia's eyes grew moist.
Just where did Einrogard find such a kind student...
"...Gah!"
"...Huff!"
"Stop making noise every time I swing my wand."
Lee Han glared irritably at the White Tiger Tower students.
They were now learning <Lesser Frost Resistance> from him.
Though they'd heard Professor Garcia's explanation, that didn't mean their fear had instantly vanished.
The White Tiger students flinched every time Lee Han moved his wand.
"Look. The basic magical structure of <Lesser Frost Resistance> is like this."
Lee Han used a quill to draw the mana flow pattern on paper. A complex mana circuit took shape.
"Understand?"
"Understood, Wardanaz."
"These parts, these parts—they're sections handled through visualization."
Keywords like 'cold,' 'resistance,' and 'enchantment' could be partially resolved through a mage's visualization alone, without needing to intricately manipulate mana for each one.
If every single aspect had to be handled through direct mana manipulation, the spell would become several times more complex.
"Right."
"So the important thing is to keep practicing the remaining parts until they become familiar?"
"Exactly."
"Then start repeating them."
"...Huh?"
"???"
"I said repeat them."
"Uh... aren't there any special tricks?"
The White Tiger students had hoped that Wardanaz, coming from a prestigious magical family, might share some ingenious secret—perhaps a method for precise mana control or a way to strengthen visualization.
"There aren't any. You improve by doing."
"But if we just repeat it like that, our mana will run out immediately."
"Ah."
"......"
The White Tiger students glared at Lee Han.
"Hmm. Right. Repeating won't work then."
"Wardanaz, we'd appreciate it if you shared some tips for mana control. Doesn't the mana disperse or scatter when moving the wand during this part?"
"Did it? Mine didn't."
"...Wardanaz, didn't your mana get tangled when concentrating it here?"
"I don't think so..."
"......"
The White Tiger students' glares grew even more murderous than before.
This is why geniuses are the worst!
"Wardanaz, didn't you ever get stuck while learning this?"
"Of course I did."
"Oh... where? Tell us."
The students stared at him with curiosity.
Just where had this Wardanaz bastard struggled?
"Sometimes I drew out too much mana while manipulating it, causing the spell to amplify excessively."
"What happened then?"
"The enchantment became too strong."
"...How is that a problem?"