Episode 215
Episode 215
"Professor Garcia. I don't know exactly what I did wrong, but it's all my fault. Please calm your anger."
"I'm not angry."
Professor Paselet Kraer apologized first. Of course, Professor Garcia didn't understand.
"People who say they're not angry when they really aren't... No. You look perfectly fine?"
"Yes. That's why I said it was okay to this extent."
Professor Paselet glanced Lee Han up and down before asking Professor Garcia:
"Is that the kid?"
"Yes. Lee Han is the kid."
'What? Why do I have a bad feeling about this?'
Lee Han hesitated, wondering if it was a side effect of the Stone Divination he was attempting.
Come to think of it, they said seeing the future required a price...
"He really does have an extraordinary amount of mana."
Professor Paselet fell into thought.
There was a reason he had deliberately assigned the impossible task of predicting a day ahead, even though he could have given the students easier divination magic—like seeing one or two seconds into the future.
He had intended for them to fail from the start.
For young mages, failing outright was better than succeeding clumsily.
No matter what magical means were employed, glimpsing the future was a dangerous act that demanded a price.
If the cost ended with just mana, that was fortunate enough—but if they succeeded, even more fatal payments could occur.
So...
"That's enough."
Professor Paselet flicked away the stones in front of Lee Han with his staff.
The freshman had been recklessly attempting Stone Divination without fear.
With his immense mana reserves, he hadn't even flinched at the price of failure.
"First-year. Divination magic isn't something you can attempt repeatedly like other spells. Even if the price for failure is relatively small, you never know what might happen if you keep trying."
"But Lee Han looks fine, doesn't he?"
At Gainando's naive question, Professor Garcia waved his staff to shut him up.
There was no point provoking Paselet's temper.
"I understand, Professor."
"Good. Keep that in mind."
Lee Han truly understood.
'It really is an unstable magic.'
At this point, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it the most unpredictable and capricious of all magics.
The further ahead one tried to see, the greater the price. The clearer and more precise the vision, the steeper the cost. And even if one failed, repeated attempts could still accumulate consequences.
Having a lot of mana didn't mean one could keep trying without repercussions.
'I need to be more careful.'
Lee Han didn't have grand ambitions for divination magic.
Mages passionate about divination pursued visions of "the end of the world," but Lee Han would be satisfied just knowing what trap the Skeleton Principal had prepared.
That alone would be enough to call himself a diviner.
Of course, Professor Paselet didn't trust him.
"Professor Garcia. I think we need to keep a close eye on that student."
"Huh?"
"He knows he has a lot of mana, doesn't he? Now that he's learned about divination magic, there's no way he'll restrain himself. He'll keep trying, pouring every last drop of his mana into it."
Professor Paselet was half-convinced.
Catching glimpses of the future was an incomparably intense thrill.
A mage who was still just a freshman wouldn't be able to resist. If left unsupervised, he'd be in danger.
"Lee Han isn't that kind of person."
Professor Garcia waved his hand dismissively. Just like before, his unexpectedly trusting attitude only deepened Paselet's bewilderment.
What in the world...?
"Professor Garcia. You know all freshmen have empty iron heads..."
"I know. But Lee Han isn't like that."
"Is it because he's a genius? You know geniuses are even more dangerous in cases like this."
If one lacked talent, it might be different—but in magic, those with talent were far more hazardous.
Without the ability to protect themselves, they'd end up sinking deep into the swamp of magic...
"That's right. But I'm telling you, Lee Han isn't that kind of student."
Professor Garcia was firm.
There was absolutely no way someone with Lee Han's personality would do anything reckless.
This was conviction beyond mere talent or magical ability!
"...???"
Of course, from Professor Paselet's perspective, this only made things more baffling.
'What in the world...?'
As Professor Paselet stood speechless with his mouth slightly agape, Professor Garcia turned his attention back to the students.
Having sufficiently warned them about the dangers of Divination Magic, it was now time to discuss its merits.
No matter how dangerous Divination Magic was, mages were ultimately a breed that leaped headfirst into danger.
If they avoided anything simply because it was dangerous, they wouldn't have become mages in the first place.
"Now. All of you must have been quite surprised by how distinctly unique and different Divination Magic is compared to other branches."
The students nodded. Some merely wiggled their fingers from where they'd collapsed on the floor—these were the ones who'd attempted divination and failed.
"However, the magic you tried today was... considerably difficult. Divination Magic isn't all about such challenging spells."
'Then shouldn't you have started with easier spells first?'
Lee Han, who'd unwittingly attempted this considerably difficult magic multiple times, listened with a sour expression.
If not for his abundant mana, he'd be sprawled on the classroom floor just like his peers.
"From locating hidden objects in this classroom to identifying overlooked knowledge, forgotten memories, or even mistakes in your own magic circles—Divination Magic has diverse applications. Many mages studying other schools still learn bits of Divination Magic for this reason."
While delving deep made Divination Magic one of the most dangerous arts, a shallow study revealed its incredible convenience and versatility.
As it supplements a mage's intellect, it pairs well with any magical discipline.
"So, students interested in Divination Magic might find it worthwhile to attend Professor Kraer's lectures. Just remember—always remain humble before the future."
Despite the chaotic start, Professor Garcia's words carried enough persuasion that a considerable number of students decided to study Divination Magic.
As they filed out after class, students chattered about what they could—and would—do with Divination Magic.
"Good work today, Professor Kraer."
"What did I do? It was all Professor Garcia."
At Professor Paselet's remark, Professor Garcia waved his hands dismissively.
"You're the one teaching it, Professor Kraer. I'm just worried too many students might enroll because of me."
Had Professor Mortum of Black Magic heard this, he'd have wept tears of blood.
The privilege of teaching popular magic!
But Professor Paselet responded indifferently.
"Most will just learn the basics and drop out anyway."
Unlike other magical disciplines, Divination Magic had an exceptionally high attrition rate.
Since even a moderate proficiency proved highly useful—while deeper study risked one's life—this was hardly surprising.
Consequently, Professor Paselet showed little interest in recruiting disciples.
If luck favored him, students stayed. If not, they left.
"Still, did any promising students catch your eye?"
"Divination Magic isn't like other fields where prodigies shine early, Professor Garcia. Cases like yours are exceedingly rare."
Professor Paselet grumbled.
While Professor Garcia cherished his students, Professor Paselet held no such sentiments.
Displaying talent in Divination Magic as a first-year bordered on impossibility.
Even after practicing 'relatively' simple divination spells throughout first year and beginning proper fortune-telling in second year, uncovering genuine talent remained difficult.
First of all, successfully performing divination is extremely difficult in itself (it requires intuition and inspiration), and on top of that, one must know how to interpret those uncertain futures...
"And that kid. Are you absolutely sure about him? I heard other professors are showing interest. You're not setting me up to take responsibility later, are you?"
If by any chance his precious student were to secretly practice divination magic and end up coughing blood and collapsing, which professor do you think the others would direct their anger at?
Professor Paselet had no desire to take such risks.
"I told you, it's fine."
'This is making me uneasy...'
Just then, Lee Han and his friends walked out. Professor Paselet pricked up his ears, intending to eavesdrop on the first-years' conversation.
"I'm planning to train hard to memorize the order of the deck I shuffled. So, Lee Han. You kept throwing stones earlier trying to perform divination, right? Did you see anything?"
At Gainando's question, Professor Paselet shook his head inwardly in exasperation.
He'd just explained it, and they'd already forgotten.
Such a careless personality was ill-suited for divination magic.
'How many times did I say that if you fail, you won't see anything...'
"Hmm. I did catch some brief, fleeting images..."
"?!"
Professor Paselet's eyes widened in shock.
What did he just say?
'Failed... Wait... Now's not the time to scold first-years.'
He'd naturally assumed Lee Han had failed, but come to think of it, the boy hadn't said a single word about his stone divination failing. Astonishingly, he'd succeeded—and then tried again!
'He must have paid the price for succeeding...'
The moment one glimpses the future, even if it's just vague and uncertain images, the price becomes enormous.
Yet he'd done it multiple times without showing any outward signs...
'He's a natural!'
One of the talents for divination magic.
It was the constitution to bear the price well.
It might sound like a joke, but in some ways, this was the most crucial talent.
If one wizard had to pay with blood after seeing the future while another only had to expend mana, the latter would have an overwhelming advantage.
That student clearly had the constitution to pay the price with mana.
'But to pay the price with mana would require an enormous amount...'
He'd heard the boy had abundant mana, but Professor Paselet was bewildered.
No matter how much mana one had, to pay the full price of success with mana alone—and to repeat it multiple times...
Was that even possible?
Could it be a first-year's delusion?
Young mages often mistakenly believed they'd seen the future.
The professor strained his ears even more intently, determined to hear the rest of the conversation.
"What did you see? What was it?!"
"I saw myself cooking roast beef."
"Roast beef...! So tomorrow's menu is roast beef!"
"It's not certain. Even if you see the future, that future can always change—you heard the professor say that, right?"
"No way. Lee Han. We can shape the future."
Gainando spoke in a voice dripping with anticipation.
"What are you guys talking about?"
"Tomorrow's menu is roast beef, apparently."
"Roast beef?! I love that! What kind of meat?! Was it lamb by any chance?"
"What roast beef?"
"Those Blue Dragon Tower bastards are having roast beef tomorrow."
"Damn it. Those insufferable jerks."
Professor Paselet's face twisted in irritation.
Just when things were getting important, the other first-years were spouting nonsense.
"Anyway, what I saw was roast beef made with beef."
"Beef...!"
"Beef is perfect!"
"Those brats. Did they come to magic school just to eat? A full stomach won't make you a great mage!"
Despite the White Tiger Tower students' jealous remarks, Professor Paselet's mind was elsewhere.
Even among those who succeeded in divination, the images seen and how they manifested varied from mage to mage.
Yet if there was one crucial factor, it was clarity and specificity.
The clearer and more concrete the image, the greater the diviner.
If he could see something as specific as the type of meat...
Professor Paselet muttered with a dazed expression.
"Beef... beef... beef...!"
"Did you switch personalities again?"
Professor Garcia, who had approached from behind, looked at him in puzzlement.