Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Peaceful Midterm Week (3)
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Thanks to the Chairman's earnest efforts and budget issues, I put off acquiring a new sword for the time being and focused on major repairs to the canteen.
I removed the shattered window frames and replaced them with new ones, then pried up the floorboards that had been trampled by military boots.
I piled up the broken display items behind the canteen to be discarded separately and set aside the bread and reagents that had passed their expiration dates.
Once I cleared out the shelves, bookcases, and display stands, the spacious first floor looked even bigger. There was one crucial thing I had to consider when renovating this place.
Preventing anyone from entering while I was away.
At first, I thought about classic traps—like spikes popping up when stepped on or boiling oil pouring from above.
But those seemed a bit too dangerous. If something valuable got broken by accident, it'd be a disaster.
The best option was to cover the entire canteen with defensive magic. It wasn't that hard, really.
Not just Pharenchia Academy, but most noble houses and the royal family used all sorts of spells for security.
I could ask the Chairman to call in a specialist, or find one myself—there were plenty out there.
The problem was that I wanted more than the low-tier Barrier spells used on ordinary buildings.
Those things were just for buying time, basically useless against strong mages. What I wanted was something much more robust.
For example, Terra's Refraction Severance (????) or the advanced defense system Iron Hound (??) from Goliath Battalion, one of the 12 alliances in the Raviere Mountains. What options did I have?
Refraction Severance (????)
Iron Hound (??)
"Excuse me, Canteen Owner."
That's when someone slipped past the fallen door and approached me. See? If I'd set traps out front, there'd be another tombstone in the basement.
"Who might you be?"
"Vincent Vanillef. I'm handling the basics of elemental magic for the freshmen. I hear you covered my classes while I was hospitalized."
Ah, one of the victims from when Adella was on her salon tour spree. His right hand was still bandaged, so the injury must've been pretty bad.
His tone was quite authoritative, but he looked older than me and was a noble, so I let it slide. Still, maybe traditional traps weren't such a bad idea...
"What can I do for you?"
"I'm here about the freshmen midterms. Per academy rules, if a special invited lecturer handled a class, they must also handle the evaluation."
"So... you want me to make the test questions?"
"The class hours were short, so one question will suffice. Attach it as an addendum to the elemental magic exam."
Come to think of it, something similar happened the year before last... though I don't remember clearly. It wasn't a tough request, so I nodded.
Just one question on distinguishing doppelgangers.
"Got it. I'll do that."
"Need anything for it?"
"An anatomy chart would be great. Thinking of including diagrams."
"My research lab has some. Follow me."
I paused my work and followed Professor Vincent to Akasha Hall.
Sure enough, the academy was buzzing around midterm time. Students rushing between classrooms, or coming to the canteen for exam supplies only to leave in despair—it was all too familiar.
Students in the halls parted like the Red Sea as Professor Vincent strode past, half a step ahead of me with his long gait.
These kids moved so orderly for him, but swarmed the canteen like starving wild dogs? Real mages commanded respect around here, apparently.
"Here you go. Shouldn't take long, right?"
"I'll have it by morning."
"I'll be proctoring exams, so leave it in the mailbox outside my lab."
"No one'll steal it?"
"It's got security spells. No worries."
Professors had their precautions, huh.
I considered asking if he knew any defensive magic experts, but dropped it. He barely acknowledged me and hadn't even asked what I'd taught.
More work piled up. Heading back with the anatomy chart copy, I spotted a crowd lining up outside a lecture hall.
What's this, some celebrity visiting?
Glancing in, I saw a familiar face at the podium.
"Isn't that the Baroness?"
Professor Antonio Bolledi from Merak Magic Tower was one of the people second-years hated—loathed, even.
Partly due to his picky personality, but mostly his grading system that every student dreaded.
Every class: group projects 15, report submissions 15, pop quizzes 15, individual assignments 15, midterms/finals 15 each (30 total), attendance 10—for 100 points.
One class alone was enough to drive any sane person mad with the onslaught of tasks and tests.
This semester's new course, "Explorations in Magical Horizons," took it further: midterms were individual demonstrations.
Using everything learned that semester to achieve something new, unreported to academia.
"Invent a new spell or law?" Absurd.
He said just outlining it was fine for midterms, but it was still a headache for most students.
"Next."
A dejected student stepped down. Professor Antonio's sour face meant zero points for sure.
As the room held its breath, the next was the second-year top student, Liv Lavre.
She bowed amid the stares, and Antonio adjusted his glasses, gripping his evaluation sheet.
"Magic Department second-year, Liv Lavre. You're last. Topic?"
"Theory on implementing imagery magic."
"Quiet!"
Professor Antonio calmed the students and gave a brief explanation for those unfamiliar with imagery magic.
"Imagery magic means turning thought itself into magic. The dragon clan's ancient incantations are the closest example. But humans can't replicate it yet."
Thoughts are vague until organized. Every step—constructing formulas, drawing magic circles, blending mana and karma—must be precise calculation.
Thoughts can't become magic. If they could, mere thinking would reshape the world.
"That's an exaggerated scope, though. Narrow it down, and Silent Casting—using part of the brain as an unconscious calculator—is a form of imagery magic. Liv Lavre."
"Yes, Professor."
"Explain exactly what you mean by imagery magic."
"Understood."
Liv drew her wand through the air.
Around her unfolded the axis of earth from the three primal elements, Terrarirus, and the great void's reduction, Prium Mobile.
Dozens of floating magic formulas hovered—simple tier 1 to 2 structures, but not just for boosting output by stacking low-tier spells.
A transparent, serene lake formed at her feet. With a clear voice, Liv began.
"The imagery magic I mean is eliminating the visible steps required for conventional spells."
Countless magic circles aligned, half-submerged below the surface, slowly rotating.
"I'm casting three spells now: Will-o'-Wisp, Crystallization, and Clear Wind. Not basic tier 1s—they share uniformity in circular form, blue hue, and palindromic structure."
In other words, structurally similar, stable for blending and modifying formulas.
"Rotation adds inertia. The meshed edges of the circles sustain output. Half exposed above means the other half is invisible."
"But still functioning."
"Yes. Therefore—"
Snap!
Liv smacked her wand into her palm. Ripples spread across the surface.
"I've just forcibly severed the submerged formulas."
A split circle should expose the new semicircle due to rotation. Or, ripping half the formula should cause runaway or cancellation.
Yet the dozens of blue circles at her feet spun stably as before.
"Using the water's reflection as a substitute for the missing half. Typically for amplifying power."
"Correct."
Mirror one circle to make two—a Magic Amplification technique from second year.
But only for complete circles. Duplicating incomplete ones is useless.
Impressive so far, but now Liv was ready to unveil her theory.
Black mist enveloped the podium. Blue light flickered through from below.
Like a grand finale, everyone inside and out focused on Liv's voice in the darkness.
"Now, releasing Water Surface (??)."
"Not breaking it. The reflected half never truly existed and is now out of all observers' sight. I'm closing my eyes, fully comprehending and explaining the mechanism."
Thus, this is my imagery—
Antonio's eyes widened at those words.
She split an active spell: half real, half virtual.
Then blocked all other views, turning it into an "unobserved realm of disorder" matching her imagery.
Magic redefines the world by will.
Liv had blended reality and illusion into a small, invisible but existent world.
The scales of fate balanced at zero. Only one weight remained: success or failure.
And finally—
"I believe without doubt that this magic will succeed."
Her unwavering conviction tipped the scale.
Paaang—!!
The mist cleared as beautiful will-o'-wisps rode blue winds, crystallizing and spreading.
Everyone stared, entranced, as Liv quietly opened her eyes in the inky haze.
I was no exception. I knew Liv was smart, but this was beyond expectations.
The spotlight-like finale with sparkling particles was applause-worthy.
"Excellent."
Antonio jotted notes, adding comments. His expression wasn't exactly joyful, though.
"Not intuitive, overly elaborate design, but textbook imagery magic implementation. Didn't expect such polish in a midterm."
"Thank you."
"No major flaws here, but since you'll pursue this, two points."
Bells rang; people filed out. I slipped into the emptying hall to overhear Liv and Antonio.
"First, you know imagery magic subtracts, doesn't add. Great result, but process too complex. Drop at least Prium Mobile or Terrarirus—domains aren't needed for pure imagery."
"Understood."
"And second."
He sighed softly, wiping his glasses with a handkerchief. His bearded face was hard to read from here.
"Imagery magic is dangerous. Don't get too immersed."
"Pardon?"
"Obsess over turning imagination real, and illusions will consume you. Connect deeply with others. That's how you anchor to reality."
"......"
"Penheim lost two archmages in the Great War. Roshiar's Snow Duke confirmed dead, daughter succeeded her. The other... no body found."
The master of imagery magic. One of Penheim's five great dukes, the Illusion Duke (???).
The supreme mage who crossed reality and illusion vanished mid-war.
Most figured she fell to demons or her own phantoms.
The professor was warning Liv of the same.
"Ah, Owner?"
"Great lecture. She was amazing, huh?"
Liv spotted me leaving the hall. At my praise, her cheeks flushed; she fidgeted, then turned away.
"Not thrilled to hear it from you, Owner."
She looked thrilled. Mages take absolute pride in their craft.
Even Terra grinned at blind praise. Liv wouldn't be different.
I didn't grasp the spell's genius, but she'd poured effort into it.
"No, seriously impressive. First time I've seen anything like it."
"Don't lie."
"Whoa, Baroness Greenwood can just whip out new spells like that?"
"Still practice stage. Hopefully perfected by semester's end..."
"Applies to any magic? Like defenses?"
"Theoretically. Needs more research, though..."
"Show me again sometime?"
"A-again?"
"Yeah. Just us two."
"J-just us!? If you say so..."
Praise piled on; her head dipped lower. Sensing victory, I kept going until she promised to visit the canteen later.
"See you next time, Baroness."
"Yeah... you too, Owner."
Perfect. Why hunt for experts?
A genius mage who left even professors speechless was right here.
'When she visits, ask her to set up defensive magic with that.'
Seemed like some "invisible hand" theory—definitely useful over standard barriers.
Still, to be safe, traditional traps as backup. Not because of Professor Vincent's punchable face.
Why not use both when you can? Makes no sense not to.
Revolutionary intruder elimination incoming. Autonomous canteen defense was nigh.