Chapter 93
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: The Great Mage of the New Semester (5)
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Speaking honestly, I still don't fully grasp what magic in this world really is.
They hype me up as a grand archmage or a once-in-a-century genius, but that's not me—it's Lunaris.
Most of my magical feats undeniably rely on intuition.
Not on calculating with my head according to theory, crafting formulas, or controlling mana flow.
It's more like my hand moves first, deploying the spell on instinct.
To put it precisely, it's closer to instinctively pulling out the deeply ingrained knowledge within the character 'Lunaris Evermoon' whenever I need it.
You know that annoyingly smug line geniuses always spout?
"It just works when I do it. It's no different from breathing."
I used to want to flick their foreheads hard whenever I heard that, but now that I'm in their shoes, I get it in a weird way.
Really, what can you do when it just works?
But I can't exactly tell others to just go with their gut feeling.
So, when I absolutely have to explain—truly have no choice—I force-fit scientific theories into it.
And the funny thing is, it actually lines up pretty well.
The author of this world's backdrop, Academy's Tenacious Mage, probably referenced some scientific principles when setting up the magic system.
Thinking about it, magic in this world is essentially dissecting natural phenomena into formulas and implementing them scientifically.
If you substitute mana energy for microscopic units like atoms or molecules that make up matter, it fits together decently, even if not perfectly.
Oftentimes, it's far clearer than the vague, Zen-like riddles from other mages.
Of course, I have no intention of bragging about this magic knowledge anywhere.
It's not some groundbreaking theory anyway.
It's just basic magic knowledge anyone could figure out with a bit of thought.
A stress-relief plushie with good impact feedback, perfect for teasing Claire.
That's about the level it is.
"It might be leaking a bit from the topic, but I'll start with the essence of ice magic."
Within the hazy frost mist, I continued explaining while folding my fingers one by one.
"Ice attribute magic can be divided into three categories based on the size of the ice particles that make up the spell."
Sculpting magic using large chunks of ice crystals.
Frost magic using finely shattered particles.
And chill magic using invisible cold energy.
"Among these, chill magic can't be handled unless you're born with it, but sculpting or frost magic can be done by anyone if they understand the basics."
Especially sculpting magic—just clump the crystals together, and even the neighbor's Pomeranian or backyard kitty could do it.
I gazed steadily into Claire's eyes and continued.
"Don't think of it as freezing water-attribute mana. Just imagine densely packing water mana into a tight space and solidifying it."
"So... basically, compress it?"
"Not just going by feel or intuition—approach it logically."
Claire groaned, focusing mana into both hands.
Her furrowed brow as she concentrated looked quite serious.
"...Huh?"
Soon after, a small hexagonal pillar-shaped ice crystal floated up lightly from Claire's fingertips.
"Whoa? It, it actually worked?!"
Claire's eyes went wide as saucers.
Has this girl been fooling around all this time?
"Waaah—I think I did it too!"
At Celestina's fingertips, who'd been mimicking beside her, a pretty ice crystal had formed as well.
Judging by the crystal's shape alone, the princess's was neater and cleaner than Claire's.
Well, Claire specializes in fire and earth magic, while the princess mains wind with water as sub. It's just a matter of aptitude.
"It's truly amazing. So, if I make the crystals smaller here, does it become frost magic?"
"Yes, exactly. But more precisely, it's not just making them smaller—it's increasing the number of crystals and scattering them into the space."
"Hmm—sounds tricky just hearing it."
"Your Highness has the talent, so you'll pick it up in no time."
I casually gave her a thumbs-up with a straight face, and the princess beamed back.
"Luna! Why are you so strict only with me?!"
"Quiet down, you idiot Claire. The professor's lecturing—don't yell like that."
"U, uuugh..."
The lecture's in full swing. It's bad manners for a student to raise her voice noisily, Claire.
Don't you know whispering quietly is basic etiquette during class?
As the shot-down Claire shrank back again, the princess curiously twirled the ice crystal she'd made this way and that.
"I've only ever seen ice-attribute magic glossed over as a subset of water magic before. Classifying it this finely by crystal units is a first. Is this from some magic book?"
"Not really... I just arranged it roughly my own way to explain simply. And ice magic isn't the point right now anyway."
I waved my hand to dispel the ice crystal and continued.
"More importantly, solving this mess idiot Claire botched is the priority."
"Keep calling me idiot and see what happens?!"
"You've come a long way, but the essence of this magic circle is—"
"Hey, Lunaris!"
"A conversion formula that induces lightning based on frost magic."
"...Huh?"
Claire's mouth fell open in an 'O'.
"L-Lightning?"
"Yeah, lightning."
"You mean the stuff that goes boom-boom on rainy days?"
"Yep. The flashy zappy kind."
"...You can do that with magic too?"
"Why not? Every natural phenomenon in the world can be expressed with magic formulas."
The original protagonist, Kyle Lowell, specializes in lightning-summoning magic—electric-attribute, that is.
Thanks to that unique magic, he entered Elterion Academy's Magic Department as a special scholarship student.
He earned the title of fastest mage at the semester's start because of it too.
"Look closely. The conversion formula here defines the motion direction by applying formulas to frost particles."
"Uh, uhuuh?"
"So, make the particles collide to induce static, amplify the energy, and..."
Using my finger as a quill and mana as ink, I scribbled formulas across Claire's notebook.
"I'll lay out the concept, so solve it again looking at this."
"W-Wait! I don't get a word of that! And... does that even make sense? Where's magic like that?!"
Claire clutched her head and screamed.
Seeing her like this just makes me sigh as a friend.
"You need a demo to believe it?"
Spoon-feeding her completely.
I extended my finger again and drew a new magic circle on Claire's notebook.
I didn't even need to draw one, but Claire's making this annoying.
As soon as I infused mana, crackle—sparks flew.
The instant the burnt smell wafted up, blue light flashed, and the notebook cover charred black in a blink.
"So, something like this."
"..."
Claire stared blankly at the scorched notebook, mouth agape.
Come to think of it, I'd just torched her homework without asking, but I didn't feel sorry.
From a quick glance, it was wrong from the intro anyway—would've been zero even submitted.
"Anyway..."
I suddenly noticed the surroundings had gone eerily quiet.
I looked around, blinking in confusion.
"..."
Not just the students—even the professor at the blackboard.
Everyone in the lecture hall was staring at me dumbfounded.
No, not just staring.
They all had pens in hand, scribbling madly into their notes.
The professor had swapped chalk for a mana pen, jotting furiously on the whiteboard.
Then, catching me blinking around vacantly, he awkwardly addressed me first.
"Lunaris, don't mind me—keep going."
"...?"
"Your lecture is quite impressive."
"..."
"Ah, if possible, could you revisit the ice magic explanation from earlier, reconsidered from that fresh perspective?"
This professor was straight-up freeloading off my lecture.
"Uh... Lunaris, why are you here?"
In the grand auditorium of the Magic Department's practical building.
The professor handling the afternoon Practical Combat Magic class said that the moment our eyes met.
The auditorium's atmosphere was even heavier than the morning lecture hall.
At least there'd been some murmurs there.
"..."
"..."
Here, students kept a wide berth around me, just gulping nervously.
It was like an invisible barrier surrounded me.
I scratched my nape and replied sourly.
"Why do you think? To attend class."
"You skipped the first week, so I figured you were skipping on purpose..."
The professor muttered, sweating bullets.
He kept glancing over my shoulder.
Specifically, at the silver-white staff, Arke, floating behind me.
"And lethal weapons are banned in lecture halls."
"This isn't a lethal weapon."
I reached out and snatched Arke.
"As you see, it's just a bladeless stick."
To prove it, I swung it through the air with a whoosh.
"Kyaaah!"
"Heup...!"
"Eek!!"
The distancing students backed away even further.
Hey, even if it hits, you won't die, right? Maybe a bruise.
"Th-That thing..."
The professor, now keeping his distance too, pointed out awkwardly.
"It may lack a blade, but infuse it with mana and it could blow away the whole auditorium, no?"
"With or without it, blowing up the building's no big deal for me."
"..."
"Kidding."
"...It doesn't sound like a joke coming from you, so mind your words."