Chapter 149
Chapter 149
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: Chapter 53: The Girl Who Is a Genius, But Not a Genius (4)
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Javelin whistled as he stepped into the Grand Education Hall.
This was the institution overseeing the three academies of the magical world.
The director was the Third Elder, Serpent Gerolo, who also served as the superintendent of magical education.
It was laughable. A man who harbored jealousy, envy toward others—not to mention a strong inferiority complex—was the top leader teaching the teachers who instructed the students.
Javelin didn't like the Third Elder much.
He didn't fit well with the Education Hall, and their values clashed too.
However, with Dean Siegfried often away, Javelin, who had served as acting dean, had no choice but to meet frequently with the Third Elder, the superintendent.
"Ah, Mr. Javelin. What brings you here today?"
The Education Hall receptionist greeted Javelin warmly.
Always smiling and amiable to everyone, he was viewed favorably by all who met him.
Javelin replied with his characteristic smile.
"The superintendent summoned me."
"Ah, the superintendent seems to be bothering you a lot lately."
"What can you do? It's about student education, so I head there with a cheerful heart."
"As expected of a true teacher. You can go right up."
"Thank you. Take care~"
Javelin waved to the receptionist and boarded the elevator.
Arriving at the top floor in an instant, he exchanged greetings with those around before standing in front of the superintendent's office.
As he reached to knock carefully, footsteps approached from inside. Stepping back, he saw someone emerge from the superintendent's office with an uncomfortable expression.
"Teacher Kennyak?"
"Teacher Javelin? What brings you here."
"The superintendent called me. And you... Ah, he was your mentor, right?"
"Well, yes."
"You don't look too good... Did you two argue?"
"Mind your own business."
Kennyak scowled and responded curtly to Javelin's tactless question.
"Go in. He's inside."
"...Okay. Take care."
Kennyak vanished into the elevator without a reply.
Javelin shrugged.
He was always a gloomy man. Hard to read his thoughts. Always felt off-putting.
'Still, he's a colleague, so I should get along.'
To get along with everyone—that was Javelin's life motto.
Entering the superintendent's office with a smile, he said,
"Superintendent, I'm here!"
Jamie finished his last class and stepped outside.
After a full day of classes, he felt slightly fatigued. Plus, Siegfried's words still lingered in his mind, making him more tired than usual.
Right now, he just wanted to go home, soak in warm water, and rest deeply.
True to that thought, Jamie headed to the staff room, quickly packed his things, said goodbye to the others, and clocked out.
A working man at eight years old.
Even if it was a test, commuting was no small hassle.
"I wonder what they prepared for dinner tonight."
The maid hired by the magical world was a skilled middle-aged woman, especially talented in cooking, always delighting his taste buds.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say dinner was the highlight of his day.
Jamie massaged his stiff neck and spotted a girl in the distance gazing at the setting sun.
It was Anne Mayer.
Perhaps due to the shadow from the sunset, clutching her bag, she even looked a bit pitiful.
"What's she doing out there alone?"
She'd seemed withdrawn in class lately too, but now she looked outright depressed.
Jamie smacked his lips and approached Anne.
"What are you doing out here by yourself?"
"Ah, Teacher."
Anne jumped up hurriedly and dusted off her bottom.
Then, as if she'd never been gloomy, she grinned brightly—but it was so forced it was obvious.
"No need to force a smile."
"Hehe."
"Sit."
Jamie plopped down on the stairs.
Anne glanced at him hesitantly and sat slightly to the side.
"Got some worries?"
"No. Nothing like that."
"It's written all over your face, so spill it. I've got nothing else to do, and listening isn't hard."
It's tough to ignore a student you're concerned about sitting there like that.
Anne hugged her bag again and began.
"Just... I was wondering if I have no talent for magic. So I've been wandering all day."
Her sister Amy had comforted her, but the psychological unease lingered.
Today's events had been a huge shock to her.
"Why? What happened?"
At Jamie's question, Anne detailed the mana measurement test incident.
"Pretty pathetic, right? Instead of cheering my friend, I was jealous of her better score... And she worked so hard."
"Humans can't help feeling those emotions. Feeling guilty about jealousy already makes you great—no need to shrink back. Plenty of people blindly follow those feelings and commit evil acts out of spite."
"Really?"
"You're young, so you might not get it yet, but the world is full of ugly people. If someone less capable than them succeeds even a bit, they try to drag them down with slander, stirring divisions and spreading vile rumors to tarnish reputations. In extreme cases, they even kill."
"Whoa."
"But you feel jealousy and inferiority, yet hate yourself for it. That alone puts you in the top 1%—be proud."
Having lived long, he'd met all sorts of people.
Especially those envious or inferior toward him— so many he'd cataloged their types.
They all fell by the wayside, focused on others instead of self-growth.
Conversely, those who turned inferiority into drive ended up by his side.
Anne was clearly the latter.
"But."
Then, Anne cautiously spoke up.
"Go on."
"You say I'm young and don't know, but aren't you younger than me, Teacher?"
"A-Age isn't the point! This kid questioning her teacher? You'll see."
"Sorryyy..."
The young know-it-all Jamie coughed awkwardly, embarrassed.
He'd slipped, unconsciously thinking of himself as Diablo still.
Jamie quickly changed the subject.
"So, what was your mana score?"
"277P..."
"Hm."
Lower than expected—he was at a loss for words.
He'd sensed poor mana affinity at a glance, but the exact number hit differently.
"No change from last year. Makes me wonder if you can have this little talent and still be a mage."
Anne grew gloomy again.
Jamie pondered how to comfort her, then shook his head.
"Mana is crucial for mages. It's the source energy for all magic. So, mages with low mana are disadvantaged in every way."
"Right... Guess I can't be a mage after all."
"Hear me out."
"Huh?"
"It's a disadvantage, but not a reason to quit. There are people with low mana affinity who become great mages."
Shia Another.
One of Diablo Volpir's sore spots.
Anne resembled her—not in looks or personality, which were opposites. Shia was lively; Anne was shy with strangers.
The opposite of Anne's nosy nature.
But her intense focus and superhuman comprehension reached overwhelming 'insight' levels.
'The talent of a scholar.'
Her realm was low compared to other disciples, but she wasn't a mage measured by realm.
Her revered insight let her understand and internalize anything at a glance.
And that was Anne's path.
"Anne."
"Yes."
"Do you want to be a mage?"
"No. Not just any mage—I want to be an amazing one."
He had no intention of taking her as a disciple.
Not yet.
So, he'd give her a chance.
Whether she seized it was up to her.
"I'll give you homework. Complete it all."
"Home... work?"
"Yeah. Homework."
The methods he'd used teaching Shia before.
If she failed, her resolve was only that much.
Anne stared at Jamie silently. She wasn't so dim as to miss what this younger teacher meant.
"I'll do it! I'll definitely do that homework! I want to!"
Desperate.
Desperate in every way.
Ten isn't young for a mage. If she couldn't find her path now, better to give up and seek another.
Become a mage or not.
Anne stood at that crossroads.
Jamie nodded.
"Come to my spot tomorrow morning."
"Yes!"
The girl beamed.
Why did she overlap with his past disciple?
Jamie chuckled and stood.
"Then I'm off."
"Ah, goodbye! Please take care of me!"
Jamie waved without a word and left.
Last chance to reach out.
No one knew if the future would repeat the past.
Carrying that unease, Jamie headed to his lodging.
"Guess I need permission first."
Jamie veered from his lodging route. He'd thought it fine, but courtesy to the original owner mattered.
"Linmel Marquis's lab is at the top of the Blue Tower."
Linmel Marquis guarded the east among the magical world's four directions as Blue Tower Master.
He headed there to ask if he could teach Anne the Full Body Breathing Method.
If refused, he'd teach the Mana Breathing Method he'd given Shia Another.
'He's not the type to refuse.'
The old man had approached with goodwill from the start. Promising not to teach anyone else but Anne would secure approval.
The Blue Tower's exterior wasn't vivid blue like its name.
Other towers—Red, Yellow, White—weren't painted to match either.
Just names.
Entering, affiliated mages bustled about.
He'd heard this place specialized in magic tomes. Thus, even the tower master Linmel could devise something like the Full Body Breathing Method.
'Where to go?'
The Blue Tower was vast, almost excessively so.
Huge outside, even larger inside due to massive expansion magic.
This scale dwarfed Gremia.
As Jamie wandered,
"What brings you here?"
A female mage in a blue robe matching the tower approached. Kind-looking, she knelt to meet his eyes.
"Ah. I'd like to see the Tower Master."
"Our little one wants to see the Tower Master. But he's not easy to meet."
She apparently hadn't recognized him at first glance.
His emerald hair stood out, but few identified solely by hair color.
Not many had clocked him as Jamie Welton from that alone so far.
Understanding, Jamie smiled and said,
"Just say Jamie Welton is here."
"...Eeeek?!"
Only then did the female mage's eyes widen in a strange squeak.
This was pure power.
Or not quite?
Anyway, Jamie grinned brightly at her. Seeing such reactions occasionally wasn't bad.