Fire. Water. Plants. Wind.
With the attribute-imparting potions he'd obtained for fire, water, plants, and wind, Maness could fill those four magic circles himself. The problem was electricity. He needed someone who could handle injecting lightning-attribute mana into one magic circle—and above all, someone with a simple personality who could keep their mouth shut. Spreading it around carelessly wouldn't do anyone any good.
The future plan was a loophole. A special privilege that Maness, who had indirectly experienced this world once before, could pull off. If his companion boasted about it like it was some big achievement, complications were bound to arise later.
Lunchtime after the shopping district tour ended, when everyone shared their impressions and filled their stomachs. The reason he'd left electricity blank was simple. He already had someone in mind for the role.
Ignoring the contemptuous stares, Maness loaded his tray in the cafeteria and headed for his target. Roughly twenty steps away. An awkward silence, unfit for a cafeteria, began to spread at the spot he reached in no time.
"If you're done eating, make some room? I got business with Boltman."
It was because a thug who deserved every curse in the book had shown up in front of the Class 2 group.
"What the hell are you..."
"Hold up."
Boltman wiped his mouth with a napkin after swallowing his food, cutting off the heated Class 2 student.
"You came to find me, even ruining lunch? Must be something urgent."
"Boltman, that bastard on the mountain last time..."
"Yeah. Owes me one. Here to settle it, right?"
Maness inwardly clicked his tongue at Boltman's brazen fake smile. But since that shameless act was helping him out, there was no real reason to complain.
"Boltman's right. Got an offer you can't refuse. You gonna cockblock your friend from scoring?"
The students finally glanced between them and cleared out when Boltman nodded.
"You mess with Boltman, you're dead!"
"Thug with zero merchant ethics."
Ignoring the harsh send-off, Maness set his tray down on the empty seat.
"So, here for payback on last time?"
"Last time?"
"Carrying me down the mountain."
Maness crammed a cube steak into his mouth with a utterly fed-up look at something he hadn't even registered.
"You think I'd give a shit about that?"
"Hmm. Big deal to me. Can't live owing debts—that's my style."
"Ah, sure, whatever."
The sly tone nearly made his food come back up, but Maness nodded along. Not super helpful, but no point picking a fight with a future collaborator.
"Look, whatever you think, I'm not here to collect like some hardass. Like I said before, an offer that'll actually benefit you."
"Offer, huh? Tempting word."
Maness's eyes gleamed. He already had Boltman pegged—knew exactly how to handle someone obsessed with vanity and appearances.
"You know there's a hidden spot in Snowrobe?"
A hidden place in the magic academy. How deliciously sweet.
"...Hidden spot?"
"Yeah. Word is, it's loaded with gold, jewels, and magical essences beyond imagination."
Boltman froze mid-bite and swallowed hard. Food was irrelevant now. For a mage, magic was far more tantalizing than any meal.
"Where?"
"Can't spill that. You think I'd hand over intel like this for free?"
"R-right."
Maness caught the way Boltman's eyes wavered, like a fish hooked on bait. Human tells were impossible to hide.
"So, what's the offer?"
"Well..."
Gauging the mood, Maness leaned forward and lowered his voice. Setting the atmosphere was a key card in any negotiation.
"Was gonna go solo, but turns out you need at least two. Shopped around for the right guy—you fit the bill."
"Taking me along?"
"Yep. No clue exactly what's inside, but if it's good, we split it."
Splitting wasn't a lie. Entering together meant sharing the rewards anyway. The trials and prizes were the librarian's domain, not the guests'.
"One question."
"Shoot."
"We can just waltz into this hidden spot?"
Perfectly valid worry. Maness didn't even know why the passage was in Snowrobe. Best guess: not made for students.
But no issue. What was Snowrobe's creed? Learning rooted in freedom and curiosity. A mage never hesitated if a path opened.
"Boltman, why'd you learn mana bullet outside?"
"Wh-why ask?"
"Key point."
Boltman rolled his eyes, pondered, then spoke up.
"Curious, duh. Swore to walk the mage path—no reason to hold back."
"Exactly."
Maness snapped his fingers in affirmation.
"Outside, private magic practice gets you slammed hard. But you skated by with just service?"
"'Just' service?! You have no idea how rough it is!"
"Point is, that should've been jail time. Sure, your family might've greased wheels."
Boltman bit his lip, agonizing. Just needed a nudge of courage.
"'Cause it's a magic academy. Strict societal rules don't apply. Rejects shackles on young mages' growth."
He didn't seem to get it yet, but whatever. Long as he bit and followed.
"Still, could extend service as punishment..."
"Not very mage-like. If we get caught, I take the heat. Just say, 'This thug dragged me!'"
"Hmm... yeah. They'd buy that from a scumbag like you."
This punk? Maness shot him a death glare, barely swallowing the rising curse. Insults everywhere, but from him, it grated extra hard.
"Plan?"
"Dive in tonight."
"Kinda rushed?"
"Got reasons."
Had to factor in patrol professors. Today's duty fit perfectly.
"Service runs late today. Herbology lab folks clock out slow."
"Roughly when?"
"Way past dinner. Varies, can't pin it."
"Fine by me. Actually better—fewer eyes."
Hidden spots were deliberate. First-years' shopping ban lifted today—prime time would be packed. Late night perfect for stealth.
"Third bell from central clock tower, dorm gate."
"Bedtime rec?"
"Don't sweat it."
Maness grinned, spearing his half-cold cube steak.
"Worth dozing off in class tomorrow."
*
Heading to afternoon class, Maness let out an involuntary sigh. Not worry over the night's plan—just the prof for next period.
"Why mountains again, mountains!"
Almond's magic biology class was in a cabin midway up the slope. The "golem" in parentheses made some sense.
But understanding and accepting were worlds apart.
Glancing at panting Iris trailing behind, Maness felt an odd déjà vu.
"Golems need space, probably nature-linked."
"Nah. She's just screwing with us."
"No way she'd..."
He swallowed his denial mid-sentence.
-Tormenting students is a prof's perk.
Zentina's words rang true—entirely plausible. He nodded despite himself.
"Yeah, screwing with us."
"Told ya! Last class title—'virtues of a mage'? Total nonsense."
Fair. Sprinting fields, scaling mountains, picking trash—how was that "virtue"?
Maness shoved the pointless doubt aside. Mages were incomprehensible creatures, after all.
"Mana recovered at least?"
"Duh. What do you take me for?"
Proud grin despite obvious fatigue. She'd been the first student to officially manifest a mana bullet in class.
Boltman learned pre-enrollment (disqualified), and Maness hadn't bothered showing his mountain demo. No thirst for spotlight, plus it'd mess with the "Boltman saved Maness from skeleton" narrative.
Thus, Iris claimed top magical talent among first-years.
"Don't practice solo though. What if you collapse?"
"Gotta grind whenever. Already fist-sized now?"
Boltman would've bragged, 'I blasted the prof's skeleton with mana bullets!' But Maness had no such bad taste.
"Impressive. Plenty still can't sense mana properly."
"Keep me around, and my rivalry'll push you."
"...Got it."
'Nearly mana-exhausted practicing alone in the classroom.' Maness bit it back.
Circumstances aside, both were tardy joiners.
"Class probably started by now?"
Iris showed unease. Maness shook his head.
"Doubt it. Almond, remember?"
"Maybe just last time?"
"No way. Look—right on cue."
Iris followed his chin-point. Classmate Sobiang cupped hands to mouth, inhaling deep.
"Guys! Found the cabin!"
Consistent as ever.
Iris eagerly joined the front of the group; Maness slouched at the rear tail.
Following Sobiang's lead revealed a tidy-yet-shabby cabin.
"Mid-mountain cabin? What the hell?!"
Morras vented—the general gripe. By now, class should've started, but they'd sweated out searching.
Wanted to broadcast the absurdity, but what good in Snowrobe?
"Endure."
"Kyle, you're not pissed?"
"Prof's got intent. And getting on her bad side could end like Boltman next class."
Boltman's name shut mouths. Pre-enrollment mana bullet punishment: prof errands. Sightings were pitiful. Dozen mountain hikes beat that.
Knock-knock.
Door shut, so Kyle rapped gently. No response after a couple tries—he eased it open slow.
Creeeak.
Sighs rippled as students glimpsed inside.
"Same as ever."
"Yup."
Shared sentiment aimed at Almond—or someone blanket-draped, dead asleep.
Could pass for corpse at a glance, but Class 1 knew her quirks.
"...Wake her?"
Hesitant glances. Kyle stepped up.
Maness sighed, scanned for pebble, calculated angle, lobbed it in.
Thud.
Perfect arc past Kyle—hit wall, then plink—right above Almond's head.
Curtains dimmed interior; students missed details. But the short, dull sound by prof's head, and the corpse-like nutjob lifting it? Obvious.
Hobo vibes. Blank stare at them—students swallowed tension.
"What."
Wonder what insult this time.
Tense standoff in silence. Almond finally spoke.
"Already here?"
Utterly deflating.
*
Swish. Curtains parted—sunlight flooded floorboards.
Eyes adjusting to dark squinted; students finally spotted mud piles.
"Sit by a mud pile each. Prepped for numbers."
They took seats per Almond's lead. Maness claimed next to Conien in the corner. Witnessed his mana bullet, tight-lipped on Iris's secrets—trustworthy.
Just as Maness recalled.
"Today's magic lifeforms. Turn those mud piles into golems."
Scratching head, she continued. Introduce her as Snowrobe prof in imperial streets? Lynch mob for school dishonor, fair.
"Prof!"
Iris shot hand up at "golem."
Almond nodded, irritation thick.
"We haven't learned golem basics yet."
"Doesn't matter."
Tried brushing off, but curious stares drew a small sigh and explanation.
"That mud's magic-infused—remembers its form. Just pump in mana, you'll get golem-creation effects."
Clear words drew soft admirations. Efficient results from simple steps? Irresistible.
"Got it? Inject mana first. I'll explain step-by-step."