Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Of course, I wasn’t insane.
The Black Flame Dragon’s mouth had exaggerated things, but I was serious.
…How am I supposed to explain this? It just works.
Fractal Structure.
It wasn’t my first time encountering it.
I recalled when I’d been learning magic from Hans.
—Young master, Fractal Structure can be called the ultimate perfected form of a star.
It meant a form in which a simple structure repeated endlessly to make up the whole.
If you enlarged part of the structure, the whole shape would continue to repeat itself.
—Self-similarity and cyclical repetition form powerful bonds, granting it perfect defensive properties. In theory, no magic can break through a star with a Fractal Structure.
What mattered here was the phrase “in theory.”
Among the magic used in the real world, there were no stars with a Fractal Structure.
Simply repeating the same structure wasn’t enough to draw the stars needed to cast magic.
It was a star that existed only in theory.
Of course, that didn’t mean research into Fractal Structure was meaningless to the study of magic.
The more closely a star resembles a Fractal Structure, the sturdier the magic becomes.
In duels between those of Sixth Star Rank and above, a level at which one could draw one’s own stars, victory or defeat could hinge on how closely one could reproduce the properties of a Fractal Structure.
Which brought us to the problem at hand.
—Is there a way to break through a perfectly formed Fractal Structure using purely magical skill?
The answer, up until now, had been no.
Unless you destroyed it with an enormous amount of energy that a star couldn’t withstand, there had been no way to break through a perfect Fractal Structure using magic alone.
In other words, “up until now.”
“Rather than explain it, I think it would be better to show you with your own eyes first. Chair Balik, would you please manifest a Fractal Structure model?”
Fwaaash!
A Magic Circle with a Fractal Structure appeared before everyone.
It held no magical effect, but because it reproduced the Fractal Structure exactly, the bonds between its stars were sturdier than those of any other Magic Circle in the world.
But—
“Everyone, watch closely.”
I decided to demonstrate what I thought was the most effective way to give a lecture.
Shock therapy.
All while speaking in a tone that suggested I was about to teach them a thing or two.
I placed my hand on the Magic Circle.
And a miracle occurred.
—Crash.
The Fractal Magic Circle shattered into pieces!
“!!”
The room froze.
For a moment, no one seemed to understand what had just happened.
But only for a moment. Then astonishment spread.
“W-What?!”
Those with especially deep knowledge of magic even shot up from their seats.
“There must have been an error in the Fractal Magic Circle!”
“How could anyone possibly destroy a Fractal Structure?!”
Their reactions were only natural.
“I don’t see why you’re all so surprised. It wasn’t even that difficult.”
“!!”
“Ah, I suppose it might be difficult by your standards. I’ll show you again.”
I jerked my chin.
“Please prepare a new Fractal Structure Magic Circle, Chair Balik.”
Balik ground his teeth, then brought out a model of a new Magic Circle.
Fwaaash!
It was an even larger Fractal Magic Circle.
It was big enough to fill the entire lecture platform.
Its sturdiness must have been just as impressive.
But—
—Crash!!
The moment I touched it, it collapsed like glass.
“!!”
Everyone in the room opened their eyes so wide they looked as if they might split.
Even though they’d seen it with their own eyes, they still couldn’t believe it.
“W-What kind of sorcery…?!”
“It’s not sorcery.”
“How could it not be?! There’s no way to break a Fractal Structure by any normal means! And you, Young Master Ban, did it!!”
Everyone seemed to be thinking along similar lines.
What came next was important.
I have to get through this part smoothly.
I drew a breath.
The truth was—
There was no incredible method behind what I’d just shown them.
I just did it.
—Just.
I wasn’t bragging. That really was my method of breaking through it.
Because the weak points in a Fractal Structure are crystal clear to my eyes.
People often called Fractal Structures perfect.
But did “perfect” even exist in this world?
A Fractal Structure was only close to perfect. It wasn’t truly perfect.
Even within repetitions of the same structure, some parts carried more weight than others, and even the strength of its bonds varied in relative degrees.
And the moment you broke its weakest link, the Fractal Structure would come crashing down like a row of dominoes.
The problem is that I have to explain this in a way that other people will find convincing.
I had to dress it up elegantly, rather than say, “I just did it.”
In a way no one could refute.
“How disappointing. Has no one realized what method I used?”
Silence fell over the room.
I raised my chin so they could all see.
Thanks to Black Flame Dragon’s Charisma, I gave off an unmistakably arrogant air.
“It’s the inversion of the structure’s ‘cyclical repetition.’”
“??”
“You all know that a Fractal Structure gains its sturdiness by making the same structure repeat cyclically. But since this is a magical process, the strength of that cyclical repetition varies quantum-mechanically from moment to moment, and that creates weak points.”
The explanation might have sounded difficult, but it was simple.
Even with the same structure, magical interactions between the bonds couldn’t happen uniformly. So all you had to do was find the gaps caused by that imbalance and break through them.
Of course, it was easier said than done.
“Find and calculate in real time the minute differences that change from moment to moment, then pinpoint the weak point?!”
“How could such a thing be possible?!”
The audience pushed back.
But—
“I don’t know why you think it can’t be done. It can. As you just saw with your own eyes. I hope you understand that you shouldn’t assume no one else can do something just because you can’t do it yourself.”
Those who had been protesting fell silent again, as if they had swallowed their tongues.
Then, unexpectedly, a voice rang out.
“Can a method of countering it that cannot be used in actual combat really be considered meaningful?”
A sharp voice.
I looked slightly surprised.
‘Sir Bernstein, the chair of Magic Theory in the General Department!’
He was the professor in charge of Magic Theory in the General Department—the department I was planning to join.
‘Why is he here? He isn’t one of the Rapalt Ducal House’s faction, either.’
Bernstein was a famous eccentric who cared nothing for politics within the Academy and was obsessed solely with researching Magic Theory.
A true “expert,” in other words.
‘What should I do? Professor Bernstein isn’t someone I can take on lightly.’
I felt troubled.
Balik brightened and cried out,
“Th-that’s right, Professor Bernstein! There’s no way something like that could be done in actual combat…!”
But—
“Shut up.”
“!!”
“This is no conversation for the likes of you, who don’t know the first thing about fractals.”
Balik’s face turned bright red.
Only then did I realize what Bernstein was really thinking.
‘He’s not trying to antagonize me. He’s asking as a scholar, out of genuine curiosity.’
That was the kind of person he had always been.
A man who had devoted his entire life to the study of magical theory.
Professor Bernstein was simply curious.
Whether my method of countering the spell could actually be applied in real combat.
‘…This isn’t a bad situation, is it? It’s a chance to make an even bigger impression on everyone.’
If I was going to pass, I had to put on such an overwhelming display that no one could deny I deserved to.
Professor Bernstein would be the perfect opponent.
“I suppose we can find out by proving it directly. Professor, would you cast the Ring of Fire spell at me?”
“!!”
It was a representative attack spell with a Fractal Structure.
A ring of flames that flew toward its target.
“Ban, at you? You’ll die.”
Bernstein frowned.
But I shook my head.
“No. I can do it.”
As always, there was only one reason I was so confident.
<Probability of countering the magic of the tsundere, eccentric professor>
— 100%
‘I can do this!’
“Professor, today you will witness a new frontier in Magic Theory.”
In the end, Bernstein frowned sharply and stepped up onto the platform.
“…I hope your actual skill is at least a quarter as great as your confidence.”
Fwoosh.
Flames rose, forming a circular ring.
Their force was terrifying.
‘…Huh? Professor, aren’t you casting that at full strength?’
I flinched for a moment and checked my odds again.
They were still at 100%.
‘…It really is 100%, right?’
The flames’ majesty, now that I was facing them directly, was no joke.
But to make a successful pitch, sometimes you had to take a risk.
I gathered my courage.
Thanks to Black Flame Dragon’s Charisma, my voice came out unbearably arrogant.
“Come at me.”
Whoosh!!
The flames approached from straight ahead, forming a circular ring.
One thing in my favor was that they were moving more slowly than I’d expected.
‘He’s holding back for my sake. He doesn’t want me to get hurt if I happen to fail.’
I looked at Bernstein.
He was frowning fiercely, but there was a faint trace of concern for me in his expression.
‘All right! I’ll grant your wish, Professor Bernstein!’
Countering a Fractal Structure was a subject Bernstein had pursued for a long time.
He had probably attended this conference because its subject was how to counter Fractal Structures.
‘The Fractal Structure of the Ring of Fire is fan-shaped.’
I could see countless small fan shapes repeating themselves, forming larger fan shapes over and over.
But that wasn’t the only thing there was to it.
There were other mechanisms to make the structure more durable, and mechanisms to disrupt magical interference, among other things.
‘The bonds are weaker than those of a pure fractal, but in exchange, it’s incredibly difficult to approach magically.’
To put it another way, earlier I’d had to break a solid boulder sitting still. Now I had to hit a sparrow darting around frantically.
‘I can do this.’
The spell had been cast at full strength, but Professor Bernstein had deliberately slowed it down for my sake.
I stepped forward toward the flames.
Professor Bernstein’s eyes flew wide open.
“What?! It’s dangerous!”
A true tsundere eccentric professor.
He’d clearly been worried sick that I might get hurt.
He was about to retract the spell, and I opened my mouth.
“I’m fine. Instead, watch closely. The long-awaited wish you’ve been waiting for will finally come true.”
“!!”
I reached out toward the flames.
Toward the empty center of the circular ring.
Crackle!
The protective spell reacted and began to repel my hand.
“Stop! What are you trying to do, with Mana Insensitivity?!”
Professor Bernstein shouted furiously.
He was right.
No matter how well I could see the gaps, with the speck of Mana I had, it was impossible for me to counter this spell.
But—
“Didn’t I tell you I could do it?”
A shadow rose from my hand.
A shadow no one could see, and sharper than anything else.
My secret weapon.
The mysterious spell Shadow Sword, which I had obtained after clearing the Wailing Cave.
Slice.
I heard the sound of something being cut.
And once again, a miracle unfolded.
—Crash!
The Ring of Fire shattered into pieces and collapsed.
Just as the fractal Magic Circle had collapsed a moment ago.
The hall fell silent.
Professor Bernstein stared at me, aghast.
He wasn’t the only one. Everyone in the hall looked at me in shock.