Ah, now I've gauged your levels perfectly.
Ah, now I've gauged your levels perfectly.
As the magic circle began to glow, a silence spell seemed to descend, blanketing the classroom in utter quiet. Clap clap! Off to the land of illusions. Into dreams. And so, stillness flowed.
The summoner from a prestigious family, who had spent the previous night in anxious anticipation, quickly closed her eyes and laid her head on the desk. Words she hadn't been able to say aloud—like "I like you"—or apologies for dodging him out of shyness; in dreams, she could declare them boldly. With a bashful smile, she murmured in her sleep that she'd fallen for him.
Meanwhile, the woman known as the Blue Tower's hope and the ice flower furrowed her brow but ultimately succumbed to sleep, entrusting her body to the chair. Childhood memories free of worry surfaced, relaxing her face for the first time in ages and easing the tension from her body. Crackle—crack— Frost gradually formed on her clothes, and the surrounding air grew colder.
Not just them—the spirit summoner girl with wolf ears drifted off into deep slumber, and the woman who had made a name as this year's top student and the next leader of her mysterious sect gently closed her eyes.
Every student in the classroom stared trustingly at the magic circle before shutting their eyes. Thanks to the trap laid by the professor.
Into the land of dreams. That much was clearly supposed to be normal...
"...Mm."
But one person remained awake, utterly calm as if wondering what had just happened. Shin Yuseong. The only male student in Combat Department Class 1, who had barely but surely claimed first place in the level test. By all accounts from other professors, his class attitude was impeccable—a disciple straight out of dreams.
Indeed, he lived up to the hype. The only sticking point...
Shattering a high mage's spell in one go was undoubtedly a huge brag-worthy feat. Yet he wore an expression like he was sorry for not reacting to the magic in time. It nagged at her.
Aris Severus, the Combat Department magic professor, absentmindedly rubbed the bridge of her nose and pondered. ...Even after nullifying the spell alone, why that subtle attitude? Maybe he hadn't actually broken it—perhaps he'd just been lost in thought for a moment. Or timed out by dozing off first, missing the plunge into dreams. That would explain the ambiguously apologetic look he was giving her. It made a certain sense.
She hadn't expected it from someone praised nonstop by the faculty, but apparently, even he had zoned out or gotten distracted during class.
No intent to scold him. Even a seemingly perfect student could slip up.
'But if he didn't intend to counter it, then he didn't perfectly nullify the spell.'
Talent plus luck might save you once, but without knowing the precise counter, you won't survive repeatedly. So, she needed to test him again.
With that thought, Aris Severus frowned slightly and snapped her fingers.
Snap!
A trigger to reinforce the spell. Light from the visually hypnotic magic circle transmitted through the air medium to dominate hearing. The high mage's intricate design and profound mana control.
Snap!
All elements aligned perfectly, crafting a spell that allowed no mere coincidence.
The originally unplanned second stage of the hypnotic illusion spell. A second level test just for him.
──Open.
"Infusing the world with illusion."
"Magical Illusion Manipulation."
Off to the land of illusions together.
...
Blink—blink—
"Ah."
Aris Severus blinked several times, staring blankly at the male student still meeting her gaze as if nothing had happened. No sensation of enduring or overcoming the spell.
Aris blinked repeatedly, doubting if this was reality. What is this? Am I dreaming? Is this not real?
To that extent, Shin Yuseong—having unwittingly nullified the spell again—opened his mouth in obvious fluster. "Ahh."
"...".
For Aris, who had so meticulously woven the magic, that reaction somehow irked her more.
***
In her dream, she was holding a wedding with him, bearing two children, even lecturing them to obey Daddy—
"...Mm, huh?"
Suddenly stirring, Sepine Alavad blinked awake.
'Wha, what? When did I fall asleep?'
Startled—it had never happened before—she scanned around in panic. Not to check others' reactions. Some cared deeply for family honor or mage pride, but she couldn't care less. She just prayed the Hero hadn't seen her sleeping so soundly...
Praying inwardly, Sepine checked only Shin Yuseong's reaction.
But for some reason, he wasn't in his seat.
She blinked vacantly, swiveling her head to chase his afterimage. No sign of him. Murmurs rose—
She realized: everyone else was flustered too. Her mind blanked momentarily from just waking, but Sepine grasped it.
...Ah, we got hit by magic!
Embarrassing as a mage, but only one person here would pull this.
Naturally, her gaze shifted to Professor Aris Severus at the podium. She's given us all a wake-up call; now she'll teach us how to counter it—
A fair inference, but...
"...".
Aris Severus stood frozen at the podium, her face colder and stiffer than usual. Not anger at everyone falling asleep defenselessly—more a strangely melancholic look.
As everyone came to and looked her way, Aris finally moved. Tap, tap. Her hand on the green blackboard seemed oddly listless.
"...We shall resume class."
Wanting to impress the Hero, Sepine focused intently.
***
[The Goddess feels like she's done something terribly wrong and is utterly bewildered.]
I got kicked out of class. Even during middle school when I was dominated by the Black Flame Dragon, or my vigorous first year of high school—it never happened. Bewildering? Felt like I'd unintentionally messed up.
'...You needn't attend this class today. You pass. Rest up.'
Far from a mistake, the professor praised me profusely... but.
'Professor, you looked kinda despondent, right?'
[The Goddess says with a grave face that it wasn't just a little—you looked utterly wretched.]
No, not wretched...
"Mm."
I wanted to let it affect me, even braced myself to react. But it came with such ambiguous power that I hesitated and missed it.
I'd tensed up expecting a boom—naturally.
'Is the professor weaker than I thought?'
Or rather, am I just ridiculously resistant to magic, like its natural predator?
Makes sense, really. Never formally learned magic, but how many demonkin and demons have I slain? I forged my soul and body breaking their spells, built tolerance enduring demonic tricks firsthand.
...It's been so long since I faced human mages that I misjudged their power.
Yeah, I really did something wrong. Anyway, having aced the lecture, I lay on the bed in the men's lounge, staring blankly at the ceiling before muttering.
"Ah, now I know your levels."
Is this this world's magic? Even the weakest of the Four Heavenly Kings would outclass it. Pathetic...
[The Goddess gravely advises never to say that in front of people.]
"I won't, jeez."
***
Step—step—
Finishing the lecture, Aris Severus slumped into her chair with a dazed look, like she'd had a nightmare. Her shoulders had been tense for the first class of the semester this morning. Now, her whole body felt limp.
"...Hah."
Absurdity again. She sighed and groaned, blinking until the phone rang.
Ring ring—ring ring—
Finally, Aris sighed, shook off the lingering haze, and picked up.
──Ah, hello? Class over? Professor Aris?
"...".
It was Shin Arin, the Combat Department professor away on an Africa periodic subjugation mission. Not close, but Aris had overheard their lunch chats lately. Foreseeing the future like a high mage, she sighed and covered her eyes with her palm.
──No way our Yuseong fell for magic? I bet he didn't. Right? What I love about him—beyond his solid mana barrier—is the effort and passion he poured in. So cool, right? Oh yeah, wanna know if our Yuseong withstood the spell... Hello? Professor Aris? You listening?
...Suddenly wanted to die.
***
Ding!
Today's Lecture Canceled
Due to health issues.
[The Goddess covers her mouth with both hands as she reads the message, then sneaks a glance.]
A text from the campus alert app I'd downloaded on a whim. First in three weeks—kinda novel.
The content was no joke.
"...Huh."
Probably coincidence, but a mega-lecture cancellation on the second class. Nah, no way it's me...
Denying it briefly, I checked the follow-up. Smacking my lips, I admitted it. Super diligent prof—even attached a diagnosis photo.
[Reason: Heart Demon]
...Ah, got it. Yeah, that's on me.
"Mm."
Looks like I really screwed up.