Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Thesis Defense Assault
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The lobby of the Magic Tower was buzzing with energy even early in the morning.
I stood there with my face hidden under a hat and scarf, reading the princess's congratulatory address posted on the bulletin board.
It praised the feat of capturing Malakai, gilding the lily to no end.
Heh heh.
A hollow chuckle escaped me just then, when a familiar voice called out.
"No matter how bundled up you are, it's still obvious, Isaac."
It was Gwendolyn.
Thankfully, she spoke softly enough that no one else heard.
I asked her,
"How did you know it was me?"
"Your spine is straight and your shoulders are squared, but there's no aristocratic grace in your movements."
"..."
"You're the only one in the entire Magic Tower like that, aren't you?"
Was that a compliment or an insult?
I replied to Gwendolyn.
"Come to think of it, your outfit's different today too."
She was in simple researcher's garb, her face etched with clear fatigue.
"Something wrong? You don't look well."
"Oh, it's because my seniors are at that time of year for their graduation theses. They're all pausing their own projects, so I'm handling a bunch of different things."
"...Did your seniors pressure you into it?"
"No way. I just wanted to do it."
Gwendolyn waved her hand dismissively.
"If I let that happen, my father would rush straight here from the capital. I have to make sure nothing like that goes down."
Oh right. That's how it was.
I'd almost forgotten since we hung out so often, but Gwendolyn was the only daughter of a count's family.
Which meant she probably knew all about 'Kaien' too.
I asked her,
"Do you happen to know 'Kaien Winterheart'?"
"Ugh..."
Gwendolyn made a face like she'd bitten into a bug.
"Why does that name come up here?"
She clearly despised him outright, so he must have always been a weirdo.
"We had a little run-in last time, so I was wondering what his deal is."
"Hmm... Then I should start by explaining the school he's in."
Gwendolyn explained about the 'Bloodline Inheritance Magic School'.
Even among the heirs of renowned magical noble houses, there are bound to be dunces.
No matter their innate mana capacity, if they're not smart, they can't produce research results.
So they pour their efforts into documenting their family histories or reinterpreting their ancestors' spells.
"That's the true nature of the 'Bloodline Inheritance Magic School'."
"Just from the name, it sounds more like it belongs in a regular university than the Magic Tower."
This seemed closer to genealogy than actual scholarship.
"And yet they haven't been kicked out..."
Did that mean they were good at politics?
Gwendolyn nodded, catching the unspoken end of my thought.
"Yeah. They have some serious political pull. All their members are nobles. Their lab's even in the upper 20s floors."
"That's high up. But how do they even do thesis defenses in a place like that?"
"They question each other and shower each other with praise saying it's amazing, then done."
"..."
Shower with praise...?
Aren't you supposed to be my etiquette teacher?
Gwendolyn continued.
"Unless someone from another school applies as the attacker, that is."
"So that's what happened."
I'd gotten hold of Kaien's thesis in advance and read it, but the content was abysmal.
Confusing correlation with causation...? What was this, freshman college level?
Just then, a small crystal orb in Gwendolyn's pocket lit up.
"Oh. Looks like the analysis spell I left running is done. I'll head out first!"
She scurried off.
Back in the lab, Giuseppe was munching on a sandwich while deep in research.
"Another sandwich?"
"It's just convenient to eat while working."
'Maybe I shouldn't have taught him about sandwiches...'
...No.
If I hadn't, he might not have eaten lunch at all.
Giuseppe was the type.
I slid a sheet of paper across his desk.
"Senior, did you sign up to be an attacker for this year's thesis defenses?"
"No, too busy... What's this?"
"It's Kaien Winterheart's thesis. It's got so many errors, I'm thinking of applying as the attacker."
Giuseppe didn't grasp the implication.
"You? That won't work. You don't have a degree yet."
I knew that.
I couldn't be an attacker right now.
Thesis defense attackers had to outrank the defender in academic standing.
But there were always exceptions.
"That's why I need your help, Senior. Could you apply as the attacker under your name?"
"Hmm... And pass the baton to you on the day?"
"Yes."
By the rules, if an attacker had unavoidable circumstances and had to leave, a junior from the same school could take over.
"We'll need a reason to pass the baton, though."
"I've already prepared that."
I handed over a thick report summarizing my research achievements and activities so far.
"How about heading out to report to Professor Dolloren? I'll handle all the school's admin while you're gone."
"Hmmm..."
Giuseppe flipped through the report, then nodded as if resolved.
"Well, things have changed a lot in our school since you joined. I should report to the professor anyway."
And with that, Giuseppe's business trip was set.
Thus, I became the attacker for Kaien Winterheart's master's thesis defense.
Isaac Uphills appeared as Kaien Winterheart's attacker.
The senior professors observing whispered among themselves.
-"That kid..."
-"He's even younger than I thought."
Many of the professors gathered here were seeing Isaac for the first time.
Once you reached professor level, you rarely crossed paths with students from other schools.
So they focused on Isaac Uphills like he was some mythical beast.
Black hair, black eyes.
Straight back and squared shoulders.
There was an aristocratic poise about him, but his rough gait betrayed his origins.
Uphills.
The orphan of the Empire.
The emergence of this rising star was intriguing, but soon doubts arose.
'But why is this kid here?'
Isaac spoke first to explain.
"Researcher Giuseppe Garneri had to step out due to an urgent summons from the school head, so I'm here as his proxy."
Kaien and the Bloodline Inheritance Magic School Head's eyes met.
"..."
"..."
Blue bloods of culture could communicate with just a glance.
This was clearly an unexpected variable.
They had to block it.
The Bloodline Inheritance Magic School Head asked the Sound Magic School Head beside him.
"Does this line up with the academy rules?"
"..."
The Sound Magic School Head broke into a cold sweat.
Still, he had no choice but to state the facts.
"No precedent, but it's allowed by regulation."
The Bloodline Inheritance Magic School Head's eyes blazed.
"...You really wanna try me?"
"..."
Thesis defense attackers were required to hold a higher degree than the defender.
But in unavoidable cases, a junior from the same school could take the baton.
Ironically, this was a tactic the Bloodline Inheritance Magic School had often used to facilitate smooth mutual back-scratching.
Now karma had come calling.
The Bloodline Magic School Head was furious that the Sound Magic School Head wouldn't back him.
"Don't tell me you're protecting that brat because the wave theory came from his hands!"
"I won't tolerate further accusations. Bloodline Inheritance Magic School Head."
"..."
The Sound Magic School Head responded firmly.
But he was half right.
The Sound Magic School Head owed Isaac a debt.
The dean's hellish task of 'rewriting university textbooks' had been resolved by a few handwritten letters from Isaac.
To accept that grace and not defend Isaac would make him less than human—beastly even.
...And if Archmage Valerius found out, it would be grounds for a reprimand.
Thus, the Sound Magic School Head had no choice but to turn the Bloodline School into enemies.
The Sound Magic School Head thought,
'Did he foresee even this and help me...?'
A chill ran down his spine.
Isaac cut into their verbal sparring.
"So, am I the attacker here?"
"..."
The Bloodline Magic School Head had no choice but to nod.
Kaien on the podium trembled with rage.
"...Proceed."
At the school head's word, Kaien began reading his thesis abstract.
"This thesis proves the structural superiority of the Winterheart family's secret 'Ice Golem'. The pure mana flowing through our bloodline increases the density of the ice crystals, dramatically enhancing the golem's durability by the principle of..."
Even as he read the abstract, Kaien kept glancing at Isaac.
But fortunately, Isaac showed no sign of movement.
'Right, that's it. The Ice Golem embodies our family's soul...'
"Hold on."
Isaac quietly raised his hand.
"That line just now, about 'the purity of mana guaranteeing crystal strength'. Could you repeat it?"
Kaien scoffed.
"That's how our family's magic has traditionally been known. All the professors here know it."
"You need to cite specific literature for that tradition. This is the hall of scholarship, isn't it?"
"..."
Kaien glanced at the other professors before continuing reluctantly.
"It's... from ancient mage Armand's paper, [On the Qualitative Properties of Mana]..."
"That paper was proven to have experimental design flaws in a cross-school study three years ago."
"What?"
Kaien muttered in shock, and Isaac smirked.
"Using informal speech? In a formal setting."
"...My mistake."
Isaac submitted evidence materials as he spoke.
"Look at these documents. Winterheart's thesis describes cold as a substance. But in reality, cold is merely 'the absence of heat'."
Kaien read the materials but failed to grasp the meaning.
Whispers rose from the surrounding professors.
-"Oh... that's certainly true."
-"Describing cold as absence of heat is the current trend."
His pride cracked, Kaien shouted.
"No matter the process, as long as the results are proven, isn't that enough?! Our Winterheart techniques have made ice magic genuinely more powerful!"
The conference hall stirred at his outburst.
"What does theory even matter?!"
It sounded plausible at first glance.
The essence of magic was power, after all.
Kaien pointed at Isaac.
"I propose a 'practical defense' for this!"
Practical defense was the pinnacle of thesis defense.
From here on, attacker and defender would settle it with magic, not words.
Isaac shrugged.
"I accept. Bring it."
"You damn mutt...!"
Kaien's eyes flashed.
He was confident.
An orphan who didn't even know his roots would kneel before Winterheart magic.
Isaac caught that dark mage? Yeah right.
The only reason Isaac took down Malakai was the capital guard's sacrifice.
Isaac just reaped the benefits after they wore him down.
With Dolloren, Valerius, and even Giuseppe absent, Isaac was utterly isolated.
Pretend it was an accident and break an arm—no one would complain.
"I'll prove my family's greatness here!"
Kaien spread his arms and began a lengthy incantation.
Mana poured from his fingertips, dyeing the floor's magic circle blue.
Generally, the longer the incantation, the more precise and powerful the spell.
And his chant dragged on for a full five minutes.
"..."
Yet Isaac remained utterly calm.
He wasn't chanting any spell.
That only fueled Kaien's anger.
'Acting all cocky, huh? Fine. You started it.'
He secretly channeled mana into the mana crystal in his pocket.
A treasure worth ten houses in the capital converted to mana in an instant.
Using catalysts in thesis defense was illegal.
But if no one caught it, it was fine.
Whooooosh-!
With the sound of air freezing, a massive ice golem materialized over the magic circle.
"Go! Crush that arrogant fool!"
At Kaien's command, the golem swung its fist at Isaac.
"Crazy! Since when does the defender attack?!"
"Hey! Dodge!"
Thanks to Kaien's various enhancements, the golem's speed far exceeded average.
Grazed, you'd be injured—no, dead.
But despite the professors' shouts, Isaac didn't budge.
The golem's fist was inches from his nose.
A faint smile flickered on Isaac's lips.
That was all.
No chant, no magic circle, not even a ripple of mana.
Drip.
"......Huh?"
The golem's shoulder, legs, arms—all its joints collapsed.
Drip drip.
It melted into water and flowed away.
"W-what the hell?!"
As Kaien panicked, the bizarre phenomenon continued.
Crack! Boom! Thud!
Losing its limbs, the golem devolved into a mere ice chunk and crumbled.
It hadn't even held for the 'minimum duration' specified in Kaien's magic design.
Magic was the art of 'prediction'.
When predictions failed, the price was paid by the caster.
Rebound.
"Gahk-!"
Dark red blood erupted from Kaien's mouth.
The bloated mana from the catalyst turned into deadly poison, ravaging his body.
Thud.
Crash.
Kaien tumbled off the podium, collapsing at Isaac's feet.
Kaien muttered.
"How..."
In his fading consciousness, he heard Isaac's voice.
"When pressure rises and friction increases, a thin water layer forms on the ice surface."
Like reviewing a lesson, Isaac began explaining.
"Of course, for a normal ice golem, you can ignore that layer. Too thin to heat effectively."
"..."
"But thanks to your family's 'secret technique', the golem got huge and fast, creating perfect weak points at every joint. Made it easy to melt with microwaves."
"..."
"Trying to get a degree with that garbage magic? Have some shame."
"..."
"Well, guess you can't hear me anymore."
As he said, Kaien's consciousness had already cut out.
With the crumbled golem and unconscious defender, silence fell for a moment.
"..."
"..."
No one in the conference hall fully understood Isaac's words.
Not even the Bloodline Inheritance Magic School Head could say a thing.
Kaien's defeat was certain.
The Sound Magic School Head broke the silence.
He stood and declared,
"The attacker's argument... has been empirically proven."
"..."
"The thesis defense of defender Kaien Winterheart... is concluded as a failure."
Kaien Winterheart failed to become a master.