Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Wriggling Flames
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Early in the morning, after properly donning my practice mage robe, I stretched and stepped out through the dormitory's main gate.
Light rain was falling from a sky blanketed in ashen clouds. In the south, influenced by the Red Mountains' climate, even the rain carried a hint of warmth—the southern rains were quite mild.
After savoring the sound of the rain for a moment, I tucked 'Lin's Diary' deep into my chest pocket and ventured out into the downpour.
- Looking for a place to practice magic freely? In that case, the Battle Dragon Field would be perfect.
According to the dorm supervisor's explanation, the Battle Dragon Field was an outdoor combat training ground designed for high-power, wide-area magic practice.
Encircled by advanced spells like [Damage Absorption] and [Area Restoration], it allowed users to unleash magic without worrying about collateral damage.
The entrance to the Battle Dragon Field was blocked by a barrier of flames. When I pressed my student ID ring from my left index finger against the magic formation, whoosh—the flames parted to either side, clearing a path.
- Class of 1388, Rain Ludwig. Welcome to the Battle Dragon Field.
- All 30 of the 30 training rooms are currently vacant.
A voice soon emanated from the guiding magic.
I felt a spark of interest.
Even when I created RudiyËn, adding a voice to guiding magic had been impossible. In 300 years, magic had made remarkable progress.
"I'll take Room 15. It's right up front."
Going for Room 1 or 30 would mean a long trek. I hated the hassle.
- Approved.
The Battle Dragon Field's overall layout was fan-shaped, with 30 training rooms divided by 3-star barriers.
Each training room was also a small fan shape—narrow where the user stood, but widening ahead, allowing for wide-area spells.
"Give me a target. Make it a sturdy one."
At that, a brilliant light filled one of the complex magic formations etched into the ground—a summoning circle—and a golem rose up.
"Quasi-2-star magic level? Eh, not bad."
It was for experimenting with runes and formulas anyway. Facing something with a higher magic rank would make it hard to observe meaningful results.
"Here goes."
I opened Lin's Diary. The research began with my first creation rune, Yun (蝡).
"Yun, grant the property of 'molecules wriggling.'"
This was an attempt to address fire magic's flaw: immense burst damage, but utter impotence once blocked by a defensive barrier.
Make the flames writhe.
Not a flash that ignites and vanishes, but one that smolders slowly, persistently, eating away at the target.
"Magic formation construct, triangle."
A red ring hovered above my open palm. The triangle was the formation for fire magic.
"Rune engraving, Yun (蝡)."
The rune seemed to etch into the center of the magic formation, only to scatter powerlessly as particles of light.
'As expected, 1-star magic won't cut it.'
After steadying my mana with a deep breath, I spread my palm wide—and felt blood rush to my shoulder blades.
Simultaneously, lightning crackled around my hand, and triangular magic formations rose: one, another, and yet another.
In an instant, the interlocking formations spun, scattering seductive light, with the Yun (蝡) rune engraved at the center.
'It's 3-star magic, so normally it'd take three runes.'
Yun occupied all three slots by itself—terrible efficiency. But it was still more scribble than true rune, like a child's doodle.
"Formula calculation, matrix dynamics."
The triple-layered magic formation shattered, unleashing power that defied the world's laws, spreading paradoxical change.
A swarm of sizzling flames, like a horde of flying insects, surged toward the golem.
No explosive burst typical of fire magic—just embers clinging to its massive body like bugs, gradually glowing brighter.
'What the hell is that trash magic?'
Someone had unwittingly witnessed the scene from afar: Weiber, out for morning training to blow off yesterday's stress.
'One rune engraved, so 1-star magic, but the guy can't even cast that right?'
Flashiness was fire magic's hallmark. Such a subdued flame had to be beginner basics.
'Coming all the way to the Battle Dragon Field to practice crap like that?'
Three years as teaching assistant?
Total bullshit.
The fear he'd felt from that guy's glare yesterday must've been a delusion. Just another nobody.
'Grew up as a marquess house noble and that's all he's got? Pathetic.'
Weiber shook his head with a sneer of contempt and headed to his assigned Room 3.
And a few seconds later?
Rumble—the golem shattered and toppled, shaking the ground. [Shock Absorption] redirected the impact elsewhere.
The fractured rock chunks' innards... were melting, liquefied. The flames imbued with Yun (蝡)'s property had burrowed inside, incinerating its core.
'Hm, it's producing the intended effect...'
But taking 30 seconds to melt a quasi-2-star golem was rough. Was it the rune's refinement, or the mathematical theory?
'Figuring that out is the real fun.'
Alright, time to tweak the rune a bit. Or maybe apply a different mathematical theory first?
* * *
Yonbatrikibre.
- Reformed the theory of matrix dynamics for the Yun (蝡) rune, revised to Yun (蜦).
RudiyËn's fourth function—not just detecting locally acquired spells, but also summarizing today's research like this.
Socrafres.
- Can inherit 'unique magic' research progress from surrounding environment.
- Progress: 37.1%.
Well, look at that.
Progress up by 0.1%. The question is what this progress measures.
Is the mathematical theory solidified? The rune more refined? Or is the act of training itself what matters...?
'No need to overthink it.'
I've got time to spare. And this morning alone netted 0.1%.
Smiling, I closed the notebook—when a sharp whoosh cut the air, like clashing blades. Looking up, I saw a familiar back.
'Name was... We-something. The Rohwinen Academy kid.'
With each shattering fan-shaped magic formation from Weiber's hand, razor wind blades whistled eerily, shredding the scattered targets.
'Not bad. Decent skill, even...'
But why did everyone—him, that other guy—look so pained and annoyed when casting magic?
What the hell?
Shrugging at the incomprehensibility, I turned away. Time to head back to the dorm and prep for class.
* * *
[The procedures for activating magic are broadly divided into three steps.
1. Magic formation setup.
2. Rune engraving.
3. Formula calculation.
Anyone familiar with magic basics can handle up to Step 2, but the challenge for mages lies in Step 3.
Magic interprets the world's constitutive equations—its laws—then displaces them into new forms (without errors in the laws) to produce miracles.
Step 3 in detail:
3.1 Set coordinates for spellcasting and calculate formulas.
3.2 Solve coordinate equations.
3.3 Parse existing law equations at coordinates, then insert replacement equations.
A single miscalculation in these equations, or a flawed formula yielding imaginary roots, spells disaster.
Examples: fire magic engulfing the caster, unrelated ground sinking, summons going berserk...
Thus, Archmage Lin established the 'Lin Discriminant' to swiftly distinguish real from imaginary roots.
For quadratic ax² + bx + c = 0 (a, b, c real), let D = b² - 4ac, then:
D > 0: real roots.
D = 0: repeated root (real roots equal).
D < 0: imaginary roots.
Simple yet perfect for discernment, it was immediately adopted as essential by the Magic Alliance...]
A week since enrolling at the university. Third period was quadratics and discriminants.
Never imagined my name in the textbook—couldn't help a hollow laugh...
"Now, solve these five examples using the 'Lin Discriminant' in 10 minutes!"
"Yes."
"Your brains are smaller than monkey balls, but 10 minutes should suffice? Archmage Lin made it this simple for shitheads like you?"
Amid Owen's profanity-laced insults honed for human degradation, Rain furrowed his brow in deep doubt.
'Who?'
Lin had always been on battlefields, no chance to share such formulas publicly. If he'd survived with comrades, maybe...
'Rista, Kies, Fride—they barely knew addition and subtraction. Never taught them my formulas.'
Yet several of Lin's formulas were already standardized in the Imperial magic system. If not them, who?
He knew Osarius Academy had compiled and published them, but who passed the knowledge to the academy?
Wait—one suspect. That annoying brat who claimed to be his favorite disciple, doggedly tailing him...
'Tureina.'
Did she? He'd check her biography in the library. If records remained.
'Did she send the diary too?'
Unlikely—he shook off the thought. This was 300 years later. Everything he knew was buried legend.
Since he made them, the five problems took under 30 seconds. All formatted for easy formula memorization.
Then Christa nudged Rain's arm with her elbow.
"This."
"Want me to teach you? Here."
"Learn from you? I'm the prodigy of the century, Christa. A genius among geniuses, your equal or better."
Owen glared; she bowed her head, then furtively handed something over with fidgety hands. A luxurious wooden box.
"What's this?"
"Cookies."
"Cookies?"
"Why the side-eye? Guys like these, right?"
"???"
"Made 'em during spare time in magic training. Bought a popular one from the vending machine originally, but gave it to someone else."
Tilting his head, he opened the box—then slammed it shut. Cold sweat beaded; chills made his fingers tremble.
Hell inside.
Charred black by hellfire, unrecognizable shape... hell's banquet.
"You make these from mud? Assassin's mud cookies?"
"What?"
"Or laced with deadly poison..."
Such a devilish woman. Dislike me, so poison cookies...? Shivering, he heard students murmuring.
"Finding imaginary roots this easy—Lin was a god, right?"
No.
Human, strictly.
"Or an angel from heaven?"
Human.
"Reincarnation of a great sage?"
Stop, please!
So embarrassing his face actually heated up.
'Face red?'
Christa misinterpreted.
'What? Blushing over this gift? Acts mature but so innocent.'
Minutes later, Owen detailed solutions on the board with endless insults; the bell rang just as suicide tempted.
"Whew, fucking brutal."
"Head nearly exploded."
Groans rose, but unlike last class, all grinned. Reason obvious.
"Rain, what club you joining?"
Fourth period today was club promo time, called the flower of Delaiten. Students toured club rooms to choose.
"Obviously Magic Volleyball? Marquess house heirs must uphold dignity with it."
"Dunno."
"Dunno?"
Clubs. Any reading club?
Preferred library solitude over mingling. Quiet, contemplative, immersed in books' sea.
"Haven't decided. Gonna look around."
Really just browse.
For real.
No intent to duel Eight Great Academies disciples in magic battles...