Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Kasena Walks
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“Rain Ludwig said he’s quitting as a tutor?”
Yuren Page slightly raised an eyebrow.
Though he was the great army leader of the Arhfen Archduke family, he had entered the Page family as a son-in-law, so he naturally bore the Page family name.
Madelia, who had been elegantly slicing into her veal steak, dabbed at her mouth with a napkin.
“Yes, he came by today and said as much.”
“What if that kid did it because he didn’t like our Kasena—?”
“—What nonsense toward our benefactor? This is already more than we could ask for. With his studies and student council duties... He never missed a single day, so we owe him a great debt.”
“Of course I know that, but I thought we’d promised him we’d get her walking.”
“If it were that simple, I would have done it long ago.”
Yuren smacked his lips in regret, while Madelia’s expression brimmed with composure.
‘The way to get her walking can be figured out step by step.’
What mattered now was that the boy had taken an interest in magic. Eventually, a door would open somewhere.
“I called you to the table to discuss how we should repay that child.”
Their relationship, born not of love but political motives, had never been good, but it had grown ice-cold rapidly after Kasena developed her lower-body disability.
It had been about ten years since they’d last shared a meal like this.
Yuren Page nodded earnestly, not without gratitude of his own.
“Since we don’t know his tastes, how about just giving him some gold coins?”
“The Ludwig family is one of the wealthiest houses around—what meaning would gold have for them?”
The two looked like they were quarreling, but the mansion’s servants could only watch the exchange in astonishment.
Weren’t they exchanging smiles as they spoke?
For ten years, their conversations had rarely gone beyond a word or two before one would raise their voice first, ending it all...
“Master, Madam.”
At that moment, a third party spoke up. She was a middle-aged woman who had served the Page family for over thirty years and had also acted as Kasena’s nursemaid.
“May I say something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Is there a mid-semester transfer system at <Delaiten>?”
An unexpected question, perhaps. Madelia slightly lifted her gaze from her utensils.
“Not in the usual case. There have been a few exceptions in the university’s history.”
“What kind of exceptions?”
“When heirs of the great magic houses or disciples of the great academies couldn’t take the entrance exam for some reason. Like attending a parent’s funeral or being bedridden from an accident.”
It was a question she already knew the answer to.
“Then Miss Kasena could qualify for that benefit too, right?”
At those words, Madelia Page’s eyes sharpened for a moment before she shook her head.
“Impossible.”
“Why not?”
“That child is still too immature. Not just immature—she can’t even walk. As the leading magic house, our family has a dignity to uphold.”
“So if the young miss weren’t so immature and could walk, that would be fine?”
Pressed persistently, Madelia let out a low sigh and leaned back in her chair.
“I just don’t understand. Why are we even discussing Kasena’s enrollment?”
“It’s because of the young miss’s personality. As you know, she’s very proud. Even Prince Rain, who’s the same age, had a hard time with her. Do you really think she’d get along with cadets a year or two younger?”
“That’s...”
It was irrefutable—how could it not be?—so Madelia hesitated, staring into space with furrowed brows.
“You’re right, but still, no. Unless the child requests it herself.”
The awaited words had come out.
Now the mission was complete.
“That’s what she said, Miss.”
Miss?
As the nursemaid called toward the door, Madelia and Yuren tilted their heads—only for their eyes to suddenly widen.
“No, this... this can’t be...”
Seeing Madelia’s breath quicken raggedly, the nursemaid smiled.
“I meant to tell you sooner, but she insisted on telling you herself.”
Clack, clack, clack, clack...
The sound of crutches striking the floor.
Trailing that sound came a pair of legs that had gained some flesh but still lacked muscle, trembling slightly as they walked—slowly, alongside the nursemaid.
“Kasena...?”
It was none other than Kasena Page.
Not just Madelia and Yuren—the faces of all the servants watching had gone stark white.
In the silence, Kasena smiled innocently.
“Mom, can I go to university too? With Rain.”
Madelia stared blankly, dazedly, watching her daughter walk before suddenly leaping from her seat and pulling her daughter into a tight embrace.
“What... what am I seeing right now? Kasena, it looked like you were walking...?”
Yuren cried out in a daze.
He wanted to weep, but shock overtook him so completely that tears wouldn’t come. Instead, his usual dignified voice stammered out.
“I did walk! Rain made me able to!”
“Rain Ludwig?”
“Yeah! Rain’s amazing! It’s not just telekinesis!”
Kasena shrugged proudly, beaming as if bragging about herself.
Yuren looked to the guard mage with eyes pleading for explanation, and he cleared his throat before speaking.
“No need for concern. I was so shocked myself that I went and asked directly. It seems to be an application of the Wing Type mages’ engraving technique.”
“Body reinforcement magic...?”
“Yes. For example, Chaihak mages engrave magic circles on their bodies and infuse them with mana to activate power. It’s the same principle.”
“But doesn’t that risk problems?”
“He said he applied a beginner-safe insurance method, so there’s absolutely no need to worry.”
Madelia stared blankly at the engraving on Kasena’s legs before suddenly waving her hand dismissively.
“Could you all step out for a moment?”
The nursemaid and servants bowed and withdrew at once. No sooner had the banquet hall doors closed than Madelia and Yuren embraced Kasena, sobbing quietly.
“Kasena, our daughter...”
They had wished for nothing else. If only their daughter could walk again, if only they could see her run and smile once more...
They had prayed to the gods for that alone, nothing more for the rest of their lives.
And now that wish had come true so suddenly.
Had their desperate plea finally reached the heavens? Even if it was divine guidance, the instrument used was undoubtedly Rain Ludwig.
—Your Excellency’s daughter and our son: whichever hatches first helps the other out. How’s that?
Ah, yes.
It really happened just like that.
Kevn, Brim. We owe your child a debt we can never repay in our lifetime...
* * *
Monday morning, time to check progress so far. After engraving the technique on Kasena yesterday and returning home, he’d collapsed right away...
“...Up again?”
His unique magic array progress was now a whopping 47.9%. He didn’t know when it had surpassed 45%, but thanks to it, the Fluid Lord magic combination success rate and power amplification had both risen by 5%.
‘Because I researched the engraving technique so diligently?’
The mystery only grew.
Or maybe it wasn’t just battles with monsters—battles with monster-like girls (he didn’t say Kasena) also boosted progress?
“Heh, no need to overthink it.”
Good is good.
If he just kept living like this, the progress would rise on its own.
The headachy stuff was Valensidis-related, so no need to split focus.
“Heh, heh, heh.”
As Rain chuckled, Pipi, dozing on his shoulder, chuckled along. Compared to 300 years ago, Pipi slept a lot more now.
“You’re getting old too, Pipi. All you do is sleep.”
“Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy.”
After gently scratching Pipi’s head for a few minutes, the bell from the campus clock tower rang, signaling class time.
“Rest easy, Pipi. I’m off to school.”
“School, school, school.”
“Come flying if you get bored.”
Today was the day of a massive big event—no way he could be late. In the nearly 40 days wasted tutoring, ‘that’ had finally approached.
“From now on, I will explain the end-of-term finals starting in two weeks to all first-year cadets.”
Dragonwheel Hall Grand Auditorium.
Once all first-years were seated, Vice Professor Kyle took the podium, announcing the opening of the big event.
“The finals share only the essence of an exam with midterms—everything else is different. You must recognize that clearly.”
The finals’ judges weren’t just <Delaiten> professors. Renowned mages from across the Empire were invited to oversee them.
“The finals are also your chance to make your name known to the world. In fact, post-graduation mage tower assignments are often decided based on finals performance.”
A hush fell, gulps audible.
But it was a double-edged sword. Leaving a bad impression on those luminaries... just imagining it was horrifying.
“Now, I’ll explain the exam format.”
Snap. As Kyle snapped his fingers, assistants waiting nearby began posting posters on the wall behind the podium.
Group A:
・Rain Ludwig.
・Christa Warden.
・Nora Reden.
......
......
Group A consisted of great magic house heirs and powerhouses from the Eight Great Academies and Sixteen Lesser Schools. All top of the class rankings.
‘<Delaiten> follows a merit-based policy, but it doesn’t completely shut out low-rankers.’
Christa Warden rested her chin on her interlaced hands, alternating glances between her name and Rain Ludwig’s above it.
‘It always shows starkly in finals format: top-rankers compete at a disadvantage against low-rankers.’
Group A was selected by tallying entrance scores, midterm scores, and all performance evaluations to pick the top 30 cadets.
The rest were randomly grouped into 30-ish batches each (with equal average scores) for Groups B, C, D, E, and F.
“First, preliminaries start in two weeks. Only the top four from each group advance to the finals.”
That meant 24 finalists total...
‘The second hurdle to meeting Rista.’
Kyle inwardly smiled, watching Rain’s eyes gleam with interest.
‘No tension at all, as expected.’
Finals would then be a lottery draw into a tournament bracket to determine the ultimate winner (top cadet).
“Now, I’ll announce the prelim theme for you cadets.”
As the magic circle in Kyle’s palm shattered, illusory text floated in the air, shimmering brilliantly.
[Scroll]
Scroll? Unlike top-rankers, Rain and other low-rankers blinked and tilted their heads.
It was understandably vague.
“You will one day become supreme mages who create scrolls to help many people. Think of this as training for that day.”
“...?”
“This year’s theme is ‘Magic Worth Making into a Scroll’! Research and think hard for two weeks, then bring your best result.”
Magic worth making into a scroll?
Rain couldn’t get a feel for it and quietly rubbed his chin.
‘Make civilian relief magic?’
Meanwhile, top-rankers used to such formats from childhood were already eyeing ideas eagerly.
‘Heh♪ Same as always.’
‘Time to test that this time.’
‘My specialty.’
But what left every cadet equally stunned and bewildered was next.
“That concludes the finals explanation. We’ll wrap up with introducing the first-year transfer student.”
Transfer student? Only a tiny elite could use that system.
Overwhelming talents <Delaiten> desperately wanted, or those backed endlessly by magic houses or academies.
As murmurs spread, clack, clack, clack, clack... Crutches struck the wooden podium, and when their owner appeared, everyone’s eyes bulged.
“Huh?”
“Eh?”
“What?”
Lilac hair inherited from magic progenitors shimmered dazzlingly under the lights, her flawless features striking every heart regardless of gender.
“Page...?”
“It’s Page...?”
“Page!”
Among the cadets, one took the shock hardest—or least, depending: Rain Ludwig.
“Kasena...?”
To such a Rain, Professor Kyle added with a slightly apologetic smile:
“And per long tradition, the top cadet will help the transfer student adjust to school for the next month.”
What?