Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Symphony of the Seasons
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The first place where the audience's cheers gathered was at Cayden's magic formation.
"Oh……?"
"The magic formation looks just like……."
"Sheet music……!"
Professor Carolline stroked her chin.
'As expected…….'
Rigwind-type mages had a different way of activating their abilities compared to other mages, so their method of constructing magic formations was also unique.
'He's already captivated the audience with that distinctiveness.'
Thanks to Professor Kyle's Clairvoyance spell magnifying and projecting the scene, everyone could examine the magic formation in detail.
"The prepared spell is a 4-star magic…… Is that guy planning to create a symphony?!"
Logan muttered with a sigh.
A symphony typically consisted of four movements, but when handled by a Rigwind type, the meaning was slightly different.
Professor Owen nodded.
"It looks like that's what he's aiming for! When those four movements resonate simultaneously instead of sequentially, that damn rich timbre……."
It was no different from a concerto produced by the finest orchestra. Then, one of Chaihak Academy's students, Ilin, tilted her head slightly.
"But that means four tones playing at once, right? Without exceptional skill, wouldn't it just be complicated and noisy?"
"Hmm, not bad thinking for that shit-filled head of yours. Exactly. Without the skill, it could be called a reckless gamble."
Marhena, seated in the judges' area, was thinking something similar.
"High risk, high return. With third place already secured no matter what, he's going all-in for first with his trump card…… Interesting."
No, that's not it.
Lorelei, a young elder from Harimun Academy in the audience seats, shook her head at those sharing Marhena's thoughts.
'Cayden is a musical genius.'
Was it more accurate to say he was born to make music, or that he lost his voice for the sake of music?
"Cayden, you got this! Let's go, let's go, let's go!"
At that moment, a plump middle-aged man shouted excitedly, and those who appeared to be his entourage erupted in cheers.
Lorelei turned toward them, smiled faintly, and gave a light bow.
"Father, you've come."
"Oh, Elder! It's been so long. You're as beautiful as ever, hahaha!"
The middle-aged man grew even more animated, bending his stout, jiggling frame vigorously.
Their connection ran deeper than one might think.
Cayden's father was a fairly prominent merchant in the southern Empire. The one problem in his life was that his young son, just weaned, was mute.
"Master, how can the young master become a merchant if he can't speak?"
"Pass the family business to a new child and find another path for the eldest."
He feared injury if raised as a swordsman, and disliked the idea of his son's future being devoured by religion if made a priest.
While wasting time in such indecision, Harimun Academy came to the city for a touring performance. He attended to soothe his troubled mind, and……
Having heard an unexpectedly superb performance, he went backstage to express thanks and pledge sponsorship when……
"Cayden, no! You can't touch their instruments……?!"
What happened next?
His five-year-old son was perfectly replicating the piece played by Harimun's students right there on the spot.
The most excited of all was Lorelei, Harimun's senior disciple at the time.
"Ah, Father…… Won't you entrust your son to me?"
"Pardon?"
"Your son is a genius! A musical genius! He must pursue music! If you leave him to me, I'll take full responsibility and raise him into a mage and performer whose name echoes through history!"
And so, Cayden became Lorelei's disciple and entered one of the Eight Great Academies.
His growth was meteoric; by age thirteen, he was recognized by all in the academy as a leading post-disciple.
Cayden became not just Lorelei's prized disciple, but a source of pride dearer than her own children.
'Our academy pursues the beauty of magic from the start. No peer can beat Cayden in this theme.'
Yet, as if to refute Lorelei's conviction, gasps of admiration rose here and there, directed elsewhere—at Christa Warden.
"The magic formation looks like……."
"A single painting……."
"That's a Bloodline Limit magic formation……!"
Christa had chosen a 3-star spell.
Though 3-star, the uniqueness of her Bloodline Limit combined with the girl's elegant script created a bizarre harmony, making the magic formation resemble art.
"And what about Rain Ludwig?"
When Rain's magic formation came into view……
The reactions split in two. Some gasped in admiration, others blinked in confusion.
"Five magic formations……?"
"Does that mean……?"
"A 5-star spell……?"
Even for a Pen Mountain like a 5-star spell, the number of equations to solve increased exponentially, naturally slowing the computation speed considerably.
'Even for me, equivalent to Glados (4-star), a 5-star spell is still tough…… He's beyond student level already.'
As Madelia Page gazed at Rain with a mix of surprise and concern, Kasena beside her asked about her expression.
"Why? Isn't using high-level magic good? Rain's using the strongest, so he'll win for sure, right?!"
"No, it's not that simple. That could backfire instead."
"What? Why?!"
A 5-star spell required precision calculations incomparable to 1- or 2-star, or even 4-star spells.
"Coordinate calculation, power control…… And whether there's room to add aesthetic beauty on top is questionable."
"……!"
"This exam isn't about scoring high just by using big, flashy magic. That's why I'm worried."
Rain Ludwig……
Even with your skill, you were cornered this time, huh.
"That might have been his only option."
Lilian Karain, watching the match with her Rivendel Academy peers, spoke up.
"To compete with Warden and Harimun."
Elin Ludwig in the opposite VIP room thought the same.
"To differentiate from those two, Rain's strength is his age-inappropriate magic prowess…… The only way to maximize that was this."
But still, a 5-star spell? Could he complete it within 60 minutes, incorporating all intended aesthetic effects?
"Are you serious about this?"
Christa furrowed her brow, harboring the same doubt. Rain Ludwig gave no answer.
To be precise, he couldn't.
In a state of extreme focus, he recalled and summoned…… That scene from that day, there, vividly, more vividly than ever.
* * *
"The first to complete the spell is Harimun's post-disciple!"
Having finished constructing the magic formation and the Pen Mountain, Cayden approached the judges' table.
The judging was led by Marhena, with ten veteran professors responsible for 2nd and 3rd years.
Each professor could award from 0 to 10 points, so the closer to the full 100, the nearer to first place.
"Oh-ho?"
"This magic formation alone is practically art."
The judges' eyes lit up with interest.
The magic formation had four attributes spread across the cardinal directions, intricately interlocked.
Professor Kyle peered closely at the formation and nodded.
"North is square, east is circular, south is fan-shaped, west is triangular…… In attribute order: earth, water, wind, fire."
Was there meaning in the sequence? Or just aesthetic effect…… Then Marhena placed her hand on the formation.
"Alright, let's see your skill, then."
Mana flowed from her fingertips, tracing the ink lines on the paper like dyed light spreading, and all spectators' thoughts froze in that instant.
A heavenly spectacle descended upon the earth.
As the square formation lit up, the earth rippled elegantly, a serene flute melody weaving spring patterns into their ears.
'Spring…….'
'The sound of spring…….'
As the circular formation glowed, a new ripple of sound arose from the flute's end.
'Stars shining as if pouring from a summer sky…….'
'And the quiet breathing of the river reflecting those stars upside down…….'
The fan-shaped formation evoked autumn's loneliness with wind and string sounds.
Finally, the triangle blazed with the crackle of a bonfire amid taut, howling winter winds, drumming into their hearts.
No spectator dared speak until every sound of the seasons faded.
"What……?"
"The afterglow……?"
Only after a long while did faint applause ripple through the stands, soon erupting into thunderous cheers that shook the arena.
"Wooooooooo!"
"Incredible! Magic did that? Not an orchestra?"
"I want to hear it again!"
Amid the uproar, Lorelei gazed proudly at Cayden, barely suppressing the swelling emotion in her chest.
'Cayden can't speak.'
He couldn't speak, but from childhood, he could express his feelings through music.
No.
That's not it.
Precisely because he couldn't, he learned to express his feelings, the world he saw and heard, all through music.
"Truly astonishing. Most Rigwind types draw forth magic with music, but to draw forth music so perfectly with magic……."
"The runes and equations used to create this melody are so intricate, even I as a professor can't fully evaluate them……."
"It was harmony itself! The harmony of the world!"
Chief Professor Marhena examined the formation once more.
The rune for spring: Chan (潺).
For summer: Wi (褘).
Autumn: Seo (逝), winter: Un (沄).
Light, upbeat advanced equations for spring and summer; elongated basic equations for autumn's melancholy.
"And for winter, splitting the formula to balance the two rhythms, forcibly extending the computations…… Runes and mathematical knowledge both perfect."
"Indeed, Master. A pinnacle of harmony between magic and music."
"Yes, Vice Chief! This could go straight to an orchestra!"
Amid such lavish praise, the professors wrote scores for Cayden on their papers and raised them simultaneously.
[8]
[9]
[9]
[10]
[10]
[10]
[9]
[9]
[10]
[10]
The total: a whopping 94 points.
Cheers exploded from the excited crowd.
"What a score! Even the chief professor, infamous for stinginess, gave 8!"
"The highest ever in this exam is 95, right?"
"That's the all-time record! Most who got 94 took first!"
So Harimun Academy takes the win this time? Is the match already over…… Such murmurs filled the venue.
But undeterred by the buzz, without flinching, a heroine strode past Cayden with confident steps to stand before the professors.
Christa Warden, the Warden family's lady.
'I've fought guys with overwhelming talent countless times.'
And won them all.
With my own weapon.
Except for one. Today, I'll topple him too, and stand at the pinnacle as Christa Warden.
"Have you prepared to witness a magic that will leave you no choice but to award the top seat?"