Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: The Empire's Youngest Atlas
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- My name is Arad Ludwig, the genius mage who became the Empire's youngest Atlas (3-star) at the age of twelve!
Just when I think I've forgotten, memories from three hundred years ago overlap with reality somewhere, triggered by a sense of déjà vu. What a contradictory way to put it. But to me, it all happened just recently.
- That's weird. Wasn't Lin the Empire's youngest?
Fride, the Fire Dragon's Shrine Maiden, tilted her head with a puff from her pipe. I yawned in response.
- Nah, I got mine at thirteen.
To be precise, I earned Bandoran (1-star), Limites (2-star), Atlas (3-star), and Glados (4-star) all at once when I was thirteen.
- Huh? What? Why?
- Too much hassle.
Taking those ranking exams was such a pain that until my aunt the chancellor grabbed me by the ear and dragged me there, I was a rankless mage.
- Come at me, Lin! I'll crush you and prove that someone like me—not some nobody without roots—is the one worthy to stand beside noble heroes like Lady Rista and Lady Fride!
Rista had been chuckling about feeling like a princess caught in a lovers' quarrel, but now she bristled. Fride grabbed her shoulder and snickered.
- Hang in there. He's just a kid who doesn't know any better.
Then she placed a hand on my shoulder and lowered her voice so Arad couldn't hear.
- Don't just smash him with brute force. Think of it as teaching him a few things.
- No way. Why?
- Forcing someone to submit with raw power isn't true strength. Knowing how to use that power to push someone forward—that's what makes an adult.
Fride was usually overflowing with mischief to the point of being unbearable, but every now and then, she'd flash a smile more mature than anyone else's.
Whenever I met that smile, I'd avert my eyes first, unable to even think of arguing back.
Fride gave my back a hearty shove toward Arad... and just recalling that impact made the past memory fade from before my eyes.
“What...?”
Like that ancient Arad from long ago, Christa narrowed her eyes arrogantly, hand on her hip.
“You're challenging me? What's your game?”
“I'm here for the exam, so let's do the exam.”
“What nonsense... Don't you know this is the supplementary testing hall?”
“I came at the right time. I was late for the main session, so they said I have to take the supplementary one.”
Her immediate response left Christa's mind blank for a moment.
This guy, the legitimate heir of a great magic house, taking a supplementary exam? Because he was late? Doesn't he feel any shame?
While Christa floundered in confusion, Professor Carolline stepped forward.
“Young master? Sorry, but do you know what kind of mage Christa is?”
“Yeah. Pretty decent skills, I guess?”
“It's more than that. She graduated top of her class from Delaiten's intermediate magic academy and was one of the single annual recommended admissions to become a Delaiten member already—an outstanding mage.”
Hmph, self-proclaimed geniuses always had their sycophants, past or present.
I remembered that squire of Arad Ludwig's yapping for a good five minutes about his master's greatness. I wasn't about to sit through that again.
I yawned indifferently and replied.
“I wanted to sightsee the city more, so can we skip the intro and get started? It'll be over quick anyway.”
Over quick?
Carolline let out a dazed “Haha,” while Christa flushed red and grabbed Rain's collar.
“Over quick? With me? Ha! Fine, bring it. I'll smash you like clay!”
Sigh...
Carolline gave a wry smile.
‘This girl's competitive streak always flares up at the weirdest times...’
And once it did, her mouth got foul. Carolline checked the proctor's documents—the list of supplementary exam takers.
‘Huh, no name on the supplementary exam list?’
Wait, there it was.
After digging through the papers, she finally found Rain Ludwig's name at the very end. Her eyes locked on his record.
‘No graduation from magic elementary or intermediate school. No competition awards. No ranking achievements...’
That fit the widespread “genius young master” moniker perfectly.
Just high-level banter from the lesser houses teasing the great house heir.
But then there was one odd entry.
‘Served as teaching assistant to Principal Skalji Ludwig of Ribarden Magic School for 3 years.’
Teaching assistant to Skalji Ludwig? Under that former Magic Alliance leader and magic tower veteran?
As far as Carolline knew, he wasn't one to coddle family.
He'd cast out the useless without mercy. She'd seen Senior Elin Ludwig get reamed to tears multiple times.
‘If he really assisted that man's classes... why do they call him the genius young master among the Eight Great Academies?’
It was baffling.
More intriguing than baffling, really. She wanted to see for herself. Whatever the outcome...
“Alright, let's proceed with the exam.”
* * *
On the marble floor of the testing hall, two magic barriers interlocked like gears, spinning steadily.
Shock absorption, damage reduction.
The shock absorption minimized damage to structures, while damage reduction protected the examinees' bodies.
“Now, the match rules will be Illuweden, same as before.”
Illuweden.
The divine tongue for “3.”
A magic duel where each side casts up to three spells, neutralizing the opponent's magic before subduing them.
“Disqualification for any life-threatening attacks on the opponent. Understood by both?”
On that marble floor, the boy and girl stood facing each other, ten paces apart, and nodded.
“Yes.”
“Good. Begin!”
At the call, Christa spread her right hand.
Whoooosh.
A magic circle floated above it.
Circle construction, rune inscription, mathematical formula calculation... the standard process for altering the world's laws with magic.
‘A battle mage's duel boils down to this casting speed.’
Proof of genius.
Of course, most mages carried grimoires pre-drawn with circles, injecting mana into the appropriate one for the situation. Mental calculation was genius territory.
‘In that regard, Christa's casting speed is beyond what her peers can match...’
Fine details elegantly layered onto the circle hovering over Christa's palm.
A rune etched in the center, the formula altering the world's laws filling the edges with intricate precision.
‘How does he plan to face a Christa like this?’
Was she thinking the same? Christa's brows twitched as she glanced at Rain.
“Not prepping your magic?”
She had to ask.
Laying the foundation—spreading the palm to deploy the circle—was duel basics.
But the boy was doing nothing.
“No need to prep for a low-rank spell fight.”
His answer was absurd.
“I'm just thinking of a spell that'll end it without hurting you, so keep doing what you're doing.”
“End it without hurting me... with some convenient spell?”
Ha, Christa almost laughed, but her eyes suddenly chilled.
“All talk and cheap provocations from the start... I'll smash that mouth so you never spout that arrogant crap again!”
That instant.
A second circle spawned atop the spinning one on her palm, meshing perfectly.
‘2-star magic...!’
Mana surged, rippling the air and flapping Carolline's robes wildly.
“Christa, dangerous! Magic of that rank...!”
“So what? He's confident, right? If it gets risky, I'll stop myself—no worries!”
Casting 2-star magic mentally was the hallmark of genius.
Could you compute two formulas in your head simultaneously? That was the requirement for 2-star.
Christa finally clenched the brilliantly spinning circle in her palm.
Ching! With a clear chime, it shattered, manifesting the miracle into reality.
‘The Warden house bloodline limit: earth-summoning magic...’
If the Ludwigs were “magic thieves,” the Wardens were “magic tamers.”
Ruuuumble...
Dust whipped into a storm, then a massive form descended behind Christa, exuding overwhelming presence.
“Come, Sandstone Golem!”
Body of solid sandstone, joints fluid with sand's buoyancy...
The spell executed flawlessly.
As Christa brushed back her hair, the golem's eyes gleamed sharply in resonance.
“There. Match over.”
“Why?”
“You just flapped your gums. Your level's this low in the end. You didn't cast a single spell until I pulled out 2-star.”
Pathetic.
All the mages Christa, hailed as a once-in-a-generation genius, had faced were powerhouses with mighty spells or vast mana. The pinnacle of magic.
‘Compared to practice bouts with those...’
No tension here at all.
No urgency.
Not even anticipation for what spell he'd pull. Pure waste of time.
“Be grateful. If I hadn't chased off the other examinees, someone would've seen this pathetic show—”
The boy snickered and raised his index finger.
“—and called it impressive, so here's a tip.”
“What?”
“Magic isn't about who casts first being strongest.”
Then, on his open palm, wait... a ring of light appeared, spinning dazzlingly.
“It's who uses the most efficient one for the situation.”
Christa gasped.
The rune inscription and formula deployment speed... it was over in a blink.
‘Even for 1-star...?’
The spell finished deploying before Rain even ended his sentence.
“Sandstone!”
Sensing crisis, the golem aimed at Rain, raising its massive fist and scattering dust everywhere.
Circle form: circle.
Inscribed rune: heat.
Rain's magic infused water attribute with “expansive spread.”
Sploooosh—!
As the circle vanished, water burst forth, spreading massively in midair and crashing down on the golem mid-swing.
‘A water mage...!’
Soaked head to toe, clothes dripping, Christa scowled.
‘Everyone knows water counters earth... but 1-star won't cut it!’
It might lower the golem's defense and mobility, but no fatal blow possible.
Splat—!
The golem's ground-smashing fist splattered messily, flinging mud everywhere.
The world turned to mud pit in seconds.
But simultaneously, the flung mud chunks disrupted vision too.
‘He aimed for this...!’
Seizing the moment to control the golem for a ground-shatter attack to neutralize the boy—that's when.
‘Huh...?!’
The thought barely formed. The light ring spinning on Rain's right hand... was two layers thick.
‘No way, he just cast 1-star, not even two seconds ago?’
Before Christa could blink in shock, Rain's mind had finished all calculations.
Circle form: double square.
Runes: rhythm and orbit.
Earth magic granted “binding” and “flow reversal” properties. Mental math: Previs differential method.
“Solution derived, law altered.”
Ching... Shards of light scattered as the circle broke, countless vines erupting from marble cracks.
Pabababam—!
They burrowed deep into the golem's water-weakened legs... and climbed higher.
Groooan...
The golem convulsed like a beast impaled, but stiffened immobile in seconds.
“Sandstone, Sandstone!”
Christa cried desperately, but it only creaked futilely.
Then, a final vine rose from her feet, binding her hands and feet in an instant.
The bonds so tight, no struggle budged them. Rain's voice came.
“See? Casting first doesn't mean you win.”
I lost...? Christa dazedly processed, then bellowed.
“You—you, let go! Let go now!”
“Seems the win's decided.”
“Shut up! I've only used one spell? This is invalid! And I gave you so many chances—”
“—Losing to someone doesn't feel great, huh?”
Writhing against the vines, Christa froze at the calm, quiet voice.
“You seem pretty strong yourself. No need to crush me so desperately like before.”
“Th-that's...! It's an aptitude test! I'm the one testing!”
“Raw power-crushing isn't true strength. Using that power to give someone a push—that's real strength.”
I didn't fully grasp it yet, but after five years watching those three's backs, I had some idea.
Really.
It didn't suit me at all.
But I'd wanted to change like them... After relaying Fride's words, I felt awkwardly embarrassed, cleared my throat, and withdrew the ability vines.
“...”
Whether the poignant lesson sank in, the boy couldn't tell, but Christa stood speechless and dazed.
‘Impossible.’
Meanwhile, Professor Carolline watching couldn't close her mouth.
‘He didn't fail to cast at first—he chose not to...?’
For a perfect counter? More than that, what was that ultra-high-speed calculation just now?
‘Drew out the golem's weakness with water, then finished with a decisive blow...’
Enabled by unreal casting computation speed.
‘That speed... isn't it near the Chancellor's level?’
But that was impossible to accept.
Delaiten's Chancellor Madelia Page was Glados (4-star), wasn't she?
The next moment, Carolline muttered unconsciously.
“Where's the ‘heaven-sent disaster’ in that guy...?”