Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Magic Tower - 2
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While Aria was looking at the table of contents titled "The Human Body and Sexuality," Leonardo was wandering around the Magic Tower's lecture halls.
[But there are way too many classrooms. Think you can find it?]
[It's over there.]
Leo pointed at a small dot with his finger. It was so far away that the Sage had to strain his eyes just to barely make it out.
[...Were you born to nomadic people or something?]
[You've already seen my hometown.]
[No, but you can see that?]
[With effort, anything is visible.]
Invoking the old-school theory of grit that the elders loved, Leo walked toward a graduate student pacing anxiously at the entrance of a lecture hall.
"...Where is it...? It was definitely here..."
"Ameri, you dropped this."
He held out the wallet he'd picked up to the flustered woman, who was rummaging through her pockets.
"Ah...! There it is...! Thank you so much...!"
She took the wallet with a voice almost breaking into tears and opened the lecture hall door.
"Thank you... I had all my meal vouchers for food expenses in there... If I'd lost it... I would've been stuck eating nothing but dorm greens this month too..."
The phrase "this month too" indirectly revealed that she'd gone through the same ordeal last month.
Out of sheer pity, Leonardo couldn't even express sympathy.
"...Um, Leonardo... Would you like to sit in on the lecture...?"
"Huh? Is that okay?"
"Y-Yes...! Visitors sometimes come to audit... and listen in..."
From Leonardo's perspective, there was no reason to refuse. This was a perfect chance to gauge the Magic Tower's educational standards, so he welcomed it.
"Then I won't hold back."
[Let's see if these underclassmen know their stuff.]
As he opened the lecture hall door, he saw a spacious auditorium filled with rows of seated students. At the center stood the professor at the podium.
His fat build, greasy mustache, and oily hair unfortunately left a poor impression.
"...Um, Leonardo. You might be better off skipping this lecture..."
"Huh? Why?"
At her advice, Leonardo couldn't help but voice his doubt. Perhaps sensing the complexity in explaining, Ameri let out a rare sigh.
"Just listen for ten minutes. And don't misunderstand..."
Intrigued by her odd warning, Leo and the Sage silently listened to the lecture.
And after about seven minutes, Leo and the Sage found themselves in agreement once more.
[Is this what passes for a lecture?]
"This is a lecture?"
It was so ridiculous it bordered on the absurd.
Of course, they had to account for not comparing it directly to the Sage, but even so, it was pathetically inadequate.
[At this level, it's not a lecture—it's rote indoctrination.]
The lecture so far had only covered memorizing advanced magic circles, their usage, and significance—nothing more.
It was pure cram teaching with no value beyond cramming a bunch of magic circles in a short time.
Not even Rios would give such worthless instruction.
And amusingly, the students were the same.
They were merely evaluated on who could recite the forms and definitions of magic circles faster and more accurately—no discussion of meaning or application.
It would've been better off as a speed quiz.
"Ha... I get why you said to skip it. Let's go..."
"...Leonardo...?"
Ameri looked at Leo with a panicked expression, drenched in cold sweat. Leo soon glanced around.
Not just Ameri—the students were all turning to stare at Leo.
Including the professor teaching the class.
[The professor probably noticed you first. That's why everyone's looking.>
A sigh threatened to escape.
He regretted not heeding Ameri's advice sooner—enough to wish he could turn back time.
"You there. Who are you? Come down here."
With his arrogant and coercive tone, Leo—unwilling to escalate—walked to the podium without a word.
As he did, the students' gazes weighing on him only made his steps heavier.
"...You just critiqued my lecture. Care to repeat it?"
"That was..."
Suddenly, he slammed his heavy hand on the podium.
"Don't play dumb. Say it again exactly."
Any pretense of civility was gone. It was unmistakably an order meant to reprimand.
"...I said, 'Is this what passes for a lecture?' and 'I get why you said to skip it.' I'm sorry for causing a disturbance."
[Hey, you're just apologizing?! Have you no pride?]
He wanted to heed the Sage, but right now, he had to bow his head and endure. Any issue with his intermediate magic permit would be a far greater loss.
"No. You might be right. So I'll graciously give you a chance."
His clumsy feigned mercy was so hypocritical that, if not for the crowd, Leo would've wanted to spit in his face.
"Since you find my lecture dissatisfying, why don't you give one yourself? Doesn't that mean you can do better than a professor who graduated from a proper academy?"
It was obviously meant to publicly humiliate him. His intent to shame the Magic Tower's students was plain as day.
"...Then I'll sit. I look forward to it."
Some students smirked, while others let out soft sighs at the professor's childish punishment.
But
[...No choice, then.]
[Perfect. Flip the classroom upside down.]
Neither the Sage's disciple nor the Sage himself showed any anxiety.
Tak tak tak
Leonardo silently wrote three magic circles on the blackboard.
"I assume you all know these. They're basic 1st-circle spells."
As he said, they were the first spells Leonardo had ever learned.
[Fireball]
[Lightning]
[Magic Missile]
"Trying to teach basics? This isn't an elementary academy."
The professor, perhaps roughly gauging Leonardo's circles, hurled mockery.
"...Then let me ask one thing about these basics."
Feeling such taunts meaningless, Leonardo scanned the students with a dry voice.
"What are the commonalities and differences between these spells?"
"That's simple..."
"Note that this isn't about circles or elements. I'm asking something more fundamental, so please think carefully before answering."
No one ventured a reply.
Not to disrupt Leo's lecture, but because they genuinely saw no commonalities or differences beyond that.
"No answers, so I'll explain."
Leonardo drew dotted lines on each magic circle in sequence. Vertical for Fireball, horizontal for Lightning, and a 180-degree point-symmetric version beside Magic Missile.
"The commonality is that all these magic circles are symmetric. The difference lies in the type: vertical-horizontal symmetry, left-right symmetry, or point symmetry."
A few began to nod in agreement. They died down under the fat professor's glare, but some students quietly nodded.
"These are mere examples, but in truth, all magic circles have symmetry. Higher ones just get complex enough to be hard to discern."
The questions continued.
"Then why do we incorporate symmetry into magic circles?"
No one answered that either. They knew, but it was hard to hide their sorrow over the dismal state of education.
"Simple. Symmetry is the foundation of cosmic balance."
Noting their confusion, Leo picked up a marble from the table and spun it as a simple example.
"No matter how you spin this marble, it looks the same. That's a basic example of symmetry—measuring the same despite change."
Now some students subtly pulled out writing tools. The instincts of seasoned learners in this educational wasteland urged them to record even a fragment of this lecture.
"This is why magic circles are symmetric. To draw out cosmic elements like fire, water, wind through mana, symmetry is the most efficient form."
The universe is symmetric, so magic circles are too.
It was logic and lecturing comprehensible with just common sense and magic basics.
At that moment, one student timidly raised a hand.
"Yes, go ahead."
"...Then... why differentiate the types of symmetry?"
She hesitated, glancing around. The reason was clear from the professor's piercing stare.
"Also simple. To calibrate magic for human use depending on purpose."
Adjusting symmetry types was a form of processing. Just as cooking flames differ from smelting ones, magic has processing methods.
"So, understanding a magic circle's meaning enables things like this."
Leo formed a magic circle above his hand. Fireball-shaped, but point-symmetric at 180 degrees instead of vertical-horizontal.
The spell activated, launching an arrow-like flame.
"...That's..."
"A fusion of Fireball and Magic Missile—the basic way to combine spells. Through understanding and application, countless magics can be developed."
Leo touched the blackboard's magic circles as he spoke.
"Of course, these are fundamentals and standards. They allow the fastest, most efficient casting."
Then he erased them with the eraser.
"But to live as a mage, not just a magic user, you must grasp more. Remember the standards, but pursue beyond—that's the essence of scholars and mages."
The professor was speechless, the students frantically taking notes.
Satisfied with the scene, Leo gave a short closing.
"Thank you."
With that, he stopped speaking.
The lecture was over.
Clap... clap clap clap!!
Weak applause swelled into thunderous cheers.
All the students unanimously applauded Leonardo's lecture.
[But now what?]
[Why? That was good. Not up to my level, but leagues better than that pig in human skin.]
[True, but... since that pig is a professor, he could object to your intermediate permit.]
Professor Hagman Pugnun
Not an immediate target for elimination or a dark mage, but Leonardo harbored no good feelings toward him personally.
As seen earlier, he was an utterly incompetent professor—arrogant and haughty to boot.
[Ha... You think he'll pettily object?]
[Feels like foreshadowing, so let's not tempt fate.]
As if responding to the foreshadowing, Professor Hagman rushed at Leonardo.
"You...! What's your student ID and name!?"
His tone made it clear this wasn't praise.
"Well... I'm Leonardo. Not a student, so no ID."
At that, the students looked at Leo with puzzled expressions.
"Don't tell me... you're here for a magic permit?"
"...Yes."
A rotten smile spread across the heavy professor's face. The foreshadowing had hit perfectly.
"Heh... then..."
Clap, clap, clap
Short, rhythmic applause—like matching the ticking of a clock's second hand.
"Excellent lecture, Leonardo."
The newcomer was a man in black attire. Like Leo, he had black hair and red eyes, but his extreme pallor prevented any resemblance.
[That guy... no way...]
It was exactly that.
"L-Lord Tower Master...!!"
The Black Magic Tower's Tower Master, Bernan Verdein.
"You're too kind. I still have much to learn."
"Still, you've more than earned this."
The Black Tower Master handed over a document with an expressionless face.
Beside it was a special seal proving the Tower Master's approval.
"...You're giving it to me right now...?"
"Why delay? I skip unnecessary procedures. Waste of time."
[This one's reasonable. Not all blockheads after all.]
Leonardo agreed. He gratefully accepted the permit extended to him.
"So, if opportunity arises, join our Black Tower's graduate program..."
"No thanks."
[Nope. He's a devil.]
They agreed on this thought too.