Chapter 32 - The Magic Geek Vents His Frustration
"So you are human after all, Saki-san. This is the first I've heard of it."
"Just for my reference, Lady Elisha, what exactly did you think I was?"
"...An incarnation of the Goddess of Magic, perhaps? But that would be Ruria-chan, wouldn't it? Well then, let's say an incarnation of the God of Hermits."
"That's quite the assessment. I'm deeply honored. Of course, that theory is being disproven as we speak."
As I spoke, I drew a perfect circle in the air with my finger. I pictured a blue line forming in its wake, closing the arc, then imagined my hand crackling with electricity as I chanted.
"Shocking Hand (Electric Hand)."
...Nothing happened. As I instinctively covered my face and looked to the heavens, a whispered voice beside me uttered the same words.
"Shocking Hand (Electric Hand)."
Purple lightning crackled and coiled around Ruria's outstretched arm. The current scorched the air, leaving the faint smell of ozone as Ruria gazed at me with a triumphant look. Damn her, showing off like that. And did she just cast that without tracing the Sigil (Mark)? I knew it was coming, but seeing the difference between us so clearly still fills me with frustration.
"Is this Ruria's tenth spell? She's finally caught up to Lug, the top third-year and Head of the Gold Dragon Hall."
"B-but Saki, you succeeded with your first nine on the first try, too. You're both still amazing."
"That's true... but the fact is I'm losing, and that doesn't make it any less frustrating," I replied, not bothering to hide my foul mood from Roche and Isak. Yes, for the first time in my life, I was experiencing the phenomenon of being "unable to cast a spell I've learned."
About a month had passed since Ruria and I successfully managed spell gesture omission. In that time, we attended lectures and practiced our spells as usual, but we hadn't attempted to learn any new ones.
This was because after we learned our eighth spell, the faculty council requested that we refrain from acquiring any more for a while. Two seven-year-old children, not even a month into their enrollment, had already met the academy's graduation requirements. I heard that a string of upperclassmen, having been so thoroughly outpaced, had fallen into a state of shock and despair.
"It feels strange telling you not to advance," Professor Azadh had told us, "but it's causing unrest not just among the students, but the professors as well. Until things calm down, could you just practice the spells you've already learned for now?"
So for the past month, Ruria and I spent our time outside of lectures either observing other students in the grand practice hall or practicing spell gesture omission in the spell labs. Now that the dust had presumably settled, we decided to challenge the ninth and tenth spells today, which is where the problem arose.
The ninth spell, Identify (Discernment), activated immediately on the first try, just like all the others. But with the tenth spell, [Shocking Hand], Ruria succeeded while I failed. I tried doing it by the book, drawing the [Sigil] and focusing my intent, but for some reason, it just wouldn't activate. I don't get it.
However, according to Roche, Isak, and Lady Elisha, my experience was perfectly normal. Trying to cast a spell as taught and failing, then finally succeeding after repeated practice—that was the typical process. They all grumbled that we were the strange ones for having succeeded on our first try every time until now.
They can say that all they want, but I'm in a state of shock myself, being unable to do something that had always come naturally. What's more, I'm the only one failing to cast [Shocking Hand]; Ruria had no problem activating it on her first attempt. Damn it, is this what they call a difference in talent?
Just then, I saw Lady Elisha glide smoothly across the corner of my vision.
"Oh, Ruria-chan, you are simply invincible, wonderful, and adorable! To be at the top of the entire academy at such a young age!"
"..."
"Hey, Ruria, don't point [Shocking Hand] at people without dispelling it. That's dangerous. And Lady Elisha, could you please stop trying to pounce on Ruria like that?"
"Oh? Would it be acceptable if it were you, Saki-san?"
As Lady Elisha wiggled her fingers eagerly at me, Ruria aimed [Shocking Hand] at her with a look of genuine menace. I hastily jumped between the two girls, shouting, "Don't move, either of you!" Roche and Isak watched the scene unfold with lukewarm expressions, clearly used to this sort of thing.
Ever since the five of us began using the spell labs by ourselves, Lady Elisha had started getting more involved with us, likely due to the lack of prying eyes. I wanted to point out that she hadn't seemed particularly concerned about an audience before, but apparently, she believed she had been exercising self-control. It was true that after our first meeting, Lady Elisha hadn't tried to glomp me or Ruria in the classroom or the grand practice hall.
But now, it was just the five of us in the relatively small spell lab. With Professor Hazza too busy to supervise every session, her restraints seemed to have snapped completely. I'd often find her standing behind me, ready to throw her arms around me in an embrace. Can't someone do something about this marquis's daughter with her toddler obsession?
As for Roche and Isak, they simply watched from a distance without saying a word, either out of relief that they weren't the targets or out of deference to the daughter of the great Marquis Shamir. Tch, useless fools.
But I know your secret, Roche. I've seen the suspicious way Lady Elisha sometimes looks at you. I wonder if you'll be able to remain so calm when you realize the fire isn't just on the other side of the river.
Incidentally, Isak seems to be completely off Lady Elisha's radar. Well, I suppose Isak sometimes looks even older than her. In reality, he should be two years her junior.
Setting all that aside, the current exchange was unacceptable. While keeping Lady Elisha at bay, I made Ruria dispel [Shocking Hand] and had them both stand before me.
"Didn't I tell you? When we're practicing by ourselves, there's no fooling around. Lady Elisha, you will not suddenly hug people. Ruria, you will not aim spells at people, not even as a joke. The faculty council trusted us enough to let us use this lab. If there's any trouble, we'll all be held responsible, you know?"
I lectured the two of them as they put on a show of remorse. Honestly, I wanted to make them kneel formally and give them a proper talking-to from above. Of course, this country has no such custom as the seiza-style kneeling.
Being scolded by me, Ruria's expressionless face was tinged with a hint of displeasure. She was clearly not convinced. It's true that unlike Magic Missile (Magic Arrow), [Shocking Hand] has no effect unless you touch the target, but aiming it at someone is the same as pointing a gun at them, you understand? It's something you must never do. You should reflect on that.
And as for Lady Elisha, who at first glance appeared to be taking this seriously, the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned. I was certain she was thinking, Saki-san is so cute when he's trying so hard to be stern. Having spent a fair amount of time together since entering the academy, I felt I was beginning to understand her quite well.
In this group of five, Lady Elisha is the eldest and of the highest social standing, so she should be the one taking charge. Yet for some reason, the role of giving instructions and issuing warnings in situations like this had fallen to me. The professors and other students all address me as if I'm the representative of our group. I don't get it.
Well, it's clear from being around her that Lady Elisha has a very relaxed personality and is hardly suited for leadership. Ruria, for her part, has no interest in interacting with others in the first place. Roche and Isak have been taking a step back from the start, so honestly, I feel like I'm the only one who can do it.
Anyway, it didn't feel like my lecture was having much effect, but I couldn't spend all day on these two. After issuing them a stern warning for now, I turned my attention to the other two. Roche and Isak were currently practicing their spells on their own, chanting with their hands clasped in front of their chests. Yes, they were working on spell gesture omission.
The matter of spell gesture omission had become, to put it mildly, a huge issue. The Academy Head, my grandmother, and Chief Professor Azadh immediately held a meeting to decide how to handle this new technique, and the result was a decision not to teach it at the academy for the time being. The reality, it seems, is that they have no other choice, as there is currently no one qualified to teach it.
A month has passed since then, but Ruria and I are still the only ones who can omit the gestures. The fact that even my grandmother and my parents haven't succeeded yet suggests that the hurdle is considerably high for those who have learned magic the traditional way. I was able to obtain this kind of information easily thanks to learning the Sending (Message) spell. Being able to have simple exchanges with my grandmother in Arcalai village and my parents in the royal capital without leaving the academy is a big advantage. Lately, I've been giving them reports and receiving scoldings every night before bed. Yup, I got another lecture about the spell gesture omission incident.
According to my father, accurately visualizing the [Sigil] without tracing it with a finger is exceedingly difficult. My grandmother and parents have apparently added the Triple Circle Method to their training regimen alongside the Lesser Heavenly Cycle. Everyone had been focused on the Lesser Heavenly Cycle for increasing their mana, but now the Triple Circle Method, which enhances visualization, is finally getting the spotlight.
Putting together what I've heard from everyone, it seems that spell gesture omission is a groundbreaking discovery that could overturn the very foundations of magic. The speed of a spell's activation is where a mage's skill is most tested, and it becomes critically important, especially when mages face each other in duels. Being able to chant a spell even a fraction of a second faster than an opponent can often decide the outcome of a battle.
That's why first-rate mages dedicate themselves to achieving faster activation, with swift hand movements and ridiculously fast chanting, trimming away everything they possibly can. Gesture omission is a technique that can shorten the activation time even further. No wonder everyone is tackling it with such intensity.
This is like a "secret technique" or "hidden art" in martial arts. A skill that only the successor or a limited number of high-ranking disciples are allowed to know or witness. Its greatest strength lies in being unknown, so keeping it thoroughly concealed is vital.
Due to these circumstances, we began to borrow a spell lab whenever we practiced spells, instead of using the grand practice hall. The other students in our year seem to think it's just because my and Ruria's spell acquisition speed is too different from theirs. The real reason, though, is so that no one sees us omitting the gestures.
"Light (Illumination)! ...No good, I see."
Roche chanted the spell's name, but no sphere of light appeared. Beside him, Isak similarly muttered "[Light]," but it seemed he had failed as well.
Since Roche, Isak, and Lady Elisha had witnessed Ruria and me using spell gesture omission for the first time, it was decided that we could teach it to them without secrecy. This was, of course, to test what kind of difference in learning speed would emerge between veteran mages and students who were not even novices.
And from what I can see, it's highly likely that omitting the gestures is not influenced by a mage's power, but only by their visualization ability. That's why Roche, who started practicing the Triple Circle Method the earliest among the three, is currently the closest to becoming the third user of gesture omission. In fact, the [Sigil] Roche visualizes during activation has become sharp and distinct, a clear difference compared to before.
"Roche, you're getting very close. If you keep practicing a little longer, I'm sure you'll master it. Isak, you're making steady progress too, so don't give up. It's okay, effort will never betray you."
I said this to encourage the two of them after their failed attempts at gestureless casting. However, the look Roche sent back was filled with a damp, resentful glare.
"I think those are fine words, but it's hard to accept them from someone who seems to have the least acquaintance with the word 'effort'."
The moment I heard those words, I felt a cold draft descend from the top of my head, and I could feel my own mood and gaze turn icy. My eyes fixed on him, and a voice a pitch lower than usual rumbled from the pit of my stomach.
"So you're saying it doesn't look like I make any effort, Roche?"
My question, delivered with a piercing stare, made Roche's face turn instantly pale as he froze on the spot. He opened and closed his mouth for a moment before hastily bowing his head and shouting.
"I have spoken out of turn! My sincerest apologies!"
"Isak."
Keeping my eyes fixed on the still-bowing Roche, I addressed Isak who stood beside him.
"Do you feel the same way as Roche, Isak?"
When I turned to look at him, he was so flustered he could only make incoherent noises like "ah" and "uh." He remained like that for quite some time, but as I waited silently for his response, he eventually opened his mouth as if he'd made up his mind.
"S-Saki-sama, you are blessed with such talent, s-so, um, you make everything look so easy, s-so I think that's why it looked that way to Roche."
Stumbling over his words more than usual in a longer-than-usual sentence, Isak shrank his large frame and looked down. I stood before them with my arms crossed, and after a moment's pause, I told them, "Both of you, raise your heads." As they timidly lifted their faces, I spoke to them in my usual tone.
"Ruria and I started the Triple Circle Method and the dice method I taught you when we were three years old. Since then, we haven't missed a single day of training for over three years. The difference between us and you isn't about talent or anything else; it's the difference in what we've built up over time."
I looked from one of them to the other, explaining slowly and deliberately.
"It's true that a difference in talent might exist. But being jealous or intimidated by it won't close the gap. And if you're already defeated in your heart, it becomes difficult to even continue putting in the effort. You can't compete like that. Even if it's just false bravado, you have to think, 'Who do Saki and Ruria think they are?' and keep trying. If you do, the results will surely follow."
The two of them just nodded silently in response to my words. Seeing them so dejected, I told them to take a break and had them sit by the wall to rest. I can't help but feel that I said something rather uncharacteristic of me. It even feels like Isak just got caught in the crossfire. Well, I'll try to do something to smooth things over with him later.
"You can say some harsh things at times, Saki-san. It was a little surprising."
I suddenly realized that Ruria and Lady Elisha had come over to my side. Lady Elisha spoke to me with her usual mischievous smile. Due to our height difference, she had to stoop a little to peer into my face, but strangely, neither her voice nor her gaze felt condescending.
Then, as if to block her view, Ruria squeezed between us and clung to me. So far, so normal. Usually, Lady Elisha would try to scoop both of us up in her arms at this point, and Ruria would start struggling and telling her to let go, but today she just smiled and watched me in silence. I let out a quiet breath, trying not to make it a sigh, and responded to Lady Elisha.
"Was it wrong of me to say those things, even though I'm the youngest?"
"Not at all," Lady Elisha's reply was as gentle as her gaze.
"Those who stand above others must sometimes speak harsh truths, even if they are difficult to hear. But those words must be said out of consideration for the other person, and at the same time, they must be words to discipline oneself. At least, that is what I was taught."
Those who stand above, huh. As expected of a high-ranking noble lady, even if she is... well, in many ways, she is what she is. It seems she's been properly educated in that regard.
"...I'll apologize to them later. For my poor choice of words."
"That would be wise. Roche-san and Isak-san will surely understand. You are friends, are you not?"
With that, Lady Elisha gave one last smile and walked away from us. It seemed she was going to resume her own practice. Ruria remained clinging to me, but when I just stood there silently, she too let go and started practicing her spells.
I stood there for a while longer, still as a statue, thinking about the earlier scene. What was it about Roche's words that had irritated me so much? And then there were Lady Elisha's words. I glanced over at Ruria. She was casting and dispelling one spell after another without any gestures. Her mana seemed inexhaustible, like a bottomless well.
It was a massive boomerang, wasn't it? This time, I let out a heavy sigh, then spoke aloud to change my mood and steel myself.
"...Time to practice."
After finishing our practice in the spell lab, the five of us decided to return to the dorms together. I figured it was better to do it sooner rather than later, so before leaving the lab, I apologized to Roche and Isak. They both waved it off in a fluster, saying I had no need to apologize.
"I was getting complacent because I knew you would forgive me, Saki. I will change my attitude and work hard so as not to disappoint you."
Roche said that with a sharp expression, but I have a feeling my reaction was partly me just taking out my frustrations on him. In any case, I said I would try to be more humble as well, and we left it at that.
After reporting to Professor Zamma in the grand practice hall that we were done with the spell lab, we entered the entrance hall to leave the academy building. This hall was twice the size of our dorm's entrance hall, its opulence rivaling that of the Great Temple's sanctuary I'd seen in the capital. Along the walls, between rows of stone pillars, hung portraits of mages who had achieved great things in the academy's history, accompanied by words praising their accomplishments.
At the far end of the hall stood a statue of Sister Magisa, the Magister Templi, the eighth rank of the Holy Magicians' Order—in other words, the Goddess of Magic, Isis. Beside it was a frame with no portrait inside. This was, in fact, the designated spot for my grandmother's portrait. The frame, the nameplate, and the list of her achievements were all prepared, but it remained empty, waiting for the portrait that was never added.
Apparently, the decision to hang her portrait here was made thirty years ago, but due to my grandmother's fierce resistance, it has yet to be realized. "Having a picture of me hung up in a place like that for tons of people to stare at is just plain creepy," was her own verdict.
As I walked toward the great doors of the hall, reminiscing about that story, a group of people entered my line of sight, coming in from the outside. The group of five or six individuals, led by a professor, were all clearly mages.
At the head of the group was an old man dressed in a luxurious, gray robe that resembled an academic gown, though it was longer, reaching his feet. He wore a large, protruding hood slung over his shoulders, as if to compensate for his slender frame, and a deep indigo stole was draped around his neck. His beard, while not as magnificent as the Academy Head's, was still impressive, lending him an air of considerable dignity.
The mages following the old man were also dressed to the nines, though less splendidly than him. They were all men, ranging in age from middle-aged to young. I didn't recognize a single one of them, so they must have been visitors from outside.
Our group of five and the group of visiting mages crossed paths in the center of the hall. We stopped and bowed our heads as they passed. After holding the bow for an appropriate amount of time, we resumed our walk toward the hall's doors. The other group seemed to have disappeared deeper into the building, but in these situations, it's considered good manners not to turn and watch them go.
Once we were outside the academy building, we all started talking at once. On the way back to the dorms, we exchanged information about the group of mages we had just seen.
"The man walking in front was Elder Mordecai, wasn't it? I wonder if the others were his disciples?"
Roche immediately showed off his well-informed nature. So that old man really is famous. But Mordecai? I've heard that name somewhere...
"H-he is the master of Lord Yuli."
"That's it, Isak. I remember now. He's called the 'Thunder-Glow Mage' or something, right?"
I dredged the memory up from the depths of my mind from when that idiot lord was boasting during the initial self-introductions. It was a grand title, but in terms of sheer style, my grandmother's "The Witch" had the upper hand. Though I suppose those with an aching right hand or a troublesome eye might disagree.
"Elder Mordecai is one of the most prominent mages in the west, and one of the few Fourth Tier users in the entire kingdom. I believe he currently serves in a position similar to an advisor for the Katzir family."
Thanks for the detailed info, Lady Elisha. But Fourth Tier means he's on the same level as my father and Professor Azadh. For us, who are still students at the academy and haven't even obtained a tier, he would be someone beyond the clouds. My grandmother? You can't use someone who's not just beyond the clouds but has broken through to outer space as a comparison (that's forbidden).
"I wonder what a first-class mage like him is doing at the academy with his disciples in tow? Maybe he came to check on his student, Lord Yuli?"
In response to my question, the three of them tilted their heads, looking unsure. Of course, as usual, Ruria didn't join the conversation and just clung to my hand, listening with a disinterested air.
"It's not impossible, but it seems unlikely he would visit the academy with such a large group. Many of the kingdom's influential mages have been visiting the academy one after another recently, so perhaps Elder Mordecai came so as not to be left behind."
"Th-there have been a lot of visitors lately. The professors were saying that, um, it's been difficult dealing with them all."
"There's a rumor that your grandmother, Saki-san, also came to the academy in secret. Apparently, she only met with the Academy Head before leaving, but I would have loved to meet her~"
I was more than a little shocked by my friends' words. Seriously? I had no idea. Come to think of it, I've been so caught up in the discovery of spell gesture omission and how to handle it that my feelers have been completely down. I need to reflect on that.
"But why have there been so many visitors all of a sudden? Has anything unusual happened at the academy?"
At my muttered words, the three of them shot me a cold glare in unison. To make matters worse, even Ruria was looking up at me from my chest with an ice-cold gaze. Huh, me? Is it my fault?
"Please, for the love of all that is holy, get used to the fact that what's normal for you isn't normal for others. The professors are going to great lengths to turn away all the people trying to meet with you and Ruria. Their efforts are being wasted."
"R-rumors about you two are starting to spread outside the academy, it seems."
"Saki-san, even I cannot defend you on this one."
Roche said with a sigh, Isak with a hint of pride, and Lady Elisha while averting her gaze and looking down. You're kidding... So that's what's been happening. My bad, I'll be more careful from now on. I apologized to everyone and returned to the dorm, where I reported the day's events to my father and grandmother via [Sending] before bed.
Little did I imagine that the events of this day would later lead to a situation that would put my very life in danger.
Here is the thirty-first chapter. My computer died, and by the time I got a new machine, quite a lot of time had passed before I could continue writing. If anyone has been waiting, I sincerely apologize. I plan to continue posting in the future, so I hope you will stick with me.