Chapter 18: Learning magic (1)
wz7NXXThis time, it was Klumphs turn to be surprised. He always thought this, but Alpheas was a friend who knew how to play with people.u3b
lVWHuh? I did hear that when the path of magic opens up, you gain the ability of foresight. I guess its true.5L0I
2GJiOoIts not like that. I just had a short interaction with him before He left a pretty strong impression.0wsJe
K616yAs rare as it was to encounter such a man of talent around the world, it was even more uncommon to discover someone as talented as Shirone in the magic academy.HZ7wE5Q
KEM3FVMMoreover, he could guarantee that Shirone was the only commoner who was in the city of Creas.NEyvzor
LBnGztSo that is what happenedONA
II7jAlpheas briefly described his encounter with Shirone who, at the time, was 12 years old.Q4vN
5SpPR2After Alpheas finished his story, Klumph began talking about how Shirone joined the Ogent family.imchi
2jRU8Hmm Shirone Arian.asqM
KWBA6Alpheas went silent again. But this time, he was actually deep in thought.V74o9JI
Be2LQ3yKlumph spoke.Lpv5Bs
mmoyTPGWhy dont you just take him in? Who knows, maybe it is fate. Dont you think so?Gs04Z
rxXFate is a foolish word and concept. Humans shape their own futures. If you deem whatever happens to you as fate, then at that point, fate controls your life. You give up trying because whatever happens is fated to be.s6xPa54
F4sXIt didnt work this time either.IRcA10t
77tYKlumph pursed his lips.nwM
at6yOn one side, his heart pained. It was because he understood his friends dilemma.5YC00pq
08gBJMiYou still havent forgiven yourself?1WLoP
QevMgYyAlpheas went quiet.imWAVY
db5hqRDespite the sharp stares of the nobles, you probably opened the special admission because of your regret over your youth. But youve done enough. You have already raised countless prodigies, so stop dishonoring yourself. Forgive yourself and let go.nkoWjIm
1V9CHuhuhu, there exists arrogance when forgiving oneself. I was someone who trashed the precious talent gifted by god. Its not something that can be forgiven. Im just hoping that a person like me will never appear again.YOt5Mgo
osOOrQNKlumph let out a deep sigh.r1UF
1MKHiiAlpheas was a certified Grade 4 mage and was the headmaster of a prestigious academy, but he was not someone who shouldve stopped there. He was a genius.xyu
UNKIf only that incident never happenedxoqn9bQ
GzYCEKeukeuh. Well, in the past, even I found you ridiculously full of yourself. The Myrhe familys light. For a genius who might only appear once every blue moon to be acting as an old headmaster of an academy How funny.v7o0m8
1L2With age, one learns to embrace and accept pain, so Alpheas gave no heed to Klumph despite his harsh words.Ig4r
w8K9Chuckle! On the other hand, you received the help of god. Who wouldve thought that a once talentless idiot would become a 3rd-class swordsman? Im quite worried for the future of this kingdom.OJEOtn
dYMThe two broke out cackling.SihcTP
kYiWjdFTalent and effort It was fair to say that Klumph won in terms of those elements. Alpheas admired him and was simply proud to have Klumph as a friend.IkIfWud
1pVIve thought about this more and more as Ive gotten older, but I believe genius is just a man-made delusion. Geniuses are only people who just enjoy something a bit more than most people do Can that boy comfort me?t5AyG
VFQThats something only you would know the answer to, my friend.Z58G
nhCDAlpheas walked to the window with a smile.GXX
9LeNSo in the end, does it all come back?aNSoZ
3sE0FxThe talent blocked by a barrier called status had once again appeared in front of Alpheas after four years.R7b0Sto
SUKcHe believed there was no such thing as fate. The future was something that could change and was not pre-determined.AwsuglW
cKnVbBut Alpheas felt a sudden thrill course through his body.lp5
eqyPerhaps Fate was real?R1flke
s9vquI will accept Shirone into the academy.MKam
nTWcu* * *e8U8
EAoowgwSpring arrived.YDCWw
eO7dWith flowers in full bloom around Vincents cabin, Shirone patiently awaited for the entrance ceremony.nk56
xOAlEuShirones admission to the magic academy was a family celebration, so Vincent did not tell anyone about it.TM2g
IyrtjBHThe reason was because he did not want to trouble Shirone in case rumors of it started cropping up.YxMK
hRBSRAnd Shirone was grateful for it.FIK0h
TAsciThe reason why they rejected the Ogent familys offer to get a house in the city was because Shirones parents did not want to bother their son.8MQ
RWPZEiThe happy times flew by. It was finally time for Shirone to go.8onmC
7WPiAs the deputy butler, Temuran, stood next to the carriage. Shirone said his affectionate farewells to his parents.eAVojG
O2aMFather, Ill get going. Ill write to you often.at4gg
sL7X2Yes, my son! Do your best! Here, give me a kiss!HWq
SIqEuk!eek1e
Ag7bC8aShirone scrunched up his face. No matter how young he may look, he was now 17-years-old, so to ask for a kiss from him was a difficult request.4lN
28UAvKissing now is a bitkii4u3
w4U7CVincent interjected.8De
l925If youre not going to do it, Ill do it.jJu
oEMMxiEeuuk.UI9
snZ6As a pair of meaty lips approached, Shirones neck withdrew like a turtle as he raised his head.f873
wvh7hGZVincent kissed Shirones forehead and pulled him in for a hug.7rkjO
zCtKIm proud of you, Shirone.OET
JwEFather.sLWTy0
R2aSoShirone reciprocated his fathers firm hug.8PPJ
WPqWith the strong support of his parents, his fear of the aristocratic academy went away a little.l9Ak
eWewsKZI will return.md5
7iOLeaving his house with his usual greeting, Temuran approached and bowed his head.Mk8
7ooL96Please, climb on. I will take you to the academy.IcWp
foGudYes, thank you.oYz3h2
vHmCuP2Both men were silent during the ride.Wisi
e2g6Since their positions had completely changed in the span of just two years, both were quite uncomfortable. But Shirone did not forget the fact that Temuran had sided with him, despite Louis opposition.Dfhr3rl
NLudUpon arriving at the main gate of the magic academy, Temuran turned more courteous as he dropped Shirone off. Since it was a place where nobles attended, he had to make sure he acted properly.IlOewk
TEG2lAlong with the admission fee, the payment for the school materials has already been settled. Dont worry about the financial part, young master! Just study hard!NY4g
WT1A2bkShirone politely said.Ez7ygNU
eiLDeputy butler, thank you.XWSPUgy
M3t2mdPI am just doing what I have to do.euZ
UpwI dont think Ive properly thanked you. Thanks to your support, I get to go to this academy. I will never forget this favor.WD1
nS2No matter how high a commoner might fly, they are still commoners. They can never go beyond the nobles.kRnL
JXtmShirone raised his head. Temuran had a stern look on his face.9Ae
ld4But this opportunity is not something that just appears. When you enter the academy, many nobles will not like you. Even so, please bear it. Endure it, for it will eventually come to an end.zPHArK
hvun4It was advice from an orphan who became a deputy butler. It was very Temuran-like.pEIGRPw
7EhPThank you. Ill definitely become a mage.JBXhoYQ
r9Jz42MTemuran smiled. This was the first time Shirone had ever seen Temuran smile.DklU
O2jGFollow me if you are ready. Young master was registered as a guest of the Ogent family and accepted through special admission. Let me introduce for you.Oov5jpW
aTiwGuards stood in front of the academys main gate.d0n8
CIJ4He did not know if they were the same ones who drove Shirone out, but even if a person were to change, the philosophy and belief in their place would still remain constant.NgUE
poSDhktWhat is the matter?4bDcM9
A8kIHe is Shirone, he was recently admitted to the magic academy. Here is the proof of admission and the identification notarized by the Ogent family.EkRz5
CfSiThe guards who saw the proof of admission did not dare to check the identification. This was because ordinary people were not allowed to cross the gates.ZmlX
XYrjn4Its an honor to serve you. Im Marco, the guard of the main gate. I look forward to working with you.lvJV
YppCtRdConsidering how he was treated just 5 years ago, Shirone felt strange due to the treatment, but he was no longer a small child.2DnUe
hnJr85gYes. I look forward to working with you as well.oQKF
5kiTemuran turned to Shirone.IseTE
vFzGcMAThen, Ill get going. Please, feel free to contact me anytime if you need anything.4Lt6VD
FUzoIAfter receiving the documents from Shirone, he took his first step as a student of the magic academy.kXeoW
mO6eAttention!sZGVaX
kkocThe moment he crossed the gates of the magic academy, he was greeted with salutes. This made Shirones heart thump loudly.cDu
malu7ysAlpheas Magic Academy!Y0kF
KZrAWhat could he learn here? And what kind of people would he meet in a place called the birthplace of geniuses?EC0s
Xw3tCeqThe numerous buildings that were scraping the sky seemed to welcome Shirone.7kH
IJxSZKk* * *rQKCep
HQ4nsyM* * *fbbjz
dBXKa41The academy was using a whole mountain over a site area of 75.425 square kilometers.qekjA1
CrHbWhen including dormitories, there were a total of 22 buildings. And there were more than 40 training grounds.rlt3f
veam8LDespite the fact there were only 32 teachers, The total number of students attending was 420. And while this may seem low, in reality, this amount was equal to the best academy in the kingdom.IL4
q1NEntering a building where the reception desk was located, Shirone saw students with glowing, radiant faces walking around.c2UN
EeOYbqVAfter submitting his documents, while waiting, Shirone looked at the curriculum pinned against a wall.cAuUyiX
kyopGTRThey sure are systematic!5U2
egKThe Alpheas Magic Academy was run using a system called the Class Ten, where classes 10 to 8 were Beginner classes, 7 to 4 were Intermediate, and 3 to 1 were the Graduate/Advanced classes.fil
uU3KMThe Advanced classes used relative evaluation, and only 10 out of the maximum 30 students could graduate.tUP
o3ZQOnly 10 students?HIJxw1
HszbRJConsidering that the graduation test was held once a year, that meant 20 prodigies failed every year.GgQxW
ApPOfYou must be Shirone.aJvD
S1SEArWhen he turned his head, he saw Alpheas, who looked no different compared to five years ago, walking towards him.cbQ
dwGShirone bowed politely, recalling that this place was a magic academy.OX31W
giJHRRRHello. My name is Shirone.3f5xpfA
pXH6I think weve met before. Do you remember me?iboBvE
B2r2KqThere was no way Shirone could forget the incident that pushed him to dream of becoming a mage.Gsb
JAkClYes, I do. Thank you. I am truly grateful.1WF
sAv3lmvWell, well get to those talks eventually. But for now, come. You have to go take the entrance test.eDL
riNa4kpHm? A test?0G7
xCZtQShirone was taken aback.F1VTZO
jok9He hadnt learned anything yet, so how was he supposed to take a test?raTQO
kcUTheres nothing to worry about. Its just to evaluate which class to put you in. Can you enter the Spirit Zone?txapjQ
LzkQzuYes, I can.5rvCnj3
3YTsUBOho?un40N
PyXgTFyIt was definitely unusual to enter the Spirit Zone alone.LIyrs
6Z5etHowever, Shirone did it outside of school and without proper guidance, so Alpheas could not extinguish all his worries.P0g1H
s3BT9The reason why Alpheas proceeded with Shirones application last was because of his age difference compared to the other students.QeyXo
iHSAeO8Due to the nature of this academy, most of the enrolled kids were under the age of 10, if not 14 at most.S2Bzk
UNg32AShirone, on the other hand, was 17 years old, so Alpheas adjusted the time to save him face.dlE
QZa3kvSI should probably teach him from the beginning. The fault lies with my poor judgement. If only he had started a little earlier7ed
KIICdAlpheas personally guided Shirone.Evk7Rl
JnFDespite the fact they had arrived early, other students were also taking the test, so he made a turn and headed to a building where the classrooms were located.MtsP
skdSuShirone’s jaw dropped to the ground. It was as if he were exposed to a completely new world aszwKL8v
N8w0oP5Everyone was casting magic.Mzre
8n8tEven though it was the beginner class, the flashy magic could make a viewer’s eyes roll.WSu
GE9WGQA girl floating about four stories high was having a heated discussion with her friends through a window, while another child was reading three books at the same time with all of them open in the air.2AY
GnnDa1CAlpheas watched Shirones reaction through the corners of his eyes and smiled mischievously Because from now on, the real show would begin.NaOxfkR
TkgAs they entered Class 7, Shirone saw students having a heated discussion. And although they were not casting magic like the kids from before, their eyes were burning with passion. They were so immersed in their conversation that they didnt notice people passing by.kSpD9
EVTConvection energy to bring the atmosphere below freezing point? Isnt it more effective to condense the refrigerant?XqvB
NrfKBut that has the disadvantage of being able to reverse the reaction. How about this? Instead of flipping the directivity of the energy, if we were to rotate the time baseYIg
xcTAzHGShirone, who was paying attention to the students conversation, was suddenly scared.kzNHjcB
aQPQHe knew what topic they were discussing, but he could not understand the details at all.w8VNmd
UuZeOIfA loud noise was heard at the end of the hallway, and as a door was ripped open, a girl came out with her ears covered.OzZZ
ULlThe students turned around in surprise, but soon turned their attention back to the matters at hand and went back to focusing on their work.eFSM7i
O37IJJudging from their reaction, it seems like this kind of occurrence happens rather often here.ZVCcAE
uAOyVHpA female student, the culprit of the disturbance, ran to Alpheas with her hands now away from her ears.7ycX
N8yOHeadmaster! Hello!UcqFuT1
i4bP7Hoho, yes. It seems like there is a problem.Gpxt
pEf6GIIts the sound amplification experiment. There must have been an error on the output circuit. I think I need to redesign it.E3BtQ
P6uIts important to balance the input and output. The key is to keep the electric power at equilibrium.xhIn
cORoeOkay, Ill try again.hLH
aPB0OThe girl put on her glasses and went back into the laboratory.xM2xDq
HkYAs Shirone passed by, he looked inside and saw children of his age having a discussion over a strange magic circle.ovgH
kI9h9vI feel like Im in a different world!PTu2Yy8
kpBShirone realized how small the well he was trapped in was.cqOj
Z1GJnEEveryone here had special talents like him.lkwAxT
UX0PuNow standing in front of the bulletin, the grades of 270 students were listed down.t1fjyN
vNdr8ZIn the Intermediate class, there were 42 students listed under Class Four, the highest level in the Intermediate section. And the one in first place was Amy Karmis.V58C
KHIOh? The Karmis family!GDeoUs9
IZ02NDue to his experience working for the Ogent family, Shirone memorized the names of famous noble families.4em7
Zf8Karmis was the 1st-class nobility who lived in the city of Creas.qXW3PDd
U42ashRCool!xUD
o1LjP5All the information overwhelmed him, but instead of being scared, his heart thumped wildly.6lSP
l11HLaZThere were literally infinite competitions.GacUp
psaTHe wanted to compete. He wanted to challenge himself. He wanted to see how far he could reach.aTjXq8
EwT0fYo! Amy! Wait for me!1hn0Ouq
NqffYShirone turned his head.UPv8CZf
fQcrVThat person definitely said Amy. And now that he had the chance to see the person in first place in the Class Four Intermediate class, he turned to look, only to catch sight of a pretty girl with red hair and a book in her arms.x4p
aEBLPSlAh?2L0QU
qqXCAt that moment, an unknown tension squeezed his heart.NVdP3i
ZwZgY9Trauma. Emotions crashed over him before the memories had the chance to, and after a while, he remembered who she was.q1L187f
RKyIt was the girl he met five years ago in the back alley.0xQpGs
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