Chapter 3: Meet the Magic (3)
4CpDBLvShirone jumped back in surprise.QTYv
xI0amWh-What should I do?1Z84
8EOjcShould I run away, or should I answer? No. Do I, a commoner, even have the right to answer?zWbwBP6
xEeV3Alpheas continued.MY5C
lBKHfqTheres no need to panic. Come over here. I would like to see your face.U2IXqj
MXlaaShirone, who continued to question himself, walked to the wall as if possessed.6Vf
dIZMZMRIf he didn’t cross that wall right then, he felt like he would never be able to cross it.zv6OVCj
7oM2OAs Shirone climbed the wall, he saw a white-haired, elderly man who would look quite common on the street.Lltr
agL7In truth, he was a certified Grade 4 mage, recognized by the kingdom. He was well known in other countries for his high virtue.yXJE
S6BPsqAlpheas, sitting on a rock, waved.zHCKbzS
3Uf9nhCome. Are you here to be my friend?BerEvL
JwXpR7zHaving gained confidence from his kindness, Shirone jumped over the wall and entered the academy.hYhW5pk
5A7gUnder the shade of the tree, children around Shirones age sat in a circle.JWjwB
j0POne child frowned.OuwKGh
MiAervIHeadmaster, hes not a nobleman. I think hes a commoner.yvQhY
paQNV27Huh? Really? Commoners arent allowed here. Hey, get out of here!zDH6qH
56K1Alpheas looked puzzled for a moment, as if he was expecting someone who was of noble status, but soon spoke warmly.zJQDvX0
u7oyIts all right, come this way. So, what part of this old mans words drew your heart?rXSM
vNCShirone hesitated.ref
N0zHe wanted to get closer to Alpheas, but the eyes of the children were preventing him from doing so.Olf2ck0
jhGgPIShow me magic.41vwaW
aepcyaHoho, have you never seen magic?NdoGouz
9o3iIve read about it in books, but Ive never seen it in person.OsEpN
1HHQpWFA child pointed his finger at Shirone.qDe
W6jMAIuAs if! What kind of commoner can read?d9P
rVbe9C7When Alpheas looked into Shirones eyes, it certainly didnt seem to be a lie.x6Kh
h8IAjHowever, it was the nature of children of that age to deceive adults.Sy1G
EVJRmOkay. What kind of magic do you want to see?gPEs
jozIt doesnt matter. I dont care. Anything is fine, so show me. Please.aW4S2GS
oHppYShirone realized his situation, so he lowered his head. Then Alpheas waved his hand and laughed.PFL
nPfjHPXThis old mans one and only joy is to show his magic to his honey buns. Alright! Then this time, Ill show you magic that creates wind.MRQh
YySSGm5Wooaah! Its wind, wind!Of1udZ
eOZmsWhile the children clapped their hands in awe, Shirone clenched his fist in tension.Ak6
6EbcDpxWind? How can I?2Vi
wjRMIn that instant, when Alpheas raised his hand, Shirones eyes opened wide in shock.wpoguLr
bmdDWhoa!ndv
xWJqVThe weight of his body disappeared and flew up to a height of more than 20 meters.nv4
9ciThe numerous buildings of the magic academy, and the mountain ranges that were situated beyond it, were noticeable with a glance.5BAgC
Jtp52AHHHH!ZogAY
GnZjxvScreaming broke out as a matter of course, but the other children were enjoying it while cartwheeling around the sky.iOf3D6T
ZFQJAfter a while, the children start to drop, one by one.7AY
Hx9NThe speed of the drop was so great that Shirone closed his eyes tightly at the sight of the fast approaching ground.O7f5lxE
x0fWha?ZyVqe
NU45lt2There was none of the impact Shirone was expecting.hErXUjp
yVLnbZFeeling strange, Shirone opened his eyes slowly and saw that his body was floating a little above the ground.jpWgxvf
UoQxX3When the children burst into laughter at the sight of Shirone, Alpheas also laughed mischievously.CKEW
QYUEVpWhat do you say? This is magic.e1ebDo
uiotOf course he was kind at times, but he wasnt boring enough to not enjoy the childs reaction.s0r78Ly
DwUA5That may be why he came on a bit stronger than usual, but Shirone could not answer him.L9fvX
Xq3MThe beating of his heart was all he heard.uH7TI
RaPThis is magic.5nyNrb
M8PYRLThis sensation he experienced for the first time in his life was completely beyond the nebulous boys fantasy.Mh8
3UbShirone, once he came to his senses, spoke.hcYyvu
pBSmvxWhat is magic?mkJ
oZpTeq0Well, lets see. Magic is7RFi67P
0oEOrrIt doesnt matter if I dont understand. Please tell me the truth.AdB1
PHBc1fThe childrens expressions hardened.sDK
aYsXEven though they were young, they knew what position Alpheas had in the magical world. Therefore, even the children of the prominent noble families laid low and acted like obedient children in front of him.Pecn
MVnsZYOur teachers cant say things like that to him.7eqov
AKq4FAlpheas also thought it was bold at first, but after a while, he changed his opinion.ozWbDur
Cs5Hes a smart kid.j14
xPwXKZHe was not trying to understand things right away.e8eA
1dJI know what kind of opportunity I have right now. Thats why Im not trying to understand it easily, at an elementary level. I would rather have difficult, but accurate information so that I can study it myself!sDndjvq
oAZFvqFIf he hadnt had an education on magic before this, then this childs judgment had to be excellent.v8aFI
ZeoHBut really? Does he believe he can do it alone?eTzUe
Eev6zrpSo far, Alpheas, who was deep in thought, looked at Shirone with a different look from before.VsDl9Wd
NnEu3rHe was tense, as if his life was on the line.yx9n4KS
fKccHaha! Listen comfortably, its not a difficult thing to understand. But if you would like, I can raise the difficulty a bit. Magic is something that deviates from common sense. In other words, its the mental process of exploring the truth of a phenomenon.loGdY
dcZShirone was engrossed in thought.fSFl
mCpTTIf you dont understand, you can just say so.4l3c
e6RpTSo its not an easy phenomenon to explain, but youre saying that is the truth?nyoY4I
ikUAlpheas blinked.9qsqtg
Br2Where did you learn that?DZZeL
6d1nOh, well, in a book.oSOhQ3
2MmnThere was a book with content like that?Alxf
wQnNXNFNo, I just thought about why books are used. Even if someone goes out their way to write down something that everyone knows, no one would bother looking at it. Truth is something that is different from the common sense we normally know, thats probably the reason why books are written and are read.M9d
FeR3sLAnyone can memorize and recite. However, understanding the concept of a book requires an inherent characteristic insight. Is he really a commoner? What a shame!C2dr
8y5vcNcLooking at his appearance, it was highly likely that the commoner was from the lowest of the low, living outside the city.yvrLp
ZfHE4Shirone asked another question.2qdm
osnHow can I learn magic? Does it require special powers?yn0q
ZBM97cI dont know what special powers youre talking about, but it does take a lot of mental strength.x2K
mU6SSIt was an unexpectedly lackluster answer.6YwHL8W
Cc3MAAaThats really it? Does that mean you can fly in the sky when you think of the wind?hqVttH
i1F4Well, thats difficult to answer. But to add a little exaggeration, yes. Of course, its not just ordinary thoughts. The mages consciousness must coincide with the world. An extremely sensitive state of mind, for instance.cCM
sDbSuAlpheas serious expression prevented the children from intervening.iG7Gv
Uk7HURWhat is a sensitive state of mind?y30MM
YRSe3Alpheas smiled.OPy2
lyuxowqThis isnt curiosity. Hes really planning on learning magic!stt
jz72On the contrary, it was concerning.wUYTJg
u7gS9LFIts unfortunate, but hes a commoner. He wont be able to get a formal education. If I were to encourage him further, he would only be more dejected later on.lcDbtsp
ziwJAlpheas looked back at the students, with the intention of cutting off the flow of the conversation before it went any deeper.kNEmhI
5EDTJZOWhen a mage focuses, his mind becomes sensitive enough to sense everything around him. Mages call this as entering the Spirit Zone. Ill show you a demonstration, so watch what this child does. Shuamin, would you like to enter the Spirit Zone?LWd
MCyzS0Yes, headmaster.uAakns
p7LVA girl with braids answered confidently.otHH1
YzLN6D6It was natural for them to show off their skills, because they were born with extraordinary talents.iUT4FK
B5nTUX* * *zQ5
rle* * *9L2N
DV9mShuamin closed her eyes and the other children created a reverent atmosphere on their own.ZuoqX
zZCCqmsAs if such an attitude proved their own superiority.bb3pz5
yZPrf8WI entered the Zone.tDgso
y5YaThen lets get started.ZFafk
AgbZQfAlpheas, who took out a coin, shook it in his hand. Suddenly, he clenched his hand and held it out.4E27
cOzNow, how many coins are in my hand?oqWWs
YhIF79Six.XjjNhIC
nD1crktWhen he opened his hand, there were exactly six silver coins.jfcHSVL
7CoqAlpheas repeated it for a second time as Shirone watched with a surprised look.Oza7vKu
p8Z02Three.bjsuE
ZVg9n4tOnce again, that was the correct answer.iUEE
W458dAfter that, Alpheas tried a few more times, but the result was the same.sQts5U1
k5XZThats enough, Shuamin, you did a great job.04dxa
3ItjHaaah.3RsO
N6zShuamin let out a long breath.6Ot8
U1FKnyThe only thing she did was guess the number of coins, but her forehead was covered in cold sweat.AGkkaA
AN5lAlpheas looked back at Shirone.4vHBM6O
JRaDHpThat, right there, was an example of an extremely sensitive state of mind. The moment they enter the Spirit Zone, a mage can perceive the outside world with extrasensory perception. Excellent mages can even guess the number of leaves at a long distance. Of course, the skill Shuamin showed us was great, too.HIX8Sws
dTjW9Shirone, who succeeded in performing the Thunder Strike’ by relying on his senses, could vaguely feel and understand it.F7EHq9
xKhShe wasnt counting the number of coins!Qjy
IHZR5She was sensing the totality of the primitive data that existed long before that.1fWS1
N67fWTo sense the entire state of affairs in front of you6iKS
zvNcwWIt was not an empty assertion to say that a master of the Spirit Zone could guess the number of leaves from far away.kV1
mb1DlBNThen a question naturally followed.qwH
Sd8DCan I as well No, perhaps I cant?VBbAiH
8WL1PenAlpheas replied.As4
zzQAczAnyone can do it.ralBwcX
tcCZBnThe Spirit Zone could be reached by anyone, but also at the same time, not just anyone could achieve it.IAcH4DA
e1uiuThe grand total of constant effort and talent to test human limitations That was magic.mNeOMd
bg5Practice in a quiet place. You first have to feel yourself, and then dismiss it. If that happens, a different world will unfold. Do you understand what Im saying?LWT5BNe
vYSAll right.VkWIJ
HUrnShirone understood.CSJ
xucHCYGIf you dont feel yourself, it will be impossible to erase yourself.lZzUod
aUYAlpheas couldnt help but admire him again. That was not an insight that a 12-year-old could easily put forward.Vv0eG
fqtjw0Two cases occurred to him.Qri
U8bEither he was a natural talent, or a mischievous acquaintance of Alpheas sent the kid to pull a prank on him.bLy4
rdcF5eWould you like to give it a try? Here.iEtUlg
JcHEThere was no reason to refuse, so Shirone nodded without hesitation and closed his eyes.MA2CuWb
3OhsqGRecall back to the Thunder Strike incident.ndwbz1
6pgy2NExcept when he started to focus, it was on another level from back when he was trying to find the vital spot hidden in the grooves.m2rK
aOYQ1x7How much do we know about ourselves?zNZnbe
q5ylxmWho am I?cOKO49
VYooTPXShirone realized for the first time how difficult it was to clearly define himself.mkCo1
unrF6IYI was mistaken!HaBF8iC
8OqThere is just too much of me to delineate, and none of it is accurate.Im7owu
2XvQ4HMe. What actually am I?q067
bFHQEMzAt that moment, Shirone felt a very simple truth springing up like a fish.P6YOr
NMsWAn extremely sensitive state of mind.Iv0oo
Phb4jHoAlpheas previous claim was frighteningly accurate.LgSb
DoovbBrain.6H2KiEW
OVW6BxwIts not an organ of the body.GgynQ5r
tZGKI I dont know the world beyond the brain.3WQsU
2X7dThe concept of the brain.5gJH
1w0VF6The truth was that all the senses and realities he accepted were actually arbitrary.UdAjC
rkKJTheres no need to define it. Just feel it. Its not that my existence gets sensitiveYN9i7w
XntOnly a keen mind would remain.YDmptU
0Q2A1Instead of trying to define it, Shirone erased everything he thought was himself.Nrq
JBsql7Because if you erase it like that, eventually there would be nothing left.YLQxn
cwy8And finally.7id
ZXvwc…….VpNEtX
XK1dR2Even Shirones thoughts disappeared.IOErW4
wOCXFoAt one point, Shirones eyes opened wide.AkmTbq
pdar8Haah. Haah.Y2XVCH1
MdVlThe scene in front of him was peaceful.OaGXHYD
3rhMFUThe children were yawning in boredom and Shuamin was playing with her hair.3yDG2Wg
qcxKUKDShirone did not notice that 10 minutes had already passed.3mnAzY
LLJvAlpheas wasnt expecting much.ifmTzeS
3v7gypWHe acknowledged the concentration that lasted 10 minutes, but that was not enough to succeed.tLnW
RdfYes, I heard it.JNK
b0VAlpheas raised his eyebrows at the unexpected answer.Xlm
bVQOh, what did you hear?1S7co
8gk6RNSounds. I heard everything.GMkv
sNuUHoho, I see.Xbft3i
WPt3uDAlpheas nodded as if he was expecting that result.CA1UaI
sxnAs expected, its not possible!Mtk
TURVCcIt seemed like his senses had become extra sensitive, but the things that happen in the Spirit Zone were different.KXE
LRDFirst, you experienced synesthesia.YJv9
ZaHCFrom sound, you could smell. From light, you could taste. And from the shape of the landscape, you could feel it touch your skin.x15FJ
EfnnWThats too bad. He was talented.cFu4a
us9ujIf he was a noble, wouldnt he have achieved something similar to the children here if he was trained from an early age?ielYEab
hRzKvOf course, that alone wouldnt have caught Alpheas eyes.jqX
t9GSozLThat was because there were many children in the world who had superior skills to those of the children there.ijQjx
THrWell done. If you practice hard in the future, youll be able to hear more.M27
7L3kcAlthough reaching the Spirit Zone was not successful, that concentration training would be of help in the childs life.bobyjb
SMmVtQWell, thats the end of the special class today. You all go back, too.E87OmiS
naSnWhen Alpheas walked away with the children, Shirone jumped over the wall without delay.HBHo
77PGRHe was feeling disappointed in Alpheas.WyL
BwRwUHe was trying to be considerate when he walked away first.dMx
RcDHaah. Haah.XdC3M
aueOuShirone, who crossed the wall, sat on the floor and breathed heavily.n9HYv
2VJ6gHis heart beat to the point that it started to hurt.XUakw
9MQidIt really worked. It really did.RVuLC
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