Evil grows from weakness.
It burrows into the cracks of those who struggle to make ends meet, extending a hand wearing a mask when the abandoned thrash about. When looking up from a pit at a shadow cast against the sky, anyone appears to be an angel. The chosen weak support the villain with body and mind.
Thus, evil gives care and affection to the abandoned, and in return, it operates in secret using them as hosts.
This is why evil thrives in weak and filthy places, and why order agonizes over the treatment of the weak.
However, even if it is an evil to order.
Is it truly an evil to those abandoned by order?
***
The military nation's bio-terminal is a rather complex device. It interprets physical information as magical data, processes it into an Aki Avatar to make it usable, engraves it, and grants the qualification to enjoy all kinds of magical benefits provided by the military nation.
Although the magical benefits mean being used as a living power supply, anyway.
In fact, compared to the numerous functions of the bio-terminal, formal magic is close to an add-on. Even in the military nation that implements universal education, those who can properly wield formal magic are extremely rare. Originally, what the military nation needs is magical combat power, not ordinary people using black magic. The proportion of formal magic in the bio-terminal is only a fraction.
Therefore, by removing all such potential for abuse from the bio-terminal.
If one looks only at 'Formal Magic' with pure good intentions, opening that path is very easy.
The basic principle of formal magic is likening the five fingers to the five elements, then forming a makeshift magic circle through incantations and hand seals.
Even if the structure is heterogeneous, magical power still resides in the human body, and this internal magical power is easier to handle than the natural magical power outside the body. Although it is difficult to form a systematic structure with heterogeneous internal magical power, the bones, blood vessels, and nerves of the fingers themselves possess a tower-like structure.
Building a structure with magical power from scratch is difficult, but if a structure is already formed, it becomes much easier. First, form a hand seal to block a portion of the blood vessels and nerves. Then, with a bit of concentration, chant the incantation, and the magical power flows through specific blood vessels, forming a structure inside the fingers.
In other words, it is a black magic exceedingly close to white magic, using nerves and blood vessels as a magic circle and activating with the internal magical power that exists in every human.
Since one must at least know how to flow magical power through the nerves and blood vessels, a procedure to open the path and directly inject magical power is essential. The military nation drills a hole in the wrist, but I have no need to do so.
Because I can just use the Blood Demon God and the Lightning Demon God. I can create a clean path with no side effects.
The foolish mage of the old kingdom.
The magic made by the Demon General, Prelbjor, for the foolish—formal magic.
Using that, I must fulfill the wishes of the foolish masses who wish to become members of the Magical Federation.
Missionary Kasas did not report Richard. He was a sufficiently good person befitting a missionary. During that time, I continued my education, moving between the academy and the Outcast District.
My education was too outstanding, and regardless of which school district they came from, all talented children awakened their mana perception. It means I achieved in just two weeks what others failed to do over several years. The voices praising my achievements grew louder day by day.
However, the brighter the light shone, the more people fell into despair.
"Teacher...! C-could I have a moment...!"
My ability is beyond doubt. It is a fact already proven by numerous achievements.
Then, what about those who still haven't awakened? The inferior students who haven't even gotten a grasp of it despite being taught by me?
The education doesn't suit them?
They had bad luck?
They were in poor condition?
All such excuses are refuted by my very existence.
"M-my child couldn't perceive mana. Even the neighbor's Saturn, and Neil next to them, both perceived mana! My child attended your classes from the very first day!"
Oh dear, how unfortunate.
But everyone is different, and talent truly varies wildly.
There are children who are smart and quick to learn, but completely hopeless at mana perception.
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There are children who can vaguely perceive mana, but it doesn't align with any attribute, leaving them floating aimlessly.
There are also children who have awakened mana perception, but simply have low intelligence and fail to understand the principles.
And then, there are those who simply, purely lack talent. There were many inferior students who couldn't understand anything at all.
"What's different about my child from those kids? Why can't they do it...?!"
For these people, blaming the environment doesn't work either. They would rather envy the outcasts. The outcasts are at least like unscratched lottery tickets. These inferior students... have already drawn a blank.
I replied with an indifferent face.
"You should know the reason. Must I explain it?"
That your child has no talent. That my ability cannot awaken them.
I conveyed the cold truth on my expression.
"Sob!"
At my cold words, the parent's gaze briefly turns backward.
Behind them stands a child who has shrunk back completely. They haven't particularly done anything wrong, but their heart is full of guilt. For being untalented, for failing to meet expectations, for being unable to repay their parents' investment.
Saying they're sorry for being born this way. They are apologizing from behind their parents, who are begging me.
But the apology made in their heart doesn't reach them, and the parent, engulfed in despair, cries out.
"How... I gave birth to seven, and not a single one! Not a single one could do it! They're all just good-for-nothings who only waste food...!"
The mother wails.
The Frontier School District. The poorest and hardest-living people, excluding the outcasts. The only way to overcome this hardship and achieve social advancement is to win the lottery.
A man and a woman of marriageable age meet, and after ten months of waiting, they are issued a single lottery ticket. To have scratched it for nearly ten years only to find a blank.
To have drawn seven of them. It was the end of greed that exceeded their means.
"No. We still have the youngest!"
"Teacher, I'll bring the youngest to the academy! The youngest still has hope!"
Recalling the one remaining lottery ticket, the parents clung to me again. I wasn't particularly interested, but I asked out of courtesy.
"How old are they?"
"...Eight, eight years old! The child has learned to read, too!"
Actually, they're six years old, but they inflated it by two. They haven't even fully learned to read, either. As if that would work.
"I don't have time for that. I have to return to the Floating Star in half a month."
I turned my body around after leaving just one word, but the mother rather roughly grabbed my shoulder.
"T-that can't be! We still haven't produced any results...!"
In the Magical Federation, a newborn child is an unscratched lottery ticket. A lottery ticket whose prize money is allocated according to their magical talent.
Reminded of that fact, I glanced at the hand grabbing my shoulder.
"Take your hands off me."
Not letting go? Is she willing to use force? Well, even if she does, it doesn't matter at all. No magic is needed to shake off a person's hand.
I simply swatted her hand away. That was all, yet the mother's hand was bounced off. A sharp scream was heard, and people's attention focused on us.
Despair, resignation, fear, humiliation. All sorts of negative emotions swirl around.
I dusted off my clothes, turned my body again, and looked at the sobbing mother.
The desire, ego, and obsession toward magic were granted by this order. Well, I don't intend to deny it. It is natural to adopt society's set goal as one's own dream.
"I cannot teach dullards to learn white magic, but I can at least teach them the relatively easy formal magic."
Therefore, I will grant their dream.
"Do you want to learn magic?"
The parents nodded desperately. It was quite a desperate sight. As if they realized this was their last chance.
Not wanting to be bounced out to the outcasts, the parents pleaded so, and I granted their wish as well.
Similar situations occurred dozens of times.
The 'Outcasts' surprisingly did not seek me out. Those who had already given up on magic didn't know what formal magic was or why it was helpful, nor did they want to make the effort to find out. A few young people, including Richard, who still held onto dreams and hope, came to find me and learned formal magic.
Rather, the inferior students of the school districts were more proactive. Out of fear that they would never be able to learn magic once I disappeared, they accepted anything, whether it was formal magic or whatever.
Short incantations, simple hand seals, and immediately manifesting phenomenon-class magic. Formal magic was easy to handle, and even useful. In particular, the fact that it could replace the activation power of magical tools was highlighted. Even the ignorant masses who knew nothing could significantly reduce their mana consumption as long as they had formal magic.
The military nation's technology gathered all the good things in the world, honed them solely for efficiency, and ultimately harbored malice. From that, I extracted only the malice and turned it into a pure tool.
The ignorant masses who obtained the tool called magic rejoiced. Whether it was formal magic or whatever, magic was magic. What they had gotten their hands on was precious and valuable knowledge. The ignorant masses flaunted it. How truly foolish.
Not yet, this news hasn't reached the prestigious magical families welcoming the descent of the Floating Star.
It will reach them soon enough.