The imperial succession ceremony—strictly from Sophien’s perspective—ended dully.
In truth, she had expected an attack. A bombardment, perhaps, or some grand magic.
Naturally, nothing of the sort happened, and Sophien entered the emperor’s private chambers without incident. She had thought the smell of corpses or the sick would have seeped into the place, but it was unexpectedly clean and fragrant.
Yet she was utterly bored, so she returned straight to her office and took out a chessboard. As she occupied herself alone, the ministers and high officials brought in various documents.
Sophien gave no response whatsoever. She simply played chess until every last one of them had left, then spoke.
“I saw the owner of the homework you gave me before. He acted as though he knew me.”
“Is there anyone who does not know Your Majesty?”
The answer came in Keiron’s voice.
Of course, there was likely no one on this continent who did not know Sophien. But that was not what she meant on the surface.
“His ego did not waver even before me.”
Sophien had certainly looked into Deculein’s eyes. Yet she could not read the emotions hidden within them.
It was amusing.
“Is that so?”
“That amused me. It felt as though I had met one of my own kind for the first time in a long while.”
A soul firm and unyielding in a way different from hers. A spirit that would not tremble even with a blade at its throat. Truly, an ego that transcended the mundane world.
“Did you solve the homework?”
Keiron changed the subject.
“I did. It was interesting. I understand why Georg gave it to me. The day I spent solving that problem—at least half a day of it—was novel in its own way.”
Sophien let herself be led by Keiron’s way with words.
But she immediately continued.
“Keiron. I will lift the restrictions on Marik.”
“……”
Keiron lowered his head in silence.
Marik was the name of the mana stone mining region in the northwest of the empire, but demonic energy seethed within it, and many demons and demonic beasts appeared there, so entry was currently strictly forbidden.
It had been the order of the late emperor, Crebaim.
“In the early stages of its opening, only adventurers, or licensed mages of the Magic Tower and their escort knights, will be permitted to enter.”
“……”
“There is no need for discussion. I am sick and tired of the words of those damn desk-bound fools.”
“A demon may begin to stir.”
“If a demon stirs merely because we enter a single mine, then why has it remained quiet all this time? And do demons and demonic beasts have no end? If we keep killing them, it will be purified.”
Keiron kept his words to himself. Sophien, still looking at the chessboard, asked.
“What is Creto doing?”
“……I am told he is crying.”
“Crying?”
“Yes. He says he has just solved the same problem as Your Majesty. Though I do not know what he realized.”
Sophien laughed lightly.
“What an idiot…… Ah, Keiron, you do not know what the answer to that problem is, do you?”
“No.”
Only then did Sophien’s gaze turn to Keiron. The emperor smiled mischievously.
“I won’t tell you. But one thing is certain: it was something that even surprised me a little. Now that I say that, aren’t you curious?”
“……It is all right. I am not curious.”
“You say you are not curious, yet your eyebrow is twitching. You cannot deceive my eyes. You are extremely curious right now.”
Keiron closed his mouth.
The very next moment, the atmosphere changed completely. Sophien’s eyes sharpened, and she spoke as if grinding the words between her teeth.
“Keiron, do not speak falsehoods before me. Even if it is you, I will not tolerate anything that angers me.”
The pressure of a sovereign became a terrifying force, crushing down on his shoulders. Keiron bowed his head.
“……My apologies, Your Majesty.”
“Enough. Let us play this damned chess. I am tired of playing alone. Even if I beat someone one-sidedly, I need an opponent.”
* * *
Meanwhile, on a deserted mountain in Hadekain.
Ganesha sat on a rock and looked at the three children who had crossed over from the archipelago. Their names were Lia, Leo, and Carlos.
“……Some people on the continent are born with what is called ‘magical talent.’ Most adventurers who obtain licenses possess such magical talent.”
She was in the middle of teaching them, but their attitudes were all different.
Lia focused with wide eyes, Leo watched the animals moving in the distance, and Carlos dozed off.
“For example, I am like this.”
Ganesha picked up a long branch, partly to wake them up. It was a dry branch that looked as though it would snap at any moment.
“Watch.”
She lightly gripped it and swung.
Whoosh—the drooping, frail tip of the branch rose into the air,
Tap—and touched the ground.
─────!
A roar that shook the earth. A tremendous impact exploded, and dust swirled up.
“Whoa!”
“Oh.”
Only then did Leo and Carlos focus.
“How was that?”
A crater had been gouged into the ground where Ganesha had struck it. Lia stared in blank admiration.
“You’re amazing, Ganesha……”
“It’s not something to be that impressed by, but I can use even a light branch like this as an extension of my limbs. In other words, a ‘real extension.’ Right now, this wood and my fist have the same hardness.”
The harmony of “All Streams Return to the Source” and “Vajra Indestructible Body.”
Every object—not living thing—that she held in her hand possessed the same toughness as her body.
“But it’s no fun if I use this anyway, so I just fight barehanded. I still win most of the time…… Anyway. Mages interpret this as some kind of ‘harmony magic,’ and knights call it ‘sword aura,’ but I don’t know a single strand of magic or swordsmanship.”
“Then, then does that mean we can become like that too?!”
It was Leo who said that. He was a cute child with blue hair, barely seeming to be over 140 centimeters tall. Ganesha chuckled and said,
“That’s what we’re going to find out from now on.”
“How, how?!”
“You’re so noisy. Why are you bouncing around?”
Carlos, who had a similar build, smacked Leo on the back of the head.
Ack! Leo cried out, tears welling in his eyes as he glared at Carlos.
“Quiet down, quiet down! Why don’t you kids change even after coming to the continent?”
Ganesha admonished them. Lia also stepped in and separated the two. Leo, fuming, cooled his anger with a sigh.
“In any case. In order to understand your magical talents, training must come first…… but action is better than words. All of you, follow me.”
Ganesha walked into the mountains. She had seemed to be walking, but before they knew it, she vanished like a mirage, leaving only footprints behind.
The three children blinked, then soon followed after her. As they did, a growl—rang out. It was Leo’s stomach.
“……Lia. Aren’t you hungry?”
“You’re always hungry because you’re an idiot.”
Carlos scolded Leo for his complaint. Leo bristled.
“I am not.”
“You are.”
“……Both of you, stop saying weird things and follow.”
Lia mediated their squabble. Leo said,
“Carlos started it. He hit me first just now too.”
“You keep saying stupid things.”
“When! When did I!”
“Wheeen~ wheeen did I~”
“Don’t copy me!”
“Oh, come on, seriously!”
In the end, Lia could no longer endure it and shouted. Then she grabbed both of her younger male cousins by the ears.
“You two, if you keep fighting, I really won’t give you snacks. I won’t give you meals either. I won’t give you anything.”
“……”
“……”
The two shut their mouths, but there was nothing she could do about the way their eyes said to each other, It’s because of you. Lia let out a deep sigh.
I’m not their nanny. What in the world is this?
“This is why I wanted to come alone……”
Lia bit her lip and let go of the two children. Then she immediately ran after Ganesha’s traces.
“Ah, Lia, I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Wait!”
“Lia! Let’s go together! Yuria—!”
Belatedly realizing the seriousness of the situation, the two children hurriedly followed Yuria.
* * *
The Yukline estate, the annex.
I gripped the iron bar with one hand. My other hand remained in the air, and in that state, I held my entire body up toward the ceiling.
Like a handstand. For thirty minutes.
Thud—
As soon as I landed on the ground, I began my second training.
[ Ertrang’s Martial Arts Manual, Intermediate ]
I extended my fist and stepped forward. Light and agile footwork, just as in Ertrang’s manual. Elastic movements without the slightest hesitation.
After making a ruckus like that for quite some time, I then grasped a “staff.”
These days, I had also been learning “staff techniques” in a rough way.
Of course, given my personality, I was reluctant to strike someone with a cane, no, if possible, I never wanted to do it for the rest of my life, but someday, a desperate and urgent situation was bound to come.
“……”
After finishing staff training in preparation for that moment.
Lastly, I checked the 「Snowflower Stone」 inside the safe.
「 Understanding: 4% 」
I was steadily “understanding” it, but it was still far from enough.
I invested about 1,000 mana into the Snowflower Stone and washed myself.
—Knock knock
As though the time had come, Roy knocked.
I dressed properly and went outside.
“Roy.”
“Yes.”
“I heard that a certain maid’s mother is ill.”
“……Yes. It is Ruri.”
I had heard their conversation in the main house. I did not know if they had meant for me to hear, but I heard it naturally.
I wrote a check and handed it to Roy.
“Tell her to resolve it with this. Also, if such cases occur in the future, provide support at your discretion.”
I intended to guarantee the attendants more than the basic welfare. Roy seemed surprised, but without showing anything, he nodded and received the check.
“Understood. The vehicle is ready.”
“Good work.”
I got straight into the car.
Today’s work at the Magic Tower was a thesis public hearing. I looked through the related documents in the back seat.
“A thesis hearing……”
I could probably just fill a seat however I liked.
I took out the novel Sylvia had given me last time. As I read it, we arrived at the Magic Tower before long.
Since the entire university, not just the Magic Tower, had been closed after the emperor’s passing, it had been quite a while since I last came to work.
“We have arrived.”
“Rest easy.”
“Yes!”
I got out of the car and entered the Magic Tower. I went straight to the professors-only elevator.
The public hearing was in the hall on the seventh floor of the Magic Tower.
Ding—
When the doors opened, Relin, who happened to be standing near the elevator, approached first.
“Oh my, haha. Chief Professor, you’re here.”
I returned his greeting with a nod. I was not particularly glad to see him. In fact, suspicious movements from Relin had been detected recently.
He had probably been thinking of switching over to “Luina” if he got the chance.
“Shall we go?”
“Let us.”
Guided by Relin, I entered the thesis hearing hall.
“Hahaha.”
The hearing hall was divided into three sections.
The seats for the professors conducting the review.
The podium for the mage presenting the thesis.
And the audience seats behind it.
I sat in the professors’ section. Since my title was Chief Professor, it was naturally the seat of honor. Of course, I felt no burden at all.
“Professor Relin, is there anyone worth paying close attention to today?”
“Ahaha~ Here they are. Hahaha.”
Relin had been laughing continuously for a while now.
I looked at the roster Relin handed me. There were a total of twenty-three people subject to review at today’s hearing.
“Are the theses they wrote separate?”
“Ah, did you perhaps not read them?”
“Is there any need to read them in advance? I will understand them even if I read them now.”
It was not a lie. That was why I had taken it easy with magic training today.
“Ha, hahahaha, of course! Since you are Chief Professor Deculein, the genius of formula interpretation……”
Relin had an assistant professor bring the theses.
“Here they are.”
I roughly flipped through the pile of papers.
Since none of the attendees at the hearing were students I had taught, I intended to simply agree with whatever the professors said…… or so I thought.
“……”
One thesis caught my eye.
No, it made me furrow my brow.
[ Solda Drent: Elemental Magic and Lineages Manifested Differently According to Natural Environments ]
Magic has a character. Thus, even if the same magic is used, the manner in which it manifests differs greatly depending on the caster.
This is also called “style,” and this style remains like a caster’s fingerprint. Its unique individuality is not only present in the implementation of magic, but also, for example, in the formulas and circuits inscribed in “a single thesis.”
Of course, it is difficult to distinguish those fingerprints with the naked eye. Unless one has my 「Understanding」.
……However, this thesis was more than a faint fingerprint.
I had already seen the idea described in this thesis somewhere before. To be precise, I had seen it while evaluating the assignments I had given to my students.
It was certain.
This idea belonged to Epherene.
Of course, I didn’t know the circumstances of how things had ended up this way.
If it had been the original Deculein, he wouldn’t have even looked at Epherene’s assignment, and Epherene would have gone on living without ever knowing her work had been stolen.
Or, even more unfairly, she might have been accused of being the thief herself.
That bastard Drent must have aimed for that gap as well.
······Whatever the case.
All I had to do was find out from now on.
“Drent, was it?”
I read the paper thoroughly with 「Comprehension」.
When it came to plagiarizing papers, Deculein had done something more or less similar himself, but the previous Deculein was not me. Besides, more than that, I didn’t like that he had dared to lay a hand on “an assignment from my class.”
“Let’s have a look······.”
Thus, I thought of questions.
Countless questions that, if he were the original creator of this idea, he would naturally be able to answer.
* * *
─The academic conference will begin shortly. Please take your seats.
Epherene attended the academic conference. She didn’t particularly have to come, but she wanted to see what the process was like at least once. Julia had also asked her to come along.
“Wow. It’s seriously huge~”
“Yeah.”
The conference hall was spacious, and there were quite a lot of people. In the very front row, she saw a certain yellow back of the head.
It was Sylvia.
“······She came too.”
“Who?”
“Over there.”
Sylvia was sitting primly, studying.
“Ah, you’re right. Sylvia came here too? But she’s studying even here? Amazing. Seriously amazing.”
Just then, Deculein appeared. As soon as he sat in the seat of honor, he received the paper from Professor Relin. Before anyone noticed, Sylvia had closed her book and was looking that way.
Epherene tilted her head.
─Please be quiet. The first presenter is third-year mage, Solda Drent.
Drent was first from the start.
Julia’s eyes sparkled, and Epherene chuckled.
“······Are you that happy?”
“Huh? H-Happy? What are you talking about? He’s just a kind senior, so I hope things go well for him~ That’s all.”
Drent stepped onto the stage. After giving a brief introduction to his paper, he immediately manifested his magic.
“······With only a small adjustment, it is possible to have this 「Fireball」 activate even underwater. For now, it is a 「Protective Fireball」.”
Epherene tilted her head and tried to watch the process, but her seat was so poor that she could only hear his voice.
The atmosphere seemed fairly decent.
“Drent. I heard you changed the subject a little while writing this paper. So there was a reason.”
It was Professor Letran. He laughed quietly and praised Drent. Drent nodded, his face looking as though he were holding back a smile.
“Thank you.”
“Drent. Have you decided which professor you will serve under?”
“Pardon? Ahaha. Not yet, but I would be honored no matter who it is.”
“Are you telling the professors to compete over you? How arrogant.”
The other professors chimed in with warm remarks as well. Julia clapped like a seal and shook Epherene by the shoulder.
“It must have gone well~”
“Seems like it?”
But Epherene felt something was off.
She didn’t know in detail, but when she caught snippets of Drent’s words, the subject of that paper seemed a little similar to her assignment.
It had to be a coincidence, right?
“Gasp. It’s Deculein.”
In an instant, Julia’s expression stiffened. Epherene also focused her gaze again.
Last was Head Professor Deculein.
“Solda Drent.”
“Yes!”
“Is the idea for this paper yours?”
Deculein asked bluntly. Drent nodded without the slightest hesitation.
“Yes.”
Deculein silently glared at Drent. There was something unusual about that gaze. It was as heavy and cold as lead.
“I’ll ask again. Is this your own unique idea, developed without discussion with or reference to anyone else?”
“Yes. Absolutely!”
Drent answered vigorously. Right now, he was mistaking Deculein’s words for praise.
Deculein said,
“Do you want my evaluation?”
“Yes!”
At that moment, Epherene felt a chill crawl up her spine, but······.
Drent thought it laughable inwardly.
No matter how highly you praise me, Deculein, I will never enter under your command. Of course, I know you, who have only one assistant professor, are desperate. But I absolutely refuse to become your slave······.
“Very well. I will begin asking questions now.”
Deculein raised the paper he held in one hand.
“Drent, you spoke of the changes in elemental magic according to nature and terrain, and described a method by which magic could remain constant. In that case.”
Then he emitted a formula with mana. It was not a normal structure. The magic circle was closer to an oval than a circle.
“Now. In what kind of natural environment was this formula manifested for it to become distorted like this? Exactly 13.7% of the formula has been damaged.”
“Pardon? Ah······ That is······.”
“13.7%. Can you infer anything from this figure?”
“······”
“You don’t know? If you don’t, then how could a formula distorted like this be manifested? Tell me even a rough method.”
13.7%. A distorted formula. A rough method.
To Drent, it was an onslaught that seemed to twist his head into knots, but this one question was not the end.
Deculein’s questions were exceedingly consecutive.