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Chapter 1: Magikos Magic Academy
“Charl’s cooking is the best!”
After savoring Charl’s simple yet incredibly delicious food and settling onto the large sofa, Charl sat down beside me.
“Ehehe…”
Holding a nearby cushion close to her chest, Charl wore a contented smile.
Curious about her happiness, I asked, “Did something good happen?” She replied, “Ehe… I’m happy that Jirei-kun is here.” Charl is so adorable.
Come to think of it, it had been nearly a year since I spent quality time with Charl like this. Due to various circumstances, I couldn’t respond to her letters… I had done something wrong.
“Anyway! Today was the release date for a new product, and this incredibly beautiful person showed up! She had black hair just like Jirei-kun… I wonder if she was a disguised princess? She was so stunning! Did you see anyone like that?” Charl asked.
Relaxing on the sofa, Charl shared the events of her day with me, as usual. “She was like an angel! I felt so envious!” Charl exclaimed. “I see, an angel,” I replied. For a moment, the image of a certain white-haired princess came to mind when I heard the word “angel.” But that couldn’t be right… No one should know that I’m at Magikosmaia, and the person Charl mentioned had black hair. It must be someone else.
“But truly, Jirei-kun is amazing. The new product that was released today was a candy made using an idea you taught me, Jirei-kun… Even though you claim not to need money, I want to give you everything!” Charl declared.
“I didn’t really do much. Seriously,” I replied.
“Jirei-kun, you’ve helped me tremendously!” Charl continued to praise me with her innocent eyes. I chuckled dryly, feeling guilty. In reality, I hadn’t done much. The idea for the new product came from knowledge I gained from a book I discovered in the old shed of the house where I lived as a child. I only provided vague instructions like “Use this shape” and “Use this ingredient.” But Charl, with her genius intuition and excellent skills, turned it into a successful product that sold out immediately. It felt overwhelming.
Charl attempted to give me money, but I couldn’t accept it because I truly hadn’t done much. It felt dishonest. Speaking of which… Many of the candies described in that book were extraordinary. I had never come across anything like them in any country. That’s why they became such a huge hit. I wondered who wrote that book.
“Jirei-kun, you don’t need to worry about money! You don’t have to work either… If you want, you can be a househusband, and I’ll take care of everything!” Charl exclaimed.
“That’s a bit much. I don’t want to burden you, Charl, and I’ll work to repay the money. Besides, I’m not skilled at cooking or cleaning,” I replied.
“It’s alright! I’ll take care of everything, so you just need to be here!” Charl insisted.
“What’s a househusband?” I asked. I thought it referred to someone who mooched off others.
“It’s nothing…,” Charl puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction. She looked cute when she pouted. Perhaps Charl saw me as an older brother-like figure and enjoyed being spoiled by me. If I had a younger sister, maybe she would be like this. And if I were to say something like “Is she talking about me?” the other person might misunderstand, but I would never misunderstand Charl. I thought of Charl as a younger sister.
Then, as if she had remembered something, Charl said, “By the way, Jirei-kun likes magic tools, right?” I answered, “I do, but…?” Then Charl took something out of her pocket and said, “Ta-dah! What is this?”
I looked at the paper she handed me. It was a rectangular piece of paper, resembling a ticket.
“Yay! It’s a ticket to the Magikosmaia Magic Tournament! I thought you might be happy because the prize is magical equipment!”
Indeed, the ticket had “57th Magikosmaia Magic Tournament Participation Ticket” written on it. But that was strange because this tournament is–
“I couldn’t participate as a general participant… Besides, I don’t meet the conditions, do I?”
The Magikosmaia Magic Tournament is an event held since ancient times, hosted by the royal family of Magikosmaia every few years.
Although it is referred to as a “magic” tournament, it is actually a quite chaotic event where anything goes within the rules, including swords and curses.
Being hosted by the royal family, high-ranking participants are rewarded with luxurious prizes and a substantial amount of prize money.
At times, the prizes have been materials from S-class monsters, while at other times, they have been swords or knives crafted by legendary blacksmiths.
It appears that the prizes change depending on which member of the royal family is hosting the tournament. In any case, they are undeniably lavish.
Naturally, a large number of people desire to participate.
To avoid the lengthy process of selecting from countless applicants, the tournament management displayed the following conditions for participants:
Individuals who belong to a specified organization, institution, or group and have received a recommendation.
Adventurer Rank A or higher.
Those who have been certified as having mastered some form of martial art (only those recognized as having the equivalent of A-class adventurer strength).
Certification of magic power A or higher from a magic institution.
Of course, I do not meet any of these conditions.
So it’s strange that I can participate. It’s perplexing, but…
[Participant Name] Jirei Raro
[Affiliated Institution] Royal Magikos Magic Academy
[Recommender] Aldi Auders, Principal
My name was clearly written on the participation ticket.
Furthermore, the [Affiliated Institution] was listed as the Magic Academy, inexplicably.
But I have no recollection of being a teacher or a janitor. What is happening here?
“Sh, Charl? What the hell is going on with this?”
“…I’ll explain it to you.”
As I attempted to listen, a very rough, dandy voice emanated from behind.
A chill ran through my body. Could this voice be…?
With a sense of foreboding and cold sweat enveloping me, I turned around abruptly. And there it was–
“Jirei, it’s been a while.”
The person within my field of vision was a diminutive figure with a deep, rough voice.
Their height was akin to that of a ten-year-old child.
Fluffy ears and a tail that moved up and down.
Their round eyes had a large black part and were as cute as a baby
Like a cat–or rather, a exactly a cat itself.
“Ugh…”
I instinctively grimace and crush the participation ticket in my hand. This person is high on my “people I don’t want to meet” ranking.
A fairy species [Kett-shee] and the current principal of the Royal Magikos Magic Academy–
–Aldi Auders.
“What’s happening? Why are you here?” I asked, puzzled.
“Could this be illegal entry? I’ll grab him and pull him out,” I thought, contemplating taking action.
“Well, don’t say that, Jirei. I’m a guest who was invited,” the person replied.
“Huh?” I was taken aback as he grabbed my neck and began dragging me along, spouting nonsensical statements. What was this guy talking about?
“This suspicious cat is saying weird things… Charl, is it true?” I questioned.
“Yes! I asked Aldi-san to write Jirei-kun’s letter of recommendation! I invited him as a surprise guest today!” Charl confirmed.
“…You’re kidding, right?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
With a smile of good will MAX, Charl answered, making it clear that it was true.
“Charl, wait here for a moment. I have to talk to this cat,” I said, dragging Aldi along and moving to the next room. I made sure to slam the door shut so that Charl couldn’t hear our conversation.
“What the hell is going on, you damn cat? Why are you recommending me and making me participate in the Magic Tournament? Give me a reason I can accept within five seconds. Five, four–“
“Wait, wait! I was asked by the girl at the candy store to do it!”
“Let’s say Sharl asked you. But you know that I’m the type of person who doesn’t want to do that, right?”
“Uh, well… It used to be that way, but I’m sure you’re not like that anymore. …… “, I think…”
“Don’t look away. You knew exactly what you were doing.”
Aldi averted his eyes in the direction of the morning sun and whistled softly.
“To be honest, I thik you wouldn’t mind entering the magic tournament. you’re interested in the magical tools that can be won as prizes, and there’s a lot of prize money to be had. you should have no complaints about that.”
“I told you it’s not going to happen! Cancel it! Forget it!”
“Heh, it’s too late, Jirei. I’ve already sent a recommendation letter to the management association and obtained a ticket to participate! You’ll participate as a teacher from my school, quietly!”
Aldi laughed insidiously. I really wanted to punch him.
I have no problem with participating. However, the problem is that the condition for participation is to be affiliated with the Royal Magikos Magic Academy and to have received a recommendation from Aldi Auders, the Academy’s Principal.
“In other words, you would be affiliated with Magikos Magic Academy to participate.”
“Of course, I’m not affiliated with them.”
“Probably, I fabricated the documents and applied as if you were affiliated with academy. Normally, someone need to confirm it, but if it was a recommendation from the principal himself. It’d passed without any suspicion.”
“Well, it’s just a little bit of time until the magic tournament. So, it’s fine for now.”
“What’s your real opinion?”
“I would like to stay affiliated for the rest of my life and study your magic to my heart’s content.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I absolutely refuse.”
“If you don’t participate, Charl will be disappointed,” he said, then walked away. But he turned back and clung to me, saying, “Please! Just a little bit! I mean it, just a little bit!”
I twisted my face in disgust and tried to pull away. He said it was just a little bit, but it was definitely a lie. I already knew how persistent he could be.
Come to think of it, I first met him four years ago when I came to Magikosmaia.
I had heard a rumor that an S-rank magical beast was attacking a nearby forest, so I went to investigate. That’s when I found Aldi being attacked by monsters.
I immediately used magic to kill the monsters and rescue him. It was all good, but little did I know that the monster I defeated was the S-rank magical beast.
Aldi said, “I’ve never seen that magic before! Please become a teacher at my school!” Of course, I refused.
I firmly declined and left, thinking that he had given up.
However, what followed was a barrage of recruitment attacks.
He appeared everywhere I went, trying to recruit me, and sometimes even used extras to say things like, “Hey, that guy over there looks like a perfect fit to be a teacher at Magikos Magic Academy!”
It was no longer recruitment but persistent and harassing behavior.
He harassed me everywhere I went, such as weapon shops, magic tool shops, and restaurants. I was almost on the verge of losing faith in humanity. Everyone on the street seemed to be one of Aldi’s henchmen.
In the end, I gave in and reluctantly agreed to work as an assistant for a limited time because I didn’t want to become a teacher.
Initially, the job involved simply measuring magical power, which made for an easy and comfortable life.
However, over time, he started revealing his true colors. He would attempt to measure every inch of my body and collect samples like hair and nails without my permission, all in the name of research, even while I was sleeping. It became too frightening.
I angrily slammed my resignation letter on the table, declaring, “That’s enough! I’m leaving this place!” But he wouldn’t accept it and begged me to stay for just one more month. Eventually, I reached my breaking point and managed to escape.
Later on, I discovered that he had forged my documents and arranged marriage proposals with various noblewomen in an attempt to trap me.
Since that moment, this troublesome cat has become one of the people on my blacklist. He’s just incredibly persistent.
If it weren’t for the fact that I wore full-body armor and used the “Magic Power Disguise” to hide my face, he would have chased me to the ends of the earth. It’s absolutely ridiculous.
“But I’m glad we can meet like this. It was tough after that. I searched the entire town for that red-haired guy and couldn’t find him… I thought he was dead.”
Aldi laughed happily and playfully pawed at me. By the way… at that time, there was a reason why I wore a red wig. Even now, I change my hair color to red using the “Ring of Metamorphosis.” Does this guy not know that my real hair color is black? Well, I’ll definitely keep it a secret. Anyway, I won’t get involved in anything troublesome like becoming a teacher. Cancel that idea.
After warning Aldi not to become a teacher, I headed towards Charl’s place.
“Well… if Jirei says so, then I’m fine with it too. I’m okay with that, you know?”
As Aldi departs, a wicked grin adorns his face. What is he talking about? If he just kneels down to the Management Association, there won’t be any problems. No problem at all.
“Ah… Jirei-kun! Are you finished talking?”
Charl catches sight of me and leaps up from the sofa, running towards me with joy.
“Ah, Charl, it’s about the Magic Tournament…sorry, but I’ve decided to cancel my participation.”
“….eh?”
Charl’s face transforms into shock, her eyes widening as she freezes.
Suddenly, tears start streaming down her face, and she utters, “I’m sorry. I did something selfish without thinking about Jirei-kun…I caused trouble, didn’t I? I’m really sorry…”
Charl cries uncontrollably, her body trembling in agitation. Hold on a moment.
“C-Charl? No, it’s not that you caused trouble. I just didn’t want to participate.”
“Yeah, I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t to do anything that Jirei-kun wouldn’t like…”
“No, that’s not it…”
Despite my attempts to calm her down, she continues to apologize and cries without ceasing. Eventually, she curls up, hugging her knees tightly. It’s painful to see.
“Jirei…?”
Aldi strikes me and displays a composed expression. This guy…!
“Jo-joke! Just kidding!! I’m really going to participate!!!”
“….eh? I didn’t really cause trouble for Jirei-kun? Ehehe…I’m relieved!”
Charl appears relieved and places a hand on her chest.
“Congratulations on becoming a teacher! I welcome you!”
“Gugigi… this damn cat…!”
“We should have a welcome party! You’re happy, right?”
“Well, yeah, I’m really happy. I’m so happy that I want to kick you and send you flying in a ball right now.”
Thus, my participation in the tournament and my appointment to the school are confirmed. I’m so happy… (monotone).
I promised myself that Aldi will be beaten up later. I can’t help it if I’m too happy. Yeah, it can’t be helped. It really can’t be helped. It’s absolutely impossible.
The next day:
“I’m so tired and lazy, and I’m already sleepy. Ugh, I want to go home, I want to go home…”
I collapse onto a bench inside the Magikos Academy, feeling like I’m on the verge of death.
“I don’t want to work, I’m so tired…”
I force myself to get up, suppressing the urge to go home, and survey my surroundings. Instead of being in a classroom with diligent teachers and students, I find myself in a maze-like garden surrounding the school building.
“Well, it’s better than being a teacher, I suppose…sigh…”
After refusing to become a teacher, citing it as too troublesome, Aldi had explained the job requirements for being a janitor. In the end, I agreed to become a janitor instead.
Today, feeling proud of myself for managing to skip work, I showed up for my janitor duties. I hoped it would be easier than being a teacher and that I could slack off.
“This place is too big. Why do I have to do everything by myself?”
As a result, I’m responsible for cleaning the entire school, including the student and teacher dormitories, as well as the lush gardens. Apparently, there are no janitors because the staff members take turns infusing magic into the “purification” and “restoration” tools installed throughout the school.
So, I’m the sole janitor, and it’s driving me insane. I wonder if I can just quit.
“I’m exhausted… but I have to keep going!”
Reluctantly, I rise to my feet and begin making my way towards the remaining magic tools that need cleaning.
Well, I can handle it on my own. However, due to the immense size of the school, it takes about 30 minutes to infuse each tool with as much magic power as a C-rank magician would. But I have no shortage of magic power, so I won’t collapse.
That’s not the issue. The problem is the sheer number of tools that require cleaning. I’ve been working tirelessly without a break since morning, and yet I’m still not done. It’s an overwhelming amount of hard work. I feel like I’m going to die.
Well, at least I can earn a decent amount of money, which is perfect for someone like me who’s in need of work. Together with the prize money from the magic tournament, I’ll be able to repay the money I owe Charl. I’ve also heard that this year’s tournament offers magical tools as prizes.
…Rumors have it that one of the magical tools is related to the challenging dimensional magic called “Spatial Transfer.” If that’s true, I definitely want to get my hands on it.
Initially, I thought Aldi had tricked me, but upon closer inspection, it turns out that the situation is rather convenient for me. Everything is going to be alright.
“My current location is here, and the magic tool is… over there.”
I glance at the school map and search for a few minutes.
“Oh… there it is. Alright, let’s finish this quickly–“
Just as I locate the magic tool I’m looking for and begin walking towards it, I encounter a disturbance.
“Everyone, please attend the lecture–“
“That’s right! Leave us alone! Go away!”
“We don’t feel like it!”
“But, but, it’s our reputation–“
I paused as I noticed a man wearing a teacher’s robe and five boys and girls, all around the age of thirteen, in school uniforms, engaged in a heated argument. Judging by their conversation, it appeared that the male teacher was pleading with the unruly students to attend a lecture.
“Sorry, but you’re in my way…”
I observed them for a moment, but since there was no sign of them leaving, I decided to move on and find another location instead.
From the distinguished chest badges on their uniforms, it seemed that they were noble students. It was disappointing to see them not putting in the effort like their non-noble peers.
In Magikosmaia, education was provided free of charge to anyone, regardless of the educational institution they attended. While passing an exam was necessary for admission to the magic academy, with determination, anyone could succeed. However, I heard that it wasn’t always the case a few years ago.
It was said that this policy was implemented to honor the will of the “hero” who had saved Magikosmaia in the past. To be honest, I didn’t fully grasp the significance, but it was definitely good news.
“It seems there are troublesome students after all. Well, it’s none of my business.”
After infusing magic into the remaining few magical tools, I had completed the job. I had worked up a good sweat!
When I reported to the staff that I had finished, they seemed surprised for some reason. Apparently, it wasn’t necessary to complete everything in a single day. Can you believe it?
It had been a few days since I became a janitor.
“Life is wonderful… I’m grateful to be alive…”
I lay on the grass, feeling the gentle breeze on my hair and the warmth of the sun on my body. It was pure bliss.
One might think I was slacking off, but that wasn’t the case. The truth was, I had nothing to do because I had finished the job that was supposed to take about fifteen days in just one day.
The staff had initially looked at me suspiciously, thinking I had cheated to finish the work so quickly. However, once they realized that I had completed it properly, they gave me permission to relax officially. I had achieved it!
Since then, I had been lying down like this, enjoying my break from the beginning of the day. I found a secluded spot where no one could find me, and there were few people passing by, so I didn’t attract any attention from students or teachers. I wasn’t disturbed, and before I knew it, the day had come to an end. Getting paid just for lying down—seriously, this was the best.
After the first time, Aldy didn’t call me anymore, and this might be the paradise I had been searching for. I hoped I could work here for the rest of my life.
As I contemplated the idea of staying here forever, enjoying the freedom, I heard some loud voices coming from a small, unused storage room nearby. I furrowed my brows and opened my eyes.
They were making so much noise… I was enjoying myself so much…
I thought of complaining to them and got up, heading towards the source of the commotion. They were probably skipping class to be there. What naughty kids… Well, I just had to tell them, “If you’re going to skip class, do it where I can’t hear you.”
“Hey—?”
As I peered into the storage room to reprimand them, I stopped mid-sentence.
Quickly, I hid behind something. Those kids…
“Hmm? Did you hear someone’s voice just now?”
“Probably just my imagination. We’re in the middle of a lecture, so no one should be here . Besides, this book is way too difficult…”
“I don’t understand this part either… Maybe we should ask someone to teach us?”
“You mean those instructors who only teach from the textbook? We’d be better off studying on our own.”
“They won’t teach us advanced magic anyway, since we’re just pawns in their political marriages… We don’t want to be tools but adventurers who live freely.”
“Exactly. That’s why we have to teach ourselves. We won’t be bound by them and can live as adventurers. But we have to be careful not to get caught by the instructors.”
“I understand that, but if we don’t understand something, we just don’t understand it. Can’t someone who knows more about magic teach us?”
Initially, I thought they were merely skipping class and fooling around, but it turned out to be the opposite. The students were diligently studying magic books stacked in the cramped storage room, teaching and learning from one another with great focus.
From their actions, it was evident that they had something they wanted to achieve, something they wished to do, or a dream they aspired to fulfill. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be studying so earnestly and independently.
Having dreams was a wonderful thing. Humans find happiness when they have goals, dreams, and aspirations. It’s infinitely better than being a hopeless and empty person.
“…Well, it’s none of my business.”
I quietly tried to distance myself from the storage room wall where I had been leaning, so as not to make any noise.
“I don’t get it! Can’t you just do it however you want? If it’s a healing spell, it’s okay if it fails!”
“What? What are you doing–? No, that won’t work!”
“Don’t worry! The incantation should go like this–“
“Hey, you idiot! Stop–“
“Alright, here we go— ‘High-level Healing’!”
As I attempted to leave, I overheard a troubling conversation.
Simultaneously, magic was cast with a careless incantation and an incorrect formula.
“Alright! Look, it worked! I’m the best, aren’t I–?”
I heard a small gasp, not one of surprise or admiration for succeeding in one shot, but rather fear.
The most crucial aspect of using magic is understanding it. If you don’t grasp the fundamental nature of the five major elemental magics, such as fire, water, and wind, it can result in nonsensical magic, like a “fireball that burns but isn’t hot.”
While advanced magicians may intentionally create such magic, it requires a deep understanding. There’s a significant difference between doing something you understand and doing something you don’t.
The principle of the healing magic that student used was to activate the innate healing power humans possess.
So, what happens when you use a healing spell meant for healing on a healthy body?
The answer is simple.
The magical energy loses its way, and excessive healing magic is cast upon the healthy body—
“What the–? My arm…!”
In the end, the area where the spell was cast rots and decays.
That’s why it’s essential to properly comprehend and utilize magic. Even if it’s a new spell, you must carefully analyze the magic formula, understand its nature, and then employ it; otherwise, you’ll never know what might occur.
“High-level Healing.”
“You fool! Hurry, we need to find the teacher— Huh?”
Quietly, I chanted and remotely regenerated the student’s arm back to its original state.
“My arm! My arm is… Wait, it’s growing back!”
Ignoring the astonished students, I left the scene without making any noise.
…It was too much trouble to be caught and scolded.
The next day, somehow I found myself engaged in a duel with the students from yesterday for various reasons.
“Just to make sure, let me repeat myself. If you can land even the slightest blow on me within three minutes, I’ll teach you magic as promised. But if you fail, don’t bother me anymore. I’m neither your teacher nor your parent, just a stranger. You’re a nuisance,” I sternly stated.
“Got it, old man! That’s way too easy for us! Don’t underestimate us—”
“Hey, you brat. I’m only eighteen. I’m not an old man, so call me ‘big brother’,” I interrupted.
I silenced the disrespectful student who was speaking with insolence.
Whispers circulated among the students, “Wait, he’s really eighteen?” “His eyes look cloudy,” “I thought he was around twenty-six,” “Is he even the right person? He doesn’t seem strong at all…” and so on.
“What a bother…” I muttered, my shoulders slumping.
A few hours earlier, I had arrived at the academy as usual and was summoned by Aldi. He requested that I become the teacher for these students. Apparently, the students whose arms were healed by my magic yesterday sought Aldi’s help to find the person who had restored them without physical contact. Aldi deduced that I was the only one who could have been out at that time and called me. I could see a smirk on Aldi’s face back then, the kind that made me want to punch him.
Naturally, I declined.
However, he persisted and became annoying. Aldi proposed, “How about if Jirei gets a few scratches in a duel? ” I reluctantly agreed. And now, here we were, facing each other in the vast circular arena of the colosseum.
“Sigh… Let’s get this over with. I’m busy,” I provocatively said, already planning to sleep until evening after this. I needed to finish this quickly and make today count.
“But what if I accidentally hurt you badly? I’m a genius, you know—”
“Rudas, were you not paying attention? The principal mentioned the existence of ‘competitive battlefields’ set up in this arena, so it’s fine even if you get hurt,” I explained.
“Oh, is that so? Well, whatever. Okay then, I’ll start—”
“Wait, you guys are misunderstanding something,” I interrupted.
I restrained Rudas, the most boisterous student who stepped forward confidently. The students seemed puzzled, unsure if the rules were being clarified.
“Are you planning to come at me one by one?” I asked.
The students looked as if to say, “Huh? Isn’t that obvious?”
“Why should I go through the trouble of dealing with that? You’re all here, so come at me together. …Alright, hurry up and attack,” I said wearily.
The students’ expressions changed at my provocation. They glared at me, their fighting spirit laid bare, whether due to feeling insulted or realizing they were being underestimated.
…Now they should come at me with genuine determination. It would be troublesome if they claimed later that they hadn’t been serious before. These prideful individuals should retreat without a word if they can’t even scratch me with their vaunted magic. What a brilliant plan. Am I a genius?
“You’re underestimating us… I’ll make you regret it! ‘The soaring hurricane, the fierce flame that burns everything to ashes’—”
Rudas drew his expensive magic sword from his waist and began to chant. We hadn’t even started yet, but well, that was fine.
“‘By the command of Rudas-Growal, the second son of the Growal family. Burn my enemies to ashes with the never-dying flames of purgatory’—Instantaneous Wind Prison Flame!” he shouted, casting his spell.
As the first and second verses of his chant concluded, a tremendous ball of flame surged forth, hurtling towards me at incredible speed.
It was a specialized attack of fire magic. I understood why someone could become enamored with this magic, even without a profound understanding of its intricacies, but still possessing the ability to wield it.
However…
“What…!?”
Without budging an inch, I allowed Rudas’s magic to strike me directly.
Not a scratch marred my body. I remained unharmed.
Rudas stared at me, wide-eyed, as if to say “impossible,” his mouth agape.
Well, it was understandable that his prideful magic failing to have any effect would come as a surprise. After all, it was an advanced four-verse spell, and he must have held great confidence in it.
Other students voiced their astonishment, “Huh!? What just happened!?” or “Huh? It clearly hit, didn’t it!?”
“Senno, Lulu! Let’s do ‘that’!”
“Got it!” “Yeah!”
Ark, a male student who had been calmly observing, called out to a heavily made-up female student, a gentle-looking female student, and a serious male student with glasses.
Seemingly, they possessed some sort of trump card. I decided to observe and see what they had up their sleeves.
“…Impressive.”
I stroked my chin thoughtfully and spoke words of praise.
The four students began chanting spells of different elemental attributes: fire, water, wind, and darkness.
At first glance, one might assume they were attempting a coordinated simultaneous attack, but that wasn’t the case.
“Is this… a ‘combination magic’?”
Observing the threads of magical power weaving around the students, connecting them like ethereal strings visible through my “penetration,” I concluded that it was indeed combination magic. A type of magic that required perfect coordination in various aspects, such as chant speed, understanding of each formula, and precise manipulation of magical energy. Moreover, executing it simultaneously with a large group of individuals seemed highly challenging.
“Everyone, let’s go—!?… Huh?”
“Eh!? Why did it dissipate…? It was supposed to be flawless—!?”
Confusion marred the students’ faces as they witnessed their magic dissipating just moments before activation. Undoubtedly, their utilization of such high-level combination magic was impressive. However…
“Your chanting is too slow. Don’t expect the enemy to wait for you.”
“Ugh—!”
Their technique still fell short of practicality. Unless they could streamline the lengthy incantation, a common weakness of combination magic performed by multiple individuals, and find a way to bypass the need for direct intervention in the formula as I did, it would remain an unattainable feat.
Disappointment flashed across the students’ countenances. Perhaps their proud magic being effortlessly nullified was disheartening.
“…That’s enough.”
I glanced at the magic clock mounted in the arena. There were roughly fifteen seconds remaining on the three-minute time limit. It was impossible to achieve anything in such a short span.
Convinced of my impending victory, I let my guard down.
However, a slight smirk played upon the lips of one of the students, Ark.
It was the expression of someone who believed their plan had succeeded.
Simultaneously, the “magic detection” they had been performing detected a surge of magical power from a spot directly behind me.
“Apologies for the sneak attack.”
Without making a sound, the student materialized behind me, swinging his blunt weapon, a mace.
I see. The large-scale composite magic earlier was also to distract attention from the ambush. He’s quite clever.
But…
“You’re too naive.”
I grabbed the mace just before it touched me and stopped it.
“What…!?”
The student’s attack failed, and he struggled to pull the mace back, but it remained immovable, as if trapped in a vice. Surprise flickered in his widened eyes.
“It’s not over yet.”
Undeterred, the students attempted to utilize magic, refusing to give up. I gestured towards the magic clock with my chin, feeling a sense of weariness.
“The victory is mine.”
The students stared at the magic clock, their expressions oscillating between disbelief and slight astonishment. Then…
“Damn it.”
Admitting defeat, the student fell to his knees, bowing his head in defeat.
“Alright. You won’t trouble me any longer. Now I can finally relax!”
Eager to retire for the day, I prepared to leave the arena. However, the students engaged in a conversation.
“Perhaps it’s impossible for us after all. We couldn’t even lay a finger on him…”
“Hey! That’s not true! It’s just that the janitor was too strong this time—”
“But Sano might be right. With our current skills, we can’t become adventurers and explore the world.”
“Don’t give up. We made a pact to break free together and embark on our own path, remember?”
“That’s true, but…”
“Ah…”
I realized there was an unanswered question lingering in my mind, and I couldn’t bear the thought of going home with a sense of unease. Determined to find the answer, I mustered the courage to ask.
“Hey, everyone. I’m curious… What motivates you to learn magic?”
As my inquiry hung in the air, the students lifted their faces and responded with timid voices.
From their responses, I discovered that these students were all offspring of high-ranking nobles. They harbored a desire to learn magic as a means to pursue a future as adventurers and explore the vast world freely.
Many among them were third or fourth children, often treated as pawns in political marriages or secondary options compared to their elder siblings. Whenever they expressed their aspirations to become adventurers, their pleas were dismissed as mere foolishness, not to be taken seriously.
Therefore, their goal was to quietly strengthen themselves and, upon graduation, escape together to embark on the path of adventurers, liberating themselves from the confines of their confined world.
The students spoke fervently about their dreams of forming alliances with others who faced similar challenges, providing mutual support, and experiencing thrilling adventures.
“I understand now. That’s a commendable goal. Indeed, even if you become adventurers without adequate strength, the likelihood of falling victim to monsters is quite high. So, it would be wise to acquire some strength,” I remarked.
My regrets welled up within me upon hearing their circumstances. Had their reasons been trivial, I could have easily dismissed them…
I let out a deep sigh.
“…I’ll teach you, but only to a limited extent,” I said with bitterness in my tone.
“Huh? But we lost the duel–“
“Yes, precisely why it will only be a limited amount. I’ll teach you until the end of my stay at this academy, which coincides with the conclusion of the magic tournament.”
The students, previously disheartened, raised their heads and gazed at me.
“But don’t misunderstand. I’m doing this for my own sake, not yours.”
My statement held absolute truth. Witnessing these students, lacking substantial strength, venture into the world as adventurers only to meet a grisly end at the hands of monsters would sicken me.
Therefore, this was purely for my own sake. I didn’t hold a deep attachment to these students, but teaching them served as a means of self-preservation.
Upon hearing this, the students’ faces brightened, and they swarmed around me, exclaiming, “Yes!” and “Is that true?” Their presence felt suffocating.
“I’ll teach you, but don’t grab onto my clothes! And don’t address me as ‘teacher’!”
I fended off the students who tugged at my garments from all sides. Their incessant chatter and persistent demands were becoming increasingly bothersome. All I wanted was to return home.
From that moment onward, I was swept away by the enthusiastic students, who implored me to expedite their training…
In retrospect, I couldn’t help but ponder if it was a mistake to inquire further about their motivations.
“Maybe I should have just stopped asking.”
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