I had expected life at the Ivory Tower to be difficult, but I ran into an obstacle from the very beginning.
The class was called Introduction to Practical Magic.
The instructor was a mage named Clase, a delicate beauty.
She was a beauty, but……
“As expected, there are lots of nobles this year too. Wonderful, right? You nobles have probably learned magic in comfort until now. You were born with good bloodlines and received lavish support, so was it easy? You must have breezed through life. When you have a good instrument, even a clumsy performance produces a pleasant sound. But you should know that it is merely sound, not music. Right?”
Her personality was awful.
Lumin whispered, “I-I think that teacher has some resentment toward nobles.”
The reason Lumin of Lion Class was beside me was that major classes combined specialists from each class for joint instruction.
Introduction to Practical Magic was attended by Arcane Path majors from Lion Class and Frog Class together.
Clase widened her eyes at Lumin and me.
“Are you two talking over there? Have you not learned that you should be quiet when a teacher is speaking?”
“S-Sorry!”
“The world would be wonderful if apologizing meant you could be forgiven for everything, right?”
“S-Sorry!”
“This teacher is not going to accept your apology, so keep reflecting. I will be watching. Understood?”
“Y-Yes!”
“Ah, where was I? Someone made me lose my place. Annoying, right?”
What an impressive way of speaking.
Clase continued with an unpleasant smile.
“Ah, attributes. Students these days seem to think attributes are everything. Is that Attribute Omnipotence Theory? That is the thinking of people who lack something. Attributes are not what matter. You are born with a bloodline, then use magic however you please and discharge mana without knowing the principles. That is why problems arise. Do you understand? At that point, it would be better to donate your mana to Mana Parasites.”
Mana Parasites were still too much.
They were dreadful creatures that parasitized the bodies of knights and mages, sucking up their mana.
“So remember this. What is more important than attributes is……”
I let Clase’s words go in one ear and looked around.
Gray skies and barren ground stretched endlessly in every direction.
This was the Magic Practice Chamber on the eighth floor of the Ivory Tower.
It was connected to another dimension, making it far larger than it actually was. You could fire magic around as much as you wanted without causing a problem, and the mana was abundant as well, making it an ideal place for magical training.
Lumin whispered again, “I-I heard students disappear here every year. We need to be careful.”
“Disappear?”
“Yeah. That is why they erected a pillar of light at the entrance.”
Just as Lumin said, a pillar of light rose at the entrance to the Magic Practice Chamber, visible even from far away.
“I heard you can only receive permission to come here for self-study if at least three people come together. D-Do you want to come with me later?”
I did not answer.
Clase was staring intently at us.
“Oh my, you are talking again? You must have plenty of spare time if you can chat during class. Or perhaps my class was not very impressive? Lumin Haina? Armand Draco?”
It was Lumin who had been talking, not me.
To make a good impression, I forced a smile.
“I believe I was rude because I was marveling at how fascinating the Magic Practice Chamber is. I apologize, Instructor.”
“Oh my, so many fascinating things. I suppose this teacher’s class was not fascinating?”
“I apologize.”
“This student too—does everyone only know how to say they are sorry?”
Endure.
I forced the corners of my mouth higher so that my smile would not crack.
Clase let out an unpleasant laugh and added, “Then again, you are that Draco, are you not? You must have something to rely on. Fine. I will look forward to seeing it.”
Then she added, as though it were only an afterthought, “Know that this teacher does not make allowances for your circumstances.”
Clase’s gaze briefly landed on my Student Ring before moving on.
It seemed she knew that my attributes had been sealed.
She went to the students standing in a disorderly manner and crossed her arms.
“All right. Let us talk about the differences between attributes. Who would like to explain?”
At that, a platinum-blond girl from Lion Class shot up her hand.
“I will!”
“Good. Jelly?”
“Yes. Attributes are broadly divided into five: Rupture , Strength , Transformation , Illusion , and Life . A mage is granted three of those attributes.”
“Oh my, you know that well. Correct. There are two more, but there are fundamentally five attributes.”
“To explain each attribute, first, the Rupture attribute……”
“Stop. The teacher will explain?”
“Yes!”
“Thank you, Jelly.”
Why was she so kind to that girl named Jelly?
“M-Maybe she bribed her……”
Lumin muttered, then covered his mouth in case Clase looked his way.
In any case, the Arcane Path was divided into five attributes, just as that girl had said.
Their natures were as intuitive as their names.
Rupture destroyed, Strength enhanced, Transformation created harmony, Illusion beguiled, and Life healed.
It was easy to think of Rupture and Strength as specializing in offensive fields, while Illusion and Life specialized in support and healing.
It would be a little different if you engraved an oath and became a divine priest, or fell into forbidden paths such as dark magic.
However, beyond those five, two extremely rare attributes existed.
Destruction , and Creation .
“Therefore, there are seven attributes in total. They signify the bloodlines of the Seven Apostles. Because we inherited their blood, we can use their authority. Both this teacher and all of you are very fortunate. Right?”
Clase crossed her arms and smiled with her eyes.
“For reference, this teacher’s attributes are Triple Transformation. That means I inherited much of Apostle Eredia’s blood. Triple Transformation is commonly called the Arcane Path of Omnipotence , right? There is no magic that you can perform which this teacher cannot. So do not get carried away.”
Triple Transformation. I was jealous.
In the Empire, now that it had entered the Age of Glory, Transformation and Life attributes were favored.
In particular, Triple Transformation, called the Arcane Path of Omnipotence, was popular.
It did not specialize in anything, but it could perform any kind of magic. You could call it a high-income attribute with guaranteed employment.
“Do not be so astonished. Attributes at your level are nothing remarkable in the Ivory Tower. You understand, right?”
As she said that, Clase raised the corners of her mouth at me.
Smile. Smile.
The relationship between teacher and student was ultimately one of power.
That was even more unavoidable for me, whose life depended on my grades.
No matter how irritating Clase was, I had to return a brilliant smile.
No one spat in a smiling face.
Starting fights was one thing, but if I kept smiling at her, she would eventually soften.
How did I know?
I had lived a servile life often enough to know.
Someone whose family had fallen rolled through the mud to survive somehow.
But this strategy did not always work.
Clase’s eyes narrowed even further when she saw my smile.
“Hm……”
Tilting her head, Clase raised her index finger.
“Lumin Haina. Have you heard the saying that the Ivory Tower is cold?”
“Y-Yes?”
“Do you know it?”
“N-No.”
“Why not?”
“S-Sorry.”
“You have done nothing but apologize since earlier. Will apologizing solve anything?”
“I am sorry……”
“Of course you do not know it. Do you know why? Because I just made it up. Funny, right?”
Lumin opened his mouth, while the other students wore dubious expressions.
Clase raised the corners of her mouth and continued.
“That does not mean it is meaningless. Do you think I made it up for no reason? Listen carefully. The Ivory Tower really is cold. And this teacher’s heart is cold too. I am not a soft teacher who makes allowances for her students’ circumstances. You are no longer children, are you? Right? How old are you?”
“S-Seventeen……”
“In the Empire, seventeen is adulthood. You know that the Founding Emperor founded the nation at seventeen, right? You surely know that? You are old enough to establish a nation.”
“B-But the official history has another account……”
I immediately covered Lumin’s mouth.
Clase twisted her lips.
“Anyway, everyone. Because of that, this teacher has decided to conduct a Performance Assessment. Naturally, it will be reflected in your grades.”
The students stirred.
A Performance Assessment when we had not even learned anything properly? The pace was too fast.
“I am not saying we will do it right now. We will have two more classes after today, then conduct the Performance Assessment. In the meantime, you will practice the magic assigned to you as a task and show it to me. Understood?”
The students’ mood had sunk, so Clase tilted her head.
“Why is no one answering? What are you worried about?”
As the students darted their eyes around, Lumin clutched his head.
“Lumin Haina. What is that gesture?”
“N-Nothing.”
“You do not think this teacher is an inappropriate teacher who gives grades based on personal feelings, do you?”
Sparks flew from her hair, and Lumin flinched in fright.
“Do not worry. This teacher will not grade you. I have someone who will evaluate you objectively in my place. You do not trust this teacher, do you? Right? Do you think I do not know?”
“N-No……”
“Shut your mouth. Who do you take for a fool?”
Her tone turned cold, and the Magic Practice Chamber fell silent.
Seeing my chance, I spoke.
“I trust you.”
Clase tilted her brows as she looked at me.
Keeping my smile, I continued.
“I believe that Instructor Clase is a fair and objective teacher. But I also believe that the method you devised to ensure objectivity is trustworthy. Whatever method you choose, I will follow you, Instructor Clase.”
It was not the wind but the warm sun that made the traveler take off his cloak.
With that statement, perhaps my Performance Assessment score had risen by five points.
But Clase’s expression did not change.
No, if anything, it seemed to have hardened further.
Her voice lowered.
“Yes. It is as Armand says. I am very objective. Understood? But there is an even more objective method here.”
To my surprise, Clase took a crystal ball the size of a human head from inside her robe.
Did she have an interdimensional pouch attached somewhere?
“This child is……”
Before continuing, she briefly clenched her teeth.
“This child is Elizabeth II.”
The moment I heard that name, an ominous feeling washed over me.
“There was originally a child named Elizabeth. Do you know what kind of object that child was? She was the essence of ancient magic. I opened my eyes to the mysteries of magic while studying her. She was truly a masterpiece. But that child is gone now, poor thing.”
Every student’s gaze turned to me at once.
Damn it.
“But it is all right. Elizabeth II, modeled after Elizabeth, is here. This teacher made her. Is she not pretty? This child will assign tasks to all of you. You may look forward to it. What kind of child she is, you see……”
According to Clase’s introduction, Elizabeth II could check a student’s condition, like the late Elizabeth.
She would then provide a Performance Assessment task suited to each student and assign points according to their degree of achievement.
“This child is even colder than this teacher. That means she has no emotions. This teacher will not interfere, so you do not need to have foolish concerns. For reference, this is an object that this teacher created and the Headmaster certified. The Headmaster. So you understand that even if you protest, it will not be accepted?”
Once the Headmaster was mentioned, the students’ mood changed.
“You have not met the Headmaster yet, have you? You may meet her someday.”
The Headmaster of the Ivory Tower was the reason the Ivory Tower could be the Ivory Tower.
She was an immortal who had lived for countless ages.
With the divine beast White Tiger having ascended, she was the only immortal remaining in the Empire.
Because of that, the Headmaster’s position at the Ivory Tower carried absolute weight.
“For reference, this teacher and the Headmaster are very close. So you should make a good impression on this teacher. Right?”
Regardless of whether the students’ faces soured, Clase covered her mouth and giggled.
“Now, everyone, place your hands on Elizabeth II in order. Place them gently. She will get angry if you handle her roughly.”
The students placed their hands on Elizabeth II one at a time, just as they had with Elizabeth.
Elizabeth II even had a voice function.
[Lulusha Griel. Piercing Fire Serpent.]
It was a fairly high-grade offensive spell.
[Lumin Haina. Fairy’s Touch.]
A fairy? It seemed Lumin had a mixture of Life and Illusion attributes.
Elizabeth II presented each student with a task suited to their level.
Eventually, my turn approached.
When I stood before Elizabeth II, attention focused on me.
Do not expect anything.
My attributes were sealed, so Elizabeth II would not break.
But……
When I placed my hand on it, I received another strangely different response.
[Bzzzt, crackle, bzzzzz…… A-Armand. Armand Draco. Bzzzt……]
I did not miss Clase’s pupils wavering.
“Should I remove my hand?”
“Shut up and stay still.”
“Yes.”
Elizabeth II, which had been stuttering as though malfunctioning, finally completed its sentence.
[Armand Draco. Flower Blooming.]
The students burst into laughter the moment it spoke.
Flower Blooming was the most basic magic learned by beginners.
The girl named Jelly protested.
“Instructor, is it not malfunctioning? Flower Blooming is far too easy.”
“Jelly. Are you doubting Elizabeth II?”
“That is not it……”
“Elizabeth II cannot make a mistake. And even if she did, we will not change the assigned task. I promised, did I not? This teacher considers promises important.”
Hearing only those words, one might think Clase was protecting me.
But that was impossible.
Clase looked at me as if mocking me.
“Flower Blooming. You can do it, right? It is too easy, right?”
No.
I could not.
Flower Blooming was a magic every beginner learning magic performed.
But I was different.
I had been born with an Arcane Path of Extinction.
So……
I could not do it.
I simply could not.
It had been that way from the start.
I could make flowers wither, but I could not make them bloom.
Even without the Student Ring’s seal, it was impossible from the beginning.
An unpleasant childhood memory came to mind.
Rather than blooming flowers, I had killed a tree Mother cherished.
I think I had been spanked……
But there was nothing I could do.
“No objections. Everyone is doing it.”
If they told me to do it, I had to do it.
***
The students stood with distance between one another.
The students assigned offensive magic kept even wider spaces.
Their individual traits showed in the magic they practiced.
Everyone looked happy.
They liked magic, did they?
“Phew……”
I sighed as I looked up at the false sky, which held neither sun nor clouds.
“What is with the sigh?”
Clase said that as she passed beside me.
“It is only Flower Blooming, right? Do your best. If that is difficult, how did you get into the Ivory Tower?”
“I will do my best.”
I forced a smile, then closed my eyes.
By comparison, magic was similar to playing a flute.
Having my attributes sealed was like having that flute taken away.
No sound came from blowing air into empty space.
Whistling might still be possible, but it could not compare to a flute.
I did not want to admit it, but I had relied heavily on my bloodline until now.
But after my attributes were sealed, I did not know what to do.
As a test, I stirred my mana.
A cool sensation passed through my veins.
The mana that had probed for the Draco factor recoiled after failing to find what it sought, then roamed more fiercely.
Growing stubborn, I accelerated the mana even further.
Mana raced through my empty blood vessels.
And……
At some point, a sensation unlike anything I had felt before arose.
“What?”
I muttered without realizing it.
With the mana-guzzling Draco factor gone, I could feel the blood vessels extending throughout my body, the pulse of mana flowing along them, and the flow of the world itself—as though it were all within my grasp.
It was a wondrous sensation.
I felt as though I could make a needle and thread from mana, then stitch with them again and again.
As if to mock me, Draco’s Eye displayed the Information Window.
[Today’s Fortune]
An unexpected achievement awaits. Sometimes, only after letting go can you see what was hidden!