The Department Head is Hiding His Magic Knowledge

,The magic formula on this side needs to have its structure changed entirely. I’ve also changed the magic that serves as the foundation for the blueprint, so the calculation for the output also needs to be redone. If the structure of the magic formula here is changed to a spiral shape, there’s a way to reduce the efficiency of mana consumption….”

As I said that, writing down the revisions with a pen, Felix, the owner of the magic engineering workshop sitting across from me, nodded diligently, his shiny bald spot gleaming.

,I see. To increase efficiency by expressing the structure of the flattened magic formula in reverse… I never would have thought of that. This, this… is truly amazing.”

At Felix’s undisguised admiration, I simply shrugged.

It was by chance that I, who had come to the magic engineering workshop, ended up giving explanations about magic engineering to the owner of the workshop. When the blueprint spread out on the counter caught my eye, the errors were visible as if it were obvious. It only took 10 seconds to identify the problems and improvements.

It was possible because I had realized the essence of magic engineering through a quantum jump, and vast magic engineering knowledge had taken root in my head. The only thing in my head was theoretical knowledge, but I had reached the truth of magic engineering to the point where I could judge the results with just imaginary experiments.

Knowing clearly what something is, even though I’ve never learned it, was quite a refreshing feeling. So, without realizing it, I got excited and started rambling about magic engineering. The paper I scribbled on while explaining magic engineering was densely filled with rune letters, symbols, and geometric figures.

My explanation was perfect. The explanation about magic engineering boasted fluent speaking skills regardless of my will. There was no doubt when I saw Felix organizing his thoughts with a happy face, no longer asking questions after the explanation was over.

Felix, who neatly folded the paper and inserted it between the pages of an old leather book, carefully stroked the old leather cover and opened his mouth with a smile.

,I don’t know how to thank you… First of all, I’ll prioritize the item you ordered. Of course, this is separate from the gratitude for this. If the artifact is created, I promise you the rights and profits from the sale of the product.”

Saying that, Felix put the book in the drawer and even put a lock on it for safety, then asked me with a cautious attitude.

,Are you perhaps from Transcendence Academy? I’m also a graduate of the Transcendence Academy’s Department of Magic Engineering.”

,I’m not from there… I’m a student.”

,Yes, I thought so… N-Nani?!”

Felix, who had been nodding, jumped up from his chair as if he had spilled hot coffee on his thigh. Then, as if he had remembered something, he snapped his fingers and laughed.

,Aha, you’re a graduating senior!”

,…No, I’m going up to my second year now.”

Silence flowed in the workshop for a moment. Felix, who was rolling his eyes around, made a troubled expression as if he didn’t know what to say, then groaned for a while before opening his mouth with difficulty.

,…I’ve heard rumors that there are many geniuses in the Department of Magic Engineering. They say that the Imperial Princess-nim is also an amazing magic engineer, and the junior who will follow in her footsteps is also an amazing genius!”

At Felix’s words, I scratched my forehead. I wondered if there was a need to clear up the misunderstanding with someone I had just met, but I didn’t know what kind of variable that misunderstanding would become later.

,…I’m in the Department of Combat.”

At my quiet answer, Felix tilted his head with a bewildered expression. His shiny bald spot reflected the light, hurting my eyes.

,Huh?”

,…I’m, uh, the top student in the first year of the Department of Combat.”

Felix, who repeated opening and closing his mouth, finally spoke with a dumbfounded face after a long time.

,Why the hell…?”

I only smiled instead of answering.

*

As we came out of the workshop, Kane, who had been quietly watching the conversation from the side, opened his mouth.

,The department head is hiding his strength… Is that what this is about?”

Not understanding the joke, I stopped walking and looked at Kane, who was somehow approaching me with an excited face.

,Why have you been hiding the fact that you have excellent magic engineering knowledge all this time?”

I couldn’t explain that I had inherited what Ross from another world had obtained.

Because telling a student who is studying hard, ‘I realized the essence of magic engineering in 1 minute with a quantum jump!’ is no different from being a show-off.

As I scratched the back of my head and couldn’t answer, Kane asked with a serious expression, wondering what kind of misunderstanding he had.

,…Are you perhaps in the same situation as me?”

I pondered what that meant and then realized the meaning. It was Kane who wore a mask of being annoyed by everything to avoid the surveillance of his family.

He is suspecting that the reason I hid my knowledge of magic engineering is related to my successful older brother, Roel, comparing it to his past self.

,It’s not like that… I just studied separately because I thought it might be helpful for Luna’s studies.”

Kane snorted, as if my hastily made answer was unsatisfactory.

,Hey, even though I’m not the top student in the Department of Alchemy, I’m still good enough to participate in duels. That was knowledge of a higher level that I couldn’t even understand half of the magic engineering theory that you explained to the workshop owner. Are you really answering that you studied separately because it might be helpful to your girlfriend?”

Listening to him, it seemed like I was showing off differently from my intention. But what can I do? I chuckled and answered.

,Would I look like an asshole if I said yes here?”

,You were always an asshole anyway.”

I lightly hit Kane’s arm at the joke and started walking back to the academy. Kane, who had been grumbling, suddenly smiled and said.

,The workshop owner’s reaction when you said you were in the Department of Combat was so funny. Anyone would be surprised when someone who looks like a magic engineer out of nowhere says they’re in the Department of Combat.”

As Kane was saying that, he suddenly ran forward a few steps and stood in front of me. Then, with a serious expression, he stroked his chin as if he were a detective and sent a suspicious look.

,Wait, the department head who didn’t even know the basic formulas of magic engineering is mistaken for a magic engineer by a graduate of the Department of Magic Engineering…? The fact that his hair suddenly got longer, the fact that his eye color changed… Could it be that someone is impersonating the department head-“

I passed by Kane without stopping, and he quickly ran to the side and matched my pace.

,To ignore a friend… You’re not Ross after all! Give me back my stupid department head! Give me back the department head who came all the way to the portal station and grabbed my pant leg!!!”

Ignoring Kane, who was grabbing my arm and shaking it while saying that, I didn’t turn my head and spoke. It was obvious that Kane would bother me more if I didn’t make up an excuse, even if it was rough.

,I accidentally obtained a magic engineering opportunity in the North.”

,Oh, that was a line straight out of a munchkin fantasy novel. I fell off a cliff to escape the enemy’s pursuit, and, oh? Ancient magic in a cave?! Am I the chosen protagonist?”

Kane, who had become a chatterbox, had evolved into an existence that was even more annoying and irritating than Aria. It felt like my 5-year-old nephew had become twins. Feeling tired, I sighed and looked for a suitable answer.

,…Yeah, that means it’s that cool, right?”

,No, it’s beyond being an asshole, it’s childish? I think it would be better to answer that you hid your strength. It feels like I’m watching Luna lie. Of course, I’ve never seen Luna lie.”

At that answer, I didn’t release the headlock until I arrived at the academy.

***

I had dinner with Kane, who made tomato pasta using the leftover pizza ingredients. Eating it with Kane’s homemade pickles filled my stomach more than usual. It was so uncomfortable to move that I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes for a moment.

,But why do you need bronze gauntlets?”

I had only said that I was going to buy travel supplies, and I hadn’t explained the reason, so it was natural for Kane to be curious. But I’m not the type to spoil movies.

Just as there’s nothing more anticlimactic than saying there’s a big twist at the end, I chose silence for the sake of the feeling Kane would feel when he had it in front of him.

It’s a better excuse than the reason that I wanted to see him surprised and making a fuss.

,You’ll find out later.”

,Since you’re hiding it, I guess I can expect a lot? If you don’t explain it properly, I’m going to expect as much as I want?!”

At Kane’s smiling face, I waved my hand casually. I was sure that whatever he expected, my gift would be more than that.

He grumbled for a while, but Kane didn’t ask any more questions. Judging by the fact that he immediately brought up the topic of camping, it seemed that he was more excited about the trip itself than about curiosity.

As the story ended and I was about to fall asleep listening to Kane’s noise of cleaning up after dinner, the call bell rang loudly in the house. It seemed that someone had visited the club room late at night.

Thinking that it would be easier to greet the visitor than to help with the cleaning, I struggled to open my eyes and went over the closet.

Perhaps the person was impatient, as they pressed the call bell again in the meantime, so I opened the door right away.

I opened the door halfway and froze. It was a completely unexpected visit. I thought I would see his face after the vacation was over.

Roel, who had stepped out through the half-open door, said with his usual kind smile.

,You’ve changed a lot in a short time, Ross.”