episode_0013

Luminous Academy.

Built near the empire’s capital, already a city and symbol, the continent’s best educational institution.

As difficult as it is to enter, it’s a place with a bizarrely large number of job options available after graduation. You can receive good treatment anywhere you go, and it’s also a prestigious school that most of the empire’s current officials have passed through. There’s a reason nobles are determined to enter it.

To a place like that, a wizard belonging to the Witches’ Society is to be enrolled.

To be precise, it was about enrolling the most talented person from Wiheim. The Witches’ Society or the Alliance wasn’t largely relevant. It was purely coincidental that the most outstanding child among the wizards who had just become adults happened to be Enna’s disciple, who belonged to both the Witches’ Society and the Alliance. It wasn’t a topic brought up specifically to trouble her.

In the first place, various wizard organizations had recently been enrolling young wizards in Luminous Academy. It was similar to studying abroad, meant to encourage them not to stay trapped in a well but to travel the outside world and form various connections, and if you could call it a trend, it was one. The only difference was that the Alliance had been doing it since a long time ago.

This was due to the contract formed between the first Alliance Leader and the Academy Headmaster.

It wasn’t a big incident. The Alliance asked for help from the Academy Headmaster, with whom they had a friendly relationship, to build the city of Wiheim. In return, the Headmaster asked that if a young and excellent wizard emerged, they be enrolled in the Academy.

It wasn’t a difficult request, so the Alliance Leader readily accepted it.

This promise, which started as a request and expanded into a contract, has continued to the present day after a long time.

It was thanks to this that the relationship between the Academy and Wiheim wasn’t so bad.

However, the current Alliance Leader had been feeling a slight sense of debt regarding this friendship until recently. This was because no remarkably outstanding young wizard had appeared for several years, preventing enrollment in the Academy. The only wizards present were all old middle-aged or elderly people. Although their appearance might be young, their insides were old.

In such a situation, Asel appeared like a welcome rain after a drought. Although they hadn’t spoken directly, the level of magic he used had been confirmed long ago at the exchange meeting between the Alliance and the Witches’ Society. The Alliance Leader thought that he was undoubtedly the most optimized talent for Academy enrollment.

So they cast their votes, and as expected, Asel was chosen by an overwhelming margin.

It was a cause for celebration. The Alliance Leader felt like getting up and dancing, but position makes the man. They maintained a solemn atmosphere and continued the meeting.

The result of that is this.

“……”

The Alliance Leader. orium sighed deeply, facing Enna’s blue eyes.

“Senior, what’s wrong? This is a good opportunity for Asel, that friend.”

A strange situation where an old elderly wizard calls the young-looking Enna “Senior.” But no one expressed surprise at that fact. Instead, they merely swallowed or observed the current situation with intrigued eyes.

“Besides, one day he’ll leave Wiheim and wander the world. You know how important it is for a wizard to experience the outside even a little earlier, don’t you, Senior?”

“That’s for me to decide. Not the Alliance.”

“…Tsk. Well, that is true.”

orium muttered that and frowned. It was certainly strange not to ask for the opinion of Enna, Asel’s teacher, about her disciple. He asked with a bright expression.

“May we send him?”

“Are you messing with me?”

“Well, this won’t do.”

orium threw away all the solemn atmosphere, returned to his usual self, and sprang up from his seat. At that sight, those watching the confrontation between Enna and orium let out exclamations filled with anticipation.

Enna and orium, both Archwizards who have reached the 8th Circle. Two people classified as asymmetrical power wherever they go, facing off and confronting each other.

“No, Senior. Aren’t you being too overprotective? Other wizards give their disciples monster hunting as homework!”

“Do you think Asel needs something like that?”

“Hmm. Not that… Ah, then I’ll ask the opposite. Is there anything more you can teach Asel?”

“Plenty. I’ll teach him Lightning Magic directly by his side too.”

“You know that if you interfere too much, Asel won’t be able to awaken the uniqueness of his magic, don’t you? I trust you’re not planning to limit your disciple’s potential.”

“…There’s a lot more to teach him besides that.”

“What is there? From what I’ve seen, his circuits, core, and skill in handling mana are all on a similar level to ours.”

“…Anyway, there’s a lot.”

“Oh, come on.”

The conversation continued for quite a while. orium shook his head with a weary expression and raised a finger.

At that simple gesture, the wizards swallowed. Although they probably wouldn’t fight to the death here, there was a sufficient possibility of a show of force occurring. Conflicts between proud wizards often escalated into physical confrontations.

The wizards fidgeted in anticipation of that battle.

But their expectations were splendidly off the mark. Instead of projecting mana, orium, who had stood up, pointed a finger at Enna and headed out of the meeting hall.

The faces of the wizards who were keeping their seats turned dumbfounded, and Enna’s expression twisted. orium looked at that sight and shouted loudly.

“Just wait right there! I’ll go and ask Asel directly!”

“…What?”

“In the end, one’s own will is the most important thing!”

Crackle.

orium drew the extended finger vertically downwards. Just like that gesture, a crack appeared in space.

An 8th-Circle Spatial Mage. A monster who had mastered Spatial Magic, which requires extreme difficulty and talent, to its limits. He threw himself through the cracked rift and disappeared from the meeting hall. Enna bit her lip tightly and threw herself beyond the shattered wall.

Roar!!

A pure white lightning bolt split the sky above Wiheim.

“……”

“Shall we eat?”

In the meeting hall where the Archwizards had disappeared, everyone nodded at the words uttered by one of the wizards who had remained seated.

“Let’s.”

“I know a good place. I’ll guide you.”

“Then we’ll ask you to do that.”

That day, a drinking party for high-ranking wizards took place on the streets of Wiheim.

*

Crackle!

The space next to where Asel was standing suddenly tore open. Asel was startled and instinctively chanted magic, extending his hand towards the space that had opened up.

[Crimson Fire Fan (赤火扇)]

Magic completed in an instant. Flames that consumed everything and grew in size were shot out in a fan shape.

At the sudden blaze, those attending the party screamed and backed away. Skilled wizards narrowed their eyes sharply and raised their mana, and Irina, who was standing next to Asel, exhaled a large puff of smoke from her throat. The smoke immediately changed shape into hundreds of daggers.

“Huh?”

Just as she was about to shoot them through the rift. Irina felt a familiar trace of mana from that torn space.

There was no need to think for long. As far as she knew, there was only one wizard who handled Spatial Magic and had unpleasant mana.

Irina sighed deeply and cancelled the magic. The daggers that had turned back into smoke went into the tip of her pipe, and she sharply inhaled the smoke.

“Hmm.”

At the same time, a face suddenly popped out from beyond the rift.

It was a face heavily singed by fire. Part of the braided white beard was burnt black, and the cheeks and chin were red-hot. When the mouth opened, black smoke surged out from within. Asel’s eyes widened upon confirming the owner of the bizarre appearance.

“…Alliance Leader?”

“It’s been a while, Asel. *Cough*, *cough*… The power of your magic is still considerable. If I hadn’t cast spatial distortion, my head would have turned to ash. Haha.”

orium walked deliberately through the rift with a benevolent smile.

*Snap*, and with a flick of his finger, his shabby appearance returned to that of a neat wizard. He stroked his beard and looked down at Asel.

“Congratulations on becoming an adult. Has it already been 8 years since you came here?”

“…Yes. Time passes remarkably fast.”

Asel answered with an awkward smile.

Three years ago. Although he had met the Alliance Leader at the exchange meeting between the Witches’ Society and the Alliance, this was the first time they had a direct conversation. Considering the opponent’s status and ability, it was perhaps natural to feel nervous just by talking.

orium narrowed his eyes and asked.

“What’s your current Circle?”

“It’s the 6th Circle.”

“Huh, the 6th Circle in 8 years since seriously learning magic. And you haven’t even had practical combat experience or epiphanies yet? This is simply a monster.”

“It’s thanks to having an excellent teacher.”

Asel said with a faint smile. orium, who had been talking comfortably, reacted to the word “teacher” that came out of Asel’s mouth.

“Ah, right. Asel, my boy.”

“…? Yes. What is it?”

“Have you thought about enrolling in Luminous Academy?”

“…The Academy, you mean?”

Asel muttered that and glanced back at Irina.

‘Was this what it meant to congratulate me on enrollment?’

He turned away from Irina, who was vigorously puffing on her pipe, and thought about orium’s proposal.

He knew well about Luminous Academy. He had seen it in books and occasionally talked with wizards who came from the Academy. He could pride himself on having some knowledge.

However, the matter of enrollment was separate. He had thought it was something from another world, but an unexpected opportunity had come into his hands.

‘It doesn’t seem like it would be so bad.’

He wasn’t tired of life in Wiheim. He hadn’t held a single complaint while living here, and he valued the connections he had made here. It felt even more like home than the mountain village he was born in.

But he also felt a desire to leave Wiheim and wander the outside world.

Experience was as important to a wizard as it was to warriors. The mental image one held and the uniqueness of their mana differed depending on what kind of life they had lived and what they pursued. It was the only common point between Aura and Mana, and it was something rooted solely in one’s life and philosophy, not talent.

It wasn’t for nothing that wizards often became mercenaries or wandering mages. Those who have reached a certain level of skill, are confident in their magic, and wish to grow all leave their cradle and roam the world. The growth limit for those who couldn’t do so and settled for reality was remarkably low.

Asel was a peculiar case. To be a 6th-Circle wizard just by eating, sleeping, and casting magic in Wiheim. It was something that would make wizards who had wandered the world foam at the mouth and have a fit if they heard about it.

A 6th-Circle wizard was a talent welcomed anywhere. A distinguished guest who could manifest high-level magic, easily use mid-level magic, and naturally produce low-level magic as easily as breathing. Considering that the minimum requirement for the Academy entrance exam was the 4th Circle, it was a vastly high level.

‘However, if I maintain this state, reaching the 7th Circle will be impossible.’

From the 7th Circle, it’s the stage where one not only has their own unique magic system but also imbues uniqueness by embedding their mental image directly into the magic. The fact that Enna’s pure white lightning continuously lashed out was also due to the manifestation of this uniqueness. This was a level that could never be reached by sitting in a room and using magic.

KWA-AAANG!!

Perhaps because he was thinking about Enna, he heard the sound of lightning striking from the top of the mansion. Asel briefly looked up at the ceiling, then confirmed orium’s impatient expression and continued his thoughts.

‘I have no intention of staying at the 6th Circle. My goal is the 8th Circle, or higher.’

Having entered magic and now possessing unending interest, enjoyment, and academic passion for it. Asel wanted to reach not only the 8th Circle, the realm of Archmages, but also the 9th Circle, which no one had reached except for those called ‘Great Sages’. That was the ideal realm every wizard dreamed of. It was a stepping stone to transcendence.

It was a realm that still felt distant, but there was no reason he couldn’t reach it by slowly climbing the steps. He wasn’t sure about the 9th Circle, but it felt like he could reach the 8th Circle by putting in effort for a few more years. The 7th Circle would come before that, but Asel didn’t particularly care about the realm directly ahead.

It wasn’t arrogance. It was conviction. He believed in his talent, and it had never betrayed him. It was certainly a Circle he could reach within 5 years just by studying, or within 2 years if he ventured outside. This was even a rough estimate. It might even take less time.

He didn’t even imagine it taking longer.

There was nothing as foolish as using one’s brain on something absurd.

‘Ultimately, the foundation of everything starts with gaining experience.’

His train of thought reached its conclusion.

Asel nodded and gazed at orium.

“Alright. I’ll do it, I’ll enroll.”

“Good! You’ve thought about it very well!”

He had been thinking that he would reach this point eventually anyway. Not satisfied with his current position, for the sake of growth, whether as a mercenary or a labyrinth exploration party. He would have left Wiheim in some form. It just happened that the method became enrolling in the Academy.

“What should I do?”

Asel asked that, and just as orium was about to answer.

“Asel!”

Crackle!!

A pure white lightning bolt struck beside Asel, and Enna appeared. She glared at orium and generated thunder and lightning in both hands.

“That damn guy… laid spatial distortion in the mansion?”

“Did I? Haha, I’m old, so I don’t remember well.”

orium replied evasively, scratching his cheek. Enna ground her teeth and stepped forward, as if to protect Asel.

Intense anger, rarely seen in Enna, who usually shows little emotion, was expressed outwards through her actions and mana. Lightning mixed with the air, and Enna growled out in a voice.

“Get lost. My leniency for you being the Alliance Leader ends now.”

“Alright. I’ll withdraw now. I’ve heard the answer anyway.”

“…What?”

At orium’s words, Enna spun around to look at Asel. Asel swallowed at her chilling gaze. His teacher’s angry appearance, which he was seeing for the first time, gave him a considerable sense of intimidation.

“I’m leaving. And Asel, I’ll tell you the entrance exam schedule later.”

After saying that, orium split space and hid his body beyond it. But Enna didn’t even glance at him, pulling Asel firmly by the neck while looking at him.

“Ugh.”

“……”

Their gazes met right in front of each other. A distance so close they could feel each other’s breath. It was a distance that would normally make one’s heart pound with excitement, but Asel’s heart thumped wildly with fear.

“Um… Teacher?”

“……”

“…Lady Enna?”

“…Come to my room tonight.”

After saying that, Enna let go of Asel and wearily went up to her room. Asel couldn’t even think about tidying his dishevelled clothes, watching Enna’s dispirited back figure.