episode_0039

“Hoo… Ooh… Oooooh…!!”

Professor Priest, wearing thick magnifying glasses that made her eyes appear five times larger behind the lenses.

She made strange noises, like a Homo erectus discovering fire for the first time, as she carefully observed the mana superconductor stone.

She would place it in her palm, slowly feeling the attributeless mana within, then put it down again to meticulously examine its exterior, as if wondering, ‘How can such divine power be hidden within such a small stone?’

Her overly careful examination involved rolling it this way and that, causing a bit of the edge to break and some dust to scatter.

Seeing this, she panicked like a raccoon trying to wash cotton candy, her eyes welling up with tears.

After crying for a moment, realizing the superconductor stone wasn’t hers, she repeatedly bowed to me.

“That’s alright… I was going to request an appraisal and analysis anyway.”

“Hing… I think I’ll need some equipment to figure out the details.”

“Equipment…?”

She put down the stone, took off her gloves, and pulled out some documents from a nearby bookshelf.

“If my understanding is correct, the mana accumulated within isn’t ordinary 4-attribute or special 2-attribute mana. This is apparently…”

And what she presented was similar to the ancient mana studies research journal I had read before. What it dealt with was—

“…attributeless mana.”

“You knew…!”

—Feigning a knowledgeable act.

“I was a library rat once. I read everything I could get my hands on, so I’ve acquired a broad, albeit superficial, knowledge.”

Professor Priest pulled out a pen from her chest pocket and began underlining the document.

“Then let’s get straight to the point. Now, look here.”

She pointed to the origin of mana.

Ether, the substance that makes up all things, blah blah blah—

To summarize, it means that attributeless mana is a kind of ‘atom.’ That’s how I understood it, having memories from a past life, particularly my interest in science.

“Anyway, this mana is a power with truly limitless possibilities. To even experience a ten-thousandth of it, we need to extract it first…”

“So, the equipment?”

“Yes. Honestly, the superconductor stone itself is quite valuable for research, but to do that, we need to empty the mana inside first.”

‘Quite valuable for research’—meant the professor wasn’t particularly interested in the stone itself, completely captivated by the ‘attributeless mana’ before her. Therefore, she seemed more focused on the contents than the stone itself, intensely trying to verify her theoretical experiments, which she’d only done without a physical sample, by carefully reading the documents.

“Actually, from what I’ve skimmed, even with the equipment, most of it will just be verification. I’ve already finished the research based on the old data.”

And finally, truly last.

From deep inside the desk drawer, she retrieved a carefully sealed bundle of documents.

On the cover was written… “An Inquiry into the Origin of Mana – Artemis’s Legacy, On the Limitless Possibilities of Attributeless Mana”

‘This is it!’

Professor Priest’s new paper, found.

As soon as I saw it, I grabbed her wrist.

“That, that, that…! Could I possibly… read it…?”

She smiled, shook her head, put down what she was holding, and took a slightly worn copy from the bookshelf.

“That’s the original, I’ll give you this one.’

“Thank you…!”

“Thank you? The item you brought is far more valuable. I should be the one thanking you.”

Taking off her glasses and pinning them to her chest, the professor bowed to me.

“Thank you so much for lending me this precious material. Thanks to you, the magical academic world of Naifrantz will grow even further.”

“Likewise, thank you for readily providing your paper.”

As I bowed in return, the professor bowed again, and I bowed a third time – a strange exchange of thanks.

“However… I was so flustered, I didn’t even ask your name. You’re clearly one of my students, what is your name?”

I laughed lightly and extended my hand.

“Narias Philbrogue.”

“Emile Priest. I specialize in pure mana studies.”

Exchanging names and handshakes wasn’t unusual, but that wasn’t the important part right now.

The professor wouldn’t let go of my hand.

“Now that I think about it, I’ve heard your name before. You’re a special student, aren’t you? Oh dear, I should have noticed earlier. If the opportunity arises, perhaps you could work in our lab—”

“Thank you. Goodbye!”

. . .

Considering the immediate rejection of the graduate student bad ending route, she had consistently shown me her favor.

Under the pretext of providing comprehensive support to special students.

During lectures, she often called upon me to answer questions, and other students would nod in response – a pattern that was repeated frequently.

When we happened to meet outside of class, she would check if I was reading her paper, and if there were parts I found difficult to understand, she would add her own interpretation.

She also slipped similar materials into my bag, giving me opportunities for self-growth in addition to studying for exams.

But explaining that would be too late, the last week was already a mess.

Because someone resented the special treatment I was receiving.

Who wouldn’t like the affection of a professor?

A student? A graduate student? Ah, this isn’t someone, right?

Anyway, I never imagined such a person would show up.

* * *

Tap- tap- tap-

In an office at Naifrantz Academy’s Department of Magic, a woman reclined on a chair.

With an expression of displeasure for some reason, she tapped her fingers on the desk.

“Isn’t the professor late?”

“…Yes. She said she was going to see student Narias—”

Kwaang!!

The moment the name came out of the attendant’s mouth, the woman clenched her fist and slammed it on the desk.

“Again, again, that Narias, Narias. What’s so great about her…”

“She’s a special student.”

“I know. My mother chose her.”

Amelia Freid, daughter of the academy headmistress, Natalya Freid, wasn’t pleased with the series of unusual events that had begun this year.

She thought that inserting a special student into the Department of Magic, using either money or power would do the charm, but she was just a baroness from a remote area, and her tuition was subsidized by the department’s budget.

In such cases, Amelia usually relinquished her position and acted like a spoiled child.

She still thought she was at that age.

To be honest, she acknowledged Narias’s abilities to some extent.

But that’s all.

If she had only been a member of royalty who disguised her identity to enter the academy, if she had significantly contributed to the Kingdom, revitalizing the crumbling political situation… Or if she had, at least, a mysterious power capable of shaking the world?

She hated the sight of a nobody, without money or influence, acting proud as a special student.

She straightforwardly reported it to her mother, and the wise Headmistress Natalya said—

“My foolish daughter, did I not tell you? Shut your mouth.”

—So it goes.

What could she do? She had to obey.

From then on, she would just sulk in her office.

But recently, something happened that broke her status quo.

Even her respected Professor Priest, her long-time mentor, had been captivated by that vixen, Narias!

It started like this:

After department meetings, she would always enjoy tea with the professor, but one day, the professor suddenly said she wouldn’t be able to make it.

A bewildered Amelia asked.

“Na- Narias Philbrogue…?”

“Yes. That young lady is quite sharp. She knows a lot, has a lot of curiosity. And it’s not just her status as a special student, her grades are great too. Lia should work harder too~”

Lia should work harder too~

Lia should work harder too~

The name of her rival, spoken by her respected mentor.

And then, the comparison.

From that day on, Amelia started writing ‘Narias Philbrogue’ in her mental death note whenever she got a chance.

‘I’ll kill her…’

To her who had snatched the recognition of her mentor, her mother, and even the students.

Amelia could feel nothing but hatred.

Those days went by.

Walking weakly down the hallway, she found her.

A student with poor conduct who was sleeping at her desk during class.

* * *

Ugh… My head is fuzzy.

Did I fall asleep again?

This has been happening frequently lately.

I wasn’t particularly sleepy, but I would suddenly fall asleep as if I had narcolepsy.

-Are you alright?

Yulia next to me whispered.

Without lifting my cheek from the desk, I quietly nodded.

Slowly raising my head, I saw Lulu teaching.

She seemed to have become more serious, preparing materials properly and teaching students who were having difficulties with diligence.

As our eyes met, she shyly looked away, and I smiled slightly.

Another peaceful day like yesterday, that’s what it seemed like, until that moment.

The classroom door burst open and that woman appeared.

“Yo- you… what brings you here…?”

“Ah, Instructor Valentine. I don’t have anything to say to you.”

Thump, thump.

With an unwavering gait, she approached me slumped over my desk.

With a vicious expression and a harsh voice, she shouted.

“Your attitude during class is unsatisfactory. You show no respect for the instructors.”

My head was already aching and then a woman I’d never seen shows up and whines irritatingly, making me furious.

So I simply replied while lying down.

“Who are you?”

And I sensed that my life was about to get a little more complicated.

“I am… Amelia Freid. Head of the Department of Magic at Naifrantz Academy… foolish child.”