Catch the Genius #2
After deciding to spend a large amount of money, Vince led Theodore out of the Magic Society building. Commercial activity was forbidden in the vicinity of the Magic Society since it was a research institute.
For this reason, the two of them quickly boarded a sky wagon as there was no better method of avoiding the crowds in Mana-vil. As soon as Vince got in the back seat, he said the name of their destination, "Please go to the commercial district. Sector D, area 27-2 is fine."
Then as the sky wagon began to move, Vince turned toward where Theo was sitting. "What do you think is the most urgent thing you need to do?"
"…Reach the 4th Circle."
"Definitely." Vince nodded at Theo's correct answer.
The circle was considered the most basic and important indicator of a magician's abilities.
The number of circles wasn't just limited to the amount of magic power. The more circles a magician had, the faster their magic power moved and the more complete the spell became. Even if the same procedure was used, a 5th Circle's Magic Missile would be stronger than that of a 3rd Circle.
Sylvia was a genius of the Blue Tower Master, an opponent who would definitely have the advantage when it came to perfecting the magic.
However, didn't Theo have an advantage when it came to experience? This meant he would have to use a shortcut to raise his odds, rather than filling the gap in other places. Fortunately, Gluttony's ability meant he could speed up his growth.
'I wish that I could go up to the 5th Circle if possible, but… it is impossible to reach the 5th Circle simply through accumulating magic power.'
If it were possible to reach the 5th Circle in that way, anyone with money could become a 5th Circle magician.
Just like in an field, there was a limit which couldn't be overcome by investing money in magic. This was the so-called 'wall' which had to be overcome through their own research and enlightenment.
Therefore, Theodore couldn't escape from this fundamental principle despite possessing Gluttony.
Vince looked down at Mana-vil and said with a confident expression, "This time, there will be many good items in the commercial district. There will be plenty of items that will be able to help you."
* * *
Rattle! A cheerful bell sound rang out.
A bell had been placed at the front door to signal of any visitors.
After hearing the sound, the owner, Fred, raised himself up at the counter. This was a busy time for tourists, but there was no big difference in the number of customers at high-end artifact stores. Since the prices were so high, it was burdensome to even enter.
Today, he had only had visitors, so he couldn't help having no strength in his voice. "Welcome-"
However, his helpless attitude disappeared the moment he confirmed Vince's attire. Since Fred first opened his store in Mana-vil, he had seen thousands of magicians and artifacts. A person in a magician's robe always had the smell of money around them.
However, Fred's sense of smell shook for the first time in many years.
'The Red Tower, and also… a Superior rank…! From his gait, he looks like a war magician. There are no artifacts on his body, and is the person accompanying him the disciple? Maybe I can get two servings.'
Typically, the largest spenders came from a magician's research funds. The Yellow Tower, known as the Alchemy Tower and money-eaters, consumed 30% of the kingdom's yearly budget buying materials.
In comparison, the research costs of the White Tower and Blue Tower, which were relatively cheaper, exceeded the annual budget of a trading company.
However, there were some exceptions.
"Owner, show me all your good products, regardless of price. It doesn't really matter, but I have an invitation to the magic contest."
"Yes! I will happily arrange it for you!"
Fred was excited by the expected sale and rushed into his warehouse.
'As expected from a war magician from the Red Tower, their spending ability is different!'
The only tower which didn't have large spendings was the Red Tower, which was considered to be the headquarters of war magicians who spent more time on the battlefield than in the laboratory.
Apart from buying pieces of equipment which would save their lives, they normally collected most of the money they earned. If the magicians were satisfied with the goods, they would pay as much as possible. So, a war magician from the Red Tower was considered a VIP in artifact stores.
Fred ran like lightning toward the warehouse and back again at the same speed.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!"
Kuuong!
An iron box containing dozens of artifacts was placed on the floor of the store. Despite the strict seal, the magic power leaking from it was fearsome. As Theo stared in anticipation, the lid of the iron box was finally opened.
When he saw the contents of the iron box, Theodore's eyes widened.
'Ohh…!'
Theo had touched many artifacts at the black market store, and that's why he knew that the artifacts in front of him were all of the 'Rare' rating! If he absorbed all of this, he would be able to fill up more than half of the magic power required for the 4th Circle.
However, Vince asked about the rating of these artifacts and made another request to the owner.
"Didn't I say regardless of the price?"
"Huh? But these are the best items in our store…?"
"No, there is definitely still something."
Vince smiled at Fred and knocked on the counter. "B rank, please take it out."
"…I understand." Fred nodded with a face filled with tension.
A Superior magician of the Red Tower was indeed qualified to purchase this item. It was an artifact which he hadn't taken out for the last few years since opening the store. He'd thought he wouldn't be able to find an owner for it because of its tremendous price.
Clink! The metal lock of the tightly sealed space under the counter was released, and silver gauntlets appeared.
"Appraise it."
"Yes."
Following Vince's whisper, Theo picked up the remarkable gauntlets carefully. Then he called out to Gluttony, 'Appraisal.'
[+ 8 West Wind's Protection (Armour)]
[These are gauntlets made of mithril alloy by dwarven craftsmen. The defense is amazing on its own, but the right method is to use the magic engraved on the gauntlets. By applying wind magic, the owner's magic power will create an air current which deflects any projectiles. In the past, the owner of these gauntlets was said to have passed through barrages of arrows without much difficulty.
* The rating of the gauntlets is 'Precious.'
* When consumed, a considerable amount of magic power will be absorbed.
* When consumed, the digestion time is 1 hour and 45 minutes.
* When consumed, the skill in wind defense magic will increase.
* When worn, 'Blessing of the Flowing Wind' is applied.]
'Precious rating!'
Theo's eyes shook as he confirmed the information.
These gauntlets were at the same level as 'Roaring Flames' which had been given to him by the Carter Family as an apology.
Theodore wasn't very knowledgeable in worldly affairs, but he could judge that the value of the gauntlets wouldn't be below 100 gold. It would be a few times the Miller Barony's budget, so it was natural for Theo's calm to be shaken.
"T-The price?"
"It is 180 gold, but there is a discounted rate for those with invitations. I am willing to accept 144 gold."
"144 gold…!"
As Theodore felt a little breathless, Vince stepped forward and pulled out his wallet.
It wasn't a gold coin that appeared but a gold ingot stamped with the symbol of the kingdom. It was worth 100 gold. Vince placed two of them on the counter and said to Fred who was staring blankly, "It is a lump sum for all of them. Are more procedures needed?"
"Uh, no."
"Then I will take it."
Artifacts worth 200 gold were swept away in an instant by Vince. The objects disappeared into the space pocket like they were a dream. Fred, who hit the jackpot, just stared after them blankly as the bell at the door sounded.
"…I can stop business for the day."
Then he placed a [CLOSED] sign on the door as he thought about drinking a cup of expensive sake.
* * *
Vince and Theodore didn't stop with just Fred, who had few customers.
Even in Mana-vil's luxurious stores, only one or two more B rank pieces could be found. After purchasing 'West Wind's Protection', Vince bought items from other stores. The amount consumed in the process was enough to buy a manor house in Mana-vil.
Theodore arrived at their accommodation and was finally able to look at all the artifacts they purchased.
'Wow, how much did all these cost…?'
He had never seen such a sight before in his life. Most of the items belonged in the 'quantity' category, but there were some quality ones among the mountain. Gluttony, which was still asleep, stretched out its tongue like it could feel something. It was because of the tempting the fragrance of the magic power coming from the artifacts.
Vince pushed the 'Rare' grade artifacts forward first.
"Feed it all the Rare grade items. If Gluttony was a person, then this would be an appetizer."
"I understand."
After taking several deep breaths, Theodore aimed his left hand towards the artifacts. He knew that there was no problem if he tried to feed it several different things at the same time, but he was nervous at the thought of trying to swallow items worth a few hundred gold.
It was a tremendous amount of money for a person from the country.
"Now, eat it."
At that moment…
Gluttony's tongue started on its sumptuous dinner. Necklaces, bracelets, boots, daggers, and armors were sucked into a whirlpool. As the tongue swung once, the familiar voice rang in his head continuously.
['The Necklace of Cleanliness' has been consumed. The amount of magic power is common.]
[Proficiency with the 2nd Circle magic 'Clean' has increased.]
['Stone Fist Magic Bracelet' has been consumed. The amount of magic power is common.]
[Proficiency with the 3rd Circle magic 'Stone Skin' has increased.]
['Sticky Boots' has been consumed. The amount of magic power is common.]
[1st Circle magic…]
[············]
[It will take 1 hour and 58 minutes to fully digest.]
Catch the Genius #3
After eating the bulk of the artifacts, Theodore's next choice was to start reading.
It wasn't just about gaining enough magic power to reach the 4th Circle. As a 4th Circle magician, Theo needed to be able to use 4th Circle magic. He only had a short amount of time, so he had to select useful magic in advance and increase his understanding.
Vince, who still had plenty of time remaining until the magic contest, also joined in. As someone with a rich amount of experience as a war magician, he was able to give detailed information about the strategies which the magicians of the Blue Tower used.
After looking at books for two hours…
"Ah…!"
The magic power in Theo's body suddenly boiled up. The last time his magic power had increased this much was when he had eaten 'Roaring Flames.' The flow of magic power emerged from the palm of his left hand and wrapped around Theodore's body, drawing the faint outline of a shape outside the three circles.
'4th Circle…!'
It wasn't at the completed stage yet. The shape was there, but he needed more magic power to fill it up.
However, even that was a great accomplishment compared to the days when the 3rd Circle had been far away. Theodore calmly scattered the remaining magic power throughout his body and opened his eyes once the 4th Circle outline finished. He certainly felt more magic power than before.
Vince recognized the magic power emerging from him and congratulated him, "Congratulations. Now, you are a fellow magician and walking the same path as me. Don't forget this fact in the future, and I hope you will continue to devote yourself wholly."
"Yes, Professor," Theo replied in a trembling voice.
The 4th Circle was just the start of the magic path. The invention of the magic reagents meant that many people crossed the threshold of the 4th Circle. However, those who reached the 5th Circle were just a handful. Some blamed the limits of their talent and remained in the 4th Circle until they died, while others felt desperation and frustration at the existence of the 'wall' beyond the 5th Circle.
In fact, even those who were considered as the top magicians in the continent couldn't cross the wall of the 7th Circle. The tower masters, excluding the Blue Tower Master and Red Tower Master, were also stuck at the 7th Circle.
The 9th Circle, which was considered the apex of humanity, had already become a legend and myth for a long time.
In the truest sense, the 4th Circle Theodore had now stepped into was a desert where numerous pilgrims had died.
Then Theo looked at the three Precious ranked artifacts remaining on the bed. They were similar in price to the West Wind's Protection, purchased for 144 gold at the first store. Each one had a great performance matching their price.
[+7 Hawk's Skull (Armor)]
[The helmet, made of steel and adamantium, is truly artistic and shaped like a hawk. The blacksmith, who created this helmet for a magician, added the ability for it to function like a real hawk. As a result, the 'Insight' magic is given to the wearer of the helmet. The person who wears this helmet will immediately acquire the Insight magic.
* The rating of this helmet is 'Precious'.
* When consumed, a considerable amount of magic power will be absorbed.
* When consumed, the digestion time is 1 hour and 32 minutes.
* When consumed, the Capture magic formula will be acquired.
* When worn, the skill 'Hawkeye' is applied.]
[+8 Night Prowler's Mirage (Shoes)]
[These are shoes made from luxurious leather with magic circles of mithril thread sewn on them. These are the reason why the thief Orwell hadn't gotten caught until the end. The guards had continued chasing the illusions Orwell left behind, and the secret had only been exposed after he'd been killed at a gambling place. The wearer of these shoes can create a lifelike illusion of themselves.
* The rating of these shoes is 'Precious'.
* When consumed, a considerable amount of magic power will be absorbed.
* When consumed, the digestion time is 1 hour and 41 minutes.
* When consumed, the Illusion magic formula will be acquired.
* When worn, the skill 'Illusion Track' is available.]
'Hawk's Skull' had been worn by a famous mercenary leader, and 'Night Prowler's Mirage' was the symbol of the legendary thief Orwell. They were too expensive and rare to be used as artifacts to gain magic power. If the craftsmen were here, they might've tried to break Theodore's neck.
To the hesitant Theo, Vince said, "Don't hesitate."
"Huh?"
"Use whatever means possible for the full preparation. Once you have made up your mind, don't stop. I will take on all the costs, so you don't have to be sorry."
"…I understand."
The last of Theo's hesitation went away at Vince's words.
It was correct that he should use all means possible. According to the guesses of the two people, 'Precious' grade artifacts wouldn't end with just increasing magic power. After eating 'Roaring Flames', he'd been able to acquire two abilities as well as magic power.
Artifacts couldn't be used in the Pupil Tournament. However, there was no rule prohibiting the use of a grimoire. Therefore, it was possible for Theo to use the function of the grimoire, not that anyone would notice.
The grimoire was separate from artifacts, so there was no way to detect its existence. It was fine as long as Theo didn't reveal the tongue in his palm. In a sense, it might be cowardly, but it didn't break any of the stated rules.
Despite being sick of war, Vince was still a war magician of the Red Tower. War magicians didn't care about the means and methods used to win. Similarly, Theodore had received Alfred's memories so he had no objection to it.
"Gluttony."
In the end, Theo moved his left hand towards the three artifacts worth around 500 gold.
"Eat."
The tongue was still unsatisfied and popped out like it had been waiting for the command. The gauntlets, helmet, and shoes were sucked in. This was the moment when the value of a mansion in Mana-vil was sucked into the stomach of the grimoire.
* * *
After reaching the 4th Circle with Gluttony's abilities, Theo received special lessons from Vince for a few days.
Theo had gained a fraction of Alfred's experience, but it was nothing compared to Vince's years on the battlefield. He searched through memories of the past and picked information which would help Theo.
"The biggest advantage of the water magic attribute is its versatility. Offense, defense, suppression… these applications aren't impossible when it comes to the water attribute. A skilled magician in the water attribute would be an annoying opponent."
If he thought about water, there was no other attribute which existed in such a variety of forms. The clouds floating in the sky were water, and the river running through the ground was also water. The snow capped peaks were water, and so was the fog rising early in the morning.
The freedom to go between solids, liquids, and gas was the strength and essence of the water magic attribute.
"Are you saying there are no special weaknesses?"
"Its attack is weaker than fire, its defense is lower than earth, and its speed is slower than the wind. The limitations of the water attribute is that it doesn't specialize in anything."
"…It is the medium in various aspects." Theo understood the meaning and nodded.
If so, there were some methods available to him. His earth-related defense magic had increased greatly due to the contract with Mitra, so he could block 4th Circle magic without much difficulty. He could also use the skill gained from 'Roaring Flames' to break through Sylvia's defense.
While Theo thought for a while, Vince opened his mouth and said, "This is just my guess but… you should avoid a close confrontation with Sylvia as much as possible."
"A close confrontation?" Theo was confused by the unexpected words.
However, Vince firmly nodded and explained, "The Blue Tower Master. Do you remember the staff the old man was carrying? It is a crude and large wooden staff."
"Of course." It was rare to meet a person who gave off such a strong impression. If Blundell hadn't been wearing a robe, Theo would've thought he was a warrior. Blundell's terrifying appearance matched his staff.
"That staff was really big."
"It isn't a staff."
"…Huh?"
Theo made a lost expression, causing Vince to shake his head with a sigh.
"It is good as a stick."
"..."
"He learned the eastern method of fighting with a stick as a hobby. The problem is that he reached the rank of a master with it."
Theo's face turned pale as Vince added, "He broke the heads of a few knights with it on the battlefield."
Sylvia was carrying a similar staff to her master. He would rather be hit by a Fireball than a rough staff wielded by a pretty girl.
"Don't narrow the distance if possible. That is my advice."
"Ah, I understand."
The two people took a break for a while before the discussion continued again.
Fortunately, Vince was a good mentor, and Theo was an excellent disciple. Vince explained the weaknesses of the Blue Tower Magicians, and the information came together in Theo's head with Alfred's experience.
Even though one thing was taught, Theo would gain enlightenment in a further three things.
* * *
As the end of the Pupil Tournament approached, Vince rented out a practice room for a final check.
If Theodore's abilities didn't meet his standard, then he would oppose the match with Sylvia. He didn't want Theo to be ridiculed in front of everyone. However, he became sure of something. 'This much is enough to win!'
Vince didn't specialize in water magic, but he was still a Superior rank of the Red Tower and a war magician. He was a few times stronger than an Average of the Blue Tower, but Theo had stood up to him without backing down. Theo had even saved some of the functions of the grimoire.
Theo, laying on the floor of the practice room with a weary expression, took deep breaths and looked up at Vince. "Professor, did I pass?"
Vince smiled and nodded. "I'll give you a perfect score."
ournament Finals #1
The final day of the Pupil Tournament arrived.
In the waiting room at the center of Pentarium, there was a measuring device to check the rankings of the participants. The names of 150 young magicians and the number of tokens they had were accurately described there.
The bottom-most players naturally only had one token and weren't in the waiting room. Fortunately for them, no one was interested in the participants at the bottom.
"Hey, look at that…!"
"What is it? Oh, the number one rank? Of course, it is… Huh?"
"…Surely there wasn't an error in the tool?"
"It was installed today, so what error could there be?"
"If this is true, how many times has she fought?"
The audience murmured in disbelief after seeing the leaderboards.
It was the last round, so the outline of the winner was revealed in the rankings. Participants satisfied with their ranking gave up on any more fights. This was because their rankings could lower if they challenged or received a challenge from someone else.
For that reason, previous Pupil Tournaments the final token count had been somewhere in the range of 30 to 40 tokens. There had been no big difference between the token counts of the winner and the other challengers.
However, what did the top of the leaderboard look like now?
[1st Place: No. 13 Sylvia – 95 tokens
2nd Place: No. 7 Pogani Wolgast – 21 tokens
3rd Place: No. 31 Robert Diane – 18 tokens]
The number of tokens possessed by the person in 1st place surpassed the previous record by nearly double, causing the audience to let out cries of admiration.
"9-95 tokens…?!"
"2nd place is only 21 tokens… Doesn't it mean that other people didn't have time to collect the tokens?"
"That is the Blue Tower Master's disciple."
As the disciple of the famous Blue Tower Master Blundell, she was considered as the favourite to win the competition.
However, nobody had thought she would reach 1st place with such a ridiculous record. It was a contest where young magicians participated, but it wasn't easy to establish such an overwhelming record.
The people who saw the leaderboard naturally looked at the silver-haired girl sitting in a corner of the waiting room. If it wasn't for the huge mass of muscles sitting next to her, she would've been buried by those who wanted to speak to her.
The mass of muscles, Blundell, spoke in a somewhat rough voice, "Ah, young people these days have no spirit!"
He was lamenting the fact that there had been no challengers for a few days. Blundell had tried to give a good experience to his disciple, but the other participants had turned on their tails as soon as her strength had been revealed.
Did they want to become magicians who had to live with failure because they were afraid of defeat? Blundell couldn't understand the concept of 'run away.'
'It is a chance to compete safely with a superior magician. A lucky opportunity like this is hard to come by!'
The magicians in the area stirred uncomfortably every time Blundell's eyebrows twitched, and the sparks flying around him were almost as strong as the Red Tower Master. Their anxiety grew as he grabbed his staff—no, the club on his back.
However, before his temper could explode…
"Good morning, Tower Master," someone entered the waiting room and spoke directly to Blundell, despite the heavy atmosphere.
"Um…?" Blundell's seemed unmoved, but his expression changed as soon as he saw the owner of the voice. His expression was one which wondered why this person had spoken to him. "Vince's disciple… Yes, aren't you Theodore?"
"Yes, that's right," Theo replied calmly.
He had experienced the presence of the Blue Tower Master once before, so he could tolerate it more easily now. In any case, Theo hadn't come here to confront the Blue Tower Master. Theo didn't lose his respectful attitude as he looked at Sylvia sitting next to Blundell. Sylvia's dream-like beauty still remained, but Theo noticed a change.
'…I don't feel like I am unable to win, unlike before. Does it mean I should try it now?'
Unlike when Theo faced the hobgoblin chief, he wasn't feeling a strong sense of tension at this moment. There was only a cold chill on the back of his neck. It was obvious that she wasn't an easy opponent, but she wouldn't be as difficult as before.
Blundell realized the meaning of that subtle gaze and stared at Theo thoughtfully.
"Hoh, have you reached the 4th Circle? Congratulations."
"Thank you."
"You wouldn't have looked for me just to hear these words… Perhaps…?"
As Vince had said, the old man was quick to notice. Blundell laughed and moved his massive body away the moment he noticed Theo's purpose. Theo was now able to meet Sylvia, who had been hidden by Blundell.
Her eyes were emotionless, like she had already forgotten his existence. However, that didn't matter.
"Number 13, Sylvia. I challenge you to a fight in the Pupil Tournament," Theo's voice resonated throughout the somewhat silent waiting room.
Some people laughed at his reckless challenge, while others were pleased they could see a funny sight. Sylvia just stared at him blankly and parted her pink lips, "…Me?"
Instead of answering, Theo held out the tokens he had. The five tokens made a rattling sound. They were shabby compared to Sylvia's 95 tokens. However, the tournament's 1st ranked participant couldn't refuse a challenge. It was a rule to give everyone a chance to ascend to the top, making it a perfect opportunity for Theo.
Finally, Sylvia rose from her seat. "…Okay, I also wanted to reach 100 tokens."
She accepted Theo's challenge.
Kukukung…
The moment the two people agreed, the main hall of Pentarium was opened.
There was two hours left until the end of the tournament, so the match with Sylvia would be the last one. The magic tool recognized that this was the 1st ranked final's fight and opened up the main hall.
"Oh? The main hall is open!"
"Does this mean the final is starting?"
"That reminds me, the Blue Tower Master's disciple is participating this year…"
"The time spent here is worth it."
The people who noticed the opening of the main hall gradually began to gather in Pentarium. They all wanted to see the final match. People were interested in boisterous events, and so the crowds swept in.
They came to see the disciple of the Blue Tower Master. As all sorts of spectators were gathering, the two competitors entered the main hall.
* * *
'No, why are there so many people…?' Theo was half-stricken as he looked at the crowd behind the transparent barrier.
When he fought Philip, there had been barely anyone in the crowd. However, this was the main hall and Sylvia's fame had increased, gathering an audience of more than 1,000 people. Theo's stomach hurt since it was the first time he had seen something like this.
Fortunately, the voices of the audience members didn't reach his ears.
"Theodore Miller? Have you ever heard of him?"
"No, I don't know it."
"I heard that he came with a magician called Vince…"
"Vince Haidel? Fire Killer Vince?!"
"But a few days ago, he was only at the 3rd Circle. It might end up being more boring that I thought."
There were doubts and curiosities. A few rare people remembered Vince's old nickname, but there was no one who thought that Theodore could win.
They noticed Sylvia's abilities had already surpassed the magic tower's Average rank and didn't think that another genius like her would appear in the Pupil Tournament. After all, geniuses were called geniuses because they were rare.
However, Vince, sitting next to Blundell, thought differently as he looked down at his disciple.
"…This is a fight that can surely be won. Win the fight that can't be won. Isn't that the motto of the magic towers?"
"You remembered."
"The Red Tower Master, she always said those words."
Then Blundell said, "You think that he is a rival to Sylvia. That child called Theodore, will he be able to win?"
"Well, it isn't a story that should be told with my mouth," Vince replied, indicating that Blundell should see with his own eyes.
The match started shortly after that.
Peng~
As a ball of light rose between the two people, Theo pulled up his magic power at full speed.
He had watched Sylvia's fights several times and noticed one thing—she deployed magic unusually fast. It took 5~10 seconds for her to activate 4th Circle magic, and 3rd Circle magic was invoked with just a word.
'If she takes the initiative, then it will be hard to take it back. It may be unreasonable, but I have to act first!'
Even if they started their spells at the same time, Theo would be half a beat slower than Sylvia. However, Theo had a means of storing magic in advance.
'Memorize. Two Slots Open. Double Blaze Shell.'
"Blow forward, strong winds!"
Two fireballs were created in the air, and an additional magic was used at the same time.
Among the four attributes, fire was the best at causing damage, while the wind enhanced one of its weaknesses—speed. Due to the physical repulsion, the compressed fireballs, called Blaze Shell, accelerated.
"Gale Force!"
If this was a battle, Theo would've used all his slots for the first attack. However, he couldn't use all his cards in a tournament match where he had to hit the opponent three times. Therefore, this was the best combination.
The combined power of Blaze Shell and Gale Force, which had both destructive power and speed, couldn't be stopped with any simple defense magic!
'Go!'
With the wind blowing at its back, the fireballs rushed forward like wild beasts. As a ghastly heat filled the air, Sylvia's silver hair caught his eyes. Sylvia moved forward with her brutish staff and scattered a blue magic power. Theo didn't know what defensive magic it was, but it wouldn't be able to completely block any damage.
With that conviction, the two fireballs shot forward.
Kwaaaaang!
It was a bombardment fierce enough to close the mouths of the audience members feeling doubtful about Theodore.
Tournament Finals #2
The huge explosion caused smoke and steam to fill the air. Two 4th Circle magics had been accelerated by wind, causing a deadly explosion on the battlefield. The solid stone floor of the stadium cracked apart, and dust rose up in the aftermath.
Visibility was sharply reduced in this situation, but Theodore's eyes shone a brilliant gold.
It was Hawkeye! Hawkeye, the skill he had received a few days ago after consuming 'Hawk's Skull,' naturally penetrated through the smokescreen which covered the stadium.
The moment Theo discovered Sylvia, Theo's eyes shook. It was because none of the crystals hanging from her robe were broken.
'She blocked it? The accelerated Double Blaze Shell?'
The clear ice pieces nearby were indications of Frozen Wall, a 3rd Circle defense magic. It looked like she had overlapped two or three layers of it. However, she couldn't have blocked that with a defensive ability which was lower than Earth Wall. The strength of the two materials, ice and stone, absolutely couldn't be compared.
The moment Theo thought this, he felt a chill on his skin.
"…Indeed, it is temperature!"
He couldn't help feeling in awe as he understood how Sylvia had improved her defense. Some time ago, he had stumbled upon this concept while reading a book.
According to the study of a magician, ice was said to increase in strength as the temperature dropped. If the temperature was minus 30 degrees Celsius, the strength would be similar to human teeth. Once the temperature was below minus 40 degrees, it would be stronger than minerals like amethysts.
If Sylvia had created an ice wall at a lower temperature, then its defense would almost be comparable to that of a steel wall. The barrier had been crushed, but the ice wall had been sufficient to block Theo's attack.
Theo realized this fact and prepared the next spell, but Sylvia was the one who moved first inside the smoke screen. Her robe flapped as she used her staff to draw a circle of magic power. Theo's Hawkeye vision penetrated the identity of the magic circle faster than anyone else.
'Ah, it is the first time I've dealt with this magic…!'
Theo broke off the spell he was casting and hurriedly retreated as it popped out of the smoke screen.
Shaaaaack~!
'Liquid Snake!'
It was an attribute control magic which existed in the 4th Circle. The opaque body of water wriggled, and the delicate scales shone as they reflected the light from the ceiling. Clumsy magicians often produced worms, but this was like a work of art.
That power was never beautiful.
Shaaaack-!
The water snake rushed aggressively toward Theodore like a real snake. It was like a big swamp snake, but its speed was comparable to that of a wild beast. The tail of the water snake shot upwards quickly.
'Dangerous!'
Theo sensed an early warning as a chill ran down his spine. A lump of water wasn't that painful, but the Liquid Snake wasn't an ordinary mass of water. The heavy water was compressed at a high density, making it hard and heavy like metal.
If he was hit once, then it had the ability to cause damage beyond the absorption capacity of the crystal.
Kwaang!
The descending tail hit the spot where Theo had just been standing. The ground was shattered like a warrior had hit it with a hammer, and Theo's robe was punctured by the fragments. It was good that the crystals didn't recognize that as damage.
Theo hurried out of the range of the water snake.
'Faster than I thought…!'
However, it wasn't over after the water snake missed. The water snake quickly turned its head toward Theo. It was a dozen times Theo's size, but it was almost twice as fast as Theo. It wouldn't have been possible to avoid the first blow if it hadn't been for Theo's sensory perception.
He rolled across the floor and desperately avoided the successive attacks of the water snake.
Kwaang! Kwang! Kwaang! Kuwang!
The tail and body of the snake kept crushing the floor of the stadium. Every move was an attack corresponding to 3rd Circle magic. Theo changed direction repeatedly to aim at Sylvia, but the water snake continued blocking him off.
Indeed, it was appropriate to call the water snake a moving defense. Fireball and Lightning Bolt couldn't stop the momentum of the water snake. It blocked a few shots that Theo had fired already. If this continued, he would consume too much stamina and magic power. It was time to use one of his hidden cards.
'My stored Blaze Shell doesn't have enough power.'
The 4th Circle fire magic could offset that snake. However, that was all.
Wouldn't it just revert the situation back to the beginning?
There was still a large difference between him and Sylvia, so the choice would just result in a one-sided loss. Then the second option was the Magic Bullet. Even the hobgoblin chief hadn't been able to withstand it.
The index finger of Theo's right hand stretched out quietly. He had to prepare enough power to penetrate through the water snake. Now that his magic power had reached the 4th Circle, he could shoot three or four of magic bullets. Unlike last time, there was no need to risk his life for one hit.
"…Okay, I'm going." Theo got up and maintained his posture. The water snake was chasing after him at a terrible speed, but it wasn't difficult to stop for a moment.
Sylvia's water snake was persistent magic, but Mitra had been waiting for his call from the beginning!
'Now, Mitra!'
[Hoing!] Mitra's cute voice resonated in his head as the shattered floor of the stadium suddenly soared up.
Shaaack-?!
The water snake failed to overcome its own momentum and slammed its head against a wall which had suddenly been raised. The strength of the collision shook the firmly constructed earth barrier, but it couldn't destroy it instantly. The water snake had to hit it three times to break Mitra's barrier.
Then beyond the barrier, the recreation of a previous scene appeared.
"Too late, reptile."
As a bluish glow emerged from the tip of his index finger, Theo aimed at Sylvia standing behind the water snake. Funnily enough, the opaque snake's body became an obstacle hindering her view. Her trust in the water snake's defensive ability cased her to become the prey of the Magic Bullet.
Immediately, a streak of light flew across the stadium.
Piiing!
The sound was slower than the streak of light. As the sound caught up one step late, the light had already pierced through the body of the water snake. It didn't care about the snake, which exploded like a water balloon, and flew unceasingly to its target.
As the audience responded to the blue light, Sylvia's talent meant she immediately unfolded a shield reflexively.
"…Ah!"
However, Theo's attack wasn't something which could be stopped with a basic shield. The Magic Bullet ruthlessly pierced through the surface of Sylvia's robe and hit her stomach. She took a step back from the shock of a power which couldn't be stopped by the Liquid Snake and Shield, and a crystal hanging from her robe broke with a loud sound.
Pakang!
It was a shocking start. While everyone in the stadium went into shock, Sylvia's bangs covered her face. It was impossible for the spectators to guess what expression she carried. How would she respond to this?
Would she have tightly clenched fists and an angry face? Perhaps she would be startled? Maybe there would be tears from the unexpected pain?
Or—
At that moment…
"Huooh…?!"
His teeth started clattering together. Goose bumps appeared on his skin, and his body shook from the cold. It was an extreme feeling, but it wasn't caused by fear. The pure cold was cooling down Theo's whole body. The sensation of his muscles contracting as he moved in this cold made him shudder.
Theo looked up reflexively at the ceiling, and his expression hardened. A huge number of ice arrows were pointing at the ground.
'No, isn't there at least 100 of them?'
How could Sylvia produce such a number? As Theo pulled up his magic power while being bewildered by the huge number, the arrows started to pour down. If they had a strength proportional to this cold, they would have the same power as a steel arrow. Any accidental scratch would be enough damage to break a crystal.
Above all, there were too many to avoid all of them.
"Burning Hands!"
As soon as Theo's spell was completed, three pairs of hands made of fire appeared in the air. The hands heated up the air. He learned from Vince that it was better to get get rid of a magic like Ice Arrow, rather than letting it skim past his body.
Chiiiik!
The 100 ice arrows and fire palms danced together. The steam caused by the evaporated arrows rose up from the ground. If it hadn't been for 'West Wind's Protection,' he would've been hit. Still, Theo's efforts weren't in vain as he managed to get rid of the arrows without a single bit of damage.
'This steam…'
Theo got rid of Burning Hands and tried to penetrate the steam when…
Hwaaak!
A girl with silver hair suddenly ran through the steam which had spread like fog.
"Eh?!" Theo's eyes widened when he saw that Sylvia had suddenly come toward him.
The distance which of almost 50 meters between them had narrowed in a matter of seconds. It wasn't the 5th Circle magic Blink, yet Haste was too slow compared to this speed. The secret to her rapid movements was the ground at her feet.
'Ice?'
She slid along an ice road created by ice magic. It was a technique which was contained in Alfred's memories. The ice road was a feat impossible without an exquisite control over the centre of gravity in the body and the frictional force.
Nevertheless, the technique was possible due to Sylvia's exceptional genius. However, Theo didn't have any more time to think.
Huoong!
The staff which contained magic power appeared right in front of Theo's nose.
"Kuk!"
He would've been hit if it wasn't for the warning of his sensory perception. If he had been hit without the damage absorbing crystal, his face would be squashed like a tomato. Theo had just barely managed to avoid the first attack, but the staff was notorious for its length.
Huoong! Hung! Huoong!
Sylvia's staff was wielded in succession. It grew increasingly closer to Theo's body and was now at a distance where it rubbed against his clothes.
'Damn, I'm reaching the limit…!'
Theodore had never learned proper hand-to-hand combat, so he couldn't escape from the professional techniques. He had only managed to avoid having all three crystals broken due to his sensory perception.
It was urgent for Theo to widen the distance. As soon as he made the decision, he jumped to the rear.
Ppak!
At almost the same time, the staff moved and hit his crossed arms. His crystal broke half a beat later.
Pakang!
With this, the two of them had returned to a tied score of 1:1.
"Ugh, that hurts…"
Most of the damage had been absorbed, but his bones were still throbbing. He probably had a bruise now. However, Theo used the shock while jumping and was able to widen the distance to almost 15 meters.
He wouldn't allow her to get closer like before. Theo understood that he shouldn't get close to Sylvia, so he paid close attention to her. If he took his eyes off her for even a moment, the same situation would repeat.
For that reason, Theo glimpsed something unexpected as he used Hawkeye.
'Smiling?'
Sylvia's emotionless face which seemed to be carved out of ice… Her marble-white face was smiling like a child would.
Tournament Finals #3
As the exchange between Theo and Sylvia entered a lull, the unknowingly closed mouths of the audience members finally opened. In the beginning, it was just heavy breathing, but it soon changed to cheers.
The Pupil Tournament had simply been treated as a children's festival, but the competition ended up being at this level!
The mouths of the audience members at the stadium began to move busily. Some of them gave a good evaluation to Theo, who had opened with a heated attack. His explosive power had grabbed the spirits of all the spectators in the stadium.
"That child on the left, did you say his name is Theodore? That first attack was really good. If it was another participant instead of Sylvia, he might've taken two points."
"Blaze Shell and Gale Force… It is a basic teaching in the Red Tower. The skill proficiency of Vince's disciple isn't bad."
"If his achievements accumulate, then he can reach the Average rank."
However, Sylvia's moves also caused a few people to talk.
"Hrmm, but I would put the Liquid Snake at a higher level. Some of the Blue Tower Magicians wouldn't be able to control it with such skill."
"As expected from Blundell's apprentice. Distracting the opponent's eyes with ice arrows and then sliding along the ice sheet for high-speed movement, followed by a blow with the staff in close combat. It is Blundell's famous hand combat style."
"I think that using fighting techniques in a magic contest is a bit… but her opponent did lose a point to it."
A person who didn't know real magic might say something like this.
-No matter how magical a person is, isn't it strange to treat a weapon hit as valid?
Then every war magician would give the same answer.
–That's right, if you are someone who wants to be hit. Either way, there is nothing strange about it.
It might seem quite ignorant, but it was true.
Magicians basically had to keep an eye on the distance from their opponent in a battle.
How much space did they have to cast and what magic could be prepared? The magicians had to take into account the opponent's movement speed and the range in which they would be a risk. Such precious calculations were the basis of all magic before the spells were cast.
Magicians knew better than anyone else that they were vulnerable in close combat. Therefore, they would prepare a few spells or tactics to prepare for enemies who were nearby.
If they were hit by a close combat attack, then the inexperience of the magician or the skill of the opponent was to blame. However, it wasn't just a matter of questioning the magician's experience or skill.
Blundell had a rare expression of surprise on his face as he looked at the interesting match.
"…I remember that magic."
Blundell Adruncus, the Blue Tower Master, was over 130 years old this year.
The days with the war hero, Alfred Bellontes, had just been part of his youth. In fact, Blundell had fought in the war against the Bellontes Principality. The feeling of the chill which shot down his spine as the blue flash emerged from the finger was still vivid.
Blundell hadn't died at the time, but his wound throbbed every time it rained like that time.
Clack!
With a flick of Blundell's fingers, Vince and the surrounding area were covered with a sound barrier. It was a magic curtain which combined air and water to block the transmission of sound. Blundell, who took care not to let the conversation between the two of them leak, looked at where Vince was sitting.
"Alfred's Magic Missile, did you reproduce it?"
"No. It is that kid's talent."
"…Um, 'Fire Killer Vince' truly has great eyes at recognizing talent."
The fact that a sound barrier had been activated meant Blundell didn't want the words to spread. Above all, he didn't have a need to exploit a mere child. Vince answered Blundell's questions honestly, quickly distinguishing between the information to hide and the information to reveal.
Blundell knocked on his wallet and muttered in a loud voice, "Indeed, I accept your bet. If he has that much skill, then there is a chance he could win."
Theodore's victory or Sylvia's victory…
The betting odds over who would win increased significantly thanks to these two magicians. In addition to Vince's 100 gold and Blundell's 300 gold, the total was close to 1,000 gold.
For the most part, the bets were placed on Sylvia's victory. However, some people chose to bet on Theodore in the hope of getting a big jackpot. If they won, they would get back almost six times the amount they bet.
However, Blundell wasn't focused on the stakes.
"…Too much talent makes people lonely."
"Huh?"
"Sylvia, that kid isn't good at making friends. She was clearly different, so the other children ignored her."
His words weren't a commentary but a complaint. Blundell, who was her only family and teacher, couldn't solve her loneliness. Despite being 17, his disciple had lost all traces of being a child.
Perhaps the Blue Tower's youngest talent had been blocked from reaching the 5th Circle due to this 'psychological wall.' However, the wall was now collapsing in several places.
'How is it? Is it fun playing with a friend?'
Was it because he had raised her as his daughter? His words might sound stupid, but they weren't completely wrong. Her smiling face which she had never shown to him…
Looking down at Sylvia who was smiling brightly, Blundell couldn't help smiling as well.
"Yes, try to play as much as possible."
…Until she got all the joy that she had forgotten in the past.
* * *
Regardless of the situation in the audience seats, the match between the two got hotter after both had lost one point.
Dozens of fire arrows flew through the air. It was a continuous magic which would burn the enemy it hit. Similarly, there were ice arrows which emitted a cold chill. As the bluish lightning struck, the translucent shield of water scattered electric currents everywhere.
Sylvia's magic didn't miss the moment the ground became wet.
"Icicle Grow."
"Earth Wave!"
Icicles sprang from the ground and a wave of earth covered it. The weak weight of the icicles were suppressed by the weight of the soil, and they were soon buried. However, the girl with silver hair made an ice road on the ground again.
'I'm sorry, but I've already seen that pattern!' The speed was obviously scary, but once Theo knew the direction, it wasn't hard to cope with.
He followed Sylvia's orbit with his index finger. Reversing the opponent's offensive was also a tactic. The Magic Bullet could break through any trick. Magic Bullet was launched from his finger.
Piiing!
The flash of light flew through the air faster than an arrow, piercing the side of Sylvia's robe. Sylvia grinned as she spoke, "…That, you showed me earlier."
Theodore wasn't the only one who had grasped the opponent's skill.
The Magic Bullet's weakness: avoidance was possible in a narrow area. As a result of specializing in penetration power and lethality, the small coin size was easy to avoid. The direct injection method also influenced the way it worked.
The original user, Alfred, had covered that weakness with tremendous speed, but Theodore's Magic Bullet was still lacking. Sylvia used Haste and outstanding reflexes to barely avoid it. This meant she expected it to come out.
Huoong!
Sylvia's staff hit Theo only for him to scatter like smoke.
"Eh?"
It was Illusion Track! This was the skill Theo had obtained from 'Night Prowler's Mirage.' Night Prowler's Mirage produced a lifelike illusion of the user. The precision was as great as its reputation, fooling Sylvia easily.
Theo didn't miss that gap and created a pit.
Kururung!
Sylvia hadn't regained her balance and fell down as three stone spears protruded. As a precautionary measure, Theo had prepared the pit and Ground Spear trap in case of a frontal attack. The fact that she managed avoid two of the spears was praiseworthy. However, she couldn't avoid the spear which rose up in her blind spot.
Pakang!
In the end, the spear stuck in her back and shattered the second crystal. Theo was one point ahead, but he wasn't careless and retreated a few steps.
It was because she was likely to counterattack. This time, the traps worked well, but it was unlikely that Sylvia would fall for it again. Unsurprisingly, she ran out of the pit wildly.
'She's coming. Don't turn your eyes away from her. Sylvia's first movement will be—'
Previously, she had used the ice arrows and steam to create a smoke screen. He had taken his eyes off her for a moment, and she had borrowed the speed of the ice road. If Theo kept a close eye on her, then he would be able to cope with whatever Sylvia did. Theo's eyes became gold due to Hawkeye, and he concentrated in front of him.
At that moment, Sylvia suddenly stopped moving.
Puk!
"Keuk…?"
An icicle jumped out from behind, suddenly piercing Theo's back. It was at the exact same spot which Sylvia had been struck just before. She used a surprise attack from the rear as well! One of the crystals hanging from Theodore's robe broke.
However, there was something else which was painful.
'This girl, has she been watching my skills and tactics…?'
Even though Sylvia was one step ahead when it came to magic deployment, Theo was ahead of other in this area. She lacked experience as a war magician, so she was lacking when it came to useful applications of magic and proper timing. It was how he stayed a few steps ahead of her despite her genius.
However, she was absorbing even that at a terrifying speed.
"Hoo, troublesome."
This was the first time he had encountered someone with an equal learning ability among his peers.
* * *
On the contrary, the girl was pleased.
'This person doesn't hate me. He isn't afraid. Furthermore, he is continuously surprising me with magic.'
It was the first time Sylvia had encountered such a thing. The boy in front of her contained no feelings of jealousy or disgust. He was a peer who could unexpectedly compete at the same level as her.
'So much fun!'
The clear smile she had lost during childhood appeared on Sylvia's face.
Since childhood, there had been no child who approached her. Her rare silver hair and beautiful appearance had incited jealousy in the hearts of the other girls in her village. Additionally, even though Sylvia wasn't of noble birth, her natural genius in magic had created a vague situation where her status had been unclear. If it hadn't been for Blundell stopping by her village by chance, her talent might've been buried before it had the chance to blossom.
–Why is she speaking so incomprehensibly?
–Isn't she just trying to show off?
–Tell me if you don't want to teach me. Don't lie.
–You are innately different from us. You are a genius. How about finding a genius like you and playing with them instead?
Someone had been jealous…
Someone else had hated her…
Someone had misunderstood her…
And someone else had turned away from her.
Thus, Sylvia closed off her mind before she got hurt. She gave up on trying to approach others and forgot to extend her hand first.
Blundell and the other elders of the Blue Tower took care of her, but they couldn't take the place of a friend. Their age limited them to being parents. Therefore, the wall in her mind which she had built up since childhood became a 'real wall' which interfered with her reaching the 5th Circle.
Had it already been a few years since she'd stopped in place?
–Hoo, troublesome.
Theo reached out to her from beyond the collapsed wall.
Tournament Finals #4
'I want to win against this person! I want to be friends with this person!'
For the first time in her life, feelings of enthusiasm, interest, and appreciation filled her. How long had it been since she felt such intense feelings?
The moment her emotions exploded, Sylvia's stagnant circles started to rotate. The door of the cage which had been locked until now started to open slowly.
Wuooooong!
A wave of magic power shook the entire stadium! Sylvia's magic power sprang up as the 'wall' was destroyed, creating a rough wind. It was still too early to call it the 5th Circle, but it was beyond the standards of the 4th Circle.
"I want to win!" The words she was thinking popped out unconsciously from her mouth. Whether it was due to the boiling magic power or her red cheeks, Sylvia seemed quite different from usual.
Theodore paused at her bold declaration before laughing. "Yes, I also want to win."
He had always been chasing someone's back.
Back when he was a child, it had been the magicians he read about in the storybooks. After entering the academy, it had been his seniors. After repeating a year, it had been the classmates who graduated first. When he had gotten tired of chasing countless backs, the wings hanging on his back filled with new strength.
So, from now on…
"This is the last one."
Theo's constant chasing of someone else's back would end here. At the same time, Theo used Gluttony's abilities of [Magic Power Amplification] and [Attributes Affinity]. The circles started to revolve slowly, and the magic power in his blood vessels rose. He still had one trump card remaining.
Both Theo and Sylvia were convinced of their victory as the two magicians raised all their remaining strength.
Woong, woong, woong, woong!
The flow of strong magic power emerged from the two people, colliding and spreading in every direction.
The magnitude of the magic power shaking the stadium was already beyond the level of a student's magic. Some magicians became nervous and forgot about the presence of the barrier protecting the audience.
First, Sylvia was surrounded by blue magic power and floated in the air.
'Levitation. Is she concerned about a surprise attack from underground? It isn't a bad decision.'
2nd Circle magic, Levitation… There was nothing special about it; it was just magic that allowed someone to float in the air. However, it was useful when enemies attacked from underground or when facing ranged attacks.
Against a magician like Theodore who was good with earth magic, it was a decent countermeasure. However, as Theo possessed the mysterious Magic Bullet, Levitation was just an ordinary magic which gave him a still target in the air.
Sylvia, who had encountered Magic Bullet directly, couldn't not know this fact. So, it was natural to think that she had set up a countermeasure. Theo looked up at her with a strong determination. As expected from the genius, Sylvia pulled out a magic spell.
"…Ice Shield?" Theo murmured.
It was a bit large to call it a shield, and it wasn't transparent enough to see inside the ice. Maybe it was the shield she'd used to block the Double Blaze Shells in the first attack. Six shields surrounded Sylvia, causing the space she was floating in to be blocked from Theo's view. It was a carefully thought out countermeasure.
'There is no way to penetrate that shield with a clumsy Magic Bullet, and I can't see her, so I can't aim precisely. If the hit misses and I receive the counterattack, that will be the end.'
Should he bet on Magic Bullet and gamble, or do a frontal confrontation? Sylvia was likely asking such questions as well. She also had magic which she could use in a frontal confrontation. The one who could reverse the other person's card would win.
Could she break the magic that Theodore envisioned? It wasn't an exaggeration to say the results would depend on this move.
"Okay, I'll do it." Theo accepted her challenge.
He would use the strongest magic possible and the affinity he was best it. Both of them had great strengths in attack and defense. The power of the the two hidden cards was something which wasn't inferior to ice magic.
There were two Blaze Shells remaining in the Memorize slots, plus he could store additional spells.
"Giant of the earth, I command you to throw the stones…"
It was the chant for the 4th Circle magic, Catapult. After finishing the chant which lasted almost five measures, he gathered the magic power and pushed it into a Memorize slot. Catapult was stored in Slot 3, and another Catapult was stored in Slot 4.
With this, his preparations were finished.
'Sorry to trouble you.'
[Hoooung…]
Theo communicated with the exhausted Mitra and waited for the ice shield around his head to clear up.
It was ridiculous to consume attack power when the barrier would disappear anyway. Based on the magic power coming from the barrier, he could tell that his opponent's preparations were almost over.
"Amazing."
Ice started to form on the floor of the stadium, which was a mess due to all the attacks. This was a phenomenon which could be seen in ice magic above the 5th Circle.
Humans caught in the chill would freeze in an instant and die. Even though the destructive power of water magic was lower than fire magic, there was a reason why nobody had said that it wasn't destructive.
However, Theo didn't back down and faced the cold. As the edges of his robe started to freeze, the ice shield melted. Beyond that was Sylvia who emerged belatedly. Theo felt a terrible chill the moment she appeared.
"Master of the cold, Ymir. Show your strength to those who dare to ask for it…!"
It was originally the chant for the 7th Circle magic which turned the ground into a lump of ice. However, Sylvia simplified the magic formula and improved it so that she could use it now. Of course, it didn't have the strength of the original, but it was far beyond a normal 4th Circle magic!
'Minor Force. Blizzard…'
A murderous blizzard started swirling on the ground.
'Let's go, Mitra!'
Theodore also fired the spells he had prepared.
'Memorize. All Slots Open. Double Blaze Shell. Double Catapult.'
Four 4th Circle magic spells were triggered, but it was still lacking to go against the Blizzard. Two fireballs and two stones couldn't resist that.
As Sylvia called the fearsome Blizzard, the skin exposed by his robe started freezing. He needed to act before the damage absorbed would cause the crystal to break.
"Fusion Magic." It was a spell which overlapped the two images of fireballs and stones.
Then Theo imagined the greatest disaster on Earth. The entire human race was fearful every time it burst out, and they believed it was the wrath of God. As magma started emerging from deep below the ground, a volcano emerged. In the process, lumps of stones covered in lava fell like meteorites.
Then the so-called volcanic ash, in other words…
"Volcanic Shell-!"
It was persistent and rough. The power of the spell which combined the strongest attack with the strongest defense wasn't comparable to when they were separate.
This wasn't simply a stone covered in fire. The firepower of Blaze Shell was nestled in the massive rock. It didn't reach the pressure of an actual volcanic eruption, but the destructive power was similar.
Kuooooh!
Indeed, the two Volcanic Shells rushed from in front of Theo to the center of the Blizzard.
The blizzard was just a breeze before that overwhelming destruction. In the end, Blizzard's magic power greeted the Volcanic Shells. Immediately afterwards, the two magic nuclei clashed together.
――――――――――!
The mouths of the spectators dropped open. "Kuah…!"
Black smoke, water vapour, and all types of natural phenomenon appeared. Theo was barely able to withstand the shock wave by triggering a blessing. All his magic power was consumed, and his body wobbled as he held onto the last remaining crystal.
'My limit… This fight… isn't over…'
If Sylvia walked out okay, then it was over. Theo was physically and mentally tired, but the anxiety of the situation caused his mind to shake. Theodore couldn't use Hawkeye anymore, so he had to wait until the dust sank down gradually.
'Damn.'
Beyond his blurry vision, Sylvia was walking over.
"…You, what is your name?"
Sylvia admitted she didn't know his name, but Theo couldn't help smiling. He was able to reply somehow through dry lips, "Theodore Miller."
"Can I call you Theo?"
'Do whatever you want.' It sounded like nonsense right now.
"Then Theo, next time, let's play again…"
The sound of someone falling over and a crystal breaking entered his ears. It was a very light sound and seemed like it was coming from a distance away…
"…Huh?"
Theo looked down at the crystal in his palm with a bewildered expression. The crystal didn't have a single crack in it, let alone for it to be broken. Then what was the sound he'd heard just now? The sound was so vivid that he almost dismissed it as a hallucination.
Theo couldn't help lifting his gaze and looked at the girl with silver hair on the ground. Sylvia had collapsed. Then who was standing?
–Right now! The winner of the Pupil Tournament has been decided!
The yells of the host echoed through the stadium and into Theo's ears.
–The winner of this tournament is Participant Number 132, the disciple of the Red Magic Tower's Superior ranked Vince Haidel! Theodore Miller!
"Wahhhhh!" The audience cheered and clapped.
It wasn't just magicians but normal people who clapped their hands together, unable to control their excitement.
This was because both the boy and the girl were so impressive. A battle between fire and ice… The two dynamically moving battle forces were fiercely reminiscent of being on a battlefield.
What about that last clash? It was unclear if even Average ranked magicians could do such things.
As the two mentors looked at each other with satisfied expressions, the two disciples collapsed on the ground in a similar manner. Unlike the spectacular match, it was a comical finish.
* * *
"She was a formidable opponent," Vince said as he wrapped a bandage around Theo's swollen forearm.
A healing potion was applied to the wound, but it would still throb for three or four more days. Theo nodded as he touched the bandages. "Yes, she was tremendous. Perhaps that is a genius."
In fact, Theo couldn't imitate his opponent even if he could grasp what they were doing. It was different from magic he already knew. Rational understanding was different from understanding with his senses.
However, Sylvia had displayed both of these in the match. Furthermore, her rational learning ability wasn't inferior to Theo's. He'd gone through an intensive training course in the last two or three months and had barely won the match.
Above all, it was because Theo's body was too soft to display all of Alfred's experience.
'I still have a long way to go…'
No matter how fraudulent the grimoire was, Theo needed to focus on his growth. Theo's eyes sunk as he became aware of this fact. Memorize was a useful feature, but it shouldn't be relied upon. He needed to accelerate the training of Magic Bullet even further.
Vince interpreted Theodore's sunken expression and tapped on his shoulder. "Well, how about you admire your victory instead of her genius today?"
"Even if you say so… I still can't believe it."
"It is all about winning. Now, can you get up?"
Theo wanted to fall asleep, but he raised his body forcefully. The awards ceremony would be held shortly after the Pupil Tournament ended. It was a meaningful event he couldn't miss, even if he had a severe injury.
His right forearm was a bit sore, but fortunately, it didn't stop him from moving. Vince handed him a robe and asked, "You haven't worn a robe before, right? I will help you."
"Ah, thank you."
"First of all, put your arm here…"
Vince guided Theo on how to wear the robe, transforming Theo into a wealthy nobleman. The robe was made of a luxurious black fabric, and Theo looked impressive in it, like both a magician and a noble.
"Hrmm, now you look like a gentleman."
"Something feels a bit awkward…"
"It can't be helped since the robe isn't tailored to you. Just wear it until the end of the awards ceremony. You are allowed to participate wearing your original clothes."
"Eh? Then why did you borrow this robe?"
Vince tapped his red robe several times and explained, "I heard that His Majesty is appearing at the awards ceremony. So, isn't this the basics?"
Awards Ceremony
Among the events at the Meltor Kingdom's magic contest, the Pupil Tournament wasn't such a great one.
Magicians who participated in the contest sent out their disciples for the Pupil Tournament. Speaking bluntly, it could be called a child's playful banquet. This year was a bit unusual, but it wasn't a competition which high ranking magicians or nobles would attend.
However, that awareness was turned upside down due to just one person—the King of the Meltor Kingdom, Kurt III.
"W-What? His Majesty himself?!"
"Doesn't he usually stay at the palace?"
"If this happens, my face needs to be like jade… I can't look ugly in front of royalty."
"Attendant! Prepare my dress!"
"Where is the Pentarium?"
The nobles of Meltor were in an uproar after they heard the sudden news.
Even though Kurt III had risen to the throne under the halo of the Magic Towers, he held all the military and administrative powers. So, the officials didn't dare oppose him, especially after some of the noblemen, who had tried to act for their own interests, had been beheaded.
'Now is the time to bow my head.'
'I don't want my head to fly away…!'
'It is best to wait for the next generation.'
If they couldn't win, it was best to become close to the king. They had to bow their heads in order to live for a long time in a society like this. In the end, the nobles gave up on fighting against Kurt III and tried to look good to him. Funnily enough, the actions of the nobles strengthened the king's power.
However, Kurt III concentrated on governing while pretending to listen to their flattery. All the gifts were sent to the treasury to maintain the budget while the young women filled with greed were sent back to their families. Kurt III was the example of a perfect ruler, with no flaws at all.
So, why had the perfect ruler suddenly decide to hand out the prizes for the Pupil Tournament?
Anyone with a brain would think there was something special about the awards ceremony. That's why so many nobles had gathered in the main hall of Pentarium, where the final match of the Pupil Tournament had been held. When the magicians heard that the disciple of the Blue Tower Master was involved, the scale of the ceremony grew to a bizarre level.
It was natural that the face of the young man, Theodore, was pale, since he was the center of the ceremony.
"Professor, isn't the audience in the stands really strange?"
"Hrmm… I can see that. The bureaucrats of several departments have come flocking. Huh, this place has become a spectacle. The three most powerful families of the kingdom have gathered."
"Uhh, why is this situation…"
It was an event involving the king, but the big shots had gathered in only a few hours!
Theo had never even met an earl, so he couldn't help feeling alarmed. His skin was already prickling from having multiple gazes on his face, so it was more torturous at the thought of all these high-ranking people watching him.
Theo thought up to there and suddenly looked towards the right.
"!!!"
Sylvia was looking at him. She didn't know what to do for a moment. Looking embarrassed, she then waved her hand stiffly. He almost smiled at her awkward movements but nodded without doing so.
Sylvia was relieved by his actions and smiled brightly. She seemed more concerned about Theo's reaction than that of the people in the stands.
'Indeed, there is no need to be nervous until I come out.' Theodore's tension was released thanks to Sylvia.
Theo looked more relaxed than before as he waited for the king with Vince. He recited the basic etiquette in his head and prepared himself to be ready for whatever happened.
Before long, the king emerged from behind the curtain.
"Presenting His Majesty!"
As they heard the booming voice of the servant, the people gathered lowered their bodies simultaneously. The movements of the bodies were similar, but the difference in the bows showed each person's status.
Commoners lay flat on the floor, while nobles bowed at a 90 degree angle.
Magicians, however, knelt down on one knee. Their right hands, placed by their hearts, indicated the circles and, in other words, the magic system. One knee against the ground was to show loyalty, while the standing leg was meant to honour the magic, not the king. If this were the Empire, they would be punished for disloyalty. However, that was not the case here.
This was Meltor, a kingdom where magicians were the cornerstone. It was a unique etiquette that could only be seen here. As everyone remained silent, a man's voice rang out, "Everyone present, raise your heads."
It was indeed the voice of the king. There was power in his voice. In the past, magicians had stated that the power of words were a lie. They thought that the shorter the chant, the stronger the spell would be.
It was currently treated as an old saying, but Theo could now understand it. The people were guided by Kurt III's words and raised their heads unconsciously. Their minds were overwhelmed by the king's dignity, and they raised their heads before they could think about it.
Similarly, Theo raised his head and saw the king for the first time in his life.
The king had golden hair and purple eyes which shone mysteriously. His appearance and atmosphere meant one could see at a glance that he had a noble lineage as well as the elegance of a king. He gave off such an intangible presence that Theo was convinced everyone would recognize the king even if he wore rags.
'This person is the king, Kurt III…!'
As Theo felt unfamiliar feelings, Kurt opened his mouth again, "It has been a while, Tower Master Blundell. Three months, perhaps?" It was a very familiar tone.
The tower masters were basically treated as the most distinguished people, with no one else having a higher status than them as they accounted for more than 70% of the national power. So, it wasn't unreasonable for the king to treat Blundell like this.
"Hahaha! It feels like it was the day before yesterday for this old man, Your Majesty."
"If you hadn't missed the meeting without any notice, it really would've been the day before yesterday."
"C-Cough!" The smiling Blundell immediately became silent at the sharp criticism. He now looked like a child who was being scolded.
Kurt III looked at Blundell's awkward expression and changed the topic while smiling. "Did you take a vacation to look after your disciple? This king came here because I wanted to see her."
"Ah, right. I will definitely show her to you."
"So, you kept her a secret for 10 years?"
"Cough!"
It seemed like Blundell received damage every time he opened his mouth. As Blundell fell silent, Kurt looked down at the two people before him. One was the disciple of the Blue Tower Master, and the other was the one who had knocked her down.
These children would support Meltor in the future.
"Then I will proceed with the awards ceremony."
He hated pretentious things, so he started the awards ceremony without any congratulatory remarks.
According to instruction, the person in charge of the Pupil Tournament came forward. He called the identification number and then announced the names of the mentors and the amount of prize money given to the participants.
In the end, there were only two names left, leaving only two children in the center of the stadium. Kurt made the host step back and picked up a handmade plaque.
"Sylvia, Blundell Adruncus's disciple, come forward."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Sylvia moved forward at the call and bowed slightly.
Even though she was told to rise, it was blasphemy to look directly at the king's face. Kurt accepted the bow and spoke while handing her the plaque, "As the runner up of the Pupil Tournament, I will give Sylvia 'Jack Frost's Staff' and the title of a baron."
"Sylvia, disciple of the Magic Tower, thanks Your Majesty."
"Yes, I look forward to your future growth."
It was an exceptional reward, but no one objected to Kurt's declaration. Once beyond the wall of the 5th Circle, the title of baroness had no great significance to Sylvia. Moreover, she could gain gold and artifacts from Blundell.
Then Kurt called out Theodore's name next, "Theodore Miller, Vince Haidel's disciple, come forward."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Theo barely managed to reply in a calm voice as he rose from his spot.
"As winner of the Pupil Tournament, I will give Theodore 200 gold, the 'Protection Bangle,' and the title of a baron."
"Theodore, Bergen's student, thanks Your Maje—"
"Additionally…"
Theo shut his mouth hurriedly when he was interrupted by Kurt. After receiving 200 gold, an artifact, and a title, Theo hadn't expected that there would be anything else.
"After he succeeds the title of Baron Miller, Theodore Miller will receive the title of a viscount."
'Viscount promotion!'
Theo's eyes shook at the shocking declaration, but his mouth was a step ahead of his brain.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"As Theo lowered his head, chatter quickly spread through the stands.
A promotion… it was an honour that wasn't possible unless many merits were accumulated. Yet it was given to the winner of a small contest? It was an unprecedented situation, so some of the nobles couldn't hide their confusion.
Regardless of whether people understood it or not, Kurt looked at Theodore and Sylvia with warm eyes and finished the awards ceremony.
"This Meltor Kingdom of ours is surrounded by the Harkan Mountain Ranges in the north-east and by the Andras Empire in the north-west. In order to defend our homeland from the savage imperialists who desire war, we need to raise people like these two young magicians. The Magic Society should spread today's events and don't slack off… Understood?"
The people gathered in the stadium replied simultaneously to their ruler:
"Yes, Your Majesty! As you command!"
***
Finally, Kurt III left Pentarium.
Afterwards, the nobles swarmed around him like a tide, and the most magnificent event in Theodore's history came to a close.
Theo and Vince finally went to the restaurant they hadn't been able to go on the first day. They then returned to their accommodations shortly after the sun set, and Theo lay on the bed while holding his belly. He usually preferred to eat less, but his mouth hadn't listened at the restaurant in the capital.
Vince laughed at him before saying, "I don't need to hear you speak to know that the meal was satisfactory. Isn't that so?"
"…It is exactly like you said."
The two people looked at each other and laughed lightly. It had been a great day.
There was no better way to enjoy his victory. Vince even took out a few bottles of expensive wine, but they didn't get drunk. It was because both of them were magicians.
Not long after, the moment they had been waiting for came.
Keeok.
A red tongue crawled out from a hole in Theo's palm. It was the grimoire which ate magic books. Gluttony had woken up.
–Hungry. Bring meal.
Gluttony swallowed books and absorbed their knowledge. After satisfying its hunger, it would take the time to answer one of its owner's questions.
The two people had been waiting for this time. Theodore and Vince's contract… The moment for the first question and answer had begun.
Question and Answer #1
Due to Gluttony's hungry status, Theo first picked out two books. As soon as he put the books on the bedspread and aimed his left hand in that direction, the hungry tongue quickly swallowed the two books.
['Power of Sand and Wind' has been consumed. Your understanding is very high.]
[4th Circle magic 'Sandstorm' has been learned.]
['Surviving in Cold Weather' has been consumed. Your understanding is very high.]
[3rd Circle magic 'Resist Cold' has been learned.]
The books Gluttony had ate today were on the magics, Sandstorm, which was required in a desert, and Resist Cold, which was needed in a cold area. Gluttony fed on two books and quickly sent their knowledge to Theodore.
"Huuuu…"
The sensation of two magic spells entering Theo's brain was still strange. Above all, 4th Circle magic contained quite a lot of information. Theo took a deep breath to calm the aftermath, then he opened his eyes.
At the same time, Gluttony started speaking,
-Two books, it seems like you have a question to ask today.
'Why is there a sense of discomfort?' Theodore wondered before realizing that Gluttony's tone had changed.
The speech, which used to be cut off, now sounded like a normal person. Wondering why the change had happened, Theo asked, "You… Hasn't your way of talking changed?"
–Hrmm?
"Before… you would break off from what you were saying."
Gluttony snorted and responded,
–It is because you have fed me a large number of artifacts recently. It isn't enough to unseal the next stage, but it did recover my voice.
"…There was such a function."
–It is just retrieving my original function. Or did you think I normally spoke like that?
Now that it had recovered its voice, Gluttony talked with more pride than before. Feeding it books would cause it to grow faster, while it almost vomited when Theo fed it cheap artifacts. If he continued listening, this might continue for days, so Theo interrupted Gluttony. "Wait, I'd like to ask you one more thing."
Gluttony stopped talking and then asked,
–Aren't you slow?
"Huh?"
–I answered your question already. Isn't the question regarding why my way of talking changed?
Theo's expression grew distorted. It would only be a one-day wait, but anyone would be frustrated at wasting all that preparation time. However, that frustration soon changed to irritation.
–It is a joke.
"…What?
–Don't you know? Jokes are words meant to cause amusements…
"No, I know what a joke is!"
To think that Gluttony was someone who could play around like this… The grimoire really was a strange creature. The main story hadn't even started, but Theo was already exhausted. He sighed a few times before opening his mouth to speak again. Fortunately, the previous question hadn't counted as a question for an answer.
"Can I transfer my right to ask a question to others?"
Gluttony made an interested noise.
–Hoh, how interesting.
Was Theo imagining it? An 'eye' seemed to appear at the hole the tongue emerged from. It looked at Vince standing beside Theodore and understood the meaning of the question. Even if it said no, Theo was ready to ask the question which Vince had prepared.
Unsurprisingly, Gluttony readily replied,
–It doesn't really matter. You are the first person to do such a transaction, but there isn't a problem with the action itself.
"…Go ahead, Professor."
"Thank you for your concern."
Theo stepped back, while Vince moved forward. Vince was slightly different than usual due to his excitement at communicating with the greedy book. It was the feeling of a magician finally reaching an answer after running down a long, unknown road.
Vince asked in a trembling voice, "Can I call you, 'Gluttony'?"
–Any title is good. Do I seem like I care about such trivial things?
"I see. Then let me ask you a question." He took a deep breath and after several tries, finally asked the question that he had decided, "I want you to teach me about the relationship between language and magic."
***
In the far distant past, magic had existed before humans even gave a name for it.
Elves who had lived for thousands of years, dragons who had lived for tens of thousands of years, demons tied to a false eternity, and countless other species all used magic power under different names.
Additionally, the magic system was different for each species.
Elves danced with the elementals, while dwarves hit metal using fire and earth. Demons mocked the laws using strange rituals, and dragons made the world struggle with just a few powerful words.
Humans were the only ones born without any power. They stole the song of the elves, tapped iron like the dwarves, and sometimes mimicked the rituals of demons.
The first millennium was meaningless. However, the next millennium saw a bit of light. Then in the next millennium, the concept of circles was finally completed. For the first time since the beginning of the world, 'magicians' were born into the human species.
Several thousand years had passed by since then, and the grimoire, which had existed since before the foundation of this world, replied to the question of the human magician.
-The question is too comprehensive. To completely explain the relationship between language and magic, there isn't enough time in your life.
"What if it is limited to the human language?"
–It is the same. There are 526 minority languages, so the amount of information exceeds the limit allowed for one question.
"Hrmm." It was a difficult situation, so Vince touched his chin while thinking.
In the magic towers where the magicians of the continent gathered, there were few who studied archaeology. Hundreds of thousands of monuments had been destroyed in the past two centuries due to wars, so many previous records had been lost.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that there was no way to explore the forgotten ancient languages except through something like a grimoire. Vince struggled for awhile before opening his mouth, "Then please tell me why the words of the ancient languages and modern language cause different magic effects."
He gave up his greed. Rather than trying to find out too much at once, Vince asked the question he had been facing recently. Words which had the same meaning were often used interchangeably. He wanted to know why it was sometimes more powerful and sometimes weaker.
–That is fine.
Gluttony accepted the question.
-I will define one thing first. I don't know what you human magicians think, but magic is the act of persuading the magic power in the world. It can be said that you are earnestly asking for it to move.
"Persuasion… That sounds plausible."
–I will continue. The concept of 'language' that you are asking about involves persuasiveness. The closer to the beginning things are, the more the world will listen to the voice of the magician.
Vince's expression turned strange at the words. Certainly, magic which used ancient languages was more powerful and efficient than modern ones. That was the beginning of his archaeological research.
However, it didn't manifest frequently, so such incompleteness was a big challenge for Vince. Fortunately, Gluttony explained the part Vince was wondering about without any delay.
–Language is a contradictory medium. Reducing the number of users increases the power. But on the other hand, if there are more users, its existence becomes firmer. If there are few or no users left, the meaning of the ancient language becomes ambiguous.
"I thought I understood ancient languages in my own way."
–It is insufficient compared to the real ancient people. Unless you can replace your daily life with the ancient language, it will be hard to take advantage of it.
As it was a grimoire, its words were more devastating. Even if Vince's research skills were perfect, his language skills were significantly lower than the people who lived in those days. Setting aside simple words, it would become more severe if he used magic spells which involved sentences or paragraphs. That's why it was hard to use ancient languages at higher circles.
Vince listened to the painful words and accepted it.
–What is the name of the ancient language that you are researching?
"It is called Balcard."
–It remains in my records. It was a language used during the time of the Balcia Empire, when magic was at its peak. Foreigners couldn't follow the pronunciation well.
At that moment, enlightenment struck Vince like lightning. He muttered unconsciously with a bemused expression, "…Pronunciation?"
-The true value of the Balcard language can't be seen unless the eight syllables are pronounced harmoniously.
-The same goes for any language. The pronunciation and expression of a language is settled by standard usage.
-The world accepts the courtship of magicians on the basis of words…
It was up to there. Vince couldn't hear anything else.
This was a type of phenomenon called cognitive load. Vince himself had blocked the influx of information since it had exceeded the amount he could handle. He could feel his head turning blank, so any more words would break his brain!
Huuuuong!
Suddenly, a wave of magic power emerged from Vince and gently swept through the room. It was a phenomenon which Theo had encountered once before. During the final match of the Pupil Tournament, he had felt a wave of magic power coming from Sylvia. The fact that the same surge came from Vince could only mean one thing.
'He crossed the wall!' A thrill ran down Theo's spine as he watched Vince while in awe.
There was no other choice. Before Theo's eyes, a 6th Circle magician was coming out of his shell. There were only around 100 6th Circle magicians in the Meltor Kingdom, so how could he not pay homage to Vince as a man and a magician?
However, there was one presence in the room which wasn't moved.
-Hey, user.
At the sudden call, Theo looked back like he had been deprived of something.
"What? It is over, so you should go to sleep again."
–I guess you are joking. Normally I would be sleeping, so I understand.
"…So, what is your point?"
Normally, it wouldn't say anything and would just fall asleep. Theo was aware of this guy's physiology, and it was just as it had said.
Gluttony seemed embarrassed, and its tongue waved around like it was drunk. However, that reaction lasted for only a second.
–I have advice for rapid growth. At this rate, you would be old and dying before you unlock all the seals.
"What is it?"
–As you might have guessed, I have a few more hidden features. Unlike Memorize, unsealing them is something that can't be done without fulfilling special conditions.
Gluttony spoke in a low voice, just like the temptation of a demon in the legends.
–I'll teach you one of the hidden functions, without any conditions.
Question and Answer #2
After hearing those words, Theo couldn't hide the shocked expression on his face.
'A hidden feature…?'
Over the past few months, he had tasted the value of the grimoire, Gluttony. There was the 'eating' which changed knowledge into proficiency through the eating of magic books. Theo could also gain 'skills' through eating rare artifacts as well as use 'Memorize' to store magic.
If there were artifacts capable of recreating just one of Gluttony's abilities, it would be enough to instantly become the national treasure of a country. Yet, now, there was a condition to add another function to it? It was enough to overwhelm anyone.
–It seems like it is appetizing.
"I won't deny that, but what is the catch?"
–No catch, I just want to help my user grow quickly.
Gluttony whined before continuing.
-The problem is the quality of the food. You've never fed me rare books except for [Ballistics Magic] and [Introduction to Elemental Magic]. Don't just feed me commonplace books.
"The quality of the food…?"
-You might think I am greedy, but doesn't it benefit you as well?
Certainly, he had experienced eating a 'Rare' grade magic book twice. However, there was a limit to how many original books were still roaming around the public.
[Ballistics Magic] had been obtained by coincidence, and [Introduction to Elemental Magic] had been thanks to Vince's help. The books of applications from heroes in other fields weren't things a student could covet.
However, if Gluttony's words were true, then Theo had no reason to refuse.
'In any case, I need to eat Rare books for my growth. If one hidden function is freed up in the process, then that is advantageous to me.'
The same was true even if the conditions to free it were absurd. Whether Gluttony released the hidden function or not was up to its will, so Theo could always give up if it was difficult. There was nothing to lose, only potential benefits to gain.
In the end, Theodore listened to Gluttony's suggestion.
–The release condition for this function is simple. You can free it by eating something that exists around you.
"What is it?"
–It is just…
Theo's eyebrows twitched as he heard the condition to free the hidden function.
'…Why is it that?'
***
Some time passed by.
Vince, who had been in a trance for a while, opened his eyes slowly. His blue eyes glowed for a moment, but the glow soon began to fade. It was a phenomenon caused by the new 6th Circle stabilizing in his body.
"Huuuu…"
A soft sigh emerged from Vince's lips, and Theo realized Vince was awake.
"Congratulations on your 6th Circle Professor!"
"Thank you. It is all thanks to you," Vince responded to the celebration in a sincere voice.
Vince had been stuck at the 5th Circle for more than a decade. If he hadn't met Theodore and heard advice from Gluttony, he might've been stuck for many more years. No, would it have just been be a few years? Some magicians were fated not to cross the wall until death. For Vince Haidel, his relationship with Theo might have been his only chance.
"If I had been studying alone, I might have wasted the next 10 years, maybe more. I think it's the greatest luck of my life that I met you at Bergen Academy, Theodore."
"P-Professor."
"Don't look at me like that. The question I asked was something which will advance the archaeological field for many years."
It wasn't exaggerated praise. All relics involved with the ancient magic empire, Balcia, had already been destroyed.
If Vince hadn't discovered a slate by chance, then he would've never studied the Balcard language. The ancient document had preserved the Balcard language in a good condition. It was an opportunity for Vince to study archaeology, but it also acted as a shackle to stop him at the 5th Circle.
He had studied dozens of Balcard slabs and spent 10 years waiting uselessly for more artifacts to be excavated.
'I have been rewarded for the years I waited.' Vince barely managed to suppress his magic power as he shook with joy.
Filled with overwhelming emotions, Vince couldn't help grasping Theo's hand. Any senior magician knew what it meant to cross the 'wall.' Now, Vince's mind and body were overflowing with magic power. His aging would be suppressed, and he would take the first step on a path to transcend humanity.
It wasn't unreasonable that uncontrollable joy would be bubbling within him.
Theo thought, 'Is it okay… to do it now?'
One of the virtues of a magician was having sober thinking, so such excitement was rare. It was highly likely that Vince would accommodate a small demand from Theo. Theo thought about the 'condition for liberation' Gluttony had told him before falling asleep.
'Feed it a dimension pocket… Doesn't it know how expensive and rare that is?'
That's right, the condition Gluttony had presented was to feed it a Dimension Pocket.
Spatial magic required at least the 6th Circle, and in the case of a dimension pocket, a certain amount of space had to be sewn into the pocket, which meant the difficulty was high.
So, in the kingdom, it could only be sold to those who were authorized by the Magic Society or magicians of at least the Superior rank. Obviously, private sales were prohibited, and it was almost impossible to replace if lost or destroyed.
Yet Gluttony wanted to eat such an object? Theo would've sneered if Vince hadn't been there.
"Excuse me, Professor."
"Huh?"
"That… Well, there…"
However, Theodore wasn't such a person. He knew the amount of money Vince had used for Theo to win this tournament and would pay him back one day. Theo couldn't say that he needed a dimension pocket, so he swallowed back his words. "No, it is nothing. I forgot."
"Ah, I see." Vince smiled and tapped Theo's shoulder. His warm hand stabbed at Theo's conscience.
'Hoo, let's find another way. I can feed it substandard goods if needed.'
Just as Theo changed his mind, Vince said, "Oh, that reminds me, I have something to say to you as well. I almost forgot about it because of this."
"Professor…?"
"Umm, don't think of it as a burden."
As Theo looked at him with a confused expression, Vince hesitated slightly before asking. "Theodore Miller, will you be my successor?"
"…Huh? Those words… perhaps?"
"It is as you think. I want to put your name as part of my family tree."
Theo's expression turned blank as he listened Vince's words.
Any magicians of the Average rank and above were eligible to obtain a disciple. A magician could wander the whole world in search of the second generation to whom they would pass on their research.
It was different from teaching students at the academy. This was the same as being the successor of the research which Vince had built up over his lifetime. The student would become the teacher's responsibility until death.
Vince's declaration that he wanted to hand over everything to Theo caused Theo's eyes to turn redden.
"…Will it be okay with me?" Theo asked like it was ridiculous.
However, Vince nodded with a little smile. "You may think it is cowardly. I am a shameless person for aiming at the grimoire's knowledge, even if I don't deserve it."
"..."
"Still, will you believe in me? I am quite old and have been wanting to ask you this for a while," Vince spoke these words and finished with a refreshed expression.
He didn't know what Theo thought of him, but Vince wasn't a saintly person. The war magician, who used to kill people for no reason on the battlefield, was now asking someone to trust in him. The existence of the grimoire was merely a chance and not the main target.
Vince liked the human called, 'Theodore Miller,' so he was pushing this firmly.
Soon, Vince Haidel's name would become enormously famous. He had reached the 6th Circle in his 40s, so his name would surely be among the top ranking magicians within the next decade. If he could go further, then he would become a candidate to be the next Red Tower Master.
If Theo accepted the proposal, he would become the disciple of such a person and take over later. Theodore was well aware of the weight of this proposal. 'It really is a burden. This…'
If he refused, then Vince was sure to accept it. He would continue helping Theo like before without revealing his sadness. Occasionally, they would feel obliged toward each other and the cycle would repeat. They would work together without opening up their innermost hearts. It would be equivalent to a calm exchange between magicians.
Theo didn't want to remain in that type of relationship. He walked forward with a calm face and grabbed Vince's hand firmly. The trembling passed across each of their palms and met in the middle.
"Thank you, Professor."
"…No, I'm not your professor now. You have graduated from the academy." Vince smiled brightly and corrected his title, "In the future, please call me Master."
During this moment, the relationship between these two magicians, the long-time dunce and a senior professor of Bergen Academy, was newly established.
***
The next day, Vince enrolled himself as Theodore's master at the Magic Society's reception desk. It was a difficult process to cancel once it was established, but he didn't hesitate to give his signature. He had made up his mind from the beginning.
"Y-You can do it slowly…"
"Don't worry about it."
"…Yes, I understand."
The receptionist in charge of the desk advised Vince, but he didn't listen. Vince's expression was cold as usual.
Thanks to that, the process which normally took one hour ended in 20 minutes. After receiving the completed file, the receptionist disappeared with an expression like he had seen a monster, while Vince and Theo walked away.
The schedule for the magic contest would really start today. There weren't many events where the magician could be accompanied by their disciple, but that wasn't all.
The center of the Magic Society had a large poster which contained the schedule for the magic contest. Vince pointed to the events there and explained what he knew. There were many events he didn't know about, but fortunately, there were a few events his disciple could attend.
"If you are interested in summoning magic, that event isn't bad. This time, magicians from the east are participating, so it is an opportunity to see different types of elementalists."
"That sounds interesting."
"The 'attack magic' hosted by the Red Tower is also good, but… personally, I don't think it's a place you should go. There are many there who are interested in crushing small trees."
In the first place, most of the events from the Red Tower were focused on the battlefield and destruction magic. Consequently, the Red Tower's budget would be used to pay for the repairs of the damaged buildings.
The two people shook their heads briefly and looked for the next event.
At that moment, someone spoke to them, "Excuse me, are you Vince Haidel and Theodore Miller?"
"Hrmm? Who are you?" Vince asked as he turned around, only to see a magician in a blue robe scratching at his temple.
"I am Melrose from the Blue Tower. I have come to find you for a specific reason."
Compared to Loren, the blue-robed magician was very polite. Therefore, Vince replied in a blase manner, "Yes, what is going on?"
However, he didn't anticipate the words which came after that.
"I'm sorry, but please accompany me for a while. The Tower Master has called for the both of you."