"That was amazing, Head Professor!"
From the group of police that had arrived late, a high-ranking officer in a flashy uniform approached me. He then saluted.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Senior Inspector Ropha! I must say, the way you stomped with your foot just now was like a scene from a movie! Do you want me to hit this damn murderer a few more times for you?"
"No, leave him be."
"Yes, sir!"
The moment he fainted, his attribute deactivated. I used Telekinesis to lift dirt from the ground, igniting it to mix two elements. The soft soil quickly hardened, taking on metallic properties and extending into thin strands. It was a Basic Ductility spell I had memorized earlier. With it, I bound Lokhak's wrists and ankles. The police officers' jaws dropped in amazement.
"Wow... I've seen many spells, but this is the first time I've witnessed one performed so elegantly. The way those ropes danced just now was incredible."
"Just get him out of here."
"Ah. Yes, sir! Thank you for your hard work!"
The inspector pulled a magic restraint device from his belt. It was designed to suppress the wearer's magical power to some extent.
"Your Magic Restraint Device won't work on him. He nullifies magic, so just leave those bindings as they are."
"Really?! No wonder he escapes from jail so often and doesn't show up on our Magitech Radar! Wow, how did you figure that out so easily? And how did you defeat a magic-nullifying opponent like him?" the inspector babbled without pause.
"I'm leaving."
"Oh, yes, sir! Hey, why are you standing there gaping? Everyone, salute the professor!"
Dozens of police officers gathered in the middle of the cemetery and saluted me. At that moment, a system message appeared.
[Real Combat Verification: Attribute Synchronization]
[Due to Quality of Mana Enhancement (Level 1), the limits of certain attributes have increased.]
I already knew how this system worked. It was often referred to as breaking through the attribute's limit, but in essence, it was about raising the Ceiling.
Think of it like an engine designed to operate at full capacity—let's say one hundred percent. Until now, it had only been able to perform at fifty percent due to poor-quality fuel. But, with a better fuel supply, its output increased to sixty percent.
However, since the engine had been running on low-quality fuel for so long, it needed time to adapt and clear out the built-up residues, which was the purpose of that recent battle. After all, a single real fight taught more than a hundred practice sessions.
"Professor Deculein," called a familiar voice. It was Yulie. She bowed her head, a few strands of her hair catching in her mouth as if she had rushed over. "... You did well today. Please rest well."
I nodded and walked past her. As I continued, I looked up at the sky. The crescent moon appeared through the overgrown trees. Leaves crunched underfoot, reminiscent of the path I had once walked with you—a dark, overgrown, and frightening path leading to a grave.
On the day I tragically lost my younger sibling, you walked with me, cried with me, and helped bury him. That's why, when I close my eyes, your face lingers in my mind. I'll remember you today and try to forget you by tomorrow... Even so, I didn't want to kill anyone in a place where traces of you remained.
***
Late at night, Sylvia's mansion, located in the prime area of Haileich, was quiet and still.
"... So, that's what happened."
As soon as Glitheon received the report, he rushed to the capital. While Sylvia acted as if nothing had happened, Glitheon wanted to burn Lokhak alive.
"So, sweetie, was it Deculein who saved you this time?" Glitheon asked Sylvia in a subtle tone.
However, Sylvia frowned and said, "Are you trying to get a reaction out of me?"
"Huh? No, no, sweetie. Absolutely not. It's just the way I talk. The way I normally speak to the vassals slipped out, haha. Why would I try to get a reaction from you?"
"Fine, whatever," Sylvia said, pouting as she sat at the head of a table filled with a lavish feast, pretending to be upset.
"Sweetie, I'm telling you, it's not like that..."
Taking advantage of Glitheon slip-up to make him uneasy, Sylvia smirked and said, "Then, Dad, I'm going to the Berhert meeting too, right?"
The Berhert meeting. As the head of the Iliade family, Glitheon was invited to this prestigious event, a great honor for any mage. He was allowed to bring one companion and one escort knight.
"... Ah, hmm," Glitheon muttered, looking away from Sylvia.
Berhert was an incredibly dangerous mountain range. He had hoped to avoid taking Sylvia there until the last possible moment...
"I'm going."
"Sigh."
Reflecting on the situation, he realized that the journey to Berhert, while significant, posed no real threat. The twelve traditional families had an unspoken agreement that the heir or the top disciple should always accompany the head on such trips.
Moreover, family relations had improved considerably over the past fifteen years. If he refused to take Sylvia along this time, using danger as an excuse, he would not only be seen as an overprotective father but also as a fool.
"... Alright, alright. Of course, sweetie, you'll be my companion."
"Oh, Lady Sylvia! In that case, I will be the escort knight for the day!" the man declared seating at the same table. With a noisy clatter, he stood up. It was Sirio, the deputy knight of the Iliade Knights Order.
Sylvia's eyebrows twitched in annoyance and said, "Sirio is too noisy. I don't like him."
"Oh, why? I'm better than that Jeyron guy," Sirio responded.
"Haha, true. Jeyron is serious about everything. Even I find him uncomfortable," Glitheon laughed heartily and continued.
"Besides, Sirio will be staying in the third gate of Berhert. He won't be able to come to the fourth gate where we'll be."
"That's unfortunate. By the way, Lady Sylvia, the rule in the fourth gate is that those of the same bloodline must act separately. If you and Head Glitheon stick too close, you might just end up with some blood clotting troubles~"
"I know. Be quiet," Sylvia snapped, irritated by Sirio's frivolous tone.
As he sliced the fish, Glitheon said, "But, sweetie, we'll be leaving a bit early. It's Thursday, two days from now. Is that alright?"
"That's four days earlier," Sylvia said, narrowing her eyes.
"We've received intelligence."
"Intelligence?"
"Yes. It was expensive information."
Currently, Glitheon was the only one among the twelve families with this information. Normally, Deculein would have been the first to know, but he had inexplicably severed his ties with the underworld. Glitheon was still puzzled by this.
Deculein had always been paranoid about his safety. Whether he had gained confidence in his own skills or was placing his trust in the assistant professor he had hired was uncertain.
"But I want to leave after 6 p.m."
"Hmm. I don't mind, but why?"
"Wednesday's class is worth five credits, and I need to review the notes the following day."
Glitheon nodded and said, "Deculein's class, right? I understand. How is it, sweetie? Is he a good professor?"
"Yes. I like it."
"... You like it?"
"Yes. I think it will be difficult to register for his class next semester."
Deculein's lectures were extremely popular at the Wizard Board. Despite his poor personality and the overwhelming amount of assignments, the primary role of a mage from the Mage Tower was to learn. As a professor who ensured comprehensive learning, his classes were sure to be flooded next semester once word spread.
"Is that so... Ha, I see." Glitheon snorted, slightly annoyed.
After that, they had an ordinary conversation over an ordinary meal.
"... Nom nom."
Sylvia chewed her food thoroughly, her thoughts drifting to Deculein.
Deculein also had memories of losing someone. He had a painful past. She had once thought he was just an arrogant, pretentious professor—a common sentiment among the mages from the Mage Tower. But now, she began to think differently. That single tear, like a shooting star, kept coming to her mind.
***
It was Week 4 of Understanding the Properties of Element Magic. When I arrived at the Mage Tower by car, I momentarily thought I had taken a wrong turn.
"Are those journalists?" I asked the driver.
"Yes, it seems so, sir."
A group of journalists had gathered at the entrance of the Mage Tower. Glancing outside, I saw the Chairwoman at the center of it all. Her animated gestures initially made me think she was trying to chase them away. However, when I rolled down the window slightly, I heard her speaking.
"Professor Deculein has always valued novice mages! As the Head Professor, he has been tracking the Mage Killer for a long time!" the Chairwoman said, addressing the press with great enthusiasm.
"It seems his efforts have paid off! Oh, yes, Professor Deculein's combat talents are undeniable, though not as great as mine! Any more questions? Ah, how did he subdue the Mage Killer?! I don't know either!"
I instructed the driver to use the back entrance and then said, "Good work."
"Thank you, sir!"
After exiting the car, I entered the Mage Tower and made my way to Classroom A on the third floor. I adjusted my suit jacket before opening the door. The excited chatter of the Debutants fell silent as I walked to the podium.
"Greetings."
The classroom looked as ordinary as ever. It was as if last night's events had been just a dream, as if this world had always been my own, and those memories were merely remnants of the past.
"Before we begin the Week 4 lecture, I'll announce the highest and lowest scores from last week's test. Sylvia achieved the highest score with 100 points, while Epherene received the lowest with 0 points."
"Argh!"
A strange groan erupted from somewhere in the room.
Ignoring it, I continued, "Today's primary element for the Week 4 lecture is Earth. Everything related to the ground, including sand and minerals, falls under this element. When mixed with fire, it becomes metal. When mixed with water, it becomes mud and clay..."
As soon as I began the lecture, the mages looked disappointed. They were probably expecting tales of capturing the Mage Killer. There was no chance of that.
"... Before we begin the basic lesson, let's start with a warm-up exercise."
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I snapped my fingers, and Allen entered, carrying a bag. Using Telekinesis, I lifted its contents—150 shimmering blue stones. The mages' eyes widened in astonishment as the stones simultaneously floated into the air.
"These are mana stones, each worth 3,000 elne."
I floated the stones with my Basic-Beginner-level Telekinesis. This skill combines both Basic and Beginner techniques, hence the classification.
"I'll leave them suspended. Try to take one by interfering with my Telekinesis. If you succeed, you can keep it."
Mana stones are essential for mages, used in research, crafting, catalyst, and as temporary spell boosters. They are versatile tools for any mage. Epherene, in particular, looked eager.
"Since today's primary element is earth, our first topic for Week 4 is Magic Interference with Pure Element Magic."
Magic Interference—the act of one mage disrupting another's spell, distorting the flow of magic to change its intended effect.
"For a magic caster, blocking interference is just as important as causing it. While defending is generally more advantageous, I'm confident you can handle both."
Honestly, I was curious too. I wanted to see how well my Basic-Beginner-level Telekinesis could withstand interference from these Debutants. Telekinesis is a fundamental skill that mages often master intuitively to an Advanced level without theoretical study. Even Debutants should be proficient in at least Basic-Beginner-level Telekinesis.
I increased my power level beyond the usual, as they should already be proficient in Intermediate Telekinesis or higher. Although Deculein's talents were specialized in Manipulation and Earth, these Debutants were among the most talented on the continent. Letting my guard down could be embarrassing.
"... Begin now."
I stood still and waited, estimating it would take about three minutes. I was holding 150 stones, and the mages only needed to take one.
Three minutes passed. Five minutes passed. Ten minutes passed. I kept waiting, but my Telekinesis remained unshaken. I checked my watch. My mana was depleting slowly but steadily, but I still had plenty left.
"Hmm."
I wondered if they were even trying. To check, I activated my Sharp Eyesight. The massive flow of mana from 150 mages filled my vision, all targeting my Telekinesis. Overwhelmed by the chaotic energy, I quickly deactivated my Sharp Eyesight.
"... Keep trying."
After another five minutes, some mages groaned, some drooled in concentration, and some even had nosebleeds. Their eyes were bloodshot from the effort. But my Telekinesis withstood all interference.
Then, a tremor occurred in one of the stones in the third row on the right—a noticeable movement. I traced the mana and, once again, it was Sylvia. Exhausted, she was catching her breath with her head down.
"Sylvia, well done. You're first place."
Sylvia nodded silently, and about three minutes later, another stone wavered.
"Next, Epherene."
That moment marked a dramatic shift—last week's lowest scorer had risen to second place, shaking up the entire leaderboard. The other mages turned to Epherene in shock. Red-faced and breathing heavily, Epherene looked at Sylvia. Despite the twin streams of blood from her nose, she smiled confidently. Sylvia did her best to ignore her.
"Other than those two, I don't think anyone else succeeded."
I was surprised. I hadn't expected them to struggle this much. No, it was more than just a struggle. Mages who had been trying their hardest were now collapsing onto their desks, nearly exhausted.
"That's enough."
I had misjudged the difficulty level. Even the most talented Debutants on the continent couldn't overcome my Telekinesis when it was my sole focus.
"That's enough. Everyone, cease your efforts."
Acknowledging my mistake, I withdrew my Telekinesis. However, the mages were so engrossed that they collapsed like zombies. I was about to say something, but the scene in the classroom was shocking. Spit and blood from nosebleeds were smeared everywhere.
The pungent smell of sweat mixed with bodily waste filled the air. For a moment, I felt dizzy, and my rationality wavered.
"Pathetic..."
I muttered absentmindedly. The already heavy atmosphere grew even more oppressive. Despite this, I didn't want to stay there any longer.
"... Take a break. Clean up your own spit and blood from nosebleeds," I instructed.