BFBG 13

Chapter 13

The news about Jian’s magic and his enrollment quickly spread throughout the entire academy.

“Did you hear? That genius swordsman freshman transferred into the Magic Department.”

“What? Why?”

“They say there’s nothing left for him to learn in swordsmanship at the academy.”

“That’s different from what I heard. I heard he chose magic because it looked easy.”

“Whichever one is true, he sounds insanely annoying.”

Everyone who heard the rumor reacted with irritation.

It was only natural.

Jian’s words sounded as if he were looking down on both swordsmanship and magic.

Any student who had ever seriously devoted themselves to either swordsmanship or magic couldn’t possibly react positively.

“My younger sibling is in the same class as him. Apparently his exact words were: ‘I also have talent for magic, so I chose the Magic Department.’”

“Isn’t that basically the same as saying magic looks easy?”

“Feels like it.”

“…That pisses me off.”

Among them, the Magic Department students reacted the most fiercely.

They hated how a guy who was good with swords seemed to think magic would be easy too.

“Shouldn’t we teach him a lesson? Want me to gather some people?”

“And how exactly would you teach him a lesson? Think you could win if he drew his sword?”

“That’s…”

Normally, they would’ve beaten someone down in a group if needed.

But not this time.

Because Jian was a genius swordsman acknowledged by none other than Knight Commander Lionel.

Even second- and third-year Magic students attacking together wouldn’t beat that monster.

“W-Well, if we targeted him carefully somehow…”

“Forget it. The academy’s got its eye on him right now. Touch him recklessly and the backlash will be ugly.”

“That’s true, but…”

“And I heard he’s close to the Third Princess of the Canarion Kingdom who enrolled this year. There’s nothing to gain by provoking him.”

“Ah… so the Third Princess is backing him…”

A once-in-a-generation genius already carrying the academy’s expectations—

and even favored by Princess Aris.

Provoking someone like that?

It was practically suicide.

“So we’re just going to leave him alone?”

“Yeah. Even if it’s annoying, what else can we do?”

Conversations like these became common among second- and third-year Magic students.

“Student Rosaline, welcome.”

“Vice Principal, why aren’t you telling people what happened last night?”

Naturally, the rumor reached Rosaline’s ears as well—the top student of the second-year Magic Department.

The moment she heard it, she headed straight to the vice principal’s office

and questioned him sharply.

“You’re not deliberately letting him become hated so you can push him back into the Swordsmanship Department… are you? If that’s what this is…”

Rosaline’s eyes sharpened.

If the vice principal was scheming to send Jian back because of adult politics,

then she would use every connection she had to spread the truth about what happened yesterday.

I can’t let someone with that much potential get crushed.

She absolutely couldn’t tolerate talent being trampled before it could bloom.

Rosaline had personally experienced being crushed dozens, even hundreds of times in the past.

That was exactly why she could never allow this kind of injustice.

“Whoa, calm down, Student Rosaline.”

The vice principal gave a bitter smile and gestured for her to relax.

“Would I really go through something that troublesome? If I wanted that, I could’ve simply refused his admission into the Magic Department. And if that was my goal, I would’ve silenced you first.”

“That’s true. Then why keep last night secret?”

“There are several reasons. But the biggest one is… impact.”

“…Impact?”

“Yes.”

The vice principal’s eyes gleamed with ambition.

“According to you, Jian possesses magical talent beyond even yours, right? Then at the latest, he’ll stand out during classes this week.”

“He will.”

“And what do you think happens then?”

“What else? Everyone’s opinion changes overnight and they realize, ‘He really did have talent.’”

“Exactly! Sudden change! That’s what I’m aiming for!”

The vice principal smiled broadly.

“Perception has greater impact when the difference in expectations is larger.”

Learning that someone who seemed moderately wealthy is actually extremely rich—

doesn’t hit as hard

as finding out someone you thought was a beggar is secretly absurdly wealthy.

“Does making people pay more attention to that freshman benefit you somehow?”

“Of course. Jian will become Garam Academy’s finest asset. If his value rises, won’t my own value naturally rise too?”

“Ah… I get it.”

Rosaline narrowed her eyes as if she had figured everything out.

“Vice Principal. Later, are you planning to give interviews saying something like, ‘I recognized at first glance that Jian had magical talent’?”

“…Ahem.”

The vice principal coughed awkwardly.

In truth, boosting his own reputation that way was part of his plan.

Rosaline muttered quietly:

“You really haven’t changed.”

“I understand now. So you have no intention of sending that freshman back to the Swordsmanship Department?”

“Correct. I sincerely hope Jian succeeds in magic as well.”

Being only a swordsmanship genius lacked impact.

A genius in both swordsmanship and magic—

that was true impact.

“Your ambitions are still huge.”

“Oh, come on. My ambitions are modest. I only dream of crushing the principal and becoming head of Garam Academy.”

“That’s enormous!”

Crushing that principal?

That was practically world conquest levels of ambition.

“I understand. If that’s the case, I won’t interfere.”

“Thank you. As expected, only Student Rosaline—”

“Provided you pay hush money.”

Rosaline’s lips curled upward.

“…You really aren’t easy.”

“You’d better believe I’m not. Do you know how much you’ve taken advantage of me over the past year?”

“So I raised a tiger cub.”

The vice principal smiled bitterly.

“What do you want?”

“Nothing major. Just give me everything you promised before but never delivered.”

“A reasonable request.”

“Right?”

Just then—

KWWAAAAAAANG!

A deafening explosion echoed from the direction of the first-year Magic training grounds.

It sounded like an intermediate explosion spell had gone off.

The mana I’m sensing… it feels incredibly similar to that freshman’s mana…

No way… did that freshman cast an intermediate spell?

No, impossible.

His mana channels looked exactly like someone who’d never learned magic.

He learned magic today and already cast an intermediate spell?

Ridiculous.

…Though impossible things do happen.

Someone with that level of talent—

maybe it was possible.

Probably not.

But checking wouldn’t hurt.

“I’ll go take a look.”

Rosaline turned and immediately ran out of the office.

* * *

“W-What is this…?”

Instructor Colo froze while staring at the devastation caused by the intermediate spell I cast—

Inferno.

“An intermediate spell… this perfectly…?”

I had just recreated the Inferno spell Instructor Colo demonstrated.

No—

not recreated.

Mine was more refined.

So it actually works.

I looked at the hand that had released mana.

Amazing.

I had never even seen magic before, much less used it.

Yet instinctively, I understood how to cast it.

Is this because of my Spirit stat? Or because I’m loved by mana?

I didn’t know how this was possible.

But apparently,

I had the ability to mimic magic simply by seeing it.

Isn’t that completely broken?

The biggest weakness of mages was how difficult learning new spells was.

That weakness had vanished entirely.

A mage who can grow without skill books…

Wouldn’t that make me a flawless mage?

Choosing the mage route really was the correct answer.

I was enjoying this unexpected gain when—

“How can a swordsman cast intermediate magic…?”

Instructor Colo approached me, eyes bloodshot.

“I see now! I figured it out! A scroll! You secretly brought in a scroll and used it!”

…What’s wrong with this guy now?

I’m reaching my limit.

Should I just go at him?

My hesitation was brief.

Okay. Let’s do it.

I’m too irritated to tolerate this anymore.

“Instructor Colo, is your mastery so poor that you can’t distinguish between magic cast from a scroll and real magic?”

“…What?”

“No—forget mastery. How exactly would someone secretly tear open a huge scroll in front of this many people? At least say something believable.”

“Y-You…”

His face twisted between red and blue from anger.

“If it wasn’t a scroll! Then explain the Inferno you just used! Don’t tell me you copied mine just from seeing it.”

The surrounding students grew louder.

“Come on. Scrolls are huge. You can’t secretly use one.”

“He probably already knew Inferno.”

“Wow… so having talent for magic wasn’t an exaggeration.”

“Intermediate magic at his age? That’s a real genius.”

Reasonable conclusions.

Most people would think that.

Instructor Colo was simply too blinded by rage.

If I wanted to play it safe, I should just say I learned Inferno beforehand…

But maybe because I’d endured his mockery for too long—

I didn’t want to let it end normally.

I wanted to completely crush his pride.

“I thought I might be able to do it just by watching. So I tried. And it worked.”

“…What?”

Shock widened everyone’s eyes.

“Don’t spout nonsense. Something like that is impossible—”

“Want to test whether it’s nonsense?”

“…A test?”

“Cast any spell you want. I’ll reproduce it exactly.”

My confidence made Instructor Colo hesitate.

His expression briefly seemed to say:

Could he be serious?

But only briefly.

Soon it became:

Impossible.

“Hah. Fine. Since you insist, let’s test it.”

Instructor Colo confidently stretched out his hand.

“Go ahead. Reproduce this if you can.”

A large magic circle formed before his palm.

Then two smaller circles appeared beside it.

The circles rotated like interlocking gears.

Fwoosh!

Flames surged.

Then a wall of fire appeared ten meters away.

I thought he’d use something rare. It’s just Fire Wall.

A spell that creates barriers with flames.

Fire Wall.

An intermediate spell, same rank as Inferno.

“Well? Your turn.”

Instructor Colo smiled proudly.

I glanced at him and stepped beside him.

“But Instructor.”

“What? If you’re planning to admit you lied—”

“Isn’t your Fire Wall… way too narrow?”

“…What?”

His wall was only three meters wide.

Practically useless in real combat.

“As far as I know, Fire Wall is mainly used to block enemy movement. Shouldn’t it be at least ten meters wide?”

A massive magic circle appeared before my hand.

Two smaller circles formed instantly.

WHIIIIIIING!

Their rotation speed dwarfed his.

“Ten meters only works in cramped terrain like caves or cities. On open ground, you’d need around twenty.”

A roaring sound filled the air.

A Fire Wall emerged—

and followed my hand, stretching over ten meters.

“And if we’re assuming open terrain, it shouldn’t move only in straight lines. It should curve too.”

The wall twisted through the air,

traveling another ten meters before stopping.

“Oh—and since it’s for blocking paths, durability matters too. It should stay active at least five minutes to be useful.”

The flames continued burning.

I looked at Instructor Colo,

whose eyes were wide with disbelief.

“What is this…”

“Well? Is that enough proof?”

“……”

He said nothing.

No—

he couldn’t.

“If you have nothing else to say…”

Then—

“That’s not enough proof.”

A familiar voice came from behind.

“Whoa. It’s Senior Rosaline.”

“Rosaline? The top magic student in second year?”

“Why is the top student here…?”

Rosaline approached with sparkling eyes.

“Fire Wall is a widely known general-purpose spell. Reproducing it doesn’t prove you can copy magic just by seeing it.”

She walked beside me and extended her hand toward the field.

“To prove it, you’d need to reproduce an unknown spell. For example… an original spell I created.”

Two massive magic circles formed before her.

Five smaller circles appeared around them.

“So then—try reproducing my magic.”

I recognized the spell instantly.

That’s Rosaline’s original spell…?

I had seen it hundreds of times in gameplay.

It was the spell that made Rosaline one of the greatest mages.

But the structure feels strange. Incomplete.

Different from the version I knew.

My eyes could tell—

something was off.

WHIIIIIIING!

A white beam shot skyward.

As expected.

Rosaline’s original spell—

Sealing Blast.

Yeah. It’s wrong.

That wasn’t its proper form.

The completed version wasn’t that crude.

“Well? Copy it.”

I said nothing.

Slowly raised my right hand.

The real Sealing Blast is more like this…

WHIIIIIIING—!

Two giant circles and five smaller circles appeared.

Then add tiny auxiliary circles as stabilizing axes…

Ten miniature magic circles surrounded the others.

Done.

WHIIIIIIING!

A completed-form Sealing Blast fired from my hand.

“…Huh?”

Rosaline’s eyes widened beyond words.