While Shiron was busily learning magic, many students were intently listening to a neatly dressed young professor’s lecture in the main hall of the Imperial Academy.
The lecture was titled [The Nature and Interpretation of Mana].
To graduate from the magic department, attending this lecture is a must. Consequently, the classroom was packed today, with not a single empty seat to be found.
“Let’s assume that inside a completely isolated area, the conservation of mana waves does not increase indefinitely but decreases sharply when preserved below the capacity of the vessel. The important thing here is that while the mana wave function has sufficient amplitude within the area, and tends to maintain a steady frequency in another confined area within the vessel, the mana waves can still be observed outside the area… I’ll take questions up to this point.”
Indeed, no matter how many times one attended, the contents of the class were headache-inducing. The students massaged their temples in unison, and the professor felt a poignant sorrow at the sight.
“Are there any questions?”
Thus, he tried to incorporate question time during the lesson.
“No questions?”
Regrettably, not a single hand was raised.
The atmosphere, which had been earnestly engaged just moments ago, now seemed deceptive. Whether it was truly because there were no questions or because they were avoiding his gaze to prevent being called on, many students were intensely focused on their textbooks rather than the blackboard.The young professor standing at the lectern, Reynold Dras, turned his gaze away from the audience and sighed. However, he did not harbor any negative feelings towards the students. The material he was teaching was, even to him as a tenured professor, a series of highly complex concepts.
“…That’s understandable.”
Reynold tried to empathize with his juniors, having once walked the same path.
“Ha ha. You might not understand what the lecture is about, right? I suppose you haven’t even thought of any questions to ask. You can only ask after understanding to some extent.”
Reynold flicked his fingers, raising the chalk-written blackboard higher.
“Let’s take a moment to jot down some notes. To clear your minds, let me tell you an interesting story. It doesn’t matter if you find it boring; I find it entertaining.”
Ha ha ha. Laughter briefly blossomed in the lecture hall.
Last semester’s [The Nature and Interpretation of Mana] was conducted by a retiring professor and was notoriously dull and unrewarding. However, since last year, Reynold ‘Professor’ Dras’s lectures, sprinkled with jokes, have been continuously well-received by the students.
Lucia, seated at the very front, also enjoyed [The Nature and Interpretation of Mana]. Although she barely understood half of the headache-inducing content, the old tales he told during the lecture were enough to bring back fond memories, prompting Lucia to always sit in the front row of the podium.
“In fact, the chapter you are listening to is named ‘Modern Mana Interpretation,’ but the proof was discovered 400 years ago.”
Thanks to Reynold’s minor in history and archaeology, his tidbits of stories often pertained to the era around the Great War.
Professor Reynold continued, with eyes shining like a child’s.
“400 years ago, in a very old cabin in the Great Forest, the ancestors who first discovered the notes containing this proof were astonished. Phenomena that couldn’t be explained by classical mana interpretation, which had been passed down for thousands of years, were actually common in everyday life.”
Snap—
Reynold flicked his fingers towards the air, and sparks flew—zizt. However, this was not fire magic but elemental magic of the lightning type, [Lightning Spark].
“As you just saw, sparks flew in the air, right? But what I used was not fire magic, but lightning magic. However, it’s strange. Why would a lightning phenomenon in the air produce burning flames?”
Snap— Snap!
“The answer lies in the phenomenon of [Passageways] that you just learned about.”
The lightning changed its properties to flames without any mana intervention. Reynold explained this, and Lucia, among other students, watched the lightning sparks with great interest.
“In modern mana interpretation, as written in the notebook, this is defined as the [Passageway Phenomenon]. The reason it was named so remains unknown forever because the author’s name was erased, but the notebook with the proof is still clear enough to be found in museums. Anyway, this anonymous paper has had a profound impact on the academic community.”
Bang— The podium was struck.
Gulp— The hands of the students taking notes stopped.
A few students who had been nodding off jerked their shoulders awake.
Lucia’s eyes sparkled at the old stories.
“And due to this unnamed genius, a branch split from classical mana interpretation to what we now call modern mana interpretation. It’s funny that a school of thought that has been around for 400 years is still called ‘modern,’ but what’s important is not that. It’s about what can be achieved through the [Passageway Phenomenon].”
Reynold spoke firmly, locking eyes with his golden ones.
[Teleportation]
“This proof indeed suggests that teleportation magic is not merely a mythical illusion but a feasibly implementable magic.”
From Reynold’s mouth sprung the magic of legends. So shocking was the content that whispers and exclamations began to leak from the podium. Lucia, breathing excitedly, trembled her lips.
‘I have, I’ve tried teleportation too… Huh? Our family’s scapegrace is a teleportation user, huh?’
Lucia felt an urge to shrug nonchalantly and chuckled at the thought. Apparently, a fellow student was the hero from 500 years ago? A warrior? And the subject matter was the legendary magic frequently used by the mage in the hero’s party?
Entering the academy had started bringing her subtle joys—a sense of fulfillment from hiding her past life.
Every so often in history or magic classes, when facts she had experienced were discussed, she felt goosebumps from how tough it was. However, now accustomed, Lucia could feign indifference to most stories, which is why her elective courses this semester were mostly history and archaeology.
Apparently, a fellow student was the great hero from 500 years ago? A warrior? And the subject matter was the legendary magic frequently used by the mage in the warrior’s party? How could she bear it? Today, Lucia once again exerted her superhuman patience to hide the fact that she was Kyrie reincarnated.
At that moment, while biting her itchy lips, Reynold facing Lucia smiled with anticipation.
“What do you think about it, student Lucia?”
“…Excuse me?”
It was an unexpected call. Startled, Lucia blinked.
“Are you referring to what you just said?”
“Yes. What else could it be?”
Professor Reynold, locking eyes with the red-haired girl, smiled warmly.
Lucia Prient. A daughter of the Prient family with Hugo Prient as her godfather, she had been eagerly attending [The Nature and Interpretation of Mana] since the beginning of the semester, and her fame along with Reynold’s close observation had made her a noted student.
As all eyes in the auditorium turned to her, Lucia’s face heated up.
“Uh… I think so too.”
“What do you mean?”
An evasive answer. Reynold seemed unsatisfied with Lucia’s response. Realizing she had given a foolish answer, Lucia calmed herself and said,
“…The phenomenon of passageways could be the basis for teleportation magic.”
“Could you elaborate?”
“…Like just now, when the caster didn’t intend it, but the mana changed its nature…”
“How did the mana change its properties?”
“From lightning to flame…”
“Was there no visible macro phenomenon, for example, a sudden twist in the formula?”
“I didn’t see anything like that… I’m sorry.”
Lucia apologized first, unable to grasp Professor Reynold’s intentions. Her combined age and experience, from her past and current lives, compelled her to do so.
Pff- Khahaha-
Ignoring the occasional jeers, Reynold checked his watch.
“…There are 10 minutes left. It’s awkward to proceed further, so we’ll end today’s class here. I won’t erase the blackboard for those who want to take notes.”
Snap— With a gesture, the cluttered writing instruments were organized. Reynold dusted off the chalk from his fingertips as he watched the students leave.
“And, student Lucia.”
“Yes?”
“Do you have time after lunch? Unless you have other classes or… something like that.”
“No? I don’t have any classes, uh, planned.”
“Good, then could you come to my office?”
‘I wonder if I’ve been singled out?’
In the Magenta building, dense with analytics labs, an unexpected call from an unfamiliar professor had Lucia clutching her aching stomach.
The summons had come without warning. Siriel had offered to accompany her, nibbling on bread crumbs out of concern, but Lucia, unwilling to impose for such a trivial matter, had arrived alone.
Knocking on the office door, Lucia was greeted not with worry but with Reynold’s warmly smiling welcome.
“I guess you were surprised by the sudden call.”
Perhaps because they were alone, Reynold did not use formal speech with Lucia as he did in the classroom.
“Ah, is coffee okay?”
“I’m not particularly picky.”
“Good? That’s perfect then. I’ve just got a new coffee machine, and it’s too good to drink alone.”
With a hearty laugh, Professor Reynold began to brew coffee, pouring hot water into the pot. The intense aroma of coffee soon filled the room, and before long, a perfectly tempered cup was served in front of Lucia.
“I’ll enjoy it.”
Lucia politely accepted the cup and bowed her head in thanks. Reynold, apparently pleased by her manners, watched intently as the small student sipped her coffee.
‘Why did he call me here?’
Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, Lucia looked away. The lab came into view—tables cluttered with papers and four cabinets lined up, displaying magical crystals. Beside them stood people engrossed in organizing documents, oblivious to Lucia’s presence.
Lucia recognized them as Reynold’s assistants, who had distributed test papers during a previous exam.
‘This coffee is bitter.’
As she pondered the astringent taste, Reynold began to speak.
“I called you here to make a proposal that could be very beneficial for you.”
“Beneficial?”
“Yes.”
Reynold nodded a couple of times.
“Are you seriously pursuing your studies?”
“Uh… why do you suddenly ask that?”
Lucia was puzzled by Reynold’s question.
“Is my midterm grade so bad? Did I receive an impossibly failing score?”
“That’s not it. Your answers today were quite good, but there were a few disappointing aspects. I wanted to suggest a path that could be helpful to you.”
“Well, I always try hard…”
“Good answer. It’s good to be diligent. I’m even more pleased now.”
Reynold was not just making small talk; he had been observing Lucia and assessed her favorably.
He appreciated that she was not picky about food and drink, and based on rumors, he valued her reportedly superior spiritual energy.
Her background was also appealing. Having Hugo Prient as a godfather and maintaining a down-to-earth attitude despite such a remarkable background pleased him.
So, he decided to get straight to the point.
“How about aiming for a higher degree?”
“Excuse me?”
“Have you considered going to graduate school?”
It was a sudden suggestion, and Lucia’s eyes widened.
“I haven’t.”
“May I ask why?”
Reynold’s expression faltered momentarily at her quick and seemingly unyielding response.
“My half-brother insists I graduate from the academy quickly.”
“Who is your half-brother? If he’s involved in academia…”
“I find sudden family discussions a bit unpleasant. I’ll be leaving now.”
“My father was a lifelong leader of the Red Lion Knights, a noble warrior.”
Reynold said with emphasis.
Lucia stopped her departing steps.
She was from an old-fashioned mindset, seeing it as impolite to walk out while someone, particularly a mentor guiding her in scholarly pursuits, was speaking.
“So he wanted me to continue leading the knights, but I despised wielding a sword. I hated the tough and dirty training as a child. I also disliked the idea of my face being mangled in battle like my father’s. In rebellion, I ran away several times.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
“Yes, it is unfortunate.”
Father and he, both. Reynold gestured for Lucia to sit as he continued.
“But looking back now, I think training the body wasn’t so bad. Being a descendant of a martial family, I was able to sharpen my senses quickly with minimal training. That’s why my intuition is good, even among those who wield the pen.”
“…”
“I smell something similar in you. That’s why I made the offer first.”
Reynold pulled out a stack of papers from a pile of documents. He believed Lucia could be a potential colleague since she had shown interest in his class.
“This is my research journal on the [Passageway Phenomenon] from today’s lecture. I’m showing it to you specially because I like you.”
“…”
Unlike what he thought, Lucia had not asked questions during the class, but she was indeed interested in the academic recognition of her colleague Seira. She began to inspect the papers with curious eyes.
However, the papers Reynold handed to her covered a much broader topic than Lucia had expected.
Lucia didn’t fully understand the content of the papers, but thanks to her diligent attendance at [The Nature and Interpretation of Mana], she could grasp the overall context.
“How about it?”
“What is this? Is this also part of interpretation studies?”
Lucia asked, her brow furrowed.
Though her question was met with another question, it signaled interest. Reynold, very pleased with the response, excitedly said,
“If you have a natural talent, you might have guessed what I’m trying to convey just from the outline of this paper.”
“There are too many errors in the world… That’s my understanding.”
“Using such blunt words is not wise, student Lucia. One could be accused of heresy and taken away.”
Despite his caution, Reynold could hardly conceal his glee, his lips twitching constantly.
“In a world filled with evidence of God, I have no intention of denying the Absolute. Instead, let’s adopt a more nuanced expression. For instance… Yes, this world doesn’t operate like perfectly meshing gears. It’s more akin to a game, animated by rules conceived by a profoundly humane Absolute. That’s how I choose to see it.”
Reynold spoke carefully, ensuring he didn’t sound too timid.
Although not as religious as Lucerne or Brahham, the Empire was still a country where religious authority was formidable. Indeed, there are scriptures, and outside the official interpretations, any divergent explanations could be heavily criticized.
“Even if it’s a faded story, the coexistence of a Demon God and the Righteous God during the Great War 500 years ago is an example. It simplifies the concept of good and evil to a level even a worm could understand, so I’ve been paying attention to it.”
The world was akin to a game where factions, separated by the Makal Mountains—a line dividing the continent—continuously invaded each other’s territories.
As Reynold spoke, his excitement only grew. To continue his research, he needed the support of someone with a strong backing, like the student in front of him. Just a little more, and he felt he could persuade her. Reynold continued with increasing conviction.
Lucia could have walked out, but she was curious about what he would say next. Thus, she ended up engaging in the conversation until his excitement subsided.
The sun was already setting. The twilight shone through the window on Lucia, and on the opposite side, in the shadow, Reynold wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.
“Do you have any career plans?”
“Not yet.”
Lucia answered somewhat uncertainly. Reynold caught that reaction and continued.
“I recall it’s not long until your graduation. It might be time to decide. When I was your age, I remember how proposals for marriage alliances with other families came and went.”
“…”
“The path of scholarship is always open. Whenever you have thoughts about it, knock on my lab door. And thank you. You’ve always been attentive in my classes.”
Without a spoken goodbye, Lucia, who bowed to the young professor, then left the laboratory.
Two days had passed.
Lucia was seated in the lecture hall for [The Nature and Interpretation of Mana] earlier than anyone else. However, her efforts were in vain as it was not Professor Reynold who stood at the podium.
“The professor was attacked by an assailant last night and is now in a coma.”
It was one of the teaching assistants who had been in Reynold’s lab.
“Due to this, today’s class is canceled.”
The expressionless teaching assistant stared at Lucia as he spoke.
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