The Principle of a Philosopher by Eternal Fool “Asley”

“Huh!? W-what did you just do!?”

The first one to react to my surprise was Hornel, sitting in the front row.

“Did you really not see her?”

He sounded exasperated, but also a little bit surprised.

Then there was Irene, who seemed to have seen through how that trick worked, as apparent from the look in her eyes and her tone when she said to me,

“All she did was walk straight toward you. That’s what it looked like to the rest of us, anyway.”

As she talked, she turned to look at Minerva.

Going by Hornel and Irene’s reactions, it seems that I was indeed the only one who had lost track of Minerva.

But isn’t this the same as that blank spot-exploiting technique that Dallas used on me? Wait, no, it can’t be — it wouldn’t have worked on the whole crowd. There must be some other trick to it… and that’s probably the point that Minerva wants to get across.

“Hehehe. I can tell that you are quite good at sensing arcane energy signals, Mister Asley… Because that was exactly what made you fall for the trick so easily.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at Minerva’s amused remark.

“Now I’m not sure if I should be happy because of the compliment, or not happy because of the part about being easily tricked…”

“Oh, please, be happy. When I said you are good, I meant you ARE good. No hidden meanings.”

Having been called an ‘Eternal Fool’ for so long, it feels quite… funny that I’m being showered with praises now.

“So, was it a spell that you used just now? Or was it magecraft?”

That’s probably one of the things the attendees are most curious to find out.

Once my question was asked, they all focused their attention on Minerva.

“Neither, actually. It’s an application of magical energy with non-magical techniques… ‘magitek,’ if you will.”

“Magitek — now that’s something I’ve never heard of before.”

The attendees started talking among themselves, but it only took Minerva raising her hand for them to fall silent again.

“Apologies — that is just some word I made up for convenience’s sake. Besides, I’m sure you’re already more familiar than I am with such application methods, Mister Asley.”

“Me? How come?”

“The Magic Table and the Deca Spell — those are neither magic nor magecraft, yes?”

“…Oh, that’s true.”

The Deca Spell could be classified as either magic or magecraft depending on what it’s used to invoke, but then again, each of the ten fingers would carry out its own invocation, so the whole thing could be considered more of a technique.

Right… considering that, ‘magitek’ does sound perfectly fitting.

Maybe things like the Violet Phoenix’s pressuring arcane energy pulses and the way I carry out defensive maneuvers by manipulating my muscles with arcane energy could be considered magitek as well.

“The mechanisms behind it are quite simple. Surely everyone knows by now that there’s always an arcane energy aura surrounding you — you copy it, down to its outline, and place it at your current location before you move. That will give your opponent the illusion that their target hasn’t moved, allowing you to move into their blind spot.”

Everyone started tilting their heads. The technique Minerva just explained is in fact so advanced that most of the attendees here aren’t able to quite understand.

It’s only natural — one normally wouldn’t even think to check their own arcane energy aura, let alone its outline. And even if they did, the technique requires precisely controlled emission amounts, shape maintenance, and placement. Then there’s the need to learn Dallas’ blind spot-exploiting technique to go with it. How did Minerva even train to carry out all that in a blink of an eye?

And then there’s the thing about her being THE inventor of Swift Magic… one would think she’d already been alive for at least a few thousand years.

“Now then, it is time to put what you’ve learned into practice, everyone. Let us be on our way.”

Saying that with a smile, Minerva proceeded to guide the attendees to the practice area.

Everyone had their own reactions to the knowledge they’d been given — mostly confusion and horror at the sheer difficulty of it. As I walked on my way, thinking about things with one hand on my chin, Pochi talked to me,

“I kinda have a feeling that you’ll pull it off just fine, Master.”

“Huh? What makes you even think that?”

“Hmm… Because you’re you?”

It’s quite unusual of Pochi to answer a question with a question, but maybe this is her way of showing how much the trusts me.

“Then again, you might not be able to do it exactly because you’re YOU!”

Yup, she REALLY trusts me. In a way.

And she sounded way more confident when the said that latter part.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

“…Well done, Asley. You managed to slip past my detection.”

“Oh-ho…”

My practice pair, Warren, praised me while readjusting his glasses.

As it turned out, Pochi’s guess was true. I successfully completed Minerva’s assignment — the only attendee to do so, in fact, though it did take quite a long time. The sun is already starting to set.

Most of the others seemed to have difficulties with the first two steps — either the energy emission or the maintaining of its shape.

Warren did manage to clear the arcane energy technique part, but did not quite get the blind spot-exploiting technique down.

“That was wonderful, Mister Asley.”

Minerva’s voice called me from behind.

Now, although I did clear the assignment, there’s still an important question that needs to be asked.

“By the way, Professor Minerva…”

“What is it?”

“This is a useful technique for one-on-one fights — that much is true. But isn’t this different from what you used for slipping past all of the class attendees undetected?”

Minerva paused for a few moments.

“I have been wondering the same. This technique certainly is fantastic — if one can use it properly, that is — but when up against multiple opponents, would it not be necessary for one to use an even more advanced technique instead?”

Looks like Warren has been curious about that, too.

Minerva cracked a smile. It’s not the same as before, though — not her usual mysterious smile, but a normal, happy one.

“Well then, it seems that coming here was no mistake after all…”

“What do you mean?”

“I have met the right person to entrust the future to… is what I meant.”

“Now this is quite something, Warren.”

I immediately turned to Warren.

Seeming to understand why I did that, he promptly responded,

“I suppose she’s right. You already have much to bear on those shoulders of yours, Asley — what’s another teeny tiny thing like THE FUTURE, am I right?”

“Surely there are plenty of others who can do some things better…”

“Hahaha… trust me, there are many things I would like to find replacements for, but sometimes, one has to make do with what’s available.”

Minerva chuckled at the exchange between Warren and me.

“But of course, this is but the first of many steps. This technique alone is nowhere near enough to make you a match for Gaspard, I say.”

“Now this is quite something, Asley.”

This time, Warren turned to me.

While everyone around us was still working on their assignments, only Warren and I heard what Minerva had just said and understood the significance of those words.

“You’re… an acquaintance of Gaspard’s?”

That’s totally what she suggested. She knows Gaspard… more than from rumors, at the very least.

As if to affirm Warren’s guess, Minerva stopped smiling.

Going by the atmosphere about her, she doesn’t seem hostile, at least. What exactly is the relationship between her and Gaspard?

“I have provided him with some guidance at one point, during which I taught him this same technique.”

Oh, I see… so after leaving Tūs, he went to study under Minerva.

“Having heard rumors of my inventions, he came to me, back when I was starting to spread the knowledge of the newly-invented Swift Magic.”

“Right, it’s only natural to assume that the inventor of Swift Magic would have a great breadth of knowledge to offer. And so, in his pursuit of strength, he has learned not only from Tūs the Philosopher of the Far East, but also Minerva the Mage of the North…”

Minerva nodded. I could only assume that she’d taught him this magitek as well– Oh, I see! During our Regalia Castle infiltration, this must’ve been what Gaspard used for ‘instantaneous movement’! That’s why I couldn’t see him coming!

“That is right. In fact, I have come here exactly because of that — because my student has gone down a regrettable path.”

“So being the one to mentor Gaspard doesn’t necessarily mean you are a match for him when it comes to sheer power, then? Professor Minerva, could it be that… you haven’t taken action before now in order to strike at the best possible time?”

Minerva nodded to Warren.

“As you two have pointed out, this magitek does have a more advanced form to it. I would like as many people as possible to learn it, and also the method to counter it.”

“Y-you can counter it!?”

Seemingly caught off-guard by my surprise, Minerva blushed a little and turned away.

“W-well, isn’t it only natural that a teacher knows more than her student…?”

So she didn’t teach the countering method to Gaspard? Was it to make sure that she’d have something up her sleeve in case he went rogue?

At any rate, with that knowledge, my impression of Minerva changed at least a little bit.

Yup. She’s VERY interesting.

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