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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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For Spenny, it was the start of a day like something out of a movie.
‘This is unbelievable…’
The mages at the Magic Tower were divided.
When she presented her new mana circuit research, they dismissed it, accusing her of disrespecting their own achievements and those of their masters.
[Ha! You’re saying our Tower’s Harmony Mana Circuit is inefficient?]
[This mana circuit has been, and will continue to be, the most balanced mana circuit!]
[Has she lost her mind?]
[This is why the younger generation is so problematic.]
If you don’t like the temple, leave the monkhood.
Spenny left the stagnant mages of the Tower and headed to Turban Academy.
‘It is an inefficient mana circuit. I’ll complete this research and prove them wrong.’
With that thought, she secured funding from the academy for mana samples, experimental animals, a laboratory, and dedicated herself to teaching while conducting research. Juggling both left her breathlessly busy.
‘Is my research even correct?’
Just as doubts began to creep in, a new student arrived.
‘What’s this?’
Spenny noticed a particularly striking boy and instinctively checked his student file.
‘Egenir Talfon…’
The son of a minor baron from a small, rural territory. She observed him conversing with Cecilia, the prodigy from the Blazing Magic Tower.
‘Young love.’
Nearing her late twenties, Spenny felt a pang of jealousy at their youthful interaction.
‘What am I…being so silly?‘
She chided herself for feeling jealous of two young students chatting.
‘I guess the lack of progress in my research is stressing me out.’
As she left the classroom, hoping to clear her head…
“Teacher!”
Egenir approached.
And then…she witnessed a miracle – the successful execution of the efficient mana circuit method she’d been striving for.
‘My…my research of nearly a decade…’
…was complete.
Staring at the intricate mana circuit flowing through him, Spenny felt a mix of awe and disappointment.
“Thank you, Teacher!”
“Hmm?”
“If it weren’t for your guidance, I don’t think I could have successfully created this amazing mana circuit.”
His words dispelled her curiosity about how he’d managed to connect the complex circuit.
“With this…I can become a strong mage even without a trait, right?”
“What? You don’t have a trait?”
Occasionally, hopelessly untalented, traitless students were admitted to the academy. As a teacher, it was difficult to defend or even teach those who lacked any aptitude.
She’d seen his student file.
He came from a minor barony, his family must have stretched themselves thin to enroll him. The outcome for traitless students in this situation was almost always the same.
‘They’re bullied until they withdraw.’
Unless a miracle occurred, Egenir was unlikely to develop a trait at his age.
Spenny felt responsible for giving him false hope with her research.
‘I feel guilty…’
She’d essentially used a traitless child to validate her research.
Egenir, on the verge of tears, embraced her.
‘Oh…this…’
She’d never felt such a surge of emotion. She hugged him, trying to comfort him.
‘Why is my heart racing?’
She’d dedicated over a decade to research, living without romantic connections.
Spenny tried to calm her racing heart.
“I think you should use it for your research presentation.”
“What are you talking about?! This is yours…”
“No. Without your explanation and guidance, I would have died attempting this mana circuit.”
Egenir, seemingly selfless and genuinely happy for her, smiled brightly and waved goodbye.
Spenny, blushing furiously, was speechless.
‘I’ve lost my mind.’
Now, she was utterly embarrassed.
‘I’m attracted to a student who’s almost ten years younger than me? I’m going crazy.’
“Teacher Spenny? Is something wrong?”
“N-No! Nothing’s wrong!”
“Really?”
The swordsmanship instructor, noticing her flustered state, tilted his head and walked away.
‘Can I really take credit for this?’
That was one of the reasons she was so uneasy.
Based on her research progress, it wouldn’t be strange for her to be the author of this mana circuit method. But if Egenir claimed he’d created it?
No one would believe him.
As his teacher, and as someone who felt a maternal connection to him, she wanted to give him credit, but it was impossible.
‘No one would believe it.’
She’d already drafted the research paper, hesitating to add Egenir’s name as a co-researcher.
‘A new student suddenly becomes a co-researcher? No one would believe it…and he’s traitless…if he stands out too much, he’ll be bullied even more…’
She knew how traitless students were treated. If he was publicly acknowledged as her co-researcher, he’d become a target.
‘I can’t protect him forever…This is so difficult.’
“Teacher.”
“Kyaa!”
Spenny yelped in surprise, quickly looking around and apologizing.
“E-Egenir?”
“Yes.”
He smiled, his cute dimples showing.
“W-What is it?”
“Oh, nothing much…it’s lunchtime, and I have some questions.”
“Questions?”
His polite demeanor, despite his noble status, made a good impression. In fact, his eagerness to learn and his respectful attitude were endearing.
Spenny was usually swamped with research during lunch, but since Egenir had essentially completed it for her, she found him even more charming.
“R-Really? What do you want to ask?”
“Well…”
He glanced around.
‘Ah.’
Spenny assumed he wanted to discuss potential side effects or abnormalities of the mana circuit method privately and looked around.
‘He doesn’t want others to hear.’
If the other teachers heard about the new mana circuit method, it would spread throughout the academy in no time.
“Egenir?”
The swordsmanship instructor called out to him.
Did she just imagine the brief flash of annoyance, like he’d seen a cockroach, that crossed Egenir’s usually cheerful face?
“Yes?”
“You’re the student who sparred with Ella in basic swordsmanship, right?”
It was Horfin, the swordsmanship instructor, a former Knight Commander with a slight limp. He was dedicated to training new swordsmen, a commendable teacher in his own way.
“Is something the matter, Teacher Horfin?”
“No…but it seems you’ve had formal swordsmanship training, Egenir.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Spenny looked puzzled.
Horfin approached Egenir with a serious expression.
“Egenir, your questions for Teacher Spenny are about mana circuits, which are related to magic…are you dreaming of becoming a Magic Swordsman?”
“H-Huh?”
“It’s not a common trait, but…I’ve never seen a Magic Swordsman who uses Dragon Swordsmanship. There’s no telling what kind of side effects it might have…”
“Wait a minute, Teacher Horfin. Are you saying Egenir knows Dragon Swordsmanship?”
“Yes. His physical abilities are still lacking, but his technique is quite proficient. He must have had a Dragon Swordsmanship instructor for a long time.”
Spenny stared at Egenir, bewildered.
‘This child…’
If he’d trained in swordsmanship, his magic efficiency would be abysmal. The new mana circuit method would be useless to him.
‘Then why…’
He’d clearly said he wanted to learn the mana circuit method to avoid being looked down upon for being traitless. But he’d also used Dragon Swordsmanship, drawing attention to himself? And Dragon Swordsmanship was a high-level technique, not some common skill.
‘What in the…’
Egenir’s expression shifted rapidly.
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[Spenny is suspicious.]
[Spenny’s affinity decreased by 3.]
[If you fail to address her doubts, Spenny’s affinity will continue to decrease.]
‘Shit.’
Cursing Horfin for putting me in this predicament, I racked my brain for a solution.
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Ha, situational fumble