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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Silverriver
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The room was quiet. Sophia swallowed hard, her gaze fixed on Deron. He was stirring something in his teacup, its contents hidden from her view.
He placed the cup down. A yellowish liquid with bits of fruit pulp floated inside.
“What’s this…?”
“Citron tea. Drink it.”
She knew what citron tea was. She had drunk it endlessly in her hometown of Gledic, especially during the cold winters. A taste of home she hadn’t experienced since arriving at the academy. She carefully took the teacup and sipped.
“…!”
“It’s not too hot, is it? What’s wrong?”
He was right; the tea wasn’t hot. It was the perfect temperature, just how she liked it. That’s why she was so surprised. It felt like Deron knew exactly what she preferred.
‘Could it be…?’
Sophia sipped her tea, glancing at Deron. He sat in a chair beside the bed, sipping his own citron tea.
“It seems the elixir is working. You’re looking better.”
“Elixir? Did you… give me an elixir?”
Deron nodded. Sophia’s jaw dropped.
“You gave me an elixir? They’re not easy to come by.”
“It wouldn’t have been very effective if I had consumed it.”
Deron’s tone was casual, but his words carried weight. Sophia checked her condition. Her mana had increased significantly. The fatigue that had been weighing her down had lifted, her mind now clear.
If an elixir like this wasn’t effective for him, just how much mana did Deron possess? Sophia couldn’t even fathom it. A wave of inferiority washed over her.
While she was still reeling, Deron was already leagues ahead. They hadn’t started that far apart. Deron’s talent was superior to hers.
Sophia couldn’t accept it, even though she knew she shouldn’t compare herself to him. She bit her lip, frustrated with herself.
“Thank you,” she muttered, her tone sharp. She threw off the blanket and got out of bed.
Deron simply watched her. He didn’t say anything, even though he could see her unnecessary irritation. His black eyes followed her every move. Sophia, unable to bear his gaze, quickly left the room.
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Sophia went to the giant tree on the academy grounds. A prominent landmark located at the edge of the campus. The summer sun was scorching, its heat oppressive.
But beneath the tree’s sprawling branches and dense foliage, it was cool and shady. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves. It was a well-known, if somewhat hidden, sanctuary within the academy.
Sophia always came here to practice her magic, drawn by the cool shade and gentle breeze. Most of the students who visited this spot had left for the break, leaving Sophia alone.
While others enjoyed their time off, she couldn’t. If she returned home, her parents would put her to work.
There were no mages or knights in her village. No one with magical knowledge. Going home wouldn’t help her growth.
If it weren’t for Uncle Tom, she wouldn’t have been able to attend Iliad Academy. Uncle Tom, a traveling merchant who carried his wares from village to village, was the only mage who visited her village. He had recognized her talent.
Sophia drew a magic circle. The problem wasn’t the lack of magic.
She couldn’t even cast proper magic right now.
Uncle Tom had called her a genius. He had been surprised to find such talent in a small village and insisted she be sent to Iliad Academy.
Her parents had been hesitant, fearing the dangers of the Imperial Capital, but to Sophia, it had seemed like a treasure trove of opportunities.
-Crackle.
Lightning sparked. Her mana flickered erratically, refusing to obey her commands. For a mage to lose control of their mana meant…
“No!”
…they couldn’t use magic. She gasped, staring at the dissipating magic circle. The remnants of mana scattered into the air, then vanished.
The Imperial Capital, her supposed treasure trove, hadn’t lived up to her expectations. Reality was harsh. Her talent wasn’t as exceptional as she’d thought.
The academy was filled with students far more talented than her. She had been certain of it during the ranking matches.
Adele. A commoner like Sophia. The girl who had attracted attention from the very first test by defeating an instructor. Her magic had been useless against Adele, and Sophia had been utterly defeated.
A complete and utter defeat, leaving no room for excuses. She had been crushed. Perhaps her parents had been right to discourage her.
Sophia looked up, sunlight filtering through the leaves. She couldn’t even use magic properly anymore. Even after consuming that elixir.
“There you are.”
A familiar voice. The owner of the room she had fled just moments ago. Deron Philasia.
Sophia deliberately avoided his gaze. His black eyes made her heart ache. He approached her slowly and asked,
“What are you doing? Weren’t you practicing magic?”
“….”
“Did I interrupt you? I can leave.”
Sophia glared at Deron, despite his kindness. He had given her an elixir, offered her citron tea. She knew she shouldn’t be acting like this.
But her childish pride, her gnawing inferiority, made her lash out.
“It seems that’s not the case.”
Deron chuckled and snapped his fingers, then began chanting. A simple 2nd Rank spell.
-Wind Whip
The manifested magic lashed out, striking the bushes, sending leaves flying. A clean, effortless incantation. Deron, a swordsman, could use magic.
That was his talent. Sophia spoke, her voice sharp,
“Why are you showing off?”
Deron Philasia wouldn’t mock her inability to use magic while he could. His mere presence was enough to make most people feel small.
A genius couldn’t understand mediocrity. A 2nd Rank spell, so easily cast by him, was a struggle for her to even manifest.
“Do you remember the three stages of magic manifestation?”
“What? Why are you suddenly…”
“I asked if you remember.”
Deron stared at her, repeating his question.
“Do you remember the three stages of magic manifestation? This is the third time I’m asking.”
“Incantation, manifestation, projection.”
Sophia finally answered. It wasn’t a difficult question. The very foundation of magic. Every mage knew these steps.
“So… what about it?”
“You incant the spell.”
Deron moved his hand slightly, and mana stirred. The first stage of magic manifestation: incantation.
“You manifest its form.”
The stirring mana flowed from his hand, taking the shape of a whip. The second stage: manifestation.
“And finally, you project the manifested magic.”
The whip in the air moved, its target the ground. The wind-made whip struck the earth. The third stage: projection.
A flawless demonstration. But Sophia’s eyes trembled.
“How…?”
“I’ve shown you. Now, it’s up to you to interpret it.”
Deron looked at her for a moment, then turned and left. Sophia, too stunned to react, simply stared at the spot where he had cast the spell.
A 2nd Rank spell. Wind Whip. There was no trace of it, as if the manifested whip had been… canceled mid-air.
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“That was a bit taxing.”
I wiped the blood from my lips. Not the blood from the demonic energy, but simply the result of overexerting my mana.
But I had managed to replicate it, albeit clumsily.
‘Sophia’s specialty.’
Reverse Engineering. Sophia’s unique ability to deconstruct and analyze manifested magic. In the original story, she would discover this ability later, but there was no need to wait.
Passion was born from need. And she had plenty of reasons to feel inadequate, having witnessed so much exceptional talent.
The problem was… she had seen too much. Deron’s talent, Agnes’s, Adele’s, and even Han’s. A concentration of once-in-a-generation talents within the academy.
It was understandable for her to feel intimidated. So she had pushed herself too hard.
What I had done wasn’t Reverse Engineering, but… disruption. I had brute-forced my way through, flooding the area around the manifested spell with mana, neutralizing it.
It wouldn’t work on high-level magic, and it consumed a massive amount of mana, making it seem like a mere display of power.
‘But Sophia would have seen it differently.’
Reverse Engineering. What I had shown her would be reinterpreted and refined by her, becoming her signature technique. Sophia was a mage who, once shown the path, would relentlessly pursue it, regardless of the obstacles.
I had given her an elixir, and her focus was now on Reverse Engineering. It was time for her to grow. To save Professor Akdin, her Reverse Engineering was essential.
My hand trembled from the mana exertion. I would never use such a crude method again. With that thought, I headed towards the Haven for the Weary clubroom.
It was time to discuss the dungeon.
“What do you mean?”
But the moment I entered the club room, I heard…
“That’s what happened. It’s his constitution, there’s nothing we can do.”
The news of Crebiton, a fellow classmate, going on a rampage and the dungeon expedition being canceled.
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