Chapter 4

Chapter 004

The individual rooms assigned to each person were surprisingly spacious and comfortable.

It seemed that even though the skeleton principal didn't give them anything else, he didn't take away their personal rooms.

Of course, this was based on Yi Han's standards. At this moment, the other nobles were likely shocked by the barren, empty rooms they received.

-Is... Is this where beggars live?

-Maybe someone stole everything from the room?

Thud-

The room felt even larger because it contained only a desk, a chair, and a bed.

Yi Han first organized the clothes he received, placed his luggage in a corner, and then took out a book.

<About Einroard>.

It was a thin book given to each of them before entering, containing a brief introduction to the school.

'Compulsory subjects must be taken, and the rest can be chosen freely. For the first month, you can wander around and listen to lectures to decide which ones you like...'

The school seemed strict but was quite free in this aspect.

Once you were in, the school didn't care what studies the students pursued.

- A mage is one who explores the truths of the world. Even if seniors and teachers help, one must determine their own path. Ous Gonadates.

'So the principal's name is Ous Gonadates.'

Yi Han, who had obtained information he didn't really want, finished his tasks and stood up.

Since he was told he could go to the freshmen lounge, he planned to go there and chat a bit.

* * *

"I want to learn alchemy."

Yoner was already there. Upon seeing Yi Han arrive, Yoner waved happily.

"Alchemy?"

"Yeah. I've been interested in alchemy since I was in my family. My dream is to set up my own workshop and supply the royal family."

"That could be quite profitable."

"Will you join me?"

"Hmm. Let me think about it. Running an alchemy business isn't as easy as it sounds."

Yi Han didn't accept immediately.

Just as Yoner had been interested in alchemy since he was in his family, Yi Han had been interested in business since he was in his family.

While alchemy sounded impressive, the alchemy business in the empire was highly competitive.

Outstanding alchemists' guilds fiercely competed for market share.

They would give potions away for free to adventurers' guilds, spread bad rumors about potions made by rival alchemy guilds, and monopolize all the herbs used as potion ingredients to control the market.

Each rumor was terrifying.

'Maybe it's better to be stable.'

Yi Han's primary goal was to become a royal official, i.e., a civil servant.

Being a civil servant was never a bad choice.

"Then, what are you interested in?"

"Me?"

Yi Han was slightly flustered by the question.

Because...

'I was thinking about taking subjects with less competition and good grades.'

Academic achievements here would also count as credentials when he went out into the world.

Naturally, Yi Han couldn't ignore this.

"I plan to look around for a month and decide. It's not wise to make hasty judgments."

"Wow... That's impressive."

"??"

Yi Han, not understanding what was impressive, looked at Yoner.

What's so impressive?

"Usually, people come here with a specific magic they want to learn, something that suits their preferences. But that's not always the best way..."

One couldn't know which magic they were suited for until they tried it.

Forcing oneself to learn unsuitable magic was not as efficient as one might think.

A mage who pursued truth should be flexible and choose a better path.

But as humans, they had desires, and with desires came the wish to follow their own path.

Abandoning such desires was not easy.

"Is it the Wodanaz family's rule again?"

'Why does everything come back to the Wodanaz family?'

Yi Han was exasperated.

He hadn't realized how powerful the family name was until he left the family.

Even the looks from the Black Turtle Tower students earlier...

Perhaps the Wodanaz family's image was much stronger than Yi Han had thought.

"Trouble!"

"??"

Gayanando, who arrived late, shouted in a hurry.

"What happened?"

"It looks like someone broke into my room! There's nothing left!"

"......"

* * *

Understanding Basic Magic.

It was a required course for all first-year students entering Einroard.

Only students from the Blue Dragon Tower were present, suggesting it was a course exclusive to them.

"Everyone looks strange."

"I'm hungry, I didn't sleep well, and the clothes are rough, making it hard to move."

Gayanando nodded in agreement with Yoner.

When he woke up early in the morning, Gayanando thought the previous day was a dream.

He expected to be served freshly baked white bread with butter, and hot soup made with chicken and spices.

But it wasn't a dream. When he got out of bed, he was greeted with hard black bread, hard rice balls, and a cup of cold water.

'I could eat that...'

Yi Han thought.

Although he had lived comfortably since joining the Wodanaz family, Yi Han had originally lived a very hard life.

-Excuse me, senior. If we work from 9 AM to 9 PM, when do we eat?

-Here. Energy bar. It's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so save it.

-...Are you kidding?

-Don't say that to me. I have to eat energy bars too. But there's a feast waiting at the end.

-If you say it's instant noodles, I'll kill you.

-...Sorry. It's instant noodles.

-......

-Still, there are triangle rice balls...

'Seems better now.'

But all the Blue Dragon Tower students, except Yi Han, looked exhausted.

Squeak-

The "Understanding Basic Magic" lecture hall was located on the first floor of Einroard's main building.

It was a considerate arrangement for the freshmen.

The higher the floors, the more likely freshmen would get lost.

"...Eh...?"

"Did we come to the wrong place?"

"No, we're in the right place. Everyone, please sit down."

As the students stopped in front of the door and murmured, Yi Han was puzzled.

Why are they acting like this?

The answer soon became clear.

There was a troll in the lecture hall.

"......"

"......"

"Come in quickly!"

"Um... Ah..."

The students, with expressions of fear and hesitation, slowly entered the lecture hall.

Trolls were ferocious and vicious monsters, known even to students who had lived their entire lives within their families.

Seeing a troll dressed like a professor was understandably shocking.

It was hard to tell if this was a lecture hall or a troll's buffet.

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Garcia Kim. I'm a half-troll. I know you're all scared, but there's no need to be. I only eat people when I'm very, very hungry."

"......"

"I was joking. I shouldn't have said that."

As the atmosphere became even more tense, Garcia felt very apologetic.

"Alright! Our principal always says that time is the greatest treasure. Let's start the lecture."

Garcia waved his staff, and the students, who had been standing awkwardly, moved to their seats.

"You are the seeds of mages who have earned the title of Steel. A few of you might have secretly tried magic, but most of you haven't. This lecture will teach you what magic is and help you find the magic that suits you. The path of magic is difficult and narrow, and you must walk it alone, but I want to be your compass before you start that journey."

The students' expressions softened at the gentle words of the troll professor.

'He's much better than the skeleton principal.'

"Alright. Let's start with the basics. What is magic?"

Princess Adenart answered in a calm voice.

"Changing the world with a mage's will."

"Correct. Changing the world with a mage's will. The question is, 'How?' How do you change the world?"

"By the power of mana?"

"Very good. Using the power of mana, or magic, to change the world. Everyone here should be able to sense and be aware of the mana within them."

Everyone nodded.

Since only those with talent were admitted, everyone was already awakened to their mana.

"But that's just the beginning. To use magic, you need to go further. You need to summon mana with your will, weave it delicately, and create the result. While incantations, gestures, and reagents are often associated with magic... the most important thing is will. A mage's will. Don't forget that. Of course, you will need incantations and gestures, but for now. Alright, let's get started. Take out your wands and gather your mana."

Woooom-

The lecture hall filled with the aura of mana as the young mages began to draw out their inner mana.

Yi Han also focused and started gathering his mana into his wand. The mana within him flowed out and gathered in the wand.

"Now, while maintaining that mana... don't lose your concentration! Imagine a light. The light you imagine. Bright, warm, and shining. Anything is fine."

This time, groans began to emerge.

Controlling mana was like holding the reins of a wild horse.

If you lost focus even a little, it would scatter.

"Imagine it more strongly... and shout. Anything is fine. Light! Light! Brightness! Bright light! Any incantation that comes to mind is fine."

"Light!"

"Bright light!"

"Light more dazzling than the sun, as beautiful as my glory!"

"Don't use too long an incantation! At your level, a long incantation will only scatter your focus."

Focus, gather mana, transform it with your will, and finally, shout the incantation to complete it.

Yi Han felt he understood what magic was.

Of course, it didn't work the first time.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

"Ugh!" "Cough!" "Ah...!"

Groans of young mages who failed their magic echoed throughout the hall. The troll professor laughed and waved his staff.

If a mage failed to cast a spell, the gathered mana could run wild and hurt the mage.

The professor's role was to prevent that.

"Alright, don't be scared if you fail, and don't panic... It's normal to fail at first. As long as you have mana left, try again!"

Second attempt.

Again, the hall filled with booms and groans.

The troll professor smiled inwardly.

It usually took more than a month to learn this simplest of spells, "Luminescence."

Magic was that difficult.

But the professor didn't plan to tell them that. They needed to experience it themselves.

"Alright, again!"

Third attempt.

Now, some students were starting to look exhausted from using up their mana.

Magic consumed more mana than expected.

More than half the students collapsed, looking tired.

"Again!"

Fourth attempt.

This time, almost all the students collapsed. Only a few with good luck or control remained standing.

"Again!"

Fifth attempt.

"Again!"

Sixth attempt.

"Again!"

Seventh attempt.

"Excuse me, professor. I'm really sorry to interrupt, but do we have to keep going...?"

The troll professor, who had been shouting without pause, realized something was off.

Usually, it ended at the fourth or fifth attempt, but one student was still standing after the seventh.