Chapter 33

EP.33 It seems to work, doesn't it? (1)

After the public lecture, Aphria had a four-day rest period. Originally, it was the regular rest period scheduled for a month later, but the academic calendar was hastily adjusted to create this holiday.

The official reason was to repair the disrupted barrier due to the visit of outsiders...

Most of the professors knew the truth.

It was a necessary break to cool down the heated atmosphere.

That day, in the auditorium.

Rania von Trias.

Through her lips, the fundamental principles were pronounced.

There was no need to distinguish between professors and students.

No mage in that lecture failed to gain insight.

Mages are also scholars who walk the path of magic.

Like scholars, they also try to leave their insights in writing, to preserve them as research results.

During the past four days.

This academic zeal had heated Aphria up.

Reservations for the research labs within the academy poured in like crazy.

Even the dignified professors vied to secure the spell research labs and lock the doors...

Under such circumstances, normal operations were impossible.

The four-day rest period was a necessary measure.

And, today, the day after the four-day rest period.

The professors gathered in the academy had only one topic of interest.

Rania von Trias.

I went to Professor Roselle's office early in the morning, but the girl wasn't there. After that, the professors headed straight for the café.

A café that was usually not even visited.

However, it was well-known through rumors that this was a café the girl often visited.

"Give me one cup here."

"Me too, one cup..."

Due to this, the café was bustling with unexpected guests.

The professors who sat at the window seat where she had sat were eagerly waiting for her to come.

Then.

"What the hell is this, damn it."

Rania von Trias.

The regular customer of the café groaned at the sight of the crowded café.

"I'll come another time..."

She left the café, adjusting her tone.

No one saw her leave.

The café owner, unaware of the situation, only suffered from the unexpected influx of guests.

2.

Resti was pacing in front of the professor's office.

Due to everyone rushing to the café, the office of the Professor of Mana Transaction Studies was unusually quiet.

The chair in front of the professor's office.

Resti sat there, checking his notes several times, waiting for one professor.

'Even if I go inside and wait...'

Because he still found it awkward to face the Elder Roselle, Resti waited outside the office.

Rustle.

The wind blowing was warm.

Resti yawned in the lazy morning sunlight. He had stayed up late last night, working on making the circuit a bit cleaner.

"Ah..."

While yawning.

"What are you doing here?"

"...!"

At the sudden voice, Resti jumped and his shoulders trembled. He quickly turned his head.

"Hmm?"

The gray hair fluttering in the wind. The blue eyes shining through the slender eyelashes.

Rania von Trias.

The person Resti had been waiting for was standing there. Resti hurriedly stood up.

"Ah, good morning, Professor Rania."

"Hey, good morning. What's up so early?"

Her eyes narrowed as she asked.

The first time I saw her, her eyes were scary, but now they don't seem so.

Her eyes were focused on the notebook he was holding. Resti felt a strange tension in his shoulders.

"I've solved it, and I have a question."

"Hmm."

She smiled, showing interest.

Then she pointed to the door of the office.

"Shall we go inside and talk?"

"Yes."

Once inside the office, she poured a cup of coffee for Resti and sat opposite him.

"Master, this child has a question..."

"Alright. I'll go outside and see to it."

Roselle stood up to deal with the commotion outside. Only Rania and Resti were left in the office.

Sip.

Resti sipped his coffee, watching as Rania checked the solution he had written.

'This is really delicious...'

The coffee smelled good, as if it was expensive. However, the professor in front of him didn't even touch her cup.

'She must be concentrating.'

After about a minute.

Rania, who had finished checking Resti's solution, spoke.

"Correct."

A short statement.

"The solution is accurate, and the circuit is neat."

A simple compliment.

"The problem I gave you was about dismantling a circuit, but you even guessed how it's used?"

"Well, I had a bit of extra time..."

"Hmm."

A satisfied look in her eyes.

"Can you explain this in more detail?"

"Yes, yes."

Resti took out a pen and immediately wrote down the answer. It was a problem of the same type as the one he had solved once.

'This way...'

Thud.

Resti put down the pen.

On the blank paper, three separated circuits were drawn.

"...Correct."

The voice that finally came had a hint of surprise.

Resti suddenly looked up and met the professor's eyes.

Her eyes, which were usually narrow.

Now, they were wide open.

As if she was surprised.

"Quite impressive."

The surprised compliment. With that compliment, Resti asked with a slightly excited voice.

"Can I take more problems?"

3.

I looked at the spot where Resti had left.

The solution process on the desk.

I read the neat and tidy handwriting again. There were no errors in the process.

"Hmm..."

To be honest, I was a bit surprised.

The problem I gave as homework was of a similar type. However, if the homework problem was about basic theory... the problem I just gave was about application.

'He solved it just by watching me draw the circuit.'

It was a problem he had only solved once.

And he solved it immediately, even applying it.

"Really beyond expectations."

I thought he had talent.

The Elder of the Ashen Tower chose him, so I thought he had the potential. But...

This was really beyond expectations.

"He's not the type to be overlooked, is he?"

No matter how I looked at it, he wasn't the type to be overlooked. This level of talent was overflowing.

He discovered more than what was given.

Not only did he find the correct answer to the problem I gave, but he also roughly guessed the application of the circuit.

And.

What caught my attention the most was.

The faint light in his eyes as he chased the mana and read the circuit. It was a talent that had not yet blossomed.

That light.

Was a talent I didn't have. A different kind of talent.

'Come to think of it, his profession was Summoner, right?'

I smiled bitterly.

I knew all too well how difficult it was to deal with a Summoner.

One of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King's army.

An alchemist and summoner.

'Heretic, Gletus.'

Thinking of that mad summoner who mass-produced monsters and controlled an army of chimeras, my neck tingled.

'Back then, I almost died.'

A summoner at the peak of his power.

Having faced that nightmare, I could never take the name Summoner lightly.

'That light I saw just now.'

Suddenly, I imagined what would happen if that light and the talent of a summoner were combined.

The conclusion came quickly.

With that conclusion, I sighed and muttered.

"...Quite promising."

Compared to that nightmare.

"Phew..."

I sighed and leaned back in my chair.

'Too talented a disciple can also be a burden.'

Indeed, the lecture I prepared for a week was a success, even by Roselle's standards. It was almost worthy of a passing grade.

'He's still far from perfect...'

But, since he's such a smart kid, he'll learn quickly. Thinking this, Roselle moved his steps.

The corridor leading back to the office.

While walking down the corridor, Roselle looked at a student walking towards him. A child he knew. Before being a student, as an Elder of the Ashen Tower.

The successor to the Ashen Tower, following in the footsteps of his mentor.

Resti.

She was walking down the corridor, looking at her notebook. She didn't even notice Roselle approaching.

'This is dangerous...'

Dangerous, so look where you're going.

Thinking of warning her, Roselle opened his mouth but closed it when he saw Resti's expression.

Resti brushed past him.

Roselle turned his head to glance at the child's back.

'...He was smiling?'

Clearly, he was smiling.

Happily, joyfully.

He was always expressionless. Seeing him smile felt very unfamiliar to Roselle.

4.

"Go back now."

"No, just once..."

"Do I have to raise my voice?"

At the cold voice, the professors closed their mouths. To them, Professor Roselle was a bit of a difficult person.

An Elder of the Ashen Tower.

One of the few sages in the kingdom.

Within Aphria, he was tied to the same rank as a professor, but outside, he was a person hard to approach even for a word.

"Alright, alright."

"Then, if there's a chance next time..."

In the end, the professors left with regret.

"Phew..."

Roselle sighed and shook his head.

'Too talented a disciple can also be a burden.'

Indeed, the lecture he prepared for a week was a success, even by Roselle's standards. It was almost worthy of a passing grade.

'He's still far from perfect...'

But, since he's such a smart kid, he'll learn quickly. Thinking this, Roselle moved his steps.

The corridor leading back to the office.

While walking down the corridor, Roselle looked at a student walking towards him. A child he knew. Before being a student, as an Elder of the Ashen Tower.

The successor to the Ashen Tower, following in the footsteps of his mentor.

Resti.

She was walking down the corridor, looking at her notebook. She didn't even notice Roselle approaching.

'This is dangerous...'

Dangerous, so look where you're going.

Thinking of warning her, Roselle opened his mouth but closed it when he saw Resti's expression.

Resti brushed past him.

Roselle turned his head to glance at the child's back.

'...She was smiling?'

Clearly, she was smiling.

Happily, joyfully.

She was always expressionless. Seeing her smile felt very unfamiliar to Roselle.