Chapter 55

EP.55 Can You Solve It? (2)

Aplia Academy does not discriminate based on social status.

Within the academy, regardless of who they are, they are evaluated as a single wizard.

No matter how much respect and awe one may receive based on their position outside, it does not translate into privilege here.

'So, this is why they went through such a complicated procedure.'

Even if it were the head of a magic tower, there are no exceptions.

The White Magic Tower Head, Selly Devalle, grumbled as she walked. After applying for a visit, it took almost a month to get approval.

Tap, tap.

Her steps were hurried.

She had no time to care about her usual image. Every second counted.

Thud, thud.

The sound of footsteps was not alone.

White frowned and turned back. The man shrugged as if he had been waiting for this.

"Why, do you have something to say? White."

The Black Magic Tower Head, Yetoal.

Glaring at the Magic Tower Head who had applied for the visit with her, White clicked her tongue.

"·A sly old man."

"You're not much younger, you cunning old woman."

"I'm a vibrant twenty years old?"

"Cut the crap, White. I heard that one-tenth of the White Magic Tower's monthly research budget goes to the elixirs you drink?"

"Shut up, Black."

White frowned and turned her head.

Tap, tap.

The heels of her shoes clicked on the floor.

Thud, thud.

The sound of sandals followed. It seemed he was determined to follow her to the end.

"·"

White frowned. The sound of footsteps following her was very distracting.

"Don't follow me."

"Overthinking it. Why would I want to follow you? White."

"·I'm going to meet Professor Lania."

"Coincidence. Me too."

"Don't follow me, Black."

"Don't follow me either, White."

Grumbling, they headed towards the professor's office. Many students watched them, but they paid no attention to the murmurs.

They only quickened their pace.

There was no time to deal with such children.

'Roselle Elder's class time is from 2 PM to 4 PM, right?'

They only had two hours.

The time to meet the girl without being seen by that picky elder was not long.

'Lania von Trias.'

Muttering the name, White smacked her lips.

She had not forgotten the glimpse of truth she saw that day.

'Annoying that my visit time overlaps with Black’s... but...'

It was actually good.

It was a chance to show the girl that White was better than Black.

How long had they walked with such thoughts?

-Mana Trade Theory Research Lab.

They stopped in front of the professor's office.

The door was not closed but open. However, they did not enter the room rashly.

The scene beyond the door held them back.

"·Black."

White slowly opened her mouth.

"·What is that?"

"Seems like he's drawing a circuit."

"What?"

They stared blankly at the inside of the office.

Dozens of sheets of paper flew through the air.

Hundreds of characters passed between the papers.

Hundreds of characters floating in the air.

They recognized these characters.

'Rune letters.'

The most basic language.

The characters that formed this language floated in the air. Someone was pulling them one by one to write.

A girl sitting alone in the office.

Her ash-gray hair fluttered in the wind.

Her blue eyes focused only on the floating characters.

Lania von Trias.

The girl waved her finger.

The characters moved with her finger.

The characters formed words.

Words formed sentences.

The sentences became circuits.

The completed circuits were recorded on paper.

The papers with recorded circuits were neatly stacked on one side of the table.

The papers that filled the office gradually decreased. When all the papers settled in their places,

"Hmm?"

The girl finally looked towards the door.

"What is it?"

* * *

Selly and Yetoal sat down at the girl's invitation. Selly sipped the coffee the girl had made and recalled the purpose of her visit.

'·I came here to ask about the extremity I saw in that lecture.'

Now, such questions didn't matter.

Her gaze was drawn to the stack of papers on one corner of the table.

"·"

And it was the same for Black.

Finally, Selly spoke.

"Excuse me."

She pointed to the stack of papers in the corner of the table.

"What is that?"

"Hmm?"

"You were just recording runes, right? Is this part of your research?"

The girl picked up a paper.

"Do you mean this?"

"Yes."

"It's a midterm exam paper."

"·What?"

Selly doubted her ears.

A circuit inscribed with runes, just a midterm exam paper?

'What kind of nonsense is this?'

There was no such waste.

At this point, she began to wonder about the exam paper. Selly reached out for the paper.

Flick.

The girl moved the paper to the side.

Selly narrowed her eyes and glared at the girl.

"·Can't I take a look?"

"I've heard that leaking exam papers is not allowed."

"Are you saying I would leak an exam paper? Hah, really...·"

She laughed bitterly and reached out again, but the girl moved the paper once more. Selly's hand only grasped at air.

"Ah, really! I won't!"

"How can I believe that?"

"Would you cast a silence spell or something? Do we have to go that far?"

In the end, it had to come to that.

"·"

Selly looked at the contract in front of her with a subtle expression. Though a bit annoyed, she was more eager to see the exam paper.

"Huff·"

She sighed and picked up a pen.

"Well, it's quite a breach of etiquette··· but as a wizard of your caliber, I can overlook this much···"

"I've signed it. Can I take a look now?"

"Don't interrupt me."

Watching Black take the exam paper first, Selly glared. Ignoring her, the girl nodded to Black and asked,

"How much time do you need?"

"I'd like about ten minutes, if possible···"

"I need five minutes."

Before she could finish, Selly said.

Aware of Black's glare, Selly shrugged.

"I'll show that the White Magic Tower is superior to the Black Magic Tower."

"·Do you really have to do this here?"

"What?"

Black frowned.

"Anyway, act your age···"

"Enough, let's just look at the exam paper. Ten minutes, right? How about thirty minutes?"

Taking the exam paper, White smiled.

"Just solve it within the time and return it."

The girl placed a sandglass with a spell on it in front of them. One was set for five minutes, the other for ten.

Swoosh.

Watching the sand start to fall, Selly looked at the exam paper with ease. There was a reason for her confidence.

'I'm curious about the circuit inscribed with runes, but this is a problem for students, after all.'

Aplia is prestigious, but it remains an academy for students who have studied magic for less than ten years.

'At this level, what could it be?'

Five minutes was a waste. She planned to solve it in three minutes.

Sure enough, the first problem took less than ten seconds to solve. It was a basic knowledge question. She wrote the answer easily and moved on to the next problem.

And.

"·"

At that point, Selly began to feel something was off.

The second problem took thirty seconds to solve. The answer didn't come immediately. She had to use a pen for the calculations.

She looked at the third problem.

A circuit filled half the page.

The strands of the circuit were not immediately clear. She moved her pen quickly, breaking it down piece by piece.

One minute passed.

She had broken down the entire circuit, but the answer was not in sight.

Another minute passed.

She finally found the answer. Writing it down, Selly looked at the sandglass. Half the time had already passed.

'·This isn't right.'

Selly narrowed her eyes.

She looked at the fourth problem. It was not much different from the third, but the circuit was a bit more complicated.

Swoosh.

The sand continued to fall.

Selly's pen moved quickly on the paper. The margins were filled with calculations.

'Something is off.'

She piled calculation upon calculation.

She did simple steps mentally. She shortened as much as possible.

'Something is definitely off.'

Sweat formed on Selly's forehead.

And.

Thud.

The last grain of sand fell from the sandglass.

"Time's up. Please return it."

"Eh, eh?"

The girl grabbed the edge of the paper.

Selly unconsciously held onto the paper. The girl narrowed her eyes and looked at Selly.

"·What is it?"

"Eh, well, you were so relaxed at first. Just ten more seconds···"

"That's enough. Please return it."

The girl firmly said and snatched the paper.

Selly looked at the paper helplessly.

'·This isn't right.'

She had never imagined such a scene.

Selly turned her head. Black, sitting next to her, was still solving the problems.

Creak.

She pulled her chair next to Black's.

Trying to look at the exam paper, Black put his arm down, covering the problems.

"You·!"

Selly grabbed his sleeve.

Black looked at her with a disdainful expression.

"Stop bothering me and go away, White."

"Don't be so petty, let me see it too!"

"You said you wanted to prove that the White Magic Tower is superior to the Black Magic Tower