The Mage Who Went to High School: Chapter 4
The ripple effect of lunchtime's commotion was longer than I expected. The bell for the fifth period rang, signaling the start of the afternoon classes, but the atmosphere in our sophomore classroom had changed dramatically from the morning. Before, the gazes directed at me were merely a mix of curiosity and caution. Now, they were a cocktail of awe, an unspoken fear, and a much deeper fascination. Students would glance at me and then quickly look away, as if a quiet ripple spread and then scattered whenever I made the slightest movement.
'I didn't realize… looks could be so exhausting.'
I rested my chin in my hand, staring out the window. For 500 years, I had lived a life under constant scrutiny. Every mage on the continent had hung on my every word, my every gesture. But those looks and these looks were fundamentally different. Theirs was a gaze born of understanding and respect. They knew who I was, what power I possessed.
But the gazes in this classroom were born of ignorance. They had no idea who "Arcane" was. Just a mysterious new student, with a strangely striking face, who had somehow effortlessly put the school bully, Tyler, in his place. In their eyes, I felt like some strange creature trapped in a glass box, being watched, analyzed, and judged at will.
The most persistent gaze came from behind me. It was Tyler's, a mix of rage, humiliation, and confusion over what had happened. It felt like a hot poker pressing into my back. I knew he was just waiting for the chance to retaliate.
And there was another gaze. It was from the side, from the girl who sat next to me. Sora's gaze. She tried to hide it by pretending to look at the board, but I could feel her stealing glances at my profile, at my sharp nose, my long lashes, and my eyes that betrayed no emotion.
The fifth period was math. A middle-aged math teacher walked in and began the class in a dry, monotonous voice. Complex equations and geometric shapes started to appear on the blackboard.
'Calculus...'
I took in the contents of the board at a glance. The concepts of rate of change and limits. In my world, this was basic, entry-level magic theory. To calculate the manifestation and dissipation of magic, or the distortion of spacetime, one needed to understand much more complex multi-dimensional geometry and complex function theory. The problems on the board were no more difficult to me than a multiplication table.
"Alright, new student."
The math teacher pushed his glasses up his nose and pointed at me.
"Why don't you give this problem a try?"
The problem he pointed to was a fairly difficult one. All eyes in the classroom turned to me again. Tyler smirked, thinking it was a chance for a dumb jock to be humiliated.
I quietly stood up and walked to the blackboard, picking up a piece of chalk. I glanced at the problem for a moment, a faint look of disappointment crossing my face.
'Do I really have to solve such an easy problem in such a complicated and inefficient way?'
In my mind, the essence of the problem was instantly dismantled and reassembled. I could solve it in just a few lines by using the geometric properties of the shapes and the definition of limits, without resorting to complicated differentiation formulas. It was a much more elegant and fundamental solution.
But I didn't do that. I was "Arcane," a new student with amnesia. A perfect answer would only invite more suspicion. After a moment of thought, I recalled the most standard solution from the textbook. The quick glance I had given Kevin's textbook this morning had proven to be useful.
My hand began to move. Neatly, without any unnecessary movements, I wrote the equations on the blackboard. My handwriting was as straight and precise as if it had been printed. The students watched in silent awe as I solved the difficult problem without any hesitation.
The solution was flawless. I had arrived at the exact answer without a single error.
"...Hm. Very well done. You can sit down now."
The math teacher's voice held a hint of admiration. He was clearly surprised that a student who had lost his memory could solve a problem of this level.
When I returned to my seat, Sora whispered to me, "Wow… you're really good at math?"
"...A little."
"A little? Nobody else in this class could have solved that! But... why did you think for so long? It looked like you knew the answer right away."
Sora's keen question caught me off guard. I had only hesitated to choose the most "ordinary" solution, but even that could be a cause for suspicion. I realized that living an ordinary life in this world required a much higher level of acting than I had anticipated.
After math class, the sixth period was English. Another trial awaited me. A native English-speaking teacher walked in and began class in fluent English. Most of the students looked blank, unable to understand what he was saying.
But to me, English was a familiar language. In my 500 years, I had mastered hundreds of ancient and modern languages, and even the languages of Dragons and Elves. The English of this world was just a branch of an ancient common language I knew.
"Okay, let's read the text on page 54. Who wants to volunteer?"
At the teacher's words, the classroom fell silent. Everyone avoided eye contact and buried their heads in their desks.
"No one? Then I have to pick someone... How about the new student?"
The teacher's finger pointed directly at me. Once again, all eyes were on me. Tyler snickered, certain that I was about to be humiliated.
I sighed and stood up. I looked down at the English textbook. The sentences were short and simple. I hesitated for a moment. What level of performance should I give this time? Should I read it with a clumsy accent and stumble over the words?
But I didn't want to. To me, language was a form of magic. A sacred and beautiful system. My pride would not allow me to deliberately butcher it.
I opened my mouth.
"Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, there lived a wise old king who had three sons..."
The moment my voice resonated, the air in the classroom froze.
It was perfect. No, it was more than perfect. Like a monologue from a Shakespearean play by an actor from the Royal Shakespeare Company, my voice was a deep, smooth baritone with an elegant, classical accent. The pronunciation of every word was so precise and graceful that even the native English-speaking teacher stared at me in a daze.
The students were in shock. This wasn't just reading a textbook. It was like watching a movie.
When I finished, there was a moment of silence. Then, the teacher came to his senses and clapped, marveling.
"Wonderful! Absolutely perfect! Areu, where did you learn to speak English like that?"
"...From a book."
I gave him the simplest answer I could. But my answer only fueled a bigger mystery. To be able to speak with such an accent just from reading a book was beyond the realm of a genius; it was in the realm of the supernatural.
After class, my desk was surrounded by students who had come to gawk at me.
"Hey, Arcane! Did you live abroad?"
"Your accent is insane. Are your parents diplomats or something?"
"You're good at math and English... What are you, man?"
I didn't answer any of their questions. I just hoped the commotion would end soon.
Finally, the long school day was over, and the students flooded out of the classroom after homeroom. I packed my bag and stood up.
"Hey, Arcane, let's go together!"
Kevin came to my side. And on the other side, Sora was standing with a shy smile.
"Can I come too? It's on the way."
I looked at them for a moment. I preferred to walk alone, but I couldn't find a reason to refuse.
"...Fine."
And so, the three of us left the classroom together. But as we walked down the hall toward the school gate, I could feel a persistent malice from behind me. Tyler and his buddies were following us like a pack of hyenas.
As soon as we stepped out of the school gate, Tyler, as I expected, blocked our way. His face was burning with the will to redeem his humiliation from the classroom.
"Arcane. We need to talk."
Behind him, a group of five or six more students had gathered, blocking our escape. Kevin and Sora's faces turned pale.
"Tyler, what are you doing! We're outside of school!"
Kevin bravely stepped forward, but Tyler easily pushed him aside.
"Stay out of this, class president. I've got business with this punk."
Tyler's gaze was fixed on me.
"I held back in the classroom because of the teacher, but no one can stop me out here. Today you're going to get beat up, and you're going to tell us what you really are."
The situation was on the verge of exploding. I quietly closed my eyes. Did I have to use my power again? My plan to remain inconspicuous had completely fallen apart on the very first day. I began to gather my magic, just a minuscule amount, so that no one would notice.
But just as I was about to make a move, a bright voice suddenly rang out.
"Oh, Kevin! Sora!"
I turned my head and saw Kevin's mother walking toward us with a shopping bag, a bright smile on her face.
"I was just on my way home from the grocery store and I was waiting to see you guys. Oh? And you must be... Arcane, right?"
Tyler and his friends were visibly flustered by the appearance of Kevin's mother. It was impossible to openly resort to violence in front of an adult, let alone a friend's mother.
"Come on, everyone, stay for dinner. I bought a lot of delicious food today. I'll make tteokbokki!"
She naturally took my arm and Sora's and walked ahead as if Tyler and his gang weren't even there. Tyler was so shocked he couldn't even utter a word and just stared after us.
I paused for a moment at the warm touch on my arm. It was a strange, yet undeniable warmth. Without realizing it, I turned to look at Kevin's mother. She was talking excitedly about tonight's dinner menu with a pure, innocent expression that showed she had no idea what had just transpired.
In that moment, I realized something. There was a power in this world that was stronger and more unpredictable than magic. It appeared in the name of "timing," "coincidence," and sometimes, "kindness." And at that very moment, that power had saved a 500-year-old Archmage.