"…Therefore, in the case of this particular magic, we can say it operates on the following principle in the physical world. Now~ if you'll turn to page 32 of your textbooks, you'll find the formula waiting for you, yes?"
Intermediate Magic Theory.
To be honest, I didn't know the details of this lecture either.
After all, in Myrillin Saga, lectures were just a repetitive schedule used to raise my Intelligence stat or gain skill experience.
But now that I was actually sitting at a desk and listening, I found many parts of it fascinating.
Mana—the fundamental power that composed this world.
And magic—the principle of weaving that mana through laws to manifest the caster's will into reality.
For a modern man like me, who had only ever taken boring major-related courses or elective classes to fill credit requirements, the study of magic was a whole new world.
Moreover, the discipline of 'magic,' a quest for truth, was in essence closer to mathematics or physics back in my world. Its basic framework was rooted in the mathematical domain.
And I happen to be pretty good at math.
I may have stopped studying after deciding to become a pro gamer, but my grades had been quite good—good enough to get into a top-tier university.
Math isn't something humanity created; it's the act of discovering the fundamental principles that make up the world and transcribing them into symbols.
Only the symbols used were slightly different; the core concepts weren't all that different from my original world.
If you thought about it, the world of Myrillin Saga was just a lump of code created by a game company in the first place. It would be stranger if its mathematical system were different.
In any case, it meant that even with my current skills, I could solve the problems in the theoretical magic course we were learning now.
However, there was no guarantee it would stay that way. As we progressed, I was sure to encounter things I didn't know.
That's why I needed this item.
Ting—.
From the encyclopedia, I selected an unowned item from the list and checked its information. It was one of the three great divine artifacts of the academy.
[Sage's Glasses]
- Grade: Legendary
- One of the relics left behind by the Great Sage Azolte Fingard. It is imbued with a simple ethereal projection he left behind.
- You can summon the Great Sage's ethereal projection. Mana is consumed while the summon is maintained.
- Intelligence +20%
The description was simple, but the artifact's performance was truly monstrous.
Not only could it temporarily summon the ethereal projection of a Great Sage who existed during the continent's golden age, but it also increased the Intelligence stat by a percentage. I could confidently say its performance was in no way lacking for a legendary-grade artifact.
The Intelligence boost was fundamentally good, as it affected various areas like mana consumption for spells, general comprehension, memory, imagination, reasoning, and insight.
Next was the unique effect of the Sage's Glasses.
- You can summon the Great Sage's ethereal projection. Mana is consumed while the summon is maintained.
This was, quite literally, the ability to temporarily summon a replica of Azolte's soul that he had left behind. It was essentially a vastly superior version of the encyclopedia function I already had.
If I asked Azolte's soul, he would answer almost anything, making academy-level magic lectures a free pass. Furthermore, it wouldn't just help with classes; it would also teach me various pieces of information about Myrillin Saga that I might not know.
Of course, the mana consumption was significant, so I couldn't keep the projection summoned for long, but even considering that, it was an artifact that boasted incredible versatility.
For now, let's make this my top priority.
Considering all the different situations, the Sage's Glasses was undoubtedly the artifact I needed to obtain before anything else.
I was scribbling these thoughts on a blank piece of paper, lost in my own world.
"Mr. Roen, Mr. Roen?"
A voice calling my name came from the podium at the front of the lecture hall. Professor Martelzier had called on me. She adjusted her glasses and spoke.
"Mr. Roen. I heard you attended class on time today~ I don't know what brought this on, but we can call it a good start, yes we can. In that spirit, I shall grant you an opportunity~"
"…"
Although her way of speaking was a bit grating, she was fundamentally a passionate professor and held no particular ill will toward Roen. Still, she wasn't the type to pay attention to a student sitting in the back.
It seemed Demer, the assistant professor helping her with the class, had pulled some strings.
"Now then, it's question number two on page 34 of your textbooks~ We just solved question one together, so let's see you find the answer to question two~"
Flip—.
Without a word, I opened my textbook to page 34 and read the second question. It was about the formula for a conic section used when casting magic—specifically, a parabola. It seemed that, just like with bullets or arrows, such calculations were necessary when firing magic.
Martelzier continued.
"If you answer correctly, I'll restore some of the points you lost for your conduct~ But if you get it wrong, I'll have to deduct points~ I'll give you one minute~"
"Understood."
The textbook didn't have an answer key in the back. But I had already found an answer sheet at the library and stored it in my encyclopedia. All I had to do was project the answer sheet in the air and write down the answer.
I first calculated the answer in my head, then checked it against the answer key.
As expected of me.
Thanks to Roen's high Intelligence stat, the mental calculation wasn't very difficult.
"The answer is number three."
"Ooh~ You got it right~?"
At Martelzier's reaction, a slight murmur went through the classroom. It was rare enough for Roen to even answer a question, let alone get it right.
Seeing the students' pure reactions, I let out a small smirk.
Being a scoundrel has its perks.
A top student gets chewed out for one wrong answer, but a troublemaker who's usually a mess gets praised for getting just one thing right.
But since it was a multiple-choice question, there was a chance I had just guessed correctly, so the reaction didn't go any further. Displeased with how things were going, Assistant Professor Demer interjected.
"Student Roen. Could we perhaps hear your reasoning? You're welcome to come up to the blackboard and solve it."
"Yes, sure."
I nodded and rose from my seat. I walked to the front of the blackboard and calmly began to write out the equation with a piece of chalk. I was careful, as the symbolic systems of my world and this one were different.
Tap, tap—.
The sound of chalk echoed through the lecture hall. Perhaps because of my [Thick Skin] trait, I didn't feel nervous or tense at all.
When I finished writing the solution, Martelzier clapped lightly.
Clap, clap—.
"Hoh. Very good~ Your writing is a bit crooked, but the solving process itself is almost textbook-perfect~ You must have studied hard during the winter break~ I'll raise your conduct score. You may return to your seat now!"
"Yes, Professor."
After nodding to the professor, I turned around and saw the expressions of the students in the lecture hall. They were all staring with wide eyes, their faces a picture of disbelief.
What's with him? He couldn't even solve basic problems before.I don't know. Maybe he memorized the answer key. But how would he know which question she'd ask?Who knows. I heard he was badly injured a while back. Did something happen then?
"…"
Beatrice and Yulina's expressions weren't much different from the other students. Of course, it wasn't an objectively difficult problem, so their reactions didn't go beyond that.
I listened to the pleasant murmurs as I returned to my seat. A few more questions were directed at me during the rest of the class, but I was able to answer them all without difficulty. It was thanks to my inherent mathematical knowledge and the answer key I had stored in the system encyclopedia.
"Student Roen?"
"Student Roen!"
Assistant Professor Demer, in particular, kept singling me out and posing questions. Sensing he was focusing on me too much, Martelzier said a word to him.
"Assistant Professor Demer. It's not good to concentrate all the questions on one student~ Let's give the other students a chance, shall we~"
"…Yes, Professor."
Demer quietly clenched his fist, glaring at me. From a distance, I gave him a small wave.
Cute little bastard.
This was the best an assistant professor could do to mess with me. And so, the class ended with great success.
*
After the Intermediate Magic Theory class ended.
Slam!
A man, breathing heavily, slammed the door to the material preparation room shut as he entered. He spat out a curse in the dark room.
"Fuck!"
He threw the documents in his hand to the floor, barely managing to calm his anger as he took deep breaths.
"Hoo… hoo…"
Assistant Professor Demer clenched his fists, picturing that damned Roen's face. That shameless face, smiling triumphantly at him after getting the question right. It was truly unbearable.
"Hoo… hoo…"
Of course, Demer himself knew this was a petty and cheap trick. And it wasn't something that could deal a significant blow to a guy who was already a scoundrel. It was merely a way to make him lose face in front of others.
But this was all he, an assistant professor, could do against Roen. That bastard may be the world's biggest scoundrel, but he was still a blood relative of the great Devalis family. He was an opponent that Demer, the scion of a mere lesser noble family, could do nothing against.
Moreover, today's failure meant he could no longer ask Yulina for help. Far from dealing the bastard a blow, he had only ended up boosting his reputation.
"Dammit."
At this rate, he had no choice. He could either borrow the influence of a more powerful family that held a grudge against the guy.
Or...
"…"
Demer glared at a transparent box sitting on a corner of his desk. Inside was a jet-black fragment of mana that had been delivered to him one day along with a letter. He didn't know who had sent it, but he could tell that a great power was hidden within it.
And also, that the power would be his ruin.
Demer pulled out the letter tucked under the box and unfolded it.
[If you desire power, seize it for yourself.]
The handwriting looked as if it had been scrawled with some unknown black liquid. Demer bit his lip and pondered for a long moment before shaking his head.
That… is not the way.
Even though his anger toward Roen had momentarily clouded his reason, he couldn't bring himself to reach for it. His instincts were screaming at him.
Never touch that thing.
Suppressing his rage, Demer picked up the documents he had thrown on the floor.
Right. This is a better way.
He then adjusted his glasses and began to write a letter to someone.
*
"Um, Sir Roen. No, just Roen."
After the lecture, students began to file out like a receding tide. As I was packing my books and getting ready to leave, Bell, whom I had met this morning, came over to my seat in the back.
"What is it?"
"W-would you like to have lunch together? My treat. As a way of saying thanks."
Lunch. It seemed to be her way of repaying me for helping her find the lecture hall. I didn't have any lunch plans, and since Bell was approaching me like this, there was no reason to refuse her offer. Building up affinity with Bell early on would be advantageous in many ways.
But from Bell's perspective, it was a different story. I kindly informed her of this.
"Being with me won't do you any good."
Roen, the academy's number one scoundrel. Simply being associated with me could cause her harm. She would be plagued by nasty rumors or get saddled with a baseless nickname, becoming the subject of gossip. For Bell, who was already being bullied by a group of nobles, it would be even worse.
However, despite my warning, Bell said it was fine.
"Ahaha… I'm aware of that much. But you don't always meet people just because it's beneficial, right? And this is just a simple thank you."
"Hmm…"
A very commoner-like way of thinking. Why did nobles even bother with high society? To build bonds of friendship and become as close as brothers?
Not a chance.
While such cases might exist occasionally, most nobles were driven by self-interest. They wore all sorts of masks in high society to expand their connections and enhance their honor. Even in Myrillin Saga, these political machinations were well-represented through quests.
With a relaxed mindset like Bell's, she would never survive in this Union.
"You're in for a tough time ahead."
"Pardon?"
Bell asked, puzzled by my muttering, but I just shook my head lightly.
"It's nothing. Let's have lunch together."
Well, if that's how she felt, I would just have to pay a little more attention to her. She might struggle for a while, but if she stayed with me, she would eventually gain both honor and wealth. That is the fate of an NPC involved with a 'player,' and my own small way of rewarding her pure heart.
"Okay. Let's go to the dining hall, then. I can't afford anything too expensive, though."
"I don't mind."
My palate wasn't that refined anyway, and the game's lore stated that all the food in the Eredor dining halls was delicious. Just as Bell and I were about to leave the classroom for the dining hall—
Click-clack.
The sound of heels came from behind. A girl was approaching me from the front of the lecture hall. The red-eyed girl spoke calmly.
"Roen. I have something to say to you. Could you spare a moment?"
Beatrice. She was the one who had called out to me.