Chapter 20

“How cool is it right now, Shirone?”

Siena asked, already assuming that Shirone would be on the cold side.

And she was right.

“It’s quite chilly. Almost to the point I’d call it cold.”

Considering the test site, Shirone would not have been able to feel anything beyond the chills he was already feeling.

Siena, who nodded as if she understood, began to write down her overall evaluation on the document.

Here was the gist of it.

‘Convergent type, defensive, and excellent durability. Even the size of his Spirit Zone is abnormally large.’

Siena wondered if this kind of situation was actually realistic.

Although she had been teaching for over four years, it was rare to see a Spirit Zone go beyond 30 meters.

However, this was the inevitable result of Shirone’s choice and concentration.

Like how he dug through the history books to overcome his shallow disadvantages in terms of knowledge, the only thing Shirone could do in an environment where he could not learn magic was to polish his Spirit Zone as much as he possibly could. And his efforts did not betray him.

“Well done. You can leave your Spirit Zone now. We need to have a meeting to decide which class to enroll you in, so could you wait outside for a while?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

He bowed his head and went outside to where the children were gathered.

When the door to the test site closed, the instructors who had been quiet began to speak.

“He is a very peculiar student.”

Thadd said with a face as if he did not find Shirone to his liking.

“Not peculiar, but just balanced, don’t you think?”

Siena countered.

“I’m saying he’s peculiar because everything is so well balanced. A 17-year-old boy who doesn’t know a thing about magic has a Spirit Zone that exceeds 30 meters in diameter. And not to mention he is a convergent type.

“The bigger the Spirit Zone, the lighter the density… At least that’s what usually happens… But his density is 86.7%.”

“Though we do teach students how to increase the density through techniques, this child has shown a level of mental strength not commonly seen at all. He has the same level of mental stability as a high priest training in the mountains.”

While most of the teachers were busy praising him, Thadd, who expressed critical opinions, was annoyed.

“Well, let's not forget the fact that he’s only a student. We still have to wait and see.”

Siena asked back coldly.

“What do you mean by ‘student’? This is an academy where children come to learn. What else would he be if not a student?”

Thadd’s face turned red.

If Siena were any less pretty, he wouldn’t have put up with her insult.

While the two clashed with their eyes, the other teachers withheld from vocalizing their opinions.

Thadd of the Flames and Siena of the Ice. They were famous for always being at each other’s throats in the academy.

Alpheas intervened.

“So where should we place him? Shirone, I mean.”

Siena immediately spoke out.

“Wouldn’t Class 5 be appropriate? He has a high possibility of development along with a unique propensity, so I think he should be supervised intensively.”

Thadd immediately refuted.

“But he doesn’t know any magic. Doing that would only make him haughty and encourage him to cause trouble.”

“Though some students may possess similar characteristics like the ones you have, not all are like you, Mr. Thadd.”

“Siena! There’s a limit to how much I can put up with! Let's be honest here. Frankly speaking, since you’re the one in charge of Class 5, you obviously want to be the one to supervise him.”

“So what? What’s the problem with that, huh? A teacher wants to guide and teach a student. Is that a problem?”

“I’m just saying, you’re being too greedy. He doesn’t know magic, and to add to that, he’s at a level where he can’t modify his Spirit Zone. The highest class we should place him in has to be Class 7, no more than that. It’s the most appropriate.”

Alpheas also asked the other instructors.

Some said that it’d be better to slowly raise him from Class 10, step by step. Others even suggested that placing him in a specific class should be put on hold for the time being.

The teacher who resembled an owl came up with a proposal.

“I think Class 7 is perfect. We have to consider his age as well. Since he is a bit older than the average new students, sending him to the Beginner’s Class would make the kids lose motivation. Wouldn’t Class 7 be okay because it also teaches basic lessons regarding the Spirit Zone? If Shirone really displays great talent, we can give him an early advancement.”

Alpheas felt that he had a point.

In order to perfect Shirone’s half-developed talent, it was rather necessary to strengthen the basics first.

“Then I’ll assign him there.”

The entrance test was over.

* * *

Class 7 was definitely a high-end class, so Shirone was able to get into a dormitory with kids his age.

Surprisingly, it was a single, private room.

Since this was an academy that nobles attended, the subsidy was beyond imagination, so convenience was a must.

Since the Ogent family became part of the sponsors, Shirone did not have to walk on eggshells.

His room was 707 in the men’s dormitory.

While nobles would have not been satisfied with it, considering the room was the size of the living room in his home in the mountains, and considering the bed and desks were all luxurious, he did not have any complaints.

There was also a bookcase nailed against the wall, though it was empty.

“Do the students here have free time?”

When Shirone asked the person who guided him to his room, the person said that he was free to do whatever he wanted as long as classes were finished for the day.

However, except for the weekends, going out was prohibited. But this was not really an issue as most convenience facilities were built inside the school as its land was so large.

The students could even create their own research groups for subjects they were interested in. And if there were more than a certain number of members, funds would even be provided.

There were a total of four libraries around the school that operated 24/7, and there were no specific restrictions on how many books one could borrow as long as the deadline was met.

Shirone was satisfied with everything.

It was the best environment to study in.

Lastly, the staff had told him about unauthorized magic.

Except in laboratories, magic after school was prohibited, especially to those who study unorthodox magic. They were punished regardless of any reason if caught practicing it without supervision.

A representative example of unorthodox magic was the Necromancer’s Soul Pact Magic. Anti-Magic was also categorized as one.

Shirone asked why Anti-Magic was prohibited, but the staff only said they didn’t know and left.

“Well, then…”

Shirone plopped on his bed and decided to plan ahead.

He thought he didn’t need to join a research group yet. There was also the problem with him being a commoner, but in addition to that, Shirone himself was unsure as to what area suited him.

“I should start visiting the library. Since I studied only history for two years, I have to now acquire a wide range of knowledge.”

Shirone was confident. He built his Core of Knowledge by suppressing his curiosity for months.

From now on, all he had to do was acquire knowledge like crazy.

Shirone woke up due hearing the beautiful melody of a piano.

“It’s already morning.”

The sound was transmitted through a magic called Ethereal Resonance, a form of magic typically studied by students who majored in music.

However, even this masterpiece did not compare to the moment when he played with Reina.

Suddenly, the people from the Ogent family came to mind.

‘Are they doing well? Is Rian entering his first class with a nervous heart like me?’

After those thoughts and after cleaning himself up, Shirone headed to the cafeteria to eat breakfast.

In the dormitory where men and women living quarters were separated, the cafeteria was one of the only places where they could sit together.

Shirone sat in a corner.

Although conversing with people and making friends was an option, Shirone enjoyed eating in peace.

Because of this tendency, he was once teased by the children of the mountaineers for being timid.

However, there were many students who were similar to Shirone, and no one cared if someone ate their food with a fork or with their hands.

But, the issues between men and women were another thing. Shirone’s appearance attracted the attention of female students, and soon, he could hear whispers around him.

Even if he tried not to notice, it was impossible to completely block the whispers out, so Shirone finished his meal quickly and returned to his room.

Whilst walking to his class, due to the weight of the textbooks on his back, his shoulders began to hurt.

He lugged around many textbooks because there were a lot of subjects to study. And Class 7, which was the beginning of the Intermediate Classes, was where magic began to be taught.

The lessons were naturally difficult.

Compared to the nobles who had the resources to study before entering the academy, Shirone’s knowledge was limited.

However, Shirone was able to keep up because of his shallow, yet vast, Core of Knowledge.

‘My judgment was right!’

Categorizing different types of subjects using the framework he had built over 2 years really helped Shirone focus in class.

Lunchtime passed. During the afternoon, there was a combined lesson for Spirit Zone training.

From Class 7 to Class 4, 280 Intermediate students sat side by side. The training ground quickly became noisy as everyone was busy introducing themselves.

“I was able to take the test thanks to your help!”

“Here! I saved you a seat!”

At first, Shirone simply thought friends were chatting with friends, but after hearing some conversations, he noticed many of the conversations were between upper and lowerclassmen.

It was also common to see people who looked older greet a younger-looking student politely.

‘Even though we are all in the same Intermediate Class, things are kept strict!’

Whether certified or uncertified, a mage’s rank determined their position or job. The same could be said here. The strict barriers between upperclassmen and lowerclassmen were also proportional to their level.

Of course, there may be embarrassing situations where yesterday's lowerclassmen may become today’s upperclassmen, but it was natural for students who were more experienced to condescend those lower than them.

‘Does that mean there’s almost no turnaround?’

Shirone felt indirectly how difficult it was to jump up a class.

The instructor of the Spirit Zone was a certified Grade 6 mage named Ethella Romie.

She was probably around her mid-20s at the most.

Simply tied back Brown hair, large glasses, and a gentle appearance that did not fit the image of an instructor.

“Alright, everyone. A new student has joined the Intermediate Class today. Shirone, stand up and introduce yourself.”

All eyes turned to look at Shirone. Of course, among those eyes were Amy’s.

“Oh, Amy! Isn’t that the boy we saw yesterday?”

Unintentionally ignoring her friend, Sharelle, who was making a fuss, Amy got lost in thought.

Despite his strong impression, enough to make him look familiar, it was her first time hearing the name Shirone.

A Class 5 student stepped in.

“Did you know? He’s the new kid who was assigned to Class 7 right away. According to my sources, the teachers are pretty interested in him.”

“Interesting. From which family is he? Do you know his family name?”

At that moment, Amy shouted.

“Damn it!”

It was her first time saying such harsh words, so Sharelle asked with a surprised look.

“Amy, what’s wrong?”

“Ah… No, it’s nothing.”

It was not nothing.

In retrospect, he was actually the one who put an end to her dark history. And whenever she thought back to it, she felt stupid.

‘Right, he did have talent. But I’m sure he was a commoner. How did he get into this academy?’

Shirone introduced himself.

“Hello, my name is Shirone Arian. Starting today, I will be taking Class 7 with you all. Please take good care of me.”

The students welcomed him with applause.

While the upperclassmen were happy that one more student was included in their list of lowerclassmen, the female students were happy for the new addition of one more good-looking male.

However, among the students, there were some who looked displeased. It was hostility toward a future competitor.

Ignoring everyone’s thoughts regarding the newcomer, Ethella began her class.

“Alright class, let’s begin. What is the Spirit Zone?”

“The mind of a mage.”

“Yes. The Spirit Zone is the embodiment of the mind. The very first form is a sphere. But in practice, the shape of a sphere might sometimes be inefficient.”

Ethella entered a magic device called ‘Image Zone.’

A magic circle with concentric circles was drawn on the smooth floor. It looked similar to the place where kids took the entrance test.

Since the floor disappeared and a black space appeared, Ethella looked like she was floating.

In that state, when her Spirit Zone with a diameter of about 10 meters was opened, students could surprisingly see that the shape of the Spirit Zone was visible.

‘This is the Image Zone I’ve only heard of!’

To materialize your mind into reality.

It was a device that could not be made without the highest level of magic engineering… And huge sums of money.

However, since the students could now physically see the Spirit Zone, it made teaching lessons in regards to the Spirit Zone a lot easier, which also helped the students excel even more.

That was one of the reasons why Alpheas Magic Academy was part of the top 5 prestigious academies in the kingdom.