WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Coughing Baby

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◈ Surviving in the Magic Academy

Chapter 180

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180.

I looked at Merov on the platform. Whether someone passed an advancement evaluation was usually decided at the discretion of the officer in charge. No outside pressure could change that officer’s decision.

In that sense, the word “fail” from Merov also meant my evaluation was over. Merov looked down at me without showing the slightest emotion. There was only boredom.

I did not sense any ill will toward me from Merov. If anything, Merov treated me like a pebble on the roadside. That made it clear this was not some deliberate attempt to fail me.

What reason would Merov have for that? To Merov, this was only a third floor advancement evaluation. Just one more task passing across the desk.

Dealing with me was nothing more than a nuisance. So Merov had failed me simply after recognizing my shortcomings. And I knew very well which part had drawn attention.

Merov, who had been resting a chin on one hand, waved a finger. Magical power rose from the fingertip and lifted the documents in front of Merov into the air. After quietly scanning them, Merov soon nodded.

“When you failed three years ago, the problem was the purity of your magical power. Compared to then, your magical power has certainly become quite refined. Judging by purity alone, it might even be above the fifth floor. That much is definitely worthy of praise.”

The writing on that paper seemed to be records from three years ago. As Merov examined them, more magical power flowed strongly around me. That magical power seeped into my body and began looking inside.

“But,” Merov said, trailing off with a slight frown. After tapping a chin for a moment, Merov soon shook their head. I felt the magical power that had reached my tree withdraw in an instant.

“As expected. I thought the amount of magical power had somehow decreased even more than before. Was the tree consumed in the process of raising its purity? I suppose that is the side effect of building it up too quickly.”

At that, I could only smile bitterly. What Merov said was true. Merov lightly waved a hand. Then the magical power pouring out from Merov began covering my body like a wave.

It happened before I could get a single word out. That magical power gripped my body tightly and started pressing down on me. I quickly poured out my own magical power to endure the pressure.

But it was hard to withstand it with my magical power alone. Merov looked down at me and shook their head slightly. Then the magical power surrounding me began to flow slowly.

“Your current state does not meet my standards. You lack the absolute amount of magical power. Come back in three years. I will check again then.”

Merov waved a finger. The flow of magical power Merov had released began dragging me along. It was clearly meant to drive me out of the evaluation hall.

It was the exact same procedure as three years ago. Back then, I had failed to overcome this magical power and had been dragged out just like that. If I was driven out this time too, I would have to wait another three years. There would be no way to reverse that decision.

So I needed to hold my ground here. I let out a light sigh and placed a hand on my chest. Was this what an 8th floor mage was like? With just a rough look, Merov had accurately grasped my condition.

There was not a single wrong thing in Merov’s words. The tree rooted beyond my chest had come to contain endlessly pure magical power after passing through the filtration process of the spirit objects I had created. Pure enough that it far surpassed my current level.

But that reaction had a price too. My tree had shrunk almost beyond measure. The tree beyond my chest was now not even half of what it had once been.

I examined it and shook my head slightly. It made me feel my lack of talent for magic all over again. This had not happened simply because I kept tearing pieces from its body.

The pieces I tore from it were the result of careful calculation. Since I harvested only enough each day to stay within its regenerative power, taking pieces from it did not have that great an effect on the tree’s growth.

There was only one reason it had become this small. It was because I myself could not build a giant tree.

The tree I had created before had contained enough magical power. But that alone could not let me climb to the third floor. As Merov had said, that magical power had been far too muddy.

It could not be helped. Just like Hao, it had been the result of relying on the power of a treasure. It had been something swollen as much as possible after taking in a great deal of that magical power.

And now, all of that magical power had been purified. The treasure’s magical power that had made up the tree was gone, and only the pure magical power that came from me filled it.

In that sense, I now had to support the tree with only my own power. And that was impossible for me. My soul was incomplete.

My incomplete soul was far from perfect. Because of that, rather than growing the tree, even maintaining it like this was difficult. It was the result of the talent for magic engraved in my soul, and its limits, being laid bare.

In that sense, the current me was much weaker than I had been during my last evaluation. Merov seemed to notice that at once. That had to be why Merov failed me immediately.

And perhaps because I had weakened this much, the magical power I released could not put up much resistance against Merov’s magical power as it dragged me along. Well, it had been the same before, so that was only natural.

What could I possibly do with power weaker than back then? But compared to three years ago, one thing had clearly changed. I poured out my magical power even more strongly.

It was an amount of magical power that surpassed the limits of my tree. It bound my body tightly and resisted Merov’s magical power. Feeling my body stop in place, I smiled slightly at Merov.

“I find it a little too regrettable to fail like this. Would you give me a moment? I will try to convince you, Merov.”

I saw Merov raise an eyebrow. There was a hint of curiosity in that gaze. Probably because Merov had thought I would not be able to overcome that magical power.

I quietly examined the magical power flowing around me. Perhaps because I had forcibly stopped, the flow of that magical power was extremely violent. It was hard to endure at the second floor level.

But this magical power had a clear limit. It was at a level that someone who had accumulated enough magical power to climb to the third floor could withstand. It was the result of Merov accurately grasping my level and efficiently cutting back on the magical power used.

In that sense, this could be seen as a kind of test. If I could not resist this magical power, I would simply fail like before. If I resisted, I would be given a chance to be heard. A simple test like that.

I lowered my head to Merov. I had already expected Merov to tell me I had failed. That was why I had prepared for what came after. Just like now.

Failure was only the starting point. If the evaluation officer’s decision was absolute, then I only had to change that decision. Last time, I had been driven out without saying a single word, but this time was different.

Merov leaned slightly toward me. Had I drawn Merov’s attention? I could see a little interest enter those eyes. Merov waved a finger and began releasing even more magical power.

That magical power gradually piled up around me in layers and created a stronger flow than before. Strong enough that space itself distorted within the flow of magical power.

The magical power wrapped around my body failed to withstand that flow and gradually scattered. Along with that, small wounds began appearing on my body within the torrent. Even so, I could stand still as if rooted in the ground.

I sent my will beyond my chest. Inside, I felt my tree scattering a great deal of magical power. It spread around me and formed a barrier. But that power was faint compared to Merov’s magical power.

Even so, the reason I could keep resisting like this was because I was not the only one enduring it. The magical power barrier that cracked under the flow of magical power was quickly restored. It blocked Merov’s magical power again.

That magical power had not flowed out of me. Beyond my chest, near my tree that was pouring out magical power, I felt three translucent Saplings. They formed a single circle with my tree at the center.

That circle was hazy and weak. But even so, it continued steadily. Inside that circle, they released magical power, and it was delivered directly to my tree, amplifying its strength further.

With the endless support of these Saplings, I could resist Merov’s magical power. Although that connection was a little unstable, it was enough to endure this enormous magical power for a short time.

How long had I endured that magical power like that? Merov frowned slightly and raised both hands. Narrowing their eyes, Merov was about to release more magical power, then stopped.

It was probably because that magical power would have exceeded the standard Merov had set. Realizing that, Merov clicked their tongue softly and released the magical power into the air. At the same time, the magical power that had been trying to drag me out vanished in an instant.

Feeling that, I relaxed and breathed a little heavily. I had finally overcome the failure from last time. I had gained a chance to at least speak.

I straightened myself and looked at Merov. Merov was quietly stroking a chin while examining the paper in front of them. Soon, Merov set it down with a frown, as if unable to understand.

Through all the investigation I had done beforehand, I had clearly learned Merov’s disposition. The reason Merov had a bad reputation was obvious. As shown in my evaluation just now, Merov judged the subject only by magical power.

Every officer had their own standards. In that sense, Merov could be called a fundamentalist. Someone who valued only the magical power that formed magic.

The organization Merov belonged to was proof of that too. Was it called the Magical Power Council? It was a group that researched the purity of magical power, a strange organization made up only of upper floor mages above the 7th floor. A sort of scholarly group.

Because of that, Merov’s standard for declaring failure was also clear. Only magical power mattered. The reason I had failed last time was because the purity of my magical power was low, and the reason I had failed this time was because the amount of that magical power was lacking.

That was why Merov’s reputation was bad. To Merov, a mage’s talent, values, and traits were all meaningless. Nothing except magical power held any value.

After figuring out that trait, the path I needed to take became clear. I had to possess enough magical power to convince Merov. Over the past three years, I had managed to achieve that. These Saplings were the result.

Merov rested a chin on one hand and stared at me. Those eyes glowed with a little magical power. It seemed my continued endurance had caught Merov’s interest.

Meeting that gaze, I laughed quietly. Drawing Merov’s interest like this meant I had avoided failing. Now there was only one thing left for me to do. Convince Merov to pass me.

And of course, I was confident I could. The ill omen wavering inside my chest was proof that I was lacking. Once I broke through it, I was bound to obtain an even greater achievement. After all, opportunity lay inside crisis.

“You are strange. I do not know where you drew that magical power from. I did not notice it at all.”

Merov muttered with a chin resting on one hand. Merov gathered magical power into a hand and tilted their head slightly. Looking at Merov, I lowered my head lightly.

“Thank you for stopping the magical power.”

“Well, it seems you looked into me a little. I will put your failure on hold for now. Your method has made me rather curious. As you said, I will give you a little time, so try convincing me.”

Merov crossed both arms and looked down at me. At that, I smiled and nodded. Convincing Merov. Showing it directly would clearly be faster than explaining it in words.

I sent my will to the Saplings dwelling in my chest. Sensing that, they slowly pulled out their roots and changed themselves into spiritual forms, then began slowly merging into one.

What appeared at the end was one giant spiritual body. It pierced through my chest and rose up, poking its head outside. Then I saw a face that slightly resembled Isabella.

It was Myoil. Myoil climbed onto my head and put on a triumphant expression. It probably knew very well that the magical power it had been releasing had been a great help to me.

I needed to show gratitude for that help. I sent a little will and stroked Myoil’s head. Along my fingertips, a soul fragment flowed into it.

Myoil put on a satisfied expression and smacked its lips. From its perspective, this was a delicacy perfectly suited to its taste. I patted Myoil and faced Merov.

“You asked where the magical power came from. They are its owners. They are another life and trees dwelling in my soul. I tried converting their strength into magical power.”

Merov released a little magical power toward Myoil. Myoil snorted and gently pushed it away. But even that seemed enough for Merov to recognize its peculiarity.

Merov looked as though something bizarre had just appeared. Merov looked down at me and quietly blinked. The bored air from before had vanished without a trace.

“Are you sane?”

I quietly scratched my head. To suddenly ask if I was sane. Of course, I could understand why that would come out.

I lightly stroked Myoil’s head. The other Saplings were dwelling in its body. Unlike Myoil, the other Saplings still had difficulty maintaining their forms.

But one day, they too would have their own shapes like Myoil. When that time came, I would be able to give them new names too. As proof that they were new lives.

The reason Merov had not noticed them was because they had the forms of souls. This haziness, like my soul fragments, would simply pass by unless someone recognized its existence.

“I know well why you say that. But I thought this was the path I should take. Only by doing this can I reach a higher place.”

After hearing my words, Merov narrowed their eyes. “So you were a madman,” Merov murmured, then stroked a chin. In those eyes, I could sense a slight unease toward me.

“There were people beside me who walked the same path as you. But all of them failed and died. You should also know that history of failure.”

At that, I quietly nodded. Learning magic meant ascending to a better existence. In that sense, this could be called a kind of scholarship.

After all, one needed a goal to move toward until death, and an optimal theory for reaching it. Across a long span of time, many mages had done their best to learn magic, and died.

The current magic system was formed by scraping together the things closest to success from all those failures. That was why magic was a history of blood, a result built amid death.

Growing a tree was the same. Mages grew only a single tree because of the countless failures engraved behind that practice. They had learned with their lives that this was the optimal method for constructing magic.

Of course, despite that, there were still people who moved in other directions. Planting multiple trees, like me, could also be called one such method. Tearing out someone else’s tree and planting it in oneself.

A tree grew from the soul. Transplanting it was the same as stealing that talent. Because that power could be taken so easily, many people still tried it even now.

But it also had a clear side effect. The body that formed an individual’s foundation was limited. A tree was like a clone that grew while sucking up everything a person had.

To grow more trees, more things had to be offered. It could be lifespan, or it could be talent. Because of that, those who planted more trees usually stopped growing any further.

Myoil slipped away from my hand and returned to my chest. The Saplings returned to their forms and rooted themselves in my foundation.

Looking at me, Merov clicked their tongue lightly. Well, I understood why. From a mage’s point of view, I must have looked like a madman, just as Merov said.

The more the ones settled in my foundation grew, the more they would absorb. In that process, the growth of my own tree might be blocked too. But that was exactly what I wanted.

“You are right. I may also fail to reach the end of this path. But I am confident. I intend to show you that possibility here and now.”

At my words, Merov uncrossed both arms and stroked a chin. Facing that doubtful expression, I quietly released magical power. To pass this evaluation, I needed to fully reveal the method of my growth.

I was not worried that Merov would speak about my method. Advancement evaluations were usually bound by a kind of contract. Even if Merov did speak, it would not matter. This was a method only I could use.

I placed a hand on my chest and resonated with the shadow tree. With my eyes quietly closed, I focused on that flow. Then I felt the broad shadow settled beneath my tree begin to stir.

Following my will, the shadow tree went beyond imagery and flowed outside. It seeped into reality and began wavering beneath my feet. Then, carrying magical power, it gradually grew in size.

That domain stretched out with darkness and slowly encroached on the surroundings. It was a sort of minor trick made possible by the expansion of the domain. Like that, the evaluation hall became filled with shadows.

But even within those shadows, light existed. I looked up at the sky. Then countless stars set in that dark shadow entered my eyes.

They scattered brilliant light and brightly decorated the shadow sky. Inside the domain connected to the tower, I seemed to feel the connection with them clearly.

Seeing that, Merov’s eyes quietly shone. This vast night sky seemed to have caught Merov’s interest. The stars began releasing magical power.

The circulation of magical power flowing through them gradually grew more complex, and soon it far surpassed the amount my tree could contain, soaking the shadow completely.

The foundation was limited. Because of that, all mages grew only one tree. That was also why the former me could not be certain of this path. The path I wanted to take was filled only with failure.

But the current me knew clearly that this path was right. The foundation that made me was not simply me alone. This vast night sky was practically proof of that.

They connected to the Saplings and nourished their souls. My existence was nothing more than a mass that connected these countless things. So it did not matter how small my tree became.

All that mattered was that more things entered me. Even if I could not build upward, I would build wide and create a forest. This was also possible because I had an incomplete soul.

This was the direction of my growth, different from other mages. And this place could be called proof of that path. Passing this evaluation would mean that even an 8th floor mage affirmed the method by which I advanced.

Perhaps Merov felt the presence of the magical power created by the night sky, because a low groan slipped out. Those eyes wavered with bottomless interest and disbelief.

At last, Merov nodded. Unlike before, I could glimpse a cautious look on that face. Facing Merov, I laughed lightly.

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