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Chapter 43




【43】42
The first-year magic students gathered in the grand hall of the magic tower.
The students, seated on the makeshift chairs set up in the hall, read their notes with tense faces.
“Ugh! I’m so nervous! I feel sick!”
Kai poured a few of the disguising potions he had made himself into his mouth.
Seeing this, the surrounding students crowded around and bought the disguising potions.
“You’re still resourceful even in this situation?”
“I have to do my best, even if my test scores are already expected. Anyway, Leo, you must not be nervous since you’re an excellent student, right?”
“Not really.”
“Would someone who isn’t nervous be so calm?”
Kai grumbled enviously and glanced at Chloe, who was sitting in the front row.
Although Chloe had lived like a recluse during the exam period, she looked very neat today.
It wasn’t just Chloe.
All the magic students were dressed up.
Today’s presentation of unique magic was not just a test but also an opportunity to showcase their achievements as magicians.
Given that those who chose the path of a magician would inevitably have to attend many magic theory paper presentations, this was also a practice for future presentations.
At that moment, the hall door opened, and three magicians entered.
Dressed neatly, they ascended the stage with stern expressions.
“It’s been a while, Professor Ren. Ah, you’re a full professor now, right?”
“Hehe. It’s been a while, and I’m glad to see you. Yes, I’m a professor now.”
Professor Ren greeted them warmly and then ascended the stage to speak.
“Everyone, pay attention.”
Professor Ren called for the students’ attention as he ascended the stage.
“I will introduce them. From left to right, they are Rilda Pedney, Aidman Slack, and Xin Huz. They are all your seniors who graduated from Lumern’s magic department three years ago. Today, they will evaluate you as judges, not as seniors.”
The students’ eyes lit up at this.
Professor Ren was popular among the magic students.
Apart from his good looks and pleasant personality, his teaching ability was exceptional.
However, he was also known for setting very high standards.
Thus, as a judge, he was a very intimidating figure.
It was natural that the students felt less tense knowing that their seniors, rather than Professor Ren, would be the judges.
Kai, too, said, “Oh! What a stroke of luck!”
“Doesn’t seem like something to be happy about, though?”
“Huh? Why?”
“Professor Ren brought in external judges. Are they really going to be easy on us?”
“...”
Kai’s face turned slightly uneasy at this.
Meanwhile, the three judges took their seats in front of the stage.
As they took out their papers and pens and showed that they were ready, Professor Ren called out the first student’s name.
“Iliana Laden.”
Creak!
At this, Iliana ascended the stage.
“Hello, seniors. I’m Iliana Laden from Class 5! It’s a great honor to meet you.”
“We’re also glad to meet you, Iliana. We’re looking forward to hearing the presentation from our cute junior.”
Rilda Pedney adjusted her glasses and smiled warmly.
In response, Iliana swayed her body slightly and smiled as cutely as possible, trying to convey that she wouldn’t say anything bad to such a cute junior.
“Leo, I feel so uncomfortable because of that show-off.”
“Bear with it.”
“Alright, I’ll do my best.”
“My main attribute is light.”
“Oh, a rare magical attribute.”
Seeing the seniors’ interest, Iliana inwardly rejoiced.
‘The atmosphere is good~’
“...By adding the ‘flame’ attribute’s magical formula to the light attribute’s magical system, it’s possible to emit a powerful ‘heat ray’ magic!”
Iliana pointed to the blackboard where she had written out the magical formula system she had created and looked at the graduates.
After emphasizing a few points, Iliana hid her hands behind her back and smiled shyly.
“That’s all.”
As the presentation ended, applause erupted from the students.
Rilda, sitting on the far left, adjusted her glasses and spoke.
“Indeed, many light attribute magicians choose the powerful ‘laser’ magic as their unique magic. In the past, unique magic was truly original, but nowadays, with the world of heroes, the inheritance of power is taken for granted, so unique magic itself doesn’t have to be special. However, the process of creation must have your own originality.”
She now looked at Iliana with an indifferent expression.
“What’s different from the existing laser-type magic?”
“Um... That... It’s related to the secret magical formula of our family...”
“A formula related to secret magic. That’s complacent.”
Tsk, tsk. Rilda clicked her tongue and pointed out the shortcomings in Iliana’s magical formula one by one.
Iliana, sweating profusely due to the sudden change in atmosphere, struggled to answer.
“I have one last question. Iliana, what is the rank of the magic you’ve conceived and aimed for?”
“Well... I haven’t decided yet.”
Fidgeting with her hands, Iliana avoided Rilda’s gaze.
“It’s good to have big dreams, but you should present something you fully understand. Do you think we’re here to watch a junior’s talent show? C-! Next!”
“Eek!”
Rilda, who had suddenly changed her tone, shouted with wide eyes, and Iliana, frightened by her momentum, fled the stage.
The other students’ faces hardened.
To them, Iliana’s presentation had been excellent.
Yet, it was only a C-?
Seeing this, Ren crossed his arms.
‘They’re doing well. It’s time for them to feel the wall.’
Ren had invited particularly strict graduates in magic theory from among those he had been close to during his time as an associate professor.
The reason was simple.
First-year students initially struggle with the difficulty of Lumern’s courses.
But by the time of the midterm exams, they start to adapt to the classes.
Moreover, they had grown in skill in a short time, far beyond what they were like when they first enrolled.
It was a time when the entire first-year class was feeling overconfident and complacent.
Professor Ren, with his long experience, knew that if this wasn’t addressed, they would become negligent in their studies.
‘Some professors ignore those who can’t make it, but I can’t stand leaving those who can do it alone.’
Ren believed that giving new stimuli to make them look up again was also part of his role as an educator.
‘It’s unrealistic for first-year students to complete unique magic at their level.’
He had given them the assignment to emphasize the necessity of unique magic.
Even if the magicians entering Lumern were exceptionally talented, it was impossible to complete unique magic, which other magicians spent their entire lives perfecting, in just a few months.
‘Of course, there are geniuses who can do it, though.’
Ren looked at a few students.
Meanwhile, the presentations continued.
“This year’s first-year class was expected to be special, but the level is not up to par.”
“Considering originality, it’s even worse than other batches. Well, the special aspect mentioned by the higher-ups was only about ‘combat skills’.”
Rilda and Xin Huz spoke as if for the others to hear.
They, too, had been told by Ren what their role was.
How could they not find their juniors cute?
They also wanted to pat them on the back and praise them, but they decided to take on the role of the bad guy for the sake of their juniors.
They had also been overconfident and suffered greatly around this time in their first year.
As the first-year students were thoroughly criticized by the graduates, Ren called out the next student.
“Abad Levalin.”
At this, the graduates’ expressions changed.
The heir of the Levalin family, the pinnacle of magic in the Rodren Empire, the strongest country in the Western Continent, was called, and the anticipation was palpable.
“My unique magic is called Tempester.”
Abad, ascending the stage, gave a brief greeting and began his presentation.
Everyone was amazed by his presentation.
Abad’s magic was a kind of natural disaster, maximizing the power of wind.
“The expected rank when completed is the highest.”
At this, the students murmured.
‘A truly powerful magic that symbolizes him.’
“Wow! It’s so cool! But it’s also so unlucky! Anyway, it’s cool!”
“Just one.”
Kai, crossing his arms, spoke, and Leo burst out laughing.
The female students sighed at Abad’s fresh smile.
Chelsea, with sparkling eyes, had a look of “Big brother is the best!”
‘Leo’s magical formula is also amazing, but big brother is no less! Ah~ Who should I cheer for?’
“Remarkable. Truly befitting the heir of the Levalin family.”
“A magic that perfectly embodies the values, philosophy, and goals of a magician. It’s a magic worthy of the name unique magic.”
The graduates praised Abad endlessly.
“No matter the batch, there’s always a monster like you. Abad Levalin, you get an A+.”
Abad descended the stage to the applause of the graduates.
“Phew~ I feel sorry for the next presenter!”
“Next presenter, Kai Thomas.”
“Eek!”
Kai, who had been chuckling, turned pale.
Some students looked at him with pity.
Kai, ascending the stage like a livestock