Chapter 17
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Episode 4 - Weekend [2]
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As I walked toward Room B-1, a question popped into my head, so I asked Alice.
"Teacher, between Inverted Heaven and the other four sword arts, which one is the strongest? Yesterday, after experiencing the first and second forms of Fallen Moon and the first form of Ten Thousand Cuts That Split the Sky, I realized that without my Traits, I wouldn't have been able to face those two sword arts."
After experiencing those two sword arts, I clearly felt how extraordinary they were.
Besides the mystery of Veronica, who didn't exist in the game, even Lumina had a strange look on her face when I looked at her.
Furthermore, without my Traits, it would have been impossible for me to face them both.
〖About that... to be honest, I don't know either. When I locked myself in a cave to create Inverted Heaven, I spent five years there before I finally emerged. Then the war against the Abyss began, which lasted ten years. During those ten years, I was on the battlefield almost 24 hours a day, while those four only participated at key or specific moments.〗
"..."
'Master, I can honestly imagine what they were saying behind your back.'
After Alice's response, I said:
〖So, after the war ended, you never had the opportunity to fight with the other Four Swords.〗
"That's true, and in fact, I rarely saw them and didn't consider them my friends."
'Master, they probably called you the 'sword-crazy woman' back then.'
I haven't tried Inverted Heaven in a battle against a successor of the Five Swords yet.
I'm not sure what the outcome will be, but when the time comes, I'll find out.
At the same time, Alice seemed to remember something and said:
〖Now that I remember, I wish I had died in that cave. The first time I went in to create Inverted Heaven, there was a very beautiful field. I called it the Garden of Eden, or simply The Garden.〗
As I listened to her murmur, I frowned.
I thought I had heard the name "Garden of Eden" before, but I wasn't sure.
'I think that guy said that for the Holy Land DLC, he was going to add a special and iconic place, and I remember him saying something about the Garden of Eden.'
I didn't know if that was the case since the idea for the game's DLC was first proposed five years ago.
Since then, I had focused solely on the game's story and characters.
'The Garden of Eden probably exists somewhere and holds something valuable.'
Snapping out of my thoughts, I finally arrived at Room B-1.
Upon entering, I was greeted with threats regarding Princess Clana.
'Well, I expected this.'
At the Holy Academy, the rule of equality was established by the First Saint.
However, the nobles don't even respect the rules left behind by the First Saint.
Perhaps she feels disappointed to see that the current generation ignores the rules she left behind.
As I sat in my usual seat, I waited for the professor of magic to arrive. Just then...
"..."
"You don't mind if I sit here, do you?"
Rinna asked, sitting down next to me. When I saw her, a look of disbelief crossed my face.
'Why are you suddenly... Oh, wait.'
Then I remembered yesterday and figured it was because of that, so I shook my head and said:
"I don't mind."
Each cadet seat had space for six people, as they weren't arranged in rows with a table and a chair like in schools on Earth.
Rinna sat down next to me, put her things down, and said:
"Wow, I didn't know there was a good view from here."
I'm not sure if that was a hint, but I nodded anyway.
"I suppose so. I chose the highest and farthest seat."
The classroom could hold a hundred cadets, and since the seats got higher the further up the stairs you went, you could see the podium where the professors taught their classes more clearly.
"I'm excited for today's class. Finally, the professor will demonstrate and teach magic."
"You're right. So far, it's just been theory classes, and he just talked."
Today was Thursday, and tomorrow would be the last day of classes. The magic professor would probably start demonstrating magic today, since the actual classes would start next week.
Besides, since the magic professor had a similar personality to the director, she probably wouldn't see me the way the other professors did.
I was also looking forward to this class.
"Oh, now that I remember, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, of course."
I didn't know what she wanted to ask me, but I agreed anyway.
Rinna's expression changed to one of curiosity and excitement.
"..."
"I couldn't ask you yesterday, but… how can you dispel magic with your sword? You even cut it. How do you do it? Usually, you have to understand the structure of the magic to dismantle it, and that takes time, but you did it as if it were natural…"
I knew this was going to happen; I had also prepared an excuse for anyone who might ask me in the future.
"Well, I can simply 'see' the weak point of the magic, just like I can with people. I don't know how to explain it, so I apologize if I didn't answer well."
Rinna shook her hands.
"It doesn't matter; I think I got it."
"..."
'Then why are you feeling so confused, Rinna?'
After a few minutes, the door finally opened and the magic professor entered.
The magic professor's name is Ashly Caligus, a seven-star magician. Her attribute is the rare Blood attribute.
Although she is not a member of the Arsene family, she is friends with the current head of the Arsene family, as they were cadets together at the Holy Academy.
She also became very close to Director Bernice and was her teacher for a time.
'Perhaps because she was with Director Bernice, Professor Ashly has a personality almost identical to hers.'
She is also the only professor who doesn't have an assistant.
I remember that in the game, she chose the player as her assistant if you started with a magician character.
"But since I'm not a magician, I'm not sure who she'll choose as her assistant from among all the cadets."
Snapping out of my thoughts, Professor Ashly said,
"It seems that many of you are especially happy to be in my class today."
More specifically, the plebeians. Since they don't receive any instruction in magic, especially those who are magicians, they consider the opportunity to be taught by a seven-star mage to be the dream of their lives.
"Ha, ha, I like your enthusiasm. So, how about we start by testing your knowledge of spells and traits?"
The cadets nodded vigorously; then Professor Ashly continued:
"Mhm, then, the first question is for the plebeians in particular: How do you cast a spell when you want to use it?"
It was a simple question. A cadet raised his hand and answered:
"To create and use magic in combat or at any time, three verses are required. It can be recited aloud or in the mind; however, the final word representing the magic must be spoken aloud."
Professor Ashly clapped and nodded.
"Correct, every spell has three verses. So far, the shortest spell has two verses. It is still unknown how to create magic with a single verse or by uttering only the final word representing the magic."
To demonstrate, Professor Ashly sang the three verses of a star magic spell.
"The blood that flows through all living beings."
"Please lend me your strength and manifest yourself in reality."
"I want you to manifest and lend me the power of blood."
"Vines of Blood."
When the professor finished the three verses, she finally spoke the name of the spell.
Vines made of blood sprouted from the ground; at the tips of the vines and along their bodies were thorns and sharp leaves.
When she demonstrated this to the cadets, especially the plebeians, they reacted with a range of emotions.
"As you can see, I recited the three verses and the name of the spell I wanted to use. Now I will recite the three verses in my mind and say the name of the spell out loud."
Professor Ashly remained silent for five seconds before finally opening her mouth and saying:
"Blood Vines."
The same vines made of blood appeared once again.
"As you can see, the incantation of any magic can be said mentally or aloud; however, the name of the magic must be said aloud. The same goes for two-verse magic. I would like to show you, but it is superior to six-star magic."
As a seven-star mage, she possesses a large number of six- and seven-star spells with two verses.
'However, the verses can also be shortened, and if added to two-verse spells, the spell can be cast much more quickly.'
With one-verse spells, applying that principle allows the spell to be cast almost immediately, as if there were no need for a verse and only the spell's name.
By the way, the question I answered on the written exam was about how to shorten a single verse in magic.
Interestingly, Professor Ashly didn't ask about that.
I don't know why she didn't bring up the topic, but I'm not a magician and magic doesn't particularly interest me.
And since my Mana Sense is at its maximum, I don't see how I could learn anything.
However, as a modern person from Earth, I'm fascinated by the idea of magic.
Even if I can't see it, at least I can imagine it with the help of my Mana Sense.
Then Professor Ashly continued.
"Very well, next question: What characteristics are important for using magic? This question is for everyone."
Several cadets raised their hands, and Professor Ashly chose someone at random.
"The most important traits would be Mana Sense, Mana Sensitivity, Mana Affinity, and, the most important for becoming a Magician, Mana Root."
Professor Ashly nodded and said:
"That's right. Without the Mana Root, your specialty won't be that of a magician; it could be that of a swordsman or an invoker. Oh, by the way, an elementalist could be considered a magician since they use spiritual arts, which are similar to magic."
Finally, Professor Ashly asked her last question.
"Okay, last question: Does anyone know how to shorten the magic verse?"
At that moment, Professor Ashly looked first at Lumina and then at me.
"...."
'Somehow... it looks like she's going to include this on the written exam.'