Genius Wizard Conceals His Origins - Chapter 135

There were six [ Type I Magic Studies Practicum ] classes offered this winter semester. The reason Leila Brown chose this lecture was quite trivial.

<I have to take a practicum class because it’s mandatory. But I don’t know which professor is good. Who is this Eugene Oslo?>

She asked her sister for advice while lounging at home.

<Sister Grace.>

<I’m busy.>

<You’re just reading another weird romance novel. Help me out. What’s Professor Oslo’s reputation?> [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

<Oslo? I don’t know… Wait. What’s his full name?>

<Let’s see, Eugene. It says Eugene Oslo.>

<Ah…>

<So? Does he give good grades?>

<He’s handsome.>

She shouldn’t have taken that to heart.

“Sigh.”

Leila dropped her head with a sigh.

It was now pointless to keep glancing at the clock on the wall.

Despite the clock hands indicating just before the lecture time, there were still only five students sitting in the classroom.

This is completely useless. Before even discussing the professor’s appearance, with only five students, it wouldn’t be strange if the class was immediately dissolved.

Just as a similar sense of disappointment was rising on the faces of the other four students…

Click—

The firmly closed front door of the classroom opened.

Leila stared with wide eyes at the gray-haired young man.

Yes, he was a young man.

He was young enough that such a description wasn’t out of place.

His awkwardly formal attire and the slight stumble of his right leg as he climbed onto the podium proved that he was a new professor, nervous about his first lecture.

Professor Oslo, standing in front of the blackboard, gave a light bow.

“Nice to meet you all.”

Leila thought.

He looks too solemn to agree with her sister’s assessment.

“I’m Eugene Oslo, in charge of the [ Type I Magic Studies Practicum ] lecture. This lecture deals with an advanced course on Type I Magic casting that you would have studied before entering university.”

By this point, Leila’s gaze was fixed far below his face.

Something was strange.

Gloves are typically designed with activity in mind, but the gloves Professor Oslo wore were thick and stiff.

As if their primary purpose was to conceal his hands.

Her gaze must have been obvious. He hid his gloved right hand behind his back as he continued speaking.

“Type I Magic is also known as classical magic studies. It involves the manipulation of objects, including movement, rotation, and levitation. It also involves the creation of shapes like spheres and discs. Unlike Type II magic, it’s primarily composed of rules within human intuition.”

Professor Oslo, pulling out an old grimoire with his left hand, scanned the audience.

That is, the five students with indifferent expressions.

“However, just because it’s classical magic studies doesn’t mean its depth is shallow.”

Not shallow in depth, he says.

Leila quietly watched the gray-haired professor continue his lecture, which could be described as orthodox at best, or old-fashioned at worst. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

“……”

Type I Magic is as profound as Type II Magic.

But it would be fair to say that none of the five students, including Leila herself, agreed with that statement.

Most students who can pass the entrance exam of the Frauzen Federal University of Magic can skillfully cast Type I magic.

The real difficulties begin with Type II Magic casting.

The University of Magic formally designates [ Type I Magic Studies Practicum ] as a mandatory class, but seniors’ evaluations that ‘even if it’s taught by a renowned professor, there’s nothing to gain’ starkly reveal the lecture’s ineffectiveness.

That’s why it was a problem.

Leila’s eyes dimmed.

As it’s a mandatory lecture, taking it is more important than whether it’s good or bad, but to have only five students…

If it gets dissolved, it would be quite troublesome.

“…The grading system will consist of four parts. Practicum, practicum reports, quizzes, and attendance.”

Just then, Professor Oslo concluded his monotonous explanation.

“That concludes the course introduction. Are there any questions?”

Leila raised her hand high.

“Yes, the student there.”

“Is there a possibility that this class might be dissolved?”

Immediately after, Leila caught sight of a faint, bitter smile crossing the professor’s lips.

What can you do? Curiosity must be satisfied, and questions should be direct.

Soon after, a reassuring answer came.

“No. The class will proceed normally. I might get scolded by my supervising professor, but you won’t face any disadvantages.”

“Th-thank you for the answer.”

She thought he might not care about the small number of students due to his consistently solemn expression, but hearing his answer, it seems he was somewhat conscious of it.

Leila lowered her hand awkwardly and fell into thought.

It’s still within the period where course adjustments are possible.

Should she continue with this class? [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

It’s not bad. But the problem is that there’s no reason to take this lecture over ones taught by other professors.

Even if it’s just for credits, wouldn’t it be better to attend lectures by experienced professors rather than a new one?

As Leila was quietly pondering this…

“Professor.”

“Do you have a question?”

“It’s not about the lecture, but I have something I’d like to ask you.”

A female student with long hair raised her hand.

She had certainly been listening attentively in the middle of the classroom.

Leila thought she might have liked the lecture, but judging by the girl’s narrow eyes, she clearly had rougher intentions than Leila.

Sure enough…

“Could I ask you to demonstrate a simple magic casting?”

“You mean Type I Magic?”

“Yes. I’ve heard that you’re a theoretical magic scholar. I deeply respect your research achievements, but I don’t think they align with a practical course.”

Ouch.

Leila inwardly stuck out her tongue.

Having seen even her clumsy sister enter the University of Magic, what surprised Leila most after entering was her fellow undergraduates.

Especially those who were convinced they were better than some professors.

Given the nature of magic studies, where academic knowledge and magic casting coexist, such students appeared from time to time.

These students, whom Leila had casually labeled as ‘rude overachievers’, almost all naturally disappeared before even half of the summer semester had passed. The experience of a student at the Federal University of Magic is not easy.

However, this female student seems exceptionally outstanding.

“May I ask?”

To see her commit such rudeness with such clear eyes…

Does she really want to go that far? 

As Leila was scratching her cheek…

“I understand your doubts.”

He answered while stroking the ends of his hair with his left hand.

“I might not seem very reliable.”

“I-I’m not doubting…”

“However.”

At that moment.

Professor Oslo raised his gloved right hand that he had been hiding behind his back, and…

A [Disc] instantly unfolded above his fingertips.

Did it even take a second?

Considering that even renowned professors struggle to break the three-second barrier, that casting time could only mean he has innate talent for magic casting.

Just as the female student’s face flushed red with shame…

Rustle—

Like folding paper, like ripples in water…

The [Disc], honed like a blade, began to fold gently.

All the students, including the female student, watched the scene with a startled jerk.

“However, I stand before you.”

A sight never seen before, even before discussing talent.

How much concentration must be poured into this? Leila couldn’t even begin to guess.

“Before titles and degrees, I’ve walked the path you’re currently on.”

What was finally completed was a single rose. [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

As he casually placed it on the podium, Leila naturally couldn’t take her eyes off it.

“You are the students most confident in magic studies across the entire Federation. You’ve surely mastered Type I Magic sufficiently, and though it’s challenging, you’re keeping up with the classes at the Federal University of Magic.”

Leila widened her eyes.

10 seconds.

20 seconds.

“But there’s no guarantee it will continue to be so.”

Even after 30 seconds, the single rose showed no sign of disappearing.

Maintaining such a complex structure surely requires immense concentration. Then, what expression is Professor Oslo wearing?

She looked up.

“…!”

Leila met eyes with Professor Oslo, who was calmly looking at her.

He opened his mouth.

“Close your eyes and think. Think of when learning truly feels cold and lonely, when opening a book seems utterly foolish.”

She did as told.

In the darkness, the professor’s voice reached her.

“When gloomy clouds cover the entire sky, when the future seems bleak and you feel like you might collapse at any moment. When you’re so suffocated you momentarily forget why you even entered the Federal University of Magic.”

Sparkle.

A faint light seeps through her eyelids.

Leila opened her eyes and.

“Open your book.”

She could see words densely written on the blackboard that had been empty just moments ago.

It was the preface of a book Leila knew well.

「Jean-Pierre Auchlimé, who researched magic studies all his life, lost his life in an accident in 1856. Henry Yoris Russell took over his work and committed suicide in 1873. Now, it’s our turn to learn Type I Magic.」

「Pick up the grimoire. Imagine. And chant.」

“Now, it’s your turn.”

Leila opened her eyes wide.

In the chilly classroom, the petals of the rose on the podium were scattering one by one as if blown by the wind, dissolving into the air.

Truly amazing.

“…Ah. Did I drag on too long?”

Huh?

“I apologize for conducting the practical lecture in such a boring manner. Since it’s the first day, we’ll end early. That’s all.”

Before Leila and the other students could recover from their shock, Professor Oslo bowed slightly and left the classroom alone.

Doubt turned into certainty.

“Huh.”

Like a new professor, he must have been quite nervous.

The reason Leila remained dazedly in her seat wasn’t because she was surprised by the lecture content, but because she was dumbfounded.

What kind of lecture was that? [Only on Galaxy Translations! / Axiomatic]

But, since she’s already sitting still…

Leila thought, slightly raising the corners of her mouth.

“Maybe it wouldn’t be bad to listen more.”

Two weeks later…

The general opinion about the [ Type I Magic Studies Practicum ] lecture conducted by Professor Eugene Oslo could be summarized simply.

“He teaches well in an ordinary way.”

It was thanks to an unexpectedly intuitive advantage.

For most elderly professors, it’s been ages since they first learned Type I Magic. Too much time has passed for them to empathize with the students.

Therefore, the lecture of a relatively young professor —with added peculiar intuitive explanations— was deemed easy to understand, and with Louise Ehrlich’s promotion added, the lecture soon gathered nearly thirty students.

—Argh, I thought it would be easy!

—Damn that gray-haired guy. Why is the quiz difficulty for a one-unit practical lecture like this?

—I heard he entered and graduated as the top student.

—Damn it.

Of course, as soon as the adjustment period ended, public opinion dramatically reversed, but as a result, he was able to continue a successful lecture as a new professor.

#November 24th. Slightly cloudy.

Frauzen was approaching another year-end.

T/N

Hello! Axiomatic here.

Thanks for reading this set of five! This is the last of the free chapters and the succeeding 10 (Chapters 136-140 for the Main Story and Chapters 141-145 for the Epilogue) will be coin-locked at 15 coins per chapter as previously announced. 

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