"Hold on. What is that?"
"Yes?"
"Is that a cloak?"
"Ah. I transformed it."
Yi-Han answered nonchalantly. Like the other students, he had succeeded in the <Iron Cloak Transformation>.
Of course, his result was slightly different from the others.
"When?"
"It seems like a few minutes ago..."
"Didn't you feel anything strange?"
Professor Yonramo Reuji asked incredulously.
Yi-Han just smiled casually and replied.
"Professor, even during the enchantment magic, the duration was long."
"Right. Yi-Han's magic duration is long due to his mana."
Yonaire also added, laughing nonchalantly beside him.
Professor Yonramo was perplexed.
...The reactions were too calm.
'Am I the only one surprised? Am I the only one who is shocked?'
Both enchantment and transformation magic typically had short durations.
But if one were to compare, enchantment magic had a significantly longer duration than transformation magic.
The former involved altering the properties of a material by casting magic on it, while the latter involved changing the nature of the material itself.
The latter consumed more mana and had a shorter duration.
Thus, maintaining transformation magic for several minutes on the first try was considered an astonishing talent in this magic academy...
"Wardanaz. Can I try a test too?"
"Go ahead."
"Alright. Hold on tight."
"You know what will happen if you miss, right?"
"...Now that you say it, I'm getting nervous."
The other students didn't seem too surprised.
Some were even testing their own cloaks against Yi-Han's to see if the magic had worked.
Professor Yonramo turned to the princess and asked.
"Don't you find student Wardanaz's magic intriguing?"
"Not really. Is this how it's done?"
"Counterclockwise might be better than clockwise... Really, you don't think so?"
"???"
The princess looked at the professor as if they were strange.
Professor Yonramo suddenly felt like the only odd one out.
In the land of fools, the sane man is the fool.
"Professor Garcia... where did Professor Garcia go?"
"Professor Garcia went out for a moment to bring a cloak suitable for magic practice. Professor."
Yi-Han spoke very politely.
Having just accidentally broken the professor's nose, he wanted to earn some points with him.
Of course, Yi-Han's goodwill was perceived somewhat differently by Professor Yonramo.
"I see... Thank you."
Professor Yonramo discreetly increased the distance between them.
The old saying was true.
Birds of a feather flock together.
And the people who associated closely with Yi-Han were...
Characters like the skull principal or Professor Boladi.
Of course, Yi-Han would have angrily retorted, 'What nonsensical propaganda is this? Just because I attend their classes, why does that make us of the same flock?' But to Professor Yonramo, it seemed that way.
Associating with eccentric characters like the skull principal or Professor Boladi was a point of concern, and the talent Yi-Han had just displayed was the final straw.
Possessing such insane talent yet being humble and polite?
There was only one explanation.
Immense ambition!
Aiming for something as significant as the principalship of Einrogard Academy was the only logical explanation.
Think about it.
Talented but arrogant geniuses weren't really to be feared. Such individuals were transparent, inside and out.
But a genius who was talented, humble, and built camaraderie with other professors, including the skull principal of a magic academy…
At that point, it could be said that he was ambition personified.
Of course, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
There was nothing wrong with dreaming big dreams from a young age.
The problem was that for Professor Yonramo, whose motto was 'slim and long', having such an ambitious student was a bit too much to handle!
If they got too close and then they received requests like, 'Professor, please support me in becoming an assistant at the magic academy at the meeting,' 'Professor, please support me in becoming a professor at the magic academy at the meeting,' or 'Professor, please help me in my rebellion to become the principal of the magic academy'...
'Just the thought of it makes me queasy.'
Professor Yonramo resolved not to get too close to this ambitious student.
...Carefully, as getting too distant might breed resentment!
"Didn't the professor seem to be avoiding me?"
"Did he?"
"Isn't it just your imagination?"
His friends were puzzled by Yi-Han's observation.
"It's probably because you're doing well. Top of the class!"
"Right. He must be in awe of you."
"...?"
Despite their comforting words, Yi-Han felt uneasy.
'Could it be because I punched them?'
It was a distinct possibility.
No professor would like a student who had smashed their nose.
"Then, Wardanaz. See you next time."
-Yeah. Wardanaz. See you next time.-
"..."
Yi-Han ignored the friendly greeting from the Death Knight standing in the corridor and waved to his friends.
'Hmm. I thought I had plenty of experience, but... this situation is tough.'
As a student training under a professor, he thought he was prepared for every situation, but this one was difficult for Yi-Han.
How to become friends again with a professor whose nose he had smashed?
"Good day."
Professor Boladi nodded slightly and gestured forward, signaling for him to sit quickly.
Seeing this, Yi-Han suddenly felt wronged.
'I'm even friendly with professors who try to smash my nose.'
Shouldn't the professor also forgive a student who smashed his nose?
"Did you fight the <Serpent of the Maple Tree>?"
"Yes."
"You were lucky."
Yi-Han didn't deny Professor Boladi's words.
It was indeed a fight where luck was on his side.
If the opponent hadn't been under some strange misunderstanding or misconception and had attacked with full force from the start, the outcome would have been uncertain.
"I was able to hold on because of luck."
'Wait a minute. He didn't mean meeting them was lucky, did he?'
"What did you feel?"
Responding reflexively to the professor's question, Yi-Han said,
"Adventurers who have been through many battles are strong. Aside from their combat power, I felt the need for a battle mage to be prepared for various situations like them."
The adventurers of the <Serpent of the Maple Tree> were not strong just because they wielded swords well and emitted aura.
Against a mage, they targeted the mage's weaknesses.
Against a hunter, they targeted the hunter's weaknesses.
Adventurers who had experienced all sorts of situations carried various means to prepare for any eventuality.
Yi-Han himself had only survived the attack due to luck; if he had ordinary mana, he would have normally fallen when the first scroll exploded.
"You've assessed it well."
Professor Boladi expressed faint satisfaction.
Seeing this, Yi-Han had a sinking feeling.
'Darn. He's feeling proud.'
Thinking about it, what Yi-Han had just said probably sounded a lot like, 'Professor Boladi, I always thought your educational policy was right. Please continue to teach me like this!' to the professor.
‘Professor Boladi should have broken the nose bone…’
"Mages often become arrogant because of magic. But remember, on the battlefield, enemies target mages first."
"Yes. I realized that this time. I'm lucky that you taught me well, Professor. Thanks to you, I was able to endure."
"..."
Yi-Han was startled when Professor Boladi suddenly fell silent.
'Was my flattery too blatant? Did he think I was trying to get an easy lecture today?'
He thought it was okay, but he was caught.
It seemed his flattery skills had rusted from mingling with students of the same year.
"!"
Yi-Han was shocked when he looked up.
Professor Boladi was smiling.
He had seen his faint smiles a few times, but this was the first time he smiled like that.
Although his cold demeanor made it feel more like a warning from a mad mage than a smile...
Nevertheless, a smile is a smile.
'...Did it work?'
"I'm glad to hear you say that. Let's start the class."
With those words, Professor Boladi swung his staff.
Suddenly, unfamiliar flame spears poured out of thin air.
"?!"
"I opened the wrong one. This wasn't what I meant to bring out now."
Professor Boladi put the flame spears back into the pocket of space from where they came.
Of course, it was already quite a frightening experience for Yi-Han.
'Didn't he just say this wasn't what he meant to bring out now?'
Then when was he supposed to bring them out?
"I apologize. I made a mistake in my satisfaction."
"No, it's fine."
Yi-Han resolved never to flatter Professor Boladi again.
If he flattered him twice, the professor might take him to the demon realm in his pride.
To organically connect magic from various schools and respond perfectly to all possible situations...
It sounded like nonsense, but it was the goal (forcibly) set by Professor Boladi for Yi-Han.
As such, today's class was about transformation magic.
"When an unexpected attack comes in, transformation magic, along with enchantment magic, is one of the schools of magic that allow for a flexible response. The difference is, enchantment magic often involves preparation due to the time it takes to cast, whereas transformation magic is the opposite. It requires quick reflexes."
Yi-Han asked while taking notes with a quill.
"Do you know Professor Yonramo Reuji?"
"Yes."
"Do you know what they like?"
"No."
"Then do you know anyone who is relatively close to Professor Yonramo Reuji?"
"No."
Professor Boladi answered and then paused to think.
He then spoke.
"Perhaps the principal might be close to them."
'Hmm. I was wrong to ask him.'
Yi-Han felt as if he had been doused with cold water upon hearing Professor Boladi's nonsensical response.
He definitely should not have asked him.
"Did you learn <Iron Cloak Transformation> or <Iron Scarf Transformation> first?"
"I learned <Iron Cloak Transformation> first."
Professor Boladi nodded expressionlessly.
Students often learned <Iron Cloak Transformation> if they were fast-paced, and <Iron Scarf Transformation> if they were slower.
Anyway, that wasn't the important part...
"You must have mastered it perfectly. Let's move on to the next."
"How can you be sure?"
Yi-Han was so incredulous that he responded on impulse.
"Haven't you mastered it?"
"I have, but..."
"Let's move on to the next then. The cloak."
Yi-Han handed his cloak to Professor Boladi. The professor then shook the cloak, making it disappear.
"!?"
"Don't always use transformation magic on familiar objects."
A different cloak, one he had never seen before, flew out of thin air.
Professor Boladi began to float sharp dagger-shaped mana in the air.
"...Weren't they orbs?"
"Orbs are inefficient when dealing with cloaks."
"It seems efficient... Turn into iron, cloak!"
Despite responding, Yi-Han did not let his guard down.
Sure enough, the daggers started flying towards him.
"Don't dodge, just block."
Even upon hearing Professor Boladi's words, Yi-Han did not respond.
In fact, he hardly had the leisure to respond anymore.
Swoosh!
'Damn it. What is this cloak made of?'
Transformation mages were fundamentally knowledgeable about the equipment and items they carried.
They had to understand the material of each item to cast transformation spells quickly; it was a matter of course.
However, Professor Boladi desired to use transformation magic based solely on intuition, without such understanding.
His level of shamelessness was almost that of a thief.
"Shield, unfold..."
Yi-Han tried to buy time with a water shield. Professor Boladi immediately dispelled it.
Yi-Han attempted to deceive with an invisible cloak. Professor Boladi immediately interrupted the spell.
Yi-Han tried to summon skeleton warriors. Professor Boladi's eyebrows rose.
...Had he taught him to be too versatile?
Not blocking with the cloak as instructed...
