"You learn quickly, indeed. I said that if you are a genius, you should rightfully be arrogant, but I didn't expect you to learn this fast."
"What are you talking about?"
“It's nothing.”
The skull principal looked at the floating shield behind Yi-Han and asked.
“Is this an assignment?”
"Yes."
“How crudely and ignorantly crafted... Wait. There's no duration amplification?”
The principal was surprised as he examined the magic circles inscribed on the shield.
The fact that the shield was inscribed with magic circles was not surprising.
It would have been unconscionable to expect a first-year student to complete an autonomous shield without any auxiliary devices.
In truth, even with auxiliary devices, the task of creating an autonomous shield was still quite heartless...
But this too was a path a mage must traverse for growth.
Receiving impossible challenges wasn't always a bad thing.
Even if one fails a hundred challenges, the experience contributes to a mage's growth.
And it's even better if one succeeds!
'It's good that he succeeded, but why is there no duration amplification...?'
“What an ignorant fellow. Did you just extend the duration with sheer mana?”
"Yes. But..."
Yi-Han was about to explain.
It wasn't due to Yi-Han's ignorance, but the absurd difficulty of the assignment. In his attempt to complete it, the combination of magic circles turned into a mess. To further increase the duration would have been...
“Well, that's one way to do it. If one has plenty of mana, why bother with such tedious methods? I retract my comment about ignorance. It's a clever approach.”
"I didn't do this intentionally..."
“Stop being so modest. Anyway, you did well. The professors will be pleased.”
"...Professor Verduus and the others too, don't you think the assignments are a bit excessive?"
“Indeed, they are. But you managed to complete it, didn't you?”
"..."
As Yi-Han trembled with frustration and regret, the skull principal tapped the shield.
“It should last a couple more days at least. Hmm... Professor Verduus will be envious.”
"Why would the professor be envious?"
Comparing Yi-Han and Professor Verduus's magic abilities was like comparing a firefly to the full moon.
Given Professor Verduus's nature, wouldn't he react to this crudely and ignorantly crafted shield just like the principal did earlier?
Though the magic circles were sloppy, the ability to infuse such a volume of mana was beyond even Professor Verduus.
Regardless of skill, there were techniques only certain mages could perform.
“This kind of duration increase, possible only with your immense mana, was something even a gifted enchantment mage like Professor Verduus couldn't achieve.”
"It's not that he can't, it's more like he chooses not to. It's practically a workaround, isn't it?"
Yi-Han responded nonchalantly.
“No, it's different. It's not possible to engrave an ever-increasing magic circle on every part of a complex artifact.”
For a simpler artifact, it was somewhat easier, but as the structure of an artifact became more complex, the calculations required for a mage became almost insurmountably complex.
Especially in multi-complex artifacts with various enchantments, their intricate structure made it impossible to inscribe duration-increasing circles everywhere.
Inevitably, one had to resort to all sorts of methods to supplement the lacking mana...
“Sometimes, it's more convenient to infuse a generous amount of mana at once rather than intricately squeezing out mana here and there. They say it's semi-permanent, but in reality, mages hardly have any responsibilities after a hundred years.”
Customers coming to find a mage because an artifact broke after more than a hundred years were rare.
'Well, that makes sense. So, there's meaning to this kind of workaround.'
Yi-Han, nodding, suddenly paused.
"...Wait. Does this mean Professor Verduus calls upon me whenever such a need arises?"
“That would be the case, wouldn't it?”
Yi-Han's face paled.
Ogonin was startled to see Yi-Han through the mirror.
"What in the world happened for the student to look like that?!"
“I haven't done anything!”
The skull principal was furious.
To suspect the principal just because a student is feeling down.
So, if Ogonin's tower cat is in a bad mood, is it Ogonin's fault?
"It's nothing."
Yi-Han said with a bitter smile.
"It's all my fault."
"No...!"
Aware of the harsh educational environment at Einroguard, Ogonin stared intently at the skull principal.
The principal was beside himself with frustration.
“To think, I had given a chance to this festival disrupter, firework destroyer, and relic thief, and this is how I am repaid?”
"Your attempts to pressure me are futile. I won't be fooled."
Though young compared to the skull principal, Ogonin was a mage who had faced many challenges.
He wasn't swayed by the principal's dramatics.
"It's really okay."
"Is that so? That's a relief... I was wondering if I should write to His Majesty the Emperor."
“Such a has-been, capable of nothing but tattling…”
Yi-Han pretended not to hear.
"Now. Let's continue our discussion from last time."
For mages, time is gold.
Ogonin began his lecture immediately.
"Do you remember the spells I mentioned last time?"
"Yes."
Starting with <Ogonin's Emotion Perception> to <Ogonin's Rising Anxiety>, <Ogonin's Approaching Fear>, <Ogonin's Oncoming Despair>, these were psychic illusion spells.
And then there was <Ogonin's Light Fog>, a wide-ranging illusion mist spell.
While other illusion spells mixed elements from different schools of magic to reduce difficulty and increase versatility, Ogonin was a mage who pursued pure illusion magic.
'Of course, that means increased difficulty.'
"Emotion perception spells are the basics and the beginning. It's good to learn them as a habit, as second nature."
According to Ogonin, skilled illusion mages could sense the color of one's soul without even using emotional perception spells.
To become that adept, one must continually cast, practice, and accumulate experience.
If you can discern what emotions someone harbors, the power of your illusion spells amplifies accordingly.
"Now, let's practice."
"...?"
Upon hearing this, Yi-Han paused.
Who should he practice on?
"Whom are you referring to?"
"Ah. Right. Um..."
Ogonin hesitated.
His tower had many practice partners, but who else was there in the principal's private room?
“Practice on me.”
"Excuse me?"
"What did you say?"
“Practice on me.”
"No..."
Ogonin was at a loss for words.
Unlike other magic, the target was very important for psychic illusion spells.
Who would be easier to read emotions from - a great mage or a child?
A novice illusion mage should naturally improve skills against the latter, but...?
"Do it now…"
"Understood."
Without much thought, Yi-Han swung his staff.
"Arise, emotions!"
With the incantation, the spell was cast. Ogonin asked from the side.
"How is it?"
"It seems the principal is currently in a bad mood."
"!!!"
Ogonin was so astonished he nearly dropped his staff.
For a newly trained illusion mage to successfully use an emotion perception spell on the skull principal...
...meant an unprecedented genius in the history of magic.
'A genius to inherit the true lineage of illusion magic...!'
“Ogonin. I don’t what you’re thinking about, but the magic had failed. It’s simply that the boy is quick-witted.”
The skull principal realized what Ogonin was thinking and sneered.
Magic isn't a child's toy to be mastered so easily.
"...Was that it?"
"Ah. My apologies. I suppose magic feels different when it's successful."
Yi-Han apologized.
He had simply observed that the principal's mood was foul, but it seemed to have nothing to do with the magic after all.
"No, that's not it. It's originally a difficult magic, especially when the subject is a great mage."
"Thank you for understanding."
“Stop talking and start reading already. I am intentionally not defending myself.”
The skull principal, being an educator, did not resort to unreasonable justifications.
He didn't ask to read with various protective spells in place.
...Of course, considering his inherent magic defenses, it was already somewhat unreasonable.
"Arise, emotions. Arise, emotions. Arise, emotions!"
Following the instructions and casting the spell a few times, Yi-Han began to understand what kind of magic it was.
The originally white skeletal form of the principal began to be tinged with color.
The color of the emotions currently held in his soul was clear.
'Faint red and grey.'
Clearly, it was an emotion of feeling rather unpleasant.
Yi-Han continued casting the spell to read the emotions more accurately.
The skull principal, yawning, asked.
“By now, you should at least be able to see a glimpse of the emotions, right? Hasn't it appeared yet?”
"What kind of nonsense are you talking about?"
Ogonin said incredulously.
He had just started, and the subject was a great mage.
Honestly, there was a high likelihood that he wouldn't be able to read it even after several years.
He had planned to find a proper subject as an excuse when the principal got bored...
“It's because he can do it, that I say this.”
"That's absurd, no matter how you look at it."
"I’m still far from it."
"Look. Even the student says so. To see even a bit of the color in someone's soul is a difficult task..."
"...Wait. Is it enough to see the color?"
Yi-Han paused.
The yawning skull principal looked at Yi-Han with a 'what's with this guy' expression.
“Seeing the color means success, so what did you expect? Words floating above my forehead saying 'I am feeling this emotion'?”
"I thought the color had to be more vivid and easier to discern."
“Great mages are adept at controlling their emotions. Just because it's faint doesn't mean it's wrong. That's well done.”
"Thank you."
Ogonin, listening to the warm conversation between teacher and student, blinked in disbelief.
What kind of conversation am I listening to?
"No... No... No... No??"
“What's the matter?”
"If this isn't a joke played on me... then this is... uh..."
“Didn't I tell you he would learn well?”
The skull principal had clearly told Ogonin, 'He'll learn well, given his level.'
Of course, when Ogonin heard that, he never thought the student would be able to read emotions against the skull principal immediately after learning magic.
Was that even possible?
“With so much mana, exceptional talent, and quick wit, it's no wonder he excelled in such magic. Ogonin, it's time to let go of your preconceptions.”
"No, it was just good luck."
“Stop with that disgusting modesty.”
"Really... astonishing..."
As Ogonin kept muttering, the skull principal grumbled.
“So, it's not surprising anymore when you cast an illusion spell and fail right?”
"...Let's continue..."
Ogonin spoke, still unable to hide his amazement.
He had hoped for a genius to inherit the lineage of classic illusion magic...
But reality always seemed to be one step ahead of imagination.
To think it would be to this extent...!
However, the next spell, <Ogonin's Rising Anxiety>, remained unsuccessful until the end.
Ogonin was convinced that it wasn't due to Yi-Han's lack of skill, but because of the skull principal.
How could it possibly succeed when cast on the skull principal?
"It's definitely not because you're lacking."
"No, it's my inadequacy."
"Not at all. It's the opponent..."
"No, it's me..."
"No, it's not!!"
“Ah. Why are you getting angry now?”
