First-year Magic Department students had gathered in the Grand Auditorium of the Magic Hall.
Seated on temporary chairs arranged in the auditorium, the students nervously read through their notes.
"Ugh! I’m so nervous! My stomach hurts!"
Karl popped a few of his homemade stomach medicine pills into his mouth.
Seeing that, the surrounding students rushed over and started buying the medicine from him.
"Even in this situation, you know how to make a profit?"
"I can already guess my exam score, so I might as well try my best at this. Anyway, Leo, I guess you’re not nervous at all since you're a top student?"
"That’s not true."
"Then how can you look so calm?"
Grumbling enviously, Karl glanced at Chloe, who was seated in the front row.
During the exam period, Chloe had been a complete mess, like a shut-in, but today she looked incredibly put together.
It wasn’t just Chloe.
All the Magic Department students were dressed their best.
The presentation of their original magic today wasn’t just an exam—it was a chance to showcase their achievements as mages.
Choosing the path of a mage meant that participating in magic theory symposiums was inevitable.
Thus, this served as practice for future presentations.
Just then, the doors to the auditorium opened, and three mages entered.
All of them were impeccably dressed, their expressions strict as they walked up to the podium.
"It’s been a while, Associate Professor Ren. Oh, I suppose it’s Professor now?"
"Heh. It’s been a while. Yes, I’m a professor now."
Professor Ren greeted them warmly before stepping up to the podium.
"Alright, everyone, attention."
Professor Ren commanded the students' focus as he stood on the podium.
"Let me introduce them. From left to right: Lilda Pedney, Aideman Slack, and Shin Huzda. All three of them graduated from Lumerne’s Magic Department three years ago and are your seniors. Today, however, they are not here as seniors but as judges who will evaluate you."
The students' eyes lit up at that.
Professor Ren was highly popular among the Magic Department students.
His handsome appearance and good personality played a part, but more than that, he was an exceptional teacher.
However, he was also known for setting an extremely high standard.
As a judge, he would have been a daunting presence.
Knowing that he wouldn’t be judging them directly but rather their graduated seniors put the students at ease.
Karl, too, grinned and said, "Oh~! Lucky!"
"I don’t think it’s something to be happy about," Leo remarked.
"Huh? Why?"
"Because Professor Ren specifically brought in external judges. Do you really think they’ll be easy on us?"
"......"
Karl’s face immediately turned uneasy.
Meanwhile, the three judges took their seats at the judging panel in front of the podium.
They took out paper and pens, their expressions signaling that they were ready, and Professor Ren picked up the list of names.
"Iliana Laden."
Scrape—!
At that, Iliana walked up to the podium.
"Hello, seniors. I’m Iliana Laden from Class 5! It’s an honor to meet you."
"It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Iliana. I’m looking forward to hearing our adorable junior’s presentation."
Lilda Pedney adjusted her glasses and smiled warmly.
Iliana shyly fidgeted and gave her cutest smile, as if to say, ‘You wouldn’t say anything mean to such an adorable junior, would you?’
"Leo, watching that brat act like this makes me sick," Karl muttered.
"Endure it," Leo replied.
"Then, I’ll begin."
"My main affinity is light."
"Oh, that’s a rare magic attribute."
Noting the interest in her seniors’ eyes, Iliana inwardly cheered.
'Good atmosphere!'
"……By adding fire-element spell formulas to the structure of light-element magic, you can generate a powerful 'heat beam' magic!"
Iliana proudly gestured toward the chalkboard, where she had written out her magic formula.
Raising her eyebrows slightly to emphasize her confidence, she then clasped her hands behind her back and smiled shyly.
"That concludes my presentation."
Applause erupted from the students.
Sitting on the far left, Lilda adjusted her glasses before speaking.
"It’s true that many light-element mages choose powerful ‘laser’ magic as their unique spell. In the past, unique magic was, as the name suggests, purely original… but in today’s world, where inheritance of power is considered natural due to the Hero’s World, unique magic itself doesn’t necessarily need to be special. However, there must still be originality in how it is developed."
Her eyes suddenly turned cold as she stared at Iliana.
"How does yours differ from existing laser-based magic?"
"Uh… well… that’s… related to my family’s secret spell formula…"
"A secret spell formula, huh? How convenient."
Clicking her tongue, Lilda methodically pointed out the flaws in Iliana’s spell structure.
The shift in atmosphere made Iliana break into a nervous sweat as she struggled to answer.
"One last question. Iliana, what rank are you aiming for with this magic?"
"Uh… I… haven’t decided yet…"
Fidgeting, Iliana avoided Lilda’s gaze.
"Having big dreams is good, but you should present something you fully understand. Do you think we came here for a junior’s talent show?! C-! Next!"
"Eek!"
Lilda suddenly shouted with wide eyes, and Iliana, frightened, scurried off the podium.
The students’ faces stiffened.
From their perspective, Iliana’s presentation had been quite good.
Yet, she was given a mere C-?
Watching this, Professor Ren crossed his arms.
'They’re doing well. It’s about time these students faced a wall.'
Among the graduates he had been close with, Ren had specifically invited those with the most rigorous standards for magic theory.
The reason was simple.
At first, first-year students struggled with Lumerne’s academic difficulty.
But by midterms, they started adapting.
In a short time, they had grown far beyond where they were at admission.
The entire first-year class was beginning to get cocky.
Ren, through experience, knew that if he didn’t check their arrogance now, their studies would suffer.
'Some professors don’t care, letting the capable ones rise while ignoring the ones who struggle… but I’m not like that.'
Providing new challenges to push students to improve was part of an educator’s role.
'Honestly, expecting first-years to complete a unique magic spell is unrealistic.'
The assignment was given merely to emphasize the importance of unique magic.
No matter how talented Lumerne’s students were, unique magic was something that typically took a mage a lifetime to perfect.
'Well, except for the rare geniuses who actually pull it off.'
Ren glanced at a few students.
Meanwhile, the presentations continued.
"I was expecting something special from this year’s first-years, but their level is disappointing."
"In terms of originality, they’re actually worse than previous years. Then again, the higher-ups only praised their ‘combat skills.’"
Lilda and Shin Huzda spoke loudly, making sure the students could hear.
They, too, knew their role here.
Of course, they found their juniors adorable.
They wanted to praise them, but they were willing to play the villain for their juniors’ sake.
They had once been cocky first-years themselves and had paid the price.
As the first-years were being thoroughly humbled by their seniors, Ren called the next name.
"Avad Lewallin."
At those words, the graduates’ expressions changed.
The strongest nation of the Western Continent.
The heir of the Lewallin Family, the pinnacle of magic in the Rodren Empire, had been called. It was only natural for expectations to rise.
"The name of my unique magic is Tempester."
Avad, standing on the podium, gave a brief greeting before beginning his presentation.
As he spoke, everyone gasped in awe.
Avad’s magic was, quite literally, a natural disaster—an ability that maximized the power of wind.
"When completed, its projected rank is at the highest level."
The students murmured in amazement.
'It’s truly the ultimate magic that represents him.'
"Ugh! I hate how cool he is! That makes it even worse! But still… he’s amazing!"
"Pick one."
Karl crossed his arms, while Leo burst into laughter.
As Avad smiled radiantly, the female students swooned.
Chelsea's eyes sparkled as if saying, ‘My dear brother is the best!’
'Leo’s magic formula is incredible, but my brother is just as amazing! Ugh~ Who should I support?'
"Impressive. As expected of the heir of the Lewallin Family."
"A unique magic spell should reflect a mage’s personal philosophy, ideals, and goals. This one fits that definition perfectly."
The graduates showered Avad with praise.
"Every class has at least one monster like this. Avad Lewallin, you get an A+."
As Avad stepped down to thunderous applause, Karl muttered,
"Ugh~ I feel bad for whoever has to go next!"
"Next presenter, Karl Thomas."
"Gah!"
Karl, who had been snickering, turned pale.
Some students gave him sympathetic looks.
Like livestock being led to slaughter, Karl walked up to the podium—only to return in shambles, as expected.
With a hollow expression, he received comforting pats from the students around him.
Meanwhile, Chelsea gave her presentation.
While Avad had demonstrated an ultimate destructive magic, Chelsea had chosen a field-type spell that allowed her to influence the surrounding area using wind.
"Impressive."
"Even if she is a Lewallin, it’s hard to believe she’s only fourteen. A!"
"Thank you."
Smiling brightly, Chelsea bowed before stepping down.
With her presentation over, only two students remained.
"Next presenter, Leo Plov."
Scrape—
At those words, Leo stood up.
Every student's gaze turned toward him.
Before stepping onto the podium, Leo’s eyes met Chloe’s.
He waved at her with a smile, but Chloe only stared at him blankly.
Feeling slightly awkward, Leo took his place at the center of the podium.
"The unique magic I’ve developed is a non-elemental magic formula system."
"A non-elemental magic formula system? What is that?"
Lilda adjusted her glasses and asked.
It was an unfamiliar concept.
"It’s simple. All existing magic formulas include an elemental activation process, right?"
"Of course. It’s the minimum requirement for casting any magic,"
Shin Huzda replied, as if stating the obvious.
Leo chuckled at his reaction.
"My unique magic is a system that allows compatibility with all elemental activation formulas."
"What?"
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
The three judges looked at him in shock, while the students gaped in disbelief.
Professor Ren widened his eyes at Leo.
"Leo Plov. Are you saying… you’re creating an entirely new magic formula system?"
Aideman asked for clarification, and Leo simply shrugged.
"Yes."
End Of Chapter
