[ Episode 233. Devourer]
The wind from the north froze the world.
The cold wind of December made the people wandering around the academy wrapped up tightly.
Mixing barrier magic and fire magic, Professor Silbec returned to his office from the lecture hall and entered the room shaking off his clothes as usual.
“Professor, this is a senior year student thesis translation that arrived a little while ago.”
As soon as he arrived, his assistant, who was seated, said.
“Graduation thesis? Are there any students who have already submitted?”
“I heard that only part of the content to be announced was excerpted.”
Upon returning from the lecture, Professor Silvecque checked the papers placed on the desk by his assistant.
The wad of paper that was well sealed with magic was made of a high-quality material.
“Who sent you?”
“Adrias Cromwell and Diene Alven.”
“what?”
Surprised that these names were so unexpected and co-authors, Silvecque hurriedly looked at the cover.
As his assistant said, there were two names written there, and Adrias’ name was written as the first author.
“haha. This is so…….”
Adrias Cromwell.
A genius who suddenly started to stand out at some point.
This was a surprise for Silbec, who often gave him work.
‘I have to admit it. It’s already been two years since he started to change…’
He couldn’t admit it at first, but time put an end to his disbelief.
Now that he has become a fan of Adrias, he slowly releases the sealing magic with anticipation.
The joint thesis of two great prospects made my heart pound only with the value of the name, even though it was unknown what the subject was.
“Hmmmm. Still, it’s surprising that Adrias Cromwell is the first author. It’s not that he lacks magic, but he stood out with his sword…… Besides, being listed as the first author even though he worked with Diene Alven, not anyone else, is that the idea of Adrias as the subject of the thesis?”
At Silbec’s words, Edna, his assistant, shrugged.
“Isn’t that sometimes the case? I established the theory, but I can’t actually implement it, so I use co-authors as bait to find someone to implement it instead.”
“There are cases like that, but I don’t think the world’s Diene Alven would have listed it as a co-author for that reason.”
“That is also true. You will be praised as a genius and your pride will be high.”
Magic was a practical study.
No matter how brilliant a theory is, it is meaningless if it is not implemented.
Then, in the end, the person who implemented the theory is deprived of the ball.
Therefore, those who lacked magical skills but excelled in theory would often cry and eat mustard to find a wizard to be their co-author.
“Now then, let’s take a look.”
Silvec gleefully looked through the unsealed papers.
Silvec was staring at the thesis even after the silence flowed for a while and Edna, the teaching assistant, finished all her work and was about to take a break.
“professor?”
Edna got up from her seat and approached him.
Then, I was able to confirm Silbec’s astonished expression, which was hidden by the paper.
“Professor?”
“…….”
Silvec, who did not answer even when called, was motionless as if he had forgotten to even breathe.
In the end, Edna, unable to touch him, slowly returned to her seat and waited for Silbec to move.
“Huh, whoop.”
After a while, the sound of rapid breathing was heard.
“professor?!”
Surprised Edna stood up and looked at Silvec, who was wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“Miss Edna, this thesis didn’t only come to me, right?”
“Yes, it was probably all distributed to the professors of the Faculty of Magic and delivered to the dean. Since the author is Diene Alven, I think there is a high probability that he went to the Mage Lord as well.”
“This, no, this……”
Silvec, who couldn’t properly say the words, was restless with a flushed face.
“It’s part of it. I need the whole thing.”
“yes?”
“I need the original copy of this thesis! This is…!”
Silbec, who was talking nonsense, waved the wad of paper in his hand and handed it to Edna.
“You should read it too!”
A reaction to the point that even the most ignorant person could no longer know.
Edna was also a wizard.
Anticipation rose in her eyes as she received the thesis from Silvecque.
**
An unusual rumor began to spread inside the Faculty of Magic.
The students who heard the rumors were busy talking about the rumors when they got together.
“Hey, have you canceled the lecture too?”
“Hey you too? Hey me too!”
“Among the professors of the Faculty of Magic these days, there is not a professor whose lecture has not been canceled. It’s comfortable thanks to that, but do you think it’s that great?”
“I know. How great of a thesis is it that it reacts that way? Oh, I want to see you soon too.”
“I heard that the thesis topic will be disclosed once the grade is assigned. You can see the professional only after the examination is over.”
The first-year students, who had been chatting in groups of threes and threes in the hallway in front of the classroom due to a suddenly canceled lecture, found someone passing by.
“Hey Dahlia!”
“Yes?”
Dahlia, who came to a sudden stop at the sudden call, turned her head.
“Are you a member of the dimensional research club?”
“Uh uh uh …….”
The students gathered around Dahlia who answered with a smile.
They all asked Dahlia with bright eyes.
“Have you heard the rumors going around recently?”
“thesis?”
“Oh that. I heard that the author of the thesis was Diane senior? Did you hear anything from the club?”
Dahlia, taken aback by the crowd, was at a loss for what to do, and someone said,
“But what do you know about Dahlia? As far as I know, I heard that you recently stopped all club activities because you were writing a thesis.”
“that’s right! I hardly ever saw Diene sunbaenim.”
When Dahlia nodded her head and vigorously agreed, the children showed disappointed expressions as if steam had leaked.
“Then is there any other way?”
“I heard that there are a few teaching assistants who have seen it together. Is there anyone close to the teaching assistant?”
“I don’t have And I don’t even know who saw it among the teaching assistants.”
“But is it necessary to wonder that much? It’s not another promising magician, it’s only a thesis written by seniors…”
The atmosphere around them suddenly turned cold due to his last words.
The student who had cooled down in the already cold weather looked around.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?”
“uh.”
It was none other than Dahlia who answered.
Contrary to her usual introverted personality, she came out with a firm expression and faced her opponent directly.
“what?”
“What do you think of Rodlen Academy?”
The student, who chilled the atmosphere at her question, spoke casually.
“It is a place of learning.”
“Rodelen Academy is not just a place of learning. It is a place where talented people who are said to be the best on the continent gather. Ryan, have you seen the tournament this year?”
The student named Ryan nodded without answering.
“how was it? Didn’t you learn magic from your family too? Is the old mage subordinate to the family higher level than the seniors here?”
“It is not.”
Ryan, who hesitated a little, soon admitted.
Then Dahlia, who was even more excited, continued to push.
“Don’t call me just students. At least Rodlen Academy students are welcome talents no matter where they go on the continent.”
“No, think about it. As you said, the magic ability itself may be low for mages subordinate to the family. But aren’t those people able to get ahead of their senior class in terms of theory because of their years of experience?”
“This can be happen. But why do you think there is no reverse case?”
“The other way around?”
“okay. This is a place where only the most talented people gather. Why don’t you assume that you have talent beyond your age?”
Ryan, who had nothing to say at Dahlia’s words, closed his mouth as if pouting.
I know she may be right, but he’s too young to admit it.
“Oh come. Dahlia developed it.”
“Since the quiet kid starts talking, it’s really rapid fire. You lost this time, Ryan.”
As the friends around him teased him, Ryan finally raised his hands.
“Yes, yes. You are right. There must be a reason why professors make a fuss. There was a feeling that I was ignoring you too much.”
“The seniors who wrote this thesis are really great.”
Dahlia continued talking as if it wasn’t over yet.
“I saw it right in front of me.”
“……what? Why are you saying that now?”
“Oh no. Not that. That’s not what I meant by seeing it…….”
Dahlia’s voice, which had been extremely excited, became wrinkled again.
However, the students looked at Dahlia with twinkling eyes like a beast that found its prey.
“Oh my. Now I see, you know something, but you’ve been hiding it?”
“I really am not like that. It was a slip of the tongue!”
“Hehe. Be honest, Dahlia Madden.”
Watching the students playfully besieging her, Dahlia waved her hand.
“That was just the story of seeing the two of them fight!”
“Battle?”
“huh. I went to take the exam three months ago to join the dimensional research club, and at that time, Adrias senior came by chance…” “You have
n’t talked about that until now? You traitor!”
“Eh? Why is that a traitor!”
“Okay, tell me what kind of confrontation it was!”
By the time they were in full swing and laughing, a commotion broke out elsewhere.
They were unaware of the sudden topic of a confrontation between Adrias and Diene, but soon noticed the commotion after a while.
“what?”
“Why are you so noisy?”
Seeing the noisy crowd huddled at the window facing the outside, they clung to it together.
Then, in the distance, I saw dozens of robed wizards walking from the train station.
“What is it?”
“I know. I will ask you one more time.”
Ryan asked right next to the commotion.
“What are you so upset about?”
“Uh huh?! what is it ryan Didn’t you check the tablet?”
“tablet?”
Only then did Dahlia and the others check the tablet.
And they could see why this uproar had taken place.
“……is it true?”
“The wizards of Portrion came to our academy?!”
What awaited them was startling news.
**
Experience in the game provided all sorts of information, not just information about the future.
For example, the location of ruins and dungeons unknown to others, the hidden functions of named items, etc., were information that could be used someday.
And among them, what I used this time was information about magic.
Of course, as I raised all kinds of characters, I knew in advance the magic they would create or learn in the future.
In addition, there were many cases in which knowledge was acquired even though it was not learned.
‘This thesis is one of that knowledge.’
One of those magics that I haven’t actually mastered.
There was already an efficient skill tree for each character, so there was no need to bother.
thump thump!
I stopped thinking and opened the door due to someone knocking on the door of the lab.
“Who……”
“Senior!”
It was none other than Lucia who came in screaming loudly.
It wasn’t the usual sleepy eyes, but rather wide eyes, but I wondered what was going on.
“what’s the matter?”
“Why aren’t you calling the tablet!”
I saw a tablet tucked away in a corner of the lab.
Then he shrugged.
“You know that. I’m busy these days, so I’m out of my mind.”
“Anyway, don’t talk and come out quickly. Diane’s sister has already arrived.”
“Dene? Are you there?”
I couldn’t even hear a proper explanation and was led by Lucia’s hand.
He already knew that I was writing my graduation thesis, so I thought it was more urgent than the thesis.
‘Anyway, it’s going to take longer than expected, but it’s a big deal.’
Even as he was being dragged by Lucia, he was only worried about his thesis.
It was because he was aware of how insignificant the knowledge he had learned from the game was.
Of course, I guessed a bit.
That’s why I invited Diene, who is a genius and a senior in the same class as me.
It was a method I chose because I knew that games were just games and that they were different from reality.
For example, even if a character uses a fireball in the game, I didn’t know how the fireball actually works until I came here.
I guess it’s just because the game character uses the skill. Who can think of how it works?
The same was true of this thesis.
I’m sure I’ve seen the explanation with the game script and I know roughly what it is, but figuring out the actual components and how it works was a completely different matter.
“I don’t know what the situation is, so I’ll explain it roughly.”
While I was in trouble, Lucia held my hand and walked in front of me.
“Now, the Potion wizards have come to the academy.”
“Portion? In-depth?”
“Then who are the wizards of Fortion we are talking about here?”
Generally speaking, the wizards of Fortion meant the wizards living in the central deep area.
Wizards who live on the outskirts or just own houses aren’t called that.
“I must have come for the thesis.”
“that’s right. You know that.”
In fact, this thesis received a little help from Lucia.
It was because I was too greedy and set an absurd subject.
Thanks to this, she also knew what this thesis meant and what value it had.
“I would have come at least as a wizard from Fortion. To be honest, I still can’t believe it.”
“This is just a change of idea…….”
“That bastard’s change of idea! The world is wide and there are many crazy people! But why couldn’t anyone come up with that brilliant thesis of a senior?”
“You’re talking quite plain……”
“It’s okay, let’s go quickly. As I said, Diene has already arrived and is waiting for you.”
As expected, I feel it every time, but I will not be able to deal with those who I thought were on my side.
Maybe the reason I’m stuck with Lucia or Vivian is because I’ve never experienced anything like this?
rather not bad
“Arrived. I’ll go then.”
“You come too. You helped too.”
“Maybe?”
Lucia, who spoke coldly, was cute.
Anyway, the smell of mana is already wafting from inside the principal’s office.
“I must be a little nervous.”
All Warlock class wizards.
But in reality, few of them had an impact on the world.
The wizards of the depths who reside in Fortion, the city of wizards, cut off from the world and die while researching and exploring until they die.
That’s why there was little to change the world or get involved in trouble.
‘But that’s why it’s scary.’
Once out of the world, anything happens.
Also known as the Devourer.
Those who indulge in knowledge.
A meeting with them was on the horizon.
[ Episode 233. Devourer ] End
