Chapter 116: Seven Wonders of the Academy (part six)

The next day, I was overcome with much sleepiness.

Though Tirnanog tried to wake me up many times, it seems that I didn’t wake up at all no matter how he much he shook me.

 

『Erica, are you okay?』

“I think I will be fine, you should go to Beatrice, Tir.”

『Umu, I understand. Erica, do not overdo it.』

 

I sent Tirnanog, who was worrying about my physical condition, to guard Beatrice.

Next, after giving a message using a golem to Tricia, who was waiting for me at the dorm’s dining hall, that she doesn’t have to wait for me, I quickly prepared myself.

Then I only had a light drink for breakfast and rushed to the classroom in the school building.

 

Today’s first class is the Summoning Magic class of that Brad.

I’m afraid to imagine what he would do if I’m late.

When I arrived at the classroom, I could see that Brad was talking to the staff of the Phantom Beast Museum in front of the classroom.

 

“Your Barrier is still there. The initial arrangement was to remove it before the opening time, right?”

Oh, the Summoning Magic hasn’t started yet?

I may be lucky.

But I wonder how can I pass by in front of these two people and enter the classroom.

Without thinking, I hid myself in the shadows and listened to their conversation.

 

“There should be other conditions such as ‘if safety can be confirmed’. And I haven’t yet determined that it is safe.”

“The principal and the other teachers have all lifted their Barriers. The only one who hasn’t done so yet is you, Clochydd-sensei.”

“It’s because they are too lenient in their judgment. If that is all, then I will excuse myself.”

“Please wait. At the very least, can you narrow it down to a range that is acceptable for business?”

 

Lièvre stood in a way so as to block Brad who was trying to enter the classroom.

 

“……Understood. Then, I will explain it to Director Cuniculus directly so that he may understand my intention.”

“The director also agreed to the removal—please wait, Clochydd-sensei!”

 

Lièvre ran after Brad who was walking away quickly.

It appears they were talking about last night’s problem.

From their conversation, it seems like only the vicious Brad has been maintaining his Barrier around the Phantom Beast Museum.

 

I slipped into the classroom hiding my face while bowing the moment I passed by the two of them.

Hooray! I successfully avoided being late!

 

As I entered the classroom, Auguste had secured a seat for me and was waiting.

When our eyes met, he gave me a smile. It is a beautiful smile without the influence of any lack of sleep.

I was captivated for a few moments, but decided to sit next to him.

 

“Good morning, Auguste-sama.”

“Good morning, Erica. Brad is late somehow, so it looks like we’re lucky today.”

“Yes, it is fortunate that Clochydd-sensei seems to have a matter to attend to. I eavesdropped on him just now—”

 

I also conveyed the conversation I overheard just now to Auguste in a low voice.

 

“Heeh, so the Barrier that was deployed by that person still remains, huh……”

“If I have to say, I feel like what he did is correct. It only happened yesterday, you know?”

 

In a thievery case, evidence may remain on the scene.

Supposing that there is an insider, the perpetrator who wants to destroy the evidence can easily enter.

It will be safer to keep the site closed for a while.

Well, the staffs will be troubled though.

 

We should avoid exploring the museum tonight.

Even if Brad quickly removes the Barrier right now, it feels like it will be back again after the closing time has passed.

 

After a while, Brad returned to the classroom.

When he stood on the platform, the noisy classroom calmed down.

 

“In today’s class, we will learn how summoning magic relates to the magical layer and physical layer.”

 

Without mentioning any particular reason why he was late, Brad’s class began as usual.

He cast ‘Sticks to Snake’ magic which is the basis of the foundation and summoned a familiar gray snake on the platform.

 

“In the case of mutation magic using spirits, the magic structure that executes the spell effect exists in the magical layer. In this state, the stick existing in the physical layer was overwritten with the snake artificial spirit developed in the magical layer. Describe how to turn this snake back into a stick. Erica Aurelia.”

 

How does one restore the effect of the artificial spirit?

Recalling the Hanging Ghost from last night, I answered.

 

“Yes, we can remove the artificial spirit by Dispel.”

“That is correct. If there is no artificial spirit in the magical layer, the stick in the physical layer will return to its original form. Conversely, do you know how to approach and remove artificial spirits from the physical layer?”

 

It’s a difficult question, but this is the content of the textbook that I had read for my lesson preparation.

It should be possible to remove the catalyst by destroying it.

 

“If one destroys the stick which is its medium in the physical layer, the artificial spirit who has lost the object that linked it will disappear.”

“Very good. You’re indeed an excellent student.”

 

Brad said without changing his expression.

I definitely can’t accept his words obediently.

So that I won’t get conceited, after this I should do some self-study, it will surely be safer that way.

 

“In addition, pure artificial spirits that do not depend on the physical layer will also tolerate physical destruction. Thus, summoning with mutation magic has a number of weaknesses. On the contrary, it is possible to execute even with less magic and low control. This is true not only for summoning magic, but also for other low-level magic.”

 

Brad made a small magical flame float on top of his right palm.

Next, he created the magic circle for Dispel on his left palm and put it over his right hand.

When he opened his hands, the flame was gone.

 

“For the most part, magic is materializing the structure developed in the magical layer into the physical layer. Again, its convenience is as high as its cost; it is vulnerable to both Dispel and interference from the physical layer. Then, how does one make a flame that cannot be dispelled? This is slightly deviating from the summoning magic, but……Erica Aurelia, if it is you, surely you would know about it, no?”

 

Hmm, what kind of magic cannot be dispelled?

I remembered the 〈Cursed Sword of Fire〉 from six years ago.

It was a fire that would materialize, even if one uses Dispel on it.

 

“How about, make the Dispel ineffective by interfering with the causality or the space?”

“Hm, that’s an interesting answer. You are about the only freshmen who would reply with such an answer. Erica Aurelia.”

 

Brad looked around the classroom with an expression that doesn’t seem like he thinks it’s interesting.

 

“Interfering with the causality or the space. That’s another way to do it. But, it takes time to build, and one will need an unimaginable amount of magical power. I think that some of you will become researchers in such fields in the future, but it is a bit burdensome for your current self to understand. Erica Aurelia, do you also know how to cancel the Dispel in a more general way?”

Certainly, it was said that the 〈Cursed Sword of Fire〉 was moving with the magical power which the magical buildings with artificial spirits absorbed directly from the ley lines, plus that was not an ordinary magic.

From the tendency of Brad’s class so far, I don’t think he will continue to talk for so long about something that is not related to the class.

That means, in the end the discussion would return back to the lesson.

I looked for the answers I recalled from flipping over my textbook.

 

“If one creates fuels and live coals in the physical layer, it will be a flame that cannot be dispelled. In exchange, it may be dealt with by disintegrating the fuel or extinguishing the live coals before it can ignite……”

“Good, that is correct.”

 

Having cleared the next issue, Brad continued to explain smoothly.

 

“Both these two methods have strengths and weaknesses. Ease of control through the magical layer will increase vulnerability to Dispel. If one sends in things that cause direct effects on the physical layer, it becomes difficult to control at the cost of being invulnerable to Dispel. It is important to choose the appropriate method depending on the time and situation.”

 

Having said so, Brad urged me to sit down, he then used Dispel on the gray snake and turned it back into a stick.

 

“Now, let’s get back to the discussion about the summoning magic this time. If you want to resist Dispel like this second method, what summoning magic should you perform, Beatrice Glaw?”

“Oh, uh……y-yes! I think it would be better to summon an actual magical beast by using transfer magic……”

“Good. Summons with elementary level transfer magic include Summon Small Animal, among other things.”

 

Beatrice, who got called suddenly, stood up.

When Brad heard Beatrice’s answer, he started to cast another spell.

A white mouse appeared on top of Brad’s palm after a much more lengthy chant and complicated magic circle construction than Sticks to Snakes.

 

“So, what if you want to stop the summoning with transfer magic. Chloe Cloacina.”

“Destroy the spell with Dispel before the transfer is complete.”

“Correct. Therefore, the performer should be on guard until the transfer magic is completed.”

 

Both Beatrice and Chloe had one question each.

I wonder if the questions that were thrown at me in succession were my punishment for being late to class.

Huh? Did I get discovered even though I hid my face?

 

Then, Brad’s Summoning Magic class went as usual.

The pace was still as harsh as ever, but no matter how sleepy I was, I didn’t neglect my lesson preparation for this, so I could manage it somehow.

 

“—That is all for today. Are there any questions?”

 

At the end of the class, Brad invited questions from the students.

When some of the eagerly motivated students asked their questions, Brad turned to answer them.

 

I suddenly remembered the Hanging Ghost in the library and raised my hand.

 

“Well, next is Erica Aurelia.”

“In the case of an artificial spirit that has no catalyst in the physical layer, and its body is completely in the magical layer but interferes with the physical layer and writes its own copy, what is the standard practice to remove it?”

“Block the source of its magical power supply, or isolate it using a Barrier and then release another spirit within the area of influence that will overwrite that artificial spirit. That is a rather intriguing thought experiment, but an artificial spirit with such a troublesome specification is rarely created.”

 

Both are sensible ways, but both interrupting the magical power supply and overwriting the artificial spirit seem quite difficult to do.

At that moment, the bell signalling the end of the class rang and Brad left.

 

“Erica, thank you for your hard work today. The last question is about the thing from last night, right?”

“Yes, but it seems the countermeasures are difficult.”

“Indeed.”

 

When I shrugged my shoulders helplessly, Auguste agreed.

 

“It is dreadful if one is barraged with questions, but Summoning Magic class is interesting because it has a lot of useful information.”

“It’s not bad, but I’d rather go into the practical part soon.”

“Dragon summoning using the scroll is a basic skill of the dragon knights, huh.”

“I want to be able to summon Briar and Blumbell at the same time.”

 

I imagined Auguste summoning his dragons.

Aah, it may be cool. It feels amazingly flashy and fantasy-ish.

 

“That’d be great, I also want to see the majestic figures of Briar and Blumbell quickly.”

“Don’t you mean my majestic figure~?”

“Ah, yes. I’m looking forward to your majestic figure, Auguste-sama.”

 

After talking about that, Auguste and I went to our separate ways and I headed to my next class.

 

☆

When all my classes for the day were over, to begin with, I decided to go to Harold to get ready.

 

“Welcome. The charging is finished, I put it over there. It’s in the box labeled with today’s date.”

“Sorry for always troubling you, Harold.”

 

One of the Crystal Cluster wands used in the duel trial has been charged, so I took it.

The coating of the Eyes of Overworld lens seems to have just finished.

It is a useful demonic eye, but the downside is that it takes time to re-coat it and build the spells.

 

“Speaking of which, haven’t the spells of the boots also decreased?”

“I only used it a little though.”

“Since it takes a long time to replace the shank, why not recharge it before something happens?”

“Yes, thank you.”

 

When Harold squatted in front of me, he took off the boots that were out of spells and started replacing them with new boots.

While replacing the boots, I felt strange when I saw Harold in front of me.

The abundant red ponytail and the tough rugged body build are very different from his childish self six years ago.

Although the north-westerners have good physique, he seems to have grown quite rapidly.

 

“Hm? Is there something on my head?”

“No, I just thought that you have become much bigger than you used to be.”

“Well, it’s because six years have passed.”

“Even though you were a child with weak constitution, you have become sturdy.”

“No, I haven’t become sturdy to that extent. Please give me a break and don’t bring me along to a fight, okay?”

 

When Harold drew his body back with a jump, I smiled involuntarily.

That was not my intention, however.

Even though his body got bigger, I feel relieved that the contents didn’t change that much.

 

“Well then, I will leave it to you.”

“Ou, leave it to me!”

 

After having my equipment checked and replaced by Harold, I returned to the dorm at once.

---

If you have some trouble with the lesson:

As a refresher, there are two types of summoning magic, the summoning using spirit mutation and the summoning using transfer magic.

When you use the spirit mutation magic, you develop an artificial spirit (in the shape of what you’re trying to summon) in the magical layer and materialize it into the physical layer. This method is easier to control and consume less magical power, but it is vulnerable to Dispel and interference in the physical layer (e.g. by attacking the catalyst).

When you use the summoning using transfer magic, you transfer an actual being from their previous location to your location. This method is harder to control but it is invulnerable to Dispel (of course, because the being you summoned is not just a magic structure developed in the magical layer).