Chapter 3 - Adele Heights (3)
"Although it is not normally permitted, seeing a student desperate to avoid failing makes me want to help, even if it means facing difficulties."
It was a lie.
The professor’s eyes, peeking through his round glasses perched on his nose, curved into crescent moons, anticipating my embarrassment. The corners of his mouth raised to his ears. The facial muscles revealing his emotions were the evidence.
"Alright, let's begin the translation test. Considering this is a retake, I will give you only 30 minutes."
Just as he had floated the test scores in the air earlier, the professor took out another piece of paper and conjured a strange-shaped magic circle in mid-air.
The geometric pattern, with lines spreading like branches within a sphere, endlessly repeated.
...and then it started to slowly morph and change shape.
It was a high-level, adaptive magic circle designed to address the problem of being unable to quickly respond to changes if the magic circle is pre-drawn and fixed.
“What is that?”
“How are we supposed to translate it if it keeps changing?”
The students around me murmured. Though I knew about it from playing the original game, it seemed they hadn’t learned about it yet. Seeing this test, it was clear the professor really wanted to make Adele struggle.
I stood up from my chair and stepped onto the platform where the magic circle was.
That is what the students said, an "undetermined" magic circle. To put it metaphorically, it’s like playing rock-paper-scissors where you can change your move after seeing your opponent's. In other words, just sitting and watching this magic circle won’t reveal which magic it’s for.
But the fact that it responds to changes means it can also be intentionally manipulated to determine the magic.
“Take your time and observe. There’s still plenty of time.”
The professor bared his white teeth and smiled smugly, confident that I wouldn’t figure out the magic circle’s secret.
I stood before the rotating, blue-glowing magic circle. Through the translucent circle, I could see the students focused on me.
Kyle, who always claimed he didn’t understand magic and had already given up on interpreting it. Lucy, glaring daggers at me since this morning’s incident. And even Anastasia, sitting in the front row, trying to decipher the adaptive magic circle with her notebook open.
The protagonists I must surpass all seemed sure that I wouldn’t be able to decode this magic circle.
‘These mountains are high.’
Adele’s abilities are indeed excellent. But as a wall that the protagonist must overcome, they are not perfect. This flaw is revealed in tasks like interpreting magic circles.
‘But they are not insurmountable.’
I raised my fist as if declaring war on them to avoid being whipped.
“Professor, I will give the answer. This magic circle is designed for...”
And I struck the magic circle strongly as if hammering it.
The adaptive magic circle responds to changes. In the dark, it would activate light magic; in the cold, it would activate warming magic. There is one type of magic always included in its design—universal and essential anywhere.
“A defense spell.”
Bang!
My fist did not pass through the air. The magic circle, initially just lines of blue magic, transformed into a shield made of transparent hexagons as designed.
“What, what...!”
The professor’s face, which had held a smug smile, filled with astonishment. But he quickly pretended not to be flustered, as if believing I had just guessed correctly by luck, and demanded further explanation.
“You gave the correct answer, but your explanation is lacking. Without an explanation, we can’t tell if you guessed correctly or understood it. Please explain to me and the students.”
“Understood.”
I stood on the platform as if substituting for the professor, who had no qualifications to be here due to his personal grudge, and faced the students.
Some seemed to think I had guessed correctly like the professor, while others looked at me with hope that I could provide the explanation.
“...”
Anastasia, who was sitting in the front row, fell into the latter category. She was staring intently at me, pen poised over a blank page next to one filled with hasty scribbles, seemingly stuck on deciphering the magic circle. Her gaze held a mix of interest and curiosity towards me, who had interpreted the magic circle she couldn’t.
"As you saw earlier, the magic circle was a fractal, a geometric structure where parts resemble the whole."
It was my voice, but it was shockingly arrogant and annoying. It sounded like I was mocking them, like they should be grateful for the knowledge I was imparting, as if to say, “How could you not know this?”
"Fractals are fundamental structures of nature that can be easily found around us."
I glanced at the professor, who was now nervously biting his nails, realizing I would give a perfect explanation. He couldn’t back out now. He had promised a fair evaluation in front of all these students.
He couldn’t unjustly criticize me without giving a reason that would convince all the students present. He had fallen into the trap I set.
"Because of this, fractals are stable for using the mana dispersed in nature. This stability allows for parts of the magic circle to be altered without the spell running amok."
I was just reciting the setting from the academy’s strongest swordsman’s guide, so I wasn’t sure if my explanation was easy to understand. However, it seemed convincing enough as many students shifted their attitudes and started paying attention.
"For these reasons, I realized that this magic circle was an adaptive magic circle capable of changing the spell according to the situation, and I created a scenario where a defense spell was the only possible outcome."
I cockily nodded at the professor, as if to ask how my explanation was. He probably wanted to find some fault, but the guide I memorized perfectly had no mistakes, so he had no choice but to acknowledge me.
"It was an impeccable explanation..."
He said as he corrected my score, which had been only 3 points.
"However, since this is a special opportunity given to avoid failing, I cannot give you the same score as the other students."
Although it was a perfect answer, asking for full marks from a special chance given to avoid failing was too much. There would definitely be backlash from the students, and I would just be making more enemies. I had to be content with turning Adele’s previously irredeemable score into something salvageable.
"I understand."
I bowed to the nameless professor and returned to my seat. Thanks to the quick end to the evaluation, there was still plenty of lecture time left, and the professor started the day’s lesson.
"....."
As I listened to the lecture, comparing it to the information I knew to see if there were any discrepancies, I felt a certain gaze from beside me. I avoided turning my head, fearing our eyes would meet, and kept my focus on the professor until the lecture ended.
* * *
"That's all for today's lecture. As announced, we will have a sparring session in the next class, so make sure to take care of yourselves."
The long lecture finally ended. It usually felt short, but today it seemed endless, likely because I couldn’t concentrate. As a result, I couldn’t take proper notes.
"....."
Anastasia, the current top student of Class A, couldn’t focus because of what she saw and heard before the lecture began.
She had skimmed through the curriculum, so she knew about the adaptive magic circle. She had even studied it in the library for her prep work. However, the adaptive magic circle she saw today was difficult to interpret, no matter how hard she tried.
Of course, that was natural.
The adaptive magic circle Anastasia saw in the library was a simple, practical version designed to aid student comprehension. In contrast, the one the professor gave to Adele today was unnecessarily complex, designed to pose a challenge.
Anastasia knew she wasn’t lacking. So, what about Adele, who had solved this problem right before her eyes?
"Was he really skilled?"
She hadn’t paid much attention to him, only knowing he had a delinquent reputation. Given his lowest score of 3 points today, he didn’t seem particularly good at interpretation. So, was his solution just an act, staged with the professor?
The professor’s surprised reaction didn’t seem like acting.
"I don’t get it."
Anastasia was confident in her skills in spell interpretation and magic, but understanding people was difficult. She watched Adele prepare to leave the lecture hall, her pen still at her mouth.
Adele had solved what she couldn’t. Despite feeling pride in her field, she was intrigued by him, even if it hurt her ego.
So, uncharacteristically, Anastasia decided to speak to him first. She wanted to ask if he knew of any books related to today’s explanation.
"Excuse me."
Adele turned his head to check if she was calling him. Their eyes met—his devoid of emotion, like looking at a machine. Then, he quickly looked away, stood up, and hurried out of the lecture hall. He completely ignored her.
"Wait..."
Anastasia blinked, stunned, as she reached out awkwardly towards Adele’s departing figure.
"What the..."
The empty eyes, which seemed devoid of emotion, now wavered with a sense of humiliation.
