#13. Why Don’t You Know This…?

Someone once said:

The more you expect, the greater the disappointment.

So, I wasn’t exactly expecting much…

“Sorry, I can’t teach you if you’re dense.”

Why is the disappointment so great then?

“…What? What did you just say?”

“Ah, was that a little harsh?”

Before I knew it, I’d blurted out rude words.

But it really *is* easy.

Why can’t she do this?

“I’ll explain it again.”

“Right then.”

I could see Charlotte struggling to compose herself.

Still, she seemed willing to learn, so I rephrased my explanation, making it simpler than before.

“Before crafting a circuit, you first need to understand the flow of mana. The rules governing mana are still a difficult problem, but there are certain movements that occur in specific situations. These are called mana values… Think of circuits as creating those ‘specific situations’.”

“I understand that much.”

“Good. Now, I’ll teach you how to find mana values.”

There are prime numbers. A prime number is a number divisible only by 1 and itself. Mana values are similar to randomly generated prime numbers. The related difficult problem is the ‘Perchio Hypothesis’ that we solved a while back.

Of course, what I’m teaching now isn’t anything like that difficult problem. Compared to that, it’s a much easier calculation.

“If you apply a stimulus to mana in its normal state, its properties change slightly. If you input this into the equation I created, you’ll get the mana value.”

“……”

“From here on, it’s just calculation.”

“So, if I understand this equation, I can get the mana value?”

“Exactly, and if you get that mana value, you can use a circuit to control the mana. Easy, right?”

Charlotte wore a blank expression for a moment.

“Senior? This is too fast-paced.”

“Huh?”

She looked frustrated, when I was the one who was actually frustrated.

“You still don’t understand?”

This was written in my assignment text.

When I asked her once, Professor Rachel said that even she thought that part was relatively easy.

Of course, comparing myself to a professor is a bit strange, but this was a really easy concept even to my eyes.

Or is it not? Is it difficult?

……It feels rather complicated, now that I think about it.

“Easy or not, this already goes beyond the advanced course. What part of this is basic?”

“Is it that much.”

“Ah, that’s why geniuses are……”

“I’m not that smart.”

“Holy, sh……”

For some reason, Charlotte was getting angry. Why was she so ticked off?

Ultimately, Charlotte couldn’t hold back and stormed out of the lab.

“……What?”

There was still so much left to do.

I haven’t even started on circuit design methods.

“Weak will.”

The lesson ended as soon as it started.

*

Another day passed, and ‘that day’ arrived. The day I wished would never come.

What kind of day is that day?

It’s the first day I have to attend classes in all departments, by order of the Emperor.

“Look at this wretched timetable…”

First class is Magic, second is Magical Engineering, and third, Alchemy.

Except for one free day out of five, every day is structured like this. The arrangement of different major classes looks quite bizarre, doesn’t it?

The bleak future has finally arrived. Having decided to go through with it, there’s no turning back.

I clenched both fists tightly.

Renewing my resolve, I pulled out a box.

After Charlotte ran away, I returned straight to the dorm, and this box was sitting in front of the door.

Turns out, it was new textbooks provided by the Academy.

In a way, it was a relief. I was worried I’d have to buy them myself.

Among the supplies was a letter of encouragement from the Headmaster, but I haven’t read it yet.

I gathered the textbooks needed for today’s classes and left the dorm.

Now, if I turn on ‘ChatGPT Navigation’ to avoid getting lost, I’ll be ready to go.

“The weather’s really nice.”

The sun’s shining brightly, but the wind is also pleasantly blowing, making it perfect for a picnic. Usually, that’ll make me feel good from the morning.

“Wow, how fun.”

I told myself, chanting it like a mantra, as I walked.

The way to school was a bit different than usual. Since the lecture halls I need to get to changed, it’s only natural that the walking path also changes.

“I hope nothing weird happens here.”

A strange feeling washed over me. Until yesterday, I was wishing it was all a dream, but now I’m hoping for something else…

Am I asking for too much?

“No, it’s pretty modest.”

It’s not weird to hope that someone doesn’t get hit by a car.

I think my wishes are a similar kind. Pretty modest for a lifelong wish.

But why is this phenomenon occurring?

I thought about it.

This is a kind of unwarranted persecution, in a way.

Yeah, it can’t be anything else.

“Not my fault, then.”

Rationalizing it like that, I felt a little refreshed.

“Ah, arrived.”

This is the lecture hall I really didn’t want to come to.

I took a deep breath and grabbed the doorknob. As I opened the door, people’s gazes didn’t exactly focus──they didn’t.

The sight of no one paying attention to me brought a sense of comfort.

At least the lecture hall isn’t turning into a zoo, with everyone gawking at the crazy b*stard with multiple majors.

“Whew…”

I luckily found an empty seat in the back and sat down, spreading out the still-clean textbook.

“Good morning, everyone.”

The professor who came in not long after was Professor Meriel.

“Oh.”

Come to think of it, Professor Meriel was in charge of the Department of Magic. It was nice to see someone I knew.

Professor Meriel beamed, opening her mouth to speak.

“The midterm was easy, wasn’t it?”

No one answered. Professor Meriel seemed a little abashed by the cold reaction, but I, a student, knew better.

This silence was the result of an unquantifiable agony.

Midterm? Easy, perhaps. Strictly from the professor’s perspective, that is.

Of course, there was nothing I could know, being new to Magic Faculty classes. But the students’ reactions never lied. This course was likely to be quite arduous.

Our department had been good because the exams were easy… That was a different story now.

“Ahem. The final exam will be difficult, so you’d best start preparing now.”

This time, a sigh escaped from various places, impossible to suppress. Professor Meriel was again taken aback, but I figured she had it coming.

If the professor said the exam would be difficult, that meant no student would ever be able to solve it.

“D-don’t worry. It will be open book…”

Professor.

It would be better to say no more.

How many people actually want to know the future in which they die…?

“…Anyway, let’s begin today’s lecture.”

Meriel began with a rapid review of the concepts learned before the midterm. A consideration for me, that was.

The principles of magic and the processes by which it works, the control of mana using incantations, the calculations of lower-grade spells, and so on. Quite interesting concepts whizzed by. I made sure to note them all down.

The lecture that followed concerned the ‘Creation of Magic Spells’, and it wasn’t as difficult as I’d feared. I even found it enjoyable, to the point where I looked forward to the practical exercises.

“That concludes the lecture. Enjoy your lunch, everyone.”

And so the lecture ended.

My impressions were as follows.

“Manageable, I think?”

The painful adjustment period was separate, and compared to all the worries I’d been harboring, it was actually quite decent.

Of course, it was only the first day, the first lecture, and too early to judge whether it would stay manageable…

If it continued like this, perhaps taking multiple majors wouldn’t be so bad.

If I graduated like this with lots of degrees, it would ultimately be beneficial, and a decent act of filial piety to my parents, wouldn’t it?

“Student Rein.”

Meriel approached me as I was organizing my textbook.

“How was the lecture?”

“Good.”

“Right? Everyone says it’s difficult, and when I heard Student Rein was coming, I lowered the difficulty a bit. It should make it easier to adjust, I thought.”

“Is that so?”

I pondered for a moment, then spoke.

“You can lecture at the original difficulty level.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. It was easy for me.”

“Ah, well, that’s because you’re Student Rein…”

“No, if it’s easy for me, it will be easy for everyone else too.”

“……?”

“Anyway, that’s how it is.”

“Hmm.”

Perhaps I spoke unnecessarily, but I merely stated the truth.

“Then, let’s raise the difficulty again. More importantly, how about a cup of tea with me? There’s something I’d like to discuss.”

“Uh… I’m afraid I have another class immediately after this.”

Even without a class, I wouldn’t want tea with that professor. Good thing I had a convenient excuse.

“Ah, yes, the School of Magic Engineering is quite far from here… You best hurry along.”

Haha.

Professor.

Traveling from school to school is far, regardless of the destination.

“Then, I’ll be going now.”

I gave a quick bow and left the lecture hall.

The way to the School of Magic Engineering is familiar. I can find my way even without the system’s assistance.

“Let us begin the lecture.”

Besides, this lecture is by Professor Rachel.

If anyone were to ask, ‘Do you have a favorite professor?’, I would kill the questioner and answer thusly:

Professor Rachel.

For me, going through this period of adjustment, this familiar lecture was like a paradise.

“Student Rain.”

After the lecture ended, Professor Rachel inevitably came to me.

“Holding up alright?”

“Better than expected, I suppose.”

“Oho.”

Professor Rachel gave a small smile.

I think I spoke unwisely.

“Then, you can continue research as before–“

“Forgive me, but I must leave for my next lecture.”

I fled.

Fortunately, Professor Rachel didn’t come after me. She could have easily caught me, but perhaps this was some consideration for my current circumstances.

I wasn’t grateful. If you knew, you shouldn’t have said it in the first place.

“…Alchemy next, was it.”

I wasn’t pressed for time, but I decided to head there early anyway.

This time, it’s a professor I’ve never met, so arriving early would perhaps leave a good impression.

Even if my circumstances are unusual, they still grade the same.

“System, guide me to the School of Alchemy.”

[ Initiating path guidance. ]

I followed the system’s guidance. Thankfully, the School of Alchemy was relatively close, so I didn’t have to walk for long.

“Is this it…”

[ Terminating path guidance. ]

I carefully opened the back door and peered inside.

Since it was so early, it seemed no one was in the lecture hall.

I hurried into the lecture hall, aiming to snag a seat in the very back.

“Huh.”

Except, it wasn’t exactly empty.

A figure was obscured, veiled by the clever angle of sight and the dim interior.

“Hm? Who’s that? Never seen them before.”

Every chair faced forward, save for one turned toward the back.

The professor’s desk.

A woman sat there, gazing at me.

“Ah, come to think of it, they did say another student would be joining…”

She rose and approached me.

“You, what’s your name?”

“Rain Ortiz.”

“Indeed.”

The woman was a beauty with obsidian eyes.

An air of decadence clung to her…

A certain figure flashed through my mind.

“You’re supposed to be a genius, aren’t you?”

It clicked.

Pelliana Mirrion. The most notorious professor at Lunia Academy.

Rumor had it, students who took her classes never slept…

“Let me say this upfront.”

That very woman, warning me.

“I’ll hold you to a higher standard than the others. If you were hoping for an easy ride, you might as well drop the class now.”

Was it my imagination?

Somehow…

“Be prepared, Rain Ortiz.”

Despite being complete strangers, it felt like she disliked me already.