Chapter 2: Kitten and Puppy

To put it bluntly, the man named Glenn Radars, who had come as a part-time lecturer, utterly lacked any motivation.

Glenn had taken over from the previous lecturer, tasked with teaching all the mandatory classes for the second-year Class 2. This included black magic, white magic, alchemy, summoning arts, mythology, magical history, numerology, natural philosophy, runic linguistics, astrology, magical science materials, magical tactics, and magical artifact creation—every subject was handled with a careless, half-hearted attitude. No one knew why, but it almost seemed like he was determined to teach as unenthusiastically as possible.

In short, Glenn completely lacked the passion for magic and the curiosity for the arcane that everyone at this academy was supposed to share.

As a result, a massive gulf formed between Glenn and the students, as well as the other lecturers, creating unnecessary friction. Sistine, the de facto leader of the class Glenn was assigned to, nagged him daily. But there was no sign of Glenn’s apathetic attitude improving. If anything, it only worsened day by day.

At first, Glenn at least explained the textbook content, wrote key points on the blackboard, and conducted something resembling a lesson. But soon, it seemed he found even that too bothersome. Gradually, his teaching devolved into copying the textbook verbatim onto the blackboard. Eventually, even that seemed like too much effort—so he began tearing pages from the textbook and pinning them to the blackboard.

Finally, even that seemed too much for him. When Glenn began nailing the textbook directly to the blackboard, Sistine’s anger reached its boiling point.

It had been a week since Glenn started as a lecturer. That day, during the fifth and final period of class.

“Enough is enough!”

Sistine slammed her desk and shot to her feet.

“Huh? I’m doing it nice and sloppy, just like you wanted, right?”

Glenn said this brazenly, continuing to nail the textbook to the blackboard without a shred of shame. With a hammer slung over his shoulder and nails in his mouth, he looked like a weekend carpenter.

“Stop making childish excuses!”

Fuming, Sistine stormed toward the podium where Glenn stood.

“Whoa, don’t get so worked up. You’ll get gray hairs, y’know?”

“Who do you think is making me this angry!?”

“See? All that anger’s already turned your hair white at your age… Poor thing.”

“This isn’t gray hair, it’s silver! Stop looking at me with that pitying face! Ugh, fine! I didn’t want to say this, but if you have no intention of changing your attitude toward teaching, I have my own ways of dealing with you!”

“Oh? Like what?”

“I’m the daughter of the prestigious Fibel family, which holds considerable influence in this academy. If I speak to my father, I could have you sacked.”

“Wait… Seriously?”

“Dead serious! I don’t want to resort to such measures, but if you refuse to change your attitude toward teaching—”

“Tell your dad I’m counting on him!”

Glenn flashed a gentlemanly smile, his face practically glowing.

“—Wha?”

Sistine was rendered speechless by Glenn’s reaction.

“No, really, that’s great! I can get out of here in less than a month! Thanks so much, silver-haired missy, for doing me a solid!”

“You—!”

Sistine’s patience had finally run dry.

She couldn’t tell if Glenn was genuinely desperate to quit or just mocking the Fibel family’s influence.

Either way, Sistine could no longer overlook this man’s behavior. In the name of the proud Fibel family, a bastion of magical tradition, she couldn’t forgive someone who disgraced the path of magic and her family’s honor.

Her decision was swift, spurred on by her youth and inexperience.

Sistine removed the glove from her left hand and hurled it at Glenn.

“Ow!?”

Snapped with a flick of her wrist, the glove struck Glenn’s face before falling to the floor.

“Do you dare accept?”

In the suddenly hushed classroom, Sistine pointed at Glenn and declared with conviction.

Whispers and murmurs began to ripple through the class as they watched the scene unfold.

“You… Are you for real?”

Glenn furrowed his brow, staring at the glove on the floor with an uncharacteristically serious expression.

“I’m dead serious.”

As Sistine glared fiercely at Glenn, Rumia rushed to her side.

“Sistie! No! Hurry and apologize to Glenn-sensei. Pick up the glove!”

But Sistine didn’t budge. Her fiery gaze continued to pierce Glenn.

“…What do you want?”

Meeting her stare, Glenn asked quietly, his eyes half-lidded.

“Change your reckless attitude and teach properly.”

“…Not ‘write your resignation’?”

“If you truly want to quit, such a demand would be meaningless.”

“Oh, bummer. But you do realize that if you’re making demands of me, I get to demand anything I want from you, right? You didn’t forget that part, did you?”

“I understand.”

Instantly, Glenn’s face twisted as if he’d bitten into something sour, a mix of exasperation and disbelief.

“…You’re an idiot, aren’t you? A young maiden before marriage saying stuff like that? Your parents would cry.”

“Even so, as the next head of the Fibel family, a cornerstone of magical tradition, I cannot overlook someone like you who disgraces magic!”

“Ugh, you’re too intense… Way too intense. I’m gonna melt.”

Glenn clutched his head and staggered, looking utterly fed up.

The entire class watched the tense exchange with bated breath.

Glenn looked at Sistine. Despite her bold front, her body was rigid with tension. And no wonder—depending on the outcome of the magical ritual about to take place, Sistine would have to comply with whatever Glenn demanded, no questions asked.

Yet, even so, Sistine stood her ground against Glenn. For the sake of her belief in magic and the pride of her bloodline. At her young age, Sistine Fibel was already a first-rate mage in every sense.

“Man, oh man. To think there’s still an antique out there clinging to this moldy, outdated ritual… Fine, you’re on.”

Glenn’s lips curled into a wicked smirk. He picked up the glove from the floor and tossed it into the air.

“I accept your duel.”

As the glove fell, he tried to catch it with a stylish swipe of his hand—and fumbled it. Awkwardly, Glenn retrieved the glove from the floor.

“But, y’know, I’d feel bad if I ended up hurting a kid like you. So, this duel will be settled using only the [Shock Bolt] spell. No other methods allowed. Got it?”

As the class held their breath, Glenn laid out the rules.

“The one who accepts the duel has the priority to set the rules. I have no objections.”

“Alright then. If I win… Hmm, let’s see.”

Glenn’s eyes roamed over Sistine from head to toe, sizing her up. Then, leaning in close, he flashed a crude grin, one corner of his mouth twisting upward.

“Now that I look at you, you’re quite the catch. Alright, if I win, you’re mine.”

“—!”

For a fleeting moment, Sistine flinched. Rumia gasped, her face paling.

Sistine must have braced herself for the possibility of such a demand. But hearing those irreversible words still made her falter, her vulnerability briefly surfacing.

“F-fine. I accept.”

Her voice, squeezed out with resolute bravado as if ashamed of that moment of weakness, trembled ever so slightly.

Glenn savored the sight of Sistine desperately masking her faint regret and fear with a bold facade, glaring at him with all her might. Then, suddenly, he doubled over, laughing hysterically.

“Pfft, hahaha! Kidding, just kidding! Don’t make that face like you’re about to cry!”

“…!”

“I’m not into kids. So, my real demand is just: no more lecturing me. That’s a relief, right?”

Hearing this nearby, Rumia let out a sigh of relief.

“Y-you’re mocking me!?”

Realizing she’d been teased, Sistine’s face flushed red as she rounded on Glenn.

“C’mon, let’s get to the courtyard already.”

Brushing her off casually, Glenn strode out of the classroom.

“W-wait just a second! I absolutely won’t forgive you!”

Shoulders shaking with fury, Sistine chased after Glenn’s retreating back.

The duel of mages. It was one of the ancient magical rituals, passed down through the ages.

Mages were beings who had mastered the laws of the world, wielding immense power. A fireball cast with a spell could obliterate a mountain, a lightning bolt could sunder the earth. If they fought recklessly, an entire nation could fall.

To resolve conflicts among such mages, a disciplined form of combat was established: the duel. The left hand, closer to the heart, was best suited for efficiently casting magic. Throwing the glove that covered this hand at an opponent was a declaration of intent to duel with magic. If the opponent picked up the glove, the duel was accepted. If they didn’t, no duel took place. The one accepting the duel had priority in setting the rules, and the victor could make one demand of the loser.

As is clear, the duel heavily favored the one accepting the challenge. Unless there was an overwhelming gap in skill, no one would lightly issue a duel. Since ancient times, mages had used this system to strictly regulate private magical conflicts.

However, in the modern empire, with its established legal systems, the duel had become a largely ceremonial ritual. Resolving disputes through duels was rare—hiring a lawyer and settling matters in court was far more efficient and binding.

Even so, among purist mages who clung to old traditions, duels persisted.

Take Sistine, for example—the young lady of the prestigious Fibel family.

In the academy’s courtyard, surrounded by evenly spaced conifers and lush green grass, Glenn and Sistine faced each other, standing about ten paces apart.

“Hey, Kash. Who do you think’s gonna win?”

“I’m rooting for Sistine, but… her opponent’s that guy Professor Arfonia handpicked. Hmm… What do you think, Cecil?”

The classmates, along with onlookers drawn by rumors of a lecturer-student magical duel, encircled the pair from a distance, turning the courtyard into an impromptu arena.

“Ready whenever you are.”

Glenn snapped his fingers, smirking confidently as he sized up Sistine.

Sistine, on the other hand, watched Glenn’s every move warily, beads of sweat trickling down her forehead.

[Shock Bolt], a basic black magic spell, was the first general-purpose incantation taught to students at the academy. It fired a weak line of electrical energy at a target, paralyzing them with an electric shock to render them immobile—a non-lethal spell meant for self-defense.

When cast, a glowing line of energy shot straight from the caster’s fingertip toward the pointed target. As a straightforward spell with no tricks, the outcome of a [Shock Bolt] duel hinged solely on who could chant the spell faster.

“What’s wrong? Not gonna make a move?”

“…Tch!”

In magical combat, the general strategy was to act second, responding to the opponent’s move. Modern magic had countless counter-spells for every offensive spell, after all.

Yet, in this duel restricted to [Shock Bolt], Glenn was goading Sistine to act first. In a duel where chanting speed determined victory, this could only mean one thing.

The only explanation was that Glenn was supremely confident in his [Shock Bolt] chanting speed. Even if Sistine chanted at her fastest, he likely had a streamlined chant, with phrases and clauses trimmed to the bone, that could outpace her.

It stood to reason that Glenn was a mage specialized in magical combat. That would explain why a deadbeat like him was hired as a lecturer at the academy. No mage without some merit could teach at this institution.

Skill in researching magic and skill in wielding it were different beasts. History was full of mages who, despite low ranks, were terrifyingly strong in magical combat.

“C’mon, I’m not gonna eat you. I’m giving you a free shot, so take it easy and come at me.”

With that realization, Glenn’s confidence seemed like that of a battle-hardened mage. Though Sistine couldn’t forgive his attitude, she began to regret impulsively challenging him to a duel.

(But I won’t back down.)

Sistine glared sharply at Glenn, who stood before her with infuriating nonchalance.

(As long as I’m myself, I can’t let a man like this run rampant. Even if I end up humiliated, I’ll stand up to him. That’s my pride as a mage. …Here I go!)

Steeling her resolve, Sistine pointed at Glenn and began her chant.

“[O violet lightning of the thunder spirit]—!”

In that instant, a glowing line of energy shot from Sistine’s fingertip straight toward Glenn—

Glenn smugly prepared to receive it—

“Gyaaahhh—!?”

A sharp crackle of electricity rang out.

Glenn’s body convulsed violently, and he collapsed in a heap.

“…H-huh?”

Sistine froze, finger still extended, sweat dripping down her face.

Before her lay Glenn, sprawled pathetically on the ground, felled by her spell.

“This means…?”

“Uh… Sistine won… right?”

The onlookers, watching from a distance, buzzed with confusion at the outcome.

Could it be? After all that bravado, all that posturing, this was the extent of his skill? Wasn’t this man supposed to be a combat-specialized mage?

“D-did I… mess up the rules or something?”

Sistine turned to Rumia for help, but Rumia only shook her head, looking just as puzzled.

“Tch… That was cheap…”

At that moment, Glenn, finally recovering from the spell’s effects, staggered to his feet.

“Oh, Sensei.”

“Hitting me with a sneak attack before I was ready… Is that the pride of a noble mage!?”

“Huh? But you said I could come at you anytime…”

“Whatever! This duel’s a best-of-three, so I’ll let you have this one. Nice handicap, right?”

“What? Best-of-three? Was that a rule?”

“Here we go! Round two! Let’s do this fair and square!”

The second round began abruptly, forced by Glenn.

Caught off guard, Sistine watched as Glenn moved first this time.

“[O thunder spirit, with the shock of violet lightning, strike—”

“[O violet lightning of the thunder spirit]—!”

Sistine’s chant finished before Glenn’s could.

“Ugyaaahhh—!?”

With a loud crackle, Glenn was electrocuted again, collapsing to the ground, twitching. It was a repeat of the previous scene.

“N-not bad…”

Glenn shakily stood, his knees trembling visibly from the effort.

“Um… Glenn-sensei?”

“Heh. Guess I played around too much, even if this is a best-of-five. My bad.”

“Didn’t you just say best-of-three…?”

As Sistine muttered with a deadpan stare, Glenn suddenly shouted.

“No way! Her Majesty the Queen is over there—!?”

“What!?”

Sistine instinctively followed Glenn’s pointing finger to some random direction.

“Haha, got you, sucker! [O thunder spirit, with the shock of violet lightning, strike down—”

“[O violet lightning of the thunder spirit]—!”

Once again, Sistine’s chant finished before Glenn’s.

“Pigyaaahhh—!?”

Glenn writhed on the ground, wracked by electric shocks.

Pressing her temple, Sistine sighed.

“So… maybe Glenn-sensei is…”

“Get ready! It’s not over yet! This is a best-of-seven, you know!”

“Haa…”

“[O thunder spirit, with the shock of violet lightning, strike—”

“[O violet lightning of the thunder spirit].”

“Zgyaaahhh—!?”

…And so, it went.

Glenn would start chanting, but Sistine would always complete her spell first, striking him down. This cycle repeated endlessly.

The problem was that Glenn insisted on using a long, drawn-out chant, so no matter what tricks he tried, Sistine’s shorter chant always finished faster.

And when Glenn declared the duel a best-of-forty-seven and it finally ended…

“I’m sorry. I can’t. Please forgive me. I can’t stand anymore. If this keeps up, I’ll awaken to something weird.”

“Haa…”

Sistine looked down at Glenn, sprawled convulsing on the ground, and let out a deep sigh.

“Man, a duel using only [Shock Bolt] is totally unfair and puts me at a crazy disadvantage! If it weren’t for this rule, I’d have crushed you no problem!”

“You never shut up, do you, Sensei?”

Sistine could only gape in exasperation.

“And all those three-phrase chants… Don’t tell me, Glenn-sensei, you can’t do a one-phrase chant for [Shock Bolt]?”

“H-haha, w-what are you talking about? I-I have no idea! Besides, one-phrase chants that skip parts are totally heretical! They’re an insult to the beautiful spells our ancestors crafted! N-not that I’m saying that because I can’t do it or anything!”

“You can’t do it…”

Sistine felt like crying at how pathetic this was, but she shook it off and recalled her original goal.

“A-anyway, I won the duel! So, as per my demand, starting tomorrow, Sensei, you’ll—”

“Huh? What’re you talking about?”

“What?”

Sistine froze at the unexpected response.

“Did we make some kind of deal? I don’t recall~ Must be all those shocks I took thanks to someone~”

Indeed, the man before her, Glenn, was far worse than Sistine could have ever imagined.

His words sent Sistine into a fury.

“Sensei… Are you saying you’ll break a promise made between mages!? Are you even a mage!?”

“Well, thing is, I’m not a mage.”

“Wha…”

Sistine was utterly speechless at Glenn’s shameless declaration.

“I mean, if someone who’s not a mage gets hit with mage rules, I’m kinda in a pickle here.”

“What are you even saying…!?”

Sistine could no longer comprehend this man. To think that someone trained in the ways of magic would deny being a mage. Did he have no pride in being a mage? No respect for the sublime wisdom that unraveled the mysteries of the magical world?

“Anyway, let’s call today a super close, paper-thin draw and let it slide! But next time, you’re done! See ya! Bwahahahaha—Gah!”

Still clearly suffering from the damage, Glenn stumbled repeatedly but managed to keep up his smug laughter as he fled.

Left behind was a crowd of thoroughly unimpressed spectators.

“What a moron.”

“To think he can’t even do a one-phrase chant for a basic spell like [Shock Bolt].”

“Hmph, what a disgraceful person…”

“To go back on a promise between mages, that’s just the lowest…”

As everyone around harshly criticized Glenn, Rumia approached Sistine with a worried expression.

“Are you okay, Sistie? You’re not hurt, are you?”

“I’m fine… but…”

Sistine stared in the direction Glenn had run off to, her expression grim.

“I’m utterly disappointed in him.”

She muttered as if he were her sworn enemy.

Despite appearances, Sistine had held a certain respect for Glenn. He was a seasoned mage, after all. Sure, he seemed to lack motivation as an instructor, but as someone who aspired to master magic, she believed there had to be something she could learn from him.

But now, that was over. She could never forgive that man. He was insulting magic itself. As long as he remained at this academy, she and Glenn would be irreconcilable enemies.

“Glenn-sensei…”

Faced with her furiously indignant best friend, Rumia could only feel at a loss.

Three days had passed since the duel fiasco that had tanked Glenn’s reputation within the academy. His lack of enthusiasm in teaching remained unchanged, and the students’ opinions of him were overwhelmingly negative.

Yet Glenn showed no hint of guilt whatsoever, lazily going through his days as if nothing was wrong.

Eventually, the students began to study on their own during Glenn’s classes. They were already a highly motivated group, unwilling to waste time in his lackluster lessons. Each student opened their magic textbooks and diligently studied at their own pace.

Glenn, observing this, didn’t utter a single complaint. Before long, it became an unspoken agreement between him and the students.

“Alright, let’s get class started~”

That day, as usual, Glenn arrived significantly late to class. With dead-fish eyes, he began his unmotivated lesson.

The students sighed, opened their textbooks, and prepared to study on their own.

It was the usual scene, but apparently, there was still one earnest and diligent student trying to learn something from Glenn’s half-hearted lessons.

“Um, sensei… I have a question about what you just explained…”

About thirty minutes into the class, a petite female student hesitantly raised her hand. It was Lynn, the girl who had asked Glenn a question on the first day and been brushed off.

“Huh? What’s that? Go ahead and ask.”

“W-Well… um… I don’t quite understand the translation of the spell you just mentioned…”

Glenn let out an exasperated sigh and picked up a book from the lectern.

“This is a runic dictionary.”

“…Huh?”

“It lists runes up to the third grade, arranged by tone sequence. By the way, tone sequence means…”

As Glenn began explaining how to use the runic dictionary, even Sistine, who had resolved to ignore him completely, couldn’t stay silent. She stood up.

“It’s pointless, Lynn. Asking that man anything is a waste of time.”

“Oh, Sistie…”

Caught between Glenn and Sistine, Lynn fidgeted nervously.

“That man doesn’t understand the nobility of magic at all. In fact, he mocks it. There’s nothing you can learn from someone like him.”

“B-But…”

“It’s okay. I’ll teach you. Let’s work hard together, alright? Forget about that guy, and one day, we’ll reach the profound depths of great magic together.”

Just as Sistine smiled reassuringly at the flustered Lynn…

Something seemed to have struck a nerve with Glenn.

“Magic… is it really such a grand and noble thing?”

He muttered under his breath, as if to no one in particular.

Sistine couldn’t let that slide.

“Hmph. What’s that supposed to mean? Of course, it’s grand and noble! Not that someone like you could ever understand.”

With a scornful laugh, Sistine cut him down sharply.

Normally, the lazy and apathetic Glenn would have shrugged it off with something like, “Oh, is that so?” and the conversation would’ve ended. But…

“What’s so grand about it? What’s noble about it?”

For some reason, he pressed further today.

“…Huh?”

Caught off guard by his unexpected persistence, Sistine faltered.

“I’m asking, what exactly makes magic grand and noble?”

“W-Well, that’s…”

Sistine grew irritated at her inability to answer immediately. Sure, she’d always heard people around her proclaim that magic was grand and noble, so she’d accepted it as fact.

“Come on, if you know, enlighten me.”

But it wasn’t just that. Taking a deep breath to gather her thoughts, she responded confidently.

“Magic is a discipline that pursues the truth of this world.”

“…Oh?”

“The origin of this world, its structure, the laws that govern it—magic unravels these mysteries, seeking answers to the eternal question of why we and the world exist. It’s a means to find the path for humanity to ascend to a higher plane of existence. In a way, it’s like approaching divinity. That’s why magic is grand and noble.”

Sistine thought her response was a critical hit.

So Glenn’s next words caught her completely off guard.

“…And what’s the point of that?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, what’s the use of unraveling the world’s secrets?”

“I-I just told you! It’s to become a higher form of existence…”

“A higher form of existence? What, like a god or something?”

“…That’s…”

Trembling with frustration at her inability to answer, Sistine clenched her fists.

Glenn pressed on, his tone dripping with boredom.

“Let’s be real—how does magic actually benefit people? Medicine saves lives, right? Metallurgy gave us iron. Without agriculture, we’d starve. Architecture lets us live comfortably. Most things called ‘arts’ in this world serve some practical purpose, but magic? Am I wrong to think it’s the one exception that’s utterly useless?”

In a way, Glenn was speaking the truth. Only mages could use magic or benefit from it. Non-mages couldn’t wield it or gain anything from it—a simple but undeniable fact. Unlike metallurgy or agriculture, magic wasn’t a technology that directly benefited the masses through its practice.

In fact, the prevailing belief among most mages was that magic should remain a closely guarded secret. This mindset stubbornly prevented magical research from being shared with the general public. As a result, to most people, magic was a creepy, terrifying force associated with demons—something they’d never encounter or interact with in their daily lives.

Yes, the hard truth was that magic didn’t directly serve the public. Glenn’s perspective, while rooted in a crass, mundane viewpoint, was an indisputable fact.

“Magic… it’s not about something as petty as being useful or not. It’s about seeking the true meaning of humanity and the world…”

“But if it’s not useful, isn’t it just a hobby? A pointless endeavor that doesn’t benefit anyone else, just self-indulgent nonsense. So, magic’s basically just a form of entertainment, right? Am I wrong?”

Sistine could only grit her teeth. How could she not counter such a simplistic, materialistic argument? How was she being so thoroughly outmaneuvered?

As the heir to the proud Fibel family, who had dedicated her entire life to magic, she felt her very existence was being negated. Yet no matter what she did, she couldn’t seem to dismantle Glenn’s argument. After all, he was standing on a foundation of cold, hard facts.

As Sistine trembled with frustration, her lips quivering…

“My bad, I lied. Magic is useful for something.”

“…Huh?”

Glenn’s sudden reversal left not only Sistine but the entire class, who had been watching with bated breath, wide-eyed.

But then…

“Oh yeah, magic is indeed super useful… for killing people.”

His cold, narrowed eyes and the chilling words that spilled from his twisted lips sent a shiver through every student in the room.

In that moment, he seemed like a completely different person from the usual slothful Glenn.

“Seriously, there’s no art better at killing than magic. While a swordsman kills one person, magic can take out dozens. A single squad of mages can burn through an entire division, tactics and all. See? Pretty useful, huh?”

“Don’t mess around!”

Sistine couldn’t let that slide. She could tolerate magic being called useless, but degrading it to something vile was unforgivable.

“Magic isn’t like that! Magic is—”

“Take a look at this country’s reality. Sure, it’s called a ‘magical superpower,’ but what does that mean to other nations? Why do you think the Imperial Court Mage Corps gets massive budgets every year?”

“Tch, that’s—”

“Why do you think your precious duels have rules now? Why is it that so many of the basic spells you learn are offensive magic?”

“—That’s…”

“What did your beloved magic do during the Great Magic War two hundred years ago or the Holy War forty years ago? Do you know how many heinous crimes are committed annually in this empire by rogue mages using magic—and the horrifying details of those crimes?”

“—!”

“See? Magic and killing have always been inseparable. Why? Because magic is a rotten art that’s evolved and advanced through bloodshed!”

At this point, Glenn’s argument had veered into extremism. Yes, magic had many aspects that caused harm, but it wasn’t defined by that alone.

Yet the usually aloof Glenn was now ranting with a venomous expression, as if he hated something deeply. Overwhelmed by his intensity, the students couldn’t muster a single rebuttal.

“I just don’t get you people. Studying this useless, murderous art so diligently? Instead of wasting your life on this garbage, there are way better—”

Slap! A sharp sound echoed.

Sistine had walked up to Glenn and slapped him across the cheek.

“Ow! What the—?!”

Glenn glared at Sistine with reproach, momentarily speechless.

“It’s… not… like that… Magic… isn’t… like that…”

Before she knew it, tears welled up in Sistine’s eyes, and she was crying.

“Why… do you keep saying such awful things…? I hate you!”

With that, Sistine wiped her tears with her sleeve and stormed out of the classroom.

What remained was an overwhelming awkwardness and silence.

“—Tch.”

Glenn scratched his head irritably and clicked his tongue.

“Ugh, I’m not feeling it. Class is self-study for the rest of the day.”

With a sigh, Glenn left the classroom.

He didn’t show up for any of his remaining classes that day.

After school, the gentle hues of twilight were easy on the eyes.

Having skipped all his classes that day, Glenn had been on the rooftop balcony of the academy’s east wing since the incident with Sistine. He wasn’t doing anything in particular—just idly wasting the day away.

“…Maybe I’m just not cut out for this.”

Leaning sloppily against the iron railing surrounding the rooftop, Glenn muttered to himself while gazing into the distance.

From the rooftop of this five-story, ornate school building, the view of the academy grounds hadn’t changed much from the past. Intertwined stone pathways, floating gardens, a castle-like annex, an herb garden, the Forest of Bewilderment, ancient ruins, and the teleportation tower—a surreal blend of man-made structures and nature. And in the sky, as always, the illusory castle.

“Well, no way I’d be suited for this. Hating magic but teaching it? What a joke.”

Glenn’s thoughts drifted to the silver-haired girl who’d been relentlessly hounding him since he started. What was her name again… Sis-something? He couldn’t quite recall. Not that it mattered.

“Tch, that white-haired brat, hitting me like that… Man, she’s been a cheeky one since day one.”

Thinking back, their first encounter was nearly colliding at a crossroads, wasn’t it?

“…What’s with all that ‘magic is grand’ nonsense? Idiot.”

He’d only observed her for about ten days, but it was clear that silver-haired girl was deadly serious about magic, tirelessly striving to master it without a shred of doubt. She ignored the darker, dangerous sides of magic, idolizing only its glamorous aspects, chasing lofty ideals like “world truth.” A kid.

But if she was a kid, what did that make him, biting at a kid like that?

“…Guess I’m a kid too.”

Maybe, just maybe, he was jealous of that silver-haired girl. Jealous of her unwavering belief in magic’s greatness, her ability to pour all her passion into mastering it. He, who couldn’t muster passion for anything.

“Yeah, I really don’t belong here…”

Honestly, he wasn’t confident he could avoid saying such harsh things to that girl in the future. His hatred for magic ran deep and uncompromising. He didn’t care what happened to himself, but interfering with someone striving toward their goal was wrong. That much he knew.

“Sorry, Celica…”

Glenn pulled an envelope from his pocket. Inside was his resignation letter. He’d secretly prepared it, figuring he wouldn’t last a month as a magic instructor.

Right now, he was resolved to live off Celica’s goodwill, no matter what it took.

“Alright, time to practice groveling when I get home. If I beg hard enough, Celica will forgive me… for going back to being a jobless shut-in!”

Embracing the worst kind of optimism, Glenn stepped away from the railing to leave the rooftop.

“Hm?”

The academy’s main building was flanked by east and west wings, connected at an angle. From the east wing’s rooftop, Glenn could look down at the west wing directly across.

He thought he saw a shadow move near a window in the west wing.

“…What’s that?”

That room was a magic laboratory, wasn’t it? No way a student would still be there at this hour.

“《Beyond to here・my keen eyes・see across ten thousand miles》”

Closing his right eye, Glenn chanted a three-verse runic spell for farsight—Black Magic [Accurate Scope]. Instantly, a view as if he were peering into the laboratory from right beside the window appeared behind his closed eyelid.

Inside the laboratory was a single girl.

“That blonde girl…”

He remembered now. She was the one always trailing that silver-haired girl like a puppy. If he recalled correctly, the silver-haired girl called her Rumia.

“What’s she doing at this hour?”

Rumia had a textbook open and was drawing a circle on the floor with mercury, forming a pentagram. She inscribed runes inside and outside the star, placing catalysts like mana crystals at spiritual nodes.

It seemed Rumia was practicing array construction on her own.

“Oh? A pentagram of flux… that’s… nostalgic. A magic circle array, huh?”

This array didn’t produce any specific effect. It was a learning tool to visually understand the flow of mana through an array. Mastering its construction without reference marked the first step in array-building fundamentals.

“Man, she’s terrible at this… Look, the seventh node is fraying. Ugh, the mercury’s spilling… Oi, that’s not where the catalyst goes—oh, she noticed.”

It was like watching a familiar failure from somewhere in his past.

“Come to think of it, I used to mess around with Celica doing that when I was a kid.”

That was probably the first truly magical thing Glenn had ever practiced. A trivial spell that didn’t do much, but back then, it had made his heart race for some reason.

Unaware she was being watched, Rumia struggled through trial and error, finally completing the array and chanting the spell. But the array didn’t activate, and she tilted her head in confusion.

“Idiot. Like it’s gonna work like that.”

Rumia repeatedly checked her textbook against the array, tweaking small parts and chanting again. It still didn’t work. She slumped her shoulders, looking troubled.

“…This is dumb.”

Unable to watch any longer, Glenn released the farsight spell, sighed, and left the rooftop.

“Well, keep at it, kid.”

Bang!

The magic laboratory door was suddenly flung open from the outside, making Rumia jump.

“G-G-Glenn-sensei!?”

Standing in the doorway with a sour expression was Glenn.

“Still as rundown as ever, this place.”

Glenn muttered, scanning the room.

The room was relatively spacious. Shelves along the walls held skulls, bottled lizards, crystals, and other eerie magical materials. The desks were cluttered with parchment inscribed with magic circles, flasks, and twisted glass instruments resembling siphons. In the back stood a large mana furnace and an alchemical cauldron. The room’s shady atmosphere hadn’t changed a bit, and Glenn found it oddly nostalgic.

“W-Why are you here…?”

“That’s my line. Isn’t personal use of the magic laboratory by students supposed to be prohibited?”

Glenn knew his words sounded hollow. He’d been on his way to the headmaster’s office to submit his resignation and had to pass by the laboratory. Out of curiosity, he’d peeked through the door’s gap and, sure enough, saw Rumia struggling with her experiment. Before he knew it, he’d opened the door.

“I-I’m so sorry! The thing is, I’m bad at arrays, and I’ve been falling behind in class lately… But Sistie, who usually helps me, isn’t here today, and I really wanted to review this array…”

“So you snuck in. And what about the magic lock that’s supposed to be on this place? How’d you—”

“Ehehe… I kinda snuck into the administrative office…”

Sticking out her tongue playfully, Rumia held up a key.

“…You’re a lot more mischievous than you look, huh?”

Glenn shrugged, exasperated.

“I’m sorry! I’ll clean up right away! I’ll accept any punishment later!”

As Rumia hurriedly began tidying up, Glenn grabbed her arm.

“Sensei?”

“It’s fine. Finish what you started. It’s almost done, right? Be a shame to tear it down now.”

“B-But… it’s not working… I was about to give up anyway…”

Rumia let out a small, sad sigh.

“I don’t know why… It worked before… The steps should be correct…”

“Idiot. You’re just short on mercury.”

“Huh?”

Glenn walked over to the array, picked up a jar of mercury, and held it up like he was pouring a drink. Narrowing his eyes, he scrutinized the array and tilted the jar slightly. His hand was steady, and soon, a thin stream of mercury dripped onto the array.

Suddenly, Glenn moved his arm with swift precision. The mercury traced the array’s lines with mechanical accuracy, without hesitation or faltering.

“…Amazing.”

Rumia’s eyes widened, and she gasped at his skill.

“People who get a bit of experience often skimp on materials and end up breaking the mana circuits.”

Setting the jar down, Glenn slipped a glove onto his left hand. He touched the mercury array, skillfully adjusting the liquid to repair frayed sections with masterful precision.

“You lot get overly obsessive about invisible things but somehow neglect what’s right in front of you. That’s what happens when you sanctify magic too much… There.”

Standing up, Glenn tossed the glove aside.

“Try activating it again. Five verses, just like the textbook. Don’t skip any.”

“Y-Yes!”

Rumia stepped up to the array again. Taking a deep breath, she chanted in a clear, melodic voice.

“《Spin, spin, primordial life・within the circle of reason・forge the path》”

In that instant, the array glowed white-hot, flooding the room with light.

“—!”

As the light faded, the array hummed with a bell-like tone. Mana must have been flowing, as multicolored lights danced freely along the array’s lines.

A fantastical scene woven from seven radiant colors and shimmering silver.

It was mystical—and above all, simply beautiful.

“Wow… It’s so pretty…”

Rumia gazed at the sight, utterly moved.

“Sheesh… Is it really worth getting that excited over?”

Glenn casts a cool glance at the magic circle.

“I mean… the glow of mana is so much more vivid than anyone else’s magic circle I’ve ever seen… and it’s so delicate yet powerful… Sensei, you’re amazing…”

“Don’t be ridiculous. This is nothing anyone couldn’t do. Besides, you practically put this together yourself. It’s probably just that the materials and catalysts you refined were top-notch, right?”

“…Sensei?”

Rumia notices Glenn’s back as he hurriedly tries to leave the laboratory.

“I’m heading out.”

“Ah… w-wait a sec, please!”

Rumia hurriedly grabs the sleeve of Glenn’s coat to stop him.

“…What’s up?”

“Uh? Oh, um…”

It seems she only thought about what to do after stopping him. Rumia’s eyes dart back and forth in a fluster.

“Um… right, Sensei, you’re heading home now, aren’t you?”

“Hm? …Yeah, I guess.”

Truth be told, he was supposed to head to the headmaster’s office to submit his resignation, but for some reason, he’s not in the mood for that anymore. Tomorrow’s fine, right?

“Then, how about we walk home together part of the way?”

“…Huh?”

Rumia’s unexpected suggestion makes Glenn furrow his brow.

“Um… I’ve always wanted to have a proper chat with you, Sensei.”

“Pass.”

Glenn shuts her down without a second thought.

“I… see.”

Rumia’s shoulders slump, her eyes cast downward in disappointment, tinged with sadness. Her dejected figure somehow reminds him of a puppy abandoned by its owner.

“I’m not walking home with you, but…”

Feeling oddly thrown off, Glenn mutters under his breath. It’s like the nagging guilt of seeing a stray dog and being unable to just walk away.

“Do whatever you want if you feel like tagging along.”

“Oh… thank you, Sensei! Alright, it’s a bit of a waste, but I’ll hurry up and clean this up, so please wait for me!”

Rumia beams with a bright, airy smile and starts tidying up the magic circle in a rush.

Glenn watches her innocent enthusiasm, shrugs, and lets out a resigned sigh.

“Wow, Sensei, look at that!”

As they step out of the academy and reach the main street of Fejite, a fantastical castle floating in the sky comes into view.

The wide boulevard stretches endlessly down a gentle slope, opening up to the sky, where the full grandeur of the celestial castle can be admired. At dusk, the scarlet canopy of the heavens sets the majestic castle ablaze in golden hues, making its imposing presence even more striking.

“I have a friend who’s absolutely obsessed with that castle. I’m not as into solving its mysteries as she is, but… seeing it so beautiful and magnificent like this… well, it makes me think I’d love to visit it just once.”

“…Is that so?”

While Rumia gazes at the sky, her cheeks slightly flushed, Glenn’s response is utterly detached.

“That castle’s exactly why idiots get the wrong idea about magic. Honestly, it’s such a pain in the neck.”

“Sensei?”

His tone isn’t so much accusatory as it carries a hint of self-mockery.

“Come on, stop gawking and let’s go.”

“Oh, right…”

Glenn starts walking, and Rumia hurriedly follows.

The two of them make their way down Fejite’s main street together.

Well, “together” might be generous—Glenn strides forward with long, careless steps, while Rumia scurries to keep up with him.

It’s evening now, so the street isn’t as crowded as during the day, but there are still plenty of people milling about. Glenn, completely forgetting Rumia’s trailing behind, focuses on weaving through the crowd.

“Sensei… you actually love magic, don’t you?”

Suddenly, Rumia, now walking beside him, says something out of the blue.

“What makes you think that?”

“Well, um… when you were fixing my magic circle earlier… you looked like you were really enjoying yourself.”

Glenn instinctively presses a hand to his mouth, at a loss for words.

Enjoying himself? Was he actually looking like he was having fun? With magic, of all things?

“Hah… no way.”

Glenn brushes it off with a laugh.

“You probably already figured this out, but I hate magic. Having fun with it? Not a chance.”

“Hehe, is that so?”

But Rumia just smiles knowingly.

It feels like she’s seeing right through him, and for some reason, that irks Glenn.

“But… even if you really do hate magic, what you said today was a bit harsh, don’t you think? Sistie… Sistine was crying, you know.”

So that silver-haired girl’s name is Sistine, huh.

“Tomorrow, you should apologize to her, okay? For Sistie, magic is something precious that lets her feel connected to her late grandfather. She loved and admired him so much—he was a great mage, and she’s always looked up to him. Her dream is to become an amazing mage who can live up to his legacy… that’s the promise she made with him before he passed.”

“…I see. Guess I really messed up there.”

Even if it was indirect, having someone you respect tied to something called worthless and trivial would make anyone furious.

“Putting that aside, what’s this about? Did you drag me out here just to lecture me?”

“Oh, no… that’s part of it, but not exactly…”

Rumia falls silent for a moment, as if gathering her thoughts.

“Um… can I ask you something?”

“Depends on the question.”

“Well… before you became a lecturer at this academy… what did you do, Glenn-sensei?”

Glenn pauses for a beat, then puffs out his chest with exaggerated pride.

“I was a shut-in freeloader.”

“Huh? A shut-in? A freeloader?”

“There’s this high-and-mighty woman at the academy named Celica, right? When I was a kid, she basically raised me like a mom. Thanks to that connection, she’s been supporting me all this time. Pretty impressive, huh?”

“Haha… why do you sound so proud of that…?”

Rumia can only manage a wry smile.

“But that’s a lie, isn’t it?”

Glenn can’t hide his bewilderment at her confident assertion.

“It’s not a lie. You think a guy like me looks like the type to hold down a proper job? For the past year, I’ve been mooching off Celica left and right.”

“A year… and before that?”

“…Ugh, fine, I got too cocky. It’s been ever since I graduated from that academy. Work just isn’t my thing, you know? I’ve been on a journey to find my true self, or whatever…”

Rumia stares at Glenn, clearly unconvinced.

“Alright, enough digging into my dark past! My turn to ask you something!”

Wanting to avoid this topic at all costs, Glenn forcibly changes the subject. He doesn’t care one bit about this Rumia girl, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

“You guys—why are you all so obsessed with magic? You, and that Sistine girl, you’re all way too serious about this magic nonsense.”

“Well…”

Though he asked it casually to shift the conversation, Rumia seems to take his question with surprising sincerity. She lowers her gaze, lost in thought for a moment.

“I don’t know what drives other people to study magic so diligently, but… I have my own reason for learning it.”

“Oh? Let me guess—searching for the truth of the universe or advancing human evolution, that kind of thing?”

“Haha, no way. Something that lofty is way beyond someone like me.”

“…Oh?”

For the first time, Glenn feels a tiny spark of curiosity about this girl named Rumia.

“So, why do you pursue magic?”

“Well… I want to make magic something that truly benefits people. To do that, I need to understand it deeply.”

Glenn takes her words as a subtle jab at his own dismissal of magic.

“Tch, the old ‘it depends on the user’ cliché, huh? Like saying a sword doesn’t kill people, people kill people?”

“Yes. But… I’m also thinking about something a little different.”

“?”

“Like you said today, Sensei, magic has a huge potential to hurt people, so it’d probably be better if it didn’t exist. If it didn’t, at least no one would get hurt by it. But the reality is, magic already exists.”

“…Yeah, true.”

“Since it’s already here, wishing it away isn’t practical. So, we have to think about how to keep magic from harming people.”

“…”

“But we can’t even begin to think about that if we don’t understand magic. Without knowledge, magic is just some mysterious, demonic sorcery—a tool for killing, a lawless, heretical art.”

“In other words… instead of blindly shunning magic, you want to master it with reason and ensure all mages do the same?”

“Yes. I don’t know if someone as ordinary as me can pull it off, but…”

“What, you aiming to become some big-shot bureaucrat in the Ministry of Magic? A magical security officer or something?”

“Hehe, maybe. If that’s a path that leads to my goal… then that’s my aim for now.”

Glenn lets out a deep sigh, as if lecturing a naive child.

“Let me tell you, it’s a futile effort. Sure, with enough work, you might climb the ranks to bureaucrat. But what you’re aiming for is way too lofty. The darkness of magic isn’t something one person can tackle—it’s far too deep.”

“I know. Even so…”

“Why? Why would you choose to go down a path that gives you nothing in return?”

Rumia suddenly gives Glenn a gentle smile, then gazes into the distance, as if recalling something dear.

“There’s someone… I want to repay.”

“Repay? What’s that about?”

“It was about three years ago. I was exiled from my family for certain reasons and started living with Sistie’s family. Back then, I was captured by some evil mages and nearly killed…”

“You’ve had quite the rough life for someone who looks so delicate. Wait, exiled for family reasons? Are you, like, from some powerful noble family or something?”

“Oh, no, no! Nothing that grand! Really! We were poor! Super poor!”

Rumia frantically waves her hands in denial.

But poor families don’t “exile” their kids—they might abandon them, sure, but “exile” is a strange word to use.

“Hold on… wait a sec…”

Something clicks in Glenn’s mind, and he suddenly leans in to study Rumia’s face. His eyes narrow, as if peering through her into some distant memory.

“…Sensei? Is something wrong?”

Rumia looks back at him, her expression tinged with a faint hope.

But then.

“Nah, never mind. …So? What’s the rest of the story?”

Shaking his head as if dismissing an impossible thought, Glenn urges her to continue.

Rumia lets out a small, slightly disappointed breath before picking up where she left off.

“Back then, I was so unstable after being exiled from my old home. I was terrified, trembling, crying, and thinking, Why is this only happening to me? I was ready to give up, thinking it was all over… But then, out of nowhere, another mage appeared and saved me in the nick of time.”

“What’s that? That guy was totally waiting for the perfect moment to swoop in. What a show-off.”

“Back then, I was so scared of that person. They were mercilessly killing the evil mages to protect me, saying it was their job. But every time they took a life, they looked so… pained. They kept fighting for me until the end, even though I was too terrified to even thank them…”

“Hmm.”

“I only spent a short time with them, but… I think they were truly kind. They fought to protect someone else, even if it hurt their own heart. If those evil mages who’d gone astray didn’t exist… that person wouldn’t have had to make such a sad face for my sake…”

“Hmm.”

“They saved my life. After that incident, I decided it was my turn to help them. I wanted to guide people so they wouldn’t go astray with magic. To do that, I needed to learn everything about it. I thought, if I walked this path… maybe one day I could thank them properly. They brought light to the little girl crying alone in the dark back then… to me.”

At that, Glenn’s shoulders start shaking as he lets out a stifled chuckle.

“Pfft… that’s way too convenient a story. A plot twist like that? Straight out of a cheap novel—too cliché to even sell.”

“Hehe, maybe. But they say truth is stranger than fiction, right?”

Despite having her earnest feelings laughed off, Rumia just smiles calmly.

“Hah, no way.”

After that, the conversation dies down.

Glenn keeps marching forward at his own pace, while Rumia, for some reason in high spirits, trots after him like a puppy. That dynamic holds as they reach the familiar crossroad where they first met.

“Oh, Sensei, I’m this way. I’m staying at Sistie’s mansion.”

“Got it. See ya, then. Be careful on your way.”

“I’ll be fine! It’s close by.”

“Maybe, but you never know. Just watch yourself.”

“Hehe, you’re surprisingly protective, Sensei.”

“Idiot. It’s just that you’re that reckless.”

“Haha, I’ll be careful. See you tomorrow, Sensei!”

“…Yeah.”

Glenn finds himself watching Rumia’s figure grow smaller in the distance.

Along the way, she turns back several times, spotting Glenn and waving happily each time.

“…She’s like a dog, that one.”

The words slip out casually, but they feel oddly fitting.

If Rumia’s a dog, then that Sistine girl must be a cat, huh? Yeah, that haughty, prim attitude fits her perfectly… Glenn catches himself thinking such pointless thoughts.

“Still… she seems so carefree, but she’s got a lot on her mind, doesn’t she…”

Glenn mulls over what Rumia said earlier.

“…‘We have to think about it’… huh…”

Then, he pulls the resignation letter from his pocket, holds it up to the sky, and gazes at it as if seeing through its contents.

“Now… what to do about this?”