Chapter 3: Deculein (2)

Chapter 3: Deculein (2)

A man towered over everyone, his height having surpassed six foot and three, which gave him an imposing presence. Dressed in flawless formal attire and possessing strikingly handsome features that easily caught one’s eye, he showcased the perfect golden ratio.

Deculein von Grahan-Yukline was truly what one might call the Epitome of Noble Dignity. There was not a single flaw or lack in his demeanor; his walk, gestures, and expressions all radiated elegance.

"That bastard..." a robed mage said.

However, to some, no, perhaps to many, his perfect external factors were nothing more than a false front.

"Sigh..."

Epherene Luna had been suppressing her surge of anger since the moment Deculein appeared. It wasn’t just her words that were harsh, her actions were as well. She clenched her fist so tightly that it could have drawn blood and incessantly bit her lower lip.

Deculein had taken all the credit for her father's achievements, thereby reducing him to a wreck, which ultimately led to his death. Although the world praised Deculein as a Genius of Spell Interpretation, she knew that his reputation rightfully belonged to her father.

— Attention.

Suddenly, a crystal orb amplified Deculein's voice.

— I will begin the lecture.

Deculein finally stepped onto the stage and looked out into the vast auditorium filled with hundreds of people. His gaze was as sharp and imperious as a blade. She felt the urge to pull out a dagger and stab him in both eyes.

"That asshole..." Ephrene said with full anger.

However, it was not the right time for her to take action. Although she certainly wished to see Deculein wiped off the map and the only reason she had enrolled in the Mage Tower of the University was to take revenge against him, she knew that blind revenge would only bring her sadness.

After all, her own talents surpassed his. Whether it involved learning more powerful magic to kill him with her own hands or rising to a higher status to obliterate him socially, her revenge would become sweeter the longer it ages. Since she was only living for that single sweet moment when she would get revenge, waiting a little longer was not a problem for her.

— Greetings.

But a little troublemaking wouldn’t hurt. As a lightbulb turned on in her mind, Epherene pulled her robe tighter and smiled.

***

In the wide auditorium with high ceilings, hundreds of eyes were fixed on me. Their gaze was overwhelmingly bright, and the flashes of antique cameras felt almost dizzying. I faced the attention all alone, but, strangely, I didn’t feel bothered by it.

Instead of being intimidated, I found attention to be natural, as if it were my prerogative. It seemed that a lofty sense of chosen elitism was ingrained in me like a second skin.

“Greetings. I am Deculein from the Yukline family.”

Thus, I began the lecture with ease. The opening of the lecture on the script served as both the introduction to the class and the introduction of Deculein himself.

"I am the Head Professor at the Mage Tower of the Imperial University, a Monarch-rank mage in charge of elements. I manage the four elements—water, fire, wind, and earth—and am not limited by any categories of magic."

The statement had an unmistakably narcissistic tone to it.

"As is known, magic is divided into three Properties and nine Categories. The properties include elements, origins, and instruments. The categories are Summoning, Elemental, Destruction, Support, Enchantment, Manipulation, Ductility, Harmony, and Specialization."

I recited exactly what was written in the script. Even that was enough to draw everyone's attention, thanks to the Intimidation and Dignity attribute.

"Are you affiliated with the Mage Tower of the University? If so, it is customary to state your name and affiliation."

I cut her off immediately as she spoke, feeling uneasy in my stomach yet remaining elegant on the outside. It was an instinctive use of noble rhetoric.

"Eh, ah, my name is—"

"It's too late. I won't take questions from someone without manners," I said, cutting her off once again as she tried to say her name.

"... What?"

The robed mage's face turned red. I felt sorry, but there was nothing I could do. The mana points consumption for Comprehension was enormous.

[Mana Points: 2,005 / 3,375]

The lecture alone had drained about 1,300 mana points. Interpreting a new spell would require much more, and I didn't particularly want to strain myself, not to mention, I felt a bit dizzy right now.

"Class dismissed."

Pfft— Pffhfh— Hahaha—

While the mage who had stood up alone in the center of the auditorium was met with sardonic laughter, I adjusted my crumpled suit sleeves, put on my coat and buttoned them up. Lastly, I gathered the script and stepped down from the stage. My movements flowed naturally like a wave.

"But...!"

A loud voice echoed in my ear as I turned around. The still-standing unknown female mage drew a spell with her mana and floated it in the air.

"Currently, the Mage Tower treats this incident as mere rumors and refuses to interpret them! Given Professor Deculein's reputation, I thought you would be able to quickly determine the category of this magic!" the mage continued.

I stared at the persistent mage in silence. It was audacious of her to challenge me in such a manner. It was hard to believe such a character existed, especially since most people are intimidated by the character Deculein.

However, the spell she presented was undeniably strange. It wasn’t defined by straight lines or curves unlike usual magic circles; instead, it resembled dozens of interconnected living parasites. The moment I saw the spell, my comprehension kicked in involuntarily.

My vision turned blue as if dye were seeping into my eyes, and my thoughts and calculations seemed to speed up as if time had slowed. I could smell the burning strain on my brainstem at the tip of my nose. But it lasted only for a second.

[Mana Points: 360 / 3,375]

In less than a second, my mana points were depleted. With that, I could barely manage to identify the nature of the magic.

[Enchantment Category: Barrier Magic]

Beyond this comprehension, to implement or disassemble the spell would require twice the mana points. But fortunately, the mage who asked the question didn't want that much information. She only wanted to identify what the spell was about.

"Currently, the freshmen remaining in the dormitory are analyzing it as an assignment themselves, but progress is very slow due to the vacation and the lack of seniors or professors to consult with us about it. If you could at least give a hint—"

"No such hints or anything else is needed. It’s a barrier magic from the enchantment category. It seems someone wanted to trap you," I said.

"... What?"

"That's it," I said with a confident affirmation.

The audacious mage appeared quite confused, but I didn't look back as I left the auditorium.