A Genius Mage Hides His Origins

38 – Orientation

A bird chirps.

An unknown bird announces the dawn with its clear voice.

When I lived under the bridge, the cold would wake me up; in the duplex, it was the sound of chickens and the preparation for breakfast; now in the federation, it’s the sound of boat paddles or train whistles that herald the morning.

Recently, the only thing sustaining me is the sound of that clear bird.

Once, I was curious about the bird’s name and asked Susan or Lena, but they didn’t know.

So, just for fun, I asked Elly.

―Oriolus oriolus.

―What?

―The chirping yellow bird, you know? Oriolus oriolus!

―Do you have a normal name by any chance?

―I only know the scientific name!

I remember getting a somewhat slanted response that seemed like it should be written in italics. It felt like seeing a dark side of a lively and innocent child, so I quickly ended the conversation.

Anyway, I roughly tidied up my hair and got up.

The internal clock chimed. It claimed lack of sleep and suggested I go back to bed since it was still early morning.

But I couldn’t.

Today is April 12th.

It’s the first day of the summer semester at the Prussian Federal School of Magic.

Moreover, as the top-ranking incoming student, I had to get on the stage for the scholarship award ceremony during the entrance ceremony.

Not only did I need to dress neatly, but I also had to present myself properly.

Pushing away drowsiness, I sat at my desk, and only then did I realize.

There was no mirror in my room.

Come to think of it, I had never bothered to groom my hair. I always solved it by wearing a hat.

I recalled the guidance from the staff during my visit to the magic school in March for course registration. They had mentioned that wearing hats during the entrance ceremony was not allowed.

I needed help.

The face of a person immediately popped into my mind.

“Should I call Lena?”

However, the current time was too inconvenient, and Lena was currently on the ‘Forbidden 2nd Floor.’ It was an implicitly restricted area for me.

Quickly giving up, I roughly combed my hair with my hands.

“Well, it’ll be fine.”

Leaving my messy hair as it was, I neatly put on my suit and started preparing for breakfast.

“…It’s a matriculation ceremony. What’s with the messy hair?”

There were incidents where I heard such remarks from Lena, but ultimately, with Lena’s help, I was able to perfectly finish preparing for the matriculation ceremony, so it didn’t matter.

Half a year since arriving at Fraußen. The temperature was mild, and the weather was clear.

Today, I become a freshman at the Federal Magic University.

#April 12th. Clear.

Federal Magic University of Fraußen.

Unlike the scenery filled with silence and solemnity in November, now before my eyes, the lively scenery of the university unfolded.

Lush green grass and deep green trees. The upright Gate of Knowledge.

Although the scenery itself hadn’t changed, the vitality filling it reversed the nature of the landscape.

What can I say? Now it truly felt like a school.

Of course, I have no right to say it’s like a school, being completely academically inexperienced.

Anyway, I strolled while appreciating the surroundings.

Passing through the Gate of Knowledge with ease.

On the day of the matriculation ceremony, I also took a look at the statue of Jean-Pierre Ochlerme and the adjacent stone pedestal of unknown purpose.

Then, a familiar back caught my eye.

I raised my voice and shouted,

“Werner!”

“Oh, is it Eugene?”

Just like me, Werner had to arrive early for the scholarship award ceremony rehearsal.

He seemed tired and his eyes were constantly closing, indicating his drowsiness.

“Did you wait for me by any chance?”

“No.”

“Then what were you doing standing there?”

Werner quietly pointed his finger towards the main sports field.

It was a square plaza bustling with preparations for the entrance ceremony. Werner’s expression began to gradually turn dangerous.

“Don’t you think it would be fun to conduct an explosive experiment there?”

“…It would be better to stop.”

“Tsk. You’re such a bookworm.”

As I tried to prevent the troublemaker from further tarnishing the reputation of the 4th School, I followed the path through the grass towards the main sports field.

The main sports field was not just a facility for sports, as there was a quaint podium set up in one corner.

With the addition of neat decorations, even though there were no people yet, the atmosphere of the entrance ceremony was in the air.

By the time we arrived at the sports field, the faculty members seemed busy welcoming the distinguished guests.

One by one, figures who exuded an aura of professors or high-ranking officials began to appear, riding in carriages.

Every time a carriage stopped, the faculty members rushed forward, bowing respectfully.

Werner, who was observing the scene, let out a sigh.

“I must be crazy.”

“The faculty members do look pitiful, don’t they?”

“Forget about them and look at the professors. Those people are the leading magicians in the current magical world.”

I learned magic across the sea. I somehow knew the names of the professors, but I didn’t know their faces.

But it seemed to leave a different impression on Werner, who had lived in Prussia all his life.

Is this really the birthplace of magic?

Anyway, there’s nothing to do until dinner. I also started observing the faces of people getting off the carriage with interest.

And then, it happened.

Creak—

Among the generally elegant carriages, a particularly large and exquisitely crafted carriage entered the stadium.

I widened my eyes.

“Is that the chancellor of the Magic University?”

“Probably not. The chancellor’s carriage will come from the correctional facility, not the main gate.”

There was no need to continue the questioning.

Clank, the coachman opened the carriage door.

A figure gradually emerged from within the door.

“….?”

“Oh.”

It’s a fellow freshman.

And incredibly beautiful at that.

Underneath her dark hair, the features gathered closely together were enough to catch anyone’s eye, and the graceful gestures typical of someone from a wealthy family supported her beauty.

In summary, she had an impression that even Werner would let out a light sigh at.

But the reason my gaze was fixated on her was not just that.

She was holding a cane.

Not a decorative cane like Benjamin’s. It was a cane for someone who truly had difficulty walking.

As if to prove this, the coachman who had opened the carriage door quickly brought forward a wheelchair-like contraption.

“Step, carriage.”

When she sat down in the wheelchair, trembling like a bamboo in the wind, our eyes met.

“….”

“Oh, hello there.”

While I remained silent, Werner shamelessly smiled and waved his hand.

She stayed quiet for a moment, then smiled at us.

By the way, I often found myself involved with beauties. Like Dorothy, or even Lena, who was still young, and recently, the head of Loveless Race also fell into that category.

Therefore, rather than her beauty, her original expression shone more vividly in my eyes.

I swallowed my breath.

Wow.

It was a perfect, fake smile that brought astonishment.

I turned my head as a chilling wind ran down my spine. After all, who would want to reveal that they were not in good health?

Especially with all the distinguished guests present.

Finally, the matriculation ceremony began.

*

“And so, this land and this building were constructed with utmost care by the father of magic education several decades ago to provide the finest education for you all today! You—”

The genial-looking principal.

Students, guests, no one listened to the speech, which concluded in about twenty minutes.

Finally, the scholarship award ceremony began.

“The top scorer of the entrance exam, Werner Rosdiamen. Please step forward onto the platform.”

With nearly seven hundred incoming students, even a single word from each amounted to seven hundred.

As Werner’s name was called, a chorus of not-so-cheerful cheers erupted.

“Hey, troublemaker! Don’t set the magic university lab on fire!”

“First time seeing him. Who’s he? From the Fourth School?”

For Werner, these were remarks that stuck in his ears like burrs.

With a relaxed smile, Werner ascended the platform, comfortably received his scholarship certificate, exchanged greetings with the principal, and then—

“Likewise, the top scorer of the entrance exam, Eugene Oslo. Please step forward onto the platform.”

It was my turn.

I ascended the steps arranged on the side of the platform.

With each step I took, I felt the audience becoming increasingly silent.

If Werner faced jeers, I faced silence. A silence filled with hundreds of meanings that dominated the entire field.

Whether to speak or not.

I stood before the dean and greeted him respectfully.

With a warm smile, the dean handed me a scholarship certificate.

“Student Eugene Oslo. I entrust the future of magical studies to you.”

“…Thank you.”

I wanted to leave that spot right away, but I couldn’t. Due to the presence of reporters with cameras all around, the dean and I had to stand there holding the scholarship certificate for about ten seconds.

“We’ll take a picture—!”

Unintentionally, I made eye contact with seven hundred new students.

Harsh.

But the one on the podium was me. Without flinching, I focused on highlighting the virtues of the subject.

Cheese.

A perfect smile emerged on my face.

*

“…Is this the place?”

In an elegant, or rather, a more fittingly worn-out classroom, around seventy new students, including me, took their steps.

My first class at the School of Magic. [Type 2 Magic Practice].

It was a class I really wanted to take.

Unlike the 1st type magic I had already learned from the Empire, I hadn’t experienced the 2nd type magic, so I applied for it first to experience the high-level teaching of the Federal Magic University.

The long-awaited class at the School of Magic.

As I eagerly awaited the professor’s arrival, the door to the classroom creaked open.

“Is this the classroom? Seems like it.”

A robust tone.

The first impression of the professor in charge of [Type 2 Magic Practice] class was crimson.

A female professor with long, crimson hair tied tightly like a ponytail confidently stood in front of the blackboard with brisk steps.

“Nice to meet you, new students. I am Professor Louise Erellihta, in charge of [Type 2 Magic Practice] Class 4 for this semester.”

Louise?

As I tilted my head in an unfamiliar sense, Louise Erellihta began to speak.

“Let me ask you straightforwardly. What is magic?”

A blunt question thrown out of the blue.

Naturally, there was no immediate answer.

She scratched her head and then singled out a student this time.

It was the student who had been staring at me oddly since earlier.

“You. What do you think magic is?”

“Uh, um. Innovation, maybe?”

“0 points.”

The student looked desperate.

The questions continued. Progress. History. The Federation itself. Various answers about magic being magic, and so on.

“0 points.”

The scores didn’t change.

Meanwhile, I found this question quite familiar.

The first day in the unforgettable duplex house. It was Benjamin who threw the question at me, of all people.

The answer that followed was just as unforgettable.

Finally, it was my turn.

“Hey there, student. What do you think magic is?”

I confidently replied.

“Magic is essentially a discipline.”

“Ah, interesting. 50 points.”

50 points.

Should I be pleased with this?

Despite the unsettling score amid my confidently spoken response, causing a stir among the students, they were, ironically, scoring a zero themselves.

In the end, no one managed to surpass 50 points.

“Are you all supposed to be freshmen at the Federal Magic University, acting like this?”

Louis had a noticeably disappointed expression.

It’s not pleasant to get scolded from the first class of the first lecture after enrollment. Most students listened to Louis’s scolding with discomfort written all over their faces.

What’s so great about that correct answer?

Shortly after, Louis took out a piece of chalk.

“Listen carefully, you fools.”

In bold letters, he wrote the answer on the blackboard.

[ Vector ]

“Magic is a vector.”