Academy’s Genius Mage

Chapter 76

* * *

“I’ll do it!”

“…… What?”

Before Ian Oracle could even explain what he wanted her to promise, Professor Elena abruptly agreed.

He thought he’d at least get a scolding for his audacity. But to have her consent so easily?

‘Nevertheless, it’s an issue that surely needs addressing.’

Ian Oracle concluded and understood the true nature of the mysterious cat. He also deduced the source of its power and its peculiar attributes.

Each discovery he made was precious.

“If this were published in a paper, it would cause a sensation in the academic world.”

‘All the findings were things not included in any known books, so it wasn’t surprising.’

Ian Oracle decided he needed to be cautious about revealing the cat to others.

A simpler explanation might be to brush it off as a spiritual being; after all, it was quite adorable. People would undoubtedly love it.

“You shouldn’t decide so hastily. You need to hear what kind of promise it is, Professor.”

“I’ll do whatever Ian says!”

The statement was quite tempting.

To do anything he wanted? But Ian quickly regained his focus.

The person before him was not a younger sibling but a noble spirit mage and a professor at the Royal Academy.

“Understood. From now on, I would appreciate it if you could keep everything I’ve done or said in this laboratory a secret until I leave.”

“That’s nothing. Don’t worry!”

“There’s no way I couldn’t be worried, really.”

Considering what the professor might do. Of course, he couldn’t voice that thought.

Doing so might result in joining Ophelia before a disciplinary committee.

“Now, I will summon it.”

Snap!

As Ian flicked his fingers, the cat appeared. He then allowed it to fully materialize.

At first, it seemed translucent, but as it elegantly landed on the ground, its transformation was complete.

“Meow.”

The cat started to show off its charms in front of Professor Elena, irritatingly cheeky in its demeanor.

“Wow! So cute!”

Not knowing the true nature of the cat, Elena hugged it tight and rubbed her cheek against it. So captivated by its cuteness, the professor remained oblivious to any strange details.

Ian gave her ample time to observe the spirit.

It was a deliberate act.

He wished to see how close someone at the summit of academia, and the leader of the Major in Spirit Magic, could come to the conclusion he’d reached.

Naturally, she was at a disadvantage.

Ian had undergone a process of contracting with the cat, engaged in substantial dialogue, and observed many reactions before concluding.

‘Still, a professor at the academy should offer a unique perspective. If I can learn her method of reasoning, it’ll be a tremendous opportunity for me.’

That’s what Ian thought.

“Hmm?”

At that moment, it seemed Professor Elena noticed something.

Ian was eager to hear what she would say next.

The cat identified itself as the spirit of everything.

What expression would emerge from the mouth of someone at the top of the academic ladder?

“Why is it a cat?”

It felt as though a mountain had crumbled.

Ian let out a sigh.

“You’ve figured it out so quickly……”

“It’s just too cute. Haha.”

“Indeed, it has that aspect. When I first saw it, I thought it was a mystical creature.”

“But you realized it wasn’t just a mystical creature, right?”

“Yes.”

Finally, the kind of response expected of a professor began to surface. Ian proceeded to explain further.

“As you can see, this spirit is rather special. While spirits usually take shape according to their attributes and dimensions, this one manifests whimsically as a cat.”

“I think I know why.”

“What?”

Could she truly grasp such insight after merely a brief observation and interaction?

“It seems a bit different from other spirits. It’s a very subtle difference, but while other spirits possess the energy of elements, this one emanates the energy of nature itself.”

“That’s impressive. You truly are a professor.”

Elena seemed to have discerned that this spirit was of a higher dimension than typical spirits.

“But doesn’t Ian know better? It feels like that’s not the answer you were expecting.”

“Oh, no. That’s not it. From the start, I made a contract with this creature. Naturally, that means I know more. It’s not like I’ve explained everything to you, Professor.”

“Kids these days call that probing, I hear…”

“That’s not it.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter! It’s cute!”

Professor Elena petted the cat enthusiastically.

There was concern about how much this prideful cat might be cursing internally.

『I’m not. Don’t worry.』

Ian chuckled.

“Have you figured out this creature’s attribute?”

“Yes. However, it doesn’t fit into any existing classification.”

“Discovering discrepancies is how new classifications emerge.”

The remark held deep meaning, prompting Ian to begin his explanation in earnest.

“There’s a bit of exaggeration involved, but according to this fellow, it’s the spirit of everything.”

“The spirit… of everything? Wow! Is it a nature attribute after all?”

Nature attribute.

A term not used in academic circles.

It had been proposed by some scholars but was discarded as it couldn’t be proven beyond a hypothetical stage.

Thus, Professor Elena was thrilled.

If the identity of this cat could prove that hypothesis, the discarded idea could return as a valid theory.

However, Ian’s thoughts diverged slightly.

“I don’t think that’s the case.”

“Why? Everything would imply nature, wouldn’t it?”

Ian had initially reached that conclusion quickly as well.

Yet, a lingering feeling of unease led him to think more deeply, revealing an exception.

“I tried to conclude that at first, but after considering it further, I found a force that contradicts the order of nature.”

“Oh! Right, dark magic.”

“If there’s an existence that can be called a nature attribute, it should be more nature-friendly and full of vibrant life.”

Everything in nature has a lifespan.

Yet, there are forces that act against those natural lifespans, such as dark magic which revives the dead unchanged.

No one describes dark magic as the power of nature.

It is derogatorily referred to as a fallen force and is often targeted for extermination.

Thus, dark mages conduct their research and experiments in places even more secluded than magical towers.

“Then what is Ian’s conclusion?”

“My conclusion is ‘no attribute’.”

“No attribute?”

“Ah, it’s not the precise expression. I haven’t found the right word yet. I’ve been short on time. The closest I could come to expressing my thoughts was the term ‘no attribute’.”

Professor Elena nodded earnestly.

The term ‘no attribute’ is not entirely unused in academic.

There are a few no attribute spells that mages frequently use.

Spells like ‘Mana Bolt’ that amplifies mana, dealing pure damage derived from mana.

No attribute spells can deal more damage to enemies with elemental resistances.

However, it’s rare to find enemies with resistance to all elements, hence elemental spells are typically used.

“Converting the attribute of ‘everything’ to a lack of attribute is quite a bold move.”

It was a rare piece of astute criticism from the professor.

Ian nodded.

“Indeed. The idea came to me because of a mana powered streetlight.”

Professor Elena tilted her head at Ian’s words.

No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t see any resemblance of a relationship between the cat and the mana powered streetlight.

“The light is bright and beautiful, but, upon reflection, it wasn’t as attractive during the day. It didn’t even appear as if submerged in the light. So the value of light, paradoxically, only becomes apparent when darkness is also present.”

“Hmm.”

“I believe the expression ‘everything’ follows the same principle. This relationship is referred to as no attribute in magical facts, leading me to conclude that it is a no attribute spirit.”

“It seems you’ve thought about this a lot. Impressive, Ian.”

“You flatter me.”

Indeed, Ian had a different definition he wanted to attempt.

It was the concept of a ‘prime attribute’.

The primordial power from which all attributes originate.

However, since it was quite a radical matter, Ian decided to ponder it further and discuss it with others.

“If the professor hadn’t given me such wise advice when I sought counsel, I wouldn’t have even considered such a thought.”

“Did I?”

“You mentioned that just because something is in a book doesn’t mean it’s always correct.”

“I say that kind of thing to other students too.”

Professor Elena chuckled softly.

Good professors often did not realize they were good.

Professor Elena seemed to be just such a person.

“Anyway, thanks to you, Professor, I was immediately able to form a contract with this fellow and gain several clues. I wanted to express my gratitude once more.”

“No need. Seeing my student grow like this is truly delightful.”

“Student…?”

“Yes, a student. Ian, you are my student!”

It was quite an unconventional expression.

In the Faculty of Natural Sciences, perhaps, but in the Department of Magic, the distinction between teacher and student was very strict. It was not uncommon for people in the same school of thought not to refer to someone as their student.

For her to use the term student indicated how much Professor Elena had taken notice of Ian.

‘I assume Ian is heading towards the Major in Spirit Magic next year…’

It seemed like the conversation would delve into the usual topic again. However, Professor Elena surprised Ian with unexpected words.

“You shouldn’t go to the Major in Spirit Magic.”

“This seems like a change in stance. Why shouldn’t I go? I even made a contract with a spirit.”

“The majors are a type of attribute classification too, you know? They’re merely standards divided by humans for convenience. If I were to follow my realization, I’d say that Ian must traverse through all the majors. That is what ‘everything’ truly means!”

“Oh…”

Ian finally understood Professor Elena’s point.

Due to her cute mannerisms and behavior, the meaning and value of her words were often overshadowed.

“To conquer all majors?”

He felt it was indeed something that needed deep contemplation. In fact, he thought it must be considered seriously.

The title of ‘All Master’ was once a great accolade in ancient times.

The Master of everything.

Such a concept did not exist now. With knowledge becoming more segmented and systems growing more sophisticated, schools had splintered into numerous varieties.

‘It seems like the goal is becoming grander as time passes.’

Still, he did not mind.

Practicing magic and acquiring new knowledge made him feel truly alive in this world.

“I shall deeply engrave your words in my heart, Professor.”

“Don’t be too serious about it. Thanks to Ian, I have learned a great deal this time too. Although I regretfully cannot use it in my lectures due to the promise.”

“There will be an opportunity someday. I don’t intend to keep it a secret forever.”

For now, he intended to refer to it as a mystical beast.

He thought maintaining its materialized state to avoid threats was far better.

“Right. Spirits and mystical beasts are hard to differentiate. It’s easier to believe since it’s in the guise of a cat.”

Professor Elena, who had been stroking the cat, seemed to recall something and changed the subject.

“Oh! What abilities does this spirit have?”

“Well, about its abilities…”

Various qualities came to mind.

Insulting humans, boasting to the point of reaching the skies, derogating dogs whenever the chance arose, and being incredibly nagging.

Yet, Ian chose different words.

“I haven’t fully grasped them yet. Time was a little short.”

“I see. Let me know when you find out!”

“Understood.”

Ian exited the laboratory.

『What a talkative little kid.』

“Not a kid, but a professor.”

『Hmph. If you’re tiny, you’re still a little kid.』

“Then, you’re a little kid too.”

The cat couldn’t counter his words.

“If you’ve nothing else to say, go back.”

Ian desummoned the cat and walked through the corridor.

A sudden thought hit him, and he took off his glasses.

‘Before, I was just curious about what abilities these glasses hold.’

Now, things had changed a bit.

Ultimately, meeting the cat was thanks to these glasses.

‘Who made them? For what purpose?’

Ian couldn’t take his eyes off the glasses for a while.

And just then, an unexpected visitor came to see Ian at the academy.