Chapter 2: The Students’ Presentation
Just before the students’ presentation, people who had gone to other venues also started gathering. It seemed there were also faces of those who had been at King Grandsands’s live demonstration sale.
Thanks to the large-scale publicity activities, I felt that, before I knew it, the largest crowd yet had gathered. Satisfied with the result, I also moved to the edge of the venue.
I couldn’t see Karila and the others, but they were likely watching from an inconspicuous spot.
【SIDE: Tis】
Though it wasn’t like that at first, the plaza had become an astonishingly large crowd before I knew it.
Even from a distance, I could tell there were figures who seemed to be royalty or high-ranking nobles, but those individuals were standing in line in front of the venue just like the other spectators.
“…A strange town… no, a strange Academy. Normally, it would be common sense to provide seats for royalty and high-ranking nobles and perform the presentation before them…”
If I recall correctly, Principal Glen, the head of this Academy, held the rank of Marquis. He shouldn’t be ignorant of the noble world, so I wonder if no problems will arise.
“…Growing up in this Academy, will they even acquire the common sense expected of a noble?”
Anxiety had begun to sprout in areas other than magic.
Perhaps because of my original personality, I tend to think poorly of everything. It might be because the future of the Baron Stone house is uncertain.
In the end, it didn’t seem likely that the Stone house would be able to exert any presence under my husband, the current head.
It is pathetic, but my greatest hope is my son, Dean.
If he becomes a successful mage, the Stone house will be secure for a while. As if to prove this, after Dean was able to enroll in Fidic Academy, we began receiving invitations to balls and such from other Baron and Viscount houses. They are likely establishing connections now, preparing for when Dean becomes a Court Mage.
In the Kingdom of Carvan, one’s peerage does not rise so easily.
However, precisely because bloodline is valued, the children of Dukes and Marquises will at least become Viscounts once they grow up.
In other words, if one sits back complacently at the level of a Baron, there is no telling when the peerage might be stripped.
Since the Kingdom’s wealth and land are finite, it cannot be helped. That is precisely why houses of Viscount rank and below are desperately running around trying to achieve merits.
However, the head of our house could not produce results.
In such a situation, the fact that Dean could enter Fidic Academy was a tremendous stroke of good luck.
There are plenty of children who enter magic academies within the Carvan Kingdom, but there aren’t many who can enter Fidic Academy each year.
Not only the other nobles but also the Kingdom’s expectations for Dean will grow high. In other words, it means the period during which the Stone house can remain as Barons has been extended.
All that remains is for Dean to possess the actual ability as a mage…
As if praying, I followed Dean’s figure with my eyes as he prepared in the back of the venue.
Eventually, the students lined up in a single row and turned toward us. From that atmosphere, the somewhat noisy plaza fell into a hush.
As if confirming that state, a slender male student looked around and opened his mouth.
“…Everyone, thank you for gathering. My name is Court Hedge Butler. This time, it will be a joint presentation by the students taking Aoi-sensei’s Introduction to Magic. I believe this is a presentation that can be viewed with interest by both mages and non-mages alike, so please watch until the very end.”
When Court gave the greeting for the presentation, applause slowly began to rise.
Giving a graceful bow to that, Court took a step back. It was truly a dignified attitude and graceful behavior befitting a noble.
Secretly, I felt a flame of jealousy take root in my heart.
If I recall correctly, he was the child of a key figure in the Highland Federation. He must have been raised with unwavering status and wealth from birth, receiving the finest education.
Unlike my child, he is the child of a true high-ranking noble. Seeing that figure full of confidence makes me feel as if we have become mice crawling through the mud.
While being conscious of my mood becoming darker and more depressed, I continued to watch the venue.
“This is a new magic, and even in this Academy, it is a magic that no one but Aoi-sensei can use. Unfortunately, I could not become the most excellent user of that magic, but I consider myself fortunate to have become one of the few. Well then, let us begin.”
Finally, Rocks, the prince of this country, declared the start of the presentation. This, too, was a majestic attitude that made it hard to believe he was a student. Whether his blessed environment as a prince made him so, or if that is the very quality of royalty, he was gallantly bright.
But even the overflowing-with-confidence Rocks was not the best? If so, was the best user Court from earlier?
While I was thinking about that, a boy more than a head shorter stepped forward.
It was Dean.
While I was letting out a voiceless cry of surprise, Dean opened his mouth with a serious face like I had never seen before.
“…Does everyone know of something called electricity? Electricity is contained in various things. However, it is not contained in the water generated by water magic. By adding wind magic to this water and applying intense rotation while mixing in dust from the air, electricity can be generated. While this is just my personal sensation, I believe that inside this rotating body of water, small things collide with each other to create electricity. If you gather this electricity further and further inward, it becomes lightning that emits thunder… That is Lightning Magic.”
After Dean said that and began the chant for the magic, everyone began the magic chant all at once.
And Dean’s chant was the first to be completed.
“…Lightning Ball!”
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【SIDE: MIDDLETON】
Looking at the boy explaining the magic, I opened my mouth to the person nearby.
“…Who was that boy again?”
“Ha… apparently, that boy is the son of the Baron Stone house of the Carvan Kingdom.”
“Carvan Kingdom…”
Repeating the words of the guard, I refocused my attention on the presentation.
Since he spoke the final words before the presentation, that boy must be a key person in this demonstration.
However, I had not heard his name much.
“Now, what kind of presentation will it be?”
I’m sure I’ll see something interesting.
Thinking that, I placed my hand on my chin and hid a smile.
“…Lightning Ball!”
Dean muttered that and activated the magic.
Immediately after, a small water ball appeared in front of Dean’s hand. That sphere of water was apparently expanding while rotating violently. It grew larger and larger in a short span of time.
Then, before I knew it, one or two streaks of purple light darted out.
I heard voices of surprise from the surroundings, but my consciousness was pinned to that purple lightning as if sewn.
A popping sound reached even here. And the water ball at Dean’s hand was already the size of a human head, with the purple lightning repeatedly flashing without end.
“…Lightning Ball!”
While I was captivated by Dean’s magic, Rocks and Court standing nearby had also completed their magic chants.
Immediately, water balls appeared just like in Dean’s case, but they were growing larger more slowly than the previous one.
It was obvious to anyone that Dean’s magic was faster.
Around the time their two water balls began to emit a slight purple light, the other students in the vicinity also began to complete their chants for Lightning Magic.
One by one, the magic took shape, and finally, the venue was enveloped in purple flashes.
“O-Oh… this is an achievement beyond imagination.”
I thought the heretical mage named Aoi would blow a new wind into Fidic Academy.
But I didn’t think she would show such results in such a short period of time.
To think that everyone would manifest a new magic…
“…I wonder what it will be like in a year or two. I might ask the students there if they have any intention of serving our country. Especially that boy called Dean.”
“You mean to call out to him first. Since a Duke has come from the Carvan Kingdom, it should be easy to talk.”
Rhea answered with a smile.
Certainly… if he is a noble not holding an important post, serving our country could be considered.
However, unless one is of the Knight peerage, blood ties usually bind that house to a single country.
Most nobles take their relatives and associates under their protection, and when they are promoted, they achieve merits to make their sons or brothers into nobles. Because of these relationships, even a noble who does not hold an important post and has no territory cannot easily move to another country.
But if the peerage is low, it is worth calling out to them. If things go well, it might be possible to draw them into our country.
“…Well, I’ll try it and see, even if it’s a long shot.”
Muttering that, I curled the corner of my mouth upward.
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