Mightiest Melee Magician
Chapter 24
The fact that Michael had used Burning Flower was not detected during the drug test before the fight.
However, I was able to discern this.
And in the end, I was also able to catch Professor Elrick Galehill as his supporter.
I explained everything about how.
Except for the Status Window, of course.
“Michael’s atmosphere was quite different to what I’ve seen from him for the past 5 years. He always looked overconfident, but I knew he is closer to a coward who wants to hide his timid personality. Let’s say that because Burning Flower has an ‘awakening’ effect, his personality changed a little.”
“So, he looked a bit unusual… However, it would be pretty difficult to be sure.”
“Yes, it was difficult. However, if we consider the level of magic Michael was showing off normally, it’s really not that hard. In an instant, his mana flow became unusually fast, and I even saw it become empowered.”
“So, what you’re saying is, when you went up to take the test, you went in knowing and anticipating the highest level of magic he could cast?”
“Yes. The acceleration and empowerment of mana. Even the awakening effect which showed a weird unstable symptom and a bit of madness. After seeing all this, I had my suspicions.”
“……”
Director Tirion paused his words, as if a little surprised.
Only a 16-year-old.
To figure out the minuscule changes that happened to an opponent in an instant.
It was a hard feat that even senior magicians struggled with.
Even if that opponent was a classmate who you spent the last 6 years shoulder to shoulder with.
However, the skill was the final factor that confirmed that Michael had used the potion.
‘I don’t particularly need to tell him about it.’
Whatever the case, it was because of my knowledge that I figured out the potion was Burning Flower.
“However, you weren’t just ‘suspicious’ that Michael had used the potion, but you were ‘confident’ he used Burning Flower. Why is that?”
“That’s because of the speciality of the that reduces magic attack power by 99%. Michael wouldn’t feel pain from magic. That’s why I used my physical strength.”
The rest was history.
Using my strength, I hit him with a pain that he wouldn’t be able to endure without the potion.
And Michael was able to endure that pain.
Meaning, if he hadn’t used Burning Flower, it couldn’t be explained.
“On top of that… you figured out the supporter who gave him that potion.”
Using Michael’s life as bait, I implanted fear into the supporter, and could catch Professor Elrick Galehill as well.
“Observation, composure, caution, unique courage, and even an unparalleled talent for magic. It may even be discourteous to you to frame you as just the ‘student who acts like a student’ that I talked about before.”
“That’s not it. It was quite a simple prediction. The point I feared most… was that it was too simple. Anyone could’ve predicted it, but it was carried out too easily.”
Too simple.
Director Tirion nodded his head in agreement.
“Sure. It was simple. Since it has been happening repeatedly and without hesitation, they would have thought it would be even easier. This is truly a terrible thing.”
I didn’t want to talk about the incompetence of the academy.
The fact that this type of thing happened so easily at the academy which should uphold fairness and justice more than anywhere else.
It was proof that the way magic was treated in the Radian Kingdom was a mess.
It was also proof that there was nowhere the Galehill family’s influence didn’t reach.
“As the director who is leading this academy, this incident is quite regretful. Towards the students and towards you. I have nothing I can do except apologize. I am sorry.”
I gave a light smile and bowed my head a little as my answer to his apology.
I knew better than anyone else that the dream of the Director was to make a school where students acted like students, professors acted like professors, and magicians acted like magicians.
My throat was getting dry.
I reached for the teacup again, and the Director made a promise to me that he would prevent House Galehill from carelessly approaching me, just in case.
And then, he reached under the desk for a rolled parchment, unfurling it.
“Did you know that the Grand Festival is opening on the 7th month this year?”
“……”
Right.
The time had come.
* * *
The Grand Festival
A huge event in the magic world that combined the annual Magic Festival with the Olympiad that opened every 8 years.
With all the magic schools on the Frelian continent as the subjects, 32 schools were selected using domestic and international evaluations.
These 32 schools then competed for a whole month in a tournament, aiming for victory.
The two main competitions for that would happen at the Grand Festival.
and .
Only 1 person was selected for the individual competition.
It was a competition only the representative of the academy could enter.
The group competition was different.
The top 30 students academically were selected to enter.
There were so many benefits for the victors that it’s too tiring to list them all, but the main benefit was the glory of being the magician who was victorious in the Grand Tournament.
That’s how prestigious this competition was.
Only 1 representative from each school was selected for the competitions.
Meaning, each school did their own internal sorting for the representative.
The main basic quality a student needed was good grades.
And then, the teaching faculty’s recommendation.
For me,
“I would like if you entered the ‘Grand Festival’ as our school’s representative.”
“……”
I was directly recommended by Director Tirion.
Of course, because I was expecting this to a certain degree, I wasn’t too surprised.
Since Michael was disqualified due to his malpractice in the 4th test.
The only worthy one left was me.
I replied in the calmest voice I could muster.
“First, thank you for honouring me with this suggestion.”
“It’s nothing.”
“However, as you know, Director, I lack experience. I do not have the abundant battle experience Michael Galehill had. Is it still ok?”
The gap in the last 5 years.
Because of Magic Evocation Disorder, it hurt to even think about the empty period where I couldn’t participate in the real battles.
Since the level of the students currently in the academy was low, we could show some competitive spirit against each other.
But as the name suggested, the Grand Festival was a competition where all the geniuses of our generation came together to compete.
I- I was once a genius who could shake the Radian Kingdom with gossip about me.
But against them, I was nothing special.
Since they were also geniuses.
However, Director Tirion shook his head.
“That won’t be a problem. Looking at your performance this test period, it wouldn’t be too far to say you could be a winning candidate.”
“A winning candidate?”
Wasn’t it too much flattery?
However, the Director nodded his head with confidence.
“Trust me. I am also one of the judges at the Grand Festival. I can definitely say it. You’re a very strong candidate for 1st place. Above all, the most fearsome quality of you is…”
Director Tirion continued with a confident expression on his face.
“From their perspective, you will be a secret weapon that appeared out of nowhere.”
* * *
* * *
“……”
Ah, I finally understood.
The other representatives from the other schools would naturally be acquainted with each other.
Doom Prime from the Raynac Magic Soldier Training School.
Irene Prius from Seiki Women’s Residential College.
Each academy had a face that represented them, and after competing with each other every year in the Magic Festival, they could already guess where each other’s levels were.
This was the same for the Ignit Magic Academy.
The image of Michael Galehill as our representative was known, and because of our history of always coming in last, they wouldn’t really be keeping a close eye on us.
However, if I were to suddenly appear?
“To them, you’re an ambush. Information about you doesn’t exist, and they won’t be familiar with methods and strategies that could counter the magic you use.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Then, would you attend for us?”
This situation, where the Director personally requested a student to represent the academy in the , was quite baffling from an outside perspective.
Since ‘please let me enter’ wouldn’t be enough in most cases.
I nodded my head and said,
“As you have trusted me, I will try my best.”
“I thank you.”
Director Tirion laughed with satisfaction and handed me the parchment.
This parchment was packed with all the information I needed for the Grand Festival.
“Read it. It’ll be beneficial for you.”
“Thank you.”
“I don’t know if you know this, but up until about 50 years ago, our academy’s performance was quite brilliant.”
I had forgotten for a moment.
In the lobby of the main building, multiple trophies of the Magic Festival and Olympiad were on display, as well as multiple pictures that were taken multiple years ago.
I spoke up while thinking of this.
“When the Director was a student in the academy… you obtained second place during the Grand Festival.”
“That’s right… It’s quite an old story.”
Director Tirion closed his eyes while reminiscing.
‘Let’s see, if my memory is correct…’
At the Grand Festival that opened about 50 years ago, Director Tirion had gotten second place in the , and this was still the academy’s best performance to date.
The magician who beat the Director and won the Grand Festival was Teron Artemis.
A graduate of the Raynac Magic Soldier Training School, and the current King of Magicians.
The owner of the Throne of Teron.
And the one who looked down upon everyone else from the top of the Magic Tower.
The Fire King Teron.
“Even though I was a magician that caught quite the attention from everyone… Teron was on a different level. It felt like an unscalable wall.”
“He is the King of Magicians after all. Wasn’t the Director’s generation the golden age of magicians in the last 200 years? Facing and defeating those distinguished magicians to achieve second place is in of itself a truly brilliant achievement.”
“That may be the case. For this year, I definitely want to regain the glory of those days.”
Director Tirion thought back to those days approximately 50 years before I came here.
The glory of obtaining second place on that day.
Pressure?
No.
Rather, anticipation burst forth.
Right.
After that day 50 years ago, Ignit Magic Academy had been on a downward path.
Would I be able to change that just because I was going?
I vowed to not ask such questions.
“Yes. I will bring glory.”
Even wishing I could might not have been enough.
At my confident answer, Director Tirion gave a full smile that showed his uniform teeth.
“Thank you.”
It was then.
Knock knock.
Someone knocked at the Director’s office.
“You came just on time.”
As I looked at the Director with a dubious expression on my face, Director Tirion said as if expecting it,
“Come in.”
The one who opened the door and entered was…
Professor Hydel.
And one more person.
“…Eh?”
It was a person I had never expected.
“Have you been well, ‘student who wants a good mark on their test’?”
A man with a large frame, 1.5 times larger than the average young man.
Name, Coulter Pirante.
Currently the Knight Captain of the Poldren territory.
The sole 6th-Rank Knight in the East and had been by my side when I faced off against the ogre for the 3rd test a few days ago.
But what was he doing here?
He wasn’t someone who would come find me for personal reasons.
Even more so for official reasons.
“Ah, yes… good to see you again.”
“Hm? What’s with your face? Are you really happy to see me?”
“……”
As I waited for an explanation with a stunned look on my face, Director Tirion laughed, as if finding this situation funny, and explained.
“Greet him. We invited him to be your martial arts professor until you go to the Grand Festival.”
“…what?”
A guest ‘martial arts’ professor.
What did this mean?
“I requested his help because you looked like you needed Martial Arts Lessons more than Magic Lessons right now. Was I mistaken?”
“What? Ah… no. It’s not that…”
As I stuttered in confusion again, Director Tiron and Professor Hydel both laughed, looking amused.
“He’s definitely a 16-year-old student in situations like this, isn’t he?”
“It does seem so.”
“……”
It was because it was too sudden.
——
