Chapter 4: Fantasy high school: celestia (3)

Apprentice Mage, Lua Polaris.

She had served as an apprentice mage of the Blue Tower for quite a long time.

Among mages, it was a widely accepted truth (TL Note: 정론, ‘jeongnon,’ refers to a correct or orthodox theory/argument.) that a mage’s talent could be recognized from a young age.

As such, Lua too had been noticed and selected by a master at an early age.

There was once a time when she alone displayed unparalleled skill, monopolizing her master’s praise—but that was long past.

“Tsk, tsk… When do you intend to become independent?”

“……I apologize.”

By now, all her peers had surpassed Lua, leaving her behind.

A year ago, all of her fellow apprentices, save for Lua, had earned their ‘Full Mage’ badges.

Lua was the only mage who remained an apprentice.

Only Lua’s thesis continued to be rejected, failing to pass.

The pride of the girl who was once hailed as a genius simply could not tolerate this situation.

For that reason, she toiled away at her research every night, suffering from overwork, yet still, no significant results had emerged.

Today was no different.

Even today, Lua’s eyes were heavy with fatigue as she scribbled at her promotion thesis, but she was making no meaningful progress.

Her head drooped, then bobbed.

Instead, her head, unable to bear the accumulated fatigue of the past few days, kept dipping towards the floor and snapping back up.

Was there truly a limit to how much one could suppress sleep, no matter how hard they tried?

Just as her head finally lifted after a series of nods.

“……Huh?”

Lua Polaris stood at the entrance of a colossal library.

She had, without any prior warning, suddenly found herself inside this library.

The library exuded an antique ambiance, filled with countless tomes.

If the greatest artist in the empire were to design a library, would it not appear like this?

Centered around the first-floor hall, bathed in warm sunlight, a spiraling staircase ascended all the way to the rooftop.

Furthermore, a colossal tree was planted within the garden located on the rooftop.

The vast expanse of the library was a sight grand enough to inspire awe even in a mage who explored all the world’s mysteries.

“Ah—”

As Lua took in the magnificent sight of the library, her eyes sparkled.

The sheer scale of the library made her heart pound.

Had the God of Magic perhaps bestowed a beautiful dream upon Lua, to ease her struggles?

With such thoughts, Lua’s hand instinctively rose to her cheek as she continued to gaze at the library.

She pinched.

It didn’t take long for Lua’s face to flush with bewilderment as she pinched her own cheek.

“Ugh… Why does it hurt?”

Despite this scene clearly being a dream, a sharp pain registered on her cheek.

It wasn’t merely a matter of vividness; the pinched cheek genuinely ached.

“Aah!”

The harder she pinched her cheek, the clearer the cries of pain that escaped Lua’s lips.

Giving up on pinching her cheek, Lua finally moved her steps deeper into the library.

She had decided to explore the vast library and examine its interior firsthand.

“Well, well, it seems I wasn’t the only one to stumble upon such fortune.”

“……Hello.”

As Lua wandered through the library, she soon encountered another person.

It was a middle-aged mage, carrying a staff.

From his staff hung a small grimoire, seemingly containing embedded spell formulas.

He was the epitome of a battle mage.

“Hoh, judging by that emblem, you must be from the Blue Tower. In fact, I’m also a former Blue Tower mage. Though I’ve since left the Tower to join the Magic Corps.”

“Apprentice Mage Lua Polaris of the Blue Tower. I’m pleased to meet a senior mage from the Tower in such a place.”

“My name is Krayton Rookbart. You are incredibly fortunate. Do you have any idea how precious the grimoires here are?”

The mage, who introduced himself as Krayton, pulled out one of the library’s tomes and spoke.

Lua had wondered if Krayton might be the owner of this place, but after conversing with him, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

Krayton, too, appeared to have entered this place for the first time today.

Krayton told Lua that every single grimoire in this place was a precious treasure.

He was right.

Mages, without exception, passed down their magic in a closed-off manner.

Unless one entered as an apprentice of a magic tower, like Lua, learning magic from another mage was virtually impossible.

To think such invaluable magical knowledge was stored within this library in the form of grimoires.

They were indeed treasures, beyond reproach.

“It seems you haven’t quite grasped my words. Go on, pick any one out and read it.”

However, Krayton simply chuckled at Lua and urged her to take a book.

As if Lua still knew nothing of the true value of the grimoires within.

At Krayton’s urging, Lua took out a nearby book and opened it.

*Whoosh—*

After the book in her hand fully opened.

As Lua read the spell formulas line by line from the grimoire, the corners of her mouth began to twitch.

“Th-this is…!”

“Do you understand my words now? You’ve seized an immense fortune! A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, no less!”

The contents of the grimoire in Lua’s hand.

It was by no means a low-level, basic spell formula.

These were high-level magical spell formulas, the kind one would only encounter upon reaching the upper echelons of a magic tower.

A single volume would be enough to secure a comfortable life for a lifetime.

“A complex fire-elemental spell formula… and one of a level only attainable in the upper echelons of the Tower. This is a spell formula battle mages would search for with burning eyes.”

“All the spells around here are of a similar caliber. They are on a completely different level from mere low-grade introductory magic!”

Lua’s eyes swam as she stared at the grimoire in her hand.

This single book alone was enough to purchase a grand mansion in the city.

Yet, such grimoires weren’t just one volume, but were densely packed on the bookshelves.

As Krayton had said, it was nothing short of a once-in-a-lifetime fortune.

Embracing the book in her hands, Lua turned to Krayton and asked.

“Senior, may I perhaps take this?”

“In my opinion, this library is clearly the legacy of a great archmage. There’s certainly enough of this fortune for both you and I to share.”

“Th-this… Can I take this one too, and this one?”

Lua’s hands continued to pull grimoires from the bookshelves.

Krayton merely watched Lua, letting out a hollow laugh.

“I don’t mind, but… are you sure? There might be even more incredible spells piled up higher there.”

Krayton’s finger pointed towards the garden located on the library’s rooftop.

Even the lowest floor of the library was piled high with high-level grimoires.

If so, wouldn’t even greater treasures be amassed on the upper floors of the library?

Krayton’s reasoning was quite logical.

“This is enough for me. I’ve decided not to be too greedy.”

However, Lua chose to disregard Krayton’s advice.

The fortune bestowed upon her was more than sufficient.

Rather than coveting more fortune, she yearned to fully savor the knowledge she had already acquired.

“But who knows when you’ll be able to enter this place again……”

“Let’s go, Senior.”

“Very well. It would be good to explore a bit more for now.”

Krayton watched Lua with a look of pity for his naive junior, then began to move.

This place was nothing short of a treasure vault, brimming with gold, silver, and precious jewels.

Even though it would have been acceptable to be a little more ambitious, he seemed unable to comprehend Lua’s modesty, content with merely a few luxurious mansions.

But Lua paid little mind to Krayton’s gaze.

Excessive greed always invited trouble.

Lua Polaris was content with the modest dream of living in a lavish mansion on the outskirts of the capital with ten employees.

“Anyway, let’s explore a bit more.”

“Just in case there are other treasures hidden away.”

And so, Lua continued to walk deeper into the library, following Krayton—.

The result, crafted by the God of Magic who graciously acknowledged her modest dream, was this very moment.

****

“It seems I’ve lived long enough to see thieves break into my personal library.”

“Th-thieves… No, we’re not……”

Countless grimoires lay scattered on the floor.

And a black-haired young man stared at Lua, who had dropped the numerous grimoires.

The sharp-featured young man’s gaze flickered between Lua and Krayton, the two mages.

‘—Thieves.’

The young man, who had been reading a grimoire and sipping tea, had called Lua a thief.

The implication was clear.

All the numerous grimoires that Lua and Krayton had been reading moments ago belonged to the young man.

‘Oh, what do I do? Was I too greedy? Should I have only taken one volume instead of several…!’

All sorts of thoughts raced through Lua’s mind as she dropped the grimoires.

Had she perhaps carried too many grimoires?

Was her desire for a mansion with employees in the capital too excessive?

Even so, shouldn’t they have sought out the owner first and asked for permission?

These thoughts flashed through Lua’s mind.

Moreover, the young man was attempting to interrogate them, a cold smile playing on his lips.

Perhaps it was because she had, moments ago, been confidently parading through the library, clutching someone else’s grimoires.

Lua felt an immediate urge to flee from the young man’s demeanor.

As Lua’s trembling eyes desperately tried to avoid the young man’s gaze.

*Thud—*

Suddenly, a staff struck the floor beside Lua, its sound echoing loudly.

“You scoundrel! How dare you try to deceive us!”

It was none other than Krayton, the battle mage, who had slammed his staff down.

Perhaps he was displeased with the young man’s overbearing attitude.

Krayton, in turn, shouted loudly at the young man.

The young man, seemingly not expecting such a reaction, let out a hollow laugh and questioned him.

“……What do you think you’re doing?”

“You! How dare you claim ownership of this place! By all accounts, this is clearly a ruin hundreds of years old!”

“……”

“Are you, a mere greenhorn, trying to monopolize the legacy left by a great archmage for future generations?!”

Krayton spread his arms wide, confidently asserting his point to the young man before him.

His implication was that the legacy of a great archmage should be shared amicably, not hoarded by one person.

The young man regarded Krayton’s assertion with a complex gaze for a moment.

Then, sweeping a hand through his hair, the young man spoke again.

“All the grimoires in this place were written by me. I don’t know what audacity gives you the right to claim ownership in my library.”

“You, a mere stripling younger than Krayton himself, now dare to impersonate an archmage?! Enough of this, and gain some conscience, you wretch!”

“……”

“If you utter another word of nonsense, I, Krayton—the Iron Wall of the Northern Front—will show you what true magic is!”

Krayton, refuting the young man’s words, raised the staff in his hand with a flourish as he spoke.

His point was that a mere greenhorn shouldn’t dare to impersonate an archmage.

After all, the young man’s appearance was far too youthful for his claims.

Lua could, to some extent, agree with that sentiment.

That is, if not for the young man’s subsequent actions.

“Very well.”

The young man, who had been letting out a hollow laugh, stared at Krayton for a moment.

He then quickly concluded his brief contemplation and raised his right hand.

“Let’s see the magic that the Iron Wall of the Northern Front prides himself on—.”

*Snap—*

The moment the young man snapped his fingers, an immense surge of magical power erupted from his body.

Innumerable magic circles began to appear throughout the colossal library.

If the stars of the night sky were drawn down to earth, would they not resemble this sight?

Centered around Krayton, magic circles spread in every direction, casting a subtle glow.

*Whoosh—*

The number of magic circles filling the air was easily in the thousands.

It took less than a single second for all those magic circles to fully deploy.

As the myriad magic circles unfurled across the sky, resonating and displaying their might.

The Iron Wall of the Northern Front—Battle Mage Krayton Rookbart—moved with astonishing speed.

“Oh, Senior!”

*Thud—*

Krayton prostrated himself on the floor with lightning-like speed.

And then, with a voice that boomed like thunder, he began to offer apologies.

“This foolish junior failed to recognize a senior of your heavenly stature and committed a grave offense!”

“……”

“……”

Lua and the young man’s cold gazes fell upon Krayton.

A hint of disdain for a certain battle mage was evident in both their eyes.