Chapter 17: “Silent Magic and Secrets Revealed”

After Professor Rhonda Margaret’s lecture ended,
an anonymous post appeared on the student ID community app, which all Byzantium Academy students possessed.

[Title: Story of a student splashing water on a professor]
[Content: So, there was this commoner sitting right in the front row during the lecture, messing around during class, and got called up to the podium by the professor. Then, out of nowhere, he said, ‘We don’t really need incantations, do we?’ Everyone looked at him like, ‘What the heck is wrong with this guy?’ The professor got really mad and said, ‘Fine, then cast a shield spell without an incantation while I throw some water at you.’ She splashed water, and he actually cast the shield without an incantation! The water splashed back onto the professor, soaking her clothes… I can’t even believe what I saw.]
[Upvotes: 23, Downvotes: 27]

The incident that took place during Professor Rhonda Margaret’s “Introduction to Magic” class was posted on Byzantium Academy’s exclusive community board, “Bizanity.”

The post even garnered over 10 upvotes, landing it on the “Hot Posts” board.

There were quite a few comments as well.

[Are the magic department kids writing novels now? Nice story.]
[└Surprisingly, it’s true. All the first-years in the magic department saw it.]
[Yeah, it’s real.]
[A first-year cast a first-circle spell without an incantation? The level of pre-study these days is insane.]
[It’s not that; the professor literally taught them the shield spell right before.]
[└Lol, I almost believed it but downvoted after reading that.]
[└What if he knew it but pretended not to?]
[└I’m telling you, it’s real!]

The comment section was filled with skepticism.

It was understandable. A first-year student, just newly admitted to the academy, casting even a first-circle spell without an incantation?

“Silent magic,” though niche, was a legitimate technique.

However, learning it required taking upper-year classes, and even then, the difficulty was so high that few students could actually use it.

So, a first-year using silent magic was naturally dismissed as fiction.

From Sion’s perspective, that was a relief.

“Hey, stop looking at your student ID while we’re eating.”

“…I can’t help but be curious.”

Sion raised his head at Patrick’s scolding.

The two of them were at the student cafeteria, having headed straight there after class.

“Sion, my friend, fiddling with your ID while eating is a breach of table manners! Of course, since we’re friends, I won’t hold it against you, but in case you dine with nobles in the future, keep that in mind! Haha!”

“…Sorry. I’ll eat.”

At Gae Bolg’s chiding, Sion finally picked up his spoon.

The luxurious food from the student cafeteria, something he thought he’d never tire of, now felt tasteless.

‘Who would’ve thought Professor Rhonda Margaret would react like that?’

Right after splashing her with water, Sion had instantly regretted it.

He’d overreacted, making sure the water splashed completely on her, and he’d expected the professor, known for her strictness, to be furious.

But instead, she neither got angry nor retaliated.

…..

Whether it was because of the cold or sheer shock, she’d hiccupped, hastily covering her chest with her hands.

・Because she was wearing a white shirt, which turned transparent.

Blushing furiously, she’d rushed out of the lecture hall through the front door.

The seated students might not have heard it, but as she passed by Sion on the podium, she whispered something into his ear.

Her words still echoed in his mind.

-You… hic, I’ll get you back for this later.

It wasn’t her usual sharp tone, but a soft voice, damp from the water and filled with suppressed frustration.

Naturally, Sion couldn’t help but feel anxious.

“Sion, eat well. You’ll need your strength soon.”

“Right. It’s swordsmanship class next, isn’t it? Ha… I’m dreading that too.”

“A healthy mind resides in a healthy body! Even mages shouldn’t neglect physical training, Sion.”

“Well, you’re not wrong…”

Snap!

Gae Bolg wagged his index finger, lecturing Sion. His well-built physique and broad shoulders were evidence of regular exercise.

Patrick, though not as muscular, was still decently fit.

In contrast, Sion’s limbs were thin, and his body had a straight, lanky appearance.

To put it bluntly, Sion was the only one who looked completely out of place when it came to physical activities.

‘I never liked exercising in my previous life either.’

Watching a science documentary was far more enjoyable.

During university and graduate school, he never had time for exercise. In school, he’d always spent gym class studying something else.

He’d avoided physical activity so diligently, only to end up in a swordsmanship class now.

Moreover, since the schedule for first-year students was fixed, skipping it wasn’t even an option.

For Sion, who hated getting injured or sweating, it was the worst class imaginable.

“Let’s go. It’s about time.”

“Sorry… for making you wait.”

“Haha! It’s fine. If I’d soaked the professor like you did, I’d be down too!”

“Gae Bolg… could you not be so loud about it?”

“Stand tall, Sion! You’re the man who bested a professor!”

“Please, just stop….”

The three left the cafeteria.

They needed to change clothes for the next class.

After stopping by their dorms to change into something comfortable, they headed to the coliseum-shaped lecture hall.

“Isn’t that him?”

“Yeah, the one from earlier…”

“Wow.”

“Hey, don’t make eye contact.”

“Walking around with his left hand in his pocket like he owns the place…”

“Silent magic, huh…”

As Sion entered, the surrounding gazes turned cold.

They were clearly talking about him, their eyes following him wherever he went.

His shoulders slumped even further.

‘Sigh… My college life already feels ruined.’

If not for Patrick and Gae Bolg staying by his side, it would’ve been unbearable.

He felt tears welling up just thinking about how miserable the rest of his time here might be.

Maybe he should’ve just played dumb from the start…

As these thoughts filled his head, someone approached him.

“You’re Sion, right?”

“…?”

“Yeah, nice to meet you. I’ve got something I’ve been curious about.”

Their sky-blue hair swayed with each step.

Despite the major incident in class today, her sleepy eyes looked as drowsy as ever.

Serenne Camillea, the top freshman of the Magic Department, approached Sion.

・…Wait, isn’t she standing too close?

“Uh, um? Serenne…?”

“Stay still. I need to check something.”

“No, I mean… aren’t you a little too close?”

“Just stay still.”

Thud.

Serenne grabbed both of Sion’s wrists as if forbidding him from stepping back.

Her breath tickled his neck, making it itch.

The sidelong glances from those around him seemed directed entirely at him, making Sion feel self-conscious for no reason.

After about a minute, Serenne finally let go of his wrists.

She nodded in satisfaction, as though confirming something.

Then she leaned closer and whispered in Sion’s ear.

“Yeah, I get it now. You have… a magic eye too.”

“…!!”

Magic Eye.

It was a peculiar ability, manifesting either naturally or acquired later in life.

Sion possessed a magic eye he referred to as the “Eye of Identification.”

But how had she seen through it?

Was her closeness earlier to verify whether he had a magic eye?

No, more importantly…

“You said ‘too’…?”

“Yeah, I have a magic eye as well. Mine is called the ‘Eye of Mana.’”

She pointed at her eyes with her finger.

Although her gaze still looked drowsy as usual, something about her eyes seemed different upon closer inspection.

Her pupils subtly shifted, as if resembling clouds drifting across the sky.

“It’s simple. I can see the flow of mana—whether it’s magic or anything else.”

“…Is that so?”

“I could tell. The mana flowing through your eyes is different from others. And… that magic duel today left quite an impression. That’s why you kept your left hand in your pocket, right? To test silent barrier magic.”

“!!!”

Sion was startled by her words.

She had figured out that he’d been practicing barrier magic by keeping his left hand in his pocket.

Even Professor Rhonda hadn’t noticed, but Serenne was the only one who caught it.

This couldn’t be explained without her “Eye of Mana,” capable of observing the flow of mana.

“Do you really have a magic eye?”

“Yes. I tried to confirm it before, but it wasn’t clear. Today, though, I’m certain—you have the same type of magic eye as me.”

“Before…? Oh, so that time during the orientation…”

Sion now understood her strange behavior during the orientation.

Back then, she’d gotten close to him and made direct eye contact, an eccentric act.

She had been trying to verify whether he possessed a magic eye.

Her eyes, still heavy with sleepiness, now carried a faint spark of life.

Serenne held onto Sion’s wrist again, snorting softly as if in excitement.

“You’re the first person I’ve met besides myself who has a magic eye. If you’re okay with it, could you tell me what kind of magic eye you have?”

“Uh…? Well, that’s not exactly difficult, but… Ah, no. Sorry, I don’t think I can.”

“Why not?”

“……Could you lend me your ear for a moment?”

Sion whispered softly into her ear.

“If anyone finds out that I have a magic eye, it’ll be a huge problem. I can’t go into the details, but… just trust me on this.”

“I see. So you can’t tell me?”

“…Only if you promise not to tell anyone else.”

“Okay.”

Serenne agreed immediately.

Her answer was straightforward, as if such conditions didn’t matter at all.

Instead, it was Sion who was taken aback.

“You’re fine with answering so easily?”

“I don’t care about others. I just wanted to have a conversation with someone else who has a magic eye.”

“…I see.”

“Let’s go to a café after class. Oh, if you’re uncomfortable with public spaces, the training grounds are a good alternative. They’re soundproof to some extent.”

Her eyes sparkled as she spoke.

It was clear she didn’t care where, as long as she could talk to him.

Sion didn’t know why she was so eager to converse, but her conditions didn’t seem harmful.

The more they talked, the less she seemed like a bad person.

“Alright… I got it. So, could you let go of my hand now?”

“Promise.”

“Uh… Yeah, sure. Promise.”

Sion hooked his pinky with hers.

It was the first “pinky promise” he’d made since he was a child.

Whether it was the soft texture of her hand or the way she continued to look at him so intently from up close, his pounding heart wouldn’t calm down.

After they finished the pinky promise, Serenne spun around and walked away confidently.

Even with all eyes on her, she moved with a bold stride, completely unbothered.

Sion watched her retreating figure, lost in thought…

“Whoa! What was that? A pinky promise? Huh? Huh? Sion, what were you talking about with the top student?”

“No need to be shy, Sion. Byzantium Academy doesn’t prohibit relationships, you know! Ah, how wholesome! Haha!”

“What? No, it’s nothing!”

“Ah, youth! How delightful to see!”

“I told you, it’s not like that!”

As soon as Serenne left, Patrick and Gae Bolg swooped in like hawks, teasing Sion relentlessly.