Chapter 9: Dreams of Mastery

“How Big is the Academy?”

“How big is the academy, anyway?”

“They don’t call it the empire’s finest for nothing.”

Sion and Patrick were walking to their next lecture.

Small groups of students had already gathered here and there.

Estroza, who had been chatting with Geivolg, naturally excused herself to join her own circle of friends.

‘A dangerous woman, huh?’

If Patrick hadn’t explained the hidden meaning behind Estroza’s words, Sion might have continued thinking she was just a genuinely kind person.

After all, he’d never encountered someone using Kyoto-style indirect speech in real life before.

“Well, Estroza’s gone. Shall we grab seats at the front again?” Geivolg asked.

“Yeah, I like the front,” Sion replied.

“Excellent attitude! I can’t believe I criticized a model student like you. I feel ashamed of myself.”

Laughing heartily, Geivolg took a seat in the front row.

He had a way of admitting his mistakes and moving on, making it harder to dislike him.

Estroza, on the other hand, had seemed like a good person at first, but the more Sion thought about her, the less sure he was.

“Patrick, what’s this next class about again?” Sion asked.

“Don’t you have your student ID? Just check Byzanty,” Patrick suggested.

“Byzanty?”

“It’s short for the Byzantium Community. That’s also the official name of the app.”

Patrick showed Sion his student ID, which functioned as a smartphone.

Its familiar interface reminded Sion of the Ex**time app he had used in his previous life.

‘The headmaster was definitely from Earth… maybe even from Korea.’

“You can check the schedule in the app. Just install it.”

“Got it.”

“Oh! Since we’ve got our IDs out, why don’t we exchange contacts?” Geivolg suggested enthusiastically.

“Sure.”

The three of them exchanged contact information seamlessly via their student IDs, which allowed them to send messages or make calls to one another.

The advanced technology felt wildly out of place in this medieval fantasy setting.

Sion couldn’t help but wonder about the legendary first headmaster who had created it.

“Hello, everyone!”

The classroom door opened, and a professor entered.

A warm, friendly-looking woman greeted them.

She appeared to be in her 30s and had a soft, almost dreamy expression, as if she might have been half-asleep.

‘Wait, is that…?’

Unlike the squirrel beastkin swordsmanship professor, Professor Huriju, this professor had swirling, horn-like patterns on her temples.

Her hair was also fluffy, resembling wool.

“I’m Professor Shivrina, and I’ll be teaching today’s class. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

Polite applause echoed through the room, reminiscent of Sion’s university days.

‘This is what a normal lecture feels like.’

After enduring Professor Lunia’s forest cabin class and Professor Baries’ dungeon lecture, Sion found the familiarity of this classroom setting oddly comforting.

‘Though it does seem like Byzantium Academy has a lot of eccentric professors.’

“My class is called ‘Introduction to Magic.’ From the title alone, you might wonder what this course is really about.”

With a wave of her hand, fire flared to life on her palm.

“All of you here are first-year students in the Magic Department. In your second year, you’ll choose a specific discipline. This course introduces you to the various departments and their specialties, with guest lectures from professors representing each discipline.”

Sion’s official enrollment was listed as “Byzantium Academy Magic Department, First Year.”

The department was a broader category encompassing multiple disciplines within a related field.

“Since it’s orientation week, today’s lecture will be light. We’ll wrap up in about an hour, so bear with me.”

Professor Shivrina smiled warmly at the students.

Many were already captivated, their eyes fixed on the mesmerizing magic she demonstrated.

‘The spells keep changing.’

The fire on her palm transformed into water, which floated weightlessly like a blob in zero gravity.

The water then turned to earth, solidifying into a large stone before crumbling into grains of sand.

Finally, the sand dissolved into wind, creating a breeze strong enough to ruffle the students’ hair.

The magic swirled visibly in her palm, holding everyone’s attention.

“I’m a professor in the Elemental Magic Department. In this lecture, I’ll introduce you to the most popular and fascinating branch of magic: elemental magic.”

Elemental magic, she explained, was based on the four primary elements of this world: water, fire, earth, and wind.

Even those unfamiliar with magic knew about this widely recognized discipline.

“Of course, even within elemental magic, there are subdivisions. Each element has its own specialties. For example, water magic alone includes ice, mist, purification, blood manipulation, climate control, and more.”

Professor Shivrina’s explanations were clear and engaging.

Sion thought it might rank among the top lectures he had attended, even compared to his university days in his previous life.

But his focus was elsewhere.

‘Those are all 1st-circle spells…!’

The spells she demonstrated included a variety of 1st-circle magic.

Sion couldn’t identify all of them, but he managed to recognize enough to update his Magic Compendium.

[Magic Compendium]

[Welcome to the Magic Compendium!]

[Here, you can view magic you have witnessed or are capable of using.]

[Current Usable Magic]

[1st-Circle Spells: Water, Fire, Earth, Wind]

[2nd-Circle Spells: None]

[3rd-Circle Spells: None]

[4th-Circle Spells: None]

Sion had just added the four fundamental elemental spells to his repertoire—all by simply watching her.

‘I can’t wait to try them out!’

Learning three new spells at once was exhilarating.

Though his fingers itched to cast them, he restrained himself.

He had already learned the hard way not to cause disruptions during class.

“That’s it for today. Feel free to ask any questions about elemental magic or the course.”

Sion glanced back to see numerous hands raised eagerly.

As expected of the most popular department, the students’ enthusiasm was at an all-time high.

“In the Elemental Magic Department, do we study all four elements together, or do we specialize in one immediately?” one student asked.

“The department has specialized professors for each element,” Professor Shivrina replied. “You can attend a variety of classes before deciding, or focus on one element from the start. The choice is yours.”

“I have a question too! Regarding the Elemental Magic Department—”

Questions poured in, and Professor Shivrina answered them effortlessly.

After about five minutes, the barrage of questions slowed down.

Sion raised his hand high.

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Well… is it possible to study all four elements in the Elemental Magic Department?”

“All four elements?” Professor Shivrina asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Yes, I was just wondering if anyone has done that.”

The room went silent.

The previously relaxed atmosphere, filled with murmuring and chatter, suddenly froze.

‘Did I say something wrong?’ Sion wondered, glancing nervously around the room.

Professor Shivrina smiled warmly and answered, “Some first-year students do try out classes in all four elements by attending sessions with each professor. Occasionally, someone even double-majors in two elements. But… mastering all four is extremely challenging.”

She continued her explanation.

The Magic Department’s course load was intense. Even sticking to a single major was grueling.

First-year students were already assigned over 20 credits worth of classes, leaving little room for additional coursework.

“So, while it’s not impossible to double-major, it’s extremely rare. Most students find it hard enough to manage just one major,” she concluded. “Take your time deciding. You’re still first-years, and you’ve just started. Does that answer your question?”

“Thank you.”

“Any other questions?”

More students raised their hands, but Sion barely registered their voices.

He was staring at his own palm, lost in thought.

‘Maybe… I can do it.’

His ability to copy magic by simply observing it was extraordinary.

Though it only worked for spells equal to or below his current circle, the potential was undeniable.

‘This life might require a lot of studying.’

A grin spread across Sion’s face.

The idea of pursuing not just a double major but even multiple majors felt tantalizing.

Sion had always loved learning.

Discovering new knowledge, uncovering the mechanics of the world—these pursuits had always thrilled him.

And magic? Magic stirred a primal excitement in him, a force that resonated with his very core.

There was so much he didn’t know yet, and that only fueled his determination.

Sion’s eyes sparkled.

Learning just one type of magic wouldn’t satisfy him. He wanted to master them all.

With his ability, nothing seemed impossible.

After class, Sion, Patrick, and Geivolg exited the lecture hall together.

“My comrades! I must take my leave. See you tomorrow.”

“See you.”

“Oh, by the way, are you all attending the opening ceremony tomorrow?” Geivolg asked suddenly.

“Oh… that’s right. There’s an opening ceremony tomorrow,” Sion remembered.

‘An opening ceremony, huh? It’s been ages since I’ve been to one.’

In his previous life, Sion had attended two university opening ceremonies. The first was out of curiosity, and the second because they needed more attendees to meet the quorum.

‘There’s really nothing much to do at an opening ceremony.’

The event was usually simple—introductions to department clubs, announcements for the semester’s events, and electing the first-year class representatives.

The real highlight, however, was the after-party.

“You’re going, right, Sion?” Patrick asked.

“Probably. What about you?”

“Of course. It’s free, and the professors are footing the bill. Might as well get some good food and network a bit,” Patrick said with a shrug.

If Patrick was going, Sion figured it wouldn’t be too awkward.

“Haha! Then I’ll see you at the ceremony tomorrow. Farewell for now!” Geivolg laughed heartily before striding off.

He came and went like the wind—a free-spirited man if there ever was one.

‘Hard to believe he’s actually a prince,’ Sion thought.

“What about you, Patrick? Any plans now?”

“Just exploring the academy a bit. You?”

“I’m heading to the training grounds for some magic practice. See you later.”

“Alright, see you.”

With a wave, Patrick departed, leaving Sion alone.

But solitude didn’t bother him anymore.

‘The academy really is like a university. And it’s just another place where people live.’

At first, being thrust into an unfamiliar world had filled Sion with anxiety.

But meeting Patrick and Geivolg, attending classes, and interacting with professors made him realize that this place wasn’t so different after all.

With his unease fading, Sion decided to focus on the future.

As a student in the Magic Department, his top priority was mastering magic.

That’s why he was heading to the academy’s training grounds.

During orientation, he’d heard they offered private training spaces that could be reserved.

‘This’ll be a good chance to test out the new spells I’ve learned.’

But…

“…Where is the training ground?”

The academy was so vast it didn’t even have a comprehensive map.

Navigating it was no easy feat.

It took Sion quite some time to finally locate the training grounds.