The next day, the students who had been deemed failures gathered again at the labyrinth’s entrance.
It was an issue that so many students had failed the first practical exam, where nearly everyone was expected to pass.
Thus, a re-examination was arranged.
At the bar I stopped by yesterday, I found the headmistress drinking, and when I joined her for a drink, I ended up listening to her complaints.
That’s when she also mentioned the re-examination.
Though Lucora is highly capable, she seems to have mood swings, which occasionally leads to careless mistakes and causes trouble.
However, she’s too talented to let go. I was told she was reluctantly cleaning up the mess.
When asked if such things were common among adventurers, I replied that many were like that.
For adventurers, the outcome is everything, even life or death.
If you’re talented, you survive.
By the way, she mentioned that it’s more troublesome when mages don’t report their findings.
That’s true, but I don’t know much about that.
“I made sure to check it out today. It’ll be fine!”
Lucora, trying to appear diligent, reassured everyone.
Apparently, the room where the anomaly appeared had been completely sealed off.
Even though I think that’s pointless against an anomaly that can turn invisible, it’s likely just for show.
Most of the students here are children, so many of them feel reassured by such measures.
I did want to investigate that altar a bit more, but with the anomaly around, I’ll leave it be.
It’s probably an altar to an unnamed god.
As for me, Mastema, and Lulise, since we passed, we were left to self-study while the other students were in the re-examination.
Ultimately, this messed up the schedule, and I figured we’d have to make up for it somewhere later, which was frustrating.
Resigned, I glanced through the text we were given.
Magic is diverse. There are daily life magics that anyone can use with practice, and there are also magics that only the caster can perform.
Among these, as part of the systemization of magic studies, five magic attributes were established.
Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Sky.
For the four elements besides Sky, though they have affinities, none is superior to the others.
My lightning magic belongs to Wind.
Kasugal’s magic is of Fire.
Mastema’s isn’t Fire. If anything, it would fall under Sky.
Sky encompasses attributes like Light and Darkness.
Sky represents the unknown. Also called the Void, it is believed to be connected to the realm of the gods.
The realm of gods—a dimension beyond human reach.
The fundamental reason humans cannot defeat angels or demons is the Sky.
The ultimate goal of magic studies is said to be reaching the domain of Sky.
Taken to the extreme, this belief probably gives rise to groups like the Hell Research Society.
If the beings of Sky already exist, it would be faster to imitate them than to try and reach that domain ourselves.
Indeed, when learning, it’s quicker to follow someone’s example.
It’s like the difference between walking and running.
I learned much from those who came before me too.
Though eventually, I had to carve my own path.
I have a demon at my side, and if I wanted to, I could summon an angel too…
But there’s no response from the Holy Sword. It’s probably asleep.
Speaking of the demon, she’s nibbling on the jelly snack I was given.
Mastema seems to have noticed my gaze.
She slurped up the jelly and turned her face towards me.
“It’s green apple flavor. Very refreshing.”
“I see, that’s good.”
“Yeah, I like it, so I’m not sharing.”
“You eat it all yourself.”
I wiped off a bit of jelly stuck to her face with a handkerchief.
Mastema let me clean her without resistance.
There, all clean.
Mastema resumed eating her jelly.
What am I supposed to learn from these beings? I wonder.
In battle, they’re certainly reliable companions, but…
In reality, they just unleash their overwhelming power recklessly.
The textbook wasn’t very thick, so I finished reading it easily.
Reading it a second time didn’t seem to offer anything new.
I was curious about what lessons the elite group was receiving.
Without any major issues, the other students returned one by one from their practical exam.
There were 27 in total. As for the remaining three, I had no idea what had become of them.
Colgus had also returned to his seat, but Lulise’s gaze was cold.
After all, he had used acceleration magic to escape first by himself.
It’s the most detestable behavior in a man from a woman’s perspective.
Colgus kept bowing his head to Lulise, and it seemed he ended up treating her to cake as a result.
Mastema had no interest in Colgus from the beginning, so she just brushed it off.
After Lucora finished a brief assessment, she was replaced by another instructor.
Incidentally, I ignored Lucora’s comment about going out for drinks at noon as she left.
The new instructor who appeared wore a monocle.
He shot a sharp look at Mastema, who was still eating jelly.
Mastema, perhaps interpreting this as a desire for her to share, reluctantly offered the instructor some of her individually wrapped jelly.
“…I’ll pass. Please return to your seat and put that away.”
The instructor said in a trembling voice.
“Is this really the girl? Unbelievable. Could it be some kind of mistake?”
The instructor’s whispered words faded into the air, unheard by anyone.
After Mastema put away her jelly, the lecture began.
This time, the topic was fire magic.
The class would progress to the point where everyone could handle fire magic.
Fire magic is fundamental to many types of magic.
According to the instructor, even Colgus’ acceleration magic is linked to fire magic.
Since I’ve handled a fire sword before, I’m quite familiar with it.
However, while my fire magic is red, Kasugal’s fire is bluish-white.
There’s probably a significant difference there.
Being admitted here means you already have the necessary aptitude.
By following the instructor’s directions, everyone succeeded in casting fire magic.
Lulise and Colgus also managed to conjure small flames.
As for Mastema…
“Hey, Thorn, I’m counting on you.”
She said, and fire magic emerged from her staff of thorns.
When using normal magic, Mastema has to restrain herself significantly, so this method seems easier for her.
If she uses magic without restraint, that black fire of hers seems to manifest.
