“…Therefore, in the case of that spell, we can say it operates on the following principle in the phenomenal realm~ Now. If you open the original text to page 32, you’ll see the formula, yes~?”Intermediate Magical Theory.To be honest, I didn’t know the detailed content of this lecture either.In Mir-Ellin Saga, lectures were nothing more than a repeating schedule to raise the Intelligence stat or gain skill experience.But actually sitting at a desk and listening, I found a lot of intriguing parts.Mana — the fundamental power that composes this world.And magic — the principle that links it into laws and realizes it in the material realm according to the caster’s intent.For a modern person like me, used to boring major courses or general-education classes taken just to fill credits, the discipline called magic was a new world.Moreover, a discipline that “seeks truth,” namely magic, was in reality close to mathematics or physics.Its basic framework itself leaned toward the mathematical domain.'I’m actually decent at math.'After deciding on a pro-gamer path I let go of studying, but my original grades were high enough that I could have entered a fairly top-tier university.“Mathematics” is not something humanity created; it is the underlying principles that structure the world, discovered and transcribed into symbols.Only the notation used here was slightly different; it wasn’t much different from my original world.Strictly speaking, this world of Mir-Ellin Saga was a mass of code made by a game company to begin with, so it would be stranger if the mathematical system were different.Anyway, with my current ability I could handle a theoretical magic course like this.But there was no guarantee it would stay that way; the further the syllabus progressed, the more unfamiliar parts would appear.Which is why I needed this item.Ting-.I selected one entry from the “unowned items” list in the encyclopedia and checked its information.One of the Academy’s Three Great Relics.[Sage’s Glasses]Grade: LegendaryOne of the relics left by the Great Sage Azolte Fingard. A simplified spirit-body he left behind is housed within.You can summon the Great Sage’s spirit-body. Maintaining the summoned state consumes mana.Intelligence +20%A simple description, but the artifact’s performance was monstrous.It could temporarily summon the spirit of a Great Sage from the continent’s golden age, and raised the Intelligence stat by a percentage.It was safe to say its performance fully matched the renown of a Legendary-grade artifact.An Intelligence increase affected mana consumption for spells and a wide range of faculties: general comprehension, memory, imagination, reasoning, and insight — all good by default.Next was the unique effect of these Sage’s Glasses.You can summon the Great Sage’s spirit-body. Maintaining the summoned state consumes mana.Literally, it allowed you to temporarily call forth the duplicate soul Azolte left behind.Practically the ultimate superior version of my encyclopedia function.If I asked Azolte’s soul, it would answer most things; Academy-level magic lectures would be a free pass.And it would not only assist in class, but also teach me various information within Mir-Ellin Saga that I might not yet know.Of course, the mana consumption wasn’t small, so I couldn’t keep the spirit around long; even so, its versatility was astounding.'Let’s set this as the top priority, first of all.'Considering various circumstances, the Sage’s Glasses were the artifact I needed before anything else.While I was idly scribbling that goal onto a blank sheet—“Mr. Loen, Mr. Loen?”A voice looking for me came from the platform at the front of the auditorium.Professor Martelgia had called my name.Adjusting her glasses, she spoke.“Mr. Loen. I hear you attended class on time today~ Whatever breeze blew through you, we can call it a good start, yes~ In that spirit, I’ll give you a chance~”“…”Though her manner of speech was a bit grating, she was basically a passionate lecturer and held no particular ill will toward Loen.Not enough to pay attention to a student in the back row, normally.Demer, the TA assisting at her side, had probably nudged her.“Now then, problem number 2 on page 34 of the original text~ We just solved number 1 together, so let’s find the answer to number 2~”Flutter-.Silently, I opened the textbook to page 34 and read problem 2.It was about the quadratic-curve formula used in magical discharge — in other words, a parabola.Apparently, even for magical projectiles like bullets or arrows, this calculation was necessary.Martelgia continued.“If you answer correctly, I’ll restore a portion of your penalized Conduct score~ If you’re wrong, I’ll deduct points~ You have one minute~”“Understood.”There was no answer key in the back of this edition.But I had already added an answer key, found in the library, to my encyclopedia.All I needed to do was float that key in the air and write the answer.I first computed the answer in my head and then checked it against the key.'As expected of me.'Maybe thanks to Loen’s high Intelligence stat, the mental arithmetic wasn’t hard.“The answer is 3.”“Oooh~ You got it right~?”At Martelgia’s reaction, the classroom stirred a little.Loen almost never answered questions, much less answered them correctly.I smirked at the students’ pure reactions.'Being a delinquent has its perks'.If you’re a top student with good grades, you get chewed out for missing one. If you’re a habitual wreck like a delinquent, you get praised for getting just one right.Still, since it was multiple choice, there was a chance I’d guessed; the reaction didn’t go beyond that.Apparently displeased with how things were going, TA Demer cut in.“Student Loen. Could we also hear your reasoning? You may come solve it on the board.”“Sure.”I nodded and stood.Then I walked to the board and calmly began writing formulas in chalk.Since the notation system differed from my world, I paid attention to that.Tap-tap— Tak-.The sound of chalk rang through the lecture hall.Thanks to the [Thick-Skinned] Trait, I wasn’t particularly shaky or nervous.When I finished the solution, Martelgia gave a small round of applause.Clap-clap-.“Hooh. Very good~ The formulas are a bit wobbly, but your solution process is practically textbook-level~ Looks like you studied hard over winter break~ I’ll raise your penalized Conduct score. You may be seated~”“Yes, Professor.”Turning back after greeting the professor, I caught the expressions of the students seated in the room.Everyone’s eyes were wide — a look of disbelief.What’s with him? He couldn’t even solve basic problems before.No idea. Maybe he memorized an answer key. But how’d he know what problem would be asked?Even if he did, I heard he was badly hurt the other day. Did something happen then?“…”Beatrice and Yulina wore expressions not much different from the others.Of course, objectively, it hadn’t been a particularly hard problem, so it didn’t go beyond that.I sat back down, listening to the pleasant murmurs.I got a few more questions during the rest of the lecture, but I answered them all without trouble.Thanks to my original mathematical knowledge and the answer key I’d loaded into the system encyclopedia.“Student Loen?”“Student Loen!”Especially Demer, who kept picking me out for problems.Feeling he was pushing too many questions onto one student, Martelgia chided him.“TA Demer. It isn’t good to concentrate too many questions on a single student~ Let’s give others a chance too~”“…Yes, Professor.”Demer silently clenched his fist and glared at me.From afar, I gave him a small little wave.'Cute guy.'A TA’s “scheming” only amounted to this.Thus the lecture ended in great success.***After the Intermediate Magical Theory class ended.Bang!With rough breathing, a man slammed the door of the prep room behind him as he entered.In the dark room, he spat out a curse.“Fuck.”He threw the papers in his hand to the floor, then calmed himself with deep breaths.“Hoo… hoo.”TA Demer.Clenching his fist, he recalled that damned Loen’s face.That brazen mug that smiled at him after getting the answer right — unbearable.“Hoo… hoo.”Of course, Demer himself knew this was a petty, low tactic.And it couldn’t inflict much damage on someone who was already a notorious delinquent. At best, it could humiliate him in front of many people.But as a mere TA facing Loen, this was about all he could do.As rotten as that bastard was, in the end he was blood of House de Valis.An opponent a scion of a mere low-ranking noble house like him could do nothing about.On top of that, because of today’s failure, he could no longer reach out to Yulina.Instead of hurting him, it had raised the bastard’s stock.“Damn it.”If it had come to this, there was no helping it.He’d have to borrow the prestige of a house with greater power and a grudge against that bastard.Or else—“…”Demer stared at a transparent box on the corner of his desk.A shard of jet-black magical power, once delivered to him with a letter.He didn’t know who had sent it, but even he could tell a tremendous power was hidden within.And that such power would ruin him.Demer pulled out the letter beneath the box and unfolded it.[If you desire power, seize it yourself.]The handwriting looked as if it had been scrawled with some unknown black liquid.Biting his lip, Demer wrestled with it for a long time, then shook his head.'That… isn’t it.'Even though anger at Loen briefly overrode his reason, his hand wouldn’t reach for it.His instincts were warning him violently.That he must never touch it.Forcing down his rage, Demer picked up the papers he had thrown to the floor.'Yes. This is better.'After adjusting his glasses, he began writing a letter to someone.***“Um, Mr. Loen. No—Loen.”As the students flowed out like the ebbing tide after class, I was organizing my notes to leave when Bell, whom I’d met that morning, came to the back row where I sat.“What is it.”“W-would you like to have lunch together? I’ll treat you. As a thank-you.”Lunch, huh. It seemed to be repayment for helping her find the classroom earlier.I had no lunch plans anyway, and since Bell was approaching me like this, there was no need to refuse.It was advantageous in many ways to build rapport with her early.But from Bell’s perspective, that was different. I kindly informed her of that.“Being with me won’t help you.”Loen, the Academy’s notorious delinquent.Just being associated with me could cause her harm.She’d be plagued by bad rumors, earn groundless nicknames, and become a target of gossip.And since Bell was already being bullied by /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ a certain noble clique, it would be even worse.But despite my warning, Bell spoke as if it were fine.“Ahaha… I know that much. But we don’t meet people only to get something out of them, right? And this is simply to say thanks.”“Hm…”A very commoner-like way of thinking.Why did nobles bother going to society functions? To build bonds and grow closer, to call each other brother?As if.Maybe that happened sometimes, but most nobles had calculating natures.They wore all kinds of masks at parties to widen their network and elevate their honor.Even within Mir-Ellin Saga, such political maneuvering was well represented through quests.With thinking as loose as Bell’s, she would never survive in this Union.“You’re going to have a hard time from now on.”“Pardon?”At my mutter, Bell asked back in confusion, but I lightly shook my head.“Nothing. Let’s eat together.”Well. If she thinks that way, I can just pay a bit more attention to her.She’ll suffer for a while, but if she sticks with me, she’ll eventually gain both honor and wealth.That is the fate of an NPC entangled with a “player,” and my minimal repayment to someone with a pure heart.“Okay. Then let’s go to the dining district. I can’t buy anything expensive, though.”“I don’t care.”My taste wasn’t that fancy anyway, and by setting, all the food in Eredor’s dining district was good.Just as Bell and I were leaving the classroom for the dining area—Tap-tap-.The sound of heels from behind.A girl approached me from the front of the lecture hall.With red eyes, she spoke calmly.“Loen. I have something to say to you. Could you spare me a moment?”Beatrice. She had called out to me.

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