Chapter 60
The silence in the evaluation hall was palpable.
The participants were glaring at me with wide-open eyes.
Particularly, Simton’s expression was a sight to behold.
A mix of disbelief and anxiety clouded his face, his eyes trembling violently as though filled with unease.
The exact nature of my Fire Magic was still unknown to the participants.
So far, it had only been revealed to the judges.
However, they were perceptive enough.
If the Duke had spoken so highly of my magic, they would have realized that it wasn’t something trivial.
And now, if four more spells of similar caliber were to appear?
It would be safe to assume the victor had already been decided.
“…Do you really have four more spells like that?”
Helton.
As soon as he asked the question, another elemental spell began to manifest in my hand.
Ice.
“…”
The faces of the judges and the Duke hardened at the sight.
It was as though they immediately recognized that the power of this spell was leagues beyond an ordinary Ice Magic spell.
Soon, the Duke’s eyes began to shine.
It was the kind of look one might have when discovering an intriguing new toy.
“Oh… That Ice Magic is quite peculiar as well. Just like your Fire Magic, its power seems to be significantly enhanced.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you also have a document explaining its mechanics?”
“Yes, I do.”
Having already decided to reveal five spells, I had prepared documents detailing their operational mechanisms in advance.
After handing over the document to the Duke, I demonstrated the rest of the spells.
Lightning.
Wind.
Haste.
As I showcased these, including the Four Elemental Spells and Haste, the room grew so silent that not even a breath could be heard.
The mages in this room all had a fundamental understanding of magic.
Naturally, they immediately recognized the value of these five spells.
The Duke, as he perused the documents one by one, began to show a glimmer of interest in his eyes.
“You certainly have a unique way of casting magic. The descriptions in these documents match exactly with how you execute them.”
As he spoke, all eyes in the room instinctively turned toward the Duke.
After all, he was the most prestigious and authoritative figure in the room.
Meleos turned his gaze toward me.
“You truly are a fascinating individual.”
The Duke’s amber eyes.
They were brimming with curiosity.
“What exactly do you find fascinating?”
At my question, Meleos held up the document.
“It’s amusing how you’re trying to explain the theories plausibly, but many of the sentences are logically inconsistent. Based on these descriptions, the creation of such magic should be impossible.”
He noticed.
It couldn’t be helped.
While Heart Eye aids in understanding magical concepts, its capability is superficial at best.
Even I didn’t fully understand why the hybrid casting method resulted in such formidable power.
Just as understanding a spellbook doesn’t explain why a particular casting method in a game is so powerful, I couldn’t articulate the reasoning behind my magic.
Though I tried to piece together a plausible explanation, the wording likely appeared flimsy to someone with the vast knowledge of a Grand Archmage.
“I thought I provided a decent explanation, but I guess it’s still lacking.”
“It’s more than just lacking. With these explanations, the spell shouldn’t even activate. And yet…”
The Duke raised his hand, and the spells I had demonstrated began to manifest one by one.
From the Four Elemental Spells to Haste.
Meleos, smiling faintly, effortlessly activated all five spells simultaneously.
“When you follow these instructions on how to manipulate mana, such efficient spells emerge… Could there be any stranger magic than this?”
Stranger, he said.
Although the phrase wasn’t particularly flattering, his smile suggested his mood wasn’t all that bad.
‘Well.’
Given the decades he had lived as a Grand Archmage, this was likely the first time he had encountered such a peculiar magic-casting method.
For a mage obsessed with acquiring new knowledge, it was only natural to be intrigued by this sight.
“What does it matter if it’s strange? The important thing is its efficiency. If the magic is safe, powerful, and quick to cast, isn’t that enough to give it value?”
At my words, even Helton and the rest of the retinue nodded their heads.
The reasoning was simple.
If there existed a better method, one that was also safe, there was no reason not to use it.
The Duke fixed his gaze on me once again.
“Kyle Seltarion.”
“Yes.”
“Ordinarily, submitting a method like this would result in immediate disqualification. This is a competition for theoretical magic, and as such, the principles behind the magic and its workings are critical elements for evaluation.”
That was fair.
Had the magic been clumsy, I would have tasted the bitterness of disqualification instantly.
But my magic was far from clumsy.
Hadn’t it easily passed the preliminaries?
“The reason we let this pass is simple. Even without understanding the theory, the casting method alone allows for easy activation, and its power is incomparable to existing spells. Which leaves me curious.”
The Duke’s gaze pierced into mine.
“How did you come up with this magic? In the centuries of magic’s history, there hasn’t been anyone who altered spells like this.”
Naturally, I had no intention of bringing up anything about the “game.”
The answer was already set.
“When I first learned magic, I felt something strange.”
“…Something strange?”
“How should I put it…? It felt like there had to be a better way to cast. It always left me feeling uneasy. So I tried experimenting with the structure, and, well, it worked.”
“……”
My words rendered the Duke speechless.
With a look that said he was astounded, he seemed unsure how to respond.
This sentiment wasn’t exclusive to the Duke; the same expression adorned the faces of Helton, the retainers, and all the participants present.
“……You haven’t even been a mage for long, have you?”
“That’s correct.”
“And in that short time, you’ve modified five spells? Without a single error?”
“Yes.”
Theory?
I couldn’t explain it confidently.
But I was confident in producing exceptional results.
And isn’t that what truly matters?
Moreover.
‘Framing it this way is nothing but beneficial.’
The casting methods from the game?
If I mentioned I had discovered such a unique methodology, they might really dissect me to figure it out.
However, if I claimed I created these spells purely based on intuition?
I could easily be packaged as an unparalleled genius.
Furthermore.
‘They wouldn’t dare kill the goose that lays golden eggs.’
The longer I live, the more magic as a field could progress. If anything, they’d try to win me over rather than dissect me.
If I spoke of a special secret technique, they might resort to torture to extract it.
But if I created it based on intuition, what could they do?
The eyes of the retainers from the Duke’s household were already brimming with ambition as they looked at me.
They must now see me as a talent they couldn’t afford to lose.
Kyle Seltarion.
The youngest child, often treated as a burden, born to a concubine.
Rumors about me would have spread far and wide, so they might think it worthwhile to bring me under the protection of the Duke’s household.
They probably believe offering an extraordinary position and rewards could make that possible.
Of course.
Even if I received such offers, I had no intention of becoming one of their retainers.
‘Becoming the Tower Master is a much better role.’
Maintaining a moderate level of interaction with the Duke’s household would suffice.
The Duke, Meleos, nodded as he looked at me.
“It certainly seems to be as you say. Across these five spells, there’s no commonality.”
At those words, Helton, seated beside him, tilted his head.
“……None at all?”
“Correct. Didn’t I say earlier that it seemed like two casting methods had been merged? The original spell and a new method. However, the new casting methods for these spells are all different. Based on this observation, we should abandon the hypothesis that isolating one casting method could apply to all spells. It’s truly a pity.”
The Duke clicked his tongue in regret as he spoke to Helton.
Had they all been created using the same casting method, exploring that technique could have revolutionized and enhanced magic as a whole—a discovery of the century.
The new casting methods.
The fact that they differed for each spell was a relief for me.
For instance, Fire Magic required moving mana in an “L” shape, while Ice Magic required movements resembling the number “9”—each spell in the game had its distinct motion.
Had all these methods been identical?
I would never have participated in this competition. Even revealing a single spell would have exposed a universal casting method, and I’d have kept it a secret until the perfect moment.
‘Fortunately.’
Because each casting method was unique, I could confidently showcase them.
The Duke and the retainers began activating the spells after reading the documents.
Being skilled mages, they easily avoided the pitfalls highlighted in the instructions.
Naturally.
Before long, the mixed casting methods manifested as spells in their hands.
“Truly… incredible.”
“This is truly… a groundbreaking discovery!”
“My word… to think such a method existed…”
Helton’s exclamation was followed by similar reactions from the other judges. After testing the casting methods, they concluded.
“If there are five spells of this caliber, they surpass even Fire Storm.”
Helton’s evaluation drew nods of agreement from all the mages. Even though they were 1st Circle spells, their value wasn’t diminished.
Had there been just one, it might have been a different story, but there were five.
With this, the spells published in the theoretical section of this competition would undoubtedly elicit an explosive reaction.
4th Circle spells were accessible only to talented mages, but 1st Circle spells were foundational. Even a novice mage who had just started practicing magic could master them with sufficient effort.
“Additionally… since these are Four Elemental Spells, they would be incredibly beneficial for mages specializing in elemental training. And Haste… once introduced, it could save countless mages’ lives. To be honest, it feels like the winner has already been decided.”
No one objected to Helton’s statement.
Simton.
Even his modified Fire Storm, which had made him the strongest contender for the win, now paled in comparison to the five spells presented by the youngest child of the Marquisate.
Helton turned to me and asked.
“You said you wanted to win—was it because of the Tower Master’s rights?”
“That’s correct.”
“I see. What you desire is independence, isn’t it?”
He was right.
And there was no need to hide it.
After all, it was a widely known rumor throughout the continent that either Abel or Adolf would inherit the family title.
Naturally, this meant the youngest, me, would inevitably be seen as disposable.
It wasn’t surprising that Helton brought this up.
Though his assumption wasn’t entirely accurate, my desire for independence wasn’t purely due to that.
“Roughly, yes.”
“Alright, understood. The results of the finals will be announced after the other participants have been evaluated. You may leave for now.”
Thus, the finals continued.
Of the eight remaining participants.
None presented magic that surpassed mine, nor Simton’s for that matter.
Once the evaluations were completed.
The judges began murmuring amongst themselves.
No doubt they were discussing potential prizewinners and ranking the twenty participants.
Eventually.
“The results will now be announced. Normally, this process would take about a day, but given how clear the results are, there’s no need to delay. The winner is…”
Helton looked directly at me and said.
“Kyle Seltarion.”
He announced without hesitation.
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