Episode 33. Semifinal (1)

Auril summoned all the student council officers, except for patients who needed additional treatment.

In the main auditorium, where all the student council members followed her, there were already so many students sitting in their seats that there was not enough space.

“My name is Ian Leiber. Instead of Professor Goo Na-in, who was away to report on his research results, I was given a supplementary class on ‘Mana and Magic Language’. From today onwards, Professor Gu Nine will be teaching again from the next class, so please keep that in mind.”

Rise, who had come to listen to Professor Ian’s class by Euril’s side, looked around and made eye contact with Ina out of countless people.

‘or… .’

Ina, who met Rize’s eyes from a distance, looked away from her gaze as if she was awkwardly turning her head when she met eyes with someone she didn’t know.

‘It would have been better if he had been angry.’

It seemed that the time I had with Ina for the past two years had disappeared without a trace.

When Professor Ian told me to sit close to the people next to me because there are a lot of students, when I saw Inna smiling as if she were hugging Princess Sepia and Frill.

Seeing Mina sitting nearby laughing and conversing, Rize’s heart went dark in real time.

Professor Ian’s explanation was all crushed in my ears, and even Princess Auril’s presence faded.

It’s a strange thing.

I thought that being dedicated to students and the public good would be happiness. So I had served Princess Auril until now, and I thought it was right.

The only thing that changed was the presence or absence of Ina, and the absence of Ina, who was always positive and bright, came more empty than Rize thought.

Since she could no longer cover her twisted heart with Inna’s pure appearance, Rize’s heart, which had been contradictory like a snowy desert, was left with only dry sand again.

Rize was standing alone in a lonely place where nothing was left behind, where even a sandcastle could not be built because there was not even a drop of water.

“The core of the second class was to realize how great a blessing the freedom given to humans is. The 3rd poem that will proceed in the future is an element that we humans need to consider more important in order to be free… .”

Professor Ian’s lecture flowed fragmentarily to Rize, whose values she firmly believed in were shaken and the meaning of life disappeared like snow.

“meaning.”

“meaning… ?”

“What effect does human ‘meaning’ have on mana and magic language? Today, I will conduct a class with the ‘meaning’ of life.”

* * *

“Those who enjoyed the free magic that Princess Frill performed at the end of the 2nd class will be able to understand what I am saying without difficulty.”

Sepia, who was busy hiding from the leading teams throughout the winter vacation, was able to take this class for the first time this time.

Besides, even though she was in her third year, she had never heard anything similar to free magic at school, so the concept of free magic was still very unfamiliar to Sepia.

Professor Ian’s lecture had an attractive force that made it impossible to take my eyes off it.

“The word that means light in the magical language is ‘Eid’.”

Professor Ian cast the most basic form of light magic, fairy lights.

It was a magic called the foundation of foundations, but everyone’s eyes, which were focused on Ian, turned to the sky as the light slowly descended from the sky.

“Like fairy lights. A language that is the core of even the most basic magic formula that emits light. It might be considered natural to interpret the meaning of ‘eye’ as ‘light’. but.”

When the students’ brief interest and attention are still focused on the slowly descending white light.

“Ide.”

only one word.

As Professor Ian chanted the light once more, darkness rose from the fairy lights.

Sepia looked up at the darkened ceiling, not hiding her surprise.

“That… . What?”

A small bird emitting black light was flying across the ceiling.

‘Black light?’

In the human vision, the absence of light is darkness, so it is impossible for a darkly shining light source to exist.

But this was definitely real.

Magic never seen before.

The black bird, whose name I did not know, floated in the sky, receiving everyone’s attention, and its light grew stronger and twilight fell over the auditorium.

The lighting that illuminated Professor Ian was also covered in darkness, and he looked shadowed in front of the podium.

A strange moment when light radiates darkness.

Professor Ian, who had calmed so many people in an instant, lowered his voice as if he were telling the world’s secret.

“This too is light.”

When Professor Ian snapped his fingers, the darkness lifted.

Back in the bright light, he told everyone.

“Do you remember when Princess Frill chanted ‘Asane’? Without complicated magic formulas, with just that word, we were able to appreciate the white fireworks.”

Who can bring up fireworks in the snowy sky with the word ice?

It will be only the frill princess.

“Free magic is to present things that were taken for granted through your own unique reinterpretation.”

Asane is, of course, ice, and Eye is, of course, light. It is for everyone.

However, the feeling after hearing the word, and the personal experiences or memories associated with it are very different.

Because all human beings who are free from guardian spirits have their own world view.

Because we are all different, there can be as many different interpretations of words as there are people in the world.

To draw what you see in your world to the world.

Giving your own unique meaning to something existing.

Because people think of different things even when they say the same thing, the forms of free magic are all different.

“We are human freedom. In other words, I understood the beauty and preciousness of freedom to give meaning to the world on my own.”

Even though we live in the same world, we were able to come up with various interpretations and numerous concepts looking at it.

Humans, who were once despised as a race abandoned by the gods, were able to overcome the united races and play an active role as the world’s leading players thanks to strong faith and the power of guardian gods.

Human potential lies in freedom, and that freedom is realized through the unique meaning given by individuals.

* * *

Hadley, the vice-professor of the Mado Linguistics Department, was anxious to stop this class right away.

‘Come see me as soon as his class is over. Don’t just go and teach me, and don’t disturb the class.’

Had it not been for Principal Skillbeck’s firm order, he would have immediately dragged Professor Ian to the principal’s office to discuss his resignation.

The symbolism of the Department of Magical Linguistics that Hadley has accumulated so far is two things: a small number of elites and pure studies.

Magic is a cold and meticulous logic battle, and magic language is the basis of all magic.

Since accidents such as twisting fireballs or exploding ice spears can occur due to a single error in the magic formula, the construction of the magic formula is very delicate and requires thorough verification.

The rationale and intention of each magic word arrangement had to be clear. So, of course, the most important value of the magic language that makes up the magic ceremony has no choice but to be stability and clarity.

A place that sets the standard for all magic.

The essence of the Department of Magical Linguistics, which pursues purity, is to ensure that there are no errors due to differences in understanding the meaning of the magician language.

Needless to say, more carefully than any other department, it is necessary to move only for one interpretation without disagreement.

Hadley was a professor who understood that better than any other professor.

That is why she has been doing her best to create an archaic and solemn academic tradition in the Department of Magical Linguistics.

The results of her hard work made her conviction stand out even more.

The biggest reason why he was able to reach the honor of being the youngest associate professor at the young age of his mid-thirties was strict regulation to prevent arbitrary interpretation.

The discipline and rigidity to leave only one interpretation per word was the driving force behind the revival of the Department of Magical Linguistics with such a small number of people.

‘But the blood didn’t even dry on that head… !’

There’s no way the other professors in Kiruna haven’t heard of free magic.

At one time, schools of free magic wandered the world, and even the fact that a department of free magic existed in Kiruna until 100 years ago.

The reason Kiruna didn’t teach students about free magic even though they knew about it was because the professors agreed that modern magic, which has developed into a crystal of reason and logic, doesn’t need experience or emotion.

That ignorant Meat Shield, who had never even mentioned school life, had no idea about him, so it was clear that he was saying something like that… !

However, Professor Ian, not noticing that Hadley’s face continued to turn red, continued his own class.

* * *

Professor Ian uttered asein this time, and a cold glowing sphere floated in the sky.

It was in the shape of a moon, with ice cubes shining like stars illuminated around the moon model.

Under the night sky made of ice, Professor Ian opened his mouth.

“Louis Sepia.”

Sepia froze at the sudden call from Professor Ian.

Even though she didn’t answer, Ian continued to ask her questions.

“What comes to mind when you look at the moon?”

‘… suddenly?’

Naturally, Sephia, who thought she would ask about the content of the class, was quite taken aback. However, since everyone’s eyes were on him, he couldn’t remain silent.

In the end, Sepia answered casually.

“The moon is just the moon. I have no idea.”

“good night. girl next to him. What is your name?”

“This is Yuka-!”

“yes. Yuka How are you? Is there anything that comes to mind when you look at the moon?”

“It reminds me of the moon rabbit story my mom told me when I was little!”

Piyung-!

As soon as she finished speaking, several more pieces of ice rose in the sky, bursting out and settling in the shape of moon rabbits.

It was beautiful. Since this was their first class, everyone looked at the ice sculptures embroidered on the ceiling of the auditorium with joy as if they were looking at constellations.

“I don’t know if it will be similar to what you imagined. Next frill princess? How about the princess?”

“… When I was young, I went out for a night walk with His Majesty the Emperor. I remember that time.”

Then the ice that rose up again… . It soon became the side face of Emperor Zernim.

‘Something like that works.’

While everyone is admiring, once again.

“Red hair next to spearmint. I think I attended from the first class. What is your name?”

“oh… ! This is Harin!”

“Harin. I would love to hear your thoughts.”

“moon… . the moon… . Well… .”

“You don’t have to think hard. What do you think of when you think of the moon and moonlight?”

“… mood?”

“… .”

Ian, who completely ignored Harin, continued the class naturally.

“… As you may be seeing, even when we look at the same moon, what we think of is all different. And the things each of them recalled are so beautiful.”

“Aww… .”

“As the sepia student said, the moon is just the moon. But it gives meaning to the moon, and we find it beautiful.”

Professor Ian looked towards sepia.

“When you’ve heard this far, it might seem like I’m only praising free people. However, I have not yet dealt with the irony of meaning.”

Ian said to Sepia, who said the moon was just the moon.

“People who, for various reasons, have lost their sense of meaning to many things in the world.”

match.

As he clapped, all the ice cubes that had been shining in the high places melted away.

Only one moon model made of ice remained, floating alone on the ceiling.

The moon was filled with various memories a little while ago, so the scenery looked even more desolate.

“… You must live in a world like this.”

Hearing a sigh of regret, Professor Ian looked around.

“Among all of you gathered here, there must be one.”

A person who has suffered unfair things due to an unreasonable structure.

A person who has been hurt by all sorts of violence and oppression.

A person whose values he had believed in collapsed, and who no longer knew what was right and what was wrong.

“To such people, the world may seem meaningless. Happiness, faith, trust and love will sound like the most empty cry to them.”

People who become addicted to a pessimistic attitude and live a helpless life perceiving everything as achromatic.

For those who are more comfortable living without meaning because even recalling memories is painful, the freedom to give meaning will be poison.

“In a way, I think the different races might be better in this area.”

Of all races, only humans are granted freedom, and only humans suffer from the loss of meaning.

“To the different races, the moon cannot be just the moon. This is because they inherit their world view from the guardian spirit who stays with them until death, and find all meaning in the guardian spirit.”

Life for these people is an opportunity to serve their gods. They desire what God wants, and interpret everything by looking at God’s intentions.

For them, life is an opportunity to serve their guardian spirit, so precious and fulfilling.

They don’t understand humans who waste their time in drinking and pleasure, fighting and slandering like humans.

“… But there is no way to change the race. That is why human beings carry the weight of freedom for the rest of their lives.”

Freedom and meaning are both a blessing and a curse given to human beings who stand tall in the world on their own two feet.

“To escape from the pain of meaninglessness, you have no choice but to find the meaning of life yourself.”

Were the magic books he had read so far meaningful?

Will the magic I learned here be useful when I become an adult?

“If you do, then you are on the right track. Keep going without any doubts.”

Mechanically memorizing the magic language, constructing a textbook-like magic formula.

If you think that’s the path you should walk, then you may do so.

“Do what you want to do. Follow what you think is right.”

However, if you have doubts about your choices and life.

If you feel uneasy about the way you live now, and want to change.

“Never waste time! School doesn’t make you a reason to live instead. Since everyone else is doing it, opening a magic book and memorizing the magical language without knowing why you are studying is, of course, no different from torture.”

Schools are not responsible for your future.

Ian’s remark that any path is good, but the direction should be chosen after thinking about the future.

“I can’t listen to you anymore! How far are you going to insult this school?”

Euril rebelled.

And Ian smiled at Euril as if he had been waiting for it.