Capítulo 58: The Butterfly Effect (4)
-Well. That filthy handsome gray-haired bastard... because you're ignorantly strong, Nox, you're a Vernon-endorsed maniac!
A few hours earlier.
Lars remembered talking to Vernon briefly before entering class. The topic of conversation had been the man who was said to be the greatest talent.
Nox von Reinhafer.
Vernon had been full of praise for him, but Lars was honestly skeptical.
Doubtful was a better word.
-After all, he's a freshman. It's unfair to judge him based on what little he's done. Don't expect too much from freshmen.
-Anyway, Lars, you're stuck in a rut. Even Dean Noah has admitted it. He's got talent, that's for sure. What more do you need from a guy who's been recognized by the Four Sages as the greatest talent of all time?
-I'll see to that with my own eyes. I'll see for myself.
That's how they talked, and that's where Lars solidified his resolve.
He was going to show him that things are never easy.
Lars was going to show the Reinhafer scoundrel that there are countless geniuses in the world and that they can be crushed in an instant.
So he deliberately bombarded him with questions, gauging his reaction.
And guess what?
Things started to play out differently than he thought they would.
Nox had answered every question he'd asked.
…even the ones that only upperclassmen could answer with ease.
Lars looked at Nox, trying to hide his embarrassment.
He felt his own scholarly fire burning brighter than ever.
It was like a human being facing a brilliant jewel.
Snow-white hair. As soon as he looked into those lavender eyes, he felt like he was already mesmerized. He began to realize that he was going to be a great man.
Just like the day Noah confirmed it.
Lars examined Nox's body as calmly as he could.
'He's already blooming..., and even if we assume that's the case, which it sometimes is… The amount of mana in his body is ridiculous. How does he have that much mana?'
The most incomprehensible thing was Nox's internal mana.
It was already comparable to his own. That was a lot for a vessel that hadn't even finished blooming yet.
'An insane talent. Is this really… a genius?
This is by far the most talented student I've encountered in all my years as a professor at Eldain, not just in terms of magic, but in terms of knowledge.
Lars stared at him blankly, then clapped his hands.
Lars was a principled man, but not a rigid one, and he believed that if someone had the ability, they deserved to be favored accordingly.
Anyway, Lars decided to give Nox the next level of testing.
It's not recommended for new students, as it's too difficult, but… Lars is a fair-minded professor who can be very generous to those with talent.
Lars wanted to see Nox's limits, to see what he could do, to keep him by his side, so he prepared a new test.
A test of submission using a demon imp.
Lars thought.
'…Talent doesn't always make you the best mage. It must be accompanied by theoretical knowledge and the courage to face your fears.'
Theoretical knowledge was one of the basic skills of a mage.
But it's not the same as courage, which is different and requires the ability to move forward while still knowing where you stand.
What's the best test to see if you have it?
An encounter with the unknown.
That's why he brought out the devil.
Of course, Lars' academic fervor was unfortunately unreasonable for Nox and his students. The stakes had been raised to a level that was harsh for a freshman.
That was during orientation.
The TAs thought it was overkill, but unable to dissuade a wide-eyed Lars from testing for talent, they quietly brought out what he'd instructed.
Drool.
(deuleuleug.)
The assistants then dragged a table on wheels into the room, where dozens of iron cages held winged beasts.
No, it wasn't exactly beasts…
"These are lesser demons called imps."
-Ah, a demon?!
-Whaat?!
(nees?!)
A panicked voice echoed through the room, quickly becoming a ruckus.
But Knox was deep in thought. Rath studied his expression.
"Everyone, please be quiet. You have chosen to join the Eldain Academy, and you must remember that our end goal is not to become knights or wizards, but to exterminate all demons in the world, and to do that, you must adapt to the unknown of demons."
With that, Lars passed out the caged imps.
The students took it with trepidation and set it down carefully in front of them.
"Don't worry. Even if it is a demon, it's only a lowly one, and the cage is enchanted, so there shouldn't be any danger to your lives. From now on, all you have to do is channel your own magic into the imp to subdue the demon in the cage."
This is the first step in the exorcism process.
Familiarizing yourself with the demon and using your magic to subdue him.
"The devil is basically evil. But they're also a cowardly race that doesn't take kindly to those who are stronger than them.
That's why demons are scary.
When they come to fight you, it means you're weaker than them.
It takes a strong will and a mind like iron to withstand them.
-Hmm… this is weird….
-I feel like… my mind is getting fuzzy….
-Hehe… This is a delicious pie....
-Emma… I did it wrong....
After Lars gives his instructions.
The expressions of the students who had challenged the demon's control gradually changed to those of joy. Perhaps they were each seeing something else that they strongly desired.
It was a kind of illusion, a basic skill for a demon.
Lars calmly surveyed the students, a slight look of disappointment on his face.
'After all, it's an early test for freshmen. But....'
Rath's gaze shifted. There were two women there.
'House Xenos, with their holy attributes, and Princess Penelope, with her mind magic, seem to be holding up somehow.'
In a way, it's no wonder.
Holy magic is completely resistant to darkness and magic, and Penelope has been training in magic since she was twelve years old.
In addition, Penelope's mind-based magic was called "Heavenly Punishment," which gave her an upper hand in most situations, not just darkness.
It's not as if the Arkheims were just lucky enough to become the imperial family and rule the empire.
Nodding approvingly, Lars's gaze shifted, this time to the boy he wished to test.
'No matter how talented you are, this time you will never....'
At that thought, Rath's pupils instantly narrowed. His face crumpled, as if he had seen something he shouldn't have.
"Huh!"
"Excuse me, Professor Lars."
Then.
Knox's low voice echoed clearly through the room.
For a moment, the room fell silent.
"The imp in my cage hasn't moved and is hiding in the corner. I think we've got a problem. Would you mind switching him out for someone else?"
"…What?"
Lars could only make a dumbfounded sound there.
An imp, even if it was a lowly demon, was a demon.
An intelligent being that likes to pick on humans.
And yet… the sneaky imp hid in a corner because it was afraid of humans?
Such a thing was possible, and as far as he knew, there was only one instance of it.
'The imp has already been overwhelmed by Nox von Reinhafer's magic and is terrified. No matter how weak the devil is, he is scared by someone who is still just a student… !'
This was not a matter to be taken lightly.
Lars tried to calm his heart, which was pounding with excitement.
"…I have to concede."
It was as he said. Now he had to admit that Noah was right.
That Nox's talents were more than he had ever imagined.
That he might even surpass the Four Sages as the most powerful beings of all time.
He swallowed hard and looked at Nox, feeling a little queasy.
"Nox von Reinhafer. You...."
Lars' voice trembled slightly.
What he was about to propose was so unbelievable that no freshman had ever been allowed to do it before.
Lars managed to compose himself and continued.
"I have an important paper I'm writing. Your talents would be of great help, and I have no intention of making you my apprentice. ...."
"...No."
Nox flatly refused before the words were out of his mouth.
For the record, his thoughts at this point were very simple.
'...I've seen something similar in a soap opera. Graduate students… that's slavery. What kind of crazy person falls for that?'
Naturally, Nox had no desire to be a slave.
He was born a nobleman, and he didn't want to be a slave again.
But the other man had other ideas.
The fluttering of Lars's pupils was proof of that.
The murmur of voices around him began to pierce his ears.
-What, is Professor Lars proposing a scholarship with a freshman…?
-No way!
-And you turned him down, Nox… I knew he was scary, but he's a complete nutcase!
-He's an asshole.
'... Did I make a mistake?
Nox couldn't help but let out a small sigh as he thought about it.
There was only one thing on his mind right now.
I was cooked. I don't know.
I don't really know, but… I think I screwed up pretty badly this time.
* * *
Rattling-.
(Deoldeoldeol-.)
"Haa...."
'What a shame, I'm getting all the attention I need thanks to this shitty product.... Aww, the demon bastard has no balls.'
I sighed heavily with an annoyed expression. I stare at the imp that is now clinging to the edge of the cage.
A state of nature without any clothes on.
It's an unassuming-looking creature.
Right down to the tiny horns. It doesn't look like a demon, just a slightly unimpressive puppy. More like a Chihuahua, if I had to guess.
'Haha. The imps themselves have been described as very weak creatures. They're the easiest to find in the Inner Lunatic, and the easiest to kill. As far as demons go, they're the weakest. And the lightest blood.'
That doesn't justify his fear of me.
What is it about demons that is so ancient in nature?
Unknowable monsters, clever and terrifying to humans.
…However.
He's afraid of me, whether because he's weaker than the others or because he's cowardly.
Damn. A demon should be more confident.
'How many theory classes have I taken while playing Inner Lunatic… and this has never happened to me. What the hell was the variable?'
Not surprisingly, I've never had a lesson with imps come up so quickly, nor have I ever had such a rogue demon rationed to a specific character.
Is this… is that?
The world is conspiring against me?
"I don't understand ... turning down my offer to become my assistant."
A voice came from the podium next.
It was Lars, my professor.
Unfazed, I spoke up.
"I'm afraid you'll have to settle for someone else."
I tried to sound as sincere as possible, to avoid slavery.
But the fire in Lars' eyes remained unquenchable.
What the hell, he's scary.
Lars paused for a moment, then looked the other way to see if I had given up.
"Mr. Nox, when you dealt with the imp, did you inject large amounts of power at once, inflict pain, or otherwise use methods other than those I described?" {1}
Hmm?
What kind of bullshit is this?
I was just waiting for the rejects to come in. For some reason, Lars' mood was murderous, so I answered as honestly as I could.
"I didn't do anything."
"You didn't do anything…?"
"Yes."
I wasn't sure. What I do know is that the way Lars's eyebrows are arched has a lot to do with the current situation.
Because the way Lars is looking at me is like a mad professor at his best.
"Shit. I don't get it anymore.'
I crinkle my brow in a roguish manner.
"Anyway, I'm going to decline your offer and replace him with someone else. I don't understand how a prestigious school like Eldain can't even take care of their class supplies...…."
"I'm sorry, but… Cadet Nox, that's not our problem here at Eldain."
"…What do you mean?"
I asked, genuinely curious. But he didn't give me a straight answer.
"Simply put, it means that there were other factors at play. You'll see that if you continue to attend my lectures afterward. If you want to study more properly, you'd better become my formal pupil...."
"I refuse."
I drew a line in the sand again.
This guy… he seems almost insane.
He's looking at me and almost drooling.
I'm overcome with the urge to get the hell out of the room.
Anyway.
The lesson with the imp was soon over.
'And now the class is over and I don't even know why the imp avoided me. Ha….'
I didn't even get a proper explanation for my questions.
Now that I've seen the demon, I want to know if it's worth fighting and what kind of characteristics it has. I wanted to see it properly, but it was all in vain.
Not that there was anything else I could have done.
"Aah, Nox!"
"…Talia, what's going on?"
After Lars' class was dismissed.
I stopped in my tracks at the sound of Talia calling out to me.
No matter how much I try to push her away, it's not easy, and I've come to accept that.
Now I've completely shifted my focus to her: keep her on the sidelines, watch her, and make her hate me as much as possible.
Until then, I'll just have to use it to my advantage.
With me as a variable, the story is bound to get a little twisted anyway, and this is a move to… adjust the variables, so to speak.
It's not because it's annoying.
Anyway.
It's going to take a bit more work to get to the point where I can act without being judged. Until then, I'll just have to keep my units in line.
Talia asks me in her usual inquisitive way, whether or not she realizes my distress.
"About that… dealing with the imps. How did you do that?"
I blinked at the question. But the question was really mine.
Hadn't this guy heard my story with Professor Lars earlier?
I swear I didn't do anything.
All I did was make the damned imp shake with frightened, rattling teeth.
"There was nothing I could do, I just stood still and it backed away of its own accord, weakling."
Then, something unexpected came out of Talia's mouth.
"... But even if he was weak, imps are demons, aren't they? They don't bow their heads so easily, and the texts I've seen say that they never bow unless they believe a being is higher than them…? I remember Emma telling me once that that was impossible at the cadet level…?"
"...?"
...Was there such a thing?
In fact, imps are nothing more than demons that are dealt with in the very beginning of Inner Lunatic.
He's also the one who turns into a total dick when the monster cadets blossom their powers. I had no idea he had such a backstory.
'Haha. So that's why that crazy professor wanted to enslave me.
I finally realized why. Damn.
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