Chapter 1242

Everyone present exclaimed in admiration at once. Jowrin and Uman nodded as well.

As expected, the reputation of the Empire's magic academies was not undeserved.

To think mage-card divination could produce such an accurate result!

Of course, there was someone who disagreed.

"As far as I know, the reversed Skull Principal can be interpreted through many different symbols. It could signify suffering a severe injury, going missing in another dimension, or even a spell failing and turning you into a monster. Yet you excluded all of those possibilities and focused only on Microcosm magic. Frankly, I'm disappointed."

"......"

"......"

Lee Han's friends stared at him in disbelief at his faultfinding.

So what he was saying was that instead of a divination telling him to learn Microcosm magic, he would rather have gotten one saying he would break something badly or disappear into another dimension?

Surprisingly, however, Paridim accepted Lee Han's words solemnly.

"Your criticism is correct. Divination can never be absolutely accurate. And mage cards contain many symbols, so interpretations are often wrong."

"I don't think this one is."

"It seems like the most accurate divination I've ever seen."

"Jowrin also finds it plausible. Divine which Microcosm it is as well!"

Paridim was instead flustered by the enthusiastic reactions.

Foresight magic was a discipline that required cool skepticism, not enthusiasm.

This kind of unconditional trust was actually bad for both sides!

"I-it is actually not good for you to trust it that much..."

"Hurry!"

"Do it quickly! Lee Han really needs divination!"

Under pressure from the Einroguard students, Paridim had no choice but to prepare another divination.

"This will be the last one today."

Because Oculoguard's mages used power accumulated in their territory, their magic was subject to far more restrictions.

Paridim was still only a student, and someone of such low status naturally faced even greater restrictions on its use.

'What an unusual system.'

Lee Han thought inwardly.

Oculoguard's system was certainly very different from Einroguard's.

Thorough and strict rules.

And as one's position rose, so did the authority to draw upon more of the territory's capabilities.

Perhaps that peculiar system was the reason such a strange divination had appeared just now.

'Magic should be honed purely through individual ability, yet they're trying to compete as a group. No wonder they get absurd divinations like that.'

While Lee Han slandered them inwardly, Paridim spread out the cards, breaking into a cold sweat from concentration.

Tap!

The card depicted a group of yakshas.

"The yaksha race? Does it mean Microcosm magic that summons yakshas?"

At Gainando's question, Paridim thought carefully before shaking their head.

"No. Judging from the position where it appeared, this is a divination saying that you will learn from the one who rules the yaksha race, in other words, the Yaksha King..."

"Nonsense. It looks to me like a divination saying I should learn Microcosm magic specialized in wiping out the yaksha race."

Lee Han tried to interfere, but his friends were already completely absorbed.

They began seriously discussing what sort of Microcosm he should learn from the Yaksha King.

"I think a recovery-type one would be good."

"No. I heard from my elder sister that depending on the mage, giving them powerful recovery magic can actually make them push themselves even harder."

"That's completely Lee Han."

"I didn't say it was specifically Lee Han. I just said there are people like that."

"But that's Lee Han."

"If you say so, then I suppose it is? Though I didn't say it was Lee Han."

"A foresight-type Microcosm would be good."

Once Professor Voladi offered an opinion as well, the discussion grew even more heated.

Watching them, Paridim thought with a confused expression.

'Aren't these people curious about the part where he's supposed to learn from the Yaksha King?'

If it were Paridim, the first question would have been how anyone was supposed to learn from the Yaksha King in the first place...

***

November 1. Written by Paridim.

Einroguard is extremely surprising. I had heard rumors that its school rules were strict, but it seems there was some error in those rumors. The students behave with remarkable freedom. Som- one student behaves to the point where it could almost be called self-indulgence. They eat and drink comfortably, and rather than studying magic, they enjoy various amusements. At present, I am confused as to how Einroguard's magical reputation was built at all. Does this freedom somehow enhance magical ability?

November 3. Written by Paridim.

Rumors throughout the Empire are generally exaggerated, but in the case of the mage from House Wardanaz, they actually seem understated. There is far too much information about this mage that remains unknown.

What is particularly impressive is his drive to explore magic. This mage, who is currently taking every school of magic that effectively exists at Einroguard, studies magic even more harshly than Oculoguard's high-ranking mages. If he joined Oculoguard, he might be able to rise to the position of professor within a year or two.

This mage from House Wardanaz also displays an admirable quality regarding foresight magic: skepticism toward foresight itself. Unlike the other students, who rely excessively on divinations, this mage never believes one completely for even a moment and continues to doubt...

November 4. Written by Paridim.

I suspect that Einroguard's punishment rooms do not actually function as punishment rooms at all. They appear to be operated differently from Oculoguard's punishment rooms.

Every day, various guests visit without fail, and the sight of them setting out refreshments and talking together is far removed from anything resembling a punishment room. This is strong evidence that Einroguard's punishment rooms may be punishment rooms in name only.

The mage from House Wardanaz has identified himself as a second-year, but I suspect the duties he performs are actually those of a prospective professor. Does Einroguard also have a system like Oculoguard's, where people are promoted according to merit? Perhaps "second-year" is merely his nominal status, while his actual position is that of a prospective professor.

November 6. Written by Paridim.

Today, the mage from House Wardanaz asked me to teach him about foresight magic. He seemed curious about Oculoguard's methods.

However, Oculoguard's methods cannot be imitated easily. The enormous force of will required to twist the future is not something a single individual can produce. When I explained that many mages must unite and accumulate it within the territory, the mage from House Wardanaz seemed greatly disappointed. He asked, 'Can't mana substitute for it?' but I still do not understand what he meant by that question. What could that possibly mean? Could he truly believe that the accumulated power can be replaced by the mana of a single individual?

November 7. Written by Paridim. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

I witnessed an impossible sight. I still cannot believe it.

November 8. Written by Paridim.

I now understand why the mage from House Wardanaz is treated as a dangerous individual within Oculoguard. According to rumor, the madmen of the Ksaksarigol Order call him the 'Monster That Devours Foresight,' and if I may offer my opinion, I do not believe that description is exaggerated in the slightest.

Astonishingly, this mage from House Wardanaz succeeded in replacing force of will with sheer quantity of mana!

At present, he can only interfere with the result of a coin toss, but I cannot imagine what might become possible once his skill improves and he gains experience. Even a great mage would not be able to twist the future through such a simple equivalent exchange.

At present, the mage from House Wardanaz is asking not only about magic that twists the future, but also about the various forms of divination and interpretation used in Oculoguard. I fear that I may make some mistake and amplify this mage's dangerousness. If I do, I will go down in Oculoguard's history as the person responsible for its most foolish mistake.

November 9. Written by Paridim.

Einroguard's meals are certainly delicious. Unlike Oculoguard's frugal meals, the menu is varied. Who would have imagined that gutted lamb could be prepared in so many different ways?

The spicy tomato sauce in particular made me curious about how it was made. I asked another Einroguard student, but they complained that it was a secret monopolized by the mage from House Wardanaz. I suspect this student named Gainando simply does not know anything. There is no way something like that could actually be a secret.

November 10. Written by Paridim.

Astonishingly, it really was a secret. I cannot understand this mage from House Wardanaz. He does not hide the magic he uses, yet refuses to reveal something as trivial as tomato sauce.

November 11. Written by Paridim.

Today, a fifth-year student from Einroguard came to visit. When I heard that this student was the direct disciple of the infamous Professor Verdus, I could not help becoming tense as well.

As expected of Professor Verdus's disciple, this fifth-year student made one unreasonable demand after another. The student claimed that the mage from House Wardanaz had promised to accompany them on a commission, but when I later asked the mage from House Wardanaz, he said the fifth-year student was simply insisting on it unilaterally.

In the end, the mage from House Wardanaz did not reject the upper-year student's proposal completely and answered that he would think about it. He said he had refused too many things recently and felt he ought to agree to at least this much, but from what I could see, he seemed afraid of the authority wielded by a fifth-year student.

Judging from this, Einroguard's relationships between upper-year and lower-year students appear quite coercive, with a strong hierarchy. In that respect, it could be said to resemble Oculoguard.

November 13. Written by Paridim.

The mage from House Wardanaz said, 'I'm done with everything,' so I became curious and asked what he meant. He told me that he had caught up with all of this semester's material in every school of magic he was currently taking.

I already had some understanding of his magical ability, but this was truly an astonishing achievement. To catch up with the curriculum of every single school of magic without exception while confined in a punishment room like this.

I was so impressed that I recommended he be promoted to professor immediately.

November 14. Written by Paridim.

The mage from House Wardanaz was silent again today. He seems angry with me, but I cannot determine what mistake I made. Not knowing Einroguard's culture is simply frustrating.

November 15. Written by Paridim.

At last, the mage from House Wardanaz answered me again! I was as happy as when I first entered Oculoguard. The mage from House Wardanaz asked several questions about Oculoguard. I explained Oculoguard's school rules to him. When I told him that regardless of how many years someone has spent there, only those who earn merit are promoted to the higher years, the mage from House Wardanaz was extremely surprised. I told him that by Oculoguard's standards, he could easily aim for a professorship and recommended that he seriously consider it.

November 16. Written by Paridim.

The mage from House Wardanaz is silent again. I cannot understand what this mage is thinking, and it is simply frustrating. Oculoguard's mages will probably need to exercise even greater caution when dealing with this mage...