“I’ve been waiting for you, Jared Murphy. First, congratulations on your engagement. I never expected Olivier of the Alway Ducal Family to choose you.”
In the faculty room, Kirsi Santala, Jared’s homeroom teacher, greeted them with a swish of her purple hair. However, she had a teasing smile on her face.
“I suppose I should say thank you. But you know, you know about it too?”
“Of course. Rumors within the Royal Academy, where the noble children attend, spread faster than you can imagine. Some teachers are nobles too. We teachers are just as good as students when it comes to spreading information.”
“Please spare me.”
As Kirsi spoke, Jared glanced into the faculty room and saw most of the teachers looking his way. The teachers he knew wore the same teasing smiles as Kirsi, while those he didn’t usually interact with hastily averted their gazes.
“But I never thought you’d be into older women. If you had told me, I would have married you anytime.”
“I’ll pass. And besides, I’m not into older women!”
“Oh, you’re not? Olivier, if I remember correctly, I’m around the same age as her…”
“I don’t want to marry you, because then I’d be dragged into magic experiments every day.”
“That’s so mean.”
Kirsi’s smile deepened, showing no signs of shock. She was a magician and a teacher, but also a researcher.
With her purple hair, common among dark attribute mages, cut at shoulder length, and her silver-rimmed glasses, Kirsi looked like a beautiful woman at first glance. However, dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep and a wrinkled white coat thrown over her clothes made her seem a bit disappointing.
Because she was so competent as a researcher, the academy had provided her with her own laboratory. However, she frequently used students as test subjects, making her a teacher to be wary of.
Jared seemed to intrigue Kirsi, making him a subject of observation and research.
Although he had had terrible experiences with her several times since they became acquainted, he found her hard to dislike, which allowed them to exchange lighthearted banter.
“Kirsi-sensei, rather than that, I heard there’s a visitor from the Mage Association for Master Murphy?”
“Ah, yes, that’s right. They’re here. Jared, you’re in for some trouble.”
“You know about that too?”
“Of course. I may not be as skilled a mage as you, but I’m a researcher and an explorer, not a combatant. In that regard, I’m evaluated as equal to you, or even superior. Thanks to that, I get information without even asking for it. Well, I did specifically ask for information about you to be sent my way.”
Jared’s cheek twitched at Kirsi’s smug smile.
He had no idea what about him interested her, but Kirsi’s thoughts and actions operated on a different plane, making them unpredictable and impossible to deal with. Furthermore, her assertiveness was bad for his heart. She was simply too faithful to her own interests, curiosity, and desires.
“I’d like to talk to you more, but if I keep the people from the Mage Association waiting, other teachers will scold me, so I’ll let you go now. Your guest is in the reception room.”
“Thank you. Well then, excuse me.”
“Oh, wait, Jared Murphy.”
He stopped as she called out to him.
“About what I said earlier, I don’t mind being a consort, so I’ll be waiting for you to make up your mind and come for me.”
“I’ll consider it… with my back turned.”
“You’re not very honest, are you?”
Whether she was serious or not, it was clear that Kirsi was enjoying the conversation. Jared also enjoyed their casual chat.
“See you later, Jared.”
He waved back at Kirsi, who waved goodbye. Beside him, Crysta gave a small bow, looking somewhat displeased.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing! Come on! Well then, Kirsi-sensei, excuse us!”
“Yes, yes, excuse yourselves.”
Kirsi replied and turned back to her papers, her pen moving. Jared and Crysta left her and headed towards the reception room.
The reception room, adjacent to the faculty room, could be entered from the hallway or from the faculty room side.
He called out to a nearby teacher and knocked on the door leading from the faculty room.
“This is Jared Murphy. May I come in?”
“We’ve been expecting you, please come in.”
“Excuse me.”
After receiving permission, he bowed and entered through the door.
“Master Murphy. I can’t accompany you, so I’ll be returning to the classroom. I’ll call for you later.”
Jared nodded at Crysta and quietly closed the door to the reception room. Inside, a man in a suit stood before a two-seater sofa. The man, neatly dressed, didn’t give the impression of being a mage, but as someone belonging to the Mage Association, he was undoubtedly one. If so, he was either someone powerful who could conceal his abilities, or someone with such little magic power that he had no need to hide it.
The man smiled at Jared.
“I am Dennis Beckman, a member of the Mage Association. Thank you very much for accepting our offer to become a Court Mage Candidate. Please, have a seat.”
“Thank you.”
As Dennis gestured for him to sit, Jared took a seat on the sofa, followed by Dennis.
Dennis, with a gentle, unassuming smile, appeared to be in his mid-thirties. His dark brown hair was cut short, and he wore the badge, an emblem of his membership in the association, on his collar.
“Your achievements and strength, Jared Murphy, have been a topic of discussion within the Mage Association for some time. We were delighted to receive a positive response from Baron Daum, and we rushed here, albeit with some impudence. We felt it was best to handle this matter quickly. To begin, Master Murphy, do you know how Court Mages are chosen?”
Jared shook his head.
“I know that a recommendation from the Mage Association or a Court Mage is required, but I am not aware of the specifics.”
“No, no, that’s perfectly normal. Until now, there has been no specific criteria for selecting Court Mages.”
“No criteria?”
“Yes. There wasn’t. Those with the ability to become Court Mages could only become Court Mages. For example, your mother, Liz Murphy, was not only a formidable force on the battlefield, capable of single-handedly defeating many, but also a mage so feared that she was called the ‘God of Destruction.’ In her case, her accomplishments were so numerous that she could only become a mage in the King’s service, a Court Mage.”
“God of Destruction?”
Jared, who had never imagined his mother would have such a moniker, couldn’t help but blurt out the question.
Jared’s mother, Liz Murphy, had died when he was young. The cause of death was poisoning. That was all he knew. He didn’t know the culprit, the motive, or why his mother, who had been a Court Mage, had died so easily.
He had no memory of his mother. Discussing her was forbidden at home. A consort who had been friendly with his mother had told him stories, but even she didn’t know everything about her.
Even after going to live with his grandparents, he couldn’t bring himself to ask, and only a few faint memories remained of his mother.
“Her earth attribute magic, which swept away enemies and allies alike on the battlefield, shattering the ground and carving mountains, was truly like a raging god. I saw her myself when I was young, and to my shame, I fainted.”
Dennis, reminiscing but also trembling slightly, uttered these words.
*Just how terrifying was Mother?*
The question inexplicably arose in Jared’s mind. It was as if he were hearing about a completely different person, so unlike the gentle and kind memories he held.
“Liz Murphy is an extreme example, but those with the caliber to become Court Mages were given positions and roles by the nation due to their extraordinary power, a power the country desired.”
“Excuse me, but I don’t think I have that kind of extraordinary ability, so becoming a Court Mage seems impossible for me.”
“What are you saying!”
Dennis’s eyes widened, and he raised his voice.
“You are still sixteen years old, and only recently you single-handedly annihilated a swarm of flying dragons! Do you realize that’s the kind of feat that usually requires over a hundred knights! And before that, you fought a sea monster, right? That sea monster, while not a disaster-level threat, was responsible for damage that could be called semi-disaster level!”
“I-I didn’t think I did anything particularly special…”
“First of all, being a complex-attribute Earth Attribute Mage already sets you apart. You need to realize that you possess extraordinary talent and ability, and that they are still developing!”
Jared could only stare in astonishment at Dennis, who was red-faced and spittle flying.
