I had a bad dream.
Rustle rustle A dream where I rummaged through the trash can and stole bread out of hunger.
I felt a bit dizzy as I lifted my upper body. When I finally opened my eyes, my whole body was drenched in cold sweat.
Was it Beorn’s memory?
It’s not the first time someone else’s memory appeared in dream form. Taking away abilities was almost like taking memories entirely.
But this was the first time a dark memory had appeared so vividly real.
For some reason, I felt I understood why he was obsessed with money.
If this is also a nightmare, then what kind of nightmare is it?
Thanks to this, my condition was at its worst. Perfect for heading to the academy, right?
I decided to wash my sweaty and sticky body.
*
Fundamentals of Mana.
This is a subject that teaches how to efficiently use mana, which makes up the human body.
It’s a mandatory first-year course regardless of the major, so classes are usually held in large lecture halls due to the number of students.
Every human is born with mana. While the amount may differ by birth, the fact that everyone has it makes it extremely important.
How effectively one manages their mana often determines their level of power.
“Hello, I’m Albert, your professor for Fundamentals of Mana.”
There’s someone standing in front of the large lecture hall, calm and collected— a young man with blue hair and glasses.
Perhaps due to a heavy workload, dark circles under his eyes gave him a slightly sharp look.
After finishing a brief self-introduction, he adjusted his glasses and opened his mouth.
“I’ll be teaching you for the next year. Nice to meet you.”
Fundamentals of Mana is a subject that spans the entire first year, indicating its importance.
Whether you like it or not, you have to face it for a year. Albert didn’t want to do anything foolish like start the lecture on the first day.
“Today is the first class. So before we dive into actual lectures, I’d like to take some time to explain the subject.”
Albert said this as he slowly began his explanation.
Mana is the fundamental substance used in practical combat. Its utility depends on the user’s capabilities, and in some cases, it can manifest into unique abilities.
In this course, the first thing we will teach is how to control that mana.
Most first-year students can’t properly use the powers they possess. They lack real combat experience and have never learned it before.
As a result, a lot of mana gets unnecessarily wasted. Just learning to correct and control that can significantly increase your capabilities.
And!
To do that, it’s important to accurately know and understand your own capabilities.
Albert pointed to a purple crystal ball on the lectern.
“This is the mana measuring device. Today, we’ll end the class by finding out the total amount of mana you all possess. Let me show you a demonstration first.”
He placed his hand on the crystal ball, infused it with mana, and a calculated reading floated in the air.
[37000]
After confirming the number, he lifted his hand away.
“You place your hand on it and infuse your mana. On average, a regular person’s total mana amount is about 420. Since you are all first-years, you probably won’t differ much from that.”
If they have talent or experience, the reading might exceed a thousand.
“Mana is a force that increases the more you use it. Of course, there is a limit to how much it can grow. Just as intelligence varies from person to person, the maximum amount of mana each individual can possess also differs. Depending on talent, some may increase their mana at a faster rate than others.”
Albert took off his glasses and dabbed them once with a handkerchief.
Then, he said flatly, “So, please don’t be disappointed by the numbers you get immediately. You just haven’t handled mana before; it doesn’t mean you lack talent. I wouldn’t even know whose limit is the highest.”
He had witnessed many cases during his time as a professor.
A student who was nearly failing suddenly made a massive leap and became the top student, while another who started high never grew and fell behind others.
So the results of this first attempt at measurement are not absolute.
All the students here are basically like untapped lottery tickets.
“Well then, I’ll call out each of you in order, so please come up for the measurement.”
Upon calling the names, students stepped forward one by one to measure their mana.
Most first-years recorded similar numbers, but those from the Combat Magic Department generally had higher readings than those from the Swordsmanship Department.
The Combat Magic Department had many students who had shown magical talent even before entering the academy.
Among them, a few exceptional ones recorded readings that even surprised Albert.
Notably, Rena from Class A showed a mana amount of ‘2700’, and Wendy from Class B recorded ‘3200’, drawing the attention of those around them.
The two recorded the highest mana amounts in their respective classes, sparking a bit of a debate among the students from the competitive Combat Magic Department.
“Does that mean Class B is better than Class A? No matter how great you are, you can’t compete with our Wendy.”
“Yeah, Wendy is ranked 4th in the entire year.”
If the Class B student lit the fuse…
“Shut up with your nonsense. Don’t you know the top of the entrance exam came from our Class A? We just haven’t measured yet; Wendy’s 3200 will be easily surpassed.”
“So, Wendy’s the top-ranked in the entrance exam?”
The Class A students laughed mockingly, accepting the challenge.
While there were still some students who hadn’t been measured, the Class A students seemed convinced there was someone remarkable among them.
“Look over there. She’s coming.”
A Class A student pointed, and a Class B student hushed up to watch.
They had heard rumors—about the overwhelming performance that dominated the entrance exam.
Even students from the Combat Magic Department, as well as those from the Swordsmanship Department, couldn’t handle it.
At first, they thought it couldn’t be real, but it’s true. The one who currently held the title of first-year top student was her.
Especially, the story of her crushing a measuring doll with her bare hands had become famous among some students.
Iria from Class A. Is it finally her turn? Her white hair swayed gently as she walked.
“Is she it?”
“She’s pretty damn pretty.”
Her long hair flowed like silk, and her striking red eyes resembled finely crafted jewels.
If you were to name the prettiest person in the academy, she would always be mentioned at least once.
Today, she effortlessly charmed many hearts as she ascended the podium.
As she slowly raised her hand over the crystal ball, everyone looked at her with eager eyes.
But then…
[84]
The result was a bit different from what they expected.
Everyone thought she’d show an overwhelming score and flaunt her top position with pride.
“…”
“…”
Still, from the back, she was indeed number one.
After a moment of silence, someone finally spoke.
“Dumbass?”
It was spring.
It was the break after the morning class.
Iria sat on a chair outside the classroom, enjoying the breeze, when Rena came to sit beside her.
“Don’t worry. There must’ve been some sort of error. You don’t have to be too disheartened.”
“…”
Interestingly, she began to comfort her for some reason.
Could it really be sympathy for the mana measurement result? In truth, Iria wasn’t too bothered about it.
To begin with, she wasn’t supposed to be able to use mana. She wasn’t human. Rather, she was lucky to be able to use even a tiny bit.
That little ability emerged after she devoured a mage with mana regeneration abilities.
Perhaps among monsters, she was the first to use mana. So she was satisfied with this measurement result.
“I’m fine.”
She truly was fine.
According to Albert’s class, it would gradually increase from here, and later she might even use magic like an ordinary human.
This was hopeful news for Iria, who didn’t particularly like using magical energy.
“Stop lying! You look so gloomy!”
But Rena didn’t believe her. She roughly pinched Iria’s cheeks.
She pinched and pulled them, not for any reason, but because they were soft and tempting to tug.
“Why do you want to pull my face…”
“How upset must you be with such a face…”
“I said to let go of my face!”
Iria was saying, “What’s wrong with my face? Let go!” She looked quite displeased.
Rena played with her cheeks for a while until she felt satisfied and let go.
And then…
“Hehe, just kidding. Let’s head to the next class.”
She took Iria’s hand and led her away somewhere.
“…”
There were those who had been watching this from beginning to end.
Lucia, a recommended student from the Imperial Academy, and her subordinates.
“So, is that the famous top student of the first year?”
“It seems so.”
At first, they were curious, hearing that she was the top student, but their interest quickly faded.
They were disappointed in many ways compared to what they expected.
There was no overwhelming presence of a top student, nor was there a considerable mana amount.
Given that she was from the Combat Magic Department, did that mean she was a magician? A magician with less mana than an ordinary person? At first, they thought it was a joke.
But it was true.
The Imperial Academy surely wouldn’t make mistakes in grading.
If that were the case, the conclusion points towards something else.
Iria wasn’t strong; the other students were just weak.
The ambitious Lucia smiled slightly.
“Looks like it’ll be easy to take her spot.”
Recommended students don’t take entrance exams, so they’re excluded from the initial grade rankings.
If she had taken the entrance exam, the first place would undoubtedly have been hers, Lucia thought sincerely.
It seemed a ranking match was on the horizon.
