[39] Another Genius (1)
Shirone was promoted to Class Five.
It was lucky that Shiina, who knew the unique study method called the Spine of Knowledge, became his assigned teacher.
Because he advanced two classes at once, there were times he couldn't keep up with the pace, but Shirone stubbornly stuck to his original method.
The advanced classes held weekly tests and a final exam at the end of the month to determine the monthly rankings. Shirone placed 40th out of 40 on the first test.
There were eleven subjects in total, and his average score was a mere 32.
What was notable, however, was that every subject score clustered evenly between 30 and 33.
The average on the second theory test was 34.
"A two-point rise in the average might seem trivial. But…"
Every subject's score went up at once.
The third test was similar, and this time his scores climbed more steeply, ranging from 36 to 39 across the board.
"The whole thing is rising together."
Looking at Shirone's grade graph, you could feel his resolve.
"That's a relief. Staying at the bottom for too long can crush someone's confidence."
There was no trace of that anxiety on the graph; it simply climbed steadily, quietly following its path.
"Theory tests are important. They're one of the main metrics for evaluating Omniscience."
Teachers roughly regarded 60 points as the minimum threshold for actually being able to wield magic.
"If he raises ten points a month, in three months he could handle basic spells. If that happens…"
In less than half a year, he could command most of magic's fundamentals.
Of course, humans aren't machines; aptitudes differ, and gaps widen as scores get higher. Still, looking at the current graph, there was a curious hope that it might be possible.
How far could he raise every subject without dropping a single one?
That result would determine how much potential Shirone truly had.
"He gets along well with classmates, too."
No one looked down on Shirone because of his low grades.
By Class Five, students' main concern wasn't the immediate ranking but getting ready for the graduating class.
Countries spared no expense to maintain top-tier magical systems, and in that environment it was important for students to specialize in a major and distinguish themselves from other mages.
So students who hadn't yet found a specialty envied Shirone, the light specialist.
"I think the photon line suits me."
Above all, photon magic was a field where Omnipotence mattered more than Omniscience.
Theories for Omniscience had been well developed, but using the properties of light had limits when confined to a human mind.
If Shirone hadn't perceived the segmented nature of time through insight, he wouldn't have been able to cross that impassable bridge.
For that reason, classmates couldn't look down on Shirone, and during combined lessons younger students often greeted him.
Ironically, the junior who admired Shirone the most was Mark, who had returned after punishment.
"Senior, sit here. I saved your seat."
"Thanks."
Mark, the de facto leader of Class Seven, took pride in being on good terms with Shirone.
"Oh! There you are. Do I have a seat too?"
"Ah! Hello, senior!"
Mark leapt up to greet Seriel.
Seriel ranked among the top of Class Four and was a senior no one approached lightly.
Brushing it off, Seriel sat down beside Shirone and immediately stuck close.
"Our Shirone looks down lately. Well, no wonder—his lover left him, after all."
"Haha! That's not it."
A week earlier, Amy had passed the promotion test and finally advanced into the graduating class.
According to Seriel, she passed easily, but anyone could tell from how she had been grinding through training that she'd worked hard.
"You're probably lonelier than me, senior. You were always with Amy."
"That's true. But I'm fine. I plan to get into the graduating class soon, too."
"What? The graduating class?"
Seriel had the qualifications. Class Four contained many formidable students, and she herself stood out in recovery magic.
Moreover, the graduating class focused solely on majors, so being a notable recovery mage would be an advantage.
"It's not a place you enter just because a friend did…but Amy inspired me. I used to dream of working at an infirmary and getting by, but I thought it'd be a shame to stop there."
When Mark heard that a student recognized by the school dreamed of being an infirmary worker, he made a mournful face.
"What about me if you say that, senior?"
"Hoho, don't worry. I'm not here because I'm especially talented. Anyone can reach Class Four if they work hard. You're the unusual case, Shirone."
Shirone hurriedly waved his hand.
"No, I've actually been lucky. The last promotion exam wasn't the standard sort."
"There's no taking that away. I'll bet you'll be in the graduating class before long. Amy's trying her hardest to avoid being paired with a classmate for the graduating cohort, though. Haha, anyway, do your best."
"No way I'll be her graduating-class mate."
It was so like Amy to say that, and imagining her grinding her teeth and training made his face warm.
"By the way, has Amy chosen a major?"
"What? You still didn't know? I always thought you two had a painfully boring dating style."
"That's how it's always been."
Shirone smiled and dodged the question. Seriel propped her chin and pondered.
"Hmm, Amy's specialty is flame magic, and her casting style is target-focused. I heard she's aiming to be a sniper."
Most flame mages aspired to be combat mages, so aiming to be a sniper was unusual.
"If she becomes a sniper, won't she become a soldier?"
Seriel read Shirone's unease and gave a bitter laugh.
"It can't be helped. I find Amy becoming a soldier a bit odd, too, but people usually choose careers that match their talent. And Amy is from the first-rank Carmis family. For the family's honor, she'll have to do something."
Shirone felt worried.
"But it's dangerous. In war she'd have to go to the battlefield and hurt people."
"That could happen, but when war breaks out, majors don't matter. Anyone with the mage profession will be deployed to the front without exception. The Magic Academy becomes a training ground producing reserve mages under the kingdom's orders. From then on, graduation means nothing—you get basic military training and you're sent in."
It was a bitter truth to swallow.
"That's why it's a special-purpose school. If students die during training, half the responsibility falls on the student."
"Frankly, we're the kingdom's appendages. The more top talents like Amy there are, the stronger the deterrent to war."
"That may be, but…"
Tormia was a powerful nation, but perpetual peace wasn't guaranteed. Diplomatic friction could lead to war, and if an allied kingdom requested support, Amy would have no choice but to go to the front.
Warlike Mark didn't dwell on that; his mind went elsewhere.
"If Senior Amy became an officer, imagine how popular she'd be in the unit. Honestly, her cute looks don't seem to fit a soldier."
"Hohoho! You don't know Amy's personality. I think she'd fit splendidly. And Shirone, don't worry. Mages don't exactly run around cutting people up on the battlefield, and snipers often focus on espionage. Think about it—that's cool, right? Beautiful spy Amy."
"Haha, I suppose that's true."
Shirone dropped the subject there.
He worried, but Amy was a prodigy who'd never missed first place—surely she'd make the right choice. Worrying too much about someone's decision would only chip away at her pride.
When the theory lesson ended and Spirit Zone practice began in earnest, students rose from their seats.
Practice was done within each class, so Shirone parted from Mark and Seriel and headed to where Class Five students were gathering.
Class Five had the most students of the same age among the advanced classes, and Shirone's age fit the class average exactly.
Though rivalry flared during exams, it was a class where they could usually forget competition and joke and chatter.
Thanks to that, Shirone could train in the Spirit Zone without worrying as much about other people's eyes.
Classmates would talk to him when needed, and if things got dull they'd wander off to chat with other friends.
"Shirone, you're blazing today. Want to team up?"
Nade from Class Five called out.
His light-green hair swayed, and his face had a mischievous look. Cheerful and sociable, he couldn't stand to see anyone left out.
Perhaps magic reflected personality—his grades showed no particular strengths or weaknesses.
The only peculiar point was that he used the relatively rare electricity magic.
"Electricity… It's like light, but a different field."
Magic assigns different weights to Omniscience and Omnipotence depending on the attribute. For example, light magic leans more on Omnipotence, while ice tends to be governed by Omniscience.
By that logic, electricity magic required a balanced fifty–fifty between Omniscience and Omnipotence to be feasible.
"Maybe it even mirrors his personality."
Shirone had thought that at first, but once he reached Class Five and listened, there were other reasons. Nade's dream wasn't to be just a mage but a magical engineer.
Having worked with electricity since childhood, his understanding of both Omniscience and Omnipotence deepened naturally, so he had no trouble using electricity magic at the Academy.
"Alright, let's do it together. Then the casting style will be—"
"By the way, what's Amy like in person? Is she girly?"
With Shirone's permission, Nade put practice on hold and immediately started up with gossip.
I knew he'd do that.
A natural people-magnet, Nade attracted classmates whenever there was even a small tidbit to share.
As if to prove the point, two students from Class Five approached, arguing as they walked.
"Ah, really! That's not it! Why can't you understand what I'm saying?"
"I'm saying it's not important! I've felt this for a long time—your personality is just weird."
Watching the two wagging fingers and approaching, Shirone went blank.
From the volume, it sounded less like a heated debate about magic and more like a personal spat.
"Oh! Perfect timing! Shirone, Nade, listen to me."
When the Class Five students saw Shirone and Nade together, they lumped the pair into "Shirone-Nade" and, arriving, each pointed at themselves and began talking without waiting for an opening.