C130: Magic Square Class (2)
Chapter sponsored by Fence. Thank you for your support.
Two hours passed while teaching the students numerology and the magic square.
When I came to my senses, the end of the class was just around the corner. Is it time to wrap up?
"There are five minutes left until the class is over. In five minutes, I'll erase all the contents of the Magic Board, so if there are any students who haven't taken notes yet, please finish."
I had no intention of finishing class early or extending it.
Finish it right on time. This was my motto.
"Wow! It's already time!"
"Oh, no! I haven't finished writing it down yet!"
Maybe it's because he made a clear impression of finishing right on time from the first class but students, realizing that my words were not in vain, hurriedly scribbled their pens.
The students who didn't want to miss a single word fell on their desks with exhausted faces after 5 minutes.
"Ugh. I wrote it all down."
"If I had missed one, I would not have slept tonight……."
Their satisfied expressions contrasted the tired voices.
I felt proud just to see the smiles made by students who desperately wanted to learn. Yes, that's what learning is all about. The desire to do something, to know something.
Learning is a sublime longing that should not be disturbed by anyone.
"I will announce it in advance. The upcoming second test will be practical and based on today's class."
When the word test came out the students straightened their backs and entered a listening position.
"The subject is, of course, the magic square I taught this time. As you all have learned, the magic square is not completed by simply drawing one square."
This means that magic squares are not drawn using only squares but also triangles, hexagons, and stars. Breaking away from the conventional circle and being able to draw the shape you think of as a magic circle.
In other words, it means infinity that is not bound by form. It was because of this expectation that I chose the magic square as the second test for my students.
"Create your own magic circle through today's lesson. This is both the content of the second test and your task."
The students are buzzing at my words.
It was not enough to announce the contents of the second practical test already, so it was too absurd to have them create a new magic circle.
Most probably thought that even the second test would be a moderately written test. In fact, Theon academic curriculum basically takes this form. However, I have no intention of following Theon curriculum.
Although it is only a two-year contract, I intend to do my best during that period. So I'm doing the test in my own way.
"I expect the best results."
At the end of that I left the classroom with my back to the desperate students.
* * *
After class, Rudger posted the report card on the notice board in the classroom, as previously announced so the students flocked to check their rankings.
From 1st to 80th place, the rankings and scores of all students were written on the paper.
"What's wrong with my score?"
"No, I got this question wrong? I should've done it more calmly!"
"Oh, my. I didn't get better than the average score."
The average score on the test was 65 out of 100. The top-ranked students scored more than 90 points, but other students did not score more than 80 points, let alone 90 points.
As a result, the names of students who failed to make it to the top five but exceeded 90 points were inevitably noticeable.
6th place – Iona O'valley. 92 points.
7th place – Clara Harness. 91 points.
……
Among them, the most eye-catching was the fifth-place.
7th place is a rookie of the Alchemy School. Then 6th? Who is number 6? When the students first heard the name Iona O'Valley, they wondered who it was but soon realized who it was and put on a strange expression on their face.
Because of her copper-toned skin and height Iona stood out in many ways. In particular, the animal's ears, which rose above her thick hair.
It was a reality that it was hard to accept that Iona, a Suin, ranked sixth in the overall.
'A Suin is sixth? Does this make sense?'
"I heard that the Suins are a barbaric race that only knows how to fight.'
The Suins were seen as barbarians who physically solved everything. Unlike some elves and dwarves in human society, most of the male populations were very hostile to humans.
It was the aftermath of colonial rule after being defeated by humans in the colonial war in the past. Still, in the southwestern frontier, it was the current reality that a group of Suin robbers appeared.
Therefore, public perception of Suins was much worse than that of other species.
As students, they couldn't have liked the low-race girl who stared at her ranking with a blank face. They were upset that the commoners were on their heads but now even a Suin was above them?
The aristocratic students glared deathly at Iona O'valley. It was unacceptable that a barbaric Suin, not the commoners, took such a high ranking.
"Honestly, what did you do?"
"That's what I'm saying. How can a barbarian take sixth place? I'm sure you've made some kind of dirty deal."
"Come to think of it, Dr. Rudger said something to everyone else during the class, but he didn't say much to her."
The beasts' ears on Iona O'valley head wiggled at the sound of a murmur from behind. Because her five senses were sensitive, she could easily recognize that the students were talking about her.
Iona O'valley silently watched the students gossip about her expressionless face, before she left her seat. Her attitude rather added fuel to the behavior of the students jealous of her.
"Ha. What? Did you see his eyes just now?"
"She made eye contact with us and left."
They stared at Iona's back as she was moving away and exchanged glances without a word. Their eyes gleamed as they nodded.
* * *
'Hmm. Is this the framework?'
Leo, who had received a framework from Rudger right after class, recalled what had happened in the teacher's office a while ago.
[Leo, you're the first one.]
Did he say that he was the first one to come?
Rudger really gave him the framework as promised.
'It's only a quarter, but it's definitely a great magic.'
The framework was only part of the source code, but the structure was very complex and detailed. Is it because it's a technique that makes a formula?
Leo, who was confident in tried to analyze it but just gave up.
'This alone is not enough. I need to collect all four to complete the formula, so it's practically useless to analyze it right away.'
It was only then that he understood why Rudger just gave these to students because it didn't matter if the framework formula was leaked.
It was impossible to reverse the complete source code equation with the framework. You can't tell what a person looks like or what kind of life he or she lived just by shaking hands.
'Anyway, how can he make this kind of magic and just give it to students? Mr. Rudger Chelici, what the hell was he doing?'
At first, I thought he was just an ordinary fallen aristocrat. There have been many people in the past who want to restore their old reputation and rebuild their fallen family or make a name for themselves by becoming a teacher at Theon.
But Rudger Chelici was different.
He made a name for himself, but the way he did it was very different from those of his predecessors.
The others raised the value of their names by appealing that they became teachers at Theon, but Rudger was the opposite. He showed his extraordinary talent as if it was only natural for him to become a teacher at Theon.
'Even before that, it was said that his achievements were quite good.'
In fact, seeing his abilities in person, the past evaluations seem to have been underestimating him. With that level of skill, he didn't seem to have to come into the right place. The title of Theon teacher seems like a shackle to him.
'It's funny that he's a fallen aristocrat. If I were that good, I would have rebuilt my family already.'
Leo was so sure that Mr. Rudger Chelici is definitely someone who has something to hide.
The werewolf crisis at that time, and the coordinate designation magic that was shown in class, there are more than one or two suspicious parts.
According to a secret investigation, Rudger showed great performance in the recent terrorist incident at the banquet.
'No matter what he's too competent for a new teacher. He's definitely a character of interest to watch out for.'
While heading to the place where he was supposed to meet Aidan, Leo found a disturbance on one side.
'What is that? What are they doing over there?'
Leo stopped and narrowed his eyes. Two boys and two girls surrounded one girl. It was the noble students that Leo hated the most.
'And being surrounded by the nobles……Is it Iona O'valley?'
Being a beast girl, Leo also remembered her. There was no way that he wouldn't know the most noticeable person in the classroom.
'Come to think of it, when I roughly looked through the ranks, she was sixth, right?'
He remembered the sixth-place ranking right below him was Iona. It was also quite impressive that her score was over 90 points, it seems she studied quite hard for a Suin.
Leo immediately understood why those nobles surrounded Iona.
'Are you messing with an easy target because you can't admit that you're worse than her? That's a smug aristocratic way of thinking.'
Such behavior of the nobles did not happen for a day or two.
Leo thought for a moment. He couldn't just pass by after discovering such a situation.
'If something happens later on, I'll be the only one who feels uncomfortable.'
If it was him in the past, he would have just passed by without seeing anything, but now it is different.
"Tsk. That idiot Aidan personality infected me? There is nothing I can do.'
Leo thought it was better to intervene appropriately for now. He, who looked at the scene with that thought in mind, hardened his face as if he felt something.
His steps accelerated.
* * *
"Hey, does that even make sense?"
"Why is a smelly Suin taking the same class as we are? It's disgusting."
Iona O'valley, who saw the students chatting in front of her, still looked puzzled. When her face had not changed for a while, the noble students were a little embarrassed and annoyed.
It felt as if this arrogant Suin were ignoring them.
"You know that? A savage like you has no place to complain even if you are harmed."
As if to prove that it was not just a verbal threat, a male student, who was the leader, raised his mana. The electric current ripples through the palm of the hand.
Iona stared silently at the scene.
"Did you get it?"
Iona's mouth, which had been quiet so far, opened for the first time.
"If I don't get it."
"What?"
"What will you do?"
Iona was still expressionless but the aristocratic student who was threatening her felt some kind of anxiety at the sight.
"You filthy savage!"
"Let's stop, okay?
At that moment Leo appeared and everyone's eyes were on him.
"Who are you?"
"That's it. Or do you want to go all the way?"
"What?"
"That would be fun. The four of you persecuted one in a group and even threatened her other with magic. I've seen it all."
"You're…."
"You know that teachers are also keeping a close eye on the arrogant attitude of aristocratic students these days, right? Don't you remember Jevan Pellio? He dropped out not too long ago. Do you want to be like him?"
Leo constantly muzzled the aristocratic students.
"Well, if you don't mind that, you can do what you just did. You'll have to be prepared for it. I'm going to get a framework from Mr. Rudger Chelici now."
"……!"
When the name Rudger Chelici came out, aristocratic students opened their eyes wide. No matter how fearless they are, the fear of Rudger was deeply embedded.
From the beginning of the semester, when Rudger had made a move he never let go even if his opponent was a noble. Unknowingly, Rudger was a celebrity among aristocratic students.
He could even criticize Flora Lumos relentlessly, so what can they do?
Leo smiled.
"Why? Why don't you keep doing it? Aren't you supposed to do something more?"
"You're just a commoner good at studying. Nothing will change."
"Then please don't let me show off."
"……Let's go."
The frowning aristocratic students left. Leo looked at their disappearing backs and talked to himself.
"Phew. I can't do anything by myself, but I have a lot of pride."
"……Why did you help me?"
Iona O'Valley couldn't help but ask Leo. She never thought she would get help from this classmate, who is one head smaller than herself.
Leo kicked his tongue as if it were a silly question.
"Help? Don't get me wrong. I didn't come out because I was afraid of what might happen to you."
Leo sighed angrily, looking at the Suin girl staring at him with an innocent stare that he still doesn't know what it means. He stood with his arms folded in a crooked position and stared at Iona.
"If I hadn't stepped in a moment ago, you were going to kill them."
"……."