Rudger's hellish lecture pushed the students to their mental and physical limits.
However, he didn't push them too hard.
Somehow, Rudger knew exactly when to let them rest once they reached their limits.
If they pretended to be exhausted he would order them to run further
After experiencing this several times, the students couldn't complain anymore and simply had to do their best.
It didn't matter if they were commoners or nobles.
At this moment, everyone had to gasp for breath and run until they were soaked in sweat.
And class wasn't only physically demanding, but mentally too.
During the time everyone recovered their stamina, they would listen to Rudger's lectures.
"Although magical beast is composed of mana and cannot be considered a living organism, it still possesses willpower and exists in reality. As I mentioned before, this is because a magician's will is imbued with mana for a long time, giving it life."
At that moment, a student asked a sharp question.
"In a way, magical beast can be considered an artificial organism, right?"
A pseudo-life form born with human will infused into mana.
Or rather, can it be considered a living organism?
In other words, it's no different from creatures like Homunculus or Chimera.
Placing it on the same level as Chimera is a laughable idea.
Chimera, at least, has a body composed of flesh and blood, but magical beast doesn't even have that.
If anything, it is closer to an elemental being.
An artificially created elemental being, to be precise.
"Depending on the perspective, you could see it that way."
"Perspective?"
"In the summoning studies, debates about whether magical beast should be seen as a naturally occurring organism or an artificially created existence are still ongoing. It's an endless debate on whether magical beasts should be viewed as something naturally occurring or something artificially created."
"But it's essentially something created by humans, isn't it?"
"Exactly. It's practically something made by people."
"But it's not intentionally created, so it's not artificial, right?"
"Then would you say it's a natural occurrence?"
"Cryptids are similar, aren't they? It wouldn't be impossible to consider a tamed Cryptid as an artificially created being."
The students had their own views, and they had different opinions about magical beasts.
After pondering about magical beasts for a while, the students stared at Rudger, as if expecting him to reveal the correct answer.
They were like baby birds asking their mother for food.
"The prevailing trend is to see magical beasts as a naturally occurring phenomenon. To use the term 'artificial,' it would require the active intent of the creator, but magical beast cannot be created simply because someone wants to create it."
"Why is that? Can't magical beasts be created through artificial means?"
"Because there haven't been any reports of success using such methods, it's safe to say that it practically doesn't exist yet."
Indeed, similar attempts have been made in the past, but they all ended in failure.
A magic beast is unique to each magician.
No matter what method is used, same magic beast cannot be born.
"There have been quite a few experiments like that besides magical beasts. Attempts to imbue golems with the soul of an enchantment practitioner or to create elementals using the power of nature."
"Have there been successful cases in those situations?"
Rudger hesitated for a moment before answering that question.
Since there are no artificial magical beasts, it's only natural that there are no other examples either.
However, the remaining examples did exist.
One of them was the [Chorus of Steel] project, where human souls were forcibly injected into automatons, although it was a slightly different direction from creating artificial magical beings.
And the horrific success story of that experiment was Arpa.
The same applies to artificial spirits.
Even if you forcibly gather and mold the energy of nature, spirits wouldn't come into existence just because energy is gathered.
Spirits are not beings created simply by the accumulation of energy.
However, few elemental magicians were able to give birth to new spirits.
Selina stood as evidence of this fact.
She was an artificial spirit formed by extracting a fragment of Esmeralda's soul from her innocent days.
Both Arpa and Selina defied the beliefs of the academic community, who argued that their existence was impossible.
However, the circumstances surrounding their creation were far from easy to explain.
They were brought into existence in the depths of a shadowy abyss, concealed beneath society's apathy.
Truly, it was an ironic twist of fate.
Beautiful flowers that did not bloom even in meticulously cultivated flower beds, blooming on top of filthy and dirty mounds of filth.
Perhaps it was proof that this world is not as beautiful or just as it seems.
"In that aspect as well, there have been no successful cases."
However, there was no need to burden the students with such heavy truths.
"Well, in that case, magical beasts can be considered a natural occurrence?"
"That's what scholars who advocate natural occurrence argue. They say that humans are also part of nature, so it is not right to categorize the birth of magical beasts from humans as artificial. In a broad sense, everything can be considered a natural occurrence."
The students listening to the explanation were disappointed that they didn't have any writing tools with them in this place.
"However, whether it is a natural occurrence or an artificial one doesn't matter. What you should focus on right now is finding the existence of magical beasts within you."
"How do we find them?"
"Magical beasts are already present from the moment you start learning magic. They are like eggs that haven't hatched yet, still in a dormant state. You have to constantly observe mana and search for that egg, and then make it hatch."
That's why Rudger called the students to the training ground.
This whole process was about awakening magical beasts.
However, from the perspective of someone exhausting themselves to the point of death, there were doubts about whether this was the right approach.
"So concentrate. Before depleting your magical power, you should know how to properly assess your physical condition."
The majority of students have never experienced magical power depletion.
For someone experiencing magical power depletion for the first time, it is difficult to maintain composure in a state of physical exhaustion where the whole body feels weak.
At this moment, most students could barely control their own bodies.
But with repeated experiences of magical exhaustion, they eventually adapted.
At first, it was difficult, but afterwards, they naturally recovered their magical energy and gained the ability to focus on other aspects.
Usually, this adaptation occurs naturally through practical experience, but Rudger was not so kind.
As they had to squeeze out every available strength, it was only natural that pain followed.
"Do not focus on recovering your mana while in a state of exhaustion. You must intentionally suppress that process and carefully examine your physical condition."
The students, desperate to overcome their state of exhaustion as instructed by Rudger, closed their eyes and began to concentrate.
On the third day of training, the students attending the special lecture started to grasp it gradually.
Although no student had succeeded in summoning magical beast, some students discovered something embedded within their bodies.
'What is this?'
Flora furrowed her eyebrows, feeling a strange sensation within her body as she meditated with her eyes closed.
On the third day of observing her inner self while depleting and suppressing her magical energy, she discovered something hidden within her mana.
It resembled a seed or perhaps an egg of some kind.
It even appeared like a precious item stored inside a box within her body, which she couldn't detect before due to her mana being completely filled.
'If there hadn't been the experiment on mana emission, I would have noticed it much later.'
To increase the emission of magical energy, she had to find the faint presence of mana pathways within her body.
However, just like searching for water in a desert, it was by no means an easy process.
It required the aid of mana suppression tools, and she had to learn how to meticulously handle the small amount of magical energy that could be controlled in that state.
Repeating this process, the person who eventually pierced through the mana pathways gained a deeper understanding of their own mana.
They discovered what kind of mana they possessed and how to utilize it.
The experience at that time proved to be of great help in the current situation.
Flora found herself in a dilemma at this point.
It was great to have discovered the egg that could potentially become a magical beast.
However, the problem was that she had no idea what to do next.
'What about the others?'
Flora opened her eyes and looked around.
Most of the students had strained expressions, focusing intently.
She couldn't see anyone else who had grasped it like she did.
'I seem to be the fastest.'
Just as Flora thought that, a shadow cast over her.
Intrigued, she turned around and saw Rudger.
"Flora, you've got it. You've uncovered what lies dormant within you, haven't you?"
"How did you know?"
"I could tell from your response. Usually, the initial realization stems from sensing the presence of the dormant potential through self-reflection. I believed you were capable of that."
Does this imply that he holds me in high esteem?
Flora was secretly pleased with that fact, but her curiosity grew even stronger.
"As the teacher said, I felt the presence of the egg within my mana. But I have no idea what to do next."
"That's to be expected. It's still in its dormant state, not yet breaking out of its shell. In other words, you haven't even reached the starting line."
"So, what should I do now to reach that starting line?"
I come this far, so I deserve to hear the explanation.
However, Flora's anticipation crumbled as Rudger uttered his next words.
"I don't know."
"What? You don't know?"
"I can guide you in finding the egg, but I don't know how to awaken it. There's no set method for that."
"If there's no set method..."
"Let me explain it with a similar analogy. There are three people, and each of them is given a bird in a cage. They're then told to make the bird sing. How do you think they would do it? Would they all use the same method?"
"Well, each person would probably have a different approach."
"That's right. Some would resort to various tricks to make the bird sing, others would inflict pain to force the bird to sing, and some would wait until the bird sings on its own. There are three different methods for the three people. So, among the dozens of students gathered here, do you think there will be only a few methods?"
Flora understood what Rudger was trying to say.
"In the end, awakening this egg depends on the individual's abilities."
"Yes, it's something you can't do just because someone advises you. The magic egg hidden within you is solely yours. Awakening it is entirely up to your own method."
"Then, let me ask this. How did Teacher Rudger awaken his own magic egg?"
Rudger recalled his magic egg, Aether Nocturnus.
Since receiving teachings about magic from his master, he had always exerted his utmost effort.
It wasn't something he did by force.
Rudger was aware his own weakness.
He had to hide his body, escaping the incessant clamor of the gods and the assassins sent from Bretus.
So he studied relentlessly and learned magic.
"If I were to say, it was my desperation. It was because of that sentiment that the egg awakened."
"Desperation..."
"Of course, that's my method. Yours will be completely different. So, concentrate as much as you can. Since you've already grasped it, there's no need to run on the training ground anymore."
Several students who heard those words stopped meditating and glanced around.
They harbored expectations, thinking, 'Could it be me too?'
"Did I mention any of you? Those who haven't sensed the existence of their magic eggs should continue running until they do."
* * *
Rudger's special lecture continued.
The students who still couldn't grasp it ran tirelessly on the training ground under Rudger's guidance.
Rudger silently observed their efforts.
He had already provided them with all the methods and paths.
Now, how to walk those paths was up to the students.
'Typically, it takes at least six months to go through this process.'
Rudger shortened it to two weeks.
From six months to two weeks. A difference of twelve times in duration.
In other words, it meant that he condensed the ordinary process twelve times and pushed the students through it.
Perhaps because of this, negative stories about Rudger's teaching style began to emerge.
Especially Hugo, the leader of the noble faction, took this opportunity to relentlessly talk back against Rudger.
Of course, he didn't have the courage to do it openly, so he schemed behind the scenes.
Rudger was aware of this fact, but he casually dismissed it.
He didn't care about what those people babbled behind his back.
However, it seemed that the other students who were attending the class were not as indifferent.
"I... I will quit."
For the first time, a person gave up.