第１２２４堀：魔術の基礎 (Part1)
### Chapter 1224: The Fundamentals of Magic
**Side: Mikos**
“Lord Mikos, what kind of place is the Haiden Magic Academy, really?”
“Uhh…”
Faced with the girl’s question, her eyes sparkling with pure curiosity and expectation, I—having been thoroughly jaded by the harsh realities of the world—found myself hesitating.
How could I tell her that “learning” isn’t all sunshine and rainbows?
For one thing, while Haiden Magic Academy is indeed a place of study, it’s also a hub where nobles from various nations congregate. It’s a place where the complex web of aristocratic relations and diplomacy is just as influential as the curriculum.
Is it really okay to be that blunt with her…?
As I pondered this, she tilted her head.
“Lord Mikos?”
“Ah, well, you see…”
“Haha. Fusora-san, even though it’s a magic academy, it’s not just about studying magic, you know.”
“Ehh? Is that so?”
“Indeed. You will find yourself doing many of the same things you’re likely studying under Viscount Keenao right now.”
“Eeeehhh!”
Yuki-san had chimed in, and with no hesitation whatsoever, he’d laid it all out. Fusora-san’s face twisted at the cruel reality she’d just been served.
I was wondering if he should have said that, when Viscount Aoku burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! Fusora, did you think you only had to study magic? That’s impossible. ‘Magic’ is the crystallization of human wisdom. It only becomes useful when supported by a wide array of knowledge. Therefore, if you neglect those other subjects, you might find it difficult to study abroad at Haiden Magic Academy, no?”
“Ehh!? N-no! That’s not what I meant! I’ll study hard, I promise!”
“Is that so? Good, good.”
As Viscount Aoku laughed heartily, Fusora-san puffed out her cheeks and insisted she would “do her best.”
Hmm, that’s a sight that brings back memories for me, too. When I told Father I was going to Haiden Magic Academy, it went pretty much the same way…
“Now that we’ve cleared that up, let me demonstrate some magic to serve as a reference for you, Fusora-san. Studying is certainly tough, but there’s no denying that magic itself is a fun thing.”
“That’s right. Just as Yuki-sama says. Father, ‘magic is fun’! That’s why I want to learn lots of convenient and fun spells—so I can make life easier for you and everyone else!”
“Oh… ugh.”
Viscount Aoku’s eyes welled up with tears at Fusora-san’s sudden declaration. What a doting father.
Man, I’ve felt like crying too, like when Sakura-chan and the others gave me presents, but still.
“That’s right. Make sure you never forget that feeling.”
“That feeling?”
“Yes. There will be times when your magic or your studies just don’t go the way you want them to. In those moments, it’s not enough to just ‘not give up’—it’s crucial to remember *why* you’re studying magic in the first place. You want to learn magic for the sake of your family and the people in your town, right?”
“Yes! That’s right!”
“Good. Then, when you’re struggling, just remember ‘that feeling.’ And we’ll be here to support you, Fusora-san. It looks like the preparations are ready.”
Yuki-sensei stopped where a vast, barren wasteland stretched out before us. It seemed we had arrived at a place where it was safe to cast magic.
Of course, the group observing us included not just Viscount Aoku and Fusora-san, but also their attendant butler and soldiers. Add in us members of Weed and the diplomat Codolissi, and the total number of people was nearly forty.
So, first things first…
“Well then, Viscount Keenao, Fusora-san, and everyone else—it might be hard to see from where you’re standing.”
“““?”””
Viscount Aoku and his group tilted their heads at Yuki-sensei’s words, but we of Weed knew exactly what was coming.
“First, let’s prepare a ‘comfortable place to watch.’”
With that, Yuki-sensei went through the motions of chanting a spell…
“Up you go.”
With his command, a deep, rumbling sound echoed through the ground. The earth surged upward, forming tiered desks and long benches. It looked just like the lecture halls at the academy or the university—and it was spacious enough to seat a hundred people with ease.
“““……”””
Viscount Aoku and his party stood there, utterly stunned. It was a classic Yuki-sensei performance. Even the Academy Principal couldn’t pull off something like this.
Well, I suppose with my current level of skill, I could do it too, but…
“Woooow!!”
Fusora-san let out a cry of delight and dashed toward Yuki-sensei. Our guards, Ria and Cleena, narrowed their eyes for a split second, but seeing there was no threat, they didn’t move.
Fusora-san stopped right in front of Yuki-sensei.
“Yuki-sama, that’s amazing! Can we actually sit on those?”
“Yes, it’s perfectly safe. Shall we try it? Here, take my hand.”
“Yes!”
Watching them walk off holding hands, they honestly looked like siblings. Ah, just like Aslin-chan and the others. If I said that to their faces, though, they’d probably get mad.
“Wow, it’s sturdy! Father!”
“O-oh!! May I join as well?”
“Yes, the safety is guaranteed, so please, go ahead.”
At Yuki-san’s invitation, one of the attendants climbed up first to check it out, and then the Viscount and his men followed suit. We from Weed climbed up to the remaining empty seats.
“Oh, as expected of Yuki-sensei. But, how would one even go about breaking this?”
“As expected of a student of Haiden Magic Academy. You figured it out, Mikos?”
“Well, I’m not at Agil’s level, but I can tell that much.”
“Then, shall we compare answers?”
“Ugh, okay. First, he used transmutation to turn soil into rock, then hardening to increase durability, and maybe an enchantment to resist magic?”
“Yup, yup. You’ve got a sharp eye. It’s also treated so that dirt doesn’t stick to it, so it can be cleaned with a quick sweep.”
Yeah, as expected, it’s an impossibly high-performance set of furniture. The only slight disappointment is that, for a creation of Yuki-sensei’s, it’s a bit “hard.” Well, knowing him, he probably has a convenient spell for that too, but there’s no need to go that far right now.
Creating something like this here was meant to show the Viscount the true scope of Yuki-sensei’s—and by extension, all of Weed’s—capabilities. And, of course, to ensure they’d be willing to help us with various things in the future.
“Now that everyone is seated, Orelia, Yayui, Hobis—the tea, please.”
“““Yes!”””
Yuki-sensei had Orelia and the others prepare tea. Well, “prepare” was a loose term; they were just handing out the bottled tea we always kept in our Item Boxes. We could have poured it into teacups, but that wasn’t the point of this demonstration.
After all, the mere existence of the plastic bottle itself was…
“Woooow. It’s a beautiful glass container. Wait, that’s strange—it’s soft!”
“Hmm, this is mysterious indeed. Oh, and this cap prevents the contents from spilling… This is quite convenient.”
While Fusora-san was just happy, the Viscount seemed to be grasping the utility of the plastic bottle itself. Naturally, his retainers were thinking the same thing.
“Now that the tea has been served, please enjoy it while you watch the magic demonstration.”
Yuki-sensei didn’t mention the bottles at all, simply moving straight into his performance.