6. Dark Jealousy (1)
The late night is a time of silence.
Through the serene night air, starlight filtered down, and Ivan, who had spent more nights gazing at the cracked ceiling of his shabby home than admiring the starlit skies, found himself in a peculiar place, feeling somewhat awkward.
The idea that dormitories, especially student dormitories, could have gardens attached to them seemed almost fantastical.
The size of this garden alone was larger than the farmland his family had once toiled on.
Standing amidst this overflow of luxury, Ivan felt out of place, yet it was strangely satisfying to remain upright without bowing to the aristocracy.
‘The dormitory even had private rooms…’
Ivan clenched and unclenched his fists a few times, reflecting on how little he knew about the life of privilege. Such extravagance would have been unimaginable without the patronage of a certain person.
With these thoughts, Ivan began to walk slowly.
While Ivan relished this rare solitary moment, he didn’t get far before meeting someone familiar.
“Ah, Ivan?”
“Regina. Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?”
“Not really… but…”
Regina couldn’t bring herself to say that she had hurried out because she saw him and instead scratched her cheek sheepishly. A slight blush graced her youthful cheeks as her delicate fingers wandered there. Eventually, her embarrassment turned into a hesitant invitation.
“I couldn’t sleep… and actually, it’s been a while since we properly met. How about we take a walk?”
Even though they had seen each other during the day, Ivan didn’t mention it and simply nodded, walking alongside her.
Regina did most of the talking while Ivan listened quietly, nodding occasionally. The topics ranged from trivial stories to tales from their time abroad and updates about their recent lives. It wasn’t long before Regina brought up someone else.
“Karla… how was she?”
“I was surprised. I thought she was a guy for so long.”
“I know, right… but didn’t she look incredible? Even I, as a woman, felt my heart skip.”
As Regina said this, she glanced sideways at Ivan, hoping the soft glow of the moon would conceal her curious peek.
“That’s true…”
“Um…how about you?…”
“What about what?”
“Is she… troubling you or something?”
“Hmm? Well, not exactly… but she isn’t completely out of mind.”
“What? What is it?!”
Regina’s exaggerated reaction caused Ivan to glance at her. She was staring at him, her hands tightly clasped together. Ivan found her intensity difficult to understand.
“It’s nothing important, nothing worth sharing with anyone.”
“But… what if… you’ve fallen for Karla or something?”
“What nonsense…”
Ivan chuckled at Regina’s suggestion.
Come on, that’s ridiculous.
“Something like that doesn’t just happen, especially not after today. It’s a fairy tale thing.”
“Oh… right…”
Exhaling a small sigh, Regina watched as they had made a round of the garden and were back at the dormitory entrance.
“It’s time we head inside and rest. The women’s dormitory is in the east wing, while men sleep in the west. So, we should part here. Go inside, Regina.”
“Yeah, alright. You too, Ivan. Goodnight, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
After saying her goodbyes, Regina headed back to her room. Though they might have lost much of their former prestige, the nobility still maintained their lavish lifestyle, and Regina easily adapted to her luxurious private quarters. She threw herself onto the bed, burying her face in her pillow.
Her restless kicking of the blankets betrayed her blush of embarrassment, whereas her muffled cries of how handsome Ivan was showcased the joys of a teenage heart.
On the first day of the Academy, Regina had begun to nurture a blossoming affection for Ivan.
*
“Good to see everyone arrived on time. Excellent. This start is wonderful.”
Albina stood on the podium, surveying the students with a satisfied smile.
Yes, the fact that no one was late was clearly a good start. She resolved to consider this a good omen.
“The first lesson, you know. It would be good to get to know each other better, since yesterday’s introductions were rather brief. You’ve all heard from Instructor Dario, right? The class composition remains unchanged until graduation. Knowing each other will benefit us, don’t you think?”
—SWISH.
Albina raised her index finger and traced a line downwards from above. Though it was a simple gesture, a crimson line shimmered in the air as if she had drawn it with a pen on paper.
“Let’s begin with getting our educational materials ready—”
She inserted her hand into the crimson line, and it sank into the space seamlessly, as if it were a pocket.
“Ah, this is the one.”
Retrieving her hand, it now held a crystalline sphere the size of a fist with a decorative pedestal. Setting it on the podium and waving her hand, Albina made the crimson line vanish.
“Why are you all just staring blankly?”
Except for Karla, all four students had been captivated by the spectacle.
This was not just any magic but a particularly unique one none of them had encountered. To withdraw objects as if from another dimension into thin air was nothing short of amazing.
“This is just standard military magic. Once you join the Mage Corps, you’ll all receive support for it, so there’s no need to be surprised. Regardless, this is called a Circuit Amplifier.”
The crystal sphere shimmered with a faint blue light, looking rather plain and unremarkable—like something a street scam artist posing as an astrologer might own.
“Given that we’ve exchanged introductions, wouldn’t it be cool to introduce yourselves using magic? Thus, we’ll spend some time learning about circuits by showing them.”
At this suggestion, Karla was startled.
Magic circuits were exclusive to each mage—based on the foundation passed down through their family but built upon with their own individual experiences, marking their journey like footprints.
Would showing them lead to suspicion, especially for Karla, whose circuit structure had been warped due to two consecrations?
“Magic circuits are important. Is it appropriate to reveal them, even to outsiders from other families?”
It was Liam who spoke, his position as a noble foreigner making him naturally resistant to sharing his circuit.
“Don’t worry too much. I’ve already cast a prohibition spell, so none of you will be able to speak about what you see here outside of this place. The Academy guarantees our confidentiality, so you can rest assured. Of course, whether you choose to disclose it will be a matter of your own conscience.”
At that, Karla shot a look at Liam.
“Teacher may say that, but with a foreigner in our group, the situation is slightly different.”
Liam turned to face Karla, responding to her glare.
“Out of concern for that, I first asked the others—our classmates—if it might inconvenience them. Do you, as an imperial citizen, not understand the meaning of consideration?”
“Alright, both of you, stop. Once assigned to the same year group and class, you’re practically family now. So, don’t argue, and understand that not much can be deduced from viewing one another’s circuits. You all know that circuits represent the past rather than the future. You’ll grow a lot while studying here at the Academy.”
Her words were true.
Circuits represent the path a mage has traveled, not necessarily their future potential. While it may hint at the direction a mage might grow in, such paths can change.
“If you still can’t trust this arrangement, I’ll start by showing mine. That’ll satisfy your complaints, right?”
Albina placed her hand on the crystal sphere and began channeling magic. The ball shimmered with red, the energy swirling and forming intricate patterns before constructing a massive diagram.
“This is my magic circuit. You all know that magic circuits are like maps showing how the body manipulates magic into certain forms.”
The central, largest part symbolized the core, while the four directions branching out represented the trunks. From there, upper and lower branches formed the upper and lower trunks, while side branches represented the left and right trunks; the vertical typically extended longer than the horizontal.
“Each branch can extend up to four tiers, splitting into a maximum of two sub-branches. Including the core roots, a total of 31 points is the limit. The number varies considerably between individuals, and more points mean more available magic types. In extreme cases, an entire branch may be absent, but that’s rare.”
Magic takes on unique forms.
These forms must fit like a puzzle into a circuit to be usable. The most fundamental magic type is a simple shape known as the small cross, which requires a single point on a branch and is considered the most basic form for magic dispersion.
“My magic type is summoning magic. For it to function, the bull-type circuit needs two branches extending from the upper trunk, like this…”
Albina pointed to the upper trunk in her own circuit.
“See how this section is well-developed? That’s why I can use summoning magic.”
Karla listened to Albina’s explanation and was somewhat taken aback. Sharing one’s circuit exposed the potential and limitations for certain types of magic.
Though aware that revealing circuits to some degree was part of Academy tradition, she hadn’t expected such candid displays and explanations from the instructor.
‘…There’s no avoiding it.’
“Alright, so we’ve meticulously examined the circuit of a former senior magic corps officer. Now, it’s your turn to let your guards down and show them. I won’t call for volunteers because no one usually steps forward… so Emil, you first.”
Emil’s face immediately turned pale.
