130.
Iliana frowned as she looked at the doppelgänger identical to herself.
“Is this Professor Alby’s magic?”
It’s a well-known fact that Alby, with the power of the Magic Eye, can wield fairy magic.
Even Iliana, who normally has an aggressive nature, couldn’t rashly attack in front of an unfamiliar spell.
As Iliana was on guard, her doppelgänger smirked.
“Did it mock me? This doppelgänger just mocked me!”
Incensed, Iliana pointed a finger.
However, as she saw the doppelgänger raise its own mana, she was thrown off and quickly prepared to counter the magic.
Flash-!
“Huh?”
Iliana was startled as she saw the magic activate.
The doppelgänger had used none other than Iliana’s signature magic, ‘Shining Blade’.
Staring at the blade of light rushing towards her, Iliana briefly panicked before grinning.
“Mirror imitation?”
Iliana activated her own Shining Blade to nullify the doppelgänger’s attack.
“This is like an illusion magic, but it won’t work on me!”
Confidently shouting, Iliana proceeded to cast her magic.
Before long, the duel transformed into Iliana vs. Iliana.
The students watched the duel with keen interest.
In truth, the duel between Alby and Iliana would have been completely uninteresting.
It was a fight with an obvious outcome.
However, when Alby used an unknown magic to create a doppelgänger identical to Iliana, the result became unpredictable.
Brilliant light magic illuminated the duel arena.
The two Ilianas swiftly moved around and cast spells at each other.
After a while, the students of the Department of Magic exchanged wary glances.
“Which one is the real Iliana?”
Alby’s magic was astonishing.
Despite being considered an advanced illusion magic, it mocked such simplicity by using the exact same mana quantity and magic as Iliana.
It was believable that there were two real Ilianas present.
Among the students, Kal muttered.
“Isn’t the prettier one the doppelgänger?”
“Indeed!”
“So that one is the real Iliana!”
“Hey! Do I look like I want to d*e? How does ‘prettier’ even apply when we look identical?”
Seeing her classmates accurately discern the fake, Iliana flared up.
“Idiot! Ignore the kids and focus on the duel!”
“Oops!”
Iliana snapped back into attention.
The dopplegänger was becoming harder and harder to contend with.
‘Why does it feel so different even when it uses the same magic as me? Could it truly be because this doppelgänger created by Professor Alby is stronger than me?’
She couldn’t help but think as much.
At that moment, the dopplegänger activated a spell.
Startled, Iliana looked at the magic aimed at her.
“Shining Rain?!”
It was her unique magic that she perfected during the vacation.
As the magic rained down on her, Iliana squeezed her eyes shut in preparation for the shock.
When she opened them, both the doppelgänger and the magic had vanished simultaneously.
With the match decided, Iliana slumped to the ground, drained of energy.
“Remarkable.”
Alby commented emotionlessly.
However, Iliana, knowing it was high praise from him, blushed slightly and showed an embarrassed expression.
“T-Thank you.”
“Next contestant.”
Iliana stepped down from the arena.
Later, the other students of the Department of Magic went through a similar process as Iliana.
As defeats continued, the first student to successfully triumph against the doppelgänger was none other than Chelsea.
“Amazing. Though it felt like we all had similar magic power, the overall skill was higher.”
“Huh? What do you mean? I felt like I was at the same level.”
Confused by Kal’s comment, Chelsea tilted her head.
Seeing Chelsea’s expression, the surrounding students looked awkward.
Most students thought that Alby’s dopplegänger was stronger than them.
Meanwhile, Chloe and Abad took their turns and successfully defeated Alby’s doppelgänger.
Witnessing this, the students of the Department of Magic were amazed.
“Chelsea is winning more easily.”
“Isn’t it time we start calling them the Three Beasts of our Knight Department like how Selia, Sia, and Duran are called in the Knight Department?”
The students murmured.
“Cough!”
Meanwhile, Emio, who had been ranked third in the first semester midterm, glared with disdainful eyes.
“What’s the difference between me and those folks!”
All students except one had completed their matches.
The last remaining student, Leo, stepped onto the arena under everyone’s gaze.
“How will the class leader do?”
Chelsea, hearing Iliana’s mutter, nodded as if it was obvious.
“Of course, Brother Leo will win! He was the only one who passed the vice-principal’s magic during the opening ceremony, right?”
“That’s true.”
As Chelsea and Iliana chattered, Emio, who’d been listening nearby, sneered.
“Did you know that Leo Flove’s real power only emerges during full-class fights? There’s no way he can defeat Professor Alby’s doppelgänger purely in a magical duel in this match where most of the Magical Department’s students have already fallen.”
Chelsea frowned.
“Brother Leo is exceptionally skilled in magical duels too, you know? And you were utterly defeated by him during the magical flying contest of the first semester, right?”
“That was a flying magic contest. Though there was a clash of powers, that guy even used an aura.”
Emio declared assertively.
“I wouldn’t lose to that guy in a pure magical duel.”
Displaying strong confidence, Emio looked at Chelsea.
‘It’s laughable to brag about defeating Brother Leo purely in a magic duel when he isn’t even a pure wizard. Moreover, I’m confident he’d win even in a pure magical duel.’
As students made their predictions, Ren straightened his posture and focused on Leo.
‘Let’s see how much you’ve grown during the vacation.’
Seeing this, Anna sighed deeply.
‘His obsession with Leo student during the vacation grew even stronger.’
During the vacation, both Ren and Anna stayed at the school and prepared lessons to convert Leo’s direction to the Department of Magic.
Though she hadn’t returned to her hometown and was captured by Ren, Anna came to truly understand just how much of a genius Ren was.
The class Ren prepared during the vacation for the second semester was a Magical Combat class.
It wasn’t just any simple magical combat class.
‘A lesson teaching how to defeat knights and summoners using magic.’
In truth, it was a lesson to clearly demonstrate the excellence of magic itself to show a declaration of war to other departments by the Department of Magic through Leo.
When Anna first heard his plan, she was dizzy.
She tried to persuade him somehow, but Ren wouldn’t listen.
‘Rena doesn’t have any intention of undermining Leo student’s all-class talent! No, rather, during the first semester, I had completely misjudged Leo student’s talent!’
For a man who doesn’t compromise on magic, it’s quite amazing that he could back down and recognize other talents.
‘But my belief that magic suits Leo student the most hasn’t changed! No, I’m even more certain of it after the first semester. Only magic can complete the student called Leo Flove! Thus, Leo student’s main power must undoubtedly be magic!’
When this theorist, Ren, prepared what could be considered a practical magic combat class, Anna doubted whether the lessons would captivate Leo.
Since if theory is the main focus, then practice inevitably falls a little short.
However, Anna changed her mind after seeing Ren’s preparations.
‘Even I, a wizard, am captivated by it. Ren truly is a genius.’
Ren’s thorough preparations of the lessons continued throughout the vacation.
An issue arose when about a month had passed since the start of the vacation.
Recalling that day, Anna shuddered.
That day, as she was heading to Professor Ren’s office after visiting the department office, Anna discovered a letter addressed to Ren, the first-year Magic Department professor.
“Where did this come from?”
Curious, Anna confirmed the sender while holding the letter.
“Seirun Academy?”
Surprised, Anna quickly headed to Ren’s office.
“Welcome, Assistant Professor Anna. Shall we enjoy some lesson preparations today?”
“Enjoy preparations while not even being able to return home?”
“Ho ho, not being honest, are we? I already know you enjoy helping with my lesson preparations, Professor Anna. Can’t help it, it’s because you too are a wizard.”
Joking Ren watched as Anna sighed deeply, unable to deny, and handed over the letter.
“A letter came.”
“Who sent it?”
“From Seirun Academy.”
“Seirun?”
Surprised by the letter from their rival school, Seirun, Ren’s expression changed.
And upon reading the letter, he burst into laughter, “Hohohohoho!”
‘Why is this fellow like this?’
“Indeed, Leo student is the one who fits as a wizard! Look at this! Assistant Professor Anna! It’s a letter from Seirun praising and recognizing Leo student’s magical talent! It mentions how one should properly educate a student who might become a great wizard someday! Hahaha! Of course, it’s worthy of being our rival, Seirun! Their eye for talent is truly commendable!”
“Well, since Leo student already deciphered the magic of the Star Cloud’s founder…”
Though it hadn’t been officially announced yet, Leo’s restoration of Luna’s magic was causing ripples in the elven magical community.
Admiring, Anna read the letter Ren handed over.
And upon reading what Ren hadn’t noticed, her face went pale.
“Ho ho ho! I’m curious about the latter contents, Assistant Professor Anna. Would you please hand over the letter?”
“Professor! Isn’t it better…not to read this? It’s not particularly significant content… I mean! Let’s prepare for the lesson! Yes?”
Anna desperately tried not to show Ren the letter.
“What contents could make you act this flustered?”
“No, absolutely not Professor! You mustn’t read it!”
Anna violently shook her head.
However, the letter ultimately ended up in Ren’s hands, and upon seeing it, Anna covered her face with both hands.
Ren’s expression as he read the letter with his face disappeared little by little.
After finishing reading, Ren burst into laughter, “Hohoho.”
The letter in his grasp burst into flames and disappeared.
“Are these fools crazy?”
It was unimaginable that such a harsh word would come out of Ren, who was known for his usual mildness.
He was the man who never lost his cool at any time.
But the contents of the letter were enough to make him furious.
Anna trembled from the intense killing intent flowing from Ren’s eyes.
The contents of the letter were simple.
An invitation to send Leo Flove as an exchange student to Seirun.
The problem was the period.
A minimum of one semester.
In other words, a proposal to study half of the first year at Seirun.
If one entire semester is spent studying at another school, the academic progress would completely differ.
Furthermore, the letter also contained this, “As Student Leo Flove possess outstanding understanding abilities in Magic of the Stars, only studying there can adequately draw out his magical potential.”
“So, what? Are you asking me to transfer him? How amusing. How utterly amusing.”
“Professor! Calm down, please. Calm down.”
Anna tried hard to suppress Ren’s anger.
Ren was the type who, even when angered, wouldn’t easily show it outwardly.
But once the lid was off, there’s nothing left to see before his eyes.
Demanding him to surrender the student he found was the pinnacle of rudeness and was enough to drive him into a mad fury.
“Don’t worry, Assistant Professor Anna. I am utterly calm. Ho ho ho.”
Surprisingly, Ren appeared calm.
“Isn’t this all because of how extraordinary Leo student is? Ho ho ho, Seirun also knows how to recognize talents.”
Smiling faintly, Ren then spoke coldly.
“I will be changing the lesson contents. What we need now is not the enemy within our ranks. We’ll completely annihilate those Seirun bastards in this Ruse Tournament.”
Ren’s forehead veins were prominent as he grinned ferociously.
This wasn’t simply an issue of having one’s beloved disciple taken away.
It was as if Seirun had thrown down a challenge to Lumeran itself.
For Ren, who graduated from Lumeran with immense pride, it was absolutely something he couldn’t tolerate.
Then, wouldn’t it be proper to accept the challenge?
“Ho ho ho. I will crush the faces of those Seirun magic teachers into slime on the ground.”
Recalling the vacation incident, Anna sighed deeply.
‘Then, when a transfer request was sent from Azonia asking for Leo student, he actually destroyed the professor’s office.’
As Anna reminisced about the vacation incident,
Leo stood motionlessly against Alby in their standoff.
As the other students looked at Leo in surprise,
Alby’s Magic Eye lit up, and the Mirror Force was activated.
“Mirror Force. The magic to create a doppelgänger identical to the opponent.”
Reputed as the strongest among illusion magic.
Of course, if the target far exceeds the caster’s power, the magic doesn’t activate.
“But against weaker opponents, it creates a completely identical self. Like a mirror.”
And Mirror Force pushes the replicated target’s abilities to their limits.
That’s why most freshmen lost to their own doppelgängers.
The doppelgänger’s application of abilities was superior to the ‘real’.
It’s a magic that displays almost invincible abilities against opponents with lower skills.
The completed Leo doppelgänger began raising mana.
Flash!
The students were astonished at the magical symbols drawn in the air.
“Is that… the Magic of Stars?”
“Hold on! Does Leo use the Magic of Stars so skillfully?”
Ignoring the astonished students, the stellar magic rained down upon Leo.
Leo smirked as he watched the magic coming towards him.
Zzziiing!
Mana flowed into Leo’s eyes.
Crackkkkkkkk!
The sound of magical symbols being destroyed echoed loudly.
The magic that approached near Leo disappeared instantly.
“How did he block it?”
“It didn’t seem like he used any magic.”
Students began talking among themselves.
“What? How the heck did that guy do it, Leo?”
Kal was bewildered, while Chelsea looked astonished.
“He dispelled the magic.”
“What?”
Kal’s face registered shock.
Abad and Chloe also looked at Leo with stunned eyes.
“Since Senior Alby’s Mirror Force is a magic that clones the target, the magic used by the clone is ultimately the user’s magic. Therefore, dispelling it so easily was possible.”
It’s a skill that any competent wizard can use.
The problem was that the term ‘competent wizard’ only applied to professors’ level, like Ren or Alby.
Yet here stood Leo, a mere first-year student, pulling it off.
“Ah… it’s no surprise that Seirun aims for Leo student. Anyone would drool over such talent!”
Ren’s body quivered with excitement.
“Leo student will be recorded as the greatest magician in the history of Lumeran’s Department of Magic! I will make it happen! Neither Seirun nor Azonia will take him away!”
![[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1743806812-5548-TS-The-Protagonist-is-Conquered.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered")
