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‘There must be wizards among the magicians who specialize in Dispel spells.’
Laura looked at Leo in shock.
‘But student Ray did not use Dispel.’
It’s not impossible to cancel an opponent’s magic without using a Dispel spell.
In fact, any skilled wizard can do it.
The issue is time.
Even with the same magic, the structure of the rune and mana control can vary depending on the user.
To interfere with and cancel the opponent’s magic, you must fully understand these intricate structures and mana control.
This process takes an immense amount of time.
It’s practically impossible to achieve what Leo did just now in the blink of an eye.
As far as Laura knows, there has only been one wizard in history who could perfectly interpret and cancel another’s magic.
‘Lady Luna.’
“Where are you pulling these crude tricks from?”
Leo’s words made Autren bristle as he summoned his mana.
Flash-! Kuuuuaaaggg!
A flash of light burst from Autren’s hand.
A powerful storm of mana raged.
The overwhelming high-output mana obliterated all of Leo’s clones.
A mirage is magic that creates illusions.
No matter how hard it is to distinguish between reality and illusion, an illusion remains just that—an illusion.
It has no choice but to be vulnerable to powerful area attacks.
“Is this what you think makes you special? How good is your Star Magic?”
Sparks flew from Autren’s eyes.
“Pathetic! Your score is 0!”
Several hundred flashes of light, released by Autren, decorated the air.
Leo’s red eyes followed the trajectories of the flashes.
‘This is a spell I don’t know.’
Luna created Star Magic five thousand years ago.
Three thousand years ago, the Comet Wizard Seirun reestablished Star Magic as a unique elf magic.
During the vast span of time since then, innumerable derivative magics have evolved based on the magic system Luna left behind.
It’s only natural that there are countless spells, as countless as the stars in the night sky, that Leo does not know.
Pababababak!
Just as the invisible particles of light were about to strike Leo, the magic vanished as if it had collided with an invisible wall.
“Wh-what…?”
Autren’s face turned pale with shock.
‘Well, in the end, the result remains unchanged.’
Star Magic ultimately converges into one thing:
The original magic formula system left by Luna.
And, other than Luna, there is only one person who has completely mastered this magic system: Leo.
To Leo, the so-called pure Star Magic used by the elves today is nothing more than “incomplete.”
Just like a well-built structure would collapse if its foundation crumbled, their magic could be easily dismantled by Leo since it was based on “Star Magic.”
‘Using another magic system alongside Star Magic would likely be beyond even me.’
Star Magic is compatible with other magic systems.
While Leo understands Star Magic entirely, should other magic systems’ runes be mixed in, even Leo couldn’t interpret it so quickly within such a short period.
‘Then again, such magic isn’t considered pure by the Elves.’
In a certain sense, this evolution was precisely the advancement in magic that Luna desired.
With surprise painted on his face, Autren watched as Leo stretched out his palm.
‘Copying Luna’s style is kind of fun.’
Interpreting and dismantling others’ magic was Luna’s signature specialty.
‘The reason he’s remarkable isn’t because he created Star Magic.’
The reason why Luna was remarkable wasn’t because Luna created Star Magic.
Luna was truly extraordinary because they mastered all the magic that could be learned in their age.
When you consider that Luna eventually created the deadly magic “Innocent” and passed it to Kyle so as to bring down Erebus…
Luna, was essentially akin to someone who had created a spell capable of killing even a god.
Flash!
A magic circle appeared above Leo’s palm.
Autren’s eyes widened.
“How could you use that magic…!”
A moment ago, Autren had used that magic, which was a unique creation of his own.
“What is this… situation…?”
Autren’s jaw quivered.
He too had dedicated his life to the study of Star Magic as an elf who graduated from the prestigious Seirun.
Thus, he knew well what the human before him was doing.
To Autren and other elves who adhered to bloodline purity, this was akin to a nightmare.
“What in the…?”
As Autren’s voice barely reached Leo, Leo released his magic.
Not only had Leo perfectly copied Autren’s unique magic, but he had even improved upon its completion.
“What… what exactly do you mean?”
Leo answered expressionlessly.
“It’s simple.”
“You all are wrong.”
Flash! Kuuuuuaaaggg!
After the duel between Leo and Autren, the class on Magical Tactics abruptly ended.
Otrenc, the homeroom teacher of the top first-year class, seemed shocked and closed the class early.
Even in the lower-level classes, the atmosphere couldn’t continue, so Laura led the students back to their classroom.
‘The mood is quite gloomy, isn’t it?’
After school,
Leo sighed as he looked at the students of the lower class dragging their feet as they left the classroom.
There was no other way.
It was confirmed earlier during the class on Magical Tactics.
Seirun did not treat the lower-class students as actual students.
They viewed them merely as stepping stones for the upper-class students.
‘No wonder there’s a sense of despair.’
If there was at least fair opportunity and a proper competition, it wouldn’t feel unjust.
But such an opportunity wasn’t given.
As the lower-class students were about to leave the classroom with heavy hearts,
“Leo.”
Anger approached Leo.
“Can we talk for a moment?”
While Leo was about to nod at the hesitant Anger,
“Student Anger, forgive me, but I would like to discuss something privately with Leo first.”
“Ah, yes.”
In surprise, Anger nodded and turned to Leo.
“Let’s talk again later.”
With that, Anger left.
Laura and Leo then entered a consultation room next to the classroom.
After offering Leo a seat and sitting in front of him, Laura took a deep breath and asked,
“Let me cut straight to the point, Leo student. What is your identity?”
Laura pulled out the student roster.
“I checked the intermediate class roster, but your name wasn’t there. Neither was it in the upper class.”
With a serious expression, Laura looked at the student who had suddenly appeared in the lower class earlier today.
“To start with, the magic ability you displayed during your duel with Teacher Autren earlier was far beyond first-year level. It would be accurate to say it wasn’t even at the student level.”
Teacher Autren is also not someone with a low level of achievement as a Star Magic user.
Autren’s loss to Leo without much resistance
‘It was like Lady Luna in the tales.’
Laura also holds deep respect for Lady Luna.
She was well-versed in anecdotes about Luna.
It was a well-known story that young Luna often displayed a genius-level ability in magic.
To Laura’s question, Leo smiled faintly.
“I’m not a Seirun student.”
“Indeed. So, who are you?”
“I’m Leo Flove, the Student Council President of Lumeran.”
“Huh?”
Unfamiliar with such an identity, Laura was taken aback.
Laura had expected Leo to be some famous elf hero who already had their name on the Hero Record.
But her guess was completely off.
‘He’s a student from Lumeran… and that Leo Flove?!’
Laura was familiar with Leo’s name.
Ever since his first year, Leo had made a massive impact on elf society.
Laura herself was deeply moved by the magic formula for blooming flowers that Leo had interpreted.
From conquering the Polium during the Lumina realm to making a remarkable appearance in the Ruse Tournament.
And now, with the recent world conquest by Dwenno.
She wanted to meet him at this year’s Ruse Tournament.
“I’m really Leo Flove?”
“Why are you at Seirun…?”
“Through an exchange student program newly established this year.”
“Oh!”
Laura let out a cry of surprise.
She then understood why such a notable figure had come to the lower first-year class.
“…Seirun has committed a huge insult to you, Leo student. As a teacher at Seirun, I apologize.”
With a bow, Laura apologized to Leo.
“You don’t need to apologize, teacher.”
Leo stopped Laura and smiled bitterly.
As Leo looked on, Laura smiled wistfully.
“It’s embarrassing. Seirun wasn’t originally like this.”
Laura’s face grew shadowed.
“Our class students don’t belong in the lower class… They are all excellent students…”
Watching Laura sincerely worry about her students, Leo spoke:
“Most likely, they won’t even reach the threshold of the intermediate class at this rate.”
“…Yes.”
Sighing heavily at Leo’s words, Laura nodded.
“Maybe… it would be better for them not to be at Seirun at all. Seirun’s current method is wrong.”
Laura raised her voice.
Just as the lower-class students had worked hard,
Laura had also tried her best to help them however she could.
She constantly petitioned the upper echelons of Seirun, asking for opportunities for the lower-class students.
She sought help for them to allow the knights and summoners to flourish in their abilities.
But now, she realized it was all futile.
‘At this rate, these children will be ruined.’
Laura gritted her teeth.
The role of a teacher at Seirun she had aspired for wasn’t supposed to be like this.
“Teacher.”
“Yes?”
“Would you like to help me change Seirun?”
Laura’s eyes widened.
“If we fail, you might be expelled from Seirun. But if we succeed, we can change Seirun.”
To the elves, becoming a teacher at Seirun is an infinite honor.
Only second to being listed on the Hero Record.
Laura smiled at Leo’s words.
“I wouldn’t want to be such a Seirun teacher anyway. Do you have a plan?”
The next day,
At the call of Laura, all the lower-class students gathered in the classroom.
As Laura looked at the dim faces of the students, she spoke.
“Everyone.”
Laura took a deep breath.
“You all know, but Seirun has abandoned you.”
At her words, the students widened their eyes.
“Ahhh!”
“…d*mn it!”
Swear words were hurled from every corner.
Some female students hid their faces and cried, while even the male students sniffled.
Just a few months ago, they had entered Seirun with grand dreams as elf hero candidates.
But even before the midterm exam, they were abandoned by the school.
Of course, everyone had already felt this reality.
It was just a denial till now.
Even Anger’s face was stunned.
“Most likely, if you stay here, you’ll be treated as mere stepping stones for the upper and intermediate class students.”
Laura’s expression was expressionless but firm.
“I cannot tolerate that. I, as your homeroom teacher, know better than anyone how talented you all are.”
“Then… what should we do?”
Anger asked tremulously.
Looking at such an Anger, Laura said:
“You have to make a choice. Leo Student.”
At Laura’s words, Leo entered the classroom.
Leo was holding a magic book.
“I think you all saw Leo Student’s Star Magic skills yesterday.”
Her words were right.
Leo’s magic prowess was extraordinary as he won against the teacher of the top first-year class.
Thus, a question arose.
‘Why is he in the lower class?’
“Why do you think Leo Student is in the lower class?”
At Laura’s question, students looked perplexed.
“What’s the reason?”
When Anger cautiously asked, Leo said,
“Because I read a forbidden book designated by Seirun.”
Chomp!
Leo placed the magic book on the teacher’s desk so that the lower-class students could read its title.
The student sitting in the front row, Anger, read out the title.
“Introduction to Star Magic… Wait, isn’t this a thesis written by a professor in Lumeran’s Department of Magic?”
“What?”
“Why is it here?!”
First-year students urgently got up from their seats and retreated to the back of the classroom.
It was as if they were seeing an epidemic with such appearances, and Leo wore an odd expression.
Holding the book, Leo approached the students who ran to the back of the classroom,
“Hiiiik!”
“O-Stop!”
The students fled from Leo with fear on their faces.
‘Interesting.’
Leo smiled playfully and grabbed the fleeing Anger, forcing the magic book into his hands.
“Give it a read.”
“Hiiiik!”
Anger threw the magic book to the ground as if he had touched something terrifying and sobbed.
If Ren saw this, he might have foamed at the mouth that someone threw away a book he wrote.
Leo caught the floating magic book out of the air.
Watching the scene, Laura smiled wryly.
“Though forbidden by Seirun, this is a 1st-class forbidden magic book. Merely mentioning it results in severe punishment, and if it’s brought in, one will face serious penalties. You all know this, don’t you?”
The students nodded at Laura’s words.
“Leo Student got demoted to the lower class because he possessed this magic book.”
“Ah…”
“Sure enough…”
The students sighed.
“I also read the reasons that Leo Student provided and perused the contents of [Introduction to Star Magic].”
“Eh?”
“No, you can’t!”
“Th-Then Miss Laura might lose your teaching position!”
The students were shocked.
Looking at the worried students, Laura smiled.
“I don’t want to teach in a Seirun like this.”
With a gentle but firm tone, Laura continued.
“Having read the magic book, I can say there’s no problem with the content. In fact, I strongly believe this book should be widely distributed even to the elves.”
[The Introduction to Star Magic], written by Ren and Anna.
It was labeled as heresy by Seirun because it could undermine the uniqueness of ‘Star Magic’ possessed just by Ren and Anna.
‘However, the effect is unmistakable.’
Second-year Lumeran magic students who read this magic book mostly have entered Star Magic.
Soon, Lumeran plans to extend the practice limited only to the second year students to all students across all grades in the department of magic.
Star Magic is the exclusive magic of the elves.
This book, which allows anyone, even those who aren’t elves, to enter the realm of Star Magic, is nothing less than an immense innovation.
Unless one is pursuing innovation and progress in magic, the only outcome would be one thing.
‘Regression.’
Leo clicked his tongue.
‘If things continue like this, Star Magic won’t be the symbol of elves much longer.’
Tina might also be worried about this point.
In fact, any elf with a bit of thought would feel the sense of unease about the future.
‘Naturally, elves would adapt to this magic system created by Ren and Anna far better.’
Star Magic is originally heavily influenced by the characteristic of one’s magical power.
That’s why even among elves, some magicians who excel in general magic have low achievements in Star Magic.
“Most likely, if you master the contents of this magic book, your achievement in Star Magic will progress greatly. When that happens, Seirun itself will realize: instead of banning and distancing this magic book, it would be wiser to actively embrace it. When that happens, the current Seirun will change too.”
At Laura’s words, the students anxiously swallowed.
“On the other hand, if Seirun doesn’t change, expulsion would be the conclusion. In that case, I would leave Seirun without hesitation. You would also probably face expulsion.”
Laura looked at the students.
“I won’t force anyone. The choice is yours.”
To remain as they were in the lower class,
Or to challenge the transformation of Seirun, even if it meant risking expulsion.
The eyes of the lower class students who were given this dichotomy wavered.
Angr, who was the class leader of the lower class, said tremulously,
“We…”
![[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")
