Dark Fantasy Normalized – Chapter 34

It’s ordinary.

Meltas assessed Ricir’s magical talent like that.

The achievement of reaching the third tier with the status of a bastard was certainly noteworthy, but in the end, he was still a noble.

There were countless commoners of Ricir’s age who had also accomplished the third tier but couldn’t even set foot in the Mage Tower.

If it weren’t for the power of normalization, Meltas wouldn’t have shown any interest in Ricir.

“Sometimes it happens. What does that mean?”

But what is this?

It literally happened in the blink of an eye.

Ricir had become a fourth-tier magician.

An achievement that even those born with special talents took months to attain, he accomplished in just a few minutes.

“Did you secretly consume an elixir on the way here?”

Meltas, in disbelief, made a joke in seriousness.

“Um, you know? About that thing of mine.”

However, Ricir’s sudden mention of ‘the power of normalization’ changed his expression.

“…That? What does that mean?”

“Well, it seems to sometimes cause phenomena like this.”

“Does that even make sense? Such a power causing these kinds of phenomena?”

“You yourself said it was such a unique power, Meltas. If we apply completely different standards from the beginning, it wouldn’t be out of the question, right?”

“Hmm… I feel like it’s not that simple…”

Meltas ultimately couldn’t wrap his mind around the phenomenon that happened to Ricir.

Separately, his evaluation of Ricir drastically changed.

From [an ordinary magician born with special abilities] to [what even is this?].

“That, um, that, this, it’s quite a frenzy. Can you speak so that those listening from the side can understand?”

Meltas snapped back to reality at Marina’s voice. Then, with a look as if he just remembered something, he stared at Marina.

“You wouldn’t understand even if I explained.”

She barged into Meltas’s laboratory and boasted about her disciple. Then, when Meltas showed signs of disgust, she’d smirk, saying, ‘Yeah, you wouldn’t get it.’

It was something Marina often did to Meltas.

“Ah, ha.”

Marina nodded as if she understood.

She crossed her arms and looked at Ricir with a pout.

“What school are you from?”

“No need to answer that, Ricir.”

“Didn’t you just ask me, Meltas?”

“I wasn’t asking you at all, Marina.”

‘What kind of situation is this?’

Caught in the crossfire, Ricir stood awkwardly, glancing between the two.

“For now, I acknowledge your appearance. You’re cute. You look like a noble but with a rounded atmosphere; I wish other guys would learn something from you. Why do you keep straining your neck and eyes like that? Do you think that’ll create some nonexistent charm and masculinity?”

“Complimenting someone’s looks right to their face, how very polite of you, Marina. The young magicians of the Mage Tower will have so much to learn from you.”

“Seriously. You wouldn’t understand since you’re aesthetically challenged, but good-looking people dress up to look good, you know?”

Right?

Marina smiled at Ricir, emphasizing her slightly exposed complexion by slightly leaning forward.

“Ricir. Just to let you know, don’t be fooled by appearance. Marina is—”

Before long, Marina had a handkerchief in her hand. Tossing a handkerchief was the most common way to challenge someone to a duel.

Meltas averted his eyes and closed his mouth. Marina tucked the handkerchief back into her jacket and continued her monologue.

“So, what’s up with all the fuss? Isn’t it okay to ask about the school? You’ll hear that question over and over again once you enter the Mage Tower.”

In fact, it was perfectly natural for magicians to ask about each other’s schools upon meeting for the first time. Just like nobles asking about each other’s families.

It was a way to gauge the opponent’s rank.

For instance, Marina was currently trying to gauge Ricir’s rank as a magician.

As a disciple’s rank.

‘This guy is the competition for my disciple that Meltas has marked?’

Marina’s expression as she looked at Ricir was tinged with competitive spirit.

Meltas and Marina.

The two were rivals.

They had joined the Mage Tower at the same time, achieved the sixth tier at the same time, and were recognized as elites by the Mage Tower simultaneously.

Their competitive relationship, which had begun with the first teachings from the same master, had continued to this day.

However, this competition recently entered a new phase.

“Suddenly, a disciple? It’s about time for us to start taking on disciples, isn’t it?”

Marina, who had briefly left the Mage Tower for research, returned with a disciple.

“Hey, did you hear? About Marina’s disciple.”

“That would be Heinya, right?”

“Just from a distance, you can tell she’s extraordinary; who would have thought she’d come from a noble family…!”

“The family that had been in consistent contact with Marina noticed her talent and strongly advocated for her.”

“They said she was third-tier before meeting Marina?”

“That third tier isn’t just any third tier!”

“She self-studied, you know? Reading magic books by herself.”

“Then one day, she met Marina, received teachings, and boom! Her talent just exploded.”

“In just a year after starting formal lessons, she became a fourth-tier… What have I been doing all this time? Should I just give up on magic?”

“Have you heard about this?”

“Ah, you mean Heinya? I heard she’s already starting to show achievements in the kingdom.”

“Now she’s a proper fourth-tier magician.”

“How is this? I feel like I’m hearing about Heinya once a day these days.”

“Right?”

“Meltas has to be feeling a little sick from this.”

Since Marina took on her disciple, her one-sided wins have continued.

The previously equal standing of the two was beginning to lean in Marina’s favor.

“That’s driving me insane.”

Meltas was in quite the predicament.

He had been thinking about taking on a disciple himself, and now this happened.

At this point, he couldn’t just take anyone as his disciple.

It had been that way from the start, but now it was even more true.

He had to find a talent that wouldn’t lag behind Marina’s disciple.

“…How?”

Thus, Meltas found himself in a crisis.

Heinya Ye Mastien.

Born from a noble family, achieving the third tier through self-study, and reaching the fourth tier after just a year of formal education—where on earth could he find a comparable talent to her!?

It was a talent so rare that it could be counted on one hand throughout his not-so-short life.

And now he had to find such a talent anew?

Especially without any prior ownership?

Meltas had almost resigned himself to that fate.

…That was until this morning.

The chance encounter with the person named Ricir.

And the fortunate discovery of his special power.

Meltas thought.

Maybe it’s possible.