Chapter 31
Karnaroff said, looking at the murmuring audience.
The atmosphere had gone dead quiet.
"Listen closely. You're making one mistake."
I recalled the grading rubric.
The basic score for hitting the target is 2 points.
So that's one-tenth per target.
Then where did the other points go?
They were all eaten by the strict grading rubric, apparently.
Karnaroff began lecturing the audience.
"Basic attack magic isn't called basic attack magic simply because it's easy to learn."
"Removing the limiter formula from Basic Attack Magic gives you Novice Attack Magic, and adding amplification and transformation formulas makes Intermediate Attack Magic."
"Adding another layer of mana to Intermediate Attack Magic gives you Advanced Attack Magic, and the highest-grade attack spells are all of its countless variations."
Karnaroff's solemn voice rang out.
Every student was watching Karnaroff.
Given the situation, the sheer presence of his own mana was tremendous.
"This is all covered in [Introduction to Magic], which you take in the first semester of your second year. I'll grant permission, so go read it in the library."
All eyes turned to Oliver.
"So, about the grading rubric. You said it was unfair."
"Th-that's right."
Oliver still looked unconvinced.
Fair enough.
The grading rubric really is pretty strict.
'But what if I were a guild interviewer and had to judge him?'
He'd fail, no question.
For starters, the first category is 6 points. Two points just for hitting the target.
Casting speed, 0 out of 5.
He took more than 10 seconds just to use Basic Attack Magic.
That just meant he hadn't practiced.
Minimum power, 2 out of 5.
To my eye, the power wasn't particularly strong.
Meaning he didn't know how to circulate mana properly.
Projectile speed, 1 out of 3.
He stuffed too much mana into it and fired it off.
As a result, the projectile speed dropped.
Effective range, 1 out of 2. Add some kind of modification, 0 out of 3.
Okay, that part might be a bit of an unfair nitpick, though...
Honestly, if you know anything about magic circles, slightly modifying a formula is easy.
At the very least, if he'd paid attention in math class, he should've been able to add an extra formula without causing problems.
At the very least, anyone who'd read the whole rubric would know that.
Any objections?
Oliver shouted in protest.
"Isn't the grading rubric too strict!"
At Oliver's protest, Karnaroff only laughed.
"Ha. Hahaha, hahahahaha!"
"Why are you laughing!"
In response to that question, Karnaroff's face went blank again.
"I know that you didn't properly do the practice assignment and copied other people's work."
Oliver's face filled with embarrassment.
"...Wh-what do you mean..."
"They say you can tell at a glance. Of course, I don't have any direct way to prove it, so I'm only giving you this warning."
Looks to me like he has a way to find out, but isn't bothering because it's a hassle.
What a shady bastard.
He looked back at the students and spoke.
Every single one of them was focused on Karnaroff.
The students who had something to hide in the assignment looked uncomfortable.
The students who had sincerely done the assignment looked a little more at ease.
But at the very least, not a single student was listening with a lighthearted expression.
"I do allow a certain amount of cutting corners. You know there are people who solved the magical biology assignment with other people's help."
Uh-oh.
That stings a little.
"But how long do you think tricks like that will keep working? I'll show you they won't. The students I'm calling now are the ones who actually did the assignment well."
Then the students were called.
The students cast their magic in the somber atmosphere.
The results were similar.
"12 points."
"8 points."
"15 points."
"11 points."
"12 points."
"5 points."
.
.
.
Because he set the grading rubric assuming everyone could cast Basic Attack Magic perfectly, everyone's scores were low.
In fact, it couldn't really be helped.
The people Karnaroff called on early on hardly ever came to practice.
"Why do you think these results are coming out like this?"
Karnaroff said, looking this way.
"There are many dangers lurking outside. Something happened at the School Market just now."
"Work hard. You have talent. But talent alone can't surpass monsters. The only way to surpass a monster is to become one."
"Have a competitive streak. Don't envy the friend beside you, but at least let them spur you on. Then your friend beside you will grow too as they watch you improve."
"Be fair to yourself. Scores earned by copying assignments mean nothing. What matters is your own skill."
He looked back at Oliver, who was still standing there.
His face was red.
"Go back to your seat. If you can at least feel shame, then work hard."
Oliver went back to his seat.
"Ugh..."
We need to lighten the mood.
I don't really like this heavy atmosphere.
Feels like I might choke on my cola.
How about I stir up some trouble?
I looked at Karnaroff's eyes.
Hmm.
If I did it now, I'd probably die, so let's not.
Karnaroff now seemed to be looking for the next student—or, more accurately, the next sacrifice.
"Now then, someone suitable..."
Karnaroff's eyes turned to Linia, who was sitting near me.
"Mm-hmm, as expected of the top student. Go on, show them what you've got."
"You don't seem to want to go out there, do you...?"
Aris whispered to me.
"If he had a plan, he'd probably put seasoned students like me and Robert in the back."
"No need to crush the kids' spirits."
Aris would probably get 50 points too.
The last two targets are at such odd distances that I can't tell what he was thinking when he set them.
Even the students who didn't do the extra assignment could aim for 30 points if they'd practiced properly.
Linia is just being used as a demonstration.
Something like, "You can do this too."
That said, Karnaroff's eyes lingered on Linia for a moment, then...
they met mine while I was lazily killing time.
"Yumia, come out."
Ah.
'Why me!!'
Why pick the runner-up when the top student is right there!
Then someone whispered from behind me.
"Hey."
"Aris? Why..."
But why is her hair pink instead of blonde?
It was Linia.
Linia, holding a sleep mask in her hand, was staring at me blankly.
That sleep mask looks tempting.
Why had she bothered coming all the way over to my seat when she always looked so tired?
"...Help me draw their attention."
"Huh? Why?"
"Yaaawn. It's a pain. I'm going to hit them all anyway, aren't I?"
Wow, talk about confidence.
But I'd seen her cast magic before, and she had every right to be.
I can hit them all too.
Hmm.
Drawing their attention shouldn't be hard.
Going full power would be a little dull, so maybe I'll try something else.
"And in exchange?"
"Hmm... how about you take me to your family estate sometime later, and lend me one magic book of my choice? How's that?"
Not bad.
I wasn't interested in their family much, but magic books are meant to be studied, so borrowing one or being given one doesn't really differ.
"Okay. Throw in a sleep mask too."
"That won't be hard. Make it flashy, okay?"
"W-Wait a second. What exactly are you planning to do!"
Aris shouted, flustered.
"Huh? I'm just doing Linia's request."
"Linia, if you ask Yumia for something like that, she'll bring out something ridiculous!"
"Then even better."
"Got it!"
I dashed out, excited.
* * *
Karnaroff smiled inwardly.
'Just as planned.'
Now the students wouldn't even dream of copying assignments or manipulating the data.
Having set such an example.
He knew that.
Not all students put in effort.
But if that's the case, it's his job to make them.
Turning them away from shortcuts and motivating them too—that was part of his role as a professor.
"Now I just need to show them a model example."
As for basic magic proficiency alone, Linia was ahead.
But if it was just a demonstration, Yumia and Linia were about the same.
Of course, it was also true that he got worked up and chose her the moment Yumia met his eyes.
Still, that probably didn't matter.
And so, just as Yumia raised her staff and began chanting...
He sensed that something was off.
"Hey, wasn't it gathered like that already?"
"Her eyes look a little strange too."
The students who had worked hard on the assignment sensed something strange first.
Natural mana in the area was winding around her eyes.
Yumia's pupils had slit vertically.
Reptilian eyes, like a lizardman's.
But an eerily pure natural mana was pooling there.
Because those weren't lizardman eyes to begin with.
A fragment of the rulers of the firmament, said to have been passed down to only a tiny handful of humans.
"How did she get that part!?"
Karnaroff shuddered.
That wasn't all.
"You told me to make it flashy, didn't you?"
She lightly brought a finger to her lips.
"If I don't want to use a guidance formula, this is the only thing I can do."
The bit of moisture from her mouth caught the light and gleamed.
When he realized she was gauging the wind by feel, he understood.
If it's just mana, Aris is ahead.
If it's just magical power or sense, Linia is ahead.
If it's just wealth, Carter is ahead.
But the first-year's greatest supernova was none other than that girl.
Yumia's dragon eyes locked onto the target far in the distance.
A target set up to be very hard to hit unless you used a guidance formula or additional magic.
"Casting Bullet. Penta."
"Basic Attack Magic, triple chant."
Almost at the same time she finished chanting, five silver streaks burst into the air.