Chapter 635 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

In the floating city, I was just a nobody. Yet, down here, I am a king, a revered teacher. Immersed in the generous hospitality of the scholars, I savored the superiority of my being. How do I feel? On top of the world. Despite my ignorance, I enjoy their respect solely because I came from the floating city. It's as thrilling as gambling with borrowed money. What if I'm found out? Honestly, not many knew me even in the floating city, and there's little chance anyone would come here to correct their misunderstanding. Even if they did, I could just brush it off and leave. While indulging in this pleasure without responsibility, I engrossed myself in research to ascend the ranks. And what did my research entail? How a talentless human can catch up to talent. Fortuitously obtaining a perfect group of test subjects, I resolved to fully exploit this environment. "Hey, kiddos. Come over here for a sec." They were the underperforming students of the Celsius territory school district. Even among scholars, there are levels. Talented children attend excellent schools, and those who particularly stand out become apprentices at prestigious magical houses. The children remaining in this district are like cheap lottery tickets: unscratched, with little expectation of winning. They are future fools-in-waiting. These kids couldn't sense magic or control it properly, but they were of use to someone like me, in a similar predicament. When I beckoned, they approached eagerly, anticipation on their faces. "Hold this lens up to your eyes and look at my finger. What do you see?" I handed them lenses carved from high crystal and asked. The kids looked at my finger and replied. "I see hexagons." "It looks like a snowflake." Though no actual shape had formed, they could see the magic forming the framework through the lens. Magic just before crystallization can be seen with it. "And now?" "I don't see anything." "Hm. As expected, magic detection through these lenses depends on the lenses' attributes. They can't detect all magic." Lenses don't detect all magic. They only highlight certain magic patterns. This won't do. As I was about to record the results and retrieve the lenses, one child hesitated, still glancing at the lens. I asked indifferently. "What do you see?" "Um... something like a smile." "What?" "The fire seemed to rise as if it were smiling..." "Oh, correct." So they see it. High crystals are crystalline, so they detect crystalline magic well, but they shouldn’t see flames, which are rampant and free. In other words, "There are some kids like you who, though you can sense something, don't realize it's magic. Repeatedly observing magic like this will allow you to sense it properly." "Huh?" "Congratulations. You've mastered magic detection." Seems there were raw stones capable of sensing magic in the garbage dump after all. The child alternated between looking at the lens and me, then joyfully jumped up in the air. "Wow! I did it, I did it...! Finally!" While the child rejoiced at discovering their talent, I grimaced with disdain. Magic detection is literally the first step in magic. The usual path is to start with magic detection, proceed to learn magic control, then gain the knowledge to become a full-fledged magician. Yet, many fail to even follow this simple path. Celebrating is still a thousand years too early. And for those who can't even take this first step? Shut your trap. Annoyed, I stretched out my hand. "What are you doing? Hand over the lens. It's mine." "Um... can't I keep it?" "The nerve. Practice seeing without it, kid." They don't know their place. You lot should just obediently become my test subjects. Well, one managed to sense magic due to me. That should make the rest more compliant. "I have some things to organize, so read those magic books over there. For magic detection, follow the brightly glowing parts of the magic book crystal. It should be an interesting experience." "Yes!" Oblivious to their own exploitation, the troublesome kids scurried around following my instructions. The lenses were a good approach, but simple lenses won't suffice. For something akin to magic detection, more sophisticated equipment is necessary. There's a lot to do. It's great having test subjects, but managing them is another task. Controlling these unruly children isn't something I can do alone. Nor should I. "Madam. Could you come over here, please?" Upon seeing me, the kindly-faced woman lit up with a welcoming smile. "Oh my, teacher! What brings you here? Do you need anything?" "Nothing much. I need someone to look after these kids... and occasionally run errands for me." "Oh, of course! I was just about to find someone!" "When will they arrive?" "They said they'd come today, so I'll send them over to the school as soon as they arrive!" "Got it." I turned away, indicating I had nothing more to say. The woman's laughter, tinged with excitement, drifted to my ears. "If you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask!" Such luck. To meet a magician willing to teach children! With good reactions and results, I even save face! This madam was more of a heavyweight than she seemed. In the Magic Federation, schooling signifies status, and a schoolhouse is a vital facility for one's and one's child's future. Entrusting such a facility's operations implies holding authority over the area's people. Having raised her firstborn as a magician, the madam became a district representative, ready to support me wholeheartedly. Though she had no idea I was using the children as test subjects. "What would ignorant fools know? They're just limited to this." After just a few days of living in the floating city, such ignorant humans seemed petty and insignificant. Maybe I'm better suited to this earthly realm. People should live where they fit in. So. The crystal lens test is complete. What next? Pondering, I returned to the schoolhouse. A woman with a bundle was loitering near the schoolhouse. She didn't seem to fit the appearance of a child. Reading her thoughts, I realized she was the maid the madam had called for. "You there. Are you the new maid?" Startled by my voice, the woman clutched her bundle tightly and responded. "Yes, yes! I've been told to start working here from today!" At last, a legally bound servant secured through monetary contract. While the kids are obedient, one can't expect them to handle cleaning or manage belongings. I pointed a finger towards the schoolhouse. "Is that so? Since we both know what needs to be known, no point in further discussion. Your duties here include cleaning, organizing supplies, making the beds, preparing tea times, and any other miscellaneous tasks." "Yes! Just leave it to me!" "A word of caution. Don't touch my belongings without permission. Don't take it upon yourself to do any tasks I haven't requested. Keep the room at a constant 25 degrees, and ensure there's always clear water from melted ice available." "Um, hang on. Belongings, tasks, 25 degrees, melted ice..." As I rattled off a few things, the flustered woman began mumbling, counting off on her fingers. She seemed scatterbrained, but would she be capable of handling the work? "Do you know any magic?" "Do I have to use magic? I... don't know any magic..." "Hmph. If you did, you wouldn't be doing this kind of job. Can you handle magic tools?" "Yes! I've used them often! My previous job was assisting a magician!" "Assisting a magician? Hmm. You might be useful, then." The woman clenched her fists with resolve and shouted. "Leave it to me! I won't disappoint you. If I'm kicked out of here, I have nowhere else to go, so I'm going to give it everything I’ve got!" "That's not exactly reassuring." Still, she looked determined. If she's assisted a magician before, she might be considered skilled in this remote district. The Madam has some sense. Instead of sending just anyone, she picked someone who seems capable and diligent. I suppose ensuring I'm satisfied is her priority. …So that's why she chose this person. Madam, you've been totally deceived. The maid, with an innocent face, looked around the schoolhouse in awe, repeatedly expressing her amazement, then started to unpack her bundle in a corner of the room. *** "Magic detection is essentially about perceiving magic through the senses. You probably thought of magic as a mystical force, neither visible nor tangible, and tried to sense it... which is pointless." With the maid's arrival, my research moved into higher gear. Within three days of my teaching, out of the twenty-five students here, seven succeeded in detecting magic. Quite an achievement considering the short time. "There's a reason Celsius discovered their unique magic in extremes of hot and cold, why Pascal governs the winds, and Fahrenheit holds fiery flames. Heat, cold, the breeze brushing against the skin—these were the most familiar sensations to humans before the theory of magic detection was established." Are they extraordinary? No, it’s my teaching that's outstanding. With abundant knowledge and the ability to read where understanding falters through mind reading, I was able to fully draw out the students' talents. "Magic exists everywhere. Ultimately, it’s important that you feel magic through your senses. Heat, cold, sound, light, wind. If you can sense it, you can bind it to magic." I struck a xylophone made of high crystal. The magic-infused crystals resonated, dispersing magic in the form of vibrations. Magic seeped into the sound waves. "Sound is no exception, kid." The child shuddered, releasing their hands from their ears. Now, their body was resonating with all sorts of noises. It was an unearthly sound they'd never heard before. Noise that should have entered through the ears reverberated throughout their entire being, as if someone was striking them firmly onto a drum. The colossal noise, shaking the earth and the heavens, was audible solely and uniquely to that child. "Sir, so the sounds I'm hearing now..." "Congratulations. You've been blessed with magic. Reading magic through vibrations and combining it was something the Pythagorean school studied. It requires not just talent but also an artistic sense, which is why it isn’t commonly used. In other words, it’s rare. You could easily find mentorship in the Decibel estate." That makes one more. With a total of eight now. While magic detection is the simplest, producing that many from this small outpost school is quite excessive. All of it thanks to my benevolence, surely. The child emphatically shook their head and exclaimed. "No! I want to continue learning here!" "That's your choice. Do as you wish. However, today is the last time I’ll spend my time on you alone." All humans mask themselves with affectations. No one wants to be left behind. Without even a glimmer of hope, they would be discarded. Thus, the students here desperately conceal their ignorance, trying to mimic exemplary students. But I am a mind reader. I saw through such attempts, discerning aptitudes and talents, awakening their magic in ways tailored to each. Sound magic was the most challenging, yet now that it's succeeded, I've managed to oversee every student present. "So, now everyone should have a rough idea of what talent they possess and what they should do henceforth." However, the truth is, the problem doesn’t lie with those who are 'chosen.' It's typically among the 'abandoned.' "We’ll finish for today. Head on home." The seventeen who couldn’t sense anything, aside from the eight chosen ones, left the schoolhouse with empty expressions, escaping as though they were fleeing.