The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 71
‘…He’s always been this kind of character.’
At that moment, I felt a slight embarrassment.
A recluse obsessed only with magic and academia.
That was Burnstein.
His siding with former Chancellor Rundolph wasn’t out of personal greed, but because he believed it was the right thing to do.
This time too, he wanted to help me out of pure goodwill, without any political motives.
‘…I was only thinking of my own benefit.’
Burnstein seemed to have noticed my thoughts and let out a sly laugh.
“Moved, are you? I wouldn’t stop you from joining our side if you are.”
“…You do know how to joke.”
“The truth is, it doesn’t matter to me which side you’re in. You’re a professor at Ruby, and that won’t change.”
I realized that Professor Burnstein would continue to treat me without prejudice.
‘I feel a bit sorry. But standing on the same line as Professor Burnstein is difficult. I need to make sure I repay him properly.’
There was only one way to truly repay Professor Burnstein.
“Thank you. I will repay your kindness with the results of my lectures.”
I raised the corners of my mouth as the Black Flame Dragon instructed.
“Professor, you will soon witness a miracle among the students.”
The students will come to “understand” what magic is.
* * *
“Ah, another lecture by Professor Trash today? How many times this week?”
“It’s a mandatory core course, so we have no choice. Oh, what a waste of time. Should we just skip and sneak into Class 1 to overhear Baron Aiden’s lecture?”
The first two months for freshmen are a welcome period.
All students attend classes regardless of their department.
The core mandatory courses are designed to conclude within two months, hence the classes are packed.
“Today, isn’t it the day for the joint pop quiz for both sections of <Basic Understanding of Magic>? Did you study?”
“What have we learned to study!”
“Ah, our Class 2 is going to hit rock bottom. Though the quiz isn’t reflected in the actual grades…”
“But, wasn’t the test scope not that difficult? Was linear theory always that easy?”
Someone’s sudden remark silenced the students for a moment.
‘Now that I think about it?’
‘I’ve given up on linear theory, so why do I understand this scope?’
<Basic Understanding of Magic> is divided into two main topics.
The first is the basic background knowledge of magic.
This is where the class doesn’t even twitch.
The second is linear theory, which is the basis of hierarchical magic.
Unless one is in the magic department, it’s difficult to understand, and the majority give up, focusing solely on studying the background knowledge.
‘Was his lecture effective?’
‘Nah, can’t be. It was just drawings.’
‘It must be that the scope is unusually easy.’
As the lecture time approached, the professor entered.
“Today, after the lecture, we will have a joint pop quiz. Did everyone study?”
“Yes, we did.”
“Everyone, forget it all. It’s garbage knowledge.”
“!!”
Everyone wore baffled expressions.
Regardless, Van looked out the door, and soon, a young man with a bitter expression appeared.
“Today, Professor Balas will be serving as a demonstration teaching assistant.”
“…Pleased to meet everyone.”
As everyone looked puzzled, Van asked:
“What’s the scope of linear theory in this quiz?”
“‘How does a line become a star?’ is the topic.”
“So, how does a line become a star? Can anyone answer?”
“…It’s because a line’s defined combination gives magical power to the star.”
This was the textbook-perfect answer.
However,
“That’s why I called the knowledge you’ve studied garbage.”
“!!”
“Defined combination? Then, what about irregular combinations? Do they not grant magical effects?”
Everyone was left speechless.
Not just students from other departments who had merely memorized the exam content, but even magic department students who had actually learned basic magic couldn’t answer.
“Professor Balas, please draw the star of ice. Using the standard method from the textbook.”
“…Understood.”
Paaaf!
A solid ice crystal materialized.
Balas was an expert in fractal theory.
Accordingly, his depiction of the star was impeccably solid, as if it had been copied directly from a textbook.
On the other hand,
“Everyone, take a good look at my star.”
The star Van drew was clumsily executed.
There were even parts where the lines were misaligned or crooked.
It was almost embarrassing to call it a star.
“Whose star is more correct?”
“…Professor Balas’s star is.”
“On what basis have you decided? Because the lines forming the star were precisely combined? Look.”
Crash!
Van’s ice shattered Balas’s ice into pieces.
“!!”
Everyone’s eyes widened.
A scene that defied their common sense.
“By the standards you’ve mentioned, my star shouldn’t be capable of magic, but what about the result?”
“P-Professor, you’ve arbitrarily transformed an irregular pattern into a standardized one to imbue it with magical effects, haven’t you?”
A student from the magic department spoke up, citing something they’d heard somewhere.
Transforming a star is a common practice among high-ranking mages.
In magical terms, it’s called “standardization of the irregular.”
However, Balas, with a face as if he was chewing on something bitter, said,
“That’s not standardization. It’s impossible to standardize such a messy pattern.”
“!!”
“Professor Van manifested magical effects with lines of irregular shape, no different from scribbles without any pattern.”
The room fell silent.
Everyone there had at least some basic magical knowledge.
They knew how preposterous Balas’s statement was.
“If you understand the meaning behind the lines and points that make up linear theory, you can draw a star in any form.”
“……”
“Of course, I’m not expecting you to be at that level. The purpose of this course is to ‘understand’ the basics of magic. Now, unfold your practice papers.”
Swish.
It was a familiar setup.
Throughout the last lecture, Van had students unfold their practice papers to draw lines and points.
But this time, there was a difference.
“Today, we’re only going to draw the most basic star of mana. Refer to this video.”
Paaaf!
A video was broadcasted from a magical device.
It showed the process of drawing the star of mana.
It was the shape of a star that everyone present was familiar with, being the most basic form.
However, the energy contained within the star was extraordinary.
Now, even the fledgling students could feel it.
It was a star engraved into the video device by Burnstein himself.
“Professor Balas will slowly demonstrate how to draw the star following the video, so try to keep up with his pace.”
Balas’s expression turned serious.
Although he wasn’t fond of the role of a demonstration teaching assistant, having the opportunity to draw a star of such profound achievement was a significant chance for any mage.
Paaaf!
As Balas moved his hand, a line was drawn in the air, and the students mimicked it on their practice papers.
Perhaps it was due to the countless practices?
They could follow along without much difficulty.
And then, Van’s voice accompanied them.
“The first line represents the sky.”
“The second line signifies steadfastness.”
“The apex connecting the two lines symbolizes connection.”
“As you draw each line, imagine and visualize the meanings I’m speaking of. This is the very first step and foundation of magic. The complex formulas come next.”
Everyone found themselves engrossed as if under a spell.
Only Van’s explanations and the sound of pens filling the practice papers resonated in the classroom.
* * *
In a spacious professor’s office on the upper floors of the Ruby Academy’s Magic Department building, a young professor with a sophisticated demeanor frowned.
‘…Damn, why do I have to deal with such basic lectures? What do they take an A-fessor for?’
Being tasked with dealing with someone like Van was an affront to his pride, intolerable.
‘But still, it will all be over soon. Once the results of today’s quiz come out, the board has agreed to expel him.’
He didn’t even need to see the results.
‘After all, the scores for linear theory will all be about the same, and the scores for the basic background knowledge of magic will be incomparably lower than what would be in my class.’
Aiden became an A-fessor because of his targeted lecture style, optimized for exams.
He boldly omitted parts that were not important for the score and focused intensively on the important aspects.
‘What era is it now? Whether you’re a mage , a knight, a healer, or a central bureaucrat, exam specs are the most important.’
He was leisurely awaiting the results when…
“P-Professor?”
“Oh? Have the results for both classes come out? By how many points did we differ? At least a 20-point difference, right?”
It should be noted that this course had become a matter of pride between the Chancellor Karak’s side and the Duke Rapalt faction, resulting in the quiz being outsourced to the Mage Tower for drafting.
And the Mage Tower also conducted the grading.
“A 2-point difference.”
“Hmm? That can’t be? Only that much of a difference? This score difference makes it difficult to expel Van…”
“The thing is… Van’s class scored higher.”
“…What did you say?”
“…Their scores are higher. If we look at the overall average, it’s a 2-point difference. But if we only look at the average for linear theory, it’s much higher.”
“!!”
Aiden quickly snatched the results sheet.
It was true.
‘How can the average score for linear theory be 55 points? Especially since the Mage Tower made it particularly difficult? This makes no sense!’
For reference, the average score for linear theory in Aiden’s class was 35 points.
It wasn’t that Aiden hadn’t taught linear theory at all.
On the contrary, he had pinpointed only the essentials.
So that even those who couldn’t understand could solve the exam questions as much as possible.
Thanks to that, they managed to score an average of 35 points, but what about Van’s students?
“It’s impossible! An overall average of 55 points, and the average for magic department freshmen is 70 points? There’s no way such scores are possible!”
That’s when it happened.
“Oh dear. It seems there might have been some cheating involved.”
“!!”
Aiden’s eyes widened at the sudden appearance of a boy with a proud smile.
“Who do we have here? Lord Senin, welcome. You must have had a hard journey from Amethyst.”
The student audit team from Amethyst had finally arrived!
And it wasn’t just Senin.
“Lady Joanna is also with you? Haha! Welcome. This is our first meeting since the magic conference banquet.”
“I don’t remember you.”
“…Pardon?”
“I said I don’t remember you. It’s unpleasant, so could you not pretend to unnecessarily know me?”
“…Ah, yes. M-My apologies.”
Joanna huffed and then dismissively took a seat on the sofa, crossing her legs.
She displayed her blunt demeanor impartially, regardless of whom she was dealing with.
Aiden, trying not to show his frustration, said to Senin:
“…Lord Senin is here to audit Professor Van’s lecture?”
“Yes, Ruby is a brother academy to our Amethyst. We cannot ignore when the rights of students are infringed upon by an unqualified professor’s lecture. And now I hear there’s even been cheating in the exams?”
“…As for cheating, that’s still…”
As Aiden trailed off, Senin raised an eyebrow.
“Cheating must be the case. Otherwise, such results would not be possible, right?”
It was an attempt to frame someone.
“…Yes, you must be right. The only issue is that we lack evidence…”
“Don’t worry. The eyes and mouths of the students will serve as evidence.”
He was suggesting spreading rumors to corner someone.
It was a tactic Senin often employed.
However,
“Do you underestimate Professor Van too much? Do you think he’s just another one of those novices around you?”
“!!”
Senin’s face stiffened.
“Lady Joanna? Then, do you have a better suggestion?”
“Just prove it directly.”
“…What do you mean?”
Joanna spoke with a cold gaze.
“I will personally attend the lecture and prove that Professor Van’s teachings are flawed.”
