NOVPUB“Hmmm. Did I mishear you somehow?”
Elisa quickly composed her expression.
But even as she spoke, the corners of her eyes trembled—she couldn’t completely hide the reaction.
“You heard me correctly. I want the position of Head of the Planning Department.”
Ludger, showing no intention of backing down, nullified even her attempt to deflect.
To say it so boldly...
Elisa was at a loss for words and asked again in disbelief.
“Professor Ludger. Do you truly understand how valuable the position of Head of the Planning Department is?”
“It’s the head of the Planning Division, is it not?”
“Just pushing you into the Planning Division as a regular officer is already something I expected significant backlash for. And now, you’re asking for an even greater seat.”
For the first time, the golden irises of the Headmaster narrowed.
Her eyes, which always curved in gentle smiles, stretched into thin lines as she stared straight at Ludger.
They gleamed like sharp golden blades.
She didn’t overtly express it, but the magic in her eyes shimmered in direct response to her rising emotions.
Ludger felt the tingling sensation crawling across his skin and chuckled inwardly.
‘She’s rattled.’ 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝙗.𝒄𝒐𝒎
Understandable.
She had extended him the best possible offer—only to be rejected and met with a counter-demand for something even more audacious.
No wonder she’d be fuming, wondering who does this thief think he is?
The natural leaking of her ocular magic—something she normally had no reason to use—spoke volumes about her irritation.
“If you become Head of the Planning Department, it won’t just be backlash. It might reach the level of open revolt. Most of the faculty could protest. Surely, you’re not unaware of the implications?”
There was a reason that position remained vacant.
The head of the Planning Division.
Which meant control over Seorn’s internal budget.
The moment someone tried to claim it, opposing factions would go all in to crush the attempt.
Even neutral parties would find themselves inundated with bribes, lobbying, and political pressure.
It would certainly paralyze the institution.
That was the very situation the Headmaster wanted to avoid.
“Didn’t you yourself say that people should be given roles or rewards suited to their ability?”
“...Are you saying you believe you are fully qualified to be the Head of the Planning Department, Professor Ludger?”
Ludger didn’t answer.
Instead, he calmly took another sip of tea.
Elisa stared at him.
“Frankly.”
—Clink.
The sound of the cup meeting its saucer echoed.
Then Ludger opened his mouth.
“That position—Head of the Planning Department—doesn’t particularly excite me, either.”
At that, the Headmaster’s eyebrows twitched.
Rrrrrrrumble.
The magic responding to her emotion began to dominate the space around them.
The table trembled. A deep ripple disturbed the once-still surface of the tea.
“Are you saying you’re rejecting my offer, then?”
Her voice remained even, but the pressure was entirely different now.
It was like staring up at a mountain, tall and insurmountable.
Any other instructor in Seorn placed before her in this moment would be unable to even meet her eyes.
A timid one might not even manage to breathe properly.
Yet within this explosive tension—like standing before a volcano moments from eruption—Ludger remained calm.
It was like a tiny rowboat sailing steadily through the heart of a storm-swept sea.
Yes, the Headmaster was powerful. She was a fearsome figure to anyone and an extremely skilled mage.
But Ludger had come too far to be surprised by something like this.
He had stood beneath pressure far greater than hers for far too long.
“Did I not say that I’m grateful for your offer, Headmaster?”
“Then why—”
“Do you truly believe, based on what you’ve seen of me, that I’m a danger to Seorn?”
“...That remains to be seen. It’s always possible it’s all been an act.”
“Spoken with unusual hesitation, I must say—not like the always-composed Headmaster at all.”
The space trembled with unstable magical power.
The density of her mana made it difficult to breathe, yet Ludger answered with an unaffected expression.
“I believe I’ve already proven my loyalty to you, Headmaster. More than anyone else.”
“Yes. You certainly have. I acknowledge that. It’s why I brought you here.”
“And even now, I’m showing that same loyalty.”
“......”
Arrogant.
He was essentially declaring that by offering to take on Seorn’s core operations, he was the one being generous.
Elisa had every right to be furious regardless of who she was dealing with.
But instead, she fell into thought.
Even after unleashing this half-threat of mana, Ludger didn’t flinch.
Nor did he try to plead his case with desperation.
His words and gaze were full of unshakable conviction that his actions were right.
If he was this confident, she could only assume he’d already done the math.
“If you give me the position of Head of the Planning Department, I assure you—you won’t regret it.”
“...Very well.”
The Headmaster exhaled a soft sigh.
The magic that had stormed through the terrace calmed at last.
“But I can’t just give you that seat just because you asked. You’ll need proof. Proof so absolute that no one would dare object.”
“Yes. I understand.”
When Ludger shamelessly nodded, Elisa raised an eyebrow.
“Do you have some way of silencing the other teachers’ complaints, then?”
It sounded like a question, but she clearly believed he did have something.
Ludger smiled inwardly.
As expected—she was sharp.
“And if I did, what would you say?”
“Ordinary methods won’t cut it. You’ll be attacked from all sides. If you were aiming for a regular Planning Officer role, I could have shielded you somehow.”
“But the department head is beyond that kind of protection.”
“Exactly. You’d be the leader of an entire division. Especially one that can influence other instructors’ evaluations. You’d be a target. And you haven’t even been here a full year yet.”
That seat’s vacancy had represented peace.
If someone filled it, the balance would be disturbed.
Better for no one to hold it—at least that way, there was no tension.
“The Management Division, Support Division, Research Division—they can’t be ignored, but the Planning Division is on another level. If you really want that seat, you’ll have to produce results that leave everyone speechless. Something so impressive that your short tenure won’t even matter.”
“Results, you say.”
“Yes. Something that draws the attention and recognition not just of Seorn, but of the wider academic world.”
“Such as...”
“Oh, and just to be clear, the ‘Source Code’ won’t cut it.”
Elisa cut in preemptively.
Source Code was certainly a groundbreaking spell.
But it had already spread too widely.
Its underlying principles might still be unclear, but the fact of its existence was already accepted in the magical world.
It wouldn’t shock anyone the way it had when it first appeared.
“You already said you'd disclose it to students based on their test results. For other mages, that just means it’ll become public knowledge eventually. There’s no urgency.”
“True.”
“And if you plan to present something else, that’ll be difficult too. Magic circles? Not enough. They offer some surprise, °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° but not revolution. Maybe the coordinate-based magic from before? That might catch attention. Are you planning to reveal that?”
“No. Even if I explained it, it wouldn’t be easy for others to use.”
“Then you don’t really have a viable option, do you?”
There was even a tinge of disappointment in the Headmaster’s voice.
“And why do you assume there’s no option?”
“Are you saying you do have another method? A spell that could set the academic world ablaze?”
“Yes.”
At that, the Headmaster’s eyes widened.
“...Truly?”
“I’m not lying.”
“And can you tell me what it is?”
“We’re in the same boat now, so I have no reason not to.”
Ludger raised his hand and cast a sound-isolation spell around them.
A precaution, to prevent even the slightest eavesdropping.
A forced veil of silence descended.
Not a single breath could be heard in the dead quiet.
And within it, Ludger spoke—quietly.
────
The moment she heard it, the Headmaster’s already-suspicious eyes opened so wide they nearly split her face.
Her usual composure didn’t just crack—it was completely obliterated.
She didn’t even realize she was making such an expression.
That was how shocking Ludger’s words had been.
Shhhhhh.
Eventually, the sound barrier vanished.
The world’s sound came flooding back like a tidal wave from the deep.
“So? I think that should be sufficient.”
“...‘Sufficient’ doesn’t even begin to cover it. It could trigger a fifth magic revolution—or beyond.”
“I wouldn’t go so far as to give it such a grand name. But if that’s how your distinguished insight evaluates it, I can only be honored.”
For someone who had just dropped an idea of that magnitude, Ludger remained almost absurdly modest and calm.
At this point, the Headmaster couldn’t help but wonder—
“Do you... have anything else? Based on how you’re behaving now, I get the feeling you’re still hiding quite a lot.”
“I do.”
“...Seriously?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I said no, would you?”
“......”
The Headmaster opened her mouth to speak—closed it—then opened it again.
But in the end, all that came out was a sigh. A quiet breath of surrender.
“Hmph. I’m curious, but I won’t ask. That too must be part of Professor Ludger’s arsenal.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“......”
At Ludger’s shamelessly composed reply, the Headmaster gave him a sulky side-eye.
Her cheeks puffed out ever so slightly.
“Must be nice. Sitting quietly with such a surefire method in your pocket this whole time.”
“It’s not like I intended to keep this hidden forever. I simply hadn’t been given the opportunity until now. But since one has finally arrived, I plan to make full use of it.”
“Hmph.”
Though she eyed him with suspicion, Elisa couldn’t see through him.
“Then, once you unveil that, everything should fall into place easily.”
“Yes. Though I’ll need some time to prepare. If I’m to present it to the academic world, I’ll need a paper and documentation of the research process, and that’ll take time.”
“Of course. To validate a new method, there has to be verifiable effect. And for things like this, results usually take at least six months.”
But Ludger shook his head.
“It won’t take that long. The actual effect will appear in much less time.”
“How can you be so sure? Just how short are we talking?”
“A week is enough.”
“...Are you serious?”
Elisa clenched her fist without realizing it.
Even six months had been a generous minimum on her part.
But Ludger was asking for just one week.
Wrinkles formed on Elisa’s graceful brow.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that Ludger was toying with her.
“...It’s not dangerous, is it? Something that might work quickly but have serious side effects?”
“There’s no danger. Just an absurd amount of money involved.”
“Well, that’s not a problem. We can fully support you with research funding. Is there anything else you need from me?”
“I’ll need a venue. And I intend to select a few individuals to participate in this project for validation.”
“Individuals?”
“Students would be ideal. The results will be most visible through them.”
The moment Ludger noticed the Headmaster’s expression changing, he preempted her concern.
“Let me be clear—there’s no danger. No aftereffects. I’ll send you the materials separately. You can review them yourself and decide whether or not it’s acceptable.”
“...And if I decide it’s not?”
“Then you can reject it. If that’s your decision, I’ll respect it. Final approval lies with you, after all.”
“......”
With him going that far, Elisa couldn’t help but be tempted.
“Alright. Let’s proceed as you suggested.”
“Understood. I’ll send the documents as soon as possible.”
The conversation felt like it was wrapping up.
Just as Ludger rose from his seat, the Headmaster called out again.
“By the way, Professor Ludger.”
“Yes?”
“What did you actually do before this?”
For once, she didn’t speak in circles. It was a direct question.
Ludger considered for a moment, then answered:
“I was a prince.”
“...What?”
The Headmaster gave him a sharp glare, then gestured with her chin.
“Off you go.”
“Very well.”
Ludger gave a polite nod and left the terrace.
Watching his retreating figure, the Headmaster muttered to herself:
“If you didn’t want to answer, you could’ve just said so. What kind of joke is that...”
* * *
Less than half a day after Ludger left, a stack of documents arrived at the Headmaster’s office.
The sender: Ludger Cherish.
‘Already?’
The speed was as if he’d anticipated all of this and prepared in advance.
The Headmaster immediately reviewed the documents.
She read with suspicion and skepticism.
At the slightest hint of flaw, she planned to reject it outright.
‘His handwriting is neat and meticulous.’
People’s handwriting often reflected their personality. She wondered what his did.
Such idle thoughts quickly faded as her expression began to stiffen while reading.
Once she finished the final page, she flipped back and reread the whole thing from start to finish.
This time, even more thoroughly.
Repeating the process—five times in total.
And then—
“Ahahaha!”
She burst into hearty laughter.
A genuine, unfiltered laugh from deep in her gut.
Tears welled in the corners of her eyes from laughing so hard.
When the laughter finally faded, she pulled out her official seal and stamped the document.
[Approved]
* * *
The next morning.
In the central hallway of the lecture building, students were gathered around the bulletin board, chattering among themselves.
“Huh? Why is everyone crowding there?”
Aidan noticed the unusual crowd and grew curious.
His internal sensor for magical curiosity lit up like lightning.
He pushed through the throng of students and read the board.
“...Huh?”
There it was.
A freshly posted announcement.
[Participant Recruitment Notice for Clinical Study]
● Title and Purpose of Clinical Research
A clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of maximizing mana discharge levels in mages.
● Target Participants (Eligibility Criteria)
Anyone aged 15 and up.
However, the following individuals are not eligible:
▸ Those with histories of respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, hematologic, or other chronic conditions.
▸ Those who have undergone gastrointestinal surgery that may affect drug absorption.
● Benefits of Participation
Participants will receive free mana diagnostics and generous compensation.
It was a call for a clinical trial aiming to increase mana discharge capacity.
But what drew the most attention was the name written at the bottom.
● Inquiries
Please contact Second-Year Specialized Track Instructor, Ludger Cherish.
“Increasing mana discharge capacity...?”
