Chapter 8
Tap.
Flint Smelter tapped the air with his staff, and from its tip, miniature translucent versions of the two second-year representatives popped out.
- Welcome to Spellmore Academy, everyone!
- Welcome!
A voice-supported hologram. Of course—if they had repeated the same words every time a new student arrived, their throats would be hoarse by now.
I wonder… can second-year students really use magic like this? Amazing.
Before Selly’s sparkling eyes, the avatars of the representatives floated and guided the students through the academic program.
- Spellmore Academy is a six-year program.
- Until the second year, all subjects are taught commonly to build a foundation. From the third year, students choose a major and follow the path of a specialized wizard.
- It’s a harsh path.
- But don’t relax just because you’re in the first year. At the end of each year, students undergo evaluations. Those who don’t meet the standard must return home.
- In technical terms, this is called “failing.”
- Students who survive two near-failures can then choose their major.
“Silvergrove, what majors are available in magic?”
“Shall we ask the teachers about that?”
The explanation started to feel like a clumsy school orientation video… and then it really became one.
Footage of teachers and students, awkwardly smiling as if forced, began to play. The various majors flashed by so quickly it was hard to keep up.
What stood out was that each major had a different emblem on their uniform—and each gave off a different impression.
The divination students, with crescent moon emblems, stared blankly as if possessed by spirits.
Meanwhile, the expressionless students wearing horn-rimmed glasses looked like they didn’t even need the gear-shaped emblem on their uniforms.
Ah, the Magitech Department.
Even here, engineers wore checkered shirts as uniforms. Selly thought she might have to burn every checkered shirt in the universe.
As the video dragged on with each department introduced, the students’ eyes slowly lost their spark—until…
“Wow!”
All their eyes suddenly widened. On the screen appeared three beautiful boys chosen for their looks.
They could be actors!
Selly watched with wide, sparkling eyes.
Ah… they couldn’t act at all.
The handsome boys, introducing themselves as teachers of Spellmore, delivered a line each as if forced to act.
- Dual majors are possible.
- In theory.
- If you dream of shortening your lifespan, I recommend it. But Smelter, what exactly are you recommending?
“It’s an editing mistake, sorry,” Flint Smelter said, his face flushing slightly. He had obviously filmed it while hiding the fact that the dialogue added up to nonsense.
- Got it. So if I graduate safely, I can become a wizard too?
- Not immediately. After graduation, students must practice as apprentice wizards under experienced ones to gain knowledge and skills in their major before being officially recognized.
…Did that just sound like a forced graduate school kidnapping?
- Look forward to tomorrow’s entrance ceremony, the first gateway to becoming a great wizard.
- The elemental aptitude test awaits!
Huh? A test right after entering?
Flustered, Selly raised her hand as soon as the video ended and asked quickly.
“How is the test conducted? Do we need materials? Should we study in advance? What should we study?”
The second-year students, just a year older than Selly, laughed, amused by how scared the freshmen looked.
“No, nothing. No preparation is necessary.”
“Elemental aptitude is innate. Whatever students do, it won’t change the result. Just stay calm, and the system will identify your compatible element automatically.”
Phew, that’s a relief.
Her heart still pounded, but at least nothing terrible would happen.
Elemental aptitude…!
The magical school vibe made her pulse race.
I wonder which element will suit me…?
I hope I don’t get two or three at the same time…
Ah, I don’t want to stand out again with my genius.
…And someone was quietly smiling to herself.
With her heart pounding, Selly followed the upperclassmen up the stairs.
“Lastly, we’ll introduce the interior of Spellmore Tower.”
They stopped on a landing wide enough to be called a hall. On the high walls they pointed to hung a massive tapestry depicting the tower’s interior.
The Tower of All Colors
The black Spellmore Tower had a name.
“The tower has a total of 496 floors,” Idril Silvergrove explained. Then Smelter surprised the freshmen with a question.
“It’s strange. Why didn’t they just add four more floors to make it 500?”
While everyone blinked in confusion, Selly raised her hand.
“Because it’s a perfect number!”
The sum of all its divisors equals itself—496 is more “perfect” than 500 in mathematical terms. For a hardcore STEM kid like Selly, it was easy.
The two second-year representatives dropped their jaws.
“Correct!”
Wizards are usually unpredictable, but she got it right on the first try…
“Wow… the first freshman to answer correctly since Professor Crowley?”
Her peers, still surprised, asked, and the elf boy pretended to rub a nonexistent crystal ball.
“I can see this child’s future trapped in the Crow’s Nest.”
The freshmen laughed, except Selly, who didn’t know what that meant.
I want to laugh too!
She asked, but the upperclassmen only smiled knowingly, saying she would understand soon.
“Now, back to the main point. As you can see, the main tower is divided into six zones.”
Vertically divided, like a pyramid of hierarchy.
The underground level was called Abyss.
Spellmore isn’t responsible for what happens if you enter without permission.
The warning suggested the tower had a reputation.
Above ground, from bottom to top: Depths of Ignorance, Sea of Awareness, Land of Knowledge, Breeze of Wisdom, Light of Truth.
Clearly, ignorant freshmen will be gathered in the abyss.
But from just the names, it was impossible to know what each zone contained—no explanation, only labels.
“I have a question.”
Selly raised her hand again.
“It doesn’t show what’s in each zone. Is there a more detailed map?”
- Lost one, listen.
Ah, what? The tapestry spoke! Selly jumped in surprise.
- Where do you wish to go?
Was it a fantasy-style navigation system?
Selly calmed herself and asked the first thing that came to mind.
“Bed—no, dormitory.”
- The girls’ dormitory is on the 18th floor of the Depths of Ignorance, in the Tower of Dreams.
On the tapestry, the wizard flew to the “Tower of Dreams” and tapped the tower roof with a staff. Golden thread fireworks appeared with each tap.
“Now that we’ve inadvertently shown you how to navigate, we’ll end the school introduction.”
“If you have questions or difficulties in school life, come to the Student Council Tower anytime and find us or other upperclassmen.”
“Thank you!”
The freshmen bowed and began ascending the stairs, but Selly approached the upperclassmen, curiosity already bubbling.
“Are the dormitories divided only by gender? Does the magic hat sort students by aptitude or anything?”
Perhaps a strange question, but from an Earth perspective, a very serious one.
The second-year representatives stared at her, puzzled. Did she really not know something everyone knew?
“I’m from far away, so I don’t know much.”
Finally, they answered.
“In the past, yes. There were four dormitories with long-standing traditions and history.”
