SomaRead | The Incompetent Mage’s Infinite Regression

Chapter 7

One mage flew over and stopped in mid-air. Where his head should have been, there was a flower pot, and in the flower pot, there was a maple bonsai. Perhaps because winter was approaching, all the leaves had fallen.

The bonsai head spoke.

<Vine, will you continue?>

"Hmph."

Vine withdrew the Magical Power he had poured into his staff, and the crystals that had been above Bien's head fell to the ground, following suit.

Vine said.

"Dean Aincheler. You wouldn't believe everything that half-wit says, would you?"

Aincheler Durmus, the Dean of Yurmus Magic School, replied.

"If I say I'm going to the Empire, will you stop me?"

"You'll regret it."

<Well. …Please return home. Student Bien, to your dormitory room.>

The two did as Aincheler said.

Ethan said to Rebilton.

"Is it okay to just let them go like that?"

"Should we call the guards and escort them away roughly? Perhaps. But Vine, being a Count and having a seat on the Council of Mages, wouldn't necessarily go against the Dean's words."

Aincheler descended to the ground.

"It's not hard work to protect a student. Haha."

"Yes, Dean."

Ethan looked at Aincheler.

"Ah, thank you."

"…There's no need for that."

"Yes?"

Aincheler bowed his head towards Ethan and spoke.

"Yes?"

Having said that, Aincheler rose into the air again and returned.

Rebilton said.

"What did the Dean say?"

Ethan knew that Aincheler had spoken so only he could hear.

"He said I worked hard."

Ethan looked at Aincheler as he moved away.

∞

A few days later, Rebilton called Ethan to the Combat Magic Society common workshop.

"You deserve to know what happened after that."

Rebilton told him what had happened to Vine and Bien since then.

Bien was in Yurmus Prison before being exiled to the Empire, and Vine was under house arrest at his residence in Yurmus.

"Meetings between the professors are continuing to discuss Vine's treatment."

"What's the most likely punishment?"

"Probably exile."

Ethan nodded.

"The Yurmus City Council would find it difficult to properly punish Count Dekarun."

"Even so, he won't be able to threaten you again, Ethan. He won't be able to return to school either. For now, can you be satisfied with that?"

Ethan nodded.

"Yes."

That being the case, Ethan had just received a reward for successfully completing a Quest.

∞

['Quest: Defeat Vine Wiz Dekarun (C)' Success!]

[Reward: Experience Points 36]

[Reward: C-rank Lottery Coupon]

Ethan had intended to use the C-rank Lottery Coupon on the Merchant someday, but the Merchant informed him that it was impossible.

"Why?"

The Merchant said.

But in Ethan's opinion, that was not a good choice. Among what Ethan currently possessed, the Glock 45 was C-rank. And it was more useful than all the other D-rank Archives, Items, and Skills Ethan currently had combined. The expected value of C-rank was quite high.

"Alright. Then I'll draw a lot."

If he could purchase items as needed through coupons, it would be best to keep the coupons, but if not, it would be better to purchase items in advance and be prepared to respond in more situations.

Ethan handed the C-rank Coupon to Demi and drew a lot.

But when he saw the result of the draw, Ethan was somewhat disappointed.

[Skill Acquired!]

[Skill: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (C)]

As soon as he obtained the Skill, Ethan knew what Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation was, when to use it, and why such a procedure was necessary.

"I understand it has meaning."

<Yes.>

"It might be useful someday."

<Yes.>

"But what value does it have for me right now?"

Since he had heard that before, Ethan decided not to grumble further.

∞

So it had been a few days since he acquired the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Skill through the lottery, meaning Rebilton's information was quite slow.

'There must have been procedural issues.'

But there seemed to be no reason to call him to the common workshop just to hear a few words. For such a conversation, he could have been called to Rebilton's own workshop.

"Do you have anything else to say, Professor Rebilton?"

Rebilton smiled.

"Yes. Indeed."

"What…?"

"I heard you told Bien that you wanted him to teach you magic."

"Ah, yes."

Ethan was tense, wondering if he was going to bring up the issue of threatening Bien. It wouldn't be a big problem now, but as far as Ethan knew, Rebilton was a moral person. There was no guarantee he wouldn't be difficult.

"You could have made other threats, couldn't you? I know you actually receive almost no support from your family."

"That might have been possible. But to continue attending school, not only tuition is needed, but more importantly, the ability to use magic. Even if I failed and was expelled in the second semester, wouldn't having learned a bit more magic during the vacation period remain?"

In reality, it was a way to approach Bien, but Ethan also thought seriously about the extra benefits he might gain.

Rebilton nodded.

"Then, Ethan, even if I taught you magic, you would still be willing to learn, wouldn't you?"

"Yes?"

Rebilton nodded.

"Indeed. That's a good answer."

"No, Professor. There was a question mark at the end of my answer just now."

"However, there are limitations to the magic I can teach. To be precise, it's not the magic I can teach, but rather, there are limitations to the magic Ethan can learn."

"Are you listening, Professor?"

Rebilton continued to speak.

"The magic I intend to teach is Physical magic."

Ethan knew about Physical magic. It is magic that allows one to run fast, jump high, or lift heavy objects using the body. Such abilities can also be granted temporarily, but that is classified as Enhancement magic, or Physical Enhancement magic. Physical magic is a type of magic that gradually maintains such physical states through practice.

"Even if it's Physical magic, it's still magic, so can I, who has no talent, learn it?"

"According to what I've observed of Ethan over the past six months, yes. It should be possible. Among the three issues Ethan has—Mana Sensitivity, Magical Power Operation, and Magic Composition—only Mana Sensitivity is a problem for learning Physical magic. Physical magic sends Magical Power down to the lower abdomen instead of the head, so operation isn't difficult, and since it's not discharged externally, Magic Composition isn't a problem either."

Ethan was surprised that Rebilton had been watching him with interest despite his lack of talent, but it wasn't that he hadn't thought about Physical magic before, so he pointed out the part he was curious about.

"I have also tried to learn Physical magic before. But as you said, how can the problem of Mana Sensitivity be resolved?"

"That's a matter of breathing technique. Physical magic uses a different breathing technique than general magic usage, but in Damarat, they insisted on using the existing magic breathing technique for Physical magic, which caused problems. I can teach you the breathing technique I found and devised."

When Ethan heard that, he thought it might be possible. If it were anyone else, maybe not, but Rebilton's major was Physical magic.

Demi heard Ethan's explanation and said.

<Congratulations, User.>

<Yes. Thank you. But it's not… something to be entirely grateful for.>

<Usually, you're not called a mage with only Physical magic.>

<Then?>

<You're called a knight.>

Physical magic was not for mages. It was generally learned by knights or adventurers, and a mage using their body was not considered a virtue. A typical mage should be able to get what they want without lifting a finger.

Rebilton said.

"Are you disappointed?"

"No."

"Really? Ethan came from a good family, didn't you? You probably wouldn't want to learn something like Physical magic."

Ethan had no prejudice against Physical magic. When doing something, it didn't matter whether it was by hand or by magic. In terms of means, they were all equal.

"What I'm worried about is something else."

"What are you worried about?"

"I was wondering if Professor Rebilton might be teaching me 'only' Physical magic because he was disappointed in me."

At those words, Rebilton showed interest.

"Is that so? Do you want to learn something else from me?"

Ethan knew the rumors that came from the distant Great Wall in the northwest when he was young. The Great Wall, which divided the lands of different races and humans, received a great invasion at the time and almost collapsed. But one Combat Mage affiliated with the Great Wall garrison at the time, who was proficient in swordsmanship and Combat magic, repeatedly won victories and led the war, which had been heavily favoring defeat, to victory.

The swordsmanship that this Combat Mage used was fierce and sharp, so even seasoned garrison soldiers were afraid to stand with him lest they get caught up in it, and enemies often fled at the mere sight of the Combat Mage's shadow.

There was also a famous story. The retreat route for the Combat Mage's unit was a narrow cliff path, and 300 Dondujong were chasing from the rear. The Combat Mage told the unit members that he would handle the enemy in the rear and to hurry and escape. The unit members all intended to remember that the Combat Mage had sacrificed himself, prepared for death. But there was no need for that. The next day, that Combat Mage returned to the unit after cutting off the noses of 300 Dondujong.

Originally, there was a swordsmanship used by hunters who lived in the land of the Ayin race, Ruure. It was a technique for catching beasts that had grown gigantic due to Mana, meaning magical beasts, and it was that Combat Mage who integrated and established the techniques of different hunters. The Combat Mage not only killed magical beasts but also transformed it to kill the Ayin race and combined it with magic to create an advanced martial art.

Later, that Combat Mage gained epithets such as Hero of the Great Wall, Hunter of Different Races, and Pig Butcher, and rose from a fallen noble background to obtain the title of Baron again and even the professorship at Yurmus Magic School, his contributions recognized by both kings and the Council of Mages; that was Rebilton Fabierre.

"What if I wanted to learn your 'Hunting Sword'?"

Rebilton laughed heartily and said.

"Naturally, I should teach you."