Book Eater

The moment the words ‘extra points’ were uttered, the atmosphere changed.

As the highest educational institution in the empire that was operated directly by the four great magic towers, in order to enter the academy, it required talent and extreme hard work to become one of the thousands of students.

This was the national magic academy where it was hard to get even one point ahead on regular exams. Every student here was a child who was considered gifted in their hometown, so naturally, the competition for grades was bound to be intense.

The students instantly became hyper-focused. Vince pointed to the edge of the blackboard and continued speaking.

“Name three of the most significant events that have happened since the inauguration of the Imperial Guardian.”

A silence with a heavy weight fell in the classroom. Exactly three seconds later, there was a student who raised his hand.

“Hoh.”

An unexpected person raised his hand, and Vince immediately pointed him out.

“Are you going to make up for the mistake you made just now, Albert?”

“Yes, if you let me.”

He had a powerful voice that was different from when he was pointed out earlier. Despite his distraction, Albert was still a student who was recognized for his talent and hard work.

Vince nodded as if indicating for him to answer.

Albert stood up from his seat and spoke without hesitation.

“To put it in order of importance from low to high, the first event is the formation of the Alliance of Trinity.”

The Alliance of Trinity. As the name suggested, it was an alliance of the three nations. The Andras Kingdom, the Meltor Empire, and Elvenheim, whose borders were adjacent to each other, declared the end of the long war and established a system of mutual cooperation.

Andras’ underground resources, where minerals abounded.

The elves’ elemental magic that was excellent at reviving devastated nature.

The powers of the four great magic towers, which were helpful in many ways.

Together, the Alliance quickly regained their pre-war national power and reached a level beyond that.

“In addition, our Meltor became the leader of the Alliance of Trinity and can be said to have risen to become the central axis and peak of the entire continent, or perhaps even the entire world.”

“You know it well. However, isn’t this the third time that an alliance has been formed?” Vince seemed to be testing him as he asked back doubtfully.

“Yes, that’s right. However, as long as there is the Guardian Lord, who has reached the 9th circle, Meltor’s reign will never be shaken. Even if the alliance hadn’t been formed, the timing would have only been slightly delayed.”

Vince didn’t deny it. Albert became confident in his own words and quickly continued.

“The second event is the development of magic engineering. Invented by the Guardian Lord himself, it achieved incredible results in less than 20 years. Magic tools had their costs lowered and are no longer the exclusive property of those with vested interests. It still hasn’t been spread in territories far from the metropolitan areas, but when just looking at the increase in tax revenue, the effect can be seen. If we keep going like this...”

Albert trailed off as if he had nothing more to say, and the students in the classroom were silently agreeing.

Unlike the previous generation, they realized the benefits of magic engineering. Sewerage pipes, water purification systems, and lanterns to chase away the darkness of the night were common in every home. It cost money to install new ones, but it was only a few pennies compared to the past.

All of the changes and improvements had occurred in the last 17 years.

“Well said.”

Vince nodded with satisfaction.

“The formation of the Alliance of Trinity is certainly something that deserves to be recorded in the history books, but its importance isn’t high. After all, Elvenheim is our blood ally and Andras was weakened by the loss of all Seven Imperial Swords, which made them no longer a threat. As Albert said, it is a natural step forward.”

Things they could do without and things they couldn’t do without. There was no need to explain which one was more important.

Finally, only the third and most significant event remained.

With the attention of Vince and the other students on him, Albert was about to start talking, but...

Knock knock.

A sudden knock broke the silence in the classroom.

"Heh."

Vince alternated between looking at the door and the clock after hearing the noise and then closed his book with a slight smile. Originally, he was going to finish class early, but he was a bit late because he was reprimanding Albert.

Vince looked around at the expectant faces and spoke softly.

“I’m guessing that my guest is here. The last incident will be discussed in the next lesson, understood?”

“Yes, Professor!”

“As for Albert, you will receive two extra points as I promised earlier. That is it for today’s class. Good work, everyone.”

“Thank you!”

The students’ hands moved the moment Vince gave permission. They cleaned up three or four times faster than usual and quickly slipped out the back door, leaving only Vince in the classroom that had been bustling with people just two minutes earlier.

Then the tightly closed front door opened.

“...Master, did I arrive too early?”

“No, it was my mistake. The class went on for longer than I planned.”

Vince patted his tall, black-haired student on the shoulders. They hadn’t seen each other for a long time.

“It has been a while, you fool.”

“Your tone is still the same, Master.”

The red robe symbolizing the red tower, the coat of arms of an Superior, and the gaunt physique indeed belonged to the descendant of a warrior family. He was Baek Dongil of the Baek Family, a noble family from the east who settled in the Soldun Kingdom.

Through Theodore’s introduction, he had become a student of Vince Haidel and was a promising up-and-comer knocking on the walls of the 6th circle.

The two of them sat facing each other across a desk and chatted while drinking tea that Vince had personally brewed.

“Yes, how is your research going?”

“Well, it’s nothing major, but I did find something, so I plan to hold an exchange meeting using that discovery as the theme of the competition.”

“An exchange meeting isn’t bad. Draw the line well so that you don’t give anything away unilaterally.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

The magic contest where magicians from all over the world gathered was a celebration in itself, but it could also strip bare their foundation. It was important to draw a line between what they brought and what they gave.

Vince’s advice contained the entirety of the experiences he went through, both sweet and bitter. It was indeed beneficial. The two of them talked without realizing how much time passed. The moment the clock’s minute hand made two and a half turns, Vince brought up a topic that suddenly occurred to him.

“Oh, come to think of it, I heard you brought your disciple with you? He is a 3rd circle magician at 14 years old. He is a good kid.”

Baek Dongil’s mouth twitched. He was clearly happy with the praise his student was getting, but then he waved his hand dismissively.

.

“Haha, don’t compliment him like that when you see him later. I don’t want to spoil him.”

“I’m sure you have taught him well. By the way, at 14 years old, he can participate in the Pupil Tournament. Did you send him?”

“Cough, uh, no. I don’t think this year is a good time.”

“What?”

Vince looked puzzled by these words before understanding and becoming amazed.

“Ahh! Will those kids participate?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Then it can’t be helped. If those two are involved, the finale is already determined.”

It was obvious even without looking. Baek Dongil couldn’t help smiling bitterly at the words.

“Master, today is the day of the finals.”

“Huh? Is that so?”

Vince wasn’t normally interested in the Pupil Tournament, since his students were all grown up, but he became a bit interested when he heard that those kids were competing. He was reminded of a long time ago, during the days when he went to the capital with Theodore, who had just escaped from being a repeat student.

Vince put down his empty teacup and stood up.

“It is interesting. Shall we go and take a look?”

“I was about to do that too. Let’s go together.”

Baek Dongil cleaned the teacups and the place with simple magic. Soon after, the two magicians in red robs left the classroom.

The destination had already been determined.

***

Mana-vil, the capital of Meltor, the magic empire.

The largest building there wasn’t the imperial palace, but the four great magic towers, the institutions that symbolized the power and identity of the magic empire; the places where all magicians wished to stay.

Moreover, unlike the imperial palace that was difficult to access, the outskirts of the four great magic towers were free for people to come and go. A bustling area naturally formed, with a road so wide that at least six four-horse coaches could come and go at the same time and buildings that towered who knew how high in the sky.

At some point, tourists from all over came to leave their souls behind for a while.

Kyaaaaak!

But despite the majestic sight, an incongruous sound rang out in the downtown area.

“Kya! It's really Verus!”

“Please look this way, Verus!”

“Please accept my handkerchief!”

There was a crowd of girls on the side of the road. At a glance, they seemed to be in their mid to late teens. The eyes of the girls, who still hadn’t lost their youth, were bright and their small, slender fingers were tightly holding objects such as flowers, letters, and handkerchiefs.

In the middle of those affectionate girls stood a boy.

He had hair as red as rubies and golden eyes; in spite of these fiery colors, however, his features gave him a calm aura. His height of nearly 170 centimeters and strong physique also gave him a masculine beauty that didn’t match his age.

His sparkling eyes contained a hint of playfulness, revealing the boy’s capricious temperament.

His name was Verus Miller, a boy who had the greatest magician in this world as his father and had just turned 15 this year.

“Is everyone here to support me? Thank you all, really!”

As Verus hugged a bunch of colored flowers and smiled brightly, the chattering girls blushed silently.

Not only did he have a provocative beauty, but he also had the charm of a genuine man!

This handsome young man had perfect ability, appearance, and background. He was the ideal type that all the girls in the capital yearned for.

In addition, Verus’ value was so great that many parents supported their children when they would usually stop them. With the girls’ eyes blinded by love and their parents’ support behind them, Verus’ surroundings were always filled with the scents of flowers and perfumes.

“Ah, that reminds me.”

Unfortunately, the biggest problem was that Verus himself knew and took advantage of it.

“Rachel, the sweets you gave me last time were really good. It went well with coffee. Why don’t you try them with me next time?”

“...H-Huh? Ah, yes! Of course! Anytime!”

The girl with honey-colored hair cheered.

“Cecily! I am wearing the tie you gave me. What do you think? Does it look good on me?”

“I-It is the best!”

The girl with emerald eyes stuck her nose up and the regret from spending all her pocket money for a few sweet words of praise from him flew away without a trace.

“Thanks to your support, I am in the best condition. I will do my best in the final, so please look forward to it.”

“Yes, Verus!”

There was no discord among the girls, and they responded as one to Verus’ words. It was a strange sight. Despite the relationships intertwined with romantic feelings, the natural jealousy and competitive spirit weren’t here at all.

Perhaps the secret of his birth was hidden behind it.

The most famous characteristics of a red dragon were destruction and impulsiveness, but there was another trait that was surprisingly common: charm.

It was a different type of primitive ability than magic, shamanism, and psychic power. It was also different from mental manipulation such as hypnosis or suggestions. It was a force that purely inspired a person’s liking or admiration. It was quite possible that Verus’ unusual sociability was influenced by his lineage. Of course, most of his popularity was due to his appearance.

“Please win, Verus!”

“We will only believe in you, Verus!”

As always, Verus left behind the cheers of the girls and passed through the entrance of the four great magic towers. After a few more steps, the tingling sound in his eardrums became muffled and his innocent expression turned expressionless.

“Tsk, I’d rather have some chocolate or something instead of all these flowers.”

He wasn’t lying or being pretentious. He literally just preferred snacks over bouquets. However, it wasn’t polite to show a distorted expression in front of the people who gave him gifts.

Like his mother, Verus was very honest about his feelings.

“...”

Yes, like his mother.

Crack!

It sounded like a walnut cracking.

“—U-Ugh?”

It was only after Verus’ face had been slammed to the ground and he felt tingling at the back of his head that he realized he had been attacked.

The blow was so hard that he lost consciousness for a few seconds! He had never experienced such a blow, not even from his father.

“Who is it? Who dares... hiiik?!”

Verus raised himself up and looked back while shouting, only to stop himself abruptly.

“Hah, who am I?”

Verus’ face turned pale. And how could it not? The person who had just hit him on the back of the head in the middle of the four great magic towers...

“It’s your mother, you rotten son!”

Red Tower Master Veronica.

With red robes and fluttering hair, she looked no different from 17 years ago.

Bam! 𝚋𝚎𝚍𝚗𝚘𝚟ｅｌ.ｃ𝚘𝚖

A simple flick of her middle finger was undoubtedly more powerful than the 3rd circle Magic Missile. All the magicians who saw the scene were convinced. Meanwhile, Verus was hit again and rolled across the ground a few times before stopping and lying there limp.

The hand of justice was upon him.