#76. Rangers Restart (4)
Optical magic is only practical if it increases the output of photons.
But if practicality isn’t important, then output isn’t that important.
It’s not that difficult to create light of moderate brightness, and the activation itself is quick.
Optical magic also becomes easier if you don’t obsess over focusing photons into a single beam of light and don’t worry about them scattering in different directions.
In that state… … you have the luxury of composing a high-difficulty technique.
“Look, look over there!”
“A ray of light in the sky……”
“The light beam is bending in the air, showing off dazzling movements!”
“How is that possible?!”
A show utilizing light magic was unfolding above our heads.
The trajectory of the light beam was much more distinct thanks to the fog created by elemental magic. This was possible because the fog particles scattered the light.
Several beams of light shot into the sky, reflected off the ‘mirrors’ set up using reflective magic, and changed their orbits.
As the rays of light continued to reflect and began to draw geometric shapes, gasps erupted here and there.
“Wow, you’re killing me?”
“How do you change the direction of a light beam in the air?”
“It’s beautiful and romantic…….”
“This is a show using light… a laser show!”
The beams of light danced ceaselessly to the gentle rhythm of the percussion instruments played by the skeletons.
But that’s not the end of it. Just when the audience is starting to get bored, another bomb is dropped.
“What, what?!”
“The color of the light changed?!”
“Red, yellow, blue… why are they so dazzling?!”
The principle is simple.
Charlotte used the paints she had prepared in advance to create colorful ice lenses.
It just passes it through and gives color to the light.
‘Even if the light output is weak now, the ice lens will melt quickly.’
Colored light does not last long.
That’s why it has to end quickly enough that the audience feels regret.
‘Is everyone ready?’
As I signaled with my eyes, the fog surrounding me spread out explosively.
And the moment the skeleton struck the percussion instruments all at once.
“Wow…!”
The rays of light, with their output increased, spread across the sky above the stadium, melting the ice lens.
It created a fantastic sight, as if a huge firework had exploded.
And just like the fireworks that exploded, they died down, leaving a lingering aftertaste.
“…….”
A moment of silence.
The skeletons no longer played percussion instruments. This was the end of the movements that Ingrid had prepared in advance.
It was so quiet that we had a puzzled look on our faces.
“Wow!”
“It was the best!”
“It’s fantastic!”
There was a huge cheer and applause.
“You did a great job!”
“This deserves art points too!”
“Show me at night next time!”
“Have regular performances! Bring your girlfriend on dates!”
The seniors who were booing.
They were clapping and cheering.
The reaction was much more intense than I expected, and I was taken aback.
“Uh, Mr. Eriol……”
Ingrid muttered in a trembling voice.
“Did we do well?”
“I think so too.”
“Hey…!”
Ingrid jumped up and down in place, laughing heartily.
“Hey, we did it, guys! We did it!”
“Ingrid, don’t be so excited. The scores aren’t out yet. It’s too early to be happy.”
“Charlotte, you’re saying that but you’re smiling?”
“Everyone worked hard! I’m sure you’ll get good scores!”
Everyone had a happy expression on their face.
My head was spinning from constantly adjusting the reflex technique in real time, but I felt good.
‘But… …we have to wait and see what the score will be.’
The show itself was a success.
It also succeeded in capturing the hearts of the audience.
However, there are some people from the Jupiter Club among the judges.
If they exert influence, the score may be lower than expected.
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“Oh, that was an incredible light show, a laser show! I wonder what the scores will be? Can they surpass Deep Maze’s 9.4 and Jupiter Club’s 9.6? The judges’ scores were….”
The host’s excited voice paused for a moment.
We all held our breath and waited for the results… … .
“9.7 points! 9.7 points! The Rangers, made up entirely of freshmen, earned the highest score, beating the Jupiter Club, which scored 9.6 points!”
The moment the results were announced.
We hugged each other without saying who would go first.
The audience’s applause serves as background music.
* * *
In the end, no club scored higher than the Rangers.
Rangers won the title by beating Jupiter Club, who had an average score of 9.6, with a high score of 9.7.
The seniors of the Jupiter Club, who were expected to win the championship this time, all had a disappointed look on their faces.
‘They are truly amazing.’
Helios bit his lip, feeling complicated emotions.
At this moment, Eriol was receiving his prize money on stage.
“Whoa, that guy’s got it. How did he prepare such magic?”
“Isn’t this just a magic that looks good?”
When the senior next to me exclaimed in admiration, I felt repulsed for no reason and let out a bitter sound.
Then my senior shook his head and said.
“No, if you just increase the output, it will become a very threatening magic.”
“yes?”
“That seems to be a magic that reflects light, and if you can control it freely like you do now, it could be an incredible weapon. You can change the trajectory of a powerful light beam while firing it.”
“……!”
The senior, who is currently an optics intern, seemed to understand the magic used by Eriol quite well.
“Imagine. A ray of light that you thought was deflected could change course and fly behind you.”
“…….”
“If we utilize the diffused beam, we might be able to surround the enemy from all sides and pour out the beam. Of course, this is only theoretically possible.”
It’s only possible in theory.
This means… … that it is quite possible for Eriol.
‘That guy… … .’
I thought that he had prepared a magic that was only flashy on the outside, but that wasn’t the case.
Eriol’s magic was practical enough. He had prepared magic that could be used in actual combat.
‘Eriol, you are truly… … amazing.’
Helios bit his lip again.
* * *
“Congratulations on winning the contest… Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
We raised our drink glasses and toasted.
We considered having an after-party at a nice restaurant, but ultimately decided to have it at the club room.
The club table was laden with snacks and drinks bought from the store.
“Haha. I really didn’t think I’d win!”
Kane lifted his cup with a smile.
“There must have been some judges who wanted to give the Jupiter Club the win, but in the end, we won first place!”
“Our performance must have been great enough to overcome that.”
Senia also nodded with a gentle smile.
“Thank you all for your hard work. Especially Eriol… You planned almost everything this time, so you really worked hard.”
“I was able to do it because you guys helped me.”
To make my vision a reality, I needed help from others.
Because it was impossible for me to compose all the spells on my own with my current magical abilities.
“In that respect, Ingrid did well.”
“Yes? Me?”
Ingrid’s eyes widened as she heard Charlotte’s words.
“You did the skeleton bouncing sound perfectly without missing a beat. You must have been very nervous, but you did a great job.”
“Sha, Miss Charlotte…!”
“Don’t run!”
Ingrid hugged Charlotte’s waist with tears in her eyes.
At first I think I was scared of Charlotte, but now I feel like we’ve become completely close.
“Anyway, we’ve received quite a lot of prize money. I think this will be enough to cover the funds needed for club activities.”
“Yeah, that’s good.”
You need money to enter the dungeon.
You can enter dungeons yourself and earn money, but you need better equipment to earn more money.
“I think we can upgrade our equipment with this. Let’s buy enough consumables too.”
“Is that okay?”
“You can’t just use it when you have a company dinner.”
As they were talking like that, Kane intervened.
“Hey, Chairman. Shouldn’t we be more careful about managing our money?”
“president?”
“Yes, Chairman.”
Kane said, pointing at my face.
“Club president.”
“Why me?”
“If not you, then who?”
Then everyone else nodded at once.
“There is no one else who can do it but Eriol.”
“It was a club that was originally created by Eriol.”
“I knew from the beginning that Mr. Eriol was the chairman.”
“…….”
It seems like it’s an atmosphere that’s difficult to refuse.
“I can’t help it….”
“Then let’s have another toast? Cheers to President Eriol’s lifetime tenure!”
“Cheers!”
Everyone toasted Kane’s toast.
It’s not alcohol, it’s just a beverage, but everyone fits the mood well…
“Hey, Kane.”
“why?”
“You’re not planning on handing over the chairmanship to me and just sitting there comfortably, are you?”
“What? Now, wait a minute.”
“Come to think of it, you were the one who brought up money earlier. Are you confident that you can manage money well?”
“Hey, Eriol. Wait a minute. I’m not good with numbers to begin with….”
If there is a chairman, there must be other positions as well.
I made a space for each of us while discussing it with the other kids.
‘Okay, this should be enough.’
The vice president who assists the president is Senia.
The general manager in charge of money matters is Kane.
The secretary who keeps various records is Charlotte.
Ingrid is in charge of supplies, including managing supplies and purchasing equipment.
In this way, each person took one seat.
“I’m the vice president… My shoulders feel heavy.”
“I’m not good at managing money, you know.”
“I’ll do all the accounting and auditing, so do it right, Kane.”
“Wow, this is the first time I’ve been given a position like this since elementary school.”
Anyway, with this, the Rangers club was finally formed.
We have a club room, a sufficient budget, and an organization in place.
Who has become a flawless and neat club?
‘At first, I started it to secure past exam questions.’
Now that it’s come to this, I’ll have to invest a lot of time into club activities in the future.
I have to prepare for final exams, but I have less and less time to read books.
‘I can’t help it. I have to manage my time better from now on.’
To secure reading time, you must manage your time thoroughly.
Let’s do only what is absolutely necessary… …and avoid wasting time on useless things.
* * *
“It doesn’t seem like it’s going to be very successful, Klein.”
“I’m sorry, sorry.”
Klein bowed deeply.
Now, the senior professors of the Department of Tradition were gathered in front of Klein.
“Veteran professors like us can’t step forward to recruit mere freshmen.”
“So, you, as the advisor, need to step forward and persuade Eriol Valencia……”
“At this point, shouldn’t Eriol Valencia come to us first and say hello?”
“If this continues, we will lose it to other departments.”
Actually, Klein had something to say too.
In other departments, even the biggest names in the department head class are already directly involved in the battle for Eriol.
However, the veteran professors and the senior professors are leaving everything up to Klein, thinking, ‘We, the senior professors, shouldn’t directly recruit new students.’
You are not properly understanding reality.
‘It’s also because I boasted that I would bring Eriol first in the first place… … .’
Originally, Klein had planned to make Eriol into a legend and a human before the other departments could find out her true value.
But Eriol came to prominence too quickly, and all plans went down the drain.
“I wish everyone had a little more sense of urgency.”
“……!”
Then the old man who had been silent until then opened his mouth.
The head of the Klagenfurt family, who had led the tradition department for generations… …was the head of the department, Rudbout Klagenfurt.
“Eriol Valencia is a guy who might be on the same level as Professor Kaisel. We need to take him more seriously.”
“Oh, no, department head.”
“He’s still a freshman, so it’s hard to give him that kind of evaluation already…….”
“The achievements that Eriol Valencia has accumulated so far are in no way inferior to those of Professor Kaisel when he was a freshman. If someone like him were to be taken away by another department… wouldn’t that be too much of a pain?”
“…….”
The other professors were silent.
“In the next six months… After the first year ends, Eriol Valencia must be able to major in the Department of Traditions. We must not be picky about the means and methods.”
“Then how……”
“I will go ahead myself.”
“……!”
Professors holding their breath.
Klein couldn’t hide his surprise either.
Because it was unusual for Dean Rudbout to step forward himself.
“Klein, did Eriol Valencia say that he likes to read?”
“Yes, they say that if it’s a book, you can’t use extra legs.”
“Then I guess I should invite you to my study.”
“In the department head’s study…!”
Professor Rudbout’s study is the largest of the personal libraries of any Academy professor.
It could be called a library in itself.
“Of course, this isn’t the end.”
“Then how……”
“Klein.”
Professor Rudbout looked at Klein with deep eyes.
“Dear Eriol Valencia, do you have a partner?”
“yes?”
“I’m asking if you have a girlfriend. Can’t you even figure that out?”
“Ah, that, that’s why…….”
Klein was sweating profusely.
Because I never thought I would be asked this question.
Why on earth would you ask about Eriol’s love life in this situation?
“There are a few female students that I’m close with, but I don’t think that’s the kind of relationship we have.”
“I see. That’s good.”
“But, Department Head. Why is that…….”
“You know I have a granddaughter in the second grade.”
“……!”
There’s no way I wouldn’t know.
Currently the top student in the Department of Traditions… … the most elite second year student.
Tirpitz Klagenfurt. She is the granddaughter of the department head.
“I’ve been looking for a son-in-law for a long time.”
“Department Head, in that case…….”
“Wouldn’t Eriol Valencia be more than qualified?”
Klein swallowed.
This isn’t just a matter of making people choose traditional Korean literature as their major.
The head of the department intended to make Eriol completely his own.
If you can really make Eriol your grandson-in-law, then from that point on, Eriol will become a member of the Klagenfurt family.
‘Eriol’s entire life is dependent on the Academy of Traditions and the Klagenfurt family!’
The team has already secured Tirpitz Klagenfurt, the best elite second-year student in the league.
What if we added Eriol Valencia, the top student in the first year?
‘If Tirp Klagenfurt and Eriol Valencia become a pair and become the pillars of victory… …!’
The power structure of the Academy.
The Jeonseunggwa could stand tall at the center of it all.
“We must never lose sight of Eriol Valencia. He is essential to our future with the Legion.”
“Oh, I understand!”
Up until now, Eriol has not wavered at all despite being tempted by various departments. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he is truly an iron wall.
But if you show him the department head’s huge study and tempt him by saying, “If you marry my granddaughter and become a person with the inheritance, I’ll give you this whole library,” … … he might surprisingly fall for it.
That’s because Eriol is a bookworm who can’t stop reading.
‘Eriol, this time you’d better be prepared.’
The greedy hands of the transfer and department head.
Will Eriol be able to hold out without falling?
