Evolution:The Bloodthirsty Saga of the Magic Engineer-Chapter 45: Classes

As soon as the professor stepped onto the platform, he snapped his fingers, and the room immediately plunged into silence. "We shall begin!" he announced, turning his back to us and walking toward a blackboard that occupied the center of the platform. A piece of chalk seemed to float beside him, as if controlled by the force of his will.

The mage was a middle-aged man, tall and thin, with his face partially hidden behind a long gray beard that moved slightly, as if it had a life of its own.

Wasting no time, he began writing on the board with precise and rapid movements. The first magical letters appeared, glowing faintly as he traced them: "Α," "Σ," "Λ."

— "These are the first three letters of the magical alphabet. Do not be mistaken; they are not mere symbols. Each carries deep meaning and arcane power. For example, ’Α,’ or Althair, is used in protective invocations, while ’Σ,’ Sythra, amplifies destructive energy."

I adjusted myself in my chair, observing the details on the board carefully. "Interesting," I thought. "Even though I already fully understand this, I can see that when these letters are written by a mage, they glow in a different tone."

The professor continued, drawing additional symbols on the board. He wrote magical numbers next to the letters: "1," "3," "7."

"The numbers in the magical world are not just quantities. They play a specific role in spell construction. For example, ’1’ represents unity and focus. Meanwhile, ’3’ is the basis of the arcane triad, fundamental to most transmutation spells."

As he explained, some students began whispering among themselves, clearly confused. A short-haired girl hesitantly raised her hand and asked, "Professor, why is ’3’ more important than ’4’? Doesn’t that contradict numerical balance?"

The mage paused for a moment, slowly turned his head, and gave her a frosty glare. His eyes shone with a cold blue light, distant and penetrating, as if attempting to pierce through her soul. He said nothing, simply returning to the board and continuing to write, completely ignoring her question.

I saw other students exchange uncomfortable glances, but no one else dared to speak. Everyone simply copied the content in silence. I thought to myself, "Mages… So clearly arrogant. They cannot bear to be questioned, and because of this, they become predictable. Without that arrogance, I wouldn’t be able to teach other students."

Mary is just the beginning. All I need to do is build a small reputation by helping Mary understand and become magically literate, thereby attracting other students. This will allow me to gather magical crystals in the process.

As the mage continued, he traced more letters and numbers on the board, this time forming combinations: "Α3," "Σ7," "Λ1."

"These are fundamental combinations for basic spells. Memorize them. ’Α3’ is used for temporary magical barrier spells. ’Σ7’ increases the intensity of elemental attacks, and ’Λ1’ serves as the foundation for stabilizing unstable magic that is on the verge of failing."

Suddenly, another student, seated a few rows behind me, raised his hand. "Professor, could you show us a practical example of these combinations?"

The mage turned his head again, his eyes as cold as before. He remained silent for a few seconds, creating an uncomfortable tension in the room, before finally responding with disdain: "If you cannot grasp the basics, what use would a demonstration be? Learn to walk before you try to run. Hahaha, if you wish, I can offer private lessons—for the right price."

A faint, nervous chuckle echoed through the room, but most of the students shrank further into their seats.

When he finished writing on the board, he turned around, crossing his arms and surveying the room with a critical gaze. "Read and memorize quickly. If you cannot recite these combinations at the start of the next class, consider yourselves disqualified from learning magic. This is not a profession for weak minds."

He smiled and clapped his hands, dusting the chalk off his fingers. "Alright! Now we move on to another section." His voice cut through the silence like a blade. Then, with a quick motion of his hand, he made the board begin to erase itself. The runes and numbers vanished quickly, as if being sucked into the air.

I looked around and noticed the students’ expressions were almost comical—wide-eyed, mouths slightly open, pure despair. They hadn’t even finished copying what was on the board! Some were still trying, frantically scribbling on their scrolls, but it was too late. The mage, oblivious to or deliberately ignoring their collective suffering, began preparing the next section.

Mary, sitting beside me, was in a panic. Her hand gripped her quill so tightly I thought she might snap it in two. Her parchment was a disaster: half-finished sentences, disconnected numbers, and poorly written magical words. She looked on the verge of tears, writing as if her life depended on it.

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye, a faint smirk forming on my lips. "Pathetic," I thought. "All these people are destined for mediocrity—or worse."

When the lesson finally ended, the mage erased the last marks from the board and began descending from the platform without so much as a glance in our direction. His proud posture made it clear he didn’t care who had learned or not.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "That was far too simple," I thought as Mary finally put down her quill and turned to me, clearly distressed.

"Tyler… I didn’t manage… I didn’t even finish the first part!" she stammered, her voice trembling.

I observed her for a few seconds before replying calmly, "You remember our wager, don’t you? If I couldn’t memorize the key points, you’d win a magic crystal. But… if I could, I’d be your teacher. So, go ahead and ask whatever you want."

She hesitated, but her curiosity eventually overcame her nerves. "Alright… so, what does ’Α3’ mean? I couldn’t write it down properly."

I smiled. "Temporary magical barrier. It’s used in simple defensive spells to block weak attacks. A basic combination, easy to apply for level-0 spells."

Her eyes widened. "And… and ’Σ7’? The professor talked about it too fast!"

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"It amplifies the intensity of elemental attacks. It’s usually used for fire and lightning spells."

She began to look visibly overwhelmed. "Are you seriously memorizing all of this? What kind of memory do you even have?!"

"I told you," I replied confidently. "My memory is excellent. Now, do you want to keep going, or are you ready to admit that I’ve won the bet?"

Mary remained silent for a few seconds, processing what I had just said. Then, with a mix of awe and resignation, she gave me a timid smile. "You… you’re a genius, Tyler. How do you remember everything so quickly?!"

I let out a short laugh as I got up from my chair, stretching my arms as if I were relaxing. "I never said I remember everything. Just the key points. That’s more than enough, isn’t it?"

She watched me, still incredulous. As I began to walk away, I looked back over my shoulder and said in a slightly superior tone, "After all, am I your teacher or not?"

Mary quickly smiled and replied, "Yes, yes, you are!"

Internally, I thought with arrogance: "Of course you would agree. I already predicted this outcome. Using the knowledge my lab refined earlier in my room to guide the ignorant… it’s practically charity on my part."

As we left the classroom, Mary was still full of curiosity. She spoke non-stop, pointing to her scribbled parchment as if she wanted to unravel the mysteries she hadn’t grasped during the lecture.

"Tyler, that combination ’Σ4’ with ’δ2’… what was that for again? The professor said something about amplifying barriers, but I didn’t get the context. Can you explain?"

I glanced at her from the corner of my eye, a faint smile tugging at my lips. "Mary," I said in a calm, direct tone, "when you pay the price, we’ll continue this lesson."

She stopped walking for a moment, visibly surprised by my response. But, without delay, her expression shifted to one of resignation and determination. With a sigh, she pulled out a bright blue crystal from the pocket of her dress. The crystal reflected the light around us, glowing faintly as if it pulsed with energy.

"Here’s the payment for this week," she said, holding the crystal out to me.

I took it without hesitation, turning it between my fingers for a moment before tucking it carefully into my pocket. With a confident and almost authoritative tone, I replied, "Very well. Let’s head to your room. After all, I’m your teacher now, and we have a lesson to begin."

Mary didn’t waste any time. With a quick nod, she took the lead and began walking briskly down the corridors.

As we walked, I noticed a few people around us had overheard our conversation. Curious glances were thrown our way, and some whispered among themselves, clearly intrigued. "They’re probably wondering if it’s worth investing in me as a mentor," I thought. "But more than that, the idea of someone accompanying me to her room… well, that always comes with certain implications, ahaha."

I shook my head, brushing aside the fleeting thought, though a sly smile crept onto my face. "Let them imagine whatever they want…"

After a short walk through the hallways, we finally arrived at the dormitories. Mary stopped in front of the dark wooden door to her room. She reached into a side pocket of her doll-like dress and pulled out a small key. With nimble fingers, she inserted it into the lock and turned it, producing a soft clicking sound that echoed faintly in the corridor.

With a swift motion, Mary opened the door and stepped inside, gesturing for me to follow. I cast one last glance at the onlookers in the hallway before stepping in as well. I closed the door behind me and thought with a smirk: "Time for the wolf to devour the sheep."

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