Training-Addicted Mage In A Progression Fantasy-Chapter 17: Common Magic

The Arcane Mage Gareth, who was in charge of evaluating the general disciples this time, carefully examined the two papers in his hand.

They were the answer sheets of the final successful candidates for the general disciple test.

One was, as expected, an answer sheet that showed traces of effort at the level of an ordinary person.There was no reason not to accept it since it met expectations.

The problem was the other one.

“Hooh...... Hmm......”

The more he read, the more impressed he became.

And doubts arose.

Is this possible at the level of an ordinary person?

This exam question was asking if one could create a regular flow of patterns according to their own logical structure.

It didn’t matter whether it was correct or not.

Of course, all applicants were expected to be ordinary people with Single Attribute Bodies, so magical talent wasn’t expected.

Did they at least have the intelligence to awaken Mana?This was a test to find out.

But the answer written on this exam paper that Gareth was holding now exceeded those expectations.

The lowest grade Water Magic. Furthermore, it even pointed out the essence of docility.It didn’t just come to that conclusion, but it perfectly reached everything up to that point.

The logical structure was also incredibly clean.As if they had seen through the essence of this Magic and were pretending not to know on purpose.

No matter how I look at it, it’s impossible......

If this were given as an assignment to an Academy student right now, could they come up with a similar answer?They might more easily conclude that it’s Water Magic.But it would be difficult to have such a clean logical structure in the process of reaching the answer.

Gareth, who was closely examining the answer sheet written in neat handwriting, clicked his tongue.

It’s a shame in its own way that someone this intelligent doesn’t have magical talent.

That was beyond what Gareth needed to consider.

Gareth decided to call them both.It was for the final interview.He needed to conduct another physical examination just in case, and check if they weren’t spies from another Magic Tower.

Especially at the moment he decided to closely examine Leon, the owner of the answer sheet currently in his hand.

Someone burst through the door of Gareth’s office.

“Who...!”

Gareth frowned and raised his gaze, but when he confirmed who had opened the door, he quickly stood up.

“Hup, Lady Arpina! What brings you here?”

Mystic Mage Arpina Winterfritz.Gareth’s face was filled with questions at the appearance of a Mage who held a status just below the tower master within Widia.Why would a high-ranking Mage who had no need to come here, or even consider it a waste of time to show interest, be here......

“Is the general disciple interview over?”“No...... I was just about to start.”“There’s a kid named Leon there, right?”

Gareth quickly glanced at the paper and nodded hurriedly.

“Yes, there is.”“Just pass him. I’ve already interviewed him.”“Ah...... Is that so?”

Gareth barely managed to stop his head from tilting in confusion.If she said so, then that’s how it was.

“Understood. Should I just call the remaining one for the interview?”“Yes, do as you like with that.”“Understood!”

Gareth answered with full enthusiasm, but Arpina immediately turned around as if her business was finished.

What’s this?

Gareth looked again at the name Leon written on the answer sheet.

Is he someone of interest?

If not, there was no need for Arpina to come here personally for such a trivial matter.

No wonder......

There was no way an ordinary person could write such an answer.Gareth, his mind now clear, decided to remember this person named Leon.After all, if Arpina was interested in him, there was a high chance he would rapidly rise through the ranks.

***

The acceptance notice was posted on the bulletin board.Leon’s name was included among the two names written there.

Seeing that he passed without even having an interview, it seemed Arpina had spoken well of him.

The orphanage friends gathered around to congratulate Leon.While some were envious, most were genuinely congratulatory.

“Don’t forget about us when you become a Mage, Leon!”

It was a boy who always clung to him at the orphanage, wanting to play Cops and Robbers.

Leon naturally patted the boy’s head.He savored that purity, unseen in heartless Mages, if only for a moment.

***

The next day.

Leon met a brown-haired young man who looked like he was about to become an adult in front of a five-story building.He was the other person who passed along with Leon.

“I thought I was the only one who passed since I didn’t see you at the last interview.”

He quickly spoke to Leon in a friendly manner, but Leon only responded moderately as he entered the building.

A bespectacled man standing in front of the door greeted them.

“I’m Peter, who passed last year. I’ve been waiting to explain the basic rules to you and show you around the building.”

And so Leon familiarized himself with the structure of the five-story building under Peter’s guidance.

The first floor was used as a place to receive education from Mages who occasionally visited or to entertain guests.The second and third floors were all training rooms, and the fourth and fifth floors were dormitories.There was a small sparring arena in the basement.

It’s simple.

In a way, it could be seen as appropriate treatment for general disciples.In the first place, the structure of the training rooms itself did not consider Arcane-grade Mages at all.They judged that there was no way a Mage with a Single Attribute Body could become Arcane-grade.

“You can move your belongings after today’s education is over.”“Yes.”

Unlike Aaron who answered immediately, Leon expressed his intention to decline.

“I have a private room.”“Oh, looks like you’ve worked hard.”

Peter didn’t particularly scold him.No one would say anything if he used a room assigned with Merit Points.

After the tour, basic education about Magic immediately followed.This was conducted by another established Mage, not Peter.He was in charge of overall management of the general disciples and measuring their training results.

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“If you came here hoping for great Magic, it’s better to wake up from that dream. Mages are ultimately like scholars pursuing the source of wisdom. Remember that in the cold world of Magic, if you don’t have the ability to navigate on your own, you’ll inevitably fall behind.”

Robert, that Mage, went on at length about things that would be interesting to ordinary people who had just encountered Magic, like Aaron.

“Usually, it takes 2 to 3 years for those with Single Attribute Bodies to awaken Mana. That’s the time it takes with intensive training. But you’re only given 1 year to focus solely on training. After a year, you’ll be assigned tasks and have to balance them with training, which will increase the time it takes to awaken Mana.”

He spoke with a typical Mage’s expressionless face, even when delivering such cold facts.

“In other words, try to awaken your Mana within a year somehow.”

He then went on to talk about salaries.

“Unlike when you worked as Entrance Residents, you’ll receive your salary in Mana Stones. Since transactions between Mages are done with Mana Stones, it will be a satisfactory compensation if you can just step into the path of a Mage.”

Leon was more interested in the fact that they guaranteed a year of training time rather than the talk about salaries.

So I can focus solely on training for a year?

Leon was satisfied with the fact that he could now concentrate on training without having to be mindful of anyone’s gaze.A year was enough time for Leon to rise to 4th Grade.

I should just train like crazy for a year and then say I’ve somehow awakened my Mana.

It was faster than the 2-3 years Robert mentioned, but seeing how they were pressuring to do it somehow, it didn’t seem like an entirely impossible task.

After the first education ended like that, Leon, who had been observing carefully for a week, went to find Robert.

“Can I learn Common Magic?”

Robert’s brow furrowed slightly at those words.

“Without even awakening Mana? They’ll surely teach you when you reach 1st Grade, won’t they?”“Still, I think it would help in understanding and awakening Mana if I know it in advance.”

Robert thought those words were presumptuous, but he couldn’t say anything harsher.He remembered what his fellow Mage Gareth had hinted at.That he was receiving Lady Arpina’s attention.

“Well... Since you haven’t awakened Mana, I can’t teach you directly, but I’ll give you a Magic Book with Common Magic written in it. Try to understand the principles while looking at it. As you said, there might be some results.”

Robert said words he didn’t mean at all, and took out a thick Magic Book from his subspace to hand to Leon.

Leon received it with a bow.

“Thank you.”

After that, Leon holed up in the training room.

There were several types of Common Magic.

Among them, a few were particularly valuable, making him think he had made the right decision to learn them.Most of them didn’t require incantations, making them useful to learn.

First was Basic Psychokinesis.It was Magic that allowed one to exert physical force even in places Leon’s hands couldn’t reach.

Second was Scanning Magic.By spreading Mana around, one could sense people’s presence or traces of Magic Power, and by applying this, it was also possible to gauge the opponent’s Realm.

Third was Appraisal Magic.By injecting Magic Power into an Artifact, one could easily figure out how to use the Artifact.

Fourth was the Mana Infusion Technique.This was the activation word, Infusion, that Paulin and Ria had used.It allowed one to spread Magic Power throughout the body, temporarily giving superhuman physical abilities beyond the level of ordinary people.However, the Mana Infusion Technique required an incantation.

And fifth was the Mind Division Technique.It was Magic that allowed one to divide consciousness into several branches, enabling the use of multiple Magic spells.

For example, holding an Artifact with Basic Psychokinesis while using another Magic, or calculating double or triple Magic simultaneously.

Of course, at Leon’s level, double or triple Magic was impossible right now.At best, he could handle one Artifact with Basic Psychokinesis while reciting Magic.However, it could be seen as Common Magic that becomes increasingly important as one becomes a higher-grade Mage.

In addition to these, there were useful Magic spells like Levitation Magic, Basic Healing Magic, Clean Magic, etc., which made Leon regret not knowing about them until now.

“Levitation Magic consumes an enormous amount of Magic Power......”

Leon’s feet, which had been floating in Midair, landed back on the ground.

Leon spent all his time for two weeks mastering Common Magic.As Common Magic was also included in Basic Magic, the Quests progressed the same as before.

Once he became familiar with Levitation Magic, Leon came out of the training room after a long time.

He had been holed up in the training room, only coming out occasionally to receive food.He even slept here.

As he had risen to 3rd Grade, he had no problem not eating for about 3 days, which made such seclusion even more effective.

Leon stretched once and went down to the first floor through the staircase.

And there he met his classmate whom he hadn’t seen for two weeks.

What was his name again...... Ah.

It was Aaron.

The brown-haired man looked at Leon with a surprised face.

“Have you been doing nothing but the Breathing Technique in your room until now?”“Yes.”

Leon was still speaking politely to him.The type Leon was most wary of was those who acted overly friendly from the first meeting.

“That’s amazing. Is it effective?”

Aaron’s one eyebrow twitched slightly.He was asking with curiosity, but there was a subtle wariness in one corner of his face.

“It seems to be... I’m not sure.”

When Leon pretended not to know and answered ambiguously, he said with a relieved face.

“Take it easy. Robert said that rest is more helpful than straining your mental power excessively, remember?”“I should.”

Just as Leon, who had responded moderately, turned around to return to his room after a long time, it happened.

A man rushed in through the entrance.

It was Peter, their senior by one year.

“You’re here just in time? Leon, there’s a visitor looking for you.”“A visitor?”“Yes, it was a girl about your age.”“Ah.”

Did she come to congratulate me on becoming a general disciple?

Naturally thinking that Ria had come, Leon turned his head towards the door and tilted his head involuntarily at the red hair peeking through the door crack.

“Why are you here?”“What... Why! Can’t I come?”

It was Rowen.

“No, you have no reason to come. Didn’t you say you didn’t even want to talk to ordinary people?”“Ugh......”

Seeing her flushed face, it seemed she remembered the behavior she had shown so far.

Seeing this, Leon’s head tilted a bit more.

Why did she really come?

Suddenly, Leon’s gaze turned to something she was holding in her hand.