EP.118 Group Project Presentation (2)
Mana Trading Studies, Basic Lecture Room.
Silence fills the classroom. No one dares to speak. Only the gulp of someone swallowing dry saliva echoes in the emptiness.
“What’s going on?”
There’s no need to ask why.
“Return to your seat, Student Mack.”
Mack, the first presenter, descends from the podium in a daze. His steps are sluggish, shoulders slumped as if all energy has been drained.
Disqualification.
A shocking result; yet, Mack can’t utter a word of protest. There’s nothing to say when it’s revealed that his project was simply copied.
“…”
The students watching remain silent.
Next up is the leader of Group B, Verfi, who is sweating cold. The first presenter was just obliterated in front of them. It doesn’t feel like some else’s problem.
What do I do?
Professor Rania’s voice is chilling, her gaze keen. On the surface, the circuit appeared flawless, but she quickly pinpointed its flaw.
As if to say, nothing is perfect.
Our group’s circuit… will be alright, right?
Doubt lingers.
Gulp.
Verfi swallows dryly and cautiously glances at Professor Rania. She’s examining the circuit submitted by Mack just before his dismissal.
“…Hmm.”
She furrows her brow slightly. Then, with a flick, she touches the circuit paper with her fingertip.
Woosh.
Flames erupt from her fingertip and engulf the circuit paper. Ashes rain down on the table as Verfi watches, pale-faced.
Swish.
After sweeping the ashes off her desk with a swift motion, she raises her head, expressionless, and calls out the next presenter.
“Leader of Group B, Student Verfi.”
As if nothing had happened.
“Please begin your presentation.”
“Yes, um…”
With trembling steps, Verfi approaches the podium.
With an ashen face, she scans the room and slowly opens her mouth.
“Um, our group…!”
Her voice sounds like she’s about to cry.
The moisture-filled voice is torture for anyone listening.
2.
The presentations for the group projects continue.
Contrary to her worries, no other student faces public humiliation like the first presenter.
“Why did you impose this constraint here?”
“Oh, that part is…”
Her questions remain sharp, yet they’re at a level that can be answered by someone who actually drew the circuit. The students felt tense at the first question, but…
“Not bad. However, this part seems to have an error. What do you think?”
“Ah, if we connect this way then…”
“Yes, while the connection of constraints is important, the circuit is ultimately a ‘trading book.’ It must always be clear, so disorderliness is undesirable.”
As the questions and answers progress, they begin to relax and converse. Instead, they gain a lot from the questions.
Ah, so that’s how it…
Answering the questions makes them suddenly understand what they had missed. Though it’s grading time for the group project, it’s essentially a teaching moment as well.
And it doesn’t stop there.
“I have refined the overall aspect of the circuit. Please check it slowly.”
After each group’s presentation, she distributed the circuit records. The distributed records contained her annotated circuits.
Presentations, grading, and annotations happen simultaneously.
The students blink in surprise at the immediate feedback. From their perspective, their circuits seemed perfect, but after going through Professor Rania’s hands, they’re even more polished.
Concise, clean circuits.
Circuits close to ideal.
The curves and lines they directly drew are included in that. The students feel a strange sense of achievement.
“Our group…”
“We specialize in striking spells…”
“Through forms like these…”
The presentations continue, with various spells weaving through the classroom air. The powers displayed vary widely.
Groups that succeeded in breaking the resistance stones, those that only made small scratches, and groups that cracked them…
And then.
Boom!
There’s also a group that turned the resistance stone to powder.
“That’s all.”
Leader of Group C, Resti Elenoa.
She lightly waved her hand, shaking off the powdered resistance stone. The students stare at her with wide eyes.
Resti slightly turned her head.
Her gaze landed on Professor Rania. Normally, she’d be busy annotating after a presentation, but this time her pen showed no sign of movement.
Tap.
As she put down her pen, a slight smile appeared.
“There’s nothing to annotate. It’s perfect.”
It was a declaration of near-perfect scores.
Resti descended the podium with a satisfied look. Her steps were light. Following her was Belnoa.
“I’m Belnoa, leader of Group E.”
After a brief introduction, he lifted the circuit record. The circuit was projected in the air. The moment it was projected, the students involuntarily gasped.
It was unlike any ordinary circuit.
A circuit drawing an unusual shape.
Belnoa’s base was a circuit related to sorcery. Naturally, it must be unfamiliar to the students. Belnoa didn’t bother to explain the unfamiliarity.
Instead, he added a short remark.
“This is a spell developed by our group.”
Development.
The word made students blink.
Creating spells is a concept that comes at the pinnacle of magical studies. Yet, they’ve already accomplished it?
“I’ll demonstrate the spell first. I believe it’ll be easier to explain after showing it.”
Belnoa snapped his fingers.
In the air, the assembled circuit began to flicker. It merged together, forming a stake.
It is a form they’ve never seen before.
Even Lac, who knows Belnoa’s Shadow Spikes, feels strangeness from this spell. Then, Belnoa lightly waved his fingers.
Wham!
The stake smashed the resistance stone.
The shattered resistance stone was consumed by the stake, leaving no trace behind.
“…”
The students fall silent.
It was a spell that made their eyes widen in disbelief.
Unbelievable power for a basic spell.
Power surpassing that of Resti’s Group C spell.
“This spell is centered around ‘Shadow Spike’…”
Belnoa begins his explanation, seizing the attention focused on the spell’s power.
“I was responsible for the basic framework, and collaborated with my team to strengthen and refine the circuit…”
He spills out explanations like a fast-paced dialogue.
The reason he emphasizes ‘team’ and ‘collaboration’ is… simply because he feels a twinge of guilt.
“…That’s all.”
After finishing his explanation, Belnoa exhales briefly and then subtly shifts his gaze to Professor Rania. He swallows hard as he waits for her evaluation.
“Hmm… Belnoa.”
After a while of observing him, Professor Rania finally spoke. She wore a slightly awkward expression and gave a short remark.
“Group projects aren’t meant to be done alone.”
It was a pinpoint comment.
“…I will be careful.”
Belnoa’s habits are starkly revealed in the circuit. No matter how much he tries to go around it, there’s no way Professor Rania will overlook it. With a short sigh, he left the podium.
Time was now ticking to the hour.
The group leaders who lined up before the podium had finally returned to their seats. With Belnoa’s turn finished, all groups had presented.
“It seems the presentations are about done.”
As the class was nearing its end, Professor Rania stepped up to the podium. She stacked the grading papers on one side of the lectern and began to speak.
“The objective of this group project was to allow you all to indirectly experience spell creation.”
She pointed at the resistance stones lined up in a row.
“There are groups that have developed spells entirely, groups that successfully modified spells, and even groups that failed but were close to success.”
Everyone had achieved something in their own right.
She smiles at that fact.
“Yes, thank you all for your hard work.”
And then.
“There will be no assignment for this week.”
She drops the unbelievable line.
With a radiant smile, the words leave her mouth, and the students blink in astonishment. No one seems able to grasp the situation properly.
Ding, ding!
With the sound of the bell, the class comes to an end.
Professor Rania collects the grading papers and exits the classroom. The students left behind exchange glances.
“Did she just…?”
“Yeah.”
“She said there’s no assignment.”
“Uh-huh.”
It took them a while to comprehend the situation.
A cheer erupted in the Mana Trading Studies classroom, a first and perhaps a last.
3.
The heat of summer begins to set in.
The glaring sun of early summer is a season of vacation for some, while for others it’s travel season, but… certainly not in Apuria.
Final exam period.
Early summer in Apuria means enduring the last trial before the semester’s end.
There’s not much time left…!
The attitude of the students undergoing this period is starkly different from that of the midterms. Unlike the slumped, zombie-like state months before, they radiate the resolve of warriors ready to fight.
And it’s no wonder.
What comes after the final exams?
The end of the semester, the much-awaited end of the term…!
The long-awaited conclusion of the semester is approaching. Once it ends, they can enjoy a sweet, sweet vacation.
Students envision the glorious future ahead.
They can escape from the hellish assignments. With a pile of classes in the morning, there’s no need to wake early. They can leisurely wake when the sun is high and enjoy a brunch.
What a beautiful vision!
Just imagining it allows them to endure each day.
Thus, the students spend the exam period in their own ways. Some frequent the library, others muster the last of their determination to face a hot day, while some waste time pondering trivial matters.
Recipient: Lac von Grace.
A letter arrives at the Central Academic Hall.
It signals the start of an incident.
*
“…Hmm.”
Lac von Grace.
He’s staring at the letter lying on the table. The rough parchment is sealed with the Grace Family crest.
“Hmm…”
As he gazes at it, Lac groans.
It’s not unusual for the family to send letters. However, the problem lies with the sender.
A symbol of the family, combined with a sword.
Rough, rugged parchment.
Only one person could be responsible for this.
Why is my father sending a letter…
The head of the Grace Family.
Eryhal von Grace.
A figure that paints the image of a warrior from the North, he rarely sends letters. He prefers to come in person rather than waste time with correspondence.
What on earth could it be?
It’s unknowable without checking.
Squeak.
Ultimately, Lac hardened his resolve and opened the letter. He pulled out the paper that fell with a thud.
‘It’s me.’
‘A special guest has arrived at home.’
‘Come down.’
Short sentences with bold letters.
The letters are so pressed that they’re blurred on the parchment. A letter very much in line with his father’s style.
Come down, you say.
He was going to head home after the semester anyway. He couldn’t imagine his father would send a letter just for this reason.
“…”
As he tilted his head in confusion, he noticed a few more sentences written below.
‘Bring the strongest professor with you.’
‘If I send someone, I’ll send a separate invitation.’
…Suddenly?
His intentions are unclear.
The letter ends there. Lac blinks and picks up the envelope. Whenever his father sends a letter… there’s usually an explanation from his mother.
Sure enough, another letter fell out.
‘Lac, how have you been?’
‘The reason I’m writing is different…’
Written in a soft handwriting.
Lac read through the letter. After reading his mother’s explanation, he grasped the situation.
‘A special guest is staying, so please come home during the break.’
That was the first reason.
‘If you have a professor who has taught you in Apuria, I’d like to invite them to the North…’
That was the second reason.
Lac stroked his chin, recalling the North’s ‘hospitality’ culture. Only then did he understand his father’s words.
So, the strongest person.
Hmm, Lac nodded vigorously.
The strongest person. In the North, strength doesn’t simply mean power. In a land where survival itself equates to strength, wisdom also becomes a measure of power.
Strong person, strong person…
However, Lac interprets this a bit too simply.
Who is a strong person?
Only one name comes to Lac’s mind.
“Hmm.”
Lac took out a quill and wrote down the name.
‘Rania van Trias.’
Lac nodded vigorously.
What a splendid choice.
Someone who would enjoy the ‘hospitality’ of the warriors.
After much thought, there really was no one but her.
Author’s Note (Author’s Afterword)
I got a bit too personal in my description of the end of the semester and ended up deleting over 2,000 characters that I had written. I believe I could write a few thousand characters on the beauty of the end of the semester…
