I was lost in thought when a question about Ghieuspe suddenly occurred to me.
As mentioned before, calculating formulas on the spot to use magic is too complicated. It’s much faster to just shoot a gun than to cast an attack spell.
But how can Ghieuspe fight alongside Raffaelo?
“Ghieuspe, are you good at attack magic?”
“…Yes.”
“And how about the calculations? Don’t they take a long time?”
“I internalized¹ them at the Magic Tower.”
“Ah, I see.”
Not all mage need to go to the Magic Tower, but Ghieuspe had studied there for a long time.
I heard that the daily routine at the Magic Tower was incredibly tough. It seemed Ghieuspe had internalized various attack spells during his time there.
“How much practice does it take to achieve that?”
If the Magic Tower could significantly improve my magical abilities, I was genuinely considering to joining the Magic Tower after capturing Aurora.
Once I entered the Magic Tower, I might even be able to uncover Princess Eva’s true identity.
And is there a safer place than the Magic Tower, where all the mage gather?
There, Eva’s grasp might not reach that place!
“I’ll tell you.”
To my surprise, Ghieuspe, who was usually silent, slowly began to speak to answer at my request.
“Wake up at 6 AM. Study theory from 7 to 10 AM. Short test from 10 to 12. Practice from 1 to 4 PM. Another short test from 4 to 6 PM. Free study from 7 to 10 PM.”
“I understand. It’s amazing that there are people in this world who voluntarily live such a crazy life.”
I folded my dream of joining the Magic Tower neatly away.
Why is their daily routine like that? It’s worse than the K-high school students I used to teach. Who would voluntarily live like that?
Wait, didn’t I live the same routine? Haha.
Let’s not live like that here too!
“Raffaelo, you’re not using the gun this time either, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right. If we’re caught using unauthorized shooting, it could get complicated.”
After saying that, Raffaelo prepared for action by cracking his knuckles. Finally, he looked at Ghieuspe and smiled cheerfully.
“Let’s go.”
As he said that, Raffaelo dashed forward like lightning.
The bandits had no time to react to Raffaelo’s sudden appearance. He began dealing with them with astonishing strength.
“Intruder! There’s an intruder!”
As someone shouted, the bandits quickly swarmed towards Raffaelo. It was impossible for him to handle so many alone.
But then, Ghieuspe stepped forward.
With his unusually tall stature and long black hair, Ghieuspe exuded an intimidating presence. As black energy started to emerge from his hand, the bandits’ faces filled with fear.
“A mage!”
“Argh! I can’t see!”
Ghieuspe cast a wide-area spell that blinded the bandits. Not only that, but he also tied up the bandits that Raffaelo had subdued.
“The angle at which sediment doesn’t slide down is the angle of repose… the angle of repose of ash is 40 degrees… using that to obscure vision…”
“That guy is talking nonsense!”
“He must be a dark mage!”
Well, maybe math is like dark magic in that it makes people gloomy. There’s a reason high school seniors become children of darkness.
Anyway, Raffaelo and Ghieuspe made an excellent team, with Raffaelo fighting head-on and Ghieuspe supporting from the back.
A man wielding an axe flew at Raffaelo, but he quickly rolled away. His kick hit the man’s vital spot, making him scream and collapse.
Whish! Ghieuspe’s who’s controlled the darkness obscured the man’s vision, and he quickly used a binding spell to immobilize him.
“Ghieuspe!”
“…………”
Surrounded by several bandits, Raffaelo called out Ghieuspe’s name, and darkness instantly enveloped them.
“What is this…!”
Bang! Bang!
From then on, it was Raffaelo’s solo show. He tossed around the blinded bandits.
“Wow, he’s really strong…”
Seeing Raffaelo take down two men at once with a flying kick, I marveled. Arkhangelo responded in his usual grumpy tone.
“There aren’t many people on this continent who can surpass Raffaelo’s strength.”
“I figured as much.”
Hearing his words, I recalled Raffaelo’s past from the original story.
Raffaelo was a Major in the army, but his strength wasn’t just from military training.
He was the eldest son of the Nesta Marquess family, known for their fire magic. From a young age, Raffaelo showed great talent in fire magic, and everyone expected him to become an excellent fire magician and head of the family.
However, Raffaelo disliked the process of calculating formulas to use magic and didn’t want to follow a predetermined path from a young age.
Instead of studying at the Magic Tower or networking in social circles as his family wished, he brought in a swordsmanship master and trained in martial arts.
When the family banned that, he wandered outside and even mingled with mercenaries.
The family considered his rebellion a phase, but they became quite concerned when he showed no interest in magic even after coming of age.
Raffaelo’s father was furious and told him, “You just need to do what is required of you!”
One day, Raffaelo suddenly enlisted in the kingdom’s army.
To his angry father, he said,
“What’s the problem? Isn’t the army a place where you just follow orders?”
He then excelled in the army, setting numerous records and quickly rising to the rank of Major at a young age.
Raffaelo’s decision might have seemed impulsive to some, but I believe he was expressing his unwillingness to follow the family’s path from a young age.
Choosing what you truly want to do is very difficult, yet he stuck to his choice.
Now, being a soldier seems to suit him well, so it was a good thing for him.
“Hey, are you really going to be a math teacher? Weren’t you planning to go to graduate school for philosophy?”
“When I’m hinking about it, that was a crazy idea. Humanities graduate students have to spending a lot of money instead of earning it. Even after graduation, nothing changes. You just become an unemployed person with a PhD.”
“But you didn’t particularly like math, did you? You chose the subject based on your grades….”
“People can’t always do what they want in their life.”
Hmm, his approach to career choice is completely different from mine in the past.
Well, at least I earned a lot of money, so I have no regrets.
At that moment, something caught my eye.
Above where they were fighting, a man was sitting in a tree with a net, ready to drop it on Raffaelo!
“No!”
I tried to shout to warn Raffaelo, but the man was already moving.
In that brief second, my mind raced faster than ever. Before I even realized it, my body was moving.
“Move!”
As I chanted the spell, complex formulas flashed through my mind. Instinctively, I placed the numbers in the correct spots.
The teleportation spell I had practiced multiple times at the Viviana mansion activated.
The net in the man’s hand flew far away.
Only then did Raffaelo notice the man in the tree. Deprived of his net and flailing as he fell, the man was swiftly subdued by Raffaelo.
“Seraphina, thank you!”
“It was nothing!”
I can help in a battle too!
A strange sense of exhilaration filled me.
🍓 :
¹ Internalized the calculation refers to the process by which individuals perform mathematical computations in their minds without using external tools like calculators, paper, or computers. It involves mental arithmetic, where a person uses their cognitive abilities to solve mathematical problems, often relying on memory and mental strategies. This skill is essential for quick decision-making and problem-solving in everyday situations.
