Limit Breaking Genius Mage Chapter 406

Episode 406 Isabella (2)

The most important thing in the academy is individual ability, and the background is next. This is because grades within the school do not reflect status.

The authority of the principal, the owner of an institution that trains talents from all over the continent, is enormous.

Isabella was different from other freshmen.

It is not possible to reveal that he is from the Deiros family, and since the family itself was excluded from the Magical Nation, his actual status is that of a commoner.

Since he had learned the etiquette of a nobleman from a young age, rumors spread among his classmates that he was a fallen nobleman of a certain country.

Because of his unapproachable personality, he was difficult to approach, but his attitude and grades in performance evaluations were so outstanding that he caught the professor's eye.

He was a model student himself.

“Can you please come out and let me pass?”

At Isabella's words, the students slowly backed away. A male student who was watching Isabella's back as she walked away muttered quietly.

“If you’re second, that’s it? That’s bad luck.”

“Hey, just ignore him. There’s no point in messing with him. There are rumors that he comes from a dangerous family.”

“Don’t you have any pride? What are you going to do if you sneak up on me, hit me on the back of the head, and run away?”

“The alchemy professor said he was a promising prospect and was going to raise him, and now he’s going to punch him? If you want to be disciplined, then do it.”

“Oh, that’s a bit.”

It's human nature to flock together.

This is especially true for students in the academy. It is common for them to hang out with each other and look down on and ostracize others.

Of course, there were exceptions, like Isabella.

“…….”

Her school life was smooth.

I wasn't bullied and I didn't have anyone I could call a friend…

“There’s no need to be lonely at all.”

The reason I came to the academy in the first place was to learn magic and alchemy. A student's duty is not to make friends, but to focus on their studies.

Isabella focused more on learning.

On the other hand, ordinary students who did not belong to the group did not have a smooth life.

Isabella, who was walking around the academy grounds, cast her gaze into a corner.

“Hey! Hold on tight!”

“Please───ugh!”

A group of students in their early to mid-teens are beating a group of people in the shadows.

The target is Croden Olentia.

There were more than one or two reasons why, but to put it simply, there were four reasons in total.

First, I am older than my classmates.

It was a rare occurrence among students who entered as commoners.

Second, they are poor.

I've never seen them carry anything other than what the Academy basically provides.

The same goes for eating out.

This is usually the case for students who have difficulty affording tuition.

Third, the grades are low.

Considering that he entered last in the class, his theoretical grades are high. This means that he has a knack for studying.

But the actual performance was the worst.

Needless to say, it was difficult to implement even basic magic.

Fourth, abnormal aptitude tests.

In the magical world, magical talent is usually measured by taking an aptitude test at age 13, but even Croden himself does not know the current hierarchy limit.

Inspection error.

Oddly enough, it was because the magic circuit had not yet been properly established. This was the reason why he could not properly use the basic magic mentioned in the third part.

───Is this… … a special trait?

───Seeing as there are no magical abilities that are typical of a special trait, it doesn't seem to be that. It seems to be simply a congenital physical problem.

───It's extremely rare, but there are similar cases. I don't know when, but it will return to normal as I get older.

The aptitude test will be postponed until later.

The faculty decided that it would take some time before they could accurately determine the hierarchy.

However, it was more than enough to be ignored among students for lacking talent.

He is a commoner, old, poor, and untalented.

Where else can you find a student who deserves to be bullied like this?

Isabella frowned.

'Poor thing.'

But sympathy only goes so far.

She had no upright sense of justice that could not tolerate injustice. She did not want to break the extremely peaceful daily life that she had now.

He shook his head slightly and passed by. That was his usual routine.

But unfortunately the weather was nice that day.

“Can you stop it?”

Isabella intervened.

* * *

The conflict didn't escalate into a major one because the professors who had just finished lunch were passing by. After that, there was no significant friction with the group of classmates.

Other than giving me a blatantly annoyed look or openly clicking my tongue.

'Tsk, this is getting annoying.'

Daily life has changed.

It might be a good idea to stick to the main road for a while, in case there's any retaliation.

Isabella was determined to protect herself using her grades, her professors, and her school rules as shields. And she did.

And there was one more thing that was different from usual.

“Oh, hello. Isabella.”

Croden greeted him hesitantly.

Do you think I'm your friend just because you helped me once? That's so simple.

Isabella ignored him and walked away.

however.

“Thank you for helping me… They haven’t bothered me since then.”

At the restaurant.

“Have you done your homework? Should I show you mine? Your grade is higher than mine, but…….”

During break time.

“Well, I think my thoughts are a little different.”

In the group project.

“See you tomorrow!”

After the lecture is over.

“Isabella, what are you doing here?”

Just passing by… … .

Croden would talk to me in a friendly manner whenever I met him. It wasn't once or twice, but every time, so how could I not get annoyed?

'This is driving me crazy.'

Isabella, unable to bear it any longer, snapped at him, telling him not to pretend to know.

But it didn't help much.

After only a few days of silence, Croden came out to say hello again.

Quite a bit of time has passed.

I think it's said that the degree of hate is love.

As days turned into months, and months turned into years, I became accustomed to the changed routine.

Knock knock.

Isabella, who had passed the promotion test and become a second-year student, entered the classroom.

Croden, who had taken his seat in the front row, waved.

“Good morning.”

“Oh, okay.”

The two exchanged greetings.

To other people, they were definitely friends.

Croden was still called a failure at the Academy, but except for his practical skills, he was in the top five.

And then summer vacation started after spring.

“Shut up.”

Isabella packed her bags and prepared to return to her family home.

There was just one problem.

Because it wasn't easy to complete the assignment given by the alchemy professor on my own.

“But that doesn’t mean I can just end it right away… … .”

It was a homework that took time in many ways.

But coming to the Academy long before the end of the holidays, I was reluctant to accept help from Croden, who was staying in the dormitory.

Because Isabella prioritized time with her family above all else.

There's nothing I can do.

“Croden, if you have nowhere to go, follow me.”

“Huh? Where are you going?”

“Our house.”

Isabella returned home with Croden.

“Heh heh, Lady Isabella. Welcome… Hmm? A man?”

“He’s just an acquaintance.”

The mansion's gardener, Carver, opened his eyes wide and let out a loud scream.

“Isabella brought a friend!!”

“What? Really?!”

Footsteps were heard coming from the mansion.

Soon the door opened and her loved ones rushed in to greet her.

“Hey, Sister Isabella, you had friends?! I thought you’d be bullied because of your personality!”

My younger sister, Xenia.

“Welcome, Sister! Hello, my friend. But where is my present?”

The youngest, Kael.

“Oh my, this is the first time we have guests from outside the Baronial Territory. Are you hungry? I’ll go and get you something to eat.”

The only maid and head maid, Marianne.

They are all Isabella's family, and the people she must protect for the rest of her life as the head of the household.

It was her duty and her wish.

Croden said quietly.

“They are all good people.”

"of course."

That evening was truly sumptuous.

It was a feast for Croden, who had always lived in poverty.

Isabella's family warmly welcomed Croden.

“So what can I help you with, Isabella?”

“I need to make the Snowflake of Dawn according to the individual assignments given by the professor, but I don’t have enough hands. The recipe is over there. If it’s difficult, take a look at the Philem formula.”

The two began their assignment, which was essentially magical research.

Although it was nothing compared to the facilities of the Academy, the magical facilities of the Deiros family were more than enough to produce the desired results and satisfy the wizard's curiosity.

“If I were to read all of this, it would be endless. Can I go to your mansion during winter break and study?”

“Or so.”

At the Academy during the semester, and at Isabella's mansion during the vacations.

As a result, Isabella's family also treated Croden without any discomfort.

Xenia occasionally played pranks on Croden and learned magical theories from him, and Kael followed Croden well.

Even Croden often helped Marianne and Carver with housework.

Isabella and Croden were together.

Of course, it wasn't that of a lover.

The relationship between the two was that of classmates, friends, and assistants.

Sometimes they were competitors too.

“This book is extremely difficult and profound…. Who is the author, Harkan Digest? Do you know who he is?”

“He was a magician named Hyeon-in, one of the founders of Black Hour. He’s dead now. They say he was betrayed by his disciple.”

“Ugh, the magical world is really brutal.”

“It’s none of our business. Open the book to page 203. That’s what we’re going to experiment with today.”

They put their heads together and seriously practiced magic.

As time went by, we became more and more comfortable with each other, and as a result, we were able to perform fairly high-level magical experiments.

They wrote their own papers and presented them to their professors. It was their first time, so it was rough and had many immature aspects, but for them, who were just students, it was enough to receive high evaluations.

“……The failed student is so arrogant.”

Occasionally, a group of classmates would pick on Croden. It was different from before. He dealt with it confidently, without showing any intimidation.

He didn't flinch even after being hit several times.

When the bullying was consistently shown as boring, the frequency of bullying decreased dramatically.

Several years passed like that.

“Graduation is just around the corner next year. I don’t know why time flies so fast.”

Croden muttered as he lay on the roof of the mansion.

Countless stars form a large river in the summer night sky.

The wind blew and the scent of grass tickled my nose.

Croden asked right away.

“Isabella, what are you going to do when you graduate?”

"suddenly?"

“Well, with your grades, you can get into most places like Magic Tower if you apply. And you’re not even a graduate yet, but you can already use second-tier lower magic. You’ve worked so hard, so you should have a dream.”

It's a dream.

Isabella, who had been pondering, asked back.

“Then what is your dream?”

“I… just want to become someone who is not ignored by others and is looked up to by everyone. Of course, it would be difficult for me, a failing student.”

Croden's talents have yet to be discovered.

Even though I passed the promotion exam, it wasn't easy to graduate since my practical skills were a mess.

“But if you do succeed, I’ll help you. No matter what your dream is.”

“…….”

Croden made a promise under the stars.

There was no pretense. Isabella stood up from her seat after remaining silent.

“Huh? Where are you going?”

“Follow me.”

Isabella led Croden inside the mansion. When she pulled certain books in order, the device worked and a secret place was revealed.

A family treasure that should never be revealed to outsiders.

But Isabella trusted Croden. Here was her dream.

“What is this…?”

A byproduct of a special entity that is an heirloom of the Deiros family.

Three materials that felt somehow eerie were reflected in Croden's eyes.

“It is my dream to study this. It is also the wish of our Deiros family.”

“Family. As expected, you are a noble.”

“I was stripped of my title long before I was born, so I’m just a commoner. Well, anyway.”

Isabella was the first to reveal her secret.

“I’m only telling this to you, so don’t ever tell anyone else. Promise me.”

“Of course, I promise.”

Croden nodded as if it was obvious.

“Someday I will help you achieve your dreams. Just like you helped me.”

The two made a promise.

It was pure sincerity. That was how it was back then.

And in the second semester of that year, Croden's talent was revealed to the world after he completed the aptitude test.

Marginal hierarchy, 7th level.

He was the material of a transcendent being.

* * *

From academy dropout to overwhelming genius.

The outline of that extraordinary leap was widely known to the world, and of course Verden was also well aware of it.

Isabella said.

“Croden became a famous person on the continent overnight. Powerful people from all over the country and the Magic Tower flocked to the Academy to meet him.”

“It must have been quite noisy.”

“A lot. That’s why I pretended not to know for a while. I didn’t want to get involved, and Croden was suddenly getting attention, so I was a bit taken aback at first, but I could see that he liked it. After the magic circuit was completely in place, I was able to get a passing grade in practical skills.”

She slowly swept her dark green hair back.

“And then it happened.”

A superior life is usually accompanied by jealousy.

This was especially true when someone less fortunate than him suddenly became successful.

One of the more immature students clapped Croden on the shoulder and taunted him by calling him a failure at the Academy.

This is something I would have ignored under normal circumstances.

Hana Croden couldn't stand it anymore and blasted the guy with a life-threatening spell.

The hallway was stained with blood.

───Stop it! Stop it, Croden Olentia!

───That guy was the one who ignored me first. Tsk, it's nothing.

Isabella narrowed her eyes as she recalled the rather shocking sight.

“If I hadn’t stopped him, he would have probably died. And the next day, the disciplinary committee met. Considering that the other party had caused the incident and that it was an accident, Croden was given only 15 days of probation. In effect, they gave him a break until things calmed down.”

“That’s usually the case in the magical world.”

The more talented you are, the more you are treated. This is especially true for magicians.

“At that time… I just thought that Croden was expressing the inferiority complex and resentment that had built up over time. It was understandable.”

The relationship between the two continued somehow.

However, even though the semester was over and the summer or winter vacation had begun, Croden did not head to Isabella's mansion.

Because there were more important things than that.

“The following year, a few days before graduation, Croden came to see me.”

───I decided to graduate and enter the Bohemian Tower. As a disciple of the omnipotent transcendentalist, Balok Besias.

───Really? That's good.

───So let's go together. Isabella, I'm sure the Transcendent One will welcome you. And if you use the facilities of the Magic Tower, you can also proceed with your research. You and I will achieve our 'dreams'. Together. Just like we have done so far.

Croden spoke passionately of the benefits of entering the Bohemian Tower.

“And I refused.”

“Why?”

“It’s just my dream, after all. What’s the point of borrowing the power of the Magic Tower?”

Despite Croden's logical persuasion, Isabella shook her head firmly.

So the graduation ceremony began, and the two left the academy.

“I went home without going anywhere. I spent time with my family, teaching myself magic and research based on what I learned at the Academy.”

“Did you learn the song back then?”

“I just sang it once, and Xenia really liked it. So I practiced it for fun in my spare time…… Hahaha, that was the first time I realized I had a talent for music.”

anyway.

“Every day was happy and peaceful. As my skills improved and my level increased, I was able to start researching heirlooms that I had never been able to touch before.”

It wasn't smooth sailing, but I was faithful in my own way. Enough so that I don't regret yesterday.

“I haven’t seen Croden since then, but we haven’t completely lost contact. He sent me letters every now and then. They were just ordinary things like, ‘How are you?’ and ‘What are you doing?’… Sometimes he even asked me about my ‘dream.’ I just replied that I was doing well.”

Time has passed again.

Isabella has grown into a respectable woman in her twenties.

Occasionally, men from the baronial domain would propose to me, but of course I would refuse them. I had no intention of getting married yet.

Then one day it happened.

Croden sent a letter asking for help, and a few weeks later Croden himself showed up at Isabella's mansion.

───What's going on all of a sudden?

───I need your alchemy.

It was a sudden matter.

“Croden took out several ingredients from his space bag and listed them. Among them was the precious mandrake extract.”

“It’s a recipe for a high-level elixir, the magic nucleus.”

Verden once created a magic core with an eccentric alchemist, which gave him special eyes called magic eyes.

“That’s right. Croden asked me to help him make the magic core. He said it was a task given to him by his master… It made sense. I’m not confident either, but Croden’s alchemy was inferior to mine, so there was no way he could make the magic core.”

From Isabella's perspective, there would have been no room for doubt.

Of course, it was different for Verden.

'Baloch would just feed you the nucleus, he wouldn't give you such an inefficient task.'

That means Croden's request must be false.

Verden's prediction… … unfortunately came true.

“There was no reason to refuse. It was a request from someone I had known for a long time, and it seemed like I would never get another chance to make a magic core…… I prepared myself and headed to the meeting place a few days later.”

Isabella took the [Reviving Blood] that was being researched at the time.

I wanted to show my achievements to my friends.

To say that even though he is alone, he is still moving towards his dream.

“And then I waited.”

Isabella bit her lip.

The blood that flowed out dripped down and melted the table.

“Like an idiot.”

Isabella waited.

Croden didn't come.