[V16C7] The First Disciple Is Me

The apprentice mage Norman recently discovered that his elemental affinity was earth.

“Well, that’s unexpected,” said the boy’s master, Hubert Dee.

“…Unexpected?” Norman asked.

“Mmm-hmm, you taught yourself remote magic, yeah? Those with an affinity for earth or water tend to have trouble projecting their mana, and remote magic is pretty much the epitome of that.”

In fact, earth and water mages often specialized in imbuement, as many of them went on to become magical tool artisans.

Norman also studied imbuement, reinforcement formulas and so on, but he didn’t seem particularly talented in any one field. However, according to Hubert, being okay at everything was a rare talent in itself.

“Either way, I want to major in magical tools,” Norman said. “My earth affinity shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

Norman did not care about becoming a first-class mage or a magical tool craftsman. To him, learning magic was simply a means of developing his home village through the magical tool industry.

Knowledge and skills related to magical tools were sure to be useful in that endeavor, so he planned to major in the field.

In response, Hubert narrowed his eyes and deepened his smile. Norman had a bad feeling about this.

The man almost always wore a grin, but when he made this face in particular, it’s usually when he’s about to give a test.

“As a scholarship student, you’ll be exempt from Minerva’s tuition, textbook fees, and stuff like that. But not everything. Materials for magical tools are one of the exceptions.”

“Eh?”

“You’ll be covered for the introductory course, but if you wanna major in magical tools, then you’re on your own for the equipment and materials in the advanced courses. Because, well, you gotta learn how to get those too, right?”

This was potentially a huge setback, but Norman was glad to learn about it ahead of time. He still had time to change his major or figure out how to gather the necessary materials.

As Norman pondered his choices, Hubert continued.

“Crafting magical tools requires a sponsor. Remember the Gem Mage? The guy had talent, sure, but it’s thanks to his sponsor, Duke Crockford, that he could craft something good enough to earn him a seat in the Seven Sages.”

If Norman chose the path of magical tools, then he wouldn’t be able to make anything without the proper equipment and materials. No amount of talent or effort could overturn this truth. Such was the harshness of reality.

“Well? What’ll it be, Norman? You can polish your skills in remote magic and join the Magic Corps instead. Or are you gonna look for a sponsor so you can major in magical tools?”

Norman looked straight into the eyes of his master. The man was testing him, yes, but his tests were also opportunities.

And he understood that Hubert loved people with the strength to seize such opportunities.

“I know someone who may be willing to sponsor me,” Norman answered.

“Hmm? You mean the Silent Witch, because of her letter of recommendation?”

“No.”

The sponsor Norman had in mind was wealthy and knowledgeable about the magical tool industry. A man with connections in the Mage Association, and, most importantly of all, he valued Norman’s talent.

“You, Dee-sensei.”

Hubert remained silent, simply staring down at him.

Norman took the lack of denial as permission to continue.

“I’ve heard your family manages several plantations. Also, you have a steady income from your magical tool patents.”

Hubert Dee was the nephew of the Artillery Mage, one of the Seven Sages, and he held a respectable amount of influence in the Mage Association.

On top of that, he was said to be acquainted with the young Count Ambard, a well-known figure in the magical tool industry.

“Most importantly, you understand my talents better than anyone else. Right, Dee-sensei?”

While he was at it, Norman wouldn’t mind borrowing some of Hubert’s old equipment. Any leftover materials would be a nice bonus too.

Hubert responded to Norman’s answer with a chuckle.

“So you want some hand-me-downs from good old ‘Dee-sensei’, huh?”

“Yes, please do.”

“Ahahahahaha!”

Hubert bent back in laughter.

“If you want in on the magical tool industry, then you gotta be shrewd and shameless… You’ve got talent, kid.”

Being praised for his magic and being praised for his shamelessness didn’t feel all that different to Norman.

What mattered was how he used those talents.

“Mmm, consider it done. I’ll cover your gear and material costs during your time at Minerva. But you missed one thing, Norman…”

Hubert bent over to peer into Norman’s face, wagging a finger from side to side. Then, he whispered with a stern tone, unlike his usual manner of speaking.

“The more sponsors, the better. Get one more before enrollment.”

“Do you have someone in mind?”

“Yeah. A mage with connections to Duke Erin.”

Duke Erin. That was the title given to Prince Felix after he renounced his right to the throne. Norman was a boy from a rural village, so royalty felt like a world away.

A mage with ties to such a high-ranking figure. Who could they be? And how in the world was Norman supposed to get their support?

As Norman grew fidgety, Hubert deepened his smile again, into the grin he wore when testing Norman.

“Unfortunately for you, Norman, he’s not gonna be easy to convince… After all, he absolutely hates your guts.”

“Eh…?”

Though a bit rude, Norman could not help but wonder if he was hated due to being Hubert’s disciple. Hubert may be talented, but his personality could use some improvement. Surely, he had no shortage of enemies.

That line of thought was interrupted, as Hubert gave the answer while poking a finger at Norman’s forehead.

“Because you were recommended to Minerva by the Silent Witch, of course!”

“My recommendation is the reason he doesn’t like me…?”

“Yeah. This guy just loves the Silent Witch. The fact that you have her recommendation makes him burn with envy!”

＊　＊　＊

And so, Norman found himself under the hostile gaze of the man who introduced himself as the Silent Witch’s disciple.

“Ah, so you’re the one I heard about. The boy who tried to make some quick cash by exploiting the Silent Witch’s name in a village promotion scheme, right?”

They met in a forest near the royal capital.

The disciple of the Silent Witch, a man named Isaac Walker, was apparently preparing for a magical battle between the disciples of the Seven Sages. He was looking for someone to help him train.

Hubert caught wind of this and pushed Norman to be that helper.

While Norman was grateful to have his master helping build connections… it was painfully obvious that Isaac didn’t care for either Hubert or Norman.

Isaac was a young man with a visible scar above his right eye, and his sharp eyes glared at Hubert with clear disdain. Then, when he turned to Norman, his disdain shifted into jealousy.

The story about him envying Norman for receiving the Silent Witch’s recommendation seemed to be true. A bit childish of him.

(Have I seen him before…?)

Norman had never met Isaac Walker before. In addition, he was confident in his memory of faces, and no one would forget a scar like that one.

And yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d seen the man somewhere.

“…Um, Walker-san…”

“What is it?”

Isaac replied in a tone that was icy cold. Norman felt every bit of his animosity.

“Have we met before?” Norman asked hesitantly.

“No. This is our first meeting.”

Isaac answered instantly, as though he had anticipated the question and readied his reply in advance.

Then, he twisted his lips into a smirk and gave Norman a condescending stare.

“After your cliché little scheme, not only did you go unpunished, you had your talents recognized by the Silent Witch and got a scholarship to go to Minerva… How lucky of you.”

Isaac made it clear how much he hated Norman. Very clear. Still, everything he said was true, so Norman struggled to come up with a response. He wasn’t the type to get depressed over it though.

This lasted until Hubert butted in, grinning from ear to ear.

“Hmm-mmm-mmm~… We all make mistakes in our youth, right…? Can you give the kid a break?”

This sent a twitch down Isaac’s cheek, as the air turned even colder. Norman found himself shivering, even though it was summer.

“This boy is your disciple, right?” Isaac asked. “I see. That’s good.”

Good? Norman wondered what he meant by that, but before he could ask, Isaac shifted his gaze from Hubert to him.

The flames of jealousy flickered in his turquoise eyes.

“If he went around calling himself the Silent Witch’s disciple just because of receiving her recommendation… Then we would have to settle who the first disciple is.”

(W-Whoa…)

Norman had never intended to brag about that in the first place, but now he swore to absolutely never tell anyone about the recommendation from the Silent Witch. Otherwise, he’d just attract needless jealousy, like he was doing now.

In any case, Norman had no intention of calling himself the Silent Witch’s disciple. He figured it was best to make that clear… when suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulder.

Hubert had slung his arm around Norman’s shoulder in a gesture of exaggerated camaraderie.

“My disciple Norman is still in training, but he can already use remote magic, double reinforcement, and imbuement at a practical level. Even the Silent Witch has acknowledged him as a genius.”

“Dee-sensei, that’s way too much of an exaggeration…”

“Oh, you know what, Norman. Why don’t you teach him some magic? You’ve got more skill and talent than he does, right?”

Isaac’s eyes grew even sharper. Combined with his naturally intense glare, they now looked sharp enough to kill.

(Wah…!)

Norman had to somehow convince this terrifying guy to be his sponsor. Out of all the challenges Hubert gave him thus far, this one seemed like the hardest.

However, he also understood that it was not a pointless effort.

Hubert was both a hedonist and a pragmatist.

Introducing Norman to Isaac was not just a way to amuse himself. It must be a logically sound course of action.

(I don’t want to become a first-class mage or a magical tool artisan. I just want to help Sechen Village thrive.)

Norman was an orphan who lost his parents to an epidemic.

The adults of Sechen Village raised him, and Norman wanted to repay their kindness.

Sechen Village was poor, and there was a limit to the amount of money Norman could earn on his own. Thus, he wanted to create a system where the entire village could benefit, with more work and wealth to go around.

(For that, I need connections… Which means I can’t waste the chance Dee-sensei has given me.)

Norman had always been pretty good at reading the room.

And because he could read the room, he deliberately chose to ignore it. Norman spoke in a cheerful tone, faking the smile of an innocent child.

“I still have a lot to learn, but I’ll do my very best to help however I can. I look forward to working with you, Walker-san!”

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