Colette fixed her blazing gaze on Hulum, as if this question meant a great deal to her.
Hulum was utterly surprised to hear such an unexpected name come from the mouth of the new Teacher. That name was unheard of by anyone in town.
“Eurubet is my ancestor.”
“So it’s true after all!”
Colette suddenly stood up in excitement.
“So you really are a descendant of that person! That explains everything. If you’re descended from them, it’s no wonder you have such talent….”
Hulum was completely bewildered, unable to understand why the Teacher became so agitated upon learning she was a descendant of Eurubet. Her father had mentioned that their ancestor had achieved glorious feats, but that was three hundred years ago. Three centuries can erase many things—nowadays, not a single villager in Ment Town even knows who their ancestor was.
Even if you tried to explain to those who look down on you how brilliant your ancestor once was, it’s just the faded glory of the past. For the fallen Hayerar family, mentioning it is nothing but rubbing salt in an old wound.
While Hulum was still lost in confusion, Colette said something even more shocking.
“Hulum, you’ve already learned Second Tier magic, haven’t you?”
“Wha—”
Hulum stared at Colette in astonishment.
“How did you know, Teacher Colette?”
“It’s actually quite simple. Hulum, you haven’t learned how to control the output of your magic yet, have you? When you demonstrated magic, the power you displayed with First Tier magic wasn’t something a typical First Tier mage could manage. At minimum, you’re already Second Tier.”
Failure. Unexpected failure.
Hulum reproached herself inwardly, never expecting her secret would be exposed in such a way.
“Um, Teacher Colette, is there a reason you brought this up?”
Hulum couldn’t help but want to know Colette’s intentions.
“Yes, I do have a reason~!”
So there is a motive. But is there really anything about me worth her attention? Just because I’ve already mastered Second Tier magic? Or is it about my ancestor? She seems especially interested in that. Come to think of it, Fran mentioned she seemed to be from the Royal Capital. To come all the way from the Royal Capital to a rural place like this… it really is suspicious…
“To be honest, even I didn’t expect it. I never thought a student just starting out with magic would have already mastered Second Tier magic. I wasn’t prepared for this at all. This was something I’d only expect to consider next year at the earliest. So, Hulum, you don’t have a Wand yet, do you?”
“Eh? Wand…?”
Hulum, who had been letting her thoughts run wild and had nearly imagined Colette as some sort of mastermind, was abruptly pulled back to reality by this question.
“That’s right, a Wand. Hulum, even though I’m not sure how advanced your Second Tier magic is, since you’ve already reached the Second Tier, it’s time to consider having your own Wand.”
“Uh, you need a Wand at Second Tier?”
Wait, this isn’t what I expected. Is she actually concerned about me?
Hulum suddenly realized she might have misunderstood this Teacher in front of her…
“Of course you need one. From Second Tier magic on, the time and mana required to cast spells both increase significantly. But in actual situations, you won’t have the luxury of taking that much time to chant. Excessive mana consumption is also a problem. That’s when a Wand becomes essential.”
“Every Wand, even the most basic ones, can help us concentrate, which boosts casting speed and reduces mana wasted during spellcasting. More advanced Wands can even amplify magic and have other effects.”
As she spoke, Colette raised her own Wand.
“Just like my Wand. I’m a fire mage, and my Wand enhances the power of fire magic.”
“For every mage, a Wand is an extension of their very being. It’s absolutely indispensable. It’s like a swordsman without a sword—can you still call them a swordsman?”
Looking at the Wand in Colette’s hand, glowing with a red shimmering light, Hulum felt a little envious. Her own Wand… it didn’t sound bad at all.
But… “Teacher Colette, only mages who’ve mastered Second Tier or above use Wands, right? If I get one now, won’t it be too conspicuous?”
Hulum voiced her concern—though her real intention was to avoid revealing her true abilities to too many people.
“Hmm… that’s true, it could be a problem. Most of the students haven’t even started learning magic yet. Who knows how many will reach the Second Tier by graduation? If they find out someone’s already achieved what they might only manage by the end, it could really damage their confidence.”
“Given that, Hulum, you really shouldn’t show your Wand in front of everyone just yet. But I can’t let this hold you back either. What should we do…”
Colette frowned, thinking hard.
“Ah, I’ve got it! Hulum, as long as you don’t bring your Wand to school, isn’t that fine?” Colette’s eyes lit up as she suggested this.
“Eh, but if I don’t bring it, how can I practice?”
“No, no! Hulum, you seem to be misunderstanding something. A Wand is crucial, yes, but its importance is mainly in actual use. School is for learning—practicing without a Wand is completely fine! In fact, Wands are used less often at school.”
“I see, so what Teacher Colette means is that a Wand is a weapon for battle, and school is where we improve our knowledge and skills. To improve, we mostly rely on ourselves, so whether we have a weapon or not isn’t the point.”
“Uh… Well, if that’s how you want to understand it, I suppose it’s not wrong.”
Colette felt Hulum’s take was a bit too simplistic about the Wand’s role, but for now she had no way to explain further.
“I understand, Teacher Colette. So, where should I get a Wand?”
Hulum asked.
“That’s the problem…”
Colette looked troubled again.
“Normally, once all of you students have mastered magic and someone reaches the Second Tier, we can apply for Wands from above. The Adventurer’s Guild provides a batch of basic Wands—not for free, but they’re the cheapest and easiest to get, a privilege only Preparatory School students enjoy.”
“But obviously, at this time, that’s not an option. So, Hulum, you’ll have to visit the Magic Item Shop yourself.”
“They have Wands at the Magic Item Shop?”
Hulum breathed a sigh of relief. If she couldn’t get a Wand through the school, as long as they were available elsewhere, it would be fine.
“Normally, yes…” Colette replied, “but I’ve only just arrived in this town myself, so I’m not sure about the situation here…”
“In that case!”
Colette proposed,
“How about another day, I go with you to the Magic Item Shop? I can help you pick one.”
“Really, Teacher Colette? How should I thank you?”
“Hahaha~!” Colette laughed heartily, “Hulum, you’re too serious! I’m your Teacher~. It’s only natural for me to help my student. You don’t need to be so formal.”
“I see…
Teacher, huh…”
Looking at Colette, who seemed a bit scatterbrained but cared about others in her own way, Hulum felt a new understanding of the title “Teacher.” Semilis… could also be called Teacher—or perhaps Master would be even more fitting.
“Ah, of course! If you really must thank me, Hulum, I wouldn’t mind~.”
Hulum: “…”