Chapter 49

Learning without purpose turns you into a slave of knowledge.

This was a quote from Auguste Dondel’s book, “The Seven Habits of Successful Mages”, and it also happened to be the theme I had chosen for today’s class.

Of course, once applied to the situation of the academy students, its original meaning became quite distorted.

Still, what I said was nothing but the truth.

“Only about 3 percent of graduates from the Magic Department end up as war mages in the Royal Army. The rest? They get jobs in royal institutions.”

“But if war ever breaks out, you’ll all be summoned as reserve battle mages. That’s why the academy makes offensive magic a required subject.”

“A life of being exploited for low wages, only to be drafted as soldiers in times of need. That’s the kind of mage-slave the kingdom wants. And it’s also the future that awaits you.”

Jacqueline slammed her hands on the desk and protested.

“Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?”

“Then tell me….what exactly was exaggerated?”

“There’s no rule saying we have to end up like that. Whatever we choose to do after graduation is our own decision, isn’t it?”

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch. The kingdom teaching you magic is no exception. Unless you come from a wealthy family that paid tuition upfront, you’ll owe the academy the full amount of your education expenses after graduation.”

“……”

“That debt is the shackle the kingdom puts on you. Considering the average salary at royal institutions, it’ll take you about 20 years to pay it off. You’ll have no better job options than working for the state, and you won’t be able to quit until your debt is paid. So tell me…how is that any different from being an exploited slave?”

“Ugh…”

At my calm explanation, Jacqueline was left speechless.

Aside from Shannon who was an international student, and Stephanie who came from a noble family, the other students didn’t look very pleased either.

But I hadn’t brought up this topic just to crush their hopes.

“Let me tell you. The difference between those who are slaves and those who aren’t lies in their mindset.”

“When you find your own reason to learn magic, accept it, and choose to walk a thorny path of your own will, you are no longer a slave to reality. You become the master of your fate.”

“So go find it. The reason you must become a mage. That is the assignment I’m giving you today.”

After finishing my speech, I called Shannon aside.

“Shannon Quinlivan.”

“Yes?”

“You’ll get the same assignment.”

Shannon was an international student with a prestigious background, so she wouldn’t need to work in the Kingdom of Laurencia after graduation just to pay back tuition.

But I knew she was bound by a different kind of chain…not money.

“You probably started learning magic simply because you were born in Karaf and happened to be talented. And you must have had to meet harsher standards than others because of that. Have you ever wanted to become someone other than a mage?”

“……”

“For your school, your family, the advancement of the magical world… Have you been sacrificing yourself for such ideals? Question that. And come back with an answer. That is your assignment.”

What I told Shannon was a quote from one of Auguste Dondel’s bestsellers, “The Courage Not to Learn Magic”.

His radical argument that being born in Karaf didn’t mean you had to become a mage caused quite a stir in the magical world at the time.

Naturally, it struck a chord with the sickened hearts of young mages who spent their lives training endlessly in a system of ruthless competition. The book became a massive hit.

Of course, the privileged elite mages met it with fierce backlash, calling it complete nonsense. But regardless, Auguste Dondel made a fortune off that book.

As for me, I gained something other than money.

“There will be no class next week. You’ll have until the week after to find your answer.”

Scoring a free class session by disguising it as a lecture on magical philosophy.

And canceling next week’s class, too.

This was the true joy of collecting a paycheck for doing nothing.

***

Professor Winslet ended the lecture and left after just 30 minutes.

If it had been someone else, they might’ve seen this as a stroke of luck and gone off to have fun, gotten angry at what they saw as lazy lecture, or even started worrying about the professor’s mental state..

But the freshman trio of Jacqueline, Rita, and Shannon remained in the classroom, quietly reflecting on what Professor Winslet had said.

“This is the first time I’ve had a lecture like that. How should I put it… it was kind of shocking.”

“Telling us to question why we’re even learning magic… I’ve never thought about that before.”

“Especially coming from Professor Winslet. I heard his classes were never like this.”

The last words were Rita’s impressions.

Jacqueline asked,

“Who told you that? Your brother?”

“Mhmm. I mean, the class is literally called Theory and Practice of Modern Magic, right? Supposedly, he brought up insanely hard topics like world-field theory and dimensional magic right from the first lecture. My brother said everyone left the classroom totally drained. So I was bracing myself… but this was really unexpected.”

Jacqueline puffed out her cheeks and grumbled.

“One thing that wasn’t unexpected is how unpleasant Professor Winslet still is. Did you hear what he said? He basically said we were going to be slaves.”

“I think he meant it as a warning not to become slaves. Don’t take it too personally.”

Rita put her finger to her chin and thought.

“But still, I think he had a point. Why are we studying at the Academy? Will we really be happy just learning magic the way we’re taught, graduating, and getting a job? Is that the life we truly want?”

“Well… for me, this is definitely better. If I hadn’t gotten into the Academy, I’d still be stuck on the pumpkin farm. Pulling weeds, spreading fertilizer, and when the flowers bloom, hand-pollinating them too. Ugh, even thinking about it is exhausting. I’d much rather be a mage.”

“Mhmm, I get that. I only enrolled because my parents wanted me to.”

“So we’re complete opposites, huh? That’s kind of funny. My dad was totally against it. Said, ‘What’s the point of magic when you’ve got perfectly good pumpkins?’”

“My father works as a private tutor. His income is pretty unstable, so he hopes my brother and I will graduate from the Academy and get royal government jobs.”

Since the conversation had turned to family, Jacqueline naturally glanced over at Shannon.

.

From what Jacqueline remembered, Shannon came from a wealthy family.

She probably never had to worry about tuition.

So what kind of life was Shannon planning to lead after graduating from the Academy?

Jacqueline was curious, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask.

Shannon was quietly lost in thought.

Jacqueline let out a deep sigh.

“Still, I can’t stop thinking about the tuition. Rita, did you know about what Professor Winslet said? That it could take twenty years to pay it all back?”

“To some extent. But what he said was based on paying only the minimum monthly amount. It could be shorter in reality. Like if you get a high-paying job, or if you manage to cut down on living expenses.”

“Ugh, so I really do have to pay it all back eventually. I mean, I knew that, but it never really felt real until now…”

“Don’t worry too much. There’s a good solution.”

“What is it?”

“Study hard and get a scholarship. If your grades are good, you can land a high-paying job later, so it’s a win-win.”

“Ugh, I’m not confident about studying…”

“That’s why I suggested we review together on weekends, remember?”

“…I’ll start tomorrow.”

***

Since the next group of students had arrived for their lecture, the three of them couldn’t keep chatting there forever.

After they left the classroom, Jacqueline and the others naturally went their separate ways.

Rita left first, saying she had a meeting with a professor, and Shannon also headed back to the dorm, saying she needed some time to think.

With nothing to do until dinner, Jacqueline decided to just wander around the campus for a while.

She wanted to clear her head.

Professor Winslet’s assignment was essentially a question of: “How will you live your life?”

And Jacqueline’s thoughts were leaning more toward the easier route of criticizing the professor than searching for any fundamental or philosophical answer.

I mean, seriously, how I live is my own business. Why do I need to justify it to anyone? Seriously, come on.

The spring afternoon was warm enough for short sleeves, and the sky looked freshly scrubbed from the night before.

After staring at the weather for a bit, Jacqueline lowered her head and realized she’d somehow arrived at the campus’s central crossroads.

The central crossroads was one of the busiest spots in the Academy, as it connected evenly to the Magic Department, the Knight Department, and the Theology Department.

And wherever crowds gathered, people who sought out crowds tended to gather, too.

Jacqueline spotted a club fair where Academy students were promoting their groups and inviting others to join.

“We at Happy Hour, your go-to club for professional day drinking, invite you to come hang out! If you love booze and a rowdy atmosphere, this is the place for you! We especially welcome those with no morning classes…or those who have the courage to skip them!”

“We’re the Snowball Tactical Fight Research Club, and we’re looking for students with strong arms! Our seniors from the Elemental Magic department provide high-quality snow year-round! If you want to stay nice and cool this summer, come join us. Special perks for Magic Department students skilled in ice magic. We pool our dues to pay a small allowance, too!”

“We’re GigaStudy, a club for career strategy and certification exam preparation. If you want a smart, well-planned academic life, come join us! We’re a central club, so we have our own clubroom. You can come study there or even leave your textbooks. Graduates send generous donations, so if your grades are good, we help cover your exam fees, too!”

“Join Better Living, where we share tips on Academy life and support each other with whatever help we need! We’ve got info on the best part-time jobs in all of Lambarht!”

Some people promoted their clubs with genuine enthusiasm, locking eyes with every passerby. Others half-heartedly waved flyers while clearly distracted. And then there were those who had simply set up a sign and were drinking with friends on the grass behind it.

And at the far end of the line, Jacqueline noticed a man who stood out from the other promoters.

He was alone, looked older than the average Academy student, and seemed timid.

But even so, he kept trying to meet people’s eyes and ask for their attention, which naturally drew Jacqueline’s interest.

A moment later, she met his gaze.

And stopped walking.

Because she saw that his eyes were full of quiet desperation.

She looked down at the sign he was holding.

<I have been wronged.>

<Please help my younger sibling.>

He wasn’t promoting a club.

He was standing there alone, protesting. He was desperately trying to tell his story.