Chapter 18

Magic University (2)

My head cooled as I came out into the corridor.

To be honest, I was a bit confused earlier, but now I think I acted appropriately.

I mean, I just stayed quiet without affirming or denying anything.

Seeing how Professor Hafling was desperate to identify and eliminate possessors, it seems highly likely that the entire question-and-answer session earlier was a trap set up with me as the target.

First evidence.

Professor Hafling seemed too rushed.

I hadn’t even enrolled yet, but he suddenly barged in and started spouting anti-communist speeches like an American politician in the McCarthyist frenzy of the 1950s, then slyly asked me ‘Are you a possessor?’

Why was Hafling in such a hurry?

Because he was afraid the lie detection spell would wear off.

If it wore off, couldn’t he just cast it again?

Maybe not.

Second evidence.

If that convenient spell could be used easily, then it wouldn’t make sense that a Yoho tribe possessor had been playing around in the labyrinth for years in Windom in the first place.

And the fact that I directly killed a Yoho tribe colleague is even stranger.

Why? Because I could have just reported it and it would have been over.

If I had just reported it, they would have caught the Yoho tribe possessor in the courtroom, cast the lie detection spell, and asked ‘Are you a possessor?’

But leaving such a simple path aside, why did I directly kill her? Even going through a murder trial and falling to slave status because of it?

‘There must be restrictions on lie detection spells.’

Either the casting itself is difficult, or there’s controversy over permissions like with medical marijuana.

Or like in games where lower-grade spells have higher failure rates, maybe lie detection spells can be easily resisted if the target concentrates when they’re cast.

I don’t know exactly, but there must be considerable restrictions when using lie detection spells on free citizens.

So Professor Hafling targeted the gap when I was in slave status and the spell was cast for contribution evaluation work.

He hurriedly barged in during the transition from evaluation work to enrollment consultation.

And after giving a long speech about how we should all kill possessors, he slyly smiled at the end and asked ‘You’re not a possessor, are you?’

That interrogation method was also cunning. If there’s controversy over lie detection spells, openly interrogating me could be risky for him both legally and morally, so he did it slyly. After waiting for the contribution evaluation to end, then like a joke.

‘Damn. This place really steals from you with your eyes wide open.’

If I had panicked and answered ‘no’ and the spell had activated, they would have executed me right then and there, right?

And if it didn’t activate, even better. ‘You should join our club?’

‘This really pisses me off.’

I should have flipped the hourglass earlier.

Since I didn’t know how the situation would unfold, I was conserving it as much as possible, but if I had flipped the hourglass earlier, I could have reasoned all this out within 20 seconds.

And I would have found a way out too.

Was there a way out in that situation?

There was.

Rather, I should have bluffed with an unpleasant expression. Put on a really strong front. Say that I’m someone who killed a Yoho tribe colleague I had shared hardships with, with my own hands. Don’t dare test me.

Still, he wouldn’t have been able to do anything. He would have been the one caught in the wrong for conducting a leading interrogation targeting the time when I still had a lie detection spell on me, not me having any problems.

Moreover, since it’s the university that’s thirsty for recruiting wizards, if I had gone hard, they would have panicked.

If lie detection spells can’t be abused, I just needed to endure until the duration ended.

To think I crossed the line between life and death because I couldn’t think of something so simple!

I’m newly angry at my own lack of cunning.

Get it together, Caleb.

Did I let my guard down as soon as I left the labyrinth?

Now I see that outside the labyrinth is much more dangerous! Get your head straight.

When I think I’m screwed, I should flip the hourglass first and then think. Being too conservative leads to shit.

Pat pat pat.

I tapped both my cheeks with my palms like dads applying skin lotion. To get my head straight.

Ah.

Now that I think about it, there was also a much more powerful way to counter.

Next time Hafling babbles about possessors again, I should smash him with this.

“Caleb.”

Suddenly Clarence stopped walking and turned to look at me.

“Yes.”

“My greeting was very late. I’m Clarence, a graduating wizard.”

He formally introduced himself.

“Nice to meet you.”

“I find Professor Meldini a bit uncomfortable, so I was eager to get away and just walked silently the whole time.”

“……”

“But having a conversation while under a lie detection spell itself isn’t proper etiquette for a wizard who knows courtesy.”

“Do you dislike that spell?”

“All wizards dislike it. They think it’s very rude. Legally, you can’t use it on just anyone either. Within the university, it can only be used during contribution evaluations for slave teams.”

Just as I thought!

I knew it.

“But now the spell should be wearing off Caleb soon.”

“Yes.”

I’m certain. Because when I was under the lie detection spell, my tongue felt numb like it had been anesthetized at the dentist, but now it’s all back to normal.

“Then let me formally give my thanks first. Caleb. I’m Abisson’s older brother, the one you saved.”

No wonder he looked somewhat similar.

“Thanks to you, we easily found Abisson’s body. If it wasn’t for Caleb, I was thinking of going in myself to find it.”

“You were going to go by yourself?”

“Yes, together with Virtanen’s party.”

“To think a graduating wizard would come down to the 1st floor.”

When the larva died and the monster wave erupted, parties like Virtanen’s on the 1st and 2nd floors couldn’t break through and fought Backstab.

That’s why we fought, risking our lives, but if I knew a graduating wizard was coming, I would have just hidden in some corner and endured. Damn.

“Which floor do you mainly work on?”

“5th floor.”

“To summon a 5th floor wizard down to the 1st floor, Abisson must have amazing blood connections.”

“With Caleb, you’ve gained school connections.”

Clarence extended his hand.

I shook hands and answered.

“I haven’t enrolled yet though.”

“…!”

Clarence’s eyes widened.

“Don’t tell me you’re not enrolling because Professor Meldini acted rudely earlier…?”

“No. I just haven’t found the admissions office yet.”

“That’s a relief. You looked quite displeased earlier, so I was worried.”

Displeased expression?

It must have been the result of my desperate attempts at expression management while trying to stay calm in the midst of being flustered by Hafling’s interrogation.

“It’s understandable you’d be angry since he tried to interrogate you about personal matters while the spell was still active. Professor Meldini is probably anxious inside right now too. Worried that Caleb might go somewhere and mention today’s incident saying he won’t enroll.”

Though I didn’t intend it, my silence worked like a warning to that Hafling.

“Besides, there are many faculty members who have different opinions from Professor Meldini about otherworld possessors.”

“Really?”

“There are roughly three factions. Professor Meldini’s faction that believes they should all be eliminated immediately upon discovery.”

“……”

“And Professor Isilof’s faction that believes since their labyrinth knowledge is excellent, we should rather manage and support them well to make them explore labyrinths.”

I heard that the professor runs some kind of labyrinth exploration club.

“Third is…… Professor Dalstream’s faction that believes we should rather revere them.”

“Revere them?”

“Yes. Professor Dalstream is a specialist in ancient magic research, and after studying documents and spellbooks from deep in the labyrinth, he discovered records of a certain wizard. The so-called-.”

My shoulders flinched at the following words.

“The Turn-Based wizard.”

Isn’t that about me?

***

The gist of Professor Dalstream’s research that Clarence told me was as follows.

Otherworld possessors are the nemesis of the Labyrinth Master, and the reason labyrinths erupt is precisely that.

It’s like a war between two factions using the labyrinth entrance as a front line, and when otherworld possessors enter the labyrinth, the Labyrinth Master focuses on defending against them.

However, if otherworld possessors don’t enter, it launches preemptive attacks by erupting labyrinths.

No one knows how long this war situation will be maintained like this.

Someday will come the moment when the Labyrinth Master will simultaneously erupt all labyrinths worldwide and try to annihilate the surface.

And no one can oppose that.

Because the Labyrinth Master can capture human souls and drive them into madness.

Only one person.

Only the ‘Turn-Based Wizard’ said to exist among otherworld possessors can resist that madness.

“Because that wizard’s mental power is tremendous. He can even stop the physical world and make only his reason function.”

That’s possible, I guess.

But doesn’t that mean my body is also included in that stopped physical world?

“Anyway, so only that wizard is free from madness, and that person is the only card that can stand against the Labyrinth Master…… That’s what Professor Dalstream thinks.”

Clarence said with added laughter.

“Of course it’s a legend, a legend. It’s like graffiti from ancient documents. Actually, we don’t even know what ‘Turn-Based’ means. Whether it literally refers to alternating turns like in chess.”

“……”

“Anyway, Professor Dalstream’s faction is actually extremely small in number. Barely three people at most.”

“Can you even call that a faction?”

“It’s just courtesy since Professor Dalstream is an elder.”

Clarence opened the door to Isilof’s research lab.

“Now let’s have a meeting with our professor.”

***

Isilof was a middle-aged man who looked good in a well-fitted suit. His race was human.

“One minute.”

He glanced at me and held up his index finger.

While scribbling something on documents placed on his desk.

I sat on the sofa with Clarence and waited briefly.

“Sorry about that. It was urgent.”

Isilof finished filling out the documents, put them in an envelope, and aimed his wand.

“Message transmission.”

A spell I have known for a long time. A type of practical magic, same-day express mail.

“Nice to meet you, Caleb. You’re quite the topic of conversation even among professors. It seems everyone’s eager to recruit you for their clubs.”

Isilof sat on the sofa across from me.

“Have you decided on enrollment?”

“Yes, I will enroll.”

Actually, I made this decision even before leaving the labyrinth.

Because there’s no suitable alternative to the Magic University. There aren’t many jobs a weak bookworm ex-convict who only focused on wisdom can get.

So enrollment is the right choice. Still, I dislike entering labyrinths, so I was thinking of aiming for university office work or research positions……

‘But if I don’t enter for more than 2 weeks, the labyrinth will erupt.’

There’s no choice.

If I’m going to enter labyrinths, enrolling in the Magic University is even more essential.

“Good. The professors will provide the best curriculum. Will you also join a club? It’s not mandatory, but most students do club activities. I do too.”

Magic University clubs were a concept that existed in-game too. Like university research labs, professors recruit necessary personnel while researching their areas of interest and also pay salaries.

Meldini has a possessor identification club, Isilof has……

“Our club investigates strange phenomena within labyrinths and delves into incidents that occur among adventurers. We also research labyrinth secret rooms, ecology, monsters, and such.”

Isilof said.

“Our current area of interest is possessed adventurers. Not otherworld possessors. People like Mister Backstab who were caught by the Labyrinth Master’s madness. According to my hypothesis, those people’s souls are captured somewhere.”

As expected, people here still don’t know about the Soul’s Resting Place. If even Magic University professors react like this-.

“It’s a good opportunity now that Backstab has appeared. We’re going to try tracking Backstab’s soul. The letter I sent earlier was also related to that.”

Isilof said.

“If you’re interested, please apply to our club.”

“What other clubs are there?”

“What are there?”

Isilof tossed the question to Clarence.

“Labyrinth Gourmet Club that classifies edible flora and fauna in labyrinths, Alchemy Club that cooperates with temples to create new potions, Enchanting Club that researches magical enhancements on equipment, Labyrinth Diplomacy Club that studies native inhabitants within labyrinths……”

Clarence listed several clubs for me.

“Should I tell you about student-created clubs too?”

“Yes.”

“Flower Arranging Club, Knitting Club, Magic Fireworks Show Club, Riding Club……”

“I don’t think I need to join those types.”

“There’s also the ‘Meldini on Faculty? Does That Make Sense?’ Club.”

“……”

It seems Hafling has quite a reputation as a villain professor?

“I hope Caleb will join our club.”

Isilof said.

“You’re exceptionally talented, and since you’ve fought Backstab directly, you’d be helpful during soul tracking too. Don’t worry – joining the club doesn’t mean I’ll force work on you.”

From what I can see, this side seems best too. Professor Dalstream talking about revering possessors and such is too burdensome. Plus he said the numbers are small, so they probably don’t have much power either.

However……

“Would I be able to form my own party for club activities?”

I have my own training method. At the party level.

“This is the first time someone’s asked me that.”

Isilof found it interesting.

“Usually people ask to be included in senior parties because they’re scared of labyrinths.”

“……”

“In principle, forming your own party is the right way. I don’t interfere with party formation at all. As long as you can complete the tasks you receive from me.”

Same as the game.

It doesn’t matter how you organize your party, and professors give out quests. You can refuse, or if you accept and complete them, you get rewards.

So the quest Isilof is currently interested in is this?

“Finding Backstab’s soul.”

This is too easy for me.

“I’ll form my own party and do it.”

In-game, possessed adventurers whose souls were recovered could be recruited as companions.

Would that be possible here too?