After Luna spoke to me,

her attitude seemed a bit odd.

Whenever I saw Luna Railer in the hallway, our eyes would meet.

However, she didn't talk to me, only looking surprised and then running away.

I wasn't exactly sure why she approached me.

The most probable reason was that she noticed me giving her bread.

There wasn't any other reason for me to be involved with Luna...

I wasn't doing anything other than studying.

More importantly, it was puzzling why Astina sought me out.

Why would someone who doesn't even interact with Evan get involved with me?

Nevertheless, I felt I managed to keep my distance.

I hadn't seen her since she visited me at lunch.

Anyway, Astina was busy with the upcoming student council election, so it wasn't a big concern.

"Today, I will give you your first assignment."

Today's first class was Professor Mcguire's Magic Theory course.

"We've been learning about magic circles, right? So, I'm going to give you an assignment to draw a magic circle."

Magic circle composition assignment.

Luna's time to shine was approaching.

"I won't ask you to create an extraordinary magic circle. Just add a few components to the basic magic circle framework."

Then, Professor Mcguire drew a simple magic circle on the blackboard.

"Let's say we have a magic circle that uses the Ignite spell. What would happen if we added acceleration to it?"

"...An explosion?"

Luna answered in a small voice.

Professor Mcguire nodded with a smile.

"Correct. The fire would appear as an explosion due to its rapid speed. To cause a proper explosion, you'd need to add a symbol for enhancement and adjust the control of mana."

After saying that, he wrote a few items on the blackboard.

1. Creativity

2. Efficiency

3. Activation Possibility

"We'll evaluate your work based on these three aspects. However, activation possibility is the most important. No matter how creative a magic circle is, it's meaningless if it can't be activated. Any questions?"

The students remained silent, so Professor Mcguire closed his book.

"There's no need to draw a magic circle that can be used in daily life or battle. Of course, it would be nice if you could draw such a magic circle, but that would be a typical one. Create an efficient and unique magic circle."

Even after saying that, the students' expressions weren't very positive.

Frankly, it was a huge burden for students who hadn't properly learned magic yet to create magic circles.

Seeing this, Professor Mcguire smiled slightly and said,

"Don't worry too much. As long as you put in some effort, I'll give you full marks. That's it for today's class."

A magic circle...

After finishing classes that day, I headed to the library.

I was worried about whether Luna could draw a proper magic circle, but first, I needed to draw one myself to get good grades.

It's possible to draw a magic circle just by looking at the textbook.

However, it would be better to have reference books as well.

Since there were barely any books other than textbooks in my dorm room, I had to go to the library to find many reference materials.

As soon as I entered the library, its magnificent appearance caught my eye.

Liberion Academy was not only the Empire's largest educational institution but also its largest research institution.

Professors here were both educators and researchers, like those in a university.

All the books needed by such researchers could be found in this library.

Of course, important materials were stored separately in the Imperial Library, but the place with the most resources was the library of Liberion Academy.

As I looked around, I saw a librarian organizing books.

I approached them.

"I'd like to find a book related to basic magic circles."

When I asked, they pointed in one direction and spoke.

"Basic magic circles can be found in Section C, bookshelf 7."

Following the librarian's directions, I found numerous books related to magic circles.

I picked one and headed to a desk in the corner of the library.

There, I saw Luna Railer studying with a few books.

Is she studying here?

Well...

Luna probably didn't get assigned to a good dormitory, so she lacks study space.

In my case, I have a single room and a well-equipped study environment.

But for students with poor grades, their dorms are shared rooms, making it difficult to study in the room.

There are students resting in the room and others chatting loudly.

I quietly pulled out a chair diagonally across from her and sat down.

Luna was so focused that she didn't even notice I had arrived.

I considered greeting her briefly, but I didn't want to disturb her concentration, so I just took my seat.

If I somehow ruined her focus and she missed out on a revelation, failing to get good results on the assignment, the story might get twisted.

No, even if the story isn't affected, my plan would be ruined.

So, I didn't bother Luna, who was concentrating, and started my own studies.

Several hours passed like this.

When I entered, the sun was still up, but now the twilight had faded, and it was dark outside.

Even though so much time had passed, Luna didn't move once and remained focused on her studies.

I stretched, feeling stiff, and fetched other books, but Luna didn't budge, immersed in her studies.

Her hands only moved occasionally to flip through pages or practice drawing magic circles on paper.

She truly excelled in the field of magic theory.

"Ugh..."

Luna seemed to be getting tired, raising her arm to stretch.

Hearing Luna's movement, I looked up, and our eyes met.

"Kyaaah!!!"

Surprised, Luna let out a loud scream.

"Why... Why are you here...!"

With wide eyes, Luna shouted at me.

Then, the librarian I saw earlier walked over.

"Excuse me..."

The librarian tapped Luna's shoulder and raised his index finger to his lips.

"I-I'm sorry..."

Luna apologized in a hushed voice to the librarian and then approached me.

"Why are you here? Could it be..."

"Could it be?"

"Stalking or something...!"

Stalking?

As I raised my eyebrows slightly, Luna flinched and stepped back a little.

I pointed at the book I was looking at.

"Didn't you see I was doing Professor Mcguire's assignment? Weren't you doing the same?"

"Ah..."

Luna glanced at the magic circle I drew and closed her mouth.

"I-I'm sorry."

Luna's face turned slightly red as she bowed her head in response to my words.

"Did you finish this assignment?"

As I changed the subject and asked, Luna nodded her head.

Already finished?

I felt a little anxious.

Could she have completed it so soon after the assignment was given?

I was taking a long time to draw an unusual magic circle.

But if she had already finished, she might have drawn a regular magic circle.

"Can I see it?"

I need to check.

"C-cheating is not allowed."

"I'm not doing that. Let's just exchange opinions on the assignment as friends. Sharing opinions could lead to better ideas."

"F-friends?"

Luna reacted to a strange part.

Is it weird to call her a friend?

Still, we're classmates taking the same course, so isn't it okay to call her a friend?

"Yeah. Friends."

"R-right. Friends."

"Right. So speak informally. There's no need for honorifics within the academy."

I spoke casually to Luna.

Although it was a bit off from my original image, I thought it was okay for Luna.

After all, I was planning to be Luna's sponsor once this assignment was over.

Then, Luna would be on my side anyway.

If Luna's grades improve and she receives a scholarship later, I don't have to sponsor her, but until then, she's on my side.

And acting casually isn't a bad thing, is it?

There's no harm to me even if people hear about it

.

Rather, it could be a gain.

Rumors that I was thought to be a bad person but turned out to be okay could spread.

Well, even if rumors of me being casual spread, it would likely be treated as a baseless rumor.

"O-okay."

Luna brought the magic circle she drew.

"Huh?"

Upon seeing Luna's magic circle, dozens of question marks formed in my mind.

"It's a square?"

Luna's magic circle wasn't round.

It had a square shape with various magic formulas inside.

"Well... I did some calculations, and to use these formulas, a square magic circle is the most efficient."

The most basic theory of magic circles.

No. Just an accepted fact.

It's about putting magic formulas inside a circle.

The circle in the magic circle represents the control field of magic.

It's a control field for managing the central magic formula.

Maintaining an equal distance between the main magic formula written in the center and the control field makes it easier to modify the magic circle.

Different shapes require multiple calculations of control formulas due to the varying distances from the central magic formula.

On the other hand, a circle has an equal distance between the center and the edge, so it only requires one calculation.

That's why magic circles were typically drawn as circles.

"Can it be set up like this?"

I raised my head and asked Luna.

Since I still don't know much about magic circles, I wasn't sure if it would work or not.

"I just thought it would work, so I tried..."

Luna's expression seemed to question why I was asking.

"What if the magic circle doesn't activate?"

Surely, submitting it like this would earn high points for creativity.

However, as Professor Mcguire said, the most important thing is whether it activates or not.

No matter how unique the magic circle is, if it doesn't activate, it won't even receive basic points.

"Is it...? It seems like it would work... Should I fix it?"

Luna spoke with an uncertain voice.

"Hmm..."

If she were an ordinary student, I would have scolded them and told them to change it.

That would be the realistic approach.

Right now, that approach would be correct to get a good grade.

However, the one across from me is Luna Railer.

I wondered if such unconventional thinking made her a genius.

One reason why people say the rote learning education system in Korea is wrong is that it forces students to follow established facts and proven methods.

Adults teach children to take the safest and most comfortable path, rather than discover new facts.

When encountering unique individuals, they should teach that they are 'different' from us, but instead, they educate them as if they are 'wrong.'

So, people tend to try to think like those around them.

Because those who are different are considered 'wrong.'

"Is it... a bit like that?"

As I kept staring at the magic circle without saying anything, Luna started to gauge my reaction.

"Can you follow me for a moment?"

"Eh?"

I grabbed the magic circle and headed towards my dormitory.

"Where are we going?"

Luna half-ran to catch up with me, as my pace was too fast.

I slowed down for her and spoke.

"The laboratory given to the top student."

"Th... the laboratory? At this hour?"

I went down to the basement of the dormitory.

There were several rooms in the basement.

Ignoring the other rooms, I headed to the one at the very end.

A light was coming from the magic circle next to the doorknob of that room.

'Put your hand here, was it...?'

After being assigned to a dormitory, the housekeeper who managed it came to inform me.

She told me there was a laboratory in the basement and to place my hand on the magic circle there to open the entrance.

When I touched the magic circle, the door opened.

I entered through the opened door.

"What are you doing?"

Although I went in, Luna hesitated to enter the laboratory.

Finally, as if she had made up her mind, she widened her eyes and entered the lab.

The lab wasn't an extraordinary place.

It simply had good soundproofing and was equipped to handle impacts.

To be honest, it didn't feel like a lab.

It was just a place where magic could be used freely.

It felt more like an experimental room.

"But why did we come here?"

"To try an experiment."

I began to copy the magic circle Luna drew onto a piece of paper next to it.

This paper wasn't ordinary.

It was infused with mana, making it suitable for using magic circles.

It's a 'temporary scroll.'

Though advanced magic circles required proper 'scrolls,' basic magic circles could be activated with these 'temporary scrolls.'

The magic circle Luna drew was unique but very basic.

So it should be possible to activate it with this paper.

After copying the magic circle, I looked at Luna.

"Let's give it a try."

I immediately tore the paper.

As the paper ripped, a bright light burst out.

"Wow...!"

The magic circle was activated, and small lights spread out around us.

Then, about four or five little lights began to fly around the room.

The main magic formula in the circle Luna created was from the fire element - Light.

It was a magic spell that illuminated the surroundings.

However, it wasn't just Light; it also had the effects of persistence and duplication.

Several small lights started to circle around us.

"Does...does it work?"

Luna stared blankly at the floating lights in the lab.

Seeing her like that, I gave her a slight smile.

Luna was 'different' from us.

If she hadn't received any education, she wouldn't have doubted this rectangular magic circle.

But because she had been educated with what was 'right' and 'wrong', she doubted herself.

"You're amazing."

As I told her that, she looked at me with a bewildered expression.

"I said, you're amazing."

I smiled at her and gave her a thumbs-up.

***