After parting ways with Professor Robert, I immediately headed to the library.

"What book are you looking for?"

"Basic Dark Magic."

"Ah... Books on Basic Dark Magic can be found in Row T."

I easily acquired a book on Basic Dark Magic.

Although obtaining more advanced books required the permission of a professor, this was not the case for basic ones.

With the book in hand, I began to read slowly, taking in the fundamental theories of dark magic.

There were theories I was familiar with, and others that were entirely new to me.

Then, I came across a particularly notable section.

"Mental contamination..."

The phenomenon that had happened to Luna.

Mental contamination was the most representative risk of dark magic.

The risks of dark magic could be divided into two categories.

One was the use of some part of oneself, an object, or a being as a sacrifice.

This wasn't an immediate concern, as it required a higher level of magic to use.

The second risk was mental contamination, which had various types.

Mana explosion, like the one Luna experienced, was one of them, and there were cases of curses resulting from backlash.

These adverse effects occurred because the methods of using dark magic were entirely different from those of other magics.

Basic magic typically was like requiring a container to hold water.

When using the magic, one would decide how much to use and pour mana into the container.

When the container was full, the mana would automatically stop flowing.

It was akin to a modern automatic system.

However, dark magic was different.

When using dark magic, there was a predetermined container, and I had to personally pour the mana into it.

I had to manually control the mana.

If the mana overflowed, it would lead to mental contamination, and if there was not enough mana, the magic would not work properly.

This was the biggest drawback of dark magic.

"Is it a matter of... control?"

Dark magic was, therefore, magic that relied on control.

Those who had used a specific dark magic spell many times could handle it skillfully, treating it like ordinary magic.

However, those who had not would repeatedly struggle with mental contamination as they practiced, until they developed the necessary control.

But that was not the only drawback.

Even those who had frequently used a specific dark magic spell could falter depending on the circumstances.

In a sudden situation, they might fail to control the amount of mana due to panic.

That was why many people shied away from dark magic.

Nevertheless, dark magic had powers that overshadowed all its drawbacks.

It boasted exceptional adaptability compared to other types of magic.

Overwhelming power and adaptability – that was the essence of dark magic.

The following day, during the magic practice class.

"Today's lesson ends here," announced Professor Cromwell as he closed his book.

As I began to gather my belongings, the professor approached me.

"Rudy Astria, I heard you made a bet with that Robert fellow?"

Upon hearing his question, Rie turned to look at me.

Ignoring Rie, I answered Professor Cromwell's question.

"Yes, sir. He demanded a condition in exchange for teaching me dark magic."

"Dark magic?" Rie reacted to my response once more.

Rie suddenly seemed embarrassed by her reaction and turned her head away, coughing to clear her throat.

Professor Cromwell glanced at her briefly before returning his attention to me.

"Well, it's your choice. You can handle it as you see fit. All right then, give it your best shot."

"Thank you, sir."

With that, Professor Cromwell left the classroom. As soon as he was out of sight, Rie scowled and spoke up.

"Hey! Dark magic?!"

That was just fine. I needed to ask Rie for a favor anyway.

"Well, that's how it turned out."

"Even now, just say you can't do it!"

"No," I replied firmly, causing Rie to clutch her head.

"I thought it'd be fun not knowing where you'd pop up, but it's quite annoying now that you're my ally..."

"I don't think I have that kind of erratic personality, do I?"

"Enough about that. Why do you want to learn dark magic? If you want to learn intermediate magic, just study ordinary spells. The Astria family has their own magic, doesn't it?"

That was true.

The Astria family had developed their own magic, passed down through generations.

But how long would I have to wait for that? It wouldn't matter how powerful my abilities became in the end if I died before acquiring them.

And there was no guarantee that I would inherit the Astria family magic.

In the original story, I might have learned some of it, but there was no certainty I would in this world.

"Since I've decided to learn it, I'm going to give it a try. If it doesn't feel right, I'll stop at that point."

"Fine... Just be careful not to suddenly die while using magic."

I stopped Rie as she tried to leave.

"...What is it?"

"I need your help with something."

"Me?" Rie stared at me incredulously.

I led Rie to the top student's laboratory.

"...What are we doing here?"

"You've dealt with people affected by mental corruption before."

I pulled out the Basic Dark Magic book from my bag.

"Wait, hold on... Hey..."

"What?"

"Are you saying you're going to use dark magic right here?"

"Yes, and if anything goes wrong, I need you to help me out."

For a brief moment, silence enveloped us.

Rie and I stood facing each other, neither of us saying a word.

It was Rie who broke the silence first, stealthily reaching for her bag.

There was only one reason for this movement.

Escape.

"Ah!"

Rie immediately bolted from the top student's laboratory.

I chased after her right away.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

"No! Wait until I send for Locke! Just wait until then!"

And so, after a short chase with Rie...

"Huff...huff..."

"I told you...whew...why run away?"

After about 10 minutes of pursuit, I finally managed to catch Rie. She took deep breaths, having been caught by me.

Regaining her composure, Rie shouted at me.

"No! Why do you always ask me to do these things?! I'm not an expert at this!"

"We're allies, aren't we? Help me out a bit."

"I told you last time, I'm a princess!"

"You said we were allies on equal terms."

Rie sprawled on the floor like a child demanding a toy from a department store.

I dragged her back to the top student's laboratory.

Truthfully, I wanted to ask Astina for help as well. But lately, she was so busy preparing for the midterm event that I couldn't bring myself to bother her.

Since the event was for first-year students, there was nothing I could do to help, so all I could do was offer my support.

That left me with only two people I could ask for assistance.

Luna and Rie.

I considered asking Luna for help but shook my head. My magic had surpassed Luna's by a significant margin.

If a mana explosion were to occur, Luna might not be able to handle it.

However, Rie was not only skilled in magic but also knew how to deal with elementals. That meant she could handle various situations.

I figured it didn't matter if I bothered her once or multiple times. I could make it up to her in a big way later.

"I don't want to go through all that trouble again."

Rie complained as she was being dragged.

"The magic I'll be using isn't that difficult, so the chances of a mana explosion are low."

Honestly, the backlash from mana explosions was quite rare. At most, a minor curse would be inflicted upon failure, or the mana would flow back, causing a slight pain.

"I hate it when things don't go according to plan!"

"Plan?"

"I have things to study and tasks to complete!"

I let go of the yelling Rie.

"Fine. I guess there's no helping it."

"...What?"

Upon releasing her, Rie gazed at me with a puzzled expression.

As urgent as I may be, I wouldn't be so cruel as to force someone who dislikes the idea to assist me.

However...

"But you should know one thing," I said.

"What now?" Rie retorted.

"From now on, I'll be practicing dark magic on my own."

"Fine. Go ahead!"

"However, there's a chance that something unsavory might happen. Dark magic is risky, after all..."

"Okay."

"Wouldn't that affect your grand plan?"

When I said that, Rie glared at me. I ignored her piercing stare and continued speaking.

"If I were to lose control of my mana while using dark magic... The dormitory would be turned upside down... My reputation would plummet into the abyss... And then..."

"Ugh... Don't you have any friends? You could ask someone else for help, you know!!!"

"Well, I don't have many friends, but you're trustworthy. The academy's third-best."

Hearing that, Rie sighed.

Although her face showed irritation, she seemed slightly pleased.

"Fine, I'll help."

"Thank you."

I smiled faintly.

***

"Urk..."

I had already attempted to cast the Abyssal Flame over ten times.

Not once had I succeeded.

And each failure came with backlash.

"Ugh... Water... Water..."

"My whole body...! It's itching...!"

I suffered through various curses and all sorts of pain.

"Haah... Haah..."

"Are you going to give up yet? It's agonizing just watching you."

"Could you at least look at me when you say that...?"

Rie had watched me cast magic once or twice, but she had since stopped observing me and focused on her own studies.

"I have no reason to learn dark magic. Watching you is just a waste of time."

"Fine... Go about your business."

I got up to try casting the spell again. At least I felt like I was getting the hang of it. The sensation of filling a vessel with mana had initially felt strange and unfamiliar.

However, after failing several times, I thought I began to understand the feeling.

I imagined a vessel before my eyes...

And slowly poured my mana into it. I had to handle my mana carefully.

Pouring it in too fast or too slow wouldn't work.

Just the right amount.

"Gah...!"

"What's wrong? Why are you making that face?"

"Cough... Cough... Uh... It's just a normal backlash."

Another failure. I thought I had gotten the hang of it, but success was still out of reach.

"Hmm..."

Rie glanced at me for a moment, then checked the time.

"It's about time for us to go, isn't it?"

It had already grown dark outside, and the hour was getting late.

"Yeah, I suppose so."

As I quickly tidied myself up, pain coursed through my entire body.

It felt like the aftermath of an intense workout I hadn't done before.

However, while that pain was more of a dull ache, this felt like being stabbed by a knife.

"It's not easy..."

I sighed. I had thought I'd be able to learn it today...

I had planned to learn dark magic as quickly as possible and prepare a few things before the midterm camp.

That was overconfidence on my part.

Lately, everything had been going according to plan, and I had grown overly confident. The real challenge would be from now on.

I had managed to persuade Rie to help me today, but I felt guilty asking her to do so again tomorrow.

Rie gathered her things and walked toward the door. She paused for a moment, glanced at me, and spoke up.

"Are you doing this again tomorrow?"

"What?"

"You said you needed me."

As I stared at her with a dumbfounded expression, Rie turned her head and opened the door.

"Come to the lab right after class tomorrow."

With that, she left the laboratory.

"... She's kinder than I thought?"

Initially, I had planned to plead with her, maybe even beg a little.

But her offer to help voluntarily made me even more grateful.

"I should treat her to something delicious later."

***

That's 2/4! I hope the explanation on magic being a container made sense :p

New version of the site is up. Might need a refresh if it's not there on the initial load. Biggest thing is light mode, it's a sun icon next to the navigation bar.

-Gotta fix google translate formatting, update should be tomorrow.

Enjoy the chappy!