Chapter 174 : Chapter 174
Chapter 174. The Lake’s Transmutation Magic Workshop
It was the day of the Transmutation Magic Workshop visit.
Radel headed to the place where he had agreed to meet Professor Thomas Arcane.
If he visited the Transmutation Magic Workshop this time, he would have visited all the majors in the Academy.
In fact, Radel still hadn’t decided on a major.
Even the Combat Magic major, which he hadn’t been considering, felt not bad after visiting it.
In Radel’s situation where he always had to worry about threats to his life, the Combat Magic major, where he could gain a lot of practical experience, was also a decent choice.
Besides, Radel tended to like Dungeons quite a bit.
‘Let’s decide after seeing the Transmutation Magic Workshop today.’
It was when Radel made that resolution.
He saw Professor Thomas waiting for him in the distance.
Mist was thick around where he stood.
The place he had agreed to meet Professor Thomas was the Academy lakeside.
It was also where Radel would cast his fishing line when taking the mana training class.
“Hello, Professor.”
“You are here. I was waiting.”
Professor Thomas greeted Radel with an expressionless face.
However, Radel, who had taken Professor Thomas’s class for a semester, could notice that his mood was bad.
“I am sorry about what happened at the Combat Magic Workshop yesterday. I didn't know Professor Lilian would gift you an injury as a commemoration of the visit.”
It seemed the rumor that Radel was carried to the Treatment Room while sparring with the 4th Princess had spread throughout the entire Academy.
Thinking that rumors spread incredibly fast, Radel answered.
“Thank you for your concern, Professor. Still, thanks to Professor Lilian, I learned a lot.”
“You do not have to cover for Professor Lilian’s conduct like that. She must have gotten excited and encouraged the spar. She is rumored to be a battle maniac even among the professors.”
For Professor Thomas to openly criticize another professor. Radel’s eyes widened at the unexpected reaction.
Professor Thomas seemed angry at the news that Radel got hurt.
However, perhaps thinking he had said something unnecessary in front of Radel, Professor Thomas immediately changed the subject.
“I said something useless. Let us move now.”
Professor Thomas took Radel and walked to the other side of the lake.
There was an old ferry dock that Radel had never seen before. Even though he had taken the mana training class by the lakeside for a semester, it was his first time at this place.
It seemed it hadn't been noticeable because the reeds grew high around the dock.
Professor Thomas walked on the dock as if he were used to it, and then stepped unhesitatingly towards the lake at the end of the dock.
‘Huh?’
The surprising situation happened next.
Professor Thomas continued to walk on the lake as if nothing was wrong.
‘Ah right, this was the Magic Academy.’
A place where it wasn't strange for a magician to walk on water.
And the professor leading him was one of the best magicians in the Empire.
Radel understood it in his head, but he couldn't grasp how he should follow Professor Thomas.
It was then that a Status Effect Nullification window appeared before his eyes.
RING.
[Unknown magic interferes with the user's perception.]
[Status Effect Nullification is activated.]
[The hidden space is revealed.]
[The Academy Transmutation Magic Workshop reveals itself!]
At the same time, he saw a path extending over the water.
Radel followed Professor Thomas without hesitation.
Although the surface of the lake rippled every time his feet touched it, Radel’s feet didn't get wet at all.
Radel walked on the lake, marveling at it.
At the end of the invisible path, there was a door.
Professor Thomas stood in front of the door and looked back at Radel.
“The Transmutation Magic Workshop is under the lake.”
He said while turning the doorknob.
“Radel Silvert Cretian. Welcome to the Transmutation Magic Workshop.”
* * *
When the door opened, stairs leading endlessly down under the lake appeared.
The walls surrounding the spiral staircase were transparently reflecting the world under the lake.
He could see various fish living under the lake swimming. It felt as if he were in the middle of an aquarium.
“Should I go down the stairs?”
When Radel asked Professor Thomas, he gave a faint smile.
“Come this way.”
Professor Thomas took Radel and stepped into the empty air in the center of the spiral staircase.
He thought it was empty air with nothing there, but when he extended his foot following Professor Thomas, he felt a solid floor.
It was an invisible disc.
WOOSH!
The two rode the disc down between the spiral stairs.
‘Isn't this almost an elevator?’
So you can do something like this with magic.
However, Radel couldn't gauge what level one had to be to create a space like this.
Radel admired inwardly and appreciated the scenery underwater.
“We have arrived.”
The invisible disc brought the two to the lowest floor.
Professor Thomas guided Radel to the inner door.
“There are many doors in the Transmutation Magic Workshop. You will know the reason from now on.”
Saying so, Professor Thomas opened the door.
CREAAK.
Radel entered inside the door Professor Thomas opened for him.
And he was speechless for a moment. Because a sight that couldn't possibly exist was unfolded before Radel’s eyes.
“This is…….”
It was, so to speak, an ancient city.
The first city passed down only through books and oral traditions.
A place that existed even before the Founding Emperor established the Empire.
CLOP, CLOP.
Radel stepped aside to avoid a carriage approaching from behind. It was an early form of carriage that couldn't be found now.
When he raised his head, he could see something even more surprising. An ancient creature with golden wings was flying in the sky.
“……A dragon.”
Radel whispered the name of the creature as if groaning.
It was a great existence that had now disappeared from the world.
“Correct. This is a city from the time when dragons were alive.”
Professor Thomas spoke while looking at the surprised Radel.
“Of course, it is not real. It is not even certain if the ancient city really looked like this.”
Radel looked at the dragon flying in the sky.
No matter how much he looked, it seemed real.
“For Transmutation Magic, how accurately you visualize your imagery is more important than for other magic. Here, you can make the imagination in your head into reality. Like that dragon.”
The dragon was an existence known to have ruled the world on behalf of the Nameless God who created the world when the god fell into a deep sleep.
Although they are extinct now, since they were a race that ruled the continent for a long time, the appearance of dragons could be easily found in past literature or artworks.
There were also many magical beasts that retained the appearance of dragons. The Wyvern that Professor Donton Murr rode was a prime example.
Because of that, Radel couldn't fail to recognize the creature flying in the sky.
What was surprising was that it was as vivid as if it really existed in reality.
“This scenery was created by the power of Transmutation Magic majors. Just in time, I see students over there.”
Professor Thomas pointed to students talking on one side.
They were Transmutation Magic majors.
There was also a face Radel knew well among them.
Pasion recognized Radel and waved his hand.
“Junior, you came to visit the Transmutation Magic Workshop today! Welcome.”
Pasion, who had guided him through the Summoning Magic Workshop, explained about the Transmutation Magic Workshop this time.
“Isn't it fascinating? This ancient city was made by all the Transmutation Magic majors together. Since there is a limit to one person's imagination, several people joined forces.”
He meant that to recreate this era, from the buildings of the ancient city, the attire of the people passing by, to the statues erected on the streets, the seniors took charge of the elements composing the city one by one and worked on them.
He said it was a kind of imagery training, so to speak.
“Sometimes we work jointly like this. I was in charge of the attire. Here, we can easily change this much.”
Saying so, Pasion waved his staff lightly.
Then, the clothes of all the people walking around the city turned pink.
Certainly, if he got used to the sensation of recreating imagination here, it seemed he would be able to use Transmutation Magic easily in reality as well.
Radel admired and said.
“It is truly amazing. Anything is possible here.”
“Depending on how you imagine.”
Radel was able to look around other rooms with Professor Thomas as well.
When he opened a door, another landscape unfolded, all of which were spaces that couldn't possibly exist in reality.
There was a place where all sorts of junk were piled up, and a place where time had stopped.
Professor Thomas picked up an object from the space where junk was piled up and showed it to Radel.
“These are traces of seniors attempting magic.”
It was a round wall clock, but as soon as Professor Thomas put it on his hand, it melted and flowed down.
“It is similar to the Transmutation Magic Radel showed last semester, right?”
“Come to think of it, I think it was.”
Radel recalled changing the property of a shield during Transmutation Magic class.
He had once transformed a hard iron shield like flowing liquid.
“That is not a level an ordinary first-year can implement. Even people who have a talent for Transmutation Magic find it difficult to succeed at once.”
Saying so, Professor Thomas opened the door to the next space.
“Don't you want to check what kind of talent you have?”
* * *
The place that appeared when the door opened was all white everywhere.
It was an empty space like a blank white drawing paper.
Professor Thomas said to Radel.
“This is a space where nothing has been applied yet. Try imagining freely here.”
“What should I imagine?”
“Anything is fine.”
Past, present, future.
He said if he freely thought of anything, that landscape would appear in reality.
Radel closed his eyes after hearing Professor Thomas’s words.
What should I think of?
When he actually tried to imagine, nothing came to mind particularly.
Then, he remembered the ancient city he saw as soon as he entered the Transmutation Magic Workshop earlier.
A city that is not here but can be thought of as if it exists in reality. From buildings, scenery, people’s clothes, to beings flying in the sky.
‘I also have a place that has all of that.’
A city that Radel knew better than anyone else in this world came to mind.
‘First, buildings.’
As soon as Radel imagined, skyscrapers were erected in the white space.
BOOM!
‘Next is roads, stores, streetlights, streets, cars.’
SWISH, SWISH, WHOOSH!
Every time he imagined, new things filled the white space.
‘Crosswalks, traffic lights, people.’
BUZZ BUZZ.
A familiar noise was heard in Radel’s ears.
It was the sound of people filling the streets.
And when Radel opened his eyes, what appeared before his eyes was a familiar city.
The scenery he had seen countless times in his previous life.
Looking up, instead of a dragon, a huge airplane was crossing the sky.
“I think it is done, Professor.”
Radel looked back at Professor Thomas and said.
However, Professor Thomas didn't say anything.
“Professor?”
No, it was more accurate to say he couldn't.
Because the most inexplicable thing in his life as a magician had happened.
Can one think of such a world?
Is this imagery that can come out of the head of a magician who hasn't even lived twenty years?
Professor Thomas looked at the young genius who appeared before him in astonishment.
And he barely opened his mouth and asked.
“By any chance…… have you chosen a major?”