Ch. 46
Chapter 46: The Major Is Decided
After the turmoil of Practice Experience Week, life at Saint Roland Magic Academy unexpectedly slipped into a relatively calm rhythm for Ryan.
With his major finally settled, he officially became a third-year student in the Magic Tool Application, Appraisal, and Risk Management specialization. His daily schedule grew regular and clear.
His timetable was packed. From Monday to Friday, the mornings were devoted to theory classes, and the afternoons to practical training.
The classrooms were located in a red-brick building in the academy’s western district, its walls thickly covered in ivy. Whenever the door hinges turned, they produced a long, creaking groan from years of neglect.
This did not mean the other courses had disappeared. 《Analysis of Intermediate Mana Constructs》, 《Basic Principles of Potioneering》, and 《Principles of Elemental Magic》 were still required public courses. The difference was that the classes were now reorganized according to majors. The faces in the classroom felt half-familiar—most were only acquaintances who exchanged nods, with perhaps a few he had encountered during practical sessions.
The systematic instruction of Magic Tools was far more complex than Ryan had imagined, yet also far more interesting.
The curriculum began with the fundamentals—《Introduction to Magi-Engineering Principles》 and 《Identification of Common Magical Materials》—before gradually advancing to 《Basic Rune Engraving and Mana Circuit Construction》, 《Introduction to Magic Core Energy Efficiency》, and 《Design of Simple Magic Tool Constructs》.
Most of the instructors were rigorous and pragmatic. They rarely indulged in vague theoretical speculation, instead focusing on knowledge and techniques that students could immediately put into practice.
Ryan studied with great seriousness. Not only was it necessary to maintain appearances, but he genuinely needed the knowledge—whether for the future, to solve his pressing financial problems, or to study difficult ancient relics such as the Emerald Wind Oath more deeply.
The magical theory foundations left within this body, combined with its innate talent for precise Mana control, found a new outlet in the field of Magic Tools—a discipline that demanded patience, accuracy, and logic.
He soon displayed a striking aptitude in practical classes.
While most of his classmates were still struggling to steadily channel Mana into conductive copper wires, or repeatedly ruining materials due to mistakes while engraving basic runes, Ryan was already calmly completing the beginner projects assigned by the instructors: a thermal lunchbox capable of maintaining a gentle, constant warmth; a simple badge that emitted a fixed-frequency light; and even a plant-care base that slightly increased the gathering speed of water-element Mana.
His creations were not the flashiest or the most powerful, but they excelled in stability, efficiency, low Mana consumption, and an exceptionally high level of completion. Nearly every piece met—or even exceeded—the standards required by the coursework.
When the instructors responsible for practical training offered their evaluations, they showed little friendliness toward the notorious student. Even so, they had to acknowledge the solidity and sharpness of his technical skills.
Of course, this talent did not improve Ryan’s position within the class.
Students in the Magic Tool specialization generally valued practical ability more than social connections or family background, but the unpleasant reputation attached to the name Ryan Velt, combined with the cold aura that discouraged strangers from approaching, still formed an invisible barrier around him.
No one took the initiative to partner with him on collaborative assignments, and no one approached him for conversation during breaks.
Ryan was perfectly content with the quiet.
He arrived earliest to class, sat in a forward but slightly secluded seat, and focused on listening and taking notes. During practical sessions he spoke to no one, interacting only with the tools and materials in his hands. Once class ended, he packed his belongings and left immediately, never joining any after-class discussions or small social groups.
His daily routine was simple to the point of monotony: classroom, workshop, the Magic Tool section of the library, and Room 207 of Silver Fir Dormitory.
Food was brought back from the cafeteria by Cosette, and most daily necessities were purchased by her according to a list he prepared.
He was like a planet moving along a fixed orbit—regular, silent, and maintaining a safe distance from the other noisy “stars” and “comets” of the academy.
Yet beneath this surface calm, certain things were quietly in motion.
Ryan was well aware that one of the deeper reasons he had chosen the Magic Tool specialization was to make money.
Tuition, living expenses, Cosette’s needs, the material costs of future Magic Tool research, and the various unforeseen situations he might have to deal with—all required gold coins. There was no hope of relying on Viscount William Velt. He had to rely on himself.
Thus, the beginner Magic Tools he produced during class—projects that met the requirements but posed no real difficulty for him—became the source of his first earnings.
He did not sell his coursework directly. That would have been far too conspicuous and would attract unnecessary attention.
Instead, after class he used the academy workshop’s discounted material quota available to registered students to purchase additional basic materials. Back in his dormitory, relying on more refined techniques and a few optimization ideas, he reworked those classroom projects.
A standard thermal lunchbox had its internal constant-temperature Magic Circle rearranged, increasing heat retention efficiency by roughly fifteen percent while slightly reducing Mana consumption.
The lighting badge was modified to switch between two brightness levels and was fitted with a simple touch-trigger mechanism.
As for the plant-care base, he added an extremely faint purification rune that could slightly suppress common soil mold.
These improvements were not astonishing, nor were they revolutionary. They simply reflected more meticulous design and stronger fundamentals in subtle details.
After cautiously investigating several options, he chose a channel to sell these improved hobby projects—a middle-aged shopkeeper in Craftsman’s Lane who appeared honest and kept his mouth shut.
The prices were modest, but they far exceeded the cost of the materials. Because the items were practical and reliable, they gradually attracted repeat customers.
Piece by piece, over the course of a month, he quietly accumulated a modest little reserve of funds—enough to cover the basic living expenses for himself and Cosette for several months, with even a small surplus remaining. That surplus would serve as the starting capital for the more complex Magic Tool projects he planned in the future.
Achieving this small goal in silence allowed Ryan’s tightly wound nerves to relax slightly. At the very least, the pressure of basic survival had temporarily eased.
The calm days passed one after another.
Cosette’s literacy steadily improved. She could now haltingly read simple instructions and item descriptions, and she had even begun attempting to write short sentences.
Under Ryan’s guidance, she had also begun training her perception of Mana. Although progress was slow, the intense focus she displayed occasionally reminded Ryan of the way he had studied for exams in his previous life.
The little maid remained quiet and obedient, keeping Room 207 in perfect order. Yet when she looked at him, something more than simple reliance seemed to flicker faintly in her gaze—something even she herself might not fully understand yet.
As for the mysterious Elf, it seemed to have vanished completely, leaving no further trace.
Ryan never believed the matter would end so simply. He stored the Emerald Wind Oath even more carefully, and his research into ancient texts related to it became more discreet and secretive.
Beneath the seemingly tranquil autumn sky of Saint Roland Magic Academy, unseen gears had already begun to slowly engage.
Perhaps calmness existed only to gather the strength needed to shatter it.