Adrias's Flower

Keshurin's sudden reaction caught everyone's attention, and the situation became even more complex with Dianne's arrival.

"Adrias, did you really make this?" Dianne asked, her expression filled with curiosity.

Even Dianne seemed intrigued by the flower bud I had created, making the professor wonder if he had missed something.

"Adrias, have you attended a lecture on magical circles before?" the professor asked, as if implying that it was necessary.

Did I attend a lecture on magical circles? I tried to recall, realizing that even though I created the flower based on my gaming experiences, attending the lecture or not was irrelevant. However, I nodded and confirmed, "I attended a lecture during my first year."

"First year? The spells used here, their forms and types... it doesn't seem like something you would have learned back then," the professor responded, his expression growing perplexed.

The students, eager to understand the situation, looked at us with questioning gazes.

Keshurin was the first to speak up. "This flower may not seem extraordinary, but it incorporates advanced spells, not only related to life and nature but also involving time, rotation, and reversal. While anyone here could create a single flower with basic life-related spells, Adrias's creation is on a different level."

"Time?" someone asked, confused.

"Yes. On the surface, it appears to be just a bud, but it maintains a state of reversal while simultaneously incorporating spells of time and rotation, causing it to wither," Keshurin explained.

The students looked on with expressions that said they still didn't quite grasp the significance.

That's when Dianne chimed in, "In simpler terms, it's withering while being maintained in a verdant state. It creates a 'contradiction' using the most basic forms of spells."

Contradiction.

It was the most fundamental principle of magic, becoming more challenging as one delved deeper into it. Understanding and manipulating contradictions would propel a magician's abilities to a higher level.

"Truly admirable."

The students nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with awe and appreciation.

"But honestly, it's a cause for admiration. To infuse such meaning and intent into a simple flower bud... My magical circle was nothing more than a pointless, oversized waste," Keshurin admitted.

Seizing the opportunity, I reached out to him, offering reassurance. "No, it's not. I simply created this without much thought, but Keshurin and Dianne have elevated it. It would be unfair to compare it to this flower. Besides, if you incorporate contradictions into your magical circle as I did, it would be an extraordinary achievement."

"Incorporating contradictions..." Keshurin repeated, lost in deep thought as he held his own paper.

Following Keshurin's example, Dianne and other students began contemplating how they could infuse their own magical circles with contradictions or imbue them with different meanings.

"That's it. That's what I wanted to see. If they can grow and find inspiration from this, it would be wonderful," I thought to myself.

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Grace Mayern had been having the worst days for the past few days.

'Damn him, damn him!'

After being humiliated by Adrias Cromwell, the students at the exchange conference avoided him whenever they saw him. Their glances were filled with ridicule and contempt, and Grace couldn't bear it.

'I am the owner of the Dawn Roar and the prince of the Kingdom of Mayern! How dare they disrespect me?'

All of this was because of Adrias Cromwell. To make matters worse, the woman named Vivianne, who was with him, was equally infuriating. If they had shared meals and become acquainted from the beginning, none of this would have happened. How dare they refuse to dine with him, one of the Three Princes of Mayern!

'That guy, and that woman... I want to kill them all.'

On top of that, Adrias Cromwell had demonstrated his exceptional skills during the magical circle lecture with the exchange conference participants, intensifying his frustration. How could someone who was merely a novice mage achieve such feats?

"Ugh."

Unable to contain his anger, Grace left the temporary luxury accommodation provided for the exchange conference participants. Although it was slightly chilly outside, the coat made of exquisite fabric shielded him from the cold. All he could think of was returning to his homeland.

As Grace wandered outside in the early morning when everyone was asleep, a voice he didn't recognize reached his ears.

"Oh my. Is it none other than Grace, Your Highness, from the Mirko Academy?"

"Who are you?"

Startled by the unknown figure, Grace quickly reached for his staff, ready for any threat.

The person raised both hands and smiled.

"Ah, no need to be so cautious. I am Antonio Holt, a graduate of the Rodren Academy."

"Hmph. Well, it's not like I'm surprised or anything. Being in a foreign land has made me more cautious, so it's understandable."

"Yes, of course. Your caution is necessary, especially as a prince."

"Enough about that. Why did you approach me so suddenly? How did you know I am a prince?"

In response to Grace's question, Antonio smirked ominously and shrugged his shoulders.

"I heard rumors. Rumor has it that the prince of the Mayern Royal Family personally attended the exchange conference. But it seems you've been involved in some unpleasant incidents?"

Antonio's words, hinting at hidden wounds, felt like daggers to Grace.

How dare he mock Grace Mayern, a member of the Mayern Royal Family and one of the Three Princes?

"You... How dare you mock Grace Mayern, a member of the Mayern Royal Family and one of the Three Princes!"

"I would never dare. I merely came to offer something beneficial to Prince Grace."

Antonio pulled out a potion bottle from his robe.

Seeing it, Grace's face turned red with anger.

How furious he was could be seen from his agitated breathing as he asked, "What's the meaning of this? What is that potion?"

"This is an amazing potion that temporarily enhances the user's physical abilities and increases mana. It's a very special concoction I obtained through great effort."

"What did you say? I can't believe such a potion exists."

"Of course, believing is up to Your Highness's discretion. However, I can confidently say that it is not a lie. Would I dare deceive a person of your caliber?"

Upon Antonio's words, Grace nodded his head.

He couldn't be sure if his name was truly Antonio, but at the very least, his appearance and the fact that he belonged to the Department of Magic were enough to convince him that he wasn't trying to trick him.

"So, are you offering to sell me that potion?"

"Exactly. If you decide to make the purchase, I will provide you with a sample vial. What do you think?"

"Hmph! Such a small amount of money is nothing to me. I will pretend to fall for your trick and play along."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Grace paid the sum and received the potion from Antonio.

With a smile on his face, Antonio nodded and said, "It was a pleasure doing business with you. Now, if you'll excuse me."

"If I don't experience the effects you mentioned after drinking this, I will find you and give you a piece of my mind."

"Of course."

With those words, Antonio gradually retreated.

A significant smile lingered on his lips.

'After drinking it, even if you wanted to find me, you wouldn't be able to. Haha.'

As Antonio disappeared, Grace immediately consumed the sample he had received.

And just as Antonio had claimed, the effects began to manifest right away.

'This is... unbelievable.'

It was a revolution in the world of potions.

Why weren't they selling this potion immediately if they had such a thing?

The amount he paid was well worth the overflowing power he felt.

'This immense strength! And it's just from drinking a small sample like this.'

The potion he received from Antonio had a volume almost ten times that of the sample.

He wondered how much more potent the effects would be if he consumed the full amount.

'With this...'

Grace's mind was filled with thoughts of Adrias.

Adrias Cromwell, who had humiliated him in front of everyone.

It seemed that his downfall was not far off.

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After the exchange conference participants and lecture attendees had dispersed, Dianne, who had been considering visiting the training hall, froze as an unexpected visitor appeared.

'Vivianne Velocan.'

The sudden visit of Vivianne caught Dianne off guard, even Dianne herself, who was renowned throughout the world.

The Knight Division student who, until right before the tournament, didn't even know her name.

However, her skill was more formidable than any opponent she had faced in the tournament.

'If I hadn't fought against Adrias before, I would have lost.'

Vivianne's swordsmanship had reached a level of mastery that could easily surpass any opponent, even Adrias, had they not fought before.

Dianne couldn't understand why such talent had gone unnoticed until now, but it didn't matter.

What mattered now was why Vivianne, who had had no contact with her since the tournament, had come to find her.

"Dianne Alben."

"Long time no see. What brings you here?"

As Dianne and Vivianne met, they attracted significant attention from their surroundings.

The winner and runner-up of the tournament, both possessing outstanding looks, naturally drew curious gazes.

"I heard it all."

Vivianne's sudden appearance seemed to carry a hidden meaning.

Dianne's frozen expression softened as she asked, "Heard it all? What are you talking about?"

"Adrias supposedly gave you a flower."

Why would Adrias Cromwell be here all of a sudden?

But upon hearing Vivianne's words, Dienne understood what she was referring to.

She must be talking about the flower from the recent magic circle lecture.

"Yes, he gave it to me because I asked. Is there a problem?"

"...Hmph."

Vivianne, who suddenly became angry, bowed her head before slowly raising it.

Dianne couldn't help but wonder why Vivianne's eyes seemed slightly teary, as if holding back frustration, while she bit her lip.

"That... Can't you give it to me?"

"What? Ah! You mean the magic circle Adrias gave you?"

"Yeah."

Dianne couldn't understand why a Knight Division student would want a magic circle.

Was she planning to conduct research? No, that was the job of the Magic Division.

Vivianne's behavior was incomprehensible, but Dianne happened to have the paper with Adrias's magic circle in her possession, so she immediately took it out.

"This is the flower?"

"Yes. I have it because I wanted to refer to it, so I'm a bit reluctant to give it away..."

As Dianne's words trailed off, Vivianne's expression became desolate.

Seeing her expression, which resembled a whimpering puppy, Dianne's heart softened, and she sighed.

"Alright. Since I can make another one separately. It was just an excellent idea, so I can recreate it by following along."

Saying so, Dianne unfolded the paper and infused it with mana.

Suddenly, a blue flower bud gently floated up.

"Wow."

Vivianne's expression brightened instantly, and she cautiously accepted the paper that Dianne handed over.

At that moment, someone intervened between the two.

"Hey, it's Dianne-senpai and Vivianne-senpai!"

Lucia, who had just finished her lecture, approached them with sleepy eyes.

Her lips curved into a smile, creating a face that was neither sleepy nor smiling.

"Lucia."

"Oh? Is this, by any chance, that thing? The contradiction of Adrias Cromwell?"

"Yes."

The street suddenly became bustling with noise.

With the addition of Lucia, who had arrived, it felt as if all the famous people had gathered, and everyone was looking at them.

"Huh? Something seems to be missing here."

Lucia spoke as she observed the flower bud.

Dianne raised her eyebrows in response. "Something missing?"

"Look here. Doesn't this part look a bit off?"

Lucia pointed out a spot, and upon closer inspection, a section of the magic circle seemed awkward.

In truth, Dianne had already noticed that part but had thought it was intentional on Adrias's part.

However, Lucia's comment shattered that prejudice a bit.

'Intentional or unintentional?'

As Dianne became confused, Lucia suddenly began rearranging the mana.

"If I smooth out this part and add a 'flow' spell around here..."

On the spot, she started modifying Adrias's magic circle.

As a result, the awkward gap in the magic circle disappeared, and the modified magic circle became smooth, emanating a new light as the flower bud started to move.

"Huh? Huh?"

"Wow!"

The bud began to bloom.

And along with it, something hidden was revealed.

"Haha..."

"Lies! Adrias-senpai really did this?"

Dianne's absent-minded laughter, Lucia's astonishment, and Vivian's expressions of admiration.

Even the passersby who were watching nearby couldn't close their mouths in the face of the unfolding spectacle.

It was a vast fairy garden created through an illusion.

On the fresh green petals that bloomed from the flower bud, there were dual magic circles that Adrias had hidden.