Overpowered Archmage Doesn’t Hide His Talent

Chapter 58 …Excited.

“Students of Merhen Academy, welcome.”

By the time we stepped out of the carriage, evening had already set in. A magician dressed in a gray robe greeted us.

Her hair, tinged with the color of nature, and her pointed ears, paired with her golden eyes full of purity, made it clear to anyone that she was an Elf.

“My name is Serena. I have been entrusted with overseeing your midterm evaluations and the tour of Saphora.”

She pointed at a golden pin attached to the chest of her robe, probably indicating her affiliation with Saphora.

“Take care, everyone. And absolutely no causing trouble.”

Violet had come all the way here just to see us off.

As a result, we had to listen to Violet’s worried warnings a few more times before following Serena into the grand entrance.

“Wow… It’s so spacious!”

Becky, who was walking beside me, exclaimed in awe.

Her reaction was understandable. Seeing Saphora with my own eyes, I could now grasp why some people referred to it as a “region.”

Art exhibitions, fairs, hotels, general stores, magic tool shops… various things occupied large sections of this place.

From the outside, it really did seem like an entire town.

While looking around at everything, we arrived at a large square.

Serena handed each student a name tag.

[ ]

There was nothing written on the name tag. It was simply painted white.

Yusia looked at hers and then at mine several times before tilting her head in confusion.

“Huh, Sir Flan! There’s nothing written on our name tags!”

But it wasn’t just us—everyone in the A-rank received the same blank name tags.

And just then…

“Ouch!”

A spark crackled, and one of the female students collapsed to the ground along with her chair. All eyes turned toward her.

“What’s wrong with her? Hey, somebody help!”

“What happened? She was just sitting there, and then suddenly…”

Two other female students immediately rushed to help the fallen student, but she didn’t budge.

However, I had a pretty good idea why she fainted. I clicked my tongue without realizing it.

“That’s why you shouldn’t touch things recklessly.”

“…?”

Trixie, standing beside me, looked at me with a puzzled expression. Then, she spoke up.

“Whatever happened, it’s a big deal… fainting like that.”

“It’s fortunate. It could have been worse.”

She had touched something she shouldn’t have, and as a result, she fainted. The reason was simple and straightforward.

“Everyone, please pay attention.”

Serena’s voice rang out. At the same time, the chair that had fallen flew toward her.

“Please put on your name tags. If you received them without any issues, you should have received a white name tag.”

The chair floated in the air, spinning until the seat part faced us.

Attached to the seat was a red name tag.

“You all underwent a physical examination at the Magic Tower. Based on the minimum magic power among you, we’ve categorized all the items within the exhibition.”

Serena tapped the chair with a serious expression, as if this was something worth emphasizing multiple times.

“Do not, under any circumstances, touch any items that have name tags of a different color. Remember, fainting is the lucky outcome. If you’re unlucky…”

Serena’s gaze fell on the student who had fainted.

Several people around swallowed nervously.

If this is what happens when you’re lucky, what would happen when you’re not? It wasn’t hard for the students to figure that out.

Around that time, Yusia whispered to me in a small voice.

“Sir Flan! As expected, you knew everything!”

Trixie, too, was staring at me with curious eyes. I gave them a casual nod.

“You’ll only be staying in the ‘First-timers’ section, but… there’s no avoiding Saphora’s abnormalities. Please refer to the booklet for more details.”

As she said this, Serena distributed booklets to the students.

The booklets, assisted by telekinesis, flew neatly toward the students.

◎ Do not respond if a woman asks about any artwork. Saphora provides its own explanations attached at the bottom.

◎ Never touch magic tools placed on the ground. Saphora does not leave items on the ground.

◎ If you mistakenly touch a magic tool and need help, make sure to receive assistance from the third person who arrives.

◎ If you suddenly feel like you’re not in Saphora anymore, close your eyes and cover your ears. Keep them covered until someone taps you on the back four times.

◎ If your partner disappears for more than 15 minutes and then reappears, ignore them. That is not your partner.

◎ The hotel is an exception zone. No abnormalities occur there.

The students started to murmur amongst themselves.

“What’s this? Creepy.”

“Should we just stay at the hotel…”

This was all new to them.

…But to me, these were familiar rules.

In a place where various magic tools are mixed together, ‘abnormalities’ like these happen naturally. It’s due to the powerful magic clashing with each other.

Meanwhile, Serena created a transparent fishbowl in the air. It was filled with folded pieces of paper.

“As long as you follow the rules, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

However, the students’ expressions didn’t relax at all. Serena continued speaking.

“For everyone’s safety, you’ll be moving in pairs within Saphora. We’ll now draw lots to determine the pairs.”

The drawing was done quickly using telekinesis. It didn’t take long to finish.

“Tomorrow is a free day. I hope you enjoy Saphora with your assigned partner. Now then…”

Serena distributed hotel keys using telekinesis. I got room 604.

I didn’t bother checking who my partner was. As I was about to head to the hotel…

Suddenly, I felt an ominous sensation.

“Oh my!”

At the same time, a high-pitched, delicate scream rang in my ears.

Someone in a robe bumped into me, and she even gripped my shoulder tightly with her gloved hand.

I brushed off her hand and looked at her face.

Silver hair shimmering like metal, pointed ears, and pale pink eyes… She seemed to be an Elf as well.

The energy she exuded was definitely unusual.

“Ouch…”

She frowned at me but then widened her eyes in surprise.

“…Wow, what are you?”

What was she asking about? One thing was clear—she wasn’t questioning me in an accusatory way.

On the contrary, she seemed pleased. It was a strange reaction, given that I had just stepped on her foot.

No, actually, I should be the one receiving an apology.

I had sensed her presence and had deliberately dodged to avoid her.

…Yet she had intentionally bumped into me. Clearly on purpose.

As I was about to scrutinize her further, Serena rushed over, shouting.

“President!”

At the word “President,” everyone’s attention snapped to her.

Hearing that she was the President, I finally understood the unusual feeling of her magic. It was exceptionally dense and well-concentrated.

The President’s eyes formed a deep, alluring curve.

“Oh dear, I completely failed at making a grand entrance. Nice to meet you all~”

“Goodness, are you alright?”

Serena hurriedly tidied up the President’s clothes.

As the President walked past the students, Serena called out.

“Everyone, this is President Shusia, who is in charge of the ‘First-timers’ section in Saphora!”

One by one, the students began to bow their heads, and Shusia smiled warmly at them.

“Enjoy the exhibition, everyone~ Tomorrow is a free day, right? Have fun!”

I watched her with quiet curiosity before turning away.

Shusia.

That’s likely not her real name.

◈

The next morning, I woke up feeling refreshed.

The hotel facilities in Saphora were decent.

With clean furniture, a soft bed, and an environment where I could use Trivia… at least it was enough for a good night’s sleep.

[* Mr. Guidance Auction]

[▶ I’m in Saphora! ㅎㅅㅎ]

[▶ I’m going to enjoy the exhibition!]

[* Trixie von Fritz]

[▶ I’m your partner.]

[▶ Don’t oversleep.]

[▶ You’ve been warned.]

“…What’s she doing by herself?”

It wouldn’t be fair to call Trixie foolish. After all, she doesn’t know who I really am.

Today is a “free viewing” day in Saphora. I plan to examine all the magic tools without discrimination.

But when I stepped into the hotel corridor, I sensed something was off.

The students were bustling about in a disorganized manner. The most common emotions on their faces were concern and worry.

“Oh, Sir Flan! Good morning.”

Despite the atmosphere, Yusia greeted me cheerfully. She approached me with Louis by her side.

“Hey… guys.”

And then, Becky approached with a worried expression.

She spoke cautiously and pulled out her Trivia.

“Have you guys seen the notes?”

Even if I didn’t know the details, I had a good idea. I recalled the anonymous message I had received yesterday morning.

Louis smiled and answered.

“I haven’t seen them, but I’ve heard about it. Everyone’s talking about it.”

“I heard it too!”

Finally, the three of them looked at me. I shook my head as a response.

“Oh… really? Flan, you don’t know? There’s a rumor going around that after lulling us into a false sense of security with the free viewing, they’ll release artificially created Demonic Beasts.”

Becky looked at Louis and Yusia as she asked.

“Do you think it’s true?”

“I asked some of the seniors, and they said they did their mid

term evaluations like that. It makes sense.”

“Really? Then it’s practically a cheat sheet?”

Becky let out a sigh of relief at Louis’s words.

“Wow… that’s a relief. If I didn’t know about this, I might have had a heart attack on the spot.”

“Creating sudden crises to test our response skills isn’t uncommon, right? Though, of course, the difficulty varies.”

As Louis and Becky chatted, Yusia suddenly asked, her eyes gleaming.

“…But what if we get attacked? Couldn’t we die?”

“Oh, come on… there’s no way you’d die.”

Becky shook her head.

“Artificially created Demonic Beasts are all bound by magic. If a student dies during the evaluation, it’d be a huge problem.”

“Ah, I see!”

The three of them didn’t seem too burdened by the situation.

Well, if you know your enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you already know the evaluation details, what’s there to be afraid of?

Their confidence amused me.

─They’ve infiltrated based on their midterm evaluations.

The information I obtained from the Vampires still rang clearly in my ears.

After hearing the students’ conversation, I could easily piece together how the Vampires had infiltrated like puzzle pieces falling into place.

There would be an attack. However, the Academy’s artificially created Demonic Beasts wouldn’t appear.

Some of them would be real Vampires. Or perhaps, they all would be.

Therefore…

…This is perfect.

A smile crept across my face.

A true magician should grow in such an environment. I guarantee this will be an excellent experience for the students.

“They’ve only taken the first step.”

Just defeating Yvonne, a first-year student, won’t completely change the perception of the Magic Department and the Knights Department.

No, if things stop here, it might even be dangerous.

For the Knights Department, it would just be an unlucky day. For the Magic Department, it would be a lucky day.

That’s how it would end. It’s almost inevitable.

“But.”

The Hunting Competition.

If the Magic Department were to win in the Hunting Competition, an event that has always been the Knights Department’s specialty… the Knights would inevitably begin to question their very foundations.

The Hunting Competition requires teams of four.

I needed to quickly foster the growth of the three people other than myself, and this situation couldn’t have come at a better time.

Vampires are far better for growth than artificial monsters. By far.

Yusia spoke up with a bright face.

“Sir Flan~ By the way, I’m looking forward to today. There might be something even more fun than the Glow-in-the-Dark Puzzle!”

“There is. I guarantee it.”

Something that shines even more beautifully than the glow at night—that would be the Vampires.

“Really, truly!”

At that moment, Louis spoke up with a subtle smile.

“Yes, there will be. Saphora’s reputation isn’t for nothing.”

“Reputation?”

“Yes.”

Louis opened one of the booklets. Inside was a large image of a white name tag.

“Just looking at the list of schools participating, it’s incredibly diverse, and the number of magic tools and artworks this year is at a record high. So, there’s bound to be something.”

“I see. I’m looking forward to it!”

“And one more thing.”

Louis raised a finger, as if he had something important to add.

“There’s one magic tool that hasn’t been revealed yet. They say it’s something incredible.”

“Wow… could it be something that glows in the dark?”

“No, Yusia. That’s probably not it.”

As I listened to their conversation, I quietly rubbed my chin.

The one magic tool that hasn’t been revealed yet. At this point, it’s most likely the object the Vampires are after.

In other words, it’s the most interesting item.

Suddenly, I recalled a conversation with my student.

—Why do you smell so strongly of perfume?

—I’m meeting someone today.

—You must really like this person.

—I don’t know yet. That’s why I’m doing this!

The image of that person’s excited, expressive face was still vivid in my memory.

I don’t have any information about the opponent, and I’m clearly excited right now… In a way, this isn’t much different from that matchmaking situation my student was talking about.

Whether I discard it because I don’t like it or keep it because I do, I’ll decide after seeing it with my own eyes.

The most important thing is that I’m excited right now. Nothing else matters more.

At that moment, Louis spoke up.

“Anyway, how about you, Flan?”

“Be specific with your questions.”

“I mean, about the exhibition or the evaluation… Are you nervous or anything?”

If that’s the kind of question you’re asking, then the answer is already decided.

The upcoming Hunting Competition, the existence of the Vampires who use red mana, the magic tools that excite me…

It can all be summed up in one word.

“…Exciting.”

Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise. Becky even bit her tongue and held her jaw.

“Flan, you can feel excitement?”

“Flan, you have emotions?”

“Sir Flan, that’s astonishing…”

Ignoring their reactions, I quietly recalled a name.

‘Maiev.’

…We’re finally going to meet.

◈

In one section of Saphora, a massive piece of artwork took up an entire wall.

[Vampire]

The title of the piece was just two words.

The work, a chaotic mess of red lines drawn over a black canvas, was being quietly observed by Shusia.

Saphora’s ceiling was made of glass. The warm sunlight split into hexagonal patterns as it shone down on her.

An exquisite piece of art and an elegant Elf standing before it. This scene itself became a work of art. Her expression was as merciful as could be.

Then, suddenly, a butterfly fluttered in front of her face.

Shusia’s gaze locked onto the butterfly.

In an instant, the butterfly became trapped in a ‘frame.’

The rectangular frame took on the form of a picture frame, turning the butterfly into a small piece of art.

But the butterfly was still alive.

It flapped its wings desperately, struggling to escape, but to the onlooker, it was nothing more than a moving picture.

Yet, it was still alive.

It had been preserved alive, entirely intact.

“Oh, President. You were here?”

A staff member approached Shusia. She responded with a bright smile.

“Yes~ What is it?”

“The students have just started their free viewing.”

“Ah, we should start moving too. We need to conduct the midterm evaluations~”

“Yes, but…”

The staff member suddenly hesitated. At the same time, a faint smile appeared on his face.

“Why are you hesitating?”

“It’s nothing. I was just reminded of my student days. I used to have a white name tag too… I wonder if I was that fresh and cute back then.”

The name tag pinned to his chest was golden.

Indeed, his growth was remarkable. Shusia smiled sweetly.

“You were probably fresh and cute. Definitely.”

“Haha… Thank you. I’m rambling. Let’s go, President.”

“Yes~”

The two of them started walking side by side.

At some point, Shusia stopped again. Then, she extended her hand toward the staff member.

“…?”

Not understanding the gesture, the staff member tilted his head.

Shusia spoke casually.

“Shall we shake hands?”

“Shake hands? All of a sudden?”

Just as their hands were about to meet.

Crackle─!

“Ow!”

A massive spark erupted, sending the staff member flying backward.

He rolled on the ground several times before shouting without even adjusting his clothes.

“President, please stop playing these pranks!”

The staff member shouted indignantly.

“Every time you mess around with magic tools, my heart skips a beat! What if my circuits get damaged?”

“…That’s strange.”

Shusia murmured quietly.

“There’s nothing wrong with the item. Not a thing.”

Her eyes fell on the staff member. Shusia asked abruptly.

“If this had touched a student, what do you think would’ve happened?”

“Pardon?”

“I mean what I said. If it had touched a student… what do you think would’ve happened?”

The staff member’s face turned pale in an instant.

“President, you mustn’t play pranks on students. Their mana circuits would be completely destroyed.”

“Right?”

Shusia nodded.

“Yes, that’s how it should be.”

Her gaze, as she looked down at her gloves, was full of meaning.