At the podium, the headmaster cleared his throat as the room fell silent again.
"Congratulations, everyone," he began, "Whatever your results may be. Remember, today's evaluation is but the first step in your journey. Do not let these rankings limit you. After all, in a duel or out in the world, your intellect, creativity, and application of theory will be the victor's determining factor."
Somewhere in the crowd, someone sniffled.
"Isaac? Are you okay?" Zehrah reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of tissues. "I-I have no idea what's going on in your head… But… Hey… I hope their tears of joy?"
It was quite awkward between the two students as more and more First-Years started to shift their gaze towards them.
Isaac, the one who sniffled, wiped off his tears with the tissue Zehrah gave him.
Fuck… I'm a damn bitch.
Why am I complaining? If this world is so heavily reliant on science, wouldn't I be at a significant advantage for being the one who published multiple papers and theses back on Earth?
Shut the fuck up, Isaac.
You got this.
Starting with this deduction, the tissues are so much more absorbent than the tissue on Earth, so much so that they're absorbing the oil on my face, meaning they've improved the most minute stuff of society as well.
She isn't holding a Polyethylene/PVC container for the tissue as well. Maybe the companies in this world care more about CSR aims? Or since they're so smart, they know that plastic, if not material engineered well enough, is shitty to the environment and actively take steps to use alternatives?
Again… I think it's safe to say that these fuckers are smarter than most on Earth.
Fuck… Now that makes my only concern… if they're smarter in this aspect of intelligence… Are they smarter than me emotionally and manipulatively? It's gonna ruin some of my schemes in the future if they are.
Shit lah…
"Thank you, Zehrah. You're right. I've achieved my dream of officially being enrolled in EINA, really couldn't help but reflect on my past. Thank you for the tissue."
Zehrah took the pack of tissues out of Isaac's hand and further comforted him.
"That's right. Be as happy as you want, Isaac. But… dude… pay attention hehe."
Although the majority of Headmaster Orthellius's speech was missed by Isaac, he could get the gist of what would happen next, supplied by the knowledge of the future. It's just that he could not have expected the glare from the Headmaster.
And as Isaac Wong's ego, he had to lift his head and glare back.
Yeah… He's suspecting me now… Either he or some fucker escalated it.
Ah shit… If he overheard me using olden terminology for casting, I can't make the bullshit excuse that it was an accidental usage. Logically, I just frame it as a deliberate identity anachronism.
Though… Just how long can I act?
"You will now follow a senior on a full tour of our esteemed Institute. Your assigned instructor will be determined by your student ID number. Please form up in groups of 10. Dismissed once again."
In a twist of fate, as the crowd dispersed into designated groups, Isaac found himself lumped in with the legends, a ten-person ensemble that included none other than Alyssa, Turaiya, who aptly barged in and requested a student that gladly left out of respect, and Caelum.
Then there was Isaac.
The dynamic was almost comical. Alyssa immediately became the sun of their little solar system, with the other six group members orbiting her like planets. Meanwhile, Turaiya had cornered Caelum, her gaze dissected him as she interrogated him about his impressive performance.
Hm.. Isn't holding his hands over his head too extreme?
And maybe a bit too unlike a princess… Their proximity wasn't just professional curiosity, cuz their standing closer than institutional decorum typically allowed, their body language speaking of familiar ease as well.
Oh wait…
The pieces clicked together.
Were these fuckers childhood friends?
For the most irrelevant thing, recollection of the original game's lore came flooding back instead of the major details that would benefit him in the future. Implications of a relationship predating the start of the game were recalled.
All Isaac could do was chuckle as the tour began, something little that managed to brighten his confusing day.
Bruh… These two lovebirds should just get a ro—
"Excuse me. Student 137, Isaac Mun, correct?"
Huh?
An upperclassman, like a gentleman, offered Isaac a handshake. This individual was not the tour guide assigned to Isaac; in fact, he looked too good to be a student representative for the Orientation.
"Yes, wassup?" Isaac accepted the handshake,
"First, huge fan, would you mind giving me an autograph?"
"O-oh… Yea sure…"
To fake or not to fake.
"Thank you very much, Isaac. Second, Headmaster Orthellius requests a word, Mr. Mun."
Fuck…
"Like. Right now?"
"Yes, please follow me."
"But the tour?"
"He has already relayed the information to Student Marcus Kim, who will serve as your guide. Furthermore, the campus tour will not commence until certain preparatory arrangements have been completed. At present, your presence is required in the Administrative Room. Please, follow me."
"And I cannot reject this?"
"The Headmaster explicitly requested me to bring you to him, regardless of means and reasons."
"My bad, dw, I'll go."
I see… Shit… He really wants me to go.
I can't even say no cuz if he really is an upperclassman, I'd get smited by his autonomous magic the moment I show hostile/retaliating intent. He looks like one hell of an expressionless mf. I don't think any intellectual tricks would work on this dude. Fuck… The only thing I can do is lie to Orthellius, if not distort my truths well enough for a lie detector.
"Right. Please follow me."
The two exited the auditorium, passing by various facilities along the way until they arrived at an isolated room. Looking at it from afar, it was clearly the Administrative Room. And based on the atmosphere, it was a facility reserved solely for serious matters.
"Please enter."
Isaac opened the door and came face to face with the Headmaster. It was brief, but Isaac noted a change in facial expression.
From smiling to frowning.
"Good morning, Isaac Mun. We seem to keep meeting. Have a seat."
"Don't we? Good morning to you, too, Headmaster." Isaac extendedly bowed before sitting down.
"See, Isaac... Things have escalated to a degree where I must take principal action. In fact, I think this case would be more suited to the Margistrials. However, I respect you now after all that you have shown. It greatly pains me to do this, but I will do everything in my power to ascertain all the information I need from you. I'm taking this seriously now, Isaac. The polygraph was me being lenient. I'll begin using my own methodologies to resolve this."
Bring it motherfuc—
"I am a kind… kind Headmaster, and so I will grant you the courtesy of a few questions. You may answer them truthfully, in whatever manner you wish. However… do not lie to me. Should you attempt to do so right now, I assure you that microscopic needles of light will pierce your brain and lobotomize you the very instant the syllables of falsehood leave your mouth."
He sighs.
"In that state, you will be entirely incapable of resisting our memory-extraction procedures, after which I may, if I so choose, restore you to the condition you were in before your lie. Do you understand? Do not test my patience. You are free to lie if you wish—it merely makes the process easier for all of us, save for yourself."
Oh… Oh fuck…
Okay, wait, shit, I literally have to lock in.
"Understood. Please, Headmaster. Let's begin. I wouldn't want to miss the tour of your beautiful campus."
"Thank you. Do not concern yourself with that as well. We shall establish a few ground rules first.
I will pose an indefinite number of questions, though they will not exceed ten in total. Each will not be of facts that I alone know. Response must be given within fifteen seconds of the question being asked. Once I am satisfied, I will allow you to apply the same framework you have just answered to, while imposing a single reasonable constraint upon myself. After that, you may, if you wish, return a question of your own.
Are you ready?"
Tsk… How unfair…
"Not ready, Headmaster."
"What is it that is limiting you?"
"See… I have these items in my pocket; give me a second to empty them."
"Go ahea—"
CLANK
A pen was dropped onto the table with surprising force.
On top of that, Isaac cut him off.
"Oh? Headmaster? Look at this coin? How fascinating, you know? The thought experiment of quantum mechanics and superposition?"
"Yes? —"
Isaac cuts him off again. This time, hastening his speech to get his entire proposition in.
"I will flip this coin in exactly one minute. Before that, I want you to predict the outcome. If your prediction is false, then you must add the word 'Cat' at the end of your answer. If your prediction is true, you must not add 'Cat'. Refuse if you'd like."
"Hoh? Interesting… I will reject."
"Suit yourself? You sure?"
Why did he refuse? He found it a time-wasting distraction? Does he follow decorum that forbids game-like concessions? He simply didn't want to engage on Isaac's terms?
All unlikely… Therefore…
"I'm sure, let's not waste any more time. Shall we?"
"Please."
"Question 1: Which pedagogical institute did you attend before EINA? Was it Thaumitonical, Monurgical, Sanānurgical, or Plerōmurgical in nature? If none of the above, tell me."
What the fuck are you saying?
ThAUmITonIcal, mOnUrGICAl, SAnānUrgIcaL, oR PLErōMurGIcAl.
"I was privately tutored for the majority of my education, Headmaster, supplemented by extensive independent study through books and academic texts. As for its nature, it did not fall under the above; it was merely rooted in mathematics and the natural sciences, with a strong emphasis on theoretical understanding rather than any formal institutional doctrine."
"Question 2: Who was your tutor, and what pedagogical tradition did they themself follow?"
"An independent scholar. Her name was Dr Sri Varma Chael. She preferred a more classical and older Thaumitonic framework, one she always emphasized as being more methological. As I quote from her; 'Everything is a probability amplitude until the waveform collapses."
The headmaster writes it down in his personal notebook.
"She must have been a brilliant scholar. A classical genius — does that mean pre-reform?"
Third question.
"Foundational, per se—one should remain rooted in what has always proven effective."
Pre-reform?
"I see… You should be aware of modern terminology, yet still choose to use old terminology. Could you define the designation A.M.A in reformed Noësis Nomenclature?"
Fourth Question… Ah fuck…I know it's the 'Wind Slash' Spell, but what is it unabbreviated?
Could I try to BS my way out of it? No, I definitely can't.
"Truthfully, I do not know, sir. I only know the abbreviated versions of the modern Noësis Nomenclature. If you were to give me a hint, though, I could probably figure it out."
"Fine by me. The Wave Binder causes massive velocity gradients across layers, producing an ultra-thin sheet of high-speed air that slices through matter and weakly coherent fields. It is something that utilizes the atmosphere to form structures with accelerated force. Your answer?"
Ah~ I see.
They understand Magic through science. That's why all things Magical have scientific terminologies. Assuming what he said was true, I must break down that statement into parts. I must figure out what:
A=?
M=?
A=?
'Utilizes the atmosphere' suggests that either of the A is atmosphere/atmospheric.
The other A could be acceleration, or a description of the spell itself.
'Form structures with accelerated force' is misleading if taken literally.
Acceleration is not the structure, but the means by which the structure is sustained. The actual phenomenon is the stability within motion. Therefore, the final A should not redundantly describe motion (Acceleration), but the state of that motion. A synonym for structure, leaving the only one available being Anisotropy.
Lastly, M,
"Massive velocity gradients across layers… ultra-thin sheet… slices through matter."
Suggesting the spell 'Wind Slash' is differential motion with layered flow discontinuities sharp enough to behave like an edge. The cutting effect emerges from anisotropy in momentum distribution, directionally biased transfer rather than uniform propagation.
So M cannot be something vague like "Magic" or "Manipulation." Those are descriptive, not explanatory. The statement is written by someone who thinks in physics and, therefore, must be scientific.
Momentum, medium, manipulation, or motion?
Put all together.
A=Atmospheric/Anisotropic
M=Medium/Momentum/Manipulation/Motion
A=Atmospheres/Anisotropy/Asymmetry
Which is which tho? Is the Headmaster lying as well?
Hmmm…
"3…2…1…"