The sorcerer's course at Mariusius Academy.
　It is one of the few options for commoners to acquire the knowledge and skills to become a sorcerer.

　Of course, not all students who enter the mages' program will become great masters of their craft.
　A small number of students leave the school in a heartbeat, and even those who graduate will only be able to go on to their desired path.
　That's why students spend so much time working on themselves while they are still in school to get into the winning team.

Yes. Now, everyone, today, I'm going to have you use your magic to aim at the targets I've laid out over there.

　An exercise area set up on the grounds of the Marieles Academy.

　There is a group of about twenty people in one corner of it.
　Most of them are teenage boys and girls, but one woman who seemed to be in her thirties attracted the attention of all of them.

'It doesn't matter what kind of magic you use, but please use something that you can tell that you've hit the target. You can't use something like 'Sleeping Fog' that makes the judgment of a hit ambiguous.

　This is the first year of the mage course to which Kirill belongs.
　The curriculum for the first year is centered on the mastery of basic theory and the basics of magic activation.
　In that timetable, which is 80% occupied by classroom lectures, it was one of the few lectures where practical training was currently taking place.

'Then, each of you should start at your own pace. Be sure not to push yourself too hard.

　On cue from the calm female instructor, each student began to release magic at the target.

　There are two types of spells: one is fire magic, the other is wind magic, and some release a light ball that was originally intended to light up the target.
　All of them are poor at their craft.

It's a good thing that you can't get away with it.　.................. Huh?

"The burning ...... flame is a testament to my strength and ............ pride. --Fireball!

　The chanting is faltering, and the magic produced is also weak.
　I'm not sure if the control is poor or not, but less than half of them hit the target, and even if they did, the power of the hit was to be guessed.

　It was understandable.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

　It's a good thing that such amateurs are able to actually use magic in just three months, so it can be said that the academy has fulfilled its role adequately.
　Exercises that are designed for real battles need to wait until after the second year.

　Actual battles against beasts, for example, were exercises that were to be taken after the fourth year - and that was only for volunteers.
　That too would be allowed with the accompaniment of instructors and mercenaries who would ensure their safety and supervise them.

''Look, Kirill-kun!　It's your precious practice time, so stop dawdling and get started!

　Kirill, who was mulling over the situation around her, was alerted by the woman who was the instructor.

''Oh, yes. Sorry.

　Kirill hurriedly shifted his gaze to his target and held a wooden wand in his hand.

　The wand itself didn't have any effects that affected magic in any way. It's just a formality.
　But just as a merchant wears special clothes when going to an important business meeting, it is expected to have the effect of increasing concentration through the medium of a symbolic object called a wand.
　Even if this is an imaginary effect, it may help the inexperienced sorcerer to stabilize his or her mind. In the academy, it was recommended to be used when conducting a mage's training.

　The target in front of Kirill is a pile of jute bags filled with soil.
　At the top is a different colored jute bag, and it is explained that this is the target to aim at.

　The distance between them is about 20 meters.
　It can be said to be a close range for Kirill.
　I'm sure that from this distance, a single jute bag as big as a person's body would not miss its target.

　It's a very simple exercise compared to the training that Ardis is giving me, and Kirill is conversely confused.
　I'm not going to be the only one who can do that.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.

　Let's say that target was a double-sworded beast.
　Although these swordsmen are not very agile, it would still take only two breaths to catch them at a distance of 20 meters.
　That's enough time for a swordsman to draw his sword from its scabbard and fire at you, but it's just a matter of time before Kirill, a sorcerer, can strike a blow.

　As he raised his staff in a horizontal line, Kirill quickly chanted the 'rock' magic.

''The piercing crush is a valiant knight's unwavering contraption ---- rock (dessel)!

　Even if the twin-sworded beast was attacking from the position of the target, the timing would barely be in time.
　As soon as Kirill's chanting ended, the target's base shook greatly.
　The magic of the "rock" that was created as if it was thrust up from the ground hit the middle of the base.

　The two-sworded beast has a hard shell, but its belly is relatively soft.

''If you want to aim at it, aim at its belly, and if you can't see its belly, turn it over.''

　As per the advice he received from Aldis, Kirill attacked from underneath the target that he regarded as a twin-sworded beast.

'The crush that pierces is the unshakable lance of a brave knight ---- rock!

　Without a break, he fired a second shot.
　This time, a chunk of rock flew straight at the different colored jute bag designated as the target.

　The magic of the rocks, which were not aimed and hit, caused the jute bag to explode vigorously.

'Good.'

　Kirill's voice was a small murmur at the satisfying result, but his voice echoed surprisingly to the surroundings as the students were quieted by the unusual scene that had suddenly occurred.

''Huh?''

　Kirill, who noticed the change, peeked around as if puzzled.
　He was puzzled by the fact that everyone's gaze, including the instructor's, was directed at him, even after all this time.

　Next, the students begin to buzz.

''You're lying, right?　Those burlap bags are magically enhanced, right?　Why is it bursting?

'What?　Hey ......, how can you release magic in such a short time?

And it was a series of shots. The first one missed, and then the second one hit him right away.

　The students exchanged words with the people near them without regard to the fact that it was practice time.

'Now, please refrain from talking to each other. It's your precious practice time, so focus and concentrate!

　Clapping her hands together, the female instructor urged them to resume their training.

　In fact, for the students in their first year, the time for practical training was limited.
　While the surprise at Kirill's magic was still on their faces, the students, remembering that, turned their bodies to their targets and began to chant.

'But what's going on?　You've lost your target.

　After witnessing this, the lecturer came up to Kirill's side, looked at the target, which had become a cruel sight, and put his hand to his cheek.

''Well ......, was it bad to break it?''

I'm sure it's bad, but even the school doesn't expect the first year students to be able to destroy it. It's not that I'm mad at them.

　Kirill is relieved to hear that and pats his chest.

'But it's so powerful. It's hard to believe that you've only been learning magic for three months. I'm not going to be able to say that I'm a student, but I'm not. The only thing that bothers me is that the first blow, ...... didn't miss the target, but that was on purpose, right?

...... Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, I see.

　As expected of an instructor at the school, it seems that he saw that the first shot was deliberate, as it took the form of a shot up from the ground.

'With that kind of accuracy, you could have aimed directly at the target from the start, right?

'If they don't move, that's fine, but ....... I'm not sure I'm confident enough to make my opponent moving yet to make it a must.

'Oh, I see. Twenty meters away, the enemy coming towards us, first of all, you're definitely stalling ......, you're expecting a real battle.

　The short conversation gave me a wonderful insight into Kirill's intentions.
　In spite of his soft tone, he seems to be someone who is difficult to underestimate.

''For a genius who has shown top-class results right after entering the school, aiming at a stationary target must be boring, but...''

　The female instructor chuckles.

'Could you be a little less powerful next time?　As you'd expect, if the target is broken twice or three times, the facilities department will be very picky.

　The female lecturer leaves Kirill's front door, telling him to pass the time in a reasonable manner the rest of the day.

'I'm not a genius. ......

　Before entering the school, Kirill had no knowledge of magic at all, but in the past three months since he started studying at the school, he has quickly become a force to be reckoned with.
　While the other students were struggling, he mastered beginner's magic and was one of the top students in the classroom.
　Rumors are circulating that he is being looked at as a promising new star by the instructors as well.

　But Kirill himself is not aware of this.

　Looking back on his daily life of running away from death in the forest and running around in a shameful outfit, he cannot even think of himself as a genius.

　After all, Kirill is right next to Ardis, a foul-grade strongman.
　Compared to that bullshit, my own abilities are only a little better than others.

　But the people around him who don't know Ardis don't understand that.
　They don't know that people are chased by double-sworded beasts and lactors every day, and they only evaluate Kirill with the word 'genius'.
　Sometimes that can be turned into a gaze of respect, but on the other hand, it can also lead to unwanted trouble.

'You said something about Kirill. Can I have a word with you?

　After completing the exercise, Kirill went to the lecture room for the following class, and waiting for him was a female student in the sorcerer's course who had a tough look on her face with a tough personality.