Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win-Chapter 47: Mana Theory [2]

The teacher arrived.

’...The fuck?’

Who was none other than their headmistress.

The room fell into a suffocating silence.

Everyone straightened in their seats as she stepped onto the platform with a light tap of her heels.

’What is she doing here?’

Akamir wondered, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the woman.

She was tall, with skin like polished bronze.

A floor-length black coat hugged her form.

Her black hair was bound in a sharp ponytail, and her cold golden eyes swept across the room like she was measuring their worth one breath at a time.

"I know you’re confused," Zavan said, placing her books down. "As to why the hell I am in this class."

She leaned against the table, looking directly at Zaina, who sat in the front bench.

"Long story short, I wanted to see the potential of the new students."

She quickly looked away. "Alright, welcome to the Basics of Mana class."

’Is she here for Zaina?’

Akamir wondered, rubbing his chin.

The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

After all, Zavan was one of the most powerful mages in the kingdom.

’It makes sense for her to be interested in the literal apostle of a goddess.’

Zavan clapped her hands as she looked around. "Who wants to tell me what mana is?"

A few hands hesitantly rose.

Most students looked nervous, either unsure of the answer or too intimidated to speak under her sharp gaze.

"You, boy with glasses."

One boy stood up, voice stiff. "Mana is... the energy that flows through everything. We use it to cast spells and enhance physical abilities."

Zavan raised an eyebrow. "Correct—but boring."

She glanced around. "Anyone want to add something useful? Insightful? Or at least interesting?"

Silence.

"Hey."

Viros, who sat beside Akamir, poked his ribs.

"I feel like I’m gonna fall asleep."

Akamir scoffed. "Then do it."

"...No, Headmistress will kill me." He grumbled, pulling out a sandglass from his bag. "I’ll pass time by watching this."

He turned it over.

The sand emptied in an instant.

"......."

"...."

Akamir quietly looked at the boy.

Viros scratched his chin. "It was on sale."

’...What type of idiot is he?’

Akamir focused on the class again.

Zavan’s gaze drifted to the back of the room.

Akamir sighed.

’Here we go.’

"You, Inara’s lover."

She pointed at him.

Akamir lazily raised his eyes to meet hers. "Yes, Headmistress?"

"Tell me what mana is to you."

He leaned back. "Mana is a tool. It’s used by the powerful to control everyone else."

For a long second, Zavan stared at him.

Then, she gave the faintest nod.

"Interesting perspective. Cynical, but possibly true." She turned back to the class. "But not everyone." frёewebnoѵēl.com

’Nice ass.’

"She’s in her sixties," Nayomi said, startling him.

’Did she just read my mind?’

"No. You were just being too obvious."

"..."

Akamir quietly looked away from her.

Zavan picked up a piece of chalk and began writing on the board.

"There are roughly one in a thousand children who can sense mana and create a core," she said, turning back to them.

"A core, as you all know, is the rawest form of measuring one’s power."

She pointed at the board. "But humans invented a more standardized way to measure mana output—tiers."

She looked at them. "How many tiers are there?"

"Seven," most of the students replied.

She nodded. "Correct. Seven tiers, each with different capabilities."

Raising her hand, she formed four different magic circles at once.

"There are four main or basic elements: fire, earth, water, and wind," she said, showing them.

"Tier One, or red-core mages, can make these circles easily."

Two of the circles vanished, leaving only fire and wind. "Tier Two, or orange-core mages, can fuse two elements."

Crackle!

The two circles combined, forming a new one—lightning.

She extended her hand upward, and the lightning turned into a storm. "Tier Three, or green-core, can expand the scope of their spells."

The storm vanished, and Zavan tapped her heels on the ground, forming a circle that spread across the class.

"Tier Four, or blue-core, can do this..."

As her words finished, gravity shifted.

’Woah.’

Everyone began to float until Zavan quickly dispelled the effect.

"Unfortunately, Tier Four is the limit for ninety-nine percent of humans." She leaned back against the table. "Reaching beyond that is nearly impossible."

Akamir rested his chin in his hand, watching her with interest.

’She’s not wrong. Ninety-nine percent... and yet they still fill this place with hopefuls.’

"You’d be wise to forget about Tier Five," Zavan added coolly. "No one’s reached it in the last fifty years."

"But... it’s real?" one girl asked timidly.

Zavan nodded. "It is."

Then she turned her head slightly—toward Zaina.

"And some say Tier Six has already awakened in this era."

’So it is her. Or she thinks it is.’

Zavan returned to her desk.

"There are other types of magic—sacred, cursed, divine, forbidden—but for now, you’ll learn only the basics. Most of you will never get past Tier Two."

She smiled, not kindly. "Might as well manage your expectations now."

A boy raised his hand. "Can there be a difference in strength in the same core?"

"Yes." She nodded. "It all depends on the purity and mana capacity."

Akamir rubbed his chin as he glanced at Viros beside him.

The boy was almost asleep as he barely had his eyes open.

Akamir sighed.

"That’s all for today." Zavan said, packing her stuff. "Inara’s lover. Come with me."

Akamir blinked. "...What?"

Zavan was already walking out the door, not even looking back.

’What a pain.’

Akamir stood, adjusting the collar of his uniform, and followed her out.

The hallway was empty, save for the tapping of her heels echoing against the stone floor.

She didn’t slow down, leading him past two corridors before finally stopping near a wide window that overlooked the outer training grounds.

She leaned against it, observing Akamir from head to toe.

He tilted his head. "Do you need something?"

"What did you do to Inara?" she asked, staring into his eyes.

Akamir frowned. "I did nothing."

"Don’t lie to me, boy." Her voice was cold. "I’ve known her for over a year. She’s not the type to like guys like you."

"...Then what are you suggesting?" Akamir asked flatly. "That I blackmailed her?"

"I’m considering that too." Her eyes narrowed. "How else would she—"

"Inara kissed me. In front of everyone," Akamir cut in. "You think that was a lie too?"

Zavan stepped closer, folding her arms. "You’re hiding something, boy."

"And if I am?" he asked, his expression calm.

"Then I’ll find out," she said. "Inara might not see it yet, but I will. I don’t care if you’re a prodigy or a noble’s bastard. If you hurt her—"

"I won’t," he interrupted, his tone quiet but firm.

He had no plans to harm her.

Not yet.

"That’s for me to decide," Zavan said, studying him a moment longer.

Then she turned and walked away.

Akamir rubbed the back of his neck and headed in the opposite direction.

He didn’t care for the rest of his classes today.

’I should talk with Inara about this.’

If she can resolve the issue with Zavan, then he won’t have to be on her radar.

’I don’t want to deal with her.’

He let out a sigh before he stopped at his place.

His gaze was on the other side of the hall, where a few guys stood.

At the front stood a boy with dark blue eyes.

And he was staring at Akamir like he wanted to kill him.

Akamir smiled softly, walking over.

"How have you been?" the boy asked, tilting his head.

Lucien, the second prince of the Krivos Kingdom.

"Asher."